tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80251578722350222062024-03-14T06:35:19.044+01:00Sari's Adventure"To see far is one thing, going there is another." Constantin BrâncușiSarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-2467429312974833092014-03-29T23:35:00.000+01:002015-02-20T09:33:11.791+01:00The Beginning<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Back at
home after exchange, my life has been normal – as in peace and tranquility, not
pain and boredom. I am currently in
grade 12, running the last leg of high school till graduation! Although my friends since preschool already graduated last year, I found other kind and welcoming friends from this
new generation so being back in Canadian school life wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. Like before,
my daily life is packed with never-ending tasks, activities, and university applications – so once again, I’m back to that same old Sari: the
girl who’s always running in the hallway.
(It may seem ironic, but <i>this
</i>is my definition of calm and normality.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Despite my
hectic (<i>no wait, I said ‘calm’...) </i>lifestyle, I occasionally think about my friends back in
France or those who live in other corners of the world, wondering how they’re
doing in each of their separate lives. Exquisite memories that I shared with my
friends, host families and Rotarians start dancing in my mind by just glancing at a reminiscent photo or hearing a conversation in French. Every
time this happens, something pulls inside of me, wanting to return to the past to enjoy those treasured moments again. My <a href="http://www.sarifranceexchange.blogspot.ca/2012/08/bonjour-france.html" target="_blank">plane ride</a> across the Atlantic. My host moms’ home-cooked food. Travelling with my first best friends to my first city, <a href="http://www.sarifranceexchange.blogspot.ca/2012/09/dijon.html" target="_blank">Dijon</a>. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The generous and thoughtful Rotarians who took me to the famous wine village of <a href="http://www.sarifranceexchange.blogspot.ca/2012/11/dijon-un-chateau-et-beaune.html" target="_blank">Beaune</a>. My three Inbound weekends in <a href="http://www.sarifranceexchange.blogspot.ca/2012/10/inbound-orientation-1.html" target="_blank">Landreville</a>, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.sarifranceexchange.blogspot.ca/2013/02/inbound-meeting-2.html" target="_blank">Sainte-Marie-la-Blanche</a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and <a href="http://www.sarifranceexchange.blogspot.ca/2013/05/drawing-near-end.html" target="_blank">Souevre-Vézelay</a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. The best holidays in <i><a href="http://www.sarifranceexchange.blogspot.ca/2013/01/nouvelle-annee-dans-le-noorrrd.html" target="_blank">le nord</a> </i>and <a href="http://www.sarifranceexchange.blogspot.ca/2013/02/le-nord-again.html" target="_blank">Vimy Ridge</a><i>. </i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The uncontrollable laughter of my friends during </span><a href="http://www.sarifranceexchange.blogspot.ca/2013/04/eurotour-2013.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Eurotour</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. My last day of <i><a href="http://www.sarifranceexchange.blogspot.ca/2013/06/its-just-about-summer-time.html" target="_blank">lycée</a></i>. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I terribly miss them all so
much. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yet, against this immense desire
to relive my exchange, some magic-like force encourages me to focus on the present
and to keep progressing forward. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I then
realized that those people who’ve helped me during my year – whether on
homework or by sharing with me laughter – are still <i>living </i>inside of me. I am not alone, and nothing is left
behind. The choices that I make today
are indeed influenced by lessons that I’ve learned during my year abroad. The perspectives I have upon our world is
rooted in international friends who’ve I met along my journey. To know that I have sincere, family-like
relationships with people across borders makes me feel <i>inspired </i>to continue embracing our common aspects even if they're not physically next to me anymore.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Like I promised last time, here are the photos of the Weekend Orientation that took place in Calgary with all the District 5360 outbounds (out-going Canadian students), inbounds (exchange students), Rotexs (returned students like myself), Rotarians and outbound parents. I was also here <a href="http://www.sarifranceexchange.blogspot.ca/2012/03/orientation-2.html" target="_blank">two years ago</a> as an outbound student, and time seemed to slip by so quickly like sand running through one's hands. Here we were, back to where we began:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f6xEW6AOjMs/UzVLLL4SJHI/AAAAAAAABhY/9CNBiKXq7Zo/s1600/1962792_10203618846090501_207594471_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f6xEW6AOjMs/UzVLLL4SJHI/AAAAAAAABhY/9CNBiKXq7Zo/s1600/1962792_10203618846090501_207594471_n.jpg" height="265" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Front to Back Row: Outbounds, Inbounds, Rotexs</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Blazer time!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Abjeh6XADpg/UzVLKw27dzI/AAAAAAAABhc/VOIQ47iNMes/s1600/1393835_10203618846850520_981360886_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Abjeh6XADpg/UzVLKw27dzI/AAAAAAAABhc/VOIQ47iNMes/s1600/1393835_10203618846850520_981360886_n.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">With Amanda, a senior Rotex who lived in France the year before me!<br />We talked on Facebook and Skype before but this was the first time<br />I ever met her in person!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MqGqJSIfzo0/UzVLSyts9mI/AAAAAAAABh0/ePN4V3c6v3A/s1600/P3230145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MqGqJSIfzo0/UzVLSyts9mI/AAAAAAAABh0/ePN4V3c6v3A/s1600/P3230145.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">News! My little sister Juli (fourth from left, back row) is going to<br />Sweden this year for her exchange!</span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Two years ago, I was just an ordinary high school student who only knew how to say three but very essential phrases with confidence: </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <i>‘B</i></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">onjour’ </i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(hello),</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> ‘Je suis desolée’ </i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(I am sorry)</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and ‘J’ai faim’ </i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(I am hungry). (<i>Wow... that must've taken you very far..., </i>you might be thinking.)<i> </i>Considering my poor language background at that time, there was obviously some (if not quite a lot of) courage for me to partake on exchange. But what a year-long expedition it was. I've travelled in 9 countries in total, became fluent in French (making me trilingual now), wrote </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Baccalauréat (BAC) </i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(a national exam for all regular French students) and even convinced my host Rotary Club to continue funding for the Youth Exchange Program so they can keep hosting international students year after year. (To add a note, I was my host club's first 'trial' student. Luckily, my club decided to send my second host sister to Japan this year which literally made me bawl</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">!) Boy, those Rotarians were not lying when they said exchanges are full of unpredictable challenges yet full of rewarding outcomes!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">At the end of the Orientation, we, the Rotexs, were giving our final messages on how exchange has impacted us. Then unexpectedly, it all hit me at once. </span>It was the last session of the weekend. It was the last time we were speaking about our exchanges with Rotary. It was the last time I'd see us Rotexs altogether. Our three years of involvement (before, during, and after exchange) with the Rotary Youth Exchange Program was coming to an end. This was our finish line. It was suppose to be time for glory and I should've just smiled and kept it as that. However, I didn't. Instead, I felt a sudden pang of disbelief. The world seemed to be held on pause. Hot tears went down my cheeks and my mind trembled between proudness and sadness. Then a familiar warmth surrounded me like a comforting blanket; it was Amelia who hugged me tightly. She's been with me ever since the program was introduced in my life and I could never fully express how grateful I was to have a caring, supportive friend like her through these three years. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Miranda too, a future outbound student who's going to France, gave me a friendly, gentle hug. As she hasn't experienced exchange yet, I was surprised of her compassion and her understanding for me. I didn't know if she perceived the exact meaning of my tears but I knew she comprehended that exchange is an extraordinary privilege for a young person to live through. It's something so uniquely special, as a Rotarian once told me: </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Exchange isn't a year in a life. It's a life in one year." </i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Shortly after, I made a wide grin thinking that someday, she will understand and experience that too.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Amelia and I who made it to the end :)</span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My exchange
has been concluded over half a year ago and I absolutely cannot believe how swiftly
time back at home has flown by. A year
of adventure, new discoveries, growth of friendships and knowledge seemed to be
a distant yet fond memory floating in my sea of thoughts. After some time, I have gradually accepted the reality that I live in Canada with a different life and a different <i>me.</i> The world has changed,
and so did I. And I still am; while this
Earth revolves and the Sun beams new light day after day, I continuously
discover more about the world and deeper within myself. At the end of the day, I finally understood:
my life is an adventure, and will forever be an adventure. Although my exchange is long over, my journey
keeps on going as if every day is just a new beginning.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thank you to the Rotary Club of Canmore, the Rotary Club of Louhans, my three host families and my family at home who made my exchange possible. You truly changed my life and I cherish your loving support.</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thank you to my friends in France and around the world. I miss you all so, so much and I think of you every day.</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And last but not the least, thank you to my beloved blog readers for always being by my side.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Adventuring
forever,</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sari</span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-74773242704447565702013-11-24T22:04:00.002+01:002015-02-20T09:36:43.245+01:00Exchange Lives in Us Forever<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Exchange ends the day you come home, I thought at
first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You step off the plane, drive back
the same highway that you used to go to the airport, arrive home, and then
done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">However, I realized that it’s not true. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I’m no longer in my host country, France.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I feel the relationships that I made with
my friends and host families still living inside of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can vividly sense that they are right next
to me, laughing and talking like I’ve never left them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may seem crazy, but I start laughing by
myself when I look at old pictures that bring back memorable moments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been a while already, but it feels so
fresh in my mind when my heart races in contentment. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The best part out of this is that I’m not sad because they’re
over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, I am so gratified that
they all happened from the first place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
I would say that they’re still continuing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The strength that people gave me and the happiness they nourished me still keeps me going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Using this force, I know that my future will become brighter than ever.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I did say that the next time I write on my blog would be in
March 2014 during my last Rotary Youth Exchange orientation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I guess that isn’t true
anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What brought me to write
another entry is that I got to see one of my best exchange friends
again!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You would think that I went
back to France, but it’s actually not that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My family and I headed to Mazatlan to see Melissa, another exchange
student who was in my host high school!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hf4vYh2phxA/Uoc9hI_YQ4I/AAAAAAAABa8/EHKzmGcoRbk/s1600/PB100150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hf4vYh2phxA/Uoc9hI_YQ4I/AAAAAAAABa8/EHKzmGcoRbk/s400/PB100150.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">My family, Melissa, her mother and I enjoying a day at the beach ♫</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mazatlan is a gorgeous seaside city on the west coast of
Mexico and I had a great family vacation there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unlike an ordinary trip full of touristic excursions, my family and I
spent some time with Melissa’s family and other Mexican locals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, having our families meet each other strengthened
our friendship even more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got to see her
house, meet her friends, tag-along for a half-day at her high school and join
some of her extracurricular activities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She has explained her personal Mexican life to me when we were in
France, but it was incredible how much <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">more
</i>I began to understand her background.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u5GRPBnV1nA/UpJpjhaykiI/AAAAAAAABc0/Qd7Y7Xarj2Q/s1600/1410703_10152039286031189_2129894841_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u5GRPBnV1nA/UpJpjhaykiI/AAAAAAAABc0/Qd7Y7Xarj2Q/s400/1410703_10152039286031189_2129894841_o.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">United after 4 months!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">(And there's me with my Spanish book...)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It felt like exchange again because for me, having
absolutely no Spanish knowledge, I had trouble trying to understand what was
going on around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I loved
that!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because I’ve already gone through
this stage in France, it felt so much easier and enjoyable this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being ready to smile though you understood
nothing, is truly a skill, I swear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RPID5itwDHY/Uoc9YWCIDGI/AAAAAAAABas/j-1x2OrgsGs/s1600/PB090017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RPID5itwDHY/Uoc9YWCIDGI/AAAAAAAABas/j-1x2OrgsGs/s400/PB090017.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Melissa's mom, grandmother and I, meeting each other for the first time</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">in person. It was so funny because they were too happy to see me after</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">our hilarious Skype talks during exchange.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Altogether, this trip proved me that exchange lives in us
forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And even better, the relationships
that I’ve made can become even stronger, as it was established between me and Melissa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the distance between each other, we’re
always friends at heart and our connection will never die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also remember that a Rotarian (who was a
former exchange student) from the </span><a href="http://www.sarifranceexchange.blogspot.ca/2013/08/following-exchange-life.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Kamp Kiwanis orientation</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> has told me that
even after decades, people from exchange will still be connected to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In her case, she had her host parents come to
her wedding!!! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Now, now, I don’t expect my friends or host families to come
to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">my </i>wedding as I don’t even plan on
having one yet!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I am keeping
in mind that we will meet again somewhere, someday, for each other.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Other than that, life back in my hometown is going very
well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m enjoying my last year of high
school and I’ve created many new friends (as my old ones all graduated already).
Also, I’m part of my Rotary Club’s Youth Committee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m always keeping myself busy as usual so I know
that the March orientation will come around very soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For now dear readers, I’ll see you by then!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Your adventurer,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sari</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Very beautiful and vibrantly coloured architecture along streets in city-centre </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ju3zpVcIStI/Uoc9bRpBq-I/AAAAAAAABa0/D1Z_tcAUtW4/s1600/PB100155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ju3zpVcIStI/Uoc9bRpBq-I/AAAAAAAABa0/D1Z_tcAUtW4/s400/PB100155.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Thumbs up! Ready for the banana ride.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LIxn6IrtlhE/Uoc9jbA8ZsI/AAAAAAAABbM/yNQB-jKCOlY/s1600/PB100156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LIxn6IrtlhE/Uoc9jbA8ZsI/AAAAAAAABbM/yNQB-jKCOlY/s400/PB100156.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">And if you were wondering what a banana ride is, it's simply a bouncy ride on a floater,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">pulled by a speedy boat. We ended up being bounced off,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">falling into the sea, getting lots of salt water stinging in our eyes and nose...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Mazatlan is known to have one of the best sunsets in Mexico.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Melissa and I with Thomas, a Rotary Youth Exchange student from France!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Thomas knows a friend of mine from </span><a href="http://www.sarifranceexchange.blogspot.ca/2013/08/following-exchange-life.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Kamp Kiwanis</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;"> because they're</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">both from the same Rotary district in France!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Also, Thomas knows another friend from my Canadian</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Rotary District who's in Tepic, a city two hours north of Mazatlan!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">(Like Thomas, she is also doing her exchange this year.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Did I also mention that Mazatlan was the host city for another student </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">from my Canadian Rotary district during my exchange year?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">This probably makes NO sense at all, but as long as you see </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">how incredibly small our world is, that is good.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WOV4YwTyn70/UodDErsg-wI/AAAAAAAABbk/VWWIl1wrSC8/s1600/PB150347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WOV4YwTyn70/UodDErsg-wI/AAAAAAAABbk/VWWIl1wrSC8/s400/PB150347.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Participating in my first-ever pole-dancing class with Melissa.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">'Twas an interesting experience.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Dinner with my family and Melissa's family</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">It was another unique dinner night as Melissa and I spoke in French with each other,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">my family spoke in Japanese, Melissa's family spoke in Spanish, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">AND we spoke in English altogether.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Of course we ate tacos and sushi :)</span></div>
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Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-80495845248838721822013-08-21T07:58:00.000+02:002015-02-20T09:48:13.581+01:00Following Exchange Life<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Time has slipped by so quickly like holding soap in wet hands; the more your hands tighten, begging for grip, it slips out on its own. That's what my time following exchange felt like.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It's been over a month since that big adventure and feelings of it gently stir inside of me every now and then, like waves swiftly ebbing on an ocean shore. As I fully accepted that it's long over, my time at home has been reasonably enjoyable. I was rather surprised of how comfortable I was being back at home, with my family, my own room and my hometown filled with friends who've never quitted our friendship. Nothing has greatly changed except for a local flood disaster. Everyone was happy that I came back, and I felt ready to move on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I eagerly jumped back into my busy lifestyle as I began a summer job doing housekeeping in a mountain lodge, revising grade 11 notes to prepare myself for the coming senior year, taking driving lessons and even squeezed in some time for hang outs with friends.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My friends here at home are awesome. When I saw them again, we all jumped and hugged and it was such a warm reunion. They let me catch up on missed news and they also listened to some of my stories in France. We laughed over gossip and it truly felt like I had my place back again. Of course we all changed but we somehow overcame to accept those differences and just kept moving on our friendship together. Honestly, I was so lucky to have these friends since it made my homecoming feel naturally complacent. Usually so many of us exchangers come home having misfortunate confusions, disorientations and fatigue; also known as reverse culture-shock.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Some argue that students with little or no reverse culture-shock didn't have a successful year, not having to do self-readjustments to the things that were changed in themselves. However, other students like me prove that reverse culture-shock may not happen at all <em>even after successful exchanges</em>. It doesn't mean that we didn't fully adapt or appreciate our host countries; instead, a bigger factor have overpowered the irritable and hostile feelings of that shock. In my case, it was satisfaction and appreciation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">During my exchange, I've faced problems like the host-culture, school, resources and host families. We all have a little of it at least! Hence, our year abroad IS about finding solutions to solve issues to continue flying like happy birds. For knowing that I have accomplished my goals - from making friends to conveying an important opinion to another using a foreign language - I reached an extremely high level of satisfaction of my exchange. Obviously everything doesn't turn out perfectly the way you want it to be; but to know that you tried feels good enough.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I've also realized that being separated from home opens up a different and fresh view of... home (surprisingly)! Recognizing the things that I didn't have during my year made me clearly see my values. I must admit that Canada is a livable and peaceful country compared to some others and we are tremendously fortunate to live here. Acknowledging my home country made my return easy and perhaps will make me a happier Canadian!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Anyhow, having or not having reverse culture-shock is in any way, a successful exchange. Again, there is no right or wrong. So current or future exchange students out there: don't panic about your return! As long as you are grateful for the people who support you AND even the challenges that push against you, the year will be a promising and fulfilling year that will help you truly mature from the lessons you will learn from.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">On another note, I came back from an orientation weekend at Kamp Kiwanis, near Calgary, organized by</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> the Rotary District 5360. There, I had the opportunity to meet all my outbound friends again (who went on exchange like me but to different countries), fresh inbounds (new exchange students whose Canadian adventure has just begun), and members of the Rotary Youth Exchange committee. It was an incredible occasion to see the outbounds again since the last time we met was back in </span><a href="http://sarifranceexchange.blogspot.ca/2012/04/as-we-stand-tall-in-red.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">April 2012</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">. And now, we are officially Rotexes (ex-exchangers)! (*Fan fare*)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">With my two Rotex friends who went to Germany and Venezuela</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">More of my Rotex friends after enjoying delicious ice-cream ♥♥</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5E79GrRgO_A/UhL1u7oeAgI/AAAAAAAABXM/8WP4kNMM_1k/s1600/P8180191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5E79GrRgO_A/UhL1u7oeAgI/AAAAAAAABXM/8WP4kNMM_1k/s400/P8180191.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Snap-shot of an intense game of Camouflage</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vQZHUKQCG5Y/UhL134W_liI/AAAAAAAABXk/U_V_7ZfZcuU/s1600/P8180204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vQZHUKQCG5Y/UhL134W_liI/AAAAAAAABXk/U_V_7ZfZcuU/s400/P8180204.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Evening activities organized by senior Rotexes</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">What I enjoyed the most about the weekend was the circle group discussion and story sharing between us Rotexes. We've endlessly talked about our exchanges: the funny times, those regretfully awkward moments, the food (super important topic!) and even the tough situations we've struggled in. And it all turns out that every exchange was unique and we appreciated the different experiences each of us have swam through without drowning. Witnessing everyone's growth by looking at their transformed personalities and global knowledge was jaw-dropping</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">; t</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">he shyest boy that I met before exchange became the most outgoing person out of the group</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, and the girl who was daunted from learning an Asian language became literally fluent. (Kudos to those who are learning languages that don't use the alphabet!) </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I couldn't believe how much a single year can do to us and what an impact it will leave on us for the rest of our lives. Looking at myself, I wonder if I have changed a lot too.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s5FVE1vNOqc/UhL11Q2_G-I/AAAAAAAABXY/0FPxwkkOo5U/s1600/P8180214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s5FVE1vNOqc/UhL11Q2_G-I/AAAAAAAABXY/0FPxwkkOo5U/s400/P8180214.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Friendly mix of Rotexes and inbounds</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Now looking at the inbound students, I can only stretch the corners of my mouth into a huge smile because I know what an amazing year they'll go through. I know this because I was there too. I know what it feels like to be plopped in an alien-like setting and to be speechless because you're either shocked or awed - but also 'cause you don't have the ability to even talk from the first place! I know that gratifying feeling after someone says, <em>Ton français a beaucoup progressé! (Your French has improved a lot!) </em>And most importantly, I know what it feels like when you have someone to support you. A caring friend who simply asks how you're doing can really lift all the heavy burden off your back. Whereas I've gone through all of that, I want to <em>be </em>like that person who helped me out when I was needing it, because I know how much it'll mean to those who I'll help. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PHVN1T1xGiU/UhL13o7BQ7I/AAAAAAAABXg/98KsuqqQtTA/s1600/P8180215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PHVN1T1xGiU/UhL13o7BQ7I/AAAAAAAABXg/98KsuqqQtTA/s400/P8180215.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Massage train!! (Recovering from the day-long activities)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">And speaking of giving back for what they gave me, I know that I need to owe so much to my home Rotary Club in Canmore. There are so many people I could thank in thousands of paragraphs, but I need to give a big acknowledgement to Janet, my outbound counsellor of that club. She has helped me in so many ways that I can't explain just using words. When things got really out of hand, it was her who stepped up and gave me a lift, even though she was practically standing at the other corner of the planet. She showed me her care for my well-being and I was so grateful for having her as my back-up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So to thank the many like her, I decided that I want to give them my thanks by keeping myself involved with Rotary. It is a perfect opportunity to do so because Rotary needs more youth engagement and I think that I would be a good candidate to promote that. Therefore, Amelia and I who are both going to high school next year are going to launch an Interact Club: Rotary International’s service club for youths aged 12 to 18, advocating community service with assistance and sponsorship from the Rotary Club of Canmore. This way, I hope I'm giving back to Rotary for what they've given to me.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BJQLYHPPBiw/UhL1ugv1mFI/AAAAAAAABXI/OmRwTnrXLIY/s1600/P8180210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BJQLYHPPBiw/UhL1ugv1mFI/AAAAAAAABXI/OmRwTnrXLIY/s400/P8180210.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Representing my home club: The Rotary Club of Canmore</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">(Left to right): Me, Amelia (who went to Japan), a Rotarian and Pablo (this year's inbound student from Spain!)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">To those beloved readers out there, especially to those who've read from <a href="http://www.sarifranceexchange.blogspot.ca/2011/11/expedition.html">the introduction</a>: you must be thinking, <em>When is she gonna write "The End"?? </em>I mean, yeah, my exchange is definitely over and I can't write more about my travels in France and all-about. (Sorry, that means no more photos of French cuisine and me jumping in front of the Eiffel Tour.) However, the after-exchange life is an equally important part to the exchange year itself since we all keep changing. Especially that we now turn into adults, necessary choices have to be made. Besides, who said that there's an end to adventure? Folks, my adventure keeps going on! I will lay this blog to rest for a while (assuming no one wants to hear my sufferings of senior year) and I will call you out again in March 2014 when I will meet the Rotexes and inbounds again, plus the new outbounds. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Just like you would have probably guessed: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><em>Still </em>adventuring,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Sari</span>Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-17021442006879564442013-07-17T03:25:00.000+02:002013-07-17T03:25:41.709+02:00Back Where It All Began<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Usually, the trip going home from a fully-packed, foreign experience would be the time to admire photos, re-read journal entries (for the billionth time), and to laugh but bawl a thunderstorm of tears, obviously scaring the passenger next to you in the airplane... It would be a nebulous explosion of realizing what a year you've lived. It would force your hard-working brain to permanently store precious memories and to feel the triumphs that bury your regrets. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TDhOw8GalOg/UeXhk5twjCI/AAAAAAAABWM/meMaOok0WJw/s1600/P7070101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TDhOw8GalOg/UeXhk5twjCI/AAAAAAAABWM/meMaOok0WJw/s400/P7070101.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Though this chunk of exchange is known to be the most emotional part for anybody, my return to Canada was definitely not<strong> </strong>like how it was explained above - though experiencing it would have been intriguing, I'm sure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I safely arrived home over a week ago and everything was great except for an utterly, horrible stomach ache. Therefore I spent <strike>a lovely</strike><em> </em>an unpleasant time on my 12-hour plane ride coming home, reflecting <em>not</em> about my year in France, <em>not</em> my host families and friends... but unhelpfully, my poor stomach. Nothing else. Instead of scaring the man next to me with a thunderstorm of tears, he most likely thought that I had constipation as I was always up and moving around...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Of course</em> exchange isn't perfect till the end, eh?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When I arrived at my last airport (thankfully with a better-feeling stomach), it felt like my whole exchange was nothing but a dream; like it never existed. The moment I said good-bye to my family back in August rushed to my mind instantly in a flick. The raw feelings of this flashback felt implausibly fresh; I couldn't believe it happened 10 months ago. I seriously convinced myself that I left Canada that day before. However, I stopped my mind from spinning in confusion by reminding myself what I was wearing: My Canadian red Rotary blazer. But instead, much heavier.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Collecting and attaching objects onto our country-colour-coded blazers is a Rotary Youth Exchange tradition. Swarmed by homemade button-pins, mini-flags, city badges, bottle caps and random objects (like a spoon from my school cafeteria), they each symbolize an anecdote of my time in France. Before leaving Canada, my blazer was naked so having it heavier this time proved that my exchange was no dream.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ixqChrUUIAo/UeXhm7dLspI/AAAAAAAABWY/-W6ZRTYjZjk/s1600/P7170115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ixqChrUUIAo/UeXhm7dLspI/AAAAAAAABWY/-W6ZRTYjZjk/s320/P7170115.JPG" width="240" /></span></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nxb7BD9st_U/UeXhnocBcpI/AAAAAAAABWg/49501iyHNdE/s1600/P7170117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nxb7BD9st_U/UeXhnocBcpI/AAAAAAAABWg/49501iyHNdE/s320/P7170117.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span lang="FR" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For us, the exchange students, one year is a long time away from home yet
it goes by as quick as a snap, making exchange a very unique experience. It's a certain period of our lives where we learn some of life's biggest lessons... all condensed in one year! Without having our parents and friends to give us counsel, it only leaves us to make our own decisions. Along the way, we learn how to make connections with new people despite the language barrier and cultural differences. Those people whom we meet become our friends, and it's them who open doors for us and contribute to shape our vision of their society. The longer the time we spend together, the more attached we become. Therefore, our one year transforms into one life like a Rotarian once told me, <i>"Exchange is not one year in a life. It's a life in one year."</i><br />
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This kind of experience doesn't only apply to exchange students however; in a way, it is similarily experienced by many others too. At least with travelling, being forced to step out of our comfort zone and to make first-hand discoveries, there is always growth. Growing doesn't mean getting taller; it also defines the expansion of our knowledge, fed by the influences that touched us most. It's when there's many of those influences around us <em>at once</em> that make us feel like we're living a completely different life. And <em>that </em>my readers, is probably the most effective yet sophisticated process of truly understanding how to appreciate the world more. With this appreciation, there's world peace thus living on this small planet becomes much, much more easier for all.</span><br />
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<span lang="FR" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I'm extremely fortunate to have experienced a year abroad as it has showed me many things and changed how I see the world now. You see, it's not possible to explain only in words how much exchange has impacted me. Withal, it's better than nothing so that's why this blog exists from the first place; it's a chance for you to glimpse into a year of a certain exchange student... it's not the same and it will not be the same as other exchanges, but it leads you as a rough guideline of understanding what adventures exchange allows you to encounter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I also began blogging because I wanted to send my deepest thanks to the Rotary for their organization and effort into this program; without them, I would have never had the opportunity to see so much. Next, thank you to my family, friends, teachers and co-workers who supported me in keeping my spirits high. You were all my back-bone that unceasingly encouraged me to keep having fun and observed my growth. And last but definitely not the least, to you readers out there around the world. Thank you. Getting hundreds and hundreds of page views not only made me feel happy but motivated to keep sharing my experiences with you. I certainly hope you will all keep following my blog as my adventure is not ending quite yet. (I still have a weekend with the returning inbounds at the end of August and a big orientation weekend next March 2014 to share my experiences with future exchange students.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Still adventuring,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sari</span><br />
<span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
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ps: The photos of days that I spent before leaving<br />
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<strong>Farm Life with my Last Host Family</strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pnz5Nf4fAWM/UeR1nU4ZUmI/AAAAAAAABTU/KY3c06StC38/s1600/P6160008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pnz5Nf4fAWM/UeR1nU4ZUmI/AAAAAAAABTU/KY3c06StC38/s1600/P6160008.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Eating loads of cherries right off of the tree</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p88ITYutFB0/UeR1qRNpdsI/AAAAAAAABTo/Cawe4g8yfaM/s1600/P6180077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p88ITYutFB0/UeR1qRNpdsI/AAAAAAAABTo/Cawe4g8yfaM/s1600/P6180077.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Helping my host family to make haystacks which required us to </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">follow a strict procedure and LOTS of physical labour...</span></span><br />
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A<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">ccording to what I learned with this host family, making haystacks (or at least good quality ones) is probably one of the most difficult tasks to do on a farm. Imagine growing a field of grass with care during your entire spring and early summer and determining four sunny days that you will cut, dry, collect and store those dry, healthy grass. Just deciding <em>when </em>to do it is the tough part; farmers have to be careful because there can't be any rain or moistness when those four-day work is followed out since water can rot the hay. If it starts raining on any of those days, the entire project is busted and therefore becomes a big problem as the hay is important to feed their animals for next year. <br />
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As my host father was a vigorously active man, he did the cutting, drying and collecting the first three days. The rest of the family and I helped him do the storing which was exhausting travail. We began hauling heavy cubes of hay onto the wagon which were driven to a roofed storage house which again we hauled off of and stacked three metres high. Our hands were well scathed by the stiff-dry cubes and sweat trickled down forehead to jawline. Unfortunately, our job became hastier as rain began sprinkling down. At least with everyone's hands at work, the entire job was done in a few hours.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ns3xYK094nA/UeSD_Kx9dCI/AAAAAAAABUk/G_8wQeTJweo/s1600/P6220037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ns3xYK094nA/UeSD_Kx9dCI/AAAAAAAABUk/G_8wQeTJweo/s1600/P6220037.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Golfing at <em>Roanne</em>, a city next to <em>Lyon</em>, with my friends</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bx8_XXNNhqM/UeSBpwap6TI/AAAAAAAABT8/DGJ6BZGzuFQ/s1600/P6220048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bx8_XXNNhqM/UeSBpwap6TI/AAAAAAAABT8/DGJ6BZGzuFQ/s1600/P6220048.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Striking a pose with our putters... a must-do when golfing?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kGXJeY0rtMc/UeSCetWMUeI/AAAAAAAABUQ/EoOni7FjfKE/s1600/P6220064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kGXJeY0rtMc/UeSCetWMUeI/AAAAAAAABUQ/EoOni7FjfKE/s1600/P6220064.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wandering at <em>Parc de la tête d'or </em>(Park of the Golden Head) in <em>Lyon</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uBEqGhPxf8k/UeSFhdXlMgI/AAAAAAAABU4/p3fzd06eejs/s1600/P6290026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uBEqGhPxf8k/UeSFhdXlMgI/AAAAAAAABU4/p3fzd06eejs/s1600/P6290026.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">My farewell party with 20 friends over! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">We played group games, roasted sausages, marshmallows and burned one's math homework... jumped on a trampoline, ate again at 3am and slept outside in tents!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rlvc7mz0Qyw/UeSFhWlySTI/AAAAAAAABU0/rdaJMOgy06o/s1600/P6290047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rlvc7mz0Qyw/UeSFhWlySTI/AAAAAAAABU0/rdaJMOgy06o/s1600/P6290047.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">It was my chance to say thank you to my friends for the incredible year</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">as we enjoyed a party of a lifetime</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P1CX8k1Uz6o/UeSIyvUG40I/AAAAAAAABVM/_uxiggcS5kM/s1600/P7040112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P1CX8k1Uz6o/UeSIyvUG40I/AAAAAAAABVM/_uxiggcS5kM/s1600/P7040112.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">In a long line-up with two host sisters towards JapanExpo,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">an exposition of Japanese culture at Paris!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZidSvWMfYIU/UeSI0de6aEI/AAAAAAAABVU/czjqbAQugF8/s1600/P7040134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZidSvWMfYIU/UeSI0de6aEI/AAAAAAAABVU/czjqbAQugF8/s1600/P7040134.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Presentations about Japanese culture</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JUPpOUvnteU/UeSI4XyLBfI/AAAAAAAABV0/NPl09UH-Hfo/s1600/P7040170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JUPpOUvnteU/UeSI4XyLBfI/AAAAAAAABV0/NPl09UH-Hfo/s1600/P7040170.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">A performance showcasing <em>taiko </em>drumming,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">using traditional Japanese drums</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-367NebemFzY/UeSI1MCCQ-I/AAAAAAAABVc/3pamA0JljtU/s1600/P7040138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-367NebemFzY/UeSI1MCCQ-I/AAAAAAAABVc/3pamA0JljtU/s1600/P7040138.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">A <em>takoyaki </em>stand where we ate lunch</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">(<em>Takoyaki </em>is a ball-shaped pancake snack that has a piece of diced octopus inside)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It is a famous snack in <em>Osaka</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6VitzW16jDw/UeSI4PcA2pI/AAAAAAAABVw/Dqo9MmrqXFs/s1600/P7040162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6VitzW16jDw/UeSI4PcA2pI/AAAAAAAABVw/Dqo9MmrqXFs/s1600/P7040162.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Many visitors doing cosplay, short for costume-play,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">of Japanese characters especially from manga</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;"></span><br /></td></tr>
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T'was a enjoyable last week in France. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-48558581942530870622013-07-06T11:17:00.000+02:002013-08-19T00:48:42.642+02:00AU REVOIR LA FRANCE !!!<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Leaving <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Louhans </i>was not a horrible and emotional
experience as I have imagined in my dreams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(I dreamt about my good-byes since the beginning of my exchange, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">yes</i>, it’s considered as a nightmare for
an exchange student.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead parting from
the village with tears and uncountable tissue packs, it felt good to conclude
at this moment of my year because I felt proud of myself for how much I’ve
integrated into this French life and how much I enjoyed it, simply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For me, this place was
not longer a remote, middle-aged Burgundian village; it was also where I
considered as my home, made countless numbers of friends, connections with
families and learned about their language and culture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was where I’ve done my firsts and
lasts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was also a place where I made
mistakes, had problems yet rebounded in full spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Altogether, it was a place where it allowed
me to venture on one of the biggest journeys of my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m saying that it’s “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">one</i> of the biggest” because I know that adventuring is a hobby that
I can never stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has always been my
passion to travel and discover new things, people and ideas so I know that
there will be more journeys to come in my future.</span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I smiled when I left <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Louhans </i>as I told myself that time’s up
and I need to wrap up my year abroad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
has been an incredibly fun experience but I feel prepared to head back to my
Canadian home to share to my family, my friends and the Rotary about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ready to shift back into my normal
lifestyle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ready to say <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I did it</i>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is finally
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>July 7<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>th</sup>, the day I take
my plane back to Canada is now within hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have already left my host-village <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Louhans
</i>yesterday as my host mom, older host sister and I went to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Grenoble</i>, a city located below <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Geneva </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lyon</i>, near the Italian frontier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Grenoble </span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">is surrounded three sides by 2000m to 3000m mountains despite the
altitude of the city itself is 200m from sea level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the most southern city in France I’ve
visited during my year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There, my host
sister will do her first-year at a university from September so she and my host
mom looked for an apartment which she’ll move in soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(In France, most public universities only
allow less wealthy students to live in their campus unlike my host sister who
needs to find her own lodgement.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Therefore during their search, I was lucky to visit the city with her
grandparents who lived nearby.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dO0JPreAsNo/Udkuac0f9VI/AAAAAAAABSM/rbUPWji1Vqg/s1600/P7060047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dO0JPreAsNo/Udkuac0f9VI/AAAAAAAABSM/rbUPWji1Vqg/s400/P7060047.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Gondola we took up to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bastille</i>, a medieval fortress<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rWX7QyE5kQ4/UdkvKsbo40I/AAAAAAAABSU/V4zxQHUgyAs/s1600/P7060069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rWX7QyE5kQ4/UdkvKsbo40I/AAAAAAAABSU/V4zxQHUgyAs/s400/P7060069.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">At the top with a panoramic view of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Grenoble<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b7Y4R9Nt49E/UdkwJxFY6mI/AAAAAAAABSo/YnHvr2949VU/s1600/P7060092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b7Y4R9Nt49E/UdkwJxFY6mI/AAAAAAAABSo/YnHvr2949VU/s400/P7060092.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Downtown of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Grenoble</i></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u8yuOufEXg0/Udkvilk71AI/AAAAAAAABSg/CAs1jtKbVfw/s1600/P7060087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u8yuOufEXg0/Udkvilk71AI/AAAAAAAABSg/CAs1jtKbVfw/s400/P7060087.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Ate my last lunch at a chic café where I ordered one of the city’s specialties, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ravioles au bleu de Sassenage</i> (Raviolis with SUPER delicious blue cheese) and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Diablo violet</i> (tonic water with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘violet’ </i>syrup) which tasted like the drink Shirley temple but carbonated and without juice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>SO GOOD </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-language: KO;">♥<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-language: KO;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></o:p></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JT0hsSAfZMg/UdkxQL_uZmI/AAAAAAAABS4/Xj4JyVgVAFo/s1600/P7050034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="234" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JT0hsSAfZMg/UdkxQL_uZmI/AAAAAAAABS4/Xj4JyVgVAFo/s640/P7050034.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: KO;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">At dusk, we strolled in a village near the city and the sky was so beautiful<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: KO;">My last day was a great conclusion of my stay in
France and I wish to come visit this country again but with my family next
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing about my exchange could
have been better thanks to everyone who’ve helped me along. </span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: KO;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: KO;"></span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: KO;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Anyways I better get going because you know, I’M
COMIN HOME CANADA !!!</span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: KO;"></span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: KO;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sari</span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: KO;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: KO;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">ps: I will update what I did since the last day of lycée when I arrive home! </span></span></div>
Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-44554273313717367662013-06-18T12:14:00.001+02:002013-06-18T21:28:36.062+02:00It's just about summer time<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Today, the weather is over thirty degrees Celsius, the flowers are blooming and trees are spanning their healthy, green leaves towards the blazing sun. A variety of birds are singing, occasional cries of roosters echo across the large, lively garden and a gentle breeze of wind carries the thick and humid summer air.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Despite this beautiful setting, here I am, in front of my laptop, dumbfounded, not knowing what to write on this blog post. I'm stuck trying to express my mingled feelings of half wanting to stay here in France and half wanting to go home to Canada.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It doesn't mean things are going bad here; don't get me wrong! Actually my exchange life has been incredibly exceptional as you can probably tell from my previous posts. My time at <em>lycée</em> just ended a few days ago, resulting a wonderful conclusion of my academic year. My teachers and classmates are so proud of how my French grew.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">That last day of <em>lycée</em>, a personal reward that I've been vigorously aiming since the first day was finally reached: to become a real French student. I didn't want to be an ordinary exchange student who would be isolated from the regular students. I knew that the separation would largely reduce the learning potential of an authentic French student life. I told myself that no matter what homework are thrown at me, I would at least try to do them while spending as much time with my host families and new friends.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Basically it was me who chose my own exchange to be a difficult journey. There are no easy exchanges that exist anyways but I raised my own difficulty bar much higher. At least under this French mentality that states that those who work <em>must </em>succeed, I had no other option than just to convince people that I can do it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">To truly participate in my French classes meant taking the national <em>BAC (baccalauréat)</em> exams<strong> </strong>at the end of the year (so like final diplomas). And that, my readers, takes A LOTTA might and power for <em>any </em>student. Me as an exchange student, I had another disadvantage (and a big, obvious one): basic language comprehension. Dang. This meant that I had to do twice the effort: to learn and understand the French texts taught over the year (like the regular students) AND learn the basic grammar. No way in 10 months I'd grasp both very well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Oh well</em>, I told myself so I plunged completely blind into this <strike>death sentence</strike> ultimate mission. Let me tell you, it was not easy at all. The two acts of convincing people in the foreign language and succeeding to learn using that language were equally, and devastatingly, challenging.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Convincing consisted of me, begging my French <em>professeur</em> to get me applied for the <em>BAC</em> exams. Though she didn't have the right to prevent me from doing it, she seriously discouraged me. She told me that it's too difficult for even the French students and that I should rather work on basic grammar exercises at the back of the class with the other exchange students. Even all my classmates said it would be a better decision.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You should know me well by now: Without a glitch of hesitation, I said no to her and asked my first host mom (the current one at that time) to sign me up anyways. No way I was gonna spend my year isolated, working alone on French conjugations!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After it became official, however, I became worried and stressed; not as seriously like last year in Canadian grade 11 since the grades actually counted... but enough to say that my year abroad was definitely packed with things to be learnt - if not, with a lot of difficulty. I swear I have spent all my classes till January without understanding what the teachers and classmates were saying to me. (Even more, I didn't realize that the short paragraphs we studied in September were not just random phrases but instead <em>poems</em> composed by famous French writers until a few months ago. It was just THAT bad.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But I am nowhere near of being regretful for choosing this pathway. Like my father taught me, the challenges we put ourselves up to will make us stronger and ready to face even more demanding situations in the future. I can see clearly now what he meant by that. No matter how life can chuck us into scenarios that seem too hard and worthless to solve, we must always take it as a stage of growth and be cherished to have that opportunity to do so.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Anyways, like the other students, I behaved well in class and copied everything what my <em>professeur</em> wrote down on the board, in spite that I understood nothing and ended up with swollen fingers. I reasoned that I'd understand these notes (hopefully) when I read them again at the end of the year. And indeed I was right. Even in December, I finally comprehended them (except for some odd words and entire paragraphs that were rubbish 'cause I assume that I didn't understand the <em>professeur</em>'s untidy calligraphy. Most of them write messy after all. For example, they write their letter 'p' without the circle... so like an 'l' but placed lower, if you get what I mean).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As my classmates witnessed my dedication to lycée, they began to help me in many ways - even some students assisted me from the instant I told them that I applied to the <em>BAC</em>. Like I mentioned earlier in my other posts, they've given me enormous courage throughout the entire year and I thank them so much for that. On the other hand, I rarely got any praises from my French <em>professeur</em> until I did my first <em>BAC Blanc</em> exam (practice <em>BAC</em> tests) in January when I scored 9.5/20 which is extraordinarily good, considering where I started from. After that, life at <em>lycée</em> was a lot easier.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So the last day of <em>lycée </em>swung by a few days ago, and wow. How much I've grown. After months and months of it, I feel like I've received my long-term reward of being a true French student. Finally. Every comrade and <em>professeur</em> congratulated me and my two other exchange friends who've also improved their French. My French <em>professeur </em>even gave us a good-bye <em>bisous </em>(French cheek kiss) which NEVER happens between a <em>prof</em> and a student because it's such a personal custom!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">All I was able to do on that last day was to just smile. Smile really wide. It wasn't sad at all. It was an extremely gratifying day when I knew that I achieved the biggest goal of my exchange. That day was pure satisfaction and I <em>know </em>that I can head home to Canada feeling fulfilled. Although my <em>BAC</em> exams are this week and July 1st (I know, going to school in July is a horror), it doesn't matter if I succeed them because I know that I've tried my best and I gained the respect that I am just like the others.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Weirdly, the last day of <em>lycée </em>was a <em>déjà vu </em>of my first day. It strikes me how the first students I've met are the exact same students I spent together for the last time there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is SO strange but in fact, the two boys who were in my first <em>lycée </em>day photo<em> </em>wore their EXACT SAME sweater on that last day. Even more, we took these two photos in the EXACT SAME place without on purpose. I mean... is this POSSIBLE?!!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">June 2013</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I didn't realize this until later when I glanced at some early exchange photos on my laptop, and oh my, how much I laughed. Such gentlemen they became and how much I grew. Of course it's visible how exchange students grow during their year abroad but in my case, every one of my friends grew up too. They told me that it was thanks to us, the three exchange students (Canadian, Mexican and German) that they've got a look at different cultures and learned something from our stories we shared. Exchange students are proud ambassadors after all.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Au revoir, ma vie au lycée.</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Tu vas me manquer beaucoup mais je n'oublierai jamais les souvenirs que tu m'as donnée.</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Good-bye, my lycée life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">I will miss you a lot but I will never forget the memories that you gave me.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">By any means, I should get back to why right now, I have such mixed feelings though I'm surrounded in French summer paradise. Again, I'm sitting in front of my laptop, more dumbfounded than ever, staring at this unpublished post. What on earth am I doing?<br />
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It's just a weird time of exchange. Mentioning that I'm leaving in a few weeks, I feel good to head home, but at the same time I want to keep living this accomplishment that I've earned. However, I CAN'T wait to see my family, my friends and my country (oh the mountains)! By all means, I don't have a choice but to put my exchange to an end so I'm sticking to being optimistic for the return home... yet I could endlessly come up with reasons why leaving my host country is going to be a sad journey.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You see, there is no right or wrong, up or down, left or right, and yes or no. It's both. This is what the end of exchange feels like. Being stuck. That's where I am, struggling between two different lives, which are both astonishing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Nevertheless, don't grieve my dear readers. I didn't mean to post this to make you feel worried or to scare the future exchange students! It's just an honest post that explains a passage during a year abroad that many experience. On the bright side, I have unbelievably accomplished my biggest goal and I have days ahead to profit the heaven of exchange life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I'm gonna go out to enjoy the sun while it lasts (^^)/</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><em>A bientôt,</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Sari</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span>Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-38511372462397637662013-06-16T10:44:00.000+02:002013-06-18T10:50:19.614+02:00Days I'll Never Forget<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">samedi 8 juin, 2013: District 1750 Conference Meeting</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This was the last time I saw most of my exchange friends of my inbound district at <em>Beaune</em>. We participated in the morning meetings, the lunch and we chatted during the afternoon. It felt odd to see everyone again this time with their blazers, swarmed by pins and other attachable memoirs, while our blazers were still light and fresh during our first </span><a href="http://sarifranceexchange.blogspot.fr/2012/10/inbound-orientation-1.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">inbound meeting</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">. It felt like our first encounter happened yesterday except we were here for the final time.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Rotary emphasizing the 2012/2013 theme: <em>Peace through Service</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Preparing for the balloon releasing event</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Conclusion of the District Conference Meeting</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GDqu--S1uqs/Ub8LQCoKYvI/AAAAAAAABO8/vOIbsQ_uWZw/s1600/P6080267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GDqu--S1uqs/Ub8LQCoKYvI/AAAAAAAABO8/vOIbsQ_uWZw/s1600/P6080267.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The fellow Rotarians from my club, <em>Louhans Bresse-Bourguignonne</em>, and I</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XI_SKqxGMfE/Ub8JHG21DZI/AAAAAAAABOU/RxJQg0BpGHY/s1600/P6080243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XI_SKqxGMfE/Ub8JHG21DZI/AAAAAAAABOU/RxJQg0BpGHY/s1600/P6080243.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Mix of inbounds, outbounds and two Rotarians who made our exchanges possible</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong></strong>I'll miss being with the other Rotary exchange students and the love we all shared. We weren't just normal friends but on a higher level, a family. It really doesn't matter what country you come from, how good you speak the host language or if you don't have the same taste of music... when exchange students unite, there's no questions about bonding; as part of Rotary and having the common desire to discover the world, we're always family.</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Vous me manquez trop, District 1750. Merci pour l'année incroyable.</span></em><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">dimanche 9 juin, 2013: Hair Donation!</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Because my hair was getting too long and I happened to have a sympathetic friend who took two years studying haircutting, I literally chopped 30cm of my hair for a good cause! I decided to send my hair to <em>Pantene Beautiful Lengths,</em> an organisation that accepts healthy, non-colour-treated hair (at a minimum of 20cm) to create wigs for cancer patients.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">My second host sister also joined me to donate hair!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Au revoir </em>my three-year old hair!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">(There's me, anxiously playing with the comb...)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4iWUjBrvAT0/Ub8RBel6xAI/AAAAAAAABPM/yBnjY-7eqVI/s1600/P6090053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4iWUjBrvAT0/Ub8RBel6xAI/AAAAAAAABPM/yBnjY-7eqVI/s1600/P6090053.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>VOILA! </em>Ready to be given to patients who need some beautiful confidence :)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">To be honest, I can't send them yet until I return to Canada, so they're safely bundled in a plastic bag ready for the suitcase. (I certainly hope customs won't think I'm doing some kind of illegal hair-trafficking...)</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">samedi 15 juin, 2013: ANOTHER day in the capital</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lastly but not the least, I took a train to <em>Paris </em>to meet my American Rotary exchange friend, Amanda, to enjoy a fantastic day in a city that has a world-wide reputation of it's beauty, history and popularity. <em> </em>(I met her in </span><a href="http://sarifranceexchange.blogspot.fr/2013/04/eurotour-2013.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Eurotour</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> for the first time.) We only had 6 hours to spend but we managed to do an incredible itinerary thanks to the <em>métro </em>and our impeccable organization. Don't ask how, but here's what we saw and did:</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Parisien <em>métro</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">At <em>Gare de Montparnasse </em>to pick up Amanda</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYeWwjaQm4k/Ub8jEiBbpNI/AAAAAAAABQs/dgzLuPho4tc/s1600/P6150272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYeWwjaQm4k/Ub8jEiBbpNI/AAAAAAAABQs/dgzLuPho4tc/s1600/P6150272.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Passing the (nowadays super expensive) café, <em>Les Deux Magots, </em>where famous writers and philosophes like <em>Verlaine </em>and <em>Rimbauld </em>came to enjoy their afternoon <em>café</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qlDuMbg-_dA/Ub8jHucNPgI/AAAAAAAABQ0/A8CFsvmIR8I/s1600/P6150284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qlDuMbg-_dA/Ub8jHucNPgI/AAAAAAAABQ0/A8CFsvmIR8I/s1600/P6150284.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The <em>Moulin Rouge</em> that showcases the French Cancan</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Café des 2 Moulins </em>where <em>Amélie</em> works from the film </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;"><em>Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain</em></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a5wczFKpKDA/Ub8jJO6GVkI/AAAAAAAABRE/64IQz2YzYj8/s1600/P6150306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a5wczFKpKDA/Ub8jJO6GVkI/AAAAAAAABRE/64IQz2YzYj8/s1600/P6150306.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The tomb of <em>Napoléon Bonaparte </em>inside the <em>Musée de L'Armée</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Us going to enjoy a gourmet lunch on the <em>Bateaux Mouches </em>that took us along the <em>Seine</em> river the <em>Tour Eiffel</em>, <em>Musée d'Orsay</em>, <em>Musée du Louvre</em>, the <em>Notre Dame </em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">and many other landmarks.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y979jmp8L1w/Ub8jLluB6-I/AAAAAAAABRM/tqn_zEJaUlw/s1600/P6150335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y979jmp8L1w/Ub8jLluB6-I/AAAAAAAABRM/tqn_zEJaUlw/s1600/P6150335.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I ate <em>carpaccio de tomates au basilica et mozzarella </em>(shown above), <em>echine de porc marinée et </em><em>grillée avec des pommes grenaille sautées, </em>and <em>le vacherin glacé à la fraise ♪</em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Let's be honest, French is the prettiest language when it comes to naming food. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">At last, we reached to <em>Montmartre</em>, probably <em>Paris'</em>s most popular neighbourhood for visitors as you can see that thousands of people are engulfing the <em>Basilique du Sacre Coeur</em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">(Going up these stairs was not pleasant but the view at the top was fascinating!)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Behind the <em>Sacre Coeur</em>, there are rustic houses that bundle along narrow streets,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">filled with artists, boutiques and restaurants that serve <em>moules frites </em>(mussels and fries).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Above shows a work of one of the many street artists.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">That day with Amanda was too good to be true and like the many other days, these are the day's I'll never forget. However hold on tight my readers, there are still a few more to come!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Always adventuring,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Sari</span></div>
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Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-77541586268863501342013-06-07T23:51:00.000+02:002013-06-16T13:27:31.795+02:00One Month Left<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's unbelievable. In one month, I will take the airplane home to Canada like I started in the beginning. Time to wrap up my exchange... where did my nine months go?! The clock ticks simultaneously though it seems like its rhythm is speeding up. Back in September, June was no where in my thoughts. June meant the last full month. June meant exams. June meant the beginning of good-byes. June meant so. far. away.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">However reality decides to slap me awake from this dream-like, one-year fantasy and tells me that today is June 7th. My plane ticket home is on July 7th. <i>Mon dieu. Je pars dans un mois. </i>My Mexican and German exchange friends are leaving in one week already! This is it after all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Today after my Friday classes of the second last week of <i>lycée</i>, my French friends threw to the three of us a surprise good-bye party at the school grounds. It surprised all of us incredibly how many friends showed up and how well planned and organized the event was. Thanks to especially <i>Marine </i>and <i>Tiffany</i>, the two girls who've helped us since the very beginning of <i>lycée</i> life, they've done such an amazing one-month job of preparing this event. (It was supposed to be a surprise but I already assumed there would be something as it was strange how my classmates were randomly whispering to each other. I am so glad I was right because I would have been disappointed if not haha! On the other hand, my other two exchange friends had NO idea.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We each received a customized t-shirt that says <i>"I ♥ Louhans" </i>(my host village) with all of our friend's signatures and a huge poster that had our own respective country flag illustrated, covered with kind messages written by everyone. I laughed hard-core and deeply appreciated each comment on the poster as I read them today, but I know that in a month, I would probably cry instead when I hang it in my room in Canada. I would share to you all of them, but here's one that I found very thoughtful:</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Quand on aime, on ne compte pas.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Reviens en France dès que tu peux.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tu vas énormement me manques.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Je t'aime énormement et je t'oublierai jamais ma japonaise.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tu m'as beaucoup étonné pendant toute l'année.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">N'oublie pas ton passage chez nous.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bonne continuation pour la suite et fais attention à toi, je t'aime.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Marine</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(ps: reviens avec la famille!)</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In English:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When we love each other, the love is immeasurable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Return to France as soon as you can.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I will miss you enormely.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I love you enormely and I will never forget you, my Japanese girl</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Never forget your time with us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Good luck for the future and take care of yourself, I love you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Marine</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(ps: return with your family!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The three of us also did a short speech to everyone and for mine, I ended it like always without on purpose: Crying (Of course it's no surprise, you would say.) Even though I explained that this year has been exceptional and I am grateful to be surrounded by so many kind friends, it is impossible to convey how <i>much </i>they mean to me. They always look after me and are always curious about my life before in Canada. When I have French homework that I don't understand, they help me immediately. At times when there's one of those strict French <i>professeurs </i>who comes around and gives me a harsh feedback, they sympathize me and said not to worry (... plus adding that he/she was just an old bastard, which makes me laugh.) They are the reason why my time at school has been much, much more than "worthwhile". They are the ones who made exchange truly enjoyable.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Us three in the centre with two friends on each side</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-02jfK0rx9d8/UbJSvDTb0NI/AAAAAAAABNw/HMeoIQUh16I/s1600/P6070189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-02jfK0rx9d8/UbJSvDTb0NI/AAAAAAAABNw/HMeoIQUh16I/s1600/P6070189.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Stomach-squeezing laughable games</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xVx2fgqYE-E/UbJSWU1wZaI/AAAAAAAABNk/yivz0dO5lVo/s1600/P6070227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xVx2fgqYE-E/UbJSWU1wZaI/AAAAAAAABNk/yivz0dO5lVo/s1600/P6070227.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Unforgettable get-together</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thank you so much everyone for the amazing party today. I will never forget it.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Merci beaucoup à tous pour la fête incroyable aujourd'hui. Je ne l'oublierai jamais.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Avec amour,</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sari</span></div>
Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-73927180429070808002013-05-17T20:21:00.001+02:002013-05-17T20:21:53.785+02:00Drawing Near the End<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I realized something important. Something unbelievably sad but so glad I realized it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Time is running out. With the people who I love and who love me. And myself, in the life of an exchange student. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">To understand that I only have 50 days left in this irreplaceable experience is one of the hardest cognitions I've ever had. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It especially hit me when my current host mom defended me in a small problem that existed months ago during my year abroad. It no longer bothers me, but it surprised me so much when I saw her utterly unsatisfied as I clearly witnessed her tremendous care for me. Being so close to her almost like my real mother lets me feel grateful and overwhelmed that I cried in front of her for the first time. (Sorry host mum, I didn't mean to scare you!) I might have made her feel guilty by mistake, but I will tell you now that I was submerged in thankfulness which explains all those bursting tears. Trust me, being able to have all host moms supportive makes your exchange year so much easier.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Even recently, my best friends at <em>lycée </em>reminded me that I'm going to leave them soon and they'll cry when I do! They expressed how next year without me will be different and empty. Their strong commitment towards our friendship deeply touched my heart, and I know that separating from them will tear my heart out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I know but I don't want to know: The time I have left with <em>countless </em>numbers of wonderful, loving people... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">... is coming abruptly to an end.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I was quite happy to know that summer is approaching and that I'm going home soon. After all, I will get to see familiar faces, eat delicious and stomach-relieving food cooked by my parents and I can share to everyone about my exchange year. I will also start a part-time job probably, exercise (which is <em>very essential</em>)<em> </em>and prepare for my senior year. Time to move back to what exchange students call it, 'normal' life... is super soothing after a year full of unpredictability.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">However, the opposite side of myself is cringing in sadness. I realized every minute of exchange I have left is precious and how crucial it is to not miss but pounce on every opportunity that remains. I will miss my new friends from <em>lycée</em>, Rotary weekends (</span><a href="http://www.sarifranceexchange.blogspot.fr/2012/10/inbound-orientation-1.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> & </span><a href="http://www.sarifranceexchange.blogspot.fr/2013/02/inbound-meeting-2.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">), </span><a href="http://www.sarifranceexchange.blogspot.fr/2013/04/eurotour-2013.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Eurotour</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> and random encounters like </span><a href="http://www.sarifranceexchange.blogspot.fr/2013/03/little-over-100-days-left.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">the Australian on a ski slope</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">. I will miss the people who supports me like my <em>professeurs</em>, music conductor of the youth orchestra, karate sensei and hand-ball coach. I will miss the host families that generously welcomes me into their life. I will miss the Rotarians who offers countless opportunities and help when I need it the most. They deserve an enormous credit for that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This only leaves me to enjoy these 50 days of exchange I have left. Basically every weekend is booked with plans, so no time shall be wasted! It's all I have after all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Running the last leg of my adventure!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sari</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">ps: We need some catch up about the plenty of events that happened after Eurotour.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Inbound Meeting #3 </span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This was the last official weekend with all the exchange students of district 1750, held in a remote village called <em>Soeuvres</em>, two hours away from my host-village of <em>Louhans</em>. We all went to visit the UNESCO-Heritage-Site acknowledged basilique in another village of <em>Vézelay (</em>which I already visited with my second host family in </span><a href="http://www.sarifranceexchange.blogspot.fr/2013/03/little-over-100-days-left.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">March</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">) and enjoyed watching stars past midnight.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Waterfall Hike in the Jura Mountains</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My awesome second host family took me for a day of hiking which was refreshing. It was so nice to see them again and get up-to-date about the past few months we've been apart.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">With my super-cool host father on his <em>Harley Davidson </em>that he drove me home with</span></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">DELF (Diplôme D'Études en Langue Française) Exam</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My german exchange friend and I went to the city of <em>Chalon </em>to pass the international French language exam which comprised of four parts: Oral comprehension, writing comprehension, written production and oral production. Though we only took an easy level, A2, we enjoyed together the process of learning the language in different manners since January.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I had so much fun when I passed my oral production! (Yes, seems irregular but it's possible to have fun in exams.) There were two examiners, one of them assigned to use a stopwatch and listen to my pronunciation. So as demanded, I began talking for supposedly two minutes about myself. I boosted confidently in French saying,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>My parents are both Japanese so I'm Japanese, but I'm Canadian too because I speak English at school though I speak Japanese at home... </em>and so on, and on, and on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It turns out that the examiner who was responsible for timing my speech was literally jaw-dropping-intrigued that he forgot to turn on his stopwatch! I just went off speculating about my life story for over several minutes all chill without realizing. The funny thing was that no one realized it until the examiner looked down to see what he was holding.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">What a good day.</span><br />
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<strong><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Romeo et Juliette</span></em></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Last Sunday, my previous host sister and I went to the local cinema and we watched the romantic story of <em>Shakespeare</em>'s <em>Romeo and Juliet</em><em>.</em> EXCEPT, we watched it as a live-screen ballet performance, performed in <em>Moscow </em>by the <em>Bolchoï</em> Russian Ballet Academy! When I watched it, I wished that my sisters back in Canada were seeing it too, as they are both dancers. After the show, I emailed by mom letting her know how great it was but however, she replied that they all watched it live-screen too, in <em>Calgary</em>, exactly at the same time as I watched it! It was so cool how we were precisely doing the same thing at the same time though in different countries!</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And Oh My God. A DAY IN PARIS.</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">(Would you have clicked on my blog a lot sooner if you saw 'Paris'?)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Just last weekend, I travelled to the capital of France with my Mexican and German exchange friend<em>, </em>accompanied by the Mexican's generous host parents. During the morning, we did a quick tour of the gigantic world-class arts museum, the <em>Louvre</em>, passed by the <em>Opéra Garnier </em>where <em>Phantom of the Opera </em>is known to haunt (♥), climbed the leg-aching stairs to the <em>Galléries Lafayette </em>roof-top (...too many lazy people waited for the elevator), and finally, the one thing you CANNOT miss: the <em>Tour Eiffel</em>. It was a BLAST!!!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The glass pyramid of the <em>Louvre</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Lower ground floor under the pyramid</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">View from the <em>Sully</em>, one of the three sections of the <em>gigantesque </em>musuem</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Got to see <em>Mona Lisa </em>of <em>L. de Vinci </em>(which is surprisingly small), including <em>The Lacemaker </em>of <em>J. Vermeer</em>, <em>Napoléon III</em>'s over-the-top decorated apartments, the statue <em>Aphrodite </em>or known as <em>Venus de Milo</em>, <em>The Turkish Bath </em>by <em>Ingres </em>, <em>The Winged Victory of Samothrace</em>, <em>J. L. David</em>'s <em>The consecration of the Emperor Napoléon I </em>and so many more works of art.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Clearly, we were dehydrated at the end as we weren't allowed to drink water inside.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Watch out for '<em>pickpockets' </em>(people who steal valuable items from you) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">especially when looking at objects that require more than a mere glance.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The grandness of artworks!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Inside the apartments of <em>Napoléon III</em>; </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">He seemed to have a good taste in décor.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The front upper border of the <em>Opéra Garnier</em>, presenting head-statues of</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">of renowned musicians like <em>Mozart</em>, <em>Bach </em>and <em>Haydn</em>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">There are also four (full-bodied) statues at the south side</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">which represents poem, instrumental music, dance and lyrical drama.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PvHlTbLpFU4/UZZjU3kShzI/AAAAAAAABNA/TAXRqQKaLlY/s1600/P5110231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PvHlTbLpFU4/UZZjU3kShzI/AAAAAAAABNA/TAXRqQKaLlY/s1600/P5110231.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Inside <em>Galléries Lafayette</em>: a shopaholic and perfumaholic heaven</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xwtgegz8X4w/UZZjS9sxmeI/AAAAAAAABMw/9XwC2c39abs/s1600/P5110224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xwtgegz8X4w/UZZjS9sxmeI/AAAAAAAABMw/9XwC2c39abs/s1600/P5110224.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The roof-top, allowing an amazing (and free) view of the city</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6A2ebf3bKDg/UZZjUHi2w8I/AAAAAAAABM4/XnNbuzqhkWg/s1600/P5110262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6A2ebf3bKDg/UZZjUHi2w8I/AAAAAAAABM4/XnNbuzqhkWg/s1600/P5110262.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">At last, the <em>Tour Eiffel. </em>Knew that I would come here at some point during my exchange!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DvobN5CUge0/UZZjWuOv9fI/AAAAAAAABNI/HPjP5XlSM9E/s1600/P5110315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DvobN5CUge0/UZZjWuOv9fI/AAAAAAAABNI/HPjP5XlSM9E/s1600/P5110315.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">France, we love you for giving us an enchanting full day!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I just realized t</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;">hat was the longest 'ps' I've ever written on this blog!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">That's all! Until then, see you next time!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
</div>
Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-9419636721586176632013-04-27T18:19:00.000+02:002015-02-20T12:56:57.514+01:00EUROTOUR 2013!!!<span lang="FR"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Has anyone slept for 16 hours straight without
waking up before?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Probably that's a yes to those who've experienced one of the most thrilling trips of a lifetime: Eurotour.</span></span><br />
<span lang="FR"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></span><br />
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<span lang="FR"></span><span lang="FR"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So coming back from the Rotary-organized bus-tour with 48 Rotary
Youth Exchange students, travelling for 12 days in 6 countries and 12 cities made me realize just how exhausting yet amazing voyages can be experienced in one's life. Eurotour</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> was certainly, one of the most incredible experiences spent in my lifetime.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(I've only lived
for 17 years so far, but I know that I can say "lifetime" with no
doubts.)</span></div>
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<span lang="FR"></span><span lang="FR"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I returned home to join my host family for lunch and attempted to share my stories from Eurotour (which was super difficult because how can an entire trip be explained in one sitting?!) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later that day, I slotted my camera's memory card into my laptop and found out that I took over 1500 photos and videos, thinking <i>man, there's A LOT of time needed to see which ones to keep!</i> I was about to begin looking through them, but I was so tired that</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I crashed onto my bed at 2 pm, assuming
that I would wake up before dinner time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Except, that wasn't actually what happened. Instead, I gracefully opened my eyes at an unknown time having absolutely no clue what time of the day it was.</span></div>
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<span lang="FR"></span><span lang="FR"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It was that awkward time of the day where you
can't determine if it's dawn or dusk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><em>Is
it still Friday or is it the next morning?</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I questioned, assuring myself that I probably just missed out on
dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But my mind didn't settle down
simply as it ranted, <em>but what if it's morning?!</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I jumped in shock, imagining the possibility of having skipped dinner
PLUS having slept through the entire night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> (As you can tell, I am the type of person who is a food-lover and cannot miss a single meal.) </span><em>No way!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No way!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No way!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></em>I rejected in denial as I turned my iPod on to see the time.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="FR"></span><span lang="FR"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>6:04 am</strong></span></span></div>
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<span lang="FR"></span><span lang="FR"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Saturday April 27th, 2013</strong></span></span></div>
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<span lang="FR"></span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I
froze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The iPod screen blacked out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My eyes widened almost freakishly and I
immediately turned it on again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It showed exactly the same time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><em>NO WAYYYYYYY!!!!</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I shouted in disbelief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I actually slept for 16 hours straight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I sprang out of my bed to see if anyone was in the kitchen BUT... my fatigued (or rather lazy) body refused to move and I slumped back onto my bed to sleep for another two hours. </span><em>Vive les vacances.</em></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I hope you now understand just how tired you become after a full-packed tour of Europe. Anyways, here is where EUROTOUR 2013 (France) took us:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iK3F_Ms7SFM/UXv5poFrGtI/AAAAAAAAA7s/zz_ZEDYrAfM/s1600/Les+Autoroutes+de+Eurotour.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iK3F_Ms7SFM/UXv5poFrGtI/AAAAAAAAA7s/zz_ZEDYrAfM/s640/Les+Autoroutes+de+Eurotour.PNG" height="278" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Quite a wicked trip, eh? (Notice my Canadian accent?) On a typical Eurotour day, we were on the road during mornings, arrived at the cities in the early afternoon, occasionally given some free time later that day and rested at hostels or hotels each night.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In any matter, here we go!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span>
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">DAY 1: PARIS & REIMS</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The night before, I headed over to my Brazilian's friends house in the city of <em>Chalon-sur-Saone, Bourgogne, </em>to stay there for one night 'cause we were going to take a TGV train directly to Paris at 6:23 am the next morning. So on Day 1, we energetically woke up at 5:00 am and arrived at the <em>Gare de Lyon </em>in Paris at 7:46 am. Obviously we were a little tired already, but when other exchange students arrived at the station, we were ready to kick off into our awesome spring break trip.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After introducing ourselves to one another, we all hopped onto the bus - all 49 of us - and started to tour Paris, the city of lights. Since it was my first time in this most-visited capital of the world, I was so exhilarated!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VZ2vbarN_wo/UXvuoS4e7TI/AAAAAAAAA50/Sg_5dMAEa1A/s1600/P4150022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VZ2vbarN_wo/UXvuoS4e7TI/AAAAAAAAA50/Sg_5dMAEa1A/s400/P4150022.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">My Brazilian friend and I enjoying English Breakfast tea at the train station</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eVPllqnwdrE/UXvuo7MICYI/AAAAAAAAA58/Jb411nQSItQ/s1600/P4150032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eVPllqnwdrE/UXvuo7MICYI/AAAAAAAAA58/Jb411nQSItQ/s400/P4150032.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Exchange students from across France filling up the bus ♪</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">(Funnily, there are no guys in this photo)</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q0Bh_pm4Xo0/UXvxR5b9bhI/AAAAAAAAA6M/qLcMi6GChnw/s1600/P4150047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q0Bh_pm4Xo0/UXvxR5b9bhI/AAAAAAAAA6M/qLcMi6GChnw/s400/P4150047.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The <em>Place de la Bastille</em>: where the <em>Révolution Française </em>began.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4zRSZnUqAQ8/UXvxf3rzCDI/AAAAAAAAA7E/LpmDyVdcGG8/s1600/P4150162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4zRSZnUqAQ8/UXvxf3rzCDI/AAAAAAAAA7E/LpmDyVdcGG8/s400/P4150162.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Jardin des Tuileries</em>, a beautiful garden designed back in the 17th century;</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">a taste of French aristocracy!</span></span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tipE3CERiWE/UXvxgNzObgI/AAAAAAAAA7I/rlEddPZqVoY/s1600/P4150174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tipE3CERiWE/UXvxgNzObgI/AAAAAAAAA7I/rlEddPZqVoY/s400/P4150174.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Le Louvre</em>, one of the largest museums in the world housing the famous works like</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Mona Lisa, Winged Victory and Venus de Milo.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AJ5nTb3DBbU/UXvxSWN64BI/AAAAAAAAA6U/KF2ApyjqC8I/s1600/P4150069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AJ5nTb3DBbU/UXvxSWN64BI/AAAAAAAAA6U/KF2ApyjqC8I/s400/P4150069.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>La Seine</em>, the river that flows through the heart of the capital.</span></span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-opmUJTRjSVk/UXvxWtZ4g4I/AAAAAAAAA6k/Klp9wvczuQg/s1600/P4150086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-opmUJTRjSVk/UXvxWtZ4g4I/AAAAAAAAA6k/Klp9wvczuQg/s400/P4150086.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The <em>Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris </em>surrounded by petit street-side shops.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K6YnQ5SGY_A/UXvxZaHnGsI/AAAAAAAAA6s/dq4S2c-vVEo/s1600/P4150121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K6YnQ5SGY_A/UXvxZaHnGsI/AAAAAAAAA6s/dq4S2c-vVEo/s400/P4150121.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">This type of boutique EVERYWHERE: It's a never-ending obsession.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7nviWLWPnO4/UXvxZdx_LrI/AAAAAAAAA60/pQmLS5_nJdA/s1600/P4150126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7nviWLWPnO4/UXvxZdx_LrI/AAAAAAAAA60/pQmLS5_nJdA/s400/P4150126.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>L’arc de triomphe de l’Étoile</em>: The gigantesque and Neoclassic monument </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">built under the orders of Napoleon Bonaparte,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">the extremely influential and powerful emperor during the <em>Révolution Française.</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ICBRhc1iyL4/UXvxagMrzaI/AAAAAAAAA68/Psgggtm8rVM/s1600/P4150132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ICBRhc1iyL4/UXvxagMrzaI/AAAAAAAAA68/Psgggtm8rVM/s400/P4150132.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">A must-see-thing in Paris: <em>Le Tour Eiffel</em> that was once hated by the French when it was constructed by <em>Gustave Eiffel</em> and his collaborators during the 1889 Exposition,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">but now, one of the most iconic (well probably the <i>most </i>iconic) symbols of Paris.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">(The jumping is a must-to-do.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">(And yes, the one with the bizarre pose in the air is me.)</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H9QRT6S3JwE/UXvxej-hjLI/AAAAAAAAA7U/kYv7J9hwMls/s1600/P4150146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H9QRT6S3JwE/UXvxej-hjLI/AAAAAAAAA7U/kYv7J9hwMls/s400/P4150146.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Oh the Canadian love!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Two from Ontario, two from B.C., one from New Brunswick and one Albertan (me)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We only saw a glimpse of <em>Paris </em>since we headed towards our next city, <em>Reims</em>, around mid-afternoon. I hope I can visit this city again! Nevertheless, the first afternoon was a great opening to the trip as it involved lots of self-introducing and memorization of names.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span>___________<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Reims </em>is a city in the region of <em>Champagne;</em> I visited this region already during </span><a href="http://www.sarifranceexchange.blogspot.fr/2012/10/inbound-orientation-1.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">my first inbound week-end</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">. We only stayed there for one night and left early the next day, but we managed to visit the famous <em>Cathédrale Notre-Dame</em>. The cathedral looked outstanding and a little eerie as it was illuminated against the pitch black sky.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pQML1gkaLmE/UXvxjZwjqEI/AAAAAAAAA7Y/98mtYkAr504/s1600/P4150189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pQML1gkaLmE/UXvxjZwjqEI/AAAAAAAAA7Y/98mtYkAr504/s400/P4150189.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims </em>where several coronations of French Kings </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">including <em>Louis XIV</em>, the Sun King, took place.</span></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">DAY 2: STRASBOURG</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The bus drove us about 145 km east to Strasbourg, a city that sits on the French side of the French-German border that still keeps a lot of its German influences. We were so lucky to have beautiful weather that day.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7_uiVcf9RvM/UXv-ZuPQJZI/AAAAAAAAA8k/o5j-ctNl9yc/s1600/P4160230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7_uiVcf9RvM/UXv-ZuPQJZI/AAAAAAAAA8k/o5j-ctNl9yc/s400/P4160230.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The dark-pink sandstone <em>Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg.</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NLiqULVsUtQ/UXv-USQ4kiI/AAAAAAAAA78/kfnjlNMUEpA/s1600/392451_444569062301349_406872110_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NLiqULVsUtQ/UXv-USQ4kiI/AAAAAAAAA78/kfnjlNMUEpA/s400/392451_444569062301349_406872110_n.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">A magical and inviting little neighbourhood called <em>La Petite France</em>: along its tiny cobblestone streets, there are Alsatian and Renaissance styled buildings</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">that survived wars between Germany and France.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GkRvRkYWmsE/UXv-ciG_ITI/AAAAAAAAA8s/pc3_ioQ6GKw/s1600/P4160239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GkRvRkYWmsE/UXv-ciG_ITI/AAAAAAAAA8s/pc3_ioQ6GKw/s400/P4160239.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Ate lunch at a super yummy Korean restaurant!! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">It was so nice to eat Asian cuisine and use chopsticks for once in a long time!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BVMGcVoEXlA/UXv-cwqLCbI/AAAAAAAAA8w/9u3IqfNziSw/s1600/P4160236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BVMGcVoEXlA/UXv-cwqLCbI/AAAAAAAAA8w/9u3IqfNziSw/s400/P4160236.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Just a random photo that I took on the way to the restaurant.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Who has ever tried <em>FOIS GRAS SUSHI???!!!!</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_3xhhqS5LV8/UXv-hUcvACI/AAAAAAAAA9E/H6Hicz1r11Q/s1600/P4160262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_3xhhqS5LV8/UXv-hUcvACI/AAAAAAAAA9E/H6Hicz1r11Q/s400/P4160262.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The entire Rotary group went on a boat tour around the islands of Strasbourg</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">that are recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--BEzOhtUWrI/UXv-WfPM-5I/AAAAAAAAA8c/CHJmeGIB554/s1600/919264_577307182287669_64183115_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--BEzOhtUWrI/UXv-WfPM-5I/AAAAAAAAA8c/CHJmeGIB554/s400/919264_577307182287669_64183115_o.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">With my American and Taiwanese friends :)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--dmAC6laxd8/UXv-Vd3iWTI/AAAAAAAAA8M/oOMD2nDglIU/s1600/479446_577310875620633_1133067404_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--dmAC6laxd8/UXv-Vd3iWTI/AAAAAAAAA8M/oOMD2nDglIU/s400/479446_577310875620633_1133067404_o.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Four brave girls and I decided to climb the <em>Cathédrale </em>(remember the picture earlier?) which meant going up THREE-HUNDRED AND THIRTY stairs in circles. I think these whirling stairs made us feel dizzy and go nuts. <i>Seriously </i>nuts.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vx2OpYr-Rxk/UXv-lndmydI/AAAAAAAAA9c/OleocMsNpYA/s1600/P4160356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vx2OpYr-Rxk/UXv-lndmydI/AAAAAAAAA9c/OleocMsNpYA/s400/P4160356.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">My American friend giving a <em>bisous </em>to a gargoyle.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Oh HOW romantic.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jvVywtbVTPE/UXv-U7tAzhI/AAAAAAAAA8E/9cbBT2pECcM/s1600/459328_577310965620624_2125567202_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jvVywtbVTPE/UXv-U7tAzhI/AAAAAAAAA8E/9cbBT2pECcM/s400/459328_577310965620624_2125567202_o.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">WE MADE IT!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The super team of five girls from America, Indonesia and Canada</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DanT23tlNjU/UXv-kasnXPI/AAAAAAAAA9M/xZSWeclHkjA/s1600/P4160334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DanT23tlNjU/UXv-kasnXPI/AAAAAAAAA9M/xZSWeclHkjA/s400/P4160334.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The roofs here in Strasbourg are SO steep!!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OssB9ga5meo/UXv-pMz7n-I/AAAAAAAAA9k/ygX2tGB-rdA/s1600/P4160362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OssB9ga5meo/UXv-pMz7n-I/AAAAAAAAA9k/ygX2tGB-rdA/s400/P4160362.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Our mission wasn't quite over until we treated ourselves to <em>gelato</em>!!</span></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">DAY 4: NUREMBURG, Germany</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wwaSxCaHHa8/UXwJkaT5V9I/AAAAAAAAA-E/0p9qFRqvGl4/s1600/P4170392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wwaSxCaHHa8/UXwJkaT5V9I/AAAAAAAAA-E/0p9qFRqvGl4/s400/P4170392.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">During our long bus rides in the mornings, we stopped by gas stations, learning that washrooms aren't always free... </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">(ranging 0,40 to 1,00 Euros!)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Nuremberg </em>is one of the most historic cities in Germany, dating back from around 1050. For example, the first Diet (the general assembly of the former Holy Roman Empire) was held here. Also the Nazi rallies and the Nuremburg Trials that convicted people of crimes against humanity took place in this city too.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uPEDZkMM5AU/UXwJlBLWXWI/AAAAAAAAA-M/ENRIpjxav-w/s1600/P4170404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uPEDZkMM5AU/UXwJlBLWXWI/AAAAAAAAA-M/ENRIpjxav-w/s400/P4170404.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Where the dictator, <em>Adolf Hitler</em>, rallied his people under the principles of his Nazi propaganda.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q-Agr1QJcQs/UXwJlh5CxbI/AAAAAAAAA-U/19rrQOjx_fg/s1600/P4170412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q-Agr1QJcQs/UXwJlh5CxbI/AAAAAAAAA-U/19rrQOjx_fg/s400/P4170412.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">It felt particularly weird to be standing in a spot where globally changing events took place.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q4wAy5dhHDM/UXwJpRFTnkI/AAAAAAAAA-c/A8HQGb0TiJQ/s1600/P4170434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q4wAy5dhHDM/UXwJpRFTnkI/AAAAAAAAA-c/A8HQGb0TiJQ/s400/P4170434.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Our bus tour also passed by <em>Kaiserburg</em> (The Imperial Castle), </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">the <em>Dokumentationszentrum Reichsparteitagsgelände </em>(the Documentation Centre Nazi Party Rally Grounds) and <em>Justizpalast </em>(the Nuremburg Palace of Justice).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">All pretty fantastic! I would recommend doing some research before travelling.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Apparently, 90% of the old town of <i>Nuremburg</i> was destroyed during wars, so recovering the remains was considered a miracle according to the people here. Also in 2001, the UNESCO prize for Human Rights Education was won here for the first time in the world. I personally found it very intriguing about how a city with immense totalitarian background ended up being awarded with a world-renowned prize of human rights in less than a century. I mean, who would have thought back in the early 1900's that this city was going to be internationally recognized for its humanitarian deeds? Which leads me to think, what will the world's future hold in 100 years? Would it really be what we are thinking now?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mdZkOU1yUag/UXwJqs2nyPI/AAAAAAAAA-k/zpgCyoFr_ZM/s1600/P4170461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mdZkOU1yUag/UXwJqs2nyPI/AAAAAAAAA-k/zpgCyoFr_ZM/s400/P4170461.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In front of <em>St. Lorenz Kirche</em>, one of the most beautiful churches in <em>Nuremburg.</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NA0MHLuGyuU/UXwJrM_RlAI/AAAAAAAAA-s/crqczsmiQWY/s1600/P4170470.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NA0MHLuGyuU/UXwJrM_RlAI/AAAAAAAAA-s/crqczsmiQWY/s400/P4170470.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The people I met on this trip were so friendly! I love them all so much.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vq8wcYikT0M/UXwJtS1bc4I/AAAAAAAAA-0/9t9J_SrTt7w/s1600/P4170488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vq8wcYikT0M/UXwJtS1bc4I/AAAAAAAAA-0/9t9J_SrTt7w/s400/P4170488.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Some exchange students and I went to a cute café hidden on one of the islands, and Hannah, from the US, and I ordered a black forest cake and an apple strudel!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Mmm, European pastry is so good. Try it all!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EoEJFUE08EI/UXwJuQ0I1dI/AAAAAAAAA-8/vQIfaY5cT5M/s1600/P4170507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EoEJFUE08EI/UXwJuQ0I1dI/AAAAAAAAA-8/vQIfaY5cT5M/s400/P4170507.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Here's my South Korean friend next to me. She was so kind, super funny yet really wise too! </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Also she's very talented at singing!!</span></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">DAY 4 & 5: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This city was originally separated into five independent towns: <em>Staré Mesto </em>(Old Town), <em>Nové Mesto </em>(New Town), <em>Josefov </em>(Jewish Quarter), <em>Hradcany </em>(Castle area) and <em>Malá Strana </em>(Lesser Quarter)<em>. </em>I was lucky enough to see each neighbourhood, though spending a day and a half is no where near enough to reveal the capital's true richness. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Of course, making our lives <em>very </em>difficult, the currency in Czech Republic is not the usual Euros but instead the Czech Korunas, <em>Czech Crowns</em> (CZK) or, as one of the funniest exchanger on this trip nicknamed them, "Czechle Dzechles". So at times, it was so hard to judge whether or not items in gift shops were expensive, since 100 CZK equals approximately 3,98 EUR.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z0AFcZpvxc4/UXwapZHcaRI/AAAAAAAAA_U/3hAiIR_uLbo/s1600/P4180583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z0AFcZpvxc4/UXwapZHcaRI/AAAAAAAAA_U/3hAiIR_uLbo/s400/P4180583.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">On the day we arrived in <em>Prague</em>, we did a walking tour in the Old Town.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Above is the astronomical clock which is apparently the third-oldest in the world (1410)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">and the oldest one that still functions!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nwXwUVR0WQA/UXwao95CmxI/AAAAAAAAA_Q/bBP80bX-H_M/s1600/P4180570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nwXwUVR0WQA/UXwao95CmxI/AAAAAAAAA_Q/bBP80bX-H_M/s400/P4180570.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Fun Fact: Exchange students typically wave at strangers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">We waved to a couple on the second floor who gave a kind wave back at us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">It seemed like they were getting a foot massage by little fish in a tank.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">.. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">I never knew such service existed!!</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1vu8bZfjhfs/UXwatiBGuAI/AAAAAAAAA_k/RgTggeiZZZM/s1600/P4180593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1vu8bZfjhfs/UXwatiBGuAI/AAAAAAAAA_k/RgTggeiZZZM/s400/P4180593.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">We passed by <em>Josefov</em>, the Jewish Quarter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">A Jewish community has been an active part of the city for centuries here.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4c1e7ZklWvo/UXwa0PJBDpI/AAAAAAAABAI/0C4blgD5nSM/s1600/P4180635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4c1e7ZklWvo/UXwa0PJBDpI/AAAAAAAABAI/0C4blgD5nSM/s400/P4180635.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The city is known to sell handmade marionettes!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H6-ORxm5svo/UXwauzHad_I/AAAAAAAAA_s/mnSMHzT_S70/s1600/P4180608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H6-ORxm5svo/UXwauzHad_I/AAAAAAAAA_s/mnSMHzT_S70/s400/P4180608.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The next day was going to be a full day in the city but opposite the castle area side!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E5qppt4n6EI/UXwavJCm1EI/AAAAAAAAA_w/N4BS8ejXbVc/s1600/P4180611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E5qppt4n6EI/UXwavJCm1EI/AAAAAAAAA_w/N4BS8ejXbVc/s640/P4180611.JPG" height="236" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The <em>Vltava</em> river and the famous <em>Karluv Most</em> (Charles Bridge)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SMlCSgEb4DE/UXwawwN0gzI/AAAAAAAAA_8/ePi7v4-L3S4/s1600/P4180617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SMlCSgEb4DE/UXwawwN0gzI/AAAAAAAAA_8/ePi7v4-L3S4/s400/P4180617.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">On the bridge, <em>Karluv Most</em>, holding many statues, tourists, vendors and beggars.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lFhqHfcIPyw/UXwaz-o-n3I/AAAAAAAABAE/kvVMCQ5lQJQ/s1600/P4180626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lFhqHfcIPyw/UXwaz-o-n3I/AAAAAAAABAE/kvVMCQ5lQJQ/s400/P4180626.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Walking from the Old Town to the Lesser Quarter, the eighth statue on the right is called</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>St. John of Nepomuk</em> which gives good luck or a return visit to Prague if you touch it.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The next morning in <em>Prague </em>was a lot more easier than the other mornings we've had so far because we didn't change hostels (which requires packing)!!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xklBeqqGt38/UXw1WVoH7bI/AAAAAAAABAc/_CCoLiPdNCc/s1600/P4190661.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xklBeqqGt38/UXw1WVoH7bI/AAAAAAAABAc/_CCoLiPdNCc/s400/P4190661.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">At <em>Hradcanské námesti </em>(a square) in the Castle area, enjoying the view of baroque and Renaissance buildings and where the film <em>Amadeus </em>was filmed (replacing <em>Vienna</em>)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v2pH--broAc/UXw1XYqS7uI/AAAAAAAABAk/TgVpWRd94zE/s1600/P4190706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v2pH--broAc/UXw1XYqS7uI/AAAAAAAABAk/TgVpWRd94zE/s400/P4190706.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Cathédrale Saint-Guy </em>(Cathedral St. Vitus) that contains tombs Bohemian kings</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">and Holy Roman Emperors.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-622NQ7nVgL0/UXw1XvILxeI/AAAAAAAABAs/EbpMQ-4Q0HQ/s1600/P4190719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-622NQ7nVgL0/UXw1XvILxeI/AAAAAAAABAs/EbpMQ-4Q0HQ/s400/P4190719.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Exchange students from the United States, South Korea, Taiwan, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Brazil, Japan, Colombia.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3ZgUb0oKVTI/UXw1Z5T-tiI/AAAAAAAABA0/9b0q0L7E6SY/s1600/P4190724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3ZgUb0oKVTI/UXw1Z5T-tiI/AAAAAAAABA0/9b0q0L7E6SY/s400/P4190724.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">I don't remember what I was doing, but it seems like I was having a blast!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">(This is what happens when you take too many photos...)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4IScMrw-4Jk/UXw1dGDo9QI/AAAAAAAABA8/AYjwuxVSvfc/s1600/P4190757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4IScMrw-4Jk/UXw1dGDo9QI/AAAAAAAABA8/AYjwuxVSvfc/s400/P4190757.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Crowds of people choking the entrance of <em>Karluv Most</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aNKkc4QEApk/UXw1jET2ynI/AAAAAAAABBc/znnxW7YSQUU/s1600/P4190780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aNKkc4QEApk/UXw1jET2ynI/AAAAAAAABBc/znnxW7YSQUU/s400/P4190780.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">My Japanese friends and I at the top of the astronomical clock tower!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Really lovely girls; I'm so glad to have met them during this trip.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5w2Y8Nm8o-0/UXw1l4IZjtI/AAAAAAAABBs/iDKnvl2guwY/s1600/P4190794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5w2Y8Nm8o-0/UXw1l4IZjtI/AAAAAAAABBs/iDKnvl2guwY/s400/P4190794.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Front of the <span lang="cs" xml:lang="cs"><em>Tančící dům</em>, known as the "Dancing House" or "Fred and Ginger"</span></span></span><br />
<span lang="cs" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;" xml:lang="cs">in the New Town. It's a glass and steel tower that twists against the other like</span><br />
<span lang="cs" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;" xml:lang="cs">they're dancing together.</span></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">DAY 6: VIENNA, AUSTRIA</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Between <em>Prague </em>and <em>Vienna</em>, the distance was a hefty chunk of 330 km so we didn't arrive in <i>Vienna </i>until the afternoon, only leaving us enough time for a bus tour, which quickly passed by numerous tourist spots, and a ride on a Ferris wheel. Despite of the short day and the gloomy weather, we all enjoyed this "City of Music", appreciating that <i>Vienna </i>was the birthplace of famous musicians such as <em>Franz Schubert</em>, <em>Johann Strauss I & II. </em>Also, this city was where <em>Joseph Haydn</em>, <em>Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart</em>, <em>Ludwig van Beethoven</em> and <em>Johannes Brahms </em>and many other renowned musicians have come to work! It is truly a dream city for musicians around the world.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HxYXu6Yvhgo/UXxO-WPkhMI/AAAAAAAABCM/r9s8wtNIqTk/s1600/P4200879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HxYXu6Yvhgo/UXxO-WPkhMI/AAAAAAAABCM/r9s8wtNIqTk/s400/P4200879.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The Austrian Parliament Building.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MHi7Re7ZT-4/UXxPCM0kLKI/AAAAAAAABCc/FxOTNDdoHXo/s1600/P4200883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MHi7Re7ZT-4/UXxPCM0kLKI/AAAAAAAABCc/FxOTNDdoHXo/s400/P4200883.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Gothic-styled <em>Rathaus </em>(City Hall).</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DQ2Dd8JZRPo/UXxPEqc0mPI/AAAAAAAABCo/gj19ew5Sw64/s1600/P4200926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DQ2Dd8JZRPo/UXxPEqc0mPI/AAAAAAAABCo/gj19ew5Sw64/s400/P4200926.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">REPRESENT!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8BSVWpaklRc/UXxPFwXQMUI/AAAAAAAABC0/iiUBo8v3XYM/s1600/P4200954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8BSVWpaklRc/UXxPFwXQMUI/AAAAAAAABC0/iiUBo8v3XYM/s400/P4200954.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">In front of <em>Hofbibliothek</em>, a National Library containing treasures of books.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Mozart apparently held weekly performances here during a few years around 1782!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w8CqThC0s3I/UXxO9VA-7OI/AAAAAAAABCE/C79Y0pByM_E/s1600/P4200827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w8CqThC0s3I/UXxO9VA-7OI/AAAAAAAABCE/C79Y0pByM_E/s400/P4200827.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">As a musician myself, a deep desire to witness one of these master classes </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">burned inside of me when I saw this...</span></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">DAY 7: LIDO DI JESOLO, ITALY</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Vienna</em> to<em> Lido di Jesolo</em> = 595 km = The longest bus ride = VERY TIRING</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">That was the only math (or call it 'logic') most of us did in our heads that day. We left <em>Vienna </em>very early in the morning and reached <em>Lido </em>around dinner time. At least I brought a pillow from my home back in France (though everyone funnily thought I stole it from a hostel), so I got very good sleep.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rcHj0KaYR50/UXxZdulT3sI/AAAAAAAABDE/OsA1YFMWk1Q/s1600/P4210997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rcHj0KaYR50/UXxZdulT3sI/AAAAAAAABDE/OsA1YFMWk1Q/s400/P4210997.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Singing karaoke during the long bus ride</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Although we got to choose our roommates for each night (same gender of course), we didn't get to pick our rooms, so my Ecuadorian friend, Canadian friend and I unfortunately ended up getting a room on the top (5th) floor, making us haul our heavy luggage up the hotel stairs. (Sadly, the elevator was not available... but I sure hoped that the climbing burned some of the Austrian pastries that I ate a few days ago!) After getting to the top, we crashed onto the beds of our room, took a few seconds to breathe and relax, then immediately, we ran downstairs and headed straight to the beach!!!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yah8edYcCMo/UXxZei8aOvI/AAAAAAAABDI/OWFmVcS2XzQ/s1600/P4211002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yah8edYcCMo/UXxZei8aOvI/AAAAAAAABDI/OWFmVcS2XzQ/s400/P4211002.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Oh, the horror!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DHhoGLZQb4w/UXxZe-WxOVI/AAAAAAAABDM/4AagjMSOA6E/s1600/P4211013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DHhoGLZQb4w/UXxZe-WxOVI/AAAAAAAABDM/4AagjMSOA6E/s400/P4211013.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The beautiful <em>Lido di Jesolo</em>, along the Adriatic Sea.</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jXO2sHV-f04/UXxZjY4Q1ZI/AAAAAAAABDc/WLo4L7_S83s/s1600/P4211030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jXO2sHV-f04/UXxZjY4Q1ZI/AAAAAAAABDc/WLo4L7_S83s/s640/P4211030.jpg" height="318" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The beach at last!!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gUD4raNywUM/UXxZkpzHLUI/AAAAAAAABDs/ChRI9ORRwXU/s1600/P4211034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gUD4raNywUM/UXxZkpzHLUI/AAAAAAAABDs/ChRI9ORRwXU/s400/P4211034.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Canadians!!! 3, 2, 1...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vV9eTpyEwTc/UXxZoAXKQzI/AAAAAAAABD0/TPIAq54NgIo/s1600/P4211035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vV9eTpyEwTc/UXxZoAXKQzI/AAAAAAAABD0/TPIAq54NgIo/s400/P4211035.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">JUMP!!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DAem112klPU/UXxZolv_v6I/AAAAAAAABD4/rz2qYjFYX_0/s1600/P4211040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DAem112klPU/UXxZolv_v6I/AAAAAAAABD4/rz2qYjFYX_0/s320/P4211040.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Fooling around with my Sri-Lanka-Japanese friend ♫</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The beach probably gave a home-coming feeling to some students in our trip as many of our Latin American friends live very close to their beaches in their home countries! To that moment, I didn't clearly think about how each of our lives originate from such different places across the globe, letting us carry unique stories that no one else has. It is cool </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">how places give different meanings to people, even though we all see the same landscape.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">DAY 8: VENICE, ITALY</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oYiojDTGy_I/UXxhxQBZp6I/AAAAAAAABEw/Miqe1bcBkeI/s1600/P4221132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oYiojDTGy_I/UXxhxQBZp6I/AAAAAAAABEw/Miqe1bcBkeI/s400/P4221132.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">That morning, we took a boat from <em>Lido </em>and arrived at <em>Venice</em> for a morning walking tour through a sample of its 118 little islands, 150 canals and 400+ bridges. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JAAAn6hU2q8/UXxhqcSvuLI/AAAAAAAABEM/8UIG0WHQxy8/s1600/DSCN6731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JAAAn6hU2q8/UXxhqcSvuLI/AAAAAAAABEM/8UIG0WHQxy8/s400/DSCN6731.JPG" height="337" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Some girls and I went for a <em>gondola </em>ride, the flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat tour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">through some narrow waterways.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BIschuR3Ivs/UXxh3T4PBAI/AAAAAAAABFI/7O-tT_ftyPo/s1600/P4221223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BIschuR3Ivs/UXxh3T4PBAI/AAAAAAAABFI/7O-tT_ftyPo/s400/P4221223.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">One of the three bridges that crosses the Grand Canal: the <em>Rialto </em>Bridge.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RSTUGLitHwo/UXxhxMxaOtI/AAAAAAAABEs/yadCOmeHuwM/s1600/P4221107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RSTUGLitHwo/UXxhxMxaOtI/AAAAAAAABEs/yadCOmeHuwM/s400/P4221107.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The Rotarian who came along the entire trip showed us where</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Venice</em>'s Rotary Club meets: in a prestigious hotel!!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Rotary International is everywhere!!!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After the tour, my friends and I became <i>extremely </i>hungry so during our free time, we were determined to fine at the most typical Italian restaurant in the city (because who wouldn't?) We ended up sprinting a small restaurant we passed by earlier, and here are some delicious dishes that we found on the menu:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sCLl5W5Gl1Q/UXxh1eNePhI/AAAAAAAABE8/XsdVZ-T5ONU/s1600/P4221174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sCLl5W5Gl1Q/UXxh1eNePhI/AAAAAAAABE8/XsdVZ-T5ONU/s400/P4221174.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The <em>"Tagliatelle 'Alfredo' con pollo e funghi" </em>attracted my empty stomach.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We were in Italy so of course, we HAD to eat pasta and pizza. We were totally like those typical tourists shouting, <em>"this is soooo good" </em>and <em>"try this, try that." </em>It was so delicious that we couldn't help ourselves from saying how good it was out loud. It was such a memorable lunch! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DeEbhqLCIgs/UXxh205ZWaI/AAAAAAAABFE/22Uf8SctuAM/s1600/P4221193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DeEbhqLCIgs/UXxh205ZWaI/AAAAAAAABFE/22Uf8SctuAM/s400/P4221193.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Bon Appetit ♥</span></em></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VJbTCcjHRqk/UXxhqyhsU1I/AAAAAAAABEQ/tKAASAOUmQM/s1600/DSCN6767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VJbTCcjHRqk/UXxhqyhsU1I/AAAAAAAABEQ/tKAASAOUmQM/s400/DSCN6767.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">JUST when we finished eating, there was a tremendous rain storm that literally </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">struck and poured through the entire city, slightly sinking those gondolas.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VfUIzW76a7o/UXxh8dOWg7I/AAAAAAAABFc/2EXGyY3EVGE/s1600/P4221244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VfUIzW76a7o/UXxh8dOWg7I/AAAAAAAABFc/2EXGyY3EVGE/s400/P4221244.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Thankfully, I had an umbrella to share with my Filipino-American friend, Amanda!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">She was one of my best friends on the trip who I first met in <em>Paris</em>, but we actually had a story together that began way before this trip even began.</span></td></tr>
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<span lang="FR"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It all started off by my curiosity back in January about the probability of my blog showing up in Google search. I typed the words 'rotary youth exchange', 'france' and 'blog' and what came up 5th on the list was not mine but another that was titled: <em><a href="http://le-beret-rouge.blogspot.fr/2013/04/europe-living-storybook.html" target="_blank">La vie en Rotary</a></em> by <em>Amanda Flores</em>.</span></span><br />
<span lang="FR"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></span>
<em style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hm, don't know who she is, but why not give it a look?</em><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I asked myself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So I began reading basically a stranger's blog, and got super glued to it! It was such an interesting and humourous personal story about another Rotary exchanger who happened to be spending her year the same time as me! I read series of her entries and even viewed a YouTube video of her Rotary speech, becoming amazed of how other students are involved in Rotary and living through their exchange. However, my continuous reading came to the point where I felt so uncomfortable and creepy because I was literally stalking one of the hundreds of students in France who I will probably never meet. Therefore, I gave up.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">However after a few months, I saw her name again. But this time, it was on a Facebook group page where all the Eurotour students were already contacting each other beforehand. When I saw "Amanda Flores" in the list of members, I said to myself, <em>wait... I've seen that name before. But where? </em>We didn't even have mutual friends, but her full name rung with familiarity in my head. Suddenly in a blink, I remembered it all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>IT'S THAT AMANDA FLORES ON YOUTUBE!!!!!!!! </em>I screamed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">From that moment, I was physically spinning in my chair in front of my laptop, thinking that I will get to meet her in real!! This was such an exciting moment for me not only because it's cool to meet someone who you first know on the internet, but also because it was HER!! It felt like we were destined to meet!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Of course being very excited, I approached Amanda on Day 1 in <em>Paris </em>asking with a huge grin, <em>"Your last name's Flores, right?"</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My conscience knocked in but a little too late, realizing what a creep I am for knowing so much about her already. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But Amanda's reaction wasn't bad, actually. Instead she replied with a smile, feeling really happy to know that there were other readers of her blog aside from her own family.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And voila. From that moment, we became life-long best friends.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">_________</span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span lang="FR"> I wonder to myself, how is it possible to create strong friendships in such a short amount of time?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is the difference of having a best friend from several years of high
school and the other from a short, 12-day trip?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I asked myself this question in amazement. But n</span><span lang="FR">ow that I think of it, it's probably the wonderful
personality that people have, which pulls me closer to them</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> In Amanda's case, s</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">he's an outgoing,
super hilarious and very intellectual person; someone who I could spend hours talking about anything and she'd be there listening for me.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's not only her, but as well, many other exchange students on the trip became my best friends too.</span><br />
<span lang="FR"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Anywho, back to the story of <em>Venice;</em> it was raining so much that Amanda and I stopped at an outdoor café next to the <em>Rialto </em>Bridge (that included a roof, of course) and sipped earl grey lemon tea together, gazing at the dribbling rain and people on the street side hastily popping their umbrellas out. It was such a funny moment together, 'cause neither of us ever thought we'd spend an afternoon sipping tea right next to one of the most iconic bridges in the remarkable city of <em>Venice</em>. An unforgettable occasion. Our day was finely finished by getting lost in the winding streets and rivers, looking at a panoramic view of the city in the bell tower and heading back to Lido<em> </em>for the night.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iSsJxYl7ypY/UXx5Q2c43fI/AAAAAAAABF8/FZbgZRCkkuw/s1600/P4221275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iSsJxYl7ypY/UXx5Q2c43fI/AAAAAAAABF8/FZbgZRCkkuw/s1600/P4221275.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Ciao, Venezia! ♫</span></em></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">DAY 9: MILAN, ITALY</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Milan</em> is a city that is known for more of its chic European groove rather than a traditional and ancient Italian character like its big neighbours, <em>Venice </em>and <em>Rome</em>. It appears that this city was captured and ruled over by almost every invader in European history like the Gauls, Romans, Austrians... so no wonder the city never settled down with just a one-faced personality.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-273Xjk6GWx8/UXx6872inxI/AAAAAAAABGI/4toKELh_alY/s1600/P4231294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-273Xjk6GWx8/UXx6872inxI/AAAAAAAABGI/4toKELh_alY/s1600/P4231294.JPG" height="400" width="267" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">My sweet Indonesian friend and I in front of the <em>Fontana di Piazza Castello ♪</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CPMlDjN4I2k/UXx6_jNlvkI/AAAAAAAABGQ/B1ptZey1qvQ/s1600/P4231340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CPMlDjN4I2k/UXx6_jNlvkI/AAAAAAAABGQ/B1ptZey1qvQ/s1600/P4231340.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">A child being devoured by a blood-thirsty viper is the emblem of the <em>Visconti </em>family</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">who ruled <em>Milan </em>from around the 13th to 14th century.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F74MAL7QbCw/UXx6_pl7nqI/AAAAAAAABGU/TiqDTA09LEQ/s1600/P4231343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F74MAL7QbCw/UXx6_pl7nqI/AAAAAAAABGU/TiqDTA09LEQ/s1600/P4231343.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">My American friend who I nicknamed <em>Brioche Brianna </em>while she calls me <em>Désolée</em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">(Get it?) You can never get bored with her!</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lP1wIBxLrAI/UXx7FXOxb-I/AAAAAAAABGw/HahnfsF_ri4/s1600/P4231380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lP1wIBxLrAI/UXx7FXOxb-I/AAAAAAAABGw/HahnfsF_ri4/s1600/P4231380.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">In front of the second largest church in the world, the <em>Duomo</em>,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">with my friendly and warm-hearted from Canada.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iqNzHsUoVB4/UXx7GeNUP_I/AAAAAAAABG4/qtRdrlAYcTI/s1600/P4231438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iqNzHsUoVB4/UXx7GeNUP_I/AAAAAAAABG4/qtRdrlAYcTI/s1600/P4231438.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Friends and I under the spectacular glass-roofed, <em>Galleria Vittorio Emanuele</em>,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">one of the world's earliest shopping malls (plus a stranger whose existence wasn't realized until we saw this photo...)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0CM7cSXvNnU/UXx7BHOcqtI/AAAAAAAABGg/Jwf0YrXVJ9w/s1600/P4231374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0CM7cSXvNnU/UXx7BHOcqtI/AAAAAAAABGg/Jwf0YrXVJ9w/s1600/P4231374.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">In the northern apse, this mosaic of a bull brings good luck if</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">you spin on it's "delicate" part</span></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">DAY 10: CHAMONIX, FRANCE</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We left Italy by passing the underground tunnel of <em>Mt. Blanc </em>and drove past beautiful mountains which brought back memories of my home in the Canadian Rockies. At noon, we arrived at the small mountain village of 9 000 people; <i>Chamonix</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There, my Canadian friend and I decided to spend our free time taking a <em>télécabine </em>(gondola) to the <em>Plan des Aiguilles </em>which is a point located at 2317 m in altitude; twice the altitude of the village!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VdWH87GXFFU/UXyEa4PWfkI/AAAAAAAABHc/1otsmALVvBY/s1600/P4241474.JPG" height="300" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Downtown <em>Chamonix.</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xuBLviC1VEo/UXyEbFlbmtI/AAAAAAAABHg/A_hv_zf37RA/s1600/P4241487.JPG" height="300" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We went up to where it's written in red, <em>"Vous êtes ici"</em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">At the summit, there is a very touristic <em>Aiguille du Midi</em>, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">but it was priced 50 Euros (close enough to $50 dollars) for a round-trip!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0MkpnN9mJqY/UXyEdl6GqwI/AAAAAAAABHs/T8VzvKRi-Og/s1600/P4241500.JPG" height="300" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Canada, we miss you!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v-nlK60A-2A/UXyEZ12F77I/AAAAAAAABHU/u0a4grFdtOQ/s1600/P4241465.JPG" height="300" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">After our free time, everyone met up together and we all took a different cable car to the <em>Mer de Glace</em>: basically a glacier at 1913 m of altitude</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mNc_qGOYvp8/UXyEgrCFnBI/AAAAAAAABH0/YDd6Y09NhCU/s1600/P4241516.JPG" height="400" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">VOILA!! Now we had to take a lift down to a base and </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">walk further down to the glacier to walk INSIDE it!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-otaAW_ARnpA/UXyEheIbqMI/AAAAAAAABH4/deRcBMZvZdw/s1600/P4241543.JPG" height="300" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tunnel inside the <em>Mer de Glace.</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dd99CL-3qok/UXyEi50iXPI/AAAAAAAABIE/q6NdjR2qllw/s1600/P4241547.JPG" height="142" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">A fantastic view, but due to the rising global temperatures,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">the glacier is unfortunately melting several meters every decade.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tKWMn2_e5Pc/UX0ZBvKHJQI/AAAAAAAABIk/D-67bze3kHI/s1600/P4241565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tKWMn2_e5Pc/UX0ZBvKHJQI/AAAAAAAABIk/D-67bze3kHI/s1600/P4241565.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">After we left <em>Chamonix,</em> we were able to enjoy the night at a small amusement park!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Above are the super five girls racing each other on go-carts.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L1X_kMPVVAg/UXyEl41XLOI/AAAAAAAABIU/pMlH0NDx6b4/s1600/P4241579.JPG" height="400" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">This ride was one of my favorites!! It swung, turned and twisted non-stop...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">enough to make some of my friends feel like they were going to launch off into space.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i_u7_DHD0_Y/UX0ZDIhBOBI/AAAAAAAABIs/uDq7qHIjq5o/s1600/P4241586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i_u7_DHD0_Y/UX0ZDIhBOBI/AAAAAAAABIs/uDq7qHIjq5o/s1600/P4241586.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Us after the ride... laughing in merriment</span></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">DAY 11: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> & DIJON, FRANCE</span></strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EdVnSknESME/UX0ZJICS6wI/AAAAAAAABJE/vIT26Lstj3w/s1600/P4251650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EdVnSknESME/UX0ZJICS6wI/AAAAAAAABJE/vIT26Lstj3w/s1600/P4251650.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">During the morning, we had our last guided tour at the United Nations Headquarters in <em>Geneva</em>. In my opinion, it was the best tour we've had during these 12 days because it was truly inspirational. Inspirational enough that made Amanda (my American friend) and I get the idea that we might become colleagues one day here.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fBIJwuCGzTs/UX0gAp5KNBI/AAAAAAAABJs/gUeap1hN7ho/s1600/P4251632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fBIJwuCGzTs/UX0gAp5KNBI/AAAAAAAABJs/gUeap1hN7ho/s400/P4251632.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We went to see one of the conference rooms where there was a mic set for every couple of chairs, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">guessing that they're for representatives who would speak on behalf of their group/country.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y1ymZXDndnY/UX0ZEsDS-HI/AAAAAAAABI8/A3LjegelJyQ/s1600/P4251631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></a><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Through my years of high school surrounded by plenty of education and career opportunities, I was never deeply enthralled by certain studies or schools. I was lost. In the sea of determinate students already making after-grad plans, career goals or at least having a picture of their "ideal future" in their minds, I felt very far behind. I've had amazing work experiences and researched about some careers, but none of them really made my heart pound in excitement passion. Actually, it's part of the reason why I chose to do exchange thanks to my career counselor who thought exchange would let me realize what future I want.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I am <em>so </em>glad to have chosen to take his advice and participate in exchange, because in this year alone, I've learned so many things that cannot be taught solely in classrooms. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I think something different yet sensational started to spur inside of me that morning at the headquarters. I'm not completely sure yet, but I realized that I want to take part of something that involves with communication. Environment. Leadership. Science. Social issues. Research. Internationalism. But you see, I'm not even sure how to branch these together! My interests will certainly change again when I head back home in Canada, but I'm so grateful to find something to start holding onto finally.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xrsHDhVWjK0/UX0ZKrzOO0I/AAAAAAAABJM/UhX7-DmJYz0/s1600/P4251657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xrsHDhVWjK0/UX0ZKrzOO0I/AAAAAAAABJM/UhX7-DmJYz0/s1600/P4251657.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xrsHDhVWjK0/UX0ZKrzOO0I/AAAAAAAABJM/UhX7-DmJYz0/s1600/P4251657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></a><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After the tour, we had a some free time so my friends and I decided to save some money by eating at McDonalds (where exchange students go when they're broke) and walked along the pristine lake and the <em>Jet d'Eau </em>(water jet) that shoots 140 m high, enjoying the last full day of Eurotour.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MKQNQBNZNZQ/UX0ZLAtOK0I/AAAAAAAABJQ/vU-v07ANsA4/s1600/P4251703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MKQNQBNZNZQ/UX0ZLAtOK0I/AAAAAAAABJQ/vU-v07ANsA4/s1600/P4251703.JPG" height="243" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">DAY 12: LOUHANS, FRANCE</span></strong><br />
<span lang="FR"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span><br />
<span lang="FR"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Since my Brazilian friend (who I mentioned at
the beginning of this post) and I live in the southern area of Dijon, we left the group early
in the morning when they returned north to Paris to catch their trains that
afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was one of the saddest
good-byes I've ever went through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
even harder than leaving home from Canada, because I knew that I would never
meet everyone together like this again, while I would see my family and friends
back in Canada.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span lang="FR"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Before I left the bus, my friends all gave me huge hugs as we hoped this process wouldn’t be too emotional.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides, I didn’t expect anyone to cry for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the wide smile that I held throughout
the entire time, I felt my friends shake during our embrace and I saw reflections of
their tears falling down their cheeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>From the instant that I knew that those tears were for me, my eyes automatically bawled
rivers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I knew my friends' tears were not signs of sadness or farewell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Instead, they symbolized the lasting friendship and good memories that we shared on this trip. </span>No one ever said farewell, because we all knew very deep in our hearts that we’d meet each other
someday, somewhere. In return, my tears were filled with thank you.</span></span><br />
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<span lang="FR"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Thank you everyone for this wonderful,
unforgettable trip of a lifetime and I will never forget any of you and the
priceless moments that we all shared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks to
you, I now have numerous international connections and I am grateful to have
such fantastic and brilliant individuals like you to be more than just my friends,
but my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">family</i>. I wish you all a successful future, and I look forward to seeing you all again.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Merci beaucoup. Je vous aime trop ♥</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sari</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span>Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-12430409599944789312013-04-14T18:03:00.000+02:002013-04-14T23:57:43.027+02:00La vie est merveilleuse<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It has been almost a month without an update and you might have been worried cause it has never been this long before. But no worries! I'm doing GREAT!!! Like always, I'm busy living my wonderful last run of my exchange to the max and enjoying every moment. Actually right now, I'm just packing for the 12 day EUROTOUR which is a Rotary organized bus trip with around 45 youth exchange students! And yes, I'm leaving in less than two hours though I'm not even close to finish packing all my stuff... Yup, I guess procrastination is my best friend at times. But before I leave, I would like to quickly recap what I have done recently:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Third host family = merveilleuse!! (wonderful!!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This time I live on a farm with a host father, a host mother, an eighteen year old brother, a seventeen year old host sister and a twelve year old host sister. There's also a dog, two goats, two cows, a horse, a pony, over a dozen chickens and some stray cats! A much bigger family than before, and definitely, a big change from the last family in the <em>Gendarmerie</em>. (Basically a neighbourhood of policemen who are part of the army.) Not the last few months of exchange I (and probably you) expected!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We're not exactly living my host town of Louhans but in a smaller village a few kilometres away. I still go to the same <em>lycée </em>so life haven't changed drastically. They also have a large garden where they grow vegetables and some fruit trees. They eat almost everything bio, so it's a unique and interesting way of living. They are a kind family, and I'm happy to have the chance to live in this kind of setting!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Bah allo quoi... (next to one of their highland cows)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The family´s gardening project: <em>La ferme de Gaia</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">My host sister and her horse</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Other than that, I recently hung out with one of my French friends! We feasted together on a <em>macaron </em>pastry, and it was SOOOOOO delicious!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Also, I was lucky enough to receive a whole bunch of Japanese candy sent from my friend in Japan!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Just last Friday, my<em> lycée</em> held an event called <em>Carnabac </em>which is a word created using <em>Carnival </em>(a holiday) and <em>BAC </em>(the end of the year exams) so many students dressed up for the entire day!!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Us, the exchange students, decided to represent our country by dressing up as "Misses" </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Some of my friends and I all dressed up</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Everyone doing the Harlem Shake</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lastly, my friends and I went to a nearby city called <em>Macon </em>to see a French rap concert!! It was an incredible experience. The name of the rap group is <em>Sexion D´assault </em>(featuring <em>DRY, L'institut </em>and <em>DJ H cue</em>) and we all enjoyed the evening. (Though I must admit that at times they sung so quickly in French that I had no clue what they were saying!) </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Me beside <em>Docteur Bérize</em> of <em>l'Institut Officiel</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Overall, the past month has been fantastic and I couldn't have asked for anything else better. Now I have two months and a half left to enjoy!! I better get going because I will embark on the Eurotour. Expect an update soon!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sari </span></div>
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Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-63639844982111724282013-03-20T14:09:00.001+01:002013-03-20T15:26:25.593+01:00Little Over 100 Days Left<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Salut à tous! I have moved to my third and last host family last weekend! Oh gosh it's so sad how time is flying by quickly like wind. I just have just a little over a 100 days left. (And yes, I'm already counting down.) Before leaving my wonderful second host family, we spent two awesome weekends together: One in the department of <em>Nièvre</em> and <em>Yonne </em>of <em>Bourgogne </em>and the other on a mountain at the France-Swiss border.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The weekend in <em>Nièvre</em> and <em>Yonne </em>of <em>Bourgogne </em>was fantastic. Now, I have taken a look at the entire region and I feel so happy! We left on a Friday (it was still winter break) and visited the city of <em>Nevers </em>of<em> Nièvre </em>where we ate really delicious food at an Indian restaurant. (So French style, I know.) After, we passed by the ancient city center and the <em>Loire </em>river where we lost our sense of direction several times! Unlike the block-style roads in Canada, the roads in Europe are curvy and unpredictable so you can never guess correctly where you'd end up all the time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Nevers </em>was known to be the French capital of <em>faïencerie</em> (pottery) which had successful reputation especially during the seventeenth century. One of the well-known pottery manufactures called <em>"Faïencerie Georges" </em>was opened back in 1898, and it was where the symbol of the double knotted green bow was designed. Now, there are many boutiques that sell prestigious pottery like plates, teacups and more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Next, we drove to a small village of 5000 called <em>Chateauneuf </em>(still in<em> Nièvre</em>) where we stayed till Sunday at a friend's house. I really don't know why, but for some reason, this department is THE France that I imaged before my exchange began. The sunny weather with a bit of cloud, pebble stoned bridges, rolling hills, bits of forest here and there, sky-blue old fashioned bicycles with a straw basket in front... everything almost was there except for the umbrellas with frills and French moustached men wearing a Beret... PLUS a fresh baguette tucked under their arms. (Uh-huh, can't forget that.) By then I realized that these stereotypes of France barely exist! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Before heading home, we drove north into the department of <em>Yonne </em>to a gorgeous village called <em>Vézelay</em>. The entire settlement sits on a hill, having it's UNESCO recognized historical monument, the <em>Basilique Sainte-Marie-Madeleine</em>,<em> </em>placed at the highest point. I could say that it was like the world-wide known <em>Mont St. Michel</em> but without the sea. If you can't go the <em>St. Michel</em>, then <em>Vézelay </em>is one of the must-go places when you come to France because it's so spendid!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The weekend after, we passed the Jura mountains (in case you forgot, the mountains that are next to the Swiss Alps but miniature) and arrived at the base of a mountain named <em>La Dole</em>. There, we hiked up with snowshoes with an Australian Rotary Youth Exchange student and her sympathetic host family to enjoy a picnic lunch at the peak! In fact, I met the Australian student by chance at <em>Les Marais </em>when I went skiing with my host sister and our friends! (The end of: </span><a href="http://sarifranceexchange.blogspot.fr/2013/02/exam-prep-food-snow-and-thank-you.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://sarifranceexchange.blogspot.fr/2013/02/exam-prep-food-snow-and-thank-you.html</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">) Thanks to the internet and my Rotary business card, we were able to meet together again!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>La Dole </em>is <span class="nowrap">1 677.2 m high and sits right next to the French-Swiss border, on the Swiss side. So I was officially in Switzerland! Luckily the weather was nearly perfect! ("Nearly", because the peak was deadly windy and freezing cold!!) BRRRRRRR!!!!! (Where did my immunity to Canadian winter go?)</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Past this sign, it's Switzerland!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">So much snow!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hpie5TyN1dU/UUizYYX6VuI/AAAAAAAAA2c/KBXOUpRg12Y/s1600/P3160068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="156" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hpie5TyN1dU/UUizYYX6VuI/AAAAAAAAA2c/KBXOUpRg12Y/s1600/P3160068.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Incredible, breath-taking view of the Swiss Alps</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The city of <em>Geneva </em>is visible down on the right side </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">and <em>Mont Blanc </em>stands at 4 810.45m high just above the word "right".</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Host sister of Australian, the Austalian, me and my host sister</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Proud representatives!!</span></td></tr>
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A video of the four of us sliding down a steep hill</div>
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(Includes some screaming, so watch out for the volume!)</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This was one of my last weekends with my second host family and we've had such a memorable time together. They are warm-hearted people who make my exchange year incredible. Except, they're also more than "people" too because they consider me as part of their family. Being <em>part </em>of a family is completely different from being a <em>guest</em>. A guest relates to being an outsider, but welcomed to a certain extent. However, being part of a family makes you feel that you're a real family member. They're fully open to you and they express with honesty though it may not always agree with your opinions. But that's better than holding back the truth. Together, we discover about each other. Together, we self-reflect and make changes of ourselves. Together, we somehow become <strong>one</strong> despite our background differences. And that, my readers... is why I love them.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Merci, ma gentille soeur. Tu me manques.</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">C'était un aventure inoubliable avec toi.</span></em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">A bientôt,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Sari ♥</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">ps: I did a skype call to the 2013 March Orientation held in Calgary for the Rotary Youth Exchange students of 2013/2014! (Here's last year's: </span><a href="http://www.sarifranceexchange.blogspot.fr/2012/03/orientation-2.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://www.sarifranceexchange.blogspot.fr/2012/03/orientation-2.html</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">) It was so cool to be on the big screen because I imagined myself to be there last year when I was just an outbound student. (In Rotary language, a pre-exchange student.) <em>Bonne Chance </em>to all those exchangers! Exchange is EXTRAORDINARY!!!</span>Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-92111420122818601822013-03-10T15:29:00.000+01:002013-07-11T04:22:10.468+02:00LONDON ♥ !!<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Who would've expected that during my year abroad in France, I would go to LONDON?!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I spent 4 days at one of the highest reputated world capitals known for its commerce, arts, professional services, education, fashion, entertainment and So. Much. More. And what's the best? I was able to finally speak in English (although the accent was really difficult to imitate)!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">On Monday evening, I left for London with some classmates and teachers of my lycée on a bus. We took the underground train tunnel across the English Channel (which I never knew it existed) and arrived in London the next morning around 7 am. I only slept in the bus for 4 hours but the fatigue didn't stop me because I was so fascinated of our arrival.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">DAY 1:</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Right off the bat, we got off the bus in Westminster, an area in central London. We walked by the London Eye (Ferris Wheel), the Elizabeth Tower (known as the "Big Ben" for it's great bell) and the Westminister Abbey.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After, we headed to Trafalgar Square where my jaws dropped because I saw so many Canadian flags on a certain building! It was the Canadian Embassy. The Canadian flag I brought became handy right away! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Proud to be Canadian!!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We also passed by one of the famous addresses in the world: 10 Downing Street. What is it? Well it's the Prime Minister's office which also represents the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the office and residence of the First Lord of the Treasury. It's where national leaders and other foreign authorities meet for discussions and entertainment! I wasn't sure if there was anyone in the building when we were there. It was especially difficult to see the building itself because the entire street was and continues to be heavily secured and unaccessible to the public since a terrorist bombing back in 1991. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">This is what the front entrance would have looked like:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We had some free time so look what I found:</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The smallest police station in London!! (Though it's no longer in use for that.)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After, we headed to the Piccadilly Circus which was a large open space for pedestrians, located at a road junction. It wasn't the "circus" as you would imagine with clowns and elephants because in latin, <em>circus</em> means circle which ressembled to the shape of the junction. It was super lovely! Furthermore, we walked past some of the world's <em>haute-couture</em> designer stores and my wallet was crying <em>"too expensive" </em>or <em>"that's basically equal your whole exchange year!" </em>So nope, no shopping done here!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Later, we looked at a sample of the world's famous paintings inside the National Gallery back at the Trafalgar's Square. It was an incredibly large <em>beaux arts </em>museum that showcased works by <em>Léonard de Vinci, William Turner, Van Gogh, Raphael, Rembrandt</em> and so many others. I would have shown you what it was like inside, but photo-taking was forbidden even in the boutique.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Front of the National Gallery</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">There was a bollywood film-take, so the entire area was covered by people!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Everything was <em>magnifique</em> but at the end of the day, we were SO exhausted! We all hopped onto the bus and separated in groups of 2 or 3 to our assigned English host families. Thanks to my English, my two French friends and I got easily along with our kind host family. There, we ate dinner, slept and ate breakfast. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">DAY 2:</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We went to the London Tower which is an UNESCO Heritage Site: a castle that existed back from 1066, home to many Royal family members ever since except now. Instead of going inside, we took loads of pictures of the London Bridge that was visible from where we were. (I will show you a photo of the bridge later down.)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"E II R" symbolizes <em>Elizabeth Regina II </em>or <em>Queen Elizabeth II</em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">and it sits here because she is currently on the throne.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Next, we walked past super tall buildings like the the Lloyd's Building, 30 St Mary Axe (also known as the Gherkin), and the recently completed Shard which is now the tallest building in the European Union (309m). The architecture of the buildings here are so diverse and creative!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Lloyd's Building (and someone's head...)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The Shard (far in the background)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After, we headed to Tate Modern, a museum of modern arts. It exhibites over hundreds of contemporary objects like illustrations, sculptures and videos.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">I think I've never really "understood" art until I came here to </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">London to see such stunning masterpieces.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gG2nNz_hrGA/UT40E2ZDyYI/AAAAAAAAAy0/J2bGyZnNRdQ/s1600/P3060295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gG2nNz_hrGA/UT40E2ZDyYI/AAAAAAAAAy0/J2bGyZnNRdQ/s1600/P3060295.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Students of my lycée looking at the collage, <em>The Snail</em>,<em> </em>by Henri Matisse </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Life is an adventure. What more could I say?</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Before returning to our host families, we walked in the Docklands (beside the River Thames) and took many pictures!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">There is London's City Hall on the right.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Admit that it is one of the funkiest buildings you've ever seen!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dK6naNOJ1YU/UT42JkhhUqI/AAAAAAAAAzM/OgRmvBAZjQc/s1600/P3060318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dK6naNOJ1YU/UT42JkhhUqI/AAAAAAAAAzM/OgRmvBAZjQc/s1600/P3060318.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">One of my bestest French friends and I by the River Thames ♥</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Behind us is the nine decker warship, HMS Belfast, one of the Imperial War Museums of the UK.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">My Mexican exchange friend and I in front of the London Bridge ♪</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">What's holding me up strongly like a bridge are the friendships </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">that I can never imagine letting go of.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Dear readers... that was <em>just</em> Day 2. We're almost there I swear, so hold on tight!</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">DAY 3:</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Today, we toured on the double decker red bus and OF COURSE it was raining!! Who would enjoy spending a Thursday morning on an open roof bus with a cheap umbrella that blows inside out and combatting gusty wind and showering rain?!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">ME!! <span style="font-size: large;">☺</span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Phew</em>, we all survived!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We passed by various popular spots in Central London which included Buckingham Palace, Madame Tussaud's Museum (where there are human statues that are incredibly identical to celebrities), Baker Street with its famous history of Jack the Ripper and the shopaholic paradise of Oxford Street. I admit that this attraction was one of my highlights of the whole trip!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">To finish off our day, we had free time for shopping in Camden Market which originally consisted of stalls that sold vegetables, fruits, crafts and more centuries ago. Now however, the market sells varieties of products ranging from clothing to fast food, yet it still has it's original, market-style feeling. It was very lively and a lot of fun!</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">DAY 4:</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We had to say goodbye to our host family in the morning as we were leaving London that night. I never thought that I'd learn some things about school life in Britain after our conversations with our 4 day British host sister. Apparently everyone wears uniforms to school and kids start school a year a little earlier than in Canada though it really depends. I also discovered that in Britain, students are obliged to take certain core subjects like Math and Science till their year 11 (equivalent to gr.10 in Canada) at the age of 16. After, they have the choice to finish school or do two more years of "A Levels" which is needed for university courses later on. Also when they do their "A Levels", they must generally choose 4 subjects so it narrows down on what they study. I never knew these differences existed, and once I founded them, it seemed like my view of our world has stretched a little wider.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Three host family members to the right (missing the mom)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">and my French friends and I on the left</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The bus drove us to central London again and we took the metro to the British Museum to spend the morning there. Again, it's such a ginormous place! It showcased numerous artifacts from Africa, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece and Rome, Medival Europe, Asia, Americas and the Middle East. Reaching almost 100 rooms plus the cafés and large shop, it was impossible to enjoy it all in one morning!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XGu-oY7vgYA/UT5EG69RzYI/AAAAAAAAA0E/8JYfLlgZSBk/s1600/P3080411.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XGu-oY7vgYA/UT5EG69RzYI/AAAAAAAAA0E/8JYfLlgZSBk/s1600/P3080411.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Roof of the Great Court seen from the interior</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DTC2qSvOET8/UT5Fe9TOnTI/AAAAAAAAA00/ZGxJm98M4qA/s1600/P3080429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DTC2qSvOET8/UT5Fe9TOnTI/AAAAAAAAA00/ZGxJm98M4qA/s1600/P3080429.JPG" height="257" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Infinite quantity and descriptions of artifacts</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LYD_YbUFt3U/UT5EKyJF3pI/AAAAAAAAA0M/eK8EdmjPALE/s1600/P3080434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LYD_YbUFt3U/UT5EKyJF3pI/AAAAAAAAA0M/eK8EdmjPALE/s1600/P3080434.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Replica of the Rosetta Stone</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WFx6wMBLr9M/UT5EaSekXJI/AAAAAAAAA0U/CfBbAfNrLRI/s1600/P3080440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WFx6wMBLr9M/UT5EaSekXJI/AAAAAAAAA0U/CfBbAfNrLRI/s1600/P3080440.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The real Rosetta Stone inside a glass box</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BeJAnsIt0r4/UT5FAaem-XI/AAAAAAAAA0s/uQ7CMMXzTd0/s1600/P3080486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BeJAnsIt0r4/UT5FAaem-XI/AAAAAAAAA0s/uQ7CMMXzTd0/s1600/P3080486.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">My favorite room was Room 38 and 39: Clocks and Watches</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IA9VN9zJSsw/UT5ElneKp0I/AAAAAAAAA0c/LeXT5Xg9C7c/s1600/P3080446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IA9VN9zJSsw/UT5ElneKp0I/AAAAAAAAA0c/LeXT5Xg9C7c/s1600/P3080446.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Statue of Ramesses II, the third Egyptian pharaoh of the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Nineteenth dynasty who ruled between 1279 BC – 1213 BC</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There was a poem I really liked next to this statue by Percy Bysshe Shelley who I believe is a Romantic English poet. He was acknowledged in the world of English literature for his poems like this one:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I met a traveller from an antique land</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand,</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Half sunk, a shatter'd visage lies, whose frown</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Tell that its sculptor well those passions read</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Which yet survive, stamp'd on these lifeless things,</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The hand that mock'd them and the heart that fed.</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And on the pedestal these words appear:</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Nothing beside remains: round the decay</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The lone and level sands stretch far away.</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The last destination was the Museum of Natural History which in my opinion, was by far the most impressive building out of all... because the main hall almost looked like Hogwarts!!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1kmiIoC57Is/UT5XIVJi2sI/AAAAAAAAA1E/Knr_rx5HtBE/s1600/P3080555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1kmiIoC57Is/UT5XIVJi2sI/AAAAAAAAA1E/Knr_rx5HtBE/s1600/P3080555.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Only if the staircases moved and there were floating candles, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">it would've been perfect!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dPlW-4yxhIE/UT5XLA169sI/AAAAAAAAA1M/M8opD4egazU/s1600/P3080553.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dPlW-4yxhIE/UT5XLA169sI/AAAAAAAAA1M/M8opD4egazU/s1600/P3080553.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The white statue on the staircase is Charles Darwin.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bxqFjPtN87s/UT5XdsrEz1I/AAAAAAAAA1U/SyCBw2CZ1B0/s1600/P3080528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bxqFjPtN87s/UT5XdsrEz1I/AAAAAAAAA1U/SyCBw2CZ1B0/s1600/P3080528.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">From mammals to marine invertebrates to earth science,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;"> there were so many things to see!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qsgT_hH-wOc/UT5XhKXi5HI/AAAAAAAAA1c/zKoXZzqn-2Y/s1600/P3080524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qsgT_hH-wOc/UT5XhKXi5HI/AAAAAAAAA1c/zKoXZzqn-2Y/s1600/P3080524.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">RAWR.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dcfa5ccdJp8/UT5XrZi5yVI/AAAAAAAAA1k/0fFDYHYBLXY/s1600/P3080542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dcfa5ccdJp8/UT5XrZi5yVI/AAAAAAAAA1k/0fFDYHYBLXY/s1600/P3080542.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Kinda disgusting but very neat looking creatures...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K55oK1SJkGE/UT84tn0ddiI/AAAAAAAAA10/O6s0AM5l3eo/s1600/P3080579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K55oK1SJkGE/UT84tn0ddiI/AAAAAAAAA10/O6s0AM5l3eo/s400/P3080579.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Goodbye London!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sadly, that was the end of our time in London, so we took the metro to our bus and drove the same way home. It was such a breathtaking experience to be in a foreign country where they spoke one of my languages (other than Japanese) and spend time with my lycée friends without the school stress. To be honest, it was easier to speak in French than in English during the entire time! I was actually speaking <em>Franglais </em>without meaning to! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It was so funny because one night when I was talking to our non-French speaking host family, my two French friends asked me, <em>"Sari, pourquoi tu parle en Français?" </em>(<em>"Sari, why are you speaking in French?"</em>)</span><br />
<em></em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I paused. <em>What a weird question. </em>Gave a little bit of time to think about it with confusion muddling my mind.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>"Non, je parle en Anglais!" </em>I replied, assuring myself. (<em>"No, I'm speaking in English!"</em>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Immediately my friends countered, <em>"Mais non, tu parles en Français!!" </em>(<em>"But no, you're speaking in French!"</em>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>"QUOI?!!! Pas question!!!" </em>as I exclaimed with my eyes almost popping out. (<em>"What?! No way!!!) Oh goodness gracious! I wasn't speaking in French to the family, was I?!</em></span><br />
<em></em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>"Si! Si! Si!" </em>my friends laughed and chanted. (<em>"Yes! Yes! Yes!"</em>) <em>Oh how lovely.</em></span><br />
<em></em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>"Non! Non! Non!" </em>I chanted back!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And this repeated back and forth for a good long time until I admitted that I really did speak in French.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It was unbelievable. I was thinking that I was speaking in English, but at times I was using French words. Is this POSSIBLE?!! My friends told me that I even did the same thing in the museums and stores we went to!! Maybe... just <em>maybe</em>... this is a sign of language fluency. Or perhaps this is just one of my moments of stupidity. Who knows?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I guess the adventure never stops, does it?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sari</span><br />
<br />Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-56568870328593606262013-02-24T20:14:00.000+01:002013-02-24T20:14:03.532+01:00Le Nord... AGAIN!<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Who knew I was going to spend another awesome time in northern France again?! Similar to last time, my host family and I travelled back up to<em> Nord-Pas-de-Calais </em>(most northern region in France) to see their family and visit unique areas!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We first visited the <em>Souterrain de Cambrai </em>which is an underground tunnel integrated in the fortifications that enclosed the city of <em>Cambrai</em> back in 1543. It was built under the control of <em>Charles V</em>, the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. <em>Cambrai </em>was a very strong citadel until the Sun King (<em>Louis XIV</em>) conducted the annexation of the city later in 1677, destroying the walls.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The entrance of the <em>souterrain</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BwUuOyHgEpc/USo2zQgKMLI/AAAAAAAAAqI/vA8UozNp3Ew/s1600/P2160065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BwUuOyHgEpc/USo2zQgKMLI/AAAAAAAAAqI/vA8UozNp3Ew/s1600/P2160065.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Soldiers who protected the city used these underground tunnels,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">and they shot their guns through these small holes that pointed to the outside fortification.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After, I was super, super, SUPER fortunate to spend one of the best days here in France at <em>Vimy Ridge</em>: the famous Canadian legacy of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Heard about it before, but don't know why it's so well known in Canada? Well it's because during WWI, it was captured by Germany and it was a very strong defensive position along the Western Front (a trench-fighting stalemate that stretched almost 1000km from the Belgium coast to Swiss borders). However on April 9th, 1917, Canadian soldiers numbering up to 20, 000 went to battle against the Germans and successfully gained position of the area on April 12th. Thanks to these Canadian soldiers in this battle and several others, these achievements helped Canada to gain international recognition and a separate signature on the <em>Treaty of Versailles </em>that ended the war officially. YEAH CANADA!!! </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ASJp6IEQmfI/USo9Fy86uSI/AAAAAAAAAq0/Ir5p3iGfzxk/s1600/P2180101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ASJp6IEQmfI/USo9Fy86uSI/AAAAAAAAAq0/Ir5p3iGfzxk/s1600/P2180101.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The battle was at a high cost: 11, 000 casualties plus nearly 3, 600 were killed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The others out of the 20, 000 are buried and honoured here.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Appalingly, the 1914-1918 "war to end all wars" was followed by another terrifying war,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">yet more severe and widespread.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Trench of the Western Front</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">"No Man's Land" between the oppositions:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">dead and injured soldiers who fell in it were often unable to be recovered</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Imagine.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Merci Canada </em>for fighting with France.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Merci France </em>for giving the land to Canada to commemorate for those who fought bravely.</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">I'm in France AND Canada!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">(Since the land was given to Canada by France, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">I can say that I spent my break in Canada... can't I?)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The Vimy Ridge monument with my host family</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">11, 285 names of the Canadian soldiers who were listed as missing or dead are inscribed on this monument.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The day at <em>Vimy</em> was absoluetely incredible especially with the perfect weather and I can't thank enough to my host parents for taking me there. The tour was unique because the guides were Canadian university students who spoke English and French, working there for 4 months. Thus, thank you to France and Canada for commemorating those who battled in war by creating and preserving a magnific monument and site.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">That same day, we also stopped by <em>Arras</em>, a lovely city near <em>Vimy</em>. It was so gorgeous that I was twirling and dancing in the streets with so much happiness! Yup, my host family was quite surprised, but they were probably happy to see that I enjoyed these visits so much.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Cute <em>boutiques </em>everywhere ♥ ♥ ♥</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The <em>Beffroi </em>of <em>Arras </em>is a "flamboyant" gothic belfry that was constructed in the 15th and 16th century. Why "flamboyant"? Well from just looking at it, there are so many intricate details that makes your eyes glue on the building for more than just a good minute. For example at the very top of the belfry, there is a <em>lion d'or </em>(golden lion) because the lion is the symbolic animal of the city including the rat. Yeah, you can say that there are many lovely belfrys in France, but I tell you this one is <em>especially </em>beautiful. And of course it is recognized in the list of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Entrance of the <em>Beffroi</em>, facing outside</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">We climbed up to the top of the <em>Beffroi </em>and the view was fabulous!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The highest point for visitors is just where the clock is placed.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Undoubtly, that day was one of the most memorable days of my exchange. I wish you were there too!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If you ever stop by in France, you MUST try the famous <em>frites </em>of the north! (Aka: French fries) <em>No</em>, they are not healthy at all and <em>no</em>, "French" fries apparently do not originate from France... weird to say. There's still no clear evidence, but historians believe it comes from Belgium in fact. (Hint, hint... the region is just below the country.) The term "French" was probably established when the American soldiers (who came to Belgium to fight in WWI) tasted these fries because the official language of the Belgian Army was French. Therefore, fries are actually Belgian.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MQEwJvXKbC0/USotf5iN1BI/AAAAAAAAApc/QoxK0chaOlI/s1600/P2210049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MQEwJvXKbC0/USotf5iN1BI/AAAAAAAAApc/QoxK0chaOlI/s1600/P2210049.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Le Mitraillette </em>(in Belgium) or an <em>Américan </em>(in France) that I ate.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Le Mitraillette</em> also means machine gun in French... like many people, I have no clue why. It's Belgian cuisine that's made of fries, baguette, sauce (mayo in the photo), seasoning (optional) and meat, but specially in this photo (and horrifyingly for the health), it was a sausage known as <em>frikandel</em> which is hidden under the fries. It was yummy anyways!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And of course you could have guessed... I visited Belgium too!! What more? I was also able to meet my fellow exchange friend from my own district in Canada (5360)! His host country is Belgium and luckily my host family and I went to see him in the city of <em>Mons</em>, just 30 min drive away from the French-Belgian border.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f_d2E7deHuk/USpZ7suk1MI/AAAAAAAAAuU/Nz28J_LYNww/s1600/P2210080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f_d2E7deHuk/USpZ7suk1MI/AAAAAAAAAuU/Nz28J_LYNww/s1600/P2210080.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">My host sister, her cousin, my Canadian exchange friend and I beside the monkey.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">(See it?)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aKThk1Yt_wQ/USpbuY8otWI/AAAAAAAAAu0/t2_GkLUX3mo/s1600/P2210023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aKThk1Yt_wQ/USpbuY8otWI/AAAAAAAAAu0/t2_GkLUX3mo/s1600/P2210023.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">It gives you good luck when you rub its head with your left hand!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ae4hFltt5qo/USpaTt846sI/AAAAAAAAAuk/ycIga_rGhX4/s1600/P2210084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ae4hFltt5qo/USpaTt846sI/AAAAAAAAAuk/ycIga_rGhX4/s1600/P2210084.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">A MUST try... Belgian waffles ♥ ♥ (Mine was raspberry flavour!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Yeah, you might think that exchange is a lot about eating eh?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Well that is very true indeed.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I can't believe it's already the end of February! So many things come and go, and I wish I can tightly grasp on these marvellous moments forever. However, time can't stop and I've got to keep on going. Come on March! Here I go for more adventure!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sari</span>
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MQEwJvXKbC0/USotf5iN1BI/AAAAAAAAApc/QoxK0chaOlI/s1600/P2210049.JPG" with "https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MQEwJvXKbC0/USotf5iN1BI/AAAAAAAAApc/QoxK0chaOlI/s1600/P2210049.JPG" --><!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-MQEwJvXKbC0%2FUSotf5iN1BI%2FAAAAAAAAApc%2FQoxK0chaOlI%2Fs1600%2FP2210049.JPG&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MQEwJvXKbC0/USotf5iN1BI/AAAAAAAAApc/QoxK0chaOlI/s1600/P2210049.JPG" -->Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-17658088427293421002013-02-11T21:56:00.001+01:002013-02-11T22:09:40.195+01:00Inbound Meeting #2<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Once again, the inbounds of District 1750 got together for another fun weekend! This time, it took place in <em>Sainte-Marie-la-Blanche</em>: a very small village next to <em>Beaune</em>, the famous wine village of Burgundy that I visited back in November. We stayed in a really cozy cabin-style yet modern <em>gite</em>(cottage) the generous Rotary district rented for the weekend... it was a huge difference from our last stay in <em>Londrevilles </em>with the nasty spiderwebs hanging across ceilings, poor heating and outdoor toilets.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And WOW. Everyone's French has improved a lot compared to the last time we met! It has been about four months ago, and it's evident that now everyone can speak French decently but still with a bit of a touristy accent. Despite that we have only three meetings during our year, I love how we can get to see each other's growth a lot more dramatically (in a good way of course)! The moment we saw each other till we gave huge goodbye hugs and kisses the next day, we were exploding into sharing stories about our exchange lives so far... the ups and downs, the most daring things we ever did, life with new friends and families, funny anecdotes, our future plans... you get it. We all spoke more French than a confusing mix of our natal languages, yet we learned how to say some simple phrases in other languages, and tried (... not necessarily succeeded) to sing in other languages. We all screamed and shouted, took lots of pictures, played games, and had a blast overall.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Although we didn't go touring outside of the village we stayed at, we were always keeping each other's company at the <em>gite </em>and never got bored despite that there weren't many special events other than meeting the district governor Mme. Chantal Lutz and eating. For me and including everyone else, being together as exchange students was just enough. Enough to make us not want to end the weekend. This extraordinary weekend went by too quickly and I wish I could experience it again. But the fact that it happened makes me feel so warm inside... it's hard to explain, but it's that special awareness that makes us remember we're never alone no matter how far separated we are. We all face difficult situations yet we find our ways to overcome it. We understand each other unlike the others. We are family.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Anyways, here are some photos taken at the meeting! I hope you enjoy them!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">We played an intense outdoor game: Capture the flag (we used our real flags!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">(And there's me far in the back with my hands up for surrender...)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">EH CANADA, I'M SURVIVIN FRANCE ♪</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jxqh6JWoiio/URldcT9ALJI/AAAAAAAAAo4/Nbaokgfe7ew/s1600/222710_545487562136298_359516345_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jxqh6JWoiio/URldcT9ALJI/AAAAAAAAAo4/Nbaokgfe7ew/s1600/222710_545487562136298_359516345_n.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Helping the Japanese exchange student to do her math homework written in English,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">but explained in Japanese. So weird to speak the two languages now!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Mmm... ♥ ♥ ♥ <em>Apéritifs Français</em>!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ccFCDAZcBNw/URlWPn9opnI/AAAAAAAAAoM/wteOiMTD_co/s1600/P2100103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ccFCDAZcBNw/URlWPn9opnI/AAAAAAAAAoM/wteOiMTD_co/s1600/P2100103.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Playing games past midnight</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qP9d1W49P-c/URlViWpt5JI/AAAAAAAAAoE/twhZ065mnFI/s1600/P1000293+a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qP9d1W49P-c/URlViWpt5JI/AAAAAAAAAoE/twhZ065mnFI/s1600/P1000293+a.jpg" height="508" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Exchange students of D1750 (missing 2 American girls) plus our district exchange officer (very left)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">and Mme. Chantal Lutz, the district governor (fourth right in back)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Merci beaucoup pour le week-end incroyable, et a bientôt à tout le monde en mai!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Thank you very much for the incredible weekend, and see you soon everyone in May!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sari</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-4265926920604521952013-02-05T22:35:00.001+01:002013-02-06T18:53:16.489+01:00Exam Prep, Food, Snow and Thank you<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Salut tout le monde (Hey everyone),</span><br />
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The month of January has been hectic at my lycée especially that I'm studying for the national <em>Baccalauréat de Français</em> exam (known as the "Bac") in June with the regular French students and also the DELF (<em style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Diplôme d'études en langue française</em>) exam in May with the other exchange students.</span><br />
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The national <em>Bac de Français</em> is designed by the French government and it consists of writing and speaking about French literature. On the other hand, the DELF exam is an internationally recognized exam of French grammar like TOEFL (<em style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Test of English as a Foreign Language</em>) which is evaluated through oral comprehension, reading comprehension, written and speaking production. It's a unique opportunity for me since the results can be acknowledged in many countries unlike the Bac. </span><br />
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Although these exams are near the end of the academic year, we, the exchange students of my lycée, are already doing hoards of work because unlike the French students, we still need to improve our French grammar, learn how to write essays <em>their way</em>, PLUS, understand the same level of French literature they're studying... all at once basically! You might ask, <em>why are you doing that if it's going to stress you out? </em>Very good question.</span><br />
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Well</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> to simply put in words, it's for the experience. I've went through days thinking <em>no, I ought to sit back and enjoy a fun, relaxing and stress-free exchange</em> ... but I realized something. I realized that I could still achieve a wonderful exchange because my work would contribute to my fluency of the language, I would understand in much more depth about French student life, and I would be proud of myself in the end for trying my best even if I fail. Perhaps it won't be relaxing or stress-free all the time, but it's just that exchange can't be <em>that.</em> Exchange is a challenge, but a very rewarding one.</span><br />
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At the same time, I was also able to enjoy the month of January by doing several activities! (To your relief, I wasn't just a bookworm during the entire month.) I've got many things to share:</span><br />
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My grandparents who live in Japan sent me a box of ingredients for a special Japanese dish called <i>okonomiyaki</i>! Remember that I made a Japanese omlette for my first host family back in October? It was easy to do back then because its ingredients were easily accessible in French supermarkets. However this time, making <em>okonomiyaki</em> was more than just a grocery shopping challenge until I received the box in surprise!</span><br />
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<em>Okonomiyaki </em>is a pancake made from a batter of flour, finely chopped cabbage, eggs, baking powder and others like cheese, vegetables, meat (ex: thin pork belly, squid, octopus), <em>mochi</em> (rice cake) or <em>kimchi</em> (Korean dish of fermented vegetables). The topping varies, but it is mainly with <em>okonomiyaki sauce </em>(sweet and savory brown sauce), Japanese mayonaise, <em>katsuobushi </em>(super thin and dehydrated fish skin) and dried algae sprinkles. It's usually eaten for lunch or dinner. It originates from the Japanese prefecture of <em style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Osaka</em>, but now <em>okonomiyaki </em>can be found and is served everywhere in Japan because it's so yummy!! (My Canadian friend Amelia in Japan with Rotary also ate it recently too! <a href="http://ameliasadventuresinjapan.blogspot.fr/2013/01/update.html">http://ameliasadventuresinjapan.blogspot.fr/2013/01/update.html</a>)</span><br />
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My current host family has never eaten a Japanese dish, so as a beginner, I cooked for the first time the basic recipe plus ham. They LOVED it!!!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AOaevBwAt9w/URAAqeKNfLI/AAAAAAAAAjw/dZvY-U-IBA0/s1600/P1060004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AOaevBwAt9w/URAAqeKNfLI/AAAAAAAAAjw/dZvY-U-IBA0/s1600/P1060004.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Due the steam, the <em>katsuobushi </em>were swaying back and forth,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">making my host family think that they were still alive...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">... but they appreciated it anyways!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="hps" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">いただきます!Bon appétit!</span><br />
<span class="hps" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;"><em></em></span><br />
<span class="hps" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">おじいちゃん、おばあちゃん、ありがとう!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">(Grandpa, Grandma, thank you!)</span></td></tr>
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On January 6th, my friends and I ate a traditional French cake called the <i>galette de roi</i>, which is a puff pastry cake filled with a cream composed of sweet almonds, butter, egg and sugar, known as <i>frangipane</i>. This cake is specially eaten on this day because it celebrates the Christian festival of Epiphany; the day when Jesus is presented to the three wise men coming from the three continents of Asia, Africa and Europe. What makes this cake unique is that there is a small charm hidden in the cake known as the <i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">fève</i>. The tradition (that has been continued since the 18th century) is that whoever has the <i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">fève </i>in their piece of cake becomes the king or queen for the day. </span><br />
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Nowadays in France, many people (including those who are not Christian) celebrate this tradition, and the <i>galette de roi </i>can also have apple, chocolate or sweetened fruit filling instead. The <i>fève </i>is usually a porcelain figurine of Jesus, but now there are many different varieties of it and there are also <em>fève </em>collectors.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0EBhfe2hEQE/URACdj_VxZI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/JWdtJBtskaA/s1600/P1060011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0EBhfe2hEQE/URACdj_VxZI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/JWdtJBtskaA/s1600/P1060011.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Another note of tradition: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The youngest goes under the table to determine who gets which piece of cake!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">(That's my friend under the table)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T11MarwZo3A/URACMjEl_NI/AAAAAAAAAkI/PsADC432sck/s1600/Galettederoi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T11MarwZo3A/URACMjEl_NI/AAAAAAAAAkI/PsADC432sck/s1600/Galettederoi.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Les gagnantes de la galette des rois! (We both won. Don't ask how.)</span></td></tr>
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I guess one can say that French people eat <strike>almost</strike> everything that is alive and moves.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">(No, I'm kidding. Not everyone in France eat all types of French food.)</span><br />
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So you know that they eat <em>les escargots </em>(snails), <em>les cuisses de grenouilles </em>(frog legs) and<span class="hps"><em> les huîtres crues </em>(raw oysters) as I have tried them already. But guess what?! I have also tried...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="hps"><em>La langue de boeuf </em>and<em> le </em></span><span class="hps"><em>coeur de porc</em></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">...which I happily translate as cow tongue and pig heart.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Yup.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oHCrm0hS3BE/URATARuLTZI/AAAAAAAAAk0/531iEMtFpLk/s1600/P1260019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oHCrm0hS3BE/URATARuLTZI/AAAAAAAAAk0/531iEMtFpLk/s1600/P1260019.JPG" width="400" /></span></em></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">La langue de boeuf avec des légumes</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">It tasted alright, but the soft, gelatinous texture was rather strange...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g8UUR_noZWQ/URAUn8VOzRI/AAAAAAAAAlE/-sDQWJPJl4I/s1600/P2040116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g8UUR_noZWQ/URAUn8VOzRI/AAAAAAAAAlE/-sDQWJPJl4I/s1600/P2040116.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Le coeur de porc avec de l'ail et du beurre</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Now, now... it's NOT that bad as you may imagine it to be! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">It tasted surprisingly good after it was well cooked!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>...</em> I just realized that I have just talked only about food. Moving on!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Here in France, snow = panic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I find the weather channel of France amusing to watch because when most of the country was covered by only 3cm of snow, the level of danger with rankings of white, yellow, orange and red (white as safe and red as maximum danger), it was red. People were walking in the streets saying in French, "<em>darn, because of the snow, I can't drive to work today" or "</em><em>there's no school today!" </em>The whole country went completely nuts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I think I've experienced the shortest winter of my life so far... Now in Louhans, it's not snowing but it's <em>raining</em>. Back home in the Rocky Mountains of Canada, the snow doesn't all melt until April or May for sure! At least my host sister and I got to enjoy the last bit of snow a few weeks ago as we made a snowman in our backyard!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I was lucky enough to experience more snow last weekend because I went to <em>le Jura</em>, a sub-alpine mountain range in France located on the west side of the Swiss Alps. My generous host parents took me there last Saturday with my host sister and friends for downhill skiing and snowshoeing. Even the day after, I went to the same place again for cross-country skiing with my Mexican exchange friend and her host parents! It was an absolutely fantastic weekend in the mountains!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The month of January was incredibly amazing. Despite the amount of pressure at my lycée, I am also balancing my time here equally with many memorable activities (which definitely includes eating). Furthermore, I finally showed my PowerPoint presentation of my Canadian life that I created before my exchange to my host Rotary club, and they told me that they really enjoyed watching it. It felt extraordinary to be standing in front of non-English people and how I managed to talk in French all the way through. I didn't have to write a script or rehearse it; the right words came out naturally, and they were impressed of how much my French has grown. It is still far away from perfect, but looking from where I started, I think I've accomplished a lot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">At the end of my presentation, I thanked my Rotary club for hosting a student and deciding to take huge responsibilities for me especially that they are a small club and the exchange program is new to them. I clearly don't know why and I didn't have the intention to, but my eyes started to pour with huge tears when I said the simple words, <em>merci beaucoup</em>. They meant so much, and I think my club understood that. It was so embarrassing because I was practically croaking like an old grandma! But wow, what a stunning night. I was overwhelmed by grateful feelings that I think those tears were tears of happiness. Not sadness, not fear nor regret. Pure happiness. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Thanks to numbers of people, my exchange has been phenomenal and I can't believe that it's just past the half-way point. There's more to come! What am I going to do in July when I have to leave France?!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Still on adventure and learning,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sari</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">ps: When I was downhill skiing, I coincidentally met a newbie! (In Rotary Youth Exchange definition, a student who recently started his or her Rotary exchange.) At this time of the year, the newbies are students who come from southern hemisphere countries because most of their exchange go from January till December. Therefore, I met an Australian girl from another Rotary district and her host parents by chance at the ski hill! Although we didn't have much time together, it was so awesome to talk to them! Also, the host parents have a daughter who is currently spending her exchange in Australia, so I was also able to make a new connection with her too through email. It's so cool how us exchange students get along so easily just because we share at least a thing in common: exchange.</span>Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-2459066675755452272013-01-05T16:12:00.001+01:002013-02-01T16:56:26.875+01:00Nouvelle Année dans le NOORRRD!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Bonne année et bonne santé à tous!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">(Happy New Years and good health to all!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Just returned from one of the most unique trips out of my entire exchange: the north of France. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">You might expect that the weather is much colder and perhaps it would be snowing, but during my stay there, it didn't snow at all (which is unusual according to the locals there) so the weather was quite nice. It was much warmer than Canmore, let's say.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">In a small car, my host family and I (plus my host sister's pet rabbit <i>Simba</i>) travelled 5 hours all the way to the city of <i>Cambrai.</i> For the most part of the car ride, it was along France's toll roads known as <i>autoroutes </i>which vehicles are permitted to speed up to 130km/h. Not exactly the same system compared to the highways in Banff National Park! There are some wildlife here in France like deer, but not as diverse back in the Rocky Mountains. It's weird to not see any mountains during the entire car ride too! The north of France especially has a flat landscape so you can always see the lights of neighbouring villages during the night.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">We stayed at the house of my host sister's grand-parents who live in a village one minute away from <i>Cambrai</i>. They live in a large house (almost big enough to be called a mansion) next to their farm. It is a milk-producing farm so they have 35 cows producing about an average of 33 litres per day! There is a separate building where there are machines that extract milk out of the cows into a large tank, and another where there are a few calfs. The grand-parents sell some of their milk to large milk enterprises and also produce butter for themselves.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It was really interesting to spend some days of "farm life" but oh my goodness... the smell was absolutely HORRIBLE near the cows!! If you never had experienced true country-style life, I swear the smell is the (only) thing you will complain about. The moment I stepped in the milk-extracting building for the first time, I wasn't able to breathe! It doesn't mean that the place was filthy and unsanitary - it's just how it is. It was really funny because the grand-father who gave me a tour of his <span style="font-size: small;">farm </span>asked if I was alright, <span style="font-size: small;">so</span> I painfully grinned and replied, <i>"Ouais, ça va!" </i>(Yeah, alright!) but he simply nodded and completely believed in me. Oh papi</span><span style="font-size: small;">, you can't smell it?!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Milk-extracting building where my throat clogged up. Literally.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">(In French <i>chti </i>version spoken in the North meaning, <i>Hello friend!</i>)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The baby calf who was born a day ago. I was lucky to see an animal </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">being born for my first time!<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>It can already walk one hour after his birth!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>La Baraque à Frite </i>where famous French fries are sold!</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Skating on REAL ice for the first time in France (finally) at the <em>Patinoire de Cambrai</em>!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The ice of some <em>patinoires </em>are made of artificial plastic like in Louhans, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">which was really weird for me as a figure skater!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The northern region being <span style="font-size: small;">relatively close to <span style="font-size: small;">Great Britain, Belgium and Ger<span style="font-size: small;">many, it is <span style="font-size: small;">evident that there was <span style="font-size: small;">lot of war held in this region<span style="font-size: small;">. I went to visit a cemetery of Canad<span style="font-size: small;">ian soldiers of WWI, and it felt so unique to <span style="font-size: small;">be <span style="font-size: small;">where</span> history took place. Just over a half a year ago, I was <span style="font-size: small;">learning about it<span style="font-size: small;"> my social s<span style="font-size: small;">tudies class,<span style="font-size: small;"> and here I am now<span style="font-size: small;"> actually</span> <i>in</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i>the <span style="font-size: small;">area<span style="font-size: small;">!</span> This kind of shift for me has been <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">an </span>incredible experience<span style="font-size: small;"></span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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land on which this cemetery stands is the free gift of the French
people for the perpetual resting place of those of the allied armies who
fell in the war of 1914-1918 ad are honoured here."</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">I visited the <i>Centre Historique Minier du Nord Pas de Calais </i>(<span style="font-size: small;">c</span>harcoal museum) located in a town named <i>Lewarde. </i>It is known as the most largest coal mine that used to operate in France since between 1930 and 1971! I learned that back then, charcoal was an important supply for the industrial revolution as it contributed to the function of steam engines used for trains, etc.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The tour does not take visitors to the real mining areas underground but instead</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">through a well-constructed replication of it.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Also I visited an<span style="font-size: small;"> <i>endive </i>(French endive/chicory) farm which was interesting because <i>endives </i>are best grown in t<span style="font-size: small;">he dark to retain its white colour <span style="font-size: small;">and grown between fall till spring. It's not grown in the summer because it's too hot!</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">For a day, my host sister and I went to <i>Lille </i>to see my French friend, Bonnie!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Took the <i>TGV </i>to <em>Lille </em>with my host sister! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;"> "<i>Nord-Pas de Calais</i>" is the name the northern region.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>Centre-ville </i>of <i>Lille</i>! Absolutely fascinating!</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Me, my host sister and a Rotary Youth Exchange student from Thailand</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Bonnie and I, friends together since Canada</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
last time I saw her was back in May in Canada because she was
a Rotary exchange student of my home district, 5360. We were both so
happy to see each other this time in France! <span style="font-size: small;">It was great<span style="font-size: small;"> to hear how <span style="font-size: small;">she re-integrated back to France and how she managed to return to what we exchangers would call "regular", "<span style="font-size: small;">boring", and "normal"</span> life<span style="font-size: small;">. However she is back into hard-core study<span style="font-size: small;"> mode in first year of Med<span style="font-size: small;">icine, so she is <span style="font-size: small;">happ<span style="font-size: small;">ily working hard to <span style="font-size: small;">continue life in France.<span style="font-size: small;"> She explained that coming back home may not <span style="font-size: small;">make any<span style="font-size: small;"> exchanger happy, but the fact how exchange took place in our lives is something <span style="font-size: small;">that we should be very grateful about. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><i>Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened!</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So there we go through the adventures of Sari. Keep sitting down and enjoy the show, cause we're ONLY about half way through now, so there's more to come.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">From your fellow explorer,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sari</span></div>
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Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-13711087560618647972012-12-25T17:38:00.000+01:002012-12-28T21:44:34.798+01:00Joyeux Noël !!<span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Joyeux Noël !!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It's unbelievable... it's already December!! Four months have passed by too quickly. I exactly remember last December when I had no idea about my host country. And voila. I am here in France, with a wonderful host family, with plenty of new friends and an incredibly widened vision of the country as I <em>never</em> imagined it to be. Sometimes, I find that speaking in English is harder than French!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Christmas is not very different compared to Canada. It's the time of getting together with family and friends, enjoying LOTS of food and chatting to catch up on news. Usually at home in Canada, my family and I eat roasted turkey. However here, we eat raw oysters (well I tried it but unsuccessfully...), smoked salmon, escargots (in shells this time), smelly cheese and lots of bread. (At least that's how my host family prepares for Christmas dinner.) </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My host father is busy with his work so we stayed in Louhans and ate as a family of four (me, my host parents and host sister), but this Thursday, we are travelling to a village named <em>Cambrai </em>located in northern France<em> </em>It's very close to the Belgian border as it is around 45 min drive away from the biggest city of the region called <em>Lille.</em> (It's where Bonnie lives! She was a French inbound of my Canadian district and I will see her too!) Thus, I am SUPER excited to see a new area of France as I was told that people there speak with a different accent known as <em>chti</em>, houses are made out of red bricks and they have delicious (and fatty) fries sold at <em>La Baraque à Frites</em>. I am one happy exchanger.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If I didn't get any presents this year, I wouldn't be disappointed at all because being here in France for me is more than enough. To experience this unique culture with wonderful friends and host families is like having a year-long Christmas present. Homesickness is far, far behind me (as it really never reached me from the first place anyways) and ahead of me is another exhilarating adventure. Thanks everyone in Canada for their Christmas greetings!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">À bientôt dans le nord!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sari</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">ps: I was however lucky enough to get Christmas presents from my first and current host family, my friends here in France and my dear friend in Japan. Thank you to all, and I love you all very much! ♥ Merci à tous, je vous aime beaucoup! ♥</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">ps: Here are some photos!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">My first handball match! (Next to me is my Mexican exchange friend!)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OQwbBwohJAk/UNx5Fz1PF8I/AAAAAAAAAec/AdYSFjRPREk/s1600/PC250081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OQwbBwohJAk/UNx5Fz1PF8I/AAAAAAAAAec/AdYSFjRPREk/s320/PC250081.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">I got a tour of my host father's workplace at the <em>Gendarme</em>!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C0V_eaj2BJ8/UNx5MQfjD9I/AAAAAAAAAek/v1MTt24JJp4/s1600/PC010026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C0V_eaj2BJ8/UNx5MQfjD9I/AAAAAAAAAek/v1MTt24JJp4/s320/PC010026.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">My friends and I at the town's theatre to watch our other friends act in a play</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6yy8Zr_emg0/UNx5RTKLJ6I/AAAAAAAAAes/2yhXpHbDr84/s1600/PC250078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6yy8Zr_emg0/UNx5RTKLJ6I/AAAAAAAAAes/2yhXpHbDr84/s320/PC250078.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">My lovely second host family!</span></td></tr>
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Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-35192123264715341402012-12-11T22:37:00.000+01:002012-12-13T15:25:53.184+01:00Les Lumières ★<div class="vsc" sig="Q1M">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Even here in France, the month of December is very busy, as it is the month of Christmas and later, New Year's eve! Last saturday evening was the <em>Illumination de Louhans </em>which is a community event held along <em>La</em> <em>Grande Rue</em>. Remember way back when I explained on this blog that it's the ancient cobblestone street of Louhans with many boutiques and arches?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There were many stalls of the village's local clubs (including Rotary) that sold snacks, drinks and dinners, and live music playing. Many people of Louhans came to the festival to eat and chat with friends and family - it was a very lively atmosphere! It was especially beautiful in <em>La Grande Rue </em>because there were Christmas light decorations that hung across the street, building to building. (As it is Europe after all, the streets are narrow!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For the evening, I helped my Rotary Club of Louhans Bresse-Bourguignonne to sell <em>choucroute</em> (in English, also known as Sauerkraut) which originates from Alsacian cuisine. (<em>Alsace</em> is a north-eastern region of France, along the borders of Germany. It was a territory that was possessed by either France or Germany (it switched a lot) until WWII when France won control over it.) The Rotary Club and I managed to sell to almost 200 plates of <em>choucroute</em>, and the profit went towards the club's finance for future activities.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Me standing in <em>La Grande Rue</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The President of the Rotary Club of Louhans Bresse-Bourguignonne, selling yummy <em>choucroutes</em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">He is also known to be a very great chef at a local French-Italian restaurant!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">On Sunday, I went to Lyon again with my host sister, a very generous Rotarian and his wife to see one of France's famous events of the year: <em>Le Fête des Lumières</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It's a festival that began back in 1852 to thank the Virgin Mary, who the lyonnais (people of Lyon) devoted to during the Middle-Ages. The history of this unique celebration is fascinating: It started on the 8th of September, 1852, when the city was going to place the statue of the Virgin Mary on the chapel of Fourvière. However, the ceremony was postponed to the 8th of December, 1852, because the river that flows in Lyon (the <span class="style_2">Saône) overflowed and the worksite of the statue was therefore flooded. Even when December 8th came around, it was rainy and the church authorities decided to cancel it again. However at night, the rain stopped and thousands of the lyonnais were so thrilled that they lit <em>lumignons </em>(little candles) on their windowsills and balconies. Thus, an annual celebration was born on the 8th of December. </span></span><br />
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<span class="style_2"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Now, famous buildings are also being illuminated, and the celebration attracts millions of visiters each year! </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k4z_ubkgSyI/UMedNFvkDGI/AAAAAAAAAdY/mVXEIpwdBT4/s1600/PC090081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k4z_ubkgSyI/UMedNFvkDGI/AAAAAAAAAdY/mVXEIpwdBT4/s1600/PC090081.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">My second host sister and I, and <em>La Basilique de Notre-Dame de Fourvière </em>behind us</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-17E_yXceFLU/UMebr3ya4AI/AAAAAAAAAc4/Pcfd5xLqq0w/s1600/PC090095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-17E_yXceFLU/UMebr3ya4AI/AAAAAAAAAc4/Pcfd5xLqq0w/s1600/PC090095.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lots of locals and tourists in <em>Vieux Lyon</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R_7Z9oBi2SQ/UMecCHK8y0I/AAAAAAAAAdA/g08zoiGJv_Q/s1600/PC090114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R_7Z9oBi2SQ/UMecCHK8y0I/AAAAAAAAAdA/g08zoiGJv_Q/s1600/PC090114.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>La Place Bellecour: </em>The Ferris Wheel and Statue of Louis XIV</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Known to be France's 3rd largest pedestrain square</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3J-RVwrHL30/UMedU9ms9SI/AAAAAAAAAdk/Dj83bM0WinY/s1600/PC090163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3J-RVwrHL30/UMedU9ms9SI/AAAAAAAAAdk/Dj83bM0WinY/s1600/PC090163.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Illuminated buildings at <em>La place des Terreaux</em>... breathtaking especially with animations and sound effects!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LF7E1RFllgU/UMefEv23QeI/AAAAAAAAAdw/px0Uln9bI3M/s1600/PC090199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LF7E1RFllgU/UMefEv23QeI/AAAAAAAAAdw/px0Uln9bI3M/s1600/PC090199.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Cute <em>Boules de Lumière </em>that changed colours along with music playing!</span></td></tr>
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<span class="style_2"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The weekend was just absolutely fantastic, and I'll never forget it!</span></span><br />
<span class="style_2"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="hps">Le</span> <span class="hps">week-end</span> <span class="hps">était</span> <span class="hps">absolument fantastique</span>, <span class="hps">et je</span> <span class="hps">ne l'oublierai jamais</span>!</span></span><br />
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<span class="style_2"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sari</span></span></div>
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Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-75616305400714374792012-12-06T22:29:00.002+01:002012-12-06T22:35:50.244+01:00Time to Move On<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I suppose the ultimate goal for any exchanger is to find a place where you can comfortably belong in your host country. Once that place is found, an incredible feeling of success is felt because you realize that you accomplished to <em>be part </em>of your host family, your friends, the community, the culture... the country basically. A week ago, I was there. In that exact condition. However just last weekend, a whole new pathway opened up for more adventure since it's that time of the year in the Rotary Youth Exchange program: <em>changing host families</em>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Before I embarked on my exchange, I thought that changing host families would be a great deal. Saying good bye to the people who took such good care of you, and then suddenly you're waking up inside a new house with your head screaming inside, <em>where am I?!</em> This time, there is no young children in the house, always rumbling the house so cheerfully. Instead, I have one 16 year old host sister who goes to the same lycée as me! My neighbourhood is completely different. In fact, I now live in a neighbourhood of <em>gendarmeries </em>- they are like policemen, but I will explain the difference below. Also, customs of the new host family are slightly different, but not greatly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Despite that these changes took action within a single day, the transition was very smooth! I miss living with my wonderful first host family who kindly helped me to settle in Louhans, but I am happy to also move on and so are they. After all, living in different host families provide new experiences and broaden my view of family life in France. Therefore I was more than confident to change host families and continue my exchange happily. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Now I feel like I've fully integrated into my new host family already, and I am so glad to be with such a kind family again!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I find it so COOL (and frankly quite funny) how I live in my town's "safest neighbourhood" of <em>gendarmeries</em>! <em>Gendarmeries </em>are similar to <em>policiers </em>(aka. police)<em> </em>since both occupations are assigned to protect citizens and maintain safety among civilian populations. (Both <em>gendarmeries </em>and <em>police </em>exists in France.) However the difference is that <em>gendarmeries </em>are part of the French army, while <em>policiers </em>are not. My second host father is a <em>gendarme</em> and he explained to me that all <em>gerndarmes </em>of France only work in countryside villages and not in large cities, and it's obligatory for all of them to live in the same neighbourhood of their village.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Even the neighbourhood itself is unique. The <em>gendarmerie </em>pays for the house and property fee of the <em>gendarmes </em>so they all live in either the same building like an apartment or identical houses. On the other hand, the <em>gendarmes </em>are responsible for paying their own fees for electricity, heat etc. Here in Louhans, they live in identical condominiums. There is a protective fence that surrounds the entire place so it's a tranquil area. My host father also explained that his work schedule is always different every week, and he must work whenever commanded.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">What I found interesting is that <em>gendarmes </em>existed since the Late Medieval (approx 14th-16th century), and at that time, they were cavalryman who were born noble. Even during the <em>Ancien Régime </em>(that caused the French Revolution), they existed but were named as the <em>Maréchaussée</em>. Moreso, since the French Revolution in 1798, all single and child-less men aged 20 to 25 were liable to work in the French Army until Jacques Chirac (past president of France) abandoned the law in 1996... so not too long ago in my opinion! (Thank you to my host father for sharing some history!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Yesterday, I went to a Rotary dinner night at a lovely French restaurant with my Rotary Club of Louhans Bresse-Bourguignonne. It was special because the governer of our Rotary district (1750) named Chantal Lutz and her husband came to visit the club!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I was truly inspired by Mme. Lutz when she talked about the importance of keeping Rotary International active and passing it onto the next generation. She emphasized that it's important to recruit more people - especially young people - to Rotary because right now, the average age of the Rotarians of France is somewhere between 60 to 70. She shared her wisdom of how Rotary needs to expand to the new generation or else Rotary cannot sustain itself later. Also she explained that Rotary is an incredible organisation consisted of hard-working volunteers all around the world who take action to improve the world, and it's continuance is crucially important... which I completely agree!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The most inspiring part of her speech was how she exclaimed about the Rotary symbol pins (which are worn by Rotarians during meetings) must <em>not </em>be taken off when the meeting is over. Because... why should they? They represent the international organisation itself, and it can be shown to the others who may not know about Rotary. They represent world-wide teamwork; it's a symbol that's worn by many nations working towards the same goals! Mme. Lutz explained that we must be proud to say that we're part of Rotary International even <em>outside</em> of our meetings. Although it may take a lot of work to publicly share our goals and accomplishments, it will help Rotary to continue especially if the young generation becomes involved in it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Anyways, I'm proud to be a part of an amazing organisation and feel very privileged to be in their youth exchange program. From the very beginning, I already knew that my responsibility was to share about Rotary among my friends who are around my age, and even now, I am still continuing (in French indeed). I don't want to sound too pompous, but I sincerely hope you, the reader, understand the importance of Rotary International, and how much it does for our world. If don't know about it, I suggest you to take a look at it and join it!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Some Rotarians of the Rotary Club of Louhans Bresse-Bourguignonne and</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">District 1750 Governor Chantal Lutz standing right side of me.</span></td></tr>
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<span class="hps"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This coming weekend will be another busy weekend, so expect another update soon!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sari</span>Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-1775918862239189992012-11-24T21:30:00.000+01:002012-11-28T13:50:23.488+01:00Lyon and 3rd Month<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Bonjour tout le monde! (Hello everyone!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After the month of November doing lots of difficult French homework, extra French grammar exercises PLUS keeping up with all of my activities, I have finally rewarded myself by going to Lyon today with my friends and their parents!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">First, we went to the<em> </em><em>Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière </em>which is known to be the symbol of the city as it sits noticeably on top of <em>Fourvière </em>hill. The hike up to the <em>Fourvière </em>was quite an exercise as there was a long and steep stairway, but it was worth it!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The stairs of <em>Montée des </em><em>Chazeaux </em>up to the <em>Fourvière</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The entire structure - Romanesque and Byzantine design and the gilded statue of Virgin Mary - was so impressive that I literally FROZE in front of the gigantic masterpiece. Apparently, there was a shrine way back in 1170 (so over 800 years ago) dedicated to the Virgin Mary on the same hill, but the <em>Fourvière </em>replaced it and was consecrated in 1896 to fulfill the city council's vow to the Virgin Mary. There were several vows made to the Virgin Mary that contributed to the construction of the <em>Fourvière. </em>One of them was that if the city is protected by the Franco-Prussian War (1870), a <em>basilique </em>would be built, entirely dedicated to her. (Funny enough, the Prussians never reached to attack Lyon but the vow was fulfilled anyways.)</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">One of the many statues of the Virgin Mary of the <em>Fourvière</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Bottom floor of the <em>Fourvière</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Hill-top view of the city of Lyon</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">After the <em>Fourvière</em>, we visited the <em>Théâtre Romain </em>which was capable of seating about 10 000 spectators back in 1st century AD when there were musicals performed on stage! (I'm not sure if it can seat that many spectators now since there are only remains of the <em>théâtre</em>.) We also went to the <em>Musée Gallo-Romains </em>which was really neat since we learned about the history of how the first people of Lyon, the Romans, have arrived and began to create the magnificent city.</span></div>
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</span></em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Even more, we visited the <em>Cathédrale St. Jean </em>and <em>Vieux Lyon</em>. It was so marvelous to walk down the narrow cobblestone streets because it felt like we were living in history. Thanks to UNESCO (United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture) for listing <em>Vieux Lyon </em>and even the <em>Fourvière </em>as a World Heritage Site, the area is well protected and is preserving the antiquity of Lyon.</span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This month has definitely been a busy month for me; especially the work at the lycée! Some classes are extremely challenging like <em>Français</em> and <em>Histoire et Geographie </em>because of the complicated French terminologies and the rapidly speaking <i>professeurs</i>. Now I realize how it feels like when you don't understand anything during class! Hopeless! Stupid! Distressed! I also realized that these feelings occur to <em>any </em>students across the world and not just foreign students. Perhaps it's a lot more pressure for the regular students because students especially here in France face intense pressure since grades are after all, creators of their identities which allows them to compete for spots in universities and jobs. (My lycée grades do not affect my Canadian grades, thank goodness!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The third month is a weird month for an exchanger. A really <em>weird </em>month... at least for me. I believe that I have recently hit one of my toughest points of this exchange, which was how I felt like a failure at my host-language. I kept thinking about how I've been here in France for three months already, and I still can't grasp the French language well. Constantly, I've asked myself if I should be working harder or perhaps I need to find better ways to improve my French. Sometimes, I felt ashamed and embarrassed when I didn't understand when my French friends, teachers and host parents talked with me. I didn't want to admit that I've wasted three months of not learning enough French. Though at the same time, I've told myself that I shouldn't admit that is true. After all, I've managed to settle with my first host family successfully, create many friends and join many activities. I've also faced culture-shock, yet I haven't felt homesick. These first three months have been an incredible adventure and I am proud of myself for doing everything I can do. But anyways, these mixed feelings bounced back and forth and it was very troublesome.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Exchange is<strong> tough</strong>. However, I must always remind myself that exchange is <strong>amazing</strong> as well. I must remind myself that exchange is a life-time opportunity where I have the chance to learn important life lessons and the world. Especially with the Rotary Youth Exchange program and it's well-constructed design, I certainly know that it's such a privilege to be here. I've even received support from two Canadian Rotexes who went to France, and I feel so lucky. I've learned that being separated from my real family and Canadian friends let me practice a life-skill: to make decisions using my own, sincere opinions (and perhaps with some influence from my home and host country!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So I've told myself that I shouldn't worry about my level of my host language right now. Instead, I've told myself to keep working using my best effort like always, and I shouldn't complain if I don't reach 100% as long as I know that I've tried. Besides, I still have time till July so there's no need to give up yet!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Although I haven't posted anything since the beginning of November, I would like to thank to all of my readers for continuing to read my blog everyday. I am so happy to share my adventure with you and I hope you are enjoying to see how I am doing. Merci beaucoup!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I am determined more than ever.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sari</span>Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-84169087623657833752012-11-02T00:02:00.000+01:002012-11-02T23:59:29.757+01:00Dijon, un Chateâu et Beaune<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Today was another wonderful day of my two weeks of <em>le vacance</em>. A very kind Rotarian and his wife invited me to go to the 82nd <em>Foire Internationale et Gastronomique de Dijon</em>, which is the hugest economic event of Burgundy, bringing about 600 exhibitors that welcome all age groups. There were plenty of presentations of various French cuisine, furniture, crafts, fashion, health and beauty, leisure and recreation. The event was so ginormous that we even got lost once!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For lunch, I ate bull meat for the first time which is traditionally eaten in southern France. It almost tastes like beef so it was no biggie like the pizza I had in Chalon-sur-Saône! Later, I decided to try <em>myrtille </em>waffle because (I thought) I never tried a <em>myrtille </em>before. It was really tasty and I learned that <em>myrtilles </em>are something like blueberries, but I realized how stupid I was when I came home because google translate told me that <em>myrtilles </em><strong>are </strong>blueberries after all. Oh goodness. Also, the Rotarian's wife generously offered to buy apple cider for me and assured me that there was no alcohol in it. However, I assert that there was something odd<strong> </strong>in that apple cider because it stung my nose so much! Despite the pain (which was probably visually evident), I drank the whole beverage and smiled like it was the best drink in the world. <em>Ma vie.</em></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The mysterious apple cider and <em>myrtille </em>waffle</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After much walking and getting lost, we left Dijon for a wine chateâu for just a little peek. I was surprised to see that there were wine books written in Japanese sold in the boutique store there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lastly when it was night, we also stopped by the "Capital of Burgundy wines" known as the town of <em>Beaune</em>. In the town centre, almost all the stores sell wine or something related to wine. We just walked in the streets and a store, but I enjoyed it so much because the rainy and tranquil night had an antique and romantic feel. I would love to visit again if I have the chance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I am so grateful that the Rotarian and his wife took me along today because nothing could have been better. I was more than blessed especially when they both said to me in French that I was their daughter for today. Maybe it sounds childish, but as an exchange student who was told of that they're more than just guests, their pleasure of having me really made me feel belong somewhere.</span><br />
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<span class="hps"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">À bientôt,</span></span><br />
<span class="hps"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sari</span></span>Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-22791535317612082162012-10-30T22:00:00.000+01:002012-11-01T08:49:31.251+01:00Chalon-sur-Saône<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Today with my friends, we went to Chalon-sur-Saône, the largest city of the Saône-et-Loire department. (In France, department is one of the three levels of government, and there are 101 in total. The other two are region and commune, and department ranks between them.) The city is famous for being the birthplace for photography and internal combustion engine thanks to a French man named Nicéphore Niépce. (I actually didn't know that until I came home and did some research.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There, I had the most amazing lunch I've had so far in my adventure:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Pizza with <em>escargots </em>and <em>cuisses de grenouilles désossées</em>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">(*Cough* That my dear non-French readers, means snails and boneless frog legs.) Yes, two unknown foods combined with one of my favorite foods of all time. (You can probably guess which one out of the three is my favorite.) The instant I saw that pizza on the menu, my eyes lit up and I was more than determined to try it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Surprisingly, it tasted really good (thanks to the cheese and butter)! The texture of each were interesting... the<em> escargots </em>was chewy while the <em>cuisses de grenouilles désossées </em>was muscular... I must admit that the <em>escargots </em>tasted like clams but with more guts and the <em>cuisses de grenouilles désossées</em> tasted like codfish. Don't ask me why. Now I am happy to say that I've tried them!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="hps" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Bon appétit!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Pizza Bourguignonne... a must try.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After the DELICIOUS lunch, my friends and I went to the <em>Eglise (Church) Saint Pierre </em>and the <em>Cathédrale Saint-Vincent</em>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Eglise Saint Pierre </em>is a church that took 5 years to build back in 1698, and it after became a parish church in 1802. The exterior is Italian and interior is Baroque style, and this church is known for its important statues inside (such as <span class="hps">Virgin of the Apocalypse, Doctors of the Church, etc.) </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BbeUct2RtKE/UJGEyJM87KI/AAAAAAAAAVI/X2rYvQiy3j4/s1600/PA300097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BbeUct2RtKE/UJGEyJM87KI/AAAAAAAAAVI/X2rYvQiy3j4/s320/PA300097.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The <em>eglise </em>sits beside the <em>mairie </em>(town hall) of Chalon-sur-Saône</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Like many other buildings in France, it's impressive to think that this church has been standing here for over 300 years</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5biT3pcmVK0/UJGE71zMi2I/AAAAAAAAAVY/11ivrfN2UGo/s1600/PA300100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5biT3pcmVK0/UJGE71zMi2I/AAAAAAAAAVY/11ivrfN2UGo/s320/PA300100.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Venite Adoremus </em>means in Latin, "O come let us adore him (Christ)"</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HaSHDJBNg8o/UJGJcvAIgYI/AAAAAAAAAV0/PkL_1fUSFqw/s1600/PA300105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HaSHDJBNg8o/UJGJcvAIgYI/AAAAAAAAAV0/PkL_1fUSFqw/s320/PA300105.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Many symbolic statues inside</span></td></tr>
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<span class="hps"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Next, <em>Cathédrale Saint-Vincent </em>is a Romanesque and Gothic style cathedral and unlike the <em>Eglise, </em>the cathedral took a good length of 6 <strong>centuries</strong> of construction to become what it is now. Historians believed that it was first built in 1090, and till 1562, elements like the choir, transept, pillars etc. were added. The construction halted in 1562 because there was the <em>Huguenots </em>who devastatingly destroyed a chunk of the cathedral and removed some statues. (The <em>Huguenots </em>were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France; basically put into simple words, people who criticized the Catholic church.) And unfortunately again it was further destroyed by the French Revolution which caused the church to be used as a fodder warehouse. (Just imagine how that was like!) So the following nineteenth and twentieth century were primarily years of reconstruction.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3L1EO1NGiU0/UJGR91biiII/AAAAAAAAAWQ/xeAAfliJoVw/s1600/PA300048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3L1EO1NGiU0/UJGR91biiII/AAAAAAAAAWQ/xeAAfliJoVw/s320/PA300048.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The front of the <em>cathédrale</em></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LPIjZgYHMxU/UJGSB3uV7lI/AAAAAAAAAWY/TRLMJvXLCso/s1600/PA300056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LPIjZgYHMxU/UJGSB3uV7lI/AAAAAAAAAWY/TRLMJvXLCso/s320/PA300056.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rRqU1gyan3U/UJGSJ0vMJ7I/AAAAAAAAAWk/QwowzVSV1Us/s1600/PA300052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rRqU1gyan3U/UJGSJ0vMJ7I/AAAAAAAAAWk/QwowzVSV1Us/s320/PA300052.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">At the end of the day, we went bowling and overall, I had a great time for the entire day!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Anyways, if your eyes popped out from the mass of facts or had trouble trying to absorb all that information I explained above, maybe you're just about to say, "Sari, you're such a geek." Well yes, I suppose so. I love history and just learning in general after all! Through the two months I've been living here in France so far, I'm joyfully learning so many new things and I finally realized how great it would be for the others to know about it too. <em> </em>I guess that was my main purpose of writing a blog from the first place, but I never thought of it very seriously until now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I think I finally recognized one of the important treasures that exchange can bring out. Exchange is not an opportunity of opening doors <em>just </em>for the exchange student. It also opens doors for the people who surrounds the exchange student by observing the student's growth, learning from the student's knowledge and understanding the student's experiences. For example, my existence at my cultural-diversity-lacking lycée is enriching the French students' perspective of our world since I share to them stories about Canada and the differences and similarities I recognize here compared to Canada. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Therefore, I sincerely hope this blog is also opening doors for you as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Bonne nuit!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sari</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">ps: Right now, it is <em>le vacance de le Toussaint</em>; a two week holiday so I have no lycée until the second week of November! <em>"Toussaint" </em>means 'feast of all saints' and it is a commemoration for those who died. This is celebrated throughout France on November 1st, so generally all stores are closed that day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-70606057047163102662012-10-22T21:12:00.001+02:002014-03-29T23:39:37.804+01:00Inbound Meeting #1<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Yesterday, I came back from my first Rotary Youth Exchange inbound meeting held in a small village called Landreville in the region of Champagne, and I had a wonderful time meeting the other exchange students and enjoying the area!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">From Louhans, Landreville is located north which takes about a 3 hour drive, so the landscape and even the traditional buildings looked a little different from Louhans. Like I have mentioned before in one of my posts, the region of Champagne is famous for producing the French sparkling wine, <em>champagne. </em>We got a tour of a winery, and I learned that the three main types of grapes used to make <em>champagne</em> are <em>Pinot Noir, Chardonnay </em>and <em>Pinot Meunier</em>. I also learned that at this winery, they don't use chemical fertilizers, the bottles take 3-9 years of rest and peace (aka: fermentation), and about 40% of their production of <em>champagne</em> are exported around the world. It was really unique to see where the creation of <em>champagne</em> starts from!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Some machines requires physical labour, maybe like this one above.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Tulip glasses for <em>champagne </em>(Noticed their inward curving rims?)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Cute cork statues!! ♥</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">These grapes tasted really sour... obviously not the ones found in grocery stores, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">so they're just perfect for <em>champagne</em>!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">My new Brazilian friend and I ♥</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There were in total one Canadian (me!), one Thai, one Brazilian, two Mexicans, one Japanese, and six Americans plus a French rebound at the orientation. Unfortunately, there were a few other students in our district who were not able to come, but I look forward to meet them in our next one in December. It was neat to speak to the students at Landreville and share our personal experiences so far during our exchange. I think we talked a confusing mix of French, English (and even Japanese and Spanish), but I believe we all understood each other anyways!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-boHmr1r_J5c/UIWwvdNtbpI/AAAAAAAAAUM/JR8c732EGRA/s1600/407658_391899944214937_808038443_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-boHmr1r_J5c/UIWwvdNtbpI/AAAAAAAAAUM/JR8c732EGRA/s640/407658_391899944214937_808038443_n.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">We're proud ambassadors!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8mav9YIdeEs/UIWWUZxeyjI/AAAAAAAAAT0/SJEYxMd7z18/s1600/PA200066%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8mav9YIdeEs/UIWWUZxeyjI/AAAAAAAAAT0/SJEYxMd7z18/s640/PA200066%25281%2529.jpg" height="259" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Oh yeah, Canada made USA and Mexico turn their heads!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zB4hcducEcs/UIR0mqkEAOI/AAAAAAAAATU/ZyrVYZg3_Ck/s640/PA200053.JPG" height="480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Rotary Youth Exchange students of D1750</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Thank you so much for the fun weekend everyone!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Merci beaucoup pour le week-end amusant tout le monde!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Also, thank you SO MUCH for those who follow my blog and ask how I am doing in France! To me, it means so much when I receive messages from my friends, Rotarians and family! I swear it's so difficult to explain to my new friends why I haven't had a slight feeling of homesickness, but I would like to clarify why! (You <em>need </em>to see their surprised expressions!) No, it's not because my life here in France is better than Canada. I actually love living in both countries! It's because the tremendous support I get from everyone makes me feel happy, grateful </span><span style="font-family: Georgia;">and to be ready for anything. To me, the warm words of advice, love and encouragement creates the backbone that keeps me standing tall with strength and motivation. Thus every time I feel down, my emotions immediately bounce back up because I remind myself of the people who care for me. Besides, who <em>doesn't </em>want to do a foreign exchange?!</span><br />
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Merci, Thank you and ありがとう,<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sari</span>Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8025157872235022206.post-11958680821659865732012-10-07T21:53:00.000+02:002012-10-07T23:13:05.075+02:00Omurice, the Cold & Smiles<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Bonjour!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Today, I made <em>omurice </em>for lunch for my host family! It is a modern Japanese dish which is an omlette of fried rice with chicken commonly topped with ketchup. I've eaten it at my home in Canada but I've never cooked it before. It seemed really easy to make by looking at the recipe, but it was REALLY challenging! <em>Chop the onions... don't cut your finger... remember the rice is behind you... wait a second - you need the chicken! ...OH NO you spilled some olive oil... and just don't drop those eggs... </em>all these thoughts jumbled in my head, half English, half French (and perhaps a little Japanese)! <em> </em>My host mother (who was watching me to learn how to cook it) must of had an entertaining show. I hope I didn't set a bad example!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O2JWxbHvw2w/UHGujRv6ZjI/AAAAAAAAASA/kds6MeYqf_U/s1600/PA070210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O2JWxbHvw2w/UHGujRv6ZjI/AAAAAAAAASA/kds6MeYqf_U/s400/PA070210.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">VOILA! It actually looked and tasted good in the end!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It was successful because my host family members enjoyed the meal, but I mistakenly dribbled <em>spicy</em> ketchup instead of the regular one on top of the <em>omurices</em>... no wonder why there were two opened ketchup bottles in the fridge.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">__________________</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I learned this week that when one student in your class is sick, most likely you and all your other classmates will eventually get sick too. No matter how hard you try to avoid it, it is almost impossible here. It is because the humidity is higher and therefore it's easier for germs to spread. And what's worse, everyone <em>bisous</em> (cheek kiss) every friend they pass throughout the whole day. I was so surprised because when I got the nasty cold, I tried to refuse doing the <em>bisous </em>and explain to my friends that I didn't want to make them sick too. However, some gave me the <em>bisous </em>anyways because they replied that it didn't matter since they were sick too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So, this is Sari's life in France.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lycée is always exciting as usual and I am still making lots of new friends. Although I have no clue how the lycée was like without any exchange students during the years before, the exchange students and I who are here now can already sense that our presence at the lycée and Louhans is already making a difference for everyone. A good one I hope. Yes, the diversity we bring results looks filled with curiosity, kindness, and even unkindness, but at least the negatives won't bring us down and we are happy to be ambassadors of our countries.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I think one of the most important things I have learned so far on my adventure is the astonishing strength of the universal gesture of <strong>smiling</strong>. It does wonders, I swear. It may not show the same meaning for some cultures around the world, but I know that at least in France, smiling welcomes people with grace and has the power to bring them together. I think that's why many people who I don't even know smile back at me when I do. Then somehow like magic, we become friends in the meantime.</span><br />
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<span class="hps"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">À bientôt!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sari</span>Sarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15780680819155210191noreply@blogger.com2