When I got off the train with the other exchange students I felt very exited to meet my new family. How would they be like? Would they like me? Would I like them? So many questions were running through my head. Short while later I met them. They were smiling so nice at me, so I liked them from the first moment I saw them.
The next thing that made me very happy was that the English of my host sister 刘亚慧was very well, so we had no problems with communication.

After a few days I already felt that I found a new home and a new family. First I was really frightened that I would have difficulties with my host sister because she had to share her parents and home with me, but when the time passed I realized this was not the case. She accepted me like a good friend and was willing to share everything and to answer all my questions.
Also my host parents were very kind and my host father spoke a little bit English, so I nearly had no problems with talking to him. My few Chinese sentences and the dictionary helped me to talk with my host mother.
So none of my worries became reality. Even the food was so delicious that I gained a lot of weight the first time and sometimes I have the feeling I will be a ball after one year in China. I had a great start in my new environment but one problem was left: school.
 
At the new school opening ceremony, I felt very exited and nervous, because I knew that I should say some words in front of the whole school. I was standing behind the stage and looked around the corner. My only thought was: There are so many pupils! Then we had to go on the stage and everybody was looking at me. I felt so uncomfortable. But I just saw friendly faces, so I began to lose my fear.
 
Not just my host family, also my new classmates were very kind and tried to help me whenever I had difficulties. I learned some Chinese words from them and together with the staff I learned in my Chinese lessons I know enough to say some sentences. I think my Chinese made great progress!
 
So I didn’t meet any big problems yet and hope I will never in the case that I meet some. I am really looking forward to the future and to be able to speak Chinese fluently but this will take a lot of time.
 
-- Written by Tanja(from Germany), Class 8 Senior 2

Nov. 15, 2007