Salut tout le monde!
So wow, already a week has gone by like that since I've got back from my Bus Trip.
This pass week I mostly spent it on my final presentation to my Rotary club for well, it was tonight. I didn't think it would take so long but when you have to look at.. oh I believe I have close to 2000 photos, figure out which ones to pick, fit it onto a page and make sure it's not too long so that they don't get bored during my presentation.. well it takes a while. I also had a Rotary weekend this pass week; we had a conference the Saturday at a sweet little town called Pont-Audemer because they were changing district gouvernors, then we slept over at another town called Vernon because the Sunday we were treated to a day trip to Paris! We left quite early in the morning, we took the metro to another train station to drop off our luggage, then we went to this famous cemetary, (it has like Chopin's grave in it for example.. I don't like cemetaries so I went in for about 10 minutes and then sat outside with some other people who felt the same as I did until the rest were done looking), toured around Paris by foot, then we went to Montemarte to have lunch at a cool restaurant called the Indiana and then we had some free time to tour around Montemarte.
For everyone who doesn't know Montemarte, it is a sector in Paris of beauty. First off there is also the Sacre-Coeur; a giant cathedral that I have seen before at night (when it was all light up) and during the day is is just as breathtaking. Then when you walk up farther (oh yeah, Montemarte is way on top of a hill, so you have to walk hundreds of steps to get up there) there is a square of painters who display there work (and will do portraits) and lots of little boutiques and restaurants. I have already been there twice so with some friends we went to the Moulin-Rouge area and looked around there.
After, we returned to the train station and said our final goodbyes; it was the last time we would see each other because everyone will be slowly leaving after that weekend, but I ended up staying another four hours with one of my best friends in my district. We had free metro passes for the day so we just went all over Paris and looked around. Then we went back to the train station so I could head back to my town.
Tonight I had my Rotary presentation; Geez I was so nervous! Everyone said I did alright though. I got a Normandy card and a cookbook full of Normandy recipes as a gift, it was very sweet. On the 1st of July there will be another meeting (it'll be the day my club changes presidents) and they said they'd do a lil' something for me which is nice.
Well, I'm off to bed.
Chow!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Thursday, June 14, 2012
My Bus Trip
Salut tout le monde!
Last night I got back after spending 12 days in Europe. I'll give you a brief description on how amazing it is, but I don't think I will be able to tell you all in words of how incredible this trip actually was.
Day 1: I woke up like a normal day of school, packed my lunch and got ready, and then took the school bus with my suitcase. When I arrived in Bernay, instead of walking the rest of the way to my school, I went to the train station instead. I then met up with another exchange student who arrived from another city and we took the train together to Paris. We met up with the other exchange students from my district and we all took the metro to the other train station (did you know that Paris has four train stations? One for each direction: Paris Gare-du-Nord for destinations in the north sector, Paris-Saint-Lazare for destinations in the west sector [this is where I arrived], Montparnasse [which is where all the students taking the Bus Trip {or EUROTOUR} had to meet up] for destinations in the south sector and Paris-Lyon for destinations in the east sector). We then all got on the bus and had a guided tour on the bus of Paris. We stopped at one moment to take pictures in front of the Eiffel Tower. We then visited Le Louvre by walking in the gardens and taking pictures in front of it.
And then after we headed to Reims for the evening. We ate at the hotel and then after we walked to the church and sat in front of it for a coupld hours to talk. We returned after to the hotel and that was the end of Day 1.
Day 2 - After waking up and having breakfast, we took the bus to Strasbourg; a city right on the edge of the border of Germany. What a sweet little town! We had some free time to eat (I went with a friend of mine to get a falafel [for anyone who doesn't know what it is, it is a vegetarian meatball wrap and can be found in Canada because I eat them back in Canada myself] and it was very good!) and look around. I went into some souvenir shops and toured around the market they had that morning. I bought a pin for my vest their at the market for 50 cents; the pin is of France with an F in the center of it attached to Germany with a D in the center of it by two shaking hands. The carton it was attached to explains how it symbolizes the peace between France and Germany. We slept that night in Strasbourg and after eating we got to go beside the river and play music and dance.
Day 3 - We finally left France territory and arrived at Nuremberg, Germany. A brief history on this city: It is here where Hitler made the "Laws of Nuremberg" which were all made toward the Jewish people. We got to go within the walls of where Hitler first spoke to the Germans of these laws (and anybody who wasn't there watched it from their TVs or heard it from their radios). We then had some time to walk around and tour the city by going to it's downtown area. We slept there the night at a hotel right beside the metro; I know you're thinking that must of been terrible but I actually really liked it. I liked hearing the trains come and go and think or where those people are travelling and why. Plus the hotel was built so that the noise wasn't loud at all so it wasn't disturbing. We stayed inside the hotel that night so I just visited people's rooms and chatted into the early morning.
Day 4 - After breakfast, we got on the bus and drove to Prague, which is the capital city in the Czech Republic. We had a tour when we arrived on the one side of the bridge; which was called the old village. There was many cute small boutiques and art shops which I enjoyed looking through and discovering new things. I ended up buying two pins for my vest; one was a little russian doll and the other a miny box of matches. We then returned to the hotel and this time had our passports checked before we were allowed to go to our rooms. Since we were in the capital, we weren't allowed to leave the hotel that night so we stayed downstairs and just talked together.
Day 5 - Still in Prague, we had another guided tour on the other side of the bridge; which is the downtown area. I ate lunch with two of my friends in a restaurant. All three of us ordered a Czech meal; Goulash soup with bread. In other restaurants, it was served on a plate with bread dumplings. For us however, it was served in a bowl made out of bread. Yes, it is true. It was so delicious. For anyone who doesn't know what Goulash is, it is a meat stew with spices and chunks of potatoes. We then had the entire afternoon to explore Prague. I bought a shirt for 8 euros and just went into shops with my other friends as they searched for clothes, shoes and souvenirs. At the end of the day we walked back to the bus by the river so that we could get back to our hotel. It was gorgeous with the sun and everything. At the hotel we talked until the early morning again.
Day 6 - So, the real schedule for the day was to leave early in the morning, have lunch in Vienna, Austria, have four hours of free time and then a guided tour for an hour and a half before we had to go to our hotel for the evening. Now what really happened: One of the girls on our Bus Trip went down for breakfast with her purse (which happened to contain all her money, credit cards and passport) and while she was serving herself from the buffet, she left her purse unguarded at her table. You could imagined what followed. So, while she was at the police station filling out the documents for her stolen passport, the rest of us had to stay on the bus for three and a half hours watching a movie in a parking lot waiting for her. It's too bad it happened because we ended up not getting any free time by the time we arrived in Vienna and out guided tour was cut to only an hour. We still got to take the Ferris Wheel to see all of Vienna but we didn't get to explore the fair or anything. I still managed to buy a treat before we had to leave on the bus to the hotel; it is pretty much a giant cream puff about 30 cm long and 8 cm wide. We stayed at Vienna for the night inside the hotel but there was a bar on the top floor so all the students went up there to play pool, dance and talk until the early morning.
Day 7 - We quitted Austria and then headed to Italy. We spent the most part of the day in the bus but once when we arrived at our hotel, (which was situated in a town called Lido Di Jesolo; a touristic summer spot including a beach and a street full of shops, gelato shops and pizzerias) I went walking in the downtown area and then I went to the beach. We were all joking around, playing in the water and later with the other Canadian on the Bus Trip (who is actually from my district back home in Canada) went walking off on the beach looking for shells (she's in the picture with me.) I also bought my pin; it is a venetian mask. They use them for when they do their carnavals. We had supper that night and then after we went to a restaurant and ordered gelatos! I got one that is very famous: Spagetti gelato. It's vanilla ice cream with a special strawberry sauce topped with fresh strawberry slices (yumm!). After the others went to a discotheque and I went back to the hotel (I didn't feel like dancing with random strangers that night). 
Day 8 - We woke up and took a boat to one of Italy's most known cities. Yes, we went to Venise. The city of beauty. This city took my breath away, I will do everything in my power to go back to it and walk it's streets again. We arrived just before lunch, had a guided tour for an hour, and then my friends and I bought 2 euro pizza in one of the hidden streets of Venise. I could tell you this, it was THE BEST 2 euro pizza I have ever had in my life. We all met up after so we could be divided into groups of 6 and take a ride in a canal boat for thirty minutes. I felt so rich haha! After, we had free time in which we just explored Venise. At one point we found this bookshop where there was just rooms and rooms ful of unorganized books. Then we would go into shops where there was venetian masks professionally done (costing about 200 euros or more!) Out of the entire Bus Trip, it was my favourite city. It was so hard to leave it at the end of the day. We went back to Lido Di Jesolo to sleep at the same hotel for the night.
Day 9 - We finally left our sweet Lido behind and travelled to another one of Italy's well known cities. We arrived in Milan just in time for lunch. My Canadian friend and I went to a restaurant and ordered pasta! I really want to try the ravioli in Italy so I ordered just that. And I must say, it was just as good as I thought it would be! We then found an ice cream place and out of all the times that I tried Italian ice cream, that day in Milan was the best. Everyone who asked to try a bit agreed with me. We then had our guided tour and after we had free time to explore Milan a bit. Since Milan is the city of fashion, I decided I had to buy something there. So, I found a new pair of shoes that I have been wanting for a while for 10 euros and decided to get them. I also got to see the famous cathedral in Milan and go inside it. We then took the bus to the outskirts of Milan to find our hotel for the evening. After supper, one of my friends had the movie "Midnight in Paris' on her laptop and we watched it together with some other people. Day 10 - We left to head back to my country; France. After taking the tunnel through Mont Blanc, we arrived at Chamonix. When we arrived, my brother (who is also taking an exchange with the same organisation as I am) was there to meet me. We had lunch together at Subway (the first time I've had Subway since I've left Canada) and then he waited for me as I took a little train up the mountain (about 1903 km) to see "la mer de glace' (the frozen river). After, I took the train down and met up with my brother again to explore the cute little village. We slept at Chamonix that night.
Day 11 - We left early in the morning for Geneva, Switzerland. We arrived before lunch and had a guided tour in the ONU. Our tour guide was really intelligent and gave lots of interesting information that a lot of us didn't know about. After the tour, we had time to eat (I had another falafel) and then we left towards Dijon to sleep there for the evening.
Day 12 - Our last and final day. We left for Paris and stopped at a road stop to have lunch together one last time. It was a really emotional day; we had to say goodbye to the people we got so close to over the last 12 days and I had to also say goodbye to people I have been with this entire year for they were leaving this week to return to their country. I cried a lot, hugged a lot, and now I will just have to hold onto the memories and remember the moments.
And that is the end of my bus trip. In about 21 days, I will be taking the plane back to Canada. I'll write a new post soon (if I don't get to busy!)
Bisous <3
Bisous <3
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
An exchange already almost over...
Salut tout le monde (Hey everyone!),
Mais... so it's been a while... haha... let's say at least 5 months? I'm sorry everyone who reads my blog for not posting sooner. But now you must think: If I was posting every single day, that would mean I was not living my exchange but instead living my life on the internet. That means that I have been using my time very well by living out my exchange to the fullest. So um.. here's to you mom:
Let's see, last time I posted it was December 16th. That would mean before Christmas. I can start there.
I spent Christmas with my first host family's family. We ate a hugggggeeee supper; and not only did I eat wayy too much but it started at eight o'clock and we finished dessert at 2:30 a.m.
I then went to the Alps for a week with a couple from my Rotary club. I was at 'Les Gets', a little touristic village with all the houses, appartements and hotels made of real logs, covered in snow and surrounded by mountains made for skiing. I got to go with another exchange student named Amy (from Austrilia) and I think it made the trip even better because I had someone my age to talk to and ski with.
After we have New Year's.. I can't say I did anything too extra-ordinary. There was a big meal and a dance but it was with people 30 plus years older with me.. I was the only teenager.
The week after, I changed host families. I was then living with a married couple who's kids were already moved out and living elsewhere (the son at Saumur; a city not far from Paris and the daughter at Geneva; finishing her last year of university). I was now living at Beaumontel, a tiny community just above a tiny town calledd Beaumont-Le-Roger. I would take the bus there to get to school and would be dropped off at the same spot, and I would then take a walk through the cliche downtown to the old abbey that has practically nothing left standing and every surface still there were covered with signatures of people who had been there; some dating back to the 17th century. I would then continue on through a tiny forest and then I would pass a house that was built for the Duchess's daughter but was now vacant (for she had passed away). Then about three minutes after I'd arrive at my host family's house.
With this host family I got to go to Paris for the first time the week after I arrived into this host family. I got to walk along les Champs-Elysees, go up the Eiffel Tower, ride les Bateaux-Mouches and visit Montemarte. I got to see many things in passing (including l'Arc de Triomphe and la Grande et Petite Palais) as well.
I also got to go to Saumur so that we could visit there son, and one of the most enjoyable things that I got to do was eat in a cave (at Saumur, they are very well known for there caves where the store wine or make mushrooms) because they had built a restaurant within it. Everything was baked in front of you by a wood stove. It was really cool!
I also got to go Versailles, Honfleur, Deauville, Lisieux... and many other cities in France.
In Febuary I had the chance to go to Belgium for four days and see Bruxelles and Brugges. It was done very quickly and I didn't get too see much, but I really enjoyed it and wanted to go back.
At one point we had a Carnaval at school; taken from the Latinos. The French dress up for the day, and I decided I would be the French stereotype; French beret, mustache and goatee, blue and white striped shirt, baguette, pointed shoes and an empty box of cheese.
I got to see some plays during the year; both in French and English. And I also got to go to the movies quite a bit; the movies were always in French (even the Avengers).
One weekend, Rotary hosted an event at Annecy; a city in the Alps, for all the Rotary exchange students (about 430 students overall) so we could meet each other and visit the city. It was there that I got to see my brother after 7 months. It was really special, getting to talk to him after so long and compare our exchanges.
Right before Easter, I changed host families again to my last and final host family. This family is young with three daughters; Charlotte (born the day before me), Juliette (13 years old) and Lucie (11 years old). It was really nice being able to celebrate Easter with a family that still hunts for chocolate eggs in the backyard like mine :)
Not long after, my parents and Cassia arrived in Bernay. We ate at a creperie, talked, saw Juno Beach, had dinner one night with my host family, then later on we left for Belgium.
I got to see both my dad's and mom's side of the family. It was really nice and I am really happy I got to see my family after so long. It was hard seeing them leave but it was comforting knowing I would be seeing them sooner then before.
I got to then go en Provence (a region in France, including famous cities such as Marseilles, Arres..) to a city called Istres. It was so nice to FINALLY have some sun after so much rain and dampness.
Then I went to an amusement park with my host family (one of the best in the world) where the entire park is made up of many little villages; each one of a different time period. There were shows at every village and each were spectacular!
And that brings us roughly back to today.
This Thursday will be my last day of school and then the next day I will leave for my Bus Trip! I'll post after it's done and tell you all about my incredible 12 days in Europe!
Bisous <3
Mais... so it's been a while... haha... let's say at least 5 months? I'm sorry everyone who reads my blog for not posting sooner. But now you must think: If I was posting every single day, that would mean I was not living my exchange but instead living my life on the internet. That means that I have been using my time very well by living out my exchange to the fullest. So um.. here's to you mom:
Let's see, last time I posted it was December 16th. That would mean before Christmas. I can start there.
I spent Christmas with my first host family's family. We ate a hugggggeeee supper; and not only did I eat wayy too much but it started at eight o'clock and we finished dessert at 2:30 a.m.
I then went to the Alps for a week with a couple from my Rotary club. I was at 'Les Gets', a little touristic village with all the houses, appartements and hotels made of real logs, covered in snow and surrounded by mountains made for skiing. I got to go with another exchange student named Amy (from Austrilia) and I think it made the trip even better because I had someone my age to talk to and ski with.
After we have New Year's.. I can't say I did anything too extra-ordinary. There was a big meal and a dance but it was with people 30 plus years older with me.. I was the only teenager.
The week after, I changed host families. I was then living with a married couple who's kids were already moved out and living elsewhere (the son at Saumur; a city not far from Paris and the daughter at Geneva; finishing her last year of university). I was now living at Beaumontel, a tiny community just above a tiny town calledd Beaumont-Le-Roger. I would take the bus there to get to school and would be dropped off at the same spot, and I would then take a walk through the cliche downtown to the old abbey that has practically nothing left standing and every surface still there were covered with signatures of people who had been there; some dating back to the 17th century. I would then continue on through a tiny forest and then I would pass a house that was built for the Duchess's daughter but was now vacant (for she had passed away). Then about three minutes after I'd arrive at my host family's house.
With this host family I got to go to Paris for the first time the week after I arrived into this host family. I got to walk along les Champs-Elysees, go up the Eiffel Tower, ride les Bateaux-Mouches and visit Montemarte. I got to see many things in passing (including l'Arc de Triomphe and la Grande et Petite Palais) as well.
I also got to go to Saumur so that we could visit there son, and one of the most enjoyable things that I got to do was eat in a cave (at Saumur, they are very well known for there caves where the store wine or make mushrooms) because they had built a restaurant within it. Everything was baked in front of you by a wood stove. It was really cool!
I also got to go Versailles, Honfleur, Deauville, Lisieux... and many other cities in France.
In Febuary I had the chance to go to Belgium for four days and see Bruxelles and Brugges. It was done very quickly and I didn't get too see much, but I really enjoyed it and wanted to go back.
At one point we had a Carnaval at school; taken from the Latinos. The French dress up for the day, and I decided I would be the French stereotype; French beret, mustache and goatee, blue and white striped shirt, baguette, pointed shoes and an empty box of cheese.
I got to see some plays during the year; both in French and English. And I also got to go to the movies quite a bit; the movies were always in French (even the Avengers).
One weekend, Rotary hosted an event at Annecy; a city in the Alps, for all the Rotary exchange students (about 430 students overall) so we could meet each other and visit the city. It was there that I got to see my brother after 7 months. It was really special, getting to talk to him after so long and compare our exchanges.
Right before Easter, I changed host families again to my last and final host family. This family is young with three daughters; Charlotte (born the day before me), Juliette (13 years old) and Lucie (11 years old). It was really nice being able to celebrate Easter with a family that still hunts for chocolate eggs in the backyard like mine :)
Not long after, my parents and Cassia arrived in Bernay. We ate at a creperie, talked, saw Juno Beach, had dinner one night with my host family, then later on we left for Belgium.
I got to see both my dad's and mom's side of the family. It was really nice and I am really happy I got to see my family after so long. It was hard seeing them leave but it was comforting knowing I would be seeing them sooner then before.
I got to then go en Provence (a region in France, including famous cities such as Marseilles, Arres..) to a city called Istres. It was so nice to FINALLY have some sun after so much rain and dampness.
Then I went to an amusement park with my host family (one of the best in the world) where the entire park is made up of many little villages; each one of a different time period. There were shows at every village and each were spectacular!
And that brings us roughly back to today.
This Thursday will be my last day of school and then the next day I will leave for my Bus Trip! I'll post after it's done and tell you all about my incredible 12 days in Europe!
Bisous <3
Friday, December 16, 2011
Haha... long time no post!
So I've realized that the last time I posted was around September 24th??? Sorry to everyone who has been waiting for a post! My father reminded me on FB about my blog, not going to lie but I've completely forgotten about it.
Well today was the last day before Christmas holidays! I wrapped up at four o'clock in the afternoon and got picked up early to come home.
Yesterday my host dad brought in our Christmas tree and tonight we will be decorating it. It is also the birthday of one of my host sister's on Monday but we'll be celebrating it Sunday. My host mom explained to me this morning that it is always tradition for them to have their Christmas tree all done up before her birthday. She said usually this is when the Christmas vacation has begun so it always works out great.
So I'm just going to list all the things I've done since I've got here in France and if anything is old news sorry but I'll also include what will be happening in the future.
So first I went to Mont Saint Michel which is a castle in the middle of basically a mud field. It was built there to keep the English from being able to attack France. The English were never able to attack because the only way to travel across the 3km surrounded mud field around the castle was by foot because canons and any other weapons such as that would not be able to travel through the mud. The problem was is that even by foot the mud would usually turn into a quicksand. This is how it was impossible to attack the castle. What I did during that weekend: Got to meet other districts from Rotary, walk the 3km; there and back, go inside the castle and go shopping and see the old ancient churches, and basically be a tourist and just see everything possible.
There was the day I went to Parc Asterix; an amusement park close to Paris. That was also with Rotary but just my district. I had a great time there and on the way back I convinced the bus driver to stop for a couple minutes in Paris so we could see the Eiffel Tower at night.
There is the week I spent at La Rochelle with my host family. La Rochelle is right on the West Coast of France, more south from where I live. I went to the zoo, the beach, to lots of museums, to shop in their downtown, watched the big World Cup for Rugby with the family, ate a lot of seafood, and just relaxed and had fun.
There is the District Conference held by Rotary. I went and we had to do a dance for the Rotarians (each of us doing a dance from our country) to show our different cultures and then at the end to add a twist we came all together and danced to a French song.
There was the day I took the train by myself to Rouen to hang out with two girls from my Rotary district. This was fun because it was the first time I got to be totally independent here.
Well then school... school is school :P
My birthday, my 16th birthday here is France. My host family made me an apple cake, gave me gifts, my friends gave me gifts and my family from Canada send me gifts and 16 pink roses <3
I spent Halloween at one of my French friend's house with a lot of my other French friends; we played a board game where somebody is Dracula and while scary music plays and the house is completely dark, you have to do what your card says and hopefully not be bitten by Dracula! Then we watched a scary movie and talked a lot :)
Then there is all the times my host family has either been with their family or had their family over.
The Rotary meetings I have gone to, the last one being "un repas des desserts" which is a huge meal of desserts. This meal was based on though the South of France for they celebrate this meal during this time; a lot of it is nuts like almonds, pecans etc, dried fruit, tiramisu, nougats and lots more. Not too much of chocolate and cakes.
There was the weekend in Rouen with Rotary where we got to go to an art museum, go shopping, eat downtown, do the Christmas market and be hosted into families for the night. I was with an exchange student from Brazil and we got to be in the most beautiful house ever! It was a house from 1870 and the wife kept the decor the same age as the house; so lots of flowers, antiques and cream coloured walls. The bedroom we got to sleep in was like the kind a princess would have. I also got to go ice skating, which was really nice because it's something I enjoy doing during the winter months back in Canada.
Now for the Christmas break my plans are: "un repas de raclette" which is with my friends and it is a meal where you get to have a lot of melted cheese with your food... yes I will get fat :P Christmas will be with my host family's family; both sides, and then the 26th I leave for the French Alps for a week to go skiing! Then New Year's I will be with my host family and then school will start the 4th. And then on the 6th of January I change host family's!
So yes a lot has happened and a lot more will but I just can't wait to sleep in for two weeks!
Yeah so that was a lot crammed into one post but I'll try to be more consistent.
Salut!
Well today was the last day before Christmas holidays! I wrapped up at four o'clock in the afternoon and got picked up early to come home.
Yesterday my host dad brought in our Christmas tree and tonight we will be decorating it. It is also the birthday of one of my host sister's on Monday but we'll be celebrating it Sunday. My host mom explained to me this morning that it is always tradition for them to have their Christmas tree all done up before her birthday. She said usually this is when the Christmas vacation has begun so it always works out great.
So I'm just going to list all the things I've done since I've got here in France and if anything is old news sorry but I'll also include what will be happening in the future.
So first I went to Mont Saint Michel which is a castle in the middle of basically a mud field. It was built there to keep the English from being able to attack France. The English were never able to attack because the only way to travel across the 3km surrounded mud field around the castle was by foot because canons and any other weapons such as that would not be able to travel through the mud. The problem was is that even by foot the mud would usually turn into a quicksand. This is how it was impossible to attack the castle. What I did during that weekend: Got to meet other districts from Rotary, walk the 3km; there and back, go inside the castle and go shopping and see the old ancient churches, and basically be a tourist and just see everything possible.
There was the day I went to Parc Asterix; an amusement park close to Paris. That was also with Rotary but just my district. I had a great time there and on the way back I convinced the bus driver to stop for a couple minutes in Paris so we could see the Eiffel Tower at night.
There is the week I spent at La Rochelle with my host family. La Rochelle is right on the West Coast of France, more south from where I live. I went to the zoo, the beach, to lots of museums, to shop in their downtown, watched the big World Cup for Rugby with the family, ate a lot of seafood, and just relaxed and had fun.
There is the District Conference held by Rotary. I went and we had to do a dance for the Rotarians (each of us doing a dance from our country) to show our different cultures and then at the end to add a twist we came all together and danced to a French song.
There was the day I took the train by myself to Rouen to hang out with two girls from my Rotary district. This was fun because it was the first time I got to be totally independent here.
Well then school... school is school :P
My birthday, my 16th birthday here is France. My host family made me an apple cake, gave me gifts, my friends gave me gifts and my family from Canada send me gifts and 16 pink roses <3
I spent Halloween at one of my French friend's house with a lot of my other French friends; we played a board game where somebody is Dracula and while scary music plays and the house is completely dark, you have to do what your card says and hopefully not be bitten by Dracula! Then we watched a scary movie and talked a lot :)
Then there is all the times my host family has either been with their family or had their family over.
The Rotary meetings I have gone to, the last one being "un repas des desserts" which is a huge meal of desserts. This meal was based on though the South of France for they celebrate this meal during this time; a lot of it is nuts like almonds, pecans etc, dried fruit, tiramisu, nougats and lots more. Not too much of chocolate and cakes.
There was the weekend in Rouen with Rotary where we got to go to an art museum, go shopping, eat downtown, do the Christmas market and be hosted into families for the night. I was with an exchange student from Brazil and we got to be in the most beautiful house ever! It was a house from 1870 and the wife kept the decor the same age as the house; so lots of flowers, antiques and cream coloured walls. The bedroom we got to sleep in was like the kind a princess would have. I also got to go ice skating, which was really nice because it's something I enjoy doing during the winter months back in Canada.
Now for the Christmas break my plans are: "un repas de raclette" which is with my friends and it is a meal where you get to have a lot of melted cheese with your food... yes I will get fat :P Christmas will be with my host family's family; both sides, and then the 26th I leave for the French Alps for a week to go skiing! Then New Year's I will be with my host family and then school will start the 4th. And then on the 6th of January I change host family's!
So yes a lot has happened and a lot more will but I just can't wait to sleep in for two weeks!
Yeah so that was a lot crammed into one post but I'll try to be more consistent.
Salut!
Saturday, September 24, 2011
One month in France!
Hello Everyone,
I have officially been in France for one month! Can you believe it? I know I can't. It seems like yesterday I was finishing up work, saying my last goodbyes to everyone, and packing up for my exchange.
Now, I have been in school for three weeks and already well into my exchange.
Everything is going great. I lost one of my dearest friends this week. Tiki, the girl from Ecuador, went back home today. I think she had an amazing two months here. I am so happy I got to meet her, and I am going to miss her greatly.
Oh, did you know that if I want to say, "I miss you", it's not, "Je me manque", which is the direct translation, it's, "Tu me manque" which is translated to be, "You miss me". Agathe; another one of my friends, was explaining this to me a while ago and I was completely confused for a long time. It sounds so selfish in English, but here it is the correct way.
This week of school went really well, I'm getting closer and closer with my friends (I can't even think about leaving them behind after a year now!!) and school is going by pretty good. Friday in my French class (it's for two hours straight on Fridays) the teacher gave us a text that we have to read, comment and summarize, and then answer the questions given. I understood the task this time, I mostly understood the text... ok there was a huge chunk I had no idea what the author was talking about, and then the questions I had no idea what it meant. So in other words, I sat there in class for two hours feeling terrible I was doing nothing. Not that the assignment would count anyways, but I want to do something. Thankfully, the teacher gave an assignment so that the students who do bad on this assignment can get their mark boosted. So I will do that so I hand in something.
I also have Gym for two hours on Thursdays. Ohhh do I miss my grade 9 gym teacher... this teacher isn't the nicest person. One of my friends; Suzanne, got really hurt during the class and all the teacher was doing was criticizing her for not being active enough while the girl could hardly walk she was in so much pain. I wanted to tell the teacher that she should maybe be helping Suzanne to make sure she wasn't seriously injured but I wasn't sure how to say it in French without sounding mean. Right now, we're doing track. We get to the track (a five minute walk from the school; all the schools share the same track), then we run 800m, then do these 80m sprints with different approaches (example high kneels, low bends etc) then pentabon which is like triple jump but it's five jumps not three, then this week we started disk... you throw the 1 kg disk specifically and wherever it lands it's your score. For pentabon, I'm jumping almost 2m (not counting when I do the first 4 jumps which is 8m) and in disk I throw 11.80m.
In one of my english classes we've been watching the music video of Thriller by Michael Jackson and then doing work on it. It's funny cause Agathe and I are singing the song and acting out the dance from our seats. Now we have to write a Short Horror story next week.
Well, for the weekend my plans are getting my hair cut, going to see my host family's relatives on Sunday for lunch and going on a nature hike.
A bientôt!
I have officially been in France for one month! Can you believe it? I know I can't. It seems like yesterday I was finishing up work, saying my last goodbyes to everyone, and packing up for my exchange.
Now, I have been in school for three weeks and already well into my exchange.
Everything is going great. I lost one of my dearest friends this week. Tiki, the girl from Ecuador, went back home today. I think she had an amazing two months here. I am so happy I got to meet her, and I am going to miss her greatly.
Oh, did you know that if I want to say, "I miss you", it's not, "Je me manque", which is the direct translation, it's, "Tu me manque" which is translated to be, "You miss me". Agathe; another one of my friends, was explaining this to me a while ago and I was completely confused for a long time. It sounds so selfish in English, but here it is the correct way.
This week of school went really well, I'm getting closer and closer with my friends (I can't even think about leaving them behind after a year now!!) and school is going by pretty good. Friday in my French class (it's for two hours straight on Fridays) the teacher gave us a text that we have to read, comment and summarize, and then answer the questions given. I understood the task this time, I mostly understood the text... ok there was a huge chunk I had no idea what the author was talking about, and then the questions I had no idea what it meant. So in other words, I sat there in class for two hours feeling terrible I was doing nothing. Not that the assignment would count anyways, but I want to do something. Thankfully, the teacher gave an assignment so that the students who do bad on this assignment can get their mark boosted. So I will do that so I hand in something.
I also have Gym for two hours on Thursdays. Ohhh do I miss my grade 9 gym teacher... this teacher isn't the nicest person. One of my friends; Suzanne, got really hurt during the class and all the teacher was doing was criticizing her for not being active enough while the girl could hardly walk she was in so much pain. I wanted to tell the teacher that she should maybe be helping Suzanne to make sure she wasn't seriously injured but I wasn't sure how to say it in French without sounding mean. Right now, we're doing track. We get to the track (a five minute walk from the school; all the schools share the same track), then we run 800m, then do these 80m sprints with different approaches (example high kneels, low bends etc) then pentabon which is like triple jump but it's five jumps not three, then this week we started disk... you throw the 1 kg disk specifically and wherever it lands it's your score. For pentabon, I'm jumping almost 2m (not counting when I do the first 4 jumps which is 8m) and in disk I throw 11.80m.
In one of my english classes we've been watching the music video of Thriller by Michael Jackson and then doing work on it. It's funny cause Agathe and I are singing the song and acting out the dance from our seats. Now we have to write a Short Horror story next week.
Well, for the weekend my plans are getting my hair cut, going to see my host family's relatives on Sunday for lunch and going on a nature hike.
A bientôt!
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Ah France...
Hello everyone!
I have completed another week of school. I have counted 181 days of school so minus 10 days means I have only 171 days left.
School went well this week. My English classes are becoming more of a joke every time I have it. This week we had a competition and well my group won so our prize was our choice; being that the class can watch FRIENDS on Monday along with some sweets. In another class we have been talking about Gothic fiction so the teacher had us watch the music video "Thriller" by Michael Jackson and then describe it. Then we had to highlight the words she gave us that were in the song. It's fun though because I can relax and breathe a bit in those classes.
My French classes have been interesting but I think I'm doing not so bad. I wish I could just pick up the language and accent like nothing but nothing anybody truly wants in life is given out easily.
My friends here are so awesome. Every day is more memories, jokes and laughs that I will never forget. Take today for example. I was in Bernay with them seeing some museums (one was of paintings and sculptures; it was breathtaking, and another on chairs and furniture from historic moments) and then later we went to their house. I was taking about my luggage and I said "vaiselle" which means dishes instead of "valise" which is the correct word. That had them laughing for a while!
I have also found out my second host family. I have not met them but I know their names and that all their children are grown up and working so I will be an only child when I go there after Christmas.
That's it for now I think.
A bientôt!
I have completed another week of school. I have counted 181 days of school so minus 10 days means I have only 171 days left.
School went well this week. My English classes are becoming more of a joke every time I have it. This week we had a competition and well my group won so our prize was our choice; being that the class can watch FRIENDS on Monday along with some sweets. In another class we have been talking about Gothic fiction so the teacher had us watch the music video "Thriller" by Michael Jackson and then describe it. Then we had to highlight the words she gave us that were in the song. It's fun though because I can relax and breathe a bit in those classes.
My French classes have been interesting but I think I'm doing not so bad. I wish I could just pick up the language and accent like nothing but nothing anybody truly wants in life is given out easily.
My friends here are so awesome. Every day is more memories, jokes and laughs that I will never forget. Take today for example. I was in Bernay with them seeing some museums (one was of paintings and sculptures; it was breathtaking, and another on chairs and furniture from historic moments) and then later we went to their house. I was taking about my luggage and I said "vaiselle" which means dishes instead of "valise" which is the correct word. That had them laughing for a while!
I have also found out my second host family. I have not met them but I know their names and that all their children are grown up and working so I will be an only child when I go there after Christmas.
That's it for now I think.
A bientôt!
Friday, September 9, 2011
First week of school = completed!
Hello Everyone!
So after 6 o'clock today, I have been in a French school for exactly one week! What experience that has been!
First, let me explain my scheduale here in France. First off, you have Semaine A (english translation: week A) and Semaine B which you alternate for the entire year. There are no semesters also. Next, I will most likely be dropping out of Spanish because here they speak it almost as well as French. I understand French almost perfectly (sometimes they talk way too fast) but Spanish I know maybe 30 words so today when I had the class, I understood maybe 5 words in every paragraph she spoke.... They also have a 10 minute break every 2 hours so they can pretty much let the kids who need a smoke get a smoke. Yeah it's really pathetic. Every class is an hour at least, I have 4 classes that are 2 hours. The days start at 8 and end by 6. I usually end by 5 o'clock in the afternoon but I have to wait for the bus.
SEMAINE A:
Monday: 8h00 - English (reinforcement). 9h00 - English. 10h10 - Work Period (this is shared between two teachers so whatever they teach they use this period to do their own teachings). 12h03 - Lunch! 12h55 - Spanish. 13h55 - Pause (This means I can do what I want, study, go into town, hang out with friends, etc). 14h55 - History and Geography (once you finish a chapter in one of the subjects, you switch to the next. We have begun with History).
Tuesday: (I don't have anything for the first two periods in the morning = I can sleep late and be driven to school). 10h10 - English. 11h05 - French. 12h03 - Lunch! 13h55 - French. 14h55 - Science. 16h05 - English.
Wednesday: 8h00 - French. 9h00 - French Literature. 10h10 - History and Geography. 12h03 - Lunch! Then I go home for the day because there are no classes on Wednesday in the afternoon.
Thursday: 8h00 - Gym (I swear my gym teacher is like, 80 or something. I'm not joking, she shold have retired at least 20 years ago. When I walked out the changeroom and saw her I almost chocked on my spit!). 10h10 - Spanish. 11h05 - Philosaphy (this is to prepare the kids for Terminale; our grade 12). 12h03 - Lunch! 13h55 - Science (I only have this class certain weeks in the entire year. They are marked on my scheduale so I don't have it every week I have Semaine A). 14h55 - French Literature. 16h05 - English. 17h05 - Science.
Friday: 8h00 - English. 9h00 - French. 11h05 - English. 12h03 - Lunch! 14h55 - History and Geography. 16h05 - Spanish.
SEMAINE B:
Is exactly the same except on Monday I have a class at 17h05 - Civics and Thursday there is no Spanish at 10h10 and I have an English class that takes the place of that Science class I only have sometimes and it covers the other weeks that I don't have Science on and there is no Science at the end of the day.
Long days.... The French here is difficult, some teachers like to talk super fast but I'm getting by pretty well and doing the best in my work as I can. Yes I already have homework, I did the first day.
I have also met lots of friends, YEAHH!!!
There is Agathe and Tiki. I must say these two together for a special reason. Tiki is from Equador, here on a short exchange. She will already be leaving me in 3 weeks and the thought makes me so incredibly sad! For short exchanges, you have the person first come to your country, and then you go to theirs. Soooo Agathe first went to Equador, and Tiki is here now.
Now let me explain each of them. Agathe is very kind and helpful. If it weren't for her, I would be really lost in school. She is in my grade so she helps me with the classes we are in. She is very smart, caring, funny, and super cool! She drew me in cartoon (it's so awesome!!!!) and we get along extremely well!
Then Tiki. She is the sweetest and cutest person ever! Now you're probably thinking, "Interesting name!" Her name is actually Marie Astrid but her nickname is Tiki and it suits her so well we don't even call her by her real name. She speaks very good in English so we help each other in French but it's nice to have breaks and speak in English. Plus, I understand the lessons more then her so if she doesn't understand the words in French, I translate the ones I know. If not I ask Agathe!
Then there is Charlotte. Ohhhhh so cute! And funny oh my goodness she is always laughing an adorable giggle or making us laugh! She is very helpful and friendly. She also knows lots of English so she helps me when I see her during break or lunch. She makes me always feel included, if I start to wander off she is right there getting me back into the conversation!
Then there is Anne. Anne is just a happy person. Not scary happy but she is always there if you need her, is laughing and smiling always...
Annnnddd I just saw naled guy commercial on television... eww. Yes as you can see, culture difference!
Anyways, so Anne is awesome!
Then there is Eva. She is here on exchange for a year like me! She is with Charlotte in her "class" (I am in L which means Literaire so more languages and they are still in grade 11 but in ES/L so they have languages and other things) and is very good at French! She is friendly also and kind, a very good friend in total.
Lastly there is Suzanne. She is very helpful, right there to my aid if I need help with anything! She is very caring and thatnk God she is so willing to help this Canadian in her first week in a new school!
My teachers are very nice and understanding, my English teachers ask me for help sometimes with the questions from the others (haha!) and the food in the cafeteria.... OMG IT IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!
The food is SO GOOD like... I always had to bring lunch from home unless I wanted to go out but even the times I ate our cafeteria food I was like eww this is so unhealthy and nasty.
First, the food in France in total is very natural. Which I love! Like, in yogurt, there is no blah blah blah this chemical and blah blah blah that chemical. There is cream, the kind you chose directed on the label (example, it is REAL fruit and REAL coconut, not fake tasting chemicals), and a small amount of syrup to make it thick and give a light sweetness.
SO anyways, the food in the caff is extremely, fantastic-ly (I know it's not a word), amazingly good. I have had it three times now (the first day my host mom took me to lunch with my host brother, Rémi, and my younger host sister, Mathilde, and the second day my friends invited me to lunch (we were going to this awesome hamburger joint but it was stillclosed because of summer so we went to McDonald's cause it was the closest restaurant. Let's just say the McDonald's here is the heaven of McDonald's. It is all natural products and no grease). And yum yum!
That is pretty much all so far. I am going to sleep in late tomorrow, some of my host family's family is coming down this weekend, and that's it!
A bientôt!
So after 6 o'clock today, I have been in a French school for exactly one week! What experience that has been!
First, let me explain my scheduale here in France. First off, you have Semaine A (english translation: week A) and Semaine B which you alternate for the entire year. There are no semesters also. Next, I will most likely be dropping out of Spanish because here they speak it almost as well as French. I understand French almost perfectly (sometimes they talk way too fast) but Spanish I know maybe 30 words so today when I had the class, I understood maybe 5 words in every paragraph she spoke.... They also have a 10 minute break every 2 hours so they can pretty much let the kids who need a smoke get a smoke. Yeah it's really pathetic. Every class is an hour at least, I have 4 classes that are 2 hours. The days start at 8 and end by 6. I usually end by 5 o'clock in the afternoon but I have to wait for the bus.
SEMAINE A:
Monday: 8h00 - English (reinforcement). 9h00 - English. 10h10 - Work Period (this is shared between two teachers so whatever they teach they use this period to do their own teachings). 12h03 - Lunch! 12h55 - Spanish. 13h55 - Pause (This means I can do what I want, study, go into town, hang out with friends, etc). 14h55 - History and Geography (once you finish a chapter in one of the subjects, you switch to the next. We have begun with History).
Tuesday: (I don't have anything for the first two periods in the morning = I can sleep late and be driven to school). 10h10 - English. 11h05 - French. 12h03 - Lunch! 13h55 - French. 14h55 - Science. 16h05 - English.
Wednesday: 8h00 - French. 9h00 - French Literature. 10h10 - History and Geography. 12h03 - Lunch! Then I go home for the day because there are no classes on Wednesday in the afternoon.
Thursday: 8h00 - Gym (I swear my gym teacher is like, 80 or something. I'm not joking, she shold have retired at least 20 years ago. When I walked out the changeroom and saw her I almost chocked on my spit!). 10h10 - Spanish. 11h05 - Philosaphy (this is to prepare the kids for Terminale; our grade 12). 12h03 - Lunch! 13h55 - Science (I only have this class certain weeks in the entire year. They are marked on my scheduale so I don't have it every week I have Semaine A). 14h55 - French Literature. 16h05 - English. 17h05 - Science.
Friday: 8h00 - English. 9h00 - French. 11h05 - English. 12h03 - Lunch! 14h55 - History and Geography. 16h05 - Spanish.
SEMAINE B:
Is exactly the same except on Monday I have a class at 17h05 - Civics and Thursday there is no Spanish at 10h10 and I have an English class that takes the place of that Science class I only have sometimes and it covers the other weeks that I don't have Science on and there is no Science at the end of the day.
Long days.... The French here is difficult, some teachers like to talk super fast but I'm getting by pretty well and doing the best in my work as I can. Yes I already have homework, I did the first day.
I have also met lots of friends, YEAHH!!!
There is Agathe and Tiki. I must say these two together for a special reason. Tiki is from Equador, here on a short exchange. She will already be leaving me in 3 weeks and the thought makes me so incredibly sad! For short exchanges, you have the person first come to your country, and then you go to theirs. Soooo Agathe first went to Equador, and Tiki is here now.
Now let me explain each of them. Agathe is very kind and helpful. If it weren't for her, I would be really lost in school. She is in my grade so she helps me with the classes we are in. She is very smart, caring, funny, and super cool! She drew me in cartoon (it's so awesome!!!!) and we get along extremely well!
Then Tiki. She is the sweetest and cutest person ever! Now you're probably thinking, "Interesting name!" Her name is actually Marie Astrid but her nickname is Tiki and it suits her so well we don't even call her by her real name. She speaks very good in English so we help each other in French but it's nice to have breaks and speak in English. Plus, I understand the lessons more then her so if she doesn't understand the words in French, I translate the ones I know. If not I ask Agathe!
Then there is Charlotte. Ohhhhh so cute! And funny oh my goodness she is always laughing an adorable giggle or making us laugh! She is very helpful and friendly. She also knows lots of English so she helps me when I see her during break or lunch. She makes me always feel included, if I start to wander off she is right there getting me back into the conversation!
Then there is Anne. Anne is just a happy person. Not scary happy but she is always there if you need her, is laughing and smiling always...
Annnnddd I just saw naled guy commercial on television... eww. Yes as you can see, culture difference!
Anyways, so Anne is awesome!
Then there is Eva. She is here on exchange for a year like me! She is with Charlotte in her "class" (I am in L which means Literaire so more languages and they are still in grade 11 but in ES/L so they have languages and other things) and is very good at French! She is friendly also and kind, a very good friend in total.
Lastly there is Suzanne. She is very helpful, right there to my aid if I need help with anything! She is very caring and thatnk God she is so willing to help this Canadian in her first week in a new school!
My teachers are very nice and understanding, my English teachers ask me for help sometimes with the questions from the others (haha!) and the food in the cafeteria.... OMG IT IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!
The food is SO GOOD like... I always had to bring lunch from home unless I wanted to go out but even the times I ate our cafeteria food I was like eww this is so unhealthy and nasty.
First, the food in France in total is very natural. Which I love! Like, in yogurt, there is no blah blah blah this chemical and blah blah blah that chemical. There is cream, the kind you chose directed on the label (example, it is REAL fruit and REAL coconut, not fake tasting chemicals), and a small amount of syrup to make it thick and give a light sweetness.
SO anyways, the food in the caff is extremely, fantastic-ly (I know it's not a word), amazingly good. I have had it three times now (the first day my host mom took me to lunch with my host brother, Rémi, and my younger host sister, Mathilde, and the second day my friends invited me to lunch (we were going to this awesome hamburger joint but it was stillclosed because of summer so we went to McDonald's cause it was the closest restaurant. Let's just say the McDonald's here is the heaven of McDonald's. It is all natural products and no grease). And yum yum!
That is pretty much all so far. I am going to sleep in late tomorrow, some of my host family's family is coming down this weekend, and that's it!
A bientôt!