France Life

Time is absolutely FLYING by here. And I'm also in the midst of figuring things out for NEXT YEAR so it makes my time left here seem so much shorter!

I applied for some jobs, and GOT ONE! I will officially be working for McMaster Mini University this summer. It's a day camp for kids ages 9 -14, and I'm so excited! It will be interesting living in Hamilton for the summer, but it will also be the first time that I will have EVERY weekend off the entire summer!! No more trying to coordinate days off to go cottaging with friends!

Skype is doing wonders for me right now. I had the great job interview via skype last week, and in the next few weeks, I'll be having another skype interview for Mac Dance Club exec, and for Welcome Week Rep. Not to mention it is imperative for keeping in touch with friends and family.

On top of preparing things for next year, Virginia and I have A TON planned for the rest of our time here! March is going to be a little crazy for school assignments, but of course I will get them all done! Virginia and I have a 25 minute presentation in our Geography tutorial about Romania and it's insertion into the European Union. We picked one of the topics we could actually understand.... So it will be slightly terrifying having to do this presentation in front of the whole class. But everyone, including the prof seems really friendly and understanding. NOTHING like our literature classes.

After taking this geography class, Virginia and I have noticed how CRAZY our literature faculty is. No one uses computers, no one talks in class EVER, the students aren't friendly, and really the profs aren't either. Until we had geography, we just thought that this was how classes in france were..... we were WRONG. Geography class is exactly like all of our classes at home. Everyone uses computers, they're friendly, the profs are interesting and actually talk to you. So there is something about lit classes....... maybe they feel the need to study and lecture as they would in the time period they are teaching about?????

Virginia and I have just bought tickets to go skiing with the school! We were originially planning to go to our friends chalet for the weekend, but it ended up being to expensive. So we are going on a day trip with the school to Alpe D'Huez, skiing in the french Alps! It will be amazing and so much more exciting than the "hills" we have at home. This will be March 6th, and I cannot wait!

This is where I will be skiing!

At the end of March, Virginia and I have booked trip to Barcelona! We are hoping for at least one day of sand and sun, as my bathing suit needs at least one use here.

April is pretty packed as well, for Easter weekend, Virginia and I are going with her aunt and uncle to their condo in the South of France for the weekend. It will be really good to spend Easter with family, even if it's not mine! We also have a week off after classes end, but before exams start. So Virginia and I are planning UK week! This is definitely the highlight of second semester for me. I cannot wait to see Ireland and all of it's GREEN. But Virginia and I want to be able to go for as long as possible to see as much of England, Ireland and Scotland as possible, so we're waiting for our exam timetable to come out before we book our trip.

After UK week, it's time for visitors! My parents, and then Adrian are coming right after each other, then all of a sudden it will be time to go back. But let's not think about that yet!

So LOTS of plans for the next few months, I'm really hoping that they all will work out! Check back for how the trips actually went!




This is us after playing the Oreo game. You split apart an Oreo, lick the iced side, and stick it to your forehead. The first person to successfully eat the Oreo wins! (not using your hands!) Definitely entertaining :)

The Canadian Girls in France

This past week was one of the best I've spent here so far, friends came to visit!! Stacie and Amanda flew into Lyon on Valentines Day, and stayed for the next week.

Virginia and I got to play tour guide for the first time since we've been here. It was a lot of fun, and good practice for when some of my family and Adrian come in the next couple months.

Sunday Virginia and I met them at the airport and of course there was lots of hugging and girly squeals. They were both exhausted from the long day and a half of travelling, so we had a chill day. We showed them our school (both campuses) and our residence. Also we had to stop at my favourite bakery to get some baguettes and french pastries for our genuine french dinner that night

Since our residence doesn't allow any overnight guests at all, Pasan was super amazingly awesome and let us take over his room for the week, and Guillaume was good enough to put up with 4 canadian girls :P (He really didn't mind at all!)

Monday and Tuesday was spent just touring around Lyon. We hit all the main places, Vieux Lyon, Parc de la Tete d'Or, Fauviere, Basilique st. jean. place Bellecour, rue de la republique, place des terreaux, and the roman amphitheatre. But unfortunately it was too cold, and there was snow in the amphitheatre so it was closed :(

Wednesday we went to Geneva for the day, and wandered around there :) We all bought swiss army knives as well! Amanda bought an intense camping one, and the rest of us just got the simple kind. Mine is pink. Of course :)



Thursday was a GORGEOUS 13 degrees outside, so we tried the amphitheatre again, and it was open!! We took some excellent pictures, and wandered lyon for the last time.

Friday was another day trip, although it rained the entire day :( We headed 30 minutes outside of Lyon to a Medieval town named Perouges. It was very small, but so cool. The town is surrounded by a wall, and completely made of stone. Unfortunately there was absolutely nothing to do there but walk around. Everything was closed, and we were all soaked. The day trip turned into a couple hour long trip. After returning back to Pasan's and warming up for awhile (watching some Olympics of course and cheering Canada on!!!!) we went out for our last night together. We had a great dinner at an excellent restaurant, and stayed up way too late being girls and pretending they didn't have to leave in the morning.



All in all, it was an excellent visit, but I'm sad they're gone already. While they were here, it felt like they'd always been here, but now that they're gone, and Virginia and I are back in res, it's like they were never here :( But what I know for sure, is that we are going to have an excellent year next year when we are all back at Mac!

More Pictures by clicking on this title!

La Tagnière

It`s already the second week of February, and I just got back from spending a fantastic weekend in Burgundy, France. Virginia and I went with our friend Babette to her family's home in La Tagnière. We got to spend the weekend living with a Dutch family in the middle of the French countryside. It was absolutely beautiful, and the farthest from touristy you could possibly get.




La Tagnière is a small town of only about 200 people about 175 km north of Lyon. Babette, Virginia and I took the train to Le Creusot, where Babette's dad Arian, and her sister Anouk (sorry about the spelling!) picked us up. We drove the half an hour to her home through gorgeous green countryside, and the tiniest roads you'd ever seen!


This is actually a two-way street believe it or not

We had a fantastic weekend of touring around the area, going sightseeing to other towns close by, checking out breathtaking scenery from various viewpoints, eating delicious food, and just having a relaxing weekend at a real home.

We made homemade french fries, traditional french Raclette, and Babette's family's claim to fame, Pizza from scratch. Babettes sister was in charge of the dough, and Babette's dad made the spaghetti sauce, from there, we eat got our own pizza to garnish as we pleased. And we all watched Love Actually while trying to finish all of the delicious pizza!



The raclette we had for lunch on sunday, and it was quite the event. You even have to have a special raclette appliance. It is a portable grill, with a stone on one side, and small raclette inserts that you melt the cheese one. So traditional raclette, you melt the cheese, and pour it over potatos or bread, and add any kind of meat or veggies that you'd like! We ate way too much of course, because it was so delicious!



The weekend was complete with a game of European monopoly, where for once I actually won! (Graham wasn't playing..... that's the only time i have a chance!). Virginia and I got to practice our Dutch, as all the cards and instructions were in dutch :s.

All in all, a fantastic weekend in the french countryside. VERY different from life in Lyon. Much more laid back, calm, and relaxing.


Thanks so much Schots Family!!!!!


Other than this trip, it's been pretty uneventful back in Lyon. We're getting settled in at school, slowly getting back into the presentations, and the reading and the essays. We get our winter break coming up soon where my housemates Stacie and Amanda will be coming to visit Virginia and I! We get a whole week off school to spend with fellow Canadians :) Soon, plans for our trip to Barcelona, and UK week will be getting underway, as well as our trip skiing! I will keep you updated on the progress.

This past week, was mine and Adrian's 4th anniversary. It was a little hard being away from him on that day, but I will admit he is an amazing boyfriend, and I have amazing friends :) I woke up to a phone call from him in the morning, and in the afternoon, after a sneaky set up by my sneaky friends, I came back to my room to find a bouquet of flowers from him (loving carried through by Virginia :) ). We had a girls night that night, with Pizza and pop, and High School Musical 3.



T minus 7 days until the arrival of Stacie and Amanda! I can't wait! Look for an update after that week is over :)

Click on the title for more pictures of my trip to La Tagnière!!!