Things here have been a bit of a roller coaster, but I am still breathing, and living it up. I had a few adventure this vacation, I do not know if you know but I had a month off of school so I used the opportunity to travel. I HAVE MET GREAT FRIENDS AND HAVE HAD GREAT EXPERIENCES. Some very different others quite normal. I have truly fallen in love with me. I have found my path and I am enjoying day by day. What ever comes and goes is fine; life is uncontrollable. Some people come in to my life for seasons, some for life times but all for a reason. I am not spending my time with the people I care for wondering when it will end. But you live you learn. This vacation was great I did allot of traveling. It all started with a visit to Viana, with my host fathers Orchestra, he is the best French Horn player in Belgium; he knew that I had a month off of school so he invited me for his tour in Vienna. That is were! it all started.  Well besides that, I got in a pretty bad accident. Do not worry I am fine. I was skiing, yes I SAW SNOW. The day after Christmas it was great, well after skiing three days. If I may say; I kick ass;;;;; so I went into one of the hardest slops with my little sister, Lisa . She fell because their was allot of wind, and every thing turned to ice. While I was going to help her up. I fell and every thing was soooo icy that my sky's could not stop. I was on top of the mountain and it felt like I was almost flying down, it was a total rush but I hit a huge metal pole....... Yes it was really funny you can laugh................. I am fine though people could not believe that I did not brake any thing. Allot of scratches and bruises, I could not breath for a while and I lost vision for ten minutes but every thing is fine now. I was so worried about Lisa that I did not even care. People thought I was crazy, they asked me if I was American but I have been speaking Dutch for so long that I could not really talk english it was quite funny since we were in France, all I could say was I am fine but my sister is stuck up there I think they thought that I was really crazy cause she looks nothing like me she is this tiny bleach blond blue eyed little girl.  It was great though it really made me see how lucky I really am; I could have killed my self easily. Later that week I went on a seven hour hike up a mountain the Cani Gue it one of the largest in France. My host family has a house a few miles in to the forest not too far from it, it was really great I had allot of time around nature to enjoy life. I am Buddhist so I went on a retreat for New Years, that is one of the reasons that I could not E-mail before. Their was no contact at all for two weeks with any thing that was not natural and pure, it was in the middle of the mountains; near Spain. Allot of meditation, and introspection some fasting. It was great. I can honestly say it was one of the most personal and spiritual rewarding things that I have ever done.  As far as life here in Belgium goes. I saw the typical Christmas and new year activities, like Brussels light up with the Tree and the ice skaters, but you I was not too impressed. The other places I visited were a bit more impressive. Well I have to say I never expected it to be so great. I have a set group of exchange student friends, which I see often, but most of my friends are from Belgium so that is great.  I am starting a new semester, exams were great I can not believe that I got all 10. My school is really great it is a high school for Art, also a collage; the high school is great but I am starting with College this semester, I had a meeting with the director, he was impressed with the great work, especially with the change in countries and all. He tolled me he thought it would be a bit more interesting to take my last few semesters here in the college so I start this week.It is a bit of a different schedule, still Art but at a college level. My language barrier is very minimal; but I have to say my conversations with friends in English is horrible, I am forgetting how to speak. I guess I will have to take a english class when I return. Now that I am back to civilization. I promise that I will send constant e-mails. But happy New Year to all. Love, Ursula Prado