The Last Three Days!

Dear Internet-

 

Hope all is well, as per usual! :D

 

Ok, so everyone keeps telling me how fast this exchange is going by and how they hope I enjoyed every moment and how they are so jealous of me. Every time I hear this I always end up thinking the same thing. So, because I really feel like talking about it, I have decided to use it as the beginning of this last blog, or last blog, at least until I get back home, who knows, maybe I will continue to do random rants on random things when I get back...wouldn't  that be fun! LOL Just kidding! I would never do that to you. :P

 

Anyway, so like I said, I always end up thinking the same thing, and even though some disagree, this is what I think, personally about this great experience! First off, I do not think that time went by too quickly, I mean sure, it went past pretty fast but, as stupid as this may sound, it really went by at the perfect speed to enjoy everything, while being able to look forward to the next thing, and think about all the things you have been able to do. I am not too too sure, but I know that I enjoyed my experience to the fullest, and got a lot out of it, educationally and being able to REALLY have a change in my normal day to day life, and for three months. I find that this exchange really allows you to appreciate that day to day routine, and your own way of living. Now, I hope you don't take that the wrong way, and think that I did not like the life I lived here, that is not true! I did like it here, I am with a great family, in an adorable little town, in France, and have visited some of the most beautiful places in the world, that being Venice, Spain, and Paris <3. Its just that, its almost as if, OK seriously don't laugh, but you know how some people ask 'do we really have a place', well, its not like I am trying to be all philosophical, because, hahahah that's not exactly my thing, but I just feel like, there is actually a place for me back home, and its like ( I don't know if someone has already said this in some book or interview or something.. haha) its a big puzzle, and currently, my piece has been removed and replaced by....well, whoever my brother is renting my room out to ;), no but seriously, its weird. I guess what I am trying to say is that, I think that I am really ready to get back to MY life, instead of living in someone elses', and ... (sorry I have to say this cause its too corny not to) re-fill my missing puzzle piece space : ).

 

However, there are many things, ( no kidding ) that I am going to miss about this experience, so, as per usual, I have made one of the dependable lists, of what I am going to miss!

Here goes-

1) Being this close to Paris and casually being able to take a short train trip to the most pulchritudinous ( yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeahh I thesaurus-ed that word because the word beautiful wasn't substantial enough..and my vocabulary, due to lack of reading, is not big enough to come up with another word to truly define what I think of Paris, so I figured a big word that no one will know... or at least I didn't know.... :D) city in the world! :)

2) All the bakery's and the Delicious treats that are always on display!

3) Talking in french and finally, after three months, being able to hold a steady conversation in French! ( HOWEVER! FUNNY STORY TIME- Ok so, when we went to Paris last week, Juliette's dad was really set on taking us to an American Burger restaurant, known in Paris to have the best burgers, so, we walked for like a good hour,and finally found it! ( PS- Yeah, my burger , that I ate, puts shame to the average American standard burger that is so well know, SHAME.) Anyway, so we walk in, and I am with a french family right, so you would normally assume that I belong to the family right? Cause I am with them... speaking french! Well, Well, WEEEELLLLL apparently not, apparently I am wearing a big fat sign that Read's " I am English, speak to me in English", because the first thing that happened was, when the waiter came to our table, Juliette ordered, followed by Michel, and the Chantal ( note: they all ordered in french, and the waiter responded in French ), and then it was my turn... 'And what would you like Miss? ' EXCUSE ME! PAAAAAAAAAARDON!!! WHAATTTT! I was actually ready to just... I don't even know, but I do know that, apparently, my accent for sure hasn't improved that much, apparently! OUCH.) For the rest of the lunch, I continued to speak to him in french and all I got was 'Thank you!' 'Enjoy your meal miss.' 'How would you like your steak? Medium or rare?' 'Have a nice day!' URRG! But that's OK, it provided a good laugh for the whole family....minus me...but that's fine...lol)

4) I would say school, but I am so excited to get outta there!

5) French music on the radio! I have actually started to really like it!!

6) Train rides !

7) Doing nothing in class and not feeling bad about it ( I guess I will miss that about school!)

8) Horses! JUST KIDDING! HAHAHAHA Still foes not friends! :) Although, I have made progress in appreciating their beauty ... :)

9) Some of the friends that I have made here, but, many of them plan on coming to Canada! So I really hope that that works! Wouldn't that be so much fun! :) !

 

And although there are many more things that I am going to miss and have been very fond of, I think that I am going to leave it at that before I... well, before you ...well I am not entirely sure why I am stopping, I just feel like, maybe I will get sad if I continue!! ha. JUST KIDDING, I am just really lazy ... sorry! But I guess it could actually be good because this way you don't have to spend half an hour reading about some girl who is going to miss a bunch of stuff... BORINGGGGG!

 

 

Anyways, so I don't really know what else to say! I mean, I have talked about a lot, I guess in these blogs, and I kind of just wanted to use this last one a small reflection, and I think that I have done that? I don't know, there is so much more to say, but I would much rather tell everyone in person, then have to type it, soo.. yeah! lol

 

I guess, I will see everyone, well, maybe not exactly 4 days! But hopefully soon enough! :)

 

Bisous!

Jenny :D

A Little Trip to Spain : )

Dear Internet!

 

OK SOOO , before I go on some long rant about how much of an amazing time I just had in Spain ( and yeah... I TANNED!! HAHAHAHA! OK....not really a tan, more like burn, but hey! ya take what you get! ), I would first like to take the time to talk about a lovely picnic that I had, that was suggested to me by a genius and wonderful person!

About, six days ago, I had the great opportunity to go by myself to a park and have my very own french style picnic! Cool right? Yeah folks, it was pretty cool! After buying a freshly made sandwich from the market, stopping into the bakery to pick up some macarons and a bottle of iced tea, I went down to the park for a picnic on my own, only to spend two hours "reading a book" and listing to my ipod, in the brilliant sun! Now, to answer the most common question one may get upon reading this blog, "why is she telling us this...?" I just thought that it would be nice if this made you very very jealous of the way I spent my Friday afternoon, but to be honest, if I would have had some friends or family there with me, my picnic would have been about 100000000% better, because honestly, 2 hours with only yourself, some birds and the occasional bumble bee to talk to... one gets lonely very easily. Basically, the just of this is that, I MISS MY .... EVERYTHING, and even though without doubt I am having the time of my life in this glorious country, VOUS ME MANQUE! <3 : )

 

Anyway, on to more important things (just kidding!) ;

 

I have just passed four of the most wonderful ( the things I saw, the people I was with ), hot ( the temperature....and maybe some Spanish QT's, but mostly the temperature ;D ), sunny ( not one day of cloudy, rainy weather ) and cultural ( the palaces I entered and the cities that I toured, learning about their history and creation ) days of this whole exchange! Truly eye opening! Due to the sight seeing areas and buildings important for the past and present Spain, and given massive amounts of free time ( In which Chris, (the other exchange student and friend), and I walked and walked and wandered into parks and shops and museums to see on our own what we could discover) our "little" trip to Spain  without doubt lived up to any high expectation it could be given! We were able to see things, both by the help of guides, but also on our own, and I really think that it was the perfect way to be introduced, to not only a new city, but a new culture, for also, on our own, we spend four nights in the house of a Spanish lady, where we were supposed to communicate, learn and understand the differences of the "Spanish ways" and, of course, eat.

 

This would have made the trip EVEN BETTER.... if I actually spoke a word of Spanish...other then "Si". Well actually, here, considering I have the time, why don' we go over a little list, titled: Jenny's Spanish Word Count ( I.E pathetic list of words she knows) -

Si, Senor, Senorita, Chicka, Chikos, Chico, Mucha, Gusta, Buene, Aseso ( asenos? asensos? ... bathroom!) Sol, Gracias, Buenos noches, AIEEEE, Estudios.... and that is about it-

For conversation with said lady, this leaves me with these next phrases-

 

" Buenos Noches", "Buenos Dias" , "Gracias senora", "Mucha Gusta" , " Si Si Si ahhhh si si si... (and so on) ", and " sol est grande "....in other words, thank goodness for my room buddy Marion, who takes Spanish as a course.

 

Without her, I am not sure that I would have been able to do many things, such as ask where the bathroom was or if I could leave to catch my bus that was supposed to leave ten minutes ago, and tell the lady that she was wrong when thinking that it arrived at 830 when we were told the day before that it was 8! Thank you Marion! THANK YOU!!! Haha it was funny, and we made the bus in the end, but juuuust barely, and from then on the Seniora ( who's name I unfortunately did not catch, and I know that that is sad considering I lived there for three nights, but I seriously don't know what it is because I just called her senora) didn't argue with us about our time schedule! :P

 

Other then that, the stay was quite pleasant, EXCEPT FOR THIS ONE THING! OMG! OK SOO! Like the last night Marion and I were there, she served us this pudding thingy that was (debatable) edible, and seriously tasted like cigarettes ( and yes I know I shouldn't be complaining like this because it was really nice of her to let us stay in her house and all, but seriously, guys, she was just B-I-Z-Z-A-R-E), but the pudding should actually be pretty impressive because she didn't smoke, so having a pudding that tasted just like what cigarettes smell like, that must have been a hard task to accomplish, I can only assume... so respect there, but other then that! OMG, ok, so she put it in front of us and then just stood there...like for ten minutes until we finished the whole thing...just watching us eat it.... I was a little worried, and later that evening after Marion and I were in our room, we came up with a theory that the pudding was actually poisoned, and we were going to be stolen and forced to watch Spanish soap operas until three o'clock in the morning, and be isolated into Spanish speaking solitude... (if that makes sense) EEP! ha ha although very strange and a little unnerving, being in Senora's house gave me even more stories to tell, so for that! Thank you Mme. Senora! You shan't be forgotten,  and although I would like to forget the pudding, that shan't be forgotten either.

 

Anyway, now on to the things that I saw!

 

I have to say that Madrid is quite an astonishing city, but there are also many cities surrounding it that I personally preferred visiting, just because they were less crowded and the smaller community and old features were something I enjoyed more then the constant hustle, bustle and more modern look that Madrid has. Now, this does not mean that I did not like Madrid, oh no, that is FALSE. I truly loved Madrid! I thought it was beautiful! There were many things that I saw that I never would have imagined possible! For instance, we went on a tour in the Royal Palace, and learnt that apparently in the time that the palace was used by the Queen and King, many members of the royal family suffered from depression because they did not know what there was left to do in life, because they had it all already, and at first, this struck me as a little hard to believe, no one can really have it that great right? yeahhhhh, I was really wrong. These people had everything. It was ridiculous. My reaction wasn't even like, wow I am so jealous, it was actually "this is just ridiculous." For instance, as a wedding gift, the Queen received many gold embroidered furniture pieces, actually, she received a fully furnished bedroom, with everything from a stool, to a flower pot, to a bed.... embroidered with gold....as a wedding gift... :/. They royal family also had people that would check and wait for them in the anteroom, to make sure that they were, yannow, going to the bathroom, or weren't getting bored, or were eating, or needed their nose to be blown or something ridiculous like that. And as for the children! HOUIIIEE! Ok so, you know that little rocking horse that you had when you were a kid that was about two feet long and rocked at the perfect pace and you thought was the best thing ever because when ever you went to your grandmas house it was always there and it was just so perfect in every way? (yeah, that is a reference to myself...) OK WELL, that horse can just go rock itself to horsey-shame-heaven because it has officially been...rocked! The horses provided for these children, to play on, were .... RIDICULOUS! it was about 4 feet high, standing up on its hind legs with stirrups and gold hooves, carved to have the exact facial and body features as a real horse and given to them as a casual present. OH! Guess who actually worked out and had a gym with equipment similar to the ones found in gyms today? THAT'S RIGHT! The adolescent royals actually worked out! With velvet covered weights and a machine for pulling weights just like the ones used today! It was so strange, I just always assumed that they went cow tipping or something to stay in shape...well so much for that theory! They actually worked out! HARD CORE ( hehe pun! Core, like abs and core like hard core... haha yeahhhh). Yes, but all in all, to finish off my rant about the inner royal palace, it was absolutely beautiful in every way and I actually can't describe it. There would just be too much to cover, but if you ever have the opportunity to go, TAKE IT!

 

We also visited Toledo and Aranjuez for the other two out of four days that we were there and I think that it is safe to say that Toledo was my favorite city! Most likely because it was very very old and every single building, I though, was picture worthy and presented the famous " flower pot on balcony" Spanish style home. Along with that, all the roads twisted and turned and there were little roads that led to quite little restaurants, or more shops, or to churches or old mansion like homes. I'm going to have to say that, although I disagree with this word as a descriptive word for a city, it was really cute! And I wish we could have had more time there. Something interesting that I found out about this city is that its building was done by both the Jewish and Christian community, so many of the buildings combine the designs used by both cultures. For instance, many of the buildings are made with a combination of materials that the Jewish community and Christian community brought with them, and then combined to make the city... I don't know from where, and what materials, but the guide said that if you look closely, many of the buildings will have a combination of materials to create and you can tell by just looking at it. In addition, on the walls of some buildings, there will be Hebrew or Islamic writing passages from either the Christian or Jewish belief, stating a belief of a family.

 

Note: this may not be 100% accurate, but I think that it is pretty close because it made sense, and the french speaking Spanish guide showed us some of these passages, so I am pretty sure! But, I just thought it was cool.. : )

 

Other then that, the temperature was so so soooo perfect! SHORTS AND TSHIRTS ALL THE WAY! The food was...good, and interesting ;) and I just had a really great time learning things that I had no idea about! :)

 

So I guess! Until next time! Adios Amigos! ;)

 

Jenny : )

Another day goes by, with everything enjoyed as much as the last :)

Dear Internet <3

 

How are you doing :)?

...ok that doesn't really makes sense, because it is addressed to the Internet, but, in reality, it is addressed to you (who ever is reading this :P) so really, I should be saying "Dear _____" but I think that we can all safely assume here, that I am not crazy and that when I say "Dear Internet" I really mean "Dear you"... But for those of you who probably think that I am a little loopy and still wonder why I just asked the Internet how it is doing I will say this instead.

 

Dear (insert name here),

 

How are you doing? I do hope all is swell! (unless you are creepy and I do not normally talk to you in my day to day life) I MISS YOU SO MUCH! 

France is still showing me new things everyday! And for that, I remain getting up very morning and looking forward to my daily doings! Even if such doings are to enter the class, of which a note should be posted, " Beware of pure evil and heartlessness" (yeah, its the i-wish-to-throw-pie-in-face teacher! LOL), but still, the concept of learning new things everyday really applies, especially when you are in a new country! Let alone a new continent...or is it new continent let alone a new country... I never figured that out... hmmm...

 

ANYWAY!!

 

The weather remains to be absolutely beautiful here. I believe that it has been about a solid 6 days of pure sunlight! We hit 22 today and yesterday! HA! AND IM NOT ACTUALLY JUST SAYING THAT TO MAKE YOU JEALOUS! IT WAS LEGITTT! Also other then the weather, I have made great progress with my frien-imies! Horses and I have possibly bonded! You see, like I said.... or at least I think I said... Juliette had a horseback riding competition, THAT I ATTENDED THANK YOU!! :D and I, yes I, walked for 20 minutes around ring with a horse in my hand (who you would all know was foaming green saliva from the mouth...like ew.) and I didn't even complain! It was a very fulfilling experience! For both me and the horse! I don't think its ever been lead by someone who made it clear that there was to be a specific distance between my feet and his! :) As sad as this sounds, I was very pleased! And plan on doing it again! Once I think about, horses really are "majestic" creatures. But yeah, that went well, and it was, once again, a sunny and warm day, and I have concluded that spending the day at a horse competition is a very good way to be outside! I think I tanned! JKJK we all know that is impossible, but the sun was nicceeee!

 

Ok, So, like I have found so much fondness in talking about said teacher, guess what act of great crime he preformed this week? Hehe, this Wednesday, I was out late and returned late from lunch because we ate at Juliette's friends class..unfortunately, we had to be 15 minutes "en retard' for pie-in-face teacher...He was not pleased. But I sure was! For two reasons! A) I got to have a great lunch! BONUS! and B) As I found out when I arrived, Mr. (lets call him cruel) Cruel, had asked everyone for their homework and was in an especially bad mood! He went around the whole class and looked at every question, and when he arrived at the station of the other exchange student (who is Russian, and speaks English and french, but primarily Russian)  he asked to see his homework! He expected that the exchange students, who barely understand what he is talking about, or can make out what he writes, to do the Physics homework, material we have never seen! Without textbooks! OR THE QUESTIONS! I tell you, so happy I was late! Fortunately he forgot about asking me, so I didn't have to face the wrath, but seriously..dude...take a chill pill and get knocked into reality, or find and Ipod, load it with Mozart and Bach and go for a niiiiceee loongg wallkk.

 

OHH this brings me to another topic of conversation/commentary/talk/discussion/you reading me blab on!

 

If there was one thing on this exchange that I would not have though to have had would be a lot of spare time, due to extensive school hours and...well just exploring around and seeing everything! But, it turns out that I really do! So much time to just relax! And just think....which may or may not lead to being the best thing, because...when I think, like, its intense though! Haha, no but seriously! Thinking about everything and everything that you wonder about, or know about, or want to know about (which is wondering about but not really) or just think about at that instant, can really turn out to be a wonderful thing! I think that I have gone on about four long walks now, and just though about whatever and looked around and noticed so many things! Think it sounds corny, dumb and stupid? WELL YOU'RE CORNY, DUMB AND STUPID! MEH! LOL jkjk you're awesome!! ... maybe... I'll THINK ;) about it haha! No, but seriously, just going on a walk and noticing everything and like, actually appreciating where you are and what you are doing is really quite quite pleasant! For instance! Today, I went on one of these said walks, with my ipod and noticed many things that I would not have been able to see otherwise! Not only am I in the french countryside, but it is so warm that you can walk in a T-shirt and the hairs on your arms don't even budge to stand when the wind blows! :) And so, on this walk , I made a list of things that I noticed that I would not have noticed had I been speeding by in a car! So here it is. Please don't laugh! Its not funny! Its true! If you think its funny, go for a walk and think and notice things! Its really neat what you can see!

 

1) about ten different shades of blue in the sky ranging for deep blue to baby! :) hehe and the formations of the clouds ( Love clouds..don't know why...kinda a wierd liking of mine..but yeah!)

 

2) TWO BABY SHEEP ACROSS THE STREET that had just been trimmed and were soooooooooooooo tiney tiny and just so adorable!

 

3) A big spider that crossed the street...unfortunately I realised this due to a crunch on the bottom of my foot, but hey! I noticed it :)

 

4) A classic old fashioned wind turbine blowing on a farm field. Wanted to take a picture because it was so perfect, but forgot my camera :(

 

5) There was a hang glider! No joke, it was someone who was taking off the open grass fields and sailing for a bit and then came back down at about the exact same departing spot! He had very good aim..or she...couldn't tell :P

 

6) Spring blossoms sprouting on tree's :) (it takes a lot to notice that ehh :P ...haha sorry I still had to say it...its on the list, so it has to be said :) :P )

 

But yes, this is really all I wrote down at the time, but you get the idea, I hope :) Its just really... comforting? Pleasant? Fulfilling? I don't know. A great man once said, after listing to his daughter blab on about why it was really her brothers turn to mow the lawn and she possibly couldn't because there were so many other important things to do...like paint her nails or something, "To mow the lawn, should really be something one should enjoy. The smell of the grass, actually sooths the soul.. It adds a comfort and calms you." WHAT A NUT EHH??? Haha just kidding, This man, is really quite right, the smell of fresh cut grass does calm the soul, and I believe to add to things that do so, walking wan be right next to it :)

 

Anyway, I do not have much else to say...because, well, I would be telling you all about the exchange student from Holland, but I cannot because, unfortunately she will not be joining us :'(! She caught a case of Mono and is not well enough to come and have an amazing time with Juliette and I! THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR PUCKERING UP!! jkjk, But, it really is unfortunate! BUT BUT BUT BUT BUTTTTT, Even though the trip to Paris next week is only for Holland exchange students and there partners! WE STILL GET TO GOO!! YAHHOOO! Because..we were going to, and as Juliette's WONDERFUL mother convinced the principal, its the thought that we were going to that counts! hehehe! 

 

OH AND ALSO! I am probably going to forget! But tomorrow! I am going to go and see my first Handball match! It is one of Juliette's friends and I am very very excited :) WEOO!! Gonna be sweettt!!!

 

Haha, thats all for now, as always, hope you are not bored! But if you are, then seriously, common, if you were bored all the other times and continue to read, then that really can't be my fault!! Or, if you are reading this for the first time, then yeah, i'm sorry! haha 

 

BISOUS!

JENNY <3 

Venice, Italia!! :)

Dearest Internet!

 

Its official, I have just been to the most beautiful, day in and day out city in the world. Venice, Italy has got to be and or have the most to see, do, and just enjoy! Honestly, I have never had so much fun just walking around and looking up and around where I was. Being able to see everything and just imagine, how 800 year ago, it was relatively the same, and I am walking in the same streets and Leonardo De Vinci, Casanova, the Dodge family, or INDIANA JONES <3 haha (I knew something was familiar about San Barnaba di Venezia, so I googled it, and oh yeah, The Last Crusade? Donnow if you have ever heard of it, kinda the best movie of life...no big deal..kinda shot exactly where I was standing! SO COOL!!! EEP!) (I may have squealed and people may have looked...maybe!) But just being able to learn about where I was and the importance of this city, by itself, was one heck of a journey!

 

Leaving Paris on Monday night, we took an overnight train to Venice. This was fun because, I have never really had a fondness for trains....so trying to sleep on a 12 hour one...was...difficult? Impossible? Didn't really happen? haha instead Juliette and I played little games of, switch the ipod and judge each others songs, sing every word to every eminem song that we know, along with the occasional disney , and try and it still for as long as possible before the force of the train made your body shift...this went on for...twelve hours.

 

Upon arrival, we may have been totally exhausted and utterly gross looking, BUT when we got out of the train, and walked out of the train station only to come face to face with Venice and the Grade Canal, none of that mattered! Because we were in Venice. And due to the contribution of being overtired=overexcited=over expressive, my reaction to the city was fairly...lets just say I thought it was really really really really really really really reeeeeeeeeeeeeally wonderful, and I had a need to express that, and so I did! :D This awakening feeling lasted for about 20 minutes until we realised, oh god, we are going to be walking all day an can barley count to 10, so, we hustled on over to the hotel, situated right on the Canal, and ordered four pipping hot cappuccinos! BAM! AWAKE!

 

Along with arrival that day, I also walked around Venice for the first time! Not only was it my first day in Venice, but it was also the last day of Carnival, and everywhere you went people were wearing masks, amazing costumes and smiling away! It was quite the sight! Also, in every corner of every little street, colourful confetti could be found! It was like a whole city in giant joyous celebration! hehe loved it!

 

Later, I was able to experience my first pizza and pasta! Italian <3 So good! To be specific and to best describe how good it was, I am not supposed to have anything with dairy products in it, ever. This pasta was made with a cream sauce and drowned with Parmesan cheese, and the pizza has mozzarella, Gorgonzola and Parmesan all over it... and I ate every last bite! Delish! And this was only to be complemented after by Tiramisu! Which, yeah, just as awesome. No doubt.

 

Upon other first experiences I was able to have...one that was..well different. I was told previously that Italian and Spanish boys like to whistle at girls for fun, and so I told myself that if that ever happened to Juliette or I, I would whistle back, just for fun, and then run or speed walk in the opposite direction! Full proof plan right? no! false! idiot. I didn't actually think that any whistling was going to take place, so when someone whistled at Juliette, I whistled back....Well...apparently...they spoke English, and..apparently I look like I speak English ( I was offended! I was totally going to the french look! Darn it!) but yeah, so they began to approach us, but thank god that Juliette, after giving me a look I probs deserved, pretended that we didn't know English and thank the good lord that they didn't speak french. And even though they were TOTALLY cute, my plan totally backfired, once again that I should really leave situations like this...not up to me.

 

ANYWAY, Other then that, Juliette and I toured around the whole time, looking at everything eagerly and taking in every step! which is important on trips such as these because, quite honestly, they really are not every day trips! But yes, So we also visited the Dodge Palace and were able to go on a "behind the scenes" tour of the palace! This was special because not only were you able to see the interior, along with everyone else, but with the guided tour, we were able to go into all the blocked off areas! I felt so special! HAHA, I know sad right? but there was like locked door that said tours only and everything! lol No but the tour was based around the extraordinary escape of Casanova, and how he oddly enough, to escape walked right through the main and fully guarded entrance! Along with that, we were also to see a lot of weapons used in the glory days of said palace, the torture room (ohh goody) , the prison cells, and the exact route taken by Casanova himself.

 

Now, to give you a little background about Casanova, or what I could make out from the French tour guide who was speaking at aaaaaaaaabout 345746385873 miles an hour...ok that en exaggeration...but it was still way to fast! Anyway, so basically, Casanova with his genius mind, was imprisoned for (he had no idea) being thought to be a spy...among other things related to witchcraft and wizardry conspiracies of that day and age of which he was believed to preform. But yeah, to keep it short, for his first attempt, he used a spoon for about three or four months to dig a hole under his bed into the roof beneath him ( unknowingly, this was the roof of the judges who decided the fate of the prisoners..one of which Casanova later became...after escaping and returning to Venice... :/ says a lot about their security...)

But yeah, so right when he was done, they decided to move him to a different room....BUMMER... and his little hole was found by the guard! THANKFULLY Casanova was a little bit of a quick thinker and before anything could be done he told the guard that if he said anything he would tell the judges the guard helped him... how else could he have gone for so long without being noticed ? So nothing was done, but his new prison was checked regularly for holes... :P. So, to end this, and try to explain his escape..in which I should really google before telling cause I'm probably wrong, but something about a bible used to hide something that helped their escape...someone important in the church who was imprisoned beside him and they escaped together, nice clothes so that they wouldn't seem like they were prisoners...the famous big black hat that I think Zoro is known for wearing...and walking out through the main entrance quietly and calmly, having glided past the entire (and best) army or guards, detectives and policemen in the whole of Venice... I think a job well done was in order! haha

 

Juliette and I also were able to go and see a mansion of one of the hundreds of families who were inscribed in the "golden book", which was basically a book, that started in the ... 16th or 17th century..sorry not too sure, and said who the rich families were...and this house happened to belong to them..unfortunately no pictures were taken! BUT THAT IS WHY YOU ALL MUST GO TO VENICE AND SEE HOUSES LIKE THIS! Too magnificent! Paintings on every ceiling, painted by true artists, some more famous then others of the Renaissance time, all relating to specific morals and beliefs that the family had... (or something like that... sorry...french tour...you only catch so much! lol) No, but in all seriousness, and I know I keep on describing thing with words that aren't exactly sufficient, but breathtaking! every room!

 

To end off, because this is getting way to long, Venice, aside from its residents, who...when they want to get somewhere will really get somewhere, is just beautiful and even though every street looks the same upon first glance, or in pictures, if you look more closely, and take the time to examine, just like many paintings or sculptures that I saw, you will really see that there is so much more then the same street!

 

OH OH OH AND TO REALLY END IT OFFFF!

GUESSSS WHO IS SO SPOILED as to be given the opportunity to, in Italy, in Venice, in one of the older churches, watch nationally famous violinists preform Bach and Mozart to an audience of 30? sound boring and old person like? yeah no, that's wrong, I sat, so happily for two hours being able to listen to the best violin performance I will most likely ever here! It was so ... AWESOME!! ;)

 

Anyway, until next time something awesome happens..which will probably be tomorrow..and I will probably be to lazy to write...but yeah! UNTIL NEXT TIME

 

Bisous! Jenny :)

Just a little update :)

Dear Internet!

 

Long time no see ehh? yep! Well, sorry about that, I have been super-ultra busy doing absolutely everything under the French sun. From eating sushi, to shopping, to cleaning a horse truck (ohdeargod), to going to a beautiful sea-side city, to more eating :X, to just simply enjoying every day! Its quite tiring having this much fun you know! I just don't ever know how I am going to make it through these next two months... jkjk its going to be AWESOME.

 

So, to start off, there has just been so much that has been going on! I am not sure if I said anything in the last blog, but earlier last week, Juliette had a horseback riding competition and I told her that I was more then excited to go....then she told me we were to get up at 430 in the morning and be out the door by 5...so wished her good luck!! Now, I know you are thinking, woowww Jenny you sissy you should have gone, BUT, in my defence, it was strongly encouraged by Juliette parents that I did not go and stayed at home, because Juliette has many other horse competitions that I can attend...oh goody.. NO but seriously! It was really great that I didn't go! BECAUSEEE the truck ended up breaking down, and they missed her event! Fortunately she had two, but they were stuck on the highway for two hours waiting for a truck to come and get their truck and fix it...and there was also a panicking horse in the back of the truck.... horse + broken truck + girl that needed to compete in 20 mins and they were 45 mins away + my fear of the horse that was panicking= THANK GOD I DIDNT GO! I mean, I regret that I didn't get to see the horse show, and watch Juliette own everyone else there, but seriously! L.U.C.K.Y! lol

 

Then, a couple days after that fiasco, Juliette's parents took me to Deauville, a little French sea-side city! It was so cute and pleasant! But it was totally the sea-side smaller version of Paris, where to-expensive-to-drive cars weaved the streets and the most common particle of clothing to be seen were the latest Long champ or Louis bags! It was quite the city! Not only that, but the houses were just like in the paintings, where they lined the sides of the mountain, and the port's along the sea shore were already filled with sail-boats ready to sail as soon as the warm wind hit, cause +12 wasn't warm enough! haha I laughed a little, I always do though when the cold temperature is discussed! HOWEVER! I should not be so cocky! I will admit, when there is a cold day here (which I haven't really talked about because bragging about the warm weather is way to much fun!! haha snow... anyway) it is COLD. And the thing is, it isn't like, "oh I am cold I should probs get a warm jacket and some hot chocolate and I'll be good.", its more like, " Omg I think my bones are going to freeze and snap!" haha its really weird, the cold goes like through you and freezes your core! So when its like +2 its really like -6! No joke!! Thank god for fluffy socks! Seriously! THANK YOU !

 

OH OH OH COOL THING!! Ok, so you know how in, not even classic movies, but how in movies about old city's in Europe, (normally a corny romantic comedy of something :P)you will see a lady who is hanging her clothes outside, or like beating a mat with a broom to clean it, WELL, on my way to Deauville, we went the scenic route and there was a little one church city, and right before we left, there was a lady in an apron outside her window hanging her clothes! It was so weird because I has sworn I had seen that exact scene in a movie before, and it was like being replayed right in front of my eyes!! AWESOMENESS!! It was a very exciting moment, cause I think its really cool when you see thinks that are literally replayed in movies! Also, as we were leaving the city, I noticed that the name was crossed out with a bold red line passing across the sign... I thought that that was really strange!! LOL I mean its one thing to have a sign before every city or small village, that is totally normal! But at the end of the city, having a big bold red line crossing through the center, kinda makes me think that that city is no longer there! I don't know... I found it a little strange.

 

I think that at this moment I can say that I am a little disappointed in United States, and their proclamation of having the worlds best burgers...sorry, this is incorrect.

Dear America,

your burgers have officially been pwned.

Sincerely, France

No but in all seriousness, this has got to be the most tasty burger ever! Loaded with cheese, un known vegetables, sautéd apples and onions and .... other stuff, this burger rocked it! Even the fries were triumphant! I was, actually, really shocked!! Cause when you think of it, France and burgers are two words that I wouldn't really put together, but but but! I have been proven wrong, France=Burger dominance.

 

ANYWAY BIG BIG BIG BIG NEWSSSSS.... I am kinda, sorta, maybe, possibly, most likely, hopefully, am, going to VENICE tomorrow XD ahhhh I am so excited! I just cannot wait to take like a gazillion photos, and ride in a gondola while trying to keep my laughter at the singing gondolier to a minimum, and visit all the places that Indian Jones was shot! AHH, ok jkjk that's not my goal, but that would be awesome! In addition to that, Juliette's parents have planned it so that I will be able to see a classical Italian singer, preform in a church...although this may sound lame to some, reality check, its so not, dude-going to be so cool! I have only ever herd one Italian singer in my life, and I am sorry, but it is so true, everything is more beautiful when it is said in Italian...unless they are angry....then that really isn't that pleasant.

 

Anyway, so yeah, Venice tomorrow! XD 5 days!! WEOO

Ill tell all when I get back I guess XD
Until next time,

BISOUS!!

Jenny <3

Something I found to be a little shocker!! :P

 

 

Dear Internet,

 

I am so sorry, I completely forgot I had something else that I wanted to say, that I didn't put on my list but just remembered! YOU SEE HOW IMPORTANT LISTS ARE! haha I could have completely forgotten this! I mean, its not exactly the most important thing in the world, but still, I thought it would be perhaps interesting to mention, and plus, I have this need to rant and type, hehe, so here goes!!! Oh yeah, and if you don't like to hear someone rant about their opinion on something that they unfortunately know very little about but still manages to upset them, then please please for the sake of you still liking me after you read this, don't! lol

 

Alright so basically, I have pretty much been talking about all the things that I have seen, or that I have enjoyed, or just things about my personal experience, but I haven't really talked to to much about the differences and similarities between our two great countries ( that being Canada and France lol), or maybe I have.. not sure, either way, I HAVE ANOTHER COMPARISON!

 

So, I was talking to Chantal, on the way back from Juliette's horseback riding school (no :( , I did not go no the horse yet... BUT I FED IT A CARROT. It was a big moment...), and we got talking about sketchy parts of Argentan, and places I should avoid when walking around. This struck me as interesting because when we drove around the area, it looked just like the areas that are found in Kingston, or Ottawa, or Toronto or even Philadelphia (random I know, but its true) and I just thought, like I have before, how everything is so different in Europe, but then again so similar. How weird of a description is that right? haha

No but in all honesty it true, and so I made another wonderful list to contrast and compare, and show how in general, things are the same, but when you look at it closely, so different !!

 

Things that are the same (general) - grocery stores,  bathrooms, school, town layouts, and shoe stores ( shoes!! <3)

Things that are different in these generally similar places: Every single product in the grocery store is different, I do not think that I have seen one thing being sold, found commonly in Canada, except for Nutella <3. Even the Coca cola (which is sold in a glass bottle here!!) has a different label!, Bathrooms...well they have bathrooms, but the toilet is by itself in a little room, and the sink and shower is in a different room... interesting...yet rather annoying... haha. School, well, as I have explained, teachers are horrible and have no souls, and that's being nice, and even Juliette parents would agree haha, school ends at 5 o'clock at average, no one does school sports...unless smoking is a sport, then everyone gets an A++++++ and will all place gold in the smoking Olympics!jkjk not everyone, because there are for sure some champion athletes at Jean d'Arc (the school I am attending) For instance, Juliette who is a National level equestrian ( sound so much better then horseback rider!! hehe), and Marion, fourth in the country for Kayaking, and another boy who is a national level Tennis player. Pretty much, if you are good at a sport.. you are really good at a sport! haha. The towns are the same, as in there are sketchy regions, nice regions, downtown, uptown and country areas, but everything has a higher sophistication/ European style to it, which never get old...except for the fact that it is literally old.. haha. And the shoe stores.... well they have shoe stores... lol but THEY ARE 1000 TIMES AWESOMER CAUSE THEY. HAVE. ITALIAN. SHOES!!! and that is just so much better then sneakers and crocks, I can even begin to express it!! haha

 

Anyway, so getting back to the point that I was trying to make (that, here everything is the same but different)! Those were the first examples, but wait, there is more!! Just one more, don't worry I wont go on forever! But yeah, so, like I said, I was talking to Chantal about the different parts of the city, and how its pretty bad here, but in Paris, the most beautiful, romantic and fashionable city in the world, it is even worse! At first, I was shocked! I would never have guessed that that could possibly be true, but when you think about it, it makes so much sense! Apparently, All the refugees that come in by plane gather and form regions on the outskirts of Paris.She told me that if you were to walk in these areas you would want to be with at least five other people to feel safe! eeeeepppp!!!

 

From what I gathered, these regions are formed because certain banks and other big enterprises buy out all the apartments and town houses in order for "future development" or leasing them at a ridiculously high price, which take away home's for people to live in, thus people gathering together in small home's and apartments, sometimes seven to a room! Not only this, but say one of the banks leases one of their rooms, well this generally is going to cost people 600 euros per month! which is ridiculous! people shouldn't have to pay that amount of money for an out of Paris unstable home! and not only not only that, BUT THIS COST IS FOR AREAS 3 METERS BY 3 METERS!! I'm sorry, but as a fifteen year old girl able to have the luxury of a fully furnish and heated home, I find it outrageous that banks and companies have the right to do this, and are fully aware that these people have no were else to go! Plus, if you are raised in these regions and you try to make a life for yourself by leaving and getting a job, when asked where you are from, THE SECOND you tell them you are from that region, bye bye out the door!

 

Now, I don't know what percentage of the information I have just talked about is correct, because, well it was told to me in French so...it may be a little incorrect, but the main point is there! While people are living in the high class luxury of Paris home's, just down the street are three to a twin bed, two twin beds to a room! Now, I know what your thinking, w/e Jenny, this happens everywhere stop trying to make a point that's been made before, and your no activist, BUT SERIOUSLY! This sort of thing should happen in places like... I don't know, just not Paris! Paris, for heavens sake!! This just shocked me, and I felt like I needed to have a good old rant about it so I'm sorry !!! ha ha BUT SERIOUSLY SERIOUSLY! Does this not upset anyone else!!??

 

Other then that, Paris still remains to be the most beautiful and interesting city I have ever set my eyes on! And despite the tragedy that lies on its outskirts, I still love it XD. The streets are full of lights, as with the pretty store windows and historical sites!!! Everything is pretty by day, but glorious by night! I personally think that it glows in the dark (hahaha get it? glows as in like a girl glows with beauty and glows because of all the lights!! hehe funny..)

 

Sorry for ranting again, and going on forever...I hope you don't think I'm physco....!!

 

JENNY :D

I don't know what to post as a title... how do you title a blog? I dont know, if anyone has any sugggestions, feel free to tell me because I really don't have a clue! anyway!! ( oh and I am not doing the whole blog 1, blog 2, blog 3 thing!! so lame!! :P)

GOOD MORNING INTERNET <3

 

Well actually, to be super specific about this whole time change thing, Good early morning to all central Canadians and Americans, Good late morning to all the whales in the middle of the Atlantic, Good evening to everyone in south-eastern Russia, and Good middle of the afternoon to everyone in France, who should all be either working or at school right now! And if you are not, and, say, your exchange student suggested that you stay home today because it was the last day before vacation and the teachers are going to be in a horrible mood (NO. THANK. YOU) and you "look tired" like me! Then congratulations! You are so lucky! You should just be so happy with your life right now! Especially if you just had like 6 crèpes ( which you made and were pretty decent for a Canadian) with Nutella! If you are said person, then really, take a moment to think of how lucky you are, and then go eat some more crèpes cause you know that they are awesome!

 

Hehehe, ANYWAYS, so there is just so much to say, but I have decided (as you may have noticed, I like to clearly say that I have decided to do things, it just makes me feel that much more organised when writing this blog, and I need as much organisation as possible, because quite frankly, when you are trying to write about everything you think people would care at all about, that you have done in the past three or four days, and your brain works like mine, organisation is KEY), but yeah, I have decided to, once again, make a list! yay lists!

 

So to start off, I would like to publicly announce that Jennifer Joan Casson + The Fine Art of French Cooking = NO!, HECK NO, NEVER AGAIN, LEAVE IT TO THE REAL FRENCH PEOPLE TO COOK AND YOU CAN JUST EAT BECAUSE THAT WAS JUST.... NO!!!

Exaggeration?? Nope, I seriously do not have the patience, clearly, or the " natural cuisine sense" to possibly come near a fine french cooking book, and attempt to bake, ever again. Although, like I said, I did master the Crèpes... or so I though. Juliette thought that they were pancakes, wait no, Juliette wasn't going to even let me argue. They were pancakes- so, not going to argue with that, but they totally had some resemblance, AND I Tried. Its not easy when you compete with her, cause she is seriously a wizard of baking. So, in the end result, with my fail of baking of the pancakes/ Crèpes, Juliette took over and I took credit for them to boost my self esteem! Thus, my crèpes were amazing, just like any other crèpes made by a French person! yay! Although, I made the batter with soy milk instead of real milk thinking it would be the same end result... Ooops, I mean, it worked... but... sugar NEEDED to be added to you know... give then some taste, instead of just eating what tastes like paper. So, sugar, and Juliettes homemade ( YES!! THEY HAVE FRUIT TREES, OF EVERY GOOD FRUIT, YEAR ROUND, IN THEIR BACKYARD!!!) jams were added profusely!

 

But, like I told one of my favorite people in the world wide world, who was wearing a matching snowflake sweater and headband that was, quite honestly, hilarious, you should know who you are :D, I am going to bring back the best baking book that I can find that is full of amazing French deserts that are do-able (yeah, its going to be quite a search, but I am definitely up for the challenge!!) and we are going to cook the greatness right out of it, and put it right out on a plate! Its going to be EPIC! hehe... and then we are going to eat it, because, I don't think that looking at something that is made from a French cookbook can possibly sit in the eyes of humans for over two minutes and not be eaten, its just way to appealing, or smells way too good!!

 

Anyways, so although I was so excited to get over my fear and get on Juliettes horse, and ride off into the sunset, I still have to unfortunately say that I have not yet

mounted that horse! ( literally and figuratively... I think) I don't know what it is, but I can just not manage to get over my fear! I mean, I know that I will eventually because, Juliette was an amazing trouper when she came to Canada, and really did everything! and I mean everything! Folks, this little 5'4 french girl came over to Canada, and got right into Junior Boys AMERICAN FOOTBALL! ON THE HIGH SCHOOL TEAM. Sorry, big deal. really big deal. And look at me, I can't even get on a horse, possibly because I know it will kill me and buck me right off, but yeah! But no! I will! I WILL RIDE THE HORSE!!! ... later... :P haha Don't worry though, you will be the first to know!! XD

 

OH AND COOLEST THING!!! There is going to be another exchange student in this house!! haha, basically, a girl from Germany is going to come and stay in the house for a bit. To be honest, it was kind of random, I mean the principal of the school just called Chantal ( Juliettes mom) and asked if an exchange student could stay at her house for a while, and Chantal, being one of the nicest people I have ever met, said yeah for sure! So now there are going to be THREE, no make that FOUR (Juliette can speak Spanish!) languages under one roof!!!! how cool is that!? maybe I will be able to get in touch with some of my long lost German roots and pick up a couple of words or phrases! How cool would that be!! XD lol, I don't know, I am pretty excited!!

 

ASSSSSSS for the poetry... well unfortunately, I know how much everyone LOVED the last one! haha lol, no, but I have decided to put that to bed, no more poetry. I'm going to have to go back to the doodling days when I go back to school............ in TWO WEEKS BECAUSE MARCH BREAK STARTS TOMORROW!!!! WEOOOO!!! not like I really need a vacation from anything because, I am pretty much on a three month vacation! NO but seriously SOO excited!!!! VENICE <3

 

 

Anyways, that about it for now, with many more exciting and mind blowing things to come (haha just kidding, I just like to type a whole bunch or random stuff that I find to be some what valuable enough to put on my blog!) but yeah, thanks for reading XD !!

 

Jenny :D

More more and ummm more!

Dear Internet <3

 

DUM DII DUMMM hummm... starting these are always so complicated!! WOW!

 

Ok so, instead of recounting every single detail of my life here in the past five days like I have done in my previous recounts of my life here, I have just decided that I will skip to everything that yo'll might actually... have a slight interest in... maybe haha! But, unlike before, where I didn't organise what I was going to say and didn't keep it super short like I wanted to, I decided, as I sat in class looking out the window in Spanish (yeah... thats still not going so well, but the teacher is super funny and doesn't really care when I look at her like she is a crazy person, which is really beneficial, cause that is seriously the only look I think I have ever given her, when I really don't mean to be rude, but seriously... NO IDEA WHAT you are trying to say... but hey, if it helps, it sure sounds pretty! ) anyway, so I decided that I would make a list of things that I should mention! So, here directly from my hand written (in feather pen..yeah its awesome.) (jkjk, but its really cool looking and so much more awesome then your average pen that is used by the majority of the world) is a list of things, put into paragraphs, that have happened or have been on my mind through out the past couple of days!

 

Ok so to starts off, I went to my first french party on Saturday! Weoo wasn't that fun!! haha... I woke up the next morning feeling like a fat cow due to the excessive amounts of cakes that I previously inhaled the night before, which was so worth it, cause even though these kids are 16, their mothers still feel obliged to send some baked goods as a thank you to the hosts of the party!! OK!  AWESOME? yeah! thank you god! Also, unlike anything I have ever been too, people actually brought like lights th dance with, like lights that you have at a elementary or high school dance or formal! that was so cool! the house was so full of colors!! hehe loved it!

 

Anyways, back on to the subject of teachers that I have previously talked about, which remain to be AWFUL. No but seriously, the physics teacher I do believe actually has no soul, he is cold as ice. Now, i know what you are thinking...why the hate? well ill tell you why!! This weekend, a very good friend of Juliette's was in a car accident! A CAR ACCIDENT! trust me, that is a big deal. So, this boy was really badly hurt, and came to school on Tuesday with his arm in a sling, and sat down in physics class. Well boy oh boy did the physics teacher not cut him any slack (and yes he was fully aware of the accident!). When the teacher called for the homework this boy, with good reason no doubt, was unable to say it was completed, so the teacher got furious!  as per usual... not only that, but the boys arm that was hurt was his writing arm, and for punishment, he was assigned a two hour homework essay to hand in for Thursday! Well, as the boy politely said, he could not write this because his hand ISN'T WORKING... guess what the teacher said... USE YOUR OTHER HAND!!! good sweet god above did I want to say something! wow! sorry if its annoying that I went on for so long about that, but seriously! its a little unbelievable!

 

But on to a positive note, well not really positive, just a little heads up for all the bakery's... in this country! i have officially lost all my self restraint haha, the bakery's, even two weeks in (wow that's like lightning!) they are still just as good as the very first ones I tried, and maybe even better! woah, there are these things that are called Paris Brests, I think.. lol and they are just like eclaires, except more cream and almond flavoured!!! UMMMYYYYYYYYYYY eeee! I tell myself every time, I will not buy them, but its not fair when Juliette's parents offer to buy it for me!! hehe I mean, I wouldn't ever want to be rude and say no! That's just a sign of.... its just rude! you just simply have to accept.... oh darn hehehehe!

 

Although I am still getting used to the kisses every morning, everything else seems to be much easier now, and I really feel like I am starting to, not blend in, but adapt more to the ways of the average french person, and as weird as that may sound, its actually very different. Certain things that they are very used to and are very common, would be completely rejected by many people in Canada, and again, many things that we do, they would never do here. For example, here, things like the culinary arts are very important, and its not like, every woman needs to know how to make a good sandwich (that was for you Joe), its that elegance in the service of food, and its presentation, in restaurants and even at home, is very proper and beautiful. Well, I don't even think beautiful even cuts it, they just have a impeccable amount of class, and beauty is just one word.. now I know you think I'm crazy for describing food like this, but seriously guys, its nice stuff, really prime stuff, very different from anything I have ever seen in Canada... their Top Chef, kicks ours so far up the, oh hey, what about the, oh yeah I forgot, but yeah, so much more epic! And then something that Canada is really used to is that, well I like to think, is that we are pretty patriotic, I mean, everyone that I know seems to like Canada, I mean, lets face it, maple syrup, four seasons and Tim Hortons! is there really much else... haha jkjk but you know what I mean, I like Canada! but here, it seems as though, especially my generation, actually don't like France, like they all want to get out and go to the USA, and even though I told them its not that great and they should really go to Canada cause we are awesome, everyone seems to think that USA is king of the world, and if you are going to make it anywhere you are going to make it there! I totally disagree and think they really need to open their eyes and look around at what they have... but that's just me... and I mean seriously, ti's actually just me that seems to think that here! lol

 

I would lastly like mention that I think I am really coming into close grips with my inner artist! Something I never thought I could possibly have! haha jkjk but I have however started to write poems and draw doodles that look like... well doodles! I know! Ill recite one of my poems that I have written in class, so you can get an inside look at what I think about in class! hehehe

 

" As I look out the window, and see a bird above,

I think of all the pretty things, that its gets to see and that I would love,

Like flying over the Seine river, dropping in to see the shops that glitter!

Pretty food and people and things,

that I sit in class, patiently wondering,

Will I ever see, or will it just be bitter, being here, the classes best...sitter,

having to sit here and painfully die, the teacher who I would like to see covered in lemon meringue pie."

 

The end, now I know that may seem like I just came up with that on the spot, which I kinda did, while I was being hugely distracted by an outside force! Still, I think it shows both perfectly my improved poetry skills and my imagination in class! haha (slash me being so bored!!)

 

Anyway, like I said, something else has come up, and I don't really want to be writing anymore, because boredom is bound to strike at any minute for you, and I am also just really tired and that may possibly be the something else haha

 

so yeah!

OH AND FRENCH SAYING OF THE DAY!!

 

C'est vache- direct translation THATS COW

                -meaning THATS WOW!

 

Anyway, until later! hope you thought this was cow!

 

Bisous!

Jenny :)

 

 

More about school :D

Dear Internet!! <3

 

SOOOO, what have I done these past two days over here in France?? Well, let me see! I know... I have been doing awesome things, that's it! that would make sense!

 

OK SO WHAT AWESOME things have I been doing!!?? lets see...

 

THURSDAY-

 

woke up- awesome! ate some bread with jam and French frosted flakes- awesome! Wore Sperry's (which by the way are considered to be old people shoes here in France, so note; if you come to France and want to look young...or pretend to be hip and in style... don't wear them ha ha) to school in the middle of February- DOUBLE AWESOME! (PS, in case anyone is wondering why I am saying awesome so much, its cause, well A) everything really is awesome and B) As weird as this may be, my dad, good old Dave, hates how much I say it, so because I miss him, and want to clarify his doubtful thoughts, and prove to him that I will come home, I want to remind him that I have to return, because its not like I can rely on Joe to annoy you like I can  :D hehehe)

 

ANYWAYS!

 

Juliette and I arrived on time for our Thursday classes at 800 in the morning, and started off the day with a solid two hours in the weight room with her class!

Dear god that was awful. I don't know how many of you know me, or how many people read this, but those of you who do know me, know that I DO NOT LIFT WEIGHTS! I have the arm strenght of a elderly ant, and there is no way hosé that I am lifting a metal bar with two 15 kilos on either end! No. Thank. You.

But, apparently, I had to... so I reduced it to five on either side and did three sets of ten AND I WAS SO PROUD!!! 

But then... this really nice girl, who is seriously the sweetest thing to ever walk planet earth (oh and by the way shes fourth in the country for kayaking, while competing an age group up, no big deal or anything) came and decided it was her turn to lift weights... all of a sudden... the happiness shriveled away as she effortlessly lifted 15 kilos, either side, three sets of ten, no sweat! GAWK!

 

Then, after the two hour humiliation class, we returned to our homeroom to continue with the rest of our day.

Starting with our 55 minutes (each class is 55 minutes BTW, I guess I never mentioned that, but yeah 55 minutes except for the last two classes on Friday which are an hour and a half each) of math, In which I actually knew what I was doing and what was being taught!! yay!! that was another highlight of the day, lifting ten kilogrammes was also a personal highlight, and if anyone is laughing, well, stop reading, and you try to lift some weights!! not easy...only if you do lift weights do you have the right to laugh! hehehe

 

Anyway, so then, after math, there was history/geography, and that was positively dreadful! not like I didn't like it because it was boring, quite on the contrary, it was quite entertaining, but there was just this really sad 20 minute clip, film thing that the teacher showed us that was WAY to graphic! WAY to sad! and the French people were speaking WAY to fast. It was basically about people panicking about the recent explosion of a nuclear plant, in Toulouse, that had blown up the entire city, killing 30, and wounding 9000, leaving another ten thousand people homeless. I asked Juliette if it was even legal that we were watching this, and apparently, it is a learning experience, and things like this are shown frequently in this class;

WELL, I know when ill be going to the bathroom now don't I ! not sitting through that again!

 

THEN THERE WAS LUNCH!! highlight nubaaaahhh ttthhrreeee!!!! KABOOBBSSSSSS!!! lliiiffeeee!!!! Haha and chocolate covered marshmallow aftah! delish! yumm!!

 

Followed by French, which seems to be getting better!

English, which is just a really fun class to be in!

And Spanish (were not going to talk about that, it's dreadful, and everyone can tell for sure by my face that I have NO idea what it going on!) oh, and by the way, guess who thought it would be a Great idea to go on a class field trip, thinking we were going to be in a hotel for a week in Spain? yeah. me. fail.

We will be the special guests in the home of some pleasant Spanish folk, who have kindly offered to open there homes for five days...and are encouraged to speak Spanish at our best level, practicing our hardest and giving our all with the Spanish that we have been learning for six years now! oh goody! Como estas sinor? bad. haha I debate weather or not I should still go... suggestions?? OMG YEAH!! If you think I should go or not go, or have been to Spain before and thing it is really worth while, let me know! Cause I'm kind of thinking of passing on it, due to the whole going to Venice thing as well :D haha

 

Any who, We then had a 15 minute break, and finished that day by choosing what University in France we are going to attend, and also choosing what career we are going to have when we are older! After filling out the online survey, my options for success in life are, librarian or nurse or painter!!! haha I laughed out loud!

 

School then ended at Six, and Juliette and I returned home! AWESOME DAY!! seriously though, I'm not very good at expressing joy through... blogging, but I actually had a great day, it was just one of those days that's not too fast, not too slow, you don't over do it or under do it and its calm and easygoing! I love those days and I had one yesterday, which then made it an awesome day! AWESOME!

 

FRIDAY!-

 

Ahh Friday! Well...

Today was just as good as yesterday minus the Kabob, muscle training, and ending at six!

We looked at ecosystems in science, through microscopes, which was really interesting to see because I have never looked at soil and piles of leaves to the depth the we investigated them today, and I know that seems sarcastic, but its not! I really liked it! and understood everything the teacher was saying! wahoo!

 

And then to end the day that I have told so much about, we had physics, where I was once again reminded, like in many other classes, how far behind the Canadian school system is, and how they should really step it up!

Yeah, I was utterly lost in his class, until he asked what GPS stood for and I knew that! and then I was lost again...He was saying something like...mass, weight, variable, vertex, altitude, longitude, distance formula, weight measurement, big number...

I tried to stay focused, but understanding his french is just as hard as understanding the material that he is teaching the class!

 

To finish off the day! I once again find myself here, writing this, hopefully you haven't totally lost track of what your reading and are thinking who is this idiot!

And I am also thinking about Canada. Actually, to be specific, maple toffee in the snow.. but yeah.. Canada <3

 

As odd as this may sound and as much as I have tried to deny it, now that I have been to a different country, even though its only been a week, I feel like I, personally, really do have a home in Canada, and since I am so used to the people and the grocery stores (random, I know, but they are really different here!) and the streets and the buildings and the way of life back home, and since it is so very different here, this thought that Canada is home is only reinforced every time I think about it... haha

 

Anyways, that's it for now, hope you are not like...dying of girlish talk, or repetition of the word  AWESOME, or just bored in general!

 

BISOUSSSSS!!!!

 

JENNY :)

Second day!

Dear Internet!

 

This one should be shorter then the last one, sorry about that! there was just so much say!!

Anyways, today was just as new and exciting as yesterday, but longer :/ meh. school finishing @ 5 is not something I am ever going to appreciate.

 

Today, the courses that I took were;

1) Physics

2)Math

3)English

4)University Prep...Sorta

5)Social Studies

6)French

 

Full day no? yes!

So, to start off, the physics teacher scared me half to hell! (pardon me, but it true!) he was a big man, who spoke in a deep voice, and walked slowly around the classroom, like hawk hovering over its prey! He would not take no for an answer, spoke and paused for effect, and made me so scared that I hesitated when he asked me how to spell my name! he was a very scary dude! When he was teaching his class about the speed of light of from the moon the the earth, and asked for an answer, everyone just looked around, or played with their hands, or bit their nails, or did whatever it took not to be chosen! Not good times! But, that class finished and it was on to the next one! Except....we had him again later for University Prep...in which he spent (no jokes) a full hour on telling us how to properly take notes, and how the American and Canadian Universities force notes to be written a certain way. Wrong, Wrong, Wrong, Wrong, but the other exchange student and I were not going to tell him this, because we both, quite frankly like having our heads on our bodies! Now, I know that its seems that I spend all my time criticising how everything that is taught to French students about Canada, but both the other exchange student and I agree that we have no idea WHAT they are talking about every time they refer to Canada or American ways, but its only been two days so we will see...

 

Math was boring, hehe to say the least, I rocked the doodles again, and then English we went to the computer lab to study New York .Its cool to be in a class where the only knowledge of anything about New york comes from Gossip Girl episodes! Some people were fascinated that France had actually given up, not only something of its own making, but to the United Stated no less, the Statue of Lliberty! OMG, WOAH WOAH WOAH! This universal sign for the Big Apple,  was not made by the Americans!? The French gave it to them! DUUUUDEEEEE! hahaha that was a good class!

 

FOR THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY came lunch time! Juliette's friends, took me to a little restaurant that served these big, huge, meat loaded sandwiches called Kabebs...Kebobs...Kabobs.. I don't know, but they were OUT. OF. THIS . WORLD. eep! even though they were invented in eastern Europe (thank you mister know it all who shall not be named and shouldn't be so sassy in the future.You know who you are) The French def perfected them! They were so good, but unfortunatly there is nothing that I would compare them too...I don't know if they have them in Canada, but if they do, EAT ONE. ahh!

 

When returning, we arrived late because I simply had to buy an Eclaire, and walked into Spanish, in which she spoke only in Spanish and I knew nothing. Seriously! these kids know way to many languages! so I just stared blankly at the teacher as time flew by!

 

When the bell rang we all had to go downstairs to the quiet room. Yes, the quite room, where you are forced to sit for an hour and do nothing. nothing. nooooooothing. We did this because, due to some stroke of genius, a boy in our grade decided to take a permanent marker and draw all over the library yesterday. Idiot. So, unlike in Canada, where only one person gets punished, all of us, every student from this grade, had to go and sit in this class, while a skinny cranky lady leaned over everyone telling them to keep quiet when the only noise being made were breaths of air! Twas not the best experience ever. But at least now I know that I do not want to ever get in trouble here! not like I didn't know that before...its just reinforced now...

 

The day finished by French, and Juliette and I returned home, to where I once again find myself writing this! haha

 

Anyways, that's about it! hehe until L8R! Sorry that wasn't exactly short..

 

Bisous (totally still not used to that)

 

Jenny!

First Day Of School : )

Dear Internet!

Today was a really fun day for many reasons!!!

First off, it was my first full day at school,

Second, I got to wear heels all day and that was just awesome!

Third,I had a huuuuuuugeeee delish cookie at lunch that was shaped in an enormous heart and was chocolate and was just wonderful,

Fourth, I got to be in France all day! Which is still something that I find incredible to wake up to !

Speaking of waking up and being excited about France, guess who woke up today and had such a good sleep that she totally forgot where she was for like twenty seconds... funny right? no! I must have looked crazy to Juliette who was trying to explain to me that we had to get ready to go to school and I was like...sure...who are you? of course I did not say that, but either way, it was not funny.

 

Anyway, so today I got up and went downstairs. OMG AWESOME JENNY!! I know.

jkjk I must say that, among the multiple different things that there is here, three of my favorite things all happened this morning.

One, I didn't have to make a lunch!!! yay!

Two, I ate freshly made scones for breakfast! holy! why are all these people so amazing at cooking and baking? I do not know! but it is freaking awesome!!

Three, I spend an HOUR eating breakfast! ONE WHOLE HOUR OF A SCHOOL DAY MORNING EATING BREAKFAST!! ahhh!!! so awesome.

 

So after I was all ready to go to school,Juliette's mom drove me down to the school gates, where we waited until some big man with a Key opened it.We then walked up to her french class, OMG french in french. ou baby. They were in the midst of learning grammar that was only ever written down, never spoken, and is past tense and refers to a part of time that is only happens once... I talked to the person beside me and drew pretty pictured!

 

We then went to the library, which was only for her grade (each grade has their own library) .I chilled and listened to my Ipod, and then asked to do her English homework while she worked on math and physics for an hour, then we returned to English!!!! BEST. CLASS. EVER.

 

The English teacher had a Strong British accent, but was french...how this worked, I have no clue. She was trying to teach her class about the Empire State building and it was so jokes the answers that she would get from the class. The highlights of my day were when she would ask a question to the class, and then some students would give the right answer and she would say that they were wrong! it was so jokes! I'm pretty sure I counted like 5 times where she was wrong and it wasn't even funny anymore.

 

Then, there was lunch, quickly followed by history class, in which we learnt about hurricane Katrina, and how all Americans are stupid because instead of getting ready for it, they just partied, and they deserved what they got...this concept was definitely debatable, but I surely do not have the french vocabulary to do so, yet! we also learnt about some cool things that I had never even heard of, like the earthquake that hit France! There was an earthquake? I had no clue!!!

 

And then there was math.....ohhh boyyy.... Canada is so far behind its worrisome. They were learning things that I am pretty sure I have never seen in any textbook! Or maybe it was because it was all in french? who knows! all I know is that that was by far the best doodling time period I have ever had! successful too! I managed to get every song that I had in my head out of my head by writing it down! yay!

 

Presently, Juliette and I have returned home and I await another completely different day tomorrow, in which instead of three thirty, school will finish at 5! how excited am I !!

Anyway, I just wanted to tell you how it is different here, and how I am enjoying it, and I also just wanted to talk in English for a while so, yeah!

 

haha hope that whoever read this isn't dead from boredom, if you are then I am sorry. :P

also I hope that there are not as many spelling mistakes.. I re read it this time so i hope were good!! haha

 

Jenny

yuayaayayrhzuas,wsugnax,ofiunhfcnqinxgggggggggq,ei,wvdzeiiiwv,hbekjb,vxviuuu

arrival

Dear internet <3
First, i would like to appologize for my tardyness with this, i have actually wrote it three times and each time it has been deleted. meh. not cool computer...not cool.
ANYWAY!
Arrived in Paris safe and tired two days ago now! Paris, for those who have yet to go, if without doubt the most beautiful, elegant, romantic and fashionable city in the world. In reality, it fits percetly the true deffinition of awesome ;)

The beauty doesnt even compare to anything that I have seen in canada. People, buildings, stores, paintings, everything is just outstanding. I think that I could, in all honesty, spend my whole life, just walking around and looking at beautiful architecture that is found in every roof top and corner of this magnificient city. Its honestly great.

After landing in the early hours in the morning, we were immidiatly taken to a hostage, where we left our stuff and were told to go directly to lunch and then directly for a four hour tour around paris by bus! only being able to see, but not stop and enter the beautiful paces. That wasn't awesome, but then again it allowed me not to have to walk around paris looking like I had just been unable to use a shower for three weeks, and still see the sights! which was great!!

after a long long long long long day, I was finally able to take a shower, eat dinner and go to bed! but there were some things that i had noticed about the people and the places that I had been in Paris, and their differences when compared to Canada, so I wrote them down and deciede to share them!!

1) no matter your strenght in french, everyone speaks to you in french because there are so many different accents found around the country that they just assume that you have a wierd one :)

2) People here are very touchy. to great, no matter who or when or for what occasion, its alway a double kiss, on either side of the face, inlike the easier, HEY WHADDUP with a casual wave of the hand that I tried...

3) Every single person in france is well dressed. Everyone, be them babies or elders dress formidablement. Even beggers on the street are better dressed then some people in Canada that go to school

4) At all the important buildings and places there are army guards circulating everywere with their guns in hand and looking out for any trouble. it is not very pleasant, and kills the moment

5) bearly anyone on the streets or in train stations are plugged into their ipods. everyone is reading a book or the paper, or just walking... and smoking. seriously, everyone smoke, EVERYONE.

6) hahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahhahahahahahahahahaha IT WAS PLUS 17 TODAY!!!! HAHAHAH <3 love you.

7)  no where is really wheel chair accesable... sorry mom <3

8) Baguette is eaten all the time at every meal during every hour of the day! its crazyy.

9) People who are older then you require respect and you have to show it to them. you dont sit in class until the teacher says you may be seated... wish someone woulda told me... but no... thats cool... im a little innocent canadian girl...hahaha

10) Appariently, asking for change for a five dollar bill  to use the bathroom from the only store in the whole train stations, without purchasing murchandise which consited of magasines and pens and gum and chips, is totally and un thinkably rude and just unthoughtof. If this happens, the clerck will then present herself looking like a bull that has just seen red for the first time, which gives you the signal pretty clearly to get out if you want to live. or so i have herd..

Baisically those are just a couple things that I found interesting and different about France! haha some good some diffrent some just unpleasant. CRAZY FRENCH LADY!

After having a great sleep, I woke up, had breeakfast, was taken to the train station, borded a train, and arrived in ARGENTAN!!

Juliette and here mom were there to greet me with open arms, and took me right back to her house to have a bit of lunch and then tour the city and allow me to attend my first class. it was phisique. it was a fail. i understood nothing and the teacher was crazy! haha its so true when people say that teachers here really are not interested in being friends. ohhh baby! was she uniterested. after that we walked around her cute little town, peeked into shops and restaurants and then returned back to her house to eat dinner and slleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeepppppppppp <3 .... which I soon realised I could not do because I wasnt tired enough that it over took my excitment! oops.

TODAY I WENT SHOPPIINNGGG!!! that was so awesome! Juliette and I woke up and went for a run in the french campaign with her dog, then returned and went to get her friend, whom we then brought with us to Caen, where we spend the whole day eating french pastries and window shopping and just having a good time!

we then went to meet Juliettes sisters and had a really nice and simple dinner @ a chinese restaurant. even chinese food is better, lol

After that, we returned home, to the position that I presently find myself in typing this. haha
Anyway, that, in a pretty little nutshell, is the just of what I have been doing, I probs didnt explain it as well as i should have... but thats ok! I have three months to improve :)

Alrighty then!!
talk to you soon :)
Jenny !

We be on our way

Dearest Internet,
Today was quite the day!
I was able to spend it, every part of it, with everyone that I LOVE and am going to miss like crazy.
BUT! yay me! I have still managed to not cry! weeoo!
ANYWAY! tomorrow is the big day! plane leaves at 650 in the evening in which I will be leaving from Toronto, Canada and landing in Paris, France :) yay!
While thinking about my departure, and considering I am going to embarrass myself just by writing this stupid blog in the first place, I have decided to embarrass myself some more and let everyone know what I am going to miss most about this dear homeland of mine-
1) maple syrup.
2) blueberries
3) peanut butter
4) onion rings
5) moccasins
6) sweat pants! big time!
7) snow... jkjk haha SUCKERS! ITS PLUS TEN IN FRANCE! WHAADDUPP!
8) skiing
9) pretty maple trees
10 ) FAM JAM
11) English
12) knowing people

other then that! ROCK ON FRANCE ! here I come :)
When i get there it will be 830 in the morning...so that should be interesting because, apparently, I will be going to a welcome to France party that night...great! ha ha not like I'm not excited! I just like being able to yannow, think and be able to talk with my eyes open, so I guess i will have to adjust! Which will be totally fine, because I will be so excited anyway ha ha

I just am so excited! ah! I don't even know what to do! Finally finished packing! 48 lbs! awesomeness! leaves room for stuff to come back ;) ha ha SHOPPING? i think so!

anyway, yeah so, France tomorrow!
I guess ill post when I get there ha ha :) with pictures hopefully!! :)
lol
hopefully, if you read this you totally don't think I am a conceded freak who likes to talk about herself..or pathetic...cause that would be..not good.

PEACE CANADA!!! <3

First blog ever

This one goes out to the...Internet? not particularly sure how this works but hey, whose reading :P
Anyway, so in about 7, or 8, or 9 day I am going to debark on one of the biggest adventures of my life so far. I'm kinda scared for the plane ride and the new..Continent, and I am also sad to be leaving my friends and family (duh who wouldn't be.)  :( but I am really excited to learn about a new culture and a new way of living ( as stupid and ridiculously corny as that sounds! ) but, all in all I am pretty pumped! :) I just really hope my french can pick up and I can communicate with...the population of France, if I can't, I'm not sure what I'll do, or do I ?.. how about I just get some french guy who is surprisingly handsome and knows English to tag around me for the whole time!and he can communicate for me!!? OMG I am so smart sometimes! that's officially plan...A :P
Beside that, I still have to figure out a bunch of stuff about how this works and how to load pictures...
but, pretty much just wanted to tell myself that I am writing you as your final days as a Canadian... until you get back! GOOD BYE CANUCK DAYS! I am officially moving on to a more...sophisticated? cultured? mature? way of life ? looks like im about to find out... haha

FUTURE HOME? YEAH, I THINK SOOOO :)