leaving

i leave in 13 hours and 43 min

July

May and June were a blur of good times and good friends. I think I can safely say that they were the best 2 months so far on this trip. I moved into a 3rd family, where I had an 11 year old sister. The reason for the move (which had not been planned) was because my 2nd family was going on vacation to the south of France….and there was no room for me. So they asked a friend of there’s Pascale and Jean-Claude. Both are lawyers, and are possibly the sweetest people I have ever met. Pascale let me borrow any of her clothes, and/or shoes whenever I wanted, I felt so at home. And every night that Jean-Claude wasn’t home we three girls would watch Plus Belle La Vie, which is a french sitcom with lots of juicy drama.
They lived in a village just outside of Rouen, called Isneauville.
I stayed there for 4 weeks, then moved back to my 2nd family’s house to pack up all of my things.

My parents arrived on June 21st in Paris, where they picked up the car we are renting for the month. They then drove to Vernon, where they spent the night.
I took the train down to meet then the next morning, and we had a classic train station reunion, involving running down the platform, waving arms, the works. It was great to see them…10 months is a long time.

We spent the day looking at Monet’s Garden, which is incredibly beautiful. Afterwards we slowly made our way up to Rouen, taking little back roads.

I spent that week showing my parents around, introducing them to my host families, saying goodbyes to my friends, it was quite possibly one of the most emotionally draining weeks of my life. We left bright and early Saturday morning for Belgium. Along the way we stopped at Vimy ridge, and saw the beautiful war memorial that stands there.
The next day we went through 5 countries…that is a lot. France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, and finally, reaching our destination in Italy.
We were staying in the vacation house of a close friend of the family, near Brunico in a little village called Antermoia. We spent a week there, surrounded by the alps and feelingas if were were in a scene from Heidi. I don’t think that there are words in english that describe how incredible this place was. Breathtaking. Moving. Incerdible. None do it justice.
After a week there that passed all to quickly we moved on to Tuscany. Where we stayed in a beautiful Agroturismo place, about 10km from Siena. Which, is in fact one of my new favourite cities. We spent the week looking at beautiful old walled cities, eating pizza and pasta, basking in the 35 degree heat and being very thankful for the pool.
The highlight of the week was taking a ferry to Isola d’Elba, where Napoleon was exiled. We’re talking white sand beaches, turquoise water so salty that you could practically float a rock. High 30s heat, and a man selling fresh pinapple and coconuts for 3 euros served on a palm leaf. In other words, paradise.

When the week was over we rejoined the other family in a village near Florence, to stay in a beautiful old house for our last week. Stone walls and high ceilings, antique wood tables and the best food you have ever eaten. The daughter of the family, Sophia who is my age, will be coming to stay with us with her son for a month this summer. I can’t wait, she is such a sweetheart.
Yesterday we had to say our goodbyes, and had another long day of driving, Florence to Gap ( a small town in France, near Grenoble). This morning we had a little ‘mix-up’ with my train back to Rouen….and had a few hours to kill. So we explored the area around Grenoble a little, and found a picturesque little village. It’s church dates back to around 1080. We had a drink and bite to eat as we had left very early and missed breakfast. There was a charming little river that flowed through the town center, and my mom and I couldn’t help but take our shoes off to stand in it a while.

After that they dropped me at the train station, and headed of to Avignon, while I make my way back to Rouen. I will fly out on Tuesday the 20th back to Vancouver.

Vacances!

Hey everyone!
So I got back on sunday from the west coast where my family has a beach house. I was without internet there, but wrote up a post anyways, so here it is:
I am currently at my host families beach house in Vendee. It is beautiful!

It was rainy for the first 2 days, but since then, it has been sunny and realllllly warm. It is a sleepy little town, and mostly dead because the Parisians aren’t on holidays yet, so it is really peaceful and quite. The family has a few bikes stored here, and so I spend my days riding around and exploring.
The other day I did a tour of the golf course, and after I ended up finding a pretty little lake. I sat there for a while on a bench and people watched. Across the lake there was a beautiful chateau, Disney style. It was magical.
On another adventure I went to the port, and poked around the sea wall. It is an incredibly beautiful place.
My little host brother and I have spent many, many hours on the beach together, which is only about a 2 min walk from the house (30sec bike ride). He builds castles and forts, and then we sit and watch as the tide comes in. He usually ends up getting soaked (much to my host moms chagrin). One time I had taken refuge on top of a big rock, and it was all fine and dandy until an unusually large wave came in very quickly. I didn’t have time to jump to higher ground, so I took a wave to the face.

Me and Thomas (little host brother) played badminton in the sun for hours yesterday. It was super warm out, shorts and tank top weather, and we ended up having to move into the shade. It was great fun. We then played “monkey” in the trees, and worked on a song he is writing…in English. It is about a rabbit. It started out with his stuffed rabbit, I guess he had learned the vocabulary at school because of Easter. Anyways, so I hear this little voice saying “I aam a raaaabiitt, I aam a raaaabiiitt!”. The song ends up growing and now goes:
I am a rabbit
My name is fluffy
I am a rabbit
I eat carrots every day
I jump all day
Because I am a ribbit
My name is Fluffly

I am a singer
Who must sing
So I siiiiiing
On my burrow
To keep busy

I am a rabbit
Forever

We are also working on a film of Fluffy….


Yesterday before dinner, at around 18H30 I went to the beach alone and just sat in the sunshine. It was beautiful. I don’t know how I am going to go back to rainy, cold Normandie after this…..hahaha.

Following

Soooo,
After Moncrabeau I came back to Rouen and normal life started up again. Nothing extraordinary for a few weeks.

I went and visited Frannie, a friend who lives in Elbeuf. She comes from Wisconsin. It was really fun, and we went a saw Shutter Island, in French. I watched it the next week in English, and it all became clear. Altough I understood more than just the idea of every scene, I was still lacking some important information. This is mostly because I did not understand the word "lobotomy" when translated into french... the whole film made much more sense with the word...
It is a beautiful, moving, terrifying film, and would really recommend it.

The next weekend my family took me on a bit of a tour. We did a day trip that involved Honfleur, La Havre, and the white cliffs. It was beautiful. The weather was a bit....Normand...(cold, windy, and generaly disagreeable) but the sky became blue close to the end of that day which was nice.

The next weekend was election weekend, and I got to go to see a French poling station. I must admit, I was slightly disappointed. I was half expecting someone to start another revolution, burn churches, or at the very least have bread and wine handed out to the voters as they sat together and discussed politics and philosophy... but no, it is just like all the others at the Merville Hall that I have seen.

That afternoon, we decided to go to Dieppe for a bit. It is about a 45 minute drive. We stoped and saw a Canadian war cemetery, which was beautiful. This time the weather was nice for a change, I'm talking bly skies and 10 degrees. We then went and did a little walk around the beach. Then the wind started up, and we went back to the car.

Last week I went to a French court. My host father is a judge. It was a commerce court, so once again, no revolutions or torching... but still, it was interesting.

then, save the BEST for last.... ROTARY WEEKEND IN PARIS.
Last weekend was a multi-district weekend in Paris (thursday-sunday). Which is truly the most beautiful city in the world. There was between 70-100 students from all over France, that came from all over the world. It was awesome. Not much sleeping took place and my camera probably hates me now from all the pictures I took. I made amazing friends that I am going to be meeting up with again soon. I love exchange students. We really are a cool group of kids.

Anyways, while in Paris we saw:
-Eiffel Tower
-Bateau Mouche
-Notre Dame de Paris
-Sacre Coeur (BEAUTIFUL)
-Bus tour of the city
-Le Louvre
-Arc de Triomphe
-Chateau Versailles

It was epic.

Yesterday I saw Alice au Pays Mervielles (Alice in Wonderland) with Bridget. It was my birthday gift from her :)

Speeeaaking of which, I will have 17 years this Saturday the 27th! I accidently spoiled my surprise party...but it will still be great!

Hope all is well for everyone, and that you are enjoying the beginning of Spring!

im back* :)

Hey, so yes, I know its been a while.... sorry 'bout that.

So i figure that I am going to Write separate posts for each event... instead of one big long one.

Lets start with Moncrabeau.

BEAUTIFUL.

We left my house at about 8am, and got there at about 4pm. Long drive. It is a town of about 500 people, and was settled in the Middle Ages. It was the mostly destroyed some 300/400 years ago in a religious war, and reconstructed. Beautiful little town, or village I guess is the word.

We went on some day trips to Nerac and Condom. Yes, there is a town named Condom, and out of all of the places for my camera to die, it had to be Condom. We also went and visited a castle from the Middle Ages. The weather was amazing, and it was a shock to come back to Normandie...(in fact it snowed the night we got back..)

The grandmother was a sweet little woman who kept feeding me. Any food I liked she would pack up and tell me to bring it back with me. I left with 2 jars of jam, a cool fruit pat thing, 2 bottles of juice, and some bread. Like I said, a sweety.

The car ride back was really fun with my little host brother (he was already in Moncrabeau for a week when we arrived, we were going there to pick him up). We played X&O. pictionary, dressup, and pretty much any other game you could think of in the back of the car.

Less Wise?

I know the French medical system inside and out, upside down and backwards. I can tell you where it hurts, how it hurts, why it hurts, and whatI want you to do about it. I can do pharmacy trips by myself, I can follow medicine schedules. I can have stomach aches, bad colds, x-rays, and wisdom teeth surgery. I can tell you anything you could possibly want to know about my medical history, but I please, don't ask me to conjugate in the subjunctive.

It is really amazing how much one's vocabulary differs based on their situation. My friend Bridget can give you the name of any children's toy, game, or favorite tv show in the blink of an eye (this is due to her 4 year old host brother). And me, well I could practically be a doctor at this point.

I had my wisdom teeth out on Monday. All 4 of them. I got all swollen up like a hamster, and I am now sporting a beautiful blue/brown bruise on my cheek. La Mode.

On Wednesday we are headed down to Moncrabeau (Host fathers parents house). It is in the south of Bordeaux. We will stay there for about 5 days, then drive back up. I am really excited. It is a tiny village of about 500 people, in the farm country. I can't wait! I will take lots of photos.

On February 6th I hit the halfway mark.

I look back on my time here, and realize how much I have changed. How much older I am, the situations I can deal with, my level of French, my friendships, but above all, just how much I have grown up.

I am no sure how I feel about it being halfway through. I have printed out some of my favourite pictures from the last 6 months, and put them up in my room. Looking back it feels like yesterday, but years and years ago. My mind is stuffed full of memories.

I said goodbye to a very good friend last week, and another one this Monday. (Australians leave in Feb.). And it is incredible to think that they were at my spot when I first met them. I remember thinking that Carmelle was so French, so settled, so grown up. Well, that's me now.

My new family is incredibly supportive about my exchange. They understand that this period is a bit difficult. My host dad and I have really great talks about friendships, travels, and growing up.

When I signed up for this exchange, a year and a half ago, I signed up for an opportunity to study abroad for a year. I signed up to learn a new language, and live in another culture.
Now I skype the friends in Australia and Argentina, chat with Switzerland and Denmark, email Taiwan, and text Italy. My best friend from Florida, and I have a friend on EVERY continent (minus Antarctica). Rotary, I signed up for a year long exchange, but you have given me so much more.

Thank you so much for this amazing opportunity.

-arlie.

Quick Hello

Sorry about the delay between entries...once again, I have been settling into my family and being busy gallivanting around France.
So not too much is new here.
I got to go to a hockey game here, it was AWESOME and we WON!!!! I went with friends of my host parents and we got to sit in a "Loge Privlege" one of the boxes at the top with its own private seats, and we were served refreshments and little snacks, and then desserts at the end. It was so cool.

I am headed to Paris on Wednesday evening to watch a concert at the Sorbonne (one of my exchange friends is playing in it). And then I am headed back to Paris on Sunday. La classe.

Starting next Saturday I am on school vacations for 2 weeks. I am also getting my wisdom teeth out....(less enjoyable than vacations).

Anyways, just wanted write a quick hello to the world out there. :)

Random Ponderings of a Sick Girl in France

Me, myself and I took a road trip together.


I spend a lot of time with myself. Not necessarily alone, in fact I am often surrounded by many people. And I realized that I have been living with myself for 16 and a half years, and I never really met myself before.

When you are surrounded by a new language you spend a lot of time thinking, dreaming, and talking with yourself. I have learned a lot about myself that I didn’t know previously. Before this exchange I always ‘was’ because I always ‘had been’ but now, I have time to question every thing, every thought, every instinct. Now I ‘am’ because I choose to be.

I know myself through and through now. I know my weaknesses, and my strengths, I know my dreams, and my fears, I know my mind, I know my heart. I have learned what is important to me, what makes me tick. I had originally thought that I would never be able to be ‘myself’ here, with the new culture, new language, new people, in a new city. But I have learned that it is not the surroundings that make you who you are, its You. I am more myself here than i have ever been, thousands of miles away from anything I have ever known. And somehow that is the most freeing feeling I have ever experienced.

Italia

Okay, here we go. Italy.

I arrived on the 20th of December at Marco Polo airport in Venice. It was lucky that I got out of Paris because of all the snow. Most of the flights after mine we canceled. At Venice I was met by Jakob (a friend who was an exchange student in Courtenay last year) and his parents. From there it was a 2 and a bit hour drive through the mountains (which I could not see because it was night time) back to their house in Brunico.

I awoke the next morning to find myself in a winter wonderland in the heart of the Italian Alps. It was incredible.

That day we went into town (a 30 min drive away). And I was surrounded once again by building that are older than Canada. It was beautiful. A river runs through the town, and the building are all painted in different colours. It was a crisp -20 ish.

Christmas was wonderful, yet very different from what I am used too. It is celebrated on the 24th in the evening. The tree was beautiful with candles and silver decorations. As we opend our gifts the sparklers on the tree were lit, creating a magical vision.

After the holidays we took a 3 day trip to Rome. There I saw all the sights, Coliseum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, the ancient ruins, a tour of the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel and the Museum of Modern Art ect.

For new years we were back in Brunico. There was a live band playing in the town square for the countdown and lots of fireworks. Hello 2010.

On my last day we climbed a mountain for 3 hours to get to the restaurant at the top. After eating we sledded down (which only took 30 min-ish). The view was incredible.

I flew out of Venice on the 4th of January to return to France. I went straight to a new host family. It is kind of exciting to move, I am a lot closer to town, and I am in a beautiful house, and the family is very kind. But on the other hand I miss my old family a bit. Like I said, when you arrive you are like a baby, and it is your first host family that "raises" you and introduces you to this strange new world. I think that it is for that reason that so many people are so close to the first family. However, I think that I will settle in just fine here. :)

I have no school today, because it snowed (only about 2 inches...) and it is supposed to snow again tonight. The city has come to complete halt, and looks beautiful.

I have had a wonderful past month, full of memories and good food.

-arlie

Long Time, No Write....Sorry About That

So it has been almost a month now since I wrote an entry....very sorry indeed. I just got back yesterday after spending 2 wonderful, amazing (and internet-less) weeks in Italy. I had a wonderful Christmas that was full of new traditions and new foods, and I passed a very happy New Year (happy 2010 to all of you readers).

I am with a new family as of my return, and they are very friendly. I have 4 host brothers :s but only 2 live at home (ages 11 and 19). My host father is in Rotary, and also owns an industrial cleaning business.

My new room looks out across the city (the house in on Mont Saint Aignan, a big hill that overlooks Rouen). At night time is looks so beautiful, a thousand twinkling lights below me.

I am uber tired right now though, and so I will write a longer entry tomorrow (I promise!). It is supposed to snow tomorrow, and that means no bus, which means no school (when I say that it will snow, I really mean that about an inch of snow will fall throughout the day, but here that is enough to send everyone into panick mode). I have many photos to show you all.

I hope everyone passed a wonderful holiday season, and a very happy new year.

All my best wishes,
arlie (the long lost blog writer...)

Paris, Je t'aime

Paris, Je t’aime

So I went to Paris on Sunday. French people got it right, Paris is the most beautiful city on earth.

It started that morning with me heading to the train station, my ticket clutched in my hand. I was so excited I though I was going to ‘faire pipi’ in my pants. I arrived at the Gare with perfect timing…only to find out my train was 20min late. I was taking the train ‘toute suel’ and then meeting up a few stops down the line with Frannie (an exchange student living in Elbeuf), Nathalie (Frannie’s host mom), and Meg (Frannie’s host sister, from South Africa). I was supposed to get into the 3rd car from the front. I watched and counted carefully as the train pulled in and found a lovely spot for us all. Unfortunately when the train started it was headed the other direction (stupid 2 direction trains, they get me every time). I was then freaking out trying to get to the other end, to the other 3rd car from the other engine. Now, I have not spent that much time on trains like this…2 stories, 1st and 2nd class, reallllly fast, slippy floors, my bad balance. All of these factors added together saw me landing ‘plop’ onto some poor un-warned woman’s lap. I got up quickly, said my goodbyes and went back to my search. Only problem is that it is really hard to find the 3rd car from the front when you are inside. So the next train station I got out and ran frantically to the engine, and counted 3 cars down the line. Can you spot the tourist?
Enfin I found the correct car, and the right people. And the excitement only mounted.

Paris!

The weather was rather….wet and cold and windy (as you will see in the photos). But who really cares, when you are in Paris?

We took the Paris Metro, which is oh so much more exciting than the Rouen metro. Me and Frannie were ready to burst, and as soon as the metro doors opened we bolted up the stairs and down the street, and just as we rounded the corner we both froze….because there in front of us, slicing through the sky was the majestic, breath taking, ‘Holy cow I am in France’-ing, Eiffel Tower.

We spent about 20 minutes taking pictures of it, and staring in awe before we decided to actually get closer.

There are 668 steps going up the Eiffel Tower. I climbed alllll the way up….and allll the way down. (not without a significant amount of pain and sweat.)

The view from the top is heart-stopping. There is no real way to describe it. You are on top of the world, looking down on the most beautiful city. You can see the roads twisting through the city, the church steeples poking out from the city, the huge gold dome of the cathedral, the Seine slicing the city in half. It is incredible.

After climbing back down the tower we headed of to take a boat ride through the Seine. This was also rather incredible. We passes the Notre Dame Cathedral, Le Louvre, French Government buildings, everything was beautiful. There are an insane amount of bridges in Paris. It seemed like every 30seconds we were going under another.

After and hour and a bit on the water (the sky had finally cleared up), we had to head home. But not before we saw the sun set behind the Eiffel Tower, a moment I will never forget.

Une….Deux….Trois

Yes. 3.
Three months (trios mois) and I’m feeling good. I thought november was going to be a tough month, with the excitement of being away wearing off and all. But in fact, it has turned out to be the exact opposite. I have come leaps and bounds in my French and I have made deeper friendships.

Yesterday another exchange friend who lives in Elbeuf came into Rouen for the afternoon. We went into the Museum of the Gros Horlage (Big Clock), and it was rather amazing. Of course it was the one day I didn’t have my camera with me. It goes up an impossibly long flight of stairs with little interesting rooms going off it. At the very top you come to a door that leads outside, to a breathtaking view of Rouen. We were above all the other buildings, looking down on the rooftops of the town, the giant cathedral looking incredibly majestic in the fog, and about 100 other church steeples dotting the city and the surrounding hills. I understand why it used to be called the city of 100 bells. To make everything even more beautiful, the Christmas lights were up, lighting up all the little streets below, and there was a slight misty rain that made everything sparkle. It was magical.

I am headed to Paris this weekend, just for the day. And next weekend is a Rotary meeting for all the exchangers in our district, and it is right here in Rouen. The weekend after that I am off to Italy for 2 weeks for Christmas. Life is good.

(I will remember my camera for Paris, I promise)

Karma is a salope.

So in my last post I doubted Normandies weather....and today I am paying the price.

Grey skies. Rain. Wind. Wind. Wind.

I am sorry Normandie, I will never doubt your weather abilities again. I promise.

I just realized that I forgot to put up my pictures from Deauville (which was rather awesome). It was a large Rotary conference, and all the kids in our district came, but we spent the day walking around the town. It is soooo beautiful! Une tres belle ville.  It was my very first time seeing the English Channel, I was pretty excited.

isnt normandie supposed to be cold and wet?

So once again, I have proven that I cannot keep a regular blog. Sorry about that!

It will be 3 months this week. That means I am more than ¼ of the way through…..I don’t know how I feel about that. Is there anyway I could just, you know, stay here? Forever?

I was able to chose between spending Christmas here in France, or Christmas in Italy, what a rough life eh? So I will be going to Italy for just over 2 weeks during the Christmas holidays 

Not much is new here, I have settled into my daily routine quite nicely. I have cut down on the lemon tarts (and my jeans are thanking me). I sometimes have trouble with remembering the English word for something, and my spelling has become terrible (in English and French). I no longer have the need to buy a croissant every time I see one, which is really good.

The weather here has been amazing so far, every one is saying how it is exceptional, it is never like this. Blue skies all around. I am starting to miss the rain though, it seems odd to be near the end of November, and not have had a rainy day yet (the rain here doesn’t count as real rain, and it only lasts a few hours).

I am happier than a bird with a french fry. I am more than content. I am living and loving. I am growing (both metaphorically and realistically). I love my life.

je mange, je marche, et je dors

So I think that I have successfully proven my inability to keep a regular blog…. I don’t know how other people do it. Sorry about that.

Not much new has happened since the last entry…. Same old, same old. Today was another metro strike… Yippee. Tomorrow I am headed off to Deauville for an exchange meeting. I cant wait to see everyone again 

The weather here is getting a bit colder, raining more, but for the most part it is not bad. People in france don’t seem to be fans of warm houses….i often find myself huddled under a blanket on the couch wearing leggings with jeans over top, and maybe sweatpants on top of that, and 2 sweaters. A few nights ago I was wearing 4 pairs of socks on one foot (the other wasn’t as cold). I am not a ‘vrai canadian.’

School is going well, I am compreding mieux (hows that for some franglais?). Today my class went to the cinema to see a film. It was rather weird, but at least I understood it.

I have found another ‘place of refuge’ and that is a little café right near my school. When you buy a hot chocolate they give you a little chocolate to go with it, it’s a pretty sweet deal. Its really cozy inside, all wood with a little upstairs with comfy chairs. Its quite nice when its raining. Me, Bridget, Nathalie, and Maija al hang out there sometimes during our overly long lunches when it is trop froid to walk.

So all in all, 11 weeks gone, and I have become better at rugby, better at french, and better at ordering pain au chocolates. I have learned how to make a Cake a la noix de coco et au chocolat, and I think I am a better person for it, albiet a slightly heavier person, but a better one. All is well in my little corner of the world.

Ten, Dix, 10, X, 2 hands, no matter how you slice it its a fair bit o time.

10 weeks. That takes up all my fingers, I will have to start using my toes next week, and after that I will need to get creative.

So once again, I am sorry that I have neglected the writing…. I have been very busy with it being school vacations and all.

This vacation was really awesome. It started at noon on Saturday the 24th , and I go back tomorrow, Thursday the 5th. I went to the big fair here, it comes once a year and is the second biggest in France, its called Foire St. Romain, and it is epic. Some other friends from Rotary that live in nearby towns’ came into Rouen and we all went together. It was amazing.

Then on Friday all the kids in our district went to Parc Asterix for the day. We rode the 8 looper roller coaster, over water. It was the most scary and exhilarating thing I have ever done. We went on it twice, but I could have gone on it forever. We also went into a haunted house, but we went into the kiddy one by accident, and spent about an hour having ‘zombies’ walk around us. The real haunted house was so scary that you had to be 16 to go in, so we were a little disappointed about that. But all in all the rides were fantastic, and it was great to see everyone again.

The next day was my host mom’s dad’s 98th birthday party, needless to say, it was a grand fete. There were about 15 relatives that came from all over France. We all went out for dinner at a nice restaurant, and after everyone slept over at chez nous (our house). We had a lunch party the next day that lasted until 5. Then people started to pack up and leave. I slept very well that night.

For the rest of the days I have just been with my family and with friends. It has been a perfect holiday. I am ready to go back to school tomorrow, can’t wait to see everyone again.

Here are some pics from Parc Asterix!

2 months.

It has been two months now in this new, wonderful, crazy, challenging, beautiful life. Two months, that is 61 days, almost 1/5 of my exchange, it’s 1/6 of a year, and the amount of time it takes for a baby to learn to lift its head.

About a week ago I lifted my head. I looked around, up and down the cobble stone streets, the Seine in the distance, a slight breeze, a nearly cloudless sky, a woman riding a bike with 2 baguettes in the basket, a man walking his dog. I could hear the wooosh of the metro passing a few streets over, and I could see the top of a cathedral that is hundreds of years old, the contrast between the new and the old made me smile. That’s Europe. That’s my new life.

Two months in, and the sight of an ancient cathedral no longer sends me reaching for my camera. Now I look at the tourists, and smile to myself. I no longer thinks its weird to open the fridge and see at least 5 different cheeses. The French milk that I at first hated, is now my favourite drink.

School here is a different world entirely. Class begins with a lovely jingle, not the normal grating bell I’m used to. The students begin writing in beautiful cursive with their re-loadable fountain pens on ruler straight lines, while I sit with a dictionary and a book of scribbled notes. At the end of class everyone dons their 200Euro jackets and heads outside for a smoking break. This includes the teachers.

Although school here is a different world entirely, high school is high school whether it’s a cote de la cathedral, or surrounded by fields. Being an exchange students kind of excuses me from the social chain, we are items of interest with no social status. And that is just fine with me.

In these two months I have settled in, wiggled around and found my niche. I walk down the streets and feel like I am home, I don’t feel like the foreigner on the metro anymore, and I can order a subway sandwich in French. I can find my way from one end of town to another, I know where to buy the cheapest chocolate, and where to find the best Tarte aux citron. I can make rattaoullie (but I can’t spell it) and I can make crepes like there is no tomorrow. I have learned how to cut bread, and how to cut cheese (not in the farting sense). I have changed. It’s nothing drastic, not one specific thing, its like growing, you don’t realize it when your doing it until one day your pants are too short. I have picked up French mannerisms and ways of thinking. The sense of humor which once seemed bizarre to me, I now find extremely funny. I have realized that people aren’t “cold” in France, there is no “lack of warmth” here. They simply communicate differently.

I have lifted my head, and I like what I see. I am living my life to the fullest, and I am loving it.

Thanks you to all that made this a possibility.

sorry its been so long....

Hey everyone, sorry its been so long, I have been really busy/tired.

Soooo where were we? Mont Saint Michel? Oui, je pense.

We left chez moi at 8 and got there at about 11:45 ('we' consists of Me, Carmelle the australian girl, Carmelle's host brother, and a Rotarian)

Us students got to sleep in bungalows, which was pretty sweet :) I was in one with Carmelle. we had tons of fun. There was about 150 exchange students, from all corners of the world. Carmelle has been in France april, because she is Australian (they come in the spring), and so she has already gone on the bus trip and met a lot of the people, and she introduced me to everyone. We all hung out for a while then took a picnic lunch to eat while we walked in the sand.

Turns out the walk in the sand was for 4 hours.....thats a really long time to walk barefoot in cold wet sinking sand..... There was the occasional knee deep river that needed crossing. It was a rather cold, windy, wet, long walk... but in retrospect it was fun. It was great to talk to everyone.

When we got back to our bungalows we had (long) hot showers to try and defrost ourselves a bit. Then we had dinner, a large buffet. And after all the kids from each country got up in groups (or by themselves if there was no one else) and sang their national anthems. It was really neat.

Once that was over the lights went off and the music went on, and we danced until the wee hours of the morning. The music was from all different countries. It was awesome.

The next morning we were all tired with very sore feet. But after a long breakfast (involving as much caffine as my body can safely hold) we were off again to Mont Saint Michel. This time it was free time on the island. We could go anywhere, do anything, just be back by noon. So a group of kids from our district ( we call ourselves The Camembert Crew, because we are really cool) went through the back door to the cathedral. It was slightly 'interdite' I think, but it was beautiful.
The streets of Mont St. Michel are so narrow and old looking, i love it. And the secret little stair cases, and tiny ally ways. I loved it. Most of the stores though (all of them other than restaurants) were over priced tourist shops though. But we had a great time.

We all met up again for a goodbye lunch, then the buses started to head off. We were the last to go (our district didn't get a bus, we had to find our own rides). It was me, Carmelle, and her host brother again. Her host brother was an exchange student last year. We all fell asleep on the ride home. haha. School the next day was not the funnest. :P

Since then I have mostly been sleeping, and slowly regaining feeling in my feet. haha.

here are some photos :)