Settling In...

Why hello everyone!! As I sit here, I can not decide if I am too hot or too cold.. I just can't get it right! The weather here is so bizzare I can not even convey to you! Sunday and Monday it was like 80-85 and sunny and today it is like 60 and overcast... wierd I tell you! Well this week has been pretty good so far! Monday night was nothing special, just the regular school and after I came home and took a nap (well I tried to but the girls here were fighting and screaming at each other the whole time)! And, I did some laundry (which still is not dry today). Oh yes, and I must not forget, on the way home on the bus, a boy about my age was standing up and just fainted because of the heat! I felt so bad for him and no one helped him and everyone just stared! I said "ca va" and he replied something I did not understand in French and I felt really bad.. well I did understand "chaud" which is "heat", but I felt bad beacause I did not have any water or anything for him! And then yesterday, after school myself and a couple other girls and two instructors particpated in an aerobics course, and it was much easier this time around! After that I came home and did my homework and ate dinner here. We had chicken and green beans and bread (of course!) and a couple other things... I ate a lot! Just when the girls started to heat up the first crepe that Laurent's mom had made us, the phone rang and Armelle realized she forgot about the dinner arrangements with the young couple who just moved out of the apartment here at the house and into their own home in a small village on the outskirts of town.. And she could not tell them we had already eaten because they had already prepared dinner for us, SO we loaded up in the car and headed to their home and ate dinner a SECOND time! Haha be careful what you wish for because I love the food here, but trying to be polite and eat dinner a second time was VERY difficut...even for me who loves to eat! So needless to say, for breakfast this morning, I really did not eat that much! After school today, myself and a couple other people went to "The Nelson" for milkshakes.. Not just any milkshakes, NUTELLA milkshakes... I love Nutella, but just not in the milkshake form, so I got Strawberry, and they were really good! After that, I headed over to the H&M right around the corner! Here in Europe almost every store has a big "Solides" most of June and July! Some places things are as much as 70 percent off! So, I purchased a couple things at H&M this afternoon, but I have a hard time spending money here because of the exchange rate.. so I just buy things that I could not find in the US.. Anywhoo, the family here was supposed to go play golf this afternoon but they were too tired, so right now the girls are trying to convince their parents they need a new phone (it does not help that I told them Annie has an iPhone)! Alright well I think I have written enough for the day! Thank you so much for your prayers and thoughts they mean the world to me! Some days are harder than others for me, but I think that is just all part of it! Sometimes I just want to scream and speak English because I can not get my point accross in French, but I think that is part of it as well! My French is coming along a lot better, and I am even starting to understand the natives, which is very difficult! Alrighty well I will update you again this weekend, we are going on an excursion Friday and there is a picnic Sunday for the students for the fourth of July at the beach.. Apparently there is even an American Football match.. I am anxious to see it!! Oh and yes, Saturday night we are going to a cousin of Armelle's for dinner, and she is an English teacher, so that should be interesting!! Everyone is in my prayers and thoughts everday!! Time is flying by and I can not believe it!

Botchy Ball!!

As I sit here to write this, I am nursing a sunburn as well... YES! Say it ain't so! This weekend was gorgeous here! Today the high was 35 degrees celcius, and not a cloud in the sky to be found, I am so greatful! Today was the big day... the tournament du bal! Haha it took me my friend Alice to realize that it is acutally botchy ball in the United States! My family here had a huge party that started at 11 this morning and is still going as I write this! There were five teams with three people each, and the tourney was a round robin! And yes, I actually did quite well, I know what most of you are thinking right now.... Alix??? Sports?? But my team came in second, and my last throw was the won that allowed us to win the match! My friend from the program, Alice joined the party because her parents work on the weekends! Around lunch time, everyone brought their own picnic, and when I say picnic, everyone actually brought like a four course meal in their coolers.... the baguettes as well!!! Oh and yes, I musn't forget the Ricard (wiskey) that went like crazy! I thought Armell was crazy when I saw that she bought wine in a box yesterday... the only thing I could think of was Franzia... Then I looked at the box and realized it was Bordeaux wine!!!! haha gotta love it! And then for dinner, we had mini chipole sausages... which were so good, and a myriad of other things!!! Oh and yes, the lots of deserts we and everyone else made!! As I sit here, I had to undo my belt because I ate too much today.. I think I am going to attempt the 15 minute walk to school in the morning because I can't stand to take the bus and accept hopw much I have eaten this wekend! Okay well I am going to go brush my teeth and maybe do my homework... I have not decided yet.. we will see how that goes!! Thank you so much everyone for the prayers!! Oh and speaking of prayers.. at Mass last night, the priest came up to me and said "une jeunesse" haha because I was the only one under the age of 40 in the congregation... You gotta laugh! Thank you again and you know I am praying for each and every one of you during the night!! Haha the girls here love to read over my shoulder and figure out what I am writing in English... I keep having to tell myself "patience, Alix patience, take a deep breathe" haha but good night and I will update midweek =)

TIME FLIES!!

As I sit here to write, I just got home from school and finished a Tirimisu and rode the bus back home!! School is the same ole same ole and I am starting to wonder if there will ever come a day when I am not in class!! Oh well.. last night we went to the Fete de Musique dans la ville!! It was very neat and there were lots of muscians on every corner, and it was just a whole bunch of people having a good time! The day before that, we visited a family friend who is a dentist and has a wonderful garden! We picked rasberries and strawberries and I think I ate more than I saved!! ooops! Tonight, I think we are going to ride bikes if the weather cooperates, which it rarely ever does! It is about 40 or 50 degrees here everyday and the sun comes out a couple times if you are lucky!! Oh yes and it rains almost every day! A couple of my friends and I did an aerobics class yesterday and I am quite sore! I am bound and determined not to gain the freshman 15, let alone early! Speaking of, I have come to realize that everything tastes so much better with either butter or sugar.. or both!! It is an issue!! So, i walk everywhere when I can and try to get excercise! Speaking of, the Tour de France passes through here on the 6 of July and it goes right through on the road where I go to school!! I am so excited because we get to watch it in the afternoon! On Friday night, there is supposed to be a folklore dance that the instructors are organizing for us and our families. Not only do I not want to do the traditional dance of the Bettons, but neither does my family here! They said I do not half to go and if a teacher asks to tell them I was sick... Haha you have to laugh! For those of you that know me well, you know that I am a freak bout grammar and I detest mispelles words and such! As I look at the computer maintenant, every word is underlined because it is in English! In addition, the keyboard here is different and I am trying to get this done in a timely manner! For those reasons, I appologize for the bad grammar and mispellings! Oh and on top of that my mind is also going in Francaise as I speak to my family as I type! Okay, well thank you again everyone for the prayers! I know I say it often, but they mean the world! Everyone is in my prayers here and I thank you for everything!! I will write again this weekend when I have a moment!!

Okay, I have some time to write!

I just finished my homework and figured I would sit down to write! The last week went by so fast! Monday was Pentecost here, so there was no school and no work, so my family and another family went bowling! Being the spectacular athlete that I am (hahaha) I actually did not do to bad! Then on Wednesday and Thursday, my fellow exchange students and I traveled to Normandy and to the Cemetary of the Americans, Germand, Point de Hoc, the Bayeux Tapisserie, and the memorial at Caen. We stayed at a hostile, which was a first for me and i kept thinking about bed bugs! We went to the market this morning and the fresh food was amazing! I can not belive that after this week I am half way done! I am enjoying myself more and trying to smile and thank God for this opportunity every chance I can! We are going to Mass tonight (and Father Vince was right, there is no one in them!). Tomorrow I believe We are going to ride the girls' horses... They ride English and jump, so we will see how this goes! Everyday gets a little bit better for me and I am so grateful I am able to come on this trip and experience everything. Everyday, I do get a little bit nervous and miss my family, but I just talk to myself and say a prayer, and try to thank God for the grace he has given me!

I know many of you would like to hear about my family, and I keep forgetting to talk about them! I have a mother and a father who are both professers. The dad teaches an hour away at a college and teaches electricty and mechanical engineering. The mother runs a school and teaches two nights a week! Right now, the father was been working like crazy to get the basement ready for the jacuzzi that will be arriving on Monday. I am anxious to see what this jacuzzi looks like and if it is like the hot tubs in the United States. I also have twin girls that are thirteen and in school right now. Their last day is on Monday (from what I understand). We live in the city, which is good because we are not far from really anything! The girls love asking me questions.... a lot! The weather here is like Seattle in the US. It rains almost every day, but there is also a couple minutes of sunshine as well! Oh, and it is VERY cold here, like in the 40s and 50s everyday! They keep saying it is going to get warm, but that just has not happened! They say that when it gets warm, we are going to go to the beach and wakeboard on the boat! We shall see if it gets warm enough to do that! Anywhoo my tan is completely gone :(; but I guess I will work on that when I get home! Oh yes, and I must mention that everytime I get in the car, American music is on the radio! And it always makes me laugh because the bad words are not bleeped out! haha welcome to Europe I guess!

I am very excited to see mom and dad when they come over in about three and a half weeks! Okay, well I think I have written enough for the day! We are going to Mass here soon, so you all know I will be praying for you then, and everyday like I do now! Thank you so much for the prayers for me, I have really experienced God at work this trip! I will write again when I can!

XO ALIX

P.S. I have so much respect for my friend Javi who spent a whole year in the US this past year!! That is quite amazing and if you can do it for a year, I can for four more weeks!

WOW

Okay so i figured i would update real quick!! I am doing great and have some days that are better than others!! I am praying for you all!!! I will update more after my trip to Normandy or tonight!

Wow what a week!!

Okay I finally have some time to sit down and write. For those of you that havent talked to my mom, I have been a little homesick this week, but I relying heavily on prayer to get through each day! The language barrier is very difficult, and I feel like I am an outsider looking in. I am hoping that will change the more I learn the language! I live with a family that has twin girls that are 13 and a mom and a dad. We live 5 minutes from where I go to school, so I ride the bus to and from there everyday. I hve finally gotten adjusted to the time change, we are 6 hours ahead here. School is not bad at all, for we learn about culture and take a lot of breaks. Next week we are going to travel to Normandy and Mount St. Michel. The weather here is very cold, and I miss the heat I left behind!!! Thanks again for all the prayers, I truly believe that is what gets me through the day!! Everyone at home is in my prayers daily!!!

Cooking Class!

Hello everyone! First off thank you so much for the prayers everyone, they are nuch needed and greatly appreciated! The keyboard here is very different, so I am doing my best to adjust! Today we are going to the girls golf practice, and then a cooking class with Armelles brother. There are no apostrophe marks. sorry! I will update about my whirlwind of a week when we get back!!! love everyone and you are in my prayers too...each and every person!!

XOXOX

I thought we were going to land on the sailboats!

Well, I am in Boston waiting for my flight to Paris, just sitting here charging my phone! The flight here went very well, and I loved looking out at the harbor on our way in.. In fact I thought we were going to land in it! I keep forgetting about all the little advantages of traveling with the fam, like taking turns going to the bathroom so you don't have to take your bags in! It was quite the trek over to this terminal, so I couldn't help but wonder if my bags made the journey as well! I am hoping to get an ample amount of rest on the plane, for my day will start over again when I land! Thanks for all the prayers, signs, and voicemails! Next time I write I will be in Paris, or maybe St-Brieuc!

-- Posted from my iPhone

Off I Go!

Well today is the big day! My family and I are headed to church in just a few minutes. From there, the WHOLE fam is caravanning to the airport. I fly from Indy to Boston at noon this Sunday afternoon. From Boston, I will hop on an Air France flight at 6 this evening straight to Paris, where I will arrive there at 6 in the morning, Paris time! I am extremely excited to share my experiences on here. However, some of them may be in French. Don't worry! Just go to translate.google.com and copy and paste the text into the box. Make sure you change the language to "French to English". The English translation will pop up right beside the French text. Thank you so much for all the prayers, and I will update as soon as I can :)