September 22nd

Today was a day that lame and cheesy people would put a golden star next to their entry about the day. Although I try not to be lame and cheesy, I know I am sometimes. So, my very first day of school was filled with the usual long pauses and awkwardness. And laughs at my terrible German. But, only once because I didn't talk in German that much . . . When I walked in to the first class of the day (English) there was a sign that said 'Welcome Maxene.' It was so great. And immediately a girl introduced herself to me and asked me to sit next to her. Everyone was so nice.

It's really nerve-racking though, because people can (and have) talk about me in Swiss-German and I won't understand a thing. Unless, of course you say 'carrots' or 'cabinet' or 'butt'.

Today I was locked out of my house. I forgot my key for the first time. So, I sat outside, writing for about forty-five minutes when I decided I had enough and I sent a SMS to my host-mother. The first person to arrive at the house would be an hour later, so I decided to bike around. It was really nice, actually. I went up to the pet store and looked at the little critters. It depressed me to see them all locked up in cages. When I have a bunny, it will have my whole house and yard to explore, I swear. So, all the cute little bunnies and gerbils and birds and such were in little cages. Oh I saw the cutest bunny. His ears were long and hung down and he was fat and black. I loved him immediately. So what do you do when you love a critter? Name it. Yes. Although, that name is pretty much reserved for my future bunny so, it wasn't actually legit. Anyways they were nothing compared to the pathetic turtle I saw. It was the most depressing by far. I was in the store for a good fifteen minutes, looking back and forth across the small room the carried animals. All around in the turtle's cage were wood chips. All except for one area. This area lay in the corner were the turtle persistently walked into. Over, and over, and over. Never going anywhere, just pushing himself into the corner of the cage. Occasionally, he'd take a break, then go at it even harder than before. I knelt down before his cage and knocked on it lightly before whispering to him that there was no use. He actually turned his little critter head to me and 'looked' at me. Then, he turned his body around, making me think I was a critter-psychic and miraculously got through to him, but sure enough, he turned back around and carried where he left off. And, that's where I left him.