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!!!