After I passed my A-level exams Sandra asked me if I would like to visit her in Seattle. I knew her since the time she taught me on my first pony at the age of 9 and so I wanted to know where she lived now and what she was doing iover there. For us Germans it’s a really big thing to have his own “ horse business”. I was really exited what this thing would look like!

A few weeks later Sandra told me that she found a guest family which would be happy to welcome me for 6 weeks. So we set a date and booked a flight.

When I arrived at the Airport Seattle I saw myself standing in front of two strangers, my guest father and my guest sister, in their house I was going to stay for almost two months. We knew each other only by e-mails and photos. It was a very strange feeling for both sides. So I was even more surprised and happy about their hospitality and their warm arms they welcomed me with!!

I spend my first few days in the USA camping on a horse show ground where I also met Sandra for the first time since she moved to Seattle. My English was horrible and I think I was a little bit shy during the first week ;-)  but the dear family Cushman made it so easy for me to feel home at their place that I forgot my shyness very fast! 

After we were back from the show ground, the all-day-life at the Waterwheel Farm started and I helped Sandra in her barn at KGF. I cleaned horses, tacked and warmed them up for Sandra and helped her doing all the stuff around the horses.

It was really a good set up for me, since KGF was only five minutes by bike from the Cushman’s house. The Equestrian Centre is an almost perfect place for horses and their riders! You have everything you need, an indoor and an outdoor arena, paddocks, a 500 acre national Park and so on! It was so much fun “working” there! 

In the middle of my time in Kirkland, Sandra and Carsten started their holydays. Now it was my turn to teach two of Sandra’s students and to take care of a few horses. At the beginning of my stay I didn’t know anything about teaching in the English language , I didn’t even know any of the most simple expressions like trot or canter.  But I had learned the expressions so easy by listening Sandra teach and just asking. So it was not difficult to make my suggestions clear to the students who always helped me when I got stuck!!

It was a lot of fun to work with my students Rick and Linda and I really enjoyed the time at the barn!

At my new home the Cushman  family let me ride their horses, too so I never ran out of riding opportunities. 

I spend most of my free time with my family and Sandra. They showed me all the attractions I had to see in Kirkland, Seattle and many, many different restaurants around!! They did so much to keep me happy!!

After the first three weeks in a foreign country, staying with almost strangers at their house, I found myself being totally integrated as a family member! They gave so much love to me and let me spend a great time with them. 

Summarizing the impressions I got during my stay in Seattle I simply have to say t I spend a fabulous time! I learned a lot about riding and horses and of course I learned English   ;-)  !

To all of you who made my time there possible and as good as it was:

 Thank you so much!!!

 Love,

Katharina