Week twelve
The twelfth week passed, marking three months of my little adventure. And what would it be without anything but pleasant experiences? What would I have learned if I’d made no mistakes? Last Friday, I went out with friends and, having too much fun, I stayed late and didn’t manage to meet my set curfew, which got me grounded for the next day. I originally had plans, but since I had to stay home while my friends hung out, I used the day to work on everything I had to do. Not only did I contact my bloodline members across the ocean, complete all ought chores and homework, and play Mario Kart, but I also spent time with myself and my thoughts, which I hadn’t gotten to do in a while and very much needed. I went on a walk – much longer than the dogs are used to – to clear my mind and sustain sanity. Later into the afternoon, my host dad took me to shop for wrestling shoes. Neither of us knew how the sport worked, yet we were excessively excited for the season to start, hoping I’ll enjoy it more than I enjoyed volleyball. After we got home, a few dollars lighter, my host family and I gathered to watch a horror movie. Or two…
I wasn’t prohibited from leaving the house on Sunday anymore, so I went to the mall to look for Halloween costumes with one of my friends, and as we picked another girl up, we drove around Doniphan afterward, sharing all our joys and sorrows. Cruising somehow became my favorite pastime, for it was what I did with my friends on the off-school Monday, too. Moreover, this time ended the jolly day by taking pictures with a lovely sunset in the background.
Tuesday began the actual week, and quite surprisingly, even at school, I had a good day. And it wasn’t just one. All week, the school didn’t feel as tiring as usual, causing me to become more social and talkative.
Many new things for me occurred this week, including a wrestling meeting and morning Quizbowl practice. During neither, I had any clue about what I’d signed up for and why. But “fake it till you make it,” right? 😀 I also got to encounter a church youth group for the first time in my life, joining my friends in visiting on Wednesday night. What can I say? Everything I even slightly expected from it, it was not. After numerous “This is Alice. She’s Czech.” introductions and a short organizational meeting containing one prayer, we collectively made sandwiches for the homeless and thus fulfilled all of our duties for the night. What awaited us next was only entertainment, taking the form of a game. Scampering through the dimmed building, we played hide and seek until we all had to leave.
The football season is over for our school team, however, benefiting from my Czech friends nearby, I got to attend another game since their football team successfully advanced into the state playoffs. At first, I was worried about becoming a loner if my chum once walked away, but I coped with talking to other people and even made a few new friends! And regarding the game itself… It wasn’t much different from what I’m used to. The energy was comparable to our school’s, but the football team was, admittedly, on a slightly higher level. With the mindset that “no one has to see me here ever again,” I pushed myself to step out of my comfort zone and even asked to take pictures with the (supposedly) fans-favored football players. 🙂
