Nathan - February 2016

Since my last beaver tale, my school situation has improved very much! I have become very close with many more people in my class and spend a lot of time with them. I have become much more involved with some of my classes, I am now active and participate in Math, Biology, Religion studies, English. I often am called away to assist younger English classes, I love getting to teach the younger kids and it gives me a good reason to practice my Czech as well. With my class I have had several special events such as sleeping over at the school and playing games, and going to the national theater in Prague. I love my class and teacher who has been a great help to me.
Last month the other exchange students in the district and I traveled to the low Tatry mountains in Slovakia for ski week! We participated in many activities like tobogganing, go to a water park, dance/ party, oh and of course SKI! It was fantastic! We all had a great time and grew very close to each other. I personally was in the most advanced group and almost complete freedom of the mountain. The only real reason that I qualified for the best group was the fact that most of the exchange students that attend this event are from places where snow does not exist.
I have considerably improved my Czech skills since my last report and am proud to say that I understand almost all of normal small talk and normal conversation. My speech skills getting better but I still have a serious lack of confidence. I mostly speak In short sentences and basic questions. But in the last while my progress is speeding up because I now have a rather solid base.
My family and I are having a great time together! Due to a problem with another student in my town I have had the fortune of staying with my family for much longer than previously planned, and I could not be much happier about it. They have truly become my family and we have really bonded. Last week I had my spring holiday, so we packed the car, grabbed the grandparents and took off the mountains to go cross country skiing. It was great, I got to spend a lot of time with my grandmother (Babi) because I am rather new to cross country and can’t keep up with my crazy talented parents and brother! Regardless Babi had a great time.
This time of year is called “ball season” and it is one of the best times. Ball here take place instead of Proms and they are so much better! Here the balls have real proper dancing and everyone is there just to have fun, there is no sense of having to impress anybody like prom in Canada. Something that is fantastic, is the teachers are dancing with the students at the balls here. Until next time.
Na shledanou