Mallory Richey - Bonnes Fêtes!

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

 Group of Us on the Second floor of the Eiffel Tower

 Just a really cool door I found in Paris that I thought I would share

 A bunch of us on a Baton Mouche!

STARBUCKSSSSSS....terminal 1 CDG if any of you are in need and are at the Airport in Pars

Mallory

Diana - This month was so amazing!

Hello!

This month was so amazing.  First, I had never seen snow before. It snowed on the last week of October.  I was really surprised and made a snow angel.  It was so fun and cold.

Then I had to introduce my country with a PowerPoint presentation, I was so nervous but I think I did it well. I hope so.!

Halloween was so cool.   I didn´t have a lot of candy because I think I´m too old for it.  Anyway, I was so glad for that day.  I saw lots of scary and funny costumes.

Then Thanksgiving was really delicious.   Actually, I’d never eaten that kind of food before.  Spending time with my host family was so fun and I feel so comfortable with them.

The next day was so funny I went to get a Christmas tree.  I slid on the ice.  It was so funny.

I just changed families last Saturday.  I was sad because I was used to being there.  I felt comfortable and excited to know other ways of American life and learn more English.

The second weekend with this family I went to brocons game real football american was so excited for my but most all the time I didn´t understand.

I have experienced many exciting things this new month, but these are the most important things I’ve enjoyed this month.

However, the worst thing is that I´ve gained 8 pounds in three months which is not amazing.

I just turned 18 on Friday 14^th was really calm day because here the over age is 21 and I am still young but legally I´m adult.

Now I´m thinking, I have the worst thing in all my exchange year:

The Sunday 15^th of December I had a accident trying to learn skiing was so bad but soon I  will have surgery in my knee but everybody says here are excellent doctors again I hope so. =) 

Mallory Richey - CENTIEME!!!!!

I have passed the one hundredth day in France! Time is flying somedays...it is insane. The Christmas season has defiantly begun...and I don't have many pictures because I have been so busy ( and maybe forgot my camera at home for the Rotary weekend)! The Holiday's started out with a bang. My host family threw me a surprise Thanksgiving with all of my new french friends. It was defiantly a Thanksgiving to remember. Then, I made some Gumbo for a rotary outing where we had to make food from our country for the Rotarians and host families of our district. It turned out great despite my cooking skills (my host mom helping me was probably the reason I didn' burn the house down) but a little to spicy for some of the French:) I also went to Vimy, a Canadian memorial for the first world war. There is still indentations in the earth from the artillery and we got to walk around in old trenches and even the underground caves a bit.  have finally found my comfort zone with the language and school and friends and life is feeling pretty normal.  All the exchange students are headed to Paris next weekend for some Christmas wonderment, and I am going down a day early with my friend from South Africa to meet the South African ambassador, so I am becoming more wordily not just in the French Culture but others as well! I change host families the 2nd of January, which is exciting and sad at the same time, so that will mix things up a bit, I am going to miss this host family but the next one is superb as well. This afternoon, I am braving the kitchen again and making muffins! I have been getting into the Christmas Spirit by writing cards, decorating the tree with my host sister, and eating plenty of French yummies and spent some time selling Christmas stuff for Polio with Rotary, so things are good on this side of the pond as always. I will keep you guys updated! Bisous et bon fête!
Mallory

Kestral Johnston - Já quartro meses....

So, it's already been four months in Brazil. All I have to say is wow. This country continues to amaze me, the people, the landscape, the way of life. And yet, it's all the same. I always find it strange to think about another language as the way it is. How as certain and correct as English sounds to me, there is also a certain and correct Portuguese. I will hopefully get to that point which both are that way.

During this past month I had my birthday. Whoo hoo 17! I had a small birthday party with my friends from school and the people from Rotary. There was so much food, I can't even describe it. So here is the Brazilian birthday party song lyrics. Of course, you can't just sing, you must also clap and then repeat, but faster.

My host mom and godmother with me at my party

Parabéns pra voce
Nesta data querida
Muitas felicidades
Muitos anos da vida

Happy Birthday to you
On this day, dear
Best wishes
Many years of life

I also got to travel with my host family to two of the most magical places in the world: Pantanal and Bonito. For those who aren't familiar with Pantanal, it is one of the world's largest wetland areas and reaches across 2 states in Brazil, parts of Paraguay, and parts of Bolivia. It's quite tropical and has an array of different animals such as toucans (tucano), parrots (araras), alligators (jacaré), tuiuiú ( symbolic bird of Pantanal), capybaras (capivaras), and many other animals. In the city of Bonito, I got to go on a tour called Boca da Onça that had 9 waterfalls and 4 places to swim. I also got to swim in the famous crystal clear water of Bonito. It was absolutely amazing.

Giant tree

Macaco!

Boca da Onca waterfall, highest in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul

In other words....American Kestrel :)

Tatú, the official mascot of the 2014 World Cup

Capybaras

Gruta do Lago Azul, most visited place in Bonito

Snorkeling down Rio Sucuri

On a boat with my host family

My host mom and I swimming in the Boraco do Macaco waterfall

Boraco do Macaco

Bem vindo ao Pantanal!

Arara azul (blue parrot)

Jacaré (Alligator)

Arara vermelha (red parrot)

Swimming with the fish... piraputangas to be exact

I hope everyone had great holidays and everyone is enjoying the cold weather. Summer just started here and it's so hot! ( 90+ degrees F) Tudo de bom pra vocês durante as feriás, beijos s2

Last day of school....