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.