Thursday evening and Friday – January 13th 2012

Thursday evening:

After class was dismissed we decided to meet a dinner. So I went up packing in my room. It funny enough seems to be easier to pack down my stuff in New York. I haven’t bought anything extra in New York. But It feels like there are more space in my suitcase after being in New York. So packing went fast and pain free. 

After dinner the five of us headed for Times Square. Everyone has told to me that it’s amazing to see. But I really didn’t get enchanted or overwhelmed. It was just a square like every other square. Yes all the lights from the commercials were a bit weird. But I really didn’t get high of it.

Well some of the girls wanted to go into the “I <3 New York shop” So we did. It was a big store with a lot of souvenirs, there was a lot of pretty, funny, weird, beautiful stuff. But I didn’t buy any, since I don’t need it.

Then Lisa wanted to go to the M&M shop, so we did. And that amazed me in a sick way. How can they make so much junk because of two chocolate buttons?! That’s just sick. It was fun to see and took a lot of pictures in there. Because I just couldn’t believe it. Well Mette and Lisa bought some M&M’s and we went out again after 30 minutes

Then we went into  American eagle, where I kind of bought something. But I actually need it so It’s okay. And there were 40% off – As many people knows  when you have bought something you can have your picture taken and get 15 seconds of fame on the big screen in Times Square. And since I’m only an au pair once I want to do these kind of things - Funny memories with the 5 of us. So we got our picture taken and hurried out to the Square so we could have pictures of it. It was cool, and fun to watch yourself on such a big screen.

Then we went into the Disney shop, which I was very disappointed over. SO boring. The one in Copenhagen is much more glittery and magic so was pretty disappointed ´. But they had this big screen were the showed Disney-music-videos. So we entertained everyone at the second floor when 5 girls were singing Karaoke along with Timon, Pumba and Simba. HAKUNA MATATA. That was fun! Though! It was already 9.30, so we started walking back home, on our way we went into Starbucks. Got a hot chocolate and we walked home again, got a little lost but we managed to get back.

Back at the Hostel I fell into talk with Yara, my roomie. We talked about different things about Denmark and Brazil. How the systems work, politics and safety. Very fun to hear about. Then we went to bed when it was over 11pm.

Friday:

Had extremely many wake up this night. Same as usual – noises and then I think the excitement did something too. Got up around 6am, took a shower and went down for breakfast. Frosties with milk and a piece of fruit. The girls and I all decided to share our pictures from the workshop, so we also had some pictures starring ourselves.

Then we went to “class” got the test back, I passed. Then Abbey our sweet, sweet instructor asked if she should take group photos of us. Since we were a small group (29) she could manage. So we did. Everyone got a group-photo on their Camera :) That was very, very nice of her.

Well it felt like forever, but at 9.45 Kristins Driver came. Her family lives just outside City, so they had privately arrange a shuttle for her. So we had say “goodbye for now” We all have agreed that we want to see each other during the year. So I really look forward seeing the girls again.

Then we waited again.  And at 10.30am our bus finally came. Both the girls going LGA and JFK in came in the same bus. So the rest of us in the girl group were still together. It was a very weird feeling. We were driving out of the city and into queens. You can really see the different, and everyone became so quite when we got into Queens. And you could almost hear people’s thoughts. It was also the time where I thought about my adventure. Now it was happening, I had already left Denmark, now I was leaving NYC and the workshop. Getting ready for Boulder.

At 11.30am we came to LGA and Lisa had to get off. So goodbye to her.

Then around 12, we finally got to JFK, first we dropped almost all the girls off at terminal 8, AA. And then there was only Mette, I and Franziska left. We got dropped off at delta and we went in. We were quite confused about what to do. A very nice lady saw us, and checked us in. I really didn’t expect that I had to pay to get my suitcase with me. I haven’t been told that, so that was kind of unsuspected . But I kind of need my stuff, so I really couldn’t do anything. But $25 is okay, since it means I can get my stuff with me :) We had a pretty good and fun conversation with the lady who checked us in, Americans are so open. Much more open than the Danes, if you ask me. We would never get into that kind of conversation with a stranger. Danes are private people. For example: In America everyone keeps asking “ How are you” “how are you doing” “doing good today” – If the cashier or anyone else we didn’t know asked us that in Denmark, we would look very weird and say “It’s non of your business” Asking to peoples well-being in Denmark is not normal. Only if you know each other.  Then we went into the terminals. We got a little lunch, talked a lot and then I followed Mette and Franziska to their gate. Their plane should leave at 14.45. So I had plenty of time to find my own gate.

Well, now it’s 4.45. And I have now found the right gate! Though They were next to each other. When I was checked in, I was told Gate 9. So I have actually just been sitting in the wrong gate for almost 2 hours. I’m glad I double-checked. The good thing about Americans is they are all so friendly. I thought They listed the planes by time, like we do in Denmark. But they list them after alphabetic order. So I was like, oh no my planes isn’t on. Then one of the staff came over and asked if I looked for a flight. And I was like yeah, Denver. And he was like: Oh that’s listet right there while pointing at screen. Well it was at gate 10 instead so, I’m glad I checked.

I’m so exited to see the family and can’t wait to see the family. My host dad Sam is going to pick me up. I won’t land before 8.48 so it will be later than the others au pairs. But as long as I get there I’m fine.  Mette and Franziska have landed in Baltimore, and hopefully they are about to meet their families. Really look forward seeing mine. Should go put my plugs in. My ears are still a little sore from the last flight. Earplugs in the ears for over 14 hours, will be felt. And so I do.  Well have to get it done, see ya in Boulder, CO. 

Workshop day 3, and my honest opinion – January 12th 2012

Slept again tonight, but still many wakeups. It’s pouring rain here in New York. Since there are fightings about the restroom every morning, I got up a little over 6. So I could get a shower. Which I actually have found very nice and refreshing

Breakfast was a total disaster. There were put 3 giant trays on the table. One with bagels, another with blueberry muffins and a third with croissants. And I thought, well great – choices. And then the happiness were gone. Some little bossy kitchen-woman tells us that we only can take one thing and just ONE. And that we wasn’t allowed to take more.  In the middle of the confussion a took a croissant and a hot chocolate.

Generally the food is not the best. We can only take once. We never get full of it and I’m actually unsatisfied with the workshop.

Our rooms are cold and not nice. The windows are not sealed, some og the rooms (not mine, there are just a hole and they can stick a hand outside.) The outer panels and the curtain rod is about to fall off.

There are always something wrong in the rest rooms.

First day, I washed my hands and got wet feet. I thought it was quit strange. But the pipe which makes sure the water gets to the sewer wasn’t put on properly.

Second day, yesterday: When I went to shower, there hardly came any water out, and the water which came out where just running down the wall. And when you flushed the toilet, the water went basically everywhere else than in the toilet. So disgusting.

Today I was almost burned by the water in the shower, so I was pretty pissed off. I also lost my shampoo, so I only have the conditioner left.

It’s fine we sleeps in bunks, I don’t mind. But every time we move just the slightest, then it squeaks, creaks and roars, so both me and my rommie wakes up.

The actual workshop is total waste of time. We don’t get anything out of it and either won’t the families.

We go through the most logic and simple things, how to hold a baby, changing a diaper etc. Abbey our teacher is really really nice, but I don’t feel that I’m getting any useful. Liza just talks and talks and jumps around, Celia is sweet but she just seems so uncommitted.

I know that people comes with different kinds of experiences. But maybe they should have splitted us up. So us who are infant care qualified could spend more time learning about the more phsykological part and learning new activities. Instead of “learning” how to hold a child.

At the same time I really don’t understand how some of these girl got accepted into the program. They don’t understand anything, and doesn’t even know what Toilet means. It’s completely waste of time for me to listen to those kind of questions.  I know people are here to learn, but they have to know just a lttle English.

At the same time I feel really sorry for the families. They are paying for our workshop, room and boarder, They can’t be satisfied with the “educational” and the room and boarder. On top of all this comes that I have to sit in the airport for 6-7 hours before I can go to take my plane, which take 4½ hour. I asked them why I had to go that early. And it’s simply because they are saving money. The only girls who can stay until a “proper” time is the girls going via Newark. They are picked up by the supershuttle. They just get a pre-paid voucher and get picked up when they want. Så they actually don’t think of our “well-being” if you may, and actually don’t care how long we are going to wait in the airport.

Well I have meet some wonderful people. And I hope I’m able to keep in touch with them, defiantly: Mette, Kristim, Rebekka and Lisa from Germany. Really nice people. We don’t live in the same area, but then I have one more excuse to travel :)

Well today we have had a little about child abuse and is having  our “exam”. It is said to be extremely easy. And if you have written down what the teacher told you to write down, you already got the answers. After our exam Heidi a CC comes to tell us about the program and rules.

Tonight I, Mette and some of the girls are going to Times Square. I haven’t been there yet, even though I have been in the city for a few days. So hopefully it’s going to be good, let’s just hope, that the rain have stopped.

In 24 hours I’m in a plane on my way to my new family. I really look forward to see my family and get some proper food :) 

Workshop day 2+3 – January 11th 2012´.

Tuesday: woke up at 1am and was fully awake. I tried to pull my self together and “force” my self to sleep, but with no luck. Tried with some nice and slow music, didn’t help either. So I lay awake, was extreamly hungry and pretty mad at the whole situation. My roomie still hasn’t showed up. Abbey our head instructor told us that EVERYONE was going to get a roomie. So I kind of got a little nervous for her, even though I didn’t know who she was.

4.30am my door goes up, I was still awake, course. And in came Yara, a brasilian au pair. She told that she had traveled for over 24 hours because og cancelations and delays. So at 5am she went to bed and would only get 2 hours of sleep. I still couldn’t fall asleep.

A little to 7 I went to get a shower, and almost have to fight to get a restroom. But Eventually I got my turn. The classes begins at 8am and then it all began. The hours are long, and a bit boring. I know basically it all and there are so many in our au pair group (we are 29 girls) who can’t say anything in English. The French don’t want to speak in English and keeps to themselves so they can speak French. I have come in pretty good contact with Mette the other Dane ND 3 German Au pairs – Lisa, Kristin and Rebekka.

In the lunch break, which by the way is 2 hour long, we all went to central park, which is just down the road. So that’s just awesome. A really beautiful park and I can even see it from both my room and the hallway window.  We went for a walk and  took photos and just had a really nice time. Back to class, which didn’t end before a little over 6pm.

Then it was some dinner and later a big red sightseen bus were picking the 29 of us up. Really cool. I was really exhausted because of the  jetlag which I really wasn’t prepared for. We sat in one of the closed buses, so most of the pictures were taken out of the back of the bus which was a little open. We saw/ drove by all the important sights; Brooklyn Bridge, 9/11-memorial, all the important skyscrapers, Broadway etc. it was nice, The guide Matt was okay and gave us some “tips” on where to go shop. Even though Shopping is absolutely out of the question since room in the suitcase is non-existing . When I got home, I actually

wanted to blog, but every 30^th second my eyes shut. So I decided not to blog and went to sleep.  After only 3 hours of sleep in 48 hours and no food my body was about to shut down. I got some sleep but was awake many times. We sleeps in bunks, and every time we just move a slight it just makes so much noise. It’s squeaking and it’s like there is plastic bags folded around our beds which is scratchy. Plus my roomie were talking and screaming in her sleep, I think she had a nightmare. At least I got some sleep :)

Well Wednesday morning I got up, and it was fine. Then I got a really disgusting breakfast, Breakfast-burger. A bun with egg, bacon and cheese. Really not what I wanted but they didn’t give us any other choices.

Then headed for class, which were some of the most boring thing ever in my life. It’s så logic things which we go through. I’m really not happy about the whole workshop, I think it’s completely waste of time. It’s really nice get to know all the other girls. Who would have thought that I would become friends with Germans?! Yeah, your read correct, Germans! Really, really nice girls, I hope I’m going to keep contact with them.

In our lunch break, we five girls. Mette, Kristin, Lisa, Rebekka and I went to “Shake Shake” We got a burger, fries and a shake. It was seriously a small burger for that price. But it tasted SO good and made me full so fast. So it were really worth the money!

Back to school, had a little about crib death (SIDS) and was told that shaking a baby is absolutely NOT okay – surprise, surprise! Like I didn’t know that already. Well it was time for our presentation about our countries and cultures. Mette and I made the coolest map showing Denmark, a drawing with all the things Denmark is famous for and of course the Law of Jante.  It became pretty funny and we had the typical fight between people from Copenhagen and Jutland. Very entertaining. For the first time, I didn’t get nervous to stand up in front of a class and present something, I actually enjoyed it and made a bit of a clownery. Very unusual for me, but changes isn’t always a bad thing. Maybe it was because I know that I’m among the best in class?

Then it was time for dinner and guess what. It was burger! That was the third meal wich contained of a burger – and also in the same day! I ate half of it because then the dessert was served: Fruit! I really liked that we got something healthy.

Basically everyone wanted to go out shopping and go to Times Square. I wasn’t really up for it. I’m not totally exhausted like the 2 other days. I just wanted a calm evening so I could blog. Mette Joined me and the Kristin and Lisa came later on. They headed for Times Square later on. While Mette and I stayed. Now sitting side by side, writing and puts pictures to order. It’s pretty nice :)

You are now ready for boarding!

Monday:

4.00am: The alarm is ringing. I have no idea how much sleep I have gotten. And I really don’t wanna know either.  For the first time in a really long time, I folded my hands and pray before I went to sleep. The thought of not being around my loved ones was killing me. And I asked God to take care of them while I’m away.

4.40am:  It’s now, next stop Copenhagen Airport. We are meeting Martin And Camilla out there. We find the place I should check in. I get my suitcase and myself checked in all the way to Newark. We are heading towards the escalator. It’s broke, so I will have to take the stairs. Turning awards my father, giving him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek .  Then the tears came. Giving Camilla, Martin and Mom the same kinds of hugs and kiss. I hurried to get it done since we were in tears. I went up the stairs crying, not turning around heading towards security.  Just before I went trough security I got eyecontact with daddy, just before he went outside. We waved each other, last sight of my Dad, for a very, very long time.  Heartbroken. God I’m going to miss them, both Mom, Dad, Martin! (Crying now) You really start realizing how much you love, appreciate and values people when you leave for such a long time!

5.15am: Trough security, no problems. Most tears have now left my face. Going towards the restrooms, putting my earplugs in. Texting my mom, that I’m okay and that I have to walk all the way to the A gates. Got a message back, she was OK too. Wishing me luck on my trip, hugs and kisses Mom and Dad.

Heading towards my Gate and then Waiting.

6.10am: Boarding begins. I have gotten window seats in both flights.

6.30am: Take-off. Trying to hold the tears, and I made it all the way until we were airborn. Whispering a small “See ya´ Denmark”, and then going half-to-sleep rest of the way. Pain was there, in my right ear as-usual! But I can live with that pain, while we just are settling for landing.

7.55am: Welcome to Brussels, 20 minutes early, but that’s fine. Wauw what a way to get to B-gates! Firstly through the whole A-gate, then down one escalator. Walk a bit – then down one more. Then trough a lot off hall-ways, up one escalator, walk around 20 meters and then down an escalator again. Walk trough a lot of hall-ways again, through the tunnel, walk, escalator up, walk, walk, walk, Pas port control, walk, walk, security again, then walk down to B11.

8.20am: Waiting time again. This time 1½ hour. It really smell were I sit, they really should start using some cleaning materials with a nicer smell.

9.15am: Boarding begins, a gigantic line of people is in line. I go to the counter, and are told to go to another desk so I can answer some security questions and get a new boardingcard, because my boardingcard was made in Copenhagen. Goes to another gigantic line, and after a few minutes an officer ask the whole line: “None of you aren’t going to Newark right?” And I’m like, yeah I am. Then I’m literally dragged all the way through the line. Gets some security questions about my suitcase, which I don’t hear half of because of my plugs. He gets pretty annoyed. Then he sents me towards another counter, whp writes on my boardingcard FROM COPENHAGEN and tells me to go back to B11 FAST. I guess they didn’t need that new boarding card. Goes back to the Line and straight through B11 with no problems this time, and then I’m in the plain.

10am: The 8 hour flight s taking off. Flying with United airline. I have never been on such a big plane! 3 rows, with 3 seats on each row! Though I’m sitting in front of the emergency exit and zone 3 so in the row I sit we are only 2 seats. The man next to me, really isn’t that nice, he must have a very bad day or he just don’t like sitting next to a girl who takes her boots off and putting on her warm comfy socks.

Everyone have their own personal screen where you’ll find all sorts of entertainment. I Watched “Black Swan” pretty creepy one.

Then food came, okay food and great service. Each 40-60 minutes they came and offered you something to drink. I tried to watch 2 other movies during the flight, but couldn’t concentrate. I wanted to sleep so bad but couldn’t at all. Couldn’t find a good position, too much noise (sitting on the engine, isn’t helping!), tried some relaxing music from the entertainment center; Adele, Josh Groban and Bruno Mars. Played suduko on my screen, watched the map where you see the graphic of the plane and the distance. Nothing helped.  Well it was a good flight any way. Got some more food before we landed, which was very, very nice.

11.45am: How many fields can America possibly have?! Good gracious! And how many tenniscourts?! It’s such a beautiful sight when you are about to land in Newark. On one side of the river you see small houses, factories, train-tracks, containers etc. on the other side you see the Sky liners going up in the air. Very beautiful sight!

12.15pm: Welcome to Newark.

1.05pm: Trough security and immigration. Then finding the place where you order your shuttle. It was quit confussing but after asking 2 people (Strangers!) I managed to find it. Sat in line for like 20 minutes and then the driver came. I made notes, small cuewords and sentences on my mobile while going to YMCA. I think it would be funnier to just read the words with no explanations. This are my first impression on New York City:

-        1.25pm: In the bus. Driver couldn’t understand my voucher , very funny. Is placed in a basically filled bus. So I got frontseat..

-        Speed limit 45mph, the meter is constant around 60. Broke? - I really do hope so.

-        3 places to pay to get trough before the tunnel!

-        Lincoln Tunnel – Hello NYC

-        Really bad roads – Denmark shouldn’t complain!

-        Yellowcap hell and one single bike

-        2.10pm: at YMCA, can’t check in before 20 minutes. Room isn’t ready. Am I the first one here?

3.45pm: Blogging about the departure makes me cry. Have texted with both Mom and Martin, telling them that I’m here and that I’m okay :)

Have a cup of tapwater. It tasted weird. Not like the tapwater at home. I guess it’s just a matter of time :)

4pm: I’m still alone in my room, very weird feeling. The French are keeping them to themselves, only speaking French. It’s like they either don’t want to or have a very hard time adjusting to speak English. You can feel that they have been on the plane together – most of them at least. So they have already now made a good connection with each other.

It’s hard to believe that I’m actually  in New York. But I have proof: Central Park, the view from the hallway window and the use of American convertor/adapter to charge your phone.

 8.45pm: Meet Mette at dinner time, along with some of the Germans, all very nice girls. We ate and headed toward our first class at 7pm-9pm. But Abbey our head instructor during the week. She told us that she wouldn’t keep us for longer than 5 minutes. She knew that 15 girls still hasn’t arrived and that everyone else was tired, exhausted, exited and jetlagged. So we have a free night.  I found that we only have free wi-fi  in the “social” areas. Which is nice, but it would have been even nicer if we had it in our rooms. But I do see why this is. We will just end up locking ourselves to the room chating with home. So I went down to “63 bites” to get online. Sat for a while and this German girl stared at me, and in the end she was pointing at me and said “ aren’t you…?” and I was “Yeah, I’m her” So I went to their table and we chatted for a little while. We showed off our host kids, talking about all the girls with late flights. Talking about the French. (sorry to all the French people out there in the world. But seriously if you can prevent speaking other languages than your own, you’ll do it! That’s not a good way to socialize with au pairs from other countries – who don’t speak French) Wrote Erin my host mom, doing an update on facebook and sending an email for the closest friends and families in Denmark. 

Went to my room, where I sit now at 9.15pm. My roomie still hasn’t showed up, which mean she will probably wake me up. Need to get up at 6.45, have put the stuff I’m going to use and wear on a shelf. Trying to keep as much space as possible free for the roomie.

First day is over. I’m exhausted. In Denmark it’s almost 3.30am. Which mean I have been awake for almost 24 hours now. Heading to bed and posting this tomorrow morning, while I’m eating breakfast.

Nighty-night 

Last week in Denmark

Tuesday: Thought I should continue packing, I just relaxed. Had my last evening with Dad, I’m gonna miss those evenings. I cooked, didn’t like it myself though. Dad ate it.

Wednesday: Packing? Nope – relaxing.

Thursday: Doctors appointment. It’s so windy and rainy. Normal it takes me 7 minutes to ride my bike to the doctors. Today it took 30 minutes because of the rain and wind. But the appointment went well and I got my prescriptions.

Then I headed out for lunch, movie and goodbye with Linea. Lunch was great, movie – really not the best. And the goodbye was postponed to Friday.

Friday: Headed out with Linea, to buy a last present and getting my prescriptions. We had lunch again and then it was goodbye. Really weird, knowing it will be long before we see each other again, Just standing there looking at each other. I took her quit by surprise, but I felled that it was now or never. I was ready and taking the bike rest of the way would be too hard for me. But I hope she can come visit me.

Then in the evening we celebrated my grandma’s 70^th birthday.

Saturday: The day has arrived, suitcase packed for the second time and the “see ya’s” to my dear family. A fantastic evening, everyone wrote in my guestbook, which I started when I turned 18. No Drama, many laughs, discussions, showing pictures of the new family and big hugs from everyone. Drove my grandma home while my aunt uncle, cousins and Gaby was still in the house. We ended up sitting and having a great time until 11.30pm. Then it was time for them to leave too. It was a very nice and calm evening with my family, and I like that :)

I’m very proud of myself, I didn’t cry when I gave the last hugs. I waited until I was alone. I’m the kind of person who suffers in silent, keeping a smile on my lips until the very end. At the same time, I don’t think I realized that I wasn’t going to see them any time soon before I sat alone in the living room. But it was a nice evening.

Sunday: re-packing for the second time, I have 2 kg left in my suitcase and I still need a few more things :/ I’ll just sit on my suitcase – AGAIN to close it. I’m so glad I bought that suitcase weight! Sat on my swing in the backyard for a while, took it all in, listening to some Danish Music. It’s weird that I’m going to be away for such long time!

The last couple of days I have more or less tried to behave like normal, not hanging around my parents -  because I never sit on their laps all day. I have behaved normal. Being outside, listening to music, being in my room with closed door (which by the way is very normal and not because I’m angry. I just like doors to be closed) Going around in my own little world, packed down some more stuff wondering whether or not I have forgotten anything.

Probably won’t post anything the next couple of days. But I will try to do a timeline post like this one so you can follow the process. If the posts get long – I apologize now. But this is actually happening, I’m on my way.

See you all, on the other side of the world!

Mission Impossible begins.

 I have created a closed facebook group for the girls attending the workshop in January.  So far we are 9 French, 2 Danes, 3 Germans and 1 Brazilian girl. It’s nice to start connecting before the workshop. And it’s a good way to keep the contact after the workshop. We all have been writing, who we are, where we are from, where we are going and which one of the airports we are landing in. Most are arriving in JFK and I thought I was the only one arriving in Newark. But it looks like Mette the other Dane is arriving there too. Though I thought she would arrive in JFK. But that’s just a nice surprise.  We land with 5 minutes between each other, and then we will see if we are able to find each other, but eventually we will meet at the YMCA. But it would be nice to have someone to talk to on our way to NYC.

Packing: Firstly put in what you cannot leave without. I got some presents which I need to bring, memories like pictures and small stuff (and I really mean SMALL stuff!), a cookbook and a small dictionary like a travelers-dictionary size. Then the rough packing began and OH BOY I’m glad I started 1 week before departure to pack my suitcase!

A month ago I started to sort my clothes out. What to bring and what not to bring. The shelf with “Not To Bring” stuff is now given a way to charity, since I’m not going to use it. The “To Bring” shelves are what I’m sorting out in now. And I’m very, very harsh to myself. 

To make it even harder I gave myself 10 minutes to decide what to bring and what not to bring. Throwing what I need into the suitcase, while the rest is on the floor. That’s hard. There are (still!) many things I want to bring, and I can’t have them all. I have “only” taken those items which I can’t live without. Basic clothing is not something I will bring a lot of, I can easily buy something when I’m there instead.  Already know while I sit and blog. I can already say that, my ballerinas, my summer-tights, 2 tops and 2 dresses will find its way out of the suitcase again! With them rest of my running clothes will probably gonna find its way out too. I have 2 pairs of heals, they are staying - at least the one of them. They are my favorite pair of heals and I wear them as often I can. So they will stay. I don’t like packing right now.

An important thing is to remember which time of year you are arriving at. I have SO many sweet summer dresses, I love my flip flops and my shorts. But seriously I’m arriving in the winter. I’m sure they have both summer dresses, flip flops and shorts in America ;) There are no good reasons to bring it unless you can’t live without it. I have one summer dress I can’t live without and I will bring it – but believe me I will use it when the summer hit! My favorite shorts and knickers have been tossed out again along with the ballerinas. The same goes with my running clothes. They have shops in America, and usually it’s cheaper too.

Well first day of doing the impossible, will continue tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. I hope to find some space when the rest is in. Then I can bring some more clothes :D

Mission impossible begining

 Rough packing

Sort out again - you don't need it all!

 Fold or roll it. 

First day of packing - done

My New Year Thoughts

Goodbye 2011 – you have surprised me for whole year now, it’s been good, bad, though, happy, easy, laid back, lots of experiences, colleagues, flirts and all the other stuff! Thank you and goodbye.

Today is the second last day of the year. Tomorrow the last day of the year is always a strange day even though it’s really not. It’s just a day, like all the others, Saturday like every other Saturdays.  I won’t go out partying. I’m gonna have a very relaxed new year with my parents. Main course and dessert after my choice (You have to have benefits when you leave home.) We’re just going to relax, see Queen Margrethe’s annual speech like we do every year. Then eat a nice dinner, watch TV, talk, the usual phone calls, drink and singing into the new year at midnight. Then relax a little more and go to bed. I don’t know if we are going to have fireworks this year. I’m really not up for it. I like the arts, colors and lights in the air, but all the loud noises is really not my cup of tea. We’ll see wether or not my dad is buying a battery or some party poppers. A very relaxed evening – they way I like it this year.

Last couple of days I haven’t had that much energy. Though I have spending  all my time translating all my blog posts into Danish, and the Danish posts into English. And then they have been uploaded on my personal website – which is now open again. Still have a lot of work in front of me, but It’ll come when I got the time and the idea on what to do… Think I’m going to write down something about me being an au pair. And then refer it to the blog here or at the website. The Front page really isn’t awesome either. I have concentrating so much on getting the translations right in both the Danish part of the site and the English part of the site.. We’ll see what is going to happen…

I got some really nice Christmas presents. I got Dollars so I have something to start with. It really looks like monopoly money, and I can’t get over that you have $1 in a note! Seriously?!  Well I just need get used to it I guess…

I also got a really nice book, from Linea. I really wanted to go see Niceville in the cinema. And Linea didn’t wanna come. So know I got the book instead and I will enjoy it on my flight.

Then if anyone remembers, in one of my earlier posts I mentioned that my all time favorite animal was a hippo. I have been looking after a keychain-figure looking like a hippo for years now. You can get all the animal, exept a hippo. So my parents bought me a necklace with a hippo charm in it. I never take this one off, only if I need to wear jewelry or if I go shower (even though I often forgets to take it off)  

So for Christmas I got a new friend, Felix the Hippo. Very soft and very cute – and he will remind me of my parents, while I’m away.

Going away means packing. And I’m now a week behind schedule. I don’t feel like packing, I think it’s crap (sorry  my language!) But it really is! I really want to go, but packing down my room feels SO wrong. And the pictures in my head of my room filled with boxes ain’t helping. My dad bought some boxes yesterday so I can get started. At least I have one box filled with books.

I also need to pack my suitcase, that’s a challenge and I really need to get started on that one too. It just makes it all so real, packing down means – You are ´going Mouse, you’re on your way.

But I like the fact that I’m leaving in January. A new year – a new start. I really look forward joining the family. We will probably have our ups and downs – but which families don’t have that? We will figure out along the way.

Happy New Year to everyone, I hope you will have a great 2012 with a lot of love, hope, experiences and new memories. I’m sure will!

Mouse