Steamboat Springs - Rotary Youth Exchange: Mallory Richey

This last month has again been insane. As today is the last day of 2012, I have not only been doing a lot of reflection of this month but of the past year in general. I found out I was going to France, graduated High School, left for the biggest experience of my life, and from there I have been to England, Belgium, and all over France. I have eaten Snails, Frog-Legs, and cow tongue, celebrated Christmas is a different language, and changed more than I ever thought I would. It has been the most hectic year of my life, but by far one of the best.
At the beginning of the month I went to Paris for a long weekend. My friend Indy, from South Africa and I went a day earlier than all of the other exchange students because we were invited to visit with the Ambassador of Defense from South Africa. He was so great, and his wife took us out for an amazing lunch in the cutest little cliché of a restaurant in Paris. There, I met a lovely couple from California and we talked for about an hour and it was so great! They bought me a drink and some snacks even and we chatted about French and American culture. The next day we met up with everyone else and hit up Versaille again and then did a tour of Paris by night. The Champs de Elysee with all of the Christmas lights is INCREDIBLE, then we went and toured around the Sacre Coeur, which was beautiful, and with a beautiful view of Paris at night, felt pretty much like a movie. I also got a glimpse of the Moulin Rouge. The next day we climbed the Eiffel Tower and then took a ride on a Baton Mouche (which was cold, but we were loving it, we sang and waved at random people on the bridges). The weekend ended and I went back home for a day before coming back to Paris to send Indy back to South Africa we got there a little before everyone else so I found a Starbucks and enjoyed my first one in about 4 months ( it was a cup of heaven). Saying goodbye to Indy however, was the hardest thing I have had to do during my exchange because she really was a bit of a rock for me, we had gotten really close and it was rough to say goodbye, but I know that I will see her in the future. These are the sort of people that you don't forget, but is any case it feels like a totally different exchange without her, but I am looking at it as a new chapter. So December passed quickly and before I knew it, it was Christmas! It was great (even though I was a touch homesick) we opened presents and had appetizers Christmas Eve. I think everyone liked my presents (which was a relief) and I even got some presents for myself. I felt like Harry Potter on his first Christmas at Hogwarts...like YOU GOT ME PRESENTS! YAY! The next day (Christmas) everyone in the family, Grandma, Grandpa, Aunts, Cousins, and friends, sat down for a huge Christmas dinner, which in the true spirit of France, lasted about 5 hours (but it was goooooodddd) and included some really amazing chicken, roasted fruits, seafood baked with cream, potatoes, salad, and for dessert....French cakes and tartes! I have gained a lot of weight here and named my fat Albert (with a French Accent) it is a little bit of a family joke now. I am getting ready to greet the New Year with a bang, and soon (in two days) I am nervous and a sad because I have grown to be really comfortable and happy with this family but I know this will be a good experience and my second family seems to be way cool so at the same time I am excited:) See you guys in Six Months, and my next blog post in one (unless something really amazing happens and I need to write about it right then).
Bisous