Meeting the hostfamilies!

Day 4 - Monday

Hi!

Today we should meet the hostfamilies for the first time, but before that we had some over plans. A bus picked us up at 10 am and then we drove to Golden Brigde, so we had the oppertunities to take a lot of fotos. A man took a group picture of all of us with the bridge in the background. The brigde is not that long compared to the other brigde in the other end of the city, but Golden Bridge is beautiful because it is red and pretty tall. After Golden Bridge we drove to Muir Moods, which is natural forest where the trees are really old and tall. To get to the parking lot in front of the entrance to Muir Woods, you have to drive at small, twisted roads. 

Muir Woods was really beautiful and peaceful! The color green defiantly dominated your sight, and a little stream ran through the earth. 

After an hour in Muir Woods we were in the bus again - this time towards John Steinbeick museum in Salinas. As I have been writing earlier, we had masterclasses before the trip. In one of them we heard about the very famous American writer John Steinbeck. Some of his work includes 'The Pearl', 'Of Mice and Men' and 'The Grapes of Wrath'. The bus driver had some problems with finding the right way, so he drove a little bit more than he should. Anyway, we came to the museums after Sofie helped him with Google Maps. 

It was a nice museum where you were allowed to tuch everything. 

We finally drove towards Menlo Park where school is located. Suddenly the bus stopped at the high way, because of some problems. But it was able to drive again normaly pretty sohn after we stopped. 

We arrived at Menlo Atherton High School around 6 p.m, where the families turned up one by one - each family brought a dish for the putlock. I was pretty nervous and excited to meet the family. But they were really sweet and friendly! The family consist of the father Massimilano, the mother Lucia, the daughter Marta (she is the one I am going to follow in the school) and the son Georgio. After a woman took a group picture of all the Danish and American students, we drove to a local supermarket - then home to the Fatica house. Their house is really cozy, and the size of the house was normal compared to the rest of the houses in the are. I got my own rome, and they had been laying towels and the table. 

The rest of the evening I spend of eating some Ben&Jerry, watched Tv with Marta and talken to her. 

Looking forward for tomorrow to see how a typical high School is.

Bye for now!

Alcatraz

Day 3 - Sunday

Hi!

Today I choose to have long pants on, but that was a little mistake because most of the time it was pretty hot. But I am glad I had them on anyway. 

To get to the harbour where the boat towards Alcatraz is/was, we walked up and down the really steel roads. It is so weird that the roads are so steel! In Denmark you don't have anything like that! I should not at those streets if thèrese is snow or anything. 

It only took around a quarter to get to Alcatraz island with the boat, and the sun was shining, so the bay and the city looked so beautiful! 

At Alcatraz we joined a huge group of turists with a guide, and he was telling about the history of the island. When he finished the tour we went to the building which served as the prisoner building. We all got a pair of headphones, because it is your 'guide' at the audio tour. You walk through the buildings while a voice tell you the story of the prison and about some of the inmates. They told personal stories too. It was really interesting to listen to! One of the things I learned on the Tour was that Alcatraz was not only a prison to the inmates, but in fact it was a home for all of the kids and wives of the officers. 

To get back to Union Square we took the Cable Car, which was really funny to try. I went to some shops with Anna, Cecilie and Emilie. For instance we went to the Converse-shop, and I bought a pair.   We went to Walgreens as well, and the woman behind the desk was named Camilla (as me) and she is from Denmark as well. What is the odds for that? 

Between Denmark and America there is a huge difference between how you are treated a custumer. In America everybody is so sweet and friendly against everybody. In Denmark it is not the same. Here they make you feel comfortable. I am so happy to be here in America and be able to practice my English all the time!
All 19 students, Linda and Søren (the two teachers) ate dinner at 'The Cheesecake Factory'. I feared that the prices would be a bit expensive, but luciky they were not. The food was soo good, and the size of each plate was gigantic! The waitors were really nice too!
Another fantastic day in San Francisco has come to an end with great weather. I am looking so much forward to Muir Woods and to meet the American host family tomorrow!
By for now!

The Magic Bus

Day 2 - Saturday
Hi!
when I finally got to bed Friday evening, I fell a sleep so quickly because I was so tired! But I woke up a couple of times - I don't know why...
The breakfast at The Adelaide Hostel was better than I expected. You could choose between a lot of different kinds of bagels and you could choose peanutbutter, nutella, jam, butter and Philedelphia (creamcheese) to put on top on your bagel. There was oat meal with cinnamon, raisens and apples. It tasted so great! Better than oat meal in Denmark if you ask me!

After breakfast a man called Macmood came to the hostel, where he was gong to held a lecture for us.
He talked about the American history, the language, the American culture, to be an immigrant like himself (he is an immigrant from Egypt) and education. I think it was interesting to listen to, and he was really friendly. After the lecture, we walked down to Union Square, where we took The Magic Bus for a ride. It was really funny bus painted in a lot of colores, and the tour guide was dresset out as a hippie from the 60's. She called us her 'tribe' and talked a lot about love, inner spirit and harmoni. 
The purpose with this tour was to take us back in time to the 50's and 60's, where the Beat Generation and the hippies had their birth. We came through China Town, Haight Asbury, Lower Asbury, Market Street, Golden Gate Parc etc. It was an interesting and beautiful tour - and funny as well. 

After the tour, we had some hours for shopping. I bought some clothes and a pair of Nike shoes! :D - There were a lot of great shops! In the evening most of us went to a steakhouse. We had to wait to get our table and food. When we finally got our steaks, we were all so tired that we did not have to enjoy the food properly... The prices were a bit expensive, and we All had to pay 15$ each for tax and service!! But the food was good though. 

I'm looking forward to Alcatraz tomorrow!
Bye for now!

Finally here!

Hi!

The internet on the hostel was been teasing a lot, so I have not been aple to write before now (Sunday) about Friday. Tomorrow - Monday - I will be writing about yesterday and today, but I am to tired to write anymore right now.. 

The 11 hours of flight went pretty good with no turbulence. I slept for 4-5 ours I think, but I am not sure, because I only slept a half an hour or an hour each time.. It was actually a huge plane with 8 seats on each row. Every seat had it’s own screen, were you could watch movies or listen to music. I saw “Frozen”. I loved it! So sweet!

We finally landed in San Francisco. Before we could get our trunks, we had to wait 2 hours to get through the immigration… When we finally got our trunks – accept for Bjørg who lost her trunk – and out of the airport, the bus which supposed to pick us up, was layed too. When we arrived at Adelaide Hostel, we were so tired all of us. When we arrived at the airport in San Francisco, the time was around 2-3 a.m. in Denmark while it was 5 p.m. here in San Francisco. I think the time difference between the two countries is so weird!

The Adelaide Hostel is very cozy. In the lounge there are some couches, computers etc. The rooms are cozy too, and the toilets/restrooms + the showers are in the hall, and everybody share. I am going to share room with Cindy, Cecilie, Isabella and Sofie in a room with 6 beds. I tried to lay in the bed when I first entered the room, and wow, it was good! The only negative thing about this, is that there are no duvets – only a blanket and a sheet. ´

San Francisco is so beautiful in the night! All the skyscrapers were so beautiful too - Denmark doesn't have so high buildings!

I am looking so much forward to the next couple of days here in San Francisco!
Bye for now! 

Update from CPH Airport

Hi!
I just wanted to give a small update from Copenhagen Airport. The plane was supposed to take of at 1.15 p.m., but unfortunatly the plane is two hours delayed and it is expected to take off at 15.05... Of course it could be a lot worse than it is! I am happy that the plane is not delayed more than this!
Thank Good, that this airport is so huge, so there is a lot to see and many places to buy things.
Now that the plane is delayed, we will arrive later in San Francisco, but we will get there sooner or later.
I am a little tired, but luckily there is plenty of time to sleep in the plane.
Bye for now! :-)

Tomorrow!!

Wow, I simply cannot understand that we are leaving tomorrow!! All of my belongings are packed, and there is a lot of space to buy new things over there!
All of my assignments for next week have been handed in, so I don't have to think about it while I'm in America - that is a good feeling.
Tomorrow we are going to meet up at the school at 5.40 a.m - that is a bit early, but it doesn't matter, because there is plenty of time to sleep while we are flying 11 hours and 20 minutes from Copenhagen to San Francisco - non stop! I really hope I don't get to much jetlag - I have never tried to fly that far and so many hours before. I will find out sooner or later.

When we are in America there are opportunities for fri Wi-Fi, so I will try to write as much as possible.

I can't understand that I am actually going to America - it has been my dream for so many years, and now I finally going there! Unbelievable! I am so excited for tomorrow!!
Well, I am of to bed now - I am getting up 4.45... Bye from one on!
(22.25 p.m)

Masterclass with a British teacher

The schoolday started pretty good today! Viby Gymnasium (my school) has an exchange with a British school from Hornsea this week, and one of the teachers - Mr. Tim Batten - agreed to teach us (we are 19 students going to USA) for one lesson. It was really interesting what he teaching us and it was funny to hear his British accent.
Each Tuesday throughout March we have been meeting at the school, and we have had what the teachers call 'masterclasses' where we are supposed to learn more English. And the lesson with Tim Batten was a masterclass as well.

In the lunchbreak we met again to get the last information and the program of the trip! Wow, now it is really coming so much closer! I can't believe it is the day after tomorrow we are leaving!

I bought a present for the American host family yesterday. It was a hard decision to make, because I don't know what they like or prefer. But I think it ended up pretty good - now I just hope they like it!