Day 30! - Disney Village and Disneyland Paris!!

Yesterday morning I woke up 30 mins before the alarmclock. I groaned and turned away form the table that my phone was on. But I really needed to pee.. Dilemmas. Finally I had to get up to go, and I woke up 25 minutes later to take a shower before the meeting. It was 0700.

We set off with Saara at five to eight, walking along the practically empty roads towards the RER station, a 20 min walk in the cool autumn air. We chatted away, happily in Finnish. We were in a talkative mood and couldn't keep quiet for more than a few minutes.

The journey was fine, until we, following directions, got off at Val d'Europe. We got to the place that it said on the map. There were houses. Nothing else. So we turned back to the RER and went to the next and last stop. It looked way more promicing.

Disney Village. As soon as you step in you see a massive Planet Hollywood building. The building was interesting looking. It was a blue planet. Well, PLANET Hollybood might explain it. It was (naturally) all Disney related. There were Mickey and Minnie merchandise everywhere. It brought back memories.

We were a few minutes late, so we went to Starbuck's Coffee to look for the group. There was nobody that looked like they might be there for a meeting. So we stood outside, neither of us having Coralie, the organiser's number, waiting. Just waiting for someone to turn up. No one did. But a girl did ask us where Planet Hollywood was. After we told her, we realised we should've asked her if she was a part of the meeting. So we decided to follow her.

We got to Planet Hollywood and there they were. Waiting. It was kind of surreal. But cool. Coralie greeted us and introduced us to Olivier. Olivier was helping her with the individual interviews and he took us to lunch at Planet Hollywood after the meeting. 

The meeting was relatively noncomical. Nothing worth noting happened. We talked about the first month, any difficulties and about insurance, etc.

For the individual meetings we had to speak in French, which wasn't bad, and answer a few simple questions. I had my interview with Olivier who was really nice and helpful. I had no questions so the interview was over quickly.

At planet Hollywood everyone else had steak (STS ordered it, I think) while I had pasta. It was very good, really. We got chocolate cake for dessert. It was yummy but I couldn't finish it. Too much.

After the meal most of us decided to go to Disneyland Paris, which is a two minute walk form Disney Village. I've never been and it was a lot of fun, very beautiful and extremely crowded! We had to wait in line for ages to get in/on to any rides. We got on three rides and a movie in the end. Out of them all the best was the Star Wars stimulator thing. we had to wait 30 mins or so, but I really enjoyed it in the end. I took lots of pictures (see facebook!).

Also, a ride broke down before we had a chance to get on. Not that I minded, really. We ahd to wait for 15 mins or so, but the ride (Pirates of the Caribbean) was fun. It's a water ride, but you don't get wer or anything.. But it was fun.

We got to the park at about three and left at about eight. almost five hours of walking around (mostly, anyway). But Disneyland is one of those things you can do about every five years, maximum. And you ahve to stay there for a looooooong time to see and do everything. Or even most things.

We left with Hannah and her host siblings Rodolohe and Daphné. They live in the centre of Paris, in the 8th district. It's on the other side of Paris, the non-touristy side. Plus very expensive. Her family is VERY rich. Lucky. Not that my family's poor. They can pretty much throw money around and not think about the consequences. I mean we have a pool, come on!

We got home around ten last night, so not too late. Disneyland closes at ten. We realised two seconds too late that we were supposed to get off at a stop and ended up getting off at the next stop. Then we missed the train we were supposed to get on to get back to the previous stop. But it ended up being a good thing as we got one stop closer to home with the next train that came. We were lucky because the next RER tain to St. Germain en Laye came about five minutes after we got off the second train. It was all really wierd and confusing, but we got home in the end!

It was a fun trip despite all two slip ups! :D

Day 28/29

Before lunch we had basketball again. We have to take a bus to the basketball court as we have no inside gym to speak of. Sucks, really! It was fun. I really like it, but I'm still not a fan of the teacher! He's just, argh! I dunno. I just don't like him.

Just like last week the next group arrived early (or we finished late), so all the guys got to watch us play "basketball". It must've been fun to watch, as I thought it was hilarious with all the disputes and stealing the ball. I, thankfully was watching whe the guys started piling in. I was once again told I'm good at basketball, which I find funny, as I really am not.

Lunch in school is better than in Finland in you eat meat. But for a vegetarian, paying 78€ a month seems too much, in my oppinion. I worked out it's about the same they spend on school food in both countries. But they have more here. I mean you get a "starter salad", a baguette (or five), a yoghurt (or two) and a fruit (of three) every day in addition to the warm meal! 

Today was a fun day. Well the lessons sucked. We had to awit 15 minutes for the teacher to arrive, in the cold (it was cold this morning!) and when he didn't show up, we went back to the school (it was a minute's walk form the school) we saw him and ended up having 20 minutes of class! Stupid, pointless and shitty! From then on it got more interesting. We had a note convo with the guy, sitting next to me. He's awsome. Just random chit chat while the teacher was going on about whatever.. He was folowing the lecture, too and managed to answer questions while writing (in English!). I was bare impressed.

Today was the first French lesson! Unsurprisingly, I didn't follow half of what was going on. Thankfully both the guys sitting next to me let me copy their notes and helped explain some things. All the guys here are so sweet. I love it! Sidetracked there for a sec. The teacher is a hefty, thirty-something woman, very enthusiastic about French and a gentle gigant, really. She's the sister (I think) of the maths teacher. Which is cool. She was really nice and understanding about me not understanding much and asked my next door neighbours to help me when I had the need. They do it without me having to ask, but all the same it was nice of her. We were still passing notes throughout the double lesson.

Today we had rice for lunch. That's practically all I had. I did have some radishes for starters, though. Also the mini baguette and a yoghurt and nectarine. I love that you get fruit here! Plus the nectarines are SOOOOO juicy! <3>

After lunch we went to the classroom to play cards (for a change, *eye roll*). A while later Vincent came in carrying a guitare and started playing. He's good. He's been playing for six years now (Alexandre asked and I overheard..). John, being John, went up to the platform to demonstrate his "dance moves". He says he's shy, but he loves to be the centre of attention! He's obsessed! But it makes for good entertainment. He imitated Elvis, MJ and himself. Plaus, I'm guessing, a gay man (that's his "normal" impression that he uses for everything. Bloody funny.).

When the teacher walked in everyone kindo of froze for a millisecond. The music stopped. John froze. Everyone burst out laughing.

During pluri (no one subject/teacher, changes every week) we had economy. It was boring as always. *Note passing continues.* Alexandre andI were, like always, counting down the minutes until the lesson (last of the day) was over. 11, 6, 4, 1! YESSSS! Weekend! Bon weekend à tout!

We got on the same bus with some of teh guys form our class. It's a rare chance to talk to them because at school they're so tightly knit and aren't very talkative. On the bus it's another matter! The chitchat is nonstop. They speak trop vite (too fast) for me to understand half teh time, especially if the questions are aimed at me they kind of whizz past and I turn into a question mark. The guys are funny, but shy, I guess. I haven't decided yet!

Today Saara, another Finnish exchange student, is coming to stay the weekend with us. We will embark on the journey to the meeting tomorrow morning at eight(ish) and return around six p.m., I presume. The journey takes a total of about one hour fourtyfive minutes, if I remember correctly. Daniéle gave me directions with times and everything. Really nice of her.

More about tomorrow tomorrow! Have to go adn eat before I go to pick Saara up from the station.

Day 25/26/27 - Wow I missed a few days..

No recollection of what happened on Monday.. Hmm.. Maby if I think about it it'll come back to me..? Nope. Not coming back to me. All that I remember is that I had stretching and before I had this ab-thigh-butt exercise class for half an hour..  It wasn't too hard, but I had sore thighs the next day. Could be from the runnung we did that morning. Ils aiment la courir en France! Look at that. I remember something! :D

With my thighs still making it difficult to walk down the road I made it to school yesterday. At 2030 Émily came to pick me up for Step class. We went toget our steps adn sticks form the storage room, but ended up having to take the steps back. Turns out every other week is muscle building. Which I PREFERE to cardio! :D I was thrilled. But after the class (more like in the middle of it..) I was dead tired. 

This morning I woke up, barely being able to get out of bed. Seriously. The workout last night was crazy! Plust I had the pink elastic band, which means instead of 8 kg of resistance, I had 15 kg.. It was insane. But felt so good! And stretchig feels awsome! (Always find something positive in everything you do, I say!) Bending backwards hurts. Bending sideways hurts. Bending down hurts. Just benfing anything hurts, really!

Tonight I had pilates. Not the hardest of my hobbies, but the most technical of them all. I was dying while doing a few of the exercises because of the muscle training last night. But all in all it was good and fun. It's getting harder by the session! But I love it and it keeps me busy. Plus I got to spend time with Émily, which is cool.

I gotta hit the sack but more to come tomorrow! About school and next weekend, if I remember!

Day 23/24 - Grandparents and Paris

Yesterday Marie's grandparents, Daniéle's parents, came over for a visit. They were really nice and brought me a gift, a cup with two robins on it. It was really cute. Plus if you count the gesture, it was really kind of them as they are of no relation to me and they didn't have to bring me anything! They weren't very old, I don't think. They seemed young, somehow. It was intriguing, really. They left about mid-morning today.

After they left Daniéle and I went to Paris, so she could show me where to take the RER and where the metro for next week, when she won't be here and I will be going to an STS meeting.

We didn't go all the way and got off at the centre of Paris to do some sightseeing. We saw the Eiffel tower first. It's magnificent! And HUGE. Next Daniéle asked me if I would like to take the sightseeing bus or boat, and of course, I took the boat, it being less traditional in my oppinion. It was awsome. The whole ride would've taken an hour and a half, but we got off at Notre Dame. I got to see it. It's scarier live than in pictures. I can imagine the Hunchback of Notre Dame living there. It, too, is beautiful in it's own way.

After seeing the Notre Dame we went to eat at a small restaurant. Very French. It was one of those street café-type things, but a restaurant. It was called the Salon de Thé. Address : 1, Quai aux Fleurs, 75004 Paris. The best quiche ever. The apple pie wasn't bad either. And it was inexpensive, too! Very small, though. Only enough to seat about 25. But it was so French!

As we sat outside, these two American tourists (married, I assume) tried to get city-bikes off the racks. They strugglef dor about an hour! Seriously. It was hilarious and provided soem good entertainment for us. They finally got the bikes out just as we keft, and the woman said "Good entertainment, wasn't it?", to which I responded, "Well you got the bikes in the end!" She just smiled, slightly baffled. I was shaking my head on the inside. I mean, one hour! With the help of a few Parisiens as well!

We got on the French version of the sauna, the batobus, the boat bus. Seriously. You boil in there even though the roof is open! It's insane.

We walked along the Champs-Élysées almost all the way to the Arc de Triomphe, where we got the RER back home.

I was exhausted by then end of the trip and had to take a dip in the pool to cool down after the hours of sweating buckets in Paris. But it was well worth it! I love Paris. I almost got a shirt saying those exact same words! Maby before I leave! Anyone else want one?!

I cooked today. First time here. I cooked carrots in honey-water and lentil stew. Marie isn't known for her vegetarianism and she had a steak and pasta insted. She had some carrot shcvings, which I also made. So not a complete waste. Daniéle praised my cooking, even though I've made way better in the past. Next time I'll do something Finnish. Like karjalanpiirakka. Or pulla. Or makaroonilaatikko. We'll see.

Tomorrow we have sports agan. Yay. Not. We have "athletism", aka running, I think. Next trimester we have "musculation", mucle building. Then swimming in the last trimester. I don't see why they can't change them around sometimes! It gets boring. Like running. Oh, how I hate it! Give me muscle building any time!

Peace out til next time!