mausi

I just got home from my last day of school... and it kinda feels so... incomplete. I had 2 Exams today, and that was pretty much it. No sitting around in a class room, eating cake and watching TV. Not that I necessarily would want to watch a movie or eat cake, it's more about sitting together with people you won't see for a while (in my case a long while I assume). I wish I could have really said bye, or really realise what's going on. Because ppl with a car could leave school 15 min. early, and Martine & I had to get a ride from Lindsay, I couldn't even say bye to most of my friends, some of the teachers etc. It makes the whole Last Day of School thing feel very incomplete. I'm still kind of mad that I didn't get the chance to say good - bye, to go to my locker for one last time, or to slowly walk through the hallways and take in everything I see... Luckily I'll have a "Good-Bye K-Swiss" Party tomorrow, where I will at least see my closer friends again, and then next week is Graduation and a couple of Graduation parties where I'll hopefully will see a few more people again.
Wow, summerbreak! So surreal! And the fact that my exchange year is almost over even more! Okay, I probably should stop writing cuz it ends up in some psychological thing every time I do lol ;) I guess I'll just try to start realizing what's going on, prepare the party, then ejoy the party & later tell yall how it was =) Cuz right now I still feel like I'm in a bubble, or in a dream or something...
Well yeah, yall enjoy your weekends!
Katja

PART 1:

S letzte Wucheend isch eis vo mine absolute Highlights vo mim (bisherige) Ustuschjohr gsi!
CA isch cool & d Luet woni doert troffe ha sind eifach nur AWESOME!

Am DO am Morge bini no fuer 5 Stundene in d Schuel, ha doert mi lunch gesse & bi denn um die 12.40 vo dr Shirley abgholt worde.
Si het mi denn zum Flughafe brocht, woni denn mi Gepaeck icheckt ha, dure Security-check bi, und denn ha miese erfahre dass mi Flug vo Augusta nach Atlanta 30 min. Verspoetig het.
Zum Glueck hani aber sowieso 2 1/2 Stund Wartezyt in Atlanta gha, und denn hets au kei Rolle gspilt dass mer - nach 40 min. Flug endli in ATL acho - no ca. e halb Stund hend miese warte bis mer en "Parkplatz" gha hend.

In ATL hani denn scho die erschte andere Ustuschschieler atroffe (uf em trip sind insgesamt 18 Ustuschschieler us dr ganze Welt, bzw. jetzt USA, gsi) - irgendwie chame Ustuschschieler vo andere Luet unterscheide ;), u.a. au die 2 girls wo im YFU - Treffe in ATL bi mir in dr Gruppe gsi sind.
Die knapp 4 1/2 Stund Flug sind mer zwar recht lang vorcho, abr irgendwenn denn au verbi gsi.
Und ploetzlich sind mer in L.A. glandet - und dr Flughafe het eigentli wie jede andere usgseh ;)
Denn also ab zum "baggage claim", womer uf no es paar anderi Ustuschschieler & dr tour guide, Loren, und d chaperone Adrienne gstosse sind. Bald het sich usegstellt dass dr Loren en mega luschtige isch, und das het sich denn uf em witere trip au imr widr bestaetigt ;)

Nach ca. 15 min. Bus fahre sind mer denn im "Holiday Inn" acho & sind endlich au uf die andere Ustuschschieler (mit einzelne Usnahmene wo noni acho sind) gstosse. Scho bim Pizza esse, rede & Movie luege het sich usegstellt dass mir eus alli guet zemme verstoend =)

Irgendwenn um die 11 ume (Ortszyt - 3 Stund Zytverschiebig vo Georgia nach CA) sind denn nach und nach Luet in ihrne Zimmer verschwunde, bis denn am Schluss nur no d Carina (mini Zimmergenossin), ich und no eber anders uebrig gsi sind ;) Mied sind mer denn au gli drufabe in eusi (uebrigens mega bequeme) Better gfalle :)

Am FR am Morge sind mer denn irgendwenn um die 8.30 odr so go Zmorge esse (tolls Morgebuffet *yummi*), und denn no in dr Hotel - Lobby umeghange, wo me sich denn het afo besser kennelerne.
Um die 10ni ume sind denn eusi 2 Buse cho wo eus denn richtig Innestadt LA transportiert hend.
FR isch euse "LA - City Tour" - Tag gsi, und so sind mer denn zum Hollywood sign, verbi an best. Plaetz & Hueser, zum Walk of Fame (het mega vili crazy people doert ;)), zu Beverly Hills, dure Rodeo Drive etc.
Jedesmol natuerli stops mit viiiilne Foetelis, denn no e kurze Walk uf em Walk of Fame (d Sache fuere Oscar sind scho parat gsi ;)).
Am MI hemer denn no e lunch imene chline Paerkli gha (natuerli mit em "Beverly Hills" - sign *lol*), und sind denn drufabe Richtig Santa Monica Beach gfahre. Doert acho hend mer denn beschlosse zum Venice Beach z fahre. Doert hend mr denn 1 1/2 Stund fuer eus gha... zerrscht sind mr eigentli alli mehr odr wenigr lang am Strand umeglofe, d Fiess (odr z.T. sogar dr ganz body) badet, und d Sunne gnosse.
Denn sind denn nach und nach alli Richtig Strandpromenade gange um es paar Souvenirs (mostly t-shirts - 3 Stueck fuer nur 10 US Dollar!) z kaufe.
Am 5i hend mer denn imene Restaurant grad am Strand a zNacht gesse & hend hervorragende Blick uf e mega schoen Sunneuntergang gha (& das natuerli usgnuetzt und vili vili schoeni Foeteli gmacht :)). Es het echt ussgseh wie im Paradis! =)
Um die 7ni ume sind mer denn zu eusem neue Hotel, ca. 5 min vo Disneyland entfernt, gfahre (sisch ca. 1 Stund Fahrt vom Beach gsi).
Doert hend denn eigentli fascht alli d Glegeheit gnuezt & sind in Pool & Hot tube ghuepft =)
Um die 11i ume sind denn die meischte eigentli au scho widr ins Bett, wells en schoene, heisse, abr au astrengende Tag gsi isch :)
(Angeblich hemer sogar dr einti Saenger vo the Fugees gseh *lol* ;)).

Am SA & SO hets denn gheisse (mehr odr weniger) frieh ufzstoh, und in chlinere Gruppene womer am Vorobe gmacht hend ab ins Disneyland.
Ueber de (mega geniali) Teil vo mim trip wirdi noegscht Mol schribe =)

Wow! It's Thursday night, and tomorrow is gonna be my last day of school here in the US. It is absolutely crazy! Everything seems so surreal, like in a dream, and it just feels like this year just flashed by. Somehow I don't feel ready to leave yet. I don't feel ready to say bye to my teachers and just walk out of the room, not knowing if I'll ever see them again! I'm definitely gonna keep in touch with certain teachers, and of course my friends here and my American family... but still, things here for me are never gonna be the same again... and that fact is really, really scary! But yeah, I can't stop the time - which is probably good, since I actually wanna see my parents again, wanna go home etc. - and so I'm just gonna enjoy my last day of school here, my last day as a student of the Academy of Richmond County. About 9 months ago I had my first school day here... and sooo many things happened in those 9 months, it feels like so many things around me have changed... but actually I am the one that has changed... I'm not aware of it that much right now, but I probably will be in a couple of months when I'm back home. I wish I could combine those 2 worlds I've seen. Both cultures have good and bad things and I'd just love to create a world mix out of them. Reading those nice comments in my yearbook from both my friends and my teachers just makes me very... sad. I feel like I should have enjoyed my time here better, although I enjoyed it as much as I could. Still, I am looking forward to coming back to Switzerland, seeing my family & friends again, having my own room, I'm even looking forward to things like rivella, bread, and Swiss yoghurt. Bein an exchange students is a great experience! Everybody out there who reads this and gets the opportunity - do it! You might regret it very few times during your stay, but in the end, you'll know, it's one of the best things you can ever do. It'll change your life & way of thinking. Go for it!!!

Haha, huet hani mol widr e Unterschied zwuesche amerik. und schwyzerische Schuele miese feststelle: In de afternoon announcements het dr Christman doch tastaechlich akuendigt, dass Schieler am FR - dr letzt Schueltag vor de Summerferie - keini Rucksaeck, odr Taeschene und aehnlichs doerfe mit in d Schuel naeh. Mi erscht Gedanke: What?!? Anschinend isch das e Sicherheitsvorkehrig? Ich weiss jo nit, abr irgendwie dunkts mi d Amerikaner werde langsam paranoid lol. Okay, dass si nit wend dass me choennt Esse in d Schuel schmuggle well si keini Parties wend ha, okay, weird, aber okay. Abr well si schiss hend dass am LETZTE Schueltag no eine mitere Waffe in d Schuel latscht? Was isch denn an de andere 250 (odr wieviel au immer) Taeg??? Vor 2 Wuche sind mol eusi Taeschene durchsuecht worde well anschinend am Vortag 3 versch. Waffene in dr Schuel gfunde worde sind. Okay, das zeigt, dass es noetig isch dass si Taeschene durchsueche... vo mir us au nit jede Tag (nimmt eh vil z vil Zyt i) sondern halt random, aber wieso bitte am letzte Schueltag? "Die spinnen die Amerikaner" ;)

Jo, was gits no neus? Wie gseit, huet het die letzti Schuelwuche agfange *freu* Im Gegesatz zur Schwyz heisst das leider nit nur Kueche esse & Film luege lol, sondern - abgseh vom MO - jede Tag 2x2 Stund lang Exams schribe! Fun fun *sarcastic* Naja, wuerklich serious nimmis jetzt au nit lol, und morn hemer statt 1st period Drama Exam denn au eifach d Uffiehrig vo eusem Theaterstueck womer scho sit Wuchene dra schaffe. Genauergseit heisst das ca. d Haelfti vo dr Klass het dra gschafft, dr Rest isch jede Morge (wenn ueberhaupt awesend) dumm im Zimmer umegsesse. But who cares, s Stueck wird eh crappy werde (morn am Nomittag ischs, und mir hend nit emol no e Iebigsuffiehrig gha), und zum Glueck bini jo nit e Schauspieler und blamier mi denn nit haha ;) Ich bi mies, ich weiss, aber d Organisation vom ganze isch eifach obermies... naja, immer no besser als Test schribe ;)

Am MI am Morge hani denn e American Lit. Exam (vermuetlich uebere Film Moby Dick welmer de grad am luege si, i weiss es aber nit mol no genau... in dere Klass wird me abr au echt nie informiert wenn me was muess ha, so annoying...), und denn am Nomittag e Guitar Test wos hauptsaechlich drum goht e Concert DVD azluege und denn Frogene z beantworte, wie dr Lehrer eus huet mitteilt het.

Am DO gits denn Math und US History Exam, und am FR Spanisch und Physik, und fuer die alli muessi denn wohl scho chli lerne... obwohl i ueberhaupt kei Bock ha so kurz vor de Summerferie...

Naja, nur no 4 Mol frieh ufstoh fuer e amerik. High school, und denn chani endlich mini laaaange Summerferie gniesse =) Am SA gits denn no e tolli Abschiedsparty fuer mich *freu & schnief*, und am FR Zobe wirdi hoffentlich au no ebis mit Fruende mache =)

Jo, weiss jetzt eigentli au nueme was schribe, ha dae Itrag eigentlich meh us langwil gschribe lol ;) Oh, mir hend uebrigens letzt Wuche widr mol e falsche Fueralarm gha, abr jo, sind mer jo mittlerwile dra gwoehnt ;) Obwohl s jetzt nit dr sinnvollsti Blogitrag vo allne gsi isch, hoffi doch uf es paar Kommentaerli *Hundeblick* ;)

Wuensch euch e schoeni Wuche, talk to yall soon,
Katja =)

P.S.: Huet Zobe isch s Heroes (=TV Show) Finale! :)

Last Thursday the Starbucks in the Barnes & Nobles book store surprisingly had more customers than usually, a lot more. Reason for that: Mr. Christman's AP US History students from ARC were having a meeting that Thursday night at 6 p.m. With a coffee in one hand & papers, books, and pens in the other, students took their places in the comfortable chairs or on the slightly less comfortable floor. Probably around 30 students were sitting there for about 2 hours, to review questions about the history of the United States of America. No, I am not talking about questions like the name of the first town, nor am I talking about easy questions like the first president. I am talking about the Whiskey Rebellion in Pennsylvania, mercantilism, Scopes trial, Bacon's rebellion, Wilmot Proviso etc.
There was a Swiss girl sitting in this crowd, her head pounding with historical information about a country she's been calling home for several months now; information about a country she's about to leave soon for a longer period of time.

To say it in a less elegant tone: Last Thursday AP US History students met at Barnes & Nobles to review their material & ask the last questions before the big exam. AP is a worldwide program, something like a higher class (I'd say probably about the difficulty grade of our Gymnasiums in Switzerland, maybe slightly lower - I think we might compare our "high school" with the IB program), which also includes a big exam at the end of the course. Luckily *sarcasm* I was one of those students. Learning A LOT of information about a foreign country can be fun. Learning it in a foreign language isn't always easy, but it gets easier after time. Writing a BIG exam at the end of the school year: NOT funny! The test included 85 hard multiple choice questions (Quote Mr. Christman: "Don't worry if you don't know the answer for every question, I couldn't even answer all of them correctly."), a DBQ (Documentary Base Question) which means there a question, a whole bunch of documents, pictures & information, and you're supposed to write an essay, plus 2 other free - response essays (2 questions, you choose one, write an essay about it, and that twice). Fun fun *sarcastic once again*.

Well yeah, the best part about the 3 hour exam was to get it over with lol ;) I don't think I did very well, and I probably didn't, but who cares, since it doesn't count for me (I could get credit for College, but I'm not gonna study history in College anyways, so yeah).

The cool thing about that FR was, that I went eating lunch after the test with Katie Anderson, Marjorie McElreath, Davis McKnight, Will Fletcher, and Ethan Padgett. We went to the Village Deli which is about 3 min. from where I live, so I could easily walk home after eating a big plate of a nice hamburger & very good fries =)

So, that was the promised story about my AP Exam lol. More about my weekend you'll find here later. Some comments would be nice though :)
I'll see yall,
Katja =)

2 weeks ago there was a "displace me" (Invisible Children Event) in Atlanta, as a protest against the war in Northern Uganda. I already told yall a little bit about Invisible Children, I don't remember if I told yall about the Displace Me though. People from all over the US went to the Eventcity closest to them (for us it was Atlanata, they also had Displace Me in NY, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Dallas, LA, Phoenix & other big cities in the US), only brought crackers and water, and some cardboard. It was to imagine how the people in the displacement camps in Uganda have to live, kinda like experiencing it for one night. So a few people from our school decided to go there together on April 28th / 29th, and we ended up driving there with two cars, the "boys' car" with Remer, Holton, Jeff, and Steven, and the "girls' car" [except for Daniel lol] with Daniel, Sara Ward's soon-to-be Brother-in-law, Sara, Caitlin, Martine, and me =) It was a very interesting experience, we learned a lot, we had a lot of fun together (without any parents haha ;)), and learned how it is to sleep in a cardboard box. There was also a reverend from Uganda who specially traveled to the US to speak at th Displace me's which was very interesting! It was lots of fun, and the next morning we went to eat breakfast at Waffle House (after only eating crackers for one day...), and then went to a HUGE (and I really mean HUGE) community church in Atlanta (they have 2000 volunteers, so take a guess how many ppl actually are going to that church. It's ENORMOUSLY BIG!). It was like the coolest church service I've ever experienced (seriously, I would love to go to church there =)). It started with a Hip Hop performance, and then a Rockband came up and played 3 songs, and then a speaker in Jeans & shirt talked for a little about the church, then we studied the Bible for about 15 min., and then he continued to talk about the church. The service was about 1 hour long. The church (that really doesn't look like a church, more like a Mall) has 2 auditoriums, and every auditorium has 2 huge flat screens. The whole auditorium looked more like a concert hall, it was awesome =)
And after that we drove home & spent the rest of the Sunday relaxing (after such an uncomfortable night...).

On Wednesday night I went playing soccer again (I am really gonna miss that!), and of course I got hurt again lol ;) I got a huge bruise on my left knee where Ashley's cleed hit me (the bottom of her soccer shoes), and then I hit Alan's foot once and hurt my big toe... but yeah, I am still whole and it was a lot of fun =) And after playing we went to a bar and had dinner there :)

On Thursday Lindsay, Ethan, Martine & me went swimming after school, since we do not have anything else to do lol. It was lots of fun & nice swimming again =)

On Friday in 7th period I went to the last AB Honor Roll. Students that only have A's and B's in their Report Card (the 6th 6 weeks) can leave 7th period early, go to the cafeteria, and there get a doughnut and a drink, and some other prizes if they're lucky =) haha, of course I went there (I only have one high B in AP US History, and yep, school is that easy here haha), I mean, when do I get the chance again to get out of Physics early?!? lol ;)

On Saturday I went to Atlanta with Alan to a mandatory YFU Meeting. It was all about going home, and although it was a kinda sad sbubject, we had lots of fun and it was interesting to see some other exchange students =) After that we went for a small riverwalk, and went to eat at Mellow Mushroom :) Yup, they do have Mellow Mushroom in Atlanta as well, isn't that amzing? ;) I love it! :) (for all the ppl that don't know, it's my favorite Pizza place here =)). After eating we went Dowtown to the Underground Mall, and then went to the Baseball Stadium to see my first real professional Baseball game :) It was very exciting & entertaining, and I actually really like Baseball (thanks to my host dad I now even understand the Basic rules haha). It's by far not as boring and complicated as American Football haha :) Plus No. 22 did a really good job ;) The Braves unfortunately lost to the LA Dodgetts, but it was still fun to be there, among with roughly 42 000 other Baseball fans =) The game lasted for 3 hours (it awalys depends), from 7 p.m. till 10 p.m., and after that we finally drove home. We had left the house at 6.30 in the morning, and got home at about 12.30 a.m., so it was a long, but exciting day! :)

On Sunday then I slept in & enjoyed the day at home, and on Wednesday night I went playing Soccer again :)

So, today I finally had the big, scary AP Exam (plus preparation @ Barnes & Nobles yesterday), but I'm gonna tell yall more about that next time :)
Hope yall enjoy the last weeks of school - we have only 2 weeks left ;)
Katja =)

PS: I just realised that I still haven't put up my text about the LA trip. I think I'm gonna open up a special category for the trips as soon as I find the time for that.
PPS: Happy Mothersday for SO for all the proud Mothers that read this =)

Die letzte 2 Wuche hani rechts Programm gha, wege dem wirdi nit genauer uf die einzelne Erlebnis igoh (ussr sisch noetig...).

Am Zischtig nach dr Schuel bini vom 3 bis am 5i mit em Ethan ins Fort Discovery go schaffe. Er het no CAS Hours fuers IB brucht, das heisst Stunden wome als Freywillige schafft, und er het mi gfrogt ebi au wuerd mitcho. Fort Discovery isch es Science museum wono recht cool isch & sehr beliebt fuer Field trips (also trips wo Schuelene organisiere). Es goht meh ums praktische usprobiere als ums theoretische, und sogar ich wo weder gern Museum het no Sciene (lol), find sisch es tolls Museum (irgendwie findi dr Begriff Museum passt nit eso... das toent so langwilig ;)). Jo, und denn hemer nit mol no richtig miese schaffe - die ersti Stund hend mer quasi e privati Fiehrig becho und alles choenne usprobiere, und vom 4i bis am 5i sind mer denn no chli umeglofe, "zum s Museum besser kennezlerne". Am 5i sind mer denn zu dr Bibliothek gange, wo mini Gastmuettr schafft, und immr am DI gratis Englischstundene fuer Nicht-muttersprachler git. Doert het denn dr Ethan au mitgholfe z lehre zum no meh Stundene z becho. Am Viertel nach 8i Zobe bini denn au endlich heicho :)

Am MI Zobe sind d Martine und ich uf die 5 zur Schuel, wos letzte Baseball game stattgfunde het. Welli jo no nie i mim Lebe e Baseball game live gseh ha, hend mer denkt mir miese denk scho mol go :) Baseball isch no e recht coole Sport (vil cooler & vil interessanter als American Football!), und erinneret stark ans "Brennball" wo mir in dr Schwyz amigs im Turne spile :) Nach ca. ere halbe Stund hemer denn abr ins Stadium gwechslet zum dr letzti Fuessballmatch vo de Boys go z luege. Leidr hemer verlore, abr sisch e recht intense Match gsi und het gueti Stimmig gmacht =)

Am DO bini denn widr vom 3 bis am 5i ins Fort Discovery. Dismol hemer die 1. Stund tatsaechlich ebis gschafft, und die 2. sind mer denn eifach no umeglofe und hend gluegt eb Bsuecher hilf bruche, hend dr Kids Room ufgruumt etc.

Am FR bini nach dr Schuel fuer 1 Stund ins Fort Discovery. Denn bini schnell hei go dusche, und mit em Bus in d Mall. Bi denn doert fuer ca. 2 Stund ellei chli go shoppe, und ha mi denn nach de 7ne mit em Dorian us minere Lit. Class troffe. Mir sind denn zemme no 1 1/2 Stund chli in dr Mall umeglofe und denn ueber zu de Theatres gfahre. Urspruenglich hemer plannt, ca. z foift ins Kino z go, de andere is denn abr doch nit gange & schlussendlich sind denn nur mir zwoi gsi ;) Mir sind go Vacancy luege, e Thriller woni meeegga geil gfunde ha =) Ha scho sit Afangs April de wele go luege woni d Vorschau gseh ha, und mir sind au nit enttuescht worde :) Mir bedni hend gfunde es sig mega scary gsi lol ;) Wenn de ind Schwyz in d Kinos chunnt - unbedingt go luege! :) Mega cool =) Ich wird mir de sichr uf DVD chaufe wenn er denn use chunnt :P
Uf die halb 12i bini denn widr dehei gsi =)

Am Wucheend hend denn no s Displace me vo Invisible Children in Atlanta stattgfunde, ueber das verzehli denn abr s noegschte Mol. Isch au es super Ereignis gsi =)

Wuensch euch jetzt allne e schoene Start ins Wucheend, hoff dir hends au so schoen (geschtr hets 32 Grad Celsius gha!!!) :)
Glg, Katja =)