So these last few weeks have gone by so quickly. I don't even know where all the time went. Within these last couple of weeks I've been spending a lot of time with the other exchange students, I see them at least once a week. About a week ago we had another AFS orientation with everyone. When I say everyone, I mean EVERYONE. It was the 7 exchange students that arrived in August, 2 exchange students who arrived in February (me and and a boy from Thailand), 2 people who returned from exchange in August, and a girl who is going to England in January. It was really fun to talk to everyone and get advice on returning, as well as giving advice about going on exchange. We ate, and then we played some group building games (3 legged race, pop the balloon, etc..) it was really fun! Then that night we all went to the house of the girl who had spent a year in Norway and returned in August. That was pretty fun too, some of the people got really drunk so it was pretty funny to watch.
Then about two days ago I went to go get a package that someone sent for me. When I looked inside it, it was a waffle maker! two months ago my aunt told me that she had sent me a waffle maker, but it never got here. Then finally it didn't! I've been going a little crazy with the waffling (yes it's a word in my book), but hey you leave something for a long time and then your able to eat it again? you will go a little crazy. It's just how it is. The waffles are really good too! They taste so much like the waffles from home!
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
R.I.P
This past Tuesday the mother of a friend from Superstars passed away. She had gotten sick right after my last dance competition, and I thought she was getting better because they brought her home from the hospital, but apparently she had gotten worse. My Superstars teacher told us all that she had gotten worse and that she was about to die. Then on Wednesday, as I'm getting ready to go to Superstars practice, I get a text from another friend saying that there isn't any because she passed away (she was really involved with Superstars). I can't even imagine what her kids are going through. To think that my friend, who is my age, lost her mother only a few days ago is completely unbelievable. That her entire world turned upside-down right infront of my eyes. My heart goes out to her and her brother, and well, her entire family. I didn't really know her very well, and I'm not GREAT friends with her daughter, but I do see her at Superstars and we talk, and we are friends.
So then I started thinking about my family and if something were to happen to my mom while I was on this adventure. I started getting really nervous, but then I talked to her on Skype and I know that she is completely healthy and alive. So I feel better :)
Anyways....RIP (I don't know how to say it in Spanish) Ana nunca te voy a olvidar, espero que estás viendo abajo a tu familia, y que los cuidas durante esto tiempo. Te aman mucho, y están muy tristes ahora.
(I said: RIP Ana I will never forget you, I hope that your watching down on your family and help them through this time. They love you very much and they are very sad right now.)
So then I started thinking about my family and if something were to happen to my mom while I was on this adventure. I started getting really nervous, but then I talked to her on Skype and I know that she is completely healthy and alive. So I feel better :)
Anyways....RIP (I don't know how to say it in Spanish) Ana nunca te voy a olvidar, espero que estás viendo abajo a tu familia, y que los cuidas durante esto tiempo. Te aman mucho, y están muy tristes ahora.
(I said: RIP Ana I will never forget you, I hope that your watching down on your family and help them through this time. They love you very much and they are very sad right now.)
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Las Estudiantinas
This weekend was the weekend of "las Estudiantinas" which is a week dedicated to all high school students. "Las Estudiantinas" are parties that are only for students in high school (there are also some for college students). There are four estudiantinas, on four different days, wednesday, thursday, friday, and saturday. Each day there is a estudiantina for each school (and of course the schools have to share because there are a lot of high schools in my city).
I had originally planned on going to all of them, but that didn't quite work out, so I just went to 3 instead of all 4.
I'm not entirely sure how to start, and this is taking a lot longer than expected. So I'm just going to go day by day.
Thursday: Thursday was the day that kicked off las estudiantinas (well it was for me). There was one on Wednesday but I didn't go to that one due to things with my classmates. Anyways, after school I went to classmate's house for lunch. Then after that, we went to the club.
Friday: That day after lunch, I went with a friend to the house of her classmate and hung out with her and all of her classmates. That was so fun! We all made T-shirts and just hung out, they were all really excited because the club we were going to was the one for their school, so..GO SCHOOL SPIRIT! Then we left and went on the bus to the club, it was us (30 teens) and a few other people. It was really fun because they were chanting and singing the entire way. Once in the club, we all danced for a while but eventually everyone kind of broke up into 2s and 3s and went off to different parts of the club. I stuck with my friend and her friend. It was great! I have never had so much fun at one of those clubs before.
Saturday: Then saturday I went with almost all of my classmates. That wasn't quite as fun. I was with the classmates that are completely opposite from me. They had gotten together beforehand (I didn't go because they met in a place that was really far away and I couldn't get there), and had taken that time to get drunk. So by the time we met up, they were completely wasted...I'm not entirely sure how they got in. Because the security is to tough, they don't let anyone in who has been drinking or taking drugs. The day before, they didn't let five girls from my group in because they had been drinking. They had to go home, maybe that will teach them a lesson..follow the freakin rules. Anyways, my classmates got in, and after about 15 minutes, I wanted to leave. Other than them being completely wasted and me being worried about them because they always looked like they were going to pass out, there were soooo many people I could barely move, let alone dance. Then, when we were walking around (my classmates seemed to like doing that a lot) I was always in the back (which everyone had warned me to not be) and so I was always getting pulled from the group to another group where boys would try to kiss me (ok, so people go to las estudiantinas for 1 of 2 things...or both. Dancing and hanging with friends, or kissing cute people). I didn't feel safe at all. At one point I was completely surrounded by boys that were all trying to kiss me and feel me up, and it really scared me. I wanted to cry. So then as soon as I found my classmates I just told them I was done. Then I turned around and left.
So it wasn't a great ending, but las estudiantinas were pretty amazing...at first! :)
I had originally planned on going to all of them, but that didn't quite work out, so I just went to 3 instead of all 4.
I'm not entirely sure how to start, and this is taking a lot longer than expected. So I'm just going to go day by day.
Thursday: Thursday was the day that kicked off las estudiantinas (well it was for me). There was one on Wednesday but I didn't go to that one due to things with my classmates. Anyways, after school I went to classmate's house for lunch. Then after that, we went to the club.
Friday: That day after lunch, I went with a friend to the house of her classmate and hung out with her and all of her classmates. That was so fun! We all made T-shirts and just hung out, they were all really excited because the club we were going to was the one for their school, so..GO SCHOOL SPIRIT! Then we left and went on the bus to the club, it was us (30 teens) and a few other people. It was really fun because they were chanting and singing the entire way. Once in the club, we all danced for a while but eventually everyone kind of broke up into 2s and 3s and went off to different parts of the club. I stuck with my friend and her friend. It was great! I have never had so much fun at one of those clubs before.
Saturday: Then saturday I went with almost all of my classmates. That wasn't quite as fun. I was with the classmates that are completely opposite from me. They had gotten together beforehand (I didn't go because they met in a place that was really far away and I couldn't get there), and had taken that time to get drunk. So by the time we met up, they were completely wasted...I'm not entirely sure how they got in. Because the security is to tough, they don't let anyone in who has been drinking or taking drugs. The day before, they didn't let five girls from my group in because they had been drinking. They had to go home, maybe that will teach them a lesson..follow the freakin rules. Anyways, my classmates got in, and after about 15 minutes, I wanted to leave. Other than them being completely wasted and me being worried about them because they always looked like they were going to pass out, there were soooo many people I could barely move, let alone dance. Then, when we were walking around (my classmates seemed to like doing that a lot) I was always in the back (which everyone had warned me to not be) and so I was always getting pulled from the group to another group where boys would try to kiss me (ok, so people go to las estudiantinas for 1 of 2 things...or both. Dancing and hanging with friends, or kissing cute people). I didn't feel safe at all. At one point I was completely surrounded by boys that were all trying to kiss me and feel me up, and it really scared me. I wanted to cry. So then as soon as I found my classmates I just told them I was done. Then I turned around and left.
So it wasn't a great ending, but las estudiantinas were pretty amazing...at first! :)
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Trouble in School
My school here used to be the one thing that kept me here. However, after I changed families and started doing more activities, I haven't really been enjoying school as much as I did earlier. My classmates haven't really been the most friendly to me, and it was starting to just get to the point where I don't really talk to my classmates very much because if I try to join a conversation they kind of push me out. I don't know if they are doing it on purpose, but sure feels that way. Anyways, today was a really good day and a really bad day. It was good because we were picking the King and Queen of the school dance that we're going to have (we pick one king and queen for each grade), and they all voted for me as queen! Which is super exciting!! I can't wait!
And it was bad because my Lit teacher told me to group up with two other girls for a presentation that we had to do today. Usually I don't do anything in class, so my group was kind of like "she has to do something?". So they gave me the material to study, and made it very clear that if I didn't study they would not pass. So I studied and studied, and tried to understand the text...I have no idea why, but it just didn't stick in my brain. I got to school this morning and I couldn't remember a thing about the subject, and I told my group that, and one of the girls (pilar) said "Ok, then we won't do the presentation, because we can't do it if some people know the material and others don't". I felt so bad! They weren't going to pass because I didn't know the material, which I didn't think was far at all. So the teacher comes in and asks us to come up, and Pilar went and talked to the teacher (she was always my classmate that helped me with everything, and was always nice to me), when she came back the other girl in the group (carolina) starts talking to her about how they should talk to the teacher and they should do the presentation and that it wasn't far that they weren't going to pass because I didn't study (I did study, but she was completely right, it wasn't far, and I almost went up to the teacher to explain what had happened so that they could still pass). Then another girl (someone who wasn't in the group) asks me if I had studied, and I tell her that I did, but that I don't know the material (I know, I know, your probably thinking that I didn't study too, it sounds ridiculous, but it's true) then Carolina says to the other girl, "no she didn't study", to which Pilar stares at her paper nodding her head. and I was just so...I don't know...I seriously wanted to cry. Then the other girl sees my face and says "Oh so you didn't understand then"...but the thing was that I had translated it and I did understand it when I was reading it, but it just didn't stick in my brain. Now, I feel absolutely horrible! I told them that I'm sorry, but I will never be a part of their group ever again, I will make sure that I never do another project with them(or with anyone) because I don't want that if I can't pull through for them they can still pass.
It was also bad because later I was hanging out with some other girls and we were about to leave and one girl asked the other girls if they wanted to go downtown and I was thinking that they met me too...I guess not because when they left I got stuck behind the younger students that were leaving (it's also a primary school too), and when I got out they were already around the corner walking towards downtown..I guess I wasn't envited...Okay.
So now I don't know what to do, because they elected me queen, but I originally wasn't going to go to the one at my school (There are ones for each high school). My friend had envited me to go with her and her class, and I was going to go because I know her and her friends and they are really nice, and I know I'll have a great time! But I feel like if I don't go to mine then my relationship with my classmates will be non existent. I just don't know if I'm going to enjoy myself, because I feel like I will probably get pushed out again so I will be by myself the whole time...I want to be with friends...if they don't want to be my friends then I don't really want to hang out with them. But I also don't want to tell them that I'm not going.
Well I'm sure I'll figure it out...At least there isn't any school tomorrow (it's a holiday...for people who teacher small children...there are so many holidays here that the U.S will probably never have..:/ )
Stephanie <3
And it was bad because my Lit teacher told me to group up with two other girls for a presentation that we had to do today. Usually I don't do anything in class, so my group was kind of like "she has to do something?". So they gave me the material to study, and made it very clear that if I didn't study they would not pass. So I studied and studied, and tried to understand the text...I have no idea why, but it just didn't stick in my brain. I got to school this morning and I couldn't remember a thing about the subject, and I told my group that, and one of the girls (pilar) said "Ok, then we won't do the presentation, because we can't do it if some people know the material and others don't". I felt so bad! They weren't going to pass because I didn't know the material, which I didn't think was far at all. So the teacher comes in and asks us to come up, and Pilar went and talked to the teacher (she was always my classmate that helped me with everything, and was always nice to me), when she came back the other girl in the group (carolina) starts talking to her about how they should talk to the teacher and they should do the presentation and that it wasn't far that they weren't going to pass because I didn't study (I did study, but she was completely right, it wasn't far, and I almost went up to the teacher to explain what had happened so that they could still pass). Then another girl (someone who wasn't in the group) asks me if I had studied, and I tell her that I did, but that I don't know the material (I know, I know, your probably thinking that I didn't study too, it sounds ridiculous, but it's true) then Carolina says to the other girl, "no she didn't study", to which Pilar stares at her paper nodding her head. and I was just so...I don't know...I seriously wanted to cry. Then the other girl sees my face and says "Oh so you didn't understand then"...but the thing was that I had translated it and I did understand it when I was reading it, but it just didn't stick in my brain. Now, I feel absolutely horrible! I told them that I'm sorry, but I will never be a part of their group ever again, I will make sure that I never do another project with them(or with anyone) because I don't want that if I can't pull through for them they can still pass.
It was also bad because later I was hanging out with some other girls and we were about to leave and one girl asked the other girls if they wanted to go downtown and I was thinking that they met me too...I guess not because when they left I got stuck behind the younger students that were leaving (it's also a primary school too), and when I got out they were already around the corner walking towards downtown..I guess I wasn't envited...Okay.
So now I don't know what to do, because they elected me queen, but I originally wasn't going to go to the one at my school (There are ones for each high school). My friend had envited me to go with her and her class, and I was going to go because I know her and her friends and they are really nice, and I know I'll have a great time! But I feel like if I don't go to mine then my relationship with my classmates will be non existent. I just don't know if I'm going to enjoy myself, because I feel like I will probably get pushed out again so I will be by myself the whole time...I want to be with friends...if they don't want to be my friends then I don't really want to hang out with them. But I also don't want to tell them that I'm not going.
Well I'm sure I'll figure it out...At least there isn't any school tomorrow (it's a holiday...for people who teacher small children...there are so many holidays here that the U.S will probably never have..:/ )
Stephanie <3
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Newbies :D
So, a week ago or so 7 new exchange students arrived from all over the world for this next year! There are 2 Italians, 3 Germans, 1 norweigan, and 1 from the U.S.! I've only talked with 3 of them on facebook, but I'm making plans to go downtown with some of them soon! I'm so happy that there are more exchange students here now, before, it was just me and a guy from Thailand. Which was fine and we are talking a lot more now, but I still want to meet everyone else and be friends with them all!
That's all I have to talk about with that now.
:D chauu
Stephanie <3
That's all I have to talk about with that now.
:D chauu
Stephanie <3
Monday, September 2, 2013
Superstars Competition
Wow, it has been a really long time since I've updated my blog! So many things have happened since my trip to the other provinces!
A few weeks ago my Superstars team (see posts below to now what Superstars is) had a competition. It was jazz, musical comedy, Contemporary and hip hop (4 numbers). I only danced in two of them due to consume problems (the contemporary piece and the musical comedy piece).
First off I would just like to say that I could have never prepared for what it was like.
Dressing room: Everything was chaotic. Some people danced 7 numbers, which means that they all had 7 costume changes. One number after the other, usually they only had one number in between each number...needless to say everyone was very stressed trying to change their costumes. There were people everywhere trying to change their costumes in time.
Costumes: I had two costumes. One of them was this orange and blue skirt that went all the way down to the floor and a blue and orange one sleeve bra top thing. We all had payed someone to make that outfit. So the day of the competition they hand me my skirt, but tell me that they were still working on my top. So I wait, and 15 minutes before we go on, I ask them about it and they tell me that they didn't have time to finish it, so I had to improvise and put on a black tank top instead. There were two others who had to do the same, and one girl who couldn't dance because they hadn't even finished her skirt. The second costume was a musical comedy number with a little bit of jazz. We had long sleeve blank shirts, and black pants with white gloves that were supposed to have lights in them so that we could turn them on for the finale. The people who were supposed to put the lights in the gloves told me that they didn't have enough time to do it...that isn't as big of a deal as the first costume was, but still I feel like I should just do everything myself next time.
So despite everything, we won the competition (which means I will be traveling to another province to compete again!) I was actually really surprised that we won for two reasons: 1) the costumes were a complete mess because everyone had something a little bit different. and 2) because even though the choreografy was great, nobody was in sinc with eachother, everyone was rushing about the stage trying to get to their spot (especially for the finale of the contemporary piece) and did I mention the costumes? Whenever we had this big pose, everyone would be running over each other trying to get to our spots. It was insane, we looked/sounded like a stampede...but I guess I'm the only one that thinks that because we won. WOOHOOOO!
That's all I have about that...I'm going to go right about everything that's been happening since then until now.
:D chauu
Stephanie <3
A few weeks ago my Superstars team (see posts below to now what Superstars is) had a competition. It was jazz, musical comedy, Contemporary and hip hop (4 numbers). I only danced in two of them due to consume problems (the contemporary piece and the musical comedy piece).
First off I would just like to say that I could have never prepared for what it was like.
Dressing room: Everything was chaotic. Some people danced 7 numbers, which means that they all had 7 costume changes. One number after the other, usually they only had one number in between each number...needless to say everyone was very stressed trying to change their costumes. There were people everywhere trying to change their costumes in time.
Costumes: I had two costumes. One of them was this orange and blue skirt that went all the way down to the floor and a blue and orange one sleeve bra top thing. We all had payed someone to make that outfit. So the day of the competition they hand me my skirt, but tell me that they were still working on my top. So I wait, and 15 minutes before we go on, I ask them about it and they tell me that they didn't have time to finish it, so I had to improvise and put on a black tank top instead. There were two others who had to do the same, and one girl who couldn't dance because they hadn't even finished her skirt. The second costume was a musical comedy number with a little bit of jazz. We had long sleeve blank shirts, and black pants with white gloves that were supposed to have lights in them so that we could turn them on for the finale. The people who were supposed to put the lights in the gloves told me that they didn't have enough time to do it...that isn't as big of a deal as the first costume was, but still I feel like I should just do everything myself next time.
So despite everything, we won the competition (which means I will be traveling to another province to compete again!) I was actually really surprised that we won for two reasons: 1) the costumes were a complete mess because everyone had something a little bit different. and 2) because even though the choreografy was great, nobody was in sinc with eachother, everyone was rushing about the stage trying to get to their spot (especially for the finale of the contemporary piece) and did I mention the costumes? Whenever we had this big pose, everyone would be running over each other trying to get to our spots. It was insane, we looked/sounded like a stampede...but I guess I'm the only one that thinks that because we won. WOOHOOOO!
That's all I have about that...I'm going to go right about everything that's been happening since then until now.
:D chauu
Stephanie <3
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Las Termas, Salta, and Tucuman
A few weeks ago my host family (my host parents and one of my sisters) and I went to the province named Salta. On the way we also visited a city in my province called "las termas" and a province called "tucuman". Our first stop was las termas, which was only like an hour from my city. Las termas is a tourist town in my province, it's known for it's warm water. For that reason, it's a very poplular place for people who want to go swimming in winter (there aren't any indoor pools here). First we went to this national park that was a guided tour on this bridge thing that went in a circle. There were various birds and three dinosaurs. The T-rex, the one with the pointy tail, and the one with the long neck. Then after that we went to this race car museum. It had all of these old race cars and motorcycles, there was this one motorcycle that was soooo old it looked so weird, it was really fun though! Then after that we went to the airport because my host sister had never been to an airport before! Then we went downtown to a feria (which is a street market), it was great! I'd never seen anything like it before we just shopped and my family told me about everything that I didn't know about (which was a lot). Then after lunch we headed to our next stop, the province of Tucuman. After checking into our hotel (so cheap but so nice) we headed downtown and just shopped and looked at all the beautiful buildings. All of the buildings were like old victorian buildings.
The next day after breakfast, we went traveled to our final destination, the province of Salta. After checking into our hotel (which used to be a castle, so it was all old and fancy, and really really nice!) we went to go get dinner and just stayed in watching movies. Then the next morning we went downtown and went in this (I don't remember the name) thing was kind of like a ski lift, but your boxed in...we went up a mountain in that to this little park were you could see the entire city. It was absolutely gorgeous! I could've probably stayed up there all day! Once we were done with that we went to the feria of that city and did a little shopping. Then we went back to the hotel.
The next day we took the long car ride back to our city. And that concludes the amazing (I know, I know, it doesn't sound amazing...but trust me, it was.) trip to Salta.
:D Chauu
Stephanie <3
The next day after breakfast, we went traveled to our final destination, the province of Salta. After checking into our hotel (which used to be a castle, so it was all old and fancy, and really really nice!) we went to go get dinner and just stayed in watching movies. Then the next morning we went downtown and went in this (I don't remember the name) thing was kind of like a ski lift, but your boxed in...we went up a mountain in that to this little park were you could see the entire city. It was absolutely gorgeous! I could've probably stayed up there all day! Once we were done with that we went to the feria of that city and did a little shopping. Then we went back to the hotel.
The next day we took the long car ride back to our city. And that concludes the amazing (I know, I know, it doesn't sound amazing...but trust me, it was.) trip to Salta.
:D Chauu
Stephanie <3
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