#johnson city

LIVE

A week late, but I was waiting for the pictures! Last weekend Michaela tooks us home to her family in Bluff City and we had such an amazing weekend. She has such a lovely family and I was completely stunned with how welcoming they were. Her mum had even brought all different types of English tea so we’d feel at home!

The journey was around two hours, but it didn’t feel that long at all. I actually love ‘road trips’ as I love listening to the radio! We got there pretty late on Friday night and Michaela took us straight over to her family friends’ house, where we met them and some of her brothers (she has a lot of siblings!). They had a fire and we roasted marshmallows and had smores (?), which was really fun. Although I burnt mine!

Her family have a boat, so the next day we all went out onto the lake which was ridiculously fun. Its not exactly what we’d consider a lake in England in that its absolutely massive, there are islands and forests all around it, and it’s so beautiful. They brought out their surfboards, so that we could all have a go at 'scurfing’ which is basically wakeboarding but without having your feet attached to the board…or so I’m told. I’m an absolutely terrible swimmer and even worse at anything that requires a level of 'sportiness’ but I really wanted to try it and it was so much fun. It’s pretty hard to stand up, and I got up the first time, but I fell in after about 5 seconds! It’s actually pretty hard on your arms as you have to hold on to a rope and to the surfboard in order to pull yourself up, so although I got up the first time, I was pretty useless after that. However, after several attempts Michaela’s step-dad told me just to lie on the board and get pulled around by the boat, which was the best! We also went onto a different little island where they were all jumping off the giant rocks. I actually cannot do stuff like that as it will block my ears, but Jade managed it. I know I would’ve never have done it anyway, it was about a 20ft drop!

That evening we played what I can only say is the best board game ever, Redneck Life. It basically involves you going around the board and having certain things happen to you in your life. For example, I married Earl Jr. in the Dairy Queen, lived in a shack, got pregnant by the lawyer whom was representing me in my divorce, and gave birth to an illegitimate child named Jack Daniel. It really was so funny, apparently its so offensive that you can’t even buy it in regular shops.

Sunday was our last day and we were very busy again! Michaela’s family took us out shooting (!!!), which I’d been wanting to do since I’d got here. It’s just pretty cool as it’s so illegal in Britain! Annabelle and some of the others had a go on a cross bow which was really cool. I wish I could remember the names but I know Jade and I shot the small rifle and then a bigger gun that used gunpowder and was really loud! I am a total wimp and I was genuinely nervous, so much so that I couldn’t even put the powder in the gun as I was shaking, haha! Anyway, I did it and it was REALLY cool, I even hit the piece of metal we we’re aiming for, both times! I felt like a total redneck, it was, as they say, awesome.

We then went Goodwill shopping, to two different Goodwill’s. I’m so terrible at charity shop shopping as I can never visualise what would look good with what, but I did end up buying a Grandad-jumper so I look set for Christmas! I was actually so sad to get back to Knoxville, as, like I said, her family were so lovely to us and we’d had such a fun few days, but alas, 2 essays awaited me!