+ Some of the best people you'll ever meet (Laura - Kansas, Frida - Sweden, Nina - California, Alex - Candad) in Monaco
+Neens and I with some killer Italian pizza (but shhh, Otown still makes the best)
+My brother has certainly grown
+Romeo and Juliet in Verona
+ Jumping around in Germany
The past few mornings I have woken up to a sad combination of gray skies and uncharacteristic (at least for me) May rain. I usually like the occasionally misty morning as it’s just the thing for curling up with a good book and warm mug of tea, the ideal comforting “me” day. The constant gray makes time seem to stand still as the morning, midday and evening all seem the same; hours disappearing into hours until finally its dinner time and you’re confused as to why you’re still in pajamas. But living in a part of France infamous for unceasing drizzle has unfortunately begun to match the weather to my mood.
For one, the bright colors of last month’s flowers and trees contrasting with the darkened sky seem the perfect metaphor for my past month. I changed host families for the final time April 4th and from that time to this very hour while I’m sitting typing, I’ve been occupied. My new host family is very nice and is another family of six: Sandrine and Norbert (the parents), Mathilde, the oldest girl (fifteen), the twins Charlotte and Edouard (thirteen) and the youngest girl, Alix (ten). They live in a little town outside of Compiegne called Pierrefonds which is famous for its gorgeous and fairy tale-esque medieval castle. The town is spot-on with every clichéd image one can imagine of a small provincial French town and the looming castle overlooking us all adds to the wonderful romance of the place.
Pierrefonds gets quite a bit of tourism due to the castle (and due to the fact that the BBC films their popular ‘Merlin’ series there) and so the town has strict rules on appearance. All houses and stores must remain in good shape as well as remaining true as possible to their mid-century origins. This means that there are not a lot of new buildings and people live in old houses, shops, bars, etc. My new house for example is the old prision!
Barely a week after changing, I took a week off of school for an early vacation. The occasion? After nearly seven and a half months without seeing my family (skype doesn’t count, Zach) they came to visit and spend a week in a Paris apartment with me. I arrived Saturday morning, fresh off the metro and with nervous giggles waiting to explode in the pit of my stomach. After all, it’d been practically a lifetime since I’d seen them. I’ve changed so much and was nervous about showing off what has been my first home away from home in my life. What would my family say upon seeing me? How would the week go? I was even so stressed, I went the opposite direction on accident trying to find rendezvous point and had to rely on a uncharacteristically kind Parisian to help me find my way.
But the week passed well if not too fast with visits around Paris’ lush historical quarters and museums, a visit to Compiegne including meetings with my host families and even a quick day trip to rainy Bruges in Belgium! Before I knew it, I was waving goodbye to them and hello to my next adventure.
The day I left my family was the day I started Rotary’s annual EuroTour. For twelve days, I, along with 47 other Rotary exchange students, visited Germany, Austria, Italy, Monaco, Switzerland and, of course, a bit of France. The trip was ineffable...I don’t even know where to begin. I suppose I shall try to describe, each city visited in one word or phrase, as best as I can:
Paris, France – been there, done that (I’m a shameless French snob), Reims, France – rainy, Strasbourg, France – ice cream on a bridge, Munich, Germany – has nothing on the Louvre (but pleasantly modern none the less), Oberamergau, Germany – quaint Tulfes, Austria – “Can I have noodles with my schnitzel?” along with many obscure Sound of Music references, Verona, Italy – wonderfully sunny, pizza, Venice, Italy – sad and rainy, I had a feeling that years of overflowing boats of tourists had killed the life in the city, Milan, Italy – ate in a mafia restaurant, many angry citizens (most likely because the majority are very hungry, aspiring models), Avignon, France – sur la point d’Avignon on danse, on danse, Geneve, Switzerland – twilight-zone clean, Dijon, France – did not buy mustard...AGAIN.
I met some of the most amazing people ever born and cried like I’m not even sure what at the end of the trip. This brings me to my second point about my weathered mood metaphor...
The day I left all my friends on the bus and said goodbye, I had the impression I was saying goodbye to France itself and a significant chapter of my life that is nearing an end. There rests only a few weeks (alright a significant few, but few none the less) and while I am surely melancholy, I could not be more appreciative of all that I’ve been through, learned and become these past 8 and a half months. France has given me so many opportunities, opened so many doors and I can truly say I don’t know where I’d be without it.
Before I start getting all sentimental, I’ll highlight some upcoming events. Tomorrow (Wednesday), I plan on spending the afternoon in Paris with my good friend Brit from New Jersey. It’s been ages since I saw her (well...a good month at least) and we have a lot to catch up on. Then this weekend is the communion of the twins and so the house will be filled with family and friends. The weekend after that is a Rotary weekend where we’ll meet the kids leaving on exchange next year and share our ~wisdom~. I believe the day after that, if not the weekend after I’ll be going to Disneyland Paris with my friend Victoria. Then there’s another Rotary rendezvous at Park Asterix and an unofficial weekend in Paris with some friends. From now till my departure seems filled with events, so I’m sure by the time I’m on that plane back home I won’t even now where half of the time went.
Well, I think I’ll stop there. I have a bit of a headache and a cold (not the swine flu, Mom, but thanks for your concern) and am trying to battle it the best I can on a busy schedule. I hope everyone is well and as always send you all my love and best wishes!!
Bisous!! Kristen
For one, the bright colors of last month’s flowers and trees contrasting with the darkened sky seem the perfect metaphor for my past month. I changed host families for the final time April 4th and from that time to this very hour while I’m sitting typing, I’ve been occupied. My new host family is very nice and is another family of six: Sandrine and Norbert (the parents), Mathilde, the oldest girl (fifteen), the twins Charlotte and Edouard (thirteen) and the youngest girl, Alix (ten). They live in a little town outside of Compiegne called Pierrefonds which is famous for its gorgeous and fairy tale-esque medieval castle. The town is spot-on with every clichéd image one can imagine of a small provincial French town and the looming castle overlooking us all adds to the wonderful romance of the place.
Pierrefonds gets quite a bit of tourism due to the castle (and due to the fact that the BBC films their popular ‘Merlin’ series there) and so the town has strict rules on appearance. All houses and stores must remain in good shape as well as remaining true as possible to their mid-century origins. This means that there are not a lot of new buildings and people live in old houses, shops, bars, etc. My new house for example is the old prision!
Barely a week after changing, I took a week off of school for an early vacation. The occasion? After nearly seven and a half months without seeing my family (skype doesn’t count, Zach) they came to visit and spend a week in a Paris apartment with me. I arrived Saturday morning, fresh off the metro and with nervous giggles waiting to explode in the pit of my stomach. After all, it’d been practically a lifetime since I’d seen them. I’ve changed so much and was nervous about showing off what has been my first home away from home in my life. What would my family say upon seeing me? How would the week go? I was even so stressed, I went the opposite direction on accident trying to find rendezvous point and had to rely on a uncharacteristically kind Parisian to help me find my way.
But the week passed well if not too fast with visits around Paris’ lush historical quarters and museums, a visit to Compiegne including meetings with my host families and even a quick day trip to rainy Bruges in Belgium! Before I knew it, I was waving goodbye to them and hello to my next adventure.
The day I left my family was the day I started Rotary’s annual EuroTour. For twelve days, I, along with 47 other Rotary exchange students, visited Germany, Austria, Italy, Monaco, Switzerland and, of course, a bit of France. The trip was ineffable...I don’t even know where to begin. I suppose I shall try to describe, each city visited in one word or phrase, as best as I can:
Paris, France – been there, done that (I’m a shameless French snob), Reims, France – rainy, Strasbourg, France – ice cream on a bridge, Munich, Germany – has nothing on the Louvre (but pleasantly modern none the less), Oberamergau, Germany – quaint Tulfes, Austria – “Can I have noodles with my schnitzel?” along with many obscure Sound of Music references, Verona, Italy – wonderfully sunny, pizza, Venice, Italy – sad and rainy, I had a feeling that years of overflowing boats of tourists had killed the life in the city, Milan, Italy – ate in a mafia restaurant, many angry citizens (most likely because the majority are very hungry, aspiring models), Avignon, France – sur la point d’Avignon on danse, on danse, Geneve, Switzerland – twilight-zone clean, Dijon, France – did not buy mustard...AGAIN.
I met some of the most amazing people ever born and cried like I’m not even sure what at the end of the trip. This brings me to my second point about my weathered mood metaphor...
The day I left all my friends on the bus and said goodbye, I had the impression I was saying goodbye to France itself and a significant chapter of my life that is nearing an end. There rests only a few weeks (alright a significant few, but few none the less) and while I am surely melancholy, I could not be more appreciative of all that I’ve been through, learned and become these past 8 and a half months. France has given me so many opportunities, opened so many doors and I can truly say I don’t know where I’d be without it.
Before I start getting all sentimental, I’ll highlight some upcoming events. Tomorrow (Wednesday), I plan on spending the afternoon in Paris with my good friend Brit from New Jersey. It’s been ages since I saw her (well...a good month at least) and we have a lot to catch up on. Then this weekend is the communion of the twins and so the house will be filled with family and friends. The weekend after that is a Rotary weekend where we’ll meet the kids leaving on exchange next year and share our ~wisdom~. I believe the day after that, if not the weekend after I’ll be going to Disneyland Paris with my friend Victoria. Then there’s another Rotary rendezvous at Park Asterix and an unofficial weekend in Paris with some friends. From now till my departure seems filled with events, so I’m sure by the time I’m on that plane back home I won’t even now where half of the time went.
Well, I think I’ll stop there. I have a bit of a headache and a cold (not the swine flu, Mom, but thanks for your concern) and am trying to battle it the best I can on a busy schedule. I hope everyone is well and as always send you all my love and best wishes!!
Bisous!! Kristen
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