Evaluation - The end :)

Evaluation 

I know it has been some time since I was in America (so sad...) but I still want to write a short evaluation on our exchange.

I found this exchange very interesting and exciting, with lots of new impressions and new cultures to learn about. I think it was very nice to experience what it was like to attend High School, and to live the life of an ordinary american teenager for a couple of days.
If I should start at the very beginning, I really enjoyed the ride with The Magic Bus in San Francisco, since it went through lots of city history, and at the same time it was fun with the hippie-theme and we got to see a lot of the beautiful city. It was nice that we had time to shop and do the things we wanted to, but also great with the plans our teachers had for us - culturel and exciting. I found it very sad the we did not walk the Lambart Street and there were other things we missed, but I loved all that we got to do, for an instance visiting Alcatraz.
When we attended High School, I thought it was a huge shame that we only had 3 days there. Also that the teachers did not seem prepared for us to come, and that we almost did not participate in class. But on the other hand, I found it so delightful that I got to experience attending High School, and to see, with my own eyes, how the american school system works.
And my host family was simply stunning! I wish I had had at least 3 more days with them. They were very interested in me and my culture, family and interests. They were sweet and kind all the way through, and I am so happy I got to live with the Carruthers. I think it is so important that both the family and the student is interested in the exchange student, so for some of the danes who did not feel like they were wanted as much as I did, I think that they should find a diffrent way to choose hosts.
But in general I loved it very much, even though some things need change - but since it was the first exchange with Menlo-Atherton I think that it is totally fair that it needs improvement.
I also felt like I got to know the danes I was traveling with a lot more, which I think was important too!
I hope I will get an opportunity like that again, and I hope that everybody who read my blog enjoyed reading it!
Bye for now, and thanks!

- Cecilie 

Thanks for reading!

The last day (day 8) + the flight

Hey Everyone!

Today, it is two days ago since I came home to Denmark.
So friday, we woke up early so we could go and see the campus at Stanford University. It was a huge place, with lots of beautiful nature and all the buildings were yellow and red. We went into the Stanford University church - sadly we were not aloud to take pictures in there, but it was a very beautiful place, with colorful mosaic windows with Jesus and his disciples, and there were stone plates with thougtful texts and I really enjoyed sitting on one of the bences, just looking up at the altar.
After the church, we walked around campus for a little while and took some pictures. Then we went to the gift shop where I bought a beautiful and very expensive Stanford shirt, and some other stuff... it was 81 $ in total! woops...
Then we got something to eat, and we went back to Comfort Inn. Sofie and I went exploring on the other side of the road, just to look at the shops, and of course we found a Starbucks, so Sofie OF COURSE had to go and get some coffee for the busdrive :)
Then we met up with the others, and we packed the bus so we could drive to the airport of San Francisco. We said goodbye to Linda and Emil who was going to travel south.
On the busdrive I ate the Jelly Beans Noreen had given me the day before, and drank some cherry coke (not really something for me, but oh well...)
When we came to the airport we waited half an hour to check in, so we hoped that it was the only time where we were going to be late. And it was. Our plane came on time, and I got a lot of sleep. In Copenhagen everything also went smoothly. We were in Kastrup around 13:15 saturday, so it was very weird, since we had left San Francisco at 16 something, friday.
When we arrived at Billund, we got our suitcases, and Melissa and Sofie drove with me to Århus.
When I came home my sister had baked cupcakes for us, that we could decorate and my parents made a lovely dinner - so even though I miss California already, I´m happy to be home with my family again! It was an amazing experience for me, and I hope I will go back (soon)!
I hope you enjoyed reading my blog - and thank you so much for doing so! - an evaluation of the trip will be posted soon, so if you are interested in reading my overall opinion on the trip, stay updated!

- Cecilie 

On our way to Stanford University

At Stanford University, campus

                                                                  Sculptures at campus

                             The outside of the beautiful church at Stanford University campus

Cindy, taking pictures of the beautiful campus

                                              Camilla with our group, outside the church

                                                               Walking around campus

                                                            On our way to the gift shop

c                                                        The entrance to Comfort Inn

                                          One of the rooms we had booked at Comfort Inn hotel

                                                   My delicious Jelly Beans from Noreen

                                         Outside the International Airport of San Francisco

                                          Sofie, fooling around at the San Francisco airport

                                              Camilla & Sofie at the San Francisco airport

                                      Our plane from San Francisco to Kastrup, Copenhagen

Melissa, waiting for the group, so we could board

                                                                      Waiting to board

                                 Inside the plane from San Francisco to Kastrup, Copenhagen

                      Me, listening to music in the plane from San Francisco to Kastrup, Copenhagen

                                    The small plane we flew in from Kastrup to Billund airport

                                                     Camilla & I outside the small plane

              View from the small plane - above Jylland, around 20 min. before we landed in Billund

Day 7 - Menlo-Atherton High School, the last day

Hello Everyone!

So today it is thursday, and it was my last morning with my host family and my last day at Menlo-Atherton High School.
I woke up at 6:30 am. laying in bed, just thinking about how sad I was, since it was the last time I got to spend my morning with my host family. The night before I had packed the most of my stuff in my suitcase, so I took a shower and packed the last of my stuff and made up my bed. I went out in the kitchen to enjoy my last morning with Jim, Noreen and Claire. I wrote a little greeting in the fairytale book I bought for them, and they wrote greetings in my Menlo-Atherton note pad and we took some pictures together. Noreen had even wrote a card for me, and bougt a cute heart neckless for me as a present from the whole family - that was so sweet of her, I loved it! It was so sad to say goodbye to them, because they have been so kind to me and I really hope I am going back here to visit them some day, they are truely great people, with open hearts and arms.
After I had said goodbye to Jim and Noreen, Claire and I went to a café called *Cafe Borrone*, where I ordered some hot chocolate and a huge waffle with some diffrent berries on top - really american, really good! - we met up with some of the others and their hosts, and it was really enjoyable and fun to try that, since I do not have time back at home to go out for breakfast on school days.
After that we went to school, and met at the sculpture of a bear, which is Menlo-Atherton High Schools mascot, where a security man locked or suitcases in a room, so that we did not need to take them with us to class. Today was also a block day, and today I had biology, latin and history class. Claire had an AP in spanish, so I went with Camilla and her host, Marta, to latin class. An AP is a final.
The school day was okay, but I was really tired, and so was Claire, so we did not talk as much as we normally do, but I enjoyed my last day at Menlo with her. After school at 15:15 pm. we met up with the others, and got our suitcases. Half an hour later, after we had said goodbye to our hosts, we drove to *Comfort In* hotel in Palo Alto. It was really sad saying goodbye to Claire, since I do not know when I will see her again, but as said, I will hopefully come back to see her and her family sometime in the near future.
After we had checked in, we drove to a mexican resturant at a strip mall, and ate dinner. I got a mixed berry smoothie and some delicious pasta, yum!
After that some of us went to a store called *Pharmacy* where we bought all sorts of things - I bought lip balm and candy. Then we headed back at 20:00 pm. to the hotel, and then we ate muffins and evaluated the week, so the teachers knew what they could make better the next time they go with exchange students to USA. And know we are just chilling, I have ate some *Ben & Jerry* icecream, since it is only 4,76 $ for a bucket with 465 ml! Sofie, Camilla and I have a room on our own, so we are just writing our blogs, and enjoying our last time here in Palo Alto.
It is going to be so weird tomorrow, when we are headed home - so I am just not going to think about it, and I am just going to live tomorrow like my life depended on it! I love it here, and I hope I am going to be back, soon!

- Cecilie 

My lovely host family!
From the left: Claire, Jim & Noreen Carruthers

The Carruthers house from the back

My gorgeous present and card from my host family

At Cafe Borrone

Danes and hosts eating delicious american breakfast

My hot chocolate from this morning

My breakfast from this morning

One of the schoolyards at Menlo-Atherton High School

The statue of the bear at Menlo-Atherton High School

Biology class

My lunch that Noreen made for me

My waterbottle from Menlo-Atherton High School

With Camilla and Marta in latin class

Homemade cupcakes in latin class

M.A Bears wall painting in the school hallway

History class

Waiting fo our suitcases at one of the many schoolyards at Menlo-Atherton

Entrance to Menlo-Atherton High School - our last goodbyes

My dinner at the mexican restaurant

My delicious mixed berry smoothie

Sofie, on her way to write her blog at the hotel *Comfort In*

My Ben & Jerry´s icecream!

Day 6 - Menlo-Atherton High School

Hey Everyone!

I can not believe it is thursday tomorrow already... oh well.
Today was a block day at Menlo-Atherton High School, which means Claire only had 3 of her classes, but they lastet 90 min! - long classes...
But today we had english, math and choir classes. But before we entered the first class, we went by the office, where they had a small back pack for all the danish exchange students, with a little note pad, pen and a stress bear! - because the schools mascot is a bear, we got a bear whos function is like a stress ball, it is really cute! (and I got the feeling Claire is a little jealous of the bear :) )
I really LOVED the choir class, and I got to record it and I sang with them! It was so much fun, I wish we could do it the same way back home in Denmark.
After school we headed home to Claires, where she got ready for soccer, right before she had a singing lesson. I was talking to Noreen, while she did flower decorations for an event tomorrow. When Claire left for soccer, Noreen and I went to the Stanford Shopping Center, where Noreen bought a birthday gift for her friend, and I bought some stuff to. After that Noreen and I went to the Food Trucks where Jim came along. Food trucks are like small trucks with all diffrent types of food like indian, chinese, mexican, american and so on. We met Sofie and her host mom, Camilla and her host family, Emilie, and Kristina with her host girl. It was lovely, and really cozy - except for some trains that went by, so we could not hear each other, but they drove by fast. There were life music and lights in the trees, so it was lovely and cute. Camilla, Emilie and I had pull pork sandwiches, yum!
After that, Jim drove me home and now we are just relaxing with our computeres, and watching tv. Claire bought Doritos, brownies and cookies for tomorrows spanish class, apparently they will have a ruff lesson where they will be in need of sweets :) Right now she is doing her homework, and soon we will all go to bed because we are tired. I am so sad I am going to say goodbye to Noreen and Jim tomorrow morning, because they are so sweet! I would have loved to stay some more, but hopefully I will come back one day and visit them. They are wonderful people!

- Cecilie 

English class

Math class

Math class (the pupils are doing a math test)

My Menlo-Atherton back pack and its contents

A schoolyard at Menlo-Atherton

Eating lunch with the other danes

At lunch in the schoolyard

The cafeteria of Menlo-Atherton

Choir class

Schoolyard at Menlo-Atherton

Schoolyard at Menlo-Atherton

Noreens beautiful flower arrangements

A chesse holder with birds at the Stanford Shopping Centre

Sort of a parfume bottle at the Stanford Shopping Centre

Camilla, Sofie and I  at the food trucks 

Sofie at the BBQ food truck 

Food trucks in Menlo park