Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I hope you all have had a great start of the new year, 2008. Wow, time flies by...

A little too fast sometimes actually, I was thinking this morning and it hit me that our christmas break soon is over, only a week to go. That's a little sad, but that's life I guess :) Christmas was wonderful. We celebrated christmas day 'cause that's what they do in this country. It started off with opening of christmas gift in the morning. That was sweet, like the whole family gathered around the dinner table, with coffee and tea and cookies and candy and the ginger bread house. And I think people were happy with their gifts too, that's always nice.

Then was the big christmas family dinner. That was nice, they had like a frying pan in the middle of the table and a lot of pieces of raw chicken and pork and meat balls and stuff. So everyone kind of cooked their own meal. Excepst for me who sat by the and of the table and couldn't reach. So I got people to cook for me.

I like the christmas break so far. I've been at home mostly, you know, relaxing. We've been playing a lot of ping pong since that table was Auke's christmas gift for everyone. It's sweet! I love it. Last week me and Baukje went ice skating in Moncton. That was cool, shaky in the beginning obviously but I regained my balance after a while. And I've been walking a lot too. Like on the side of the roads since the fields are covered in snow.

Well, that was all for this time. Happy New Year again everyone!

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.