Just another rainy afternoon?

Probably this is the first rainy afternoon this year, normally it would snow, but maybe spring is finally coming. Hopefully, it does and brings a little more happiness with it.
Yes, my dears, the last weeks were not easy for me and my host family. A lot of unfortunate and unexpected things happened.

Let's go back in time:

Just minutes ago my dear host sister got rejected from her dream college and from her second choice in addition. Everybody was hoping, but also knew how low the chances are to get into the best school in the United States.
I think I need to give her a little shout-out here: You are the best sister I could imagine and no matter what happens, there is always another way to achieve your wonderful goals. Go Anna!

Now, these disappointments are big, but looking back to the last weeks, they are just the top of a pile which seems to rather be a huge mountain,

Three weeks ago, on Tuesday, March 4th, the roads were not salted due to a salt shortage in Wisconsin. So Anna and I were driving to school and started fishtailing, luckily Anna gained  back the control over the car. But in the next curve the car started fishtailing again, we crossed the left laine and crashed into a telephone pole. The air bags came out, a steam reached my nose and a couple seconds later I stood outside the car, in the snow. I was shaking and I had not realized, yet, what just had happened. Anna was barely able to give me her phone so I could call mom, but afterwards she was able to call 911. After five minutes our mom came, and after 20 the Sherriff finally arrived. I don't remember what I was thinking, but I calmed down fairly quickly, trying to make it easier for Anna, but she had to fill out forms and call the insurance on the way to the hospital.
I was slowly realizing that my sister and I had just survived an car accident. The car didn't, but it could have been so much worse and probably it was the luckiest day in my entire life.
In the hospital they did x-rays on us, but we got away even without a single broken bone, so we went home. Obviousely, we didn't go to school  that day and the shock did not wear off in a couple hours.
A few days later we found out that we had concussions, and unfortunately we still aren't recovered. In fact, my head aches have been getting instead of better and Anna is not doing great either, so we will see a concussion specialist next week.
I hope that this is as bad as it can get, because I can't imagine how it can possibly get worse.

Well, if we go back another week there is another sad event. One of our dogs had cancer in a long while and one of our cats was 16 years old and was loosing his orientation, so we had to say goodbye to Natasha and Orion and put both of them down.

Who would have thought that my exchange year would have so many unexpected turns? I never got the typical exchange student desease: Homesickness! I guess, for me there had to be some special surprises.

Before I came excited for an adventure, but also to start a new life. I hoped to let the worries and difficulties of my life in Germany behind. I wanted to to start from zero and create a perfect life, but obviously there is no such thing as a perfect life. Those were childish thoughts and expectations. But the next step is to accept that and learn to learn the lessons life offers you.
Though the events of the last weeks were not enjoyable ones, I am thankful for every single moment of this experience.

Let's be strong!
Your Alexandra