A Melting Pot, A Pot of Soup, A Pot of Candy, But Not a Pot of Coffee

            Life is like a pot. It is true. I think that I always knew that, in an odd life analogy kind of way. But in France this has become quite true.

            Part of my Rotary exchange year, a very big part actually, is the other exchange students here in France. In my area, there are about 35 students from other countries. However in France, there are 434 students. The Rotary figured why not get some of the students together for a weekend. So me and 249 other students took a trip to Mont-Saint-Michel. It is as about as far north as one can go, next to the ocean.

We walked that far!

            All of the students and some of the Rotarians took a bus for ten hours---which is a long time if you didn’t know---But it was worth it when we saw where we were. Mont-Saint-Michel is a grand castle and cathedral perched on a mini island. Every night the tide comes in and surrounds it. Then during the day, the water recedes for miles. It is by far one of the greatest marvels of the world. This magical land has so many little corridors, pathways, and doors.  Not to mention that it is centuries old and still standing. It is impossible to see the entire thing in one hour, one day, one week, or one month. I would literally have to do an exchange with Mont-Saint-Michel for one year to see it all. It made me for lack of a better word, speechless.

Students in my area

            Anyway, back to the purpose of the trip as I can talk about the location for days. I have never in my life been around so many cultures and languages. But….it….was….awesome! Picture 250 students from over thirty different countries all together at once. I turn to my left and hear Chinese, and to my right Spanish, as two Swedish girls walk over to conversing Indian boys, all while I am talking to my fellow Americans and Canadians. But what is even cooler is when I had lunch with five girls from Finland, Germany, Argentina, Australia, and Japan! Foreign networking doesn’t get any better than that.

            Shortly after we arrived, we walked on the beach around Mont-Saint-Michel. It was a little dangerous as there are quicksand and small lakes with fast currents. We walked for four miles or three hours. Normally I would say something about how difficult it was, but I had too much fun with the students.

The Americans

            That night there was a wonderful, typical, and filling Rotarian dinner. We had a small program with housekeeping (ugh). But after each country sang it’s national anthem. My favorites were South Africa because it is in five different languages, and New Zealand because they sing and dance. But all of the anthems were different and special in their own way. America has one of the longest. (just sayin’) After the meal and some traditional French dancing, we had a dance until 3 a.m. (Oh la la) It was homecoming. (with better music) Everyone dances exactly the same. However Latin America has an air to them. They move with so much passion. It was too entertaining.

            It was difficult leaving the next day. Sure we had only seen each other for one weekend, but as exchange students, we understand each other in a way that no one else can. We know what’s difficult, what’s funny, what’s simple, what we miss, and what we will miss. It is just nice to have one weekend without a care in the world, and people to share that with. I have a great friends from Sweden, from Argentina, Taiwan, and Mexico. I call them my friends because they are every meaning of the word.

            The only downsides to the entire experience were a) I got home a 2 a.m. and had to wake up for school at 6 a.m. And b) there are too many languages on facebook for me to keep up with. You really should see all of the statuses in who knows how many languages.

            If I did not emphasize this enough in my last post J, I had about two weeks off at the end of October. Thank you God.

            For a week, we went to the grandparents’ in Albi, France. Another gorgeous city with another amazing church, as you can see. France should get an award for constantly taking my breath away. My host family told me that you eat well Chez Mamie, (at Grandma’s) and that is soooooo true. She makes the kind of soup that I could picture my adult cousins and great aunt making. She also made rabbit. One of the strangest and most delicious things I have ever tasted. (Sorry to my vegetarian friend) I had to mention Mamie’s cooking. It makes me feel closer to her meals. ---Yes, I like it that much. She’s making Thanksgiving dinner for me. Only 16 more days! Mmm….

            The last weekend of vacation was Halloween. What do you know, they do it here. I dressed up (stop laughing) with my little brothers and some neighborhood kids, and went trick or treating. We asked for “des bon bon” and cashed out pretty well. Here, you not only get candy, but pastries as well. But moderation is key right?

            Other than that I SLEPT! Because I was TIRED! When I went back to school, everything picked back up. Papers, tests, grades. (all in French) But that's life. That's French life. And that's my life. If you know me at all, you know that I am busy, so what else is new. That is why it took me so long to update my blog. I want to complain when people don’t reply to me right away, and then I think well isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black. I am sorry, but I am back and I am great. My life is like a rainbow with a pot of gold, truly.

            As always comment if you have a question or two, and I will give you a pot full of answers! Until next time…