Hello out there!!

So today is the 6th of April, the time is flying by! and I have so many stuff to say!

I'm sorry that I'm such a lier, I know I said that I would starting updating my blog so much more,

but I am so BUSY!! But I guess I have a little extra time tonight!!

So a new announcement is that .... I GOT PICKED AS A RETURNEE!

I applied, and I was 99% sure that they wouldn't pick me, after everything I have been through, but my dad once told me, that no matter what, I always had to try, and don't give up, and thats what I was thinking, and I freaking made it! I'm for the first time proud of myself! Actually my dad thought I didn't applied(asked him right after camp if it was okay if I applied though), so he got a little surprise when I told him I made it, but he wrote that he was so proud of me,

which is what you always want to hear from your parents! My mom and little sister left to Thailand, the day I got the call, so they don't know that I'm staying a extra month longer! If any of you doesn't know what it means to be returnee, I will give a little explanation! The camp I went to this summer, in Vermont each year pick 6 girls, and 6 boys, who the year before went to the camp as a student before their high school year. The students they pick are then gonna be returnees, go back to the camp, and teach the the new students about what they are gonna go through, and preparation for the year! I'm so excited, I really want to give the new students the best start that I never got, and I know, I have to much experience about it after all. So if they didn't pick me as a returnee I would have been back in Denmark 22nd June at 7.30AM, but because I got picked I'm going to stay to the end of June, around the

30rd july!

HAWAII

So, I don't know If I mentioned it, but I won a free trip to Hawaii! And I went there the 21st of March! I knew it was Hawaii I was gonna go to, and it would be awesome, but I didn't expect to get the best week of my live, which I for sure had!! So the only persons I really knew at the trip before I went there was Ana and Fendall from the Norwich camp, and it was so good to see them! I filmed a vlog everyday, because I dont really like to write that much :-D and movies for me is better than books! So If you want to check out what we did everyday, you kind find the vlogs at Youtube.com/Patriciasvlog. I didn't clip all of them together yet because it's a lot of work. Anyhow, about the trip, it was so amazing, I got so many new friends, and we got so close together! I did stof with them that was to embarrassed to even do with my friends back in Denmark (sorry guys)! Some of you who knows me really well know that I dont laugh as much as I'm suppose to do, if you can say it that way :-D I have only had like 6 "grineflip" my entire life! but at the Hawaii trip, I had "grineflip" Laughing flips? every single day, I have never laughed that much! I actually really miss the trip, and I hope I can meet up with the people again! We did different things everyday, which I'm showing in my vlog! :)

So here it comes again, I'm gonna try to update the blog more often! Sorry

Gotta go, asta la Vegas!

Hi people!

So I promised that I would post some more blogs!

And now it's time again I guess :-)

Today is sunday! And I it's my 3 week at Arbor view,

and I don't know why, but I really love that school! I guess it have something to do with it's my high school year? The school is huge 3000 students, and I see new people every single day! I know that the schools in Vegas are in the bad end with the education, but Arbor view is a pretty new school, so it's one of the better one, but still a lot of things going on there! The day before yesterday suddenly everybody started to gather in a circle, and then there were two black people dancing in the circle just like in the movies! But when you see a circle of people at the school can be a bad thing to cause yesterday we had to fights at school, with all the people standing around, but that's just the high school life, I still love it! And it's good to see all my old friends at the school again.

So I want to tell about my lovely family, the Marcos.

I'm so happy for my new family, I wish I could stay with them for longer time, cause they are great! Actually we are right now working on extending my visa, so I can stay here over the summer, cause I really want to stay with the family as long as possible! I think I already said once who the family consist of, any how, they are just a "perfect" match for me! Normally I would be shy, and not feel home, but with them I'm open, and I feel so much home here! They have really just opened their arms for me, and letting me be a part of the family, I got a 2nd family which I am so happy for! I lost my cable to my camera, so I'm waiting for my new one to come, so I can upload the new pictures!

Skiing/snowboarding trip to Brian Head

So the family likes to do a lot of things, and one of the things is skiing, which I have never tried before because my danish family isn't a big fan of the cold weather, or maybe not good athletics, but I have always wanted to try, cause so many of my friends always go on ski vacations. Well last week from the 27th-30rd January we went to Brian Head Utah to go skiing, I was so excited. So around 6PM thursday we left for the 2 hours trip to Utah, and Friday morning we went up the mountain to ski! I loved it, it was so much fun, and the weather and snow was great, actually it was really hot, but it was fun! Saturday they had this deal with rental, snowboarding/ski lessons, and left ticket going on for only $40 which is cheap, so I got snowboarding lessons with my host sister Lauren, we felt so many times, didn't even count it, cause it took us 10min to get down from a hill, which normally only would take 1,30min, so I started to give up, cause my butt and head started to hurt alot, but I took my last turn, and then I totally got the hang of it, I learned the Technique, and I came down from the hill without falling, so I kept going on snowboarding, and I loved it, I prefer snowboarding instead of skiing now! But it was an awesome experience, and I had a great trip with the family!

Sadies

So Saturday there was a Sadie dance, which is kind of reverse. It's this story about Sadie Hawkins,

but I'm not going to go in any details about that, just google it! But It's the girl who ask the boy out for the dance, and the girl have to buy matching clothe for the boy and her self, and because I only have been at the high school for 2 weeks, so I didn't feel I could ask anybody, which is said, cause I had really been looking forward to a reverse dance, I will hope there will be one more before Prom! Anyhow, I went there with Kris and Sharonda, it was fun, we went to the dance party first, and of course we had to do the DJ Casper song, and Soulja boy dance, which is so American! And I have to say, America teens definitely dance different compared to people in Denmark! But after the dance we went to Sushi Loca, and got some delicious Sushi, and then we were suppose to go to the stripe, but we didn't have time for it.

SuperBowl

So today was superbowl sunday, probably the biggest sport even her in America! It was the Steelers vs. Packers, and my family was cheering on the Steelers, which I also did because of them, but my dad already actually said they he though they would lose. Any how we went over to the neighbors to a superbowl party (American style) where there was a lot of other people, and A LOT of unhealthy food! Any how, the Packers won, by 31-25. But I was a good American experience!

THAT'S MY BLOG FOR TODAY!

Have fun out there, and take care!

Love Patti

Hi guys!

Well I guess I'm a really bad blogger? I haven't made a blog for a long time,

and I'm so sorry about that! But I didn't want to talk about all my bad experiences!

But to make it short, I have changed families twice!!! And I just didn't want to write

about all the crap I have been through the last few months! But EVERYTHING IS

ALL RIGHT NOW!

First of all I won the trip to Hawaii! It was this contest EF Discovery tour made,

you had to send a video in by your 3 favorite places in your hometown, and then

they would pick their top 3 which I was in, and then it was all about getting most

"likes" out of the 3. I had a lot of fun, with making the movie!

But I want to say thank you to all of you, for helping me with the votes,

didn't expect to win! But $2400 / 1300kr in my pocket, and a FREE trip to HAWAII!!

From thanksgiving to now I lived with my temporary host family the Carsons!

A really nice family out in Moapa, and hour from Vegas in the desert! I had a lot of

fun together with them, and appreciate that they took care of me! There isn't really

any host families left her in Nevada, so EF couldn't really find any families at all!

So I started to try by myself, but it's not easy when you are 9 hours away from home,

and you don't know anybody! But I asked my friend Kris, which is a friend of mine,

from my old school, if she knew anybody? She asked me to write a letter about myself,

and 3 days later (3rd january), she told me she found a wonderful family for me!

I was so excited about the news! I didn't really know anything about the family,

but the family wanted me to move as soon as possible, so the next day I called my

RC, and asked if she would talk with the family, so she called them! Because of

exams coming up I couldn't move school to after the semester! But the family would

like to have me over for the weekends. So Friday the 7. January my RC drove me

to their home, and there they was, ready to welcome me! Besides that I spend the

next weekend with them again.

Thursday I ended my exams, 5 exams in one day! I'm telling you, it was CRAZY!!

But after my exams, I was headed to Vegas to my new home! So now I'm here with my

new wonderful family The Marcos! My family consist of my mom Kiersten, my dad Keith, sister Lauren 12, and my other sister Sarah 10! I am so happy for them, I know this is a REALLY good match! I know I'm going to have the best half year of my life with them!

I'm will start to make some more blogs! But I'm gonna go now, so I cant spend some time with my lovely family! (will take some pictures of the family soon)

Love ya!

Patticake

Hi out there!

So today is September 4th I think, and I haven't updated my blog for a while, and I have an excuse for that! One week after I arrived my best friend Mr. Computer died, so I haven't had time to make a blog. But I guess my mom and dad miss me so much since they wanted to send me a macbook! So now I can make my blogs!

Since last time

So a lot of things had happened since last blog.

My host family have taken me around in Vegas, so much as they could, because their work started before the kids and I started in school,we have spend a lot of time home to. But we have been visiting the Strip a couple of time, which I really enjoyed, I like being there because everything is so big around you! and Vegas is a beautiful city, but it's beautiful at night time, all the lights is not to describe! We went to a Cheap Trick concert which was very good, it was at Paris Hotel. They also took me all the way to Arizona, or Hover Dam which was very beautiful, but it was very hot! I dont think I have been a place before where it was that hot!! After hover dam we went to Lake meat which is a big lake here in Vegas, or in Boulder City which is right next to Vegas. The lake had a Beach, where a lot of people hangout with their yetski, which I thought was awesome, and the lake was also very beautiful!

Welcome party

Last weekend there was this Welcome party for the kids who lives in Vegas! Everybody had to bring a dish which represent our own country, and I made hindbærsnitter which is a danish kage, I had some problems making it, but it seems to everybody liked it because I didn't even got a piece by myself before it was gone. I had a blast to the welcome party, there where a lot of students from the camp, so it was so good to see them again! I also met a lot of other exchange student that I haven't seen before, so I was good too, to meet new people!

First week of school

So monday August 30. I had my first day of school!The school I attend to is Arbor View, a brand new school almost! Which around 3000 students. I live very close to the school, it takes me 10 min to go there, I just have to walk out of the gate, and then I can see the school. First school day was crazy, first I had to go to my homeroom, where I got a lot of papers to sign, and information, and then I used the rest of the day to walk around to the classes to get more papers that I have to sign. The school is very big, so I had a lot of problems finding my classes. But the most stupid part is classrooms from 100-999 is down stairs, and classrooms from 1000-2000 is upstairs, and my schedule is 604, 1104,721,1101,703,1207 that's the number of the class, so everytime I have to go to a new class, I have to go up and down! So I could pick to classes by myself, the rest was mandatory . I picked Appd Comm (Broadcasting) where we are making movies, and news at the school. And then I picked International Relations, where we are talking about problems in the world. The rest us American Literature H, Genetics H, Algebra H, and U.S Government H. The most of my classes is H and seniors classes, and H is honor which is a class for clever kids I guess, it's harder than a normal class, so some of the classes is really hard, so I want to see if I can change some of them, which isn't easy at all. So So there is to lunches and both of them is 30 minutes, and lunch use to be the best part of the school! But to be honest I dont like the lunch! It's so crowded, there is no where to sit because there is not tables and chairs enough, you cant find you friends because there is people all over the place, and then you use 5min of the lunch to go to the area, and 5 min going back. 2 years ago there was this accident at Centenial high school, it was these student who went out to lunch to eat, and then they had to hurry back not to be late for there classes, so they crashed and died, and because of that, the schools in Vegas/ Clark Country wont allow you to go outside in school time, so the school alreay starts at 7am they lock all the doors! And that's one of the reasons that it's so crowded. So first week of school is over, and I dont like it so much, it's not easy to get friends at all, I didn't thought it would be that hard, but it is! From a school in Denmark where you have all the classes together with the same people it's so much easier, cause you are getting so much closer! But I dont know, cause I have only been there for a week. But I haven't got any friends for real. Another thing is we get A LOT of homework, really!! Every single day this week I had homework, and now I work on a power point! But that's how high school is!

Football game

So friday even

ing our football boys had a homegame, and I went there together with Kaila, a girl I met in

my broadcasting class, and Jessi which is my host moms goddaughter! The game started 7pm and we came exactly 7pm, and of course there where a big line! So we waited 35min before we came in! Before we went in, we have to go through this metal detector, and they had to look in our bags, which surprised me a lot! There where 6 police men at the game, because there where rumors about a fight. There where a lot of people, and there where even a helicopter to film. We didn't really watch the game, we just talked, but of course our football guys won! It's funny cause some of the things is really like in the movies! The football guys is the hot guys, and they are dating the cheerleaders.

Things todo this month

So this weekend is a long one, kind of.. School is of on monday because it's labor day, and there is this pool think at the Strip tomorrow with the exchange students I maybe will go to.

Next weekend there is block party, and my host family said I could invited some friends to come, so I think that's going to be fun.

The week after from Thursday 16th to saturday or sunday all the exchange students is going up to Mt. Charleston which is a mountain 20 minutes away from here, where we are

going to learn stuff a things I guess.

The week after that, my host family and I are going to LA in California, to this big Italy fiesta

My host family is the party people, and they like to make big deal out of traditions

which I really like! Anyways they told me I could invited people over, make a pool

party when every I wanted, so I hope I have time for that in this month too.

I guess that's all for now!

Take care, and have fun!

Love Pat

Hi Guys,

I wanted to make an updated!
Today it's Friday, an I'm together with my host family now!
I arrived Saturday from the camp.

Norwich Language & Culture Camp
I arrived to the camp sunday 18. july together
with 23 danish people! And that was the beginning of the two best weeks! The camp was awesome, it's something you cant describe, you have to try it! A normal day for me would start with breakfast at 8AM, and they school would start 9AM where we had 4 different subjects, life in america, current issue, American history, english. After american history would we get a 2hours break to eat lunch, after lunch, and then go back to school and have the last class english. After school could you choose many different aktivites, as commando hike, tennis, soccer, the mall, fitness, etc. there was so many different aktivites todo! the aktivites goes from 4PM to 5.30PM, and after the aktivities you would have dinner, and the camp food was good, but a lot of fast food, but you will get a lot to choose from. After dinner, was there aktivities again, movies, the yearbook, swimming, etc. We didn't have to pick an aktiviti. After and before luch you will hangout with you friends, which was my farvorite part of all! I got so many new friends, and we got so close together, we had to much to talk about all the time! The thing about camp is, you dont know anybody, but you will have a lot to talk about because you have this thing in common that you both are exchange students and you are going the same way, to experience something competely new! But we did a lot of trips, shopping in Boston, the beach, baseball game, which I really enjoyed! Before you get to look over your shoulder it's over, the two weeks pass so quickly, and suddenly it's friday. Friday where a day with a lot of things to do, we had our last day of school, we had to pack all our stuff together, and then we had the last dance, and we got a surprice which was firework, it was so "hyggeligt" the dance ended at 11.00 and we had to be in the hall at 11.10 to say goodbye to everybody, it was the most saddest i ever have experience! But I could write a hole book about the camp, but I dont have time to tell everything ..

My host family
So friday was the last day of camp, and everybody was assembled in the hall, and everybody had got a bus number, so everytime they said a busnumber it was time for somebody to leave, my busnumber was manchester 2, which ran at 1.45 am, the trip from the camp to manchester airport took 2 hours, but everybody was tired to we sleept all the way to the airport. My first fly departure was 6. 17 but it got delayted, so I had to flew 1½ hour later, but because of that I would miss my next fly, so I had to get new flyticket. I flew from Manchester airport to New jersey airport, and then to Vegas. The fly was very boring, all the other exchange students from the camp who was going to Vegas too, was flying from others airports, so I didn't have any to talk with all the way, but I made it!

I arrive at Las Vegas airport 2.24pm, and my host family was there with baloons, flowers, and my new host siblings had mad posters/signs to me! It was so good finally to meet them, and I got a big hug from everybody! On our way home we drove through the strip, and it was very beautiful, but the best thing of all was the beautiful mountains, and palm trees, I really loved that! It took us about 25 minuts and then we arrive to the house, and they showed me around in the house, and showed me my room, which I really like!

Today it's friday 7th of august and I have been here for 6days, and I love it, my host family is so nice to me, and we did something everyday! There is a lot of things to do here in Vegas! We been to a magic show at hilton hotel, went out bowling, went out to se the strip at night, and at day time. My host mom got me in toch with some other exchange student, so they came here to hangout the other day, and today I'm going home to them, to a sleepover. There is so many things to tell, but I will takes time to write down! But I having a blast with my new family!

About my vlogs, I dont know if it will work, I filmed a lot of good stuff,
but I cant clip it together in moviemaker because I have to convert it first,
and when I convert the clips, the quality will be so bad.

I will start school around 30 august!

Take care and have fun out the re!
Greetings from Patricia xoxo

Quick update - Blog 3, 11/07-2010

It's sunday 11 july, so from to day there is only a week to I will leave Denmark, and it feels weird, but it's not really dawned on me yet! I dont think I will realize that I have to leave before the day I stand in the airport! I know that this week will be so sad, it's so hard to say godbye to everybody, and especially after the summer because I had been together with my friends all the time, and we got so much closer to each other! But I guess, it's never funny to say godbye.

I got my Host Family!
So to make a little update! This Wednesday I finally got my Host family, and it maked me so much more excited! I start tjeking my EF home page, and saw that they had moved me to a new school, and removed my arrival family, but they didn't put a new one up, so I ask my IEC, and she told me that I got a host family! I have been writing some mails with the family, and they are so friendly I'm really excited to go and meet them! So the family lives in North Las Vegas, In a beautiful home! The family consists of my host mom Luann, my host dad Cris, my host siblings 9 years old twins Christopher and Lauren, and the dog Chewie :-) I'm really happy that I got a host family like them, I'm sure that I will fit good into the family!

Arbor View High School
To another thing, I got a new school, and I would mean that the high school is an important thing to, because I'm going to spend a lot of time there to! Before I should go to Moapa Valley high school outside Las Vegas, but because the family lives in Las Vegas I had to be moved. I tjekt the school out and I really like it! It's a new school built in 2005 with 2500 students, it's look really great, and I will live 3 minutes in car away from it, so that is very good!

The camp
I will leave on sunday for the camp, and I really looking forward to meet all my friends I had talked and chat so much with the last few months! I'm so sure that I'm going to have two wonderfull weeks at the camp, learning a lot of new people!

Vlogs
Before I will end this blog, I have something to tell :-D I got this Flip Slide Camera from USA, and I have decided that I want to try to make some daily videos blogs, and it's not going to be something where I will take about things and all that, I just want to do it a little bit in Shaytards style, where I'm going to film my life in the USA, I will film something on sunday. I think it will be funny to look back at the videos later when I get home again! But I dont know if it will work, but I will try to make a video every month if I can :-) I guess I will put them up on a youtube channel, links will come up later.

Talk to you soon, next time will be a about the camp!
Take care out there!
Love Patpat

News update - Blog 2, 06/13-2010

I got an arrival family About 2 months ago I got a call from EF, and they told me that they have found an arrival family to me in Nevada, the Las Vegas area. It’s not my host family, it’s only a temporarily family. The reason that I got a arrival family is that my IEC have looked at my profile and thought I would fit well into the Las Vegas area. Because it’s the family that have to pick me, and not the IEC, my IEC gave me a arrival family, so other family’s from other areas/stats couldn’t pick me. Another reason was that I would be able to get my Visa and then they could get me into the school system.

About my arrival family: They live in a small city named Logandale Located an hour's drive from Las Vegas, The father is a fireman, and the mother is a housewife, they have two kids, but they don’t live at home. They also have a dog, a cat, and some fish. They like to do a lot of activities, which is a big plus. But maybe I’m not even going to meet them, because it’s an arrival family, but if then I’m only going to live there in 2 weeks, and then they expect that they have found a host family to me. But they are still showing my application to people in the area, I could be placed in Vegas, Boulder City, Logandale, or Mesquite.

EF Culture & Language Camp – Norwich
Before I travel to Nevada, I will attend to this camp, which is a Culture and language camp, where I will spend 2 weeks together with 450 other students from all over the world. The camp will take place at Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont. We are going to get a taste of how it is to go to high school in the U.S, so there will be classes we have to go to every weekday, from 9.00am to 3.00pm, and after that there is a lot of activities. We are also going to explore Boston, a trip to the beach, and go watch a baseball game. I’m really looking forward to it, I have talked together with a lot of people who will join the camp, so it’s going to be fun, finally to meet them, especially Ale!! The camp end 31. July, and I will fly to Nevada.

I got some info about the departure!
Departure: 18 july, 7.50 from Kastrup airport, We are going to swift fly in Iceland – reykjavik Then we will arrive about 13.00pm U.S time in Boston .

The end So this blog is getting so long! I thing I have to end it now.
I think my next blog will be up, a week before leaving :-)

Take care! Greeting from Pat :-)