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.

Week 14

Spring break. This was our first chance for a bit of exploration but we mainly stayed around home. This week was made up a collection of small adventures. One of my favourite events was when Dad and I went to the shooting range. It was fantastic and unbelievably loud. They had two doors and even with ear muffs on it was so loud that we jumped every time someone would fire. The hardest thing was loading the bullets (to our gun for dummies). I think I'm a pretty good shot, but I had the most practice since dad only fired a couple of bullets. On a different day we all went for a big hike up Chautauqua Park to the first and second peaks. Mum was really grumpy going up. We also tried to go to the Denver museum of natural art and science but couldn't find it so just looked around Denver. That same day Dad and I went and joined the Boulder Cricket Club, if you believe it. They were all from either India, Bangladesh or Pakistan, and even more unbelievable was that they had all the proper gear. I was impressed even though they weren't very good.

Week 13

Finally, we're into spring break. This week led up to our first holiday in America. Last Wednesday I had my closing workshop session with a professional drummer. He taught us about the different types of drum sounds and all about African drumming history and culture; which was all really interesting. It was also my last karate lesson for a couple of weeks. Thursday was kind of like a wrap up day for all of my classes. I had my last CAP class as a rock-climbing excursion. Friday was our last school day which was only half a day anyway. People presented their work for the quarter; there was robotics, hip-hop, movies and marimbas. That afternoon I waited for mum to come and get me and go to lunch while dad finished his meeting. At about 1:30 we all left to go for a skiing excursion at Breckenridge with all the other Australian exchangees. We got their first and changed the bookings for the rest of them to stay in the middle of town. We just walked around the town that afternoon, I also got to go to the Bubba-Gump Shrimp store and get some souvenirs. On Saturday we went skiing. It was really fun; good conditions and you could ski all the way back to your hotel. I got home before dad via the gondola and caught mum back at the hotel room. We went to the main street and ordered some crepes, which were really popular and delicious. From their everyone caught up and we went back to one of the couple's hotel room for pizzas. Sunday was just heading home really. We thought we'd go to Aspen but when we got to Vail to stop for brunch we thought it was too far to travel. Instead we headed home via Blackhawk; a major gambling town, which we just drove through. Today mum and I headed downtown to pay a bill, while dad went for a bike ride. This afternoon mum and I went to the movies to see 'Limitless'. It was pretty good and afterwards we walked home. I'm not sure what we're doing in the next week but Tuesday week I have my first volleyball match. Here's some pics of St. Patricks Day, Dad's class and Exhibition Day.