It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone and Happy 18th birthday Linnea! Although it's a little late... hrm ;)

Now we are finally on christmas break, and we will be so for the next two weeks. I am not really sure how to spend it yet, but I'm sure it won't be a problem. Taking into consideration how busy it has been these past weeks, with school work and everything I am really looking forward to some relaxing and getting some reading done again. I have all my christmas gifts done, I'm so proud :) I behind with some school work as well, so I'll have some catching up to do.

And, I have to start exercising again. I havn't even been going for my precious walks lately, this is a big problem as you can imagine. I'm also planning to start eating better, like more fruit and lettuce, and drinking more water and stuff. And to not dry my hair every morning without using any type of conditioner. Well, I'm sure all that was of great interest for all of you.

Tuesday was the semi-formal dance. It was a lot of fun, I love dances. Although the last one in the gym was even more fun. I liked it better in the gym, not quite as open as in the cafeteria. But anyway, this dance was fun too. I was getting ready at Amanda's place. Haha, I got her to curl my hair. It took like an hour. And then I didn't like it so she had to straighten it, haha, I'm sorry Amanda :P

Then Wednesday was the last DriverEd theory lesson. Or at least so we though; Bud feels like he hasn't covered the whole course that he was supposed to cover, so we'll have two more hours in january. And I will meet with him on the Christmas break because I missed it once. Then I have to write the theory test before I can start taking driving lessons.

I'm so excited, the high school is doing a musical next semester, Guys and Dolls. Mr Spencer, Mr Legge and some other teacher arethe supervisors and the auditions are going to be held in January some time. So cool! A lot of the people I know are going to try out too. So that is hopefully gonna be a lot of fun, a big time killer and a lot of work and commitment. Bring it on, I'm ready to give.

Well, that would probably be it for this time. Merry Christmas again and Happy New Year too!

Singing Christmas Tree

Tuesday two weeks ago we had our first snow day. A big snow storm made it impossible for students and teachers to come to school. You just listen to the radio in the morning, and if they say that Sistrict 2 does not have school, then it is just to go back to bed. It is wonderful, I love it! Today we have our second snow day this winter, and it is just December. Just imagine what is to come.

Today was supposed to be the third day in the Enrichment (writing) project I was talking about, and in the afternoon I was going to have DriverEd 4-9 pm. Well, now I got an extra dau off, that is always nice. I just hope they do not cancel the Enrichment project but just move it to another day.

Last week we had the Singing Christmas Tree performance. It was fun, I sang a duett with Alisha, Silver Bells, and I sang a verse of Silent Night. I forgot to turn the microphone on though, but that is a different story ;) Now it is only one more week in school, last day is on riday. Then it is Christmas Break :D I do not really know how to spend the time, but I'll find something to do.

Yesterday I went christmas shopping with Paige's family, I think I have everything now. Thank you very much Mom and Dad for the christmas gifts. I have not opened them yet of course, but they sure look interesting.

Tomorrow is the Winter wonderland semi-formal, I'm so excited. Bought a lovely pair of shoes yesterday, and I am borrowing a black dress from Paige. It will hopefully be fun.

The crazy hat society

Last week was insane. I think it was the busiest week so far. And then of course I had to catch a really annoying cold too. But anyway, I'll tell you what last week was all about.

Tuesday I had my DriverEd course from 4-8, as I have every tuesday it just seemed so much longer last week because of the cold. Then wednesday I was chosen among four other students to go to an enrichment project held in a school in Moncton. It was so cool, like a workshop with two authors. They taught us all about writing murder mysteries. I didn't know much about that before, so it was really interesting. They had created like a murder mystery for us to solve. They had five different group which were suspected to have commited the murder, and every group had a certain background and characteristics and so on.

Then we were divided into these five groups. I was a Shine On Me. We knew Katie (the victim) because we had all been involved in arraging a tour for people who wrote poetry. It was a week on a cruise ship with a well-known poet who would work with the up and coming writers. Of course, there was no well-known poet and the ship was a wreck. The group were only out for two days and weren't even fed properly. They had to get themselves home after the ship put them off on a very poor island in the Caribbean. Eventually all of us went to prison but Katie didn't (that was our motiv). We worked in the jail pharmacy so we know a lot about poisons (Katie was poisoned to death). We whisper to each other and we all speak at once. We have a one track mind and are very stubborn.

Every group wore a different kind of funny hats, so that we would be able to tell each other apart. The authors gave us things to do, like writing the murder scene or plan out how Katie was murdered and then act it in front of everyone. In the end my group wasn't the one who did it. We weren't smart enough *tssk offended*. It was a little difficult with the english and I was nervous to read what I had written in front of the whole group, but it turned out fine. We even got a diploma :D

Anyway, I was on that thing wednesday thursday. On thursday night I went with Mandy and Ashley to the living Christmas Tree, that was really nice. The light shows were incredible, really. And the choir was very professional too. That was a show they can be proud of. Then, guess what I did yesterday. I went to Moncton High with my english class to see Yann Martel. Yann Martel! The author of like the best book ever, "Life of Pi". I've seen and heard Yann Martel speak live for an hour, I'm so cool! :D He spoke about the illustrated version of Life of Pi. But he didn't speak only about the pictures, he spoke a lot about his inspiration and different interpretations of the two stories in the book and meaning of life and stuff. It was quite deep, but at the same time he was a really down-to-Earth kind of person. I loved it!

Yesterday all the exchange students had dinner in Moncton. We had a gift exchange, it was really nice. I got candy, and a crazy plastic panda, haha. And Janet gave all of us a bag with things from Moncton and Canada. It was really cool.

I have so much to do in school now it's not even funny. Every teacher seems to think next week is a perfect week to have all tests, quiezes and project presentations. Awesome! That's probably international. So, that's part of why I'm stressed, I have so much stuff to do. Have to write a novel to present on Dec 17th too (last day with the two authors) I'm going to write about child labour. More than that, I don't know. And every lunch we have Singing Christmas Tree practice and meetings and stuff. Friday at lunch time I didn't even eat. Stupid I know, but I was running around from meeting to practice to appointments with teachers and so on. Well, it's working for now.

Now I have to go and drink coffee. I drink coffee at least two times a day now a days, haha ;) I'm addicted.

November

Happy birthday Kajsa! A little late I know but better late than never, eh? ;)
Time for another post, I feel it's time again to let you all know what is happening on the farm. I know my latest post was called "Facing problems" and that I there adressed my problems but also promised to try to solve them. Well, that's what I've been trying to do lately, and even though I'm not all there yet it feels like it's going in the right direction.

Somehow it gets easier to fill up the days. There's always something going on. Last weekend I went to a Wildcats hockey game with Paige and her family (they bought me a ticket, they're so nice). So now people I'm a real Canadian, kind of, at least I've been to a hockey game. Paige's parents even bought me a Wildcat-sweater and a hat.

I've also started taking a driving course called DriverEd. We get together for a theory lesson once a week, every tuesday from 4-8 pm. It's a long day and the last hour may not be the nicest but over all I like it. I have half an hour between school ends and DriverEd starts, so I usually go and buy a drink and if there's anything else I need.

Another thing that has started lately is The Singing Christmas Tree. It's for grade twelve students. Everyone that's interested signs up for it and then there are meeting approximately twice a week, at lunchtime. Wednesday two weeks ago I had my first Yearbook meeting. It wasn't too exciting but I know a lot more about editing pictures now, so that's good. There'll be another meeting this thursday I think. This thursday evening there was this thing called Coffee house in school. It was cool, lot's of kids showing there musical talents for anyone who decided to go there and watch. And no, I didn't perform, I was just watching.

I've also been helping out in the barn a little lately. I just go there randomly some days when they ask me if I want to go. I always want to go, I still think it's fun (wonder how long that's going to last). I like the work, it's like mucking stalls, I love that too. You feel that you are doing something good, eh. And you don't have to think too, too much.

Yesterday I went to the mall in Moncton with Alison from China and Perlie from Colombia. I know, I'm so international ;) It was fun to meet them again, they're really nice and they are the ones who best understand what it's like to do an exchange year like this.Obviously, since they're doing it too.

The thing that I'm probably least focused on right now is the chool work. Not good. We have some Model Parliament thing tuesday in Political Science. Kind of like MUN, but with the difference that I don't have a clue what I'm supposed to be doing. I just havn't had my mind on the school work lately, focusing so much on everything outside. I know I'm slacking, but my grades so far are good so it's not like I'm failing or anything. Yet. Hrm. Well, I'm staying for extra help in English tomorrow. We're reading MacBeth and I must say that Shakespearean english isn't my favorite thing.

Facing problems

First of all I would like to thank all of you who helped making my 18th birthday such a great experience. Thank you, it was amazing!

However, these days havn't been easy, but noone said everything in life would be. I've been struggeling with myself and my stupid thoughts that are so likely to show up when I don't have enough stuff to do in the afternoons/weekends. It's so easy to start not believing in oneself and the last thing one need in an exchange year is lack of hope, and belief, and self confidence. But I think, I don't know but I hope, that I've managed to change a little of this in the week that has gone. This week it has been busy almost every afternoon, with driving education, yearbook meeting and yet a float meeting tomorrow. Today I talked to Mrs MacDonald about joing Teens Against Drugs and tomorrow I'm going to Youth Group in the evening.

Let's face it, I'm here to learn, right? I'm here to become stronger and wiser. I'm here to broaden my mind, to let go. And that I've certainly done, yeah babie.

This weekend me and Bruno met Robert (a teacher from camp) in Moncton and we went for dinner. It was very nice, Robert is such a wonderful person and he has so much interesting things to tell. And it was so nice to come into town and feel the city life again for a while. I am a city person, it's no wonder since I've lived in a town my all my life. And one of the main problems for me out here is the isolation. I'm not able to get anywhere without a drive, the buses are non-existing. It's frustrating but yet another thing to learn from, I guess. As in I will not move out on the country when I'm about to get my own place.

And I've got people I know in Moncton. Bruno's host parents are so nice and they said that I just have to make a call and I can stay there for the weekend whenever I want. Janet said the same thing. I've just been so afraid to ask for too much, and be truble for people. That's not a good thing, and I need to work on it.

Having host sibblings... that's another thing that is hard to adjust to. Especially since they're all about my age. I was living as the only child at home, I'm not used to fight for my spot. Now I have to learn, and I have no doubt getting to know this way of living won't be beneficial for me in the future, and help me understand others. And that is what I want, being able to understand others, whether we're talking about different ideas, beliefs, conditions, oppurtunities or maybe even life itself as a whole.

Addressing problems is one thing, solving them is another.

Halloween

Right now i am at Paige's place, have been staying here for one night already and going home tomorrow. Yesterday was Halloween, it was really fun, we went to the 'Haunted House'. Oh my Godm those people had decorated their house, it was like posters, and pumpkins and spiders and girlands and other things everywhere. They had this thing at the door, that when someone knocked on the dorr it made this spooky laughter. Insane, I've got a bunch of pictures of me in a long read coat, but I don't hve them on the computer yet.

It was so funny, cause when I had a mask on and sat in a chair in my red robe in the spooky room, there where visitors there who where totally sure that they knew who I was. 'Yes, it's Joyce, yes, I'm absolutely positive'. Saturday I'm ging into town to have dinner with Robert and Bruno, that's gonna be nice. And, yes, I have to tell you this, I'm signed up for this driving class. Starting at tuesday. That's awesome, I think, I just have to talk to the teacher and Jim and everyone to make sure that it's actually possible. Just to make sure. You know.

Anyway, I just wanted to tell you guys that, I wrote a huge post last time so this is gonna be it for now.

'Canada, eh'

Hm, I've recieved some news from home that you're all waiting for a new post. I can surely understand why, it's been I while since I last wrote.

To be honest, it doesn't happen much of interest here in Boundary Creek, New Brunswick, right now. I have my share of happiness and misery, sometimes I really wonder what I'm doing here and I wish I would be back at my dear Stagnelius and in spend the days with my lovely class mates in SP3C. But as it is for now that is not the case, I'm far away, in a different country on a completely different continent.

But I'm not entirely complaining, most of the days are good. Every morning I ride with the traditional yellow school bus and I go to my five classes. It seems like the whole school knows who I am, since they been presenting me at all the assemblies and everything. It's not too bad, I've got people to talk to and usually someone to hang out with at lunch time.

In the afternoons almost everybody goes to work or simply takes the bus home. I've tried to attend some of the school activities, but there aren't that many since the school is so small and most of the kids work after school. I thought about trying out for the basketball team but when I heard there are always some people throwing up in the garbage bin on the try-outs, I gave it all a second thought.

I love the life here on Salisdairy farm (yes, that's the name of it). I almost live for the coffee breaks when the dad comes up from the farm and has his afternoon coffee. It's right when we come home from school so I usually spend half an hour after school drinking coffee and chatting a bit. It's cosy, makes me feel at home. I like the evenings to, when me, my host mom, Wiebe and Baukje all cuttle up in the sofa and watch the OC. It's true, I've become an OC freak, hit me if you must ;)

In the evening and sometimes in the afternoon I say 'hi' to the horses in the barn and do some barn chores. I love it, especially mucking the stalls. You get a chance to work with your body and the brain can go for a break. And you feel useful. And you get to be surrounded by the wonderful smell of horse. I might sound sarchastic, but I'm actually not. Last week I went with Bruno (from Brazil) and Christof (from Austria) to the mall (They are exchange students in Moncton), and god I felt misplaced. There were fancy, fashionable people everywhere and all these expebsive formal clothing. Uah, I just wanted to go back to the farm. Last weekend I went horseback riding two days in a row too. Man, I thought I would day when I got out of bed on the third day, my legs hurt so badly ;P

I don't say 'no' to some traveling sometimes though. Last week we went to Fredericton (the capital of New Brunswick) with the cross-country team to attend the NBIAA Provincial Cross-Country Champs. It was fun, at first I didn't think I wanted to go there but the coach convinced me, and it turned out to be worth it big time. I got to know some people a lot better, I got to see parts of Fredericton which is a beautiful city and I got to wear one of the famous JMA Armstrong High team sweater with the high fashionable colour combination of dark red and light blue (I know, no wonder no country chose those colours for their flag).

Last week their was an assembly in the gym called Pepperoli (I'm not sure that is how it's spelled). The school does it before the last game against Peticodiac, which is their rival school, and people dress up in the school colours (which I've already described) and some people even paint their hair and faces.In the gym the whole high school sits down and watch all the different chool teams being presented (including the cross-country team =D), they showed a movie from the year book staff (which I'm a part of =D) and then it ends with everybody singing or screaming along to the school anthem. It was so much fun, I will honestly bring it to back to Stagg.

Sometimes I get the question if I've noticed anything special with the Canadian English. The most obviuos thing I can think of is the Canadians way of saying 'eh' after almost every sentence. 'I know, eh', 'Nice weather today, eh'. I have to admit that I'm about to start with it myself, I can't help myself, it is such a nice way to end a sentence, don't you think, eh?

I'm adding some pictures from our turkey thanksgiving dinner (and some other random pictures). Turkey is not a part of the family's thanksgiving traditions but I made them buy with the argument that I havn't come the whole way to North America to not it turkey at Thanksgiving. So, we had turkey.

Tomorrow and Friday are 'Parent Teacher days', which fortunatly means that we've got those two days off. Ah, time to sleep in and rest, we definatly deserve it after a hard three day week ;P On Friday I'm going to help Paige baby sit three small kids. Wich me good look, we're gonna carve pumkins. It'll be interesting, bringing pumkins and small children together *gulp*. By the way, thank you dad for the Donald Duck magazines! I am very greatful for those, they are nowhere here to be bought. I find that strange since Donald himself is actually born in Canada's country neighbour the United States.

Fall in New Brunswick

I am so sorry for the delay, everyone! I understand if you begin to wonder if I'm still alive or not, but for your information; Yes, I'm alive.

I have a really good feeling right now, but as with everything else in an exchange year, everything goes up and down. Sometimes I wonder what I'm doing here and sometimes, quite often actually, everything feels right and I feel strong, grown up and independent. It's a wonderful feeling.

Soon I've been here in Canada for two months, time flies by so fast sometimes I can't even see it. I'm going to school with the school bus every day, trying the best I can to fit into the school (ehich isn't easy, believe me. They've known each other for 12 years. But I'm doing okay anyway). I have one quite good friend. her name is Paige and she is so nice. She takes me to things and her family almost starts to feel like my second host family. With her dad teasing me all the time about swedish meatballs and her boyfriend and sister and mom. They are all wonderful, thank you so much for everything!

Yesterday I had thanksgiving dinner with Paige's family. That was very nice. We didn't eat turkey though, but that's okay, I made my host family make turkey for our thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. Baukje and Wiebe are threatening with stuffing it down my throat if I don't finish it (they would rather like to have chicken). Hmhm, we'll see about that is my response.

Today we went apple picking. It was really nice, beautiful autumns day, I felt like a real canadian climbing those trees (especially when the ladder fell completely over, hehe). But no more apples for today, I see apples everywhere, even when I close my eyes.

Hm, do I have anything more to tell you... yes, sorry for not answering things, like emails and stuff, I realise I'm not very good at that. It's not because I don't want to talk to you, it's just that I don't really have time and when i have time I forget or don't really feel like it. I'll try to improve, promise! Yes, another thing, we made up countries in the political scinece class and presented them in front of the class. People said I looked so confident and acted like it was perfectly natural that our country existed. For that I must thank the Model United Nations, finelly I got to use my cool MUN attitude. It really helps you, anyone who ever doubted about the meaning of MUN, never again.

And time goes by

Today Tineke and I went out horseback riding. She showed me the properties on the other side of the road, and the view was so pretty I thought my eyes would pop out. I feel more and more confident on the horse, but still there are times when I really feel like jump off and walk. When we got back to the barn Tineke let me ride on one of the black horses, Baukje (yes, the same name as my host sister's, sometimes it's hard to keep them apart ;P)

It's now been three weeks since I got here, and two weeks since school started. I love it in the host family and on the farm. The family life here is so relaxed, every evening we watch tv and every afternoon when we get home from school I have a coffee with the parents, talking about the day. It's very nice. At those times I feel at home. Or, I often feel at home, but even more on those times.

School is okay, I'm beginning to make some friends other than the friends of my host sister. There are some nice people, but unfortunately there area lot of people who don't give a shit about school, they're just there to get some credit so that they might be able to graduate and get of there. Haha, we had an oral presention and 99 % of the students just went up there and read the information from a peace of paper, with a bored look on their faces. It was so bad that it was almost funny. I laughed inside my head.

Two days ago I switched out of canadian history and into music. I miss playing the piano so much, and to be honest the canadian history classes weren't the most intresting ones I've ever attended. The teacher was good and everything, but the canadian history is so boring, handshakes and signing of documents and travels to Great Britian. Give me some action, please! Well, canadians arestill famous for being nice and gentle, no revolutions here. Not like the americans. The music classes ae fine. I already know a lot of the theory and stuff, but not in english so that's good. And I get oppurtunities to make music, I think the music teacher likes my playing, and he's aware that I've been studying a lot of music in Sweden.

The school work here isn't harder than in Sweden, but it's more active. You want to concentrated and keep up on the lessons, otherwise you've got tons of homework. I have homework everyday, usually many different subjects. I'm getting used to it, it's a good way of learning to write and think in english.

A week ago me and the host family went to Fundy National Railway, 1,5 hour drive from here. The nature was amazing, exactly how I'd imagined Canada before I got here, and I think most of you people at home have the same opinion. We went through a covered bridge, the first one in my life, awesome. The day before I went with Bruno, a brazilian exchange student who lives in Moncton, and his host parents to the baloon festival. We waited around three hours for the launching to start but it was defenitly worth it. I've never seen so many baloons in the air at the same time. An the three hours before wasn't too bad either. We walked around, ate maple sugar caramals (in the shape of a maple leaf of course) and watched a horse show.

I've joined the school cross country team. We've had one practice so far, we ran about 1,5 K so I wouldn't really call it a practice. The girls there are nice, a little bit younger than me I think. Most people are younger than me, they start school one year earlier. The cross country practices are monday, tuesday and thursday. In October we're going to a race in Fredericton, NBIAA Provincial Cross-Country Champs. So now I got a reason to keep up with the running.

It's getting colder, every morning you can feel that the fall is coming. The maple leaves are about to turn red and yellow and eventually brown. I love this time of year, go horseback riding on a clear and bright autumn day, wow! I havn't been in a store for two weeks, which must be the longest time ever. I'm not complaining, I've got all that I need here on the dairy farm in Boundary Creek.

Yesterday I tried to make cinnamon rolls. But you know we and cooking, hrm... and in a new kitchen too, even worse if that's possible. They didn't have fresh yeast so I used active dry. That didn't work 'cause the doe didn't rise. Haha, oh my god, the doe is now safely put together with the horse shit ;) Don't worry, next time I'll use fresh yeast. Or make something easier. Yeah, that seems like a good idea.

The school

Now I've been going to school for four days, which in other terms means its now is friday afternoon which means weekend. School here is very different from the swedish school, and very similar to the american one. You pick your courses for each semester and those courses are the one you have, the same every day. So your pretty much stuck with them. The main thing that's different here, and the thing that i don't really like, is that your moving around and meat different people in every class. That complicates the making friends-part a lot. For lunch I've usually sat down with Bauk's friends. They are really nice, but I feel that I have to start making friends on my own, to avoid turning into Bauk's shadow.

Today at english class I worked together with two very nice girls, and I agreed to meet and eat lunch with one of them. She has her own car so that makes it a lot easier to transport fast to a lunch place. After eating we went to her place to get some books (she lives not far away from me, a few minutes by car) and I got to meet with her mom. She gave me a ride home today and we're going to the school football game tomorrow. They're very patriotic at my school, today almost everyone was wearing the school colours, red and white (Go KFF!), and I think a lot of people are going to the game tomorrow.

Another thing that's differs the canadian school from the swedish one is the homework. You get homework every single day. And the classes are really orginised, you actually lern things here (unlike some of the classes in Sweden. I'll avoid to mention some class in particular ;P). I like the teachers too, they've got everything under controll, they really want for us to learn. The classes I've got are english, political science, canadian history, world issues and statistics. Sound like typical Elin subjects, don't they? ;) I signed up for the year book team, which means I'm going to their next meeting if there is some. And I began trying out for the soccer team, ending up realising I still don't like playing soccer for competitions. I'll try out for the basketball team in the end of October, Wiebe thinks I have a good chance of making it =D And I'll probably join the cross country team.

Tonight I think I'm joining bauk and her friends for a movie, it's supposed to be funny and grows. Sounds interesting indeed. Me and my host mom went horseback riding yesterday. I got thrown off but after that I felt really in control. Wow, I've got the power! I got that whole leg thing, which made the horse, Sunny, much more active. So you now, we're riding down to the fields, traoting and cantering. It's a wonderful feeling of feedom, in this breath taking landscape.

I have to eat now, I'll be back before you know it! =P

The host family

Hi guys, sorry for my delay. Won't happen again (hrm).

I've now spent a week at my host family's very nice farm in the little tiny "society" named Boundary Creek. The nearest community is located five minutes away by car and is called Salisburg. Where by the way is where I will go to school. If you want to hang out in a bigger town you can take the car to Moncton, takes about 20 minutes. It's a very nice city, with around 100 000 inhabitants and the biggest mall in the Maritimes.

Until now pretty much all I've been doing has been to get myself to feel at home, get to now the house with surroundings. This place is beautiful, later when my internet hopefully works I'll show you some pictures. It's really idyllic with the river and the forest and the fields. The house is quite big with two or three "extra rooms". But right now I'm living in one of them.

The mom and the daugther got three horses. They are very nice, I've been horseback riding twice. The first time was a total disaster but the second time I went by myself just to practice and I think I regained some self confidence. And for all of you who are wondering; Yes, I've been over to the farm to say Hello to the cows (they are very nice by the way), and I even tried to help out with the milking chores *proud* =)

Yesterday my regional coordinater Janet decided that she wanted to gather all the exchange students in the area (which would be three) so that we got to meet each other and share experiences. So she picked me up here at the farm and we went to her house for a barbique. It was very nice, there was a brazilian guy who I had already met and spoken to briefly at the camp. Haha, my gosh, he's so spoiled. And then there was an austrian guy who wasn't at the camp, it was very nice to meet him. He didn't eat anything, picky kid. After dinner we went downtown to buy a cup of coffee at one of the coffee places. I like Moncton, it's my kind of city, not too big.

Hm, what more could I tell you... School starts tomorrow, I'm nervous of course but I think it will be fine. Hehe, at least I really hope it will be fine =) Wish me good luck!

I love you people! Don't mess things up too much now in school and at home, ok? =)

The Niagara Falls

I feel very good about this: When I come home, and people are gonna ask me if i evere saw the Niagara Falls ('cause mainly that's all people know about Canada) I'm gonna answer them by saying 'Yes, I saw the Niagara Falls on my 10th day in Canada'. You couldn't use your time better, it was totally amazing! I will never again do anything that'll be anywhere near the experience in standing on a boat, dressed in a plastic rain coat in the middle of the horse shoe falls (the Canadian falls).

There are two falls, the american one and the canadian one. The canadian one's of course about ten times more amazing then the american one. That is actually the truth, it's not only because I'm living in Canada and have a good eye to this country, as you might think. I'll tell you why; First of all the canadian fall is formed like a horse shoe (therefore the name), the american fall is just flat. Second is that in the american fall there are plenty of very big rocks, browsing and stopping the water so that the height of the water falling is divided into two. Third of all, I mean come on, american or canadian, what do you choose, not a very hard question ;) Okay, so maybe I am a bit partic.

We left after breakfast and three of those magic yellow schoolbuses took us first to Niagara on the lake, a lovely little town, though very touristic, then to the flower clock, where we didn't stay for long since it was raining and finally we arrived at Niagara Falls city to see one of the worlds greatest wonders, the Niagara Falls. We went on the Maid of the Mist, a tour boat which took us right into the falls. Fantastic! I costed twelve bucks but it was worth every single penny of it.

The time between Maid of The Mist and dinner at Plannet Hollywood we spent in the city. Me, Gabbi, Wiebke and Annika. Wonderful girls, I love them! Unfortunatly I can't say the same about the sourroundings arond the falls. It was like a tivoli street, with theatres, museums, wax cabinetts, ghost houses, souvenier shops, fast food resturants and flashes and lights and noise everywhere. I didn't buy anything, although it would be nice to have a sweater which says 'Canadaian' or something like that, but I'm going to stay here for a year, so there's no hurry.

After an very entertaining dinner we went to see the falls by night. They light them up with flashes and lights in different colours, it looked quite spectacular. But personally I prefer the falls by day; natural glory.

The end of the camp is getting nearer. It feels a little bit sad, I've been getting used to the routins here and all the nice people. But of course I can't wait to meet my host family, I'm so excited about it :D And the farm... wow. Today was our last day in the normal classes, on thursday we're going to do something different I think. We wrote our name on a post card and passed it around the class for everybody to write a little comment on it. It was nice, Hilda collected them and she's going to send them to us in a month, 'when the honey moon with our host families is over'.

Tonight we're going to see a musical, it's called 'We will rock you'. Ring any bells? Moha, I thought so, music by Queen. It costs 40 dollars and is not compulsory, but I think I'll never have this opportunity again, it isn't very expensive for being a musical. Or, at least i like to tell myself so ;)

Toronto: The largest city in Canada

Yesterday was a Toronto day. It was assume, I've never been to such a big city before. It wasn't the most beautiful city I've ever seen ('cause I'm so cool and have been to so many cities, or not), but it sure was something special about it. Very north american with all the high buildings on each side of the road and with all the skyscrapers. First we went to the CN Tower which is almost a compulsory thing to do when visiting Toronto. It was cool to see the city from above, although we didn't see all of it, it's too big for that.

After the CN Tower we had the whole afternoon off to do whatever we wanted. I myself went to the harbour with Gabbie to catch the farry for visit on Centre Island. I liked it out there, it was like a big park with big green areas, idyllic little bridges, carousels and animals for the children, unbelievably expensive ice cream, and so on. All the things you need for a perfect picnic day.

After Centre Island we intended to visit China Town, since noone of has had ever been to such thing before. Unfortunatly, and although I was an excellent map reader (hrm), we didn't have the time to go there. That'll have to be for another time. Nevertheless on our way there, we found some very cool shops in Queen St, for example one were you could find a least a hundred different buttons.

After we'd catched up with the other EF people and eaten our dinner at the Hardrock Cafe all of us went to a baseboll game. I just have to say this, I'm sorry but: Baseball is quite a boring game to watch. At least if you're watching it for too long. It felt like they almost didn't do anything, the catcher and the pitcher and whatever their names are. It's not at all as cool and dramatic as it looks like on TV. So we sat down for two and a half hour, taking pictures, talking, clapping when everybody else was clapping, booing when everybody else was booing, you know. But now I've been to a baseball game, I'm proud of that and I'm very glad we went there. Just wish I would have getting to know the rules before the game, instead of afterwards.

I've been taking a lot of pictures, with my digital camera, so now you know all you people who were wondering why a brought the analog camera. You'll be very pleased to know that now I'm wondering too.

The camp

Okay, now it's my third day here on camp in Toronto. It really doesn't happen that much around here, or, not as much as I would want to. Now is our free time and I come straightly from a soccer tournament between the four homerooms. Unfortunatly our homeroom didn't win, but we made a good third.

Today and yesterday we had our first classes; English, Canadian Geography, Life in Canada and something wierd that's called Administration. The main purpose of that class is to collect money from the students for different events. Yesterday afternoon we went to the second biggest mall in Canada. It wasn't as big as I'd thought it'd be, but yet big enough to get lost in three times. Thanks heaven for information desks!

It's amazing, I would guess probably 50 % of all the students here are germans. They are everywhere, I'm living with three of them myself. And they all speak german to each other, great! Or not. No, now I'm being a little bit unfair, they were much worse in the beginning, now they actually speak mostly english.

So, there isn't very much more to tell you at the moment. People are very nice here, open minded. Sometimes the conversations fade out and it gets all quiet. That is sad, but that too is getting better as the camp goes on and there are more things to talk about. And oh, the japanese girls are so funny, they're like a big choir.

During these two weeks I won't be able to show you any pictures since I can't get them into the computer, but once I'm with my host family I will. I'm so tired, now I'm gonna go and read.