December

Alright, continuing back to December...  It began pretty normally, just going to school, fun fun fun!  Then a couple weeks in we had a Rotary meeting to say goodbye to our Aussies who were going home, and to take care of some other really, thrilling business.  We all had to bring something to contribute to the lunch, and after spending some time saying hi to everyone again, hanging out and taking stupid pictures, we assembled all we had, set the tables and ate.  After the lunch, our YEO's gave our three Aussies their certificates for completing the year, and we spent the rest of the afternoon talking and wondering what we were really supposed to be doing...

John and me, bestiesss!

Jas, John, Bek and me

Everybody!

Ben, Cari and me

Bek :)

Being smart...

Gingerbread roof!

It is always really nice to be able to get together and see each other, despite the fact that that particular Sunday I had to say goodbye to Jasmine, the one Aussie that i would not see again.  Rotary days are great because we can all just sit around and talk.  We tended to divide into groups determined by our first languages, those of us english speakers enjoying rapid conversations in which we can understand and communicate completely :D  I suppose it wasn't the best habit, but in December none of us had the skills to carry on in rapid French with each other.  So in other words, it was a nice break for the afternoon :)

A few days later, Bek, Cari, Ben, Maggie and I met in Paris for one last 'arvo' with Bek.  The weather was horrible, and I got there way before everyone, so I bought goodbye roses for Bek and tried to stay out of the rain while waiting.  Eventually everyone got there, and we tried to think of things to do.  Eventually we ended up in a cafe to get out of the rain, and ended up staying there allllll afternoon.  At one point another friend, Tom, came, but he couldn't stay for long.  That evening we decided to go to the Eiffel Tower because Bek had never been up at night.  We had to run to make it before it closed, and arrived with a couple minutes to spare.  Curtis also ran there to meet up with us.  

Bek and me

Bek, me, Cari and Maggie

at night

bored!

After getting really cold on the Eiffel Tower, we all had to say our goodbyes to Bek and head home for school the next day.  Bek and I said goodbye in the metro in the middle of a million people rushing past to go home after work, it was really weird and quick, and sad :(  Now we are all just hoping to see each other again!

The days before Christmas break I spent my time counting down to the last day of school, and going to Paris to see John and other friends (John is my other Australian friend who left at the beginning of January).

Finally, Christmas break arrived.  I spent the days leading up to Christmas until the 26th here in Chessy with my host family and my host dad's sister and aunt.  They came from Switzerland, near the French-Swiss border.  I ate tons of chocolate, and watched a lot of movies, one of which was Les Bronzes Font du Ski, a hilarious movie about a group of people who go skiing; eeeeveryone here knows this film.  Eric's aunt made fondu one day, it was amaaazing, and on Christmas Eve we ate a giant seafood platter.  It was good, but i don't really like cold seafood for a Christmas Eve dinner... After that we opened presents; i am now supplied with enough cook books to keep making french food at home, and macarons!  All in all i had a nice Christmas, but i felt like it wasn't really a big deal for my host family; now i can just look forward to the next one at home in snowy iowaaa :)  Anyway, on the 26th Marie, Camille, Hugo and I headed down to the south-west coast of France to visit Marie's mother; she lives in a town called Dax.  I spent the eight hour drive listening to music, sleeping and eating lots of kinder bars :)  While we were there, we saw Marie's two brothers, her sister-in-law and their son; we had our own little late Christmas with everyone.  Being there with Marie's mom started to drive everyone a little crazy, she calls everyone 'ma poulette' and one night made a soup with a pig nose and ears in it, no joke.  Camille and i totally lost it and could not stop giggling, i felt really bad, but i don't think she noticed.  I felt like i was in Indiana and the Temple of Doom or something.  Anyway, while we were down there, we visited Biarritz and San Sebastian (San Sebas. being in Spain).   They are both really beautiful cities, in the Basque style which was really interesting to me.

it was arctic in host g-ma's apartment, and boring.

Din-din with all the rellies

San Sebastian

boatsss in spain

harbor in Biarritz

more Biarritz

The sunnnnn :)

So after having a little break away from Paris, we headed home on the 30th in order to get ready for the New Year's Party Hugo was having the next day.  New Year's eve I had a good time celebrating with frenchies, some I know from school and others who are finished with their BAC.  We rang in the New Year outside under the fireworks from Disneyland, and finished the evening at 5 a.m. after a long night of dancing :) 

All in all, that wraps up December...