Mon premier jour d'école

Today was my first day of school, which I was not really looking forward to because my French still isn't the best, the school days go from 8hr 'til 18hr, and apparently nobody talks to you. (everyone here uses 24 hour time). But it was the best day I have had in France yet, it was so cool. Everyday I will be catching the train to school, it takes about 20 minutes (2 trains). My school is right in the middle of the city of Lille, which is awesome, I have never been to school in a city. It is massssive, there are over 1,500 people there and that's just for years 10, 11 and 12. I have a card that I scan to enter school, and the gate opens for me.. I also use the card to order my lunch, which changes everyday. We eat in a Cafeteria, there is heaps of different food to choose from. Everyday my timetable changes, I didn't get to choose my subjects, so I am doing Spanish, Maths, French (really hard), History, Geography, English, Sport, Physics, Chemistry and Biology. I go to school from 8 hr 'til 18 hr (6pm) on Monday and Thursday, on Tuesday I finish at 15 hr, on Wednesday i finish at 12hr and on Friday I don't start until 11 hr 10. Anyway, my first day today was really good. At the start some people were just starring at me, but then one person came up to me and starting talking to me, and so did everyone else. It was kinda hard trying to understand French but I got there.. Everyone was really nice and I met heaps of people. Today 3 of my teachers were absent, and in France they don't have emergency teachers, there is just not class. So I caught the train into the city square with some friends (we can leave school between breaks), and we went to a cafe. Some friends then showed me around Lille and I did a bit of shopping... I am really loving it here, everyone is really nice and I am picking up the language pretty fast. I can already tell that my English is getting really bad, and it hasn't even been a week.. I am going to my little sisters English class next week to talk to them. Anyway, I have to go and have dinner now, but I have attached photos of my school and of Lille.

Je suis arrivé en France

I am here! I arrived in Paris yesterday at about 11:30 AM after the longest flight of my life (Melbourne - Singapore - London - Paris). When I arrived in Paris I collected my bags and then went and met my family, they are really nice! We couldn't stay in Paris because I had to go straight to a Rotary Meeting in Amiens, which is about 2 north of Paris. It was so weird driving on the other side of the road, listening (but not understanding anything they say) to french on the radio, and trying to talk to my host family in general. The speed limit on the freeways is 130 km/h which was cool. We went to McDonalds for lunch yesterday, and I spilt my large coke everyone. It was so embarrassing but funny at the same time. I was trying to apologise in but it didn't work, I just said in English ahh I am so stupid haha. Today my host mum went to the bank for a bit, so I had the house to myself. Someone knocked at the front door, so I went to open it but I didn't know how to. It was a postman with a parcel, and he was speaking french really fast and I didn't know how to say that I don't know how to open the door in French so he just walked away. Everyone says that French people are rude, but I don't think I have met a rude person yet, everyone seems really nice! But it's so cool here, everything is so European. The fooood is amazing, for breakfast, lunch and dinner they eat the best bread I have ever had with the best cheese ever. Last night I had salmon pasta for dinner and tonight I had the best crepes ever! My host mum made them with me today, and she put cheese, salmon, tomato and a cracked egg on top (raw), it was so good.  It's really cold at the moment, was about 3 degrees today. I have a lot planned for the next month, I am starting school on Thursday, going to Spain in February for a week, and then going snowboarding in The Alps with my host family for another week. Overall I am loving it here, the language is hard and can be frustrating at times but I can already tell that I am improving and understanding more and more.

The Night Before

It is the 20th of January 2012, which means it is the night before I leave to live in a strange country for a year. I don't really know how I am feeling right now, I am excited, nervous but at the same time sad to be leaving all my family and friends behind. I have been busy catching up with everyone before I leave, I had a going away party last night and it was really good to say bye to all my family and friends. I have finished packing and everything is ready to go. My flight leaves at 5:00 PM, I fly from Melbourne to Singapore, to London, to Paris! My host family is meeting me at the airport, and my host sister said I don't have to start school until I feel ready, but I think I will go as soon as I can. I am currently sleeping in my bed with my dog for the last time in 2012. I will keep posted when I arrive in Lille!

Orientation Camp

Last night I got back from my last Rotary Orientation before I leave for France. We stayed at a pretty cool place and didn't have much sleep as we were up all night and had to get up real early. Every camp it is tradition to hide the Rotary bell, or just play a trick on the Rotarians. So we were up 'til 3 rearranging  furniture so that all the table and chairs were upside down. The camp was real fun 'cause, I became real close with all the outbound students and all the inbounds in 9810 at the moment, everyone is so chilled and cool. I had to do a speech in French in front of everyone and it was recorded, so that when I come back in 2013 I can see how much I have improved. I also did a speech on 'Australia as a sporting Nation' which copped a bit of criticism because it has Collingwood jokes in it and other countries wouldn't understand them. I got my Rotary Business Card and a massive package with heaps of other cool stuff in it. Everyone swapped cards and badges too, so I already have heaps of badges but can't put them on my blazer until I get to France. After dinner on the Saturday night I was on dinner duty and broke the dish washer and I pulled up the part that said 'Do Not Touch' and I pretty much flooded the kitchen. But over all it was a real good weekend and I can now say I am 100% ready and prepared to go on my Exchange.

First Orientation Day

Today I had my first Orientation day in Croydon with all the outbound and inbound students! It dragged on a bit but over all was a real good day. I got to meet all everyone and they were all really nice. I met a girl named Lara who is an inbound student from Lille, France which is where I am going. She told me heaps about it and it was really good to get to meet someone from where I will be living. She invited me to her powerpoint presentation on Tuesday so I can find out more about Lille, it should be really good! We got given topics that we have to write a speech on and present it to everyone on our next camp in December. We also have to give a speech about ourselves in our countries language, it gets recorded then we see how much we have improved on our language when we return. It was a really good day, I learnt a lot and met some really cool people and it got me a lot more excited about my exchange!
A bientôt!
102 days!

About My Exchange

Hey everyone, just thought I would start my blog early so that I have my whole exchange experience on record! About two months my school co-ordinator came into class saying that someone had pulled out of a Rotary Year Exchange to France and they need someone to take her place. I thought about it all weekend and new it was what I wanted to do. I thought about missing out on year 12 with my friends, turning 18, all the parties, schoolies ect, but it didn't bother me as I thought spending a year as a Rotarian in France would make up for it. I applied for it as well as 7 others and got the position, I was so so so happy. There is another girl at my school Rhiannon Rak who also got the position, it will be good to have someone experiencing the same thing as me that I know! I have been practising my French a lot, and am really enjoying it. I received my family, I have a mum, dad and 2 sister who seem really cool and nice! My host town is called La Bassée and it is a 15 minute train ride to Lille! Lille is the 4th biggest city in France and is on the border of Belgium! Tomorrow is my first Rotary meeting, it is an orientation and I will meet everyone that will be doing exchange as well as the exchange students that are already here.

103 days, je suis très excité!