the days go by

This first week has just gone by so fast. I try to write my everyday happenings, but by the time i return to my little apartment, im to tired to do anyhting creative.

All of us 160 exchange students are diveded into little groups. Here is mine: from the left: jacub from czech republic,me, adriano

from italy, andreza from brazil, alberto from italy, reikke from germany and michaela from czech republic. We have become very close over this past week; lunch, bars, clubs are all attended

together.

I have become an english language mentor. jacub asks me the most grammatical questions out of anyone and adriano jokes that i have to buzz the buzzer( i.e. my hand) to gain any points. He speaks english very well, and only asks for certain words or meanings. Andreza has a little harder

time. Pulling out her italian to english dictionary to speak a certain word. I help her as much as i can by speaking clearly and slowly.

Riding a bicycle is really a way of life hear. Almost every exchange student has purchased a bike for around 30 euros. I live to far away from campus to buy a bike, so instead I buy a bass pass!

Our groups two italian men decided to cook dinner for us. Speaking very fast, yet calm, the i

talians agreed to how to cook the pasta.....................THREE WAYS!! one with prego, one buttery olive oil style, and with pesto!! i was amazed. I asked them about vinnie sppon trick to twirl the spaghetti and they told me that only old fashioned italians do that with thier noodles!!

my old fashioned vincent.

the days go by and i can only dread that they will

continue to go by much faster and with less time to write about it.

Lunch

I had lunch today with 3 germans, 3 italians, 2 czechs and 1 fin.

we waited until everyone was seated and one of the italian boys said "enjoy the meal"

almost in a mini grae kinda way.

these kids are in my group of exchange students. We ( all 160 of us ) are divided up into these small groups of 8 or 9.

we introduced ourselves in front of the whole group. By country, we all stood and told them our names and our studies. The majority of exchange students are French, 22 and German, 43. The roomed roared with laughter when France came on the screen with 23 students, because every country before thi was 3,4 or 5 students. Then comes aling france with 23, we all got a good kick out of it...then germany is next...43!! Whoa.

well represented i must say

Only 9 americans, and 3 of them are from california!

i havent met the others though.

my roommate, danielle is from long beach, ca.

I dont think they purposefully put to americans in the same apartment, i guess it just happened.

Here We Go

Bag Checked.Tickets Printed.Tears Shed.

And away we go.

saying good-bye to vinny just before walking through security was hard. I hate goodbyes.

More to come!! gotta catch a flight to Washington Dc!

Business Complete

Finally, after days of visiting the bank with no solutions only new problems to take care of, the ever daunting housing deposit has finally been paid!

It was more than i had initally thought, but it all worked out.

Usually WVU takes care of the housing for exchange students, but naturally, my case is different than others. Attempted finnish phone calls at 3 am, a very patient and helpful bank employee and mutiple e-mails later, the stress of securing housing has finally been completed.

All the business details are complete, only thing left to do is pack!

and say good-byes and drink many a bottle of mikes hard lemonade!

( im hooked to the stuff btw) :)

i feel like i can breathe now!!

just wait, that all that life asks of me now.

wait.

Dont worry, dont stress, dont cry....WAIT!!

How relieving?!! How many moments in life can we say that all we have to do is nothing but live each day out!

Fantastic.

Finally Fantastic!

Two More Sundays

I sat in church today with vincent and his family by my side. We arrived early enough to pray and chit chat with one another. I leaned over and told him i have two more sundays left. He knew what i was talking about...He smiled.

Two more sundays and im off for four months!! crazy. this is really happening.

I'm so excited, anxious, nervous and trying not to anticipate ( the TEC spirit is still burning in my heart; to not anticipate but participate.) a good life motto...

This summer hasnt been any longer or shorter than summers past. yet it seems slower than most...and fast at the same time. Trying to spend time with family and create memories before my leave has been quite the task. My brother was in town fro California for an entire month and we all got together for maybe a total of a week. .....work, friends and plans keep us apart.

We took a semi-family picture right when he left...

me, nick , JJ

sarah was at school, dad at work...

still, we come together.

for a small moment in time, we come together

this summer seems to be spinning by.

just a few more weeks, days, minutes.....sigh....

two more sundays