Hoi Allemaal,

Ik heb al een tijdje niks meer geplaatst op mijn blog. De rede hiervan is dat er eigenlijk niks nieuws te vertellen was, behalve dat ik al veel contact heb gehad met mijn gastgezin via Facebook messenger. Ook heb ik een PDO (Pre Departure Orientation) gehad, maar hier vertel ik in het Engels verder over. Ik heb namelijk besloten vanaf nu alles in het Engels te doen omdat het mij anders heel veel tijd gaat kosten om mijn verhaal in het Nederlands en Engels te doen. Ik hoop dat Julie dit begrijpen!

Hi Everyone,

I havent post in a while. That's because there was not much to tell except that I have had a lot of contact with my host family and I have been to the PDO (Pre Departure Orientation).

As I already told in a previous post, my host parents will take me and Enna on a Roadtrip. At first we would go to Washington but because of the waterflood in Yellowstone did they change the plans to a colorado trip. This means that they are going to take me to their Family such as Steve's mom (Steve is my hostdad) and some of their Friends. Oh and something I can not forget to tell you! I am also going to a wedding from the niece of Kara (my hostmom) so that's pretty exiting.

They will take us to 4 national parks (Rocky mountain national park, Black Canyon national park, Mesa Verder national park and Great Sand dunes national park). I'm realy looking forward to see all the national parks, because from the photo's that I saw it looks amazingly beautiful.

Before I'll fly to my host family on the 6th of augsut I will be 4 days in New york this is planned by the organisation. I think this is a good way for me to get a little comfortuble with speaking English before I'm with my hostfamily. Also they have a lot of fun sightseeings planned. I have probably seen most of them already but it will be a other experience since im with a lot of new people.

Now im going to tell you about PDO (Pre Departure Orientation). This was a day that was planned for all the students, who are going to America this august/september. We got a lot of information about how to behave and what to do in special situations. It was a fun day, because I got to talk to a lot of other students who have the same dream. It was cool to hear were the other student are placed and how the family composition is at their placement.

It is not long until I'm actually stepping on a plane and going to the other side of the world. But there are a lot of things that I still have to do or have to get until I can actuallygo. Such as a VISUM, what is a kind of a drama. I also have to get 2 vaccination before I go and a TBC test. and next to these bigger things. I need to think about what I want to take with me and what I need to leave behind. Also am I trying to get as much time with my friends, family and boyfriend before Im gone for 10 months. It is pretty weird because some things that I do now will be the last time I do it before I leave.

Before I am going I would like to say goodbye. So I am inviting everyone for a goodbye party on 30th of July it begins on 15:00 and end's when we want to. let me know if you are coming so that I can arrange everyting.

I hope you all liked my update on how everything is going. Feel free to leave a message!

Great Greetings,

Esther :)