My histories from the USA

Sidste Indlæg

2010-07-03T11:22:00.000-04:00

Det var så det - det var det hele..
10 måneder og 18 dage - 46 uger - 322 dage.

Jeg har sagt det hele før, og det har bestemt ikke ændret sig siden jeg kom hjem: Det var et fantastisk år. Hvis noget tror jeg det bliver bedre og bedre jo mere jeg tænker tilbage og jo længere jeg kommer væk.

Jeg har været tilbage i 9 dage nu og jeg må indrømme jeg tænker meget på om det nogensinde kommer til at føles "normalt" igen, eller hvornår?
Lige nu vil jeg sige at komme hjem har været det hårdeste på året. Jeg ved ikke hvordan jeg skal reagere til forskellige ting og tage forhold til det. Det er lidt som at være fremmet i 'dit eget land.'
I mandags havde jeg en masse venner komme forbi i løbet af dagen, og da jeg endelig sad ned på mit værelse om aftenen og kiggede rundt på mine ting, mit rod og mine "hjemlige rammer" ramte det lidt hårdt. Jeg er hjemme, og jeg kan ikke tage forhold til det lige nu.

Alle prøver at forstå, og det sætter jeg selvfølgelig pris på, men jeg tror ikke de kan. Især det sidste halve år, efter jul, efter flyttet, efter jeg var faldet til, har jeg for det meste været Så glad, Så positiv og elsket den person jeg var - været så selvsikker.
Da jeg mødte alle de gamle venner på en gang, som havde sagt at selvfølgelig havde jeg forandret mig - det forstod de... var det som om de alligevel alle sammen så mig som 'den gamle Mette.' Selvfølgelig var det rart at det føltes som om jeg ikke havde været væk i et år, men på den anden side skræmte det mig virkelig. Alt det arbejde på at "være et bedre menneske" lige ud af vinduet?

Jeg er glad for at være med mine forældre igen; jeg elsker dem jo, men jeg ved bare ikke hvordan jeg skal være nogen steder lige nu. Jeg føler jeg har brug for tid til at få styr på det hele, falde til ro, føle mig rigtig hjemme og så begynde at åbne mig op igen, og jeg det er rigtig svært for mange at forstå.

Men jeg er sikker på at når det får lidt tid, når jeg starter på Nørre G., og det starter på en frisk igen, at det nok skal blive godt og det hele kan løsne sig lidt op.

Jeg håber I har fået lidt ud af at følge med på min blog i år - det har i hvert fald været vildt dejligt at kunne dele mine oplevelser og også på en måde bruge det her som en dagbog.

Pas godt på jer selv og hav det godt.
For nu,
Mette

Last day...

2010-06-22T10:30:00.002-04:00

Today is my last day in Indiana, my last day in the USA - at least for now.
I don't think I've ever felt so empty in a way; not feeling anything. Why not? I don't know what to feel! It's like yesterday when I was in Kastrup saying goodbye, and tomorrow I'll have to do the same thing, only difference; this time I don't know when I'll see you again.
It's gone by so fast.
There was a time in the winter when I was half way through and thought it'd been a long time, but looking back over the year it just flew by!
And then now I'm sitting here trying to figure out what to feel. I've tried to pack down a life that I won't get back again, but there won't ever be suitcases big enough to carry this experience. At this point, being an exchange student is the best decision I have ever made, and I wouldn't take it back for Anything!
I feel happy. Happy for being here, happy for the opportunity, happy for everything I've gotten from this, but at the same time I'm so sad that I have to give it up now - it's too early. I'm excited, because I get to see everybody again so soon, but nervous for the change. Everything I feel has an opposite I feel too, and it makes me feel empty; not feeling anything.
I'm just gonna enjoy the last hours I have in this amazing place before the horrible day tomorrow is going to be. And then Thursday I'm home.....

See you soon.
Love, Mette.

Change

2010-06-15T23:18:00.000-04:00

Since I leave the United States in 10 days, I thought I should make this post, who knows, it might be my last one from over here :(
A lot of things have changed since I left Denmark 312 days ago, especially me. My height has changed, my weight has changed, my hair has changed, my nails have changed.. I don’t think you want me to go on :) But most of all my personality has changed.
I have always seen myself as a happy person, at least until I got hit by some teenage years. When I look back on how I got so grumpy when I was tired and let everybody feel it, or just on all the stupid arguments and girl-drama, I can’t help but laugh a little and think; was that really me. Winston Churchill said: “a pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. I might have been more of a pessimist before, at least some days, but I’d really describe me as an optimist now. I’m so happy, and I love to see how just by smiling, you can make other people smile. Could you see how perfect a world it would be, if people just smiled all the time - at least pretended :)
It’s been a long year, but it’s gone by way to fast. The fall, especially, was long. It was hard to sit in a situation where you should decide if you should leave the family you were in, give everything up, and start over, or if you should stay a place you didn’t fit in, but even though it was some long nights, I did the right thing and moved in with the most lovely host family!
It took time to get used to the limited freedom here; not because I wasn’t aloud to do things, but because of me not being aloud to drive, and then living so far away from town and school, but it all worked out in the end. I’ve missed being able to open my door and being in the middle of everything, or just being able to take my bike, or public transportation and go wherever the wind blows, but it’s definitely part of the experience!
I’ve grown stronger, learned to know my strength and weaknesses, got to know my limits, when it’s enough for me, I’ve gotten smarter in a lot of way, I think, but even though there’s all these changes, I’m still Mette.
I’m still just a 16 year old girl starting in 1i at Nørre Gymnasium in August, starting something new, and having to figure out how “to do that.” I’m still me; I just have another experience in my luggage, another view at the world; at life.
- Be prepared :) hahaha.
Love you all,
Mette

P.s. I posted another post today too (Tornado Warning) don’t forget to read that!

Tornado Warning

2010-06-15T23:16:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I got an experience I probably had to have after staying a year in Indiana; my first tornado warning.
I’d been at Open Houses all day, and been home maybe an hour if.. When I got a text from my friend saying “Tornado Warning, one’s already been spotted west of Martinsville.” I told Melissa and we turned on the news, and true enough, there was a warning out for Morgan and Johnson county.
There’s two things; a tornado watch and a warning. A watch is when there’s a chance for tornadoes, but no reporting of any yet, and then a warning, where you have to go to the basement, or a room with four walls - none of them outside walls, no windows. We went to the hallway, closed the doors and turned the radio on, and sat there listening to the radio from Martinsville saying they lost power because of all the fallen trees, and stuff, so we just sad and heard the wind blow hard, but nothing so “the walls shook” or anything, and then finally they canceled it and nothing happened. There was one in Mooresville too, but I haven’t heard of anybody hurt.
Following that we got a huge thunder storm, but that I am getting pretty used to J
So everything well from here, just another new experience.
-Mette

I know

2010-06-01T15:36:00.001-04:00

I know it’s been a long time, I’m sorry. My internet is not working, so that’s why I’m not answering e-mails etc. If you send me a message on Facebook though, I get it as a text on my self phone, so you can always do that instead.

I have been waiting for the internet to work again, so I could get in and write to you, but since I don’t think it’s going to, I figured I would start writing different posts for my blog, save them to my computer, and then one day go to McDonalds or some other place with free internet to post them, so don’t forget to read the other stories I’ve put in today, they’re saved separately.

See you REALLY SOON now!
Love you, Mette

Graduation Open House

2010-06-01T15:35:00.001-04:00

Today me and Mike had our Open House. Everybody/most people have it a day around Graduation. Some people started last week and they go all the way through June. Like we drive around town and stop by the different houses, here it’s just bigger and longer.
There were a bunch of people having theirs today, so ours lasted (officially) from 4-11pm, even though the last people really didn’t leave till midnight. Yes, it was really Mike’s. I just tagged along, since I “graduated” too.
So I had passed out invitations at school, but a lot of people forgot or had other plans. I good group of my friends showed up though, and I had a good time.
We had a ton of food, and now a ton of leftovers, bouncy-things, to jump on, and they each had a little game on them. It’s hard to describe. One had a basketball goal in each end, but you were tied together in a big bouncy court in the middle, so it was about pulling the hardest and be the first to slam dunk the ball into the goal.
It was a lot of fun, and since I was outside setting up from about 10am and then didn’t get back in till around midnight, it was reeeeeeeeeally hot, but nice (about 30C) and I did get a little more tan and burned, ha ha, just a little!

See you soon!
Love Mette

Thoughts of a soon to be done-exchange student

2010-06-01T15:33:00.000-04:00

I saw this TV commercial the other day, and it said something like:
“it’s a curious thing that happens. It seems when we get to a place where no one knows us, we become most ourselves; trying new things, making new friends, laughing out loud, and dancing in the streets. It’s time to venture out! Who knows just who we might discover as we come alive.”

That was my dream. I didn’t feel ready for ‘gymnasium’ yet. I mean, my grades and stuff were fine, but mentally, I wanted a year out, a year to experience something new and put a new perspective on life.
Did it give me that one year I wanted? In some way. It gave me the year I wanted, but it was so amazing that I want to stay, I’m not ready to leave yet, and I don’t know if I will be, but at the same time I’m excited to start a new chapter of my life, and see everybody again, and did it live up to my expectations?
Yes. I tried not to have expectations, but there was the simplest things that you just don’t think about as expectations. Before I left, I thought of expectations as “I will make the basketball team,” “they will put me as a Senior,” “my host family will take me on vacation” etc. but I would’ve never classified expectations under what is normal to me, being in America; I just never thought like that. So did it meet my expectations, yes, overall I had an amazing year and that sure was my biggest expectation, but did I end up in the perfect family I though it was going to be at first, did I have somebody to sit with the first day at lunch, was I happy almost the whole time? No. It took a move to find an amazing family, and it took a stressed, confused moment to find somebody to sit with the first day, and no, it wasn’t all happiness, it definitely had hard times, but overall, it was a year I will never ever forget, and a year I really don’t want to leave yet.

I can't last here for long
I feel this current it's so strong
It gets me further down the line
It gets me closer to the light

All these little things in life
They all create this haze
There's too many things to get done
And I'm running out of days

Today, I have 25 days left in Mooresville, in Indiana, in the United States, and yes, indeed it is sad, but so far I have had the best summer vacation of my life, I’m pretty sure, and I’ll just do my very best to keep that and my good mood up, and not be sad now, for something that has yet to come.

Live on, live it up today
This life’s your cup
So drink it up I say, yeah
Say it’s mine so give it all up to me now
And walk that line, don’t let this go my friend

Let it be the best 25 days of the year, and let the happiness I have found in myself here continue when I get back. Lets make it the summer of our lives J
Mette

P.S. I apologize that all these posts are about leaving, about it being the end, over, but it’s true, and writing it all down helps me accept it all little bit, get the sadness out, and have the happiness left to enjoy J

Graduation

2010-06-01T15:21:00.002-04:00

Today I graduated high school. Today is the end of the best school year, and the beginning of something new. Today is a huge mark, showing that my year is coming to and end. It is a day of celebration, but for me more a day that hits hard. It is like the last choir concert. It is these “marks” that hit you, saying “it’s the end.”
Today is a big day for Mooresville’s class of 2010, a day they’ve been waiting for, and worked for the last 12 years, a day that was finally here.
It was with smiles and tears and 291 excited, but nervous, young adults that filled up the South Gym at Mooresville High School at 11 am on May 29th, 2010. After welcomes, prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and singing of the Star Sprinkled Banner, 291 students, one by one entered the stage, shook the Superintendent Mr. Freeman’s hand, received a diploma holder and went back to their seat, and after more speeches, singing, pictures, and turning in their cap and gown again, received their High School Diploma.
Today was the end of an amazing experience, that I can’t thank Mooresville enough for giving to me, but also a start of something new.

I think it sucks that we don’t get to keep out cap and gown, and that I didn’t see Mr. Muston (our principal) before Graduation started, ‘cause I was going to make this deal, that if he said my name wrong, I got to keep the cap and he was going to pay for it (he probably wasn’t going to make the deal with me, but I thought it was a brilliant idea!) If I had done that, I would now how my cap! He sure did say something weird instead of Birkedahl J poor man, with three foreign exchange student names, but it’s not that hard, especially when I already told him how to pronounce it!

Love you,
Mette

Last day of school, and Senior Sunset

2010-06-01T15:12:00.004-04:00

Today was my last day of school at Mooresville High School - it’s kinda bittersweet. On the sweet side I have summer vacation now, until mid-August, so that’s awesome! No more finals, no more homework, no more school. But then on the other side MHS was the center of this year. It was where I spend most of time. It was where I met all these wonderful people, that will always be a part of my life. It was where I met friends that I just don’t know what I’m going to do without. It was where I learned more about myself, and changed, grew, and got more of the person I wanted to be, and to just let all that go, and start a new chapter is hard. I don’t know when I’ll get to see them all again, and I am so tired of staying in touch with everybody through writing/Facebook.

I took my last two finals in today (Sociology and U. S. History) and then we had a Senior picnic during lunch, and the commencement practice for Saturday’s Graduation.

After hanging out with Karolina and Denisa, the two other foreign exchange students at school, and taking pictures of school and around school

Me, Nich, and Denisa went around town and to Nich’s house for a little while, before leaving for Anderson Orchard (where I went picking apples in the beginning of the year, and went to get a pumpkin for Halloween) for the Senior Sunset. They have the tallest hill in Morgan County, so a lot of the Seniors showed up to hang out, and see the sun go down (they saw it set in the beginning of the year, so it’s symbolizing the end) but around an hour/an hour an a half before the sun set, it started lightening, and since we were at the highest point, we had to leave, which was sad, but I had fun.

It’s by the way around 30C during the days here, and doesn’t really go under 20C right now, maybe when I sleep, so I hope you enjoy your Danish weather too! (:
Just kidding. I hope you’ll have a good summer until I see you though!
28 more days L
Love you, Mette

Choir and Track - near the end

2010-06-01T14:55:00.004-04:00

I can feel the school year closing in, and I can see it in many ways.
Since January I’ve been in both Track and Verbalessence, which is the after-school girls choir. Track ended a couple of weeks ago, I ran in my last meet May 6th, and after Senior Night on May 11th I was done, since I didn’t have to run in Sectionals. Senior Night was the last meet at home and before the meet start they recognize all the Seniors, by walking them up to stand in front of the stands and one by one, tell a little bit about them. After saying my name right, they did get almost everything else wrong, so it was pretty funny. “Next year Mette will be attending the international school of Denmark, studying international studies.” I don’t really know where that came from, since all I wrote on the paper was that I would be attending an international school IN Denmark..

I also had the last choir concert. With Sensations, the choir I have 7th period every day, out last concert was at Spring Spec.
Spring Spec. (Spring Spectacular) is a big choir show/concert at school. It is both Friday, and Saturday night, and we had dress rehearsal Thursday night. Personally I was performing two songs with Verbalessence, one song “the Senior Song” with all the Seniors, three songs with Sensations (I had a little solo in the first one), and then the big “finale” song, with all the choirs together. It was a great night, especially Saturday.
Earlier Saturday, I had been at the last orientation with YFU and because I had to leave earlier to get back to school, I didn’t really get to say goodbye to my friends, I mean we gave each other a hug and stuff, but it was fast, ‘cause they were in the middle of the orientation. So when I came to school, I was already a little bummed out, plus I had got the wrong time, so even though I was ten minutes early, I was ten minutes late (with many others) and I didn’t have time to change into the dress I was going to wear for the Senior Picture. We still got the picture taken, all the Seniors together, and then we all ran around, trying to finish getting ready.
By the end of the night, for the very last song, all the Seniors stand together on stage, while all the others choirs are behind us, and around the auditorium singing the last song. Most of the Seniors starts crying, because it is their last performance, like out last concert with choir in Denmark last year, and when it’s all over everybody is walking around hugging each other, giving each other flowers and crying. We were all sad, I was more because it hit me that it was about over now, this was the end of my year, and in a little bit I had to go home, but it didn’t take long till I was in a good mood again, since so many people came over and hugged me, said how much fun they had had, that they were going to miss me so much … It just makes you feel happy, to have met so many nice people and met so many new friends in one year.

(Just some pictures from Spring Spec. of me and some friends)

It’s a little crazy to think about leaving, as I’m writing this down today, May 23rd, there’s one month till I’m leaving. In a month I’ll be sitting in Chicago, meeting all the Danish exchange students again, and together leaving for Frankfurt and Copenhagen.

I’m going to miss everything so much, especially because I knew when I left Denmark, I would be back to my life again in a year, but leaving here, I can only come back and visit, I won’t come “back to my life.”

See you soon!
Mette

The Prom weekend

2010-06-01T11:20:00.004-04:00

It’s Friday, May 30th 2010, it’s the day of my first and only Prom. Mooresville High School is empty (maybe except for the Junior parents running around, finishing up for Post Prom) and everybody is getting ready for the big night.
Personally I’m waking up, walking around for a while, cleaning myself up a little before my hair appointment at noon. It’s a lady named Kim doing my hair. I don’t know her, but I’ve heard she’s good, and she sure is. I showed a picture of my idea and said, but just make it pretty, and she did.

At home I’m doing my make up, packing a bag, and getting everything ready, putting it in the car and then leaving for Kylee’s house, where her and I get the last things ready together. Her parents have snacks and drinks ready, and her grandparents are there too. Some of the others text us and say they’re on their way, so we put on out dresses and take a last look in the mirror before walking out.
It’s a good feeling getting compliments and funny to watch peoples expressions as they see you for the first time, in your long purple dress, curly hair, bangs braded bag and a big smile.

It’s not the end of the story, closer to the beginning, but you’re going to get the rest in a “non story mode.”

Around 3:30 our whole group showed up. Me and Kylee who were already there, Josh, my date, Kyle and LeeDa, and Mikinzie and Nich, and Stephanie. Josh’s sister was there, she’s a professional photographer and took most of our pictures. The other parents took pictures too, but since she was the professional, she kinda let them. We had to leave for dinner at 5, but we didn’t leave till around 5:15. Our dinner reservations were at 5:30, so we were already late, and to make it even better, we got a little lost on the way, but we told them we were late and out table was still there when we finally showed up at Stone Creek in Greenwood, Indiana.

From there we went to The Hyatt in downtown Indianapolis, where the Prom was held. The Prom started at 7:30 and lasted till 11:30, I think.. It was a lot of dancing, and a lot of fun, definitely a thing I don’t understand other exchange students would miss out on, but maybe that’s because it is Mooresville’s only school dance too. The theme was “Lost in Paradise” and it was decorated great.
From Prom we went back to Mikinzie’s house, to change for Post Prom. Post Prom is at school, to make sure the teenagers don’t go out and party and do illegal things after Prom. It is from midnight - 4. Most couples or groups get matching t-shirts with either a fun writing or a cartoon figure or something else on them. The rest of our group had matching t-shirts with one of the Muppets characters on it, while me and Josh got plane, purple t-shirt and wore matching, white basketball shorts.

The theme for Post Prom was “Winter Wonderland.” There were games and prices, and food and free pictures, but it wasn’t more exciting than that, and after winning some CD’s, a hair straightener, and a $25 gift card to a restaurant, me and Josh just sat and talked with Denisa most of the rest of the night.
At around 3, when they were out of prices and a thunderstorm were coming up, and most people had left anyways, they started sending the rest of us home. We were probably the last ones to leave at around 3:30, and me and Mikinzie went back to her house, talked for a little, put on a movie, and fell asleep, which was good, ‘cause we had to be back at school at 7:30 for the bus for Kings Island.

Kings Island is an amusement park in Cincinnati, Ohio. It takes around 2½ hour to drive there, so we were there at around ten o’clock, and left again at 7:30pm. It was a fun day, and I definitely rode some roller coasters I never thought I would have.

So over all it was a great weekend, and I wish I could do it again!
- Mette

April

2010-04-18T16:23:00.002-04:00

So my computer has not worked for a while and I haven't been able to update my blog, so now I post two new posts at a time, so don't forget to see my "Spring Break" one too. :)

It's April 18th and in Indiana it's 4:24 pm which means that I'll turn 16 in Denmark in an hour and 36 minutes :) I count the Danish time, since I was born in Denmark, but I know nobody here will celebrate it 'till tomorrow.
To be honest I'm not really excited about my birthday. I'm excited to answer the "how old are you" question with "sixteen," but other than that it could as well have been another normal day. I'm excited to get my box from Denmark and talk to my family, but I don't know if it'll ever be the same without waking up to singing, breakfast, presents, and coming home from school to family. Instead it's another long Monday with school and practice and then not seeing my host family until Miranda comes home from dance around 9 pm. but I'm sure I'll have fun anyways..

Track is going alright. I beat my PR on the 200 m. at our last meat (person record) and it's still a lot of fun, which is the most important part to me.

Choir is fine too. Yesterday we had out "biggest performance of the year" = IISMA. Indiana - - Music - something ;) At first we went before some judges and performed three songs and then we went in and did some rhythms and sight-reading (læse noder fra bladet) for another judge. I'll see tomorrow in class how we did. There has been try-outs for next years choirs and today the lists was posted at school, so that was exciting for everybody else :)

Did I ever say that I got accepted into pre-IB at Nørre Gymnasium, for the international school there, for next year? I'm so excited :)

On Friday, Nich, Mikinzie, Megan, and I went out to eat and then to cosmic bowling. It is bowling, but in a mostly dark with flashing lights, music, smoke machines and a lot of "glow-in-the-dark" stuff :) It was A LOT OF FUN and a good way to celebrate my birthday. A lot of pictures from everything should be on Facebook soon (:

Other.. I have had a long week. It's been kinda busy with choir and track Monday, choir performance Tuesday, practice and Miranda's confirmation Wednesday, Track Meet Thursday and practice and "birthday party" Friday.. IISMA Saturday and a little shopping today, but still it's been one of my most homesick weeks of the year too, and it's not been a lot of fun, but I'm positive and hopefully this next week will be better!

It's 4:37 now. One hour and 23 minutes :)
And today there is 66 days 'till I can step out in Kastrup and see my favorite faces again! Hopefully there won't be another volcanic eruption then!

Love, Mette

Spring Break

2010-04-18T15:36:00.003-04:00

Over Spring Break, my host family took me to Clearwater Beach, Florida!
After 14+ hours in a car, we were finally there, but our rooms weren't ready for check-in yet, so we went to breakfast and by a mall before they called us and said they were ready. It was probably the most fancy place I've stayed in my whole life (or what I can remember..) I don't know, but it was luxurious. It was on the beach. Out balcony had ocean-view. There was a huge pool and hot tubs, free fitness center, talking elevator, and they even opened the doors for you in the lobby. And in the lobby they had this grand piano that played by it self! Even the keys moved by them self, and it played all different songs. Kinda creepy :)
When they came in the early evening and made your bed, so it was ready to sleep in (set the pillows differently, move the blanket so it was easier to get under ect.) they'd leave a little chocolate for everybody in the room.
It was sooooo nice to see my best friend = the beach, the ocean.. again! And being able to go outside and have streets and little shops instead of fields and horses :)
The streets were filled with little souvenir shops and most of the sold henna tattoos (a "tattoo" that goes away after about 2-3 weeks). So an evening when three of Miranda's dance friends were visiting (they were staying right outside of Clearwater) we went and got henna tattoos and we did it again later on the week. I got two Japanese signs, one meaning Brothers, for Mads and Klaus, and one meaning "Dream" :) and I got a music heart..
So other than getting a little sunburned I had an awesome trip and can now mark of three more states I have been (Alabama, Georgia and Florida).

I'm excited to see you all soon!
Love, Mette.

I don't know what to call this post :P Update?

2010-03-22T17:01:00.002-04:00

So good news: my Danish is getting better, for some reason? I don't really know why, maybe I'm just getting so used to switching between them. I considered writing my blog in Danish again, but I figured it was a good practice to write English and I'm pretty sure my Danish spelling is still kinda messed up :)

Bad news: it is raining today, and it's cold and gross!

Good news: I had a super fun weekend :D
Saturday, me, Nich and Mikinzie went to Brownsburg and saw their High School's musical (Singing in the Rain). At first we went to Meijer and I got my first "frozen coke," a slush ice but with the fizz from the soda. Then we went to Walmart, so I could get some things for my Sociology project. Then we went to Panda Express to eat :) And THEN we went to Brownsburg! But we were to early, so at first we took pictures on the elementary school's playground. The play finally started and I sat down next to Mikinzie and an old, grumpy, man. It was a really good play, definitely something they've spent a lot of money on, but their school was already so fancy and rich-looking that it made Mooresville look like trash :) During intermission, me and Mikinzie went to the bathroom, but when the one closest to the auditorium, the only one we knew where were at, had the worlds longest line, we started searching the school for another one. Success! After the play we stayed and met some of Nich's friends and talked for a while, before trying to find our way out of town. At first we took a quick stop at Starbucks, must have! The only mistake was us leaving our luck behind at Starbucks. We headed out of Brownsburg, and went on, until non of us really knew where we were. At first it wasn't bad. We were in Indy and kinda knew where, but when out rode changed name and we didn't recognize anything any more, we turned around. Mikinzie called her mom and she got us guided back on track. After dropping Mikinzie of, me and Nich stopped at the gas station, so he could get gas and a drink to keep him awake on the way home. Hitting the road again the drink fell and was all over the car, it is kinda funny to think back on :P we must have been tired! Oh well. I came home, and I had had a lot of fun!

other news? I have another Track meet tomorrow. I'm running the 100m and the 200m and if somebody gets sick, also the 4x100m. It's out first outside meet, so it better stop raining!

In choir, one of our songs has this one high A at the end and on Friday Mr. Damron told us that only one girl was gonna sing that note, to not drown out the other parts. I told Nich and Mikinzie that I really hoped he wouldn't give it to me, but talking about luck, of course he did.
I don't like singing alone :P That's why I'm in choir! Ha ha, but it's okay. It's only one note.

And then btw. I take back EVERYTHING I said about liking outdoor practices :) Today was cold and .. wet. Luckily we only ran a mile and then went inside and did muscle training.

That's all I got for now (:
Take care! See you soon.
Love, Mette

The Spring is hitting.. Hard!

2010-03-17T21:03:00.000-04:00

The warmth is definitely coming to Indiana, and a lot nicer than it does in Denmark. It's 8pm here and 16C/61F. Outside practice is lovely when there's not a cloud in the sky and the sun is burning down. Only if it wasn't as windy it'd be perfect.
But not only is the weather warming up, but so is everybody's moods and it's finally more fun to be an exchange student again (not that i hasn't been during the winter). I mean it's not only everybody else, it's my mood too! I lost my activity at the Track meet yesterday (200 meter) big time, and at first I was mad at myself because I knew I could've done so much better, but going outside and feeling the smell of summer nights and good friends can just never let you down, can it?

So I'm gonna start a list of weird things, funny things and American things and have it laying around, 'cause I'm really starting to noticing them and when I once feel like I have enough, I'll post them on here for you :)

I thought of a lot of stuff to tell you all earlier, but I can't remember what it was. Oh well, I'll save it for another day!
BE CAREFUL! Love Mette

I thought of a lot of things I was gonna say on here, earlier, but now I forgot, so I'll save it for another day. I by the way, I've been pretty busy, but I'll try to catch up with emails and messages one of these days!
BE CAREFUL! Love Mette

These are the days of my life!

2010-03-12T20:08:00.004-05:00

It's Friday and that means it's weekend! Woo!
It is the last day of the first 9 weeks, which means that I'm halfway through this (last) semester of school in the United States. Woo! (Also weird to think about though)
The weather is AMAZING compared to Denmark at this time of the year. I've seen the temperature at 22C this week, and I know it's been higher - GO MARCH IN INDIANA! It's 22:32 and 11C, I'm not complaining. Not when I can walk around without a jacket in March!
I still have straight A's. (A- in stupid U.S. History, because I don't care and it doesn't interest me, but who cares :) Maybe I'll just prepare a little for our tests and get an A this semester, but why? I'd rather have fun, ha ha. It doesn't mean anything, anyways)
There's two weeks till Spring Break!
I have my first Track meet on Tuesday, I'm gonna run/sprint the 200m. and I'm kinda nervous. I'll probably loose big time, but I'll have fun :-) If somebody gets sick I'm gonna do the 200 relay (Danish = stafet) but I've never done that before, so hopefully they won't :)
I got my uniform for Track today:

What else? Hm. I don't really know.
I just love these day, my mood is definitely on it's highest!

Hope you're doing good!
BE CAREFUL.
XOXO Mette

Over 7 months!

2010-03-07T11:30:00.003-05:00

I didn't even realize it.
Every other month of this year I've noticed that "today I've been here for 3 months" or 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6 months, but it wasn't till I saw two other blog posts saying "7 months" that I realized it this time.
7 months! That's such a long time?

So I looked through my old pictures from the year, some bringing fun memories, some less fun.
Have I experienced what I wanted to? I guess. I didn't really have that big expectations. I've got a lot of great friends - both in Mooresville, but also all over the world. After some trouble in the beginning, I've ended up in an amazing family. My English is a lot better than when I left Denmark. I've seen A LOT of the country, much more than I thought I would see. I've grown with the experience in every possible way, both in age, maturity, hight and weight :) And whatever else you can come up with. I found sides of myself I'd never seen before and 'got to know them.' I learned that things will follow you no matter where you go. It's hard to explain.

I've got to know American culture, and yes it is like the movies.. Most of the time.
America is definitely the land of gossip! If you don't want everybody to know something, you keep it to yourself. Completely! Not even that best friend you thought would keep the secret. Give it some time and ask another friend if they know, I bet you they do.
Fastfood. What can I say. It's true, it's fat, and good.. Once in a while!!
High School. Yes. Groups. Lunch tables. Lunch. Lockers. Crowded hall. Bathroom passes. Grades on everything. Detention (I haven't had any!). Suspension from school. ISS - In School Suspension. Yes. All true.
Car Culture. Definitely. And even if you could take your bike somewhere (didn't like in the middle of nowhere) I'd be scared to get killed :P
Big! Yes, everything IS huuuuuuuuuuuge.

But as I've seen other students post too, there's definitely one thing I've learned more than anything else. What I have in Denmark.
I've learned to love my bike and my public transportation. My food. My CITY LIFE! My friends. My school system! My life. But most of all:
I have learned that I have the best parents and the best brothers, the best grandparents, the best family you could ever imagine. I've learned how much they care about me, support me, is there for me and I can't even describe it. I love you!!

I'll try to be a lot better to write again!
Be careful everybody, take care! I hope you're still having a wonderful time too!
Love Mette

West Coast Trip!!

2010-02-19T19:59:00.002-05:00

From Saturday, February 13th to Friday, February 19th 2010, YFU Founders District had their West Coast Trip and I was participating!
This might be a long post, because I'll try to remember everything we did.

First of all, to gonna-be-exchange-students, go on these trips! It was the most amazing, most fun thing ever. I don't think I've laughed so much before and had so much fun at one time.

DAY 1.
My flight to California was incredible! It made me realize what an amazing country the U.S. really is! I mean, I knew it was cool to be here, but I mean the nature.
The last.. 20 minutes of the flight was beautiful. I went from desert to the fantastic Grand Canyon to L.A. and the City here!
I arrived in Los Angeles and went to the hotel with this little shuttle that drives from the airport around to different hotels. I checked in with out guides and got told my room wasn't ready yet, so me, Lea and a Swedish girl went to Burger King, since that was the only thing around out hotel other than hotels and offices. Lea and I already ate, so we were just talking.
When we walked back to the hotel, more of the Indiana students I knew had arrived and I went and talked to them. Me, Laura, Frida and a Japanese girl which I don't know how to spells name (pronounced: I-you-me) went to Burger King again.
We walked around the hotel and the others got their rooms. I got mine later, when it was finally ready. Room 407. I shared it with 3 Swedish girls that already knew each other. They spoke Swedish sometimes and it was kinda annoying, but I wasn't really in the room other than to sleep, shower, and change clothes, so it was all okay.
That night we went to eat at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. (Bubba from Forrest Gump) - it was funny. Then we walked around on the Santa Monica Beach and the pier. We walked around in town and looked at the shops before going back to the hotel.

DAY 2.
Today was our big "explore L.A. day."
We started out going to the beach. The beach you always see in movies, with runners, surfers, and sunshine. It was sooo nice to walk in the edge of the water and feel the sun :)
Then we drove to a Mexican part, which is where L.A. started. From here we drove to Lunch and then to Hollywood! Around down-town on out way.
I thought Hollywood was disappointing.
I don't know what I expected, most of all the Hollywood sign, but as I understood the hill it is on was sold and now somebody wanna move it. Therefore somebody covered the "Hollywood" with the words "Save the Peak." I guess I just thought it would be more glamorous, but it's really just a normal city street with shops and people, of course except the starts in the sidewalk.
We drove past Beverly Hills and I saw some of the glam. I'd been missing.
We all got some cash to buy dinner and walked around this little market thing. Me, Rumi (Japan), Frida (Sweden), Laura (Germany) and Janine (Switzerland) walked around together on most of the trip. We're all from Indiana so we kinda knew who each other was, at least a bit, but we got soooo good and close friends now. Anyways. We sat down and ate French food and we never got up and looked more around 'cause we talked so much :)
At last we went to an observatory where we could look over the whole city by night. LIGHTS!

DAY 3.
Universal Studios!
Today we had until 6pm in Universal Studios, Hollywood. We started out with a Studio Tour where we came behind the scenes to different TV Shows and movies and then we just walked around. We went to the Simpson's Ride which was amazing. We had no idea what was going to happen! We sat down in the coach and thought these doors would open up for a crazy roller coaster, but instead it took us up to a room with "tv screams" on all the walls, so it felt like we were on a roller coaster and in the show.
We also went to Jurassic Park. I think that ride was a waste of time. We were in line for like an hour and it said everywhere we'd get wet and we really didn't. Only the last hill we "sailed" down was a little fun. BUT we went to The Mummy and that was so scary, but also so funny. Halfway through we started going backwards :P
We saw a water show, went out and ate lunch and went into the Hunted House. We started walking around, and didn't really see the scary part. There was scary music and weird pictures on the wall, but it wasn't scary until dressed up people started jumping out from EVERY corner. We ran and screamed the whole way through and we were all shaking when we came out :)
We ate dinner at the Hard Rock Caffee and got a little more shopping time.

DAY 4.
LAS VEGAS.
Today we drove in the bus almost all day. We got about 1½ break to eat lunch at an outlet mall (shopping) and then kept going.
At night we went to a Vegas show. It was like being in a movie. Seeing girls getting cut in halves or quarts and a Tiger coming out from nowhere. It was good magic tricks, but the show was set together kinda boring. :)

DAY 5.
Today we went to Grand Canyon.
It thought it would be pretty of course, but then kinda boring, but it was AMAZING!
It was a long drive though.
I don't know how to describe it.. Check out the pictures on Facebook! YFU paid our lunch today, but we bought out dinner ourselves at a mall in Vegas. Then we went to this taaaaall tower that has rides on the top. One ride that shoots you further up in the air and we that swings you out over the edge. I didn't go :) I was fine just looking at the view from up there.
Me and Frida got drawn a picture, where the artist made fun of us. Me and Laura took crazy pictures in a photo booth and we definitely had a lot of fun!

DAY 6.
Today we got free time in Vegas from maybe 10.30am 'till 6pm. We walked around in Vegas and looked at hotels, casinos (of course couldn't play) and shops!
We went on a roller coaster on the top of "New York - New York" and it was SO much fun! Says the girl that used to be scared of roller coasters (:
We went out to eat Brazilian and went to a show with 4 Australian dudes singing and dancing Motown songs. I only knew like 4 of the songs, and it was definitely a lot more fun when you knew the songs.
We went a little in to town again until about 11.30.

Then we went back to the Hotel and packed, showered, and talked the last to out room mates. I had to leave the Hotel at 3am and I got about 10 minutes of sleep, so now I'm back in COLD Indiana and I'm REALLY tired :) My voice is dead, but I am filled up with the best memories from the best week of my life!

Sleep tight and have a good winter!
Happy Birthday to my brother, Mads on Monday!
AND.. TAKE CARE!!
Love and hugs, Mette

California here we come..

2010-02-12T00:09:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the missing posts - no time(:

What's new?
School is school, everybody's all about Valentines Day, which I (sorry if i hurt any body) think is stupid!!
My History teacher is .. not bright .. and I finally proved that he really doesn't check out worksheets, just look over them fast and sees if there's answers. We had a worksheet with "fill in the blank" and some questions at top. Me, LeeDa and Kyle filled out mooost of the "fill in the blank" - Kyle had more than me and LeeDa. I had the questions to 2/5 sections, but wrote the rest of the questions down without answers (didn't have enough time.)
I got full credit (50 points) and no, I did not have everything :)
LeeDa got 37 points without any questions and less answers than Kyle who only got 30 points.
I think it's kinda funny.. Other?
Track starts for real on Tuesday, but I'm not gonna be at school next week. Instead I'm leaving for THE WEST COAST : D

I just listened to the Orange County theme song and I'm sooooo excited!
"California here we come, right back where we started from..." ♬
Anyways. I'll write and tell you everything about it when I get back home at the 19th.. Or by first chance :-)

Take goood care! And miss you all in Denmark, but I'll be there REALLY soon! :S
Hugs from "the foreign girl" - Mette

Goodbye Dark, Hello Light!

2010-01-31T20:32:00.003-05:00

(I'll start apologizing for this long post. I know it's more fun to read the smaller ones more often, than the bigger once, only here and then.)

January's over! In a couple of hours..
I'm not sad at all, seeing this month being over.

It's been ups and downs and times keep telling yourself to be positive. In the beginning of the month, it was hard to see an end to it, hard to see time pass by, but "time passes even when it seems impossible. even when each tick of the second hand aches like the pulse of blood behind a bruise. it passes, unevenly, in strange lurches and dragging tulls, pass it does. even for me, it passes." (I like that quote)
But I did what I could do to make it get better. Of course I couldn't change the dark, coooold, weather and the way everything is, but I could start Track and stuff like that, so I wouldn't sit at home any more - and I did. And everything is just wonderful now :-)

I have had the funniest weekend.
Yesterday I went shopping with Denisa. We went to Greenwood, to the Mall.
My Sociology teacher always say the Mall is the best place to observe people and it is really funny to think about. I was sitting outside a fitting room and waiting for Denisa, and looking around (yes, I'm a dork.) Next to me was sitting the impatient boyfriend waiting. He called his mother, 'cause he was so bored :-P
Then there's the last minute shoppers, out to find a birthday present or something. The annoyed mothers with their kids running around. The middle schoolers that try to be older than they are. The "cool" kids. The gangs. The teenagers, just out for a fun afternoon with their friends. The dads and boyfriends, trying to find gifts. I could keep going for ever, but it was a lot of fun and I bought a looot of things :-P
After that we went to her house and I spend the night there.

Sunday, Nich and Mikinzie picked me up from Denisas, and we went Prom dress shopping.
After HOURS (and last weekend) I found "my" dress. It is purple, long, very simple, relaxed, nothing big dragging peoples attention specially to me, just very Mette. (:
After that we went out and ate lunch and took crazy pictures in the photo-booth at the Mall. I had so much fun today, and I'm just in a really good mood, having such great friends every where!
By the way. The Indianapolis Colts are in the Superbowl (Football) and Mikinzie invited me to her Superbowl party/watching on Sunday. It's gonna be fun.

- Pictures on Facebook soon.... I think!

It was the longest month, but "time still passes" and when I look back on it, it's been flying by, like the rest of this year. It's crazy.

TAKE CARE. XOXO Mette

Track (conditioning)

2010-01-20T19:06:00.003-05:00

Hey guys.
So I haven't done any Sport for almost a year, and then I decided to try Track. Track (and Field) is in Danish Atletik. Track is "løb" and Fiels is the rest. Just to make that clear.
Right now there's Track conditioning, to get in shape for Track, so I went to that for the first time today and I'll have to say wow, I'm in really bad shape, but it's all okay, that's what I'm at conditioning for :-)
It was a lot of fun, and it made me feel all nice and healthy afterwards, it gives this nice soreness - the good kind of pain, because you know why it's there! He he.
But it was hard, but hey, I'll get better, hopefully.
I haven't fully decided if I wanna do Track yet, but now I'm trying it out.

I might help out with the Spring Play too, I want to do more 'cause I'm tired of sitting at home, but now I might not even have time for that :-) He he. My teacher said I could probably even help assistant direct it (I didn't wanna be IN the play, 'cause I'm gonna miss a lot of rehearsal) but I'll talk to her again tomorrow and see if I can get Spring Play helping worked in to my schedule :-P

Monday: Choir - 4, maybe a little Spring Play if I'm going to do that
Tuesday: Nothing, but Miranda has dance, so if I can find a ride home, I can do the Spring Play here too, but probably not.
Wednesday: Track Conditioning
Thursday: I can help with the Spring Play + Dance at 8
Friday: Track - if I can find a ride..

That's how I think it's gonna look right now, but I don't know how it's gonna be when the "real" Track Practice starts in February. We'll see!

Take care and have fun!
Hugs and .. more hugs,
Mette

Halfway..

2010-01-14T21:50:00.003-05:00

5 months and 9 days behind me and 5 months and 9 days in front of me in this wonderful place :-)

Till now, it's been the best experience of my life, it's an amazing opportunity and I'm so thankful for me getting it! And I'm even so lucky that this was only the beginning, I'm only halfway through!

I'll see you again quite soon, fellows!
Keep reading, 'cause I'm getting pretty good at these small notes.
XOXO Mette.

Finally I get something back from the weather!

2010-01-07T06:50:00.002-05:00

It's 6.50 am. and I'm NOT on my way to school : D
We have a 2-hour delay because of the snow, so they can fix the roads before all these High School kids come out and drive on them, nice!

Finally it's a little better to suffer in the cooold weather!
XOXO
Mette

Oops..

2010-01-05T15:54:00.003-05:00

Sorry.. I was wrong. 5 months today :-)

But now I'm writing anyway I'll add that I found my excuse for not coming home again today. I heard on the radio that a Danish homepage (beautiful-people.com or something) had deleted 5000 people from their page after the people had gained weight over Christmas, so.. When I get to Denmark and have gained weight you'll probably kick me out :-)
So I'll just not come home.
Just need a new Visa :-P

Take care!
Hug an exchange student today! (It's that day today)
Mette - Mettie - Maddie - Mad - Mett - Matte or whatever people think my name is, when they see it for the first time.

NEW

2010-01-04T17:15:00.004-05:00

New Year. New Semester. New Classes. New People. New Start? NEW!

It's January 4th, in case you didn't know. Look how good I am at the whole 'updating-my-blog'! I should be proud, ha ha.

Today school started again.
My schedule now looks like:
1st (7.30-8.20) Jewelry - hopefully they'll have my schedule changed AWAY from that by tomorrow, 'cause I would rather have a study hall/teacher's assistant class than being in this class with the most boring teacher (after my U. S. History teacher), hearing him calling me Maddie every day, and.. getting another final over stuff I've never learned?
2nd (8.25-9.29) Sociology - (longer because of the Chanel 1 news, the last 15. minutes). The teacher seemed Really nice and said my name right without me even saying it first! It's the first teacher doing that over here :-) but I think it's gonna be a hard(er) class. Nice though, feel like I need some challenge.
3rd (9.34-10.24) Speech I - also seems like a nice class, the teacher is the drama/theater art teacher too and the teacher for the drama club and she's really nice :-) I think it's gonna be fun!
4th (10.29-11.19) U. S. History - same old teacher, same old notes, worksheets, assignments... or not the same information, but the same kind of style. Boring! And now they're making his old room into a "21st century room" - nobody really knows what - and he's just in what ever room is free that period. 107 for me. I went to 212 as my schedule said, but there was nobody there - nice!
5th (11.24-12.14) English 11 - same teacher, same, same, same.. Fine class, not very hard.
12.14-12.44 - 3rd LUNCH : D somebody "stole" "our" table! We'll get it back tomorrow ;-)
6ts (12.49-13.39) Algebra I - still 7th grade math. I'm thinking about whether I should be in there still or not. It's so easy and kinda boring, but I do wanna have some kinda math. and don't wanna change my whole schedule around if I can't get another math. class in that period.
7th (13.44-14.34) Choir - still easy choir and not very good-sounding, but now I'm in "Verbalessence" which is another girls group meeting every Monday after school. We started today, and it's cool! Almost everybody is from the two top choirs and we're singing all the music our self. It was just cool :-) So now I'm in a bad choir and a good choir :-P
We sing this song in the new choir (click here to hear it) All the "dums" in the background will be us singing too :-)

So that's my day - every day - 18 more weeks. Only.......... :-(
I would wish there was a way I could stay just one more year. There's so many cool things going on at school next year, and I wouldn't mind staying. But I would like to see everybody at home too.... I don't know, I just.. Maybe going home right before Christmas next year :-) That would fit me better :-P

Tomorrow I've been here for 6 months! Feels like.. 6 weeks? No, it seems like I've been here forever and then on the other side it seems like I just arrived.
IT'S CRAZY :-)
But it's been a good half year! Bring ups and downs and little bumps in the road, but nothing major and over all it's been one of the best half years of my life, something I'll Never forget!

If somebody reading this is ever considering it - do it!
That's all I have to say for now.

Take care everybody, see you soon!
(Pretty sure I'm leaving here on June 23rd and will be in Denmark by June 24th)
XOXO Mette

P.S. It's only -9 C now.... ONLY? It's gonna be a long winter!

It's cooooooold!!

2010-01-02T11:13:00.003-05:00

First.. I lied last time; I ended up going to the YFU party at New Years and it was okay. We had a little fireworks at midnight and then we watched movies, played games and.. talked? I didn't sleep to much, both because we didn't and because the bit we did, I slept in a chair all crumpled up. I tried to lay on the floor instead, but it only lasted a little while, then it got too cold. It was a fun night, okay at least, but nothing like we celebrate New Years Eve in Denmark of course.. That's life :-)
So when I got picked up on Friday, I went straight to Lauren's house and spent the night there. Today I got back home and got a shower before I was supposed to leave for babysitting in the evening. (I had a couple of hours at home first), but the plans changed and we (me and Miranda) didn't need to babysit anyway. I baked some brownies and cup cakes in small Danish-flagged forms.

So I just wanted to say that real fast :-)

Other than that.. It's really cold!
The warmest I've seen today was -9 C at like 2pm.
Now it's almost 11pm and -16 C! (3 F) And it's getting colder... Oh, how I'm not looking forward to the next couple of months - or how I'm looking forward to spend them INSIDE. And I always thought the Danish winters was cold, but I changed my mind :-)
Remind me not to complain about the cold next year, and not to complain about getting up at.. 6.30? In the mornings. Just remind me of -16 degrees at January 2nd and getting up at 5.30, then I'll probably not complain (maybe I will.. I know myself - I'll probably come up with an excuse for still complaining) Ha ha.

Otherwise, stay warm, enjoy, take care, have fun, smile - laugh, and write me some updates even though I might not have the time to write back. Who knows, some day I might :-) He he.
Love, hugs and warm thoughts, Mette

Happy New Year

2009-12-31T19:50:00.003-05:00

Just wanted to wish everybody a Happy New Year.
I know it's already 2010 in Denmark, but I still have a couple of hours.

I just came home from skiing.
I only fell the first time, 'cause it was scary and so I sad down.. Not really falling.
And then one other time, but it was when I came down the hill :-P
It was fun to try, but I stayed on the smaller hills, ha ha.

It's almost 8pm.
There was a YFU party, but I didn't know what time we would be done skiing and stuff, so I didn't go - obviously :-)
So I'm staying here. Some of Mike's friends are probably coming over and doing some fireworks and then I'm gonna see the "Apple Fall" in TV from Times Square, New York City at midnight. Apple vs. Rådhusuret :-)
I don't really know.
It's weird missing out on the Danish traditions (and for the 2nd time in my life, not having New Years with Nanna) but it's still a fun experience and I don't regret it in any way! It's amazing.
And in a half year I'll be back in little Denmark again - kinda crazy to think about?

Anyways - again have a good night and a good start of the New Year.
Take care of yourself and don't get in trouble :-)

2010-Hugs from Indiana, USA
Mette

American Christmas

2009-12-24T14:15:00.003-05:00

It's December 25th and it's Christmas.. Hm!
Something is wrong here?

Yesterday was .. different. Waking up to a relaxed day instead of running around from one Christmas tradition to another. Eating normal food instead of the piles of food the Danes have on Christmas. Meet Santa Claus .. you know :-)
I did open some presents though, and my presents from Denmark.
It was.. overwhelming at first, but talking to my family in Denmark and seeing them happy, having a good time - being okay helped a lot and made me happy enough to enjoy another experience.

But even more crazy than not having Christmas the 24th was having Christmas on the 25th :-P
Christmas in the morning!
I'll admit that I'm not the best person to get up in the morning (but I've seen worse..) but we didn't get up till around 8.30 and went in to open presents.
The rest of the day was pretty relaxed, movies, looking at presents - family :-)

I got a whooooooole lot of presents! From everybody, every corner of the world. Thanks everybody!

Hope everybody had a wonderful holiday!
Thousands of Christmas hugs from
Mette

CHRISTMAAAAAS (time)

2009-12-16T18:28:00.006-05:00

So, Christmas is coming up!
I'm really excited, 'cause you know.. It's Christmas :-)

I love opening all the present-calender-things I've got from Denmark!
At first my chocolate calender, of course. And mom and dads, every day with Miranda. And Laura and Mette's weird, random stuff that mostly doesn't really make sense. And K.15's every 2nd day, with fun Danish candy or things like that, it's all very exciting!

Yesterday, I went Christmas shopping with Nikki and Megan, from school. It was sooo much fun.. We went to Plainfield and around there and went out to eat, just driving around. So I got most of my Christmas presents bought. That's good!

Other than that..?
I started at dance, Hip Hop over here. It's much more different from my Funk than I thought, and I feel really bad at it, but I'm giving it a chance. (:
This weekend I went to the YFU Christmas party, we were only around 10 students, but we did still have fun. We exchanged presents and I got hand towels!

Sunday, we went to Washington, Indiana for the first family Christmas, that was "hyggeligt" (:
Haha. It was nice, fun to meet more people.

2 days till Christmas break! : D
2 more finals to go.
We have final exams this week (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.) Normally you would have 7, but since one of my classes is a Study Hall I don't have a final there.
Other than that if you miss one day or less at school you get "Exam Exemptions." Freshmen get 1, Sophomores 2, and Juniors and Seniors 3, so I got 3.
So I exempted English 11, U. S. History and Nutrition & Wellness, so the finals I have to take is Algebra (Math. I learned in like 7th grade), Art/Drawing, and Choir (I took that today, it was easy! Sight reading and rhythms).
The Finals I'm exempting just mean I don't get a grade for it, the Finals normally get counted into the rest of you grade, kinda like a test, you for more point, but I just don't get a grade, so since I have A's in everything now, I should probably end up with A's in everything (unless I do something really stupid in Art or Math. but that's not gonna happen) : D
Hope it makes sense. At least a little.

Other..? I got my class ring! It's pretty.

That must be it for now..

Take care and enjoy the Christmas!
Thousands of December hugs from Mette.

Thanksgiving/December

2009-12-01T16:49:00.003-05:00

So, I started this post out in Danish, but after writing four pages U. S. History in English (of course) I couldn't really figure the whole Danish part out. I know there's still a lot of mistakes in my English, but at least it makes since? :)

Last Thursday was my very first Thanksgiving and it was awesome!
At noon we ate at our house. I would compare American Thanksgiving to Danish Christmas, talking about the food 'cause we both eat a lot of traditional food - turkey/duck, potato/potato :-)
So I ate a lot and went to Sarah's (host cousin) @ 6pm. for desert.
Miranda, Adele, Sarah and me stayed and at 10.30pm we went shopping.

Friday is "Black Friday," the day where the stores start the Christmas season with big sales and door busters, so people are standing in lines for hours, some places days to get the big sales.
We went to Edinburg and bought a lot of clothes and were done at about 1 or 2 am. Then we went to Walmart and found the stuff we should get and waited in line for it till 5am when they opened. We kept going places till around 11am.
It's incredible! To stay up all night, and then for shopping :-) And see how crazy people can get, trying to get what they need.

Other than that? I'm learning some Slovak, from the other exchange student at school:
Hey, my name is Mette, I'm fifteen years old. I'm an exchange student. I'm from Denmark=
Ahoj, volám sa Mette, mám pätnást rokov. Som výmenný študent. Som z Dánska.
Pretty cool, huh? I can pronounce it too and say other stuff :-) We have a lot of fun. Over all I just have a lot of fun with everybody. I've got a lot of good friends and I'm just having

T H E T I M E O F M Y L I F E !!

HAPPY DECEMBER !!

Take care!
See you in half a year or so... <3

Jeg har ikke tid (:

2009-11-16T20:00:00.002-05:00

Undskyld, men jeg har virkelig ikke tid til at skrive særlig meget, men jeg synes lige at blive nødt til at skrive at jeg har det fantastisk - jeg er flyttet og bor nu med the Schiffs, Mirandas familie.

Meget kort - jeg har det ubeskriveligt dejligt og tag at jeg ikke skriver, som et godt tegn!

Hav det godt og send mig nogle opdaterende e-mails(:
Også selvom jeg måske ikke lige får svaret.
Knus Mette

Indiana i op- og nedture

2009-11-07T23:29:00.003-05:00

På den ene hånd har man sine venner, hvad skulle man gøre uden.
Man har en følelse af aldrig at ville væk herfra igen og bare blive og have sjov.

På den anden hånd har man sin familie og sine venner i Danmark, der ikke synes det kan gå hurtigt nok før man kommer hjem igen.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tingene går ikke godt herovre, men der er lys forude!

Jeg vidste det ikke ville blive let, og jeg vidste hvor mange der flyttede familie, men jeg havde selvfølgelig aldrig regnet med at det kunne blive mig selv.
Det hele så så perfekt ud inden vi tog afsted, men det skulle jeg nok ikke have forventet var lig med at det nok skulle gå godt.. Men jeg ved bedre nu.

Det er ikke nogens skyld.
Det er bare et match af meget forskellige mennesker, der ikke fungerede.
Det er om at lære at lytte og stole på sig selv.
Det er at prøve at få hjælp, inden man bliver for vandt til at det og ignorer det.
Det er om at vokse med oplevelsen, også selvom det er negativt.

Jeg ved ikke om jeg kunne have gået igennem det hele uden at vide at jeg havde den mest fantastiske familie i Danmark, siddende og bakke mig op lige meget hvad.
Uden at vide jeg havde de mest fantastiske venner over hele verden, der vil altid vil lytte, lige meget hvad tid det er hos dem.

Det har været hårdt, en lang tid med tanken "det skal nok blive bedre," men inderst inde frygten for at det ikke ville. En lang kamp om at tro på mig selv, at jeg ikke var den underlige der ikke kunne føle sig hjemme, men det var alle ting tilsammen, som gjorde den første familie som et sted jeg ikke kunne blive.

Jeg flytter.
Hvis jeg ikke har gjort det klart nok endnu, er det da det nu.

Jeg skal have alt på plads inden jeg vil sige mere, men min værtsfamilie ved det, jeg har en ny familie og min area rep. fra YFU ved det på en måde også godt, så alt skal bare lige falde lidt til ro, så skal jeg nok forklare det hele..

Tak fordi I altid er her, tak fordi I er hvem I er.
Og jeg skal nok komme hjem igen :-P
Jeg skal bare lige nyde mit liv lidt her inden, bed tiden om at tage den lidt med ro, for den flyver afsted lidt hurtigere end jeg kan følge med til.. 3 måneder, allerede!

Knus fra Mette <3

P.s. Lige et update billede fra weekendens kor koncerter!

U. S. News

2009-11-02T19:07:00.008-05:00

I hånd med alle mine gode oplevelser her, er der også en håndfuld ikke så gode. Efteråret er kommet, det er mørkt og koldt og som det hele ellers skulle til at falde til er det mere rodet hos mig. På skolen er jeg glad, tilfreds og har det bedste år, men udenfor der er det hele lidt i et hul. Jeg savner mine danske venner, jeg savner mine danske aktiviteter, dans, klaver, sang!! ikke at glemme FDF. Jeg savner min danske mad og burde helt klart snart at gå i gang med at lave noget mad her. Jeg savner busser og toge og min cykel - ikke at skulle køres i bil.
Jeg savner alle de ting jeg ikke tog med her over, resten af mit tøj. Jeg savner min familie og mine venner. Det hele er slået ned over mig nu, ikke fordi jeg ikke har det fantastisk, for mine gode venner her ovre tager sig af det hele. Jeg har f.eks. lige været hele weekenden hos Miranda, og det er den bedste weekend jeg har haft her ovre indtil nu. Hendes familie er den sødeste og jeg følte mig så velkommen og hjemme.
Men grunden til at det hele kommer nu, er problemer i min værtsfamilie.
Jeg ved hvordan jeg føler det selv, men jeg har svært ved at sætte ord på det. Hvis jeg prøver bliver det noget i stil med; jeg kan ikke føle mig hjemme, jeg kan ikke slappe af her, jeg tør ikke bare gå i køkkenet og tage noget mad eller lignende, jeg føler vi er meget forskellige og ikke rigtig passer sammen og tror egentlig det ville være bedst for alle hvis jeg flyttede familie.

Det er bestemt ikke en dårlig familie jeg er kommet i, de er søde mennesker, men vi passer ikke sammen og jeg har prøvet og prøvet, men kan ikke føle mig hjemme.
Først var jeg i tvivl om jeg overhoved kunne føle mig hjemme noget sted andet end hjem, men efter at have tilbragt weekenden hos en veninde kunne jeg se at jeg godt kunne. Jeg følte mig så meget bedre tilpas der, så jeg ved det kan lade sig gøre at finde et bedre match, som familie.

Jeg snakkede med min værtsfamilie om det i dag, hvilket var et stort skridt for mig, for det var ikke ligefrem let, når man ikke ved hvad man faktisk vil sige. Vi blev enige om at kontakte YFU og se hvad de kan gøre. Fra min synsvinkel kan jeg ikke se mere der kan gøres, men måske hun (min area rep.) kan? Vi får i hvert fald hende til at komme, det kan vel ikke gøre nogen skade at prøve en sidste gang, hvis hun ikke har noget ender jeg jo nok med at flytte alligevel.

Jeg ved ikke hvad der skal til, jeg vil helst flytte, men måske har hun en bedre idé.
Jeg har snakket med min værtsfamilie før - om det, men vi gav det en skud mere og prøvede at gøre ting bedre, men det har ikke hjulpet og jeg har ikke noget håb tilbage for at noget vil hjælpe. Jeg synes vi har prøvet alt, som en familie.

Oven i det har jeg det lidt sjovt med at se hvilke danske venner der holder kontakten. Der er godt nok nogle der er overraskende begge veje. Nogle jeg ikke forventede ville skrive og nogle jeg forventede ville skrive, som ikke gør. Jeg kan heller ikke lade være med at tænke på hvordan det bliver at komme hjem igen, men jeg prøver at lade være, for der er (heldigvis) lang tid til. Også selvom jeg da selvfølgelig savner jer!

- Og det her betyder ikke jeg vil hjem. Jeg har stadig et FANTASTISK år. Jeg har super venner og jeg er glad, det her er bare et bump på vejen, som skal glattes ud (:
Jeg har stadig mod på at få det bedste år!

Mette

Ud af staten!

2009-10-27T16:58:00.003-04:00

Jeg kan nu tilføje to nye stater til hvor jeg har været.

Sidste weekend (17-18 oktober) var jeg i Ohio og Kentucky med Grace, Deborah, Emily Bowen (Graces veninde) og Mrs. Bowen. Vi var på "skabelses museeumet" i Ohio og ellers bare tøse-tur.

Billede:
venstre side af stiplet linje = Indiana
højre side af stiplet linje = Ohio
syd = Kentucky

Fra onsdag (eftermiddag) var der Fall Break på programmet.
Vi kørte samme dag til Syd-kentucky og overnattede inden vi tog det sidste stykke til Gatlinburg, Tennessee (7-8 timers køretur fra Indiana til Tennessee).
Der havde vi lejet en hytte i bjergene - Smokey Mountains. Der er et enormt smukt område.
Jeg fik shoppet, været på sjove museum og i en kæmpe slik-butik med slik jeg ikke har set siden jeg forlod Danmark. Jeg har været i små butikker med hjemmelavede ting og spist på 50'er cafe. Jeg prøvede lidt af hvert. Alt i alt en sjov og hyggeligt tur.
Der er en masse billeder på Facebook!

Ellers går det stille og rolig her ovre, jeg har fået nogle fantastiske venner i skolen, så jeg faktisk glæder mig til at komme i skole (dét troede jeg aldrig jeg ville sige!)

Ved det er lidt sløjt med indlæg, men jeg er lidt for doven :-)
Nu er maden på bordet.
Jeg håber alt går godt der hjemme.
Mette

Nyt hår

2009-10-10T09:52:00.002-04:00

I går var jeg hos frisøren (for første gang i mit liv)
Jeg har fået klippet over 10 cm. af mit hår!

Ikke det bedste billede, men jeg skulle bare lige vise jer det(:

Ellers har jeg bestilt Graduation Cap & Gap. Og fået en "SEN10ER" sweatshirt med, den jeg har på på billedet.

Jeg glæder mig til at høre nogle kommentarer på håret!

- Mette out!

To måneder

2009-09-30T19:30:00.008-04:00

For to måneder siden vidste jeg stadig ikke helt hvad jeg var gået ind til.
Ikke fordi YFU ikke havde informeret mig nok, for det må man sige de havde og det sætter jeg rigtig stor pris på nu, men jeg havde stadig ingen idé om hvordan det rigtig ville blive, føles.

Nu har jeg været her i to måneder.
Jeg har set vores film High Schools forvandles indtil virkelighed, mærket min danske stavning og måden at bygge sætninger op på, blive hel rodet rundt og forvirret. Møde gossip'ens land!
Jeg har mærket en samtale på dansk blive noget hvor man skal rode efter ord og så har jeg også lige fået hele min hverdag vendt på hovedet.

Ja, det var svært i begyndelsen. Anderledes.
At stå i en kantine første skoledag og ikke vide hvor man skulle sidde, nok det jeg havde frygtet mest da jeg tog afsted, men så mærket alles åbenhed.

Det er på alle måder en positiv oplevelse, som jeg kun kan anbefale.

Alle tinge har plusser og minuser, det har det her år da også haft..

Jeg kan da fortælle nogle af dem:

+'er:

Det er lige pludselig sjovere at gå i skole, for jeg har flere "sjove" fag
At have alt i én butik: tøj, madvare, musik, dvd'er, elektronik osv.
Dengang det var sommer og sol og varme og swimmingpool!
PIE!
Bosco Sticks (breads stick, med ost inden i; lunch, men kun på fredage)..
At der allerede er pyntet op til Halloween over alt!
Thanksgiving ferie!
Jeg er ret sikker på at her kommer mere sne end i DK!
ALLLLLLLLT!!!

-'er:

Tasterne på tastaturet sidder anderledes og der er ikke "æ, ø og å"
At bo i en skov i tordenvejr! at mærke lynene komme så man ikke engang kan nå at tælle til "én" og man er sikker på det næste vil slå ned i ens hus (uden lynafleder!)
At se solen stå op omkring 2. time!
U. S. History
At have "Study Hall" i 2. time, som er ekstra lang og aldrig have nok at lave = kigge ud i luften! (Hel klart noget der skal skiftes i 2. semester)
At låse sig selv ude første gang man er alene hjemme.
Ikke at slippe af med skolefotos!
At skulle køres i bil til alt!
Svine influenza! (Men den har i vel også!)

I har jo hørt om nogle af mine oplevelser undervejs, så i kan sikker referere nogle af tingene til det.
I den her weekend var jeg til den tyske "Oktober Fest": MAD, (ØL til folk over 21 selvfølgelig), KAGE, MUSIK, FOLKEFEST ...
Ellers er svine influenzaen brudt løs på min skole, i fredags var der 16 bekræftede elever og i dag var der 100-200 manglende elever (sikkert ikke alle pga. det) men alle "forudsiger" en lukning af skolen inden længere. Noget med at hvis over 30 elever får bekræftet H1N1 skal de lukke skolen, for en periode og "rense" den.. Nu må vi se.

Ellers går det godt : D
Håber i har det lige så godt?
- Mette

Homecoming!

2009-09-26T09:32:00.004-04:00

I går (25. september) var årets store Homecoming.
Til jer der ikke ved hvad det er, er det skolen football (amerikansk fodbold) holds, store kamp på hjemmebane. De fleste elever og forældre kommer og bakker op og inden det er der en stor parrade og en masse forberedelser.
Mange skoler har også Homecoming-dance, men sådan noget har vi ikke hos os :-)

Vores tema for i år, var brætspil.
Så alle bannere og vogne i paraden var pyntet med forskellige brætspil og vores homecoming t-shirt var også inspireret af det:

forside: operation football,
bagside: game on, (grunden til vores fodboldspiller sparker til en brønd, er fordi det er Martinsvilles maskot, og vi spillede imod Martinsville)

Jeg mødtes med Miranda (min veninde) inde på stadion og hun introducerede mig til nogle af hendes venner :-)
Jeg mødte også en masse jeg kendte i forvejen, for som sagt var nærmest hele skolen der.

Men vi havde en masse sjov
- selvom vi tabte!

Bagefter sov jeg hos Miranda og det var også rigtig hyggeligt :-)

Jeg håber alle har det godt.
Det var hyggeligt at tale med sin familie forleden.
Pas på jer selv!
Mette

Tyskere, bryllup, en mobil og YFU

2009-09-20T09:16:00.006-04:00

Syvende weekend er over mig (ja, jeg har lige talt) og humøret er højt :)

Jeg har været til overnatning med YFU - indy og det var sjovt.
Vi var vel omkring 25 udvekslingsstudenter, så der var nok at lære at kende.

Fredag aften havde vi orientering til klokken ni og havde så ellers bare lov til at gøre hvad vi ville. Alle havde medbragt snacks og drikkevare, så vi havde hele køkkenet fyldt op med mad - ingen kunne huske hvornår de sidst havde spist så meget.

De kinesiske piger lærte os andre nogle "lege" og ellers snakkede vi bare i timevis.

Ud af os alle var der 11 tyskere - derfra overskriften - for alle vi andre "hadede" når de stod i deres gruppe og snakkede tysk sammen. Tak for mine 3 år i folkeskolen, jeg havde aldrig troet jeg kunne bruge det til noget, men nu gav det da lidt igen.
Men efter kort tid fik vi 'splittet dem op' og de prøvede også at være flinke til at snakke engelsk.
Jeg sov i en stor pige gruppe og snakkede det meste af natten med to tyskere og en kineser. Næste morgen da mig og den ene tyske pige gik ind for at spise morgenmad begyndte hun at spørge mig om noget på tysk (vi var trætte) - jeg lignede et stort spørgsmålstegn og kiggede på hende, da hun gentog hvad hun lige havde sagt. Stadig ingen hjælp for mig, så jeg blev stående i min spørgende position indtil det gik op for hende at jeg ikke var tysk.
Så alle de tyskere forvirrede alle, også dem selv..

Så jeg blev hentet lørdag morgen og efter en times tid kørsel var jeg hjemme igen, så længe det varede.

For senere lørdag skulle vi til bryllup.
Det var mit første rigtige bryllup nogensinde - i hvert fald hvad jeg kan huske.
Det var en sjov oplevelse, danse, spise, god kage og godt humør :-P
Putter lidt billeder ind i stedet for at skrive så meget om det.

Angående mobil telefonen, er det den jeg købte sidste søndag.
Da jeg fredag morgen ville tænde den, spurgte den lige pludselig om "security code" - sådan en som jeg aldrig har haft på den telefon og aldrig har fået.
Jeg prøvede diverse ting og sager hele dagen og fik venner i skolen til at prøve, men ingen kunne regne det ud, så jeg endte med at ringe til T-Mobile.
Efter adskillige maskiner og forskellige teknikere, der alle bad mig om at tage batteriet ud, putte det ind igen og prøve 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 - sagde de jeg skulle tage den tilbage til butikken og få en ny, så det må jeg jo gøre.

Smil til verden!
mette

Opdatering # mange!

2009-09-17T17:17:00.002-04:00

Så kom den lovede opdatering fra mig igen.

Jeg kan starte ud med at sige at alt går godt!
Jeg har det dejligt, en dejlig familie, får efterhånden nogle søde venner og nyder det hele.

Jeg har fået nogle spørgsmål fra jer og mange er dem er de samme, så jeg vil svare på dem her.

- I Nutrition and Wellness bagte vi Cup Cakes. Vi skal ikke lave mad igen før næste uge, og jeg ved ikke endnu hvad det er. Vi bliver allesammen altid sultne i den klasse, da der er billeder af mad i hele vores bog!
- Jeg har endnu ikke lavet mad til min værtsfamilie, men jeg tror jeg gør det i næste uge, hvis jeg har tid.
- Swimmingpoolen er lukket ned for vinteren - her er også kun 25 grader :-P
- Grace spiller godt klaver, nogenlunde samme niveau som mig, men vi spiller ikke noget sammen.
- Jeg har vænnet mig til det engelske over det hele og min hjerne er meget forvirret når den prøver at snakke dansk. :-)

Jeg har været ude og shoppe igen, så nu er mit skab ved at være lidt bedre fyldt op, jeg har da noget at vælge i mellem om morgenen (man er vel en pige) :-)
I skolen går det godt, rutinen er blevet hverdag, men jeg er stadig utrolig spændt på hver dag, og hvad der kommer til at ske.
Jeg kommer mere og mere ind i "gruppen" jeg spiser frokost med og de er utrolig søde. Jeg er også blevet gode venner med den anden udvekslingsstudent, vi snakker en masse sammen. Og så vores nabo, en pige på min bus og nogle i mit kor og så snakker jeg ellers med en hel masse andre oven i. Så der er nok at se til :-P

Jeg har købt en mobiltelefon, det gør det hele lidt lettere, når jeg nu på et tidspunkt begynder at være sammen med venner efter skoletid og skal finde ud af det hele. :-)
Og det er rart at kunne skrive lidt med dem alle sammen uden for skolen.
Men hvad er det for noget med at det koster mig penge at modtage en sms og modtage opkald, det er da noget pjat. Og hvor er Amerikas teknologi bagud, det skulle man ellers ikke tro?

I næste uge er det Homecoming tid, så det bliver også sjovt at prøve. Både Art klubben og Drama klubben arbejder på at forberede det, så der er nok at se til.
På tirsdag har jeg møde i drama klubben og kor koncert, på onsdag har jeg art club møde og fredag er homecoming, men det skal jeg nok skrive om senere.

Mit kor er lidt trættende. Det er en rigtig hyggelig klasse og det er sjovt, men det lyder godt nok dårligt. Det er ikke for at være selvisk og sige at jeg er så god, men det er ikke et kor jeg er stolt af at skulle optræde med på tirsdag..
Men jeg er positiv og glad for at jeg har muligheden for at synge...

I morgen skal jeg til overnatning med YFU'erne i området, så det glæder jeg mig også til! Og lørdag skal jeg til bryllup. Jeg har aldrig været til et rigtig bryllup før, så det skal nok blive sjovt - og så på amerikansk maner. Hvordan mon det er?

Så der er en masse at se frem til at høre om!
Stil endelig spørgsmål, så vil jeg prøve at svare i næste indlæg.
Knus, kram og amerikanske tanker
Mette

Seks uger.

2009-09-16T19:33:00.003-04:00

Jeg håber ikke tiden bliver ved med at gå så hurtigt som nu! :)

Siden sidst? Puuuuh! Det er svært at holde jer opdateret, nu - jeg har ikke så meget tid og overskud, sådan en dag som i dag hvor jeg havde Art Club og var hjemme omkring halv seks, spiste aftensmad og var bare træt.
Og det er ikke fordi jeg ikke vil skrive! Jeg har en masse at fortælle!
Jeg havde et indlæg i gang fra sidste fredag, som jeg har gået og skrevet på, men det blev aldrig til mere, så jeg slettede det og nu er jeg startet forfra.
Og bare rolig, jeg føler mig ikke presset til at skrive, jeg elsker bare at dele mine oplevelser :D

Jeg ved at jeg har et par timer alene hjemme i morgen, så der skal i nok høre fra mig!

På gensyn om et døgns tid.
Mette :)

Labor Day.

2009-09-07T21:25:00.011-04:00

Hej igen!

Mandag var Labor Day, det vil sige ingen skole.
Som jeg sagde tidligere var planen at vi skulle syd på, men da de lovede regn blev det lidt efter hvordan det nu ville se ud på dagen.

Mandag startede gråt og det så ikke lovende ud, men vi blev enige om at tage et par paraplyer og regnjakker og tage afsted.
Jeg tog godt med varmt tøj på (det skulle jeg aldrig have gjort) og fandt min grønne regnjakke frem fra skabet og gik ind i stuen hvor jeg mødte min værtsmor med en regnjakke i samme farve.
Men så var det heller ikke værre, for vi fik aldrig brug for dem.
Dagen var tør, meget tør, meget varm og meget solrig, jeg ved ikke rigtig hvad det er med de amerikanske metrologer, men jeg synes tit de er forkert på det :-P

Nå, men vi tog til Spring Mill i Mitchell, Indiana:

Bare for at prøve at give et indtryk af at det er tæt på grænsen til Kentucky, men det tager kun en times tid at køre derned.

Det er et dejligt sted. Natur for alle pengene. Meget idyllisk.
Der er mange hike-trails ind i skoven, men dem var vi ikke på, ikke denne gang, men jeg tør væde på vi kommer tilbage, både fordi det er et af min værtsmors yndlings steder og fordi Grace sagde "jeg har kun været her to gange i løbet af sommeren!" ..

En del af det er "en gammel landsby" - ægte. Skolehuset, vandmøllen, butikker, huse osv.

(Mange flere billeder på Facebook!)

Udover det har de en masse grotter.
Uheldigvis har mange af flagermusene fået "hvidnæse-syndromet" en eller andet sygdom så grotterne er lukkede..

Men en grotte var dog stadig åben, så den var vi i.
Det er en ca. 20 minutters bådtur ind i grotten. Og wow, det var flot, ubeskriveligt, fantastisk.
Jeg så én flagermus, og den var meget lille, men det var stadig vildt.
Da vi var langt nok inde i grotten, slukkede guiden lommelygten et kort øjeblik, så vi kunne opleve totalt mørke. Sort!

Det var en dejlig dag, som vi sluttede med middag/buffet med meget god mad!
Grace siger det er første gang nogensinde hun ikke har overnattet der, men det kunne vi jo ikke pga. skole tirsdag, men måske kommer vi igen til december.

Ellers sad vi og spillede et par spil og hyggede og tog så hjem ad igen.

Jeg håber alt går godt hjemme, nu vil jeg gå i seng.
I morgen har jeg mit første møde med Art-klubben..

Pas på jer selv!
Mette

Første måned!

2009-09-06T21:15:00.005-04:00

Det er svært at forstå ikke? For en måned siden var det hele nyt, jeg havde lige klaret mig igennem min første dag hos min værtsfamilie og det hele var ellers nyt. Jeg var ikke startet i skole og kendte ellers ingen andre end min værtsfamilie.

Det er svært at finde ud af, for på den ene side er jeg stadig "lige" kommet her og det meste er stadig nyt, men wow, jeg har været her 1/10 af mit ophold! Allerede?
- Det er svært at forstå, i hvert fald for mig. Vi ses om det her x 10? Jeg har så meget jeg skal nå inden :)

Nå, men siden sidst: (en dag af gangen - ellers kan jeg ikke finde rundt og følge med)

Jeg tror sidste gang, at jeg glemte at sige jeg var til mit første møde i drama klubben :-)
Vi var der kun i 15 minutter og gik bare igennem kalenderen for resten af skoleåret. Næste store event er Homecoming-Parade..

Onsdag:
Onsdag morgen er der (fra 7-7.15) Bible Study på vores skole og det går Grace til. Jeg kan køre med dem til skole, så behøver jeg ikke tage afsted før lidt ca. 6.40, men så har jeg en halv time på en tom skole og det vil jeg ikke rigtig, så vil jeg hellere gå 6.23 og køre sove mine 45 minutter i en skolebus :-)
Det eneste uhyggeligt er vores helt mørke sti igennem træerne, op til busstoppestedet, alene :-) Haha, det skal nok blive sjovt når der er sne eller vandpytter og jeg ikke ved hvor jeg træder.

Efter skole var vi på en æbleplantage, hvor man selv kan gå rundt og smage forskellige slags æbler og så bare plukke dem man bedste kan lide og tage hjem (selvfølgelig koster det lidt)..

Men det var sjovt og jeg spiste tons af æbler! Så nu har vi huset fyldt op med æbler.
Jeg har også tænkt mig at afprøve at tage mad med til frokost i skole, i stedet for at købe, for det er ret usundt og jeg kan aldrig spise så meget, som jeg får - jeg vil hellere bare have et æble.

De har også græskar, så vi kommet der igen senere på året og vælger dem.

Udover det er der en butik med æble ting :-)
Vi købte en masse ting, æble-smør, æble-dit og æble-dat :-P

Torsdag:
Skole.. Og så var jeg med Grace til klaver. Jeg mødte hendes lære og vi tog et smut til Target bagefter, så fik jeg lige også shoppet en smule og ellers var det det. Lektier..
Fredag:
Tog vi efter skole, til Grandma' og Grandpa' og var der i weekenden, for min værtsmor og far arbejder begge en weekend om måneden også er vi der..
Så fredag kom vi bare og så var vi ude og spise.

Lørdag:
Lørdag stod vi op (pigerne) og tog til morgenmad i Columbus Airport, IN. Det er byen de bor i. Det var sammen med Grandma's veninder og det er forresten ikke er stor lufthavn, der var kun små privat-fly.
Bagefter det tog vi ned til Grandma's familie, hun har 5 søskende og nogle af dem var der + børn og børnebørn, så der var godt gang i den.
Jeg sad bare og snakkede med Grace det meste af dagen, så det var meget hyggeligt.

Søndag:
I dag stod vi op og tog i kirke, kirke ligesom i Danmark! Men så bare på engelsk OG det starter klokken otte! Men det var fint nok og ret sjovt at jeg kendte melodien til nogle af salmerne, jeg kendte dem bare på dansk i stedet for engelsk.
Efter det tog vi ud til morgenmad og ja, jeg i har ret jeg havde endnu ikke spist hjemme hos dem endnu!
Omkring 2-3 tiden (eftermiddag) kom nogle af veninderne fra lørdagens morgenmad og nogle af søstrene og Grandpa' skyndte sig at flygte inden damerne indtog eftermiddagen :-)
Det var faktisk meget hyggeligt, vi snakkede en masse, spillede kort og spiste :-P haha.
Så tog vi igen ud og spise og Grace og mig blev kørt hjem, så her er jeg igen.

I morgen skulle vi have været til "Spring Mill Inn" nede i syd-Indiana, men ... de lover regn og det meste er udenfor, så lige nu er Labor Day på standby og tiden vil vise hvad vi gør...

I en af mine klasser (Nutrition & Wellness) har vi en pige som har en eller anden sygdom, som gør at hun er 18 år, men ligner og opføre sig som en 2nd. grader.
Hun stiller spørgsmål og forstår ting som en en lille pige, så det er lidt underligt nogen gange.
Nå, men torsdag og fredag fik vi endelig lov at bage i den klasse og hun kom ("selvfølgelig") i min gruppe. Da hun fandt ud af jeg var en udvekslingsstudent blev hun MEGET spændt og skulle spørge en masse og det var da sjovt.
Jeg tror jeg fortalte hende 10 gange at jeg var fra Danmark i Europa, men af en eller anden grund forblev jeg fra enten Frankrig eller Rusland, hmm..
Så fredag spurgte hun mig lige pludselig ud af ingenting: "Are you black?"
Det har vi det meget sjovt med, for det var så uskyldigt, men hun kunne vel se på mit blege ansigt at jeg er rimelig .. hvid :-)

Nå, jeg bliver nødt til at gå nu, jeg har en søster siddende og vente på mig.
Pas på jer!
Mette

Picture day!

2009-09-01T16:14:00.002-04:00

Hm. Overskriften siger sig selv og nej det bliver aldrig en dag jeg vil se frem til.
10 år i skole og aldrig et rigtig godt billede.
Nå. Ingen skole kan vel være foruden, heller ikke her ovre, så jeg måtte til det igen.

Jeg tog min yndlings trøje på, satte mit hår sødt og drog mod en lang dag, men jeg var glad -
jeg er begyndt at snakke med mange flere på skolen og blive bedre venner med folk så det at gå i skole bliver sjovere og sjovere.

Alle får taget deres billeder i deres English class, så vi gik normalt til engelsk og ventede så på at vores klasse blev kaldt ned til fotografi-stedet, på vores skole: North Gym.
Jeg stillede mig op i en række fra A-E (efter efternavne) fik en lille slip med mit navn på og stillede mig så i kø til et kamera, sammen med to af mine venner; Nikki (Nicole) og Nick.
Jeg havde ikke rigtig fulgt med i processen, for jeg snakkede med de to andre, så da det var min tur og fotografen rakte sin hånd frem i mod mig, tog jeg den og sagde hej.. PINLIGT!
Så sagde han "oh, i actually just wanted your papers, but hi!"
- og det er jo også kun sådan at køen bag mig kunne se det hele.

Så Nikki og Nick driller mig og stikker deres hånd frem når jeg ser dem, hehe. :)

Jeg tror forresten jeg glemte at fortælle om min ene kor time i sidste uge.
Vi sørger for at alle er i klassen ved at alle har et nummer og vi siger dem så i rækkefølge: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 osv. Så hvis der mangler et nummer kan vi bare lige kigge hvem det nummer skulle være. Jeg har nummer 14.
Så min kor lære synes det er vildt sjovt jeg er fra Danmark, skal lige tilføjes!
Så vi tæller og jeg kommer til 14 og siger det selvfølgelig. Efter vi er færdige siger han noget i stil med: "du ved, det er sjovt Mette. Nogen gange glemmer jeg helt du er her, indtil du siger dit nummer, 14 eller sådan noget, for du siger R'et på en lidt anderledes måde og det lyder SÅ sejt" - og så fortsætter han med at sige at det kunne være vildt sjovt hvis jeg engang i mellem lærte dem nogle danske ord.
Så! Han får mig op til tavlen og op og lære dem et par ord, jeg tror det var: sopran, alt, musik eller sådan noget, ord som ligner de engelske ret meget.
Men det skulle da ikke stoppe her, eller det skulle det egentlig, men Mr. Damron synes alligevel det var sjovt og vi ender med at bruge hele timen på at lære dansk.
Jeg endte med at have tegnet Europa og en ring om Danmark, skrevet hele alfabetet + nogle andre ord og sagt en masse ting og svaret på toooons af spørgsmål, men det var sjovt.
Og det er ikke slut endnu.
Mr. Damron synes nu vi skal synge en dansk sang i vores kor, så jeg har fundet en sang uden så mange ord, som er let, som jeg vil foreslå, men det er da skørt at skulle lære 55 piger dansk :)

Jeg har ikke opgivet endnu :P haha.

Sidste historie for denne gang.
Jeg fortalte min U. S. History lære (som også er basketball coach) at jeg ikke rigtig havde lyst til at træne med dem alligevel, jeg havde også fundet en løberute der hjemme, så jeg kunne holde mig i gang og sådan. Ved siden af ham står en anden dame og begynder at smile og sige: kan du godt lide at løbe? :D <-- (hendes ansigt).. mig: ja, det er da fint nok.
Uh! Du skal så meget være med på vores Track hold i foråret!!!!! Vi mangler løbere og bla.!!!
-Øøøh, tja, jeg ved ikke rigtig.
Uh, men tænk over det og kom og snak med mig i foråret! Vi har brug for dig.

Så nogen vil da gerne have mig med :P

Nå, det var alt for denne gang.
Pas på jer selv.
Mette.

Weekend igen!

2009-08-30T18:02:00.010-04:00

Så er det snart slut på en til uge, wow tiden flyver afsted!

Det er jo ikke så lang tid siden jeg sidst opdaterede jer, så der er ikke sket så meget nyt.
Fredag - lørdag sov min søsters veninde; Maggie her. Det var en rigtig hyggelig aften! Vi så nogle film, snakkede og hyggede bare i det hele taget.

Lørdag var YFU picnic. Vi var udvekslingsstudenter fra hele verden, mildt sagt og det var sjovt at møde dem alle sammen. Jeg snakkede mest med et par kinesiske piger, som jeg glæder mig til at se igen om et par uger til det næste arrangement.
Men det største chok kom til mig den dag, da jeg mødte en af de andre danskere (vi var tre) og vi begyndte at snakke dansk sammen - der gik ikke særlig mange sætninger før vi gik tilbage til engelsk, det var bare for underligt og vi kunne ikke rigtig finde ud af hvad vi skulle sige på dansk.

Ellers har jeg løbet min første tur rundt i nabolaget. Jeg har fundet en hyggelig lille, firkantet rute. Godt nok ikke så lang, men så kan man jo bare løbe den et par gange :-)
Den første halvdel går op ad bakke og det dræber mig efter et par omgange, MEN når jeg så når "Hilltop" (og det hedder vejen) går det ned ad igen, så kan man lige nå at samle energi til en tur mere op, så det er jo dejligt alt sammen :-P

Jeg har droppet Girls Basketball igen.
Nu har jeg fundet den her løberute og så håber jeg stadig på at høre noget fra volleyball i morgen - det andet var ikke rigtig mig.

Min Art lære synes jeg skal melde mig ind i Art-klubben og gav mig en meget flot seddel med alt info om det, så det har jeg tænkt mig at gøre, det lyder meget hyggeligt.

Ellers skulle Drama-klubben også snart komme op, og den kommer jeg også med i :-) Hehe.

Forresten har jeg intet problem med skolebussen mere, for som alle andre er det ikke værre end en iPod i ørerne og så ellers lukkede øjne resten af vejen :-P

Det var alt for denne gang!
Jeg håber i nyder det hele, ligesom mig!
Knus, kram og billeder,
Mette

Vores hus/indgangen

Girls night, min smiley på Maggies ryg!

YFU picnic:

Klar til første løbetur i Indiana!

Dagens blondine:

2009-08-27T18:06:00.005-04:00

Jeg bliver nødt til lige at fortælle jer hvordan jeg dummede mig i dag, desværre.

Det var en dejlig dag, min værtssøster skulle til klaver undervisning, så min værtsfar kørte hende og min værtsmor var på arbejde - altså jeg var alene hjemme.
Det var min første gang alene, så jeg havde alligevel set lidt frem til det :-)
Jeg ville lave mine lektier, høre noget musik, lalle lidt rundt og slappe af, nyde det hele, men så synes jeg lige jeg skulle ringe til mine danske forældre. Jeg havde ikke snakket med dem andet end lige for at sige at jeg var kommet sikkert her over, den første dag, så da de kom hjem fra Italien i går, synes jeg jeg ville høre lidt om det.
Så jeg snakkede og hyggede mig og ville vise dem haven, så jeg låste døren op og gik uden for, MEN døren låste bag mig og jeg var låst ude. Efter håbefuldt at have prøvet alle husets døre uden held, måtte jeg indse laaaaaang tid ude i de min. 30 grader solskind!
Det var varmt :-) Og pinligt at måtte fortælle det til min søster og værtsfar da de kom hjem, men nu ved jeg til gengæld hvor vores ekstra nøgle er!

Tusinde tak til verdens bedste forældre for at underholde mig, da jeg havde brug for det :-)
Jeg har en history test at læse op til, til i morgen, så jeg smutter igen -
ville bare lige dele min "alle mennesker har fejl" historie med jer.
Pas på jer selv!
Knus og kram, Mette

Girls Basketball

2009-08-26T16:47:00.006-04:00

Hej igen, Danmark - og hvor i verden i nu ellers er :)

Bare lidt nyt siden sidst her fra.

Sidste uge skrev jeg at jeg i lørdags skulle til Indiana State Fair - det droppede vi.
Hvorfor? Regn! Da klokken blev hen imod de fire og vi skulle afsted, kom regnen.
I stedet tog vi til (og det er stedets navn!) "The Incredible Pizza Place" - det lyder plat, som et sted for børn, men jeg garantere for at der var folk i ALLE aldre.
Det er et spisested, men 50'er inspireret. Der er en stor buffet, med pizza, pasta, salataer, deserter, kød, jeg ved ikke hvad - alt! Og så er der borde i forskellige rum, som f.eks. en drive in biograf, så man sidder i et lidt mørkere rum, med en stor skærm der viser film - og jeg skal hilse og sige at det hele er godt gennemført! - det er også 50'er cafeer at spise i, altså en masse forskellige tema rum.
Ud over det er der en 'spillehal'. I den er der mini bowling, mini golf, gokarts (som jeg ikke må køre for YFU, de høre ind under farlige aktiviteter...) og så en masse spil! Spille maskiner, og sådanne ting. Man køber et kort, der ligner et kredit kort, som man køber penge til og så køre man det igennem det spil man vil spille, og maskinen siger så også hvor mange penge man har tilbage.
På nogle af maskinerne kan man vinde billetter, som til sidst kan indløses til point. 1 billet = 1 point. Vi endte op med 1850 point (tror jeg ca.) for vi fandt en maskine der bombaderede os med billetter :-)

<-- Se hvad jeg fik ud af det. Min værtsfamilie driller mig lidt med frøer. Åhåh :P Men det var en rigtig god dag.

Ellers har jeg siden sidst hørt nyt om volleyball.
Det ér forsent at komme ind på holdet, desværre. Men min engelsklære, som er træner, ville undersøge om jeg kunne træne med, eller hjælpe til - det har jeg ikke hørt noget om endnu.
Til gengæld var jeg i dag til møde om pige basketball! Da jeg ikke har noget erfaring i det, sagde min lære, og træner, at det nok vil blive svært, men jeg har fået lov at møde op 1. september og træne med. HVIS jeg er god nok (hvilket jeg 100% ikke er) kommer jeg på holdet, hvis ikke må jeg stadig godt træne med - jeg er jo udvekslingsstudent. Så det bliver spændende at se hvordan det er.

Vi orker ikke at tage til Bible Study i dag, min søster havde mange lektier og vi er trætte - jeg kom også senere hjem fra skole pga. basketball.

På lørdag er der picnic med YFU, som vi tager med til, det skal nok blive hyggeligt.

I morgen skal min værtssøster til klaver, men jeg ved ikke hvad jeg laver i mellem tiden, måske tager jeg med den her gang, eller også laver jeg lektier :P

Ellers tror jeg ikke der sker andet end kirke søndag.
Nå jo, Maggie (min søsters veninde) kommer over og sover på fredag, så kan jeg lære hende at kende, hun virker rigtig sød! Så det ser jeg frem til.

Med skolen går det frem ad. Min nye (lettere) matematik klasse, er bedre. Jeg er blevet gode venner med en anden udvekslingsstudent fra Slovakiet. Ellers har jeg ikke nogen rigtige venner endnu, men en hel masse mennesker jeg snakker med (man kan vel egentlig godt kalde det venner - bare ikke gode venner) hehe, men det bliver bedre og bedre og jeg kommer mere ind i deres grupper efterhånden :) De piger jeg spiser frokost med, har tænkt sig at lave en home comming t-shirt og har spurgt om jeg vil være med, så jeg sagde selvfølgelig ja - så det er sjovt alt sammen : D

I går gik jeg på gangen i skolen, på vej til 7'ende periode; choir, da jeg høre en råbe "DENMARK" - fortsætter lidt og stopper op og tænker 'var det til mig?' - 'hm hvem ellers?' og vender om :-) Synes selv det er sjovt........

Forresten: alle der elsker min humor (jeg ved i gør, bare indrøm det) min værtsfamilie har mindst lige så god humor, haha!

Jeg håber i fortsat har det godt.
Og håber mor og far og Klaus kom godt hjem fra Italien?
Knus, kys og kram fra Mette!

05:45

2009-08-22T09:56:00.004-04:00

BIB, BIB, BIB, BIB, BIBBEDIBIB, BIBBEDIBIB, BIBBEDIDBIB...

Nu har jeg "overlevet" den første skole uge og nej det er ikke lettere at komme op klokken 5:45 end det var at komme op klokken 6:30, jeg ville faktisk mere eller mindre ønske at jeg kunne stå op 6.30, men den går ikke - på det tidspunkt sidder jeg i en skolebus og halvsover.
Nå, men jeg vil fortælle lidt om min første uge:

Min dag ser sådan her ud (ca.)
5.45-6.20: stå op, gøre klar, spise morgenmad osv.
6.nogle-og-tyve-7.15/20: køre i skolebus.......
7.20-7.30: gå til skab, og første klasse
7.30-8.20: første time; drawing. meget hyggelig klasse, selvom nogle af eleverne er underlige.
8.25-9.15: anden time; study hall, hvor jeg er TA (teacher's assistent) for Mrs. Goodwin (study hall læreren). de fleste er TA for en lære i den klasse og hun spurgte mig om jeg ville være for hende, så jeg sagde ja. Det betyder ikke andet end at jeg stadig kan sidde og lave lektier, men en jeg må gå til mit skab og sådan noget i løbet af timen, det må de andre ikke. Og engang i mellem (jeg har kun prøvet det en gang) sender hun mig f.eks. ned på kontoret med nogle papirer.
9.20-10.24: Nutrition & Wellness: min lære er enormt sød! lige nu lære vi om job i mad-branchen, men senere skal vi lære om mad, lække madplaner, hvad det gør ved en og så skal vi også selv lave mad :-)
10.29-11.19: U. S. History, optimale hade-fag. Min lære hedder Mr. Hurt og han virker også som om han er såret. Vi laver måske noget halvdelen af timen og så snakker vi bare. Det er virkelig kedeligt! Hele den her uge har vi fået vist en laaaang power point med noter om kapitel 1 og så har vi bare siddet og skrevet det ned, fået et A4 ark, med lektie opgaver på (som højest tog 5-10 minutter at lave) og så bare snakket.
11.24-12.44: English 11: jeg elsker min lære(inde) her også, hun er virkelig sød og jeg synes ikke det vi laver er svært, så det er bare godt.
12.49-13.39: Algebra: jeg var i Algebra 2, men da vi gennemgik kapitel 1, med ting vi allerede skulle have lært, og jeg ikke havde lært meget af det, snakkede jeg med min lære- han sagde jeg skulle snakke med Mrs. Page (hende der har lavet mit skema med mig) og se hvad hun kunne gøre, ellers skulle vi nok finde ud af noget. Så jeg snakkede med Mrs. Page og hun rykkede med til Algebra 1. Den klasse starter jeg i fra mandag, så håber jeg ikke det er for let.
13.44-14.34: Beg. Girls Choir - ja, try-out til de bedre kor var i april, så det missede jeg, så nu er jeg kommet i begynder kor. Og hvad; jeg er blevet 1. sopran??? Det er lidt underligt, at rykke fra alt-sopran, men jeg har vel gjort det før :-)
Min lære siger han har sat dem der synger godt sammen og jeg kunne mærke at efter vi fik nye pladser, kom jeg over imellem piger der faktisk KUNNE synge. Så det kan kun være godt..

I mellem hver time har vi 5 minutter, så jeg har efterhånden fundet ud af hvornår jeg kan nå til mit skab og hvornår jeg skal nå forskellige ting.

Når jeg så kommer hjem klokken ca. 15 laver jeg lektier, spiser, går i bad, pakker skoletaske, hygger med min søster, går måske i poolen og går så ellers i seng igen.

I onsdags var jeg med min søster til Bible Study. Det var faktisk meget hyggeligt.
Vi sang, og det var ikke salmer, det er musik med "gang i" som bandet spiller, og så er der tekster på storskærmen. Så spillede vi noget ala. høvdingebold og så nogle videoklip og så snakkede vi ellers bare lidt det sidste stykke tid.

I torsdags skulle min søster til klaver, så min værtsmor kørte hende. Imens tog mig og min værtsfar på cykel-tur.. Det var kun en 10 km. men jeg synes bare det var rart at få rørt mig lidt. Så kølede vi ned i poolen og så kom de andre ellers hjem igen.

Jeg kommer ikke ind på volleyball holdet, ser det ud til, for de er startet sæson og try-outs var før sommerferien - øv igen. Pige soccer holdet er også startet, så der er heller intet at komme efter. Nu går jeg og kigger lidt på hvad jeg har af muligheder, men ellers bliver jeg nødt til at finde en løbe-rute i området. :-)

Nu er det lørdag og jeg har nydt at sove længe :-)
Senere (når de åbner klokken 16) tager vi til festival i Indianapolis, det er boder, forlystelser osv. så det skal nok blive sjovt og jeg skal nok huske mit kamera den her gang.

I morgen er søndag - kirke.

Og mandag er der så skole igen.
Mandag aften er der åbent hus på skolen, så der skal vi hen og hilse på lærerne osv.

Wow, det var en masse for denne gang.
Jeg håber alt går godt der hjemme!
Knus og kram fra Mette.

P.s. hvor kan folk ikke udtale mit navn. Jeg hedder alt fra Denmark-Met-Metti-Metta-Mette :)
Og hvor ved folk heller ikke hvor Danmark er. Sidste sommer hørte jeg en der spurgte om det var en stat i USA - den har jeg godt nok ikke kunne slå endnu, men har hørt om det var i Canada, byen Denmark? Denmark i england? Og hvor er Denmark og på de fleste hjælper det ikke at sige Skandinavien, så nu siger jeg bare Europe og så bliver det helt: "WOOOOOW!"

Kirke

2009-08-16T17:37:00.002-04:00

Hej alle.
I dag er anden gang jeg har været i kirke her ovre.
Det er meget hyggeligt, ikke noget stort, men alle er meget troende. :)
Inden selve gudstjenesten er der donats, hvis man har lyst, så er der en gudstjeneste der består af præsten der taler og EN MASSE musik.

I morgen er tredje skoledag, første hele uge.
Jeg håber på at få snakket med flere mennesker og lære flere at kende.

Har jeg snakket om skolens tøj regler?
Bukser må ikke være kortere end til lige over knæet = jeg har et par shorts jeg kan bruge.
Jeans må ikke have nogen form for huller, rifter el. = to par.. men det er varmt!
Skuldrene SKAL være dækket - heldigvis har jeg min cardigan, som har t-shirt ærmer, så jeg kan bruge den udover toppe og kjoler.

Men ellers går det hele godt.
Nu tror jeg snart jeg skal have noget aftensmad, men jeg skal først lige ordne de sidste lektier.
Knus og kram Mette

Skole start

2009-08-14T22:52:00.000-04:00

Jeg skrev det her indlæg torsdag aften efter første skoledag, jeg nåede bare ikke at lægge det ud, så her er det:

I dag startede jeg på Mooresville High School, som senior!
Jeg havde allerede været to gange på skolen, en gang til et møde for at vælge fag og en gang for at hente mit skema og kigge lidt rundt, finde mit skab og sådan noget.
Men så kom dagen hvor (jeg gætter) 1200-1500 elever mødte op og indtog skolen.
Først gik vi til “Homeroom” hvor alle (på nær mig??) fik nogle papirer (ja, vi skal finde ud af det senere)… Nå, men ellers var det en skoledag hvor jeg hørte regler, respekt og responsebility om og om igen.
Jeg mødte en anden udvekslingsstudent fra Slovakiet og så mødte jeg ellers tons af mennesker. Jeg farede kun lidt vild en gang (jeg er ret stolt), men jeg nåede alligevel til klassen inden klokken ringede.. Til gengæld opgav jeg at nå hen til mit skab imellem timerne, men jeg har fundet ét tidspunkt hvor jeg tror jeg vil kunne nå det, en anden dag.
Tilføjelse; jeg bryder mig ikke om at se solen stå op fra en skolebus J
Ellers går alt godt, i morgen er endnu en skoledag inden en dejlig weekend.
Jeg nyder det hele, hygger med min søster, men er ellers ret udkørt efter første skoledag.
Jeg håber alt går godt i DK?!
Pas på jer selv.
Mette

Mooresville High School

2009-08-12T16:24:00.004-04:00

Lige inden jeg starter, vil jeg bare sige at jeg ikke er paa min egen computer, saa jeg har ikke ae oe og aa :-)

Saa, i morgen starter jeg paa Mooresville High School, som senior!

Min soede soester er irriteret over at skolebus-damen ikke har ringet endnu, saa vi ved ikke hvornaar vi bliver hentet af skolebussen (jeg tror hun ringer i aften, naar hun har fri for arbejde)

Jeg har et skab midt i det hele, saa det er perfekt og let at komme til mellem (naesten) alle klasser. Og mine klasser er rimelig let tilkommelige, jeg mener der er ikke saa langt mellem rummene.

Saa alt ser ud til at gaa efter planen, nu maa vi se hvordan det bliver.
Ellers er alt godt her fra.
Haaber i har det godt?
XOXO Mette

Velkommen til USA.

2009-08-06T14:48:00.007-04:00

Så jeg er fremme!

Det var en laaang dag i går:
først 1½ time til Frankfurt, så 9 timer til Washington, 6 timer i Washington og 1½ time til Indianapolis, men lidt heldig er man vel altid, så mig og et par andre sad på business class fra Frankfurt til Washington! : D
Vi kunne næsten lægge sædet helt ned til en seng, vi havde tv-skærme foran, fik menu-kort og 3-retter + snacks.
Alle andre sad på små sæder, uden tv over hoved og fik dårlig mad! Medlidenhed.

Nå, men jeg har det rigtig godt og har shoppet!
Det er super :-)

Vi ses senere.
Love, Mette

Værtsfamilie!

2009-05-20T11:27:00.000-04:00

Wow!

I går fik jeg et kæmpe chok.
Jeg sad almindeligt (godt nok i skolens spisefrikvarter) og tjekkede min Facebook og en fremmed havde ansøgt, men jeg afslog bare, det var jo ikke noget jeg kendte - jeg skulle blive klogere!
For lige bagefter så jeg en ny besked i min indbakke, kort og sød:
"we are wondering if you are the mette that applied to come to the u.s.? if you ARE, we are your new family beginning in the fall! write back if you will. i could be your new sister!"
Men jeg havde jo lige afslået at blive venner med denne her pige, som nu sagde hun var min værts-søster.. EN VÆRTSFAMILIE?! Og nu kunne jeg ikke engang tilføje hende igen, eller i det mindste svare på hendes besked.

Lige så snart skolen var slut, skyndte jeg mig hjem for at tjekke posten, men nej - der var ikke kommet "det officielle" brev fra YFU endnu. Så hvad nu? Jeg tog på arbejde, det var jeg jo nødt til og da jeg kom hjem lå der endnu en dejlig overraskelse og ventede på mig.

I min email-indbakke og indbakke på Facebook lå beskeder fra min nye værtsmor og jeg kom på under fem minutter i kontakt med dem. Derefter chattede jeg med dem i omkring 4 timer!

De bor i staten Indiana, i en lille bitte by, meget tæt på hovedstaden.
De er en mor, en far, en søn (der er flyttet hjemmefra) og en 14-årig pige, som har de samme interesser osv. som mig! :) derudover har de 3 skildpadder og en swimmingpool.

Det var lige sådan lidt overordnet.
Jeg kan ikke vente med at komme afsted nu!

Take care!
Mette.

Founders District!

2009-03-01T05:47:00.000-05:00

Jeg ved godt at der er laaang tid til jeg rejser og det måske er tidligt at begynde bloggen, men jeg kommer lige med et par opdateringen engang i mellem, alligevel. Jeg er jo i USA om ½ år, så lang tid er der ikke.

Jeg skal til Founders District som er de 4 stater; Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky eller Tennessee, så nu nærmer det sig lidt at jeg får en familie :)

Satte lige et kort ind.. Det er de pink stater.

Kærlig hilsen Mette