And I am officially back in the USA. Have been for about 4 days now. My trip with the Chamber Singers was ridiculously eventful due to the fact that both our tour manager and director had no idea what they were doing. The itinerary we were given was basically BS because the group totally ran out of money and nothing was planned or thought out in advance AT ALL. People ended up having to buy basically all of their meals, when we were originally told we would be able to eat cheaply at our hostels or with host families. There was even a night when we didn't have a hotel booked until 12:30 in the morning and all 33 of us were stranded in a train station in Stockholm. So needless to say, I wasn't sad when me, Chris and my friends David and Emily departed from the group to go to Paris for the week.

We did get to sing in a big festival in Tampere, Finland, and actually did pretty well. We were the only American choir and were chosen to sing in the final concert (13 out of 50 choirs were chosen.) We didn't win a prize or money but it was still really cool, and a nice way for me to end my time with the group (that I really do love and will miss but am not sorry to leave after this tour fiasco!)

Paris was so great. We ate so much bread and cheese and drank just as much wine. The arts are thriving there, and have been for a long time. I can understand why so many famous writers, artists and musicians made their homes in Paris. I only wish I spoke French. Most people were nice about speaking English but I felt so guilty anyway. Everywhere we go, people learn English as well as their native language, because Americans seem to be too caught up with themselves to spend a great deal of time educating in language arts.

Paris still had its own troubles, such as Chris losing his passport on the very last day! He somehow made it to London without his passport but then had to make a trip to the US Embassy in order to fly home. Silly Americans. Luckily that turned out ok, and now the only other battle we have is to tackle a $400 phone bill from our hotel in London...thanks a lot AT&T phone cards...

I'm glad to be back home. It's nice to make some money after having spent so much, and I'm hoping to relieve Mike from some of his crappiness. I know I can't always provide the same entertainment as Jill or Teres, but I guess he knows that too. I think we are going to have a great time anyway. A trip to NYC is in the works (and definitely WILL HAPPEN!) and the rest of the usual summer fun. And somewhere in there I hope to go to Albany a couple times.

So that's my life lately. Glad to be back. Jill and Beast sounds like you are getting by in freakin expensive Great Britain! I'm sorry we didn't get together. I didn't even end up going to the city on the night of the 19th because we were so worn out and had an amazing hotel right by the airport (yay priceline!) Miss you lots.

TTFN tata for now.

P.S. Who thinks Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will be popular and successful and who thinks it might end up as another weird Johnny Depp movie that no one really remembers down the road?

So I am in Finland staying with a host mommy. This is the first time all tour I've stayed with a host parent and not a hostel. It is just me and her and her two little terriers that I sort of love and hate at the same time but really I love them because they remind me of my dogs.

Some highlights and opinions of my trip so far...

First of all my choir director is incompetent and irresponsible. We've had a lot of problems with money and scheduling and general organization. It's very frustrating, and I don't think I am one to get frustrated easily. We do have a tour manager who also did a half-assed job of planning and scheduling. It is a lack of money and communication that has resulted in some adventures, some of which I would not wish to repeat any time soon.

London...I love London still, but I think I loved it more last time because my mom was so in love with everything, and seeing London with Chris jsut wasn't the same. He doesn't care for big cities I guess. But we both enjoyed the sites and stuff. It is so expensive...the £ is pretty much double the $. HA I CAN TYPE BOTH OF THOSE SYMBOLS WITH THESE KEYBOARDS! Anyway London was super and I was really happy to go back. Heard some great music too.

Norway: Some beautiful scenery, such as the mountains and waterfalls. But Norway is also REALLY expensive, and not all that exciting. You can really do most everything you want in a couple days. I liked it a lot though.

Sweden: I did not like Sweden. I mean we started off on the wrong foot...getting in to Stockholm too late and not having a hostel that we had planned for and ended up sitting around the train station until 1:30 AM. But in general I thought the people were rude, the city was pretty ugly and I was just not impressed at all.

Finland: I love Helsinki! I wish we could have been there longer. I like Finland. They really have their shit together with education and taxes and health care and stuff. There are not very many people at all...like 5 million in the whole country. I'm looking foward to singing (sort of) and to hearing a bunch of choirs in this festival we are participating in.

I am pretty much ready to go home, or at least go somewhere where I don't have to be with Chamber Singers. In a way I am glad this is my last thing with the group. I am looking forward to Paris, even though I know it is kind of dirty with mean people. I am brushing on my french but I stink. Mon francais e mal. After Paris I will be really ready to be home and read English and understand what newspapers and menus say and pay in dollars and eat American food and see everyone that I really really miss. Well, almost everyone.