As of recent, I've found out that I, along with three other 4-H girls from Polk County are able to travel to Louisville, Kentucky for the National Poultry Judging contest this November. We have been assigned with the task of fundraising for our trip, so I decided to ask all of my friends on Facebook, followers on Twitter, as well as the people who are following my blog-which I'm imagining is very few now that my exchange is over-to help me by donating whatever they can at my indiegogo page here ---> http://igg.me/p/540166/x/4871727 so I will be able to represent Oregon in this national 4-H contest.
I've been working towards being able to go to this competition for quite a few years now, competing at both the Polk County Fair and the Oregon State Fair, and this year we finally have enough qualifying members to go!
A lot of people ask, "What is 4-H?" and "What is this contest, and why is it important to you?" And I'll tell you right here!
4-H is a non-profit youth organization founded under the USDA with the goal of "engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development." There are hundreds of different project areas that youth from 4th to 12th grade can participate id from learning to sew, learning how to raise and show different animals, practicing impromptu and public speaking, and learning proper safety and technique in shooting sports. The choices are endless, and there is something for everyone. Projects that I focus on are photography, showing both rabbits and guinea pigs, camp counseling and leadership, and poultry judging.
The poultry judging contest gives 4-H members the chance to judge the quality of egg dozens, cracked open eggs, candling the insides of eggs, judging the quality of meat carcasses, as well as live laying hens, and naming the different 'cuts' of meat carcasses according to the USDA standard. This is a very important contest for me because I believe that only the best quality of food should be sold and fed to our nation, especially the youth.
After graduating high school, one goal of mine is to study agricultural science and keep healthy food on the plates of young Americans and reducing the percentage of obese children, and I believe that this will be a wonderful opportunity and learning experience for me.
I would like to thank every and all donors in advance for helping me with this amazing opportunity!
Friday, September 27, 2013
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
First week of school, done. (finally)
Today marks me being in school exactly one week, and I've got to say it's been interesting so far. I have a couple cool teachers that I know I'm really going to enjoy being in class with this year. And sometimes I wonder if anyone else gets the same thoughts as me in the classes, and the same feeling of awe over certain things that the teachers say.
And of course, there are other teachers who I'm not really sure if being in their class is going to be enjoyable or not, but I guess that's what I get for being an exchange student for a year; playing catch up in classes that I rather wouldn't want to be in with people who I wish I weren't in class with. The biggest challenge for me in these classes will be keeping my comments to myself and remembering that the people in these classes either are taking the class again because they didn't care about it enough the first year, or they're young. Either way, if I'm not careful I could lose my temper very fast.
As far as things not school related, ballet started up again last week and it's been going very well. The past couple classes have been wonderful and I'm so happy that I'm getting back into shape again.
I hope people are still enjoying reading my blog, and I'll try to update it whenever something interesting happens.
And of course, there are other teachers who I'm not really sure if being in their class is going to be enjoyable or not, but I guess that's what I get for being an exchange student for a year; playing catch up in classes that I rather wouldn't want to be in with people who I wish I weren't in class with. The biggest challenge for me in these classes will be keeping my comments to myself and remembering that the people in these classes either are taking the class again because they didn't care about it enough the first year, or they're young. Either way, if I'm not careful I could lose my temper very fast.
As far as things not school related, ballet started up again last week and it's been going very well. The past couple classes have been wonderful and I'm so happy that I'm getting back into shape again.
I hope people are still enjoying reading my blog, and I'll try to update it whenever something interesting happens.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Summer coming to an end
Well with summer coming to an end, I can say that my readjustment to Oregon has been fairly good so far. My summer was filled with volunteering at the 4-H Center in West Salem for a whole six weeks. Weather it was helping with horses or being a camp counselor, it was a very enjoyable summer. Until, of course, I went to school to register for my classes. Right when I walked into my school I could tell that I wasn't going to have a very easy year. Mentally, that is. And with
My adjustment has been what I assume is normal, but I've noticed a few things have changed. One being that the things that I find enjoyable have changed. And probably a very important change that I'm starting to go through is that I've started eating healthier, which so far I am very happy about.
So with my last year of high school starting in less than a week, I really hope that it goes well. Wish me luck!
My adjustment has been what I assume is normal, but I've noticed a few things have changed. One being that the things that I find enjoyable have changed. And probably a very important change that I'm starting to go through is that I've started eating healthier, which so far I am very happy about.
So with my last year of high school starting in less than a week, I really hope that it goes well. Wish me luck!
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Year in Review
As one of my last posts for this year, I thought it would be a cool idea to recap over the whole year. I've learned so much this past year, and it's just incredible. Starting of course, with Spanish.
When I first got here, my Spanish was very basic. I was lucky to have taken a Spanish class in school, and I learned things to help me get by at first. Month by month, I learned new words, phrases, and typical ways of saying certain things like a Peruvian.
Learning a new language is an interesting experience, because everyone learns differently. For me, I would notice that i was hearing a word more often than I usually did. So when I noticed that, I'd either ask someone what it meant, or I would look it up by myself. And once I knew the meaning, I would add it to my vocabulary. I wouldn't have thought in my first few months that my Spanish would be at the level it is now. I'm able to have conversations with anyone, and I even get complemented on my Spanish from time to time.
Being able to understand Spanish so well, I really enjoy talking to people, and learning about their lives. Some of the most interesting things that I've learned have been from people I've met this year. Things that I wouldn't have learned if I were still at home. One thing that I think will stay with me forever was when I had a talk with my current host mom over breakfast about relationships. She told me all about how relationships shouldn't be just about sexual desire, and that you should really and truly love them. She told me that getting married is one of the biggest decisions you will ever make in your life, and after you do get married it's a lifetime commitment, and shouldn't just be thrown away. Divorce isn't very common in Peru, because of the mindset that they have about marriage, and I really wished that more people had that view on relationships.
Another interesting talk that I had was after my dad was dropped off at the airport. The family that I'm with now has a driver that takes them around when they need him to. So the night that my dad went to the airport, the driver took us there, and then took me back to my house after. On the drive from the airport back to my house, he told me about how bad the police are in Peru, and how they're corrupt. He explained that there are police that do their job of protecting the people, but there's also the ones who abuse their job and steal from people. People hear more about the latter type of police, and with that, they don't trust them.
On a different note, I want to say just how amazingly happy I am to have met all of the amazing other exchange students and people from around the globe that I got the chance to meet. Each and every one of them taught me something either about myself, or about the culture of other countries.
I hope you all have enjoyed my blogging throughout the year, and would enjoy hearing my story as a rebound when I return.
Thank you all for your support!
When I first got here, my Spanish was very basic. I was lucky to have taken a Spanish class in school, and I learned things to help me get by at first. Month by month, I learned new words, phrases, and typical ways of saying certain things like a Peruvian.
Learning a new language is an interesting experience, because everyone learns differently. For me, I would notice that i was hearing a word more often than I usually did. So when I noticed that, I'd either ask someone what it meant, or I would look it up by myself. And once I knew the meaning, I would add it to my vocabulary. I wouldn't have thought in my first few months that my Spanish would be at the level it is now. I'm able to have conversations with anyone, and I even get complemented on my Spanish from time to time.
Being able to understand Spanish so well, I really enjoy talking to people, and learning about their lives. Some of the most interesting things that I've learned have been from people I've met this year. Things that I wouldn't have learned if I were still at home. One thing that I think will stay with me forever was when I had a talk with my current host mom over breakfast about relationships. She told me all about how relationships shouldn't be just about sexual desire, and that you should really and truly love them. She told me that getting married is one of the biggest decisions you will ever make in your life, and after you do get married it's a lifetime commitment, and shouldn't just be thrown away. Divorce isn't very common in Peru, because of the mindset that they have about marriage, and I really wished that more people had that view on relationships.
Another interesting talk that I had was after my dad was dropped off at the airport. The family that I'm with now has a driver that takes them around when they need him to. So the night that my dad went to the airport, the driver took us there, and then took me back to my house after. On the drive from the airport back to my house, he told me about how bad the police are in Peru, and how they're corrupt. He explained that there are police that do their job of protecting the people, but there's also the ones who abuse their job and steal from people. People hear more about the latter type of police, and with that, they don't trust them.
On a different note, I want to say just how amazingly happy I am to have met all of the amazing other exchange students and people from around the globe that I got the chance to meet. Each and every one of them taught me something either about myself, or about the culture of other countries.
I hope you all have enjoyed my blogging throughout the year, and would enjoy hearing my story as a rebound when I return.
Thank you all for your support!
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Puno and Cusco round two
So this past week my dad came to visit. We took a trip to Puno and Cusco. The first day, we took a bus to Puno and got there in the afternoon. I had terrible altitude sickness all day and didn't want to do anything.
The next day, we took a tour of Lake Titicaca for most of the day, and thankfully I was feeling much better. We visited the floating islands of the Uros and the Island of Tequili.
After visiting the islands we spent a little time in the main part of the city and then went back to our hotel.
The next morning we took a bus to Cusco and got there around three in the afternoon. When we arrived at the terminal an hour late, there was a stopped bus in front of ours and our driver decided to pass it. In the process, an electrical wire got caught on the air vent on the top if the bus and ripped it off. Luckily no one was hurt.
Since we arrived late, we missed the start of our tour. We manages to get to three of the four places. After, we went to see a performance of national dances, got pizza for dinner, and went to our hotel for the night.
We woke up the next morning with another full day ahead of us filled with more ancient ruins. We went to see Pisac, the agricultural center of the ancient Inca empire, and Ollantaytambo with the sun temple. Then in the afternoon we took a train to 'Aguas Calientes' which is a little town near Machu Picchu.
The last day was to see Machu Picchu. We got up around six to catch our bus up to the mountain. When we first got up there, it was all fogged over and you couldn't see anything. After our tour, about mid day, the clouds burned off and the view was wonderful. After we were done we went back down to the town to eat lunch and look around a bit until catching our train back to Ollantaytambo at around three, getting back to Cusco, and catching a bus back to Arequipa that night.
I was so happy to show my dad around my wonderful country, and am getting excited to share all of my experiences with people when I return home in a month.
We met a lot of world travelers, a lot from Canada and other states, and even a few people from Oregon.
-abrazos y besos de Peru.
The next day, we took a tour of Lake Titicaca for most of the day, and thankfully I was feeling much better. We visited the floating islands of the Uros and the Island of Tequili.
After visiting the islands we spent a little time in the main part of the city and then went back to our hotel.
The next morning we took a bus to Cusco and got there around three in the afternoon. When we arrived at the terminal an hour late, there was a stopped bus in front of ours and our driver decided to pass it. In the process, an electrical wire got caught on the air vent on the top if the bus and ripped it off. Luckily no one was hurt.
Since we arrived late, we missed the start of our tour. We manages to get to three of the four places. After, we went to see a performance of national dances, got pizza for dinner, and went to our hotel for the night.
We woke up the next morning with another full day ahead of us filled with more ancient ruins. We went to see Pisac, the agricultural center of the ancient Inca empire, and Ollantaytambo with the sun temple. Then in the afternoon we took a train to 'Aguas Calientes' which is a little town near Machu Picchu.
The last day was to see Machu Picchu. We got up around six to catch our bus up to the mountain. When we first got up there, it was all fogged over and you couldn't see anything. After our tour, about mid day, the clouds burned off and the view was wonderful. After we were done we went back down to the town to eat lunch and look around a bit until catching our train back to Ollantaytambo at around three, getting back to Cusco, and catching a bus back to Arequipa that night.
I was so happy to show my dad around my wonderful country, and am getting excited to share all of my experiences with people when I return home in a month.
We met a lot of world travelers, a lot from Canada and other states, and even a few people from Oregon.
-abrazos y besos de Peru.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Coming to an end
I realize that I haven't posted in a while, so I thought I'd do an update about how it's been here in Peru.
About a month ago, I switched to a new family. They're a nice family, with more money than my first. At the house we are at right now they have two maids working for them that cook and clean. My host mom says that within about a week we'll be moving tot heir new house, which is super far from everything and it a very ritzy area of the city.
It's interesting going from one family to another when the style of living is so different, you really notice it. In my first family my host mom cooked all the time, they ate together whenever they could, and other family was always in the house. Here, we have someone that cooks for us, I usually eat alone or just one other person, and there's a huge ant problem.
I do like my new family, but this style of living isn't one that I think I would want for myself when I'm older. I like being able to do things for myself, like make my bed and wash my clothes. But I guess this is part of what exchange is all about; learning new cultures and how other people live.
Right before the family change, we went on a group trip to the capital of Peru, and other cities near by like Ica and Nazca. Over the course of the week we went sand boarding, toured a Pisco factory, went on a boat ride to see penguins, went on a dune buggy ride, and flew over the Nazca lines.
About a month ago, I switched to a new family. They're a nice family, with more money than my first. At the house we are at right now they have two maids working for them that cook and clean. My host mom says that within about a week we'll be moving tot heir new house, which is super far from everything and it a very ritzy area of the city.
It's interesting going from one family to another when the style of living is so different, you really notice it. In my first family my host mom cooked all the time, they ate together whenever they could, and other family was always in the house. Here, we have someone that cooks for us, I usually eat alone or just one other person, and there's a huge ant problem.
I do like my new family, but this style of living isn't one that I think I would want for myself when I'm older. I like being able to do things for myself, like make my bed and wash my clothes. But I guess this is part of what exchange is all about; learning new cultures and how other people live.
Right before the family change, we went on a group trip to the capital of Peru, and other cities near by like Ica and Nazca. Over the course of the week we went sand boarding, toured a Pisco factory, went on a boat ride to see penguins, went on a dune buggy ride, and flew over the Nazca lines.
(the humming bird)
About a week ago I started bar tending classes with another exchange student, and I'm hoping to start some sort of cooking class soon. Because we weren't able to start classes in the university here, we decided to take bar tending classes. So far we've learned to make 11 drinks, the general history of Pisco, different types of glasses, and how to properly make drinks. It's been a great experience so far, and I'm super excited to learn more.
I have only about two months left in Peru, and this year has gone by so fast it's incredible. My plane lands at PDX at 1:50pm on the 15th of June, and I'm starting to be very excited to come back.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Carnival
This weekend we went to the beach. We left Friday afternoon.
That night we were at a birthday party of my parents friends in a town about three hours away from the beach town we go to. I didn't really want to be there, but I had an okay time. It went late and I finally was able to go to the hotel we were staying at at about two in the morning. The room was so hot and stuffy that I hardly got any sleep, not to mention I woke up at 8:30 that morning. We wound up leaving around one or two in the afternoon for the beach.
Saturday night was the 'Fiesta de La Punta del Bombon' and it was a dance that was like the one during New Years. Then on Sunday we were at the beach most of the day. I slept most of the time, but had a good time relaxing and got a little sunburnt.
That night was 'Carnavales' and I'm still not sure what it was all about, but it was fun. People were throwing something that was sort of like flour with food coloring in it, and spraying silly string at each other. I got it pretty bad, getting the flour smeared all over my face, and getting sprayed over and over, but it was very fun. I was glad that it all washed out well.
That night we were at a birthday party of my parents friends in a town about three hours away from the beach town we go to. I didn't really want to be there, but I had an okay time. It went late and I finally was able to go to the hotel we were staying at at about two in the morning. The room was so hot and stuffy that I hardly got any sleep, not to mention I woke up at 8:30 that morning. We wound up leaving around one or two in the afternoon for the beach.
Saturday night was the 'Fiesta de La Punta del Bombon' and it was a dance that was like the one during New Years. Then on Sunday we were at the beach most of the day. I slept most of the time, but had a good time relaxing and got a little sunburnt.
That night was 'Carnavales' and I'm still not sure what it was all about, but it was fun. People were throwing something that was sort of like flour with food coloring in it, and spraying silly string at each other. I got it pretty bad, getting the flour smeared all over my face, and getting sprayed over and over, but it was very fun. I was glad that it all washed out well.
Friday, February 8, 2013
What is going on?
So it started raining today. And I mean pouring with rain. It started at around 3 or 4 in the afternoon and it hasn't stopped since. There is water covering the floor, filling up buckets, and I haven't the slightest idea what I should be doing.
The power in my area of the city was out, too. Most of the city, actually. It's really crazy to think that rain could do this much damage to things. But when you come from a place that is built to withstand rain and storms, you sort of pass it off as nothing. I'm starting to kind of freak out about it.
-abrazos y besos de Peru.
The power in my area of the city was out, too. Most of the city, actually. It's really crazy to think that rain could do this much damage to things. But when you come from a place that is built to withstand rain and storms, you sort of pass it off as nothing. I'm starting to kind of freak out about it.
-abrazos y besos de Peru.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Happy holidays!
This holiday season has been a very hard one. And I'm sure I speak for every exchange student when I say that. For a lot, this time of year is when the first family change happens. Which makes it even harder.
When you first think about it, holidays don't seem like that tough of a time. But, we're away from family, friends, and the customs that we're used to. Every country has a different culture, and everyone experiences it different.
Christmas was so different. They celebrate it on the 24th and not the 25th. They stay up all night and at midnight they shoot off fireworks, then eat. The 25th is just like any other day, which is strange.
For New Years I went to the beach with my family. And if that wasn't the best New Years ever, well then I don't know what is.
We got to the beach around 6 at night. It was already dark, so we walked around and saw the fireworks that they had set up in the square.
At 12 that night we shot off fireworks and danced at the house. Then later my cousins and I went to a party. There were so many people. And a live band. All through the night we danced and drank. At times I was tired, but near the end I had energy again.
We were there until 6 in the morning. The band was really good, and the drummer was very cute. To my surprise, they dedicated the last song to me. I don't think anyone else noticed, but it's something that I will never forget.
-abrazos y besos de Peru.
When you first think about it, holidays don't seem like that tough of a time. But, we're away from family, friends, and the customs that we're used to. Every country has a different culture, and everyone experiences it different.
Christmas was so different. They celebrate it on the 24th and not the 25th. They stay up all night and at midnight they shoot off fireworks, then eat. The 25th is just like any other day, which is strange.
For New Years I went to the beach with my family. And if that wasn't the best New Years ever, well then I don't know what is.
We got to the beach around 6 at night. It was already dark, so we walked around and saw the fireworks that they had set up in the square.
At 12 that night we shot off fireworks and danced at the house. Then later my cousins and I went to a party. There were so many people. And a live band. All through the night we danced and drank. At times I was tired, but near the end I had energy again.
We were there until 6 in the morning. The band was really good, and the drummer was very cute. To my surprise, they dedicated the last song to me. I don't think anyone else noticed, but it's something that I will never forget.
-abrazos y besos de Peru.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)