And another 2 weeks of vacation!

Well I don't have a lot of time to update because I'm getting ready to take the train to go see my friend Hannah in Nice, so I'll make this brief.

A lot has been going on here though!
Since I last wrote...

• I went to a fashion show in a night club with my host mom and sister
• I went to see a dance battle with some girls in my class. This was really cool because there were some French rappers, DJs, and dancers of all ages. I enjoyed going out with the girls in my class and the show was fun to watch as well!
• I went back to Dijon with some of my AFS friends here in Chalon. 
• I went to Paris to watch my host brother's handball team play at Bercy, which is the biggest sports stadium in France and a huge deal. They won and it was super exciting! 
• We went to the town hall here to see the mayor and celebrate the team's win in Paris. 
• Today I went with my host mom and sister for my host mom to vote for the 2 president canidates. Then in 2 weeks we'll go back to vote for the president. 

Well I've definitely been keeping myself busy and those are only the highlights of what has been going on here! I've got a train to catch though so I'll write when I get back from Nice!

Allez Chalon!

Right after winning! After this they all got medals, a trophy for the team and there were little fireworks for celebration!

My amazing host family! <3

Not a very good picture, but this was the dance battle!

Another AFS student from Argentina, Luciana, who went to Dijon with me

Luciana (Argentine) and Enzo (Brazilian) touching the owl! 

Dijon mustard!

Bonne Vacances! 

Joyeux Pacques! (Happy Easter)

Not only is today Easter, but it also marks the end of my first week with my new host family!

I must say it has been my best week in France so far! I have really been enjoying myself here, both with my family and at school!

At school I am in what is called ES, which is the economy section of my grade. Therefore I have History, Math, Economy, Spanish, English, French, PE, and a class similar to criminal justice. It was only the first week but I'm finding that I am able to participate in these classes a lot more than I could at my last school. There is another exchange student in my class from Australia with another program. So on Friday our economics teacher asked us to do a small talk on the things that shocked us when we came to France or just the big differences.
The things that shocked me in France when I got here were:
1. The amount of smokers. Almost everybody here smokes. It was really shocking for me when I saw kids outside the school all smoking together while their teacher walks by and also seeing kids roll their cigarettes in class under the desk. I was shocked to see this much smoking and how everybody is so open about it!
2. PDA (Public Display of Affection) is everywhere! Here I have seen so many couples making out in public, sometimes even in the halls at school. The French are definitely a lot more showy about their relationships than people are in America. If people here are in relationships, they'll show it!
3. Everything closes down on Sunday. Sure in America stores have shorter hours on Sundays but in France everything literally shuts down. It is truly a day of rest and a day to be with the family or friends. At first I didn't like this, but now I find it to nice to have a day with nothing to do where you can just spend time together and relax.
4.Everyday you have school for a different amount of time. Usually I start at 8 but I finish at different times everyday. Wednesday is a half day so I finish around 11 but Mondays are long so I finish at 6
5. Substitute teachers are very rare in France. If the teacher isn't there you simply don't have class. I really like this, but for the French students it's not a good thing because they have to take the BAC(the test at the end of the year) and if the teachers not there they won't learn the material.
6. Lunch is much bigger in France. Here it is a full on meal usually with bread (like always, lots of bread in France!), an entree, main dish, yogurt or cheese, and dessert.

The first one is what really surprised the other students in my class. They were shocked to learn that smoking isn't as popular in the states and if students under 18 were to smoke in public, there is a good chance they could get in trouble with the law. It's really a huge part of their culture here!

Anyway, I have definitely been enjoying myself at school, but also with my family! Brief, this week: Monday I went to my host sister's handball practice, Wednesday I went shopping with my host sister in our town, Thursday I walked around with my host mom after school and she showed me some more of the town, and then Friday we went to a French basketball game! Then Saturday we went to Dijon and did some shopping! It was my first time to really see a big city in France and I had a lot of fun. One thing I really love about France is all of the old architecture. It's so beautiful and has a lot of history. Then Saturday night we went to my host dad's parents house for dinner and Sunday to my host mom's parents' house for Easter lunch. I enjoyed meeting the extended family of my host family and they were all so nice and welcoming. Our Easter meals were also delicious, but huge! There was about 6 or 7 parts to the meals. They really know how to eat here in France!

Well that is my week briefly! I already feel so at home here and like this is my real family! I can't begin to say how thankful I am for this family!

My new town

French basketball game

Cheerleaders or as the French call them, Pom Pom Girls

Dijon architecture

Lucky owl in Dijon

Dijon again

... and again

... and again

Easter egg hunting, there's my host sister and her two cousins

After the Easter Egg hunt with their Kinder eggs!

New Family, New School, and a New Town- Couldn't be Happier!

Wow it's been a long time since I last wrote and to say a lot has happened would be an understatement! Since the last time I wrote I attended an AFS weekend, celebrated my birthday, and changed host families, schools, and towns! So much has happened but I will try to briefly describe it!

To start was the AFS weekend in my region! There I met other AFS students and was reunited with some that I had met in Paris. While there we did a lot of talking about our time in France and how everything was going. We also did played some games, had a talent show, and did a lot of chatting! We only got a few hours of sleep but it was so fun and I loved seeing everybody. While there I also met Justine who is now my host sister, but I'll explain that later!

Roommates in Paris-Lucianna (Argentina), me, and Flavia (Brazil)

Then the Friday after was my birthday. I did a little celebrating but I must admit it wasn't a very good birthday unfortunately. At school I celebrated with my friends during an open period. Some of the kids made me cupcakes, brought a ton of candy, and gave me presents! They also brought some candles so I was able to blow out my candle, after they all sang happy birthday to me! Then that night I went to dinner with my host family. It was hard spending my birthday away from home and it didn't really feel like my birthday. However I really appreciate what all my friend at school did for me to celebrate my birthday in France!

My birthday celebration at school!

Then last Monday my liaison and another woman from AFS came to my host family so we could all talk because things weren't going to well there. After 3 hours of talking, it was decided I would switch host families. I loved my first host family and they were very nice, but we simply weren't compatible therefor I wasn't happy there. And for that reason I packed up my life in Macon and left everything that had become familiar behind to head to a new town with a new family. I finished up the week and said goodbye to all my friends there, which was pretty hard. However it's not far so I should be able to see them again! Then Sunday I took a train to my new host family! I had already met the daughter, Justine, and her father at the AFS weekend so I wasn't nervous at all, just really excited!

Now here I am with new routines in a new town with a new host family and I couldn't be happier. It was a bit sad to leave everything in Macon but now I realize it was the best decision I have ever made! My family here is incredible and a perfect fit for me! There is a 15 year old girl and a 17 year old boy named Justine and Romain. I get along with everybody in the family really well and they have all been extremely welcoming! I already feel at home here. The whole family plays handball and I'm having a lot of fun learning about it. My host family is really interesting and fun to be around. I'm so thankful and couldn't be happier here!

Then there's my new school which is amazing as well. It's a really great school and all the kids in my class are really nice as well. They are all welcoming and a ton of help for getting around. I was really nervous to start over at school but I'm finding it a lot easier this time. I've already made friends here and love my class! It's also nice because my school is pretty close to my house so it's easy to get around.

My new town is also really beautiful! It's a good size and there is a lot to do here. Also it's known has the birthplace of photography because one of the men who invented photography was born here. Today I did some shopping with my host sister here and we had a lot of fun.

I can't believe I only have a little over 3 months here and I know it is going to fly by so I'm trying to appreciate every moment I have here! I really couldn't be happier right now. 

Second Week of Vacances!

As I had previously written, the first week of vacation was pretty slow. However the second week I had a lot more going on and it was a lot of fun! I also figured out how to get some pictures on my blog! Yay!

Tuesday morning we packed up the cars and headed to the Alps. My whole host family went, along with one of my host brother’s friends, and we stayed in a chalet in a small town at the base of the mountains. During our time there we skied, played games, watched movies, did a little bit of shopping, and just hung out. Then Friday afternoon we headed back home. It was absolutely stunning in the mountains and we were lucky enough to get incredible weather as well! My trip to the Alps was truly amazing but I must admit it was a strange feeling coming back from vacation to a different home than usual.

The view from the top of the mountain of the Alps! It was absolutely breathtaking!

Looking outside the chalet we stayed in, the mountain on the far right is where we went skiing;

Then on Saturday I took a train to Chalon sur Saone to see another AFS student from Brazil who is here for the whole year, named Enzo. It was my first time taking the train alone and I’m proud to say it went very smoothly, not like it’s hard. The transportation in France is something that I am definitely starting to appreciate! In Chalon, Enzo showed me the town, showed me his school, we had lunch, did a little shopping and visited a photography museum. Then around 5 I took the train back to Macon. With about 80,000 Chalon was a bit livelier than Macon and it has quite a bit of character. I had a ton of fun and I can easily say that it was one of the best days I have had here in France!

It was also really nice being able to hang out with another AFS student. I was able to share my experiences and problems with somebody who understands and has already gone through a lot of the same things. Back in America I always wondered why the exchange students stuck together if they were there to learn about the American culture. Now I know exactly why. There is this instant bond between exchange students, no matter their nationality, background, or interests. There is a life changing experience in common and it’s really something I have never experienced before. Exchange students understand each other and after a bad day they really are the only ones who can understand what you are going through. Exchange students are basically a huge support system for each other. It’s so cool to put aside all the things that usually matter and make these strong bonds with people from all over the globe.

The Saone river passing through Chalon

Typical French church, there are so many here in France and the architecture is really incredible.

During vacation I also had a dream that really freaked me out. In my dream my exchange was over and I had just returned to America. I was so upset and felt as if I wasn’t supposed to be there. It all felt so wrong. When I first got here, nothing sounded better than returning home to everything that was familiar. Now, no matter how much I miss my friends or how lonely I feel I wouldn’t chose to go home. I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything. I finally am starting to have a life in France and I am definitely not ready to leave it.

Now that vacation is over it’s time to get up early and spend long hours at school again.  Not much else is going on here, except this next weekend I have an AFS meeting up near Dijon, which I am really looking forward to.

Well that’s it for now!

Bonne semaine tout le monde!

Vacances!

Well my first week of vacation is over and it has been pretty great!

Saturday was the big party in my town called conscruit (I think that is how you spell it) and it was really fun! It started off as a parade around 12. In the parade there were all the people in the town turning 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, etc this year. Each age group dressed up as something different and was on a float throwing confetti or chocolate coins. My host sister was in the age group of 20 year olds so she dressed up in Ancient Greek clothing. My other favorite costumes were the 10 year olds who dressed up as lions and zebras and the 50 year olds who dressed up as people from the 20s. It was really fun and after confetti was in everybodys hair and the streets were covered in it as well. Then Saturday night everybody went to a a big building where
there was lots of eating, talking and dancing! Then at 3 in the morning it finally ended. It was a lot of fun and everybody there told me I was very lucky to go because it's the best day of the year!

On Wednesday I received a package from my parents and I was extremely stoked about that, to say the least. I was especially excited about the peanut butter, vogue and Godiva chocolates they sent. Thanks Mom and Dad! <3

The weather has really warmed up and I decided to take advantage of it Thursday, so I went into town with a friend from my class. We had lunch at this really cool pizza place along the river. Then we went shopping and took a bunch of pictures. I didn't buy much but I had a lot of fun going into town again and hanging out!

Well those are basically the highlights of my week. Other than that I have done a lot of resting, watching movies, and just hanging out at home. I leave for the Alps Tuesday so now Im just looking forward to that!
Hopefully I will write as soon as I get back from there!

Bittersweet.

Okay so once again I have failed to update when I said I would but a lot has been going on lately. I also wasn’t in the happiest state and I decided it would be best to wait until things were better to update. Anyway…



I can’t believe a month ago I was stepping off the plane into the Charles De Gaulle airport jetlagged, trying to remember all of my French verb conjugations, and with no idea what I was walking into. Here I am a month later, still trying to remember all those French Verb tests (thanks Sophie), but the jet lag is now completely gone and I have experienced so much, both good and bad.



I have definitely had some hard days here and the adjustment has been hard. However things have gotten much better and those bad days have just turned into learning experiences. It’s only been a month but I have learned so many things that I could never have learned in school. I have always thought of myself as an independent person, here I am learning what it truly means to be independent. Honestly, it’s hard as hell. Independence isn’t just being able to go to the other side of the world alone. It’s a lot more. It’s something I might never have learned if I hadn’t embarked on this journey.



I can’t believe how fast this month has flown by. In some ways it seems like I have known this place for a really long time but in other ways it seems like I just got here yesterday. I can tell my French is improving and other people are noticing it too. It’s making everything a lot easier to get my point across.



This week was Carnaval, which is a huge deal here! On Tuesday almost everybody went to school dressed up. I dressed up as LMFAO with some of the girls in my class. Then school ended early and there was something similar to a talent show! It was really fun and interesting to see all of the costumes. There was everything from Spongebob to Danon yogurt. Most people put a lot of effort into their costumes and they were really cool!



Then on Wednesday I went into town to go shopping with the other American (Bri) here! It was the first time I saw the city of Macon, besides school and the bowling alley, and it’s soo beautiful! There’s a huge river running through the middle of it and the shopping is pretty good! I had a ton of fun with Bri and really love the city! However I know there is a lot more in it that I didn’t get to see!



One thing about France’s school system that I love is the amount of vacation they have. Starting today we have the next two weeks off! To celebrate during one of our open period some kids in my class and I ate candy and chips, took tons of pictures and listened to music. It was a ton of fun! These kids in my class have been so nice to me and I really like them! They are hilarious and so much fun to hang out with! They also always explain everything to me and talk slower so I can understand. They are all really great!



On vacation we are going skiing in the Alps. Although I live near a mountain back in Bend I am pretty excited to go to the Alps! It’ll also be fun to see another part of France! I love discovering all of the different parts of France! They all have something different to offer and it’s really beautiful here! Also during vacation I am hopefully going to see a movie with a friend, maybe go to Chalon to visit another AFS student, and make peanut butter cookies! Also tomorrow night there is a big celebration in my town that lasts for most of the day and night! Everybody says it’s a ton of fun and I’m really excited for it!



Well that’s about it for now!
Bisous!

Never Judge A Book By Its Cover

Sorry I haven't written for a while, I haven't had much time for writing on my blog and I am still using the French keyboard.

Its crazy I have been here for 2 weeks. Time here is really weird. Days go by pretty quick but it seems like I have been here forever. For the most part my first 2 weeks here have been really good!

At school, I started in seconde (sophomore) so I could be with my host sister. But then after a week and a half I changed classes and I am now in premiere (junior). All the kids in seconde were really nice but I had a few reasons I needed to change. For the most part I had already learned everything in seconde but also I thought for me to get the most out of my experience here I need to be independent, even if that requires not being in the same class as my host sister. Being alone also forces me to make my own friends and I think that is best for me.

I have only been in premiere for 2 days now and it has been pretty good. When you start premiere you must pick a track to take. There is L (literature and languages), ESL (economics) and S (science and math). Thinking I would learn the most about french culture in L I chose that track. However when I chose I was unaware that this is the "artzy" track which for those of you who know me, know this is not the section for me. The class is nice but for the most part they are definitely very well...creative. Not saying this a bad thing but they aren't the typical people who I would hang out with in the US. Even if they have over 15 visible piercings I am trying to not judge. As I have always been told "Never judge a book by its cover". However I have made a few friends in the class and they are all great!

I have also met another American here and she is really great! She has been here the whole year and is with another program called rotary. Its really nice having somebody here I can talk to! As an exchange student it's best not to just be friends with other exchange students, but since she has been here for half the year already she is really helpful. Also she has introduced me to a lot of really nice french students! All the students I have met here have been really friendly and helped me get around school.

School here is a lot more similiar to school in America than I expected it to be! But of course there are differences!
- Students stay with the same class all day (for the most part).
- Everyday students have a different schedule. Some days I finish at 12 and other days I finish at 6.
- Students are a lot sassier to the teachers.
- PDA is normal in the hallways.
- Although school here is longer than it is in America, students here have a lot more breaks in the day.
- The teachers here talk A LOT!
- School food is actually really good and everybody eats at the cantine.
- The textbooks are a lot smaller.
- There are boys and girls bathrooms. (I was shocked to say the least!)

Thats about all that I can think of now.

I have to go do homework but I only have half day of school tomorrow so hopefully I can put another post up and get some pictures on here!

A bientôt!