The second half of my year in France - Hope Nelson

I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I know it has been FOREVER since I blogged but don't worry! My time has not been wasted! Since December I have done a fair amount of traveling. I did the two bus trips to Spain and around Europe, and was lucky enough to do the second voyage with MALLORY.

Venice, Italy

Milan, Italy

Paris

Amiens, France

I also visited Spain a second time with my host parents and ate lots of TAPAS. We took another trip south to a rotary conference to Biarritz.

Rotary conference in Biarritz



Mallory also wanted to come explore the Bordeaux area so she came to stay with me for a little while.

With Mallory and Host family in Bordeaux

My parents also came for a week long tour of France which was amazing but being a translator is not easy! That is brain gymnastics! I showed them where I lived and a nearby zoo as well as le Dordogne, les châteaux de la Loir, Normandy, Mont Sainte Michel and more.


 

With my family in front of the the Château of Chenonceau

My second host family took my best friend Justin and I to visit the amusement park Futuroscope.


With Justin at Futuroscope



After the second bus trip I spent a weekend up north in Lille with my girl Mal and some other close exchange student friends . Afterwards I spent a weekend at La Rochelle and put on a show with the other exchange students in my district. Then I rejoined my second host family for a petit tour of champagne country! Pas mal non?

Champagne anyone?

With my host mom Elisabeth Tapon



Most recently, my French friends had “le bac” which are the academic qualification tests needed to pursue University studies. Last weekend, I had my 17th birthday with my exchange student friends -- which was AMAZING. We danced, played tennis, and played in the pool. They sang happy birthday in French, English, Spanish, Swedish, Norwegian, and there must have been five happy birthday songs in Portuguese because the Brazilians never stopped singing!

My birthday gathering



My birthday was our last time being all together. I have been SO lucky to be with this group, they are truly some of the most special, caring, and generous people I have ever met. They have become my family. Simply, they are the people who you call crying on the phone when you think you cant handle it, this, the exchange. When your parents and friends don't understand what it is to be in a completely different culture, speaking in a different language, and living with people you don't know, there is always an exchange student who can say "I'm right there with you". They were with me for the hardest year of my life. That is irreplaceable, and I cant thank them enough. It seems so depressive that I may never be swept into another Mexican salsa, or have another Portuguese lesson from a table of Brazilians. Where will I look when I want different ideas, a fresh perspective on food, music, family, love, or just...life? Maybe there is another exchange for me in the future... South America? ;) Mallory, you want to come with? Maybe Kestral can give us a tour of Brazil?

Adios!