Day 43 - Basketball and Failing Exams <3

On yesterday's blog I forgot to mention that I think I may have joined the school's girls' basketball team! That was after I thought I broke my nose. It didn't even bleed after someone knocked their arm in my face, and the nose being all sticky-outy it naturally took the blow. I continued playing, after a minute's break. I wasn't hurt, really, my nose was just slightly uncomfortable and breathing wasn't comfortable either. But I'm fine.

Today we had the Economics test last thing. I'm getting max. 3 points because I couldn't answer most of the questions, plus there was some definitions, too, of which I tried to explain one.. Instant fail on all five tests this week! (I think it's five..) On monday I have an Agronomy test, which will certainly be interesting.. We'll see how that works out.. I'll study, of course, but it ain't easy. I'm expecting no more than a five for each test (note that it's out of 20..!).

Today was a slow day. We had Agro Equipment in the morning. While everyone else was taking notes I was thinking about random stuff and talking to a few people. It's so bizarre only having two guys in our class, Olivier and Vincent, as we are split into two for some classes. I don't see the point but whatever works, eh?

After we had History-Geo, of which we have Geo. It's the same teacher that we have for History, so it's just as boring and hard to follow as History was. I'm glad that's over! Nothing interesting happened.. Just boring old class.

Aprés nous avons eu la Francais (where is that little squiggly thing for the C?! I can't find it on the keyboard!). We're doing poetry and it's just as horrible in French as it it in English or Finnish! Plus I don't understand half teh things we're talking about.. :S But the teacher's nice.. Très sympa.

For lunch I ate practically nothing. I would've eaten more (I'm glad I didn't have the choice, though!) but there wasn't very much to offer.. The food had fish in it, so I got this pattie instead. It was dégueulasse, disgusting. It was really sweet when I sat down and Antoine V. asked if that was all I was going to eat, and I answered yes. He was insisting I'd be hungry after eating it. I pointed out I had bread and two bananas, too. He just shook his head. I explained that there were no other options as I happen to be vegetarian. He was, like everyone else, surprised.

So the pattie was inedible and all I had for lunch was the baguette and two bananas. I ate about two bits of the pattie.. But I wasn't very hungry anyway, even though I had had no breakfast (I woke up 20 mins before I had to leave so there was no time to eat - I had to wash my hair..!). Well, I had two biscuits before French but that's practically nothing. They were yummy, though. John ate 14 bananas, a new record for him, I think. Now that, if anything, is dégueulasse! I don't understand it and I plan not to ever understand being able to eat 14 bananas in a row!

Right after lunch we had the test. The teacher mad Olivier and Antoine move their table to the very front of the classroom (no idea why) and a little over half way through the test I look over and see both Antoine and Olivier are done with their tests. Catching Antoine's eye I raise my eyebrow. He just shrugs. I think they sat there for about 15 mins, doing nothing, before the teacher let them go.

We caught the same bus as Antoine V., Vincent and a few other people and I asked Antoine about the test and he said he finished quick but he failed. I think he said he guessed most of them, or went through them quickly..

Tonight Daniéle's best friend, Sandrine, came over and dined avec nous. She's really nice. I've met her once before, but now I understood more about what the dinner conversation was about.

I haven't bees sleeping too much lately, but it's worked for me, sleeping less than seven hours/night. I'm tired now, though and I think I won't put the alarm clock on for tomorrow. I'll sleep in and relax tomorrow. And  study a little! Wish me luck! Je aimez-vous!

Day 42 - Tryo, Tarots and Entertainment

I was going to go to school for nine, but I changed my mind right before going to sleep, so I went to school like normal. I'm glad I did, because I did some revising and chatting with people. And play Tarot. :D I'm obsessed! Whenever there are people playing, I'm pretty much there! Unless I'm listening to good music! Or then I do both..

I was studying during breaks (kinda) for the tests we had today. We only had two, but we have another tomorrow. Economics in French! Ouch :S The tests could've gone way better, but i spent half the time translating my thoughts into French or the questions from French to English. It's hard! I got almost half done for Chemistry and the first question for Agro Equipment.. But practically everyone said Agro Equipment went so-so or crap.. But I will defiantely use the "I don't speak French yet!" -excuse for another few months, because French is hard, it is!

After lunch, which was yummy and I ate too much :S I wondered over to Olivier, listening to music, and Antoine, "studying" for Chemistry, aka doodling. There were a few Tarot games going on, but I decided to study and listen to good music (in this case Oasis and Bob Marley). I've started listening to different music while here, groups like Tryo, Bob Marley (not a group, but I listen to him!) and Oasis along with The Prodigy, Daft Punk, etc. I love that I have the cable-parter-thing so I can listen to music at the same time as someone else. It's very handy!

I'm obsessed with Tryo at the mo, and I really have to get their albums!! Plus it's good to listen to French music!

At some point Olivier and Joachim got in a fight. Well paly fight. I was just confusedly (a new word? I really doubt it really is one..) left sitting there holding Olivier's mp3 and headphones. I think the play fight was something to do with Olivier putting his feet on Joachim's chair.. They're such guys! But generally really sweet. I love it.

So the tests were one ofter the other, with no time to study in between. Not that it would've helped.. The first test, Chemistry, went pretty crap.. I'll be happy with three points (out of 20!).. I hate chemistry in general, so now that I'm here, I actually have to study chemistry! Argh. The second test was Agro Equipment, which went just as bad. I answered the first question in about 30 minutes, and started on the third (skipping the second). I got one sentence down when we ran out of time. I hope I got a few pity points or something!

After the Agro Equip test we had Maths, but the teacher never showed up. We had entertainment, though, while waiting for the teacher who never showed up. Not that I mind. Back to the entertainment. Olivier and Vincent started sining and dancing to some French songs. It was very entertaing. We got a good laugh out of it.

Usually when a teacher doesn't show up I go straight home, but today I stayed and played Tarot for another hour and a half or so. J'adore, like I mentioned before! I need to get a pack of Tarot. It's a matter of life or death! Not reallt, but it might as wel be! I've no idea how I will survive when I return to Finalnd! :S Someone promice to play Tarot with me?! Well, you need three-five players.. S.T.P.?!

When we finally left it was raining bucket fulls! My trousers were practically clinging to my calves and thighs. Not too comfortable.. But I did get to use my pretty new umbrella! <3

Day 39/40/41 - Four Hour Skip, Tests and I'm Pretty

On Monday we had a four hour skip in the morning! I could've stayed in bed until 11:30! Lunch ends at 13:45, so I could've gone to school for 15 to two. But then again..

We had a lot of fun playing Tarots for about two hours. Time goes by too fast when you're having fun! I hate it. I think I've mentioned it before, but they love playing cards in France, esp. Tarot. I love it too because I so rarely get to play when I'm at home!

After the second hour Pauline and I went to the library, where I studied for the maths test we had later that day. I feel it went ok, but it was impossible for me to do one of the questions because I didn't understand it and I kinda ran out of time. Pauline and Clémentine (accent may be in th ewrong place but what evs..) started on their projects for Agronomy. I have yet to start mine..

It's so strange here, I feel, having to sign in two places if you want to go study in the library instead of "Perm". I was baffled when Pauline told me. They're very strict about things like walking in the halls here.. It's bizarre. (I've started using bizarre for everything. Or then  everything's cute, if it's not bizarre! Plus bizarre means the same thing in French and English, so it's easy to remember when I speak French!)

Yesterday we had a double skip, again. And again, we played Tarot! For the last half an hour/hour we did more "intellectual" stuff (direct quote form Olivier, who btw has the clearest blue eyes I've ever seen! Plus he's adorable and very French.). I read chemistry, again, for a while but then I kind of wondered over to Antoine R. (we have two Antoines, and two Camilles), who was listening to music. I somehow ended up listening to it instead of him (don't ask, I have NO idea). He listens to electro, which I love, so all was well. I did kind of feel bad about me listening to his music. I did get my divider-cord-majig so we could both listen, but he didn't feel like listening or something.

Lunch was unedible yesterday, although everyone else seemed to enjoy it, though. Sometimes I wish I ate meat, but then I remember why I don't. But that only happens when the food is inedible. We had no yoghurt, but instead we had dessert - doughnuts. John was practically drooling to eat mine, and I had to keep it a safe distance away from him. I was just finishing my bread when he left, and he missed the opportunity to actually get to eat it. Him not being there, I offered it to Olivier who'd mentionned earlier that he loved doughnuts. I thought why not, I don't want to eat it and it's a waste otherwise.

I sat with people I don't often sit with, but I liked the change. People actually spoke to me for a change. Mostly John, but Olivier, too. I've noticed that if you ask, esp. guys, something, they will answer and the conversation goes from there, but they seem unwilling to be the one to start up a conversation. But then again they had sauce to go with it. Especially Olivier. If I ask him something he starts explaining his opinion and he genuinely seems interested in what others have to say. Antoine V. doesn't really speak very much in general. He does answer if I ask him a direct question. I think it's just the language barrier and I'm hoping he'll talk more when I can understand more. He's a nice guy, though.

I try to talk to everyone, but there are people who just don't seem to want to talk with me. Or then I get treated like a retard and people speak slow and loud. Plus when I say "quoi" or "comment", people often switch to English, even though I may not have heard what they said or something. I try to get them to repeat in French, but sometimes that doesn't work.. But people are really nice here, in general.

After lunch we palyed (you guessed it!) Tarot. At first it was just Olivier, Antoine, Joachim and I, but a little later on Lucile was also convinced into playing. I think it was her first time, or among her first times. She watches a lot, though.

In the evening we, Émily and I, had.. Umm.. Yeah.. I don't know what to call it. It's marked as Renfo, so I think that's what I'll call it.. So we had Renfo last night. It's muscle training, basically, so now my muscles are all sore! I love it, but I also hate it! It feels awsome to stretch but otherwise it's a bit of an inconvenience. On our way there this pizza delivery guy stopped us and said something, directed at me. I asked Émily and she said he called me pretty. I just rolled my eyes. It's about the fifth time here I've been called pretty, etc. while I've been here. It's strange. He also offered us free pizza or something.. I was confused. He did leave us alone after a little chat with Émily.

Today I lunched with John and Antoine V., and Vincent, who came in a little later. I did a lot more talking today than usual. And I even got Antoine to talk a bit more. Vincent is very talkative and we had an actual conversation. It was nice cos he treats me like a normal person. Plus his English is pretty good, so if I didn't understand something, he could explain it in English more often than not. Plus we had John there to translate some things. Which is always nice. He talks a heck of a lot, though, so it's hard to have a conversation with anyone else if he's around..

After Antoine V. left we were joined by a number of other people, of whom I knew Antoine R. He has a twin. It's pretty bizarre. They look the same if you just have a glance, but sitting next to each other it's easy to tell who is who. Neither of them speak English, but I did exchange a few words with them. They're awsome guys, just like everyone else.

After school I decided to walk home instead fo waiting for the second bus for 15 mins. (I got home by the time the bus would've arrived) So I was walking along, minding my own business an dlistening to music and this Moroccan guy stops me and asks me something. I take off my head phones and ask him to repeat. He calss me pretty and wants to have a chat. He asks me where I'm from because I say I son't speak much French. Switching to broken English he asks for my name, age, where I live, what school I go to, etc. I make up and excuse and head off, fearing he may follow. I glance back after walking for a bit and nobody is following me, thankfully. I sigh in relief.

Today would normally be Pilates, but Émily can't make it and I have to study for the three exams we have tomorrow, so I'm not bothered to walk the 20 mins there.. So today is just relaxing/studying.. I have three tests tomorrow.. :S Economics, Chemistry and Agro Equipment. Wish me luck!

*Note: I think I confuse days unless I blog!*

Day 37/38 - Lazy Weekend and les Controles!

Everyone's been asking me how I feel for the past few days. I FEEL FINE, PEOPLE! But seriously, that fainting thing wasn't anything serious. I have to check if my travel insurance covers going to see a specialist, and if it does, I might as well go. There's no harm in finding out for sure that nothing is wrong with me, is there?

This weekend was very chill. I had no homework and nothing to do. It was kind of bliss after the more-than-hectic-enough Friday I had. We do, however, have les control(e?)s, a.k.a. tests next week. History (fail), Agro Equipment (fail) and Chemistry (fail). In that order, but with History on Wednesday and Agro Equipment and Chemistry both on Thursday. (I was bout to write jeudi, French for Thursday!!)

I'm trying to take it easy and not stress about them but I can't help wanting to do well on them! I hope the teachers remember my French is crap..! I was thinking if Chemistry goes ok this year, I could get a few courses out of it.. I've done the compulsory courses in Finland, but some extras won't hurt. Plus I'd have lsee courses to complete and I could drop Swedish!

I gotta get more time on my phone. It's so hard here! Plus I gotta get mine online, so its doubly difficult! Anyway, tomorrow's running and guess who's not looking forward to it! You guessed it. ME!