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