A very wonderful family

Dear friends, family and followers...

I would like to dedicate this post to my host family, because I have been so lucky to live with such a caring, funny and loving american family.
I often hear many exchange students who have had very bad families, and then I look at my family and feel very blessed.
First of all it couldn't have been a better match. With two host siblings who are one year older and one year younger, it couldn't be more perfect! We all have the same interests, we are all very dedicated to our school and friends, and I get along with my host siblings Brittney and Josh very well.

My host mother is Stephanie, and she is such a lovely host mother. She understands me very well, and can quickly tell if something is wrong, - just like a real mother does. She is the best person to talk to if something isn't going the right way, and she is full of sparkle and laughter. I love her very much, just as I love my host siblings and host father.
My host father is also a very special person. His funny sarcastic personality fits well with me, since we in my danish family back home, also uses sarcastic humor. He is also very caring for all of us, and he is one real handyman! If anything breaks, or falls apart in the house, he will fix it. He is one great host father.

My family actually made lists and lists of things I needed to try such as food, games, and places we needed to go. Now I bet we've almost done half of the things, because this family doesn't rest. I'm happy about that, because they are so excited to show me all the things they want to show me, and it makes the experiences 10 times more fun! We never have a weekend where we don't do something, and I really appreciate that, because I am here to experience, and they really want me to.
We've done everything from hiking, bowling, shopping, paint-balling, decorating, baking, museums, and much, much more!

I believe that this year is about adapting to a new family, in some situations, a family that is way different from yours. Now, this family reminds me very much of my own, so there really aren't that many extreme differences, although they do some things differently, and have other traditions than I have, but I know that they all love each other very much.

This year is also about finding out who you are and work your way through challenges. So far I've been challenged a lot, and it only makes me stronger and more mature. Just because I cut my hair, doesn't mean I just right away became a different person, but this year I definitely see who I really am, and how I act around people in a different language.
I love my danish family very much, but if I somehow should ever choose another family, this would be the one, I absolutely adore this wonderful family, they are really one of a kind.

So thank you very much Stephanie, Kurt, Brittney and Josh, you are making my year unforgettable.

Your dearest, Ida.

"The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience."

- Eleanor Roosevelt 

St. Nick's, Paint-balling og dejlig hot chocolate!

Hi lovelies,

I løbet af den seneste tid er der sket en masse, ikke fordi der ikke i forvejen sker en masse, men i tirsdags havde jeg fri fra skole, pga. valget. Det var ret fedt, for så fik jeg sovet længe, set lidt TV, og senere hen på dagen tog Josh, Stephanie og jeg til St. Nick's som er den sødeste julebutik jeg i mit liv har set! Der er alverdens juletræer med det fineste pynt, og i USA har de det med at hænge meget personlige ornamenter op, i kan se dem på billederne nedenunder. Der er f.eks. ornamenter til folk der spiller fodbold, basketball, eller til folk der er lærere, læger mm! Det var meget personligt og sjovt at kigge på. Jeg elsker jul!

Juletiden nærmer sig også, og som anden gang i dette efterår har vi fået sne :-) Det er så fint, men det smelter meget hurtigt væk nu når vejret jo ændrer sig konstant!
I går var Josh, Brittney, Kurt og jeg ude og spille paint-ball. Jeg havde aldrig prøvet det før, så jeg var rigtig bange! Så dum som jeg var havde jeg også taget en pink sweater på, men heldigvis lånte jeg en grå sweater at tage ud over, af en af de mange militærmænd der var derude sammen med os.
Det gjorde ondt at blive ramt, specielt på benene, av, av! Men selve spillet var jo sjovt og udfordrende, dog tror jeg ikke at det er noget jeg selv vil bruge penge på i fremtiden. De personer der var der var enten i militæret, havde været i militæret, eller ville gerne være det, det siger lidt om det...
Men det var en sjov og anderledes oplevelse!

Da vi kom hjem tog vi alle 4 et bad, og så havde Josh og Kurt deres "boy's night" hvor de blev hjemme og lavede krabbesteaks.. Tro mig, hele huset stank, ha ha! Steph, Britt og jeg tog ud til en buffet restaurant der hed "Sweet Tomatoes" og jeg fik en supper lækker salat, og derefter suppe. Herefter tog vi ud og kiggede lidt i butikker, og så til sidst tog vi hen til en super sød coffeeshop hvor jeg fik den bedste mørke hot chocolate jeg nogensinde har fået! Der var skumfiduser i, og det var så dejligt at drikke noget varmt, nu når vejret drastisk havde ændret sig til en snestorm.. Jeg sværger, i denne her uge havde vi ikke haft andet end over de 70 fahrenheit (Dvs. over 20 grader), indtil lørdag hvor det blev sne, regn, hagl og blæst. Det er Colorado!

Alt i alt har jeg det bare super godt, og familien er alt jeg havde drømt om. Jeg har virkelig været heldig.
Jeg håber i alle sammen har det godt, og at i også glæder jer til jul ligeså meget som jeg gør :-)

Lots of love,

Ida.