I can't believe it, I'm actually posting two days in a row. Today was fun, we went to Amboise to the Sunday market. We went as our chateau groups to buy picnic supplies for a late lunch/ early dinner. Everybody took turns going up to vendors and buying something in French. We met a nice sausage vendor (I know meat, gross...) who explained what was in each of his sausages. My favorite was the one that he wasn't sure of the English word for and descraibed it as "not Bambi". It was either elk or some sort of wild goat/sheep.
After getting back to the Abbey we had some down time before having a host family meeting for those who were interested. It's not like an exchange student program where you live with the family, rather you go over to their house for dinner occasionally, and maybe go on weekend trips or just hangout trying French on native speakers. I'm sure it is going to be a fun experience, since I know what it was like hosting an actual exchange student in '95-'96. Most of the families have children (one of the reasons to host one of us is so their kids can practice English, and vice versa). I am not wild about children, I mean really cannot stand kids... I might can handle teenagers, but thats as far as I'll go, so I requested a family with no children. I also said I was completely comfortable with getting paired with someone who spoke no English whatsoever. I don't speak much French (although I can now buy bread) and don't mind being thrown to the wolves and trying to muddle my way through the language. I'm here to learn and be out of my comfort zone (which I left in Texas), so I figure that if the only way to communicate at times is pointing and listening then thats what I'll do.
My chateau decided upon a 5 o'clock picnic in the dining room. We had paella, chicken with potatoes, chevre (well, everyone else had those), radishes, carrots (the best in the world, seriously), clementines, kiwis, and some sort of pastry thing filled with raspberry jelly. We had bought a sausage, but it didn't make it to the table... We had fun chatting and eating, I think we spent around an hour and a half just hanging out getting to know one another.
About the carrots, when I was in Paris in '08 I bought carrots in the supermarche and they were the best carrots I had ever had, the most perfectly carroty carrots in the world. I was so excited to get to come back to France and have more of the delicious carrots that Frane has. I was not dissapointed, they were just as good as I remembered the carrots being. I'm in love with French carrots...
This place is amazing. I have never felt so close to so many people in such a short amount of time. There are still many students I haven't had a chance to meet, but it's only the second day... Those that I have met are all friendly and seem like I've known them forever, and I hope that we will be able to someday say that we have known each other forever. I'm not the most outgoing person in the world, but I feel so comfortable and connected to everyone here. I'll admit it, there were a few people that when I saw them at the airport I was not sure about, but I've changed my mind about them. We are all in this boat together and that helps bond us, at the very least it provides a good conversation starter. I never have to stare at someone wondering what to say, I can say bonjour and ask about where they are from or what brought them to the Abbey (just don't say a plane and a bus).
Sleeping is interesting. I'm not much of a sleeper, and cannot sleep with any noise or light... Dorms are noisy. I think I got maybe 2 1/2 hours of sleep last night... It's ok, I'll manage, I've gone longer on less. Once I get used to Abbey life I'm sure I'll be able to sleep better.
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