Homecoming Week!

Thank you, everyone, for all the nice comments on my last post. This week was my first week at Oak Grove Lutheran High School. It was a pretty hectic week to start in. In America, schools have a week when students come back to school called homecoming week. It's all about celebrations, games and dress-up days. On Monday, it was pyjama day, and I was introduced to my schedule and classes. We have 8 classes total, 4 each day, and we rotate between them. On a "maroon" day, I have Geometry, Band, Christian Studies, and Cultures and Cuisine. On a "White day", I have English, Band, U.S. History, and Study Hall. I have been enjoying my classes so far, and my favourite is probably band or U.S. History. The school also provides lunch each day, which is actually pretty good. 

Chicken sandwich, Caesar salad, Chips, Apple slices, and Chocolate milk for lunch.

My school

On Tuesday, it was country vs. country club day; like me, you probably have no idea what this means. You can either choose to dress up like a country person or a country club person. Some examples are a cowboy for country and a golfer for country club. After school, we went to a Volleyball game being played at the school; it was quite the experience, with everyone on their feet at all times and only sitting down for timeouts or in between quarters. When the team scored, the whole place erupted with cheers and chants. 

Volleyball game

The school mascot: Timber

After school, there was a welcome home party at the airport for all the Vietnam veterans who travelled to Washington, DC, to see the memorial. They run charter flights each year for anyone who wants to go. My host family's grandad served in the war and was on the flight from Washington, DC.

Welcome home party

On Wednesday, it was "copycat" day; this is a day when you dress up the same as someone else. There were lots of people who wore basketball jerseys and onesies. After school, there was a game called Powder Puff. This is when the girls from each grade play against each other in flag football; don't ask me why it's called Powder Puff I have no idea. After school, we went to this store called Scheele's, which is just like a bigger version of Rebel Sport. There is heaps of outdoor stuff and sports-related things. There was even a huge gun section with heaps of hunting rifles, shotguns, and semi-automatic assault rifles 😬. They even had kits to build your own rifle or pistol, which was even crazier.

Scheels

Ferris wheel inside the store

Build your own gun!

On Thursday, it was dress as your favourite decade day. People dressed from the 50s all the way up to the 2020s, which was just their normal clothes 😂. After school, we had Buff Puff, which is when the boys from each grade play volleyball. Then the band played at a 5k run that the school had set up for a fundraiser. I played seven nation army on the drums and the cowbell for Me! by taylor swift and The Final Countdown. Friday is when the American activities went into full effect. It was grover spirit day and everyone wore their Oak Grove Homecoming shirts. We had a pep rally in the gym in the afternoon where everyone played games like musical chairs. After school all the other exchnage students and me were taken to Randy's diner which is a original american diner. I had eggs, hashbrowns, and biscuits and gravy for dinner. We then went to Shanley High School to watch football game because Oak Grove is combined with the shanley football team. It felt like the end of grease where they had all the amusement rides and bouncy castles up. I got my face paited with the New Zealand flag then settled into watch the game. 

Randy's Diner

Shanley High School

My face painting

The football game

The football team

After the football game we went to the elementary school campus to watch an outdoor movie and sit by the campfire. After, we went to Arby which is another fastfood chain and I got steak nuggets which were the worst thing I have ever smelt ever. I never ate them because I couldn't get past the stench that they had 😂.

The outdoor movie

Arby's steak nuggets 🤮

On Saturday it was the homecoming dance, I was invited out to have pizza for dinner before hand by my new friends and we had a great time. After the dance we got ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery, at Cold stone they let you pick you ice cream flavour then you can choose as many toppings as you want to add into the ice cream. I chose M&Ms, chocolate chips, and a kit-kat. 

Dinner with friends

Homecoming dance

Photo with the boys

Bill, another exchange student from Vietnam

My ice cream from Cold Stone

Thats all I've got for now, next week should be a pretty normal week it seems like. I will be doing posts every Sunday (Monday Morning in NZ) from now on so be sure to check in then. Thanks.