This might take awhile to write, but I decided to summarize my 10 weeks here in the United States!

First of all: I didn't expect my kids to be so wellbehavied and polite as they are. I was kind of prepared for a struggle, for fighting children with lots of issues. I'm so thankful for my kids, after all - the kids are your job and it's important to get along with them and I totally love them. I would never ever want any other children! Like today: it was freezing cold and snowing outside. Mirea and I went to Starbucks to get her some hot chocolate and when we sat in the car she asked me if I was cold. I said yes and she told me to take a sip of her hot chocolate to get nice and warm again. So friendly and caring! And Arno yesterday: I went upstairs with him when it was time for his shower in the evening before bedtime. After a while he started to make fog on the shower enclosure. He drawed a heart and an arrow to me. Then he wrote I love you. He is awesume - both of them are!

Lori and Charlie are also really good people. I'm glad that I have them as my hostparents - this whole family is great. I could wish that we communicated more (we do not have weekly meetings as they said, cause they seem to be happy about everything). What I hadn't expected was their strict rules about table manners and so on. Fabric napkins every dinner (in your lap), no elbows on the table, no speaking with food in your mouth (this rule totally make sense to me, but I still think they are a little bit to strict), no leaving the table while eating, sit properly on your chair etc. When I wrote it here it suddenly looked different compared to the reality. My point here was that I think it might be a little bit to strict. But otherwise the kids wouldn't be so well behavied so I get it.

I start to like my room here (it will never be like mine at home, but still) I've make it more Victoria now and it feels good to wake up here every day. My bed here is definitely more comfortable here than home!! I sleep like a princess every night. I have just put up my picturewall too - I'm so happy about it! The one thing I can complain about my room is that the roof is so thin - I hear everything that's going on upstairs and they probably hear me too. Usually I don't do very loud things but I hate to be aware that they can hear me whatever I do. I don't like that I have to be quiet.

My bathroom is great - I love to have my own bathroom! But it's audible too - and I still haven't got used to the fact that it's almost 75 percent water in the toilet compared to about 25 percent in Sweden (and that's just in my toilet in this house!). I hope I will look back here and laugh some day...

Some other differenses: They always have cheese on their pasta, we always eat two pieces of bread together (a sandwich) not just one piece like we do at home. They always have lunchbags for school, they get off school/jobs if there's too much snow. I could sit here and write the whole night, but I don't have energy for that. Measurements, temperature and so on are different. So far I haven't learned so much of it, but I guess I will.

I think I've learned some english, but I still feel like a beginner. I know I'm learning all the time, but sometimes it feels so far away... Sometimes the kids think I'm stupied, like I don't get anything at all - I would really like to show them my homecountry and the world I am from. Because they seem to think that their world is everything that exists. And I don't blame them, but sometimes I get tired of doing everything their way just because they think that's the only right way. But, this is level 7 - I love my family and I love the USA.

I don't know how much I've gained so far, but we'll see later on. I do workouts several times a week (exept last week when I had a cold). There's much junkfood here, but my family are still kind of healty so I hope that'll help me cause I don't whant to come home fat ;)

About myself: This is a journey of my life. So far I can say that it have been worth it. It has opened my eyes so much, I see life in a different way - I appreciate life in a different way! Before I left I started to see everything as if I saw it for the last time of my life, that's interesting. And I have done so much fun stuff here, more than I would have done in 6 months at home probably, I've met so many new people and learned how simple life can be if you only let it. If you want to do something - just do it. Life is too short to be shy and scared!

I have developed so much as a person so far, I can say right now that this decision to go here was one of the best decisions of my life. I've discovered so many nice places and things. It feels good to know that the world have so much more to give!

Ofcourse Sävsjö and you people pops up in my head sometimes, I have to remind myself that a year is a short time of my life and that everything will stay as it is. I have thought of elljusspåret, källeryd, badhuset, biblioteket etc. Wierd things I didn't think I would miss. And I can't really say that I miss it either - I have just thought about it.. I'm glad I haven't been homesick yet. CC say that the homesickness usually starts between the second and the fourth month. But so far I just feel that I miss something for a while and then the thought dissappears. I think the worst part is that I can not get it. That it is impossible for now and some months further on. Please you guys, don't say that you miss me - the day when I'm really homesick I will take it very serious and maybe want to go home. You don't want to ruin my year!

Sooo... with these words I just wanted to say: I am happy with my life here and I am thankful for that!

Talk to you later!

Xoxo