onsdag 17. september 2008

update.

it's been a while now, longer than planned.
I've had loads of homework lately, but today I have less!

Since last time, not much has happened. Things are getting into a daily routine. Getting up at 6 every morning, hurrying to get to school. Then I'm not too good at staying awake in my first classes.. The two first ones, english and us history are pretty boring sometimes. My calculus teacher loves me, and I've been doing pretty well on tests so far. I don't have any problems following my classes so far.

After that, the science classes are more interesting, and I finish off with lunch before photography. Lunch here is brilliant, with really good schoolmeals. I always promise myself not to buy, and so I bring my own lunch. But I always eat it in some class before I get to the cafeteria. Since I'm a senior, I'm allowed to sit outside, which is great! Lately I've been sitting with the ''cool kids'', and they're a lot of fun :)

As for Cross Country, we've had two meets now. Both of which I did okay in, but nothing special. The first one was just like a test, and I finished 32/69 with a time of 19:47. The second one was a lot more important, and against two other schools. Unfortunately, I failed at my task of coming in before their 5th guy. But we still won! My coach realized that the mileage we've had the last few weeks is a little much for an untrained guy like me, so he promised me to let me recover from my numerous injuries this week (painful knee, hip and shinsplints (beinhinnebetennelse)).

Other than that, I've experienced how strict teachers here are today. First I was told by a teacher to put my iPod EARBUDS away, if not she'd take them. After that, I was in the chemistry lab, and was told to pull my pants up because the teacher saw a glimpse of my underwear (clever as I was, I didn't say that it was the closest she'd ever get to a fit male individual again without paying).

This weekend we're probably going to a big fair (tivoli) with some other exchange students, I think that'll be fun. I've also cut my hair shorter than I've ever had it before, and it's SO nice! I love not having all that hair in my face..

torsdag 4. september 2008

Pizza in Willimantic, Gospel and First days of school!

Last friday Tim and I went over to Anni in Willimantic, and a pizza-party-thing at another exchange students place. They had invited loads of people, and amongst them where a couple of seniors at Windham highschool. They were really nice and we basically spent the night chatting and grilling marshmellows.

On Sunday, Anni came with us to a Gospel church in Middletown. It was an interesting experience, and a very different church than the other one I went to. They had dancers, ''clowns'' and the type of pastor you see on tv; singing his own things while there is a choir of 40 women behind him.

In the evening we went to the boat and met Skip and Lydia, old friends of Rick. They have a sailboat and have spent the past couple of years sailing up and down the American coast. Joe from Ricks band, his wife, Anni, and her hostmother Annette were there too. We went down the Connecticut river and swam in the Atlantic. Also, Skip and Lydia want me to join them on the boat for a 5-day passage from New York and south to Charleston. It sounds very interesting, but I'll have to talk to the counselor at school first!

On Tuesday school started. It was probably the most interesting day so far, and I had some troubles with finding classrooms. But people were really nice, especially those who understood I was an exchange student. I was unable to open my locker though, and asked random people for help! I was really lost at lunch, however. It's just like in the movies. You just stand there with a tray, and you have NO clue about where you're supposed to sit. Fortunately, Evan from the Crosscountry team saved me!

The next day, everything was a lot easier, but I realized that my English class was too hard, and that the teacher was a little bit too generous when it came to homework.. So, I switched into aneasier class and ended up in a class that is way worse! The teacher is the most monotonous and repetetive thing I've ever experienced.. It's definetely not a good sign to fall asleep in your first class..

Anyway, my math teacher is possibly one of the best teachers I've ever had! He's really good at explaining and a load of fun too! My teacher in physics is also really nice, and he's a co-trainer on the crosscountry team, so I know him from before. My US History teacher is also really nice, and he spent half of his class today interviewing Tim and I about what Europeans think about the US, and what the differences between our countries are. My chemistry and photography teachers are nice people too, and I'm looking forward to get started properly in those classes.

It's funny how many people know who I am now, and how few of them I recognize myself! It's also interesting how shocked a couple of people from my first day lunch table where when I didn't wait for them to show up and sat with some other people instead. I am very glad that I joined the crosscountry team though, because both the students there and the teachers have been helping me out a lot! The team spirit is great, and it's good exercice.

But now I'll have to wrap it up; homework is waiting! Last night I had four hours... Good old Norway with it's fourtyfive minutes :)