Building confidence & starting to shine.

The past several days seemed to take shape. Things seemed to lighten up, though Aya had a lot of homework and studying to do to play catch up since she was ill.

This past weekend she got to spend some time with her other exchange students (friends). It was a sleep over on Saturday and a picnic on Sunday.

It was rumored they stayed up all night on Saturday night watching movies and talking till 4 a.m. Needless to say they were beat by the start of the day on Sunday.

There were some additional students that had arrived late: A boy from Finland and a girl from Germany. It would appear this organization gets a large pool from Europe and from that pool Germany seemed to have the strongest output of students.

Saturday night for the rest of the family since it was down to 3 of us, after the oldest (natural) daughter planned a sleep over. The youngest wanted to play Monopoly - so we did, though I am a rather sore loser. I was able to purchase Park Place and Boardwalk only to succumb to the Hotel Chains along Illinois Ave and Marvin Gardens - I mortgaged everything and gave up my small stash of cash (dirt poor and in debtor's prison).

My wife got to attend the picnic - as I had to miss it due to work.

We spent most of Sunday night assisting Aya with her studying and projects which were due on Monday. Due to her activities over the weekend and her illness, it gave little time to perform all her assignments.

I don't think I learned as much as I did about the U.S. Constitution than I did on Sunday night, which includes all my years in school grade through college. (Sad isn't it?)

Aya expressed to me today that she strongly wants to join a club; after school so she can participate and make more friends. She really wants to join a Volleyball team - but at this high school I didn't see much for that. In Massachusetts Basketball, Baseball, Soccer and Football are the biggest attractions, however I did learn tonight not only is Massachusetts is where the Basketball Hall of Fame is but where it was invented (at the Y.M.C.A.) - but also Volleyball was also invented here back in 1895. I would never have guessed that as Aya was also surprised since they are her favorite sports.

It seems Aya is coming out of her shell, slowly - sort of waking up out of a deep slumber must have been like to Rip Van Winkle.