From Beth's Journal (July 30 - August 5, 2000)

July 30
I'm Beth Melton. In eight hours, I will be grumpily waking up at 4:00 in the morning. Grandma and Grandpa will drive us to the San Francisco airport, where we'll take a plane to Washington, DC.

I don't feel as nervous or excited as I thought I would. I guess that's good, but I'm not sure. We haven't even packed our clothes yet. Mom's worrying and wondering whether rolling up shirts would save space in the suitcases!

Our cousins took our dog, Hugo, a little while ago. He is so adorable, loving, loyal, adorable, sweet, adorable, cute, adorable, funny, and adorable. How will I live without him? Wahhh!!

It's two hours later, and we're sort of in a frenzy now. It's just sinking in that in about six hours, I'll be leaving. My bookbag is stuffed; it's my carry-on for the plane. I'm starting to feel worried now. I hope all my clothes fit into the suitcase!

July 31
It has been a looong day. I got up at 3:30 a.m. I dressed in my already chosen clothes, braided my hair, and went into the kitchen. Grandma and Grandpa were there. Grandma was braiding Mimi's hair. I was hungry, but we had to go.

It was a long trip to San Francisco. It was so foggy in the early morning, I could hardly see around the car. Once Mimi said, "Are we in a tunnel?" and Mom said, "No, we're on the Golden Gate Bridge!" We really were! I could hardly tell because of the fog.

At the airport we met Aunt Dana, who was going to see us off. We bought small breakfasts. While we waited, I read Harry Potter 4. When it was time, we hugged everyone, and then we got on the plane.

The plane trip was pretty boring. I finished two-and-a-half books by the time we got to Denver. We bought postcards in Denver, and then flew on to Baltimore. We took a shuttle bus to Catholic University, where we're staying while we're in Washington DC. It's a pretty university. But our dormitory is called *snigger!* REARdon! It's actually okay, though, not like its name!

August 1
We have done so much stuff today! First, we met our exchange family. As we were walking to the cafeteria to have breakfast, Mom called, "Is that Kimberly? Is that Martin?" And it was (she recognized them from pictures). Their mom was with them, too. We all said hi, and the moms started talking. Martin was bouncing a tennis ball, and he kept bouncing it off Kimberly's head. He would laugh, and Kimberly would shove him, and say "Get off!" For the first time ever, I realized why J. K. Rowling in Harry Potter spelled "Get off" "Geroff" – it's how it sounds!

That morning we rode the Metro to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. We saw dinosaur bones – lots of them. We saw the Hope Diamond. I was disappointed; I had pictured it as big as a baseball! It, of course, was not. Then we went to the Museum of American History. I saw Judy Garland's ruby slippers! It was great. Then I saw a lot of dresses worn by the First Ladies. That was fun, too. Then we got ice creams and walked to the Museum of Air and Space. It was pretty cool! But what I really wanted to see was the planetarium. I've never been to one, but we didn't have time. Finally we left, with Mom gasping about a missile there, and how dangerous they were.

When we had dinner tonight, we met Dad's exchange teacher. Our two families ate together. I sat next to Kimberly. We talked about her cats, Fizz and Parsley. Kimberly is very nice, and I love her accent. I talked and listened so much that I hardly ate. I was starting to eat an egg when a little English girl named Hope told me it looked like an eyeball, so I stopped eating then!

August 2
Today Mom and I took a long bus ride to Mount Vernon, George Washington's house. Mount Vernon was cool! Well, actually it was hot, and that almost ruined my day – but I still liked it. I saw stables, kitchens, servants' quarters, and much, much more. The house was pretty, and I loved all the rooms. I want a four-poster bed!

August 5
School in England is going to be a lot different than school in California. I'll have to wear a uniform. It's an all-girls school, and I'm going to be one of the new kids. But since there's not a middle school, it's also the first year for other girls my age. So that's good because it'll be strange for everyone else, too. It's nice that Kimberly is my age because I have some ready-made friends: hers! I think I'll like my school from what I've seen in brochures. For different subjects, there are certain things you wear – an apron for home ec. and a lab coat for science!

Well, England, here I come!

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Reading Matters Read about war-town Sarajevo from a young girl's perspective in Zlata's Diary.
http://www.readingmatters.co.uk/books/zlata.htm

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