As of today, I no longer am a student at Lycee Pierre Bayen. It just doesn't work for me, and I refuse to continue to wait for time to pass. If you know me, you know I'm big on time and what it represents, what it is. If this is all I have for certain in life, I prefer not to waste it.
Anyway, it seems the only choice I have is to change schools with the chance of being placed in terminal (equivilent to gr 12). However, this is only a chance because this is the year the students have their bac, which are huuuge exams they need to prepare for and pass in order to graduate.
I dont know if a new school will change a lot, but I am remaining optimistic because at least it is something different.
My host-mom, Claire, has been helping me a lot with this. I feel so fortunate with my family placement. And I think I've learned how to be open with them about everything- my problems mainly. So all is good.
Yesterday also went to Troyes with my bud Pierre. Twas a good time. On the care ride home I watched as the whole family spoke excitedly about the new things they bought. I had returned empty handed, which came as a shock to everyone. Apparently it is not french to shop for a day and buy nothing?! Tis the fashion thing, i guess. It was a good day nonetheless. And it snowed.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
Endure, Finish, And Repeat.
Oh god, how easily I had forgotten the morning drag of waking myself up at 6:45. The drowsy breakfast, struggling to shut the non-functioning car door, the drive up to lycee.
The reality of my 2 weeks vacation ending hit me while I was sitting in geography today. It felt a lot like I was reliving a memory. That I shouldn't be there, that I had finished with this school experience and it was all in the past. Unfortunately that is not the case, and I have to resettle myself into this hell of a routine.
Back to my 7,8,9,10 hour days. Back to sitting in classrooms where authority rules and I am spoken to as if I am less. Back to tryinging to entertain myself as I sit through classes I don't care for, not even with a tiny fraction of my heart or mind. Back to enduring time.
I can honestly say if I had known what school was like here, I would have chosen another country.
Good luck, make it through january without cracking. At least I can say I now know the value of a day.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Christmas in France
Bon soir,
Christmas has passed for another year. My first one away from home. I give myself a grand ol' pat on the back for remaining connected to then and there as opposed to become a sulk case from reminising.
The family and I went to the grandparents for the holidays, attending church on christmas eve and spending christmas day at the table (literally the entire day. Lunch went from 11am-6pm, then there was bfast and dinner). There was plenty of champagne, wine and an over abundance of food that I am still feeling it even now.
It was strange to be experiencing this family holiday with a family not of my own. To continue the holidays up to New Years without seeing my friends. It's just weird. I can't say this was my favorite christmas ever because the traditions (except for one) people and music were all missing, but it was certainly interesting.
That is all I will say about that.
Today, the 26th, the parents took the kids and I on a 1.5 hour drive for a surprise. Actually this was the best part of the three day span. We went to the "probably biggest castle in europe" as my english guide book said. Probably? Afterwards we drove a little bit and suddently everybody says "we're in Belgium!" So hoorah! A new country can be crossed off my list. The closeness of countries here still blows my mind.. I spent the afternoon in Belgium. How often can you say that? We also ate at a lovely restaurant, everybody endulged in crepes for dessert and that instant felt incredibly french. A 3 hour hike in nature concluded our time in this new country, which I believe is to blame for giving me such a great impression of it and a very homey feeling.
Fin.
Ta ta
Christmas has passed for another year. My first one away from home. I give myself a grand ol' pat on the back for remaining connected to then and there as opposed to become a sulk case from reminising.
The family and I went to the grandparents for the holidays, attending church on christmas eve and spending christmas day at the table (literally the entire day. Lunch went from 11am-6pm, then there was bfast and dinner). There was plenty of champagne, wine and an over abundance of food that I am still feeling it even now.
It was strange to be experiencing this family holiday with a family not of my own. To continue the holidays up to New Years without seeing my friends. It's just weird. I can't say this was my favorite christmas ever because the traditions (except for one) people and music were all missing, but it was certainly interesting.
That is all I will say about that.
Today, the 26th, the parents took the kids and I on a 1.5 hour drive for a surprise. Actually this was the best part of the three day span. We went to the "probably biggest castle in europe" as my english guide book said. Probably? Afterwards we drove a little bit and suddently everybody says "we're in Belgium!" So hoorah! A new country can be crossed off my list. The closeness of countries here still blows my mind.. I spent the afternoon in Belgium. How often can you say that? We also ate at a lovely restaurant, everybody endulged in crepes for dessert and that instant felt incredibly french. A 3 hour hike in nature concluded our time in this new country, which I believe is to blame for giving me such a great impression of it and a very homey feeling.
Fin.
Ta ta
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Noel
I blame the delay on the multidimensional travel these 0's and 1's commute.
Alors, below is a very quick recap of 3 and a half months.
And sorry dave I forgot to edit in your pic. And so behold, you get the golden thrown instead (that is to say.. you arent hidden in all the nonsense of the video above ;) ) meow.
Alors, below is a very quick recap of 3 and a half months.
And sorry dave I forgot to edit in your pic. And so behold, you get the golden thrown instead (that is to say.. you arent hidden in all the nonsense of the video above ;) ) meow.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Paris
I'm huffing and puffing just to catch up to the present. Here's Paris for yah..
Joke by my host brother:
Brad Pitt, in french, is pronounced Bras Pitt. Bras means arm. Har har har.
[comments are appreciated :)]
Joke by my host brother:
Brad Pitt, in french, is pronounced Bras Pitt. Bras means arm. Har har har.
[comments are appreciated :)]
Thursday, October 15, 2009
It's about time
The basics of this blog would be, I suppose, the skeleton. My life in france. Is that what I should call it? My Life In France.
An old (and undoubtedly wise) man sits at the edge of a deep, dark hole. The old man, eating his apples and scratching his head, continuously watches Father Time walk by as he spends his days looking into the dark hole in wonder and amazement.
One day, along comes a young person, having just stepped out into the world of independance and choice. The person approaches the old man, and notices the pit of darkness. Overcome by curiousity, they ask where the empty space in the earth leads to. 'To the devil's door? To the core of the earth? To turtles all the way down?'
The old man chuckles in return. 'Those who stumble into the pit are never seen the same again!'
'Why? How?' the young person questions.
'They just are. This hole must lead to a very mysterious place.' The old man sighs.
The young person's mind continued to question. Where did this hole come from? Is there a Somebody who made it?
Curiosity must be fed, and right now it was starving. Driven wild from their own thoughts, the young person throws their body into the hole and begins to fall.
They fall and fall for hours. For days. For weeks. For months. They struggle to catch their breath in the still air their body rushes through. The light from the world they once knew has dissolved into utter darkness, and they miss the warmth of the sun. They miss their comforts and their familarities. There is a regret that creeps up and an unhappiness that takes the place of their curiosity.
'Why, why, why did I let my wonder drive me to take such an action!' The young person cried to themself.
But then, suddenly, something begins to happen. Something indescribable, for there are no physical features to describe, no language to draw an understanding. As they fall, the person begins to change. They shed their former self and become anew. They had known this would happen all along. They knew. But now they undertand.
Some time later, the old (and perhaps wise) man is still sitting by the edge of the hole, eating his apples and scratching his head. Eventually, he is welcomed by the sight of the young person once again. 'And so,' he says, 'where does the hole go?'
The young person replies, 'this hole reaches through matter itself, through the folded fabrics of reality. It leads to a very mysterious place.'
'You have changed,' the old man says. 'How did it happen?'
The young person looks the old man in the eyes. 'Experience taught me what knowledge could not.'
[last night in paris]
A story.An old (and undoubtedly wise) man sits at the edge of a deep, dark hole. The old man, eating his apples and scratching his head, continuously watches Father Time walk by as he spends his days looking into the dark hole in wonder and amazement.
One day, along comes a young person, having just stepped out into the world of independance and choice. The person approaches the old man, and notices the pit of darkness. Overcome by curiousity, they ask where the empty space in the earth leads to. 'To the devil's door? To the core of the earth? To turtles all the way down?'
The old man chuckles in return. 'Those who stumble into the pit are never seen the same again!'
'Why? How?' the young person questions.
'They just are. This hole must lead to a very mysterious place.' The old man sighs.
The young person's mind continued to question. Where did this hole come from? Is there a Somebody who made it?
Curiosity must be fed, and right now it was starving. Driven wild from their own thoughts, the young person throws their body into the hole and begins to fall.
They fall and fall for hours. For days. For weeks. For months. They struggle to catch their breath in the still air their body rushes through. The light from the world they once knew has dissolved into utter darkness, and they miss the warmth of the sun. They miss their comforts and their familarities. There is a regret that creeps up and an unhappiness that takes the place of their curiosity.
'Why, why, why did I let my wonder drive me to take such an action!' The young person cried to themself.
But then, suddenly, something begins to happen. Something indescribable, for there are no physical features to describe, no language to draw an understanding. As they fall, the person begins to change. They shed their former self and become anew. They had known this would happen all along. They knew. But now they undertand.
Some time later, the old (and perhaps wise) man is still sitting by the edge of the hole, eating his apples and scratching his head. Eventually, he is welcomed by the sight of the young person once again. 'And so,' he says, 'where does the hole go?'
The young person replies, 'this hole reaches through matter itself, through the folded fabrics of reality. It leads to a very mysterious place.'
'You have changed,' the old man says. 'How did it happen?'
The young person looks the old man in the eyes. 'Experience taught me what knowledge could not.'
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