Je Suis Noir

Today, Daniele and Rachelle and I decided we wanted to go to Cabourg, which is the city right next to us. In order to get there you have to ride the bus. We missed the bus. Twice. So, we decided to go to the beach instead. I am almost black. It's awesome.

This morning before all that happened, we had another excursion. We went to a fine arts museum and then walked around another huge market in Caen. I bought my dad something. He told me not to buy him anything, but it seemed so cool, I couldn't resist. Now I just have Mom and the kids left. And Zack - kind of.

My mother should be sending me a box soon. I'm pretty pumped. There should be a suprise from Erik in there. And I miss poptarts. And there should be James Dean stuff in it for Mama Danielle. She's the lady that cooks and cleans here at the house. She's also taking care of all the sick girls, including me.

Our grammar class starts this week. I'm so excited. I realize that's really nerdy of me, but I don't care. French grammar is fascinating to me. I think it's because I never really learned very much. My high school teacher skipped a lot of things, and I tested out of the first two years at college - and that's where you learn most of the grammar. So, I'll finally learn how to speak correctly!

Someday, I want to bring Annie here. She'd find so many things to write about in her fashion blog.

Bon journee a tout le monde.

-Breeze

Cool Hand Luke

Today, we had our first service project. We went to this fort close by on the beach that Louis the sixth had built. The town is trying to restore it. It's really cool. Have you seen Cool Hand Luke? I felt like I was in the movie. The guy in charge made us get rid of all the weeds pioneer style. He handed the other four girls rakes, and I was given a machete. He told me that I was the biggest girl and he tought I could handle it. After we got rid of all the weeds, we had to get rid of all the rocks. I am now a pro at loading and unloading wheelbarrows. If you ever need yard work done, I'm your man. I told the man in charge that I found my inner man, and he told me he thought there were three or four in there, after watching me work so hard.


I never liked history much, but France is old and there are so many stories behind everything. Everywhere we go, there's something 1000 years old and it's so cool to see it and read about it. Sunday, I walked where Richard the Lionhearted had his last meal before he left for the Crusades. America is a baby compared to France.

I have to ten minute speeches in my class tomorrow. Again, thank you Chip Hall for preparing me for all of these stupid speeches.

I'm going to eat dinner now and try to gain back the ten pounds I lost this morning, sweating in the sun with my machete, wheelbarrow, and the spiders, crawling in my hair.

Bon nuit.

Steve got us lost.

Yesterday, I forgot to say that Steve got us lost on the way home from school. We took a detour, then ended up in the middle of nowhere.

Today has been awesome. We looked at a 300 foot long piece of tapestry embroidered by old women 1000 depicting the story of William the Conqueror. I tried to find Zack a tshirt, but there weren't any cool ones. Then we went to a medieval festival. It was so cool. I looked everywhere for a little nativity scene for mom, but I couldn't find one. BUT I have five more weeks!

We played frisbee last night on the beach during sunset. That was wonderful. I've watched the sun set every single night at the beach. Be jealous.

Tomorrow, I think we're going to some huge market and a Catholic Mass. After we get back, I'll probably spend the rest of the day doing homework. That's just about all I ever do. But it's ok, because I'm learning a ton.

We're getting ready to watch a movie now, so I'll be going. Facebook doesn't work here right now, so I may not be alive on there for a while. Enjoy your weekend!

Breeze

Laughing Cow

I don't know how I ever lived without cheese at every meal. It's so wonderful.

So far, I have run every day this week. Operation: Don't Get Fat is still going well.

Today, we were in class from 9-5 in the hottest classroom ever. I almost threw up because it was so hot. Gross.

Tonight, I meet my French buddy. I think she's on town council. I'll have to tell her about Grandma. I hear she's nice. Steve told me she didn't have a first name, so I just have to call her Madamme. I'm excited to meet her. Tomorrow, we're going to be out and about France all day. I think we have some excursion thing on Sunday too. It should be a good weeked. I had to give a 15 minute speech in class today over yogurt. I think it went well. Monday, I have another speech. Thank you Chip Hall and the forensics team for making these stupid things easier.

I only sleep about 6 hours each night, which is about half of what I'm used to, so I'm going to go take a nap.

I still love France.

I miss Annie Cheek and Jessica Adams.

A tout a l'heure!

I love Canada.

There are five girls here from a school in Canada, and I promised that I would include them in my next blog title.

I just swam in the English channel for about an hour. It was freezing, but a ton of fun. "Operation: Don't Get Fat" is going well. I am only drinking water, and the occasional coffee, and running every day. Today, we got quite a bit of homework in class, but it's nothing that I can't handle, of course.

I am getting my bronze on almost every single day. I am going to be so dark when I get back. I called Fabienne today, and she cried when I told her I was coming to see her. It was nice. This weekend, we're going to some viking museum and the William the Conqueror's castle. I'll take plenty of pictures for Zack and try to find him a nice t-shirt or something.

I'm sick of thinking in English, so I'm going to return to the French-speaking world.

Au Revoir!

P.s. Steve hasn't really said anything funny lately, but he continues to bark at my group.

P.p.s. I have two teachers at the university. The first was wonderful. The second doesn't shave her armpits and wears a lot of tank tops. It's awesome.

Cultivating my French garden.

I have been in France for three days now. The first day was a bit overwhelming. I waited at the airport in Paris for three hours for someone to come get me and got sick on all of my three flights. Steve, the director of my program, is a terrible driver, so I got even sicker on the way to Normandy.

Right now, there are only seven of us here. Two have been here for three weeks, and the rest of us arrived Saturday. There is a group of six in Paris right now. They get back tonight, so we'll finally meet them tomorrow. I'm getting along with everyone really well. Four of us spent four hours at the beach today lying in the sun and getting to know each other. I think we could all be total BFF's.

Today was our first day of class. We have two professors at the University of Caen. One is absolutely awesome. She's a ton of fun and makes class really interesting. The other has a really thick accent and is really hard to understand.

This blog is going to contain all of the funny things that Steve says to us. Yesterday during the first of six orientation sessions, he spent 20 minutes talking about how we need to cultivate our French gardens. Every time we ask a question about something, the response is always "We'll cover that in 4A." We cannot wait to hear everything in 4A. In another session yesterday, he taught us how to reject the advances of aggressive French men. During the session, he turned extremely girly in showing us, and then barked at me. Steve is my new favorite person.

I'm doing very well in France. I picked my French back up almost instantly when we got here. It's like I never left. :) We have to speak all French from the end of breakfast to the end of dinner, then we can speak whatever language we choose. There's not much to do in this tiny town of Franceville, but there's a beach, so I'm totally getting my bronze on. I'm still feeling a little jetlag, so I haven't started running yet. BUT tomorrow I will commence the "don't get fat" plan. It's going to be hard because French food is so wonderful, but with the help of Steve and my girls, I think it can be done.

I'm done for now - I have to go clip my fingernails. Enjoy the United States for me. I'll be back before you know it.


Breezey

P.s. I forgot to mention the mirrors in my room. If Lord Voldemort had a decorating business, these would be his top sellers.

P.p.s. Also - I peed in the English Channel today while wearing a big, floppy beach hat.

Leaving for Paris

Today is Wednesday. This afternoon, I'm going swimming with my boyfriend. Tomorrow he and I are going to the zoo with my whole family. Friday morning, I'm going to get on a plane. A plane that will eventually take me to a few other planes. One of which will take me to Paris.

I will be spending the rest of my summer in Franceville-Merville, France. I'll be taking a few classes and getting college credit for it. But, more importantly, I will be spending 46 days in my favorite country, speaking my favorite language. While I am there, I will probably gain weight, meet some more incredible people, and visit my two favorite French(wo)men - Fabienne Touarin and Amandine Lustrement. I will have little internet access, but I will try to keep everyone updated through this blog (that as of right now, two people know about).

I hope everyone has a fabulous summer.

Love, Brianna