Went to Bordeaux! Actually Bordeaux this time, no ancient house in the middle of a forest, we legit saw the city and it was incredible. This was on yet another AFS chapter event (I love my chapter to bits, everyone is so amazing). We all met up on the Saturday, I took the TGV with new arrival Maria José, and hit up the Christmas markets, ice-skating and this incredible cathedral in the centre of the city. We all went back to Fanny's for dinner, CREPES, and chilled there the night. It was so great catching up with everyone.
But every silver cloud has a murky grey lining, so I've had tonsillitis all week! Totally wouldn't recommend it, even if the amount of medicine these French doctors throw at you is absolutely outstanding. I got concerned Facebook messages from my class though, asking when I'd be back at school though, which made me smile :)
Also today I did a presentation for my class! Subject: New Zealand. you'd be surprised how much research I actually had to do. It went reasonably well, I made everyone pavlova-based cupcakes (recipe haphazardly morphed together by yours truly) and they didn't throw them up which was kind. Also, the whole thing was done in French! Three points for the foreign girl everyone :)
And last Friday (I'm awful at this chronological order thing) I met up with Miss Lassaube in
Pau (for those of you who don't know her, she is a French teacher at Rosehill College, who is in Pau for the holidays), and we had lunch at a café and did a tour of the castle together. It was really cool, we talked purely in FRENCH (another two points for the foreign girl everyone) and the castle was absolutely amazing.
That's pretty much all I've got news wise, christmas is coming up soon so I'll no doubt have more in a week or so, since I won't be posting again before Christmas, MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!! I hope you all get up to something fun :)
Also, it has been brought to my attention (against my will, I'm trying not to count the days) that I am sliding ever closer to that precipice of mixed feelings that is the end of my exchange. Not that I'm close, I'm just a heck of a lot closer than I was in September, you know? Gosh, maybe I am close. Im not kidding about the mixed feelings thing either, I kind of came here expecting to take away a language, some stories, some souvenirs. But I've really attached myself to some people here, this'll be the first time in my life that I'll have to say a permanent goodbye en masse and it's freaky as heck, even as much as I'm looking forward to all the things I miss from home. I'm opting for the keep-the-feels-box-closed-until-the-last-moment motto. We'll see how I go :)
That was a poetic post. I'll submit it for my creative writing in English next year.
Stay Super,
Holly :)
Friday 20 December 2013
Thursday 12 December 2013
Trucking Along
Bonjour!
A few little things to catch you all up on :)
First of all SORRY UNCLE STEVE I totally didn't realise I wasn't supposed to open it until Christmas I promise I will hide it from myself until Christmas Day :)
Also, my local chapter of AFS has a new arrival! Actually we have three, but one of them is a girl called Maria from Costa Rica and she is going to my school here! We only had the opportunity to meet up briefly yesterday but she's really nice and we'll be seeing each other again this weekend at the AFS camp in Bordeaux.
Also, we had our conseil de classe, which is where the two elected student representatives of the class and every single teacher all meet up and discuss the class in general and all of the students one by one. We will all be getting reports soon but the two elected class representatives took notes on all of us (our average scores, teachers comments, etc) and gave them to us in class and I totally have an average of 12.68 out of 20 and I got an encouragement! Which is like a praise thing, not the best you can get but not bad either :)
Also, I had a great weekend. Saturday night I went with my host brother Antoine to see the Hunger Games 2 in the cinema, and it was fantastic! Really an enjoyable movie and I followed the whole story no problem at all :) got back and had dinner at ten at night and watched some of the Miss France competition
Then Sunday, my host parents and I went to St John de Luz. THAT was an incredible day, St John de Luz is absolutely mindblowing and I am DETERMINED to go back there someday. The weather was perfect and we had paninis and ice cream for lunch and took a look around some shops and walked along the beach and we walked up to this point at the end of the bay where you could do a perfect 360 of the entire waterfront and the sea it was just amazing.
Voilà. That's the business of late, I'll do another post after the camp to let you know how it all went and stop being lazy and put up some pictures of the snow with Taryn and St John de Luz :)
Stay super,
Holly :)
A few little things to catch you all up on :)
First of all SORRY UNCLE STEVE I totally didn't realise I wasn't supposed to open it until Christmas I promise I will hide it from myself until Christmas Day :)
Also, my local chapter of AFS has a new arrival! Actually we have three, but one of them is a girl called Maria from Costa Rica and she is going to my school here! We only had the opportunity to meet up briefly yesterday but she's really nice and we'll be seeing each other again this weekend at the AFS camp in Bordeaux.
Also, we had our conseil de classe, which is where the two elected student representatives of the class and every single teacher all meet up and discuss the class in general and all of the students one by one. We will all be getting reports soon but the two elected class representatives took notes on all of us (our average scores, teachers comments, etc) and gave them to us in class and I totally have an average of 12.68 out of 20 and I got an encouragement! Which is like a praise thing, not the best you can get but not bad either :)
Also, I had a great weekend. Saturday night I went with my host brother Antoine to see the Hunger Games 2 in the cinema, and it was fantastic! Really an enjoyable movie and I followed the whole story no problem at all :) got back and had dinner at ten at night and watched some of the Miss France competition
Then Sunday, my host parents and I went to St John de Luz. THAT was an incredible day, St John de Luz is absolutely mindblowing and I am DETERMINED to go back there someday. The weather was perfect and we had paninis and ice cream for lunch and took a look around some shops and walked along the beach and we walked up to this point at the end of the bay where you could do a perfect 360 of the entire waterfront and the sea it was just amazing.
Voilà. That's the business of late, I'll do another post after the camp to let you know how it all went and stop being lazy and put up some pictures of the snow with Taryn and St John de Luz :)
Stay super,
Holly :)
Tuesday 3 December 2013
Snow!
Okay so there are a few things to cover in this post.
The first is the snow. My goodness was it cold but WOW probably one of the most fun single days I have had here in France a serious, heartfelt, massive THANK YOU to Taryn and her incredible host mother Sylvie for taking me, I really had such a great time. We had a snowball fight and make snow angels and this awesome beans little kid let us have a turn on his luge thing it was just magical.
The rest of the sleepover was great too, did some shopping and caught up with some people from AFS New Zealand. And Taryn cut me a fringe!! I hope I can hang with her some more before I go, she's really been such a great friend to have here and I will legitimately miss her like crazy when I leave.
Been pretty chill apart from that, keeping up with school and all. Im going to the theatre tonight and eating in town with the girls before which will be fun. Also, I don't have enough details yet to elaborate much here yet but a French teacher from Rosehill College is coming here! We're going to meet up and she has a project in mind that I think will be really amazing, I'll let you all know more a bit later :)
It's around eight weeks now until I go home, and I'm in two minds about it. On one hand, the thought of seeing my family and friends again gives me excited butterflies every bit as strong as I had about coming here. On the other, this place is really amazing and it's hard to imagine that I'm just going to drop it so soon. That I might never do these daily things I love so much, crossing the road when I walk to school just to see the fish in the stream, leaning against the radiators before class starts until the teacher has to actually tell us to take our seats, sneaking my headphones into English and sleeping for an hour (sorry but I mean what's the use?). I can't get my around the fact that that's all going to just STOP.
Saying that, I do realise that this time I've been given here was a massive, unbelievable gift and that nothing could make it not worth coming here. Really, truly, thank you NZ ministry of education for just doing this award, and for giving it to lowly me. I promise I will always pay all of my taxes and take a serious interest in elections when I'm 18.
Also, a massive thank you to the people that have kept me sane while I'm here. It's so good to here from people back home, massive thank you to beautiful, entertaining, hilarious, magical SARAH WATSON whom I love for all your promises of the fun things we will do when I get back, so life won't seem dull by comparison (live is never dull with us haha)
AND CHEERS UNCLE STEVE AND FAMILY for the AWESOME amazing Christmas present, my host family loved the tree decorations, they're on there now, and I am really really truly grateful for the necklace (it's Saint Christopher readers, the patron saint of travellers).
Also, an emphatic, primary school style round of applause that actually forms a circle in the air to AFS New Zealand, for doing that predeparture camp so that I have friends in countries like Spain, and Sweden and America and Venezuela that I can just chat to. I love keeping up with everyone, this returnee camp is going to be mindblowing :)
That wraps it up for today kids. The usual love and kisses to you all, sorry I can't do personal shout outs to everyone. If you're keeping in contact with me, that's you I'm talking to :)
Stay Super,
Holly :)
The first is the snow. My goodness was it cold but WOW probably one of the most fun single days I have had here in France a serious, heartfelt, massive THANK YOU to Taryn and her incredible host mother Sylvie for taking me, I really had such a great time. We had a snowball fight and make snow angels and this awesome beans little kid let us have a turn on his luge thing it was just magical.
The rest of the sleepover was great too, did some shopping and caught up with some people from AFS New Zealand. And Taryn cut me a fringe!! I hope I can hang with her some more before I go, she's really been such a great friend to have here and I will legitimately miss her like crazy when I leave.
Been pretty chill apart from that, keeping up with school and all. Im going to the theatre tonight and eating in town with the girls before which will be fun. Also, I don't have enough details yet to elaborate much here yet but a French teacher from Rosehill College is coming here! We're going to meet up and she has a project in mind that I think will be really amazing, I'll let you all know more a bit later :)
It's around eight weeks now until I go home, and I'm in two minds about it. On one hand, the thought of seeing my family and friends again gives me excited butterflies every bit as strong as I had about coming here. On the other, this place is really amazing and it's hard to imagine that I'm just going to drop it so soon. That I might never do these daily things I love so much, crossing the road when I walk to school just to see the fish in the stream, leaning against the radiators before class starts until the teacher has to actually tell us to take our seats, sneaking my headphones into English and sleeping for an hour (sorry but I mean what's the use?). I can't get my around the fact that that's all going to just STOP.
Saying that, I do realise that this time I've been given here was a massive, unbelievable gift and that nothing could make it not worth coming here. Really, truly, thank you NZ ministry of education for just doing this award, and for giving it to lowly me. I promise I will always pay all of my taxes and take a serious interest in elections when I'm 18.
Also, a massive thank you to the people that have kept me sane while I'm here. It's so good to here from people back home, massive thank you to beautiful, entertaining, hilarious, magical SARAH WATSON whom I love for all your promises of the fun things we will do when I get back, so life won't seem dull by comparison (live is never dull with us haha)
AND CHEERS UNCLE STEVE AND FAMILY for the AWESOME amazing Christmas present, my host family loved the tree decorations, they're on there now, and I am really really truly grateful for the necklace (it's Saint Christopher readers, the patron saint of travellers).
Also, an emphatic, primary school style round of applause that actually forms a circle in the air to AFS New Zealand, for doing that predeparture camp so that I have friends in countries like Spain, and Sweden and America and Venezuela that I can just chat to. I love keeping up with everyone, this returnee camp is going to be mindblowing :)
That wraps it up for today kids. The usual love and kisses to you all, sorry I can't do personal shout outs to everyone. If you're keeping in contact with me, that's you I'm talking to :)
Stay Super,
Holly :)
Tuesday 19 November 2013
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!
Sorry I haven't updated in a while things are going pretty smoothly here, all settled in and everything :)
So yeah, a MASSIVE, MASSIVE happy birthday (Bon Anniversaire) to my Dad back in New Zealand, I miss you like crazy but I will see you in not too long now, the hardest bit is over
Also, happy birthday for two days ago to my cousin Michaela :)
Not a whole lot to tell you all about, been getting back into the rhythm of school (the terms here are only seven weeks thank goodness, I'm only four weeks away form the Christmas holidays). I got an 11.5 out if 20 in a test! I know what you're all thinking, English class. In fact: FRENCH. It was a test on a French Poem and I was marked (and Mr Rochelois was insistent on this) JUST LIKE THE OTHER STUDENTS.
Speaking of the language, I think I have the hang of it now. I don't sound at all fluent when I speak but I can pretty much say anything I want to say and with most people I speak solely in French :) It certainly makes class more bearable being able to understand what the teachers are saying. That obviously doesn't include Chinese, I have abandoned all hope of picking up anything other than hello.
Upcoming events are pretty few and far between but I'll let y'all know anyway :) I have another camp in Bordaux in three weeks, and the weekend after that I start the holidays :) I'll be spending the few days before and during Christmas in Poitier with the extended host family, and spending Boxing Day not far from Pau with the other side of the extended host family. Alexia has invited me to hang out with her those holidays too, and hopefully I can spend some time with Taryn as well :)
Also note worthy, I have officially passed the half way mark, I think I have around ten weeks left here! (I'm trying not to count the days). Leaving is going to be really hard I've become quite close with a few people here, but I'll be thrilled to see my family and friends back home too :) I think that exchanges really teach you to appreciate what you have, I certainly feel like I do now :)
That's it for now,
Happy Birthday again Dad! I hope you get to see this on your birthday Skype isn't sending my messages but I'll send you an email anyway and hope that you check it :)
Stay Super,
Holly :)
So yeah, a MASSIVE, MASSIVE happy birthday (Bon Anniversaire) to my Dad back in New Zealand, I miss you like crazy but I will see you in not too long now, the hardest bit is over
:) hope you had a fun day :) love you lots
Also, happy birthday for two days ago to my cousin Michaela :)
Not a whole lot to tell you all about, been getting back into the rhythm of school (the terms here are only seven weeks thank goodness, I'm only four weeks away form the Christmas holidays). I got an 11.5 out if 20 in a test! I know what you're all thinking, English class. In fact: FRENCH. It was a test on a French Poem and I was marked (and Mr Rochelois was insistent on this) JUST LIKE THE OTHER STUDENTS.
Speaking of the language, I think I have the hang of it now. I don't sound at all fluent when I speak but I can pretty much say anything I want to say and with most people I speak solely in French :) It certainly makes class more bearable being able to understand what the teachers are saying. That obviously doesn't include Chinese, I have abandoned all hope of picking up anything other than hello.
Upcoming events are pretty few and far between but I'll let y'all know anyway :) I have another camp in Bordaux in three weeks, and the weekend after that I start the holidays :) I'll be spending the few days before and during Christmas in Poitier with the extended host family, and spending Boxing Day not far from Pau with the other side of the extended host family. Alexia has invited me to hang out with her those holidays too, and hopefully I can spend some time with Taryn as well :)
Also note worthy, I have officially passed the half way mark, I think I have around ten weeks left here! (I'm trying not to count the days). Leaving is going to be really hard I've become quite close with a few people here, but I'll be thrilled to see my family and friends back home too :) I think that exchanges really teach you to appreciate what you have, I certainly feel like I do now :)
That's it for now,
Happy Birthday again Dad! I hope you get to see this on your birthday Skype isn't sending my messages but I'll send you an email anyway and hope that you check it :)
Stay Super,
Holly :)
Saturday 2 November 2013
Carousel!!
Yeah, I went on a carousel. Whatever.
So it's officially the end of the holidays, but these two weeks have been chocked and absolutely fantastic. I'm going to give you a fairly brief account of events:
Stayed the night at Alexias! Her Dad made genuine French cuisine for us it was so so so unbelievably amazing we had foie gras, duck and wow all the French cheese. It was really incredible and the night was so much fun, I feel so lucky to have the friends that I have here.
Did a double sleepover at Taryns! First night at hers, second at mine :) it was really fun I LOVE taking the train by myself I feel so independent :) We did some shopping, rode on a carousel in Tarbes (oh wow it was fun) and just talked about everything. Im so happy that she lives just down the way from me, I didn't really get to know her that much at the departure camp (which sucks because she's amazing) but now I'd easily call her my best friend from AFS.
Met my extended host family on My host mothers side. It was certainly an interesting day, we had lunch and dinner at her mothers house (I have a host grandmother! And a grandfather they're adorable). I really liked Isabelle too, the sister-in-law of my host mother, she was really nice :) Things got loud when an uncle called Riche McCaw a b@$#% though (I defended him sincerely). Next weekend is a big match between the All Blacks and France! NZ is totally going to own ;)
Got invited to lunch with some friends of our neighbours (I didn't understand how we knew anyone there but we all made friends) which was really really nice too. They live in a Spanish style MANSION in the hills, looking out over the Pyrenees and all. I ate so much but it was all so good (I'm going to try to stop describing food on this blog I do it too much).
So that's basically a catch up. I also did an anthology of poetry in French (I'm supposed to be finishing it now but blog takes priority). I've been doing some hardcore Skyping too, thanks to everyone I Skyped, you're all thoroughly interesting to talk to I promise.
Pretty big post for so little news but hey, people are still reading :) Im going to do something emotional and feelsy for the next one, I've been getting all thinky and stuff :)
Stay super,
Ciaaaoooo :$
So it's officially the end of the holidays, but these two weeks have been chocked and absolutely fantastic. I'm going to give you a fairly brief account of events:
Stayed the night at Alexias! Her Dad made genuine French cuisine for us it was so so so unbelievably amazing we had foie gras, duck and wow all the French cheese. It was really incredible and the night was so much fun, I feel so lucky to have the friends that I have here.
Did a double sleepover at Taryns! First night at hers, second at mine :) it was really fun I LOVE taking the train by myself I feel so independent :) We did some shopping, rode on a carousel in Tarbes (oh wow it was fun) and just talked about everything. Im so happy that she lives just down the way from me, I didn't really get to know her that much at the departure camp (which sucks because she's amazing) but now I'd easily call her my best friend from AFS.
Met my extended host family on My host mothers side. It was certainly an interesting day, we had lunch and dinner at her mothers house (I have a host grandmother! And a grandfather they're adorable). I really liked Isabelle too, the sister-in-law of my host mother, she was really nice :) Things got loud when an uncle called Riche McCaw a b@$#% though (I defended him sincerely). Next weekend is a big match between the All Blacks and France! NZ is totally going to own ;)
Got invited to lunch with some friends of our neighbours (I didn't understand how we knew anyone there but we all made friends) which was really really nice too. They live in a Spanish style MANSION in the hills, looking out over the Pyrenees and all. I ate so much but it was all so good (I'm going to try to stop describing food on this blog I do it too much).
So that's basically a catch up. I also did an anthology of poetry in French (I'm supposed to be finishing it now but blog takes priority). I've been doing some hardcore Skyping too, thanks to everyone I Skyped, you're all thoroughly interesting to talk to I promise.
Pretty big post for so little news but hey, people are still reading :) Im going to do something emotional and feelsy for the next one, I've been getting all thinky and stuff :)
Stay super,
Ciaaaoooo :$
Thursday 24 October 2013
City of Lights and Love
My goodness I have a lot to tell you all about.
So I have been back in Pau for a few hours, I got back at midnight last night (the train was delayed four hours!). Paris was unbelievable. Normally I try not to get my hopes up about things like that, I tried to expect Paris to be a little disappointing and not really all that I had hoped for, but it really was. It was everything I ever hoped it would be, we're talking since I was ten or eleven years old, and I am ETERNALLY grateful that I had the opportunity to go back there.
I can't give you all the details, but I'll give you the highlights for me:
1. The first night the family that we were staying with (thank you Facomprez family!) took us to dinner in this gorgeous little genuine Italian restaurant in some little side street of Paris and afterwards we went for a walk and saw the city lit up at night, from the top of the hill of Sacre-Cœur. It was really amazing. We also saw the square with all of the impressionist artists at night it was really really cool.
2. Went into the Louvre, saw in person the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo, it was really surreal for me to be standing IN FRONT of these artworks whose names are known all over the world. I really loved the Venus de Milo, and the other art works in the Louvre was beautiful too.
3. Went into the Notre-Dame cathedral, again incredible. There was a service happening while I was in there which was neat to see, the cathedral is HUGE HUGE HUGE and really intricately designed and the stained glass windows were mindblowing detailed.
4. Went up the Eiffel Tower. This was really the best part of Paris for me, ever since I was a little girl, Paris was the city that I most wanted to visit and the symbol of Paris for me was the Eiffel Tower. It was amazing to be able to TOUCH it, and see the entire city from it. I had an INCREDIBLE hot chocolate up there too with like a cup of whipped cream on top. I can best describe the moment as euphoria.
Obviously we did other things, there is such a variety of different scenes in Paris, it's not all gothic architecture and monuments. Took the métro and the buses, did some shopping (H&M Paris!) and generally just wandered around. There is a gorgeous little network of alleyways with weird international restaurants and lights everywhere in the Latin Quarter that I particularly loved. One day I'll revisit the city and go back there.
So it's not really a huge post for such a big event but, as ever, if you want any more details hit me up. I do have other news outside of Paris too. MASSIVE shout out to Uncle Steve, Aunty Claire, Liam, Michaela and Thomas for the postcard from Samoa! I hope you guys had an amazing time, keep an eye on your letterbox :)
Also just a general thank you to everyone who is keeping in contact. There are those of you that I didn't really expect to keep chatting to me while I was overseas and I am flattered that you like me enough to keep it going :) Merci beaucoup.
Im on holidays for two weeks now! Don't have many plans, want to spend a night with Taryn next week but apart from that I'm free as a bird. I might go shopping with Marion, maybe hit up the French cinema one day? It's good to be free :)
Stay Super,
Holly :)
So I have been back in Pau for a few hours, I got back at midnight last night (the train was delayed four hours!). Paris was unbelievable. Normally I try not to get my hopes up about things like that, I tried to expect Paris to be a little disappointing and not really all that I had hoped for, but it really was. It was everything I ever hoped it would be, we're talking since I was ten or eleven years old, and I am ETERNALLY grateful that I had the opportunity to go back there.
I can't give you all the details, but I'll give you the highlights for me:
1. The first night the family that we were staying with (thank you Facomprez family!) took us to dinner in this gorgeous little genuine Italian restaurant in some little side street of Paris and afterwards we went for a walk and saw the city lit up at night, from the top of the hill of Sacre-Cœur. It was really amazing. We also saw the square with all of the impressionist artists at night it was really really cool.
2. Went into the Louvre, saw in person the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo, it was really surreal for me to be standing IN FRONT of these artworks whose names are known all over the world. I really loved the Venus de Milo, and the other art works in the Louvre was beautiful too.
3. Went into the Notre-Dame cathedral, again incredible. There was a service happening while I was in there which was neat to see, the cathedral is HUGE HUGE HUGE and really intricately designed and the stained glass windows were mindblowing detailed.
4. Went up the Eiffel Tower. This was really the best part of Paris for me, ever since I was a little girl, Paris was the city that I most wanted to visit and the symbol of Paris for me was the Eiffel Tower. It was amazing to be able to TOUCH it, and see the entire city from it. I had an INCREDIBLE hot chocolate up there too with like a cup of whipped cream on top. I can best describe the moment as euphoria.
Me and Marion up the Eiffel Tower
Obviously we did other things, there is such a variety of different scenes in Paris, it's not all gothic architecture and monuments. Took the métro and the buses, did some shopping (H&M Paris!) and generally just wandered around. There is a gorgeous little network of alleyways with weird international restaurants and lights everywhere in the Latin Quarter that I particularly loved. One day I'll revisit the city and go back there.
So it's not really a huge post for such a big event but, as ever, if you want any more details hit me up. I do have other news outside of Paris too. MASSIVE shout out to Uncle Steve, Aunty Claire, Liam, Michaela and Thomas for the postcard from Samoa! I hope you guys had an amazing time, keep an eye on your letterbox :)
Also just a general thank you to everyone who is keeping in contact. There are those of you that I didn't really expect to keep chatting to me while I was overseas and I am flattered that you like me enough to keep it going :) Merci beaucoup.
Im on holidays for two weeks now! Don't have many plans, want to spend a night with Taryn next week but apart from that I'm free as a bird. I might go shopping with Marion, maybe hit up the French cinema one day? It's good to be free :)
Stay Super,
Holly :)
Sunday 13 October 2013
Camp in Bordeaux
So I totally mislead you with the title. You're thinking inner city, gorgeous architecture, cute cafes. Not really. we're talking mini outer suburb AUSTENSE, a massive two storied house in the middle of the forest, next to a gorgeous lake. The house was old and cream coloured with blue shutters very French. The downside was that there were cockroaches and spiders everywhere and we had to cut firewood every half an hour to keep everyone warm haha.
Seriously though I enjoyed this weekend an indecent amount. Perhaps one of the most enjoyable nights of my life, I am so crazy glad I am involved with AFS. I hung out with Czech David, Hungarian Richard and French Foucauld. And met up with some of the girls I roomed with in Paris - Brazilian Maria, Norwegian Vilde, Japanese Eri. I'll post a photo of the camp in this space once it goes up online - we're going to be in the Sud-Ouest Newspaper!
The accuiellis, gosh I think that's how you spell it (kids from overseas) did games and activities together, getting to know each other and talking about what we like/don't like about France, one on one interviews about how things are going, crazy French dancing games outside in the rain etc. We wrote letters to ourselves to read at the end of our exchanges. The partants (french kids going overseas) did other stuff, including my host sister Marion - who passed the English test to go into America! It doesn't mean she will but she is allowed to.
Im going to volunteer for AFS as SOON as I get back into New Zealand, the volunteers at this camp were absolutely amazing, treating us like equals and sharing stories and being so understanding I can actually not wait for the next camp in December.
Other camp activities included a talent show (I did a magic trick with cards and a boy called Alexi), silent breakfast with no conventional cutlery (Johan was using a mug to scoop his cereal out of the silicon cake mould he was using as a bowl into his mouth I couldn't breathe I was laughing so hard). And helping to prepare dinner too! I like cooking so it totally wasn't a chore for me, I was involved in the fruit salad, the capsicum and tomato sauce and something with garlic I never really saw.
So yeah, it would take the longest post ever ever to explain in full all of the things I did this weekend, you should see how many pages I filled in my diary, but that's the gist. There are so many more notes I want to make but I am practising restraint. As ever, if anyone is curious, hit me up for details.
Next post will be sometime next week because in exactly six days Marion and I depart for Paris. Casually. More details on that as I receive them, just know that I am crazy excited to see Paris again, and hang out one on one with Marion (hearing some of the horror stories from the other accuiellis I feel so sorry for them, but crazy happy for me because she is such an awesome host sister).
Stay Super,
Holly :)
Seriously though I enjoyed this weekend an indecent amount. Perhaps one of the most enjoyable nights of my life, I am so crazy glad I am involved with AFS. I hung out with Czech David, Hungarian Richard and French Foucauld. And met up with some of the girls I roomed with in Paris - Brazilian Maria, Norwegian Vilde, Japanese Eri. I'll post a photo of the camp in this space once it goes up online - we're going to be in the Sud-Ouest Newspaper!
The accuiellis, gosh I think that's how you spell it (kids from overseas) did games and activities together, getting to know each other and talking about what we like/don't like about France, one on one interviews about how things are going, crazy French dancing games outside in the rain etc. We wrote letters to ourselves to read at the end of our exchanges. The partants (french kids going overseas) did other stuff, including my host sister Marion - who passed the English test to go into America! It doesn't mean she will but she is allowed to.
Im going to volunteer for AFS as SOON as I get back into New Zealand, the volunteers at this camp were absolutely amazing, treating us like equals and sharing stories and being so understanding I can actually not wait for the next camp in December.
Other camp activities included a talent show (I did a magic trick with cards and a boy called Alexi), silent breakfast with no conventional cutlery (Johan was using a mug to scoop his cereal out of the silicon cake mould he was using as a bowl into his mouth I couldn't breathe I was laughing so hard). And helping to prepare dinner too! I like cooking so it totally wasn't a chore for me, I was involved in the fruit salad, the capsicum and tomato sauce and something with garlic I never really saw.
So yeah, it would take the longest post ever ever to explain in full all of the things I did this weekend, you should see how many pages I filled in my diary, but that's the gist. There are so many more notes I want to make but I am practising restraint. As ever, if anyone is curious, hit me up for details.
Next post will be sometime next week because in exactly six days Marion and I depart for Paris. Casually. More details on that as I receive them, just know that I am crazy excited to see Paris again, and hang out one on one with Marion (hearing some of the horror stories from the other accuiellis I feel so sorry for them, but crazy happy for me because she is such an awesome host sister).
Stay Super,
Holly :)
Sunday 6 October 2013
Un Mois
Salut,
Un Mois means one month in French, and to celebrate my one month anniversary here in France, Taryn and I went ALL out shopping in Pau and she stayed the night at mine afterwards :)
I bought clothes from Jennyfer, Bershka and H&M and some shoes from a shoe place I don't remember but they're cute trust me :) It was beautiful weather, apart form two mini torrents that sent us running like absolute butters from bar shelter to bar shelter until we found a cafe and sat down to eat. And on Sunday Taryn and I made an Oreo cheesecake because master chefs.
It was awesome to see someone familiar after so long without it, and incredibly to talk (and we talked for HOURS) about everything we'd been up to. Taryn is now officially the person who knows the most about my exchange so far, and her stories were so, so, so interesting too.
So this month felt like it absolutely flew by. 30 days just doesn't take as long as it used to. My French has definitively improved, even if I don't form the negative how I was taught in class (omg nobody uses the "ne" it's nuts). Keeping busy has helped me a whole lot and I'm enjoying this so, so much now. I wouldn't give up my time here for anything in the world, and I just know that come January I am going to be so sad to leave this place.
I've been keeping a journal too, and today for the first time I went back and read some of what I had written from the beginning of my exchange. Things have changed so much, the initial emotional turbulence has subsided into a kind of constant happiness. I'm so AWARE of how much fun I am having, and how lucky I am to have been giving every opportunity that I have been given. I couldn't have asked for a better setting for my exchange.
Also, I hit 1000 page views just the other day, and my blog is now officially linked on the AFS website, which is awesome. Thanks everybody for checking in, I'm trying my hardest to keep you all perfectly up to date but if you ever have any questions, or comments or you just want to harass me a bit, leave a comment here, on my Facebook, or my email (missanne@hotmail.co.nz). I swear I'm actually a pretty nice person, I will reply.
Stay Super,
Holly
Un Mois means one month in French, and to celebrate my one month anniversary here in France, Taryn and I went ALL out shopping in Pau and she stayed the night at mine afterwards :)
I bought clothes from Jennyfer, Bershka and H&M and some shoes from a shoe place I don't remember but they're cute trust me :) It was beautiful weather, apart form two mini torrents that sent us running like absolute butters from bar shelter to bar shelter until we found a cafe and sat down to eat. And on Sunday Taryn and I made an Oreo cheesecake because master chefs.
It was awesome to see someone familiar after so long without it, and incredibly to talk (and we talked for HOURS) about everything we'd been up to. Taryn is now officially the person who knows the most about my exchange so far, and her stories were so, so, so interesting too.
So this month felt like it absolutely flew by. 30 days just doesn't take as long as it used to. My French has definitively improved, even if I don't form the negative how I was taught in class (omg nobody uses the "ne" it's nuts). Keeping busy has helped me a whole lot and I'm enjoying this so, so much now. I wouldn't give up my time here for anything in the world, and I just know that come January I am going to be so sad to leave this place.
I've been keeping a journal too, and today for the first time I went back and read some of what I had written from the beginning of my exchange. Things have changed so much, the initial emotional turbulence has subsided into a kind of constant happiness. I'm so AWARE of how much fun I am having, and how lucky I am to have been giving every opportunity that I have been given. I couldn't have asked for a better setting for my exchange.
Also, I hit 1000 page views just the other day, and my blog is now officially linked on the AFS website, which is awesome. Thanks everybody for checking in, I'm trying my hardest to keep you all perfectly up to date but if you ever have any questions, or comments or you just want to harass me a bit, leave a comment here, on my Facebook, or my email (missanne@hotmail.co.nz). I swear I'm actually a pretty nice person, I will reply.
Stay Super,
Holly
Sunday 29 September 2013
Pau, Bordeaux, Paris
I think I post too much. If you guys are getting sick of me, just tell me and I can lay off a little.
BUT gosh I had an amazing weekend. And my schedule is looking rather tasty for the next few weeks too :)
So, this weekend. Saturday I had class which was ugh but not so bad maybe because I don't do terribly in the sciences and the Chinese teacher has already put my in the hopless pile, where I relax most comfortably :)
Then that afternoon I came home and began to prepare the evening meal for the family (because I went all out). I had done the shopping for it Friday afternoon at a MASSIVE grocery store called Carrefour. anyway, I baked beer bread, and fried beer batter fish and oven baked some chips. Get it? Fish and chips ahahaha kiwi as bro. I also did a butterscotch self saucing pudding for dessert which was awesome. The family liked it and were very nice about it and I have to cook it again sometime apparently :) success.
And then today (Sunday) I went to my first chapter meeting. Contrary to what I previously believed, I don't actually know anybody in my chapter, but I had Marion with me and everyone else was equally unacquainted so between the group we made friends of eachother. Some interesting people of note:
Richard (Hungary): taught me how to count to ten in Hungarian! I've already forgotten but I will google it
Uhaina (French): really really nice and I taught her the cup song, she is hosting Richard
David (Czech Republic): speaks perfect English, and is equally nice
And I'll be seeing them again at the AFS camp in two weeks too!
Wich brings me to my schedule. So this weekend coming up Taryn Swete is coming over, as you all know, which I am excited about! Marion and Laure are going to come shopping with us too. The NEXT weekend the AFS camp is in Bordeaux, Marion and I are catching the train in and I get Saturday morning classes off! Then the NEXT weekend, we go to Paris and again I get classes off. Then as soon as I return, it is Alexia and Laures birthday party :)
Phewwww I'll be busy. But I am CRAZY looking forward to it all, I will probably post again after Taryn comes so until then,
Stay Super,
Holly
BUT gosh I had an amazing weekend. And my schedule is looking rather tasty for the next few weeks too :)
So, this weekend. Saturday I had class which was ugh but not so bad maybe because I don't do terribly in the sciences and the Chinese teacher has already put my in the hopless pile, where I relax most comfortably :)
Then that afternoon I came home and began to prepare the evening meal for the family (because I went all out). I had done the shopping for it Friday afternoon at a MASSIVE grocery store called Carrefour. anyway, I baked beer bread, and fried beer batter fish and oven baked some chips. Get it? Fish and chips ahahaha kiwi as bro. I also did a butterscotch self saucing pudding for dessert which was awesome. The family liked it and were very nice about it and I have to cook it again sometime apparently :) success.
And then today (Sunday) I went to my first chapter meeting. Contrary to what I previously believed, I don't actually know anybody in my chapter, but I had Marion with me and everyone else was equally unacquainted so between the group we made friends of eachother. Some interesting people of note:
Richard (Hungary): taught me how to count to ten in Hungarian! I've already forgotten but I will google it
Uhaina (French): really really nice and I taught her the cup song, she is hosting Richard
David (Czech Republic): speaks perfect English, and is equally nice
And I'll be seeing them again at the AFS camp in two weeks too!
Wich brings me to my schedule. So this weekend coming up Taryn Swete is coming over, as you all know, which I am excited about! Marion and Laure are going to come shopping with us too. The NEXT weekend the AFS camp is in Bordeaux, Marion and I are catching the train in and I get Saturday morning classes off! Then the NEXT weekend, we go to Paris and again I get classes off. Then as soon as I return, it is Alexia and Laures birthday party :)
Phewwww I'll be busy. But I am CRAZY looking forward to it all, I will probably post again after Taryn comes so until then,
Stay Super,
Holly
Thursday 26 September 2013
Happenings
So this is just a general update, let y'all know what's the hishaps around town.
First off, thanks to all my readers! This blog is getting more attention than I thought it would (and more than it deserves probably). And from people I didn't expect too (Hey Mr McConchie!!). Anyway, thanks for stopping in, I feel very loved :)
So that Mal du pays thing is more or less over - I still miss home and everything but not to the point where I would trade any moment here for it. I will come home when January comes, don't you worry, but I'm fully enjoying things here.
I joined a gym too! It's adorable, quite small and 100% females only. There is a cardio section with bikes and cross trainers and every half an hour a circuit class with weight training at one minute intervals and Zumba!! Man, Zumba is fun. The gym keeps me occupied in the afternoons and the endorphins keep me happy and all, it works all round.
Also, next weekend, fellow nz Afs student Taryn Swete is coming up from Tarbes (around 50km away) for a sleepover!! I'll meet her at the train station in Pau at around midday and we will do some much needed clothes shopping in the city centre, I am going to force feed her this caramel de buerre sallé icecream and she will come stay the night at mine. I am so e xcited about this, it'll be awesome to compare experiences so far with another exchange student!!
Speaking of other exchange students, I have my first French chapter meeting on Sunday. In New Zealand these were awkward affairs for me, because most of the time I was the only NZ student there, and all of the international students kind of grouped and spoke in their own language. Now the shoe is thoroughly on the other foot, I'll do another post afterwards to let you all know how it goes.
MUSIC: the music scene here is incredible. I have already been introduced to some French music that I ADORE and an entirely new genre that I cannot stop listening to (its called ambient downtempo but I'm pretty sure it's an acquired taste so don't go googling it and getting your hopes up). Also, (this addressed to the GROUP) my friend Laure loves Lana del Ray! These people are awesome, really.
Also, fun fact, if a teacher can't come into class, neither does the class. Myhistory teacher
feels an impending disaster next Monday which means for me two hours of potentially chilling. Bless this system.
That's all I got for now, but I have no doubt left out vital information. That'll come when I remember it :)
Stay super,
Holly
First off, thanks to all my readers! This blog is getting more attention than I thought it would (and more than it deserves probably). And from people I didn't expect too (Hey Mr McConchie!!). Anyway, thanks for stopping in, I feel very loved :)
So that Mal du pays thing is more or less over - I still miss home and everything but not to the point where I would trade any moment here for it. I will come home when January comes, don't you worry, but I'm fully enjoying things here.
I joined a gym too! It's adorable, quite small and 100% females only. There is a cardio section with bikes and cross trainers and every half an hour a circuit class with weight training at one minute intervals and Zumba!! Man, Zumba is fun. The gym keeps me occupied in the afternoons and the endorphins keep me happy and all, it works all round.
Also, next weekend, fellow nz Afs student Taryn Swete is coming up from Tarbes (around 50km away) for a sleepover!! I'll meet her at the train station in Pau at around midday and we will do some much needed clothes shopping in the city centre, I am going to force feed her this caramel de buerre sallé icecream and she will come stay the night at mine. I am so e xcited about this, it'll be awesome to compare experiences so far with another exchange student!!
Speaking of other exchange students, I have my first French chapter meeting on Sunday. In New Zealand these were awkward affairs for me, because most of the time I was the only NZ student there, and all of the international students kind of grouped and spoke in their own language. Now the shoe is thoroughly on the other foot, I'll do another post afterwards to let you all know how it goes.
MUSIC: the music scene here is incredible. I have already been introduced to some French music that I ADORE and an entirely new genre that I cannot stop listening to (its called ambient downtempo but I'm pretty sure it's an acquired taste so don't go googling it and getting your hopes up). Also, (this addressed to the GROUP) my friend Laure loves Lana del Ray! These people are awesome, really.
Also, fun fact, if a teacher can't come into class, neither does the class. Myhistory teacher
feels an impending disaster next Monday which means for me two hours of potentially chilling. Bless this system.
That's all I got for now, but I have no doubt left out vital information. That'll come when I remember it :)
Stay super,
Holly
Friday 20 September 2013
Mal du Pays
So the title of this post, means homesickness in English. This period of my exchange seems to be the time for it to come up, and I have discovered ( via Facebook posts and whatnot) that my fellow exchangers are having the same thing. However, as much as I do miss home (and I do, truly) I am still over the moon happy to be here. There have been several things in these past few days that have brought forth my gratitude in particular, and in the spirit of being happy I will post them here, to bore you all.
1. Premièrement, (ha I don't even think I spelt that right) is my host family, my host sister Marion in particular. It must be so difficult, especially for such a big family, to open your home to a stranger, who knows NOTHING of your culture and only a little of your language, and make them feel at home. Last Sunday Marion woke up early to go to the supermarket and buy bacon and eggs to give me a real Kiwi Sunday breakfast. It really meant a lot that they go to such lengths for me.
2. My friends here. These are in no particular order by the way. Laure, Alexia and Manon especially, who always make sure that I never eat alone at the canteen, help with school work and talk to me ALL the time. They don't make me feel at all like an imposition on them and I love them for it.
3. My family back home. I have had contact, officially, beyond Facebook messaging! I have Skyped Dad, and the trooper that he is, there were no tears whatsoever. I got news of back home (get well soon Aunty Helen!) and he got news from here and it was awesome to see and talk to him. Also, I called my Mum! And we are arranging a Skype date too, but it was so great to hear her voice. I think that we're all dealing with the distance very well.
4. Friends back home. I'm so glad I have people that check up on me! Even asking how I am doing is so nice and such a comfort. It shows who really cares, by who is keeping up the contact still :) Particualr thanks to Blair and Andi and Avi big hugggggs guys I miss you
That done, I have some other, trivial things that I would like to share.
First, the butterflies here are ADORABLE. They're tiny and purply blue and white and they sit on the edges of stalks and pretend to be flowers the cunning devils.
Second, I saw a girl have her birthday at school today, the poor soul. In the Pau (or all of France) tradition, she was pelted with first eggs then flour. Great to watch, but I am a little relieved that I won't be having my birthday here :)
Third a HUGE unbelievable congratulations to my best friend Andi who won the Board of Trustees representative award back in New Zealand! It genuinely cheered me up today when I was having a kind of slow morning :) I am so proud of her, I will have to get her a special congratulations present I think.
Fourth, a weird coincidence which just shows how cool the people I am hanging out with are. My friend Alexia and I got to talking today and I told her, bychance, of a poem that I LOVE called Invictus, written by William E Henley and SHE told me that she had the very same poem, in French, in the wall by her bed. Not many of the people who read this blog have been into my room at Dads but sure enough, on the wall RIGHT BESIDE MY BED hangs the poem Invictus. It was an awesome moment.
That's all for now people,
Stay super,
Holly
1. Premièrement, (ha I don't even think I spelt that right) is my host family, my host sister Marion in particular. It must be so difficult, especially for such a big family, to open your home to a stranger, who knows NOTHING of your culture and only a little of your language, and make them feel at home. Last Sunday Marion woke up early to go to the supermarket and buy bacon and eggs to give me a real Kiwi Sunday breakfast. It really meant a lot that they go to such lengths for me.
2. My friends here. These are in no particular order by the way. Laure, Alexia and Manon especially, who always make sure that I never eat alone at the canteen, help with school work and talk to me ALL the time. They don't make me feel at all like an imposition on them and I love them for it.
3. My family back home. I have had contact, officially, beyond Facebook messaging! I have Skyped Dad, and the trooper that he is, there were no tears whatsoever. I got news of back home (get well soon Aunty Helen!) and he got news from here and it was awesome to see and talk to him. Also, I called my Mum! And we are arranging a Skype date too, but it was so great to hear her voice. I think that we're all dealing with the distance very well.
4. Friends back home. I'm so glad I have people that check up on me! Even asking how I am doing is so nice and such a comfort. It shows who really cares, by who is keeping up the contact still :) Particualr thanks to Blair and Andi and Avi big hugggggs guys I miss you
That done, I have some other, trivial things that I would like to share.
First, the butterflies here are ADORABLE. They're tiny and purply blue and white and they sit on the edges of stalks and pretend to be flowers the cunning devils.
Second, I saw a girl have her birthday at school today, the poor soul. In the Pau (or all of France) tradition, she was pelted with first eggs then flour. Great to watch, but I am a little relieved that I won't be having my birthday here :)
Third a HUGE unbelievable congratulations to my best friend Andi who won the Board of Trustees representative award back in New Zealand! It genuinely cheered me up today when I was having a kind of slow morning :) I am so proud of her, I will have to get her a special congratulations present I think.
Fourth, a weird coincidence which just shows how cool the people I am hanging out with are. My friend Alexia and I got to talking today and I told her, bychance, of a poem that I LOVE called Invictus, written by William E Henley and SHE told me that she had the very same poem, in French, in the wall by her bed. Not many of the people who read this blog have been into my room at Dads but sure enough, on the wall RIGHT BESIDE MY BED hangs the poem Invictus. It was an awesome moment.
That's all for now people,
Stay super,
Holly
Sunday 15 September 2013
How Things Are
Alright, as with anything there are good aspects to this exchange and there are bad. In this post I will honestly outline a few of the bad, and then describe the good. Trust me that the latter FAR outweighs the former.
So, school on Saturday isn't awesome I have to say. It's is actually one of the heaviest days of my timetable too, I have FOUR classes that day, two of them sciences and the other two Chinese. Not really that great but I'm sure I will get used to it. At least they're only morning classes, so I have Saturday afternoon to myself.
The other bad is the obvious language barrier. I had a habit of daydreaming in New Zealand and it tuned me out of conversations a little, and here I am at risk of doing the same because not understanding things DOES get a little boring. I have only been here a week, so it is unreasonable for me to expect to understand everything at this point but it is getting tiring, I wish I could improve faster.
Now for some good, and trust me the good is really good, where the bad was only irritating. First, I saw the castle in Pau and it was more amazing than anything I expected and I am going back there in one hour to see the inside too. It is huge, and old and so finely carved it must have taken YEARS to do. It is strange to think that I can touch a building older than the European occupation of my own country.
Also, that same afternoon, (Marion and I took the bus into the centre of Pau, about a ten minute ride if that) I tried ice cream from an Artisan Glacier, the flavour was called "Caramel de Buerre Sallé" and it was mindblowing. I am not even exaggerating when I say it was the best ice cream that I have ever had.
That same afternoon (it was an amazing afternoon), Marion showed me the shopping district in
Pau, not far from the Glacier and the castle, and it was so nice, and not expensive at all!! I saw a coat to end all coats, and several other pretty things. I bought a couple of pretty scarfs too :)
AND HERE IT IS, this is the big Kahuna of good news, and I just received it a while ago.
It more or less prompted this post. I GET TO GO TO PARIS AGAIN!!! Marion has a friend who lives in a big apartment in the city and she has invited us to stay with her for FOUR days, and we will tooth go up by train :) I am BEYOND excited about this, and it is so soon - the 19th of October as far as I understood.
Stay Super,
Holly
So, school on Saturday isn't awesome I have to say. It's is actually one of the heaviest days of my timetable too, I have FOUR classes that day, two of them sciences and the other two Chinese. Not really that great but I'm sure I will get used to it. At least they're only morning classes, so I have Saturday afternoon to myself.
The other bad is the obvious language barrier. I had a habit of daydreaming in New Zealand and it tuned me out of conversations a little, and here I am at risk of doing the same because not understanding things DOES get a little boring. I have only been here a week, so it is unreasonable for me to expect to understand everything at this point but it is getting tiring, I wish I could improve faster.
Now for some good, and trust me the good is really good, where the bad was only irritating. First, I saw the castle in Pau and it was more amazing than anything I expected and I am going back there in one hour to see the inside too. It is huge, and old and so finely carved it must have taken YEARS to do. It is strange to think that I can touch a building older than the European occupation of my own country.
Also, that same afternoon, (Marion and I took the bus into the centre of Pau, about a ten minute ride if that) I tried ice cream from an Artisan Glacier, the flavour was called "Caramel de Buerre Sallé" and it was mindblowing. I am not even exaggerating when I say it was the best ice cream that I have ever had.
That same afternoon (it was an amazing afternoon), Marion showed me the shopping district in
Pau, not far from the Glacier and the castle, and it was so nice, and not expensive at all!! I saw a coat to end all coats, and several other pretty things. I bought a couple of pretty scarfs too :)
AND HERE IT IS, this is the big Kahuna of good news, and I just received it a while ago.
It more or less prompted this post. I GET TO GO TO PARIS AGAIN!!! Marion has a friend who lives in a big apartment in the city and she has invited us to stay with her for FOUR days, and we will tooth go up by train :) I am BEYOND excited about this, and it is so soon - the 19th of October as far as I understood.
Stay Super,
Holly
Thursday 12 September 2013
BOXING!!
Salut everybody,
I'm not saluting you, that's how we say hey here in France :)
So, you're probably interested in the title, but I won't explain until after some other stuff because you all enjoy suspense.
I had my first sport lesson today! We are doing a cycle of handball at the moment, which is some weird netball basketball soccer hybrid with little soccer ball things oh gosh I can't even explain it. Suffice to say that I am about as good at sport here in pau as I was in papakura. Those who were in my p.e. classes will know how sad that is.
However, I also went on a bike ride with my sister Marion, to take a break a break from our homework, in a forest very near the house. It was awesome, and my legs are feeling it, but I got to see the horse track, and the stables, and some of a nice big forest where lots of people run and walk. I will have to do more of that that to counteract these croissants.
Gosh, speaking of croissants. In history we are studying economic "croissance" which is growth. I went an entire lesson believing that we were studying the effect of pastries on the economy, I genuinely expected a field trip to a patisserie.
On the subject of food, because that will never not be a point of focus for me here in France, lunch at school was awesome today. I had this tomato chicken n rice with semolina for entree and an apple and some bread. Dinner tonight was a pumpkin soup entree with pasta and some chocolates I bought from New Zealand for dessert :)
Onto the boxing. My friend at school, Alexia, invited me to try boxing with her after school on Wednesday. I met her at the club in a town called Idron not far from Pau, and I watched the kids class and then participated in the adult class. It was two hours long and SO HARD but apparently I did okay.
The trainer is just awesome beans, too. Alexia told me that he used to work for a corporate boxing club but that they fired him when he wanted to train women, so he left and started his own club that trains whoever wants to train, and he doesn't charge! He was really nice to me as well, explaining things and all.
I do miss a few things from home, but I find that keeping busy helps take my mind off it all :) Thanks to all that are checking in on my blog, it really means a lot. Special thanks to Jacquie, who was the first commenter on this blog!! Kudos for you Jacquie!
That is all for tonight people, good luck with exams friends in New Zealand!
Stay super (and study hard),
Holly
I'm not saluting you, that's how we say hey here in France :)
So, you're probably interested in the title, but I won't explain until after some other stuff because you all enjoy suspense.
I had my first sport lesson today! We are doing a cycle of handball at the moment, which is some weird netball basketball soccer hybrid with little soccer ball things oh gosh I can't even explain it. Suffice to say that I am about as good at sport here in pau as I was in papakura. Those who were in my p.e. classes will know how sad that is.
However, I also went on a bike ride with my sister Marion, to take a break a break from our homework, in a forest very near the house. It was awesome, and my legs are feeling it, but I got to see the horse track, and the stables, and some of a nice big forest where lots of people run and walk. I will have to do more of that that to counteract these croissants.
Gosh, speaking of croissants. In history we are studying economic "croissance" which is growth. I went an entire lesson believing that we were studying the effect of pastries on the economy, I genuinely expected a field trip to a patisserie.
On the subject of food, because that will never not be a point of focus for me here in France, lunch at school was awesome today. I had this tomato chicken n rice with semolina for entree and an apple and some bread. Dinner tonight was a pumpkin soup entree with pasta and some chocolates I bought from New Zealand for dessert :)
Onto the boxing. My friend at school, Alexia, invited me to try boxing with her after school on Wednesday. I met her at the club in a town called Idron not far from Pau, and I watched the kids class and then participated in the adult class. It was two hours long and SO HARD but apparently I did okay.
The trainer is just awesome beans, too. Alexia told me that he used to work for a corporate boxing club but that they fired him when he wanted to train women, so he left and started his own club that trains whoever wants to train, and he doesn't charge! He was really nice to me as well, explaining things and all.
I do miss a few things from home, but I find that keeping busy helps take my mind off it all :) Thanks to all that are checking in on my blog, it really means a lot. Special thanks to Jacquie, who was the first commenter on this blog!! Kudos for you Jacquie!
That is all for tonight people, good luck with exams friends in New Zealand!
Stay super (and study hard),
Holly
Tuesday 10 September 2013
Macdonalds!
So, they actually call MacDonalds "Macdo's" here which is adorable. I only had two classes this morning, French Literature and History, so I got to experience the French fast food first hand (omg alliteration right there).
First, on the classes. French literature is with the same teacher I have for French, M.Rochelois, who speaks really really fast and I don't understand a thing. So today he decided to make ME read ALOUD "Les Contemplations" by Victor Hugo. It sucked, and I struggled unbearably, even the other kids said it was a very hard piece of writing. Here is an excerpt:
Où vont tous ces enfants dont pas un seul ne rit?
Ces doux êtres pensifs que la fièvre maigrit?
Ces filles de huit ans qu'on voit cheminer seules?
Ils s'en vont travailler quinze heures sous des meules
I read more of that aloud to a class full of French kids. I had mixed reviews, Laure said it was cute and some others said I didn't do too bad considering. Never again.
History was unremarkable, and afterwards Laure and Manon and Alexia and I walked down the road, yes DOWN THE ROAD from SCHOOL to MacDonalds, which is situated just behind a SHOPPING CENTRE and ate lunch. It was awesome. The rest had class in the afternoon so I left them to it and walked back to my house (maybe burnt off les frites?).
Technological difficulties with the photos, sorry guys. I am working on it, keep your hats on :) if you want to see photos and you don't have a Facebook or anything email me at missanne@hotmail.co.nz and I will email some photos and also if you want a postcard tell me also and I will see what I can do :)
Also, my blog shows me how many views I get per day and what countries my audiences are coming from, obviously they are concentrated in New Zealand, but I just wanted to give a little hey to my apparent Russian viewers out there too. I don't know you guys, but hello anyway. Thanks for checking in.
Stay super,
Holly :)
First, on the classes. French literature is with the same teacher I have for French, M.Rochelois, who speaks really really fast and I don't understand a thing. So today he decided to make ME read ALOUD "Les Contemplations" by Victor Hugo. It sucked, and I struggled unbearably, even the other kids said it was a very hard piece of writing. Here is an excerpt:
Où vont tous ces enfants dont pas un seul ne rit?
Ces doux êtres pensifs que la fièvre maigrit?
Ces filles de huit ans qu'on voit cheminer seules?
Ils s'en vont travailler quinze heures sous des meules
I read more of that aloud to a class full of French kids. I had mixed reviews, Laure said it was cute and some others said I didn't do too bad considering. Never again.
History was unremarkable, and afterwards Laure and Manon and Alexia and I walked down the road, yes DOWN THE ROAD from SCHOOL to MacDonalds, which is situated just behind a SHOPPING CENTRE and ate lunch. It was awesome. The rest had class in the afternoon so I left them to it and walked back to my house (maybe burnt off les frites?).
Technological difficulties with the photos, sorry guys. I am working on it, keep your hats on :) if you want to see photos and you don't have a Facebook or anything email me at missanne@hotmail.co.nz and I will email some photos and also if you want a postcard tell me also and I will see what I can do :)
Also, my blog shows me how many views I get per day and what countries my audiences are coming from, obviously they are concentrated in New Zealand, but I just wanted to give a little hey to my apparent Russian viewers out there too. I don't know you guys, but hello anyway. Thanks for checking in.
Stay super,
Holly :)
Lycée days
So, nobody should have to go through their first day of high school twice, and the second in the wrong language but there you go. I did it. And it was so much weirder than I thought it would be! I had Chinese, because I am an absolute nutter and chose to learn CHINESE in FRENCH, and the teacher is a darling. My French teacher was a'ight as was my history teacher. English lit and English were an obvious breeze. I won't have so many classes on other days thank goodness. Tomorrow it's two morning classes and then I'm free as a bird people.
The canteen food was so good oh my goodness we are talking French bread, apple yoghurt, me a meat stuffed tomato with potato and rice. Warm. I had lunch with my host sister Marion and her friend too which was cool. I was also introduced to a girl named Laure, who speaks a little English and she helped me to sort out a timetable kerfuffle and then I hung out with her and Alexia and Manon, who are all absolutely awesome.
After school my host father took me to get a photo for my bus pass, and we did some groceries in a massive everythingstore just down the road from the house. We also bought Yop. I think I am going to invest in the export/import industry so we can have Yop in New Zealand. It is a thick, yoghurt like drink that I am becoming dangerously fond of.
We had a fantastic dinner too, bread and mushroom soup for the entree and a tomato ham tart for dinner then yoghurt and fruit and chocolate fish for dessert. With Yop.
I got to talk to some of you all recently, which was awesome. Thank you to everyone who dropped me a line, even if or especially if we don't usually talk. Special shout outs to the following:
Andi: duh. It is awesome talking to you and just getting stuff out there, your Skype message board is more or less my personal diary and i miss you like nuts but it isnt forever and I will try to send you the best French food when I can get out and do some shopping.
Blair: thank you for the news of back home too, it is good to keep up with current events, and the Facebook convos you and Andi are my therapists seriously
Mum: so, so good to keep in touch with you, we will have to sort out a Skype date soon, so we can talk face a face :) my host family don't seem to like the milk biscuits!! Woooohoooo. Miss you obviously but again I will return with lots of stories sooner than you think
Dad: I miss you tons and tons as well, check your Skype! But again thank you for all the support and everything, we will talk son I hope.
Well that is it for today, next post will hopefully include some long overdue pictures :)
Say super,
Holly :)
Monday 9 September 2013
Paris mainly and some other stuff
Oh wow this post is so overdue.
So flying kind of sucked, in that I cannot sleep on planes and I was travelling for a straight 26 hours or so. But the food was good, surprisingly, and the company had its moments. I met an Italian guy named Pierdro who was COVERED in tattoos and awesome to talk to and a French woman who helped me to practise. Watched so many movies too, and listened to the reasonable selection of music. Go emirates.
Paris was amazing. It would be hard for it not to be I suppose. There were around 300 kids from all over the world at this camp, which was hectic as hell but so much fun. Special shout outs to Paula from Finland, Isaac and Thomas from Iceland, Maria from Brazil and Alvaro from Paraguay. There were tons more awesome people there but that is it for now.
We walked under and around the Eiffel Tower, which was bigger and better than anything I had expected. Took a bucketload of cool Eiffel Tower photos and did a bus tour of Paris, which was awesome.
Lessons for us kiwi kids were led by a French boy named Jules, who was awesome and very understanding. Also, he introduced me to "princes" which are these French biscuits from heaven which I also took photos of.
I caught the TGV (very fast train) to Pau with Taryn and Alvaro, which was neat. Had some embarrassingly failed French conversations and freaked out about meeting my host family.
I was so proud when we pulled into pau because it was the prettiest thing I had seen since we left
Paris, or maybe Bordeaux. And my host family was waiting for me with a big sign saying saying welcome.
Paris, or maybe Bordeaux. And my host family was waiting for me with a big sign saying saying welcome.
My host father, Daniel, and sister Marion and brother Antoine and some ladies from AFS went for a drink at a cafe next to the station and discussed some basic things, and then we came back to the house. My room is beautiful, and on a good day I will have a view of the Pyrenees. I have just unpacked and figured out the ground rules with my family. More soon dears
Stay super
Holly
Stay super
Holly
Friday 30 August 2013
Last Days Here
It's going to be pretty hard to say goodbye to everyone on Thursday but thankfully, I'll get to have some fun with them beforehand. This is what I have planned for the next six days:
Saturday: Paintballing with my friends and then dinner with Andi and Blair and Andi's Mum that night
Sunday: Lunch with the extended family and then Mum is taking me and Andi and Blair out to dinner
Monday: Last training(!) and hang at Dads place that night
Tuesday: Last day of school! Maybe a shared lunch in there somewhere
Wednesday: Mad rush to finish packing and Andi will come stay the night
Thursday: Pick Blair and Jazz up from school and head out to the airport.
So it's going to be a busy few days, and I'll be eating A LOT. I donated blood today because I may not get to do it again for a while, because their pernickety about travellers to Europe.
The excitement is building, I must say. I was looking through my school book and I could see some calendars I drew of the days left to my exchange and the days were in the 50's and 60's. Now we're down to single digits and the reality of it all is kind of hitting home. In a good way of course.
I e-mailed my host sister too, just telling her how excited I was to meet everyone, and she replied that my room and books are all ready for me! They'll be picking me up from the train station in Pau at 2p.m on the 8th - it's going to be great to arrive to a big family, ready room with things all ready.
No real reason for this post, just getting used to recording everything here. If this is a terrible blog please tell me, I am writing this for you guys to read, if it's useless I'll try to fix it :)
Also MASSIVE shout out to the brilliant, and good-hearted Daniel, who is Mrs Mockridges second favourite :)
Stay super,
Holly
Saturday: Paintballing with my friends and then dinner with Andi and Blair and Andi's Mum that night
Sunday: Lunch with the extended family and then Mum is taking me and Andi and Blair out to dinner
Monday: Last training(!) and hang at Dads place that night
Tuesday: Last day of school! Maybe a shared lunch in there somewhere
Wednesday: Mad rush to finish packing and Andi will come stay the night
Thursday: Pick Blair and Jazz up from school and head out to the airport.
So it's going to be a busy few days, and I'll be eating A LOT. I donated blood today because I may not get to do it again for a while, because their pernickety about travellers to Europe.
 |
| Badass |
The excitement is building, I must say. I was looking through my school book and I could see some calendars I drew of the days left to my exchange and the days were in the 50's and 60's. Now we're down to single digits and the reality of it all is kind of hitting home. In a good way of course.
I e-mailed my host sister too, just telling her how excited I was to meet everyone, and she replied that my room and books are all ready for me! They'll be picking me up from the train station in Pau at 2p.m on the 8th - it's going to be great to arrive to a big family, ready room with things all ready.
No real reason for this post, just getting used to recording everything here. If this is a terrible blog please tell me, I am writing this for you guys to read, if it's useless I'll try to fix it :)
Also MASSIVE shout out to the brilliant, and good-hearted Daniel, who is Mrs Mockridges second favourite :)
Stay super,
Holly
Wednesday 28 August 2013
8 DAYS OUT
So it's down to eight days now, I should really have done this at a nice even number like 10, or even tomorrow when it's a week but I feel like posting now. So you're getting a post now.
I'm getting closer to being ready, I think. My next week and a day here are going to be HECTIC, but massive thanks to everyone who's helping me with all that. Special shout outs to:
Andrea: best friend and just freaking kudos for putting up with me and helping me out
Blair: as above, you two are my freaking wonder team, I'm going to boast about you two so hard
Eleanor: I don't really thank you as much as I should but your advice has been really really helpful
Avnit: You're just so supportive and I can talk to you whenever and I think it's great :)
Josh: for watching that movie with me that time, and making me laugh
MUM: your name is in capitols because you have been one of the two biggest helps so far. I know you're freaking out about all of this but you've been so amazing, and so helpful, and I haven't thanked you enough yet but I will one day, you're a total legend.
DAD: same as above, and thank you for being so level-headed about all this I might have lost it without your help :) And for helping out with all the emergency shopping and last minute things and all the support throughout this entire, GRUELLING process
So, that was feelsy. There'll be a lot of that when I go too, ready yourselves. On the bright side of things:
1. I got my Visa!!
2. I got my itenerary and travel wallet!
3. I'm almost done with all my credits
4. I'm almost done with all my shopping
5. They'll be playing the Hobbit on the plane.
More later, that's the gist of what I'm going through at the current moment, I'll try to do more regular updates now that things are starting to happen :)
Stay Super,
Holly
I'm getting closer to being ready, I think. My next week and a day here are going to be HECTIC, but massive thanks to everyone who's helping me with all that. Special shout outs to:
Andrea: best friend and just freaking kudos for putting up with me and helping me out
Blair: as above, you two are my freaking wonder team, I'm going to boast about you two so hard
Eleanor: I don't really thank you as much as I should but your advice has been really really helpful
Avnit: You're just so supportive and I can talk to you whenever and I think it's great :)
Josh: for watching that movie with me that time, and making me laugh
MUM: your name is in capitols because you have been one of the two biggest helps so far. I know you're freaking out about all of this but you've been so amazing, and so helpful, and I haven't thanked you enough yet but I will one day, you're a total legend.
DAD: same as above, and thank you for being so level-headed about all this I might have lost it without your help :) And for helping out with all the emergency shopping and last minute things and all the support throughout this entire, GRUELLING process
So, that was feelsy. There'll be a lot of that when I go too, ready yourselves. On the bright side of things:
1. I got my Visa!!
2. I got my itenerary and travel wallet!
3. I'm almost done with all my credits
4. I'm almost done with all my shopping
5. They'll be playing the Hobbit on the plane.
More later, that's the gist of what I'm going through at the current moment, I'll try to do more regular updates now that things are starting to happen :)
Stay Super,
Holly
Monday 29 July 2013
Introductions
I should have done this a long time ago, it's been more than a year since this all started, so consider this your official catch-up. My name is Holly, and here you'll find all my doings in FRANCE, where I'll be spending five months from September 2013-January 2014.
SO I'm on an LIA (Language Immersion Award) that I received late last year. It's a government scholarship sending me to a foreign country long enough to immerse myself in their culture and language enough to learn all the tricks. I know around enough French to prove that I'm hopelessly foreign.
I've so far been to chapter meetings and a National Camp in Wellington (which was AMAZING, see picture)
I'm the fun one a little to the right :)
and I'll be leaving on September the 5th. I'll post the morning of to let you all know how psyched and freaked and excited I no doubt will be.
I have a host family called the Lebruns. Very difficult to pronounce in French but I'm working on it. I have a Dad, a Mum, a sister my age, a brother a little younger than myself and a younger sister too. Big family, I know but they all seem super nice. I'm living in PAU, also difficult to pronounce in French (I'm idling between PO and POW).
More updates later, this is just to get y'all initiated and say hey.
Stay super,
Holly
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)