5/29/2015

PROM 2015


These girls are gold!
Prom was held two weeks ago, I just haven't had time or patient to come here and tell you about it. I really didn't have any expectations I just wanted to experience it like everyone else.
Sam and I & Justin and Jordyn
I got my nails done with my friend Erin on friday (8th) and later I had a hair appointment. I went to Erin's house to get ready with my other friend Emma. Then we drove to my other friends house, who finally drove all of us and my date to this pretty garden where we took our pictures.

Jordyn
We still wanted to go to the hotel next to us since lot of our friends went there. We got some really nice pictures and then finally after a short drive we arrived to this place (lodge) where the dance was. Everyone got to eat dinner (buffet) and the food was okay. After that people started dancing like in homecoming/other school dances, and they played popular pop-, slow- and line dance songs. I danced the whole time, but obviously we didn't wear our heels and my dress was waaay too long, so my dancing was kind of well, limited. They had also set up a photo booth where you could take these cute pictures and luckily they were free!
The best host parents in the whole world!

Our prom had a theme and it was Alice In The Wonderland. I really didn't notice it though, in the middle of the dances I remembered that we actually did have a theme... The whole night went so fast, and before I noticed it was over. I felt like I was living my real ''American (dream) life'' because a) my first real prom b) I was the only foreign exchange student, but the last song ruined everything. It was 'I am proud to be American'. You should have seen my face when the song came on, haha.
Sam and I
Our school didn't have their own ''after party'', how some schools do like bowling etc. Quite many students had their own bonfires and parties. I went to couple bonfires that my friends had, stayed there for a little and then eventually went home and hung out with my host momma (late night talks are the best!!)
Mindy, Me, Jillian
Did I have fun? Yes. Was it different that I thought it would be? Yes and no. I was so hyped about prom in February and my friends were making fun of me, so I kind of tried to calm down.... Then the week before prom, it didn't even feel like it was the next week! I think 50 dollars is a big price of it, and if you would buy 300 dollars dress and do your hair at hairdresser, it would be crazy expensive. I was very happy that I could borrow my dress from my friend, and it was also really pretty one!
In general Prom was nice and I would love to go there again... Now I am really looking forward to graduation and my grad/goodbye party, even if my heart will broke in pieces.
The best brothers I could wish for

Thank you for the pics Kim, you always do a great job!!

-Ella

5/14/2015

Softball Banquet

Banquet (May 4th) was lovely in every way. We had our last softball game and I had my senior night. I started in Varsity's game and then went down to JV's. Both teams won, and then was time to go to the banquet. We started with dinner, everyone had brought something to eat (seniors were lucky we got to bring drinks).
Coaches made their speeches for us and seniors, and I got to tell you that I will miss softball so much... Even if I was really struggling at first, and I was so ready to give up in January, this was one of the best decisions I've made here. I got new lovely friends, I got to know amazing personalities and  I learned something new. I never thought I would start a completely new sport as a almost 18-year-old. Even if I still don't know how to throw the ball correctly, I think I did something right, haha. I am just saying, it's pretty hard to go from soccer to play softball, but I loved it.

When I get told that I actually did really great this season, I am hitting the ball in varsity games and that how I have developed as a player these past few months makes me so happy. Sometimes I'm too hard to myself, but then I remember that I just started, and there I am playing with the girls, who are super good and I should be proud!
Every senior got a basket full of her favorite sweets, goodies, and a poster that other players had written a little messages. I looove these posters so much! I have couple more at home, and I am taking all them with me to Finland. After all this, seniors still got this huge, framed picture (our yearbook photo) of all of us and couple individual pics. It was coolest thing ever, I really appreciate that amount of work they did for us...
One of my best friends Emma made a lovely speech for me. There was/were always a player(s) talking one of our seniors. The people who know me well enough, know that I am very emotional (crybaby) and especially during my exchange year... I am glad they had tissues there, haha. You don't even know how happy I felt that night. Maybe middle of my exchange my mom always kept asking me ''Whose your best friends there?'' I always told her that I have many close friends. As many of you know (exchange students) in America best friend label is a little different... Anyways, right now,  I know who my best friends are, after eight months. Being without your best friends back home is really hard. So, when my ''ex'' close friends tell me I am one of their best friends during speech (or whenever!) feels incredibly good. I was always afraid to say to someone that they were my best friends because here, it's so different. But not anymore!

Tomorrow we are having a senior trip to Baltimore. I am really excited! I will take my camera with me so hopefully I'll make time to take some pictures. AND when I find time, I will put pictures from prom which was awesome!

Sad, but happy
-Ella