Thanksgiving...in Norway!!? ;)

PICTURES FROM THANKSGIVING!

let me just give you guys a little back round on my amazing Thanksgiving. I thought I was going to make dinner, but seeing as though I FAIL as a cook, my amazing cook of a host dad made the BEST Thanksgiving dinner one could have asked for ;). However I DID make some pretty bangin' cookies with my grandma's Molassas Cookie recipe. lovelovelove. It was a really great night, I got to invite three friends over & I talked to my ENTIRE family via skype. (BTW- congrats on the hockey win, Jones boys. You're representing well. makin' me proud. well done.) Anyways it was certainly a different kind of Thanksgiving, but in the end it was really nice. Now I'm looking forward to a little Christmas! ;)

norsknorskengelsknorsk.

So, the rain is back. After a nice long break without it. It's come again--full throttle. :D love love love. Actually, it really isn't THAT bad, it is just getting VERY COLD. Hey now, I can't really say anything. I was warned before I got here. So the past few weeks haven't been super exciting. There haven't been any crazy parties or volleyball tournaments or insanely frustrating times where I cannot fathom what I have gotten myself into. It's just like home. Its comforting and not boring--yet. I think I've graduated from being "the foreign girl" to "Cassie from America" if that makes sense at all. STILL THOUGH, people don't just come up and talk to me. I don't understand the utter fear that some people have to speak English with me. I mean maybe its because I'm just so scary and intimidating ;). YEAH RIGHT. Its like that saying "its probably more scared of you than you are of it." Like when talking about spiders and such. In this case, I'm the spider and the Norwegians are the "you". Seriously, I don't think their English is bad AT ALL. My Norwegian is still VERY minimal & so I'm probably extremely more terrified. Actually, I KNOW I AM. Its probably my only frustration :) PLUS, they can speak norwegian with me now. I'm actually surprised at how much I can understand or can circulate through my mind to come up with the right translation, (or close to it). I don't want to be that weird girl that just goes up to them and talks, ya know? But hey, maybe I should try. I need to get rid of the epic plague of shy-ness. I regret that I have it & have not searched for the cure. Being shy isn't going to get me anywhere though.

Some exciting things that have happened include me seeing NEW MOON on the Norwegian premier date, 20th of November. IT WAS GREAT. I like the first one better, & no matter how many times Jacob takes his shirt off, I'm still an avid Edward fan. Sorry, hon, your abs can't give unconditional love like Edward can. HAHA, okay I'm done being one of THOSE obsessive Twilight girls. However, I have come to realize that the "Twilight craze" is not purely a weird cultural American thing. ITS ALL OVER THE WORLD. EVERYWHERE. You can't escape it. Thats what you get when you write about an insanely hot vampire falling in love with a regular girl. Cruel ;). The movie itself got REALLY bad reviews in Norway. One source rated it a 2 out of 5 while another rated it a 3 out of five. I doubt the critics read the books though, that's what made the movie ;). I went with a whole group of girls & the theatre was PACKED. sold out, of course. Mostly girls, although I know there are a few fans that are guys in my class that were there also ;). I should have counted the swoons or sighs when Jacob took off his shirt. But then again I should have counted how many times Jacob took off his shirt, haha. Unnecessary, but I'm not complaining...After the movie I slept over at Marte's and ate more candy than I needed too. I also vowed to excercise the next day...FAIL...instead I went into Førde (MET EVAN THERE! yay! be happy evan, you get a shout out.), met Synniva & Marte, then went to Synniva's house with Gunvor and Marte and made pancakes (HEALTHY ONES, MIND YOU) and I ate more candy. woo! Let's not discuss how I've gained weight since I have been here. But, blog readers, you'll be proud to know that I ran VERY far on monday (a nice hearty jog), and then today I went to the gym with Kristina. To say the least I AM trying to be an active exchange student. I'm trying not to stand out too much as the American by standing against the stereotype that ALL Americans are fat. Because we're not.

Other exciting things to come include THANKSGIVING ON THURSDAY! I am going to make dinner and have friends over. I'm really glad I get to do that, because I'm not sure that I'd be okay with not having a Thanksgiving...I love that holiday. I have been promised a family "skype" meeting. In which almost the entirety of my family is going to video chat with me. Which will make me nostalgic, I know it, but I'm happy I get to talk to them & be a part of it. (SIDE NOTE TO JONES FAM: JONES BOYS EMMALEAH AND UNCLE ANDY- KICK MY DAD AND UNCLE CHARLIE'S BUTT IN THE JONES HOCKEY CUP THIS YEAR! You guys MIGHT be okay without me ;). Please eat loads of pumpkin pie & keep the "president" tradition alive. Watch the parade & give me highlights. & ONE MORE THING: DON'T FORGET ABOUT ME, I'll be thinking about you guys!) Another thing is MY BIRTHDAY IS IN LIKE 2 and a half weeks! So exciting. Not sure what I'm doing yet. Nothing big, can't have a party because I don't really know that many people but probably with have some girl friends over & possibly dinner at the hotel with the fam and some friends! THAT will be so nice. :) I got a package today & MOST OF IT I COULDN'T OPEN BECAUSE MY MOM WRAPPED IT SAYING "DO NOT OPEN BEFORE DECEMBER 11TH". :) excited to open them, thanks mommy! (by the way, thanks mom for the copious amount of American Flags. Anyone reading this that goes to my school can have an American flag if they want one. Just shout out. haha ;). ) THEEEEN it is Christmas! yayayy. I love December. <3>

However, I gotta get through this week first. I had a student/teacher conference & we both decided that I am going to try harder in the subjects that I dubbed "impossible" before. For example in Norwegian, History, & Sociology I am going to attempt the work. Its important that I read and write in Norwegian, & TRY the difficult Norwegian. This friday I have to take the History test. Its not going to be the same as everyone else's but she asked that I try to write something (IN NORWEGIAN, MIND YOU) about the crusades. It won't be so difficult that I die from strain, but it will be hard and possibly stressful. I'm kinda excited though, to be able to participate. Maybe people will actually see that I can be a smart girl rather than the clue-less foreigner. YAY.

Updates again soon.

One more thing: I want snow. please.

love you.

MISS YOU KAILEY, PUPPY DOG, POOPY:

Halloween. Norwegian Style.

:) Not much has been happening around here since I last updated; One thing that is new is that it is getting dark SUPER early. It starts getting dark at around 5, & it doesn't get light until like 8:30 A.M. It's also getting really really cold. Its kinda cozy though. I've always liked cold weather :), but I'm hoping for snow soon! One thing I find hilarious is the excitement for Christmas (Or, Jule) already. AND I THOUGHT AMERICA STARTED CHRISTMAS TOO EARLY, haha. However, Norway starts Christmas in October. They have special things associated with Christmas. For example they sell this thing called "Jule Brus" ("Christmas Soda") that has a picture of Santa Claus on the label. Theoretically, this drink is supposed to be drunk ONLY after December first, as a holiday kind of thing. HOWEVER, it hit stores about the first weekend in October & people are ALREADY drinking it. I have to admit that I cheated and I tried it last weekend. Its only sugar and red food coloring, but its really cute to see everyone all hyped up about it. They also have so many different foods that are associated with Christmas that are slowly popping up in the food store isles. I love it. One of the main questions I've gotten here in Norway is, "Are you excited for Christmas?". Honestly, I don't really know what it's going to be like. It's going to be WEIRD without my family or the traditions that we carry. I'll probably cry, haha, but with all the hype about Christmas here I'm starting to look forward to it. My friends have assured me that Christmas in Førde is very cozy :) & fun. We've already planned a cookie-making night/Christmas movie watching, which will be sooo great.

OKAY. SO one major thing that happened since I last updated was HALLOWEEN. ;). Let me just say that it was way more fun than I had planned it out to be. No one was really as excited for it as I was so I thought it would be just another Saturday night at home as I would think about all my friends at home eating TONS of candy & going to a few parties here or there. HOWEVER, when the day rolled around, I found that people actually DO celebrate. I mean, its not like in the US where EVERYONE celebrates it, but I actually did see a couple of groups of kids trick-or-treating. On the Friday of the Halloween weekend Marte invited me over to see "House of Wax" with a couple of friends, kind of kicking off Halloween! Anyways for the night of Halloween, I was invited to a party at Jessica's house (A new friend). Here at home, Sanne was also having some friends over for a Halloween get-together. I decorated our house with some Halloween goodies that Mama J sent me (THANKS MOM), & I MUST say it looked pretty good ;). I was a Cat this year. I'm just so creative, I know. As I was waiting to be picked up by Marte, Sanne's friends arrived and everyone was dressed up in an outfit (Let me say they were all better costumes than some that I have seen in the US, haha) & I was surprised at how people were actually into it. I feel like some teenagers in the US think they're too cool for Halloween so over the years it gets less and less fun until you hit college, but here people actually embrace it so it makes it super fun. The party that I went to was hilarious & a really good time. Costume choices included several draculas, a gladiator, the mask (jim carrey movie), the grudge girl, corpse brides, batman, and dead dolls. They were ALL way more creative than me, so sorry America, I didn't represent you well ;). I met some new people & just had a good time. It was nice to be able to just have a good time. To go to a party and just have fun. Loved it.

I know that I haven't been "up to date" with my blog, but nothing really SUPER exciting has happened here. I'm just fitting into the "swing of things", as the things I considered "new" or "exciting" before are becoming a part of my life and daily routine. I already know that it's gonna be weird to not have some of the things I have everyday here, because they just seem so routinely. For example, bread. HOW AM I GOING TO SURVIVE NEXT YEAR? haha, seriously though, it seems like a way of life now. Anyways, other than going about my daily routine, I've been playing volleyball & I even played in a tournament this weekend in Naustdal (a neighboring town)! We didn't win, haha, BUT its SO fun to play. The girls that I play with are all SUPER nice and hilarious & fun to be around. I'm so glad that I decided to play. Its also nice to have an activity outside of school so I can expand my social life outside of school boundaries, which is good. As for language updates, its going okay. I feel like I haven't really made a whole lot of progression since I last talked about it, but people are assuring me that I have. Thats a good sign, right? I told all my teachers at the beginning of the school year that I would be a lot better by Christmas, but now Christmas is coming fast and I feel like I'm not even close to where I need to be. I've become a little lazy with the learning, LETTING people talk English with me. I really shouldn't do that, but everyone wants to speak English with me. BAHH, its difficult, but I HAVE to learn.

All in all, it has been a great couple of weeks. I've started to let my guard down a bit, to start being myself in school, rather than being the shy American girl. Of course I'm still shy & terrified to talk to people, but with the people I know, I can be a little more loose & myself. Its really comforting to know that I'm beginning to strengthen friendships with people, to fit into the daily routine, & to be content everyday without feeling homesick at all. Its only going to get better, I know it. ;)

PICTURES:

Nothing seems as strange as when the leaves begin to change...

Okay...So I lied about updating my blog the day after I posted the pictures. & I AM TERRIBLY SORRY! It really is hard to sit myself down & find enough time to create a post that would be remotely worthwhile for you to read. But hey, I'm updating NOW. Let me tell you, I have been up to A LOT since I last posted & I will try to keep you entertained, although I can't promise impressing in-depth descriptions.

So last time I actually left a post, I left you hanging with two paragraphs of my "language rage" and frustration. I apologize, but blogs are meant for a little venting. Its easy to clear your head when you have a blank text box in front of you & a plethora of things on your mind that NEED to be let out. A little back round into what provoked that: So two weeks ago (the last time I posted) I had Høst ferien (fall break). Anyways, the first weekend of høst ferien Sanne & I jetted off to Oslo to participate in a conference with 5 different youth organizations in Norway associated with a campaign devoted to letting the world know about the flaws of Human Rights throughout the world. Its called "Involve Yourself" & here is a link if you want to learn more about it: http://involveyourself.com/. Anyways, since I am in NORWAY & the language that people speak here is NORWEGIAN, the whole conference was in NORWEGIAN which made it exceedingly difficult for me to understand. Go figure ;). However, there were some really nice people there who actually wanted to translate for me! So they did! One girl was getting her Bachelor's degree in English & thought it was great practice to translate for me, & so she did! It was really nice, but still. I want to understand by myself, to have my own opinions about something, first hand. & sometimes hearing and trying to speak a language that you cannot contribute to is frustrating and a little bit embarrassing. So when it all builds up, one needs to vent, & thats what I did, LUCKY YOU! In the end, the weekend proved to be really helpful for my Norwegian, seeing as though I was forced to speak it sometimes. I EVEN PLAYED SINGSTAR: NORSK HITS! THAT was fun & slightly embarassing. I mispronounced half the words and pretending like I knew the tune but HEY, it was really fun & everyone sang along. I actually learned a lot about Human Rights in the World & in Norway & how governments are dealing with it. It was cool. Great weekend in general (minus my minor language problem).

The rest of the week was just devoted to relaxing at home in Førde. I went into Førde almost every single day of that week & I have some cute new purchases (WHICH I NEED TO CUT BACK ON. NO MORE SPENDING MONEY UNTIL CHRISTMAS; I PROMISE MOMMMA J). I hung out with a few friends & it was really nice. ALSO, Sabrina, my host sister that lives in Oslo came to visit for 3 days, from friday to sunday! I LOVED SEEING/MEETING HER! She's really fun & nice. Its cool to have an older sister that I can talk to about things, I already love it. When she was here we went on walks with Nemi, the dog, watched "Skal vi danse?" (Norways version of "Dancing with the Stars", ate chips and dip (SO GOOD, but insanely unhealthy), ate candy (AGAIN SO GOOD but unhealthy), & looked up songs that we love on youtube. Aud curled everyones hair, just for fun. It was a girls weekend because Jan was away on a hunting trip, so every girls weekend needs a little junk food and pampering. All in all, it was a good høst ferien :) & It sounds like everyone else had a good time too!

The week after høst ferien (last week) felt really long, but then again it ALWAYS feels that way after a nice & relaxing break. I had TWO math tests (which didn't go as well as I'd hoped, but was better than failing), & a French test (we haven't gotten it back yet, but I think it went REALLY well). The homework load wasn't bad at all, but it was just a long week. THURSDAY: My friend, Kristina, made me do this dance class with her after I ran into her at the gym. I WAS STRAIGHT UP AWFUL AT IT. It was fun with her though, & It was funny to attempt to dance when I know that I actually can't dance at all. On Friday I hung out with Andrea & Kristina (Two girls from my class) & we made pizza and chocolate mousse at Kristina's house :)! Aud drove me down to meet up with Kristina at 6 AFTER MISSING MY BUS (which I have vowed will NEVER happen again). We then did a little shopping around Førde, met up with Andrea, & got some supplies for our homemade Pizza and mousse. We made THE best pizza and THE best mousse ever. & WE BOUGHT THIS PURPLE SODA CALLED "Halloween Brus" (Halloween Soda) which was really weird, but kinda good at the same time. We watched X-factor, talked, and had fun :)! They're such nice girls. On Saturday, I went into Førde with Sanne and Kamilla (Sanne's friend), & did more shopping. Sanne and I bought a dress together (MOM I TOLD YOU ABOUT THIS ONE, SO DON'T WORRY), its pretttty cute but WAY different than anything I own. I can't wait to wear it though :). That night Sanne went to Kamilla's house & two of my friends, Marte and Synniva came over & we ate tacos and watched "Vicki, Christina, Barcelona", which was a pretty interesting movie, I must say. It was really nice to have them over. We just talked and talked, watched some "Grey's" after the movie, & ate some melkskjokolade. The good life.

This week has been mixed for me. I was so happy because I was asked to write for my school paper at home on my experiences in Norway! I was ecstatic that they wanted to include me in it, & I found that I really enjoyed writing it. Next, the yearbook staff asked me if I wanted to have a little page devoted to my experiences here. They want me in the yearbook! It was so sweet to hear! I am so happy, I was worried I would be forgotten! The downside of this week : my first actual case of homesickness occurred yesterday, tears and all. No fear, not heaps and heaps of tears. Still tears, nonetheless, I haven't cried in SO long, & its weird to have uncontrollable tears rolling down my face. I hate it & I don't cry often. Its just a build up things that have caused it. I learned some bad/worrying news from back home, my parent's anniversary was yesterday, I talked to my best friend on skype & I learned that I am missing a lot at home, My sister had her first date (even though she claims it wasn't a date-IT SO WAS), My soccer team is number one (which is great, I just want to be a part of it), & the weather here has sort of a nostalgic feel lately. The leaves are falling, its kind of cold--just enough to turn your cheeks pink, & it smells like fire all the time. I don't know, it just makes me feel nostalgic. This is normal. We all knew it would begin. I'm not invincible, but then again who is?

Next weekend is Halloween & I know I'll be missing home then, just because not being fully a part of the tradition will be weird.

Today made it better though. I had NO SCHOOL, because the teachers are away on a retreat or something, I don't really know actually. I went to Gunvor's house with Marte & we baked cookies & bread rolls! SO YUMMY. Just to let you know: We're pro bakers ;).

Tomorrow I have school, but I get to leave early because I don't have class after 1:30 & I'm looking forward to doing absolutely NOTHING this weekend.

Right now I'm watching "Nick and Norah's infinite playlist" & I WANT NYC! OHHHH! Andrea, Kristina, & I have decided that next year when I am back in the US, they are going to come visit during Christmas break and we're going on a road trip to NYC to see the ball drop on NEW YEARS! Its happening. We've decided. But seriously, NYC, My favorite city in the entire world.

I've begun to realize something. The cliche is true when they say: You never know how much you love something until its missing. Even the littlest difference in a tradition, a language, a culture, a way of life can make an impact on someone. The differences may be upsetting and a little hard to understand, but in the end it truly is a prize to have experienced and lived something different. Your own values don't disappear. You only gain more insight to who you are, through the DIFFERENT places you live, the DIFFERENT people you meet, the DIFFERENT things you experience. It's these things that will constantly open your eyes to the little things in life that should be paid more attention to.

Goodnight. Love you.

PICTURES FROM HØST FERIEN:

"INVOLVE YOURSELF" campaign in OSLO!

IN OUR HOTEL ROOM :) (the crazy host sister & I)

MY HOST SISTER IS THE COOLEST...;)

FUN AT THE "INVOLVE YOURSELF" CONFERENCE

KRISTINA & I TRYING ON HATS

OUR BEAUTIFUL PIZZA

WEIRD PURPLE HALLOWEEN SODA

AGAIN WITH THE HATS (Sanne & I)

PICTAHS

THESE ARE FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT FRIENDS WITH ME ON F-BOOK. ;) Add me if you like, I am always open for questions about Norway if you have any :)!

ENJOY! (okay I'm updating officially tomorrow. I promise.)

Norway prettiness

Me & a Norwegian sign...

SNØ PÅ FJELL! (snow on the mountain)

USA exchangies in Voss!

BERGEN

ME AND MELODY (from China!) IN BERGEN! :)

MORE BERGEN

ME AND FØRDE <3

FØRDE!

VIEW OF FØRDE FROM THE MOUNTAIN! :)

BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAIN

MY HIGH SCHOOL

VIEW OF FØRDE

MY ROOM

love you.

RIGHT NOW. THIS SECOND.

WHAT I AM THINKING RIGHT NOW:

hdfsfskkkkkfhajkhewuihjndsjbkl. Why does it have to be so slow to learn a language!??! THIS IS MY BIGGEST FRUSTRATION, & my most sought out for goal. I want to be able to understand what my friends are saying to each other, or what the heck LEGEVITENSKAP means, or WHY EVERYONE IS LAUGHING after someone says something. I am exhausted with focus, & lucky you, you get to read me whining to you. Its so so so embarrassing when someone says something to me and, although I can't see my own face, I must look pretttttttty stupid with a seriously blank stare. People must be getting frustrated with my constant questions and non-stop "EG FORSTÅR IKKJE."!!!! Sometimes, this constant headache is a LITTLE tiring. There are times, LIKE NOW, when I just don't want to focus on the language every waking minute. Its a part of the process blah blah blah. I KNOW. I WILL LEARN. I just want to participate, be a part of good class discussions, & I enjoy a deep convorsation with a friend but its hard to have one when you know MINIMUM Norwegian & your embarassed to talk English. Its not necessarily a barrier, but its tough. okay I'm done.

Other things on my mind: Middag soon. nice.

love you.

winter wonderland...in OCTOBER?

Okay so the title is exaggerating a little bit... However, THERE IS SO MUCH SNOW ON TOP OF THE MOUNTAINS. Its crazy. I've never seen THIS much snow in October & yesterday was SEPTEMBER. AHH. People aren't that excited about it, whereas I like FREAKED out when I saw it. HAHA, but thats because they're used to it. I wake up every morning to find that the snow has begun to creep slowly down the mountain so I'm just waiting to wake up one morning with a white backyard! It is so pretty & at school I am CONSTANTLY looking out the window at school. I swear, I'm never going to get over how beautiful Norway is. I mean its not like there is a full on blizzard going on, but its just so weird to see even a LITTLE bit of snow earlier than December! I just thought you alll would like to know that :D.

NEXT: So I only have ONE MORE DAY UNTIL HØST FERIEN (FALL BREAK)! I am SO SO excited. I already said that I was off to Oslo this weekend, which should be very nice. I will finally get to meet Sabrina (my other host sister)! She lives in Oslo, so she will come and visit Sanne & I at the hotel we're staying at! We'll be in Oslo for two days & then we will fly back to Førde to have a FULL WEEK OF RELAXATION. I seriously need it. I am tired ALL the time. So it will be nice to just "slappa av" (relax). I don't have MANY plans, but I know that on Tuesday I'm going shopping with Andrea, Kristina, and possibly others. When I say "shopping", I actually mean looking at everything, debating with myself whether or not to buy something, then deciding that it costs too much money. EVERYTHING IS SO EXPENSIVE (as I've said). THANKS USA ECONOMY ;). The rest of the week I will probably hang out with friends, definitely go to the gym, & just lay around and do NOTHING. Ahh so good. OH there is also this carnival thing being set up like right outside of my school. Its called "tivoli" & to be honest it looks prettttty sketch, but possibly fun. Everyone says its not that cool, & real small, but I want to go anyways, so I'm making someone come with me. :D. yay.

So yesterday I had a math test & surprisingly, I think it went well. I know I didn't get a 6 (Norwegian schools grade on a 1-6 scale instead of the A-F scale), but I actually tried, & I know I got some things right. However, I am so bad at some of the things we are learning, & they are so hard for me to understand, even in English, so I'm hoping the teacher is a little lenient with me. LOGARITHMS-ANYONE CARE TO HELP? :) haha.

Okay so remember how I told you that Aud got me books on learning Norwegian (Nynorsk)? Well its helping A LOT & I'm so happy that I have it now, but thats not why I'm bringing it up. It gives pretty cool Norwegian facts or lessons on culture. Also, at the end of each chapter there is a little piece of Norwegian history or a Norwegian folk tale IN NORWEGIAN so Its a double team. Its great.

SOMETHING COOL I CAME ACROSS TODAY: the typical norwegian meal schedule. Its actually quite true.

7-tiden; FROKOST (breakfast)
12-tiden: LUNSJ (lunch)
4-tiden: MIDDAG (dinner, I know its so early, but its true!)

6-tiden: KAFFI (coffee, & small desserts)

8-9 tiden: KVELDMAT (evening meal, usually a piece of bread)

Okay thats all I got for now. We'll chat soon ;)

LOVE.

...& I like watching the puddles gather rain.

SO. An update again. This is a warning for all of you--this post is not going to be nearly as formal as my other posts. However, it will be thorough, so fear not those of you who are checking to see if I have made any more updates (SHOUT-OUT TO MOM AND OPA!). Also, I will SINCERELY try to blog more often, I'm just trying to get the hang of it. I know I have time to write my blog, I just have SO MUCH to update on.

So WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN MY LIFE:

FIRST.

I had the AFS beginning-of-stay camp.

SO that was fun. However, it wasn't as fun as I had hoped. You've heard most of it already because the camp was basically just like the camp in Oslo except smaller groups. I think I heard the AFS rules another 7 times. I think I have them burned into my head for eternity. SO I won't forget the rules, AFS, don't worry ;). NO ILLEGAL DRUGS, NO DRIVING, NO HITCHHIKING. yes, THOSE are the rules.

We began in Bergen. THAT WAS THE MOST FUN OF THE WHOLE WEEKEND. I love Bergen, Its GORGEOUS. I want to go back again. All the kids from Sogn og Fjordane took a boat from Florø to Bergen (MINUS LAURA FROM FRANCE BECAUSE SHE FORGOT! hah). We were the earliest ones there. We got there at about 12 pm and we had to meet AFS at the bus station at around 5:30-6 pm, so we had time to kill in Bergen. That was great. We were met by one of the AFS volunteers, I can barely say his name so I'm not going to bother writing it... Its a mix between 'Evan' and 'Ivan', but it's neither. Anyways, he met us and took us to the bus station so we could put our big backpacks into a locker so that we could walk around Bergen without having to lug everything with us. Then he left us & we were out on the town. haha, yeah. We just shopped and hung out in the city square. Bergen has a sort of "vibe" about it. Its so relaxed, and chill. Its also completely and absolutely the most beautiful city. It KIND of reminds me of San Fransisco, just by the way the buildings look & the hilly geography with the sea bordering it. So for about 4 hours I hung out with Evan (from USA), Melody (From China), and Obeth (from Mexico, he met us around 2). Then we went to the Bus Station to meet with AFS & the other exchange students. It was cool to see some of my friends that I had met at the other camp like Grayson & Ceylin (I love them, they're so cool). Grayson (from USA) Ceylin (Turkey). Then we drove about 3 hours to a little cabin just past Voss. Literally in the middle of nowhere, but that was nice. The drive to Voss was ABSOLUTELY gorgeous. Seriously, the views I see in Norway never cease to amaze me. ahh. Its amazing. The location of the cabin was great, the cabin itself was not so great. There weren't enough beds, and it was littler than expected. I didn't really care, it was just nice to relax after weeks of CONSTANT learning & filling our brains with more new information. I'm not going to go into the details about what we did at the camp because you have heard it all before, just more seminars. My favorite thing, though, was being able to be with everyone, because they're in the same position as me. (However to brag a little I was one of the best at having learned the language ;) ). There were MANY laughs & jokes. We have a pretty funny bunch in AFS NORGE REGION 3! ;)

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CAMP:

*seeing my friends that I met at the other camp

*Drinking water from the mountain river

*amazing amazing amazing views

*BERGEN

*GOOD FOOD

*GUITAR

DOWNERS:

*Kinda cold

*SO MANY SEMINARS & pointless activities

*SO MUCH FOOD, MAKING ME FAT (I literally ate the most I have ever eaten. EVER)

*didn't speak nearly enough Norwegian as I had hoped

The camp ended on Sunday & we all piled back onto the bus & headed back to Bergen where the Sogn og Fjordane kids took the boat home (THIS TIME WITH LAURA, hah). The ride home was so fun on the boat because there was a point where the waves were SO huge that we had to go outside. The AFS kids were the only ones crazy enough to be out there, it was SO cold, but SO fun. We had to hold on.

Above all, I had a great weekend & our next camp will be the Midstay camp in February. :)!!

UPDATES IN Førde:

School is getting harder. & the language is getting more frustrating, because there are some things that I CANNOT comprehend. I have TWO math tests tomorrow, & I have NO idea how I am going to pass them because I KINDOF understand, but not really everything. & I am so embarrassed to ask questions, because again, I want to blend in & NOT be the burden. I know I SHOULD ask questions. Its a good trait to ask for what you want & more importantly for what you need. blah I'm nervous. OH! & also tomorrow my English teacher asked me to give a little presentation on my hometown tomorrow, like what it is like, how my school works, what subjects I am taking, & what I do in my spare time. I'm going to show them pictures of school, my sports teams, VA, & what not. That should be fun :)! Anyways, back to learning the language, Aud got me these books on Norwegian grammar, & Nynorsk, so when I get lost in the Historie or Norsk discussions, I just teach myself Norwegian from my new books! :). Its great. It is actually helping.

The first time I was homesick was the weekend. It was Emmaleah's (my sister from USA) birthday, it was raining, & I had NOTHING to do so I found myself looking at my family and friends profiles on facebook. NEVER a good thing to do. SO I was homesick. BUT! I quickly got over it as I kept reminding myself that I'm in one of the MOST beautiful countries in the world & I am so lucky to have an amazing host family in a really nice town!

As for social life: nothing really has been happening. I'll update more on this later.

Upcoming events:

OSLO NEXT WEEKEND!

HØST FERIEN (spelling?) NEXT WEEK: that means Fall Break, I get a whole week off!

HALLOWEEN: we ARE going to have Halloween here

anyways, I'll probably update more this week.

LOVE YOU! HA DET!

FINALLY. AN UPDATE.

hei alle sammen ;).. okay SO I AM SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING. I know that I said I was going to be constantly updating but then I would be on the computer ALL the time. Plus, I have been VERY busy settling in to Førde, my home for 10 months :)! I've decided that instead of writing my few weeks here in a "story-like" style, I will hit on certain things that I feel everyone at home HAS to know... here we go:

SO. My journey began in NYC at the JFK doubletree hotel. There, was the AFS "Gateway Orientation" camp. This orientation was for students going to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, & I think one more country but I can't remember which one. There weren't as many people going abroad as I had thought, but apparently that is normal for American students. It was really cool to meet people who have the same hopes and fears that I have about being a foreign exchange student. Everyone was really interesting and pretty cool. I know I'll be friends with some of these kids when I get home. The Gateway Orientation lasted from about the evening of the 19th until noon the next day. During the orientation we separated into our destined countries. There are 7 of us from the US in Norway, & I'm pretty sure that we had the coolest group at the orientation ;). The names of the people were (besides me): Grayson, Nicole, Evan, Blake, George, & Luke. ahh i love them all, they're just SO cool, & I'm planning on keeping in touch with them while I'm here. In our Norway group we learned a little about the Norwegian culture and things that we should expect to do and NOT to do. (I HAD NO IDEA THAT AMERICANS HAD A DIFFERENT WAY OF HOLDING THEIR FORKS AND KNIVES UNTIL THEN. we are so rude. ;]) We were lucky and had a Norwegian guest speaker. The rest of the orientation was basically the same, repeating the same things OVER & OVER & OVER AGAIN. I think I heard the AFS rules (WHICH ARE IMPORTANT--don't get me wrong) about 8 times. Some of the things we did were a little unnecessary, but some things were really helpful. Anyways, the next day (August 20th) at about 12, the people going to all the Scandinavian countries (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, & Finland) set off to NEWARK airport to get our flights. AHH. At this point I was SO nervous/insanely excited. I mean 10 months away from your family, your country, everything you are familiar with, your school is a long time & its scary to dive head first into something that could be the most perfect adventure or the worst experience ever. Taking off from the US was weird, looking down at New York city, at America for the last time until July 2010. It will be like nothing ever changed when I step off the plane, back on American ground again, time is not going to stop just because I'm gone, but I know that I'll be a completely different person that will take this experience with me WHEREVER I go. Its really up to me. Its MY choice whether or not I am going to have a good year. I just have to find the right way to pursue it. I know I will have an amazing year.

7 HOURS LATER: We arrived in Stockholm, said goodbye to the Sweden kids (shoutout to Hayden and Kathryn!) and went on to our gate headed to Oslo. The layover wasn't bad, only about an hour and a half. I really didn't feel like I was in a different country yet (but then again, its impossible to feel like that in an airport. They are worlds in themselves!). We boarded the SAS flight to Oslo at about 9 and got into Oslo at 10ish. In Oslo we were met by AFS staff & we were the first of the countries to arrive, so we had to wait around for a couple of hours for the other countries to arrive. A SIDE NOTE: I WAS SO TIRED. I WAS PROBABLY THE MOST TIRED I HAVE EVER BEEN. I did not sleep at all on the plane (& it was an overnight flight) and I wasn't allowed to sleep all day. BLAH.

After the other countries had arrived we headed to the AFS "arrival" camp. It was at a military base, btw. The camp was really fun because, again, it was cool to be with people who have the same fears and hopes that you do, this time all about Norway. It made me feel completely at ease & not alone at all, which was SO relieving. I met SO many people from across the world at the camp & I know that I'm going to be friends with some of these people for life :). & that is SO cool. So at the camp we just learned ONCE AGAIN about the program & what to do & what not to do BLAH BLAH BLAH... It was so boring. & it felt pointless. By that point we just wanted to get to our freakin' host families, haha. AFS Norway splits their exchange students in to 5 regions all across Norway so that throughout the year we can meet with our regions for camps or meetings relatively close to where we are living. These are the groups that we were split up in at the camp for meetings and stuff. I am in region three & so is Grayson and Evan (From USA). One fun thing that we did at the camp was that each country put on a skit, dance, or song that was in affiliation with their countries. It made me realize that the world is so rich in various cultures and also that I would like to look farther into world culture, maybe as a job in the future. Anyways, the United States doesn't have acertain dance, or song (BESIDES THE STAR-SPANGALED BANNER, and we were not going to do that because EVERYone from the US has probably done that) so we decided to put on a skit. We put on a skit about the stereotypes that people give to people of the United States and that we really aren't all like that. It was pretty funny, everyone loved it ;). To say the least everything BUT the classes and information sessions at the camp was really fun, & I was lucky to be a part of it.

AUGUST 23rd: BACK TO THE OSLO AIRPORT. More waiting. My flight was LITERALLY the last flight to leave out of the entire group of exchange students. Evan & Melody (from China) were both on my plane going to Førde. (Evan lives about 25 minutes away from Førde in a really small town called Eikefjorden & Melody lives in Førde as well. She also goes to my school!) We were all just worn out and wanted to get to our host families. The plane was LITERALLY THE SMALLEST PLANE I HAVE EVER BEEN ON--like "those you see in movies that always crash somewhere in the jungle where no-one would find it" kinda plane. The trip to Førde was not bad at all, only 45 minutes but I was SO nervous to meet the Slåttens (My host family). The scenery flying in was phenomenal. It was beautiful. SIDENOTE: Førde lies in the most beautiful county in Norway, Sogne og Fjordane. It's NOTHING like the US. It is so mountainous, & the mountains aren't covered in forests, like Virginia, but in rock with very little vegetation & GREEN GREEN grass. IT IS SO COOL. Our plane at one point was basically level with the mountains. Then we landed in to the SMALLEST (but cutest) AIRPORT I HAVE EVER SEEN. I stepped off the plane and walked across the asphalt to the small building where my host family was waiting for me. I was met by Sanne, Jan (my host father) and Aud (my host mother).. I was SO relieved to finally be here, but it was so surreal to finally meet them. Then we drove to the "city" of Førde. Its considered a city in Norway and it is the biggest city in the county but it is about just as big as Warrenton. IT IS SO AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL. It is situated right at the end of a fjord, & nestled between mountains :). Even though Førde is about the same size as Warrenton, it is less spread out which means it is way easier to access places, or to walk places. I LOVE THAT. The drive in was great & I kept thinking that I couldn't be more lucky than to be placed in Førde. We arrived at the house at about klokken 8:30. I saw my room (WHICH I LOVE, its so cozy), and met the dog, Nemi (cutie-pie), and the cat, Ariel ;). It was a relatively relaxing night, minus all my different jumping emotions. The greatest thing was that I already felt at home. I have the best host family, I'm convinced. They are pretty much amazing. They're so nice & I am completely comfortable with them. They treat my like their own daughter, not as a guest, & I like that. :)..As for around the house, I try to help out as much as I can, & to be a part of their family how I can. Its hard not to get caught up on the computer, because I have the urge to talk to my friends back in the USA to find out what they're doing. However, its important to be a part of life here & not be on the computer. Secondly, I'm so happy that there is a dog around the house! It makes me miss my puppy, but Nemi is so sweet :)! Also, having my own room is really great because sometimes the days are stressful & its nice to get away from the language and stress to be by myself in my own personal space. PLUS: its got a GREAT view ;). From my window I can see mountains and the river. Its pretty great. Anyways, The next morning I began school where I met two girls from my class, Marte and Gunvor (WHO ARE SO SWEET!) and I met my class. Instead of finishing this in the way I have been writing, I'm going to write about each aspect of my life here separately. To wrap things up in this part of the text I want to say that I LOVE FØRDE SO SO SO MUCH. ITS SO UNBELIEVABLE. I AM THE LUCKIEST EXCHANGE STUDENT EVER TO BE PLACED IN SUCH A GOOD FAMILY WITH SUCH A GOOD CITY.

SCHOOL: My highschool is called Hafstad vidaregåande skule (GOOD LUCK PRONOUNCING THAT). School is really awesome. I don't understand what the teachers are saying half the time, but I try to pick out words that I know.. & I pretend like I understand haha. My class is probably the coolest class ever. I love them. I really enjoy going to school to see people. For example, How they learn/what they're like etc. It run really differently. It is more laid back & the kids put in the effort because they all want to learn. Its cool, they're all so mature... Its really different than school back home. There are about 160 people in my grade & 30 in each class (each class is spit into 4 sections, A, B, C, & D). I am in class B I think. There are only 3 years of high school here & I am in the 2nd Year. I am taking Norwegian or "Norsk" (kind of like our English class except for them its Norwegian. It is funny because they learn the same things in this class that we learn in the USA. Right now they are learning about the structure of dramatic works like Shakespeare and other playwrites. IT IS SO BORING & I DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING because it is ALL in Norwegian. It's going to be like that for awhile until I can understand what they are saying. Next I am taking French or "Fransk" (IT IS SO HARD TO TAKE TWO LANGUAGES. I END UP SPEAKING FRANORSK, french and norwegian mashed together, because I am learning BOTH languages so I get confused sometimes). Also here I am taking two maths. It was my choice because I thought it would be better to take a class in which I can semi-undertand (Math because it is numbers) instead of a Science class in Norwegian. The two classes are Mattematikk R and Mattematikk X. I'm not quite sure what the equivalent in English is though... Next I am taking History (IN NORWEGIAN), & last but NOT least I have ENGLISH CLASS! It is on of my favorite classes by far because it is the only one in which we speak English the WHOLE time. Its kind of a relief class because school can actually be really stressful when you can't understand. Right now they are learning about American high schools and the American culture in affiliation with graduation. Its really a learning experience to see how English is taught to the students and how the students learn it. English comes naturally to us & I never really think about it, but to watch people learn the language that isn't their mother tongue is quite cool. One different thing about the High school in Norway is that it is run very differently. Its based on the "individual" and the teachers teach to those who want to learn. Those who don't pay attention or don't do work, lose. I am trying the best I can & the teachers see that, which is important. I will soon be able to participate more, though, once I learn a little more Norwegian.

LANGUAGE: Norsk er veldig vansklig! (Norwegian is very difficult!) Men eg liker norsk. (But I like norwegian.) Eg lærer norsk raskt (I am learning norwegian fast). Men eg er veldig darlig no (but I am very bad now). There is a little bit of what I have learned, hah! All in all, I love learning the language but I want to be good NOW, & that makes it very stressful because I know I am not good at it yet. I know I cannot be fluent in 3 weeks, but I just want to understand what people are saying to me and what the teachers are saying in class. Ahh. Its been stressful lately. I'm just frustrated fdhsfhksfjd, but I know I will get better soon enough. Aud has little children books from when Sanne was little so I am learning Norwegian from there hahah. I am SUPPOSED to learn 10 words a day, but I have been VERY lazy. I will soon, no fear.

Food: My host father is an amazing cook. I'm not even kidding, he's so good at cooking. I get excited for dinner, hahah. We've had something different for dinner every night. Speaking of which, last night and tonight we had deer! I know its common where I live in the US but I have never tried it before until yesterday! Anyways, The food here is really different. Even American products such as sodas and candys taste & look different. The coke is less sweet & the chocolate tastes different. Its not bad, just different. I need to be careful with trying all the new and different things because everything just tastes so good. I'm going to be SO fat. (HOPE NOT!) Another thing is that Norwegians eat bread ALL the time. Bread (brød) and cheese (ost) are a huge part of their daily diet. However, the bread they eat here is WAY different than what we have in the US. ALMOST ALLL the bread is healthy & self-slice.. ahh. Its SO good. I love the bread here (which is SO bad, hah). MY HOST MOM AND DAD BOTH MAKE THE BEST BREAD I'VE EVER HAD. its amazing. For breakfast I usually have one or two pieces of bread with jordbær syltetøy (strawberry jam) & ost (cheese). I also have coffee like two or three times a day. As teenagers, we drink a lot more coffee than teenagers here do. None of them like coffee! That was weird to me, because I LOVE COFFEE. I'm being so unhealthy but everything is just so.....good...OH MY GOODNESS they have the BEST thing called Nugatti. Its like Nutella but BETTER & less dense. its great. Another thing I noticed that is different is that they have sour cream with almost everything, haha. Its weird. Sometimes they put it on their pizza. One thing that Norway is famous for its Brun Ost (Brown Cheese). It literally is brown. It looks REAL weird but I like it, its really good. For lunch, people usually have bread with cheese, or open-faced sandwiches. It is literally NOTHING like america lunch. There is nothing like that good old trough of Chinese Food on Tuesdays at my high school ;). hahaha ew. Also, they don't eat as much for lunch, but they snack a lot in the day. Lastly, THEY EAT DINNER SO EARLY. I just finished dinner & its 5. sometimes we even have dinner at 4. then we eat a snack or something later like around 8 or 9.

FRIENDS: BELIEVE IT OR NOT I ACTUALLY HAVE FRIENDS ;). haha, i know. crazy right?! They're all soo cool. They've all got really cool names too. I've become friends with Marte, Gunvor, Synniva, Kristina, Andrea, and some others :). (PS: all the names you're reading sound completely different than you think they would sound.) They are really really nice. All the guys are really nice too hah. They're all funny. Last weekend I had Synniva & Marte over. Aud & Jan were away so they said Sanne & I could have friends over. We made some pizza and brownies and had a great time :). I'm looking forward to getting to know some of these people more. ONLY DOWNSIDE: I feel so bad at school because I am TOTALLY naiive when it comes to the language so I ask about 783927389272897 questions a day, & I really am worried about being a "tagalong". I know those are annoying, but lately I feel like one. I know this probably isn't the case, but I'm still worried.

EXTRACURRICULARS: I've started on a volleyball team here in Førde. It is VERY fun! The girls are really really nice & very good! It is really fun to play with them. I'm so glad that I'll be able to keep up my skills. Soon, I'm starting on a fotbal (soccer) team, but I'm kinda scared to go because I only play keeper! I suck at field play so I'm worried they'll think I'm so bad. I hope I can play goalie. Lastly, Sanne works at the gym called "Spenst" & now I am a member so I can go whenever I want :)!!! AFS says that their is NO avoiding weight gain, so I'm trying to counteract that the best way that I can. I still feel like I've put on weight. ALREADY.

SOCIAL LIFE: The social life in Førde is COMPLETELY different then in Warrenton . Its easier to get places & you don't have to ask you're parents or friends to drive you places. That is the best part. Everything is so much more accessible. The teenage drinking culture is also different. My impression is that it is easier to get alcohol here underaged. I haven't been here long enough to really see, but that is my impression. Norwegians are normally really reserved & not outgoing but when they are drunk they are exceedingly outgoing. Also, when they have the opportunity to drink, they do.

WEATHER: RAIN. that's it. seriously. It's okay though. I love Førde. hah

WAIT! there was sun today. that was good.

I MISS YOU ALL SO MUCH, but not too much ;). Don't forget to talk to me on facebook/ichat/e-mail. I want to hear how everything is back at home. I hope all is well in VA or wherever. Love you. updates again soon.

Ha det bra!

Cassie

& it begins.

one week. 

So I'm sitting here right now in front of my house on a little bench. Its about 84 degrees farenheit give or take a few degrees & my dog is sleeping at my feet. I know I'll miss it. a lot. I honestly don't know what I'm feeling at all. Its a maelstrom of emotion: nerves, excitement, sadness, and happiness that are taking over this entire week as I say goodbye to some things & prepare myself to embrace new things. Its sort of surreal & I honestly DON'T feel like I'm leaving for 10 months, & I have no idea if I'm ready or not. 

So yeah, I'm going to Norway. Most people ask "Why Norway?", usually followed up by, "You better bring warm clothes."! haha, its hilarious. Anyways to answer the question, "Why Norway?".. Well, Norway is one of the most beautiful countries in the world & I'm really interested in learning the culture and language there because I am scandinavian. :) 

What do people think about me going? Theres a pretty wide range of opinions about me going on this exchange. Some think I'm absolutely insane but most think its awesome. The people that really know me know that this is the PERFECT experience for me. I've been interested in travelling, world culture, & world language for a long time & when it comes to new experiences, I always take it by storm. I am really excited to be a part of it. For those who think I'm insane...You might be right; I might be insane for skipping out on the most important year of high school, but I know that I'm going to learn and experience things that will go beyond what I would have learned here at my small Virginia high school.  I know that back in January when I told my friends that I "might" go abroad, they thought I would NEVER do it. but now I'm one week away from leaving this country about to dive in head first to a sea of the "unknown", if you will. 

I'm really happy with where I will be going. I'll be living in the most beautiful area in Norway, the Sogn og Fjordane area, in a small city of about 11,650 inhabitants, Førde. My host family seems SO lovely. & I feel like I was really lucky to be placed with them. I have Two host sisters, Sanne (who is 16, & SO nice) & Sabrina (who is older & llives in OSLO!), a dog (whose name I cannot remember), and a cute house. :) 

I'm really excited to go, but I'm not excited to leave. I have so many things that I'm leaving behind, & i know that I shouldn't be scared to leave them, but I am. They're going to be here when I get back & its not like my friends are going to forget about me... (right?)... This week has been pretty emotional & insanely busy & I'm starting to realize the time that I have here. 

TIME TIME TIME. such an evil thing. There is never enough of it & sometimes there is way too much of it. It can never satisfy. ten months from now I'll be asking my self where the time went. As opposed to right now as I ask myself how much time I have. Its a thursday & the day after tomorrow I'm leaving VA for the beach, & then the 19th I leave from the beach to New York & then the 2oth I head off to Norway. 

!??!! WHERE DID THE TIME GO?

As I said this week has been busyy.. It started off me getting back from camp on saturday the 8th. On the 9th I went shoppping (Sorry Dods, I wanted to come see your show. luhh you) for last minute things that I might need, or want, for Norway. Monday I chilled at home and actually took out my HUUUUUGE suitcase that I didnt even know we owned & started to sort out clothes that I want to take. Packing for an entire year is SO hard. I want to bring my entire life with me, buttt I doubt that will fit in the small weight restrictions that I SHOULD follow. bahhh. I think I'll figure it out.. Tuesday was my going away party which was SO sad. A bunch of y friends came over and we had a barbeque and just chillled, it was pretty fun but I cried.. NOT OKAY. My best friends all bought me this really cute necklace that symbolizes luck & a hilariouusss card (that i'm bringing with me, of course) & then my soccer team bought me a Longchamp handbag (navy) & its perfect. I love it. Anyways, besides the gifts I really enjoyed seeing all of my best friends. We made a surprise run to Carousel (the local ice cream place) at like 10. After the party ALL of the girls stayed over & we watched anchorman. BEST MOVIE EVER. Last night (Wednesday) was my last night away from home & i spent it at my Best friend Caitlin's house. Two of my other best friends were theree, Abby and Molly, & it was a really fun time. :) we stayed up pretttty late just talking and taking pictures. i'm going to miss that. Then today, thursday, Abby and I went with Caitlin to her interview where I had to say my final goodbye to my Best friend Emily :(.. I still don't feel like I'm not going to see her for a year & i don't know if it will ever soak in. After, we just hung out in town until like 3. THEN finally, I played ONE LAST TIME (for a year of course) with my soccer team in a scrimmage. I wasn't playing my normal position, keeper, because the new keeper (:/) was trying to get settled in that position. Ah, this has been the hardest day so far. The hardest thing I've had to do. I really love my team & i've been with them for 7 years. I know that there is always a spot for me, but its still hard to think that they'll be here, winning games, bonding together without me. I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH & I'LL MISS YOU INSANELY. Saying goodbye is so miserable. & I defff cried. 

Saying goodbye to Caitlin & Molly (best friends) was reallly not okay. & honestly, it STILL hasnt hit me that I'm not going ot see them for 10 months. its weird. & I don't know what I'm going to do without them. but I think I'll get by ;). 

Then if I wasn't sad enough, Rachel (ANOTHER BEST FRIEND) came by to say bye and to get some books for school that I'm lending her. hdkfjhsflj AH. I HATE BYES. 

When it comes to my family: lets not think about that now. I'll miss them terribly. 

As for my time left in VA. Tomorrow is my last day here & then on Saturday I leave for the beach for a get-away with my entire family before I jet to New York for pre-departure orientation on the 19th. I'll miss this.

As a closing note: I'm really excited and extremely lucky to be a part of AFS. I know that this will be the best year of my life. I will keep everyone updated all the time & DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE COMMENTS :) 

love you.