Apologies for not writing in a while. Last week was hectic.
On Wednesday school ended around 1:30, as usual. I made my way home and started some homework and SAT Prep, but I forgot about the errands I needed to run. So after a reminder call from Will, I hurried out the door and into centre ville. I ought my ticket for paris at the Gare and then went on a mission to find a guitar shop. Mission Accomplished. I found a guitar shop just near Place Sainte Anne and my strings were serviced in no time. I rushed home to meet Alejandra and off we went to bowling with Lycée Victor Helen Basch, a high school just outside of Rennes.
The bowling alley was classy, I must say. It wasn't dirty and sticky like a typical American bowling alley. The couches were comfortable and at 8pm the lights went out and the strobes came on. It was great to bond with French kids our own age over an activity that we don't really get to do that often. We were all pretty "nul" at bowling and after one game each team gave up. Instead, we all talked from 6:30 until 9, making plans to meet up again.
On Thursday, we didn't go to school. At all. Instead, we were dispersed to high schools in and around Rennes and met by students who took us through a typical day in the life of a French élève.
I started my day in the rain, freezing, and walked to Jean Macé, which is a public high school really near SYA. Some people go there for lunch, sometimes. I prefer St. Vincent's café myself.
Amaya and Maddie from school were assigned the same school, and we all met in the "Accueil" of Jean Macé. My student-guide was named Fanny. Amaya's was named Sophie. Fanny and Sophie had all their classes together, so Amaya and I weren't totally lost.
Our first class was "Philosophie." 2 hours. Philosophy. No breaks. It was mind-numbing.
We then made our way to the Gymnase where we watched Fanny do "Step" for two hours. Yes, another two hours. We read and wrote. A lot.
Gymnase was followed by Dejeuner, another two hours, a Geography test and an English class - in which we were told a story of a unicorn. Quite the experience.
All in all, I'm glad I went to SYA instead of a French high school. With all the people I've met and things I've done, I don't regret my decision for a moment.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Hello, December
December is finally here. Rennes is freezing, but alive with the sights, sounds and smells of Christmastime.
Yesterday was December 1st. After finishing a LOAD of SAT Prep work (sorry that I have no social life), I decided I'd adventure into town and meet my friend Elizabeth at her house. She has it good, I'll tell you that. She lives in a huge house at le Parlement, which is basically the town centre, and her window looks out over the whole city. While the rest of us live on the outskirts of town, near school or in the suburbs (the Boonie Kids), Elizabeth lives right in the heart of Rennes. Not bad.
I walked to her house and from there we walked into Place de Parlement. Since November 23 there's been a Christmas fair called Le Marché de Noël, where you can buy little Christmas gifts, eat roasted chestnuts, churros, beignets and chocolate covered strawberries on a stick, and find christmas decorations of all sorts - from reindeer to dancing Santas. I had been there on Friday night with Grant, Omar, Alejandra, Maria and Jasmine and it was a great jolt into the holiday spirit.
Elizabeth and I made our way through it and walked through a few side streets to get to Place Hoche, where there's another Christmas fair set up. This one's inside a tent and it's not as cheery and jolly as the other, but still a great place to buy handmade bags, candles and ornaments.
Afterwards, we sauntered down the streets of Rennes. It was late afternoon, and all the Christmas lights had been turned on for the first time. They'd been up for weeks, and all of us SYAers had been waiting impatiently for them to illuminate the night sky. Twinkling lights danced from telephone pole to telephone pole and hung from gutters outside every shop and restaurant. We sat down at a café with coffee and hot chocolate and took in the sparkling sky.
Wes and Maren arrived and we all decided to go back to Le Marché de Noël once again. This time, we acquiesced to our cravings for chocolate-covered strawberries on a stick and we simply wandered from stall to stall, feeling the Christmas spirit envelope every one of us.
The three of them departed for sushi but I got back on the bus and headed home for my host mum's birthday dinner. When I arrived, my host brother, Grégoire, and his girlfriend were here with their baby boy and Clémence, Patrick (my host dad), and Maryvonne were sitting around the table, and we began our superb meal of cheese fondue, followed up by lemon tart.
It was a good night.
Yesterday was December 1st. After finishing a LOAD of SAT Prep work (sorry that I have no social life), I decided I'd adventure into town and meet my friend Elizabeth at her house. She has it good, I'll tell you that. She lives in a huge house at le Parlement, which is basically the town centre, and her window looks out over the whole city. While the rest of us live on the outskirts of town, near school or in the suburbs (the Boonie Kids), Elizabeth lives right in the heart of Rennes. Not bad.
I walked to her house and from there we walked into Place de Parlement. Since November 23 there's been a Christmas fair called Le Marché de Noël, where you can buy little Christmas gifts, eat roasted chestnuts, churros, beignets and chocolate covered strawberries on a stick, and find christmas decorations of all sorts - from reindeer to dancing Santas. I had been there on Friday night with Grant, Omar, Alejandra, Maria and Jasmine and it was a great jolt into the holiday spirit.
Elizabeth and I made our way through it and walked through a few side streets to get to Place Hoche, where there's another Christmas fair set up. This one's inside a tent and it's not as cheery and jolly as the other, but still a great place to buy handmade bags, candles and ornaments.
Afterwards, we sauntered down the streets of Rennes. It was late afternoon, and all the Christmas lights had been turned on for the first time. They'd been up for weeks, and all of us SYAers had been waiting impatiently for them to illuminate the night sky. Twinkling lights danced from telephone pole to telephone pole and hung from gutters outside every shop and restaurant. We sat down at a café with coffee and hot chocolate and took in the sparkling sky.
Wes and Maren arrived and we all decided to go back to Le Marché de Noël once again. This time, we acquiesced to our cravings for chocolate-covered strawberries on a stick and we simply wandered from stall to stall, feeling the Christmas spirit envelope every one of us.
The three of them departed for sushi but I got back on the bus and headed home for my host mum's birthday dinner. When I arrived, my host brother, Grégoire, and his girlfriend were here with their baby boy and Clémence, Patrick (my host dad), and Maryvonne were sitting around the table, and we began our superb meal of cheese fondue, followed up by lemon tart.
It was a good night.
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