Long and Overdue Update

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*the view from the plane


Okay my friends, do not fear, I did not fall of the face of the earth, but for some reason my e-mail stopped working, and my blog would not allow me to update- and do believe this was the universe's way of keeping me out the the home loop.



Although it did allow me to be connected to myspace---which I find rather strange, but perhaps after all the myspace interaction was needed-maybe, just maybe.



Okay so I am going to back up all the way to September 19th, because i do feel that it is my duty to keep you up to date on all the life changing experiences- so I'm warning you know if you don't have the time to read this now, stop and read it later, because it will be a long one, and you will want to keep reading.



September 19th was one of those days that is simply worth putting down in words. We started out on this walk which ended up being a half an hour and ended in the country at this small little air field. And so I willingly handed over my 500 crowns ( 25 dollars) and was then able to climb aboard this little plane that just so happened to be a replica of a German bomber. So I'm not really one to favor flying but this was different- and fear was nowhere to be found. This was no commercial airliner- there were no people of every sort invading your personal space and creating a stench- and you did not travel so highas to not be able to point out buildings and structures. The view flying around this city was amazing- quite a beautiful palce to take your first no commercial flight. Andit was funny, or perhaps funny isn't the word- it was something- because before the flight I actually debated whether or not I should spend the 25 dollars or not- and after doing it- the thought of not just sounds plain stupid. How many times in your life do you get to trek through a town in southern bohemia that you have finally learned to say- but have yet to spell to end up at this airfield and climb up in this replica of this german bomber and fly over the hostel that's connected to a castle where you have been sleeping and staying for two weeks? How many times in your life do you get the opportunity to do just that? I'm pretty sure just once- so I took the opportunity I was given and ran with it. And as I was up there looking down on this country I"ll call home for the next year with Mandy in my ear singing " extraordinary" and my camera in hand capturing life in this moment- I just felt at peace, content, like that was exactly where I was supposed to be- as though there wasn't another place by the name of Vancouver, Washington where I might also belong. Because right now- at this time- that is not at all where I belong. I belong right here. Because when the doors slid this is the one I chose- and so all of what i'm experiencing here is discovering what all can be found behind this door. ( I hope you caught the sliding door thing mom)

So that was the 19th...let's move along shall we.

Zari 20th, I stood on the 15th Meridian, which was a rather cool experience, I also walked across it, and took pictures of my bare feet on it, the part in english, as well as the arabic part, because after all I'm arab, and I spoke it at one point, and will again one day, so why not? right? I did it---because I could. I also toured the 3rd largest castle in the Czech Republic.

the 21st--- I went to a museum and saw the world's largest mechanical nativity scene---which was very interesting as well as educational.

Okay the 22nd was amazing from start to finish so you better brace yourself...
So we had gone out the night before, because it was the last night with all of us exchange students and we wanted to celebrate, we had our curfew extended and we headed to Bar 69.
Well the whole two weeks we had been there, I as well as all of the girls had an eye for the bartender whose name....wait for it....wait for it.....was Ludwig, just like Beethoven haha, but it didn't matter. So we all took a picture with him the last night and we thought that was the end of him, but oh no.

We wake up the next morning and Eleanor( the one I told you about before she is going to NYU next year) she realizes her cell phone is gone. and so she calls it and guess who answers.....Ludwig. He found it outside the bar and took it home. So we need to go to his house to get it. Mind you it's 8:30 and our host parents are supposed to be there at 9, and its quite the walk. So Eleanor, Patty, and I went running through the streets of this small bohemian town to go get back her cell phone from the very attractive Czech bartender. It was like the movies. What was even more like the movies was when he told us to have great years here and that he hopes we encounter a lot of good people, and to simply forget about the bad one's. It was the perfect start to a morning, and a perfect way to leave that town.

So then I went home, and we had my birthday dinner, and ate outside on the back patio, because the weather was super nice, and then host mom disappears for a few, and comes back with a gift bag. And Martin tells me, we see you writing all the time and that your journal is gettng full, so well...you'll see. and you know what they got me, they got me a journal. They have known me about 5 days, and they already have choosen to tune into something that is a large part of me, of who I am, of what I do, of who I'll become. They had no obligation to do so, but the fact that they cared- that means a lot. And they couldn' t have given me anything that would have made me happier.

The 23rd- I was 17, but it was one of those days where you feel like life is just beginning. We left the house at 10:30 and headed to the train station, and hopped the train. We then sat across from these two older women. And something I've noticed since being here is that their older people look more aged than our older people- and this was once again true of one of the ladies sitting across from us. She had really nice white teeth, and these sparkling light blue eyes- and her face was warn- and her wrinkles were not just wrinkles- they were these massive indents- wrinkles to the extreme, where the skin folds in in certain places and not in others. But it's not as if she was ugly- it was simply an example of the bodies way of truly aging. And to me, it's only proof that she has lived life- and lived it well, because in my olden age if having wrinkles menas that I lived as much as I could for as long as I could- then I will embrace those wrinkles and take pride in them. I hope that lady embraces her wrinkles- although she probably doesn't- because we generally fail to see the bright side to things in regards to ourselves.
We then hopped of the train and started on the 12km hike back to the car. We stopped along the way and ate sandwiches and my host parents drank beer- which I didn't really understand because we were hiking- in rather warm weather and beer dehyrdates you- so I didn't get what they were doing, but they enjoyed themselves so it's all good.

the 24th. It started out amazing and proved that I'm making progress in this language. So i needed to go and set my final schedule with the head lady. So I go to her office, but only her helper lady is there. Now mind you this lady only speaks Czech, so before I left for language camp when would go to the office, and she was there, a lot of hand gestures and motions when on, because I didn't speak Czech and she didn't speak english. So the the helper lady was there- and with my Czech skills I asked her if the lady was there, and she said no that she was teaching a class ( she said this in czech mind you, and I understood) and then I asked her what time she would be there( in czech also) and she told me the time ( in czech) and I understood, and I walked out of that office feeling very very accomplished.
Then in Psych class we left school and walked to the library, to see the exhibit on GUESS WHO?
JUST GUESS??????????
on Freud. Now really that was pretty strange considering my strange obession with freud and my rather extensive knowledge on his theories ( isn't that right Breegan haha I miss us) and well the exhibit was all in Czech but i made attempts to read it, and with the pictures I generally got the jist of the matter.
and then OH Good GOD ALMIGHTY, I went to cycling class with my host mom. Now I don't know if you've ever done a cycling class. But if you ever deserve a good ass kicking, don't wait for someone to give it to you, just go to a cycling class, and you will be giving it to yourself. OH God, for the longest time I thought I was going to die, although I kept going, and then I think after awhile I was moving without thinking, but I had to keep moving, because if I would have stopped you couldn't have got me going again, and it probably didn't help that the clock was right in front of my face---and I swear to you that was the longest hour in my day. Oh it was funny though because the first song we listened to was by Mika, and it made me think of home, and I cycled my heart out. OH and my zadek ( bottom) hurts so bad today, those bicycle seats do not have mercy on your ass, NO, not even your's so be prepared, if you ever go to a cycling class to be rather uncomfortable in the following days. Anyways I felt very accomplished after and I will probably go again. I'm still loosing weight, which is weird, because I'm supposed to gain a whole bunch, but apparently not, my hair is also getting awfully long, which I'm excited for. Just wait, this slim long haired brunnete will return to America. just wait.

and now up to speed today the 25th.
We went on an all day field trip today to two castles, which was a lot of fun,
and I made four new friends, who I like very much.
We are going out for pizza and coffee after school thursday
and then I'm going with different friends to a concert thurdsay night
and I don't have school Friday because it's a national holiday.

Anyways these new friends of mine, they were talking about all of us going to Prague to go shopping sometime, and how Im going to need to, or else I"ll freeze during winter, and we talked about all these things they want to do with me, anyways I'm rather excited. We had good photo shots of all of us on our trip today, it was a good time.
Haha they also decided that a piercing would look good on me, and why don't I get one ( on my face) and I was like ummm....yeah....no thanks.

Okay I hope you feel tuned in- I think I was detailed enough although my fingers may fall off now.
Hope life is good for ALL of you
and that you are living and not letting the days pass you by
because this is it my friends
no time for being lazy
for holding grudges
for not forgiving
so forgive
let go
and live.
because I forgive.
so If you've ever thought I haven't forgiven you,
I forgive you.
And I mean that- with all of me.
I'm sending good vibes to America for all of you
until next time
Me

Oh and my address beause some of you have asked for it is as follows

Revolucni 13 ( yes thats right I live on revolution street, which i think its pretty sweet)
370 07 Ceske Budejovice