Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Rotary 5030

Gabby
USA--Ecuador
2008


[seattlesunset]

We got to see everyone again.
I got to see everyone again.

(except for Miss Kenzie...)

Guess it was great.

I want to meet up with a lot of you again. Keep my sanity.

Jacob
USA -- Spain

Gabby
USA --Ecuador
2008

Guess it is official.
I am now home.
In America.
But at least we have a lovely skyline to photographize.

Day At the Kuhlmans [fotoessay]



Wellah, I am working on transisting into the USA way of life, and was totally blessed when I had an invitation to visit the Big Rock Ranch, home of the Kuhlman family, for a lovely morning with Mrs. Kuhlman (Nancy!) and Sir James.

I like it.

It was one of the first times in America that I felt really happy and sort of free.



They live in, well, Snohomish. Pretty much the country. And from their house they can see two mountain ranges along with the respected volcano, Mt. St. Rainier.

It was just a refreshing, renewing time.
Mrs. Kuhlman... llama fields? Jes. I think so.

I was able to talk to Nancy about life in general, hear about life on the ranch, and do, well, stuff.


She made an amazing (aka epic) stack of Swedish Pancakes to enjoy, which we did. Complete with fresh blueberries me and James had just picked together. Mmm…. Soo good! Along with yoghurt, powdered whipped cream, strawberries, and butter.

We even drove down to the “river,” ok, so the not so flowing creek down at the end of the property. On the way back, James got to drive.

James.



Mr. Sir James. We play Uno together.

James is one of the most amazing kids I know, seriously. He is 7 years old, I believe, and pretty much always filled with ideas, energy, and is just one cool guy.



Anyways, he drove us through the hay fields in crazy circles to the tune of “Ob La Dee.” Defintily something I will not forget.

Photo by James.



Nancy talking to the llamas... cause they be awesome.

Llamas! And they have llamas! They were so sweet and fuzzy and big and they had cool feet. I liked them.


He told me to make a llama face... here it is.

They all had personalities and such, which I found pretty sweet. You could see it just from beeing with them for a couple minutes.

So thanks Nancy for having me! It was an amazing day and I will be taking you up on that offer and coming back again soon. Thanks and God Bless!

Monday, July 14, 2008

And...

I would like to appoligize for my over negativeness.

Yes... I guess I am greatful to back. Seeing my family again is great. Friends are happy.

It is just a difficult time right now... and I don't understand it.

I am scared to go to high school....

Maybe I could... join the circus. Circus Kniee or somethng brilliant like that.

Culture SHOCK... Wha?

Am I better yet? Appitite back? No. I have not eaten a single thing from my kitchen or at home yet.

Yesterday I managed to consume half and enchilada... today I got in a small chicken sandwhich and part of a Jamba Juice. But I don't feel like eating.

Anyways...

Today I went to the mall for the first time.

My best friend Sarah works at Jamba Juice. She is amazing.

Anyways, she had around a 4 hours shift so I was left to do as I pleased during this time...

OH MY FEETNESS!

It was, well, a bit of a shake up for me.

What is with this nation?

What is with the namebrands Abercrombie and Hollister??? WHAT IS SPECIAL? I did not understand that... are they a status symbol for something? There is no expression in them. Plain white shirts with a name splashed on the front.

Short shorts.... are they shorts?

It was so artifificial.

I hated it!

So... gah. Just like the freakin steryotypes we have. Obese or Barbie. Take your pick.

I felt physically sick, light headed, dizzy, stomach ache... and I went to the car and slept a bit.

It was just overwelming.
To much.

I did not like it.

I do not like it.

I want to go back to where the cows roam free.

Alice Brandt (East Senior High School) wrote
at 7:30am on July 12th, 2008
aw maggie i miss u im sorry i never got to see again here
Natasha Garner (Switzerland) wrote
at 8:23am on July 12th, 2008
MAGGIE!!! I miss you!!! Wouldn't be lovely if we could have all stayed here another year...
Emily Lynch (Trinity Western) wrote
at 9:45am on July 12th, 2008
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made EVERYTHING beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from begining to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink and find satisfaction in al their toils- this is a gift of God. I know that EVERYTHING God does will endure forever, nothing can be added to it and nothing can be taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him."
Ecclesiasties 3:1-14
Chloe Dauwalder (Lone Peak High School) wrote
at 11:11am on July 12th, 2008
maggie dearest! i miss you! and our adventures and all the time that we spent together in the best country in the world. we WILL be back there one day, but for now live in the moment and do the best you can.

as my best swiss friend told me: "yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift...thats why its called the present"

Kyly Hawk (North Little Rock High West) wrote
at 6:02am yesterday
MAGGIE! that;s aweful! I'm sorry you fell like that. I hope it gets better

Melodie Noyes (Seattle, WA) wrote
at 9:15am yesterday
Hey Maggie, I feel like that a lot, too, and I haven't even been out of the country. Sometimes I wish the Lord would just pick me up and move me to Africa or something so that I could be removed from this hedonistic culture that we live in, but He has called me to be faithful to Him here first. It's hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and we're pretty rich--face it. I think we become pretty apathetic to life here. Everything's so convenient and expendable. .....I'll get off my soapbox now. Glad you're back safe and sound. Maybe you could get away to the country or something. Go work on a farm like your cousin Dustin.

Nicole Pflugfelder (Eastern High School) wrote
at 6:24pm yesterday
Maggie ,I feel exactly the same its such a horrible feeling but just surround yourself with people you love.

nicole

Daniel Baskin (Pacific Lutheran) wrote
at 8:09pm yesterday
I've never even met you yet, so at least I'll get to meet you.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

And So it Ends... OVER!

Gah... I am home.

[maggieinseattleagain]

The trip here pretty much was, eh, lame. I have never cried so much in such a little amount of time. I cried when we went up, when we went down, and when I watched Home Alone 3....

A little package of emotional unstableness.

Nelly was there the entire time.

Now it is 12:30 at night in Seattle... and I haven't really really slept for a good, or bad, 28 hours or so.

Anyways, nothing is more horrible than feeling like you are being wripped from your home. But I guess things are chill now. I am home.

I will be trying to respond to wall posts and messages soon... but for now, bed bed bed.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Last Week... Last Day... A Wet Wreck

I am a wreck.

A total wreck.

I have cried multipul times for the past, eh, 5 days or so... and it, uh, it is lame.

I was told crying makes you stronger. I could be a weight lifter soon.

I got really, dangerously close to my friends this year...

But my Swiss friends... they meant the world to me. It is hard to explain the relationship I had with them. Like back home, I always had my parents there for me. But they were like my family. I loved my host famlies, but I was always changing. These people... they were always there for me.

I wasn't just a bystander in our class. People in the class told me that I truly was a part of the class and that it wouldnt be the same at all without me... and I think I believe them. I participated. We hung out after school. Train rides. Bike rides. Walks.

These were my friends.

And a year is more than enough time to get attatched to someone.

And every day I have to say good bye... and it is killing me. I do not like it.

Last night I had to say good bye to Julia.

At first I was ok, but she was crying. But then I said, "I don't want to go through that door." so she said she would coem wtih me. And we walked through her door... and then I cried and couldn't stop. These are the tears that you can't stop from coming and that make you shake and feel awful.

I feel horrible...

And now a bit better.

I am for the last time in my school today. I did a presentation, in English, about, well, me and my life and America. It was pretty lame. i didn't have the pictures so I had to make up a bunch of crap. Worst part was when the gum fell out of my mouth onto the floor. But whatever... I will never see these people ever again.

I want this to stop. time to stop. Or to go home this second and skip the good byes... but I have to say good bye. Prepare to go home. But it is so hard...