The City Never Sleeps

London, the place where it all happens. And since, it's certainly a lot more exciting that our 'lively' little Wassenaar, I was happy that my family from Holland decided to come over and visit me. I don't think I have ever seen a city with so much culture like that, and no, with culture I do not only mean Bond Street & Harrods.

Even though I've been to London quite a few times before, each visit you discover something different. Since my mom was totally obsessed with that series, The Tudors, we of course could not have missed the Tower of London, where you can almost still feel the presence of the feared Nobility of the 16th century. I can still remember this museum from the London trip with school 2 years ago, and I must say, it is still as impressive for the second time. It certainly belongs to one of my favourite museums!  What I still find extremely amusing to watch, are those funny little guards. You know what I mean, those ones with the furry big heads who walk up and down the road in the most hideous way you probably have never seen before.  Exactly, those ones. Man, that must be the most embarrassing job ever..

Overall, I was just really happy to see my family again. However, this weekend also meant that I'm halfway on the exchange, and it is just awesome. (Yes, take that, British.)

This morning when I entered the schoolbus, it felt like I was on the North Pole or something. With only 2 degrees and everything frozen, and then also hearing my first christmas song on the radio this year, you could imagine that I really got that christmas feeling. However, it was kind of contrasting with the bag full of 'Pepernoten', which I said my parents were obliged to bring me some, and I had those in my bag to share with my friends at Reeds. Some of my Dutch friends there went all crazy and when I took out that bag, they literally looked at me as if I was Sint Nicolaus himself. Even the English people liked it, so don't look up strange when in 10 years or so they will be in the English supermarkets.

I'm making lots of progress in my subjects here as well, and I don't mind all that extra homework so much either. (I mean, lying on the couch and watching films with Julianne Moore for film studies is not exactly the most tiring homework in the world.)

Well, I guess that was my update for today. Also, since my English little 'sister' is practising her 'lovely' skills on the violin right now, my concentration is not going too well either. Anyway, with only less than 3 weeks left, I am really going to enjoy the rest of my English life here!

Loving Reeds

Since I have been here, I've noticed how important sport is at Reeds. Normally you would think that sport was more about being actif and having fun, well here it is more about the results than the sport itself really. During their weekly assembly on monday, a representative of the girls and boys in the 6th form give you a detailed report on how Reeds had scored in sport games last week. They're not shy with giving out quotes such as 'man of the match', or calling out names either. So that also means that if you made a complete fool of youself by missing an open goal with hockey, now thanks to these 'exciting' reports the entire 6th form will get to know it, don't worry. Well this will not be the case this monday, since Reeds has just won 5-0, including me scoring and setting up the other goals. The only thing I don't understand, but I don't mind it either, is how they interpretate their 'Match Tea'. In Holland you get watery lemonade and if you're lucky you might get a little biscuit. No, here at Reeds, the girls seem to have no problem with it that when they just burned all those calories, to eat them all again with their 'little' Match Tea: a whole buffet full of cake, pie and sandwiches, not forgetting the tea of course. No wonder they're saying England is getting more and more obese...

My hostfamily is so nice as well. Their little son, Jamie, is really funny and reminds me of my own brother. They really have a lot in common. Only I think my brother would think Jamie is a real hero when he hears that Jamie locked the door of his sister with a piece of rope only. (Yes luca, you still have a lot to learn ;-) )
And Annabel, what can I say? Everybode loves her, even though I've never met somebody with such bad Dutch pronounciation. (I seriously think a video of her saying a simple "Hoe gaat het?" would be a real hit on youtube. Trust me.)

I'm also really excited about the fact that my parents are visiting me this weekend in London! However, this also means that half of the exchange is already over, and that thought is everything but pleasant. I really love Reeds, and I think that all the extra work when I come back is definately worth it!

Fitting In

Somewhere towards the end of this 2nd schoolweek, I realized I was at a major turning point: from being just that exchange student from Holland, to a new, (potential) friend. From gossiping in the girl's room, to sweating on the hockeypitch, it feels like I'm really going to fit in more and more. Somehow, it just feels right. Not only the students, but now also the teachers realize I have become one of the crowd. Unlucky for me they took that a little too serious since I got to join in in tests now aswell...

The subjects which I follow are also really amusing: a combination of photography & graphic design, film studies, pschychology, and history. Although they are quite different from the subjects I have in Holland, I must say that they are very interesting too. Even the teachers are different here: they seem to have much more energy, and are actually excited about their subject, compared to some of my Dutch teachers at home. Trying to make schoollessons "fun" is for most teenagers mission impossible 5, but Reeds is doing a very good job to proving that this does not have to be true!

This morning we had "Tea & Biscuits", no not cookies, which was apparenly very funny since people started to laugh everytime I said that. Plus, my pronounciation turns out to be a little odd sometimes..., o well. Anyways, the English crave tea like the Dutch crave weed; some just can't seem to live without it. Therefore, at only 10 am in the morning, the 6th form house's kitchen was packed with teenager socializing while drinking tea and shoving biscuits into their mouths. I don't know why they have that morning, but I do know that I don't have any problems with it either ;) .

Tomorrow I have a hockeymatch, just like I would in Holland. I'm playing with the second team, just because I wanted to spend the most time possible on the field! The hockeypractices here are feeling really usefull. The first team and I are being drilled around the field, and sometimes it feels like I had signed up for kccf, which is an army activity at Reeds, instead of hockey. Serious stuff guaranteed!

I'm also really concerned about the fact that one third of the exchange is already over, (NO!), and that fact makes me really sad. However, then I realize how lucky I am to even be here at all, and I go back to enjoying this exchange as much as possible!

British Culture: Quite Surprising

Even though the American and the British speak the same language, their culture is not alike at all. The problem is that I, who is quite used to the American lifestyle, sometimes forget that fact which leads to rather interesting “culture surprises”. (Yes, I know it's supposed to be culture shocks, but since I'm not living  in some sort of freaky jungle where I have to eat sheep brains all day, I thought saying that would be kind of exaggerating.)

First of all, the British language had caused some problems in general. Their fancy little accent just annoys me: every time I speak after them, it makes me feel like I'm some sort of hillbilly from texas or something.

(Ha, and I thought I was ever going to speak that accent.. uh no.) It is also just hard to understand them, but I guess by their facial expressions that they feel the same way about me. I try hard to adapt to the British Language, but it just doesn't seem to work out for me really. Sometimes I try to change my vocabulary when I speak though, just like last week....

(Me:)"Excuse me, I need to go to the 'loo'."  

(Those British) "Uh.. what?" (Okay okay, I admit: in real they're actually extremely polite, which doesn't help with that 'me feeling like a hillbilly-thing' much either.. So lets just pretend they were rude morons, just to make me feel better.)

(Me:)"The loo-hoo!," starting to feel slightly awkward now, because I probably can't pronounce it right.. an-noy-ing. 

No reaction of the British, just staring, odd looks. (You see, another lovely british word..)

(Me:) THE TOILET FOR GOD'S SAKE. 

(The British) "O, the loooooh!" saying it with their poshy accent again.

*awkward moment*- lets not talk about it anymore.

See what I mean? Think I'd be better off giving up on the British accent..

Their fashion seems to be quite different too. Yesterday, my host-family took me out for shopping in Gilford, which is a lovely town nearby, located on a hill and just gives you a very cozy feeling. I was just walking through the street when I saw all the girls wearing leggings, without a skirt. Yes, you've read that correctly: no skirt! Did they lose it or something? Apparently it seems to be very popular to wear it like that here in the UK, o well..!

Maybe I'll find out some more interesting things about the British culture this week, we'll see..!

So Far So Good!

How come everything that's fun goes by so quickly? Well people always say that is a good sign, but I just wished it took longer! It really is amazing at Reeds, now that I actually start to make friends here. They all just appear to be very nice, and open for new friendships. Also, getting to know the school a bit better is nice too, (okay lets just forget the fact that I came in late today with film studies, thinking of an excuse, than finally went for saying the truth: "Sorry sir, I was lost," realizing it seriously sounded like the worst excuse ever. Awkward. )

Reeds just keeps getting better by the day, but the differences between the RLW and Reeds appear to become greater and greater too. To be honest, Reeds has more in common with Zweinstein than my Dutch school. In addition, all those teachers with that whole "look-at-me-I'm-so-cool, that's-why-I'm-wearing-a-harry-potter-toga-to-the-assemblies" attitude isn't helping either. Come on, togas? Seriously? 

On the other hand, the way people treat each other here is very different too. Of course they have their daily gossips, but they have much more respect for one another. In their weekly assemblies, the students get lots of rewards and applause for academic and sport results. Also the more you're involved with the school, the higher status you have. (And no, not a status as a geek, what would probably be the case at the RLW..) 

Sport is taken very serious at Reeds too. Yesterday I played with the 2nd hockey team (out of three), we had a match against this other school. We luckily won 2-0, and I've also got "promoted" to the first team, so I guess that's good! I had another hockey training with the first team today, which was a so called "intensive training". Running around the field basically the whole practise. How lovely.. 

Reeds really has been good so far, and everyday is just getting more fun!

That awkward first day!

Finally, the day were I have been looking forward to ever since I visited Reeds school two years ago, had begun. I am still waiting for that point when somebody wakes me up, and I realize it is all a dream, but frankly enough this hasn't happened yet.

It all started yesterday, when my parents brought me to my host family. I can't believe how lucky I am with the host family I've got. They make me feel at home, and after one day it already feels like I've known them for ages. Their two little children, are really cute and also excited about me staying at their home. Yesterday evening, they already took me out to their friends, because it was bonfire night. (An English traditional celebration where there are lots of fireworks,bonfires and music). So yes, you could say that that was a "warm welcome"! The house is cozy too, and my room is incredible! More than I had ever dared to hope for!

Anyways, this morning when I was sitting at the bus stop waiting for the reeds bus, I finally realized that this was serious stuff, and that I was just about to become "the new girl" again. So there I was, sitting in the country of England, waiting for a schoolbus,  (yes, really, a schoolbus),and  about to begin an "adventure" which I'll never forget. When I arrived at school, luckily Mrs.Lams (the Dutch teacher), was waiting for me, and brought me to my tutor group, where I met my first new 6th form classmates. I've met so many new people today, that they must have thought I was a complete retard when I asked for their name the third time ;) Haha, well actually the people at Reeds seem all really nice, and offer to show me around, bring me to the next class, and well, they take really good care of me! The only problem which I had to deal with today was that the school is GIGANTIC! I really felt like a firstgrader with my timetable out all the time, not knowing where to go. However, the people here are extremely kind and offer to help me at any time! Today I also had my first hockey practice, with the first team! Wednesday I will join my first match with the second team, and then after that I am allowed to join the first team, which I really like!

Well that was basically it for that "terrifying  first day", and I think it will only be a matter of time until I won't want to come back anymore. I'm already looking forward to tomorrow, and I'm going to enjoy everyday, every hour, and every minute of this exchange.