What time is it? SUMMER TIME!

Hey All,

Summer has started and so has the long awaited 3 months of holidays! The last day of my 'junior year' was so much fun but I always imagined that at the final bell of the school year, students would all throw their papers up in the air and break out into song just like the gang in High School Musical. But as if all my wildest dreams hadn't been answered, no one broke out into song and no one threw papers up into the air.

After getting over my initial disappointment of no singing or dancing, the first week of summer began and I got to start it off in an exciting fashion. Amy was the co-director of a day camp called Creative Capers and she asked me to lead an art class for the 1st and 2nd graders. Going with the theme of magic, I helped the small group of 13 create magic wands, magic carpets, magic hats and paper bunnies. I had so much fun watching the kids have fun and make things they were so proud of to show their parents.

That weekend, Marc took Caroline, Jeremiah and I to the New River Gorge to go white water rafting! It was a beyond an amazing experience full of scary but amazing moments including floating down the New River, rafting down huge and dangerous class 5 rapids and seeing a bear for the first time.....EVER! When I first was told about class 5 rapids (the second most dangerous classed rapid) I was so scared that 1. I would fall out of the raft and 2. That I would get caught in the rapid and drown. But, as you can clearly tell by the fact that I am updating my blog, neither of those things happened! Thank god!

An example of what white water rafting looks like

The next week was my first week at a stay away summer camp, Conservation Camp at the beautiful Camp Caesar in Webster County, West Virginia. This week was full of firsts; first summer camp, first time I ate a smore, first time shooting a gun and first time repelling of a cliff. I started off the camp not knowing anyone, any of the camp songs or anything about how a summer camp is conducted, so I was up to learn anything and everything. The camp was split into four groups; the Strip Croppers (the team I was in), the Game Managers (this is game as in deer and rabbits not board games like I first thought), the Forest Rangers and the Conservation Officers. Each group was lead my four junior counsellors for the first two days and then three people were elected by the group to be the leaders. I was fortunate enough to be elected by my group and lead the group in our meetings and at council circle in the nights. Speaking of council circle, that was one of the things I will always remember, not only did we have lots of fun performing skits, songs and yells to the other groups, it was full of sincere moments where I felt connected to the people and environment around me.

Conservation Camp Campers '13

Council Circle and Campfire

Shooting a shotgun

In the afternoon, we had a few hours to go around and participate in various organised activities including repelling, shooting (a shotgun and .22), arts and crafts, cooking food outdoors, rowing and archery. I participated in as many activities as I could and my favourites included shooting (of course!), foods (again, of course!) and archery. On the final night, there was an awards ceremony where they announced junior counsellors for next year, alternate junior counsellors, and two major awards (one for male and another for females). I was shocked, astonished and blessed to win the major award for the females, giving me the opportunity to come back to the camp next year fully paid for (well everything except a plane ticket!)

The next week was just as exciting as the first two as I made my way to Washington, D.C. to stay with Amy's cousins Beth and Julie and their daughters Annie and Kimi. The first day that I was there, Annie took me to Georgetown where we shopped and went to the world famous shop Georgetown Cupcakes (you can watch the show on TLC).

Georgetown Cupcake Store

Tuesday was an exciting day! Annie took Kimi and I to a theme park in Southern Virginia called Kings Dominion. The day started off well filled with roller coasters, thrill rides and funnel cakes! But as the day went on, the weather turned sour and by the afternoon, a thunder storm rolled in and drenched everyone and everything that was outside! So we decided to cut our losses and leave while we were still having fun and not so wet.

Waiting under shelter for the rain to pass

Thursday I went into DC for the day and spent the whole day visiting things that I didn't get to see the last time I was there. The city was bustling as I walked through the mall taking in all of the magnificent things that DC has to offer. I walked around the Washington Monument which was covered in scaffolding after sustaining damage from the earthquake last year. Next, I went to the Smithsonian Natural History of America museum where I went to the diamonds exhibit. This is where I fell in love with so many diamonds! Countless diamonds, ranging from 2 carats to 1000 carats, lined the walls in small glass cases. Each were treasures from centuries ago that had been owned by royalty and the social elite.

Marie Louise Diadem given to Marie Louise by her husband, Napoleon

Hazen Diamond Necklace designed by Harry Winston, Inc.

I then ventured to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History where I was able to see the original Star Spangled Banner (the American flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write, what is now, the American National Anthem. Seeing this significant piece of American history made me feel so lucky to be in a country dubbed 'home of the brave and land of the free'.

Next, I ventured to the ultimate symbol of America, the White House. Although I had been there previously, it looked like a completely different place due to the warmer weather that is brought with summer. I also was able to get a whole lot closer because the barriers that were put in place after the Boston bombings had been taken down.

The Truman Balcony and the South Lawn

I then went around the White House to the North Lawn and saw the entrance to the White House which I had never seen before. 

Entrance to the White House and the North Lawn

To remember this occasion, I went to the White House gift shop where I was able to have photos taken of me with some replica things in the White House including the President's podium and desk as well as a photo of the Oval Office. 

President's Desk

President's Podium

Oval Office

Due to my fascination with the Kennedy's, I really wanted to go to Arlington Cemetery and see where JFK, Jackie O and their children were buried as well as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Changing of the Guard Ceremony. The highlight of the day was being able to see JFK's burial site and being able to experience a little piece of history. A cart took us all around the cemetery and it was so emotional to see row after row after row on rolling hills of the headstones of soldiers who gave their life for the freedom of the United States. I was shocked to learn that it takes up to 8 months to be processed to be buried at Arlington Cemetery and there is a funeral every 30 minutes.

View of Downtown from Arlington Cemetery

JFK's Burial Site

JFK, Jackie O and their children

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Rows of White Tombstones

Saturday was my last full day in DC and the Pavlik's took me to the National Zoo where I saw a panda and elephant for the first time! The weather that day was so hot that I thought I was going to melt but being able to see so many cool animals that I had never seen before made it all worthwhile.

Sleepy Panda

An Elephant spraying water into its mouth

Meerkat!

The next week I went to Forensic Science Camp at WVU in Morgantown where I was able to learn so much about forensics and give myself that head start to my university degree. Some of the highlights were learning about trace evidence, learning about different drugs and their effects, doing fingerprinting and being able to put everything that I learnt that week into practice by going through a mock crime scene. The mock crime scene was by far my favorite part of the day because I got to experience what it was like to be a CSI. The crime scene was split into different areas to be inspected by different teams and my team got the upstairs. The house was so hot and the suits made it even worse! I thought my team did well until we discovered that we missed a key piece of evidence - the gun! None of us thought to look the back of the toilet for evidence and by doing so, we missed the most important fact in the story. I will always know now to check the back of the toilet for evidence!

Before the mock crime scene all suited up!

After Forensic Science Camp, Jeremiah, Caroline, and I went to Parkersburg to golf with Amy's Mum and Dad, Margie and Jim for the weekend because they live on a golf course. I had a lesson to learn how to golf in the morning and spent the majority of the day out on the course perfecting golfing and my technique. When we weren't golfing, Caroline and I went driving around the plantation in golf carts. We took turns driving and sitting in the back. Caroline went a little crazy going over speed bumps but we couldn't stop laughing and I had the best time driving around with her being silly! I had a lot of fun and cannot wait to go back! 

Jeremiah, Caroline, and I on the first hole

Lining up my shot

Swing and....

HIT!

That weekend was the family reunion in Canaan Valley where the Weintraub, Hamric and Pavlik families meet up every year for a day filled with fun, games and competition as well as a good catch up.   The three sports that we played were corn hole, softball and volleyball. Corn hole was won by team Margie and Jim (Annie and I, or Team Spandex as Marc dubbed us because of our tight shorts, were eliminated in the second round). Volleyball was so much fun but a little scary for someone like me who hasn't played competitively. Our team was called Little Girls and Taylor because Taylor was the only guy on our team! Softball was the last sport that we played and it was by far the most interesting! I played my best here making it home every time that I batted. The game took a turn when Mary Jane was stung by 3 hornets in the face so we had to adjust the field and make sure that we were all safe from being stung! After the games, we got ice cream and went back to Jay and Heidi's for a bon fire and to let off fireworks! I enjoyed letting off the fireworks because it's something that I cannot do in Australia. The next morning we had breakfast and all set off for our next adventure, for me it was another week in DC!

Winning softball team

Softball team #2

LGT - Little Girls and Taylor

Team Spandex (as we were dubbed my Marc)

Volleyball Team #2

For my second week in DC, I spent more time out of the city and more time at amusement parks. That week Caroline, Kimi, Julie, Beth, and I went to a water park, aquarium, Dave and Busters which is a video game arcade, and the mall. We went to the water park on the hottest day of the week which was a good relief! The best thing about the park was the wave pool and water slides! The aquarium was also another great day because I got to see animals that only live in America including a sloth! I really wanted to take home the sloth. The day at Dave and Busters was by far the luckiest day! On my first game I won the 500 ticket jackpot and Kimi won the 1000 ticket jackpot on another game. She won so many tickets that a worker had to come and replenish the ticket dispenser because there weren't enough tickets!! 

The reef

The reef from a higher level

Going to the Rainforest

Under the reef

Dolphin Show

The dolphins

A Sloth!!

This had to be by far the best summer of my life and I am so thankful that I got to experience so many different things over the course of 2 months. School has started again and I am happy that I get to see all my friends and the best part is that football season has started and so I get to experience another huge aspect of the American culture. Friday nights will be my favorite by far not only because of the football game but because I get to be the mascot for the school which I am excited for!

Until next time,

Ellie 

xoxo

Washington, D.C!

Hi all,

A few weekends ago, I had the amazing opportunity to go to Washington DC and it was better than I ever expected. Although I was only there for one day, I saw so much! Amy and I went on a tour of the city in a tour bus and it was by far the best way to see all Washington has to offer in just one day.

We drove past the White House, the Supreme Court, the Capitol, the Washington Monument and so many other famous landmarks. The tour was going much shorter than we planned so Amy decided we would hop off at the Lincoln Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans War Memorial (which I did a research paper on in English this semester and got an A+ for!) When we arrived at the Lincoln Memorial, it was packed!! There were so many people, but I didn't care because just being able to be at a place which I have only seen on TV and dreamed of going was amazing. I took heaps of photos in the mall and in front of Abraham Lincoln's statue before we went and saw the Vietnam Memorial.

When we arrived, there was a guide speaking and the stories he told of loved ones coming to the memorial and leaving gifts for the fallen moved me to tears. I may not be an American citizen but I felt proud to be a part of the society that these men and women proudly gave their lives so that freedom could reign. After walking the memorial, Amy and I got on a bus again and finished the tour where we met up with Amy's aunties. From there, we all went to the Crime and Punishment Museum where we spent the rest of the afternoon.

The exhibits ranged from wild west criminals to mobsters to modern day criminals and new techniques being used to fight crime. This especially interested me because its what I want to do after university and so it only made me more excited and prepared for what is to come in university. At the museum, they also film the TV show FBI's Most Wanted and so we got to go and see the set and read about the cases on the show and the show's host.

I cannot wait to go back in a few weeks because I have fallen in love with Washington, D.C. It is a beautiful city that is full of so many things to do!

This week also marks the final week of school before summer begins and that also means saying goodbye to the senior class and all of the friends that I have made who will be graduating. It also makes me think back to when I graduated and how amazing it was. Next month is halfway, but I don't want this experience to end because it has been everything I have dreamed of and more!!

Until next time,

Ellie
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Spring Break!

Hey Guys,

Spring Break was one of the most relaxing but fun weeks of my life. It started on the 29th of March when Amy, Caroline, Jeremiah and I left early in the morning to drive 10 hours to Florida! While it was a long drive, I got to see more states of the United States including Georgia and North and South Carolina. We stopped for lunch and snacks and after 9 hours of driving we arrived in Jacksonville to stay for the night. The next morning we drove an hour and a half to our final destination, Ormond Beach. There, we met up with Amy's parents and Amy's brother's children, Izzy, Jake and Jesse. 

Our hotel was right on the beach so before we did anything, all the children ran onto the beach. This was the first time I had seen the beach in close to 3 months! While it was much cooler than what I am used to, just being able to see the beach (something I took for granted) was great! Later that day, Amy's brother and sister and their families arrived and I soon felt a part of their family because they were so welcoming.

The next few days consisted of relaxing on the beach, playing beach soccer as the sun set and boogie boarding in the waves. It was great to just relax and not have to worry about school or rehearsals. The children all had so much fun racing between the cold sea water and the scolding spa water. 

On Tuesday, Amy took Caroline, Jeremiah, Haley, Izzy, Jake, Jesse and myself to......DISNEYWORLD! It was one of the greatest experiences of my whole exchange experience! I saw Cinderella's Castle, which was one of my dreams! It was so beautiful and seeing it evolve as the sun set was beautiful! We went on heaps of rides including the wild west ride where I was partnered with Caroline and we both felt like we were going to fall out, but that made it more fun! As the night progressed and the park became fuller with people, the ride wait times became longer and so we just walked around taking in everything including the fireworks and laser show at the castle. It was a great way to spend the day and I cannot thank Amy enough for taking me there!! 

Unfortunately, the WV State Thespian Festival was on the same week as Spring Break so I had to leave early but I don't regret it one bit because I had so much fun rooming with Izabel and Shayna, watching so many acts, doing workshops and, of course, performing. The festival was 3 days long and it included a dance on the 2nd night which was so much fun because I got to have fun with all of my theatre friends and the new friends I met at the festival. That night we had dinner with Huntington High and it was great to get to know people, who were considered our rivals, as our friends and form friendships that will last forever! 

The spring break week was one of the best of my life and I will never forget the memories I made during that week!

Until next time,

Ellie 

xoxoxo

3 Months Later

Hi all,

I cannot believe three months ago I left Australia to start my exchange program in Charleston, West Virginia, United States of America. In those three months, I have learnt more about myself and the world around me than I could have ever imagined. I have the most amazing host family that are so willing to show me everything about America and all it has to see. I have the most amazing group of friends at school who are always there for me and teach me so much about life as an American teenager.

Sometimes it feels like these three months have flown past but then there are also times when time couldn't go any slower. But every moment has been amazing and I wouldn't change it for the world! An exchange program has been 10x better than any holiday I could have taken to America. I feel like I am seeing the backstreets instead of the main roads and highways. I'm seeing all of the smaller things that no tourist could ever see and that's why this experience has been so amazing. I get to see the daily lives of people who are so different to who I am and being able to see what they do makes me reflect on some of my own choices.

Since my last blog entry, I have been fortunate enough to travel to Ohio for a day and that one day was amazing! Unfortunately, Amy had to attend a conference so it was just Marc, Jeremiah, Caroline and myself exploring all Ohio has to offer in one day. We spent the majority of the day at COSI (pronounced co sigh), Ohio's Science Museum, where we each picked an exhibit that we wanted to explore. Caroline's choice was first and she chose Poseidon, an exhibit about the Greek myth and water. It was so cool to walk through a tunnel and ending up in a water playground. There were water guns, pipes to build and waves to make everywhere and we spend a large majority of time in that exhibit. The next exhibit we went to was my choice. In honour of my Dad's love of space, I chose to go to an exhibit on space. We played games simulating a flight landing, docking the ISS (International Space Station) and refuelling mid-flight. Then we walked through a gateway which lead to an open area that allowed you to fly a space probe, ride in a simulated space ship and explore what it is like to live in the ISS, with all the food and space laid out to give you a realistic standpoint. While in the space exhibit, we were given the opportunity to ride a unicycle on a tightrope in mid air. Jeremiah and I were the only ones to do it and it was so scary but so much fun at the same time! We left to have lunch at a German Jewish restaurant (Marc's choice as he loves this kind of food!) and it was amazing! I had the best meal ever! It was a sandwich shop and those sandwiches were amazing! After retuning to the museum, we went to Jeremiah's pick of exhibits, Life, where we raced each other in reaction times, went into an echo free room, saw medical advancements and exhibits (like real fetus') and tested our strength and flexibility. The last pick of the day was Marc's and he chose an exhibit called Maze. There we enjoyed several mind puzzles, mazes, optical illusions and thinking games. After enjoying all the museum has to offer we went to an ice cream shop that boasts it is the best in Ohio. Taking my exchange motto "Try everything you can and take every opportunity" I decided to pick flavours of ice cream I had never tried before. I picked a of trio baby scoops of salted caramel, wild berry sorbet and lavender ice cream! It was amazing and they are definitely (from my perspective) the best ice cream I have had since arriving in the United States. After taking a stroll around the Ohio streets, we went and picked up Amy and made our way home.

In next week is SPRING BREAK! And I am fortunate enough to be able to go with my host family to Florida! I am so excited for this holiday and to finally feel some warm weather. Its about a 10 hour drive down to Florida so we will leave on Friday morning and hopefully get there Friday night. Amy's mum, dad, siblings and their spouses and children will be there as we play on the beach, go to Disney World and have a nice relaxing week off. Unfortunately I won't be able to stay for the whole week as I have to leave on Thursday to go to STATES! My thespian (acting) group at school won our regional division making us eligible for the state competition at Marshall University on the friday, saturday and sunday of Spring Break! Im so excited to compete and have fun with my theatre family. They have all been telling me stories of what states is like and how much fun they have so I am beyond excited to go and enjoy the time off.

School has been the best thing of my exchange program because I have been able to fully immerse myself into American life as a teenager. Plus, I have met so many people that are so different and diverse. They always keep my days fun and exciting and they are all so interested in Australia and what we do and don't do (contrary to popular beliefs). Every day is a new adventure with these people and I cannot wait for the next one to start!

Today (23rd of March) is my Dads birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! I'm a little sad that I wont be  able to be with him today but I hope the gift that I sent him makes up for it! I love you Dad and I hope that you had a wonderful day and Alex and Mum got you some great gifts and helped you have a great day.

Three months away from anything is a very long time and thinking that I haven't seen my family and friends in that long is so surreal. Some days are better than others as I miss my family and friends on some occasions but then I think that they wouldn't want me to be sulking around while so many opportunities pass me by so I have learnt to put my homesickness aside and make every opportunity my own and live this time to the maximum! 3 months down, 9 months to go! Im so excited for these 9 months and all they have to offer!

Love you all!

Ellie
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Update :)

Hey Guys,

Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I have had so much on lately! I'm just going to include what exciting things I have done rather than go over all the days :)

So February 14th was Valentines Day! Valentines Day in America is so much different to that in Australia because they get so much more into it!! At the shops you buy small 'valentines' which are square cards that you write messages on for all the people you want to. They usually come in packs of 30. This year I wanted to go all out for Valentines Day in the American Spirit! I bought a basket and filled it with candy to give out to all the people at Capital High (especially considering that I wouldn't be able to give everyone a valentine and I don't know everyones name!!) So Valentines Day rolled around and I was able to wear as much pink and red as I liked! I got to school and saw the Valentines Day you see in the movies. Lots of roses and candy! I got to my table of friends and was met by Jalen, a guy from theatre who is so hilarious, who had a huge, and I mean HUGE, teddy bear for me! How sweet!! I gave out candy and valentines to my friends and started the day! By the end of the day I had gotten numerous valentines from all my friends plus candy and donuts (thanks Mallory!!) and I even got roses!! I also got engaged via ring pop! It was a great day!!

The main reason I haven't updated my blog is because I have been so busy going to rehearsals for the Region 6 Thespian Festival in which we will verse 4 other schools to get a place in States. Saturday the 23rd was the Regional Festival and the week leading up to it was so intense with rehearsals! We would run from straight after school (3:30pm) till about 8pm! Going over lines, blocking, costumes, transitory filler and so much more dedicated our rehearsals...but I wouldn't have it any other way because it gave me time to get to know the amazing people (and actors) that star in the play alongside me. They are the best bunch of people! They work so hard and are so kind, generous and welcoming. They are now my extended family <3 So Saturday came, and so did the 5am start!! We got there early to welcome each school (as Capital High was hosting the event!) and take them to their prep room. The nerves built and built. Mr Corbett gave us the best pep speech and we did a energy circle...then it was time to perform! I am a bird and the Dirt Merchant in this play, two very small roles, but that gave me the opportunity to watch and help others :) From what I saw, I thought the play did well and I was so proud of the performance that everyone gave! Then it was time for the results! After voting for Thespian Council, the results were announced.......Capital High........FIRST PLACE! WOOOOOO! We all jumped up and down so happy at our achievement! It was so rewarding for all the hard effort that everyone put in. I am so proud of my theatre family and how amazing of actors they are. They have truly defined my experience in such a positive way and I cannot thank them all enough for everything they have done! I love you all!!

So thats the major things that have happened in the past two weeks. On Friday and Saturday, I will be travelling to Columbus Ohio with the Weintraubs which will be my first out-of-state experience!! So excited!!

Miss you all,

Ellie xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

3 - 10 Feb 2013

Hi all,

This week has been quite an eventful week, full of new experiences and tiresome rehearsals. Heres what happened this week:

SUPERBOWL SUNDAY (3 Feb 2013),

This would usually go with last weeks but I thought it deserved a full report!! Sunday marked my first ever Super Bowl experience and trust me, it was worth the 4 hours it took to play the game! As I had (and still don't to this day...) no idea which team was better than the other, my Dad informed me to go for the San Francisco 49ers over the Baltimore Ravens which seemed like a logical choice to me. I got home after at 5:45 after a small workout to find the lounge room set up and food awaiting consumption including the traditional chicken wings and greek salad with a key lime pie for dessert. The game started and I was so excited to final watch a Super Bowl live on TV instead of hearing about it the next day but by the 30 minute mark I was beyond bored...there were so many ads some of which were funny but most of which were just boring. But by the half time show I was excited again to see Beyonce perform with the slight hope that Destiny's Child would perform together (they were my favourite band when I was younger!!) and they did!! After the half time show I had no real interest in watching the game but I did want to watch the end so I decided to go and have a shower and when I came back I saw on the TV that the power had gone out (it just proves when I leave everything stops ;)) The game resumed and after a long struggle, unfortunately the niners didn't win :(.

Monday 4 Feb - Friday 8 Feb 2013

This week was full of rehearsals because the competition play is less than 2 weeks away!! We also had the musical auditions (which everyone in Advanced Acting had to participate in to get a good grade) so my friend, Shayna and I sung 'Fabulous' by Sharpay in High School Musical 2. We just had fun with it and didn't take it too seriously because we knew we couldn't sing too well. The rehearsals got more intense after Wednesday and we had 4 hour rehearsals!! The most exciting thing that happened this week was the excursion (or field trip as the Americans call it) to West Virginia University. We departed from Capital at 8am and began the 3 hour bus ride to north West Virginia, more specifically Morgantown. We spent the day learning about the Theatre programs available to study. We had a tour of the facilities (where I found out that there are 30 000 students enrolled at WVU and in your freshman year of university you must live on campus) and had lunch and dinner before we saw an opera show performed by some students at WVU. Carmen was the show and it lasted a long 4 hours, by this time it was 11pm and we still had to travel 3 hours home. We didn't get home till 2:30 am Saturday morning.

Saturday 9 Feb and Sunday 10 Feb 2013

Due to the excursion, I didn't get to travel to Canaan Valley with the Weintraub family so I spent the weekend at home, which was relaxing and nice to have some time to sleep in and watch some TV. It is also a long weekend because of a teacher training day so it's going to be a good weekend of doing absolutely nothing which I haven't been able to do in a long time!!

Until next time,

Ellie xxxx

21 Jan - 2 Feb 2013

Hi all,

Sorry I haven't posted in 2 weeks, the internet crashed and I haven't had time to write the weeks summary...until now :)

Monday 21 Jan - Friday 25 Jan 2013

Monday was Martin Luther King Jnr. day, and I was lucky enough to be able to listen to President Obama's Inauguration for the first time ever!! It was so great to hear him say the oath and then give his speech. It will be something I will never forget. This week was crazy with rehearsals for the competition play. A rare thing also happened this week, I experienced my first 'early dismissal' due to bad weather!! I got home at 1pm and had the rest of the day to relax...I even got a small nap in because I have been so tired from waking up early and going to bed late for school and rehearsals but I wouldn't have it any other way!! I also had my first ever exam and of course it was Algebra but I think I did well so thats a plus. Not much happened during the week especially with school and rehearsals on.

Saturday 26 Jan (AUSTRALIA DAY!!) and Sunday 28 Jan 2013

WOO! Happy Australia Day everyone!! I celebrated this Australia Day the best way I could think of...with friends and family. My theatre friends (shout out to you all...love you guys xxx) and I went to the mall and had the most exciting day ever. We went shopping and I made them all honorary Australians for the day and even gave some of them temporary tattoos of the Australian flag. I gave everyone a toothpick flag so they knew it was Australia Day and they could remember it. We tried to se a movie but they were all R17+ and my friends are mostly 16 so that didn't end up happening (an Australian MA15+ movie somehow equates to an American R17+ movie...don't ask me how it just does ok?!?) This was the best day I have had so far and I cannot thank everyone enough for it!! On Sunday, I had a belated Australia Day party with the Weintraub family and I even made them pavlova (which they absolutely loved!!). Overall, this weekend was great!!



Monday 29 Jan - Friday 31 Jan 2013

This week was a eventful week. On Tuesday, I had my first ever Capital High School Theatre performance for the incoming freshmen and I think it was a success because they couldn't stop laughing (don't worry...it's a comedy). We only performed the first 5 minutes just to give them a preview of what they could be a part of if they decided to join the theatre program when they come to Capital. The audience included my host brother Jeremiah, who later said that it was a great performance. That night, we performed once again for the parents and of course Amy and Marc were in the crowd. They also said that I did a great job so I am proud of myself. On Wednesday we had another early out, only this time it was scheduled. So I got home at 1pm and had a relaxing afternoon. Friday was a snow day so I had no school at all!! WOO! I got to have a wonderful sleep in and a relaxing day.

Saturday 1 Jan and Sunday 2 Jan 2013

Due to the snow, I haven't been able to do much at all, so this weekend has been a stay at home weekend where I have had a Law and Order: SVU and doing my English questions. Tomorrow, I am going to Amy's church to help out in the nursery so that will be exciting, then I am going to the YWCA (gym) to play (or learn) how to play basketball with some friends.

I love you and miss you all xxxx

Until next time,

Ellie xxxxx

14 - 20 Jan 2013

Hi All,

This week went so quickly! I think its because I have school to fill in my days. I haven't had too much happening Monday through Friday just because I am at school but there are still some exciting things that happen during my days. Just because my days are filled with school, I am now going to summarise Monday through Friday and then Saturday and Sunday.

Monday 14, Tuesday 15, Wednesday 16, Thursday 17 and Friday 18 Jan 2013
This was my first full week of school and by the end of it I was so exhausted. I had to get used to the routine of coming home from school and doing more school work but I don't mind because it is all new for me. This week I had my first blocking session for the school competition play. It was a whole new experience for me. Capital High is one of the top performing arts schools in the region so when they do any sort of theatre, they go for it! It was very intense working with Mr. Corbett but I know he is so dedicated to his job and only wants the play to be great. He gave me some amazing feedback and pointers and I feel like I have learnt so much in just that one rehearsal. On Wednesday night, the girls from my acting class invited me along to a teenage church for a night mass. One of my close friends, Brittany, even invited me over to her house beforehand. It was amazing to see a different side of Charleston. She lives out in the 'country' but I would just classify it as in the mountains just south of Charleston. It was so beautiful out there and her family was so nice! We spent the afternoon looking at prom magazines and even planned a shopping trip to Ohio so that the girls can have a better selection of prom dresses (I'm just using my formal dress! I love it to bits!) Friday was a special occasion for Capital High as we held the annual Multicultural assembly. It was great to see how American high schools do assemblies. It started off with a huge student band playing the national anthem and the VIP's (Choir) singing the national anthem. The ROTC (student military) marched in holding the United States flag and the West Virginia flag as the students and staff proceeded to recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. My friend, Amanda, won a state competition for a speech on whether the Constitution is relevant today. She recited her speech on stage and it was amazing! She talked so well and I felt proud to know that she is my friend. She even gets to meet Barack Obama!! On Friday night, Amy, Caroline, Jeremiah and I left for Canaan Valley where we would spend the weekend skiing.

Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 Jan 2013
This weekend was a skiing weekend. I have not skied for 5 years and so it took me a while to remember the basics of skiing. We stayed with Amy's brother, Jay and his wife, Heidi and their three kids, Jake, Jesse and Isabelle. We spent the mornings skiing, came home for lunch and then skied until 4-5pm. I was only a beginner compared to the rest but I felt like I had accomplished so much just by not falling over once! I even went on some slopes! The valley and its views were great! The only downside was that it did not snow once. I was hoping that it would snow so that I could ski while snow was falling but it was just not my luck this time. This weekend has been the best by far and I cannot wait to go again! Lets hope that I can build up some courage so that I can go on some more challenging ski slopes.

Next week at school is Spirit Week! I'm so excited to participate in an American high school tradition. Next week also is the Martin Luther King holiday and the day Barack Obama is re-inagurated as President which I am so excited to watch!

Until next time,

Ellie xxxx

7-13 Jan 2013

Hi All,

This week has been so exciting! So here is what I did :)

Monday 7 Jan 2013
Today was a momentous occasion for Amy as she received $130 000 of funding for her project which helps kids walk and bike to school. She will be upgrading sidewalks and helping children with no or a broken bike find the means so that they can get to school without having their parents drive them. Marc, Caroline and I attended the ceremony in support of Amy and I was lucky enough to meet the Governor of West Virginia! That night we went to Jeremiah's basketball game where his team won! WOO!

Tuesday 8 Jan 2013
Today was just a relax day so Amy and I stayed home until Caroline came home then we took her to tennis and went to see Capital High. It is huge! I was so excited to finally start going to an American school.

Wednesday 9 Jan 2013
Officially a Capital High student! WOO! I registered for Capital today and got to choose my subjects. It was required that I do English, Algebra 2, Biology and Contemporary History and my electives were Forensic Science, Acting 2 and TV Production. I walked around the school with the counsellor. She took me to meet the acting teacher just to ask if it was ok to join the class. As I stood in the doorway talking to him, I could hear the kids in the class hushing each other just to hear me speak! It was a little overwhelming when the teacher told me I had to audition for the class. He told me to come back the next day at 12 with a monologue prepared. I went home and practiced until I knew it off by heart!

Thursday 10 Jan 2013
Audition Day! At noon, I went back into Capital High to audition for Acting 2. I met the teacher, Mr Corbett, and went into his office for an interview where I said my name, acting experience and any general facts about myself then I performed my monologue. I was so nervous but Mr Corbett seemed to be passionate about the performing arts so I knew that if I went all out that it would be ok because he understood. I PASSED! Then Mr Corbett proceeded to tell me that I must be a part of ALL performances and that the auditions for the next performance were that afternoon! At the auditions, I met so many amazing people! They were all so welcoming and I felt at ease after meeting them all! I even recognised one from Cougar TV (the TV show that reports on all the things happening at the school). Shayna, Angel, Brittany, Amanda, Ethan, Wesley, George, Nayde, Colleen, Darienne, Daniel, Madisyn, Charlyn and Catlyn are all the people that I met at the auditions! They made me so excited to start at Capital.

Friday 11 Jan 2013
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! AHHH! I was so nervous to start school but as soon as I met some new people who were so amazingly nice I felt my nerves disappear. I met a girl who showed me to my homeroom where I met so many outgoing people including, my now great friend, Hayley. They were all so nice (I have said that so much but I am serious EVERYONE I met at Capital was nice!) It made me feel like I was at Columbans again sitting in PC with my Duhig 3 family, but this is my new school family and they make me laugh so much with their outgoing personalities! I went to each of my classes (with some help from some kind people) and met my teachers and classmates who, again, were amazingly nice! Then lunch came and I was so hungry but after hearing all the things about the cafeteria food I was a little hesitant about eating it. As I waited in line, I felt like everyones eyes were on me, I heard them whispering 'She's from Australia' 'That's the new exchange student'. I knew that they werent saying anything mean but it was just that fact that people were talking about me made me feel weird. Not a bad weird but a good weird ahahah if that makes any sense. After all my classes, I had to catch the bus home. That's right a big, yellow, American school bus! I was so nervous but I met another amazingly nice girl by the name of Keirsten, she helped me find my stop became such a great friend to me. All throughout the day, Angel kept asking about the Snowflake ball that was that night but I had to keep saying I couldn't go because of other commitments. I was a little bummed that I couldn't go but I knew that they were always going to be other dances. When I got home, Amy informed me that Marc was sick so we couldn't go to the dinner we were supposed to so I asked if I could go to the dance that night. Amy said yes and we went to Macy's to find an outfit. After 30 minutes I found the perfect dress and shoes so we raced home so I could do my hair and make-up and head off. I arrived at Capital just in time and saw the commons area be transformed into a winter wonderland. It was just like the movies! I met up with Angel and Hayley and we danced for a little bit until I met up with Keirsten and her boyfriend Caleb. They were both so sweet and we danced together for the majority of the night but not before a nice guy by the name of Marshall asked me to dance! It was so cute! Again, just like the movies. It was a slow dance so we swayed side to side with Angel and her date. Marshall was so nice as to dance with me, I feel like I have made another great friend! That day and night was one of the best of my life (so far) and I cannot thank the wonderful people that I now call my friends for making it an amazing day!

Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 Jan 2013
The weekend! It was a very creative weekend as Amy, Caroline and I created truth cards for girls in countries who have escaped horrible circumstances so that they would be able to look at the cards and feel loved. We also went to an uncork and create session where we painted the Charleston skyline in a step by step process lead by the artist.

This week has been so eventful and so amazing! I feel so lucky to have such an amazing opportunity and I am trying my hardest to take everything in and to try every opportunity that comes my way!

Until next time,

Ellie xxxxxxx

2 - 6 Jan 2013

Hi All,

Sorry I haven't been posting as much as I would like - its difficult to find time. Therefore, I have decided to update on a weekly basis outlining all the days of that week and a quick summary of what I did each day.

Wednesday 2 Jan 2013
Today I volunteered at a food pantry where I stocked shelves with the food donations and served clients who were in need of food. This experience was so fantastic and it helped me see Charleston in a different light. There are no homeless people on the streets of Charleston because they have fantastic programs, just like the food pantry, that give people easy access to daily items like food and shelter that they need so desperately. Of course you have to fit a certain criteria to be eligible for this program but I think that it should be somewhat adopted in Australia where the need is identified.

Thursday 3 Jan 2013
Another day off, another volunteering day. Caroline's school library mostly runs on volunteer parents and friends to file books and do other jobs, so Amy took me here to help out for the morning. As soon as we walked into the building, Caroline ran up to us, eager to show me all around the school. We planned for a tour at a later time, so I helped up in the library filing books for a while until she came in and took me on a tour. Once the tour had concluded, with the final stop being her classroom, I decided to do my first talk on Australia to Caroline's 5th grade classmates. I began by stating my name, age and where in Australia I was from. Then the questions descended upon me. They ranged from my favourite Australian food to the deadly animals in Australia to the kinds of TV shows and music played in Australia. All in all, I spoke and answered questions for 90 minutes. I felt so accomplished afterwards knowing that I had educated a younger generation on the life that Australians live. I hope that I inspired them to one day be an exchange student in other country. Whether it be Australia or not relies solely on them.

Friday 4 Jan 2013
After a small sleep in, Amy took me out to lunch at a fantastic restaurant called First Watch (weird name I know but the food was amazing!) There we ran into Marc who was on a business lunch so we just said a quick hello and goodbye. I was so thankful for this time with Amy because she shed some light on her exchange program and what it was like for her. I really look up to Amy because she is so confident in every decision that she makes. She is so wise and makes me feel so comfortable to be around her. I felt like I know her on another level now after hearing her stories on what her exchange program taught her. After lunch we picked Caroline up from school and went to the Clay Centre (like the Science Centre in Brisbane) where we had so much fun playing games and learning. When we were leaving, I spotted a photo booth so Caroline and I got in and took some photos which then printed out and now are on my mirror. It was a great end to a great day.

Saturday 5 Jan 2013 and Sunday 6 Jan 2013
These two days can be summarised into one word. Shopping. The mall here in Charleston is 3 levels full of American shops, some of which I have not yet discovered. I love the mall here, while it might not be big, the shops that fill it are amazing!

Love you and miss you all <3

Until next time!

Ellie xxxx

How time flies!

Hi All,

It has been four days since I arrived in Charleston and so much has happened already! Charleston is a beautiful place and the Weintraub family is great. They are so kind and excited to take me place and show me things :) School for me doesn't start until the 11th of January so I have a few more weeks to settle in and do some exciting things! Here is a run down of what I did on each of the four days.

Saturday 29 Dec 2012
My first day in Charleston was amazing! I woke up feeling a little under the weather due to the jet lag but I put it all aside and chose to have a fantastic day. Caroline, Amy, Marc and I went to the mall to organise a few things. Our first stop was the AT&T shop where we organised a new sim card for my phone. The gentleman who served us was so kind and excited to hear of someone from Australia. I decided to give him one of the many 5c pieces that I dedicated to handing out to people. His response was astonishing, he was so humbled by the fact that I gave him something like that. He was interested in what the symbol meant and its dollar value in Australia. In return, he gave me a $1 bill which he personally signed. It was a great gesture :) Caroline then proceeded to give me the ultimate tour of the mall in which we went into so many stores! I didn't end up purchasing anything but it was still an experience I will never forget. That night, I saw snow falling for the first time in my life. It was so magical seeing these tiny snowflakes form a thick layer of white all over the houses, cars, roofs, plants and ground. I made sure that I took a lot of photos so that the memories will truly stay with me forever.

Sunday 30 Dec 2012
After sleeping for about 6 hours my body decided that sleeping was not a priority and I needed to wake up. Today was another day of firsts, the first time I went to a UU service and my first American shopping experience. That morning, Amy took Caroline and I to a service for Unitarian Universalists (a religion in which 7 principles are abided by to live a good life e.g. Acceptance of all people, respect for the web of life and all creatures) It was a real eye-opening experience and I am so excited to go again! After lunch, Amy took me shopping to a few discount malls, the American version of DFO, where I purchased 6 jumpers, 2 pairs of jeans and a jacket all for $120! It was great to see my money going far and rewarding to finally purchase something after holding back for so long leading up to my exchange program. That afternoon, Jeremiah came home after being in NY with his grandparents and cousin. It was great to finally meet him as he is so kind and caring. I also went grocery shopping with Marc which was a great way to learn about American food. THERE IS SO MUCH VARIETY! You can buy so many things and for half the price that we would usually pay!

Monday 31 Dec 2012
After my first full night of sleep, I awoke feeling refreshed, knowing that my jet lag had finally disappeared. As it was NYE, Amy and Marc planned to have some friends over for dinner and some games. Jeremiah, Caroline and I all helped out doing various jobs. Mine included setting the table and sweeping the porch (*cough cough mum and dad*). That night was so much fun! After meeting Jenny and Denny, Andrew, Hallie, Cora and Matilda, the night began with dinner which was great because Amy had purchased me some 'bangers' that reminded me of home and which everyone had a taste of and liked :) Then the games began. We split into 4 teams and I was on a team with Amy, Cora and Denny which was so much fun! We played ticket to ride (an american game in which you have to connect certain cities by train to complete a route), pickup sticks and (my favourite) jenga. The time finally approached midnight and we all sat around the TV watching the glitter ball drop and countdown begin in NY. I have always dreamed of viewing it live which I achieved that night and hopefully next year I will get to see it in the flesh!

Tuesday 1 Jan 2013
Today was a relax day so Amy, Caroline and I decided to go and see Les Mis which took up most of our day so nothing too exciting happened. I did get to try American Mac and Cheese for the first time which was amazing. Caroline and Jeremiah start school tomorrow so they were living up the last moments of their holidays by sitting on the couch watching Spongebob.

Tomorrow I will volunteer for a food pantry place where I will sort donations of food and do jobs that will hopefully lift the burden off some of the full time volunteers :) Im so excited to be in America and finally live my dream. So far, this exchange has been everything and more and I feel so grateful (especially towards my parents) for being given this opportunity of a lifetime!

Love and miss you all dearly!

Ellie xxxxxxx