h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Saw you about and read your space. I play the sax and decided to say hello! A levels, that would be the imfamous large tests given to students in the UK, no? Instead of doing test preparation for a national AP exam, I'm writing this, so feel entirely too flattered. Anything you're particularly interested besides music and...rugby, would it be?

Nice to hear from you, Tacysa.

A levels, yeah those would be be the infamous tests, which aren't improved by having 3 of your main exams over 2 days. My only one soon is my French speaking though, which isn't too bad. Sorry to sound ignorant, but what's an AP exam? I feel flattered regardless though.

I've had a read of your space, good choice of music btw (Gershwin and Pink Floyd) and of colour, green is always good, but I was wondering, I thought you left school at 18 in the US?

But anyway, other interests, hmm, I'm a dabbler really. I've had a go at anything from web design to judo, but music's the only thing I've really stuck at. My next aim is to go parachuting - was gonna do it for my 18th bday, but, well, other things got in the way, it being the legal drinking age over here and all.

I'm not gonna ramble for hours coz I'm sure you've got better things to do,

Clare xx

Ah, pleased to meet a fellow rambler then! I'm a chatterbox on wheels, so go ahead with the rambling.

*shudder* We get three days to take six exams, but I get the joy of exempting most of them. You don't sound ignorant, I should have explained. AP=advanced placement. ^nth, major. French speaking? You actually get to talk and not do just a written test?

What type of music do you like, then? Green, blue, yellow, purple, and anything not red or orange. Yes, you're supposed to leave school at 18, but I'm a brat and get to skip. Even better, me mum can't stop me this time. *giggle*

I always wanted to try martial arts, but I was too hung up with ballet and then I hurt myself so it was out of the question. You seem to be quite variable with music? Parachuting...hm, I'd try but I'm afraid I'd have an asthma attack midair. Did you go out and party instead, then?

StacyStacyStacy.

Aww, I like orange. Not especially oranges, but the colour's good. But yeah, colour's aside, we actually get to speak French in our exams, only in 1 though. It should be alright, so long as I don't just freeze tomorrow. Six exams in 3 days sounds particularly hideous, are they subject-specific type things or multiple choice ones? The whole school age thing makes sense now, they never really skip anyone over here - although I did know an Australian lad who ended up a year below his age group because he moved in an exam year.

I partied at home with my mates for my birthday, but going out now is really weird. I've been so used to lying about my age for the past couple of years that I still feel dead nervous going past the bouncers. I'm quite gutted though, no-one's IDed me since I turned 18, they didn't so much before, but I wish they would. I was thinking, is turning 18 a big deal in the US? It probably isn't is it, coz you can drive at 16 and not drink til you're 21. Weird that.

You should have tried martial arts, it's really good fun - kept me fit as well. I might still be doing judo now, but I had ideological differences with my instructor (he was a racist git) and I also cracked my sternum.

Nice hearing from you, Clare xx

I love oranges the fruit, but the acid drives me crazy. That's actually fun. Good luck to you, them. They're subject specific and some are multiplicative guess and some are essay. ^nth. We had the general ones earlier in the year. I think I'll be able to slide out of all of my exams except one, luckily. They hardly skip anyone over here, either, but I'm a bad girl and they had to.

You've been lying about it? They didn't check you even? Weird. I get checked for everything because I look like I'm nine. 18's a pretty big deal because you can vote and you're officially 'an adult', but 21 and 16 are pretty big. At 17 you can see R-rated movies, but that's not much of a deal.

Cracked your sternum? *rollsonfloorinsympathypain* Egads, that must have hurt like hell.

Yeah, cracking my sternum was great fun, it hurt to breathe, but laughing was the worst. Clubs in England are strange, there's some that really don't care how old you are unless you look about 12, but even the ones who do care only check if they think you're underage or they're having a crack-down (like some nights they ID any man with a blue shirt on, or something along those lines).

I always thought America was funny with ages, coz you had to be 18 to go into a jacuzzi, even though you could drive at 16. That just doesn't make sense.

Thanks for the luck, good luck to you too (in the one exam you can't escape). Only an hour to go for me, I wouldn't be so bothered but I need all top grades to get in the uni I want - it's always so much easier to get good grades when you don't need them. Anyway, I can but try.

Clare xxx

Icky wah, I can only imagine. I've broken ribs before, but your sternum... They're extremely strict on it here. They have 'teen clubs', but why in the world would you...no, I just don't see it at all.

18 to go into a jacuzzi? What? Where'd you hear that?

Thank you. Understand that feeling. I don't give a crap about some things and make high marks, but in the ones I actually want to try to do well in, I do poorly in. Maybe it's psychological. Where do you want to go, then?

The jacuzzi was in a hotel, so maybe it was the hotel's rules, I did think it was weird though. Well, 3 As would get me into cambridge, which is where I would love to go. But otherwise it's sheffield, which is still a really good uni, especially for languages. What will you be up to next year? Sorry this is a bit short, but I have maths now, speak to you later.

Clare xx

I, too, think that's a little odd, but there's no telling. You've been to the United States, then? Are you to be studying languages next year? I will be lazily taking easy classes along with two or three core classes so that I can graduate from highschool and still get credit for the college courses. The state refuses to recertify me for scubadiving so I suppose I'll just take equestrian and theatre. Ah, sweet math. My teacher was gone today so we played SET for three hours.

You played what? Our maths classes are fun, my teacher's fairly young as teachers go and spends a fair bit of time playing us the tunes from random 80s TV programmes (like the Flumps) because we've finished the course and he just got a SMART board. I imagine he's going to be one of those teachers who people think are really weird when he's older, but for the moment his stories are interesting.

Is equestrian what it means over here, horse riding? That's so good, I wish we could take that at school.

SET, it's this fantastically geeky game that is incredible. The computer game isn't much like the card game, but you can get the idea from http://www.setgame.com Oh, man, aren't those SMART boards fun? My math classes are fun because my teacher is the most sarcastic creature in the world and loves us six. He's a little odd, is he? They're usually the best.

Yup, it'll be a blast. Horseback riding has always been something I've loved, so it'll be neat to *have* to do it every week.

I would have loved to have a go at horseriding, but I've never had a proper chance. Did try on some farm that belonged to my mum and dad's mate once, but my sister turned out to be allergic to horses so that didn't last long.

What you been up to the last couple of days? Mine have been depressing, the rugby team I support lost in the cup final on saturday and everyone's feeling weird coz we leave college on friday. We're not exactly upset, but it'll be weird, I've been friends with some of them since primary school.

I highly recommend it if you ever get a chance to do any extensive work. It's good for you. Allergic to horses, now there's a new one. It makes sense, but I never thought of it.

I think I got a total of four hours of sleep over the weekend finishing a literature project documenting every major work of every time period of British literature. I've been skipping my social obligations, attending awards ceremonies, and laughing hysterically at this REALLY terrible music. Ick, that does bite. Next year, maybe?

That's really amazing and I can see how it'd be weird. I've moved about way too much to still know many people from primary. Do you all still get along?

She's not just allergic to horses, it's basically any animal with longish fur, especially cats. Not hamsters though, the fur must be too short.

I only still get on with a couple of people from primary, some of them I hated even then and some of them have moved away or we've just grown apart. I only really know one person from earlier than that coz I moved when I was 5. Whereabouts have you lived then?

That project sounds a bit extreme! Must be difficult to break it down into just a few major works too. What really terrible music was that?

Oh, dear. I couldn't live without my furry friends. Does she have plants or rodents, then?

That's still pretty neat... I've lived a bunch of different places. We were in Germany for a bit, Quatar, England, Canada, and we've been to most every state in the US. Great fun, really.

I lost count at 130-ish works. It's really just over what we've studied and we covered the 'major' ones. BBMac. OMG! Do people BUY that crap? *tittergaghysterics*

If I'm thinking of the right BBMac I think one of them went to my high school. Few years older than me though. But yes, I know what you mean about the music. If it's any consolation hardly anyone buys it over here. Are they big in America?

It's weird that, some music that's huge over here never really makes an impression in the states, but you (not you personally) love some british bands that I've never heard of.

As pets we've had fish and hamsters, but she seems ok with shorter haired dogs as well. Wow, you have moved around a lot! Was it because of your parent's job?

I had never heard of them until I was digging through someone's CD collection. It's WRETCHED. Oh, goodness, it's awful. Hahahahahhahaha...*ahem*

I think that works both ways, but I suppose we have more access?

Well, at least she can have some interaction with animals. Fish are fun, but you can't exactly squeeze them, can you? Yes, my dad works with the Air Force but is a civilian so we've done some traveling. I'd enjoy doing it again, but I think we've taken up permanent residence for awhile, at least.

Good evening again,

Sorry about the delay in writing back, I've been pretty busy. Actually been revising for once and it was my boyfriend's 21st on monday so was busy with that too (had a great day - he crashed his car).

Anyways, I've been kicking off today writing letters to your president and my prime minister about him saying that world war 2 started with a surprise attack on america. Hmm ha, we were being bombed for a while before that.

What you been up to? I understand now about your moving. I can't work out whether it would have been fun or frustrating though, do you have friends all over the world or do you just lose contact because you don't stay in one place long enough?

Clare xx

Good evening! Up a bit late, aren't you?

No problem. I think everyone's getting ready for the exam craze. I'm glad mine was done early. Oh, dear, was anyone hurt?

What, you mean America isn't more important that the rest of the world?? *cheerleadervoice* All I can say is good luck. You'll probably get a form letter and a package of George Dubya pictures...just what you've always dreamed of, no?

I had my wisdom teeth removed yesterday and had a fantastic drug interaction, which isn't unusual. It's been more fun than anything. Some people (usually AirForce) you lose track of, but they usually show up at a nearby base on occasion. I have a few people that I stay in contact with by mail and email and the occasional phone call, but I don't like enough people to expend that energy.

I feel ever so important now you're spending the energy to write to me

No-one was hurt in the crash, it wasn't that bad really, seems the car has had it though. Wisdom teeth sound like all kinds of fun. Mine have never appeared so *touch wood* they shouldn't now. Hope they don't anyway, I don't have any room left on my gum.

I doubt I'll even get a reply, his office have got enough of you lot to worry about without sending out things to foreigners. Wouldn't mind the pictures though, I'm sure I could think of a use for them...