Helooooo France!

I made it all the way to France!

First, I had to endure a grueling orientation in NY where, for multiple hours, they managed to repeat the same three rules - no driving, no drugs, and no hitch hiking - more times than I can count. Okay, it wasn't that bad. I got to meet a ton of people, most going to France, but also those going to Spain, Austria, Finland, and Egypt. It was pretty fun, except we weren't allowed to go out past the parking lot and Manhattan loomed luciously beyond the view of our rooms. Bummer. Finally, on the second day, all 46 antsy, France-bound AFSers boarded an airplane and said goodbye to America. We all felt extra-french when swiss airlines served us croissants for breakfast. mmmmm. And swiss chocolate. MMMMM.

So we all arrived in Paris and made our way to a hostel where our orientation continued: no driving, no drugs, no hitch hiking (but with a french accent). The hostel was better than I expected, and there, I got to meet poeple going to France from all over the world (as opposed to just Americans in New York). Thailand, Turkey, Spain, New Zealand, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Canada, Colombia, Australia- there were so many languages all at once, it was crazy awesome! On the second day we took a bus tour of Paris, driving by the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre (plus much more that I don't know the names of) and stopping at the Eiffel Tower, which, of course, was beautiful.

The next day, most kids left by train to other regions in France, but the kids going to the Il de France Region (Paris and its surroundings) like me stayed to have their host parent pick them up. Finally, finally, we got to meet our host families!

My whole host family was there: Patrick, Valérie, Ludovic, Elisa, and Lucie. All the kids and the families met in a big happy frenzy with pictures and luggage and bonjour and la bise.

The Bains took me to a little restaurant for lunch (yes, French nutella crepes are amazing) and we did a little sight seeing before heading to Villpreux (my town). Villepreux is gorgeous, with beautiful houses, narrow streets and lots of green and flowers. The Bain's house is also beautiful; I love my room at the top, with four big windows on the ceiling. I just finished putting all my stuff away a day or two ago. I'm still adjusting a bit, the Bains remind me so much of my own family that it makes me a little homesick, but I feel a little better everyday. I've been working on my french (my french-english dictionary is getting a workout) and it's getting a better one word at a time. Soon, I'll write about school, which needs an entire post on its own :)

A demain,
Lauren

All the USA AFS kids in NY

 At our layover in Zurich, Switzerland, we raided the chocolate stands.

In the Zurich Airport

 Oh yes, that Nougat Truffle was hell

 
 
 Becka, Maire (two girls I met who are also going to France) and I at the Airport in Zurich

 The dinner on the airplane. Surprisingly good.

 Free pillows and blankets and sleep masks and TVs with games and movies: I <3 swiss airlines

 Beauiful sunrise from the plane- how symbolic of the beginning of our journey.

 Oh yes, chocolate too :D

 Pretty pictures of the sun breaking through the clouds, too bad the dang wing was in the way!

A little town in Switzerland