19 Little Known Facts about France

I know its not Wednesday but I found these and I thought they were super fun and I wanted to share! 1. In Paris you are never more that 400 meters from a subway station. The Marseillaise, the French national anthem, was first sung in Strasbourg, not Marseille. 2. The novel La Disparition (Disappeared) by Georges Perec, in its original French does not use the letter 'e'. 3. In French two weeks is in fact 15 days, quinze jours. 4. When the President of France eats a Gallette des Rois, a traditional cake eaten in early January, it can't have a fève, a small token, in it. Who ever will get the fève is the king or queen for the day, but of course the President of France can't be royalty. 5.French politicians can simultaneously hold more than one elected office. 6. Lefevre is the most popular last name in France. 7.There are 27 wine regions in France. 8.Comté cheese is best eaten 30 months after it is made. 9.Alsacien type homes are not considered immobilier, the French term for real estate that also means non-moveable, but in fact mobilier, French for moveable, because they are demountable and thus can be moved. Alsacien type homes were built this way so that homes could be part of dowries. 10. No tipping Service is included in all restaurant bills. While it does feel weird to leave nothing on the table at first, it’s amazing how quick you get used to knowing exactly how much your meal has costed. You can exceptionally leave a euro or two on the table if you received outstanding customer service, but that’s highly unlikely… 11. Le client est roi… right? Customers are kings. That’s a saying we have in America. And somehow, I have the very strong impression it is yet another thing that wasn’t brought to us from France! Their customer service, to be completely blunt, is awful in most places. Considering how complicated it is to fire an employee in France, why would they bother being kind and smily? It doesn’t come as a surprise either to know that the opening hours of a store may vary according to the employees moods. Even if the official hours are, say, 9 to 7, well don’t expect to come in for a baguette at 6:50. Oh no. The store is actually closed so the employees can be gone by 7. Funny way to run a business, isn’t it? 12. Drugstores are actually… drugstores Don’t expect to buy toilet paper, mascara or candy over here – they only sell drugs, high-end creams and special toothpaste (although when you think of it, it is kind of weird to sell candies at the drugstore – how are they better than cigarettes for our health?). You can easily recognize them with the flashing green neon cross over the door and you don’t usually have to walk very far to find one. French people are serious about their drugstores! drugstore france, french drugstore, pharmacie, interesting facts about France 13. Methods of payment slightly differ Most high street stores and groceries still accept cheques as a method of payment, as long as you have ID to prove your identity. Cheques, in America, are so archaic – needless to say how surprised I was when I saw a woman get out her checkbook to pay for her groceries! Another thing that mesmerizes me is that they only have one card: la carte bleue. It’s a debit card with a Visa sign on it. Why so? How does it sort credit and debit? I have absolutely no idea. (Thank God Wiki is there to inform me on what my banker missed out on! Now that I’ve figured out how it works I must say, it is quite brillant.) 14. Ice is EVIL! Another little known fact is that no proper restaurant in France will serve ice in your water. Most of the time, the water will be either room-temperature or slightly chilly, but never cold. That’s when I miss my self-serve McDonald’s soda bar, where I can decide just how much ice I want in my drink. Which is a lot. 15. La bise That’s my least favorite thing about France. La bise. What a chore! It isn’t so bad when there are only 3-4 people, but when you arrive at a party of 20+ people, it’s just an awfully long exercise that’s keeping you away from your drink. Everybody has to stand up to greet you with a kiss on both cheeks, with very specific rules. Without exception. And I actually have to make huge efforts to do that – my North American standards do not force awkward contact between strangers, and I have to say that I really prefer it that way. And once you finally do get your hands on a drink, doesn’t mean you can enjoy it right away… 16. Santé! Cheering in France is no simple happening. Why go simple when you can go complicated? There are specific rules to follow to cheer as per the French rules: you have to look every single person you cheers with in the eye, say “Santé!” or “Tchin Tchin!”, without crossing your glass with someone else’s – otherwise you will be entitled to seven years of bad sex. You’ve been warned! cheers, cheering glasses, party, cheering in france, interesting facts about france 17. Shopping carts No one is getting away with a shopping cart theft without a price – to actually use a cart, you have to insert a €1 coin on a special coin-operated mechanism on the handle. No kidding! What happens most of the time is that you forget to take your coin back and pay an extra euro for your grocery. 18. Sunday is the Day of Rest What most tourists don’t know about France is that if you happen to be traveling on a Sunday, you should know this: most stores will be closed for the day. Some groceries will open for a few hours in the morning, but that’s about it – and some family-owned businesses (such as bakeries) will be closed on Mondays as well. Coming from a large city like Montreal where you can find pretty much anything you want at any hour, that required a bit of getting used to. 19. Les soldes Unfortunately for the fashionista in me, France doesn’t have regular sales. In fact, there are only two authorized periods per year: July and January. It has some good and some bad: yes, the prices are higher year-round but when the sales do come around, you can expect 50%+ discounts, whether in luxury stores or high street chains. I recently bought two striped t-shirts (essential French items, right?) that were initially tagged at €30 each, and I ended up paying only €20 for both. We rarely get these kinds of sale in Canada, so needless to say I was extremely happy with this particular French tradition!

Expressions in French

Have you realized that there are hundreds of expressions in our own language that we use without thinking. They reside in our cultural memory bank and slide effortlessly out to the tip of our tongue (au bout de la langue!) with no conscious thought on our part. But when speaking a language other than your native tongue, I’ve realized the importance of these “cultural word tools” – and that you can’t be without them. Because you need them to understand the sense of what someone is telling you, to catch the point of a joke, or to make a play on words. Here are a few of my favorites just for fun. In English “When pigs fly”, translates into the French expression “When hens have teeth” (quand les poules auront des dents). I licked my fingers” translates to “I licked all five fingers and my thumb” (j’ai leche les cinq doigts et le pouce) “That gets on my nerves” becomes “That breaks my feet” (cela me casse les pieds). À bon chat, bon rat which is a proverb in French but in English the translation it Tit for Tat À force d'explications ça finira par entrer. IN English-Explain it for long enough and it will sink in(my host Father says this to me when I forget how to conjugate in the past tense....not amused) À mauvais ouvrier point de bons outils. In English a bad workman blames his tools. This embodies the French idea of "the consumer or the customer is ALWAYS wrong" In France customer service is literally nonexistent and if you want to complain about one of the waiters at your local cafe you can pretty much forget it because the manager will probably just shrug their shoulders and say "What do you want me to do about it?" Well, I’ve made a gigantic cultural leap in speaking French! Oh yes, most of it is mastering the grammar and syntax. But understanding hundred of cultural references – from cartoon characters (recognize Asterix and Obelix above - iconic French cartoon figure) to political incidents to literature – and everyday expressions -is essential. Why? It’s helped me to establish relationships with people. It lets me go beyond surface interactions and find some deeper ways to communicate, because I find that people are more likely to open up when they see that you know their culture, which includes their traditions and sayings. Bisous Em

Table Etiquette in France

They really are different! I was under the impression that table manners would be all the same as the US. WRONG Here are a few I have researched and figured out! "1) Should you place your napkin in your lap immediately after being seated? False. Once the hostess places her napkin in her lap, other guests should follow suit. 2) Do you put your bread in the upper left edge of your plate, or on a bread plate? False. Bread is placed directly on the tablecloth, on the left above the fork. 3) Should you tear your bread into a bite-sized piece before eating it? True. Always! It is very impolite to take a bite from the whole piece of bread. 4) When the aperitif is served, do you wait for the host to give the toast before drinking? True. You should wait for the host to lead the way, whether an aperitif or dinner course. Once everyone has been served a drink, the host will generally make a short toast after which the glass-clinking begins. It is polite to make eye contact as you say, “Santé.” Note: Also never cross over someone's arm when toasting, it is considered bad luck. 5) When serving wine, should the glasses be filled up to five millimeters from the brim? False. When pouring wine, stop when the glass is three-fourths full. 6) It is acceptable to eat pommes frites (French fries) with your fingers? False. While fast food has made its mark in France, eating foods with your fingers is still strictly limited when you are at the dinner table. If in doubt, follow the lead of your host. Mayonnaise or Mustard is the choice topping. Bisous Em

Differences Between the USA and France (Part 1)

Through my travels so far I have found an endless number of differences between the USA and France but here are a few that really stuck out to me..... One word people. Food. Food is not regarded as fuel....or even just a social thing here.....its viewed as a whole section of the day. You take time with your food, savoring each morsel like it was your last. Its the supermarkets here that really amaze me. In America the market is just a place to go with a list and mission....in France its a place to plan meals, meander, and generally enjoy just being. You could see a friend in the supermrkets and stop an talk for an entire hour(trust me my host mother has done it). Its not a place to rush through its somewhere to unwind and reflect on the day while you pick up food for a meal. I can still smell the smell of the bakery next door to the supermarket, see the check out person, the aisles and the labels in which I did not understand a word. I remember wondering what the differences were between the brands? Where was the cereal? Ice cream? And how was I suppose to order cheese if I couldn't ask the salesperson for it? I pointed, and shook my head yes, often. I found out that before I went to the check out counter I had to weigh the fruits and vegetables I wanted. In the fruit and vegetable section there was a scale that had a list of the fruits and vegetable on it. All I had to do was find the word (not a simple task), then click on it and a ticket with a price would appear. One time I was buying a head of lettuce....and the ticket came out telling me that the cost $25. I looked at the ticket, I had clicked on fresh herbs and not lettuce. I bought sour milk instead of fresh milk. The fresh milk was in a box without a spout, and as it was located by the dry goods, I had no idea what it was. I was surprised it was not refrigerated. Later I learned that it could last three months in the cupboard if not opened, and only when opened needed to put in the refrigerator. In France, at school (or anywhere for that matter) each day when you see someone you know you greet them. When you know a person well you kiss them on the cheeks and say, "Ca-va?" and they say, "Ca-va." And if you don't know the person very well, then you shake their hand when you see them, and say "Ca-va?" and they say, "Ca-va." Even if someone is rushing to class they will take the time to give one of their friends a bisous.....everything is slowed down in France....like we are on some kind of alternate time plane where there is enough time for all the casualties and intricacies of life In the states we can give a little wave or a slight nod to someone as long as we can get on to our next class without being disturbed. It is not uncommon in an American High School for strange people in the school talk to me on Facebook, but when I ask them why they don't talk to me at school they say they are too shy. In France your not friends on Facebook unless you know the person extremely well (this is what I can tell so far) I hope my little "cultural lesson" has been interesting I am going to lable this as "part 1" and later in my journey through France I will add more differences that interest me...... Bisous Em

The Trip to the Mountains...And the Death March

My host family, the Halary's happen to have a long line of home owners in the South of France area. One of their "family homes" happens to be in the mountains near our house in Ustaritz. I can safely say it is the most beautiful place I have ever seen.

Our dog (Voyou) loves the mountains its the one place he can run free and he gets a lot of food. We go up to the mountains usually to have dinner parties with my host parents friends. The house is being remodeled because it was neglected for a number of years, so we eat on the porch and we make the food over a fire pit (my host father makes the best steak over a fire you have ever tasted!)

My parent do a bang up job of putting on a dinner party. We hauled an entire truck load of food and we prepared it all...but not before we did the death march. My host mother presented our 4 kilometer walk (yes I map quested it!) as a "little hike". I was wearing skinny jeans, no sleeves, and vans sneakers...to say the least I was unprepared for a long...uphill...treacherous....through a stream walk. And I forgot my camera so I have no pictures...so sad. The walk ended in great reward. A beautiful sunset greeted us back at the house.

And we had a dinner that was fit for a king....and my favorite part of the evening we sang. Everyone tried (with not much luck) to teach me basque country songs. I have to tell you Basque is the oddest language I have ever heard. It is not Latin or Greek based.....and experts don't really know where it comes from. All the same the night was filled with a lot of laughter and merriment and I can't wait until we go to the mountains again!

Royan Orientation (Part 2)

I left off on our boat ride home(this is gross but one of the girls who was sitting near me actually threw up I am scared for life...)....this leads up to the best part overall. THE FARRIS WHEEL RIDE!!!! Yes I agree it was a strange way to end this ....interesting day. We got to watch the beginnings of the sunset from 300 feet in the air and our seat was absolutely filled with hilarious Americans. I have to tell you I have never laughed so much in one weekend. and

On with the weekend. When we got back to camp it was time to practice our talents.....or the lack there of. I decided to sing....with a bad cold. No worries everyone one loved my song and said it was the highlight of our talent show. Other acts included a parody of "Call me Maybe", A dance to a very weird French song, the Brazilians doing some sexy dancing, the Asians singing a song from Guam, and the Americans which did some sign language.

(Me singing at the preshow!) Though really the crowning moment of our night is when each country had to sing our national anthem. Us Americans were sure that we were going to kill the competition. Sadly that was not the case. Our rendition of our glorious National anthem was brought to a dead stop at "the rockets red glare" because no one could sing high enough (except me and I stopped because I was hit with an uncontrollable case of the giggles when everyone dropped a key in the middle of the song) It was the most embarrassing and funniest experience of my life. Our talent show/dinner ended at 1 in the morning when I proceeded right to bed with my terrible cough and cold. The next day our activity included lunch....which involved fire and raw seafood. Now when I say that they set our lunch on fire I actually mean they put the mussels on wooden board,covered them with pine needles, and set them on fire.

The most interesting part of all of this is that when they are set on fire they scream! The rotarians assured me that its just the air in their shells being sucked out slowly....gee that's much better! The saddest part of the weekend was saying goodbye. I have never met so many people that understand my feelings so deeply. We are all going through the same thing and we all have the same problems. I am so glad that Rotary gives us the chance to share together at these weekend!

Royan Orientation....Trip of A Lifetime

Okay before I get to telling you about my amazing trip to Royan this past weekend....I have an announcement. I will be posting now on, religiously, every Wednesday. Yay! Okay one more thing a quick story. My host mother happened to be gone this week....which left all of the driving around, school stuff, and (dear God) cooking to my host father. The first night my host father attempted a meal he made a microwave pizza, bacon, and meat from a can. The pizza was raw and cold and the bacon was rock hard, and the meat from a can....well was meat from a can. The next meal he completely gave up and brought home food from his private clinic. We ate patient food for dinner. Needless to say I am making dinner tonight.... On Royan This past weekend was the first of five Rotary gatherings where ALL the exchange students in District 1690 come together and eat, complain, and most importantly laugh. The weekend started with a 4 hour 30 minute drive from my home town of Ustaritz to our host city Royan. Ya Wen and I were the first students to arrive at the camp site. In fact we were there before the host Rotarians. So there we were one large American girl and one very small Taiwanese girl....looking like the odd couple standing in the middle of a bunch of RVs and portable homes.

Thank God we were saved by the head camp organizer who took us in his little go cart to our separate cabins. Here is some pictures of the cabins I took when we got there.

(The room three of us shared)

(Thats gonna be interesting....)

(Emily Anne Does NOT like small showers) I tried to stay out of our cabin as much as possible. When all the students started trickling in we all greeted each other and exchanged pins. Each student needs to bring pins with them to exchange with other students. Mine are little American flags made out of safety pins(they went over great)!The meet and greet was moved over to the dinning hall where we were once again told all of the rules of being an exchange student (there is really only so many times we could be told NO DRINKING< DRIVING< DATING OR DOING DRUGS) Then we retired to our rooms and like good exchange students we all went to bed early and slept all night. There was no "sneaking to others rooms" or "talking until 2 in the morning". Nope just good old sleep. That is all I can say about that night. We all woke up bright and early the next morning...none of us tired of course because we went to bed early. Breakfast we followed with a flurry of activity. We were going on a boat ride! To an island! With a lighthouse! And a 1 mile walk over hard sand in bear feet! No but seriously....it was a long walk....and a bumpy boat ride. But the view was worth it...not really but the friends I made on the way was really worth it. I could not ask for a better group of people. I have never felt so comfortable with strangers.

(The Americans) Part 2 Next Wednesday! Or sooner! Maybe Not!

The First Week of School...Let the Headaches Begin

I am just finishing up a study session with my favorite host brother Pierre. We were working on translation English phrases to French. I am pretty sure I learned more French than he learned English....helping with homework has many advantages. 1. Pierre seems to like me a little better each time we finish! 2. I always learn useful French phrases 3. The pictures in his English book are super funny.... So far in school I have had no homework....this is solely because within the week I have not yet had the same class twice. Before I go any further I just want to say I have wonderful friends that help me whenever...and wherever I need them. I am just saying...when you get stuck in the bathroom stall because the locks are weird and three girls pull from the outside just to make sure you get out in time for class...that is friendship. I also love my school...they are one of the best in the regions and the teachers are super cool.

Okay now that that is out of the way. I can finally tell my loving, adoring, passionate crowd that French school pretty much stinks. I go to school from eight in the morning to six at night. I think taking this much foreign language might damage your brain....permanently. I get massive headaches(I have taken to carrying around tylonal everywhere I go) from all the French. I have a glorious English class once a week for two hours....its like heaven on earth. I am taken from my mine field of unknown French words to an oasis of "English Only" Hallelujah Chorus take it away: When I first started school I was ashamed to tell my classmates that my school finishes four hours before theirs does. But then I started noticing something...hardly anyone plays sports(I mean like lagit varsity...practice every day sports), there is no choir, marching band, real art program, sports teams, or school clubs. All of my friends dont play sports...and they dont really have their hobbies well developed. I realized that even our American school system is not as vigorous(and some what tedious) as our European counterparts, we have something much more important. Our students are more well rounded. I play an instrument, play a sport, I paint almost everyday and I firmly believe my education is as good as the rest of the students. So what should society value more? I am not sure but I know from being in both situations I love finishing at 3:00 in the afternoon. When I finish at 6 I just feel like crawling into bed. But, the other students make it it bearable...we whine and moan together to pass the long hours in the classrooms. We fan each other with our planners to beat the heat. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. I understand a little more French each day. I can laugh and speak with my classmates. I can understand a little bit of my teachers lectures. And now I have now learned,with much pride, to tell the dog to GET OUTSIDE (in French of course)!!! Au Revoir

The First Few Days

I first and foremost want to say that my family is AMAZING. Especially my new host mom Blanca...she could possibly be a saint. She is so patient with my broken French. Since I have arrived I have found out the most important aspect of the Halary's life is being active....which I had to become accustom to very quickly. On the first night right after we got off the plane we had what they called a "small get together" at their house. WRONG. It was a party. I sat in a corner....just about ready to die of fatigue, telling everyone all the while I was "okay"(HA). Day two we took it really easy...by easy I mean we awoke at 8 AM and started on the tour of the town by 9. They tried to explain to my the intricacies of a French meal. "A French meal is about Process. First you have the meat, cheese, nuts, bread, more meat, and more bread. Then you have wine. Then you sit down an you have a salad course, with bread. They you have your main meal, which usually consists of meat (like duck, ham, steak, salami, or chicken) a starch (rice, pasta, THIS IS NOT INCLUDING BREAD)bread, and a vegetable. Then you have your fruit and cheese course (okay I have tried a lot of their cheese....let me tell you this, it might smell like a rotting corpse but it really tastes good!) Then you have dessert and some more nuts. Then MORE wine....and usually some other hard liquor." I usually don't even make it through dinner before I start feeling like a stuffed Christmas turkey. Their ten year old son can eat more than me. When we returned from our grand tour of Bayonne it was time to unpack. Blanca found me sprawled asleep on my bed a half and hour later. She didn't wake me up I just found her peering down at me,looking worried about my lifeless body. Though packing was not finished it was time for Blanca and I to prepare dinner. Really it was me watching Blanca moving like a ninja through the kitchen. She moves through that kitchen like a fish moves in water. Here is something weird, we dont eat dinner until 8 or 9 at night....I am usually starving by the time we get there! After dinner I gave the whole family their gifts from America...which they all loved! Yay for See's Candy!It was off to bed for Emily Anne (by now it is 11 PM the family usually stays up past 1 AM including the 10 year old!) Seriously though every person in my family has been amazing...they all try to speak English to me and they are always checking on me its almost like being at home...almost. Here are some thing I miss My Mother and sisters The smell of the ocean (I have been to the beach here and I know it sounds crazy but it doesnt smell the same....) Dry heat Palm trees My room Panera my rabbits my birds English American radio (the French have some weird music) my bed my books and a few other things I hear it gets easier with time. The people here have made it easy to love France...I hope I have the strength to love it the way they do. Here are some pictures of my new home

Side yard

The pool

Where we eat a lot of our meals

My Room....its huge

View from my rooms window I am going to sign off for now next time I am going to tell you about our trip to the ocean! Au Revoir! Emily Anne

The Epic Journey (Part 2)

16 hours in. N o food....no sleep....and a viscous headache and I still have two flights to go. When I got off the plane from my eight hour flight we were immediately on the move...I darted to catch up with a group of blue jackets...I cannot imagine anything more scary that being alone in a ginormous foreign airport by myself. We made our way across the airport to customs where they didn't even give us a second glance. We then picked up ALL of our bags at the carousel. Once our group got every last suitcase we pushed, drug, and rolled our suitcases to the nearest airport map. My heart dropped to my knees when I saw where the next terminal was. A long walk and two small train rides away.

(My Terminal) I decided to face the 1 mile walk to the next terminal with two suitcases WITHOUT a cart....bad choice. Halfway through our journey those who chose carts had to ditch them. You know those annoying poles that prevent carts going places? Yes they were everywhere. And escalators. Do you know how hard it is to drag two suitcases and two carryon's up two little stairs? Not as hard as the girl who had four suitcases! This girl Melissa had a HUGE duffel that weighed 70 pounds. The strap broke in the middle of our walk and she literally dragged it the entire way to the baggage checking point. I have to admit when we boarded the small train I wasn't expecting it to go 130 miles per hour. I goes from 0 to 60 in 4 seconds. The jolt was so incredible the girl in front of me toppled into my suitcases which caused them to send me flailing to the ground. The French thought this was quite amusing. I did not.

(From Escalator) When we finally navigated to the bag checking desk we found out that in the Paris Airport all check ins are electronic. I put my passport in...once...twice...three times....Nothing. I was in tears almost instantaneously. Whether it was the extreme exhaustion or the inability to speak to anyone I don't know, what I do know is that it caused the airport staff to feel extremely bad for me. They ended up just checking my bags in free and sending me past security. Yay for crying(I must have looked super pathetic!)

This is the point where I had my first taste of France. I had Jambon et Rasin Pain and a chilled Citron. This is fancy talk for Ham on Raisin bread with a lemonade(in France everything sounds FANCY!). It. Was. Delicious. Even if it was airport food.

(The Cafe I ate at) The next two flights were kind of a blur to me. I slept through most of the first one. I was so exhausted I boarded the plane and put my seat belt on (mom be proud!)and promptly fell asleep. I cannot even remember waking up. What I do remember is that when I woke up there was almost no one on the plane. Feel free to laugh. Thankfully my next gate was not far from the one I got off. The two hour lay over was just painful. I could not sleep because I could possibly sleep right through my flight. So I sat up watching War Horse on my ipod. It just made me more depressed. The last flight was the same as the first...except the seats were really small and I was stuck in a window seat. No prob. I'll just sleep.

(Air France) Now here is where it gets really funny. When I finally walk down those final stairs to meet my family with open arms. There is no one to be seen....except a very weird old lady that smelled like onions. Don't worry the onion lady did not take me home. I wandered around to the baggage carousel and grab my bags...then I wander back to the front....wait 5 minutes...10 minutes....15 minutes....20 minutes....tears are coming....no Emily Anne calm down....look for information desk....ask where pay phones are....FOR GOD SAKE DO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE!!!!!! I marched over to the information desk and asked to pay phones in my broken French. The lady was nice and she told me she could call my family for me. I was about to give her the number when a voice came from behind. "No not necessary. She is mine." My thought at this moment......???????? Behind me is a small man standing in front of thirteen people. Six Rotarian's, three members of my first host family, and three people from my second host family...and Philippe Baumon the District Chairman. I am accosted with hugs and double kisses. Everyone is speaking French to me. I felt faint. It turned out that They thought I was coming from Paris because my host father forgot the itinerary I sent to him. Whoops. I get in the car and my journey is finally over. Good bye planes, annoying flight attendants, and bad in-flight movies. Until next year....until next year.

(Driving away from Biarritz)

The Epic Journey (like the Odyssey or the Aniead)

I am writing now from what only could be called the greatest marathon of all international travel. Here is a quick run down of my current schedule: 0330 Awaken from my dead slumber to drag myself down to the San Diego International 0630 My flight leaves for Phoenix and I fight off an ominous case of the “sleepies” (the sleepies can only be described as the intense desire your brain has for sleep while your body does not allow said sleep) 0745 Flight lands in Phoenix 0800 We are still not at our gate and my flight has started boarding 0810 Panic ensues 0815 I push my way past three couples and run to my next gate…like a crazy maniac. 0825 I am the last person to board my plane…literally 0830 The plane takes off for Charlotte 1030 Times get sketchy here because there is a time change…..I decide to nap through my confusion 1230 I am on a window seat and I desperately have to go to the little girls room…. My neighbors are not happy 1530 Land in Charlotte…realize I have not yet eaten today. 1545 Realize how big Charlotte is…stomach grumbles 1546 Realize my gate is D13 and I am at A4. Panic ensues 1550 Meet two exchange students on my way to my next gate 1640 Depart Charlotte….I think I feel a cold coming on?!?!?! 1645-2045 Continuous movie playing with no sleep So here I am sitting in the largest plane I have ever seen writing my feelings. Feeling #1 I am so grateful my mother did this for me…. I miss her already. Feeling #2 My lips are super dry. I am about to embark on one of the most defining experiences in my life…. And I can think of is I wish I knew more French…. Oh well what is school for anyways? Now I will make a list of the funniest things that have happened so far on my flights 1. I had my back pack on my back and I was walking through the aisle and I turned around to talk to the flight attendant and I promptly whacked some poor old lady in the face with my bag. She wasn’t hurt just slightly stunned by the sudden cloth to face ratio. 2. When I was getting on my international flight the flight attendant actually asked me if I new what a visa was…..I responded with “I should hope so because I have one.” 3. When I was getting on my first flight I was trying to stuff my beautifully packed carry on into the overhead bin when a flight attendant came over and snatched it from my hands and whisked it away to be checked…..goodbye delicious See’s candy I was looking forward to eating. 4. While sitting in one of my seats I felt a mysterious dripping only to find out it was coffee that had spilled in the overhead apartment directly above my head. I smell like cappuccino…maybe not a bad thing? 5. While going through security the zipper on my pants broke….Just imagine me running through the airport one hand on pants (pleading with them not to fall down) one hand on baggage…..its frightening. My journey is not nearly over…..not even close I have two more commuter planes from Paris to Leon and then to Biarritz. Part 2 of the Epic journey tomorrow

Visa....Mercy PLEASE

I used to believe that child birth is the most difficult thing in a women's life.....I was completely off the mark...it is definitely obtaining a visa from the French government. Besides the in-person consulate visit, that requires a great deal of sweat and tears to arrange and appear at, there is about 100 pages of documents that need to be gathered and collated. From health and insurance to bank records you name it people I gave it to the French consulate. I think I even drug in our kitchen sink for inspection. Here is the good news.....drum roll please......I got my visa! But here are some mistakes I made on the way to getting it:

1. Listening to my travel agent. To all you kids out there who want to get a visa and your parents are divorced.....don't listen to your travel agent when she says "you don't need the divorce papers!" You need them. Without a doubt you need them. They want to be really super sure you are not skipping out on your country without both your parents fully realizing your gone. Not France, try somewhere like Bosnia or a small out lying Indonesian island if your trying to run away. 2. Drive up to L.A. the night before your in person interview at 11:00 PM Oh no you didn't.... I am embarrassed to say Oh yes we did. I am sure the consulate people thought my bloodshot eyes were beautiful. 3. Schedule your appointment for 9:00 AM For some places this might not be a problem....but with rush hour L.A. traffic your going to want a nice afternoon appointment. 4. Wait until the day of your appointment to try to figure out what the building looks like. I know the address...I really thought that was enough. NO. Get a picture people. We drove past it twice. and unfortunately that made us late and made me burst into a hysterical crying fit. Which made my eyes blood shots and watery..... 5. Wear a warm sweater when it is 90 degrees and the French visa office makes you stand outside. I am pretty sure I sweated through my sweater....I was so disgusted I tried to throw it away.... Now here are some things you should do when visiting the French consulate. 1. SPEAK FRENCH I know. I know. Everyone says it and in your simple teenage mind you think there cant possibly be a way it could affect your candidacy. Well simple teenage mind you. have. been. officially. blow. Four words in french got me in after I was late to my appointment: Je parle en Francais. The rather large black security guard melted like an ice cream cone in a L.A. summer. He even asked me if I WAS FRENCH. Why yes I am officer thank you for noticing...... 2. Have ALL your documents collated. They are not kidding kids. They really want them in the order they have them in on the website. The guys next to me was sent away.....:( (The girl he was with had an unusually large mole on her face and did NOT look friendly)Thankfully my attendant was polite and blessedly patient.... 3. Wear a pretty dress I think this is good advice for everyday....it just makes you feel more confident. I went in and I looked and felt like they were going to approve my visa...and they could probably tell. Just look nice they are more willing to give you a little slack. 4. Fix your hair This goes for boys and girls. THEY WILL TAKE YOUR PICTURE FOR THE VISA....BEWARE OR BAD HAIR. You are going to have that puppy for a long time. Try to look good, maybe some earrings, a couple curlers, some heavy duty hairspray.....anything to make your pic look good. I am proud to say mie turned out just the way I wanted it to! Yay. 5. Be nice and thank everyone. I was the only person in the place who thanked the security guard when we left. He said thank you and called me "Mon Cherie". This is a pretty good indicator that he is really under appreciated in his position. Although they might be tough on the outside those Frechies want to be appreciated just as much as everyone else.....seriously just thank them! The task and of the visa caused my nails to be bitten to stubs, a serious crying fit, and A LOT tension within my entire family....but it is oddly all worth it. I am now able to go on a year long adventure! It might look like the impossible task with an annoying version of the song "the final countdown" playing in the backround....but trust me the rewards you will reap will be price less! Au Revoir for now, Emily Anne By the way....that is a picture of the consulates door....it was super intimidating!

A family......Oh boy

We are now about to enter phase 2 of Emilee's Travels. I have just received my final destination. I am going to Bayonne France! I have a wonderful host family, the Halary's, and they have made this whole visa process worth everything! My parents are Blanca and Francois(such a French name I LOVE IT i think I might rename myself for France something, you know more fitting like Claire or Joan of Arc....) and they have five children two girls and three boys. The two girls are already off to college and an exchange in Japan so I have the opportunity of living with BOYS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE!!!

Sure it will be me blazing new trails for the Dellinger clan....but someone has to do it. I do have some concerns like: 1. Do boys smell as bad as everyone says? 2. Do guys really like watching things like spike tv and the Jersey Shore (*shudder) 3. Do they always talk about stuff like video games like xcube and gametoys? (I have literally never even played on these thing my mother believes it promoted the stupid in our youth....) 4. Do stupid and bizarre things like jumping off roofs and into giant mud puddles? 5. Do they all like getting dirty? 6.Do they really like to watch things blow up? These are things I have observed and I am slightly concerned about....seeing as I don't enjoy doing any of these things (though I have had a dangerous addiction to the new "Snookie and Jwow show....I have to admit its kind of addictive) Back to France. I am very excited....I will have more on my visa process (the long arduous, tedious, mountain of a task) very soon. Au Revoir for now. Emily Anne

Big Bear Trip

To all your prospective students out there....MAKE SURE YOU GO TO THE BIG BEAR TRIP! Your YEO might tell you its "not that big of a deal" or that "you will learn everything you need to know at the Camarillo trip".
LIES!!!! Here are some basic things you need to know about the Big Bear Process:


Vocabulary You Will Need To Know

Inbound: Students coming from Europe to America

Outbound: Students who are traveling next school year

YEO: Youth Exchange Officer. There is one for every district. They will be handling your paper work and placement in your specific country so be very nice to them!

District: A regional place with a number attached for example I am from San Diego and out District number is 5340

Host Family: The family you will be staying with, either in Big Bear or in another country. They will provide food and lodging for you in both places



What to bring



So you will be going to Big Bear in the winter time so....dress warmly. More importantly bring snow pants...I had the misfortune of not bringing snow pants and a waterproof snow jacket! YOU WILL BE SKIING! There is no doubt if you are a beginner, like I was, you will fall....a lot. But if you have proper attire it wont be a problem.

Secondly you will be staying in someones house....either someone at Big Bear High School or one of the Big Bear Rotarians! Still bring a sleeping bag because you might end up sleeping on the floor if they don't have extra beds! Also there is always some sort of dance while you are up in Big Bear so bring something casual nice. I mean a clean pair of jeans an a pretty T-shirt will do the trick for these low key dances.

The "Do's" of Big Bear

Most importantly bring a friendly attitude! Everyone is in the same boat as you are! We all went through the same thing and you should be happy to be around people who understand what a drag going to the doctor and the dentist and filling out 20 pages of information is. Read the entire field manual! They do give you a test!!!! And its good to know exactly what is happening. Bring a head shot of yourself to give for your business cards. Everyone has business cards and you need a picture. If you don't bring one they will take one right then and there during the interviews and it might not turn out how you like! Do come prepared for a A LOT of talking. This weekend is all about getting to know you and how awesome you are! The interviewing Rotarian's want to know all about you so they will ask A LOT of questions. Find out your district number...you will be asked what it is and where you are from so be prepared! Bring at least 100 dollars. I know they say 20 but trust me the more the better you want souvenirs and good food and everything adds up so don't skimp on the cash!


The "Donts" of Big Bear

Don't brag about how much of a language you know or how many times you have traveled to Europe because odds are there is someone who knows much less and you will make them feel inadequate. and that is a quick way to make enemies! Play it cool make light conversation with all of the inbounds and outbounds, even the ones outside of the car you drove up in! Don't tell too much personnel information....honestly I am sure you having a tonsillectomy was really interesting but I don't want to know anything about it! Keep conversation light. Don't show up without filling out ALL of the paper work! It makes everything a total nightmare! Confusion galore! Don't be nervous through the interviews. The rotarians just want to get to know you! Make sure you are friendly and polite and there is a 99% chance that you will be sent somewhere in the world!


The Big Bear trip is not about learning how to be respectful to your host family or how to travel alone. It is about networking. Meeting your fellow out bound students is essential! These are the people you are either going to be spending a year in Europe with. Sure they might not be going to the same county or even the same continent. But next year you are going to want to know as many people as possible....who are in the same boat.

So remember everyone be yourself and have tons of fun!

Dear Readers....

Dear readers who are reading,
Welcome!
I have recently been accepted to do an exchange program in France with Rotary International and I have decided to document every step of the process. On March 31st I will be attending the official orientation for all of the "outbound student" in Camarillo. I am a mere 30 days away from fulfilling my destiny of becoming a world traveler!
Heres the thing this trip is not some sort of extended vacation or tourist trip. I am going to France to learn about language and culture. I will be studying my but off to become fluent in French while I am there, and in the preceding months of course. I plan to follow every rule to a capital "T". First of which is the four "D's". No drugs, drinking, driving, or dating. That's right boys although I know all you french me would love to have a precious catch like myself I will be obtaining from any dating activities for the year. Look forward to an entire post dedicated to this subject. Drugs and drinking....I mean duh....what a stupid reason to be sent home! Driving I am disappointed about. I like just depending on myself, now I will have to ask everyone and their brother for rides! No matter I will not be setting a toe inside a car if there is any chance of my impending doom (AKA being sent home).
What you can expect:
I am really going to try to go all out on this blog pictures, everyday posts, and yes the occasional video!I want to take future exchangers on the journey I am going through...packing, traveling, airplaning, you name it I will write on it! I want you all to know what your in for!
Again everyone welcome to my blog!

Love,
Emilee