Hey All!
So yesterday was our three week aniversary of being here at AC. I can't believe so much has happened and so little time has passed. But at the same time I also feel like I've been here forever. Sometimes it's hard to believe there's an outside world.
One touch I've had with reality lately was my meeting with my link family on Sunday. A link family is similar to a host family only you only go visit them every once and a while rather than live with them. My link family is very nice... they live about 15 minutes away and their daughter, Harriett is actually here as my coyear. They have a 13 year old son as well. Their house is absolutely beautiful but the best part is that they also have horses!!! They own a thouroughbred mare and a half thoroughbred gelding. Harriett rides them in shows and I saw an elaborate jump/cross country course set up that she competed on recently. The jumps were higher than anything I've ever jumped! But they said I can come over and ride anytime! Yay! Jane, the mother, also works here at the college in the Development office so its very easy to go visit any time. They invited us (Henning from Norway and I share a link family) to come over anytime we want for any reason... to sleep, to eat, to do laundry, to ride, etc. It's soooo exciting!
We're now well into our second week of classes here and everything is going fairly well. I feel well caught up in every subject except Spanish but that may be becuase my Spanish teacher, who is only filling in until December, is very bad. We're going to try to talk to someone about it. We'll see what happens.
I'm really enjoying Tour Choir. There's some real talent here that just blows me away. I also had my first piano lesson yesterday. It went really good, I really like the teacher Chris Davies.
Every week we have a "Focus" subject. This week is Enviornmental Focus Week which basically means that we lots of talks and sessions and protests and such to do with enviornmental issues. The Enviornmental team of students have constructed and giant bike and placed it in the courtyard of the castle with a sign that says something like "Don't be an ass, stop using gas". They also hung a bike from a tree out front with another such sign. This Friday we can attend a guest speaker on "enviornmental odours".... its cool to see such enthusiasm.
Yesterday I had my first training service session in the theater. I learned how to set up the speakers and sound system they use here and how to run the sound. Lot's of buttons and dials but all pretty simple when you got the hang of it.
I think I'll go for a run today in a bit. There's a wonderful trail that takes about 30 minutes to run that goes along the coast on top of amazing cliffs to a lighthouse down the way. I'm determined to stay fit. :)
I may think of more things to say later... I always do. Besides that, I miss everyone so much! I miss not having my towel smell like mildew, I miss GREEN CHILI!, I miss the smell of pinon and sage, I miss my bed, I miss my horses, I miss the amazing views without loads of hedges blocking the way, I miss my dogs and cats. All of you who are reading this who will be leaving New Mexico next year or in years to come for school or whatever, I'm telling you to enjoy our beautiful, if sometimes boring, town! T-town por vida! ;)

Enjoying myself while missing home (what a hopeless situation!),
Malia