Week 21

Just a routine week. Played some volleyball, mum went out to lunch with another new friend and dad played tennis and cricket. On Saturday night we had a barbeque with some other Aussies in the pouring rain. They decided to carefully move the $14 dollar barbie into the garage to keep it's value intact. You know dad!!! Sunday, while dad was playing cricket, I competed in the Rocky Mountain Karate Tournament. I was placed first in two events. After the long walk home we sampled the local Thai food for dinner. Only 8 school days left until Summer Break!

Week 20

Had a couple of things happen this week although not too important. Tuesday night I had another volleyball game, but the team still hasn't won a match. Wednesday I had humane society on again and that night karate. Nothing really on Thursday, but on Friday I only had a half day because of the exchange meeting that afternoon. We went into Denver and had a light lunch until exploring the state capitol, which was rather boring to me considering that I saw Australia's Parliament house last year. We got to talk to a lot of the representatives (one of which was a pom) and got to ask and answer some questions of the difference of education systems. Following the tour all the party-goers went out to a Mexican restaurant to have some dinner. I didn't think it was that good. Just after getting off the bus we found a woman laying on the grass at like 8:30. Mum was called in to help but couldn't do much. The main event however, was on Saturday. I had Karate in the morning and at about 5:30 in the arvo, us and our carers all went to the Moody Blues concert at Red Rocks. It was a spectacular view which you could see for miles and all the lights of the cities were really bright. If you asked mum or dad they'd say that the music was good too, but I didn't enjoy them very much. The other really weird thing that happened at Red Rocks was that we were sitting next to a group of people smoking dope, so I spent most of my time breathing in through my jumper sleeve. Afterwards we headed back home and got stuck in very heavy traffic trying to squeeze out of the Red Rocks parking lot. That was the first major event of the weekend, and the second one is my first American cricket game. The game was pretty poor (by our team). I was the not out batsmen at the end, with a grand total of one run, which was pretty good considering I only faced two balls, and better yet beat dad's golden duck (faced one ball and then got run out). The game wasn't very interesting either, but some American lady came down and watched. She said she didn't have anything else to do on the Weekends so she just comes and watches cricket. She was as red as a beetroot too. Other than that we've just been lazing around doing routine stuff. Today was Dad's birthday (54) and he spent it marking tests.

Week 19

Not too much happened this week but still had a couple of significant events. Had mainly usual school throughout the week with  two days off. I had Wednesday off to begin with because of the ACT's (tests for 11th graders) but still had to do Volunteer work at the humane society in the afternoon so didn't do much else. I also had Friday off because the teachers at school had training for if there was a shootout. I think dad got a few pictures with the SWAT team and the other services. Meanwhile, mum and I went shopping at the mall for clothes for the Disco on Friday night. It was so awesome because it had an actual theme that was followed; Casino Royale. There were tables set up with cards and poker chips, drinks and snacks, a photo shoot where you could pick up pictures in a keyring, a red carpet and loads of other things. Unfortunately there wasn't many people at all and it was apparently a bad night. We had a day of rest on Saturday and managed to cross off another Indian restaurant from our area and dad went to a pinball show and placed 18th, winning a prize at 16th. On Sunday we all went to our first (and probably last) baseball game. Our team got smashed and the weather was cold and the food was bad but other than that it was a good experience. The only other thing is that (apparently) Osama Bin Laden is dead and so there is much celebration accompanied by worry with this news. I've got a few pictures from Dad's shootout day.

Week 18

Didn't have much happen during the week, just a couple of cricket practices, karate training and volleyball in the afternoons. Mum made some painted eggs for Easter but other than that didn't do much else. On the weekend though we went out to the Flatirons mall and got a new Macbook pro for me. Its really good and fast. We also went to an Indian restaurant recommended by some of the cricket team players. Mum also met a women at the bus stop which she's befriended. On Sunday we went to an ANZAC day celebration with other Aussies from Colorado; not just exchangers, permanent residents too. On our way home from the party, we went to a big boys arcade and had a go at some of the games. Didn't quite reach 10,000 points but managed enough to get a plastic cup with a swirly straw! Not long until the Summer holidays, just a couple of weeks and not too long before some visitors.

Week 17

Not much this week and didn't do too much on the weekend either. I tested for my orange belt in karate while dad played his first game of cricket with the Indians. We're like the odd ones out, there's Sampath and heaps of other exotic names in the team. Every Tuesday and Thursday we have practice. We couldn't believe that there was a man here called Bob O'Brien who has been here for 15 years and was born and raised in Taree!!!! We were stunned. Sunday mum had a play date with Kristy, an Australian exchanger, while Dad and I went to the Gun Show in Denver. There were heaps of guns, bullets, holsters, lasers, scopes and other gun accessories, as well as night vision goggles and mace. My favorite thing though was a mobile phone that had a stunner in it. Other than that we've been planning for a get together for ANZAC day and I think CITEL has organized something for us.

Week 16

Boring week this week. Just normal school but on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday I had karate training for this Saturday's test. We also had a volleyball game on Tuesday which we were obliterated in. I also took mum bowling on the weekend but didn't do very well; I barely made 100 and Mum didn't even get that much. Didn't do much else but on Wednesday I had my first day at Humane Society with the dogs. There's so many there and you can't pick the good/bad ones. It's really fun but they all want to pull you around the circuit. You go in, attempt to put the leash on, lure them out with treats, walk around with them and then scoop up some poop. That's about it.

Week 15

Back to school. Luckily its only 8 weeks long this quarter. I got my new subjects on Monday. There were some 3rd choices in there including Statistics: Probability as my AM block, Physical Science: Weather and Climate as my Seminar/Intensive, and US History: The Space Race as my first hour of PM block. My second hour, believe it or not, is Meditation and Mindfulness. We sit down on cushions and breathe and feel the world around us. The class has also incorporated tea (of some kind) on Fridays. This is what I needed, a class to relieve all my stress from all the different subjects I have to do. Apart from being refreshed every afternoon I've got volleyball matches on Tuesdays and I think I'm finally going to be able to do my community experience at the Boulder Humane Society on Wednesday afternoons. It's so hard to get in. First you go to an information evening, then you go to a training info evening and then you have to have a tour. I think it'll be really fun though, so I'm not complaining. On Tuesday this week we didn't have school, so went to I went to my first volleyball match. We got flogged and didn't get much of a game, any of us, because the coaches subbed themselves in. I didn't even have much school on Wednesday because I didn't have a CE to go to. Thursday I had my Humane society training evening which happened to fall on Mum's birthday. She wanted slippers. We went out to dinner, which wasn't very good. We didn't do much on the weekend but we went to listen to two story tellers. Neither were American, one was British and one was Irish. I cracked up when one of them was telling a story and said windle instead of window. It was a pretty fun week and now only seven weeks away from summer holidays.