au revoir

so, 25 days left in Dijon.... 44 until Canada...

WHAT?

I don't know where the year went, it clearly didn't go into blog posts...

I cannot wrap my head around the fact that I am headed back to Canada on June 21st. I am incredibly excited to see everyone at home (I miss my friends, family and Island beaches) but I also cannot imagine not being in France anymore... Not having people yelling english words at you on the street, only because they know you speak english... stepping in dog-poop in the french cluttered streets and knowing more people in Dijon then most of the residents because we're 10 english girls in small town France...

Yes, I will miss school (kind of?) although I still cannot wrap my head around french school structure, discipline, rewards and marks... I don't think it is a concept I will ever completely understand... Regardless of how much time it spends boggling my mind.

I will no longer have to yearn after marshmallow bananas and will no longer have to import my peanut butter, but I am pretty sure I can live with that...

No longer walking down the european cobblestone streets, looking out my window to a beautiful (manmade) lake, waking up to the dog in my house either barking, howling or playing with a squeaky toy, being able to say what you want- when you want... because no one understands you.

When I came on exchange I was apprehensive as to how I would adjust and it took a lot for me to get used to France and all of the differences (not that I could name them now..) but, believe me I did and as excited as I am to travel for 2 weeks and then head home- My heart is going to ache when I have to say goodbye to this charming little city.

goodbye...

dijon mustard

fountain douche

terrible french music

cheap cheese, wine and bread

big, overpriced rent- house

Lac Kir

the 'Fam'

Eddie (the devil dog)

Well dressed French Men

being able to pay 10 euros to fly to another country

SNCF train strikes

bus strikes

Place de la Libertie

Halles Market

CIEF

number 3 bus (the sketchiest bus ever)

the botanical gardens with the imported ducks

Lafayette

Kebabs and Hassan, my favourite Kebab french man EVER

Byron Bay

the bis

Grand Cafe

espressos

kir

macarons

Mme. (and the hundreds of things i was yelled at for)

Dijon friends... French, British and American

divia controllers

monoprix

I would like to thank France for ruining my english vocabulary and sentence structure.. It's going to take me another 8 months to be able to speak english properly again.

This year feels like a dream. It was the most amazing 8 months and I am so greatful for everyone that helped make it happen and I met along the way. I will never get back what I have experienced and learnt in the last 8 months. Now here come the waterworks... greeeaaat

au revoir france (yes 25 days early, but Im going to be a busy girl for the next 3.5 weeks)

xx- gros bisous everyone- see you soon!

douze jours

I am working myself into a routine, class takes up a lot of time. 8 classes weekly, followed by 2 classes held bi-weekly. That is enough to keep me on my toes and out of trouble.

I am currently procrastinating on a Paper for my expression ecrit paper that I have been up since 8:30, since I don't want to have to waste my whole day inside, especially with 15 degree weather!!

The weather is starting to perk up. I had lunch on a patio friday afternoon and got a sunburn... this is my 2nd burn in MARCH in France! I don't know what the world is coming to, I guess for this we can thank global warming...

The count down hasn't stopped for Greece with Mom and Mich- It is only 12 days now until I meet them in Paris, where we are spending a couple of days. From there, we are headed to Athens and Santorini followed by a few days showing Mom and Mich around Dijon, so they can see my house and school and all of that fun stuff!!

I cannot believe how quickly time is passing. 3 months from today I will be on an airplane, flying from scotland to halifax, my european adventure having come to a close. 9 months seemed so long initially but now I don't think it is long enough! I am aching to return to canada and see everyone that I miss, but then it is also back to reality and real school and a summer job. ahhh.

anyway, this paper is calling my name.

march! Spring is in the Air!

So,

It has been over a month since my last post... I am not sure anyone even really reads this, buuut I figured I would procrastinate my studying and update anyways!!!

Belgium and Sweden have come and gone, it was an amazing vacation- consisting of snow, rain, waffles, french fries, hot dogs and hospital visits. Well, only one hospital visit in Belgium but you know- it all turned out Ok!

School has begun again and I have been busier then ever! 10 classes this semester (yes I am a busy busy bee!) but its been flying by- tests and projects have started up so currently I am counting down until it is april break (ha, sad since feb break was only 4 weeks ago)... But, I think the most exciting part iisssss that... MOM AND MICH WILL BE HERE IN 26 DAYS! I honestly don't think I have ever been more excited for something. 3.5 weeks and my mama and sister are in Paris and then BOOM we're in greece. It's going to be amazinnnnng ahhh!!!

voyage!

Hellllo

After three whole days of stressful exams (please laugh along, the fact that a whole semester of exams fit into three days is a joke) I have a lovely two and a half weeks off. It all came so fast after break that we all of a sudden were in a rat race to find flights and hostels and (most importantly) decide where we want to go!

The French Fam has decided to split up, a few going to amsterdam/hungary/prague (fun!)... A few headed to spain and morocco... Billy and I are going to Belgium (for some waffles and chocolates) and then jetting off to Sweden to freeze our little butts off!

For anyone who is unaware, one of my best friends is spending her 2nd semester of her 3rd year in Sweden on an exchange in a little town called Sundsval. New location for my exam break! It looks like we are leaving Dijon on February 1st- taking a train to Belgium (Brussels) then flying from Brussels to Sweden and staying there until the 9th, before heading back to Paris/Dijon! I am so excited and so frightened for the cold... I am looking at investing in longjohns... has anyone LOOKED AT A MAP RECENTLY?! Mid-Western Sweden is quite as north as the TERRITORY region of Canada. Hopefully I do not return as an icicle. eeeep!

I will post pictures upon my return... I am reallllly excited. I hope to even visit Ikea!

zoom zoom zooooom!

It's Official!

I have booked my flight back to Canada. Yes, it was a form of procrastination, BUT it worked out well- for under 600 canadian dollars, I will be standing on Canadian soil once again! My flight is booked for June 21st and I arrive in Halifax at 8:15pm. I will then spend the night in Hali and hope to zip back to my island on the 22nd or (at the latest) the 23rd.

This is almost exactly 5 months from now, minus a couple of days. Eeep eeep!

so much more learning, travelling and wine drinking to be done before then!

I must go study- I have three finals tomorrow

gros bisous! (big kisses- in french)

bonjour!

I'm back in the land of the French!

Dad and I had an amazing christmas break in Paris and London- despite a few hiccups such as a 3 day flight delay to Paris and us both coming down with the stomach flu- we had fun anyways!! It was nice to be able to speak english again (in paris and london!) and just relax and be with family!

To be honest I am happier to be back in Dijon then I thought I would. I was anticipating a crippling anxiety and want to be in Canada that I would be sad for days. This sadness never did arrive. Maybe because upon my return to France I was thrown head first into a deadly amount of studying for finals.

France doesn't work like Canada with their schoolterms. I am still in first semester. I am finished the end of January and then I have a week break (I am still trying to work out travel plans for this week) so my life is crazy busy right now. The first exam is a week from monday (outside of the exam block) and the exams officially start one week from that (Jan 25th)

soooo i wont be posting for some time.

all is well though... I miss everyone!

xox