Bulgaria!

So this past week, I went to Bulgaria for a service project with YoungLife. We went for one week, in which we built a new playground structure, painted an existing playground, built benches, painted a fence, and did some general clean-up at a school for young kids (like kindergarten). At night, we'd have fun YoungLife clubs (music and a skit followed by a talk) which was then followed by Cabin time (small groups with the people in our "cabin".

On Saturday, we left the camp and went to Sofia for the day. I was so surprised at how cheap everything was!! We ate a HUGE lunch of 75 pounds for 7 people!! We then did some shopping in which I got some pretty good things for a pretty cheap price. That night we all had dinner at the university and then had a final club. :(

We then had to wake up the next morning at 4 AM (shoot me) for our flight back to England, which really felt like 3 AM due to daylight savings ending. I was so tired!

I had such a great time on this service project, and while it was so completely different from last year, I still had an amazing time. First, upon seeing the quality in which these kids go to school and the shape of their playground really shows how lucky we are to live in such blessed conditions.

Second, doing something for these kids voluntarily and out of the kindness of an organization really humbles you. Seeing how everyone benefits is just an incredible feeling, as these kids get the benefit of having an amazing playground, while we get the benefit of feeling satisfied with watching the joy of the children as they are now able to climb and play on newly built/painted equipment.

Finally and most importantly, while doing the "service" plays a major role in the project, its the service to the Lord that is actually the most important part. As the same with last years service project, I have grown so much in my relationship with God. Not only by seeing how much he gives and gives to us and how blessed we are, but also by seeing how he works through people. First, he works through all the people who put so much effort into putting this trip together (i.e. the work crew, site bosses, translators, camp directors, transportation, musicians, and the speaker, just to name a few) all for the purpose of introducing the story of Christ. Then he works through the students who attend the trip; some people come maybe cause they want community service or need it for college apps or CAS hours, and it ends up changing their lives forever. Every night, a talk would be given all about Jesus and how he is our saviour, and at the end of the week, watching a number of kids stand up and confess they have been rescued, well, its one of the most amazing things you'll ever experience, knowing that these people are now bound for an eternity with the creator of the universe.

I'm so glad I went on Service Project and am a part of YoungLife, because by helping people AND introducing the amazing message of Jesus Christ, they do some of the most incredible work in the WORLD!

Band Trip to Paris

So this past week I went on the band trip to Paris. No, as you may be wondering, I'm not in the band, however, since I am in music class and contribute greatly to the music program at our school, they invited me along as their costume guy. (Basically they play tunes to different movies and I dress up as the characters) I played a great Spider-man, Mr. Incredible, Inspector Gadget, and Shrek.

Here's some of the other stuff we covered while in Paris:

• A driving tour of all the major attractions (Champs Elysees, Eiffel Tower, Arc De Triomph, Notre Dame, and Moulin Rouge)
• A night cruise down the River Seine
• An afternoon in Versailles
• Performances for primary school students
• The observation tower at Montparnasse
• A day at Disneyland Paris including dinner at Planet Hollywood While that sounds like a ton of fun, the trip actually had quite a few low-lights. First, the trip took 8 hours each way (DRIVING!) including 2 hours on a nauseating ferry on the English Channel. Second, the performances were unorganized leaving us with no audience on certain occasions. And finally, it was really cold! especially at Disneyland.
  
  
  

Yes, Paris is cool and I'm so grateful for the chance to go (granted it was pretty fun being that I was with loads of friends) However I think I expected a little more than what I got. But hey, that's life, and I look at it positively, because while others wish to see Paris in a lifetime, I'm lucky enough to just drive over for a couple days. I'm very grateful for the opportunity and the "fun" I had. :)

PROM!

So this past friday was prom. It was pretty fun and memorable. I basically went to my dates house and took pics there and picked her up, then went to my friend Sam's house for the "pre-party", we then arrived at the actual prom and stayed till about midnight, and then went to the sweeeet after-party. It was really fun and I'll always remember it. Here's a few pics of the night:


Matina and Kendall at the pre-party


Me and Kendall in the limo


Us (minus Dylan, Sarah, Danel, and Ana Carolina) outside the "H2 Limo"


Fireworks at prom

I actually enjoyed prom just cause its a fun time when you can chill with all your friends and just have a good time. Yea its just one night and is so much preperation, but it's definitley worth it. I look foward to my Senior Prom next year.

Martini & Olive

So this past weekend one of my dear friends, Matina, came to England for the weekend to go to prom and see everyone.

Matina moved here when I did last August and we were both the "new" kids at Hillingdon. We became pretty close and she ended up moving to Denver, Colorado at the end of the school year. However, we kept in touch and she came to visit!

I have to admit, it was pretty friggin sweeeeet! She showed up at school on Thursday morning and attended classes with everyone. That evening we walked to the Chimes and had some Starbucks.

Friday, she came to school, but left early to get ready for prom that night. Prom was incredible and the party was pretty sweet too.

Today, We met in old GX as we reminisced bout old times, and I gave her a glimpse of my new house (much better than my old one). We then had to say goodbye as she leaves Monday morning and I leave for Paris tomorrow.

Having Matina (or Martini) back in town has been so cool, because as I wouldn't like to remember a lot of last year, she was one of the few good things that happened to my life. We made some great memories and I'm so glad we're still friends and keep in touch. I love when old friends come back and visit, cause it felt like they've never left you all along. Because in reality, they haven't, they are always right there with you.

Its Baseball Season!!!!!!!

I decided to experiment with some colors today :P

So, as the title states, baseball is in the air here in England!! This is incredibly exciting for me as baseball is my favorite sport and I look foward to it every year. Now for some baseball is just like a leisure (and by leisure I mean boring) sport, while for others its something they are good at and do as like a normal spring sport, just cause they've been playing for as long as they can remember. And finally there's my group.

My group represents those who are SO PASSIONATE about the sport, and yes I'll be the first to admit I'm just ok, and definitely not the best player, but I still have an undying love for the sport. I'm not just talking play in the spring, I'm talkin playing in the spring, season tickets to the Braves, practicing in the offseason, staying up till 4 AM to watch the games kinda thing. I just love it.

My biggest regret in my life, as its been for the past 3 or so years, is that I didnt start younger. When I was a little kid my dad tried to get me into the sport, but I was quite heavy then and for some reason (stupidly) didnt play :(. It seems so dumb that my 3 year old self didnt like baseball when now its one of the most important things in my life.

Basically all I can do now is play my best, get better, and continue loving baseball the way I do, cause the passion for the game, is what moves me to be the best that I can be :P Its gonna be an awesome spring! :)

P.S.- Pics still coming soooooon!

Long Weekend, Star 94, and Mocks

So just a traditional update bout some stuff goin on

This past weekend we had a long weeked due to Parent-Teacher Conferences and a Teacher Workday. Of course, Thursday was spent with Emily, but what about the rest of the weekend?!?!

Basically the rest of the weekend was spent studying for my mock AP exam and listening to my favorite radio station back home in Atlanta, Star 94.

Since my mock exam (or a "practice" exam for the real thing in May) was this morning, I figured I should use my time wisely and study while I was off. This involved making a 14 page review (no you didn't read it wrong, 14 pages) which took about 10 hours total from friday and saturday to complete (yes I actually spent my friday and saturday STUDYING!, I'm such a nerd). Sunday was spent, what else, studying the review.

While I was studying, inputing terms and concepts from all the pasts notes, discussions, and tests from the entire year, I listened to Star 94 continuously, something I hadn't done in like a year! Now to understand my passion for this radio station you need a little background. Since me and Gina were little, every morning, on the way to school, we always listened to Steve & Vicki in the Morning, the morning show that ran on the station on the weekdays. For years we listened to them, and being that Star 94 was my mom's favorite station, we always had it on in her car, and when I was able to drive, it was one of my car's top stations.

Now, that morning show is off and I wanted to get a good listen of the new morning show, "The Morning Mess." It's NOTHING like Steve & Vicki (keep in mind they were on for like 20 years until they both were way too tired; personally, waking up at 3:30 AM every weekday morning for 20 years would tire me out too), but the new show is still really good and I'm so glad I took advantage of my time off to listen to them. Listening to this station also allows me to get a good listen of the new top 40 music in America and by hearing what songs they play at different times shows what songs are popular and how popular compared to other songs at the time, just another way I show my passion of music.

In the end, all of that studying (guided by radio listening) payed off, as I did really well on my mock this morning and am shooting for AT LEAST a 4 (5 cross my fingas). After the exam, I came home for lunch and to chilax, doing what, listening to Star 94 of course (which I am still doing right now) :P

P.S.- Pics from M Erz's visit are still coming- hopefully tomorrow

M Erz

So this past week my best friend Emily came to visit for a few days. Since her mom is English, and her grandmother still lives here, her mom decided to take her to England for her Spring Break.

She arrived in England on Sunday, however didnt come to see me till Tuesday afternoon. We met up in Windsor, and brought her back to my house to show her us living here. After saying hello to my grandparents (Who by the way were so incredibly excited to see her, just showing how close Emily is to our family), we walked to the Gerrards Cross High Street and had some coffee at "Costa". This was followed by dinner and just talking for a few hours afterwards.

On Wednesday, she came with me to school, a little nervous for meeting all my friends but she handled it quite well. She split her time between some of my classes and some of Gina's classes, spending time with both of us at break and lunch. After school, we walked to Uxbridge and ate at Nandos (one of my favorite places) followed by coming home, drinking loads of redbull, and playing guitar hero. After scattegories, hair, chocolate, and msn :P we went to bed.

Thursday morning, since we were off for Parent-Teacher Conferences, we took Emily into London to see some of our favorite places. Walking from Oxford Street to Regents Street (shopping....) to Picadilly Circus (eating some delicious sushi at Yo! Sushi) to Trafalgar Square (where we took pics at my favorite "spot")and finally to Waterloo Station where we put her on a train back to her Grandma's town.

It was extremely sad saying goodbye to M Erz, but I think those two days were two of the most memorable days I've had since living in England. Since we've been friends, the only time me and Emily have spent "in person" together has been in Atlanta, so it was so unbelievably cool that we were hanging out in my other home, England, and that she was experiencing how we live here. The worst part was that it felt like she was just settling in and we had finally grasped the fact that she was with us, and she had to leave. However, I'm so glad we spent those two days together, and now I feel like, while I'm able to imagine her in Atlanta, she can now imagine me here in England. While it was only 2 days, I feel like those 2 days have strengthened our relationship so much! and I'm so glad that Emily is a part of my life as my best friend :)

P.S. PICS COMING SOOOOOOOON

Just a pile of rocks?!?!

So this past weekend, being that my grandparents were in for the weekend, we went to Stonehenge due to my Grandpa's extreme desire to see it. And it was a pretty cool experience. While my Mom, Gina, and Grandma walked around for two minutes, said "hmmm nice", and went back to the car, me, my grandpa, and my dad actually walked around and admired the extreme significance of the whole thing.



Now while everyone thinks Stonehenge is just a stupid pile of rocks, which granted, it is, there is so much history and mystery (woah sweeet rhyme)just sitting in the middle of a field in England. The rocks come from hundreds of miles away and way TONS no joke, actual tons. Also, no one knows what it was used for and why it was there. The thing is said to be built around 3000 BC....BC!?!?!

Yes, It took about 10 minutes to walk around after driving two whole hours to get there and 2 back, but I'm so glad I saw such a cool peice of history, and while not everyone shows an interest in this stuff, at least I can say "HEY I WENT TO STONEHENGE!" and it definitely means more to me than just a "pile of rocks".