Amy's American Adventure!!

Thursday, 31 August 2006

Location: USA

Just got back from California this evening and I had the BEST time!! I stayed in a hostel in LA (as recommended by simone) and met some fantastic people (mainly Brits!), and just had such a good time with them all. The people definitley made it. I saw Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Venice Beach, Westwood, LA, the lot! Got some great pictures but ill have to put them on the computer when i get back home. Im back in seattle now and leaving again on Saturday early hours in the morning to go to Washington DC for a few days before going home on Wednesday. I keep getting very choked up at the thought of saying goodbye to the girls, i put amanda to bed tonight and sang the song I always sing her when she has a nap ("A dream is a wish your heart makes", from Cinderella), and i was stroking her head as i was singing and i just couldnt hold back the tears! Because i know that tomorrow night when i put her to bed (cuz i want to), that that will be the last time ill ever see her :o( Im gonna be a mess tomorrow but that was expected!! Such a rollercoaster of emotions: excitement and sadness, and knowing my life is going to change dramatically again is overwhelming. Well I cant wait to see mum and dad and vic and em tho...sooo excited :) Im going to cry at the airport when i see them! ok enough now im getting carried away! Leave me a message if you read this! This may be my last entry now when i think about it.... well for all of you who have been reading my blog, thank you for showing such an interest in my life! I really have had the time of my life, ive had my ups and downs but at the end of it all I look back and think how amazing this year has been. When i get home back to the way things used to be, ill probably wake up and think that this was all a dream...but it was all real.. :o)

see you at home all... goodbye seattle, goodbye america, goodbye for now... but not forever..xx

Wednesday, 23 August 2006

Location: USA

Hi! Last night i went out with my american friends for a farewell get together. So many people turned up, really suprised me, and they were mainly boys, the boys here are very loyal indeed. Also my 2 good friends vicky and liz were there too, liz and I had a really giggly time it was superb. Check out the pics, only a few as im rushing to meet jenni now! California on friday woohoo!! :) xxx

Tuesday, 15 August 2006

Location: USA

Hi everyone! Sorry ive not updated at all lately but ive really not been doing anything worth mentioning! All ive been doing is work, work, work and more work as I need to earn money for my travels! We've also had a bit of a difficult 2 weeks as Tony has been very ill lately... but if you want to know more you can e-mail me as dont want to go into it on here! So its been very up and down these last couple weeks, right now Bessie's dad is here helping out so he's basically looking after Amanda whilst I look after Kayla (Kayla's still not good at adapting to new people), and her grandad lives in California so she never sees him. So that means when kayla gets her 2 naps a day I get a bit of a break too which i could do with this week as ive got a cold and all that nice stuff this week! I am telling you I cannot wait to go to California next Friday (woohoo!) but even more so I cant wait to come home, i mean come on ive been here a year now, im so done here, just want to be around all my family and friends again :o) This last week ive been applying to different nurseries back home, one of those being at Saint Martin's! E-mail me everyone and let me know whats going on in your lives as mine really is pretty dull at the moment! x

Saturday, 29 July 2006

Location: USA

Hey everyone. Its saturday morning right now, just about to start getting ready for work. Ive been a bit sad these last couple of days since simone and jo have left but cheered up a bit yesterday as i booked myself a little holiday to california! I leave on friday august 25th and come back on thursday august 31st and am staying in Los Angeles. I'll get to meet tony and bessie's new aupair too as she gets in on thursday 24th (her name is maria from germany - cant remember if i already mentioned that). Anyway I am staying in a travelers hostel that simone stayed in and she said im sure to meet lots of people there. Its also right on the beach and there's a jamba juice (my favourite smoothie place), right up the road so im sorted! I cant wait! Well ive only got 3 more weeks of work left now. Gosh i remember counting down last year from nursery, doesnt seem like 2 minutes ago! Anyway very excited about everything thats going to happen after 3 weeks time. Home in 6 weeks!

Monday, 24 July 2006

Location: USA

Hi all! Just a quicky...so Simone and jo have been here since last wednesday. So far we've shopped, eaten a LOT, had an awesome Saturday night with champagne and 5star treatment, and shopped til we (well they),dropped! Its been very fun. Ive put a few photos up from us over the last few days. Also to let you all know I will be home on September 7th. I dont think im going to california now as the car situation is not looking too good so im having to think of something else i can do for 10 days before i head to DC! Anyway, more later! xxx

Wednesday, 05 July 2006

Location: USA

Oh my god...yesterday was absolutely amazing. My friends and i went to Seattle to see the 4th of july fireworks display and I was blown away. It started at 10pm and began with an announcement from the local radio station for people to stand up (the people in the huuuge park where I was), and all sing together the American national anthem, whilst US Army troops flew their helicopter around the park draping a large American flag around. It was soooooo friggin emotional and moving that I just balled my eyes out! Seeing that flag blowing in the wind trailing along whilst hearing the national anthem made me feel very sad and very happy at the same time. Sad because i thought of all the people that are being killed in the war and the families of those poor people whom of which there were probably many around me, and then happy because I felt a huge sense of achievement. Coming to America like this had always been a life-long dream for me, of which I have now almost completed and fulfilled, and watching the flag and hearing the song just made me say to myself "I really did it", and then there I was experiencing my first American 4th of July and it really meant something to me :o) It was an amazing experience and the fireworks were sensational, ive never seen a display like that before. This will be an experience I will take with me and remember forever....amazing...

Tuesday, 04 July 2006

Location: USA

Hi all! Here is a quick update for you requested by vicky! So this weekend i went to Vancouver with jenni and her Finish friend Jenni. We stayed in a hostel which was full of australians, irish and canadians and it was crazy! everyone was young and the atmosphere was great, the hostel wasnt the cleanest but you get what you pay for!! We went out on saturday night in vancouver which was fun (great pics on the way!), then shopped til we dropped on sunday and came home sunday afternoon stopping at Wal-Mart for 2 hours on the way home! Fun times. Last night i went out with my american friends and got a little bit tipsy, feeling a bit worse for wear today but its 4th of July today so theres lots of things going on. My friends and i are about to go into Bellevue to see the entertainment going on there then later we are going to Gas Works Park in seattle to watch the 10pm firework display which is supposed to be one of the top five best displays in the country!! Im very excited.

Simone and Jo come in 2 weeks and i cant wait :o) This weekend is amanda's and kayla's joint birthday party. Not much else to report, leave me messages people i like getting them!! Take care xoxox

Sunday, 25 June 2006

Location: USA

Hola mi amigos. Well its been a bloody hot one this weekend, in the 90s today, absolutely sweltering! Last night the Emelies, Jenni, a new girl Sara and I all went to a beach in Seattle called Golden Gardens Beach. We went at about 7.30pm and it was heeeaaaving! There were sooo many people there, young and old, all making little fires on the beach and playing music everywhere, it was very cool. We had a picnic and then stayed to watch the sunset, it was beautiful. Then it got bloody cold when the sun went in so we went to Starbucks at University Village for a nice warm coffee! Today it was the host family picnic, an annual event where all the aupairs and families get together for a big picnic. It was ok, not too exciting!! Then this afteroon Jenni and I went to Alki Beach, the biggest and most popular beach in Seattle. Its compared a lot to Californian beaches because its very big and has a long promenade alongside it where people often rollerblade/bike ride. It took us about an hour to get round the whole beach just to park the car! But we got there in the end and then had a nice long nap on the beach. Another day off tomorrow, its also Amanda's birthday and I think she is going strawberry picking with Bessie, Kayla and a friend. Not sure what im doing yet, just making the most of this gorgeous weather :o) Check out the pics!! we took lots :o)

Wednesday, 21 June 2006

Location: USA

Hiya. Had to write about this morning as it was very funny... Amanda has two cavities and shes been to the dentist several times to get them filled but to no success as she screams and fights and absolutely hates it. So the dentist prescribed her valium to calm her down and make her drowsy for the next time so it could be done successfully. So this morning I went in her room at 9 and gave her the valium, I felt awful doing it even though it was prescribed! Anyway i sat her down and then we started looking through some of my photographs. At first she was just chatty and smiley, then she started to get all silly and she was laughing her head off looking at the photos, flopping her head down on the photo album in hysterics over and over! I couldnt stop laughing! Then after a while she said she wanted to go downstairs, so I said ok, we got off the bed, she started to wobble backwards a couple of feet until she finally toppled over and fell down in fits of laughter! My gosh it was so funny. We then went downstairs and played a little bit and Tony and Bessie thought she was so funny too, they filmed her! I know the reason why she had to have the valium wasnt funny at all but to see how she acted on it was definitely a funny sight and it worked too because they managed to fill one of them, the other one is in 2 weeks.

Tuesday, 20 June 2006

Location: USA

Last night was my buddies' elementary school graduation. The kids sang a song that had a very contemporary and rnb feel to it called "Sho is Nice"! It was lovely and they were really good. I got a bit choked at the end because Sidnie, one of the girls I mentor, came up to me and gave me a yearbook photograph of herself and reached up to hug me and said "I'll miss you", before her cousins grabbed her arm and took her off somewhere. I did have a tear in my eye at that point! I then met Zakarrah's (the other girl) mom and sister who were pleased to meet me and then had loads of photos taken of me with zakarrah. It was very sad saying goodbye but then again goodbyes are always difficult. Ive had a very positive experience being a mentor to them both and I really hope they go far in life because they have the potential.

Well im very excited tonight as I know now all of my plans for my extended 2 weeks here in USA. Sooo...here is what I am going to do: On the 20th August my Brazilian au-pair friend Camila and I are going to take a road trip to California! We are going to go to San Francisco, Sacremento, Napa Valley, all around LA and San Diego. We will be back in Seattle on the 1st September and then I am flying out to Washington DC on te 2nd to see my friend Emily (who also has been in America for a year), and I'll spend 4 - 6 days with her there until my flight home from NYC. I am soooo excited!! :o) I will be back in England on either the 6th,7th or 8th of September, depending what dates are available. Don't worry you'll get me back sooooon! hahaha.

Monday, 19 June 2006

Location: USA

Hello! Its 12.15am and im nackered so im gonna try and do this as best as i can!!

So Jenni and I went to Portland this weekend and we had such a fun time! It was about time we got away and had a much needed break. We arrived at the Doubletree Hotel at about 8.30 on saturday night, and checked in where a young man was helping us and with a little wink and a smile we managed to get free parking and free breakfast! God its such a bonus to be such a beauty as myself...hahahaha. anyway..lol....the hotel was nice but we got smoking room which i didnt think id mind but the whole corridor reeeeeeeeked of fags it was gross! But we didnt really care. We then headed accross the street and had dinner at this realy quiet American restaurant and went to bed pretty early as we had an early start the next day.

So today (Sunday), we woke up early to do a spot of shopping! (In the state of Oregon there is no sales tax so everything we bought was tax free unlike here!) So after our (free) breakfast we headed out and got the tram to downtown (about 2mins away). We had found out the week before that it was Portland's annual gay pride celebration so we thought bonus - lots of excitment and things going on. Well...the pride march was really funny and very exciting! Jenni had never seen any gay people before so she was shocked!!There were some very weird and wonderful people there. (Actually, there was one part of the day when we were waiting to get on the tram and there was this tramp walking past us and he had really baggy jeans on, but as he went past us i looked and noticed that his whole bum was showing behind!! And i thought downtown seattle was odd..haha.) anyway at the parade there were lots of stalls and music and freebies everywhere, and with the sun shining and the effervescent atmosphere it was a great day and we had such a laugh. Then late afternoon we went and had dinner at one of our favourite restaurants - the cheesecake factory and treated ourself to some gooooorgeous cheesecake after all the exercise we did from shopping..hehe. Then we drove back at 6.30 (well I drove back), and arrived home at 9.30. I actually really enjoyed the driving and it went so quickly.

Im nackered now ive been sorting out jenni's and my pictures for almost 2 hours and putting them on here so people, im off to bed! Enjoy the piccies! Luv u allllll xoxox

Thursday, 15 June 2006

Location: USA

Helloooo again.

Well its Thursday and Ive got a 13 hour work day to look forward to! Im looking after the children until they go to bed at 10 (no comment!), as Tony and Bessie have to go out, but I did say I didnt mind as I need to start saving and earn extra money very badly! See I'm not coming home on the 22nd August anymore, I'm staying an extra 2 weeks and flying back on either 6th,7th or 8th September (hasn't been confirmed yet), so I can go traveling a little bit, well at least take a holiday somewhere. I'm either going alone, with Jenni or with Tom Slater (an old friend from home for those of you who dont know), and Im going to Florida and maybe somewhere else too. I am very excited!

I cried yesterday (and I never cry), but I took my car out and the same bloody thing happened 3 times when it cuts out and dies on me when I come to a stop! I cried because I then realised Im supposed to be going to Portland on Saturday and I didnt want one thing I'd been looking forward to for so long being taken away from me!!! They were tears of frustration! And at this point its so important Ive got things to look forward to because time seems to be moving very slow lately! Anyway nicely enough Tony went out in the car with me to see what was going on, only for me to feel like a complete idiot as it DIDNT HAPPEN!! So i think its ok now and I just have to expect it to happen every once in a while. So Portland here we come! :)

Tomorrow night its my friend Emelie's birthday dinner and we are going to a very fancy restaurant called Thai Ginger in Seattle. Its Tony's and Bessie's favourite restaurant so im very intrigued to see what its like.

Ok I'm ready, let the day begin..

Monday, 12 June 2006

Location: USA

Hi everyone! Well i had a very drunken weekend! Hadnt been out for a looooong time, it was nice to get out and have a drink and unwind with jenni and some friends. We went to Tabella again, was really good! Yesterday it was boiling and so jenni and I went and slept in the park in the sun, was very relaxing! Today I went and mentored my little buddies at their school again, next week is the last one. As they are in 5th grade they graduate next week to then go on to High school. Im going to go to their graduation and probably meet their families too which will be nice. Not much going on this week as jenni and i are saving for portland this weekend which should be lots of fun. Anyway ive added a few more recent photos for you all to see. bbyeee

Friday, 09 June 2006

Location: USA

Hi everyone. I know ive not posted much lately but thats because there really hasnt been much going on! Jenni and I have become a little bored with our day-to-day lives here so the other day we had a chat and told ourselves that we really need to make an effort now and do lots of new and different things before we leave to make the most of our summer in America. So next weekend we are going to Portland, Oregon for the weekend which will be fun. We will prob do lots of shopping as you dont have to pay tax in Oregon :o) Ive also met a new friend a while ago who is actually my hairdresser who said she will introduce me to some of her friends and invite me to lots of summer pool parties!! So im looking forward to that. Its also Amanda's birthday coming up on 26th June and then Kayla's on 13th July. This weekend I might go out with Corinna (hairdresser), and probably go to a beach park somewhere on Sunday if its still hot. Havent taken many photos lately but I'll definitely put some more up next weekend after Portland! :o) Im getting up at 6am tomorrow to watch the England game too, go england!!!