challenge yourself, so you can grow

Hi everyone,

I am so sorry, but I’m going to talk English, since it is easier at the moment for me. Also I’m on a computer that is English, so that is also easier. It’s just weird to change from English to Dutch all the time.

The food, since many people are curious about that.
It is basically the same as in the Netherlands (in my opinion) but they do go out a lot more. For example the first three weeks of my stay here we went out every Sunday for lunch. Also they have a lot more delivery at home.
I also made hutspot last week for Rebecca, since the kids and Rebecca and I eat apart. I don’t know if I told that already. But yeah, she really liked it. I also had to made hutspot this week with cooking and they absolutely loved it.
For the rest we had the last week just a lot of salads, since we were too tired to cook something. And since yesterday we don’t have an oven, because it’s broken. It will come back next week, so she has to figure out what we’re going to eat next week.

My routine is just waking up, to school, coming back from school, doing homework and making my new lunch for the next day, helping with food for the kids, or just sitting on the couch, saying goodnight to kids (they go to bed after dinner), sometimes I start making dinner for us already, we eat, we watch some t and then we go to bed.
Also, I am being very smart. I lost my smart rider, which is like a card for the bus as we have for the train for students. So I have to get another one that can take up to one week until I get it.

The classes.
Woodwork, is just working with wood. (houtbewerking) There are a lot of guys in my class, just one or two girls besides me. But it is still fun, I have made a puzzle and now I’m making a memory box for Rebecca.
Cooking, is just cooking. The theory is not that exciting, but it is part of cooking. I have almost finished my first assignment for this.
Business, you just have to make some assignments and that’s it. It is still hard though, also because half of the words in this class I don’t understand. But hey, I’m also learning a lot of new things.
Math, this isn’t that hard. It is just the English that makes it hard. I only know the words in Dutch for certain things, so that was a change. I already have had two tests for Maths, but it was just to try how it works.
English, this class is surprisingly hard. We have just finished reading of mice and men and all the assignments that are part of it. The things she tells us, she uses really difficult words so sometimes I don’t quite get it. But I manage.
Media, I feel like this is the most fun class. But that is because the teacher is really nice, and I don’t have to do much for media. She tells me it is just about the experience in that class. We have almost finished filming for a new assignment, where I am a spy, trying to steal teaching ideas. It’s quite funny.
So those are my classes, explained.
Oh yeah, this was quite fun, we get a MacBook from the school. You can basically have it as your own until the end of the year or until you finish school.

Also the pictures are in my previous post, you just scroll to under the post and there are the pictures. Just click on one and they open and become bigger so you can watch them.

In my host family it is going well. I really like it, and I feel really comfortable around here. Nya and Ella are also really nice, sometimes a little bit loud or a little bit too much energy, but they are really nice.
Also Rebecca has managed to get me going to the gym, which is actually really fun.
I did like five classes this week so my whole body is sore, but it was so much fun.
Monday I did a class with weights and for the belly. Tuesday I did cycling, this is Rebecca’s favourite class. Wednesday I did cardio, which I think was the most fun. Thursday I did TRX, which means that the teacher gets too choose some activities you have to do. This class was also really fun to do, it was just really hard. And I can tell you that the teachers really push you.
Every class is for half an hour, except for cycling that is 45 minutes.

Last weekend Maya (exchange student from Germany) came over on Friday. This was also great, we just got too talk a little bit about how are lives are going here and just hang out.
I also had the home for myself last weekend, and this weekend again. It’s quite nice to just have some space at some moments and do whatever you want to do, within the rules of course.
Last weekend I just went for a walk and did some exploring around here. Sunday Rebecca, Ella and Nya came back so I went with them to the supermarket.
Next weekend it is Ella’s birthday, and Nya’s birthday was last month, so they will have a birthday party then. Rebecca told me there will be around 50 kids and around 10 adults, so it’s going to be busy.

Besides all of that, I also have a birthday coming up from Jess (19 days), and the holidays are also coming. So is summer. I have been warned so many times now that it will get so hot, that I’m actually getting scared of how warm it will become.
Also Jessie and I, Jessie is the other exchange student from Switzerland, want to learn how to surf. So we are looking at surfing lessons for in the vacation when it will become warmer. And when it gets warmer we will also start looking for horseback riding. So I will be busy.

Christmas and New Year is also coming up, and Fabienne might also come in January to Busselton.

Most people also have no clue about where the Netherlands is, I had to explain it like ten times now.

See ya all,
Malou