pictures!

Culture Jam

Gwen and i at the reservoir.

Denver!

Some of the girls from the cast, pretty ladiesssss

This is the view from where my host family is building a log cabin! It's beautiful!

In the van on the way to go White Water Rafting!

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is my dads birthday! YAYYYYYYYYYY! Happy Birthday! :]
We have a two day weekend and its pretty awesome. Today I went to a driving range with Eric and Reese. It wasn't that exciting but i had fun hanging out with them. I found out i suck at golf. Ah i forgot to say what the cast did yesterday. We got to have a tour of the capitol building. In the building there were stairs that had civil war cannon balls on the railing. It's said that if you touch them, you get good luck. Let me just say that i definitely BELIEVE that. Also we had a scavenger hunt in the city and that was so much fun. I loved it because i got to get to know other people that i hadn't really talked to before in the cast. It was a good way to get close to the other cast members :]haha anyway also today i went to linens and things with Laura, Reese and Lindsay and i saw our tour guide from the capitol building. Also Lindsay and i went to sports authority and then the BEST place ever, Rocky Mountain Chocolate store. We bought caramel apples of 3 different flavors and i got fudge. It was like heaven in there. I love the movie 21. Well i really need to go to sleep because we are going white water rafting all day tomorrow. We are leaving at 6 and its a 3 hour drive. goodnight.
<3

today was good

A rush of different feelings have been going through my head today.
Good ones though. This morning Gwen, Laura, Grant and i went to church.
It was a very nice, but a long service. Also today Laura, Gwen and i went to a resevoir to lay on the beach and swim. At one point Gwen went swimming and we couldn't find her. I went down to the water and i was looking all around. I got so worried. There were a lot of people so she could have been anywhere. Laura told me i worry too much and i really do. So i just relaxed and then she just popped up and i got really happy. haha but she said she went jet skiing with a Brazilian guy. It worries me a little that shes so friendly and is very trusting. I did meet the guy though (i forgot his name) but i ended up going too. He let me drive around the jet ski forever. We tipped it over a couple times. Anyway being there made me realize how much i love the water and Belews Lake. I kind of miss the lake back home. Of course i miss my family too. love you mom, shannon and dad :]

So i saw the new Batman movie friday night with Grant and two of his friends. It was sprung on me though really fast. I was on the train going home and Laura called me and was like well Grant invited you to go to the movies. I never know whats going on.
haha anyway it was fun. The movie was SO long though. Both Grant and i kept falling asleep. I mean he does get up at 4am for work and i wake up at 6am, so we had a reason to fall asleep. I had a good time getting to know him better though.
Saturday night we went to a party for like five birthdays. I learned how to play this game called holey board? It was actually really exciting. I was pretty good for a first timer.

But i'm going to sleep. This weeks going to be longggggg. We will be working on all our songs and dances so much. goodnight!

the first week

Well I am having the time of my life. Just to put that in detail, I have made friends with so many amazing people from 22 different countries. It's such a great experience being with people from all these different cultures. i have learned so much about them.
This week we have been working on the show. We had modules Tuesday and Wednesday. We were put into groups of like 10 and we had to sing, dance, learn about the technical things, public speaking and show them our costumes. So far i have done so many activities that have taught me to come out of my box. I'm usually a very shy person around a large number of people. I still have been a little shy, but slowly i am opening myself up to people. I sung in front of people, which is something i thought i would NEVER see myself doing. The past two days we have been learning our dances and songs for the show. It's been hard because i have never danced like this before and its quite a workout. I'm not use to it. Especially getting up at 6 am. I have been extremely tired the past couple mornings. I'm sure it will get better though because i think I'm still getting use to my new schedule.

My host family is by far the best ever. They are very special and i am very lucky to get to live with them for a month. I already know its going to be the hardest goodbye i have ever had to make. But i have already decided i am coming back to visit them and they are coming to North Carolina :] Gwen and i have the greatest conversations in the morning with our host day, Brad, on the way to work and the Sherman center. He told us about how great his father was and how he was such a giving man and how motivated he was. I really wish i could have met his mother and father. They both sound like very interesting and greatful people! Just listening to Brad talk about his mother and father made me realize how special my parents are to me and how much they care about me. Brad mentioned that one of the main reasons they decided to host up with people students is because of his parents. He said that he feels as if he needed to give something back to his parents. So he chose to open his home to two students, Gwen and i. I feel so obligated because of this and i feel special. I'm glad Gwen and i got to be the two students to stay with them :]
I just wanted to share with you something very special that my host father shared with me. Brad's father Peter had some of the most incredible thoughts and they are random acts of kindness..for Pete's sake. Well Brad and his brother both decided to keep those random acts of kindness going and so i just wanted to share with everyone one of those cards:]

In memory of Peter G. Duin 1925-2006
Random Acts Of Kindness...For Pete's Sake
"This is the day the lord has made Rejoice! And be glad in it.
You can, Make a Difference!

How to be a Winner

1. Be more for-giving and less for getting.
2. Communicate a happy positive attitude to others.
3. Smile for others. Be happy, put laughter in your life.
4. Take a Genuine interest in others by listening with a keen sensitive ear.
5. Find and say something positive to every person you meet.
6. Do something special for someone each day that they may not be able to.
7. Be generous with your time and talents in helping others.
8. Be praise minded. Compliment and recognize achievement.
9. be creative. Stretch your imagination.
10. Strive to Learn something new every day.

Do It Now!
Be decisive and action oriented.

Thanks to the best host Dad EVER for sharing this wonderful gift:]

and the journey begins

I got to Denver about 1pm yesterday. Let me just say that i have been here for a little over 24 hours and it's already life changing. When i got to the place where all the cast members met, i walked in so nervous and didn't know what to expect. By the time i walked out i felt like i already had made so many great friends. Friends that i would keep for life. People who want to make a difference and give something they have to the world. Creativity and ideas were filled in that one room. Just being in that room with all these new people, i realized how different everyone really is. It's amazing to see and experience. I'm so excited to get the opportunity to see what everyones opinions are, what they think, what their dreams are. It's very exciting. While we were getting to know each other, we played card games all afternoon while waiting for all the other flights get in. haha we all played this game that was like spoons, but something like DEATH bottles. It got pretty intense.
So i think i got REALLY lucky with my host family. I feel like i am at home right now.
My host family is the Duins. My host mom is Laura, dad, Brad. I also have 2 brothers, Grant, 20, Reese, 14, and a sister, Lindsay, 22. They ROCK! I have always wanted brothers, so it's perfect! They have a really great sense of humor too. Last night everyone was making fun of my country accent and how i say syrup and crayons. haha. We are going to the mountains tomorrow to ride four wheelers. They are very nice and just incredible for making Gwen and i feel at home. Speaking of that, my room mates name is Gwen. She's 23 and from Switzerland. She's very sweet and polite. :] Last night i went to sleep later than her and when i went downstairs to our room she wrote a note to me saying goodnight. It was really cute!
Anyway, i'm done writing for now. I still have so much to say, but it'll have to wait
much love!

Oh and they said we better plan on NOT sleeping for the next 6 months. how exciting!

Thank you

I would like to thank my family, neighbors, friends and the Kernersville Rotary Club for making this experience possible. If it wasn't for any of them, i might not be going.
For the Kernersville Rotary Club, thank you SO much for what you all have done.
Thanks for letting me come to tell you all about what i will be doing for the next 6 months with Up With People. I appreciate it very much and hope to come back to share what i have learned from this experience and what it has done for me. Thanks for making this opportunity a little bit more achievable. :]
For my parents, let me just say, you guys ROCK. Thank you so much for letting me do this, it means a lot. I know you guys probably want to kill me right now, because of my metal foot, but i appreciate you guys being so kind as to still giving me the chance to go. I love you guys so much and i know this trip will be worth every single penny you are spending on it.

ANYWAY, 9 days left and i get to meet my wonderful cast b :]
LOVE YOU GUYS!