Jamie + Grant + Mackenzie + Morgan = AMAZING TIMES

Wow. So today is the last day of my spring break and I would not want to have spent it any other way. I hung out with Grant (going to Japan), Mackenzie (going to Lithuania), and Morgan (going to Denmark)

So.. first we went to Books A Million and Mackenzie and I got world maps so we could hang it in our rooms and put push pins in the cities that our friends are going to be in!

Then we went to YOGABERRY. It was fabulous. And then the best part.. we went to the WOLRD MARKET. It was tons of fun! We got some pasta imported from Italy and then went back to Grant's house to make it! It was fabulous.

Then we went to the beach and it was awesome....except for the fact that I did not have a towel and I lost my pants and Morgan lost her sunglasses.

Every time I hangout with the other outbounds it just gets me more and more excited for my year abroad. We all get to talk and it just never gets old

Enjoy the other pictures.....



Norwegian water at the world market.
Morgan and I
Mackenzie and I showing off our Italian pasta!
My Norwegian license plate
I don't really know
Tea cups at the world market
YOGABERRY!
YOGABERRY!

So far my spring break..

my spring break has been incredible! I have been hanging out with the other outbounds a lot. And every day has been amazing that I am with them.

Me, Morgan, and Grant hung out and did some crazy stuff and talked to a homeless guy in jax beach. And we went to see mckenzie and peter. Mckenzie was grounded though... so she could not go out with us! But Peter did. And we went out to eat and then hung out at the beaches, and almost got killed by another homeless dude. (not really, but it was creepy) That day was super fun!

Another day Peter, Morgan and I hung out like all night. It was a lot of fun!

And just yesterday I hung out with Grant and his friend from Texas, Caroline. And we made up a joke that I was waiting at the towncenter for helen but peter never told her and yeah I dont know.. But it was great.

I slept over at my friends condo last night and I just got like really sad. We are all just sitting on the bed in her moms room and her mom was there and she was just asking me questions about Norway. And one of my friends said "are you sad one bit about leaving" and I looked at her and I said "every day it gets closer I get more and more sad". And it is so true... I only have less then 4 months to be with my friends and family.

This weekend I have to say good bye to my grandparents for the last time before I leave. I will not see them after this weekend for a year and a half! I will probably tear up, and it really got me thinking that I will soon have to say good bye to every one I know. It will be the hardest thing I will ever have to do.

norway

Norway Norway nORWAY norway Norway Norway nORWAY Norway norway Norway Norway Norway norway Norway NOrway Norway Norway Norway Norway Norway Norway Norway Norway Norway Norway Norway nORWAY norway Norway Norway nORWAY Norway norway Norway Norway Norway norway Norway NOrway Norway Norway Norway Norway Norway Norway Norway Norway Norway Norway Norway nORWAY norway Norway Norway nORWAY Norway norway Norway Norway Norway norway Norway NOrway Norway Norway Norway Norway Norway Norway Norway Norway Norway Norway Norway nORWAY norway Norway

NO WAY! NO WAY! NO WAY! NO WAY!
yes way yes way yes way

i just can not seem to get it in my head that I really am going to Norway for a whole year!

I will miss...

these girls...

...with all my heart. We have all been best friends for so long. We have not hung out in so long but tonight Shannen, Kali and Morgan spent the night at my house and it was so much fun. I love them all to death and I do not know how I will live a year with out them. I made so many new memories tonight and we grew so much closer. They put up with hearing me talk about Norway, and I KNOW they hate it when I do talk about it because it gets super annoying but wow okay I am done. They are just awesome and I just thought maybe some people might want to know.. god natt!

WOW!

I AM GOING TO NORWAY....
(just in case you forgot!)

Is it not just absolutely gorgeous? I can not wait!

Grant AND Helen

Ok, so I was told I need to make a whole post about Grant and Helen.

These two losers up there are pretty much amazing. They are pretty much fun to be around and sometimes can be really weird and stupid but that is why I love them. Grant is making me do this. But I am not complaining, it is not like I have a life now. Because it is spring break and I work every single day. I need a good finger work out- and typing is just the way to get those muscles! Anyways.. we met at the January orientation.. and here is a picture of us three...Oh yeah.... It is a good one right... I know, you do not have to tell me how amazing it is. Helen is actually a professional model... She is going to Brazil and Grant is going to like China... just kidding. Japan.

OH. I forgot about Peter. He is anti-social (as you can tell). I just knew he would get mad if I did not put him in here. And it is kind of funny. He is going to Germany.


Anyways, back to the more important subject. Grant and Helen. We have our hangout days. They are tons of fun. Enjoy some pictures (I like to post pictures, as you can tell)


Um... well yeah I love Grant and Helen. And of course Peter. The end.
This blog mentioned like nothing about Norway.
So here it is.
I AM SO EXCITED
AND I CAN NOT WAIT

4 month to go!

Wow. So I can't even describe my feelings, and I do not think that anyone could understand my feelings unless you have or is going through the same experience that I am. I have 4 months left before I leave, and I have different feelings every day.

Sometimes I get extremely nervous and wonder if I made the right choice to be an exchange student.
Sometimes I am super excited and I do not think I can wait 4 months.

Everyone says the time will go by fast. I am not wasting a single day... I am always out- either working or with friends. I know that it seems forever away but I also know that it will go by fast, 4 months is not long at all. Soon it will be 3 months, then 2, then only 1. Then I will be counting the weeks, then the days, and then the hours, and finally the minutes till I leave. I know it will come fast... I remember when it was 8 months. It seems like just yesterday. And I will probably be saying when I am on saying goodbye to my family at the airport that it seems like just yesterday it was 4 months.

I love Jacksonville. I love the beaches. I love my friends. I love district 6970. I love my dog. I love arbys. I love sweet tea. I love corn nuggets. I love my job. I love my family. I love the warm weather. I will miss it all! But I am ready to experience a whole new world. I am ready for the dramatic weather change and I am ready for the culture shock and for the new foods and language and for unfamiliar faces. I love Mackenzie. Next to this paragraph is Mackenzie. I met her at the first orientation in January. She is going to Lithuania and she is like the sweetest girl I have ever met, and she is always there to talk to me when I am having a bad day and I know she will be there for me when I have my hard days in Norway.

I know it will be hard to say bye to everyone. A year is a really really realllllyyyyy long time. I tear up just thinking about saying bye to my friends and family. I am expecting to be crying like the whole last week I am here. But who knows when it will actually hit me that I am leaving. Right now it still feels like a dream. I can picture me saying bye to my family and walking into security... crying my eyes out. But that is where my dream ends. I do not know what to expect or what its going to be like after my goodbyes. I will be all alone, no one to hold my hand or tell me I cant sit by the window on the plane or tell me what type of food I normally order at restaurants. It is scary to think about, but I am confident and I believe in me.


So I officially have the best friends in the whole wide world, they are new friends. They are jumping on the same roller-coaster as me... the exchange student ride! We all can relate to each other and we know we can trust each other. About once a month we try to meet in St. Augustine and just hang out, both inbounds and outbounds. The "hangout sessions" are so much fun and we all get so much closer. I really will miss everyone so much! To the left is my really good friend, Morgan. She goes to my school and we see each other every day. We have so much in common. She is going to Denmark and I seriously love her so much, no one will ever understand. Haha, we have had some great times together. :D

Not a single minute goes on with out me thinking about Norway, and that is not a lie. It is always in the back of my head... no matter what!

I know how to say:

• I do not understand- Jeg forstår ikke
• Hello, My name is Jamie- Hallo, Jeg heter Jamie
• I am from Jacksonville, Florida- Jeg er fra Jacksonville, Florida
• Goodbye- Ha det bra
• I love you- Jeg elsker deg

Well, I did not use a translator I do not know if I spelled any of them correctly! :D I am basically fluent though.... right?!?!

Oh and yes, I almost forgot... I (and every other 75 outbounds from Florida) got the lovely honor of having to give a speech in front of about maybe 20 people.. or more or less... in Norwegian (or their language) and some in English. I have never been so scared in my entire life to give a speech. And yes, there was people in the room who could understand me. Hummm.... here is the video. :/ DON'T LAUGH..... ooookay. just kidding. I have no clue how to get the video from my facebook onto here, but if you want to look at my facebook it is on there! Here is a picture:

Okay, so as you can tell- there is a lot on my mind. I am very busy. I feel like I am always working or at school. Get this. This week is my spring break. I work every single day. I work 3-9 most days. I am happy because I am trying my hardest to save up money for my trip! I get paid every 2 weeks, and I usually keep about 40 dollars, and put the rest of the money in my bank account. I am proud of me... because I love to shop!

OOKKKKAY. Well.. for real. I think I said everything that I have on my mind. I will now wrap it up... so ha det bra! (if you are smart you would look up a few paragraphs and see the translation for that!)

How I got here

As y'all all know, my brother, Brad, went to Germany. I always thought he was completely crazy that he was leaving for a whole year. Leaving his friends, family. While he was gone I still thought he was crazy... I thought he was the bravest person in the world for doing what he did! I do not know exactly what changed my mind, but I did. Now I am going to be an exchange student to Norway! Every day people ask me why I want to be an exchange student, and I honestly do not know the answer. I say different things every time. Some times I say "why not?" and sometimes I say "it is a one in a life opportunity, and I am not going to let it pass" or sometimes "I will soon be bilingual, live in a whole new country, meet amazing people from all around the world, and learn about not only Norway, but the world".

So... You may be thinking "well... why Norway?". That is a good question... I am not really sure what got me to pick Norway, but it was my 1st choice out of 5, and I could not be happier. I have a friend who is an exchange student from Norway, and he is one of my really good friends. He talked me into picking Norway as my top country... he got me so excited and told me how different it is from here in Florida. And the language! Norwegian!!! Wow, it sounds so pretty. I love it and I can not wait to speak it! And a plus about speaking Norwegian, is that if I am good enough I will be able to understand Danish and Swedish!

So, I am going to blog about everything... I know what it is like to not know whats going on! Brad NEVER told anyone what was going on in Germany... and I hated it. I will update before I leave on how I am feeling and then when I get there I will talk about everything! I will not let anyone down! I am so excited and I can not wait to share my adventures!