AFS Camp

So I got back last night from my third AFS camp, and I have to say it was probably one of my favorite. Okay, so seeing as I have only had three, one is kind of a lot, but anyway.

This one was in Brno (2nd biggest city in the czech republic; south moravia). We actually got to see some of the city, which was nice. On Friday I left Opava at around 8 with the 3 other exchange students from Opava, and one host sister of one of them. We got to Brno at like 1 (yay for 5 hour train rides to a place that is only 2 hours by car!). In the train station we met another Brazilian living in southern moravia, and then attempted to find this "shopping gallery" that is near the train station (after stashing our stuff in lockers for the next 4 hours). Those next four hours consisted of eating, shopping and trying to figure out where the thai girls were.

At 5:15 we went to get our stuff, and try and find everyone. It was cool to see everyone again. We found a map in the train station and figured out where everyone lived. EVERYONE lives in the south. There are 4 of us in Opava, one person like 40km away, and then everyone else lives south of Olomouc (about 2 hours by train).

Friday consisted of getting to the camp, which was on the "edge" of Brno in a scout camp, which is just basically where the trams stopped, eating a typical czech dinner (small), and then heading back into the city to go to a disco. The disco was really fun. It was my second (third technically, I guess), but definitely the best so far. I decided that it's fun when you have people to dance with, and then go talk to. I discovered dancing CAN be fun, even if you look really stupid. This was also another czech drinking experience. I stuck to my limits and had a beer, and then tried some other things that other people had. It was intersting and I have to say I am not really a fan of whiskey or tacquila, though fusion and some milky thing were pretty good. This brings my czech drinking experiences to I think a grand total of about 5. We were at the disco from like 9 to 2 or 3, but when we left, we discovered that the trams didn't run that early, and had to walk to the bus stop, which was about a 45 minute walk through Brno, at 3 in the morning, in a group of like 20 people, speaking like 5 different languages, in the -5 degree weather. It was fun =)

The rest of the weekend consisted of hanging out, taking pictures, making shirts, and cooking "traditional" foods (chocolate chip cookies!). The cooking was fun. There was food from Thailand, US, Brazil, Turkey, Spain and the Czech Republic, I think, because some of people (Iceland, Germany, Japan and China) didn't know about it or couldn't get the ingredients. It was fun. I made chocolate chip cookies, which was interesting because I didn't have measuring cups, so I just kind of did like, okay, I guess half a package, or mixers or anything other than the ingredients and a bowl. The oven was a gas oven meaning regulating the temperature is hard, and it was extremely old. But in the end they tasted good (they looked a little strange), and were a huge hit. I'll have to make them again some time. My favorite food was the turkish. Pelin (girl from turkey living in Olomouc) made these things I don't know the name of (but have to find out!), which is like meat in a really thin wrap with vegetables. It was amazing. She also made this drink with white yogurt, water and salt, which sounds really disgusting but is actually really good with the food. There was brazilian stew stuff (starts with an f...). Wait, just got the name. Feijoada. There was Thai food (finally, spicy food). I think I'm starting to get less tolerant of spice but thank god there are thai students in Opava who have spicy thai food sometimes that I can eat. And what I think is spicy is also what they think is spicy so it's not too bad. And tortilla espana. Potatoes and eggs in like an omelette. Overall, it was very good. I want to do it again.

Saturday also consisted of going into the city and shopping. That is good, because I despretely need winter clothes. It's getting cold, and for some reason I don't wear winter clothes at home. So I went with Pelin (from Turkey) and Noe (male; from Spain; lives in Brno), and we went to shops I have never heard of but are apparently very popular in europe. These were zara, mango and H&M (which I have heard of and love, but don't have many things from). I ended up getting myself a winter coat, 2 sweaters, a bag and some gloves. I call it a successful trip. I have found here I am more willing to buy things; maybe because I don't want to be cold, but I don't know. Like today I just went with Maria (from brasil) in Opava and got some more sweaters and a scarf (all czech people wear scarves). It's crazy. I'm not used to shopping so much, but hopefully it'll stop once winter starts and i actually have enough clothes to survive -30 degree C (-22 F)weather.

Sunday families could come, but only like 3 did because for us in Opava it's far, and for other various reasons. We did a little talent show with each country singing a song. The other american girl wasn't there because she is in the middle of switching families, so I sang "I'm a Little Teapot" beause I could not for the life of me remember the words to any song (including this one).

I'm a little teapot,
short and stout
here is my handle,
here is my spout.
When you tip me over
hear me shout
tip me over and
pour me out!

Can someone let me know the actual words to this and "Home, Home on the Range"? Mucho appreciado.

So that was the third AFS camp in short.