Chapter 2

As promised, I shall write about a really huge part of this adventure actually, which is school.  I won't deny it - first day of school was pretty scary and awkward.  Being a new student in the middle of the year is a challenge but what's so fun about life if there weren't any challenges? I attend Charlo High School in Montana which is a rather small high school with 4 exchange students. So I was surprised to find that many of the students already knew me before I came. (O.O)

Let me clear out all misconceptions first. 

CLIQUES

In my opinion, cliques don't really exist. I mean everyone tends to hang out with a group of friends but the jocks, queen bees and nerds are pretty much overrated in the media. Then again, my school is relatively small so perhaps the drama has been scaled down - luckily for that. Just like in Malaysia, the Seniors are presumably higher up in the student body.  The sequence is Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior. I'm a Junior because the Senior class has too many people apparently but my classes vary from Sophomore classes to Senior classes so all's good. ;)

LOCKERS

Yes, it's true! We do have lockers and I was tempted to carry my school bag to class but decided not to. Haha. The idea is to put everything in your locker and just take the textbook for your next class out. It surprised me that most students do not bring their textbooks home unless they have homework. I wonder how they study?

CLASSES

High schoolers pretty much travel from class to class. We have eight periods in a day with lunch in between.  School begins at 8.15am and ends at 3.30pm. You have all your subjects every day and you get 3 minutes between each class period to grab stuff from your locker which in my opinion is NOT ENOUGH. It got me running around looking for classes and shifting through students. My school has two buildings with classes in both so the first two weeks got me arriving at classes just in the nick of time.

FOOD

I like this part :) You can eat food in class and there is a snack machine and soda machine in the hall.  The cafeteria serves really good food.  That's my opinion of course. They have a lunch menu on the school website and on the notice board for each month and they change every day. Haha. It ranges from hamburgers, tacos, tortillas, pizza, spaghetti, salad bar, mashed potatoes, and many more so it really depends on what you like.  You might have some trouble if all you eat is rice and you can't live without chilli. And they serve cartons of milk daily!

And get this! You can go out of the school for lunch as long as you write it on the Registry book at the office and there is a cool grocery store across the road you can go to for an alternative lunch if you don't like the menu. Close friends will take a while to find and really bond but acquaintances or buddies are everywhere.  The teens are pretty friendly in classes and they'll definitely help you if you ask for help but what's important is you make the move.  You have to try and take the initiative to make friends and talk to people even though it feels quite daunting at first. I'm still trying to get the hang of it.  But, really, this just takes time. Oh yeah, and relationships like having a boyfriend or a girlfriend is rather common.  People don't treat it as a big thing but more of a very very very normal thing. Yep. 

These are the subjects I've decided on taking:

US HISTORY

History is either something you like or hate. I so happened to be a fan of history so all's well for me. We just finished a novel on World War 1 and even though I had four days before a test came up, I managed to hang in there and I was pleased with the outcome.

CALCULUS

Haha. Probably the only class that actually has constant homework (Malaysian schools give more homework generally) but Calculus is the class I feel most...inclined to.  There are only four guys and two girls in the class including me. The guys are really great people because it takes certain type of people to even care to put so much effort to take up a subject like Calculus. I found out we're doing a college course so I haven't come across some stuff but the basics are the same.  And being SEVEN, YES I SAID SEVEN chapters behind, I just feel that it really challenges me every day so I decided NOT to drop this subject.

The results of this quiz made my day :)

SPANISH

A whole new language. I really enjoy the classes because it's so new and I wouldn't have had the chance to take this in Malaysia! Do you think I should go for the National Spanish Exam in April? We'll see :) I'm not even gonna talk about struggling because I would be lying if I were to say all the subjects and homework in school was extremely easy.  But that's the whole point. I'M LEARNING.

SPEECH

Another class I look forward to every day! Mr. G, my teacher is just awesome. One of those rarities in the teaching industry - having the knack of slapping his hands together.  He thinks I'm from Japan no matter how many times I tell him I'm not but I'm not taking it personal because he is just a comedian.  He thinks my Indonesian friend (who is also an exchange student) is from Istanbul and he keeps asking when my Georgian friend is going to go back to her country. Haha. Hilarious.  There were two days when we just watched Despicable Me and other days we filmed a movie review we did for our fave movies. Currently, we finished talking about our prospective colleges after high school. FUN.

Mr. G looks like a teddy bear :)

STUDY HALL

I was actually taking Physics before this but because I came in in the middle of the year, it just didn't seem wise to me to burn the midnight oil for both Calculus and Physics trying to catch up with the class.  So, I decided that it was just wise to take Calculus and focus on that during Study Hall so that when I got home from school, I still got to spend time with my family, help out around the house and well... HAVE FUN. Because in my opinion, there's so much more about this program than just purely academics.

ENGLISH 10

Due to the time constraints, I was placed in a Sophomore English class rather than a Junior class but I just think of it as another way for me to meet more people.  Currently, we are doing a book project on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

CHOIR

JOY. The sky is falling - Choir is a subject by itself! And I just love it! We are currently preparing for the Spring Festival where we will be performing two songs - spiritual and folk. Can't wait!

ART

I came in when they were about to complete their clay project but I managed to squeeze in some time to make a teapot!!! Coolio! Now, our next project is a cylindrical compartment with coils on its surface using clay as well.

Apart from school and family, I've also attempted to fry some bananas with my Indonesian friend, Azharra and it turned out better than I expected it to be.

Skiing was a whole new adventure in itself.  I could ski pretty well. The only problem was stopping which if you are heading down a cliff alone, would be a MAJOR problem. I've had probably 3 close shaves and I ended the day in style by ramming into a metal ski rack. Moral of the story: Skiing is a dangerous sport.

Me: Do you think I should ski down the hill?

Friend: Um. I don't know.

Me: Maybe not. It looks pretty steep.

Friend: Well, you'll never know unless you try. Go for it!

Me: Really? Okay!

*tilts skis, goes down gradually fast*

In my head: Okay, Andrea, stop, stop STOP SSTTOOOPPP. Uh. Oh.

*BBAAAMMM*

And the rest is history.

At least I returned in one piece.  Drink, anyone?

I managed to visit my host grandfather's amazing collection of perfumes and a whole cabin full of neat stuff.  I managed to say hello to 6 of the horses my host family owned and actually experience the enthusiastic jeers during a basketball game which my school won in the end!  Chinese New Year was pretty low key here but I dressed in my Cheongsam just for kicks in school and managed to get some people interested in the whole celebration.  Last Friday was Pajama Day which was pretty cool actually. Students could dress up in their PJs and donate a dollar for cancer.  We also recently went for a school field trip to the University of Montana to watch a live play.  The bus dropped us off what felt like kilometers away from the entrance and my ears almost froze to death walking through the biting cold weather. It was I think -32 BELOW FREEZING.

I kind of look like her, don't you think?

Well, I am extremely exhausted after having written so much. Nonetheless, my excitement continues to spark new interest in the coming happenings.  Valentine's Day is a big thing here so I'm looking forward to see how the day will unfold.  Will be attending a Sweetheart Dance tonight with a couple of my friends who are exchange students as well! Looking forward to meeting all the exchange students around Charlo and other places during an upcoming Valentine's Party.  Till then.

Thank you, Lord.

Sincerely,
Constant traveller (:

Chapter 1

Writing about something that hasn't ended yet is pretty hard. The reason being because it might influence your thoughts, how you view things and what you expect the next 5 months of your lives will be. But for the sake of personal growth, tidings and because writing is so enjoyable, I'd love to share! So, if you're interested in how the adventure is so far, keep on reading :)

Let's start from the very beginning.

PREDEPARTURE CAMP

I've used this word many times but it's just amazing how you can take an ordinary teenager, put her among 48 other strangers and return after four days of camp to find that an indescribable bond has been created between these 49 once-strangers. At the camp, I've grown closer to the people I would be going to the US of A with probably because we understand each other. The camp has also opened my eyes to how selfless a person can be. The volunteers who headed the camp just inspired me. I just feel they're a great example of people who devote their time and energy into something they really believe in. Having been through it, I can tell you that saying goodbye is pretty tough and you may not fully understand until you've experienced it yourself.

ARRIVAL ORIENTATION

Riding on a bus to the next terminal in LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT is one thing, but stepping out of the airplane onto American soil is a whole different feeling. I mean, what more can I say? It's the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Before being dispersed into our respective states, we had a 3-day-2-night camp and had the opportunity to stay at the Hilton Hotel! Our first taste of America was a tour around Washington DC and what I personally loved the most was the beautiful architecture of the brick buildings covered in snow. Being from a tropical country, even a short walk across the street FREEZED us to death at first. Our batch was very lucky to meet the Deputy Prime Minster of Malaysia at the Four Seasons Hotel and I'm telling you the free food just made it even better! And to much of everyone's excitement, the 8TV channel would be making their second season of Field Trip USA which is something like a travel documentary surrounding the lives of 13 students under this program airing on national television! The debate on who would be on the show and why only 13 out of 49 students get to be on it is pass me because when it comes down to it, all of us participants should have joined this program not for some publicity stunt but because of the richness this Youth, Exchange and Study (YES) program brings to our lives. But what I do think is that this TV program would be a great way to promote this program even more so PLEASE stay tuned! Yes, I am advertising it. It will premiere probably in September! :D

Who said I can't reach the top?

Satu Malaysia!

MONTANA

As I looked out of the airplane window, I was just literally taken aback by the majestic snow-capped mountains and the vast fields that just take your breath away. Look at the pictures - it looks like it's straight out of a postcard! Where I live has more scenic landscapes and is much more peaceful than a hectic city. It changes your stereotypical view of America. Charlo, Montana is a small community where everybody knows everybody and that's just what makes it all the more homely :) People are so friendly and if your car gets stuck in a ditch, you can count on the next passer-by to stop and lend you a hand. Even though I come from the small city of Kota Kinabalu, I feel that city life is still prominent and sometimes robs us from some things you get living in the countryside.

Arriving at Missoula Airport

Syifaq and I :D

It's just been one month but my host family has been lovely and having siblings is quite different for me as I was an only child. A good kind of different :D I love my siblings for brightening up my day and bringing so much excitement every day even if there are occasional fights and sibling rivalry. My first meal in Montana was a restaurant called Fuddruckers and I just fell in love with the food but that's probably because I like food. Haha. I do miss Malaysian food but it's nice to try some American food too. They serve WAY big portions here and if you have a sweet tooth, this is the place for you!

Helping my family paint the house!

Home

My room :)

What I've gained the most from this first month has probably got to be family. It surprises me how infinite happiness can be. I'm grateful to be from a close-knit family of three and I'd never change a thing. But I also feel blessed to be placed in a host family with three siblings as it brings a whole different perspective. There is no right or wrong. It's just different :) So far, I've had the benefit of making some brownies which are heaven! I've gone bowling and enjoyed it despite getting the ball in the gutter multiple times. And game nights are just a great time for bonding when playing board games whether it's just assembling Leggo with my little brother or painting the mountains with my sister. My family love love love watching movies and I'm not complaining (:

We are standing on a frozen lake! No, it didn't crack.

Me: Are you sure I'm doing it right?

As for first impressions, the reactions I get from Americans continue to make me laugh. The wackiest one yet is when I got introduced to this lady and the first thing she said was "Waw, you have very white teeth." And I had to fight myself from laughing and my head was just racing trying to figure out how in the world should I reply to that remark. I mean, really, white teeth? Haha. And I'm glad to show as many Americans as I can that Malaysians do speak English well and it continues to surprise many of them actually. It is satisfying to get the message across to them that Malaysians are Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Bahai, Taoist, and many more because misconceptions are bound to appear.  You can't entirely blame them.

Well, all in all, this first part has been pretty daunting at times but a pure joy to learn things you've never thought of. I am still the same person as I was a month ago but probably a bit heavier. Heavier in knowledge, experiences, independence, wisdom, and I haven't weighed myself but I have a feeling I am a tad bit heavier in weight. Teehee. What? I am living a dream and a traveller has got to eat! There are too many new delicacies to try rather than be on the losing end and think about silly stuff like diet-ing in an adventure like this. So, thou shall not worry. Sports season for softball is coming up and I shall whip into shape! As my host mom would say, "You can have anything in moderation." Agreed.

Thank you, Lord for this neverending journey.

Stay tuned for the second chapter which will be up soon. Patience is key.