'Tis the Season

C'est la vacances! I finished school today at noon (two of my teachers were gone for the afternoon and there's no such thing as substitutes here. I like this system). In most of my classes we had little partys where everyone brings food and pop and we hang around and talk. The boys also had some entertaining arm wrestling contests. School's been going pretty well. It's getting easier to follow the courses (except my physique-chemie teacher, she goes waayyy to fast on her notes for me to follow) and I can participate a lot better (except Spanish maybe). We just got our "bulletins", or report cards, and I didn't do too bad, although I only got a real grade in about half of my classes :).
Yesterday there was a teachers strike (I guess their salaries are going to be frozen or something?) so I only had school from 1:00 -2:00. I think the teachers in America should pick up this whole protest thing.
Some others cool things that happened lately:
1. I got to go to Parc Asterix last Saturday, which is an Amusement parc close to Paris. My host mom, sisters and I had a fun time riding rollercoasters and even watched a dolphin show. There weren't very many people at all so the lines were really short. I had heard a lot about Parc Asterix and I'm glad I got to go.
2. So I received the most coolest thing ever, a package from French Club filled with American food! It was a really awesome surprise and it made me so happy! There was all sorts of stuff, Reeses, Cheez-its, Mac n' Cheese, peanut butter, goldfish, jell-o, candy, a CV t-shirt, awesome cheetah slippers, notes from classmates. It totally made my week. I've been enjoying my peanut butter toast, though Ludovic holds his nose whenever I make it. I told him he can keep his bleu cheese and I'll keep my peanut butter.
3. Sunday there was an AFS walk in Paris. I met up with Madeleine at La Defense a little early to do some shopping. We even found a Christmas market outside which I thought was really cute and festive, with holiday music and all (I've been christmas music starved, I can't even find a radio station here that plays them). After that we met up at the Opera House with the rest of the group and walked down some really gorgeous streets, the ones that have all the super expensive designer shops. It was beautiful all decorated for Christmas, and I had a great time talking with the other exchange students as usual. We ended at a Lawyers office (the office of one of our volunteers) where we warmed up and had cake and hot chocolate. It was probably the most authentic hot chocolate I have ever had, only slightly thinner than actual melted chocolate bars. Yum. After the walk, Kenny and I walked down the Champs-Elysees, which was also super gorgeous all lit up.
So that was a seriously awesome weekend! And now its Christmas vacation! We are spending Christmas day here at the house with family, then leaving to do some skiing down by Genève on the border of switzerland. Needless to say, I'm pretty excited. I don't think I'll get another post in until after break, so I hope everyone has an awesome holiday. Joyeux Noël and a happy new year!!
Lauren