IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAYYYYYYYYY

That is precisely why it's a beautiful day!!!

Well, aside from making you jealous it is not the only reason why it's (or was I guess) a beautiful day!!!

This morning I only had one, two hour geo class which was not excruciatingly painful and relatively easy to take, although I did develop a severe headache and fall asleep (whoooops) in class. Then I went out for crèpes (hence the photo) à la nutell and chantilly with Kayla and Ceilidh and then we went shopping and I either found gifts or found gift IDEAS, very important. I bought a lunch bag (how old am I?) but you have to understand that it is really cool over the shoulder lunch bag and it is very very funny and cute!!! Then I bought a bday pressie for mi amiga katie wilkes and some stuff for me and etc. etc. After I went out for a scrumdidilyumptious Panini at a quaint little bistro place with Kayla (Ceilidh ditched) and then headed back for a one hour singing class which made me laugh because the rendition of "Summer Lovin'" had me rolling in the aisles. I am also cheery because I came home and Mumma's second gorgeous package was there and I got the house to myself for two hours and I was all cheery from school and my walk home in the sun AND I had soccer and it was awesome AND I ate tomates farcée and it was oh so good AND tomorrow the Canadians are coming over for a glorified playdate and then on Sunday I might be going to the market with Ceilidh and then Wednesday I am taking the train in with the Canadians to go shopping (for clothes, gifts, everything) in Avignon and I have come to the realization that however impossible it seems I only have 20 school days left in France!!! Before AND after the break!!!!

Good golly miss molly it is just a wonderful day!!!!!!!!!!!! And then next weekend of course is even better!!! I get to visit Gordes and another cute village, play my first soccer game and celebrate easter, meaning I get a three day (basically four) weekend!!!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!

Now I must go to sleep with a People magazine and let myself melt into trashy bliss and zone out before a good sleep, knock on wood. Then tomorrow....ah god, it is passing so quickly, and in two weeks exactly I shall be leaving for Morocco and then when I come home it is May, who would have thought it would be this way?

I have so much to tell you, so many realizations, so many hard truths and good truths that I have realized that I cannot possibly explain in writing and so I promise you that the minute I see you I will tell you every horrible, good, crazy, psycho, wonderful thoughts I have had and I will explain to you precisely why I hate this exchange and exactly why I absolutely adore it, for its freedoms, its constrictions, its limits that I loathe and yet love, etc. etc.

So much to say and not enough memory. I have plans and goals and dreams and life aspirations that have come from this trip and although it is only half over I must say that it is everything I hoped it would be, everything I hoped it wouldn't be and MORE!!!

Je t'aime et la prochaine!!!!!

JANE <333

I already forgot what I thought I would say but all I wanna do.....

Quick Aside To My Father: Guess The Song?

------------------------

So the Aurore situation is in a state of permanant nothingness, it's not great but we are happy when we do have good times and we hang out and have fun together. I am like a permanent moodswing because last time I blogged I was so extremely fachée and now I am all happy and cheery. Perhaps that is because I listened to my iPod while lying down at an upward slant in the empty pool counting all the planes that did not go in the direction of Canada? Or because I have 6 guests coming over to have fun and be fun with me on Saturday? Or because I'm going shopping in my three hour lunch tomorrow with Ceilidh and Kayla? Or because my teachers love me and time is flying and I only have 21 days left of school before I go home to Canada? Or because I'm going to Morocco? Or because I got the highest mark in the class on a French presentation (17/20) ? Anyhow, you get the picture, I am cheery and I have stuff to look forward too!!!!

Hoooboy.......

I have started my "diet" the seefood diet which really is making me quite rotund (joking mumma of course, well a little!!). But that's not really what I want to talk about. I am cheery because of a number of strange things and since I really want to tell someone and everyone thinks I'm strange if I do, I shall say them in this blog because then if you think I'm strange and you say that........nothing much that can be done for another two months!!!! Aaaaah, half done next Thursday!!!

Well, the first cheery Jane moment was last night at soccer when I got my license to play in the game next Saturday (OMG sooooooooooooo excited!!!) and we played in the rain and I played excellente and felt oh so high and mighty, not even coming home to cranky Aurore dampened my spirits. Secondly, I finally orgnaized my bedroom in France and looked through my steadily growing collection of souvenirs. In it, I realized that I have a lot of stuff to decorate (or rather add to the decoration on) my walls and that I keep collecting stuff, like this relatively cheap old posters and movie signs from the 20s and beyond which is going to make my room in canada so impossibly me and the anticipation is making me happy. Thirdly, I am just happy, I have settled into a good night time routine again, I am working on exercising, I am working on being friendly, eating well and doing all my Canadian homework and I am working on all the things I told my good friend in Canada Kay Dyson Tam I would. For instance, I saw and see France as a chance to transform myself into what I truly want to be and I am slowly but surely doing that (away from prying eyes was the goal) and that makes me immensely proud. Fourthly, I just reread my plane letters and my eyes swelled up a little but then I was happy and cheery and laughing again. Fifthly, I have found my groove.........sleeping, soccer, friends, school, Canadian homework, food, exercise. It is falling into place and I cannot even imagine a better moment of realisation. I am happy, the Canadian return things set into place, the anticipation, the Morocco in two weeks, holy moley, and the crazy things that are my everyday life!!! I am wonderful and can honestly say that for the first time, I mean I've been having fun and all but today was an honest to goodness break through and I have faith that I can make the rest just as good and when I fail, which I am bound to, I shall listen to my favourite songs and lean back in my chair and say screw it, I have le soleil and I have music and I have chickens and good food and nobody can take that away from me, atleast not for another six weeks and six days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love you all so very much!!!!!

Jane

ps thinking about youuuuuuuuuuuuuu

-------------------------

DAD: I didn't really give you much,

it's Get Off by the Dandy Warhols,

listen to it, I do believe that it'll turn

your crank.......cannot believe I just said that!!!

My brain is hanging upside down

So I wrote the other post in the library while I waited a sad and long two hours for the train to come. I waited for one hour in the library and then another at the train station, sitting on the ground in between the passing trains and drawing faces with my sharpie (all of them half sad and half happy if you're interested) and making my face impassive and uninterested as a creepy old men winked and laughed and smoked and shouted unintelligable things at me, god, remind me to never sit for an hour outside of the train station!!!!
I am feeling better, although with A, not so much. She is being a pain, a lound shreaky computer hogging pain and we are rarely speaking. We acknowledge but it is a painful, you're a chore that I must continually do kind of acknowladgement, where does the good go? I am okay with that though, suprisingly, I have made plans with my amigas canadian and have plans almost for every single weekend until I leave and I have lots of energy to throw into homework, email, nice people at school, blogs and keeping myself in a polite, not distant, happy, cheery, thankful mood (when there are people around, on my own......).
Today I watched S21 a documentary about the Red Khmer, which I had never heard of but was interesting and brutal -quite like the holocaust. I didn't understand most of it but the Geo teacher was only too happy to help, she loves me, in the most annoying of ways. I came home today and dug up a story about a Lesbian who is rethinking her Lesbianninity (??) and is setting gay rights back in Georgia by a lot, for my news presentation in English class -in French- demain. Fun fun fun.....Afterwards I was about to go outside when Alix pulled me back in and said you have to stay inside and I said why and she said because I told Inès you couldn't play because you had a lot of work. The story behind that is once Inès (the six year old neighbour) came over to meet me and wound up being taught how to play rummy and now she annoyingly comes over every day and stays for hours requiring constant chatter and hanging off my shoulder until I want to hang....not in a good way. And so instead of playing with Inès all evening I got to be quiet and think about life and France and everything and the diet that I must start (not a rreall diet though) and also to reflect on how I left Canada five weeks ago and the inevitable thought that came to me being a previous two month exchanger (if I had only done the two month it would be half over now!!!!) God, I hate my brain.
I shall leave you now and go read my uber good book that my mommy sent me - thank god its long or it would already be over - and reflect about how much Canadian math I shall do tomorrow!!! God aint life a pain sometimes!!!
I love you all very much, I swear I don't just say it out of habit, three months in France and all I can think of is the people I love who are all snuggly and comfortable back in their native land(s).
<333 JANE

ps those are sideways hearts msn style (or facebook style) if you dont get it - havent been getting it aka mumma when i first did them!!!

A Strong Desire To Commit A Crime Worthy Of Death in The United States of America

So the last time I was in France on exchange I gorged myself on food in happy, oblivious bliss. This time I am less oblivious and lately I have been left (after chocolate, ice cream or a big meal) feeling bloated, gross and with a strong desire to feel healthy again (damn timing, I had just fallen into such a good routine before I left!!). So, I swear - by all of you reading this pathetic excuse for a blog paragraph - that I will be healthy by the time I come home!!!!
Now, onto more non-food oriented things. I am currently feeling a little low. I am writing this at school and I am feeling a strong desire to do something other than boring French classes. I want to move and shop (lame I know) and explore and take pictures and play hackey sack and catch with friends like I did at lunch today. I want to not look forward to solitude, endless hours of music and moments alone with my math textbook (again laaaame). It is starting to go a little bit south and although I am doing just fine (as our my relationships although Aurore and I have settled into hellos and goodbyes and mutual disdain) I am feeling the strain and hating some moments. I am, however, excited for Friday and the weekend and here are my reasons why:

1. The second package will be coming soon.
2. The weekend - duh.
3. I am going shopping around Isle Sur La Sorgue with Ceilidh.
4. Alex, Leo, Alex and Jenny are coming over to eat lunch and hang out.
5. It's April on Sunday. Which is such a morale booster, you wouldn't believe.

So, there is good. I also have started chugging away on my Canadian homework and as slow, monontonous and boring as it is I am having a decent time throwing myself into some work that makes me think without wanting to throw up - for example, in English class repeating the phrase 'I wish the government would help the tramsp' or 'It is a shame the government does not help the tramps' is driving me bananas, that and listening to the song 'In Paradise' by Phil Collins - Last night, was a catastrophy sleeping wise. My uncomfortable but doable sleeping arrangement was disrupted when I couldn't fall asleep until eleven and woke up every fifteen minutes between two am and six thirty am. Sleeping.......not my strong suit.

I now have a desire to go run with my iPod which I shall, at some point, do because a break from endless demands and corrections (this house is never quiet) would be nice for me and it would be a chance to clear my near-explosion head and give me a no language break. A blessing as I can't appear to speak either French nor English at just this moment. Writing.....whole different ball game.

So, mucho love to you all! See you in two months!!

Jane

ps - Marnie and Paul.......congrats on the new house!!!

Scouts de FRANCE ( in Fontvieille, Provence)

From Left: Super Suitcase, Super Toilet,

Super Love & Super Super

So, yesterday we went to Fontvieille to spent 24hours at Scouts of France, with atleast fifteen people having a crazy, stay up late, eat candy, party hard weekend. It started with lots of introductions, "bonjour je m'appelle Stanislaus, me (points to himself) Stan!!" and so on and so forth. "I speak badly English!" Then we went right away into our teams:

LES SUPER NULLE - Jeremie, Benoit, Alice & Marie

LE SUPER EQUIPE - Jane, Sylvia, Quentin, Stan & Genevieve

LE SUPER MOCHE (sorry can't spell) - Aurore, Simon, Morgane & Thomas

We rotated around the stations:

1. THE WORLD (all the continents are on different boards in a circle and they give you water balloons and a towel and between two people you put the water balloon on the towel and try and get the continents wet and you get points for getting it but if you're like my team you lose points because you continually get SUPER SUITCASE wet with your badly aimed waterballoons)
2. THE BLIND FOLD STATION (You and your group have to bind your ankles together and then go around trees and soccer balls and cars and then crawl and then do it all again blindfolded as well without touching the trees, cars, etc. and if your like my group and continually 'accidentally' untie your ankle binding things you get points off, oh yes, and you get points off if you continually touch trees and cars for guidance, which we also did!!)
3. THE GET ON THE MAT STATION (you have two mats placed together and SUPER LOVE tells you all the body parts that need to fit on the mat, ie one leg, one bad, two buts, one hand, three feet and between the five of you you need to accomplish this without any more or less and everyone needs to be on, this is the one station that my team was good at, unfortunately, so was every other team!!)

That evening we played a board game after our messy, campstyle dinner and it was pretty much come up with songs, make up dances and/or mime things for your team and the words were random things that had to do with the SUPERS, like 'constipated' for SUPER TOILET and 'love' for SUPER LOVE. We finally went to sleep after partying and singing and crap (videos will follow) at around 2 am and we woke up and had a nutella/baguette filled breakfast around ten before going to Mass because, unfortunately, SCOUTS is Catholic. Anyway, living through that we went and played out in the woods, all sorts of crazy games and then we played this weird stick game where everyone holds hands in a circle and there is a couple balanced sticks in the middle and if you seperate your hands you are disqualified and if you knock over the pile you are disqualified, I tied for first with Jeremie the first game and was knocked out first with Quentin in the second, but it was lots of fun.

I had a bit of trouble with a certain exchange partner who was a bit rude, distant and unwilling to help, 'you don't understand, you don't participate' kind of deal, which was annoying, but Stan was always willing to try his English and be very helpful while being very preppy yet goodlooking!!! :)

D'accord, I am now very tired from my long long long long long 24 hours and I'm going to go clean my room, do some homework and get ready for school tomorrow. It's a brand new week!!! Pictures will be up at somepoint and so will many more videos!!! Love you,

Jane

ps I have no religion, none whatsoever I have decided because I do not believe in a single thing that was said in that ceremony, although being together and singing and being part of something even if you don't necessarily believe in it is quite fun!!!

Le Mistral is going, going, going, going....never gone!!

Le Mistral, the name of the big wind here in Provence, is supposedly leaving us after giving us one week of hellish, Canada like coldness even though it is atleast 10° Celcius!!!!!

I am feeling better today you should all be glad to know, I have my package, I am content,I am about to take a shower and get clean and I feel positive, which is a lovely outlook on life. It's funny how one minute something feels overwhelming and the next it feels entirely do-able. Well, right now it all feels do-able and this afternoon I'm going camping with Scouts of France which should be...........interesting!!! We'll see.

Anyhow, pictures of school, Isle Sur La Sorgue, and all that jazz that have been accumulating for the past two weeks should be up tomorrow (I hope) and shortly following that the pictures (if theyre good) of Scouts should follow. Missing you all but of course throwing myself into endless homework demands from Canada, stupid projects from French teachers and my newest favourite song 'Get Off' by the Dandy Warhols, so I'm not doing too too badly!!! Je t'aime!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love,

Jane

ps I'm sorry I took the Aurore vid off but she's not really a video fan and also, a video of the chickens and a video from the music concert my music class held should be up soon!!!! A bientot!!

Hating moments. Feeling the one month strain.

So the last week has been absolutely great but it has been filled with little moments of anger, stress, sandness, etc. and it's been slowly mounting up and last night I was enjoying some downtime and just getting myself to feel better when Aurore, who was waching tv, said Jane can you set the table please? And I did but I was really mad because I've done it everyday this week without being asked and I need a minute to just veg and zone out to recuperate and she just doesn't seem to see what most people can see sometimes. Long story short I started to cry because I felt like shit (after I set the table) and Aurore got so worried then and was like Jane don't cry please don't cry and then she did something stupid (which I can't remember at all) and I started laughing and crying and it was a sight to see. I honestly feel the pressure mounting as I hit today, the one month mark and it takes longer and longer now to bring myself a happy place and my mood has been out of control, happy one minute and sad or angry the next. So, I am in retarded English level one on the computer and I am dying of computer boredom!!!! I am also feeling like I want the package that my mom sent me to come because here Emma is talking about a second package and the first one for me, that hasn't even arrived, is leaving me in tears (just last night) and making me all stressed out. Which is not good because the whole purpose of the package is to make me feel better and to give me a little piece of my home. And so I shall leave you know and go and enjoy my recess before I relearn all about Hitler (when she says it it sounds like éclair, yumm!!!) and World War Two in History class before going home and praying to god that the package has arrived. 29/30 days until Morocco (give or take!!) and 55 days until Canada!! I promise it's not me counting, its the Canadian who is sitting next to me.

A feeling blah Jane. <333

Dancing Queens

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsi8figfUtk

YESTERDAY WAS THE BEST DAY EVER!!!!! Not only did I meet a hot French guy who remembered my name!! (That is impossible!!!) But, I had an awesome bunch of classes, had fun playing basketball and had fun eating with Kayla, Jamie and Alex at lunch and talking about French stuff and Aurore and I took the train home together and had tons of fun and talked about everything and made 'French' plans for before I leave and when we came home she put on "That Don't Impress Me Much" and "Man I Feel Like A Woman" and Aurore, Alix and Sylvie went crazy dancing and it was a wonderful night. I shall upload chicken videos later, but for now, the link above is a combinations of the two songs and Aurore, Alix and Sylvie, but mostly Aurore, dancing and going nuts!!!

♥JULIAN♥

JANE HAS FOUND HER FRENCH HOTTIE!!!

.......shame about his long distance girlfriend though......

Aloha amigas!!! (crap-wrong language!!) Well, today I played an hour of basketball at lunch with a bunch of French guys and Margot (a girlfriend of one of the guys-I'm making all the right friends!!!) and had tons of fun and during this I met Julian who is gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous and has not adopted the mullet like many of his French comrades. I played like crap but I had fun and we talked and then later in the hallway I was hanging out with Alex, a friend of mine, and he was nearby talking to a friend and he pointed at me and was like 'elle' and it could have been all negative, but atleast I am now making an impression on people!!! And that is nice!!!! Aurore and I had fun dancing today to Shania Twain and then made plans to go shopping in Avignon, go bowling, and do all sorts of other stuff so I am feeling very happy and pro-France today, I truly had a wonderfulllllllllllllllllllll day!!!!!!! Anyhow, now I must go and do some Canadian work (sighhhh) and then sleep because I have a long, early day tomorrow!! Crossing my fingers that mumma's package arrives tomorrow and that I don't fall asleep in uber-boring French. I HAVE TWO STRAIGHT HOURS!!! Godd!!!! Although, benefit is that I don't start until 9 tomorrow and I finish at 3!!! Gosh, it's almost as if I'm in Canada!!! Oh yes, I don't have class between 1 and 2 though, so not quite!!! Je t'aime and I shall blog later, but I love Julian, screw his girlfriend and I am making friends and loving la France!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

♥LA VIE EST BELLE!!!!

CORNILLON♥♥♥

WINDSWEPT BEAUTIES JKS JKS - So, Sunday we went for a picnic in Cornillon at André's shack, yes, his shack. IT WAS CRAZY!!! I had a lot of fun, picking flowers, eating good food, enjoying the sunny outdoors, getting windswept on the hour drive there, and watching the horsies and listening to my iPod!!! All in all, Cornillon provides me not so much with stories at it does with pictures which you can expect.....next weekend, maybe?? We'll see. So I shall leave you now, if only to write a seperate blog with a different title, because there really isn't much to say about Cornillon except that it was tons of fun and I really enjoyed eating good food and vegging with my iPod, also I got bitten by plenty of bugs. I forgot, there is toujours a downside to nice, beautiful weather.

A little aside to my momma - Everyone is gaining kilos by the kilo (?) and most people have gained around 4 or 5 kilos and Jane here has gained 3 lbs and has started running every day after school when she doesn't have soccer!!!!!!!!!!!!

Etre fiere de moi!!!

The effort is being made, the payoff shall be visible

I swear

when I return to Kanata!!!

(I'm going by the native name!!!)

For The Record...........

................THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL IS OVER!!!!! And although it had it's bumps and some classes were way way way boring, I made lots of friends, have lots of funny stories and feel in control and happy and looking forward to going again on Monday morning!!! Yes, I love the French system because I only have half a day of school on Monday, 2 classes on Tuesday, half a day on Wednesday, 4 classes Thursday and 3 classes Friday!! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!

I am in a strange mood at just this moment here. I am feeling sad, happy, excited (anticipation), boredom, desire, longing and all sorts of other weird feelings. I am suffering from repressed emotions I do believe and now they are all coming out at such a fast speed that I am being lost!!!! However, I am very pleased because I played very well at soccer, didn't suck, got hello kisses, met people and had a genuinely superb time. All that is left is for me to get over this feeling of wanting it desperately to hurry up and be done with this exchange, which is random and not good because I'm having such a wonderful time and it's only the slow moments that I go, jeeeezus would you please hurry up????

I also have a desire to swim and the fact that the pool won't be ready for a couple weeks pisses me off!!!!! I have also lent my iPod to Aurore for the day since she has school and regret it because I really want to listen to my newest favouritist song on the planet, which I can't even remember it's goddamn name so I can't look it up on youtube and feel better. Gollygee!

BUT.......I have soccer tonight so I am uber happy and looking forward to it in two hours!!!!!!!! So I shall leave you know and see how the pathetic green frog in the swimming pool is fairing and grace you with my presence soon to give you a sort of calendar of the months ahead and of new plans. Yay!

Love you all so much!!!

Jane

ps for those who are wondering where the hell emma gerster has disappeared her internet is down but I talked to her yesterday and even though she is exceptionally bored by French English class and her teacher only just discovered that she is in fact Canadian and not English, she is doing well and is happy and looks forward to coming in to contact with everyone again real soon!!!!!

What Cheers Me Up

The very idea of night is frightening because in France I've come to loath night because it means a painful, fitfull sleep, darkness, quiet and then sudden creaks, etc. etc. And so I always come on the computer and spend endless amounts of time on it because I am putting off sleep as long as possible so that when I finally do go to bed I am tired and more likely to fall asleep quickly and put off the pain that is lying in my bed and not feeling like reading but unable to sleep. It's those moments that make me need music and cheering up the most because not reading and not sleeping means thinking and thinking when I am in such a sorry state tends to lead to tears and so here is the song that generally brings me back together. (as much as possible!!) Because I need it. Thanks Emma for bringing it to me.

When you feel all alone

And the world has turned its back on you

Give me a moment please to tame your wild wild heart

I know you feel like the walls are closing in on you

Its hard to find relief and people can be so cold

When darkness is upon your door and you feel like you cant take anymore

Let me be the one you call

If you jump Ill break your fall

Lift you up and fly away with you into the night

If you need to fall apart

I can mend a broken heart

If you need to crash then crash and burn

Youre not alone

A little dramatic yes, but perfect to help me feel "mended" as sappy and cheesy as that sounds. Anyhow, putting off sleep has been fun and all but I do feel a little tired so I'll go do all the necessary pre-sleep rituals that have become part of my life and think about tomorrow and then sleep. I'm excited because tomorrow I have gym and French and English and I get to go home at noon and do, yaaay, Canadian math homework...funfunfun!! Atleast I get a break though and an afternoon to just do some homework clean up a bit and relax and listen to some good music will be welcome. I think the French no what they're doing when they organize a schedule and the year schedule too, yes it's a lot of work but you hardly realize it because you're so busy and it passes so quickly and days go by and you don't even realize they've passed. It's been almost exactly three weeks to the hour that since I left Canada and I feel like I've only just got here yet with school I feel like I've been going to the school all my life. It's strange really to think that what was thirteen weeks is now ten and they've planned almost back to back stuff to do in the next eight weeks so they'll pass and before I know it I'll be swimming in the pool in May and wishing so hard that I don't have to get on that plane.

Because, what time two tells me is that while I am truly Canadian (stop reading if sentimentality and mushiness disturbs you in any way shape or form) a huge part of me loves and belongs and respects France and the French and there is a desire to spend a good chunk of my life here, but definitly with my family. I would have loved to spend one full year living in France and living the French way with my family. I think that would have been amazing and I think now that I've had a huge dose of the South of France, my life has been greatly impacted and I shall truly be "different" when I go back to Canada.

Love you all and until tomorrow or the next day or the next!!!

<333jane

So I Go To School In L'Isle Sur La Sorgue and It's AWESOME!!!

Alex, hanging with the 'French' Junebugs

during one of our many spares!

So, I go to school in L'Isle Sur La Sorgue and IT IS AWESOME!!! My school is called Alphonse Benoit and there are atleast 20 Canadians and theres also some Japanese exchange students, I think about five. I take crazy courses and I have lots of spares during which I hang out with Sébastien, Bruno and some other French boy and some Canadians, Jamie and his partner Jean-Baptiste or JB, Jenny and her partner Alex, Alex and her partner Leo and me and Aurore and Kaileigh and Kayla who's partners are always absent. It is like a college campus and it's so cool and big and open and we have so much fun. I'm not really sure how to describe it, it's so much easer to describe it by speaking, but I do have one funny story.

Today Sébastien wanted to try my gum and we warned him that it was hot (cinnamon) and he didn't believe us so he had it anyway. He turned purple and started choking and swearing in French and it was really funny, although more of a you had to be there moment!!

Anyhow, longer and better stories should follow this weekend when there isn't a pressing line up at the computer and I don't feel strangly compelled to complete all my Canadian homework. Eugh!!! Also, this weekend Alex and Jenny, two Canadians might come over for lunch and hang out a bit which would be nice.

JE L'AIME LYCEE FRANCAISE!!!!! I LOVE FRENCH HIGH SCHOOL!!!!!

<33333>

Grumpy Jane

Busy, busy, tiring, entertain people day, to boot I feel like kicking somebody (a specific somebody) and I spent the entire day being ignored and only pulled in to be used as a conversational tool (what can you do?) or when a parent would say, Why isn't Jane being included? Honestly, what a day. To top it off school starts tomorrow and I've been all excited and nervous all week but just now I feel numb. I want to start so my day can be consuming and busy and so that I can meet my own friends and talk to some Canadians and become consumed because that's what school does to me (whether it's a good consumed or bad) and so I just need it to happen. So, not the cheery blogs you've been getting as of late but the best my tired, bruise and beaten and grumpy body can handle. I'll put up some pictures (not a lot though!!) of today's little fiesta and tell you more about it later though I think in hindsight it will feel more cheery and interesting yet won't be nearly as honest so don't expect too too much. I guess know I'll go do what has to be done to pass the time until dinner and then I'll eat and then I'll sleep and then I'll be at school and time will *pleasepleaseplease* fly. I know it won't, but it will slowly and surely start. So, love you all tons and I'll let you all know soon how tomorrow goes. Three cheers for courage!
Jane

animals of the house

Simba

Millie

Maya

Fiscelle



I, personally like Millie the best but I seem to be slightly allergic to cats so for the most part I steer clear of them although they are adorable when they fight and play together. Millie and Simba are siblings from the same litter born to Aurore's original cat who was mean to her kittens so she went to live with someone else and originally they were only going to keep Simba but the person who wanted Millie backed out so they have Millie too.

battered and bruised!!!

soccer was crazy, i think i confused it with gymnastics because for some reason I kept doing somersaults and I think I hurt my right knee a little because it's all bruised and swollen and my hands are all scraped and I have two scrapes and bruises on my hips and both my elbows and it took forever to get the dirt off, I still had some dirt this morning. Soccer was two hours and it was pitch black but lit up with white lights so it was really cool. They play half our fields and only 6 people and a goalie. They need a defense so they have room for me on the team and everyone was really nice. IT was really hardcore, we did atleast 10 laps of the pitch, knees up, heels up, shuffle to the side, etc. etc. sprinting and all that jazz and that was half an hour and then one hour of drills which took forever to explain and I got them all wrong and then a half hour scrimmage which resulted in more scrapes, pain and missing the ball and then at the very end I finally blocked some shots so I felt slightly proud but it was way more of a grimace than a smile!!! I am by far the worst on the team, I am always missing it and everyone laughs at me (but nice laughing I think) all in all it was amazing and when I get back to Canada I'll kick all your asses because the Frenchies will have taught me!!! I'll also be incredibly fit and ready for the Canadian soccer season!!!!!

The best part was that it was really alive and amazing and it felt nice to do something, to move and to be a part of something but I am definitly going to be tired on Wednesdays because in the morning at school I have a 2 hour gym period and here gym is more intense and then I have a 2 hour soccer training period (what there called) in the evening and I don't walk in the door or get a chance to eat anything until 9 15 and I leave at 7 30...yaay :D

Love you,
Jane

A Bientot!!!

A day without a blog from Jane??? NEVER!!! Atleast, not until I start school on Monday and get home late and leave early and have absolutely no energy. But for now, absolutely. This is just a quick hello and update. Today Aurore and I made peanut butter cookies, played soccer, played cards, ate lunch with friends and went to see Contre-Enquete a really good French thriller that if it ever comes to Canada everybody must see!!!! Absolutely amazing, the theatre was so quaint and adorable and I felt like I had been taken back several centuries....ahhh, the cookies turned out great despite the fact they lacked baking soda, salt and the vanilla wasn't liquid vanilla but little flakes and the brown sugar was weird and everybody liked them and was like, oooooh pb!! It made me laugh and after eating lots I made myself stop because there are already enough tempting French goodies. At the moment I am slightly nervous but very excited because I am leaving for my first soccer practice with my new team in two minutes, quite literally, and it is the first time in France that I'll have done something brand new without Aurore or any other Jurie-Joly's support and that's very weird but also very nice. So, I leave you now with the promise that once I find my camera I will show you pictures of all the animals and tell you all about the merangues Philippe is makign and the crazy friends and family that are coming tomorrow 30 PEOPLE!!! oh la la!!! -Philippe's favourite saying and all about SOCCER!!! or football, yahhhh I already saw the stadium and it's for horse races too and it's absolutely gorgeous and I guess that's the upside of being in a country obsessed with soccer. Anyhoooo, school starts Monday and guess who's excited?????

The one where Jane shares dead chicken/guinea fowl pictures

http://www.kodakgallery.fr/ShareLandingSignin.jsp?Uc=1zx0pmfh.7td8pyst&Uy=ps4imw&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&UV=288142650100_941976545133

Not for those with weak stomachs!!!

Death Day

Today we killed chickens. And the guinea fowl. I'll attach all the disgustingly fascinating pictures in an album and only put up one here to save your stomachs.

Mumma's Bowl

The inside of the Provencal bowl I bought for mum.

(There are two identical ones fyi)

You are all very blessed and very lucky to have such a nice ___ (fill in the blank with the appropriate) to constantly keep you updated as I do

I realize it might seem like I spend more time on the computer than I actually do in France but I beg to differ. I am just exceedingly good at finding little moments, like now, to sit down and tell you about whats going on. Also, it helps me to make sure that not a single itty bitty detail gets lost en route. Or in translation. For the last hour I have been helping Sylvie set the table, make pie crust and cook our quiche for dinner and in walks Philippe and I ask him about this recipe I want and he says its very hard but he'll make it with me and then I'll write it down as we go and then he says that if I have such a keen interest in cooking he's going to teach me and truthfully? Philippe is an excellent excellent excellent cook and he's taken such an interest now that I've taken an interest in his hobby and for the last hour he's been teaching me how to make homeade mayonnaise and telling me about all the things we're going to cook and that I'm going to try..... he loves me!!! (or rather he loves that I eat whatever he gives me except for olives and corn!!) And then he showed me his two extra kitchens and went on and on and on until I was rolling my eyes and he was laughing and I have to say that I am having almost as many low moments as last time but what makes it all bearable is that at the end of the day I have had more good moments than bad, I feel alright and my low moments passed quickly and I can always find something in the very near future to bring my spirits back up.
Love you all and until tomorrow then!!!
Jane
xoxoxo

The Event Of The Millenium

It just occured to me that some of you might not be on the little mailing list that my mother has set up and so you might no be getting those emails I mentioned with all the photos that you are just DYYINGGGGGGG to look at and ooh and aah over. So, I followed Emma's lead and here are the links for my albums thus far. Enjoy:

• Pictures from my tour in Paris: http://www.kodakgallery.fr/ShareLandingSignin.jsp?Uc=1zx0pmfh.9uw1xvv1&Uy=vyk5bu&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=1

• Pictures from the week I spent in Paris: http://www.kodakgallery.fr/ShareLandingSignin.jsp?Uc=1zx0pmfh.7jhpf5a5&Uy=-a9mmdy&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&UV=102414188562_763879445133

• Pictures from La Colline St. Jack: http://www.kodakgallery.fr/ShareLandingSignin.jsp?Uc=1zx0pmfh.1v2sxdel&Uy=-4119yu&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0

• Pictures from Montpellier and La Grand Motte: http://www.kodakgallery.fr/ShareLandingSignin.jsp?Uc=1zx0pmfh.4ibkl559&Uy=-9auhqq&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0

• Random pictures from all around: http://www.kodakgallery.fr/ShareLandingSignin.jsp?Uc=1zx0pmfh.79tfbma5&Uy=-mc7t2n&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0

Pics Update

Just a quick thing...I'm sending my mother 2 more albums right now of pictures and if you really don't want the pictures (nobody will be offended promise!) you really should let her know before we jam up your inboxes and you coming hunting us down with pitchforks to kill us because honestly?? I'm not ready to die!!!
<333

Montpellier - La Grande Motte

Left: Me, Alix, Justine, Margot et Aurore

So it seems that irony (the way we use it these days and not the way the word is actually) is a somewhat cruel thing. Just yesterday morning I was happy and asleep since 10 pm the night before and I was finally sleeping peacefully and well and not waking up every 20 or so minutes and in storms Sylvie at 8 am to tell me I have to get up because we're leaving. So, I say yes and get up and we leave but the whole while I am secretly thinking how great it is that I can sleep through the night now and that I will go home and sleep decently and here I am unable to sleep last night thinking who have I offended so greatly that they can't let me sleep when I can and can let me sleep when I am to be awoken early to leave on a trip?? Honestly....sometimes!

Aside from the whole sleeping fiasco that has now become my regular and nasty routine, yesterday I went to Montpellier and La Grande Motte for the day with Aurore, Alix, Sylvie, Justine, Claudie (Sylvie's friend) and Margot (Claudie's granddaughter and Alix's friend) and our first stop was La Grande Motte!!!

LA GRANDE MOTTE was home to some of the weirdest and strangest architecture I have ever seen. Sylvie tells me it was hugely famous and daring a long long time ago and of that I am sure. Every building is intersecting with another and designed to look like a boat and suprise suprise it is indeed a nice little city on a port and some lake or some river or something but the buildings are strange, strange and captivating and we walked around and explored and I mailed some letters from Paris that I wrote two weeks ago and thought about the ones I plan to write and how everything is going to arrive in Canada just before me because I suck at actually sending the letters that I do write.

MONTPELLIER is a huge and very old gorgeous city that ressembles Paris in every way except it has streetcar-train things that are crazy coloured with flowers and make you feel like what I imagine Alice felt like in some of the crazy gardens and places in Wonderland. Straaaaaaaaaaaange. I think so. We had yummy Chinese food with Sylvie's mother to celebrate her birthday and it was all very nice and fun and especially yummy. After we went shopping and I bought my mum some lovely bowls and I took lots and lots of pictures and then we drove home and got lost and I listened to my iPod because I felt kind of low and tried and half succeeded to escape the world, or atleast the immediate world that was the car.

In the evening we had another strange conversation about English words and all sorts of stuff that resulted in lots of laughing and then Aurore got yelled at by her mother for dropping some bread and crumbs, etc. on the floor and Philippe came to her defence and said it hardly mattered because the cleaning lady was coming and Sylvie wasn't responsable for the floors anyway. She got over it quickly but then Aurore's dad said something and Aurore threw the bread at him and then started throwing stuff at him and then threw her water at him and Sylvie went off about the floors again and Philippe, laughing the whole time, took his left over food and said, who cares about the floors before scraping it all over the floor at which Justine and I shared an OMG (oh my god for the old folks jks jks) moment and Aurore fell over laughing and Philippe grinned and then Sylvie muttered something and went to clean it up and all in all it was a very entertaining night.

On the food front, I ate an artichoke last night and it was yummy yummy yummy and I am going to, someday, ask Sylvie for the recipes for everything I have liked so far.

Tomorrow Philippe is killing 4 of the 6 roosters because they make too much goddamn noise and we are inevitably going to be eating chicken again, also, the baby chicks are being put in an incubator because their mums aren't doing whatever it is they're supposed to do and all I really want is to hold a cute baby chick in my hands and take some pictures and then tell everyone that I did that.

So, before I leave you, days are passing quickly and tears are coming less and less frequently though I am struck with a few moments of weakening and some tears and some quietness and all day I read my book, did homework, watched a movie and listened to my iPod and mostly in my room because I didn't really feel like being social. School is starting soon, ironically the day you all go on March break and I am stoked. Stoked, stoked stoked. I need to start and meet people and fill up my days with talking because I'm starting to miss school and friends and it's mostly because I just haven't had a lot of conversation or interaction with people my age in more than passing. I also am feeling the toll of talking nonstop French and am really excited to have my first English conversation (my one phone call home does not count!!!) and to talk to other people about their experiences, etc. etc.

So, adieu until the prochaine which knowing me could be anywhere from 4 seconds from now until three days from now, on vera!!!!!

Love,

Jane

Jane's Moment of Power/Strength

So today we went to Montpellier and La Grande Motte and I was pretty depressed because Aurore spent the entire day with Justine and hardly talked to me and it was one of those third wheel moments (to top it off Aurore was in a bad mood) and for those of you who know me really well there's nothing I hate more than being a third wheel. So, I came home rather not-cheery and after having a nice dinner and spending most of the evening doing homework and talking with Sylvie and Philippe I went into my room and was feeling a little low and not so looking forward to anything else and I was tempted to cry but I'm saving that for special occasions.
Standing with my back to the door I looked at the mess that had become my bed since coming home and here's what was on it (I cleaned up!!)

• Shoelaces (nice, stylish ones 'says Justine' to replace my craptastic ones that Justine says she wants)
• Two nice, small Provencal bowls for ma mère
• My purse
• Postcards
• Homework

And all of this struck me as belonging to someone is busy but has time and has people who she loves and who love her and who has someone who's always there for her. (I bet you are know thinking why did I even bother reading this blog today) And what I realized was that I had lots of stuff to occupy me until the week was over and school started (huge rugby game on saturday with thousands of family members coming, lots of homework, the chickens, the swing with my iPod, letters home, my journal, relacing my converse and playing thousands upon thousands of games of rummy with Margot (who talks and talks and talks all for the sake of talking) and that once school does start there will be other people, there will be Canadians and it will be busy and full and I won't feel as left out when Aurore is with her friends because I'll have my friends and I won't being hanging around as the third wheel. So, looking in the mirror (gosh I'm incredibly self centered) I planned out tomorrow morning and then kind of smiled and I feel incredible now!! Yaay mirrors!!! And more importantly I feel like I can do this and not just have-assed (sorry dad) but all the way, completely and utterly, and that I can enjoy it and not say yes it's hard and Aurore barely talks to me (exageration by the way) etc. etc. but rather say yes it's hard but I am capable and enjoying it and the only thinging that makes me sad is missing home but I'm not letting that bring me down because I know that when I come back you'll all have missed me so much that it will be good (reeeeaaaally self centered now jane!!) and the idea that I can do this is ultimately my moment of strength and power and........to top it all off, after sleeping like crap for two weeks now I sleft 10 hours (8 straight) and could've gone more if we hadn't have had to leave (knock on wood) and it feels better, everything feels better.

So, you really didn't have to read this if you did because it was more about me expressing how I feel and this moment so that I don't ever forget it than it was about everyone reading and going what the heck is Jane writing about? We thought this was about France!!!

Life gets/is getting better!!! (knock on wood again please!!)

ps - by the way I will write about Montpellier and all that tomorrow, even though there's not much to tell, and my blog will go back to normal.

♥(I love you all insane amounts!!!!) Jane

The one where Jane abuses parenthesis (how on god's green earth do you pluralize that word??)

A CHICKEN EGG (I realize that eggs do come

from chickens but its still funny

to see them both in one sentence!)

So....a little update for y'all before I come home tomorrow (from Montpellier) and don't remember a single thing!!! Aurore has told me that instead of per usual (eating the eggs) we are letting them hatch, which means that in three weeks I'll post pictures of me holding fuzzy little chick babies in my hands before they grow up to be big and vile like the freaky rooster who jumped at me and scared me half to death!!!!!

Also, today I went to a fun Provencal market and met a cute guy named Pierre, unfortunately I probably won't see him again so I won't get a picture. Honestly, wouldn't it have sounded slightly stalkerish if I'd said 'hey nice to meet you can I take you're picture?' (sorry Lauren :( i try) and unfortunately found no nice provencal bowls for my mother, however I can get some nicer ones in Marocco when we go so as the French say, 't'inquiete pas!'

Alors....the neighbours have four children, Gabriel is apparently very goodlooking and is Aurore and I's age (la chance!!!) and Claire is in grade nine and Jann (pronounced that way but I think it's MY name Frenchified) and her little sister (god help me I'm bad with names) and little. (and ages evidently)

Just to sum it all up, these neighbours have two Canadians coming for two and a half weeks in like a week or so...so yaay, Jane is being bombarded with Canadians and is busybusybusy. Aurore sends her love to everybody she knows and I say, yaay six baby chicks in three weeks. Just another thing to look forward to in what has become a long list of things Jane will be doing and enjoying in the ever so near future!

♥Jane

School Next Week aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!

So, next week I start school and today Aurore gave me my time table so here, all you lucky people, it is.......................

LYCEE ALPHONSE-BENOIT (Aurore and now my high school)

• Monday I start at 8 in the morning with French, Spanish, French, English and finish at 6 pm.
• Tuesday I start at 8 in the morning with French, English, French, Art and finish with history and geography at 3 pm.
• Wednesday I start at 8 with Gym, French and English and Im done at noon.
• Thursday I start at 9 am or 10 am with Civics, Philosophy, English, Spanish, English, History and Geography and English and finish at 6 pm.
• Friday I start at 8 am with History and Geography, English, Singing and Philosophy and I end at 6 pm but have no classes between 10 and 11 qm qnd 2 pm and 5 pm.

Yes, the schedule is so weird with the same class like five different times in one day, but it'll be lots of fun and I have lots of spares and theres a Canadian in my class so I'm very excited!!!

Chicken Games

CHICKEN GAMES ~ so yesterday Justine (left), Aurore's friend, came over and we played a game in which the purpose was to round up all the chickens in the yard and herd them back to their pen. The guinea-fowls screeched histerically and the roosters flapped their 'wings' at us but it was, for the most part, successful. After we took a bunch of jump pics of which Justine made lots of faces, Aurore managed and Alix stayed firmly on the ground. It was fun though! Today we chased some chickens some more and had a nice lunch with Alix's godfather and his wife and it was quite possibly the best meal I've had so far. We also talked a lot about Morocco, how difficult language exchanges are and how in a week or so another Canadian is coming for two and a half weeks and living in the neighbours house, which means more and more Canadian companions for me. Anyhow, apparently tonight we are going to go for a walk/hike up the cliffs/mountains surrounding Cavaillon and that should provide me with some nice pictures for my next album which will probably happen tomorrow night or something like that. Anyway, now I should return to the real world and enjoy my French life. Oh yes, mutti? Don't forget those aerobars (badbadbad jane can't spell) because I almost...yes almost, made the impeccably (sp?) French Aurore drool.

A Brief Look Ahead

AURORE, CHARLINE ET MOI

So, I have one more week of vacation and the plan is to hang around Avignon and Cavaillon, to visit Montpellier, to hang out with Tatum and Iris (if they ever repond to my emails) and to be lazy. After that I start school and then near mid-April it's vacation again and two weeks in Morocco. I come back in May and have 2 weeks left of school and then I leave. I'll be playing soccer three times a week as well and be kept plenty busy. I'll be home soon though it seems because it's all going so quickly. So....excuse me but it's time to go make us of the 22° weather. SUCKERS!!!!!!!!!!! Enjoy your snow!!!

A Week In Paris (not Hilton)

self portrait with the Eiffle Tower

So here I am back from a week in Paris and blogging once more and as I am tired and have spent the last 24hours either sitting or lying down I am going to give you a rather bland day-by-day so that I can go and walk around a bit. So, first off, Paris was rather dreary weather but it was fun none the less.

Saturday February 24 - we arrived at two a.m. in the morning at Sarah's appartment and when we woke up several hours later we visited the Place Des Vosges with the Jurie-Joly's Belgium friends, Dominic, Katherine and their daughters Aimée and Charline. It was quite nice and a little sunny at that point so we walked around a bit and looked at all the art galleries....yawn!! We then went to Victor Hugo (guy who wrote Les Miserables) house and explored a bit and learned about his mistress and wife and kids and exile, etc. etc. After we walked around near the Musée de Beaubourgs (which is the first picture at the top). I have no idea whats inside but it looks modern. Afterwards we went to the cemetary Père Lachàse and saw Jim Morrison's grave before getting kicked out by the guard because it was closing time.

Sunday 25 February - Today we went to Disneyland and went on insane amounts of rides and did lots of fun stuff and saw a presentation of the Lion King which was lame but entertaining none the less.

Monday 26 February - We walked by the Eiffle Tower and ate in the Trocadero gardens and visited Napolean's grave in Les Invalides and saw the war museum for world war 1 and 2. We then walked about Champs de Mars.

Tuesday 27 February - We went to the Musée du quai Branly which is a new Native Arts museum from around the world and was one of my favourite parts of the week. We then met Aurore's Paris friends Ludivine and L (I cannot for the life of me remember her name) and walked around the Champs Elysées and then went home and had dinner at their friends house. Raphael and Annielle.

Wednesday 28 February - We walked around the Louvre, the Opera and the Quartier Latin and around La Seine and Notre Dame and did some 'riverside' shopping.

Thursday 1 March - We visited Versailles and that is all I can say on that subject. In the evening we stayed with friends and they were really nice. They had three kids, Fanny (who was four and highly entertaining) and Matthieu (who broke glass and cried and is 2) and Julie (who is 7 months and slept the whole time)

Friday 2 March - We drove home all day and had lunch in Moulins on the way with friends. Very nice week. Glad it's over though because everything in Paris reminded me of my parents and our trip to Paris and that made me cry.

CRY WATCH - I haven't cried since Tuesday but I've felt like crying but couldn't it's all very very strange.