My First Day in Santa Monica

I woke up and went down for breakfast at the hotel, Ohh if I had forgotten how awful the American breakfast is, white bread, sugar cheerios, sweet bread, jam... do I have to go on?!Off I went ready to find my school in the big city, I walked by foot. On the map it looked just like a few blocks but no, it took me an hour. 1.8 miles (2.9 km) Traffic lights takes looooong time you know. And on my way to Santa Monica College (SMC) I saw this sign on Santa Monica Blvd, a part of Route 66!

While at SMC, I went to the international student center. Looking for a place to live, with no luck at all. So I went for a walk to the beach and in to Down Town. And I had lunch at my beloved Panera Bread. Chicken Noodels soup in a bread bowl... My friends and Family in Sweden know how much I missed this food! I will add a pict soon! So good, Yummy yummy in my tummy!

Then I looked up radioshak and bought my BlackBerry cell phone.

Then back to the hotel.

I must also say thank you all nice and patient American people I've meet so far!

Camilla

My long trip to Santa Monica 081010

1.30 am, Camilla it's time to get up. Ollie woke me up, me, my dad, and Ollie had a late/early breakfast in the kitchen before me and my dad took off to the airport.

I had sleept for an hour and then it was time to get up... We drove for 2h with one short break.

At 3.26 am we arrived at Landvettern Airport. It was almost empty at that time. And we had our second breakfast. You can bet that I was tired, and that I had butterflys in my tummy.

Then it was time for my big green bag to leave me, I hope that I will see it safe and sound in L.A.

At 5.30 am I hugged my dad goodbye and went true the security control.

6.20 am I got on the airplane that took me to Heathrow (London) as I sat down on my seat I discovered that there wasn't many who sat down around me and when the plane took off I saw that almost all of the passengers wear sitting in the back end of the plane. And then I discovered that I bought my ticket in Economy Extra. Thats soo nice!

8.06 (London time) The airplane landed safe on British ground. Off the plane and true the first security control, then a long long long line to the next one where they started to ask where I was going and why. And if I packed my bags by my self and on.... forever! Then when I came true and stood in line for my next boarding card I saw that I had lost my old one, so now they could't track my bag at all! They told me to go to the gate and before that I had a quick lunch. At the gate they told me to board the plan last so that they could see if my bag would turn up in time for take off. And lucky me it did turn up. But I had to go down to the luggage to confirm that the big GREEN bag was mine :) On the plane I had just one person next to me, which was so nice. The Plane was a big one, with 9 seats in each row.
I saw a movie, had a meal, saw a movie, had a meal .... on and on and on... and all the time I was keeping an eye on LA time... so I wondered why we had a meal all the time... Then the last hour of 10h which it took from London I got it, Snack, Lunch, Snack, Dinner and on...
The movies I saw was :

• The Ghost Writer
• Shrek forever after...
• Turn off the screw
• Last song

4.10 pm we landed at LAX in Los Angeles. Now it was time, I was so nervous did I have all the papers with me or have I forgotten one at home in Sweden?! It's so much paper that need to be ready for a VISA. But they let me in :) SO HAPPY!

After I picked up my BIG GREEN bag, I had to go true a security control again and the man asked me if I had any money or food in my bags... No I don't!

I took a cab to my hotel and then I took a walk around a few blocks. And then went to bed 6.30 pm (LA time) So Tired!

Camilla

Packing my one and only bag!

This is so hard! I really have to chose what to bring and what stays home. I put my bag on the scale and it's around 16 kg of 20 kg! So I have more space left. It would be worse if it would be the other way around.
To day I really have to focus on what to do! And nothing els like blog, facebook.... Well good luck to me!

Yesterday I meet with Sandra and here family to say good bye, I had quality time with my grandmother and then I stopped by my aunt and her family. Thank you all for the time yesterday!

Back to my bag!

Milla

My Visa!!!

I went to Maxi to pickup my passport with my visa in it! So now I have visa until 2015.

The days are going so fast now, 7 days before take-off! And my check list is long!

Math
Cleaning my car and get it sold
I need to buy a bag
Pack my bags

My last work day tomorrow so I'm off to bed!

Love Camilla

My visit to the American Embassy in Stockholm!

Restless

I'm restless and when I'm restless my thoughts are twirling around in my head. Questions that are on the run in my head is...

• Were will I live?
  
• What will a day be like?
• Will I get my car sold before I go? Anyone that would like to buy a Ford?
  
• Is everything going to fit in my bag? Especially my Scrap Booking?
• Is it going to be the last time I will see my dog Kicki alive? ( she is old, 13years)
• WILL I GET MY VISA BY THE MAIL IN TIME?

This is very hard, it's not that easy to get everything to work out well. There is so much things that I need to keep in mind. And a full-time work to do. The things I value the most is to spend time with family and friends before I go. But at the same time, I don't want to spend to much time, cause then I believe that I will miss you all more when I'm gone.

This week I have to...

• Go to the bank to pay visa and Sevis fees.
  
• Take a photo 5x5 cm.
• Copy papers and make them ready for the Embassy.
• An envelope with stamps for at least 65 SEK.
• I have to receive my I-20 from SMC.
  
• And get my payment on Friday :) I need Money.

And when I'm on the subject money I thought of Brighton!

ABC makes words

Words makes sentence

Sentence makes paragraphs

Paragraphs makes chapters

Chapters makes books

Books makes movies

and...

Movies makes MONEY

I would like to wish you all a good night!

Sleep tight and don't let the bed bug's bite!

Camilla

28 th July Stockholm at U.S Embassy

Hi to all of you!
I got my appointment at the U.S Embassy 28 th of July. YES!!! I still have a few things to get done before I go... like papers, envelopment, copy papers, smiling, having fun, breathing.
Saying GOOD BYE to all of you!
But first it's 3 weeks of work left. I will upload a pict from yesterday... SUMMER!

Camilla

Thank you CSN!

I will get my loan from CSN, at first I thought that it would take long time before I got the answer. Only two days later I received an e-mail that I was approved for the loan!! YES
A big stone was lifted from my chest.
Please write a comment where it says Komentar it's in Swedish, but hey it's lime-green.
And thank you dad for realzie that this will make me so HAPPY!

Huggs and kisses

Camilla

I got in to Santa Monica College!

I called back to CSN to have them confirm my application!!!! And guess what?! I'm fucking in, I'm going to start at Santa Monica College in August!!

I'm so so so so so so so HAPPY!!!

(i JUST HAVE TO HOPE THAT CSN WILL TAKE A QUICK DECISION ABOUT MY FINANCIALS, LIKE THIS WEEK SO THAT I CAN APPLY FOR VISA!!!)

LoVe to all of you!

Camilla

I get so tired on CSN!

Yesterday when I called to CSN (my financing for my studies) to ask why I have't heard anything from them in over two weeks. And if they knew something about the school. The guy that I talk't with first said that I was in, since 21th of June! Why did't I know anything about that?!

We hangup and I called to CIS (Center of International Studies) to ask them how many credits I'm supposed to study each term. (15credits)
When I'm calling back to CSN I talkt with a girl that said that she could't see me on the fucking LIST!!

Why??? Is't enough that I'm not sleeping properly? This is a very hard and sensitivity time in my life. I get so SAD!!! I want this so badly that you will never understand!

Camilla