Hey! (15/05/2012) I wrote this a whole week ago and have
been too side-tracked to post! I’ll all a bit out of date now but I think it
will still be an interesting read. Love y’all lots xx
So, I’ve been back at school since Wednesday last week and I
am really enjoying it! Day one was a bit sketchy but every day since it has
gotten better and better! I’ve joined in with a circle of friends including
Marie, who lives in the same village as me (Rognes), Gabby, whose house I went
to on Friday for lunch, Camille who is HILARIOUS (well she sounds hilarious but
I usually can’t understand what she’s saying), Laurena, who only today have i
bonded with (she’s so nice!!), and there’s another girl whose name I still
can’t remember which is a little embarrassing on my behalf.
Every Friday we have two hours of sport and finally on
Friday I actually remember to take my tights and joggers so I could join in
too. At the moment we are practicing pentabon which is a more retarded version
of long-jump (run-hop-step-step-step-jump!) and guess what! I jumped the
furthest! Bless my long legs! And it was nice doing a bit of sport aside from
my unusually unsuccessful jog I attempt
now and then. I have tried briefly to look into basketball in Aix, because I
guy in my class plays and he told me that there is competition for girls, too.
However I have a feeling that its getting close to the end of the season. I
could start tennis but that is something that you usually play alone and I like
to play with a team! Plus its probably rather expensive. And horse riding is
out of the question because a) it’s far too expensive and b) the horse does
most of the exercise! I think volley
ball is played a fair bit here and I at least know the rules so maybe I’ll
check that out too?
This weekend has been a pretty big one for me. On Saturday,
we had lunch with some family firend and I also attempted to wash absolute!
Although I think I made him look worse because I didn’;t wash the shampoo out
properly so he’s a little bit ... crusty. I’ll have to wait for another hot day
to finish the job because it turns out he LOVES the hose (the family thought he
hated water – which is ironic because he’s a water dog breed). Then Saturday night I had another one of
those fancy shmancy parties to go to, but I had a bit of a wardrobe malfunction
and almost gave up the goat. I did end up going though and I wore a $6 dress I
got from a second hand store last week. It was still wet from the wash when I
threw it on, but my super hot and sexy body dried it up pretty quick. I thought that every time that had one of
these soiree’s it was held at the golf club, but this time one of the
organisers had it at her house... or should I say mansion! It’s located just
outside of aix in the absolutely exquisite countryside. If there is one
stereotype that we got right about France, it is definitely the beautiful south
countryside. Only now that winter has gone and spring has arrived, can I fully appreciate
it in all its glory. The vineyards are flourishing with new growth (along with
every other living thing) and everywhere you go is bursting with a rich green
colour, decorated with the wild flowers (especially poppies). I get to see the
countryside every morning on the drive to school, and home again, and it is
truly magical. My family and I actually went on the hunt twice during the
holidays for fresh asparagus growing in the bush all around Rognes. The small,
green shoots are not the easiest things to find and apparently we were a little
late in the season so they weren’t as abundant. After two hours or so we had a
solid couple of handfuls and that night Marie made a delicious Creamy asparagus
sauce with spaghetti! (I LOVE MARIE – sorry, little bit of randomness there but
I am seriously in love with my family and I’m so happy here!)
Whoa, whoa, I’d better retrace my steps! I was initially
telling you all about the party and in particular the divine
house/mansion/villa/thing. (I’m actually writing this initially in my exercise
book in chemistry class, so just excuse me for a second while I go and partake
in a science experiment)... (I had to try three types of milk: fresh,
pasteurised and UHT – but I’m a little lactose intolerant so I gave a tummy ache
and a LOT of flem going on right now). SO, the exterior of the house was
covered in a big lavish vine but the most beautiful thing about the place was
not the perfect and fluffy green lawn, nor the water-fountain, but the fact
that we arrived at sunset and got to watch the ‘sun go to sleep’ (sunset
literally translates to ‘sleep of the sun’) over fields of green wheat and
vineyards. I just can’t get over the face that these generous and really rish
people throw a party with tons of delicious food, a DJ, lighting and now they
even supply their own house just for the pure enjoyment if young kids like me.
I don’t even know them! I seriously felt the need to buy them some flowers.
We ended up leaving at 2 in the morning and at 8 the morning
after I had promised to Skype mumzy for Mothers day! I however accidently woke
up at 9 but when I logged on mum wasn’t online! I got mon ami Giselle (who was
online) to call mum and see what was the go, and turns out she was at my unties
and I was to call uncle Micks Skype! I had the “morning after” hair and make-up
look raging when I unfortunately saw myself in the Skype camera – very
attractive – but it was a really beautiful skype with 7 family members on the
other end. I sang them my new song (well, tried too) and then my darn internet
cut out, when it came-to I had to bid my farewells anyway because the family
and I were heading out to Malo’s confirmation ceremony with the catholic church
in Aix. I was awfully tires and although the ceremony was very beautiful (with
close to 1000 people in the church and 55-60 kids doing the same thing as Malo)
it went for 2 hours instead of 1, and I was struggling to keep my eyes open.
Malos god-mother is Nathalie (Marie’s sister) so she was included in the
ceremony meaning that Pascal her husband was there too, and Maries Parents.
Then we all came back to our house for a celebratory lunch (I am addicted to
wasabi peas).
At about 5 that afternoon after snoozing on the day-bed all
though pre-lunch nibbles and also after post-lunch drinks, I said my farewells
and went to bed when I slept to 6:30 the next morning, only stirring once to
use the toilet! My family are actually considering taking me to the doctors
because I am tired ALL THE TIME. Even the Monday morning after that huge sleep,
I still slept in class. I tried telling them that it’s normal but even I am
starting to wonder... Marie bought me some stuff from the chemist so hopefully
that will give me a boost.
Oh I forgot to mention that during my lunch at my firnd
Gabby;s house, we discovered that she had a piano, and Marie (my other friend)
plays piano beautifully so we have been trying to collaborate (so finally it
happened)! An artist called ‘birdy’ did a cover of ‘Skinny love’ by Bon Iver on
the piano and Marie could play is so well so we did that one and Camille
recorded in on her phone (that’ll be interesting to see). Marie also offered to
bring some cherries to school for me because she has a few cherry trees at her
how which are sagging under the weight of all the cherries. Maybe tomorrow I
could go help her pick them! That could be fun.
I have also got a fair few fun things to look forward to
during my year in France. Tomorrow night I am going to Cleas house for a dinner
party with some of her other friends and my instructions are to bring a plate
of food and my swimmers because apparently the pool is very hot! I have decided
to make two plates : one savoury and one sweet. The first is Vietnamese spring
rolls (YUM) with prawns, vermicelli, julienned carrots and cucumber, lettuce,
mint, basil and coriander. As for the dipping sauce I had to venture into an
Asian supermarket which is conveniently located at my bus stop on Aix, to buy
some hoisin sauce and peanuts. And what a gem it was to find! It has all the
things needed for making anything Asian like sushi etc and it is really cheap!
let me put it in perspective for you: yesterday I bought a huge bottle of
hoisin sauce, a big bad of peanuts for only 5 euro. Today I went to some posh
coffee joint on the Cours Mirabeau and payed 3.40 euro for a freaking hot
chocolate. Its a bit of a joke really, so I’ll never do that again. That hot
chocolate is almost double the sodt of a bit slicve of ‘pizza capri’ , its more
than a toasted Panini (a foot long sandwich toasted with cheese and herbs or
whatever), and its 4 baguettes! AND IT WASN’T EVEN THAT GOOD.
Haha I get side-tracked so easily! so, Vietnamese rolls for
the savoury and for desert I am going to make chocolate covered strawberries.
Yesterday I also experimented with dark-chocolate covered orange pieces and it
was awesome! I carefully peeled each individual segment of orange and took all
the white stuff off, then dried all the excess juice with paper towel. Then I
dipped/rolled it in some dark chocolate and into the fridge to go hard! So
there you have it – I’m practically masterchef.
...what was I originally telling you? Ahh yes, I was going
to list all the exciting things that I have coming up! So to recap, dinner at
clea’s on Wednesday night, and then on Thursday if the weather is nice, my
family and I are going to have a picnic at cassis. Cassis is on the ocean so
I’m going to throw my swimmers in again i think. We have Thursday and Friday
off school so that is a 4 day weekend!
Then on the first of June I have been invited to lunch by a
lovely girl called Solene who was in my class before I changed. Her family are
really nice so that will be fun. Then on the second I have a rotary meeting
with all other exchangers in my district who are both in-bounders like me and
out-bounders like Malo who is going to Korea in August. And after that I am going to my friend Sllys
house for her 18th birthday. She is an exchange student from America.
Then around the 10th of june I am going to spend
a week with my uncle bob and auntie heather on their Canal boat. How great will
that be?! They have been coming to France every two years for 3 months or so to
travel around slowly on their canal boat. Im also going to stay a week with my
Auntie Peita, Uncle Ivor and cousin
Hannah who are staying in a house just north of Limoges on the 27th
of July. I am so excited for this!
In September mamma bear is coming over and we’re going to
spend a glorious 3 weeks together around Aix and then down to Barcelona!
And finally the last trip I know of at the moment is with
rotary and it’s a euro bus tour with all the other Aussie’s in France and I think
the Argentineans too (PARTY BUS!). and that goes for 12 Days.
Somewhere in my trip I want to squeeze in a trip to London to
stay with my cousin who has been living and working there for a year with her
boyfriend.
You know what? I think I have just about covered everything.
I usually write a little list of thinks to remind me of what I am saying when I
weave my way off track and now that list is completely crossed off!
Until next time,
Lots of love – Dan xxxxxxx
Third attempt to leave a comment - won't even try to write anything other than thanks for the lates chapter Dan - loved all your news and your gorgeous stories. Mum xxx
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