We are sleeping in tents. We are soon going to seaworld which is the biggest one in the world i think.. I just wanted to write about the friends from our trip.. One of the guys loks like the for in the movie flush but he is so nice and cute. One has wierd teeth and seems very insecure. The last one is pretty funny, but if you want to hang out with him you have to be funny too. We have one loud, talking girl who is 26 and i don't really like because she takes up all space when it comes to talking. her friend is more quiet and seems nicer, but i haven't talked much with her. it's a really skinny girl who we first met at the meeting and she seems nice. A girl with a pretty wierd face who looks kind of angry is also talking too much which annoys me a bit. We have a new Zealand-girl with a flashlight on her head who is really into hiking and stuff and she is kind of old fashioned, but i like her, she is cool. Another one from the same place is easy going and nice, i like her too. Two swiss girls - one talks and one doesn't. but they are ok. Yup, that's it...

 After LA we went to San Diego! I won't be able to post any pictures because the wifi doesn't works on my computer...... So nog i'm using Julias iPad. But we put our tents up, sleeping two and two in green tents. Later we got some info about activities and after that we went out to a beach and a pier to have drinks and watch the sunset and a rooftop bar. It sucks to be the only ones under 21...... Felt so silly to ask for water and now everybody sees us as a lot younger I think. Later we took some pictures on the beach and then julia and i and two other girls went back home, the otherones went out to party. We took a swim in the camping-pool and now we're just chilling in the tent. Going to sleep soon. Tomorrow we are going to seaworld.

 Hello! 

A lot of things have happend in a small amount of time.. First we got to LA and we slept at a hotel in Inglewood. The next day we went to another hotel for the meeting with the rest of the group. We are thirteen persons plus the tourguide. His name is Brian and he is so funny and cool. He makes jokes all the time and julia and i laugh a lot about him. We have two swiss girls, some from Australia and New Zealand and the most people from the UK. We started with a tour around LA - Beverly hills, walk of fame, sunset boulevard, the Hollywood sign.

the guide is cool and chill, we listened to mumford in the van, Laos the song California from the O.C. 

 Everything is all set. I have cleaned my room - it's now empty and it feels so good.

I did laundry today and soon the sheets will be done, and I will hang up the towels too, but that's it. I'm leaving tomorrow - just can't believe it! I have the trip of my life in front of me and I'm starting to get nervous and excited!

I don't know how much I'll have acess to wifi and how much I can charge me camera and phone, but I'll try to keep you updated as good as I can. Today I took a shower and packed the last things. It feels so wierd to move my big suitcase up to the attic, but it's also exciting. I can't believe I finished a year of work in another country with another family. I'm really proud of myself and still amazed how fast time went by. It feels like I've been sitting in my room forever but also not long at all. I think I'll meet Emelie soon to say goodbye, I doubt I will hang out with her a lot in Sweden, who knows - maybe this is the last time I meet her? I mean Lund is pretty far away and she is not very good at keeping touch, but we'll see..

Julia's family's new aupair arrives today and later on I'm going to pick Julia up and hang out at my place. Tonight Terese will come to and we're going to have a bbq-night. Chicken, baked potatoe and marshmallows.

Well, gotta go. But I'll update you soon! Cya.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I can't believe I have only three more days of work - it is absolutely craaaaaz!

I feel like I'm done with this aupair-life but the time just passed so fast - which is a sign that I had a really good time! And I had - without a doubt. This has been the year of my life and I hope I will remember it as the year of happiness. I've seen so much and disovered new states and cities. I know NYC and Boston as if I lived there for a much longer time. This will always be my second home. But right now I long back to my real room back home in Sweden. I want to breath the swedish air and go biking and motorcycling. I want to walk around in "elljusspåret", hang out the time I've missed with Ville, and drink wine on the porch late nights. I want to do scrapbooks and crafty things in my room, I miss my desk. I want to decorate my room for christmas. I want to hug the people I love and I want to cry at the airport when I first see them.

 

But first... I want to see the Hollywood-sign, I want to walk along Walk of Fame, I want to go to San Fransisco and walk the Golden Gate Bridge, I want to go to Universial Studios. I want to go to Hawaii. I have a month (A MONTH) of fun in front of me - and I will enjoy it in the best way!! I couldn't have found a better travel-mate than Julia, we always have something to talk about and we are so much alike. I hope I won't get sick of her, and I hope we will have the best time of our lives!!!

We'll leave in 11 days. Do you understand that?! 11 days!

Here's our plan:

 

24: Leave Boston. Hello LA.

25. The tour starts.

26-27. San Diego.

28. Colorado River.

29-30. Grand Canyon.

31-1. Las Vegas.

2-3. Sierra Nevada, Yosemite National Park.

4-5. San Fransisco.

6. San Fransisco, Pacific Coast.

7. Los Angeles, tour ends.

8-9. LA, flight to Hawaii.

10-16. Hawaii, flight back LA.

17-18. Universial Studios.

19-20. The O.C beaches, Redondo

21. Chill-day, flight to Boston.

I also started to think of a "not to miss"-list.

 

 

 

 

 I've been starting to think about what I will miss from the states when I leave..

Just these small things you never really think about, so I made a list:

 

 

 Today when I went upstairs in the morning Lori said the kids and Charlie planned to skip camp and go to Six Flags instead. I've been there before - it is like Gröna Lund or Liseberg except way bigger (you need a map). Lori asked if she should buy a ticket for me too, and I figured it would be fun! Arno had talked about this since spring, and I think the parents started to realize time is running out til they're going to France. Anyway, I ate breakfast and went back downstairs to take a shower (I had planned to do my workout today) and after a moment we left. The kids were really excited in the car and I thought I should have told them I don't go on many rides. Last time I was there I went on one ride only.. But I told them in the car that I didn't do much last time and they were fine with that. They hadn't really been at a real amusementpark before so everything was new to them anyway.

When we got there it started to get warmer outside. We went to the first ride and I started to get nervous. I didn't really want to go, but I didn't want to say no either - so I went anyway and I'm glad I did. It's like one step and then you're over it. Well, kind of. We went to several of the normal rides, I didn't panic at all. It felt better that the kids were as scared as I was. Charlie was the one pushing them and I followed them wherever they wanted to go.

We had an awesome day! Arno was so happy, held my hand all the time, talked about the rides and how scared he was.. We went to two of these were you get wet - not exactly anything I would have done if I was with someone else, but as the matter of fact I had so much fun! We had burgers for lunch and kept picking the next merry-go-rounds. I had an awesome time! Charlie came with us on everyone of them which was fun. I like when the parents get involved, that's a sign of a good parent.

At last Mirea and Charlie went to the MindEraser (were you go upside down really fast etc) and Arno and I went to the Looneytones-world. After that we went home. I really appreciated to spend some serious time with the kids and Charlie now that I don't work so much anymore and barely see Charlie.. Everybody was in a good mood and it was the best day in weeks! I will upload pics soon.. bye.

Thought I would write about Sweden in the american way. How the americans think of Sweden and what they know.

First of all they either have relatives or something in our country, or they haven't heard of it at all. Many of the americans mix it up with Switzerland.

If they do know about Sweden they have usually heard of Stockholm. Sometimes Malmö and Gothenburg, but mostly Stockholm. That's what people say when they ask us where we're from and we aswer Sweden.

The next thing they know is IKEA - it's very big here and since it says all the labels and stuff in swedish etc many people know IKEA is from Sweden. When we were on our way home from B one time a group of people from a red sox game started to talk to us, ask where we were from etc. When we were getting off the train they started shouting IKEA after us, it was so funny!

We've also heard a lot of Swedish House Maffia during our year here, since their music is on the radio all the time and they're called SWEDISH house maffia, it's kind of obvious. Also Avicii is on the radio all the time - nowadays "Wake me up!".

ABBA and Mamma Mia is also a typical swedish thing here. It's not the first thing people say about Sweden, but it's a big thing in the states and many people know where the band was from.

Volvo is the world's safest car and Sweden can proudly take the credit for that. A lot of americans drive Volvos.

They have Sockerbit - sweet and swedish in New York and swedish pieces of candy is something they don't really have here in the same way, they also have FIKA with special swedish receipts with crabfish etc, and a swedish bakery in Chinatown.

The Swedish Fish is one of the most common kind of candy in America.

H&M is international and very popular in the states. Don't know if many americans know it's from Sweden, but still.

Swedish meatballs and pancakes are popular food, mostly for kids.

 

Well, that's pretty much all I can think of right now...

 

 

 

 Later that night Julia had to work, so Madde and I watched "dear John" and then chatted for a long time until she had to go home and then she dropped me off at Julia's place so I could sleep there.

 

 

 

I thought I would write a little bit about my feelings right now.

I have only about 11 days left of work, it feels totally crazy!! Time just flies by and I am both excited and sad. I really love my life here, and I know I will miss it sooooo badly as soon as I get home, but right now it's hard to appreciate it in that way. Home sounds so good in my ears and I think a lot of everything I want to do and all the people I want to visit as soon as I get home. I love Sweden so much after a year here. I wouldn't say that I am homesick, more like I'm looking forward to come home. It feels like I have done my time here and I am ready for new experiences and adventures. I'm thinking about London and Paris as soon as I get some money.

The California-trip feels so incredible close now on the same time as it feels so distant. We plan for it all the time and I don't know how many times I pack the stuff "in my head". I'm trying to prepare, it feels like everything I do has something to do with the trip. I did some research about the O.C which made me SO EXCITED!! I can't believe I am going there. This has been my dream for soooooo long! It's finally becomming reality.

I'm a little bit sad that I don't have that much money I would have wished for though. This is the time of my life and I wanted to be able to do exactly whatever I want to without thinking about money, but all these trips are so expensive and I think I'll skip the most expensive attractions so I can do more things. It's not that I'm running out of money, it's more that I don't have too much extra which sucks. But as soon as I get home I will work my butt off so I can get back on track again. USA is expensive, especially when you have so many thing you want to do! I know I shouldn't worry about this, but I just can't help it. Julia and I walked in Public Garden yesterday and talked about everything and nothing, which made me feel better somehow. She is just an awesome person!

I've been talking to Pauline, the new aupair a lot - she is cute and I think she'll like it here. I want to show her everything, tell her everything and make my life to "hers" now. I am more than ready to leave, even though it feels sad. Did i tell you that I already stared to pack my bags a little bit? I'm packing my laptop-bag with scrapbookingstuff and paper. Fanny brought home soooo much of my things, which I apprecciate a lot!! I won't have to pay for that much overweight now!

I've been writing lists of things I will miss in USA, and I really try to appreciate everything this last month.

I'll write more later!

 

 

 Arno bought a pattern for a star warz-jawa at Ravelry, but then he realized he wouldn't be able to make it on his own, so he asked me if I could do it for him. So I did. I sat in my room for an entire day, only crocheting and it felt so good when it was done. I wanted to surprise him and when I was done I went upstairs when the family (not C) were baking something. Arno was happy about it and Lori amazed. Arno couldn't believe how fast I was able to do it and I was happy about his amazement. But later he went down to my room and started to talk about these safety-eyes he wanted the jawa to have. Apparently he had bought the eyes for the jawa, but now I had already put eyes on the guy and you can't take them away.. I knew he would say something about that, cause he had talked about those eyes before, but there weren't much I could do about it.. So after awhile I'm no longer sure if he wanted the jawa or not, cause now he put him in my window and said I should keep him. And since I never watched star warz and have no interest at all I don't relly want him. So we'll see what happens to the little jawa-guy!!