It didn't take much time for me to post something new. Fortunately I have an access to the computer and the internet almost everyday. So more stories to publish. Wow! So after my 5 days stay in amazing Washington D.C. I packed all my stuff (to tell the truth I didn't even take a lot of things from my suitcase when I was in the capital but still) and we went to the airport. I've been the happiest person in this world. I had a chance in some hours to meet finally my host family (they are incredible I am serious now). I had no idea though that sometimes your dreams may be simply crashed by a storm. Yes, after I came to the airport and registered for my flight by an accident I found out that the flight to Chicago was canceled. Okay, that happens, I got it. The problems didn't want to stop there. I had some problems with my ticket so instead of going back to the hotel immediately I've spent 2 hours more near the registration table. Thanks to Jason (one of our coordinators that has been there with our group) the problem was solved (finally!!!) and we went back to the hotel. One problem less. Anyway the next day at 11am I finally came to Appleton! Lucky me! That was my last airplane trip for this year and for the first half of the next one as well. Good bye airport! I hope I won't come back earlier.

One year in Wisconsin! One year in Appleton. One year in FVTC (Fox Valley Technical College). Okay, less than one year. I will be there only for 9 months. Who cares? I am HERE right now. First when I came I was calm. "They won't surprise me", I thought. Well, I was wrong. This place surprised me. A lot. Before I had no idea that the life I had for 18 years was nothing in comparing with THIS. For those who don't know I am from Moscow. One of the biggest cities in the world, capital of Russian Federation etc. I've always lived there. Even if I went somewhere (mostly during my trips) I would go to big cities or towns. This time it's all different. I've been living in a crowded, noisy and huge city and now I am living in a town. When I received the letter with the name of the state where I would live, my first question was "Where is that place?" I've found it in Google Maps. Okay. What was the name of the city? Appleton? What is that? I googled it. I found a town. I was staring at the monitor trying to realize WHERE  I would live next year. Was I shocked? Yes, you can say that. BUT. Now I am the happiest person. You know back in high school on our French class we had a question to discuss. Where would you prefer to live: in a small town or in a big city? I guess here I can finally find the answer.

Back to Appleton. So here it is the time to meet my host family. I can't believe how lucky I am (again, lucky me)! They are so kind, so nice, so attentive, so funny, so interesting, so GREAT! I don't have words to describe that feeling (even in Russian). I am incredibly happy I am gonna share my life with them and I am pleased that they've let me to be part of their family for the next 9 months. THANK YOU! So yes, I met them, I am living with them almost for 3 weeks already and I have a feeling that I am in a family.

Before my classes started (there can be only few words about that - IT IS SO COOL IN HERE. Difficult, challenging but still great!) I had a chance to visit Six Flags! This is an amusement park and water park as well. That was so funny. All those roller coasters, carousels... That was funny. For me the best thing was WATER PARK. I love places of this kind. It's really cool over there. And for the first time (in amusement park and in water park) I wanted to try something scary! And you know what I did that. I've tried the scariest slides. Even the Bonzai Pipelines. Here's what I've found on the website (short description). Your body gets sealed into one of four see-through Drenaline Drop launchers, as you stand precariously on a trap door at your feet. And in one crazy instant, that door will spring open and you will literally fall right through the floor. You know what? I've tried it. I've gone upstairs, looked down. And decided to do that! I was standing in that see-through Drenline Drop launcher. I put my legs on the trap door. I was standing. I could hear my heart's beating. I was standing there waiting for the moment the floor would disappear. Three. Two... The electronic voice counted. I was standing. Waiting. One. The floor moved. I screamed! And I felt down. I was falling down. That slide lasted less than a minute but I was lost. I couldn't even realize how much time had passed. Finally I found myself in the pool. Downstairs. That was AWESOME! The greatest experiences I've ever had! Excitement! Adrenaline! Emotions! Oh, that was too good to be true! A lot of feelings, right? That's how my life in Wisconsin started!


I think now I'm gonna finish this note. There is too much to say more. There is only one thing I want to add. Guys, you should push yourself out of your comfort zone. Try new things. Do some experiments with your life. RISK. The life is worth of it. Sometimes you simply don't know what you can miss. Now I know what I should do!