#week18 (thoughts + finals + Christmas party)

Hi everyone,

the 18th week is the last week of this semester at school, so it means that in January I will have different classes with different people, and maybe different teachers, that I will not see the same faces when I walk to my next class, that I may change the people who I sit at lunch with, but it also means that I'm almost halfway of my year. I don't wanna think that this year is going too fast because I wanna live it at the best. However, I sometimes start thinking that the last 4 or 5 months have already flown by and I only have the same amount of months left. I'm basiccally scared that they are gonna fly even faster. Ok, don't get me wrong, I don't mean to say that I don't care about everyone and everything that is at home back in Italy, because it is not like that. There I have my past 17 years, my family, my friends, my routine, my house, my habits, my favorite food, and so many other things that I didn't forget at all, and I'm not going to. I'm just saying that being here makes me feel more powerful? Proud? Confident?. I don't know which one is the right word to describe how I feel. I feel powerful because I have everything that I need and that I've always wished, I feel proud because I created a my new life and I accomplished so many goals, I feel confident because I finally realized that I can do so many things that I didn't know about.

Anyway, this week is finals' week, and for those who are wondering what finals are.. Finals are tests that you have to take for every class on what you have learned during the semester, and they count 20% of your final grade. Since I'm considered a senior there are some rules that can make you except from taking them. These points are: you have to have all As and Bs, and you don't have to have more than 6 days against you. For these reasons, I was except, except for American Government because all the seniors have to take it since it's a requirment for graduation.

Finals' days were Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. My final was on Friday from 7:30 to 9 am.

So that, Monday and Tuesday were chill day when you could review for the final exams.

On Thursday, I went with Grace to Fort Jesse Cafe to have breakfast. That was so yummy!

Then we went to target, and she came over for a little bit. After that, I just studied for my final because I wanted to do good on my last government test.

On Friday, I went to school and I took the final. It was hard, at least harder than the usual tests.

Friday night, I had a Christmas party with my friends at Kendra's and we did Secret Santa. Basically, everyone bought a present and left it on the table in the middle of the circle. After that everyone picked a number, and from the first person to the last one, we started choosing the present that we wanted (without knowing what there was inside). After around 10 numbers, people started stealing someone else's present (yes, you can steal a present, but for no more than 3 times). I really had a good time with them, as always!! 🎄🎅

#week17 (gingerbread houses + festival of lights)

Hi everyone,

on Thursday December 13th, I made my first gingerbread house and I ate my first spaghetti with meatballs (for the American people that are reading: noodles with meatballs is not an Italian thing).

On Friday, I went with Kyla to Fusion Brew right after school: this place is basically our date place by now😅. Around 5 pm, I went to Olive Garden with three exchange students to celebrate Lara's birthday. After that, Kyla picked us up and we went to the basketball game at school.

On Saturday, I went to Denny's with Grace around 12 pm. I love Denny's breakfast so much!!😍😋

After that, we went to school. At school there was a very important boys swimming meets, so, like every other boys' swimming meet, I went to help timing. That meet was so long! It took from 1:30 pm to around 5 pm. However, I had so much fun because I was timing with Mirza, and we laughed all the time😇😅.

When the swimming meet was over, I went to the Festival of Lights in Peoria (around 40 minutes away from where I live). When we got there, there were so many people, so we had to wait in line for almost an hour. Anyway after that hour, we got in and it was super cool!!

#week15-16 (oreo balls + Italian food)

Hi everyone,

on Monday, everyone was back to school. I went to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner!

On Tuesday, I started indoor track on Tuesdays and Fridays right after school, but I'm just trying because I'm not sure what I wanna do in the spring: if track or soccer. However, I like it so far!

On Friday, I had my second track practice, and I was so sore because I had been doing nothing for one month haha.

On Saturday, Grace, one of my friend, picked me and Mirza up around 9:30 am and we went to dunkin to get something to drink and eat. After that, we went to school where there was a wrestling meet. Grace, Mirza and I are together in yearbook class, so we had to take some picture at the meet for a template that we are gonna make about wrestling season.

In the afternoon, I made some more oreo balls. Those things are so yummy!!

During the 16th week I had tests, so besides track I didn't really do anything interesting after school that I remember of.

Saturday was super long!

I woke up around 8 am and I went to church at 9 am with my host family beacause it was December 8th.

Right after that, I went with my host dad to deliver stuff to people for the church until 11:30ish am. Right after that, he drove me to school to see the end of the swimming meet and the wrestling meet with some of my friends.

Around 1:30 pm, he picked me up and we went straight to one of the friends' daughter's ballet.

It was done around 4 pm, and on our way home, my host dad dropped me off at school to see the end of the wrestling meet where there was Grace.

After around an hour, the meet was over, so Grace and I went to Arbi's to eat something.

Then, around 6 pm my host family picked me up from Arbi's and we went to an ISU basketball gam that was over around 9:30 pm.

Finally, after all day going around, being driven, dropped off, and picked up, I went home. (I don't have any pictures from that day lol).

On Sunday, my family and I went to church. Then, my host sister made me my first hot chocolate with marshmallows, and it was so good😍. After that, I made baked pasta that I really love for lunch. That was super delicious haha.

#week14 (Black Friday + sleepover)

Hi everyone,

Novermber 23th was Black Friday!! For this reason, I went with four of my friends to the mall and we just boguht a lot of stuff (useless stuff, but it's ok lol). After the mall, we went to Steak 'n Sheak to eat.
In case you still didn't notice it, here in America when you hang out with your friends you most likely to end up eating something or getting a soda, a smoothie, or a milkshake haha.

Around 5 pm, I went to Lara's house (an exchange student from Germany) where there were Luna (an exchange student from Taiwan) and Ale (an exchange student from Spain). Together, we ate dinner, we played volleyball in the basement, we ate those candies that can be good or super nasty, we did face masks, we made rice krispies treaties, we ate cookies, we painted our nails, we played ping pong, we listened to music, we did the make up challenge, and we talked and talked. After a while, we went to bed that basically was a huge pillow where we all slept together (from left: Luna, me, Ale and Lara lol). During the night, I woke up and I couldn't see Luna, so I start looking for her. Everything was dark so I couldn't see her, I stood up, got my phone, and turned on the flashlight. She was laying on the floor, because she had fallen from the big pillow and she didn't even wake up or notice it. I started laughing so bad😂😅.

On Saturday morning, we woke up around 9 am, and it was so hilarious when Luna figured out that she was laying on the floor😂. We ate donuts, and then we left. I had so much fun with them!!

Morning mood.

During Saturday, I went to an ISU basketball game with my host family, and then I just relaxed.

On Sunday, we went to church, and then we set the Christmas light and the Christmas tree. It took us one entire day, but it was worth it.

#week14 (Thanksgiving)

Hi everyone,

On Monday, November 19th I went with Kyla to fusion brew and to the mall right after school. I was happy to hang out with her again, after a while that we hadn't hung out. She is one of my personal driver (exchange student has at least one). She is the super nice girl that picks me up and drives me to school every single day haha. I love her!

On Tuesday, I hung out with Maddy and Katie. We went to get a milkshake, then we just talked and talked and talked😅. They are two sisters that are on my swimming team and by now I consider my sisters haha.

On Wednesday, Thanksgiving break finally started!

On Thursday 22nd, it was Thanksgiving day! My host family and I went to Springfield (around an hour away from where I live) where my host mum's grandparents live. We just hung out and ate all day. We ate the typical food: turkey, green beans, smashed potatoes, stuffing, and pie. It was a good day!

Thanksgiving day is really important, and I'm sad that we don't celebrate it in Italy because it makes you think about all the people and all the things that you are thankful for.

This year...

I'm thankful for my Italian family who gave me the oppurtunity to live the best experience of my entire life, who trust me, and support me everyday.

I'm thankful for my American family who have been treating me like their own daughter since the moment that they chose me.

I'm thankful for all the people that I've met here and that are making my year super amazing.

I'm thankful for my swimming team, the best team that I could ever ask for who cheered for me in every meet.

I'm thankful for all the people that I have met over these last 17 years, even though they are on the other side of the world.

I'm thankful for all the new things that I'm learning everyday and all the things that I will learn.

#week13 (being in a movie + movie theaters)

Hi everyone,

with the 13th week started also my 3rd moth that I've been here. The time is going way too faaast.

On Tuesday, there was the fall sport award and I went to an ISU basketball game with my host family. 

 With my swimming coach that I consider like my big dad.

 With Mirza, Maddie and Macy.

In addition, this day I felt like I was in a movie. When I got home after school the code to get inside my house wasn't working and nobody was at home. So I decided to wait until someone would get home. The problem was that, that morning snowed, so there was snow everywhere and it was pretty cold, but I felt like I could wait for someone haha. For this reason, I waited outside, looking at my phone for around 10 minutes, when suddendly my phone decided to die because it was too cold (and because my phone is stupid). After that, I didn't know what to do, so I just decided that I wanted to get in. I went to the back of the house, I threw my backpack beyond the fence, I jumped inside our back yard, and luckily one of the door was open, so I was able to get inside!!! I had to admit that at the end tha was pretty fun lol.

On Wednesday, I made one of my favorite Italian dishes: pasta carbonara. It was super good!

On Thursday, It was super cold and snowy, so I had my first real snowball fight with my host sister.

On Friday, I went to DQ with some of my friends right after school and I got the s'mores flavour. It was so gooood!!😋 

After that, we went to the Festival of Trees where there were Christmas trees and gingerbread houses. It was super neat!

On Saturday, I went to the Thanksgiving Farmer Market with my host mum and my host sister to buy some vegetables. Then I went to Sydney's house and her dad made us pancakes😋. I really had a good time with her, and I finally met her sister who is in college.

On Sunday, I went to church in the morning and then to the movie theater with my host family. It was my first time at an American movie theater, and you would say, "so what? It's the same". No, it's not. It had seats that you can recline, and they were so comfy, it had the menu and a botton with what you could just call the waiter!! In addition, we got a huge bowl of pop corn and we just had to press that botton and ask for a refill. This sounds really lazy, but it felt good haha.

#day91-92 (swimming meet + lasagna fritta)

Hi everyone,

around 12:30 pm, I went to the sectionals swimming meet to cheer for my friends that are in the varsity team. When I got there, they had just finished the warm up, and everyone came up to me, hugged me, and started talking, even the coaches. That meet was really long, but I really had so much fun!😍

Swimmers during warm ups and the water is too cold, so you don't wanna get in😂

         Mirza sleeping during the meet😂               With Maddie💗

The meet was done around 4:30, and after that we all went to Olive Garden to eat. That place is considered an Italian-American restauranr haha, so only from this you should understand the mix of things that it's in there😂. If you think that it's Italian is not good, but if you think that it's American I like it.

She got "lasagna fritta" (only the Italian people can understand😂)

When we were done eating, I went to see te fall play at school: "A Midsummer night's dream" by Shakespear. After that, I ate my first peanut butter & nutella sandwich😍

On Sunday 11th, I went to church earlier than usual with my host family. Then, we went to Shannon's to have breaskfast. I love that place! I got the buffet, and I ate so much lol.😍

In the afternoon, I made the best Italian meat sauce in the world: Ragù. It turned out pretty good! For dinner, one of my favorite dishes: baked pasta. OMG it was so good!!😍

#week12 (broken ankle?)

Hi everyone,

this week didn't start in a really good way. On Sunday night, I twisted my ankle steppind too hard on the first step of the stairs. 

For this reason, on Monday my host mum brought me to the doctor. This was the first time in my entire life that I hurt myself that much, so I was super scared. The reason why I was scared was because I didn't want to ruin a moth, or whatever it would have taken, of my year here in America. This year is going really fast, so my biggest concern was taking time away from things that I could have done, if I hadn't broken my ankle or if I hadn't had to wear a boot or a cast. The first thing that I told the doctor when I saw him was, "I don't wanna a cast or boot", and he laughed. Luckily, my ankle was only sprained and not broken! You guys cannot even imagine how happy I was, when the doctor said "it's just sprained, you don't need anything".😄

On Tuesday, I stayed home because I couldn't really walk yet, but at 7 pm I went to my host sister's basketball game. That day I was mad with myself because I didn't do anything and I couldn't really do anything, so I was bored and mad.

Finally, on Wednesday, I went back to school because I didn't want to stay at home and do nothing all day. That day, I actually felt better, even though my ankle still hurt, I didn't care.

On Thursday, my ankle started feeling better, but I still couldn't really move it lol.

On Friday, I went to Orange leaf right after school with two of my friends and we stayed there for a while. I love hanging out with my friends after school and just talk for hours lol.

At around 7 pm, my host dad picked me up and we went to my host sister's concert at school. Then, we went out to eat Mexican food. That was my first time eating Mexican food, and I really enjoyed it!

#day84-85 (first weekend of November)

Hi everyone,

it's been a while since I haven't written on my blog, so now that I'm on winter break, I'm gonna try to catch up.

On the first Saturday of November, I went to school at 10 am for about an hour with my host family. because there was a sort of Christmas market. It was super cute!

At 11 am I walked over the swimming pool and I had the "mistery diner" with my swimming team. Basically, every food that the parents made and the silver that they brought was an event in the swimming meets, so all the girls on the team made a list with all the events in the order that they wanted. There were three courses and you may have gotten ice cream with smashed potatoes and with only a knife to eat everything. That was super fun!!😂

Around 12:30 my host dad picked me up and we went to an ISU basketball game.

When the game was over, we went to my host sister's basketball and I met there with one of my friend. It was a long, but good day!

On Sunday, my host family and I went to church in the morning, and one of my friend came over at night. We hadn't seen each other in a while, so we talked, watched a movie, talked, ate, and talked.😂 She is super nice!!

#week11 (mac&cheese + volleyball game)

Hi everyone,

the 11th week of my year was the first week when I didn't have swimming practice right after school. It was so weird, but super relaxing!

On Monday, I started studying the bones of the body in my anatomy class, and it's kinda hard, but I still really like that class.

After school, even though practice was over for the JV team, I went to the swimming pool and we talked about the meet that we had on Saturday.

On Tuesday, my host family and I went to Monical's for dinner where we had the typical thin American pizza. Then, we went to ISU to watch a basketball game.

On Wednesday, it was Halloween, but my friends and I didn't really organize something to do. I was kinda sad because I thought that Halloween was a really big thing, but it's not really because the next day we had school, so there wasn't a lot of things that we could have done. However, after school, I went to noodle & company with a friend of mine and I had my first mac&cheese. Sorry Italy, but it wasn't actually that bad, I kinda like it😅

At 7 pm, I went to school with my friends because there was a very important volleyball game, and we won!

On Thursday, I went to church with my host family because it was November 1st.

On Friday, after school, I went to the speech club to take some pictures for my yearbook class and then I went to the swimming pool to say hi to my friends that are in the varsity team. I miss so much staying and talking with them every day!💗

Around 8, I went with some of my friends to another volleyball game where our school was playing and it was super intense! At the end our team scored a point, then the other team scored a point, and they kept going like this all the time! The game's theme was Hawaiian.

After the game, I went to Steak 'n Shake with 3 exchange students. It was so fun!

#week10 (progressive dinner + carving pumpkins)

Hi everyone,

the 10th week was the easy week at swimming because we couldn't be tired for BIG 12, which is the last meet for the JV team and it would be on Saturday. For this reason, we just practiced turns, dives, starts, push off and stuff like that.

On Tuesday, right after practice we had a 'progressive dinner' that means that we had dinner in three different houses: one for the appetizers, one for the main course and one for the dessert. So that, we got a bus from the school and our coaches drove us to the first house which was Aidan's house and we had meatballs, bread, vegetables, fruit, cheese and a lot of other stuff. Then, we went to Autumn's house and we had pork in a burger bun and smashed potatoes. After that, we went to Claire's house and he had cupcakes, ice cream and pumpkin 'ice cream'. Everything was super yummy and I had so much fun!! The best part was when we were at the second house where there were a cat & a do. One of my friends is really scared of cats, so while she was talking, she saw something coming and she thought it was the cat (it was the dog), so she suddenly moved so fast and everyone that saw her started laughing so hard. I will never forget that moment: I was literally crying😂

On Wednesday, I went to my host sister's basketball game with Allyson and Katie.

On Thursday, the entire swimming team came to my house for dinner right after practice. My host mum made pasta with two different sauces: red sauce, and mushroom sauce. They were both really good! Then, we had garlic bread and cake.

On Friday, we didn't have school, but I had swimming practice at 8 am. That was my last practice.😢

On Saturday, I went to the swimming pool at Normal Community High School (where our meet was) at 9 am. I swam 4 events and we were done at around 4 pm. It was a really long meet!

On Sunday November 28th, after church, I made tigelle and they were really good.

In the evening, I carved pumpkins for my first time. It was fun!