Week 9: Rotary Weekend #2

 Week 9:

Its been more than 2 moths since I arrived here and I can proudly say that I can't imagine going back to Austria and leaving this life behind. Things got so much better in the past 3 weeks and I am sure that the hard times are over now.

This weekend was very exciting, because it was at the Niagara Falls District Conference with all the other exchange students from district 7090. We stayed in the Marriott Gateway hotel, a four star hotel with an incredible view at the falls from half of the hotel rooms. Unfortunately, my room faced the other side but for me its easy to visit them, so that's okay. :)

The whole weekend mainly consisted of listening to rotarians talking about Rotary, what they do, how they help people around the world, and some experiences from past exchange students.
On saturday we first had a very fancy dinner with all the rotarians. There were at least a hundret people at the dinner! All the girls wore dresses and the boys wore suits. After that, we had a halloween party and everyone dressed up. It was very much fun! I dressed up as a doctor !

During the week I went Halloween-shopping with a friend from school. We went to a second hand shop and tried an enourmus amount of clothes! :)

Halloween shopping!

I am a picke! :)

Spiderman!

Me and my friend at the second-hand shop

In the pool of the hotel at the conference

Halloween!

The exchange students and me

Japan, Austria and Germany

Rio and me :)

Week 8: Hello Fall

Week 8:

The past week it got much rainier and cold. Surprisingly, it felt like summer until the beginning of october! I enjoyed that, but I know that the winter in Canada will be very cold :(

On saturday, my hostmum had her graduation in Brock University. She has a Masters in Education now! That was the first time I saw a graduation and it was just as I imagined it to be! The graduates wore typical graduation clothes and some even hats! It was a good experience.
I also met the other exchange students and we went to Clifton Hill and watched the Falls at night. It was so beautiful. In the nighttime the Falls are lighted in many different colours and in summer there are even fireworks! We also had fun in Niagara-on-the-lake and went to the lake to see Toronto and the U.S.

Next week is Halloween in North America and I am very excited to be part in that event! I will do trick or treat with the Key Club from my highschool. We raise money for UNICEF to prevent babies from Tetanus.

The Graduation

Sweden, Brazil and Austria in Niagara Falls

Taking a walk

Niagara River

Ice cream shop

Vegetarian feelings

Week 7: Happy Thanksgiving!

Week 7:

My 7th week was a shorter school-week than normal because I had a free day on Friday. Guess why..? Because it was Thanksgiving! This was obviously a very exciting weekend, because it has been the first Thanksgiving I've ever celebrated!

School was very good, I am starting to feel very happy in A.N. Myer and my friends are just the best! What I love about Canada is the multiculturalism. I have friends who are descended from Africa, Cuba, Italy, Germany and other countries. On Thursday, we had Myer Spirit day. I guess it's just a day to honor the school, so everyone wore the Myer-colours, which are purple and white.
I noticed that Canada is very patriotic, compared to Austria. In the morning we stand up and listen to the canadian anthem! I've never done something like that in Austria.

On Friday, my host- mum, brother, sister and I went to Kingston to their cottage. I always enjoy staying there, because we can drive with the boat, go waterskiing (in summer) or just enjoy the awesome view from the living room. The colours of the leaves started to change and I almost felt like I was back in Austria. On Saturday, we had a big family dinner for Thanksgiving and it was a bit overwhelming for me. I was surprised that so many people would show up at the cottage! But I had a good time, all the relatives are very nice and the food was super-good. Even if I didn't have any turkey because I am vegetarian, I enjoyed the meal. The next days I had some homework to do and studied for school. Sometimes it is very hard for me to understand, but I try my best to be good in school.

On Monday, we went back to Niagara Falls and I had to say goodbye to my hostsiblings, which is always a bit sad for me. They are just so nice and funny, it's always a blast hanging out with them!

My first Thanksgiving had been an awesome experience and I enjoyed taking part a canadian tradition.

My hostbro and me

Loughborough Lake

Week 6: Crêpes and Canadians

In my 6th week, school was just as always, except of having a week off from crosscountry. My legs appreciated that! I slowly started to realize, that school isn't that bad anymore and that some canadians  start to really care about me.

On Tuesday a Rotarian took Rayane and me sailing in Lake Ontario! Actually, this was the first time I went to America! Well... americain water. :) It was a great experience and I had a good day. 

Sailing with the Frenchie

In the evening, I sat in the oldest car i've ever seen. The Rotarian told me that the car was over 40 years old and made of wood. We took a fun drive through Niagara-on-the-lake.

me in an old-timer

In the weekend I had some self-made Crêpes with the french exchange student and we went to the movies. On Sunday I finally hung out with a canadian girl (and her twin) ! It was fun, we went to Cliffton hill and I made a wax-hand! Just like tourists.

Crêpes

Wax-hand shop

Special thanks to my buddy Stephen Davis for being so fresh and going with the flow.

Week 5: a new family and THE 1st ROTARY WEEKEND

My fifth week had been a very exciting week. I got a new hostfamily for a week, a very nice and caring couple who I loved since the first day. They live not far away from my school, so I could walk to school and back home in 10 minutes. I always had fun with them. We baked my first applepie together and went to yoga classes. My hostmum for the week teaches yoga in the YMCA Niagara Falls, so we went there twice a week. They also went shopping with me and we rode the bike together.

I also had crosscountry training every day, you can't imagine how my legs feel now. But it's good to do sports again, i need to get fit !! :) Anyways, even if I really liked my short-term hostfamily, I was looking forward to see my great first hostfamily again!

The Rotary- Orientation weekend was just amazing. We stayed in a scout-camp near St.Catherines in little houses and had a big room to eat and have meetings. I met 27 incredibly nice exchange students from all around the world and I can proudly call them my friends now. For  the first time in my exchange I felt pure happiness and joy. During the day we introduced ourselves, talked about Rotary or had some freetime. We played volleyball in the huge area around our little houses and went for walks and even for scaring night-walks (Switzerland (: )
My Rotary blazer is now filled with beautiful new pins and I have a brazilian flag now! I am sure that these exchange students will be an important part of my life during this year and I can't wait for the Buffalo- and New York-Trip in the next months.

My blazer is filled with pins now :) I love it!

France and Austria

Switzerland and Austria at the Grape and Wine Parade

Germany, France and Austria

Switzerland, Brasil and Austria

JAPAN!

I love this one !

Switzerland, Austria, Brasil and Sweden

All the exchange students, i love them

Week 4: Toronto and horseriding

My school week was quite normal and I still sometimes felt lonely. But as always, the rotarians sweetened my week. The Rotary meetings are sometimes a little tough for me, because I have to make a speech every week. I just have to talk for a minute about my new experiences, but somehow it's a big deal for me. But I am sure that i will benefit from the speeches for my future.

My counsellor took me to the riding stables and I tried horse riding again. Her horse is called Mercedes and I can ride her every week. It is so much fun!! So many people in Canada have their own horses! I also met a tiny horse (blondie) , it is as big as a dog!! Nobody can ride her, because it would hurt her back, but she is just so cute!

Blondie and me

Mercedes and me

In the weekend my counsellor took me to Toronto, two hours away from Niagara Falls. I was very excited to see the big city and have a fun weekend. We stayed in her sisters appartment, an amazing little flat, from which you can see over the city from the living room. The day in Toronto was much fun, because we made a shopping tour and I bought some new stuff for Canada.

Toronto

My absolutely amazing view from the couch

I had the pleasure to sleep on the couch and watch Toronto at night while falling asleep. It was amazing and I realized how much I missed the city. Vienna is just so different compared to Niagara Falls.
On Sunday on our way home, we stopped at a horse shop and bought some new boots for my counsellor. She loves horses and riding.
I also saw some horse-soap from Germany! That was a funny moment. :)

The german Hose stuff.

It so far was the most amazing weekend and I cherished every second.

Week 3: Settling in

I started to settle in in my new hometown and got to know many people in my new life. After school on my way home, there is always a crossing guard waiting for me to have a little conversation. Things like that sweeten my day and make me feel happy.

The hours after school I didn't know what to do so I signed up in my crosscountry team in A.N. Myer. I expected to socialize and find new friends in the team, but it turned out to be a club for very experienced and serious kids. I immediately relized that I bad at running, compared to them. My other choices, the key club, the drama club and the interact club turned out to be very fun.

The key club does volunteering and kind of charity stuff. For example at halloween we will dress up and ask for trick or treat to raise money for unicef. I am stunned that every highschool in Canada offer such amazing clubs.