Yesterday was my sweet 16!!! I was planing the party to happen at my house in my back yard, but due to hurricane DANNY! my mom had to rent a hall. We ended up renting a VFW building. The hall wasn't too big, but it wasn't too small. It worked out really well for the amount of people that came. I invited a lot of people, but the day before and the day of my party many people canceled which made me said and I was glad those who could make it did! Some of my family was there as well, but the mostly sat together on one side of the room, while my friends and I were on the other side. I also hired a dj, but no one really danced, even though I love dancing, it was just not the right atmosphere for dancing. People had fun and the food was wonderful!! My family helped out with making food and decorating the hall and cleaning up. We could only rent the hall for about four hours or so we ended going back to my house with about five people and we had a camp fire, played apples to apples and then my wii. I had fun and enjoyed seeing my friends before school, some of whom I have not seen all summer!! All and all, its much easier to go to a sweet 16 then hosting your own, minus the presents :]
No exciting news from ASSE yet, but I'm hoping and I really want the email at least telling me that I was accepted. Once the say, yup your accepted I can focus on fund raising and when school starts I have to get my new working papers, then a job and I need to get my permit!! I have checking my email everyday and nothing. I have been reading people's blogs of them studying in Italy and I can say I have read every single Italy blog on the AFS blog web page!! I just can't get enough!!! Most of them went last year, some went this summer for a month and only a few on the AFS page are going and studying this year. I'm really excited for my trip, but kind of sad because this is going to be my last year in American high school. I need to make this year count and do the things I want to do, because when I come back I will be going to college, yes it maybe the local college, but it will still be different then still being in high school. And for my birthday my friend gave me a travel journal and a book about Italy, which I can't wait to read!!!! Another one of my friends gave me a wallet with her picture in it so I would have one when I go abroad!! How sweet!!!!! I wasn't expecting anything like that, at least not at this party!! I hope i find out soon if I an accepted or not! Telling the world via blog will be my third step after receiving the letter/call/email (i'm not sure how they are going to tell me, just make it soon please) the first things I will be doing are 1. Calling my mom! 2. Posting it on facebook! 3. Making a new post on my blog. and while I do all three of those things I will be calling other family members and texting friends!!!!
Till then, ciao!!!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
up dates
So to brake up my summer boredom, I have decided to update the layout of my blog. I wanted to change it up some and well that's really it. I looked at every layout and I liked this one a lot. I hope you like it too!!!
News form studying abroad!! Well, there is none. Not yet, I haven't received any email yet from ASSE and I really hope it comes and soon, which I know it will, its just the waiting. Once school starts I will be busy and be thinking about other things and not just about Italy.
In other news: My mom bought me these bright yellow rainboots!!! And they are awesome!! They are a kids size 5, but were $10 cheaper! Plus they were made in the U.S.A.!!!!!! Go America!!!! Now lets start making other things for Americans to buy and lets have it made here!!!!!!
News form studying abroad!! Well, there is none. Not yet, I haven't received any email yet from ASSE and I really hope it comes and soon, which I know it will, its just the waiting. Once school starts I will be busy and be thinking about other things and not just about Italy.
In other news: My mom bought me these bright yellow rainboots!!! And they are awesome!! They are a kids size 5, but were $10 cheaper! Plus they were made in the U.S.A.!!!!!! Go America!!!! Now lets start making other things for Americans to buy and lets have it made here!!!!!!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
HOST SISTER!!!!!!!!!!!!
AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!
Okay so maybe you could guess, Kristin arrived yesterday and I'm just so excited!!! So My mom and I woke up around 6 am and started driving down to JFK around 7. Kristin was leaving Washington D.C. around 8:20 am, and the funny thing is, we had to leave our house before she even left D.C.!!! So we arrived at the airport at 9am and we walked inside and found out where we had to wait for domestic arrivals. It was this corner and it was a little disappointing. We were reading the sign that had all the arrivals and information of the flights and hers was the first one on the board. As we were reading the board we noticed it said arrival 9:40 am and next to it said estimated time of arrival was 9:24 am, so we thought we would meet her earlier. We waited and read out books in the spot with these rows of metal benches. As we were reading and listening to this Asian family talking in their cool sounding Asian language, and listening to their children scream and run around us, the time was going by and when I noticed the time it was 9:25, so my mom and I walked back over to the board to see what it said about her flight. It said her plane had arrived at 9:24 so we decided to put our books away, grab the sign I made for her (it was a poster board covered in colorful paper and said "Welcome Kristin ASSE" in metallic blue/green paint) and headed over to the domestic arrival meeting spot. There was nobody in this part of the airport except this one older gentleman who was standing under a sign that read "United and British Airlines Baggage service" with and arrow pointing to the left. We weren't allowed to go there (well we didn't try, I walked over to see what was down there but there was just a metal like wall, which I figured opened up, and that's where I thought she would be coming out through) So we waited by the board and in view of where she would come out. It was about 9:32ish and my mom and I were wondering if we were at the right gate or if we should be some where else, but we decided to wait a few more minutes because I saw a person come out of where I was expecting her to come out. A few minutes later a couple came out and little bit after them came an Asian woman. Around 9:42ish a smaller group, may be two or three people came out. One of them was Kristin and the other(s) I have no idea! I wasn't sure if it was her for a split second because I thought she would have these huge, rolling trunk/suitcases, but she had a big one, a back pack, and a big purse. She waved to us and I noticed her very bright blue FLEX t-shirt. When she got to us she hugged my mother and I and then we started walking back to the car.
The car ride back home was a little less then 2hrs and it was a little strange at first. No one really talked and it wasn't like we could put the radio on or anything. So we were driving with this awkward silence. My mom was trying to find her way out of the city and I had to help read the directions pack to her. I tried thinking of some questions to ask so she didn't feel awkward. My mom asked about her flight. Then I asked some question about any big cities where she lives and a little while later I was talking about school and what classes she might take and how her school system is set up and compared to our schooling. I felt kind of bad because I wanted to talk to her, but I didn't know what to talk about really. So yeah, I was being a little bit shy. I didn't want to be, because I was trying to think if that was me and how strange it must feel. After we arrived home I showed her around our house and I showed her where she could put her clothes, which half of the dresser was hers and the dresser next to her bed, her draw in the bathroom and the self for her things in the shower (well really, I told her about the shower today, I kind of forgot, sorry:|) After she was done unpacking I showed her where the iron was so she could iron some of her clothes. Then we headed out to my friends party.
Many of my friends were there and I had told my friends I was hosting this year and going to bring her the the party and they were so excited to meet her. The weather was really hot so I was ready to jump into the pool the minute we got there. I walked down to the pool where most of the people were and introduced her to many of my friends. After that I went swimming with some people and she sat and put her feet in and talked and listened to some of the other people doing the same thing. When we all decided to get out we were taking by the pool about Twilight and vampires (whom are very overrated by the way!!) and them it was time to eat! We headed up to the kitchen and there was lots of yummy food. My friends party was a birthday barbecue and so there was hamburgers and hot dogs and some awesome yummy stuff. After eating we went to the deck at we listened to music and talked. It started down pouring so some people went to the living room and some went to the screened in part of the deck and that's where Kristin and I stayed for most of the time and talked to people. A little while after we sang happy birthday and had ice cream cake!!! It was wonderful ice cream cake! When we left we headed back home, which was luckily a short car ride. Kristin went on the computer and was talking to friends online, while I watched t.v. and my mom started making dinner. That night my grand parents came over for dinner and we ended up having hamburgers as well, but Kristin did not eat because she was full from the party. After dinner and dessert my grandparents left and the three of us watched some t.v. Kristin was pretty tired, which I would be too! So she headed for bed before I did and watched some more t.v. with my mom.
Today, well I got up around 10am and Kristin wasn't up yet so I thought I would wake her around 10:30 so she didn't sleep to much, and for breakfast she made some tea and ate some crackers while I took a shower and then I ate a bowl of frosted flakes. When my mom came home around 12:15 from work we went out shopping at the mall and Kristin bought some jeans and some shirts. I bought some things as well. Then around 4ish we went to Shop Rite to pick some things up for dinner. Kristin was saying how different the shops were and just how bigger the food store was and noticed there were no sidewalks along rt. 9 and that we couldn't really walk anywhere. When we came home she talked to some people online, I watched like 5 minutes of t.v. and then helped my mom with dinner. My brother's girlfriend came over for dinner and I sat at the table talking to her. And we asked Kristin some questions. Some how we were on the topic of psychics and getting our palms read, and because I was on my moms lap top checking face book :) I went on Blackle and looked up palm reading and we tried reading our palms. It was really fun trying to figure what our palms said about our lives. We talked a lot about food and all the wonderful junk food Kristin had to try and dollar store shopping (which we are doing tomorrow!!!). After Linette (brother's girlfriend) left, I logged onto my blog to write this post, and Kristin took a shower and is now reading in bed, while my mom watched That '70s Show!!!
Sorry this post is so long, but I figured you wanted to know what was going on with Kristin and what its been like these 2 days :)
Nothing yet from ASSE, but hopefully soon, maybe next week they were saying about my acceptance into ASSE Italy. I was also thinking how it must be for Kristin to try and think in English and understand and what to say back and reading everything, and I tried doing some of that in Italian just to see where I would be, and well lets just say it did not work out well at all!!!!! I had such a hard time!! I couldn't think of anything. Maybe just a few things but not as well as Kristin was doing. I was very impressed at just how well she was doing and I hope what ever trouble is having now will lessen and lessen within the next few months.
Oh! and another friend of mine is having a party next week, which Kristin is also invited to, and then next Saturday is my sweet 16!!!! I'm just so excited and about 2 weeks till school starts!!!! what joy! NOT!!!
Okay so maybe you could guess, Kristin arrived yesterday and I'm just so excited!!! So My mom and I woke up around 6 am and started driving down to JFK around 7. Kristin was leaving Washington D.C. around 8:20 am, and the funny thing is, we had to leave our house before she even left D.C.!!! So we arrived at the airport at 9am and we walked inside and found out where we had to wait for domestic arrivals. It was this corner and it was a little disappointing. We were reading the sign that had all the arrivals and information of the flights and hers was the first one on the board. As we were reading the board we noticed it said arrival 9:40 am and next to it said estimated time of arrival was 9:24 am, so we thought we would meet her earlier. We waited and read out books in the spot with these rows of metal benches. As we were reading and listening to this Asian family talking in their cool sounding Asian language, and listening to their children scream and run around us, the time was going by and when I noticed the time it was 9:25, so my mom and I walked back over to the board to see what it said about her flight. It said her plane had arrived at 9:24 so we decided to put our books away, grab the sign I made for her (it was a poster board covered in colorful paper and said "Welcome Kristin ASSE" in metallic blue/green paint) and headed over to the domestic arrival meeting spot. There was nobody in this part of the airport except this one older gentleman who was standing under a sign that read "United and British Airlines Baggage service" with and arrow pointing to the left. We weren't allowed to go there (well we didn't try, I walked over to see what was down there but there was just a metal like wall, which I figured opened up, and that's where I thought she would be coming out through) So we waited by the board and in view of where she would come out. It was about 9:32ish and my mom and I were wondering if we were at the right gate or if we should be some where else, but we decided to wait a few more minutes because I saw a person come out of where I was expecting her to come out. A few minutes later a couple came out and little bit after them came an Asian woman. Around 9:42ish a smaller group, may be two or three people came out. One of them was Kristin and the other(s) I have no idea! I wasn't sure if it was her for a split second because I thought she would have these huge, rolling trunk/suitcases, but she had a big one, a back pack, and a big purse. She waved to us and I noticed her very bright blue FLEX t-shirt. When she got to us she hugged my mother and I and then we started walking back to the car.
The car ride back home was a little less then 2hrs and it was a little strange at first. No one really talked and it wasn't like we could put the radio on or anything. So we were driving with this awkward silence. My mom was trying to find her way out of the city and I had to help read the directions pack to her. I tried thinking of some questions to ask so she didn't feel awkward. My mom asked about her flight. Then I asked some question about any big cities where she lives and a little while later I was talking about school and what classes she might take and how her school system is set up and compared to our schooling. I felt kind of bad because I wanted to talk to her, but I didn't know what to talk about really. So yeah, I was being a little bit shy. I didn't want to be, because I was trying to think if that was me and how strange it must feel. After we arrived home I showed her around our house and I showed her where she could put her clothes, which half of the dresser was hers and the dresser next to her bed, her draw in the bathroom and the self for her things in the shower (well really, I told her about the shower today, I kind of forgot, sorry:|) After she was done unpacking I showed her where the iron was so she could iron some of her clothes. Then we headed out to my friends party.
Many of my friends were there and I had told my friends I was hosting this year and going to bring her the the party and they were so excited to meet her. The weather was really hot so I was ready to jump into the pool the minute we got there. I walked down to the pool where most of the people were and introduced her to many of my friends. After that I went swimming with some people and she sat and put her feet in and talked and listened to some of the other people doing the same thing. When we all decided to get out we were taking by the pool about Twilight and vampires (whom are very overrated by the way!!) and them it was time to eat! We headed up to the kitchen and there was lots of yummy food. My friends party was a birthday barbecue and so there was hamburgers and hot dogs and some awesome yummy stuff. After eating we went to the deck at we listened to music and talked. It started down pouring so some people went to the living room and some went to the screened in part of the deck and that's where Kristin and I stayed for most of the time and talked to people. A little while after we sang happy birthday and had ice cream cake!!! It was wonderful ice cream cake! When we left we headed back home, which was luckily a short car ride. Kristin went on the computer and was talking to friends online, while I watched t.v. and my mom started making dinner. That night my grand parents came over for dinner and we ended up having hamburgers as well, but Kristin did not eat because she was full from the party. After dinner and dessert my grandparents left and the three of us watched some t.v. Kristin was pretty tired, which I would be too! So she headed for bed before I did and watched some more t.v. with my mom.
Today, well I got up around 10am and Kristin wasn't up yet so I thought I would wake her around 10:30 so she didn't sleep to much, and for breakfast she made some tea and ate some crackers while I took a shower and then I ate a bowl of frosted flakes. When my mom came home around 12:15 from work we went out shopping at the mall and Kristin bought some jeans and some shirts. I bought some things as well. Then around 4ish we went to Shop Rite to pick some things up for dinner. Kristin was saying how different the shops were and just how bigger the food store was and noticed there were no sidewalks along rt. 9 and that we couldn't really walk anywhere. When we came home she talked to some people online, I watched like 5 minutes of t.v. and then helped my mom with dinner. My brother's girlfriend came over for dinner and I sat at the table talking to her. And we asked Kristin some questions. Some how we were on the topic of psychics and getting our palms read, and because I was on my moms lap top checking face book :) I went on Blackle and looked up palm reading and we tried reading our palms. It was really fun trying to figure what our palms said about our lives. We talked a lot about food and all the wonderful junk food Kristin had to try and dollar store shopping (which we are doing tomorrow!!!). After Linette (brother's girlfriend) left, I logged onto my blog to write this post, and Kristin took a shower and is now reading in bed, while my mom watched That '70s Show!!!
Sorry this post is so long, but I figured you wanted to know what was going on with Kristin and what its been like these 2 days :)
Nothing yet from ASSE, but hopefully soon, maybe next week they were saying about my acceptance into ASSE Italy. I was also thinking how it must be for Kristin to try and think in English and understand and what to say back and reading everything, and I tried doing some of that in Italian just to see where I would be, and well lets just say it did not work out well at all!!!!! I had such a hard time!! I couldn't think of anything. Maybe just a few things but not as well as Kristin was doing. I was very impressed at just how well she was doing and I hope what ever trouble is having now will lessen and lessen within the next few months.
Oh! and another friend of mine is having a party next week, which Kristin is also invited to, and then next Saturday is my sweet 16!!!! I'm just so excited and about 2 weeks till school starts!!!! what joy! NOT!!!
Monday, August 17, 2009
nothing! :(
Okay, so nothing has come to me from ASSE via mail or email. I just came home from being on vacation for five days and there is no internet where I went, so I was hoping by the time I came back, there would be something! At least an email saying that ASSE at least received my application and they would be looking it over very soon. But oh well!! Because I wont get to disapointed seeing as I'm going to be wait very long to even go on this exchange and get a host family!!!!! Plus....My mom and I (my dad has to work) will be picking up Kristin at JFK this Friday!!!!! I'm so excited!!!! We just got her matress all set up today. Tomorrow I have to wash up her sheets and then make her bed for her, and then I have to finish her sign!!! I'm really excited and I just can't wait! I am really hoping this year works out a lot better and I have a feeling it will. Not only will we be making Kristin's dream come true, but my family and I will see and start to understand what I will go through when I go to "Italy"!!! And this time next year! I'll be in "Italy"!! (Once I get accepted officaly into ASSE Italy, I'm going to take Italy out of quotes, seeing as I'm not accepted just yet) Tomorrow is going to be the last day I can talk/skype with Kristin, but I'm not too sad because she is going to be living with use for 10 months, so I think I can wait a few days.
In other exciting news, I got my schedule for my junior/last year of high school!!! It's really funny telling people that this year is going to be my last year! I mean, I doesn't seem really yet. I don't want to leave my friends and Masque and Mime, but this is my dream, and its not like I'm going to live there (for now :]) I will be coming back and I will see them before most of us go off to collage. And with the wonderful invention of the internet and texting it will be really easy to keep in touch! Well, I'm not going to think about that right now, because thats a far far ways away :)
I bet the next time you read my blog 1. I'm going to pick up Kristin/Kristin is home, 2. I have been accepted into ASSE Italy (knock on wood), or 3. BOTH!!!! We shall wait and see.
Ciao!!!!!
(I need to start practicing)
In other exciting news, I got my schedule for my junior/last year of high school!!! It's really funny telling people that this year is going to be my last year! I mean, I doesn't seem really yet. I don't want to leave my friends and Masque and Mime, but this is my dream, and its not like I'm going to live there (for now :]) I will be coming back and I will see them before most of us go off to collage. And with the wonderful invention of the internet and texting it will be really easy to keep in touch! Well, I'm not going to think about that right now, because thats a far far ways away :)
I bet the next time you read my blog 1. I'm going to pick up Kristin/Kristin is home, 2. I have been accepted into ASSE Italy (knock on wood), or 3. BOTH!!!! We shall wait and see.
Ciao!!!!!
(I need to start practicing)
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Day's are flying by!!!
Okay, as many of you know, my host sister Kristin will becoming in just a few days!!! She arrives in JFK in about 8 days!!!!!!!!! My family and I are going to be picking her up at the airport, so I still have to finish her sign :] The other day I got to talk to Kristin on Skype! Which was really fun, but the only thing was that her microphone on her web cam wasn't working so she had to type everything she wanted to say, while I was able to just talk. She has been trying to fix her web cam, but she has not been able to fix it just yet, but hopefully Monday. So for the moment, I am just using the message option with Skype. We are talking about school and which passport she should bring. She has one for Ukraine to travel to other places, and another one for being an exchange student. I just told her to bring both to be on the safe side and we can always but them in our safe to keep them safe :P
Last Thursday I mailed in my full application to ASSE and I have not heard anything yet, so I am going to email them to find out if they got it and when they will start looking at it. They were saying that because I'm handing it in early it should take less time for them to accept me and they will start looking for a host family sooner!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can not wait!!!!!!!!!! I'm just so excited! But I also want this year to be exciting for both Kristin and I. I want to make sure that her year in the U.S. is wonderful and fun. I also want my last year of high school (in the U.S. :]) to be wonderful and full of memories will all my friends and the new friends I will make. I want it go by so fast, yet not to fast. I know I have said this about a million times before but that's how I feel. It's hard to explain really, just how I feel about my trip and everything.
Well, I'm going back to talking to my host sister, whom we will pick up at JFK in 8 days!!!!!
Last Thursday I mailed in my full application to ASSE and I have not heard anything yet, so I am going to email them to find out if they got it and when they will start looking at it. They were saying that because I'm handing it in early it should take less time for them to accept me and they will start looking for a host family sooner!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can not wait!!!!!!!!!! I'm just so excited! But I also want this year to be exciting for both Kristin and I. I want to make sure that her year in the U.S. is wonderful and fun. I also want my last year of high school (in the U.S. :]) to be wonderful and full of memories will all my friends and the new friends I will make. I want it go by so fast, yet not to fast. I know I have said this about a million times before but that's how I feel. It's hard to explain really, just how I feel about my trip and everything.
Well, I'm going back to talking to my host sister, whom we will pick up at JFK in 8 days!!!!!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
~IT'S ON IT'S WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!~
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So my full application for ASSE went in the mail today and is now on its way to Virginia!!!! AAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited!!!!! I won't find out if I won any scholarships as soon like AFS, but rather in late April. And because I'm handing it in so early, I should be accepted and they should be looking for a host family for me quicker than the norm!!!!! I'm just so excited!!!! Plus Kristin comes in 15 days!!!!! I talked to her for the first time with Skype, well we just sent messages back and forth, but it was sort of like a really chat!!! I found my family's web cam so the next time I talk with her I will use mine and she will use her's and we can talk and see each other that way!!! I'm just so excited for a bunch of things!!! Kristin to come! My application in the mail!! My sweet 16!!! And this weekend I'm going to go to my friend's sweet 16, and hopefully see a bunch of my friends!!!! Okay I'm just excited in general, well may not about the fact that school starts in a little over a month :( That makes me kind of sad in a way, yeah I want to go back and see my friends and start up again with Masque and Mime, but I like sleeping in and not having to do homework every night and just doing what I want to do! This year is going to be really demaning, seeing as I have had to double up on English and Social Studies classes. I'm just hoping this year goes by faster than I think it will, yet I don't want it to go by too fast!! I know I have said that at least three times, but its true! I have so many emotions pulsing through my body right now, I don't know what to think about anything really. Just finnishing my application (which is finally done!!!!) getting my room ready for Kristin (maybe half way done) doing things for my party and still having to finish summer reading!
Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh boy! Just taking one day at a time :]
Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh boy! Just taking one day at a time :]
Monday, August 3, 2009
18 DAYS AND COUNTING!!!!!!
No this is not for my trip or anything, but for my host sister, who prefers to go by Kristen. She will be flying into JFK on the 21st where we have to pick her up!!! How exciting is that!!! I have to make this huge sign and everything!! I can't wait!!! Not only is she coming very soon, but I will also be handing in my full application very soon!!! Hopefully when my mom goes to pick up my paperwork at the doctors, they will have it!!! Then tomorrow night will hopefully be my in home interview where I will also get my scholarship form, or I should be getting it today via email. And that's it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3 things!!! and then its off to ASSE!!! WOW!!!!! That's exciting!!! And 2 of those things will be done tomorrow evening!!! YAY!!!!!!!!! and then....waiting, but this wait will be a lot less then waiting for a host family!! oh boy oh boy oh boy!!! And on top of this, I have summer reading, and planing my sweet 16/welcome Kristen to America party :] AHHHHHHH!!!!!! (that's whats going through my head right now!!!!) I just feel like there is just so much to do and so little time, yet I know that I will get everything done in like the next week or so!!! Which is not that bad.
And no, I have not found another job, still babysitting and selling things on Ebay. I will try to find a job on the weekends so I can still babysit. Maybe even working in the evenings for now. But when school starts I will have to work mainly on the weekends, you know what that means! No life out side of home!!! But what little life I have this year will be maid up for my year in Italy :]
3 things!!! and then its off to ASSE!!! WOW!!!!! That's exciting!!! And 2 of those things will be done tomorrow evening!!! YAY!!!!!!!!! and then....waiting, but this wait will be a lot less then waiting for a host family!! oh boy oh boy oh boy!!! And on top of this, I have summer reading, and planing my sweet 16/welcome Kristen to America party :] AHHHHHHH!!!!!! (that's whats going through my head right now!!!!) I just feel like there is just so much to do and so little time, yet I know that I will get everything done in like the next week or so!!! Which is not that bad.
And no, I have not found another job, still babysitting and selling things on Ebay. I will try to find a job on the weekends so I can still babysit. Maybe even working in the evenings for now. But when school starts I will have to work mainly on the weekends, you know what that means! No life out side of home!!! But what little life I have this year will be maid up for my year in Italy :]
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