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

 :) 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 :)

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 :$