So today I have been in the states for exactly 365 days, 1 year.
A year that has been the worst and the best of my life.

I have lost friends that I thought would be here for every step of the way, friends that I thought were my best friends that I could tell everything to. And they are the people that did not write back at all when I needed them.
My boyfriend and I broke up and that meant that I lost my dog. The dog I have had since he was 8 weeks old. That has been with me when I was happy, sad or sick.
I knew I was strong before I left to come to the states but after this year here I have grown and become stronger than ever. I know that I can make it trough anything now.

But enough of the bad parts and on to the good.
Even though I have lost friends I have also gained so many friends that I would never met if I did not come here. And friends that I had back home that I did not talk to that often I have become closer than ever to.
Friends that mean the world to me. They had to listen me go trough homesickness, my lowest days, my happy days and everything in between and they still stick by me. And that is the best feeling ever to know that I have people here and back home that will always have my back no matter what.

Since I got here I have tried and not say no to anything. I want to try it all. I have made memories for life and the best part is I have one more year to go. A year that will blow my mind.

Over Christmas last year I went on a ski trip with my hostfamily to Salt Lake City. Even though I got really homesick while I was there it was amazing. The view was so unbelievable.
I got so homesick that I wanted to go home but after long conversations with my family back home and with my ABF Chase (American Best Friend) I decided to stay January out and I am so glad that I stuck it out.
I know a lot of people that went home after just 2 weeks.

In March I got my first vacation days. I got 8 days and I talked to my friend Christine that decided to extend in Chicago if she wanted to go somewhere and she did. So we went to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina. We were drunk Sunday - Sunday. Do not take it the wrong way, we were not wasted out of our mind (Well okay 2-3 days we were but hey it was spring break!!) We woke up at noon and started drinking, but a drink could last us 2 hours so maybe we were not drunk we were buzzed. And we loved every second of it. We met amazing people.

Had spring flings and beat people in pool! Such an amazing time!

In April I got two tickets to go and see my first NHL game and it was Philadelphia Flyers - New York Rangers. And it was the last game of the 4 games they were going to play against each other that season. And they had lost every game. But they won this game 5-2 and Mason was in goal and he saved 38 out of 40 shots on goal! It was an amazing feeling to get to see a NHL game live and my seats were 5 rows behind the Flyers bench which made it even better.

In July I got 2 week and 5 days of vacation because my sister Sara, her boyfriend Daniel and his brother Jocke came to Florida for their vacation so I went down to Orlando to meet them and it was amazing to see them after 9 months. My sister Sara is my best friend and her boyfriend and I are so close and I love them both so much.
I came in kind of late so we went and ate at ihop, it was their first time.
And the day after they went to Disneys park and I went to Vans Warped Tour by myself. My sister joined me later that evening. And we had such an amazing time.
The next day we went to Universal Studios because we both love Harry Potter so much and to be able to experience that together was priceless.
The day after that we took the long road trip down to Miami Beach where we were going to spend the next few days. My sister and I had a few sister nights out and it felt like we never were apart. It felt normal, we fought a bit and we laughed a lot.

After Florida I went to Baltimore in Maryland to take my last 4 credits. And at the school I met two amazing people. They made the whole school experience so much fun.
I met Stephanie, an amazingly crazy girl that I had a lot of fun with. Even though we only had 3 days together we came really close and we talked about everything.
And I met Mattias...it is still a bit hard for me to talk about him. We met and I fell in love so the moment I saw him. We had 3 intense days together and we kept talking everyday until one day he just stopped talking to me without any warning. He later told me why and we started talking a little bit again, and now we talk little here and there.
Then it was time for me to go home for my birthday.

My birthday was both amazing and so sad. The day after my birthday french friend Lucie went home. And my two best friends Lea and Judith were going on their travel month. They came back in the end of August for 2 days. We had a birthday dinner with my hostfamily because they were in Hawaii during my birthday so it was a birthday/goodbye party and both Lea and Judith stayed the night and the day after I drove them to the airport and that was the worst day of my year here. We all cried so much the whole day. It has now been little bit over 2 months since I last saw them. I went trough it all with them. We had random car parties, dance parties and we laughed and cried together. I love and miss them beyond words!

The last few months I have been hanging out with Olivia my better half. We do everything together. She has helped me trough everything after Lea and Judith left. She has been my rock! And we always have so much fun. People always think we are drunk because we can start laguhing at everything. I love her so much and I do not know what I have had done if I did not have her. I look forward to all the memories we are going to make together!

Now on to my hostfmaily. I got really lucky when it comes to my hostfamily. I have an incredible bond with all of them.

With my hostdad Steven, I talk a lot about sports because we both love it. And we trash talk each other a lot haha and It is so much fun! He is a really hard working dad and incredible person. He is always there if his daughters, wife or I need to talk.
My hostmom Lisa always wants to know what is going on and if I am dating anyone she wants to know everything about it and she cares like my own mom does. She always has a lot going on and she still finds the time to sit down and talk to her daughters, her husband and me. My hostmom and hostdad are incredible together. I saw it from the day I came here. I can see how much they love and respect each other.
My hostkid Sarah is so strong and you do not want to get in to an argument with her because she will crush you. She is a future lawyer. She is smart, beautiful and an amazing ballet dancer. The first time I saw her dance in the nutcracker last year I was amazed by how amazing she was.
She is loyal, a great listener and an amazing daughter, sister and hostkid. She always knows if I am down and she will ask me and she always gives me great advise about boys and other things.
My hostkid Olivia, what can I say she is the baby of the family. Do not get me wrong she is 14 so not an actual baby. She is smart, beautiful and WOW she can play violin. I do not know how many times I have woken up on Saturday mornings by her playing and it is the most calming and beautiful way to wake up.
And she also play tennis and she is incredible!! This past summer it was only her and I at home because Sarah was away at ballet camp. And we got so close and we talked a lot and I had such an amazing time with her.

I do not know what else I can say about my hostfamily then that I love them from the bottom of my heart. And Iam so thankful that I got to extend another year with them!! Thank you all for letting me be apart of your family. You have made this year amazing!

Other people that have made my year amazing are:

Rika: You were there for me when my boyfriend and I broke up even though you did not know me. And after that we have had such an amazing time with movie night, bar nights and a lot of sleepovers :) I love you hun!!!

Thea: We had our amazing weekend in NYC when we went to the How I met your Mother inspired bar for 7 hours and got so drunk :P We did not have that much time to hangout but we had fun!!

Chase: Thank you for everything you have done for me. You were my first friend here in the states and my best! I love you!

and there are so many other people at home that has made all of this possible. 

So thank you to everyone back home!!! I love you all!!

The photo in the upper left corner is the first week in the USA.

The photo under that one is from January

And the the big photo on the right is from two weeks ago or something :)