Friday April 3, 2009: President Obama. Obama Obama Obama!!! Yay!!

Wow.....! Today, in Strasbourg, France, Europe, I saw the president of the United Staes of America. Barack Hussein Obama. It was fantastic!!! I woke up earlier today since I did not take a shower the night before (I really don't like taking showers here haha! Or using the toilet! Haha!) I showered, lotioned, contacted, creamed, dressed, Q-Tipped, and then left the bathroom for breakfast. Since I finished the cereal Fruit 'N Fibre there was a new cereal for today. Kellogg's Brownie cereal (I am not sure of the name). It is puffs of cereal with brownie flavor inside. It is not that sweet sweet or really, really good but it is alright. I ate it and then got ready to dry my hair and brush my teeth. I asked Evelyne where I could plug in the hair dryer and she set it all up for me. I could not remember how many volts were used in France, either 125 or 250, and I had to set the hair dryer to one of them. I asked Evelyne if she knew but she did not so I looked at the hair dryer and it was already set on 125. I tried to change it but couldn't and was hoping very much that my mother set it on the right number. I tried to turn it on but it wouldn't start but because the plug wasn't pushed in all the way so I tried it again and it started and I was happy but only a few seconds later it stopped and started smoking!! Eek! What was I to do?? I was very glad it did not blow up haha! I went to ask Evelyne if she had a hair dryer I could borrow since mine did not work. She said no and she didn't own one since it is bad for your hair. I went back to the bathroom and brushed my hair. It wasn't too wet and I started to brush my teeth. We aren't alowed to bring any bags with us downtown in fear of weapons to hurt the president but we had to have our passports (and later our invitations when the teachers gave it to us). We also brought a lunch and camera and could have brought money which I did not and I later found out neither did Evelyne. We left about 8 o' clock with her brother since it could be dangerous for us. There were not that many people riding the tram today because of president Obama being here so many shops were closed and schools in Strasbourg proper were closed. There were sooooo many police everywhere!!!!! There were two or three police officers standing together some with padding on their bodies and helmets attached to their belts. We met up with Evelyne's friend Justine (who is nice) at one of the tram stations and she rode with us to our destination. We were to meet our classmates at the cinema and there were a lot of people all dressed up and mostly students. We were standing around saying how nice we looked and getting pictures with each other. It wasn't a very cold day so that was nice. We had to get into a line and the Americans were given their invitations. Finally we (this 'we' I mean the American and French students we have been with but also all these other students we did not know) went into the cinema where we went through line to verify that our invitation matched our passport and our passport matched our faces. Then we were loaded onto charter buses and the Americans and French students were split up which the teachers did not want to happen but the people in charge kept saying that we would meet up once we got to our destination, the ice skating rink. I got to ride on the top of a double decker bus!!!!!! I was so happy and excited!! I sat in the very back with Mrs. Weaver on my left, Jessica an the eigth grader on my right, Ms. Peoples on her right, and Coty, on her right. My friend Dallas asked if I would be riding a double decker bus while I was in France I told I didn't think so but now I get to tell her I did!!! She said she always wanted to ride on one. It was like a mini airplane (the top was anyway) and also had two table on the top, in front of us, four seats to a table. We rode to the ice rink and had trouble turning into the parking lot since the bus was so big. When we finaly arrived, we (now 'we' means the Americans and French) gathered and were put into groups. We were told that we could eat our lunch now and it was only ten in the morning! I had a tuna sandwich with tomatos and a litte strawberry cake. Water was to drink. We sat around eating and talking then a lady made an announcement in French and said that everyone would be leaving in about 15 minutes. I decided that I should go to the restroom and Erin said that it was a 45 minute wait! It was ridiculous but I stood in line waiting anyway, hoping some of the people would leave.I had to leave to get in line with my group and the French lady who was my chaperon. I asked her if there would be a restroom when we got over to the security area. She said yes which made me relax a little and we stood around talking, waiting to leave the rink. We finally left only going to get in line for security which was like the airport except there was not a place to have your belongings looked at through a computer because we were not allowed to bring bags. I had to turn on my camera for the security man and then he gave it back. There was a restroom to the left after we went through security and I was happy and relieved becuase I was woried that there was not a restroom. Aryn waited for me and so did Justine. Then we went up the stairs, over a bit, and into a gym like area to our seats. On the floor was a stage for President Obama to speak and seats to the right, left, and in front of the stage. There was a section above the ground and I was in the section above the first section in the third row. As we waited for 1:45, when President Obama would arrive, a lady, who was born in South Carolina and lived outside Strasbourg now, played her guitar and sang songs for us. All of the songs she sangs were hers (I think) except for one which was the song 'He's Got The Whole World In His Hands'. I sat next to Justine and Aryn but then moved down a seat so that Camille, another French student, could sit next to Justine. Aryn and I talked about celery, fudge muffins, fudge monkeys, how we were tired and hurgry haha! Everybody was anxious at 1:45ish and while we were waiting for him to come out, I started talking to Martin, a boy who sat next to Aryn and Coyot (I do not know how you spell his name but I thought it sounded like coyote without the 'te'!) a boy who sat next to Martin. They were very excited to see President Obama too! Around 2ish, people started to stand up so I did too. Finally he came out (2:15ish) with his wife and there was a lot of clapping and cheering and photos taken! I was so excited, being in the same room as the President of the United States and his wife!! I think I took pretty good pictures. He made a speech about how Europe and the Untied States needs to work together and change and things like that. It was amazing and it was like when I watched him get sworn into office and he made his speech afterwards. Then he took questions from the crowd about what he plans on getting accomplished before he leaves office, what he is doing about the war and Afghanistan, if he regrets running for president, and when he is getting his dog! He had to leave too soon and there was the president song being played as he and his wife shook hands and left. A lady was dismissing the sections and for one of the sections she said the Germans leave and will go back to Germany. I and others thought that was hilarious!! We were dismissed and we walked outside and walked across the street where we had a talk. The teachers (Ms. Peoples and Ms. Kidwell) told us that we were doing a great job and how they were proud of us on how we acted today and that we should continue acting this way. They also told us that we could not switch families just because we didn't like the family or we weren't getting along. We could only switch if we were in danger. Then we waited around again waiting to get on the bus and drive back to the cinema. When we got there I had to tell my chaperon I was leaving then Evelyne and I left, walking to the tram station. There were not any trams so she said we had to walk. We probaby walked for 20 or more minutes to a station that was less than half way to her house. I asked if there was a restroom and she took me to one and then we waited again. At seven o' clock a tram finally came and we rode home. We ate dinner, chicken nuggets, a bigger chicken piece with turkey and cheese inside, potatoes, and water to drink. Dessert was Reese's Pieces, Salt Water Candy (I think that they don't really like it), and Jelly Belly (jellly beans). I changed for bed, brushed my teeth and retainer and put cream on my face then went to bed. It was a long, exciting day!

Saturday April 4, 2009: Read, Read, Read

Ah well today was a day where I just relaxed. I woke up about elevenish, went to the toilet room then waited for the bathroom (to take wash my hands and take out my retainer since there is not any soap in the toilet room) then got dressed and went to eat breakfast. For breakfast I ate a couple pieces of bread (I really like bread haha) with chicken, honey, butter, jam on the bread (but not ALL on the same piece haha). I also had cereal, the same kind as before, Kellogg's Brownie cereal. Then I brushed my teeth and put my cream on my face. I settled down on the bed, listening to music and reading Dead Until Dark. I finished the book which I liked, it is very similar to Twilight expecially the ending! I got the next book out of my suitcase (Living Dead In Dallas) and I wanted to talk to my mom about the book since she read it first but also I was a little bored. So I asked Evelyne if I could call her and she said she had to ask her mother first. She left to ask her mother and I noticed all of the books in the Sookie Stackhouse series had 'dead' in the title! Evelyne came back asking me if it was cheaper if my parents called me and I told her I wasn't sure but I guess it is since she came back and said that her brother said it was so I asked her to write down her phone number so I could tell my mom it when I called. My mom picked up and I told her that she had to call me back and gave her the number then hung up. My dad called back in a few minutes and we talked about me seeing President Obama. The I moved onto talking to my sister Carmen whose birthday is today. (HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARMEN!!!!!!!!!!! If you read this haha!) She told me about her presents and that her party is today and Jake was the only person who could not come. They are going go-cart racing!! FUN!! Haha! Then I talked to my mom for a little bit and then my other sister Sydney who was very excited and won many levels in the Shrek GameBoy game we have. :) Oh and I talked to Dangles too!! What a treat haha and he misses me. I finished up my phone call with my mom again and then went to have lunch. Lunch was like a whole bunch of snacks. There were chocolate chip (I think homemade) muffins, pizza crackers that tasted like Pizza Goldfish, crackers that tasted like peanut butter, little cookies that I did not like but I cannot remember their taste haha! A banana, a oval cake that was alright, huge red grapes with seeds but still good. A soft chocolate candy bar with coconut filling and was too sweet for me to finish, butter crackers which were pretty good, cookies with a chocolate bottom and I think that was it! I had apple juice to drink. After lunch I went back to reading and listening to music. I am sick (just a sore throat right now) so I took some medicine a little later. Evelyne does not have internet at her house like I said before and now she does not have anymore time left on her account at the internet cafe so she suggested that I could type it here on her computer, save it on a flash drive, and paste it on my blog when we go to a internet shop. I thought that was a good and smart idea (haha!) because I would be saving time and money so that is what I did until dinner. For dinner there was a Chinese dish with rice, mixed foods with sauce (peppers, pineapple, squid, mushrooms, peas, and bamboo), and fried fish. Dessert was ice cream and I had vanilla and 'Midnight Cookies', I think that is what the name was haha! I continued on with my entries until they were ready to watch the movie 'Ratatouille'. I saw it before and liked it so I liked it aain. Then I got ready for bed and then slept.

Tuesday March 31, 2009: Long Day

Tuesday was a long day. I woke up and did my normal routines, change and go to the bathroom, wash my face, put my contacts in, put acne cream on, eat breakfast, brush teeth, ride the tram/subway to school, wait around until we know what we are doing, thats my normal routine I reckon haha! First we watched the French's gym class. It was interesting and looked fun. They got to stand on each other like on each other's legs and headstands and things like that and I want to try too!! We walked over to the charter bus and rode to the side of a mountain to a muesum of World War. I sat next to Coty. The building looked very nice and it was a long walk up to it haha! We watched a movie in French about disasters from the second World War. After the movie we took a tour and then headed back to the bus to head to the next muesum that used to be a consentration camp. It was on a mountain and the camp was at that spot because there was granite in the ground. There was a little snow in clumps but it wasn't too too cold. We had lunch inside and I had water, and chicken, pickle, and cheese sandwich, an apple, and a crossiant. I really like bread haha!! Next we went to the outside part of the muesum where we looked in buildings where the prisoners stayed, were torchered, and killed. There was a big grave towards the bottom of the hill where bodies were dumped and another grave with many little crosses with names on it. We moved onto the inside muesum and there was a movie to watch, in a different language of course haha! We finished up looking in the muesum with one last information part and I headed back to the bus with Aryn and Mr. Hager. When everyone came back to the bus, we left and went back to the school. Once we got to the school, some people played soccer, volleyball, basketball or sat. I played volleyball for a few minutes until it ended. We were waiting around for the reception, 'Welcome Party' for the Americans. It took a long time for the teachers to start talking and we just sat at tables and talked until it started. There is a French student, Anton (not sure how you spell his name but it sounds like Antuna), and I am exciteabout that! He is going to stay for a whole school year!!! I think he is going to be in my grade too! I was supposed to warn him of Camille according to Zack haha! I didn't get a chance though. Darn! ;) We ate mini sandwiches, peanut butter flavored puffs, plain and barbque chips, orange juice, and wine for the 18 and older haha! Evelyne and I left went to the internet cafe quickly for her to check for something and the we rode the subway/tram home. I took a shower and started reading Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris. The I had dinner which was nooles, fried fish, and pea/bean soup. I also tried Chinese cakes but I didn't really like them. I finished getting ready for bed and then went to sleep!

Wednesday April 1, 2009: Tired

I was very tired today whe I woke up around 6:34 but I got up and dressed anyway. I am still tired right now (3:02) and it wasn't a busy day. I ate breakfast as normal but Evelyne had me try this cereal. It looks like a granola bar but you but it into your cereal bowl with milk and put chocolate powder on top. It was alright. Nothing that great but it wasn't bad. Then I had my normal cereal of 'Fruit 'N Fibre' as it is called. We are almost out of it haha! Then after I finish getting ready we head off to the tram/subway. We get off at a different stop today and she takes me to an English classroom. She goes off to class with her friends after dropping me off at the door. There are other Americans waiting at the door also: Ryan, Logan, Sara, Cole, Coty, Zack, Molly,... We enter the classroom and we wait for the regular students to arrive. I saw a girl outside of the classroom peeking in and looking confused but when others arrive a few seconds later they come in. Some other American students (Amanda, Dorothy, Aryn, and others I can't remember) arrive because their teacher did not arrive. We are interviewed by the French students and the girl interviewing me asks me questions such as my name, what school I attend, my age, my siblings, do I like it here, where my parents are from, what coutries I have been to, what I like to do, where I live, favorite band, farorite movie, favorite actor and actress, and I think that was it. So then after that we, the Americans, were able to interview the French and I interviewed a boy named Vivein. He seemed nice. Then the French, who interviewed us; used the information about us to write it into a paragraph. Their bell rang at 8:55 so they departed and we waited for the next English class to arrive. We sat so there was an empty seat between every America. It was a much bigger class. The class started out reading about a girl (I think named Shannon or something like that) who went through Ellis Island in the year 1892 (around that year). We read it as a class and if the French needed help with answering the question we could help. The teacher then changed their assignment to interviewing us. I got a really nice girl and her birthday is today! She is seventeen and when she asked me how old I was she was surprised because she thought I was seventeen. I really enjoy her interviewing me and it was fun and funny. When the class was over we head downstairs to the playgound area to meet up with the other Americans and French. After waiting around for a while we split off into two groups, one who would play volleyball and the other would rock climb. I was in therock climbling group and the girls went downstairs to the locker room. The locker room did niot have any toilets or stalls so we had to change in front of each other. Once everyone was dressed we went up into the rock climbing room. It is nice in there. There was gymnastic equipment with rock walls to climb. We had instructions from the teacher who spoke little English but one of the students translated. We parterned up with a French student, I was with Evelyne, and we climbed. We were probavly in there for about an hour and then we changed again and went to the gym where the others were playing volleyball. They stopped and it was one of the French teacher's birthday and we sang and gave her a present which was a bracelet I think. We were able to go home with our host's so we did and we took the subway/tram home. Lunch was a curry, I think, with chicken and carrots, a bean/pea like soup, and bread. There was also ice cream and I started to feel sick so I went to lie down until Evelyne's sister and I left for the internet shop where I am now. Evelyne is taking a big test right now and she will come and get me about 4:45 and we might go shopping. Au revoir!

Friday March 27, 2009: Giant Worm

Friday was the day the American students left to head over to France! I left school about two twenty and wet home to finish packing and leave for the airport. Our car had an engine malfunction and I am not sure if it is better haha! At the airport, a dog came to sniff for drugs and we were clean! I was hoping the dog would sniff us too but it didn't. We had to get checked in, say our goodbyes to our family and friends, and go through security. Then we had to wait for the plane to arrive. A couple of students never flown before and I thought that was interesting. There first time flying was out of the United States! The first plane was not very long and I sat next to Sam. Then to Frankfurt was long haha! I sat next to Kate and we had little TVs in front of us but ours did not work. :( It was not very comfortable sleeping and I woke up and fell asleep a couple of times. We were served chicken, vegetables, and rice, salad, a roll, and a brownie I think. I also bought a sandwich and a banana nut muffin at the airport. I ate the muffin for breakfast in the morning. When we arrived at the airport, we went through customs and the man I went to seemed friendly. Then we picked up our bags and during that time I took pictures and went to the restroom. It was very cool! The toilets were like a little room! I took pictures of it too haha! As we were leaving, some of the French students were there to greet us. We took a charter bus to Strasbourg and that was about three hours long. I was trying to stay awake but I was so tired and fell alseep for a few minutes. The cars are a lot smaller then the cars we drive in America. There are many similar cars too like the Mini Cooper, some BMWs, certain Mercedes, Audis and more Audis than I see in where I live, some Hondas, Volkswagons, and a few Fords. The are many foreign companys to me and I am not sure of the names. There was a huge worm I saw on the sidewalk while we were wainting for our host families to pick us up. Evelyne arrived with her friends because she was doing homework with them so we had to wait a little while for her parents to pick us up. Her mother, father, and younger sister arrived in a red Volkswagon van looking car but without sliding doors, just normal doors. They seemed shy and we headed to his stores where I was able to send emails and try to call my parents. Afterwards we headed to a furniture store called Ikea where I had a late lunch. I had salmon, noodles, carrots, and water. It was yummy. Then we headed home I got a tour of her house. It is a lot smaller compared to houses in the United States. There is a kitchen, a living room, three small bed rooms, a toilet room, and a bathroom with only a sink and tub in it. I share a room with Evelyne. I gave Evelyne her presents (peanut butter, jelly beans, a coconut smelling pillow decoration, Reese's Pieces, and a picure frame) and she was sooo excited and happy!!!! I took a shower and then read trying to stay up until dinner but I was way too tired and fell asleep! :)

Monday March 30, 2009: 64 Bugs

I am tired haha. I am at a internet shop with Evelyne because the internet at her house. Today I woke up and got dressed. I had to go to the bathroom so badly haha! I got dressed and put my contacts in and then ate some breakfast which was cereal. Then I brushed my teeth and we left to ride the subway. It was very crowded! We had to push our way onto and stand very close to eqch other. It takes over thirty minutes to get to her school. When we arrived, we stood in the playground I guess. It has a basketball court, a few trees, and many people. We waited and talked with each other for a few minutes and then went into the gym. We broke off into groups with our chaperones and toured around the school with middle school aged tour guides. That was horrible!! Haha not really but there seemed to be no point at first because there English wasn't very good and we do not speak French very well. They didn't seem to know where they were going but it was went more smoothy after awhile. All the students then met back in the gym and met up with our French students. They gave us a bag filled with little presents such as a bookbag, a T-shirt, mints, pens, and other little things. There was also refreshments but they ran out of cups when I wanted a drink. :( We moved on to the playground area again and went to the restroom before we went on the boat tour. The tour was like the tour I went on in Hooland, throungh the canals in a glass roof boat. We went in a lock which is a little area a boat enters to get higher. The boat enters, the gates close, water either fills up of drains out, and then we are on our way. The process takes about five minutes. We headed back to the school for an our break until lunch which you had the choice of some sort of salad, yogurt, plain pasta, stuffed pasta, some type of meat, and bread. I had yogurt, plain pasta, and bread. The man serving the pastas did not speak English so I didn't risk taking the stuffed pasta which I found out was cheese. Water was served to dink and my some of my noodles were hard. After we cleaned up and went to the restroom again, we (by we I mean the American students and teacher) headed off to the Cathedrale. It is a very big church that was built in the 12th century I think. Three meters below it is water. It was pretty cold in there and the was a cool clock! It shows where the planets are and what time it is. Little angel hits a bell and then an old man hits back and so on until the number of hits match up with the hour. Another angel flips a timer with sand in it. I cannot think of the name at the moment. After the Cathedrale we headed to a smaller church and I do not know what church or why or anything about it. Evelyne gave me bread this morning to take from her mother and it was very delicious! Zack and I were walking together and we started talking about Bob Marley and how many French wear his shirt. I have not seen any but he said he did. He also told me that after Bob Marley died that they found 64 different types of bugs in his hair!! How nasty!!! We stopped in a dessert shop that looked very good but I did not buy anything. Finally we headed back to the school and met up with our French friends who were finishing class or some had to stay in class a little while longer. Evelyne and I rode the subway to the mall where the internet shop is located and that was my day!

ONE WEEK UNTIL FRANCE!!!!!!!!!! :))