Tracking to Rust Pond

Today is the last day that I can travel outside the campus because Irene will hit NH very soon in tomorrow morning. I decided to visit the Rust Pond with Pon in the afternoon. We also had a very special guest, Oom joining our tracking this time.

Panoramic Scene of the Rust Pond

We headed out of BA at 1.45PM on South Main Street. It took about an hour to reach the Rust Pond. We did not know where is the public access point so we missed it. We had to ask a man on the track who happens to be a former teacher at the Hills that used to teach TSs. He immediately knew that we were Thai.

On the Dock

We had to use Wolfeboro Boarding School dock to see the pond because other spots are occupied by private residences. The Rust Pond is a small pond surrounded by many houses and forest. There was nothing special about this pond. However, it gave me a valuable experience of tracking no the new path.

The Rust Pond

I also still noticed the diversity of mushrooms and want to share some pictures of the best mushrooms I have seen so far.

Graduation Day!

Finally, the last day of summer program at Brewster Academy has arrived. During this day, TS54 had the last class for each subject. My class, Platypus, took pictures with every teacher and TA at the end of each class. Then we had year book period and discussion group at usual but we did not have recreation after that. We had a Graduation Ceremony instead.

My certificate

During this ceremony, we all had to wear blue gowns and the faculties had to wear black gowns. The event started with brief speeches by Chris Brown and Raylene Davis. Then Chris K gave a speech as the student representative. After that, we all got a certificate on the stage one by one; each student was also given an award according to their performance during the program. I got the Faculty Award because all faculties were fond of me(?).

On the Stage

After everyone got his or her certificate, we all threw our hats to the air just like what we had seen in the television. The ceremony surprisingly with Friday song by Rebecca Black!

The Platypuses

The Return to Crepe Oh Lala

Today is the second to the last day of discussion group period. In the second half of this summer program, discussion group meeting is during 2.30 - 3.30PM. Though we do not meet very much as we did when we were in the previous group, we still share a bond as the Presto. (My previous discussion group is Monster Inc.)

The Presto!

In this second to the last day, Hannah decided to bring us to Crepe Oh Lala. In fact, it should be the last day but the weather forecast predicted that it will rain tomorrow. We ordered three crepe, which are S'mores (the one that I had had before), Cheese Cake and Divide Brownie. They were all delicious but my favorite one is the Divide Brownie, which contains a lot of brownie inside.

Divide Brownie

Tracking

In the morning, I went tracking with Pon in the tracking path to the Wentworth Lake (Wolfeboro). I started walking at 10.10AM and finished at 11.40AM. I had been to this track before during the recreation period earlier in this summer program. However, at that time, I had not taken any picture nor written this blog yet. This time I wanted to share some wonderful pictures of this track.

A Small Pond on the Track

The Path

The Wentworth Lake

The Wentworth Lake

I also noticed the diversity of mushrooms in this area. There are many mushrooms, which are different in size, color and shape.

Mock Wedding Day

Today Brewster Academy held a mock wedding to make TS54 familiar with American culture. It was planned for about 2 weeks. Everyone was randomly chosen to play a role in the wedding. This ceremony is held in Anderson Hall and Estabrook. Everyone had to wear his or her best cloth in this event, so I decided to wear the blazer that I brought from Thailand. The bride was Jing and the groom was Oom! In this ceremony, my role was to be a groomsman.

My Blazer

Groom and groomsmen

At first, we had to attend a religious part at Anderson Hall. Bob was the priest in this part. Oom and Jing exchanged vows and rings on the stage in front of many guests. There are also wedding crashers (Ben, Chad and P'Mint) who tried their best to interrupt the wedding. They were very funny. It only about half an hour to complete this part and then we headed to Estabrook.

Bride and Groom shook hands instead of kissing

Bride, Groom and Wedding Crashers

Bridesmaids and Groomsmen

In Estabrook, we had a dance party then cake-cutting. At first, we danced around the hall for several musics and then Oom and Jing cut a wedding cake together.

Cake-cutting

Bestmen giving speech

CPs Update 16th August

I have changed my growing strategy. The humidity is low that sundew cannot produce dew at all except rainy days. I decide to buy a reptile box to raise the humidity. The box successfully raise the humidity but it blocks sunlight. The plants get more humidity but less sunlight.

1. D californica produces 2 pitchers. One is very large (the largest recently) and the other is quite small.

2. D musipula produces 2 new traps. Traps become wide due to lack of sunlight.

3. D adelae produces 3 new leaves. The initial color is red but it becomes green as the time passes.

4. N ramispina's trap is fully opened. The growth rate is quite slow. It produces only 1 more leaf and the pitcher is still developing.

5. P moctezuma produces 2 new leaves. The leaves initially very small but becomes longer later.

6. D filiformis recovers from its shock after travelling in a post box. It produces a lot of leaves and they are very dewy. I also trim its aborted leaves which become brown from tips.

New plant! To fill the reptile box with another adult (3-4 years old) D californica. It shocked for a few days after travelling but now it begins to produce a new pitcher.

Bowling and Walmart Trip

Yesterday, Brewster Academy offered TS54 two distinct trip which were to Portsmouth or to Dover Bowl. I chose to go to bowling because Portsmouth is next to Exeter so I can go there anytime when I study in PEA.

In the morning, I had a mock TOEFL test. Then the bowling trip departed the campus on 2.15PM. It took about an hour to go to Dover Bowl. We were allowed to play 3 games. I was very bad at the first game and the half of the second. I got 3 gutter ball in a row! Then my skill improved a bit during the next half of the second game and the third game.

Dover Bowl

Inside

After bowling, we went to New Asian restaurant to meet with the Portsmouth group and had dinner there. It was an Asian restaurant, so we all had a great time having dinner there.

New Asia Restaurant

Then we headed to Walmart to buy school stuff. I bought a comforter, a pillow and many minor things such as soaps, pens and laundry basket. Then we went back to Brewster at 10PM. I watched 'Suckseed' until midnight and then went to sleep.

First Departure

After living and learning together for 8 weeks, the departing time has come. The first to leave Brewster Academy is Bill. He leaves for Penn state university on August 9th. In fact, Pon and Pasin have just arrived on August 7th at 11PM, so the time that all TS54 are together is only 36 hours.

The only complete group picture

In the evening of August 8th, TS54 had a private meeting (this meeting excluded US TAs and teachers). We had a farewell activity so that everyone will remember each other after departing to individual preparatory schools.

Sargent 3 Dwellers

This summer program is an impressive memory for all of us in the States.

P.S. Recently, I'm very busy with college research and essay so I may not update this blog as often as before.

(Pictures credit: Both pictures come from Bill's camera. They were taken on August 8th.)

Host Family Weekend Part III

Overview of the House

The Laurents' House

Laurents' house is a small house with only two bed rooms, one living room and one dining room. Parp and I sleep in Jaime's and Michael's room which has a balcony. The room is not very big but it has a big LCD television.

My Bed Room

The Living Room

The Balcony

Despite the small house, the Laurents have a very big lawn. There is a big tree in the middle of the lawn and a flower field in the front. Jaime plants a lot of flowers in the field and in front of the house. She said that all plants will die every winter and she will find new ones to replace again in spring. The plants for this year that I can remember are sunflower, coneflower and mint.

Sunflowers turn their back to the sun

The Laurents love bird watching. They have a lot of bird houses which attracts different kinds. For example, one attracts woodpecker; one attracts humming bird and one attracts jay. The most beautiful kind of birds I saw during the visit is blue jays.

The Bird Houses

Jaime seems to like cats and dogs very much. Currently, she has a cat called Calci. It has golden, black and white mixed fur which is very unfamiliar for me. It is very lazy and spend most of the time sleeping in the bathroom.

Calci

Another noticeable thing in the lawn is a small moss field. It is a small area under a tree shade that a kind of moss establishes a colony. The moss gives different feeling from the grass and I feel that it is a lot better. It makes me want to have a sphagnum lawn in my house in the future.

The Moss Lawn

A Closer Look