Deux mois!! (two months)

    So I've lived in the lovely little city of Draguignan France for two months now. I must say I love it so much I do not even want to think about leaving and going back to America. Although I have had about three dreams about how my exchange is somehow already over and it's the summer again and I'm on a plane back to the states thinking...wasn't it just October? And then I wake up and realize it's okay it's still October. I am so happy here, and I've already noticed a change in myself. Being an exchange student, you have to be calm and ready for just about anything and be willing to eat just about anything. I have eaten some very interesting foods since I've been here.
    Right now it is very cold here, atleast for me..and people keep telling me that it gets cold and I just say awesome. I really need to buy some more warm clothes because I really don't think that my winter wardrobe will do. I love walking to school in the morning even though I am freezing the entire way there. A very important lesson that I learned is: A scarf is your best friend, it can really make a difference in you getting a cold or you staying warm and not getting sick. I honestly don't know how I am going to live through the weather getting any colder, being from Alabama, I am not used to such cold weather...it was 40 degrees F when I walked to school the other day. But I guess as long as I have my scarf and gloves and maybe a hat then I'll be okay.
    The other day my host father told me that he thought I would probably forget all about my host mother and him after I went home. I had no idea how to say this in french but I thought to myself how in the world could I possibly forget someone who has impacted my life so much? I don't think I could, they are like my real parents I feel like part of the family and I will never forget them. I hope I can come visit them sometime soon. Well I just did six hours of homework for my English online class so I'm exhausted, au revoir..pour maintent!(:

Rotary Presentation...

   Last night I did my presentation for my host Rotary club...in French of course. It was alot easier than I thought it would be. My Rotarians are very nice and the President speaks English, sooo nice. I did all of my presentation in French but when the president asked me to tell him about my Rotary banner I did it in English because the only thing I could have said about it in French would have been "c'est un bateu.."(it's a boat). The Rotary meeting was at a nice little restaurant in my city, and during the meeting they passes around these little fried fish. I couldn't bring myself to eat one because their little eyes were staring at me. But for dinner we had Octopus, and I tried that...it wasn't bad. But I could not watch myself cut it..I could see the little suction cup things and it was weird.
   I am so happy that I had my YEO, Claude, and my host parents there. I love Virginie and Sebastièn so much, they are the best. I don't even want to think about changing host families or going back to America. I don't have to change families for about four or five more months but still. I really am not homesick, although I miss a few things, my dog, mexican food, my friends, and that's about it lol. I think all of the exchange students miss their dogs the most. It's sad haha but I guess it's because we can talk to our parents and they can come visit us but our dogs can't. Sorry mom I love you. lol
   School is good, my théâtre teacher is nice one minute then screaming the next and my Anglais teacher...well he's just British, only good way to describe him. The other day in PE the teacher yelled at me and then she remembered I don't speak much French and I probably didn't understand her...mostly because she was yelling at me. And she kind of scares me. My friends at school are great I love them, they're all so funny and crazy. They all wanna know everything about America and I always forget certain things when I'm put on the spot like that. They talk to me in English sometimes and help me with my French. They make fun of me because I'm ALWAYS tired but I can't help it being here is exhausting!! I love it and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now, but dang I have to work twice as hard to understand simple things. Now I know how hard it is for the people in America that are from other countries that say stuff like "I go to school now?" or "I ask tonight, okay?". Yeah super awesome to realize you sound like an idiot, but I know it can only get better and it will, it already has. Sebastièn told me the first day I was here he had no idea what he was going to do with me because pretty much all I said was "I don't know...". But now he knows what to do with me lol make fun of me and tease me, but it's definitely not in a harsh way. He's almost like a father to me, he and Virginie treat me like I'm their daughter. It's like I have a second set of parents. I still love my real mom though and she'll always be my mother. But it's nice to have them because they make my life so much easier. I haven't gotten introuble for anything yet...although I haven't done anything to get introuble but still. I hear about other peoples host families and I am so lucky to be with mine, they are so awesome!
   This past Sunday the exchange students in my district and our host parents went to St. Tropez...Oh my gosh SOOOO BEAUTIFUL!! I love the water and being in St Tropez was incredible it is a rich boat city. With literally the biggest boats I've ever seen..EVER. And it has tons of designer clothing shops..which most of them were closed because it was a Sunday. I love the trips with other exchange students, it's so nice to have someone to talk to that knows exactly what you're going through and speaks the same language as you. I really hope we can take a trip to Italy and maybe see the other exchange students that are living there.(:

Je suis fatigue...et j'ai faim.

 I feel like I'm always say that, I'm tired...and I'm hungry. But suprisingly I have actually lost about 10 pounds since I've been here...it's AWESOME!(: And I owe it all to my host mother Virginie, she is an amazing cook and everything is healthy. So I'm getting skinnier and not fatter.(: I am so happy.
  School is going good, I have a lot of new friends and most of my teachers are nice. My english teacher is a bit crazy, but hey he is British! hah And my PE teacher yelled at me today in French even though she knows good and well I don't know what she's saying especially when she's yelling fast..she's a bit scary haha. I try to do work in my classes even though it's kind of hard, I usually end up just trying to translate poems in Français. My teachers are very understand although they still want me to try. Like my Italian teacher that woman is DETERMINED that I WILL learn Italian haha. A few times a week we have an hour "study hall" where we usually lay around and talk and listen to music, it's so nice. And I feel like I hardly ever have school it's awesome.(:
 It's still gonna take a little longer for me to get used to the touchy affectionateness of all the French people. Like at school my friends do bisuos but they also come up randomly and kiss my cheek or my forehead and I'm like...okay. haha I know it's just the way they are and I have to adapt.
 So the weather here is very annoying, it is soo cold in the morning but by lunch time it's very hot and so you get to freeze, or sweat haha. And I'm told I don't look American...yet I ALWAYS get stared at wherever I go. It's kind of annoying, but it's okay.
 Oh so I've been here for a month tomorrow.(: I feel like I just got here! I still love it, although I have my frustrating moments I wouldn't want to be anywhere else now.  Even though if I was home I would be going out tonight instead of staying home while my host father goes and rides his motorcycle with his friends, I am so cool. Haha but I don't really wanna push it with my host parents so I'm not gonna ask to do anything because I already have plans for tomorrow night with my friends.(: I love living in the city and being able to walk pretty much anywhere it's so nice.(:

Non, je ne comprends pas. (:

 I actually really like school now.(: I have a bunch of friends and everyone is really helpful and nice, they laugh at me alot but I don't care cause I'm usually laughing with them..I feel like I am constantly saying "non, je ne conprends pas" (no I don't understand) to everyone because the teachers talk sooo fast it seems like and their writing, Ohhh yeah I definately can not read it. lol. Anglais and Etrange Literature have to be my favorite classes because they're taught in english, and that's when people know how I feel..staring at the teacher like they're crazy when they ask if I understand. My french is getting better, slowly but surely. I was able to carry on a conversation with Sebastien the other night and understand everything...I was so excited. But it's great, I love France. For some reason I enjoy the ten minute walk to school and back, it's nice. Although people always stare at me...I don't know why, because I apparently don't look American..it might be my clothes though. But I'm going shopping with Virginie in a little while.(: Get ready momma!! HA but I really haven't spend very much money at all yet, so she should be happy. I am such a good little daughter. Hahah, love you momma.
 So yesterday I was in science and the teacher was drawing charts on the board and writing notes for us to copy, and as usual I copied them although I didn't know what I was copying. And one of the guys in my class turns around and asked to see my notes, I was like okay...but you do realize I have no idea what I'm writing or what we're even talking about. You're copyin the exchange student's work..you know the one that doesn't speak much french. Good choice, you are soo failing la bac. haha Oh and by the way la bac is their huge test they have after high  school, it's VERY VERY VERY hard and I am soo grateful I am an American and I don't have to take it!!(: Oh but did I mention I am taking Italian..in French? Hard.....VERY. But the teacher is super nice and determined to teach me! Good luck to her.(:
 Tonight I get to take my first ballet class in France and I am super excited!! I've missed dance so very much. I love it, but I haven't stretched in a long time so this should be interesting...well going to go spend some euros!(: haha Ciao

School...

 The first day of school..not fun for me at all. I have gone to the same school with the same people for my whole life, never been the new kid. But now I know what it's like, except about ten times worse because I was the new kid in a school where I hardly knew the language. My day was going by okay at first I had gotten up extra early to get ready for school and tried to look my very best. I thought that my school was huge just looking at the outside..no it's even bigger. I was like awesome I am never going to be able to find anything, ever. Okay so I usually walk to and from school but because it was the first day I went with Julie (my supposed to be 2nd host sister..). She helped me get to class and everything, but she asked me Theatre or not Theatre? I was like ohhh NOT Theatre please!!!!! And she was like okay so I went to the not Theatre classes then I got to Italian class(yes, I am taking Italian 2 in French..I don't know why either) and she borrowed some guy's schedule and copied it then gave it to me. I saw Theatre and I was like what??? NOOOO! Pourquoi moi???!!! So after that I was also in a German class...don't ask why. lol But so some girls from my class took me to the office, and some took me everywhere..not really sure why. Then she was like okay you're not taking German and you can go to lunch now. That was on Tuesday the day I have a two hour lunch..guess who didn't have any friends to sit with during her two hour lunch, me. So I walked around for like 15 minutes and then I saw some girl and asked her if I could sit with her and her friend. She said yes, so I sat down. About 30 minutes later she had to go to class and I was sooooo hungry...so I sucked it up and went to the cafeteria alone. A teacher that had talked to me earlier saw me and helped me to get my lunch. Then I went through the line and I saw some of my classmates sitting at a table, and they invited me to sit with them..(: Thank goodness I did not have to eat alone. After I some how got to be alone...again. And after school I went home with my heavy back pack full of books and I talk to Sebastien for a while and he made me feel better.(:
 So Wednesday I have Theatre from 10-12 and that's it, I go home. That, I thought was going to be the worst two hours of my life...but it wasn't. I definitely didn't love it but it also wasn't horrible. I actually would consider Wednesday a good day...thank goodness.(: And Virginie had the day off so when I came home we ate lunch together. She told me that she would like it if I stayed with her the entire time I'm in France.(: I was like you like me that much??(: I think she enjoys having another girl around, I'm like the daughter she never had lol.
 And today...I HAVE FRIENDS!!!!(: Sooo happy, finally! Ha I feel so weird because I'm this excited. Lol, there's a really nice guy named Bastille in all of my classes and I sit next to him in Italian...he doesn't speak hardly any english, but he tries to help me. And Annalise walked me home from school today and I ate lunch with her and her friends. And Valentine, and Kamie, and I can't remember her name..but I have friends. Oh and Julie this other girl in my class is nice too, she's kinda quite though. Annalise asked me today if my school was like the one in High School Musical....I was like ummm not exactly. But we have lockers..she thought that was sooo cool haha. I'm starting to enjoy school, especially because I hardly ever go haha. And my Italian teacher is nice she's trying to help me learn atleast a little. But I don't think my theatre teacher likes me because I was late today...I got lost on the way to school....It was horrible and when I called Virginie she couldn't understand me and I had no clue what she was saying lol. I was soo scared then, but now it's kinda funny. I love France....(: I got outta school at 2 today. It was awesome..and only one more day then the weekend and I only have science once a week!!! YAY!(:
Well I have to go to English homework...for my school in America.. Ciao(:

J'aime la ville...pas la montage.

 I haven't really been doing a ton of stuff lately. I met my second host family. They were going to take me to the beach but that didn't exactly work out as planned. But it's okay, I've been going to work with Virginie. I don't know why but I could sit there forever and watch her and Patrice do hair. I love sitting there and talking to her clients, reading french magazines, and talking to Pedro(Florein) and Patrice in english when they make me mad because they keep speaking too fast for me to understand them. It's always fun. My host mother's hair salon is like right in the middle of a bunch of cute boutiques so when I get bored I go and look around at all of the cute french clothes.(: I really want Virginie to go shopping with me, but she's always working. I feel bad for her she works so much, but I know she loves what she does. She is the sweetest host mother ever! I am so lucky to have her!!!(: Even if she doesn't understand half the things I say to her and vise versa.
 So it's dimache (Sunday), and I start school mardi (Tuesday)...I'm excited because I want to make friends. But I am also scared because I've never been to a new school in my life, I've gone to SFPPS, SFS, SFHS, SFMS, and SFHS. But this is going to be fun and I talked to  Ludovic last night, Virginie's son who is in Nebraska right now on exchange. He said everything would be fine, and that everyone would want to be friends with me because I'm American...let's hope so. Also he told me he would tell his friends about me so I would have some people to talk to atleast.
  I know Virginie misses him very much but she knows he is very happy in America..he LOVES it. lol but he does miss his friends here. I know the feeling...you love where you are and you really want to be there but you do still miss your friends, still you wouldn't go home right now.
 But seriously....I MISS THE FOOD, I have wanted a burrito from Moes like since I got here, and some Firehouse, my mom's Baked mac n cheese, my mom's cheese dip, chocolate chip pancakes, cinnamon rolls, SKIMMED MILK, gumbo, crab bisque, and SWEET TEA & FRIED CHICKEN...or anything fried for that matter...omg. I am makin myself super hungry, I should stop. But seriously, I miss it. Don't get me wrong I love the French food...it's soooo good and it's healthy, with eating it and walking EVERYWHERE I think I'm loosing weight. haha But I did have cheese grits for breakfast, and no they don't have grits in France....I brought them from America.(:
 It is getting easier for me to understand people and talk to them, although I still read alot better than I speak. I read a whole article in french and understood most of it. And I read the longest newspaper article out loud to work on my pronounciation with my french tutor..my throat hurt soooo bad. She said I had very good pronunciation though, so that's always good.(: But after that my throat and brain hurt. I have gotten one headache when I was with the other host family because they all try to talk at once and their little 4 year old son likes to scream and kick my seat and squirt everyone with water at dinner. But it's all good now. My hands hurt from typing now so I'll post again after school starts.(: Ciao!!

Day...six? Je ne sais pas.

 So today was GREAT I actually got to walk around my town..FINALLY(: haha I went to my school which is like a ten minute walk from my house...sooo nice. Then I went to visit my host mother Virginie at here hair salon Viva la vie. After that I made Sebastien go shopping with me, and we went to the phone store..new french phone tomorrow!!(: And while we were in the phone store (Orange, it's France's at&t) Elas and her friend Paulette came and asked Jarod and I to hangout. So we went with them to Elas's boyfriend's neighborhood..I guess is what you would call it and watched him and his friends play football (soccer) for a little while. Then a bunch of guys came and hungout with us. Oh boy when they found out I was American.....I was like the pretty shiny new object, everyone wanted to talk to me and look at me. lol it kind of freaked me out having everyone's attention on me. But it was still kind of cool. A few of them tried to kiss me though and some told me they loved me? I don't know, I was like you love me....okay I don't know you, but thank you? Later when we finally decided to leave Jarod told me that  they were saying that because I was very pretty..I think it's cause I'm blonde, most of the people here have brown hair. But I have seen all of the little ice cream stands all day and so I asked Jarod if he wanted something to drink or he wanted to get ice cream. He instanly said LA GLACE!! (ice cream in french lol) and I was like okay, then he told me he didn't have money and I said it's okay I'll pay for you my petit frere. haha he's 13 but her's so much bigger than me. probably be cause he plays rugby. But he's sweet most of the time. When we got our ice cream he was only going to get one scoop but I was like you don't want two and his eyes got really big and he said Oui! Merci beaucoup!!(: And after the lady handed him his he kissed me on the cheek and said merci beaucoup Madalyn. I was like awww you are so precious! ha He's going back to live with his mother for school....his school starts Monday...): I'm super sad, because he's like the little brother I never had. I wish he was still living here, his mother lives like six hours away..I don't know what I'm gonna do without him..I'm gonna miss my little brother.): Even though he annoys the heck outta me and likes to turn the light off everytime I'm in the bathroom doing my hair!! Oh my gosh that little boy...but still he's the one who I can communicate easier with. But I guess I'll be okay once I make more friends, when school starts. Well gotta go it's getting late. Au revoir

Day...um Four?? I think..

 So last night I went with my host family to eat eat with my host mother's parents, it was fun. We ate for literally three hours and talked and watched the fireworks. And the terrace overlooked the marina..it was tres belle!(: Then the adults talked for like three hours, then we finally left at like 1am and I skyped my mom and brother because I couldn't sleep...as usual.): I feel like I never sleep..and then I sleep until like 2 in the afternoon and I'm tired ALL day. My host family thinks I sleep all the time haha, but I think it's just jet lag, still. Hopefully it will get better soon. I'm sure it will. lol
 But today Sebastian took Jarod, Zach, and I to the beach. It was pretty fun, we flew the kite and swam in the Mediterranean a little bit. It is sooo pretty there!! (Pictures are on Facebook!) But yeah I love France. Oh tonight best night so far...I ate two cheeseburgers, made my Zach's host mother. And I had a cherry coke. Jarod ate with us, and he looked at me funny because I usually try everything, but I don't eat alot because I'm not that hungry. I think they think I'm anorexic...but I don't know.
 Yesterday we went to the beach too but not with Zach. And Jarod was teaching me french while we swam and I taught him english. His dad's favorite phrase now is "stupid boy Jarod" haha. I love my host family, they are awesome!! I can't wait to see what we'll do tomorrow because my host mother, Virginie, finally doesn't work! Maybe we can go shopping.(: but for now au revoir!

Day Two.(:

 So today has been interesting. This morning I woke and Jarod make me breakfast...a HUGE bowl/cup thingy of chocolate milk, and some break with nutella. Oh my gosh was it not a good idea to try the that much milk...the milk here is richer and I am not used to it. My stomach hurt so bad I went to my room and took some pepto and went to sleep from 9am to 2 pm.
 When I woke up I saw Sebastian and Jarod on the couch so I sat down and we all watched tv. Later Seabstian called Jarod and asked if we wanted to go to the supermarket with him and so we did. I don't know why people in America think that in France people go to the little street markets. They don't, they have HUGE super markets..literally it's like Super Walmart on stereiods...it's crazy!! Oh so funny story, I was walking in to the super market and a man walks out wear almost the exact same shorts as me...I was wearing very short Nike shorts. haha I am definitely in Europe. Oh and most men wear purses..even teenagers.
 So for dinner tonight I think we ate canalope, pasta, and possibly chicken..if chickens buck in France. It was pretty good. I've tried everything but the stinky cheese Sebastian eats EVERY night, ewww Virginie doesn't like it either, so I figured it was okay to not try it. I don't want to kill my stomach. lol I showed them pictures from Alabama and they saw the football ones and they were like oh my gosh!!! They are so aggressive. It was funny.
 Also I think they're taking me to the beach....cause they keep talking about it but um yeah I'm not quite sure, but let's hope they do. And take me out on their boat. My host family is soooo nice!!(: My host mother is letting me borrow her straightner and she's getting her neighbor to help me with my french. Thank goodness because this whole not talking thing....KILLING ME!!! haha but I still love France and I am sooo happy I am here thanks to Daphne-Spanish Fort Rotary Club(: Merci beaucoup!!!
  It is so weird, I'm like half thinking in french and when I type, I'm almost trying to translate it in my head. But anyways it is 12:00am so I should probably get some sleep so I can learn more french so I can talk!!(: Bonne nuit America.

Finally here!(:

 So I arrived in Paris yesterday at 6AM Paris time, 12AM Alabama time. And I got to spend a lovely six hours in the airport with all of the other amazing exchange students going to different parts of France. We people watched and talked and exchanged business cards so we could keep in touch with each other. And oh my gosh even the food at the airport was AMAZING. I realize that I'm in France, but I didn't expect to find all of the food. They had quiches, croissants, pastries, and many many other French delights. I myself had a croissant au chocolat, it was more flaky and delicious than I could have ever imagined it would be and it was worth the three euros I paid for it.
 On the seven hour flight to Paris I was lucky enough to sit next to a Parisian who spoke English well and was willing to help me with my words quite a few times. I felt pretty comfortable about my French until  I met Robin, a 16 year old french boy who was flying home from Miami. He spoke very little English and apparently I speak less French than I thought I did. lol
 So meeting the Rotarians at the airport....Interesting. lol I could not understand them no matter how many times they said it. And then my host father...neither he nor my brother Gerrod speak much English. They laughed at me like constantly, I just smiled and preteneded I knew what they were talking about.
  France is BEAUTIFUL!!!! I love everything about it, even though I hardly speak the laugage....for now. it is only my first day....and I haven't slept in like two days. sooo yeahh. But I found out some facts:
1) French people are NOT typically rude!!
2) French women DO shave!
3) The cars AREN'T tiny.
4) Showers in France gonna take some getting used to.
5) The toilettes are in their own little rooms.
 But tonight for Dinner I have no idea what I ate, but it was GOOOD....and I think part of it was raw ham.....maybe that's what jambon rouge means...but I don't know. And honestly I don't even care lol.
Also Apparently I'm halirious because my host family can't stop laughing at me..

One Day.

I have one day left, well less than a day. And all day I've been packing, saying see you later to my friends, and stressing. It's been hard to think that I'm leaving America...for this long. But I am sooooo excited, and ready. I can't wait to meet my host family and learn french and meet new people. Later America.(:

One Week.

So I have one week til I leave for France. That means one week to pack, one week in America, one week left with my friends and family. I know I sound sad, but I'm super excited. I can not wait to start this adventure. So ready or not France, here I come.
I'm so excited to go to school and learn french. I can't believe that it's almost time to leave. I feel like just yesterday I was at school just finding out that I was going, and I thought I was excited then...haha. I just hope I'm ready, I still am not anywhere near finished packing but I have time. All in all the excitement over powers everything else.

One Month

So I have one month until I leave for my exchange. It's coming up so fast, I'm so excited but I'm kind of having my "oh my gosh I am a crazy person, what the heck was I thinking???" moment. There's no doubt in my mind that by the end of next month I'll be trying to make it through the first few weeks of my exchange. but still I feel like this is all happening so fast and it's becoming very real.

This past week I went to Atlanta to get my visa. And as I'm sitting there waiting to go to the counter so I can apply for my visa, it hits me...I'm going to France, for ELEVEN MONTHS. Not for two week or a month, no I'm there for a year. It really hadn't hit me until right then and there, which was incredibly scary. But I'm super excited and I can not wait to meet my host family and start learning the language and making new friends. Although I'll miss the ones back home, I still feel I'm making the right choice for me. Well here goes nothing.....

Outbound Camp

Oh Outbound camp was amazing!! I flew into Oklahoma City by myself where I met Davis Richardson and Jamie Nikkel. When I first got to the baggage claim area I was looking around, wondering who was supposed to be picking me up and what I was supposed to do. I saw some lady wave at me and I thought hmm is she waving at me? What's going on..? Then the man that I had sat next to on my flight from Atlanta said, "I think you're supposed to be going with her". So I walked over and said hello, at first Davis and I didn't talk then once I got my bag the conversation was going nonstop. All the way from the airport to Subway and from Subway to UCO. I am so glad he was the first person I met. After we registered everyone hung out in the lobby and then we all went to the Pegasus theatre and got introduced to the camp and stuff like that. Everyone was talking to their roommates at dinner and I was thinking "....do I even have a roommate? Oh let's hope so." And finally I figured out I did and her name was Alycia. We definitely bonded in our freezing cold dorm room. Camp flew by although the lectures seemed to drag on and on. I learned so much, and not to mention I had a blast. I can not wait to go on my exchange to Draguignan France. I'm a little nervous, but I think I'm as ready as I'll ever be thanks to the Rotarians and Rotex at Outbound camp.