The Chance Of a Lifetime: The Adventures of Yaya..

I know I haven't written in a long time, and that's because I've been so busy! And believe it or not, it's really hard to write in English after just one month fully immersed in the French language and culture! So I will start off by talking about the first AFS weekend! I was held during the first weekend in October in a town outside of Paris called Poissy. We were staying at the prettiest house/ hotel which was right on the Seine River!

The weekend was pretty amazing! It was so great to see all of the AFSers in my region, Ile-de-France. We spent the two days talking about our first month, and also doing activities and "energizers". There was one activity that pushed all of us to trust each other and work together. We had to lay on the ground in a line and carry one person at a time above us to the end of the line. This really showed me that everyone may not be comfortable with everything, but to get through it you have to trust everyone around you.

So at the end of the weekend, all the host families came and we had lunch together then all went our separate ways back to our french lives. It was hard to leave all of my friends, because they've practically become my family and support system, but it was also nice to get back home. Here are some pictures from the weekend:

So within this past month, I have really started to realize the differences between France and Hawaii!
First, everything here is so fast paced. I will be walking down the street and 10 people will pass me!
Second, I've never kissed so many people on the cheeks before! Every morning, or every time you see someone you know you go up to them and say hello by giving them kisses on each cheek, "faire les bises".
Third, a lot of girls wear heels to school! I don't know how there feet don't fall off by the end of the days!
Forth, the French love to go on strike! I've had many days where I don't have class because the teacher doesn't show up! I love it!
Lastly, the kids in lycée go on strike too! They block the school so no one can enter, which means no classes. This has happened recently because of the huge strike going on right now.
So, this is my last week of school before October break! I can't wait! My host family is taking me to L'ile d'Oleron and the Loire Valley. It will be nice to get away and see another part of France.
Some other things I forgot, was that the weather is changing and it is starting to get really cold, and the leaves are falling and changing colors! It's beautiful!
But, that is all for now, because I have to get ready for my dance class! Here are some pictures of my recent adventures...
ps. Yaya is my nickname my parents in Hawaii call me if you were wondering why the name of this post is, "The Adventures of Yaya".

This is me, my host mom, and my host sister at the brocante, garage sale in english! It was a huge event where lots of people came to sell old unwanted stuff including my family! And believe it or not I helped with selling items!