Not forgetting....just SUPER busy

Cou Cou!
Hey guys not forgetting you all, I am just super busy. No joke my poor mother probably got an email from me today that was shorter than this. Plan to update you all with lots of info soon, but for now here's the jist:
-France is very different, and awesome.
-Had some serious homesickness recently, but now, LOVING IT here.
-Made lots of new amazing friends, and my courses are challenging, but interesting at the same time. (well most of them, give me some credit I am a teenager...) :)
-My host family is AMAZING, so lucky to have them!
-Have plans with my theater class and friends this week, and I am so excited for them.
-And finally, yes French food IS that good.
Guess that's it for now!
Off to study for my scene in theater tomorrow!
Bisous!
~Sarah

3rd Day in France!

Me and my AYUSA friend, Casey! Check out her blog (it's so good) @ http://thefrenchduckling.tumblr.com/

     Okay... I guess it really is time to update this thing. :P I have so much to tell you all, where to start, hmmmm. Ok so I guess I will start with January 5th, the day I left. Myself and my family left for Washington D.C. airport at 9:00. After a long car ride, we arrived in D.C. about 2 hours early, so we went out to eat lunch. Eventually, we got to the airport where I checked in, got some euros, and said goodbye to my family. (Not bad at first, but believe me future exchange students, when you haven't slept for 36 hours, you will have a teary moment later.) Next, I went through security all by myself, and then eventually met up with my AYUSA buddy Casey, at our terminal. I then later met my other AYUSA buddies, Ariel, Mal, (and Casey) and we even met two other exchange students, Aleta and Tiffany, who were going through CIEE, but had the same french program as us! (Weird, but very cool!!) After an almost 8hr plane ride, which NO ONE slept for more than 20 minutes on, we arrived in Paris, looking as American as possible. After a 30 second French customs (love that :) we got our bags and met up with CEI and Tiffany and Aleta as well. (A welcomed surprise) Then we went on aiport train to a metro I think (remember its about 7 am) and we met another CEI rep. Then, all of the exchange students besides me and Aleta went on the TGV, and Aleta and I took another metro (during rush hour mind you) to St. Lazare train station. There, Aleta met her host mom, and I waited with the CEI rep, Olivier, and got on a very Harry Potter looking train.  After about 2 and a half hours. I was almost sleeping on the train, and we are at a train stop. All of a sudden I hear, "Bonjour Sarah!" very confused why someone knew me, and then found out my host dad Nicolas, had arranged to meet me on the train. I was so shocked. When we arrived in my host town, I met Noelle, my host mom at "la gare" who greeted me with beautiful flowers. They then took me home, where I later met the kids, Baptiste and Eva, who are SO SWEET! Later, I walked to my lycee and met with the principal. They showed me the main buidings of the school. (Very helpful) That evening my host family made asian cuisine, since I said that was my favorite food, and for dessert we had a galette. In the gallette are two hidden figurines, and who ever gets theirs in their piece is the king or queen. (I hapened to be queen and Baptiste was king) I believe this is a tradition after christmas in Januarary in France, and a very fun tradition too :)
     The next day ( I slept in until 12) we had a huge lunch (typical in France) and I met Simon, Eva and Baptiste's babysitter who is a senior at my school. He was so nice and helpful, and I was so fortunate my host family introduced me to him. We went to the mountain of "insert town name here" (internet safety sorry....) and saw all of the city, it was gorgeous! I could see my lycee from there! (I can see it from my window too, its HUGE) Later that evening we went biking and sat in a cafe, where they played the Beatles, (thank gosh :) and then later went home.
     Today, I woke up (still really late) and we went to the indoor pool. It was so much fun playing with the little ones, my host family is great and so helpful. After we biked home (we bike everywhere) we had lunch and I played with Baptiste and Eva for a while. They are now napping, so I am writing this poorly written blog post! Ok so a couple random things...
1) My french is awful, they say its good, but I highly doubt that. I can somewhat communicate and understand when one person is talking directly to me, but if I am trying to listen to a conversation, I can get a little lost.
2) Random facts: They do have armoires in France. They are awesome. Also, when you learn in Franch class that they have like a 5 course meal all the time, they are not joking. First you have an appitizer, then a main course, then cheese, and then dessert, and sometimes a course for chocolate. Its great :)
3) Wi-Fi in France is pronounced, weee-feee, and it makes my day. :)
I guess that's it for now. Love and miss you all!
Bisous!

Casey!!!

Aleta!!!

My lycee!(The view of it from my window!)

~Sarah

Quick Update

I am in France! I know I really need to fill you all in on the details, but I REALLY need to sleep!!! I'll update more soon but my family and France is great!
A bientot!
~Sarah

10 Days Until Departure!

     WOW! Never before did I think I would have ever seen the day where I would be writing this post! It seemed like just days ago I was sitting in English, my favorite class, trying so desperately hard to pay attention, but was really just writing down my 97 day countdown in my agenda! (Sorry Woz :) Oh and by the way Joyeux Noël! (Merry Christmas in French) I hope all of you had a fantastic holiday!
     Okay, so back to the recent events. ***Remember, I pledged to tell the truth, so some of this may be brutally honest.*** First off, I am finished with school in the US! My last day was incredibly cinematic, especially since it was the last day before holiday break. We mostly had parties or watched movies, although I did have a test, and a couple of fun things happened throughout the day as well. My favorite moment was when all of my friends from concert band played Christmas tunes throughout 7th period. It was at that moment that I realized I wasn't just going to miss my family or Camilla, but I was going to miss all of those familiar faces I have grown to cherish immensely.
       For all of you planning to study abroad, do it. I just know it is going to be incredible. Although, be prepared for the intense emotion that comes with it as well. I cannot possibly describe in words how grateful and blessed I am to have this experience, but even the preparation for this journey comes with challenges as well. I have had moments where I cannot believe I am even doing this myself, moments of pure shock. There are other time however where I run around the house jumping up and down just from a message I received from my host family, and am trying to figure out how I can stand to be in the US for even just ten more days when I know France is waiting for me! Here's the brutally honest part, I am also so incredibly nervous, anxious and scared about this whole journey as well. I have had moments where I can't focus because I am sitting thinking of the "what if,..." scenarios, or get a little teary (okay you got me I cry, hard) thinking of how I am going to leave my family, and my other half, Camilla, behind. For all of you future exchange students reading this, please don't even think twice about turning back. From everything I have read or everyone I have talked to, this is completely normal. I just know I can do this because I was brave and dedicated enough to even go through this process in the first place, and that is such an incredible feeling.
      I think that's something beautiful I am already learning about study abroad. I never expected this to be easy, I know I am going to have some absolutely miserable days, but I also am certain that I will have some fantastic days, and some incredible revelations like this one now, that will be so worth all of the struggle. I have already met some incredible people through study abroad who I can relate to on a whole new level intellectually. I have already learned so much more about myself and my friends. I have already looked at the US in a whole new way. I have already learned more about language, and I haven't even left yet.....and I can't wait to learn more.   :)
      Joyeux Noël!
    ~Sarah Adams

School Information

Okay so today I got an email back from my host mom, Noëlle, who seems awesome! I found out a few things from them... First, they got information from my lycée (high school). I am going to be in 1ere Littéraire (Literature), which I was really hoping for. For those of you who don't know, that's JUNIOR YEAR (all based on the lit track)! I'm a sophomore! Ahhh! But at least I don't have to take the Sciences course (goodluck Casey :)Also, I am going to be in theater as well! How cool! Plus, I get to bike or walk to school everyday! I know it will be freezing, but I am really looking forward to it! I also found out I will be there first long term host student, they have had other exchange students before, but not one for 6 months. (I am so honored!) They also helped me out with a few other questions I had for them.
I am really looking forward to meeting my host family! I don't think I could have even imagined a more perfect family for me! It is so hard to be in school right now because I have 10 days left, and I just want to go! The being in the middle is the hardest part about this final stretch, but I know in just a few weeks I will be missing home so much!
I guess that's it for now. Only 25 days until departure!

(This one's for you Gio)

Ciao!

~Sarah

Tis the Season... to get ready to leave!

Hey Guys!
So I know I haven't posted in a while but here goes...
First, I got my visa! I was actually really nervous about that because that would have messed up my whole trip BIG TIME if I didn't get it.
Secondly, I only have 31 days until I leave! I am at the point where I feel like my body is in the US, but my heart is in France, as strange as this sounds. Although, I only have 15 days of school left! I am doing my best to wrap everything up, but balancing my US responsiblities, and my study abroad responsiblities is not as easy as it sounds.
I am so excited to go, (although I am really going to miss my friends and family!) But I know they will be there when I get back, and I need to go enjoy the experience of a lifetime!
Finally, I recently had a conference with my study abroad program on this global student course we are doing which is pretty cool. Also, my program started a facebook page for all the kids leaving in January, which is so helpful! I have actually been talking to this girl named Casey, who is flying over to france with me, and she seems so cool!
Until later I guess this is it for now.
A bientôt!
~Sarah

80 Days Until Departure

Bonjour!
Today marks the 80th day until I leave. I am super excited, but I have come to a few realizations.
1) Reading books in straight french is HARD. As obvious as this sounds, it sort of shocked me. In French class we are reading Le Petit Nicolas. There is a substantial amount I understand, but in some of the stories I am just thinking, "Woah, what just happened!" Very obvious, but also completely true.
2) I am really going to miss my familly. Again, very obvious, but as each days passes, I think I notice it more and more.
3) Okay so I lied, these are ALL obvious but anyways, it is so much harder to communicate in a language that is not your first language. I have been emailing my host family and I want to say something, but now I have to think of a whole new way to phrase it using my French knowledge.

This brings me to my next point... My host family seems amazing! I have been emailing them and I am so excited to meet them! They are even trying to get me in a theater class in my lycee (French high school) and possibly piano lessons outside of class, how cool is that? Wait I know, VERY cool!

I guess thats all I have for now.
Until next time...
~Sarah