Dear Sarah,
It is so weird to be writing to you instead of talking! It's completely bizarre, in fact. Me in Germany -- and you in England. Weird!
Anyway, so I am here at my Aunt Ingrid's and her family's (Uncle William and their three annoying sons) house. My aunt is rather nice but always worried in a sort of harried and rushed way. I mean, the minute I entered the doorway she enveloped me in a huge hug and started at once despairing about the state of my clothes. 'Course she had a reason for it, because I was wearing my coat from 3rd grade and those holey gloves of mine from two years ago. It is actually cold here! It's the 15th of August -- midsummer, right? Wrong! It's practically winterlike! When I left home it was so hot I could barely wear my clothes. Here I wear layer on layer and I still shiver. Gustave- he's my cousin- says I look like a bear, and calls me that. I say he looks like a mosquito and don't call him at all. However, my aunt is going to take me shopping for proper German "summer" and winter clothes, as well as my school supplies. It's my school stuff I'm really excited about. She says we'll get everything downtown. When I asked if that included my school things, Johann said that that's what's really downtown. Guess I'll find out tomorrow!
How is it at your grandparents'? I'm a bit jealous. They must be spoiling you rotten! It's funny here, though. My aunt, as you know, is a witch but she married a Muggle (that's what they call non-wizards -- can you believe that until a month ago all we knew about were Muggles? And I always thought that my aunt in Germany was just a little weird...) and they have three kids who know about magic but only the youngest one, Gustave, is magical. He's a year older than us and very annoying. The two older ones, Johann and Herman, are nicer. Not that that's saying much... Johann is my sister Roni's age -- seventeen, and Herman is much older. He's learning in the university already. But, most unfortunately, I'll be with Gustave at school. Like I said, he's like a mosquito -- small, blonde, has a high pitched voice and is impossible to get rid of.
I'm sending this with an owl. Johann told me I should. At first I thought he was teasing me, but my Aunt Ingrid told me he was right -- that's how they send messages in the wizarding world. WEIRD!!! I hope this really works and gets to you. The owl is my aunt's and his name is William -- guess after whom. All right, she got him when she was a teenager...
How was your flight? For me it was rather short -- around an hour. It was so exciting being on a plane! We had a movie, but I didn't understand it. Too many gunshots and people who died, or almost died, or should have died but didn't...
Hopefully, writing to you will keep me in shape with knowing English. I'd suggest you write in German, except we both know you never managed to pick it up like I did, and can barely formulate a single sentence in any language aside from English and Hebrew. Thankfully, I'm good at languages, as in the school they mainly speak German but lots of kids are from other countries and speak other languages better (some few speak English, but mainly Russian or Polish -- which I do not know). However, that's what Gustave said, so...
Anyways, I miss you so much and can't wait to see you, which will only be another four months.
Love,
Ma'ayan
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Dear Ma'ayan,
Are you still sure this isn't simply a joke that Yoni or one of our other classmates played on us? What am I doing in England?!?! I feel so out of place here. Are you really in Germany? I still haven't got it straight in my head.
It was great that you sent me an owl, pretty cool, only next time do warn me before! I was quite scared when an owl tapped at my window and wouldn't go away. For some reason I opened the window, and when it flew in I covered my head with my arms. It just dropped the letter and flew away, so I quickly understood that it was another of these weird magic things. It was some experience, but if Grandma knew about it, she wouldn't be happy. She hates pets, although Grandpa keeps a cat. She washes the cat once a day, if not twice.
I'm sorry you're not enjoying yourself at your cousins', but as much as it's better here, I prefer home. First of all, it's greezing! It's raining here all day, and there's wind, and it's freezing! I wear a sweater all the time in the house, and outside I wear much more. Grandma is too fussy, worrying I'll be sick from wearing so many layers. For heaven's sake! I'm going to catch a cold soon from all the rain! She watches over all I eat, and took me shopping for proper English clothes. Grandma drinks tea every day with her fellow old ladies, and she makes me join them. It's not very interesting, and I burnt my tongue on the hot tea quite a few times. She makes me wear a suit during tea. They're all awfully ugly, but there's not much that could be done about it.
One thing I did pick up at these teas is that my Grandpa ran for president many years ago. It seems like he didn't take it seriously, but Grandma did, and Grandpa quit as soon as he saw it was getting serious. That's why they're noble and they wear ugly suits. The hats that go with the suits, though, are really lovely.
Grandpa is much more friendly. He makes jokes, and he's a playful sort of guy, but he's away for two days now. It's a bit boring here.
They do spoil me in their own way, but what can I say...
Grandma will be taking me soon to get some supplies. I think that alone will be another magical adventure. I'm going to get a wand, it seems. It's like those magicians that used to come to the school, with the flat hats, only in this magical world they wear pointed hats. That's even worse, if you ask me. Also, I don't need to get a hat, but the teachers will wear them.
I'm sorry you don't really get along with Gustave, but at least there's someone there to tell you what to expect. I have no clue, though I do know that we're going by train, and I have to walk right into a solid-looking barrier (apparently it isn't solid) to get to the platform. It's called Platform 9 3/4. Don't laugh at me -- it's at least what I thought I read. I looked at it a few times, and at all times it reads the same. I'm excited about the train. I've never been on one.
The plane ride wasn't so special, since I've been on planes before. I visited my Grandparent's Goldstein twice. They're suppose to come visit me here.
I really better go before my Grandmother wonders what kept me so long in the bathroom. Sorry I have to write in here, but it's quite hard concentrating on your writing when someone's reading over your shoulder...
I miss you!
Love,
Sarah
P.S. Are you sending letters to some friends from the Yishuv? I didn't yet, and I'm not sure I ever will. I call home often, though.
A semester in owls by Maayan and Sarah
Story Notes:
Many thanks to our wonderful beta Natasha Johnson of Perfect Imagination who finds all the small details that you would only notice if they were missing!
Chapter Notes: In which Maayan and Sarah discover that wizards send mail by owls, that it's colder in Germany, and that wizards exist.