Back in Switzerland

Hey everybody =)
For all of you, that didn't know yet, I'm back in Switzerland, for about a week now.

The last few weeks in Las Vegas were busy and a lot of fun. I did a lot of stuff with my boyfriend (yeah, I do have a boyfriend, if I haven't mentioned it before) and other friends.

On Memorial Day weekend, I went to Grand Canyon with Dad and YFU Las Vegas. It was great! On Friday after school we left Las Vegas on our way to Williams, where our hotel was at. Then on Saturday morning after breakfast we left for the Grand Canyon National Park. Once we were there, and took some pictures, we started hiking down into the Canyon for about 1.5 miles, and then back up again.

In the canyon there was no wind at all, and it was pretty warm. Back up again, it was very windy (you could lean against the wind without falling) and kinda cold. After we ate lunch, we went on a bus that took us to different points along the rim, to take pictures. Then at night, when we were back in Williams, we went to eat dinner all together. This night, Franny, Zayra and me couldn't sleep, so we decided to go downstairs to the Lobby, where we ate popcorn and drank coffee. It was so much fun.
On Sunday morning, we left on the way back to Las Vegas.



Then on Memorial Day my Mom had a party at our house. So Katrin, Franny and Zayra came over, we had so much fun. In the end we all ended up in the pool, with our clothes on, which was so much fun. I'll never forget that day, it was great.



The next weeks were just pretty normal school days, and there was not much eles going on. After school I usually hung out with my boyfriend and friends almost every day after school.

One night we had the EF-Graduation Ceremony, I had to hold a speech. Luckily I wasn't the only one, but probably the one that was the least prepared. Well anyways, it was good, and fun to actually wear cap and gown and all that stuff.

The last week of school, we had semester tests, which weren't even hard. After that Summer finally started, with a really busy weekend.
On Friday afternoon I had the International Club Banquet at Circus Circus, it was great to see all the people again. Then on Saturday I was supposed to go to three party, I ended up only being at one, and that was the one that was at our house anyways. It was so much fun with Katrin, crazy as always =) Then on Sunday Juliane had her Birthday and Good Bye Party, where I went as well. It was grear =)

The last week was pretty boring, since most of my friends already left to go back to their country. But I still got to hang out with some of them and say Good Bye to them...


After another Party at our house and then cleaning up the next day, my last weekend in Las Vegas was over. And I finally decided to start packing on Sunday, 3 days before I left.

On Wednesday morning then, I had to leave. After saying Good Bye to my Mum and Nikki, my Dad brought me to the airport, where I had to say bye to him as well. It was not really easy, and I didn't realize what it means, until I was sitting in the plane all by my own, on the way back to Switzerland.

After 15 hours of travelling, I finally arrived back in Switzerland, where my family was waiting for me. It felt good to see them again, even though it was sad at the same time, because it meant that I'm really back and that I won't return to Las Vegas so soon again...

Fabii, Carneval and Spring Break

So, there's the second post of tonight, since I just feel like writting everything down.

Sunday morning after Prom, when I got up Fabi was in Las Vegas, so I went, for sure, to the Strip to see her :D
After my mom dropped me off at the Luxor I went to find her at the main entrance, which I surely did, it was soooooo amazing to see her after about 8/9 months again, and I was just happy. We walked the Strip, hung out at the Fahsion Show Mall (the one mall in Las Vegas, that is like my home, because I was there soo many times) and for the last thing went to see the water show at the Bellagio. It was an awesome afternoon, and I had some much fun, hearing about all the stuff that happend in Switzerland, since I was gone.

The following Thursday we had CARNEVAL :D
This is an event, organized and executed(:P) by the international club, and since I am a member of that club, I had to be there. So that day, I stayed after school to help put up all the decorations and signs and whatever else, so we would be ready for the people to come in the evening. It was really tiring and sort of boring, but also fun.
At 6 the carneval begun, that means people started to walk in and play the various game we prepared and buy food and drinks. Dion, Juliane and I had to sell water, what a boring job. So no wonder, I went off the booth all the time, to walk around and talk to friends. I had so much fun with Max and those other kids I met. It was a really amazing evening, and I wish I would have had my camera with me to take pictures, but nooo silly Johanna has to forget it, whenever she need it -.-

Well anyways, after the carneval there was only one day of school left until SPRING BREAK. One week off of school, and not really any plans.
So on Monday, Katrin came over to my house and we went to the Fashing Show Mall, with Mom, Nikki and Sierra. We shopped there for a while and then went back home. There Katrin and I went into the pool, and since it got pretty cold, went into the hpttub afterwards, where Nikki and Sierra joined us too. In the evening, we all watched a movie together, one was supposed to be really scay, but it wasn't that bad, and the other one was a romantic comedy. For sure, we didn't went to bed right afterwards, but we painted our nails, it was quite a mission :P but they looked pretty afterwards, so who cares :D
The next morning we for sure slept in, and then in the afternoon Leticia came over to my house, when Katrin was still there. Since the weather was really nice, we went again into the pool, and just kinda hang out. It was a lot of fun :)
So then on Wednesday I didn't do anything, but on Thursday, since two of my mom's friends came to see her in Vegas, we went to the Rio for one night. Lilia came with us as well as Sierra. We went to the pool, but it was kinda cold, and there were too many kids jumping and splashing with water, so we decided to go hang out in the hottub. At about 1 we left to go change, eat lunch and then go to the Nathan Burton Show. It was soo much fun, and we took pictures the whole time. If you get a possibility to go see Nathan Burton, go ahead and do it :D

So the next day we all went home, and for the rest of the weekend, I didn't do anything, execept relaxing, and for sure doing some homework, gosh I hate those!

So, I think you are all pretty much up to date then. I'll write soon again, or maybe a bit less soon, only time can tell :D

Prom

Hey guys :D

So, I guess I was supposed to write sooner about PROM, but since I'm kinda lazy it took me about 3 weeks, to finally write about it... I'm sorry, well not really, but you know what I mean.

Okay, now aout Prom:

On Saturday, April 9 I woke up, like it would be a regular Saturday, yeah I know, this is really interesting :P
But you are reading it so shussh :D
Around 2 in the afternoon, my mom started to do my hair and make up, she's amazing! It look so pretty. I absolutely loved my hair and the make-up was really nice too. I did my nails by myself, and everybody who know me, probably think it look horrible, but NO, it didn't. it actually looked really nice, but it took a long while to look like that, and I was REALLY proud of it.
Then around 4:30 my mom drove me to Juliane's house, who was just finishing to get ready. When she was all set with make up and jewellery her host mum drove us to the Olive Graden, where we met all the other girls and Bruno ^^

At olive Garden then we ate, kinda obvious^^, dinner. It was really good, and we had fun. But the coolest thing is to come:

After dinner, we were picke up by a LIMOUSINE! It was sooo cool, but for sure, before we left we all had to take pictures, since, at least I think so, it was the first time for all of us, to drive in a limo. Then we left Olive Graden and went straight to the "Welcome in Las Vegas"-Sign where we took some more pictures, it was soooo much fun.
As next thing on our list, we went to the actual Prom, but not before we got lost, and didn't know how do get to the Groove, the place where Prom actually was. Well in the end we found it and all went to dance. Honestly, it wasn't that great, most of the songs were for couples, so if you didn't have a date, like all of us girls, you couldn't really dance, but anyways. Half an hour before the dance officialy ended we started taking pictures.
And yes, we took an awful lot of picture that evening, but you shouldn't forget it's PROM.

Then we left in the limouusine, to go get to my house. We got lost again...(Gosh, that driver doesn't seem to know where he's supposed to drive to) but anyways, as you can all guess, we ended up savely at my house. There we just hang out for the rest of the evening. Sofia, who stayed for the night, and me even went into the hottub, and afterwards started to put the pictures on facebook until like 4 in the orning, well yeah :D

That was all I have to tell you about Prom, and I have to admit, I am kinda glad to have it written down now, so I have ine thing less to do....

LosAngeles

Hellouu there :D

So, after I returned from my trip at the east coast, I got to know my hostfamily better, and I have to admit, I love them! I really enjoy my time here, and somehow I wish I could stay a bit longer, than I actually do. Well, I can't :(

On the first weekend in April, YFU Las Vegas had a trip to Los Angeles, mostly organised by my dad. So this made it possible for me to go with them. It was awesome!

On Friday after school, we left Las Vegas for the 5 hour drive to LA. We were the first car of 3 to arrive there. When we were settled down in our rooms, we were looking for something to eat, but it was already past 9, so most of the restaurants were closed. But the nice man at the registrar gave us the menu of a delivery service that was still delivering. So we ordered food, mmhhhh, food *.*
The rest of the group arrived before our food arrived. They were all really nice, and I even met a girl who goes to the AKSA, and lives in Reinach. Well that was fun :D

So, on Saturday morning we got up and left the hotel at 8 am to go to the beach. It was windy and kind of cold, so nobody went swimming. But most of us got theur feet wet, since the waves unexpectedly jump on us, whil we were tajing a picture. I think they didn't like us too much :P
After the beach we went to a DODGERS baseball game. It was a lot more interesting to me, than the first one I saw, while in Norwich. There was not much more happening, and the Dodgers lost 0:10 but it was fun. We got unlimited food for free (it was included in the ticket^^) and we saw Nick Jonas. He was projected on to the big screen and then we went looking for him with binoculars and eventually found him all the way on the other side of the stadium. We saw him though :P
When the Dodgers lost (agains the Gians, btw), we left the stadium and made our way to the Walk of Fame. It sounds so glamorous and all, but it actually isn't. It's just and old, boring street with some Stars on the ground. But nevertheless it was really interesting to see and I had a lot of fun.
We got back to the hotel at aroun 8:30, so this time, there was enogh time to go get something to eat, with any problems. But most of us had leftovers from the evening before anyways.

On Sunday morning we checked out and left the hotel at 8:40 and not like planned at 8. Since the GPS we used, didn't really work the way it was supposed to, we neede almost the double of time to get where we wanted. We ended up not going there in the end, because we had to get to the Universal Studios in time, to avoid a long line.

The Universal Studios were awesome! The actual Studio Tour was really entertaining and afterwards we went to a coupke of rides and other shows, all about movies. One was about special effects and another was about the animals used in the movies. Even though I had a lot of fun, it was all very tiring, and when we left in the late afternoon I was almost glad about it. But before we went home, we actually went to that place, we didn't go in the morning. It was just a platform where from you could se the whole city of Los Angeles and also the Hollywood sign, everybody knows :D

After that we went on our way back to Las Vegas. It was a nice, long trip and we all, except Dad, slept. We arrived around midnight at home, and after I dank something I went straight to bed. Nevertheless I missed the bus the next morning.

The Capital...WASHINGTON DC

Hellooouuuuu :D

How are you all? Because I am absolutely great :D
I ahd an awesome day in Washington DC, but now I am tired and also kinda sad, because in a few hours we're all gonna leave to the airport.

We just had two days in Washington, and they went by way too fast. Yesterday, we arrived after a 5 hours drive from New York. We were all really exhausted, but we didn't get a break. As soon as we arrived, we went to the Capitol building, where we had a tour and we also went to see the library. After the Capitol tour, which was actually really boring, we went shortly to the Supreme Court, but only from the outside.
Since there were a lot of people looking for souvenirs, we went to a souvenir shop, where we even got 20% on everything, except food. Then we were headed fo dinner, at the Union Station, a really beautiful, and also old building. We got, like on the first, a voucher, so we didn't had to pay for it.

Time for Memorials! But the traffic was really bad, so it took us a while, and we had to cut off on of them. We went to the Vietnam War Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial and at the end to the Korean War Memorial. It was really interesting, but also kinda sad to see all these names of people, who died in those two wars.
That was the end of our day, so we just went to the hotel, where we shortly checked in and then went to bed.

Next morning we got up early, and left soon after the breakfast. We went to the Arlington Cemetery. It is a HUGE!! cemetery outside of Washington with more than 300'000 burried military people. You probably saw that cemetery in movies before. We also watched the guard changing ceremony, which was performed in absolute accuracy and no mistake. It was pretty impressive. Then just before we left the cemetery, we went to John F. Kennedy's grave and the one of his two brothers.
We also went to see the Iwo Jima Memorial, where you have 6 soldiers pulling up a flag. You have seen that one before too, I guess.

For lunch we went to a building, of which I forgot the name. I just know that we had to go to security. and the my lunch was really good. But anyway, we went straight to the White House, after everybody was full. We went to just one side of the White House, the one where you can go closer to it. On that street, which is blocked for cars, is a protest, going on for 30 years. There was also, just today, a little kid with his father protesting about the Unchristianity the Obama brings to the USA and that homosexuality and abortion. It was actually rather said, because this kid was just about 9 or 10 years old, and he was yelling about all that stuff. I guess, he wasn't even aware, what exactly he was protesting against, but nevertheless he was doing it.

The next thing was the National Mall, the park around most of the Smithonian Museums in Washington DC. We had free time, to go to which ever museums we wanted. So we went to see the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution and the Bill of Rights and as well the Natural History Museum, where they have hte Hope Diamond.

In this free time Fabiola and me somehow managed to get our grandparents and Mary Ellen to the National Mall, so we could meet with them. It wa soo AWESOME :DD
It was just so cool, to see my grandparents after 8 months again, and then also Mary Ellen, who I saw last, when I was 2 and a half years old... So it was like really really great!

Then the last dinner of that trip we had at the Hard Rock Café in Washigton, it was tasty and a lot of fun, but also sad, because it was the last dinner :'(
But anyways, after dinner we went to see the last two memorials, the World War 2 Memorial and the Jefferson Memorial. They were also really nice, especially the World War 2, it is beautiful.

On the way back we had the last 2 national anthem, so we heard quite some during the trip, because every evening on the way back to the hotel, some people went in front and sung there national anthem. It was cool, and also interesting to hear all those different languages and songs.

Now we are all in some hotelrooms, waiting to leave. I don't think that there are a lot of people asleep, but there are surely some who fell asleep. We'll see who fell asleep and who not at 3 in the morning, when the first of 2 buses leaves.

If you want to see some pictures, just check out my facebook profile, I have them all on there.

New York.... NEW YORK :D

Hey there =)

First thing to say: New York is one of the most amazing cities ever! It is busy, full of tourist (at certain places) and a lot of fun!

So, from the beginning, or other said from Boston. In the morning of March the 16 we got up, and after breakfast we left to New York. After 5 hours in the bus, and a lunch break, we went through 5 different states and finally arrived in New York.

First, we drove a bit throughout the city, on the way to Central Park, where we had our first stop. We went off the bus and into Central Park, where we started walking through Straw Berry Field, the John Lennon Memorial, since it is just next to where he died. Then we walked a bit more and went to 5th Avenue, where this amazing Toy Store is, with a walk-on-piano. It was a lot of fun!
After 5th Ave, we went to dinner in a nice restaurant. We we're in a room with another EF tour group and it was way to noisy, but at least the food was really tasty :D

For the end of the day we went to TIMES SQUARE! The most amazing play, you can be in New York. M&M Store, Hard Rock Café, Hershey's Store, Disney Store and whole lot more! It was so much fun, but since we had a long day and I was really tired, I was actually glad to get back to the hotel.

Then on the 17., St. Patrick Days :D, we left the hotel at 9, to make our way to the city. We got off the bus near Walstreet. That means we walked to Walstreet (it's so boring to see, just a building, since you can no longer get in as tourist) and the Bull. A little bit further there was the World Trade Center Site. Today, it is just a construction scene, not really interesting. Close by though was a little church, with a lot of memorial stuff in there. This church, called the St. Paul's Chappel, was used as a place for all the workers to rest. They had hunderds of volunteers, helping the workers on the site. They gave them food, a bed and also phisical and psychological assitance.

After this we went to eat lunch. So said, we went to the Rockefeller Center, we got one hour and a half to eat lunch and also hang out at the St. Patricks Parade a bit. It was a really crazy place there, since all the people came out, dressed up in green and most of them were also drunk. It was loud and fun to see. The part of the parade I saw, was actually rather boring, mostly just cops walking and some marching bands. When lunch was over, we had a tour through the NBC studios. It was fun to see the studios and Fabiola and me even go a video, isn't that awesome!?

The next thing planned, was a visit of the Empire State Building. I really enjoyed being up there and to have a view over whole New York. But we already left after 20 minutes to go get to dinner.

Where? In Chinatown :D It was really tasty, and a lot of fun getting explained how to eat properly with chop sticks. For the end of the evening we had free time in China Town, Soho and Littler Italy, actually everywhere you wanted, as long as you were back at the meeting point at 9:15. Chinatown is a lot of fun, and you always get to bargain the chunk you're gooing to buy. You usually got it cheaper, especially when you said, you wouldn't buy it, if you're not getting it cheaper xD
So after this exhausting but fun day, we were all really happy to get back to the hotel, where we could finally go to bed.

The third and last day in New York was perfect. We had really nice weather and a lot of fun, even though everybody was extremely tired.

After breakfast, we immediately left to go to the ferry to go to the statue of liberty. We went onto the island, but not up the statue, because it is expensive, and there is a waiting list to go up to the crown of ca. 30 years... so well yeah. But it was still fun, and we took a lot of pictures. After about an hour on that island, we left to go to Ellis island, the actual place where a third of the nation stopped, and immigrated to the US. They had a nice museum but we didn't really had time to look at the whole exhibition...

From Ellis island we had a ferry right to lower Manhatten where we boarded the bus and went to 5th Avenue for the second time. A part of our group went also to the Grand Central Station, the train station out of Madagaskar. It is a beautiful building!

For dinner we went to a Mexican restaurant, which had really good food. For the rest of the evening then, we had free time on Times Square, we bought some more souvenir and also got 15 seconds of fame:

When you buy something in the American Eagle on Times Square, then you could take a picture and they would project it on their huge billboard for about 15 seconds, for 2 or 3 times. It was a lot of fun!

Tomorrow we sadly have to leave New York, and also really early. But since we're moving on to Washington DC, it's all good. I'm really looking forward to go there and hopefully also see my grandparents there :D

Boston =)

Holaa :D

As you all should now, I'm in Boston now, and tomorrow we're already leaving for New York :DD
So yesterday, Monday, March 14th, in the morning I went to the airport, there I checked in, and my tracel to Boston began. It was a five hour flight to New Mark and then a connection flight of 37 to Boston. At the airport, my lovely twinsister was standing right behind the door so when I came out, I was almost thrown onto the floor... From the airport then, we went to QUNICY MARKET to eat dinner and shop a little. It was fun! Then at 9 in the evening we went to the hotel, where we were told with whom we have to share a room. Guess what, I'm in the same room as Fabiola :D and also with Ronja and Ulli. We soon went to bed, since we were all tired.

Today, Tuesday, March 15, we got up at 7:15 and went to breakfast. Then after breakfast it was time to board the bus and go into the city, where we met a tourist guide from Switzerland xD

We walked through the North End and then got into the bus again to drive around the city to see some more sight seeing attraction. Then we went to HARVARD!
The tourist guide told as some facts about Harvard, and then we were free to walk around in Harvard Square for about 2 hours. It was a lot of fun.
The next thing on our list was a short visit of the EF Office, where we met shortly with our representative and then also took a picture, it was actually not even that interesting :P
Then we went to the USS CONSTITUTION. This is a ship used in the Independence war, and unlike other ships, didn't burst, when they were hit by a canon bullet. Today it still is taken out on July 4.
After that short stop, we drove around in the bus for a little longer, seeing some more attraction, for example we stopped at the Battle of Bunker Hill Memorial and BOSTON COMMON, the oldest park in the US.


Around 5:30 we went to eat dinner at a pizza place. I was surprised on how they managed to place 50 people in the small room we had, but somehow they did it.
With a full stomach we went on to the rooftop. That means, we went to the Prudential Building, one of the highest building in Boston, if not even the highest on. There we had time to look around over the whole city and then go down and shop for a bit in the mall beneath the SKYWALK platform.

At 8:45 we went back to the hotel, where we're now just hanging out after a quite exhausting day =D
Tomorrow at 8:30 we're leaving here to go to NEW YORK :DD

Lots of news...

So in the last month there happend a lot, and i didn't really feel like writing about it all then, so it took my more than a month to make a new post... well here it is:

First of all I had to change hostfamilies, because it didn't work out anymore. On Thursday evening after I came home from the last Softball practice before tryouts, Julie came to pick me up. It was one of the worst moments during my whole exchange.
But then, the next two weeks I lived with Julie and her family.
One weeek after leaving at Lorena's house I finally got all my stuff back. So, I didn't had any of my things, except for a few t-shirts and the stuff I just packed for the weekend. So I didn't had anything for school either, but all the teachers were so understanding and I didn't had any problem at all. It was just annoying for me, but yeah, that's life as an exchange student.

On the first saturday I was living at Julie's house, there were the Softball Tryouts. I got up around 6:30 in the morning and Jonathan, Julie's son drove me to the school, what took about 30 minutes. It was freeying, raining and windy, nevertheless I had fun there. It was a good day for me too. After the Tryouts I went to Shelby's house, since there was no point to go all the way across town and then back around 1 to get the results.
At one Shelby and me went back to school, where all the other girls were too. Then they told us whether we were in the team or no. Unfortunately, I wasn't.
I miss Softball, because I had so much fun there, even though it was hard. But even though I hope I can go to some of the games, it would so much fun!

Living with Julie was awesome! I felt like home there and if it wouldn't have been for the school, I would have stayed there for the rest of the year. I just didn't want to change school for the last three months. So I had to start lookin for a new hostfamily. How i did that? I just ask all of my teachers, if they would know somebody. Mrs. Salb, my chemistry teacher then referred me to Dr. Aten, an astrology teacher at Centennial. He has hosted exchange students for several years, and they have some good contacts. So two days later on the career fair, his wife had a stand for exchange programs over summer, and they were also looking for more/new hostfamilies. So they decided they would ask around for a new hostfamily and there were quite a few people who said, they would talk to their families and think about it.
There was one, really nice family, but they weren't sure whether to take me or not. Last Wednesday then, when Julie picked me up after school, she told me that they would have found a family for me. At home then I started packing all my stuff. I thought I would have a lot, but referring to Julie and my new hostmum I don't. Well then xD
On Thursday then, Julie picked me up from school and we went directly to my new family! I was so ecited and also nervous, because I practicly didn't know anything about the family. So when I arrived there I first met my mom. She is from the Philippines and works as a cocktail waitress at one of the casinos. Then later my sister arrived, she's going to 8th grade, and also really nice. In the evening I got to know the third and last person of the family, dad. As I found out, they used to host for YFU, and they still organise some of the activities for the YFU students un Las Vegas. But from next year on, they will be doing that for EF.
So far I am really happy here, and I know, that the rest of my year here will be awesome!

So long good bye and read you soon (okay, you actually read me, well my blog, but anyway, you know what I mean)
Next week I'm going to the East Coast Tour, and hopefully keep you updated. If not, for sure when I'm back :D
and then I will also finally post some pictures again, since I'm gettin my new camera on Monday =)

Picture of the dog

This is our awesome, really cute dog!

Btw, did I mention, that I finally got my Unicycle? It's so freaking awesome, and I'm very glad, that I got it! It's still so much fun to ride it, even though it was more fun when I could go with Fabiola...