School started again, Thursday was like pulling teeth, I just wanted to be traveling through France, not sitting in a "junior year" classroom again, but I know it's what is better for me. I'm learning the language quickly and I am getting more comfortable in the culture. If I lived like a tourist here, I would never arrive at levels in my life that I can reach because I'm living like all of the other French people. I guess school isn't all that bad, but, going back into school, all I could think about was how I wasn't making strong friendships, and how I was afraid I would be the kid who eats lunch alone in June because he couldn't make friends.
School went quickly on Friday and Saturday, and Saturday afternoon I went to see a movie with my host sister and two of her friends, We saw a French film called "Les Petits Mouchoirs" It was actually really good! It starred Marion Cotillard and a number of other very famous French actors and singers. The script was well written, even compared to American films, and overall I was impressed. I saw "The Social Network" dubbed in French on Sunday, it was really good! The weekend passed fast and then it was on to another week of school.
The week started like every other week, only I was more discouraged about making friends... by Tuesday midday, I had decided I was push on and maybe something would come of it!.... It worked! I was asked to each lunch "on exterior" with a group of kids from my class. I actually participated in the conversation! Friends are being made! It's really cool! I went out for coffee with them on Wednesday also! We just hung out at a café for the afternoon, it was cool, and I got to speak in French the whole time! Thursday was 'Armistice Day' so school was closed and I went into Rouen with my Rotary friends! We added a new kid to the group of being that have visited Rouen! Only about half of the stores and cafés were open, but it was ok, we managed to have fun! When I got home, my host mom told me that if I wanted to, I could bring a friend and the 2 of us could go to Paris on Saturday! I invited my host sister too, so her, myself, and Hunter, another exchange student from Rouen, decided to go to Paris on Saturday Friday was just 2 morning classes, because my afternoon class's teacher wasn't there, so I helped my host mom set up a craft booth, for her charitable organization that supports Peruvian Orphans, at a local Christmas Market. After we set up, we headed home, stopping in Rouen to pick up a few things and a 'Chausson Abricot' (translated Apricot slipper) it is a puff pastry filled with Apricot, they make them with all kinds of fruit and chocolate, it was really good! I called it an early night, I wanted to rested up for Paris!
...See Next Entry for Paris Detail...
After getting home from Paris, I Skyped with Amanda, Bekah, Kate, and my Mom! It was the first time I got to Skype VideoChat my mom! I was so happy to see her face! It made me miss her, but it made me happy to see that she is doing well! I went to bed around 1:00 AM and I had to get up at 7:20AM to go volunteer at a half marathon that was organized in my town by the friends of my host parents.
After waking up, exhausted, I rolled out of bed, set my clothes out for the outdoor morning, crawled back in bed, and slept for another 10 minutes. Then I woke up, again, rolled out of bed, again, put my clothes on, then crawled back in be, again, I slept for 5 more minutes. Then I woke up, again, went downstairs, got in the car, and my day had commenced. No sooner had we arrived was I thrown in the back of a huge moving van full of tables and food, and driven into the woods with 8 other volunteers that spoke French, only French, which is fine at this point, I do understand it all, but a month ago, I would have died... We arrived at where my station would be, I, along the middle aged woman named Brigitte who was stationed with me, got out of the van, and took out our share of the food and drink. We set up to tables under a tarp hanging above, putting out water, coca-cola, orange juice, orange slices, banana slices, dried fruit, spice bread, sugar cubes, and trail-mix bars for the runners as they headed into their 12th KM of the 21KM race. I thought it was weird that they were eating, but they ALL ate something, and a lot of them drank Coke... Isn't that bad, I guess it might keep up your sugar levels, but still, that is weird. It was hectic, because everyone arrived in the same 25 minutes, so there was always people at the tables taking things, not throwing empty cups away, knocking things over while in a hurry, etc... so I had to fix those problems while refilling cups and replacing things that had been knocked off the tables or eaten. It was fun, but stressful. After the race, we packed up the van and headed back to the field house. Awards were given out to winners in the different categories then all the participants left. All of the volunteers stayed and ate lunch together. It was really fun, even though all of the volunteers, except for me and my host sister, were middle aged. After lunch, the organizers gave each volunteer a pack with a loaf of some kind of sweet bread and a bottle of traditional Norman Cidre, with a customized label for the event!
That brings us up to date... Yay! Life is really good in France right now!
