Florian Sören in California

Photogallery

January 15. 2006 my first school week

I was rather exhausted but I will relax now. My first school week was hard with switching subjects, new teacher, other class rooms, soccer games etc. Madelin bought last Saturday a lot of food with fruits, vegetables etc. So, I'm totally satisfied at the moment with eating something. I'm so glad, because the soccer team from my school(Nighthawks)and I won against Marius's Broncos in our home game 3:0 today. I think we played one of the best games in this season. Here is a short report about my New Years Eve in Palm Springs. Actually I wanted to write right after this journey but I had not that desire for it. We (-Madelin, Danielle. TJ and me) came by car on December the 23rd to our hotel "Palm Canyon Desert Resort" in Palm Springs. At first, they were showing me our accommodation with a huge swimming pool with long slides, pool billiard tables, ping pong tables, restaurants, library etc. I looked forward after putting my cloth in my closets in my nice room to go swimming in the pool. On the next day, we early went to another Seven Dayth Adventist Church for the last worship in 2005. It was nice but and similar with our church with a special little glass of grape juice and a piece of bread on the ending. The pastor began to tell for what we should be thankful. (-food, drink, praying) Afterwards we went to a restaurant in the centre of the valley. I did not even have think about in what kind of restaurant we are going, of course typical "Pedro's Cocina Mexicana"! I ate a Chicken Burrito with Avocado Nachos and beans. When we came back, we switched our cloth and danced in the hotel gym before the fireworks started. On my first day in 2006, we went to the Taquiez Canyon where we wanted to do an exiting hiking tour. We learned something about the Indians and Natives in this old Valley and informs us about the animals and plants around this area. The hiking guide or leader was smart and nice and learned a lot during a wonderful rainbow behind the rocks. I bought me a nice t-shirt as a memory. All in all was the short trip nice and look forward to come perhaps in April

December 25. Merry Christmas to you!!!

Hey, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!! I hope you already enjoyed a nice Christmas day in your family with a lot of surprises and happiness! Yesterday, my host family and I went by car to L.A. to see something from the Universally Studios and to look for some other stuff. I will send tomorrow some more what I did on the last days, because they are showing "Phantom of the Opera" in the TV right now and I missed it to watch it in a German movie theatre.

December 17. 2005 Christmas Concert in the St. Catherine Church

I'm so happy that I have 3 weeks winter/Christmas vacation now and that my choir concert was in every point really successful yesterday. I want to tell you how it was and my feelings before and after the concert. Every choir had to be at 6pm in the church that we could practise the Christmas songs before the concert started. Brad, my best friend in choir picked me up and we went in our nice choir suits straight to the church. I became more and more nervous during our warming up when I saw the full church with the recording engineer. Maybe we probably can get a CD from our songs sometime. That will be an awesome memory for my time here in California. My host brother TJ did some records but the quality is not the best. Well, the chorale from our school (-biggest choir with me) began and we had a nice start, so that we got fast our self-confidence to perform the rest of our songs also well. During the switching from several choirs, you sometimes had to hurry to switch your shirt or your west that you are not to late when the other choir began to sing. On the end, we encouraged the audience to sing with us "Silent Night Holy Night" and everybody was filled with enthusiasm. It was a beautiful feeling for me. Our choir teacher had the good idea that some singer can sing the first verse in another languages. So, that actually was clear that I wanted to sing it in German. Everyone told me: "you can do it, its so easy for you". It was but our principal or also called in England "headmaster" looked to me kind of serious, so I knew I had to sing so clear as possible. They turned the light of and we stood in a circle around the audience with candles. It was a nice effect and the acustic was also well. Afterwards I went with some friends to Dennis and drank a hot chocolate together. We talked about the finals, the first school semester, our performance of our choir and how everyone feel about a good Christmas mood. I hope you are alright and Have a nice Christmas mood!

December 11. 2005 my first six soccer games/choir concert next week

Hi, what's up? I'm almost alright from my cold and cough! So, I just want to tell you something about my last soccer games and my choir concert next Friday. We(-the Junior Varsity Team from our High School) had yesterday 2 games in a tournment in Capo Valley against Santa Magarita and Newport Harbor. In this hard competition participate the best High School teams from CA. We won last week against Dena Hills and we had the chance to come in the quarter final if we win yesterday! But actually it was a disaster, we lost both games with the same score 0:3! The course of both games were similar, the half time score was 0:0 and our coach told us we are playing to defence. So we tried to score but we lost sometime the ball in an one-one tackle and the other team srored in a fast counter attack or very unlucky! Everybody was a little bit disappointed but we look forward for our first home soccer game against Vista del Lago on Tuesday! I played on the first game right defender in the first half and our coach like it to switch so much as possible that everyone get a chance to play but he switched me in the last minutes from the second half! If you open the pictures, than can see some photos from San Diego and our typical turkey eating on "Thanks Giving". My school performances are average but I work hard to get maybe a "B" in History and Spanish. If I get a "C" in one of my subjects, than is it also not a big problem. Our choir songs sounds very professional and entertaining and I want to do some recordings from our songs in the St. Cathrine Church, so that you can hear it to. Alright, have a great week and "Merry Christmas" !(-hohoho) your Florian!

November 25. 2005 Disneyland!

My holiday week was really nice and I enjoy this weekend before the school starts. At the moment I have a cold and my neck hurts a little bit. Some friends from my choir asked me to go to Disneyland on Tuesday and I agreed immediately. We(-Brad, Phil, Drew and me) started here in Murrieta at 8am and went straight by car to Anaheim and than to the Downtown of Disneyland. We parked and the Disneyland train picked us up and we went to the entrance. I saw already on the beginning of our trip that everything is very clean here and on the streets were a lot of plants or palms. Students like me, have to pay for a one day card $57 in Disneyland! At first, I thought they kidding me but it was serious. Its really expensive but you can go with every rollercoaster like the famous "Space Mountain" or with the turning caps etc. We wanted to go with so much attractions as possible but sometimes we had to wait about 30 min. The weather was beautiful(- 80 Fahrenheit(26*C))it was very full. The people bought so much kitsch or better trash for Christmas and Walt Disney movies. I don t get, its very expensive and I think the most people have enough Christmas stuff. Anyways, I wanted to buy me something but actually I was happy that Brad had some Sandwiches for us. On the end of the, around 11pm we went with almost every rollercoaster, merry-go-round and we were sleepy. The firework was also well and the Disney Parade with every cartoon star from the movies were funny. The day was strenuous but it was one of the best days in my time here in California to.

November 22. 2005 yeah, I did the entrance examination for our school soccer club

I'm really happy, because I have one week holiday (-Thanks giving") and I can do something with my friends. I went last Monday with a friend from my Engineering class to the Junior Varsity Coach, Mr Stranton. He was very nice and he told me that they need more players like me. ;-) The first practise was exciting and I had a lot of fun with the other 13 students. My soccer coach was very content with me and perhaps Im in the start formation on our first real game on November 29th, away in Cathedral City. The whole soccer team will go by bus to our away games to the certain towns. We have every day after school 2h and 15min practise and sometimes on Saturday to. My host family and I will go by car on Thursday to San Diego to visit friends and I hope that I can see this time some sights or events. Yesterday, some friends from my choir picked me up and we sang some songs from Elton John, Les Miserables or Phantom of the Opera together. They are very musical and almost everybody can play minimum one instrument and can sing well. Tonight, I want to watch the new Harry Potter part and I want to go this time a little bit earlier to bed than yesterday. Marius (-the other exchange student from Karlsruhe) and I look forward to eat the typical turkey for "thanks giving"! Maybe you can remember the one part of "Mr. Bean" where he treys to fing his watch in the turkey!

November 08. 2005 The Pathfinder Olympics !!!

I'm alright and rather busy. Here is my summary about my last Pathfinder meeting from Nov. 3rd to Nov 6th. It was an event where almost every Pathfinder club or church in Southern California joined. But I think, the religion was the same(Seven Dayth Adventist.) We started here from Murrieta on Thursday when our school was over and we went by car to. The first night was very cold and I froze a little bit im my thin sleeping bag. We had not really much luck with the weather on this weekend. It did not rain but it was always cloudy. On the next day (Friday) began the Pathfinder Olympics, a sport competition where only Pathfinder could participate. Every club was involved in two team competitions like soccer, football, canoe race or volleyball. We had volleyball and "tug of the war"(-Tauziehen)-we became the 1st place in that boring event. Between our team competitions I had the possibility to participates on other single sports. I wanted to take archery(-Bogenschiessen) but I saw a bigger chance to get a medal in running competitions or in long-high jumping. The Problem was, long jumping was on the same time like our first volleyball game. So, I chose 100 yard dash and I became the 3rd. It was really not easy to came in the final, because I had to pass two qualify runs and we were approximate 20 participates in the age group (16-19). Every member were satisfied with his performance and we had a lot of fun during the competitions. On every evening was worship with singing, praying and marching for the flag ceremony. I triad to help so much as possible with cooking and fixing tents and Madleen said than "Good job athlete"! Sometimes I met other friends from the last meeting and they were also nice. If you have a few questions about something, than write me a mail and I will answer them.

October 31. 2005 The marching band competition

I want to tell you something about my weekend. On Friday was once more a home football game and we (The Nighthawks) won 28 : 21 (-one Touchdown more.) You get for every Touchdown 6 points and mostly after that 1 point for a field goal. It was very exited and I sat with some other students in the FAN-curve. "There burns the air" On the next day we had worship from 11 a.m. to 1.45 p.m. We sang a lot and I know more and more the words from every song. Afterwards we went by car to a other church in "Kansas" and I did there with a few people a short speech or lecture about our trip to Mexico. I wrote me some short points on a sheet of paper and triad to notice so much as possible. The people in the church were surprised and satisfied with my summary. Everybody said to me "good job"! In the evening we went to a marching band competition from several High schools around Riverside. Our High school band, the Crimson Cadets became the 3rd place from 8 schools. TJ was a little bit disappointed but everybody did his best performance. I like the marching band music, especially the difference between powerful or loud music and soft or quiet music. I think, I noticed also a kind of rivality and a special spirit between every high school. Here are some records, I hope they are well. Alright, I have tomorrow no school, because Halloween is here like a holiday.

October 24. 2005, The Mexican trip

Im fine but I go very early in my bed tonight. My trip to Mexico (-Tecate) was very interested but also a little bit sad. It was organized by the Seven Dayth Adventist churches around Riverside and surroundings. We went by car on Saturday at 4.30 a.m. to our accommodation, an old school for very poor children's or orphans and came at 7.00 a.m. At first we went to the small, full church and it was a very good practise for my and TJs Spanish. I understood a lot and could translate with my host brother to the other Americans. In the evening on sabado (-Saturday) we went to a poor area of Mexico and we gave some foods and toys to the happy families. We prayed together and I felt me not good. I mean nobody can imagine a live with no electrical objects or a live with 6 brothers or sisters in a very small and dirty room. Afterwards we went to an orphanage and we ate with the modest, small children's dinner and everybody got a present. That's was like Christmas for them. On the next day (domingo) we got up early and we printed some class rooms or we tore weads or collect dustbin and put it in the trash. Alright, I do my home works now!

October 16. 2005, my first real men- and mixed choir appearance

Hi, what's up? I'm alright and very busy at the moment. My choir concert on last Friday was really nice and successful. Every kind of our school choirs(- men choir, women choir, jazz choir, chamber choir and the huge mixed choir (chorale)) sang in the St. Cathrine church in Temecula (-neighbour town). It was a huge Christian church and we had a very good acoustic. The concert began on 7.30 p.m. and was 10.30 over. Spectators like my host family had to pay $6 and a musical producer recorded every song. Maybe we get sometime a CD from our choir songs. My host brother (TJ) had the instructions to make some photos but he was rather enthusiastic and he forgot to make records. Its a pity, because the acoustic was well and the quality of our songs was amazing said our teacher Mr. Zullinger. I try to do some records myself in our rehearsals, it was not the last time. Yesterday TJ and I did a general knowledge test, *especially suitable for the college when I finished the school here*. In the evening we went to "Rollercity" and we went by roller-skates through a little roller pacoure. Today is the first real bad day. It rains the whole day and it is cold. I hope it becomes better!

October 14. 2005, Our first real choir appearance and my new bike

Hi all, how are you? I'm fine, because I finished my difficult math homework and I had a really nice choir rehearsal in the evening. Tomorrow is our first real choir appearance in a huge church in Temecula. Everybody in the mixed school choir (Chorale) have to wear his nice choir clothes, the men a tuxedo. I have to sing at first in the men choir three songs -("There is nothing like a dame" by Richard Rodgers, "In the Still of the Night" by Fred Parris and "Down in the Valley" by George Mead) and afterwards in the huge Chorale five songs -("Ain- a that Good News! by William L. Dawson, "Sign no more Ladies" from three Shakespeare Songs by Rene Clausen, "Der Gang zum Liebchen" by Johannes Brahms, "The Clothes Of Heaven" by Z. Randall Stroope and my favourite Dutch song "Ain boar wol noar zien noaber tou" by Jetse Bremer). So, now you a little summary what sing in the men- and mixed choir. Last Sunday, I bought me with my host brother -(KC) a mountain bike at Wal-Mart. Almost every student in my age have a car and go by car to school. It is really strong, some people looked surprised at me and the man on our school gate wanted from me a visitor identification card, because he thought I'm only a school visitor. I show him my school card and he said: oh, alright you can go! I see really not many people on the footpath or which riding a bike. k, here you have some records from our school chamber choir!

October 09, 2005, homecoming- game and dance/ Pathfinder

Hola, que tal? Estoy bien!

Last weekend my host family and I went by car to Pinesprings (a little town in the mountains here) and there was our accommodation from the Pathfinders. There came people from Southern San Diego, Orange County CA and Riverside (-our area). It was in general a meeting before the pathfinder program starts but I learned a lot about for example what I have to do in an accident or in a state of emergency after a natural disaster. On every morning and on every evening is a flag ceremony and the flag guard hoist or lower the American Flag. On this ceremony is an absolute silence and every pathfinder have to do what the area coordinator say (-the commandos). On the evening I played soccer and volleyball and I got to know some new friends. We meet us the next time on a camping.

Yesterday was once more a homecoming football game in our school. Our team, the Nighthawks won 42:3 and it was really a considerable and exciting game. Our school choir had the first appearance and we sang the National Anthem and it was a beautiful feeling to stand before the huge spectators. Everybody were enthusiastic, because we ended and fireworks flew in the night sky.

My performances in the school are different. I have to improve me in Algebra2 and in US-History. I didn't noticed on the beginning of my first schooldays two home works and that's the reason.

September 29. 2005 my first month and the other exchange students

HI, What's up and how are you? Im fine but also a little bit tired. Today I tryed my suit and my leather shoes from my choir. Tomorrow we want to do some photos from the whole choir and every member. Next Friday we will have our first little choir appearance before the next home football game begins. I think the american hymn. (- Oh, say can you see by the dawns early light. What's so proudly be hailed....) - a beautiful music hymn. I don't have to learn it, because I hear it every day in the school and the honouring from the American flag. Everything like that is very important for the Americans and everybody sings energetic. We played in teamfield sport table tennis today and I was the best.

My performances in the school are ordinary and I have in American Lit. (sometimes also only English)a B (2) but I must improve me in Algebra2 and in Spanish. Yesterday came in my English class a girl from the highschool newspaper and she wanted to do an article about the exchange student on the Murrieta Valley Highschool (MVHS). Afterwards I met 2 girls from Scandinavians (Sweden and Norway) and a girl from Denmark. They were very nice and spoke really good English for the 2 months in California.

Mrs. Jefferson the principal.. on our school from Frankfurt offered me to bring me a typical German dark bread. I want to talk with everybody in English but she wants to talk always with me in German, because she speaks German very rarely here in CA. k, thank you for the nice greets on my website, sincerly Flori!

September 18, 2005, football game

Hi this is Flori and I am fine. I want to send you some fotos from the first football game from our school team -("The Nighthawks"). Its a very big commercial school event. I had to buy for 4$-(pupil)a ticket and I had the feeling the school is here. Our football team has 40 members and every player has a nice trikot with the number and his name on the back. The enemy team came from a other town with 2 buses. -("The Wildcats") I dont understood the rules but it was really interested, exciting and entertaining, because after every quarter was a short break. The band played the National Hymne from the U.S. and other beautiful songs. The chearleader cheered the football team and the spectators very energetic and loudly. It was amaizing. The Nighthawks beated in the first quarter with 14 : 0 and evrybody thought: We win relaxed! But after the 2nd "Touchdown" the other team became better and better and they did in the 3rd quarter also 14 points. The final quarter was very exciting and our team had 30 seconds before the game were over the chance to kick a "Fieldgoal" -(Penalty). But the ball flew next the pipe and the end score was 14:14.

September 10, 2005, weekend

Hello, here is Flori and I want to report me short. I understand already much but sometimes I must ask "Can you repeat it, please"? I get in my school so much homeworks, that I sit the whole evening on my homeworks, especially every day in Algebra 2.

I am really happy, that I have weekend now and I can sleep a little bit longer. I already wrote in every compulsory subjects minimum 5 tests and mostly a B(2).

At the moment is Choir my favourite subject, because I was today the speaker for the German song "Der Gang zum Liebchen" von Johannes Brahms. Our choir teacher said to me: Florian you are our German expert and you speak for us the german text. I spoke the german words so claer as possible and the other 70 pupil repeated it. At the end applauded all and it was a very good feeling for me.

Tommorow I will go to a girlfriend (Avi) and we want to learn Spanish together. I have the feeling, it is not possible that it rains here. - up to now only blue sky and the sun is shining. On sunday TJ, my hostbrother, and I go to a football-game from our schoolteam, The Nighthawks.

August 27, 2005, my school and courses

Hi, this is Flori and I want to give you a short summary about my student class schedule. My school is the Murrieta Valley High School(-MVHS)with a capacity of 3700 pupils. I go in the 11th grade and have only seven several subjects(courses). Every day I only have four courses but one course is 90-100 minutes long. I have for example on Monday at 7.30 a.m. U.S. History, after that Teamfield Sports, afterwards Algebra 2 and at last Engineering. My school day ends than at 4 p.m. =(oh my god)!!! On te next I have at first American Litural, after that Advanced Choral-(mixed), afterwards once more Algebra 2 -(only 50 minutes) and at last Spanish 3. Yesterday I was at Renate Jefferson, my principal teacher. She comes from Germany and she told me some important informations about this school. Afterwards showed me a nice pupil my class rooms in this really big High School and I get a little panorama. TJ, my host brother and I visit 3 courses together and he told me that our school is once of the best schools in California. Today, I go for the first times in the church. Here is the worship very interested with music in the background and singing but I think reather hard, because the church has no air conditional. The weather here is incredible and so hot and dry - 87 degrees-(Fahrenheit)= ca. 37 Grad Celsius. Almost every room and car has Air Conditional you must drink very much cold water, said my host mum Madleen. Every day we go to McDonalds or Kentucky fried Chicken and I only eat a salad often. I tink, I have a little bit a Jetlag! -(In the morning I get up very early and in the evening, I am so tired). Here are all people very nice in my family!