Oh-my-god.
American 14-year olds are the most stupid creatures ever.
Yes, I can honestly say that even cows are smarter.
The girls in my choir could not figure out which letter in the alphabet that comes before E.
They had to think for a few minutes before figuring it out.
I wanted to smack them in the face so bad.
Also, one of the girls asked me if I'd dyed my hair.
I've been walking around like this for a week?

No wonder people think americans are stupid.
Because well.. they are.

Aaaaanyways,
went to Horses Haven today after school.
Got to take Wilbur out for a walk (miniature pig),
fix the hay cubes,
give the horses new water,
feed the horses,
take Pete out for a walk and then sweep the floors.
It's actually much more fun than it seems.
These horses actually are grateful for what you do for them.
Not so much like spoiled horses like the ones back home.
I seriously want to give some of the horses here a bath though cause they all look like shit.

I thought this was just hilarious.

So, this Friday we went to the Homecoming game.
Eagles lost their first game this year.
Soooooo typical that they lost on Spirit Week ^^
Wasn't a very fun game, was homesick most of the day so..

Saturday morning we went out riding at Kensington.
It was nice! My butt hurt though.
Royale bucked some with me too.
Started getting ready for the dance at 3,
my hair did not do what I wanted it too.
The dance started at 7.30.
Everyone was dressed up from head to toes, I also saw my dreamdress and got jealous.
Since I'm not much of a dancer, the dance sucked.
Met Rachel and spent most of the evening with her, which was fun.
The best thing though was the playing of Basshunter!
They seriously played Basshunter - Jag sitter har i venten.
It was hilarious. They even played the Swedish version.
I sang along and people thought it was cool that I knew the lyrics.
I hope Prom will be more fun.

Thank you for cheering me up!
I know time will blow by just like that,
and it's already been a month!
I'll probably survive 9 more of them.

Karin, the jewelry and scarves and all that stuff is pretty much exactly the same as back home. :)
I can wear all my swedish stuff and not be out of place.

Feel free to ask me questions about anything,
I promise you that my answers will be exceptional!

Today was Decade Day!
It seriously felt like I went back in time!
Some people really went all out, some from the 80s (I think) even built a Yellow Submarine and dressed up as Beatles!
I swear to god, John Lennon is alive and he goes to our school.

So, tomorrow is School Spirit Day.
I think pretty much everyone will be super dressed up.
I'll see if I can bring my camera to school and maybe you'll see what people look like ^^

I'm feeling preeeeeetty homesick today.
Yeah, I know, stay positive and all that.
Woho!
Suddenly 10 months feels like forever.
I know I've only been here a month and everything WILL get better,
this is just how I feel right now.
..or most of the time.

So, this week is Spirit Week :D
For those of you who don't know what it is;
it's the week when homecoming takes place and we have different themes for every day.

Monday - Pyjamas day
Tuesday - Hat day
Wednesday - Western day
Thursday - Different decades day
Friday - Class t-shirts day

On friday there's also a homecoming game ^^
Got my school-id (yes, we have id's. don't know why though), and my class t-shirt today!

Nothing out of the ordinary to report other than this,
school is pretty much the same every day so..

I'm starting to run out of money but I still want all of this. :)

So, I volunteered at Horse's Haven today! :D
It felt very much like the stable at home, though the horses here are quite different.

Got there at 4 and met Kim who's my "teamleader" and she was really nice!
Then we had to prepare grain and hay for all the 55 horses ^^
or.. she prepared and I watched. But still!
Got to feed my darling George who was looking dashing as usual.
Then we went outside and fed all those horses.
(george can't be outside cause he walks straight trough the fences)
They actually let me walk into the pastures with the horses which they normally don't let people do their first time.
I guess they thought I did a good job then!

I really enjoyed it! Got home at like 8.30.
Felt really good to do some actual body-work, which I haven't in a while.

Here are some pictures of two of the newest horses, Angel and Cloud, and what progress they've made.

This video seriously gives me goosebumps/shivers/adrenaline rush.
It's the most awesomest video e-v-e-r.

Went to my very first american footballgame today!
It was AWESOME!
It is sooooo much like it is in the movies,
with the cheerleaders, mascot, marching band and all the big buff footballplayers!
I just had the most awesome time.
It was Hartland Eagles vs. Brighton Bulldogs.
Our team even won! 37-17 wohooo!
It seriously was the first real feeling of "hey i'm in america" i've had so far.
Got some short videos from the game but since I don't have the wirething to plug the camera into the computer,
I can't show them to you.

Mom, I need the wire for my camera! It's probably by the computer. It's black. ^^

When we drove home we came to this carcrash-scene.

There were firetrucks, policecars and ambulances everywhere!

The whole back of the car was gone so I guess they had to cut some people out!

Some of the people looked quite young so they might go to my school.

It was kinda weird though cause like next to the firetrucks stood a shirtless dude drinking beer. (?)

Don't really know what he was doing there. Just there for the comic relief I guess.

The people I sit with at lunch are Christian.
Like super-christian!
This girl came to our table today and started handing out Bibles and stuff and I'm like heheheh ehm I'm not religious. She's like take one anyway! And she gave me one. What am I supposed to do with it? :O

Then when I got home Taylor started pushing me into the Christian-thing and said that she'll be sad if I'm not one of them when I go home. I don't want to believe in God and Jesus and djavulen och hans moster. Why? Eh, because evolution happened and we stopped being monkeys. That's the way it is. There's proof goddammit!!1

Kinda fed up with this christianity. Only nine more months Amanda, nine more months. Inhale - Exhale.

When you're even starting to miss Vasttrafik you know it's bad.

I just have to tell you how much your comments to my blog means,
it doesn't matter how much or what you write,
just the fact that you actually wrote something means a lot.

I don't have much contact with home so every little thing matters.
Just a little something about how the weather is at home right now or what you wore today means something.

KTNXBYE

Dyed my hair black today ^^ I just couldn't help myself!
I feel more comfortable with dark hair.
Missed a spot in the back though which oddly enough turned white (?)

School was as usual, no changes there.
Went out riding with Taylor and Natalie after school,
I rode Apache and he started paceing (?) with me, it felt so weird.
I like him though, Royale needs to gain some weight before I can ride him more I think.. He's gotten quite skinny.

Went to Taylors hockeygame today and it was cold.
This girl on her team had the coolest lastname e-v-e-r.
Slaughter.
How brutal is that?
I wanna change my lastname to that soooooo bad.
Amanda Slaughter. It looks cool!

Then we had a STS-meet and greet and I got to meet other exchange-students.
There were one German girl, one Italian girl and one Chinese girl.
It was so funny cuz all of them were such stereotypes for their own country!
The Italian girl was loud, emotional and talked about pizza a lot.
The German girl and I talked mostly about WW2 (LOL)
The Chinese girl was so quiet and extreeeeeemely concerned about school.
She's going to take the SAT-test and some other test like next week.
And apparently in China, they go to school from 7AM to 9PM. (?!?!?!)
They have a 4 hour break though in the middle of the day were they get to sleep.. In their chairs.
That sure sounds comfy.

I really liked the German girl though!
Will probably go to Niagra Falls in October with the other exchange students.

Went homecoming-dress-shopping today!
It rained like crazzzzzyyyyyyy.
But I got this really nice black one that's kinda greekish.
I'm gonna buy greek sandal-like high heels so I'll get the whole Greek Godess-look.
Think it's gonna look good.

In the evening we had dinner-guests.
It was fun! Felt kinda old though. All the other kids were like freshmans.
But we had a blast anyways!

Some American Info for ya:
x Root Beer tastes like toothpaste. I kid you not. I seriously couldn't even drink it.
x The teenagers act like SMS is like the most high-tech, supercool thing you can get.
x They think their horses are like the smartest animals ever. For example, if the horse doesn't wanna go down a hill or through a waterpuddle they think it's because the horse knooooows that there's something wrong!
I mean, come on? The horse is just being stubborn or just doesn't wanna get his/her feet wet.

He's the most amazing person I've ever seen.

School today was awesome!
Talked to Mr Merrill before class and he's really nice,
had a test too and it went well.

At lunch I saw this girl I talk to sometimes in family living and I asked her if I could sit with her.
(I'm so proud of myself I could die)
Sat with her and her friends and they were really nice!

At concert choir I chatted with Melody and Rachel most of the time and I absolutely adoooooore them.
Melody is kinda weird though.
Rachel and I decided to go shopping at Hot Topic some time.

Seems like everything is turning around just fine!
I actually look forward to school now.

Had a moment of silence today at 8.46,
the time the first plane hit

Met Ms Day at lunch and she's going to change my schedule so that I can have my lunch with the other exchange students, right now I'm the only one with A lunch.

Will definitly join the Green Team because Rachel is aaaaaaawesome.
I hate the fact that she's a freshman.. She doesn't act like one though.
Ah well..

I'll probably watch Harry Potter now and maybe go out and ride in the sunset later :)
Btw, they don't wear helmets here and I loooove it!
The wind in your hair when you're riding feels good.

Almost 50 people read my blogg yesterday!
Woho, I'm Mr. Popular!

Getting annoyed by my American History-teacher, she talks All-The-Time.
She even talks to herself when no one else wants to listen.
Some people actually want it to be quiet when we study.

Had this breakfast-thingy with other transfer students at our school today.
I suckeddddddd.
I thought this was gonna be an opportunity for us to get to know each other but no sir-ee.
Got split up into different groups and did some "games".
I'm disappointed.

I didn't sit alone at lunch anyways. Some girls from this morning asked me to sit with them.
They all introduced themselves and then.. nothing.
Had to sit by myself but with people.
I don't want boring people to come up to me.
To be honest, I'd rather be alone all year than be paired up with some megadorks who I don't like.
I want the fun people to come up to me.
This one girl in Choir, Rachel, is cool though.
She says Dude a lot and I love it! She also has this sort of "I don't care about anything" attitude too.
Might join the Green Team just to spend more time with her.

Btw, If any of you guys have seen That's so Raven, that Raven-girl totally is in my Choir-class.

If that's not her then it sure is her unknown twin.

Have to buy myself a homecomingdress soon!
I just love these dresses.. Probably wont find them in any stores though.
Some girls from concert choir want me to go with them but I don't know.
Maybe I'll be the coolest kid in town and go ALONE!
Doubt that's gonna happen.

I wanna buy some new shoes. :)

Ahhhhh chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream with silk chocolate soymilk!
It's goooooood.

Nothing special happened at school today.
People are already talking about getting dresses for homecoming.
I don't know when it is though.
I wanna go but not by myself.. I might ask germanboy and germangirl if I can go with them.
I'm gonna buy the prettiest dress everrrrrrrr.
Or wait no I'm not. The prettiest dress ever is for prom!

Just have to mention something I found hilarious:
They have growth-hormones in their milk.
LOL
Seriously, why do they have that?!
Anyways, it seems to help because the boys are Gigantor.
Don't think the girls drink any milk though.
I used to think I was short.


I Pledge Alligeance to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic
for which it stands,
one Nation, under God,
Indivisible, with Liberty and
Justice for all.

Woke up at 8 to go to church. (Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz)
Talked to some of Taylors youth group-friends, they're pretty nice.
Then a guy preached for us and I was just like omg.
Their opinions and beliefs are sooooo different from mine.
They believe in loving every person.
They believe that homosexuality and masturbation is wrong.
They honestly believe that god created everything.

Back home Taylor and I had a belief-talk,
I told her that I believe in facts and that it's proven that we've actually been cave-men.
She thought it was sad and that she hopes I find god and go to heaven.
I don't wanna find god.

Then we had some guests over for dinner,
Taylors friend Kirk came and he's funny.
We watched a superboring movie.

Mom called today too!
I just love talking to people from Sweden because I can't express myself in the same way in english and I can't complain about stuff which I normally do every single day.  I seriously need a friend that I can gossip with and talk trash with about other people! I don't believe in heaven so I'm allowed to!

Chores-day!
I slept til 11 and it felt goooooooood.
Then I cleaned my room, cleaned the stalls and did my own laundry for the first time ever!
Be a little proud of me at least!

Later that day we went to Nathans hockeygame.
His team got beat baaaaaad. 1-7.
Nathan got hurt though so we went home halfway into the game.
Did some groceryshopping on our way home.
I just looooooove the grocerystores! There are so many different things!
I could walk around there for hours.

Grant called on our way home and said that Apache and Jack had got out,
he'd found Apache but Jack was still missing in action.
(how typical that the horse that's missing in the dark is black huh?)
He found him before we got home though.

Blaarrgghhhh.
Hade suttit fint med en van nu alltsa.
(valde bara random bilder, bara for du inte ar dar betyder det inte att jag inte gillar dig.)

Well, second day did not go as smooth as the first one.
I'd forgot to ask Natalie to sign some papers for class and stuff,
was totally confused in class,
had no one to sit with at lunch.

I don't think I've ever felt as alone as I did today.

Had to go to the bathroom a couple of minutes to avoid humiliating myself by bursting into tears infront of all the seniors, who I'm trying to be friends with.

I felt like the guy in the Friends-commercial and a Hey truly means a lot.
When I got on the bus after school, Taylors neighbor said Hi to me and smiled.
He is truly a cutie!
I think he's a freshman and may have some mental disorder but still!
He's going to be my friend. Why? Because I say so.

Okay, first day at school today!
I got up at five after countless hours of nonsleeping.
Went to the bus at 6.30. (the schoolbuses really look like the ones in movies!)
Had a bumpy ride to school, met my counselour, got my id-photo taken and then came late to class.

First up, World Literature:
I love Gunnar right now. Thanks to all the long boring Swedish-hours I think I can actually get through this class pretty easy! We are supposed to go through Dante, The Song Of Roland and sooooo many other books he's told us about a thousand times! If any of you INT-people reads this then please tell Gunnar that I'm glad he taught us that. That will make him happy fer sure!

Second, American History:
Since America pretty much doesn't have any history I think this one is going to be easy. 

Third, Jewelry and Metals:
The teacher told us that as long as you do what you're supposed to do you get an A. That should be a piece of cake.

Fourth, Psychology:
We got to do a personality-test and I found mine to be quite precise, it said that I like facts (which is true).
Some girls in that class bugged me though. They were loud and not respectful at all. We learnt that couples that are similar are more likely to stay in a long-time relationship. Woho!

Fifth, Family Living: 
The teacher is probably the most superdupermegapositive teacher I've ever had. We're basically supposed to learn about families, relationships and problems you may have when you start a family. We're also going to do a mock wedding. Don't know for sure what that is but still. One of the annoying girls from the previous class was in this one too.. And now they were six.

Sixth, Concert choir:
This is supposed to be a freshman-class but I wanted it anyway. The freshmans pretty much look like the seniors anyhow. We did a namegame and some of them found out I'm from Sweden and they went crazy! All the girls rounded up around me and forced me to speak swedish for them. Freshmans may look like seniors but they sure don't act like them.

I even had some people to sit with at lunch! Someone from my first class told me I could sit with them so I did.
They started talking about how band camp was this summer and I could barely keep myself from laughing out loud!
I mean band camp? Could it be more american high schooly?

Now I'll just have to wait and see what tomorrow brings me.

Caught myself counting in english today. I'm also having trouble going back to speaking swedish.
No, I'm not kidding. I think it's because the way you speak english differs that much from how you speak swedish,
the english language comes from the front of the mouth, the swedish from far back.
Did that make any sense?
Ah well, the language isn't a problem anyhow.

School starts tomorrow and I'm so excited (I hate that word cuz some people over-use it terribly, but still)!
I think I find my way around now. Or at least I hope so.
Have to get up at 5 tomorrow! Maybe earlier. Gah.

We went to Horses Haven this morning and it was so sad!
Many of the horses were blind and I fell in love with a mule named George.
I'll probably start volunteering there once a week. :)

After the visit we went school-shopping!
Didn't buy much schoolstuff though.
I bought two t-shirts, two bags and a curling iron instead. ^^
One of the t-shirts has Horton on it! So cute.

I have an appointment at 11 at Horses Haven.
I hope I get to volunteer there this year!
I mean, if you wanna work with abused animals like I do,
then this will probably be perfect to have on your CV.

We just watched this movie called Blood & Chocolate.
It wasn't too good.. But Taylor and Natalie looooooves vampires and werewolves and stuff so..

Just for the record;
They are quite religious here. They say grace before dinner, not always but sometimes, and it's
not as bad as I thought it was going to be. And I did not have a crusified jesus over my bed!
It is interesting to hear their opinions actually. They think it's totally weird that I've had more than one boyfriend,
they do not approve of homosexuality and think that everyone should love one another.

You can't love all people, right?
Sometimes you just need to have someone to talk trash about.

We're back from the camping-trip!
I had a great time, met a lot of different people and rode for hours and hours!
I got to try all four horses and decided that Royale definitly is my favorite.

The nature here isn't that different from back home actually,
the bugs sure are bigger though.

The main difference is the food.
I now know why americans are so fat, there's sugar on EVERYTHING.
They eat frosted cereals or pop tarts for breakfast!
I want knackebrod.

For those of you who may wonder about the schedule,
one period is like one class.
The schedule is the same every day here.

And oh btw!
We might be going to Florida over christmas. :)
Now how does that sound?

I just love making people jealous.