Changes.....
I have changed families last monday. Since then I have gone, back to school after the vacation, snowboarding, to a good-bye party for my australian friend, and been really really sick.
Its weird to change families. My current family is really really nice, but it just is a bit odd to come home to a different house, have different rules and values in your life and talk about different things.
My host Mom is named Marie and she is an elementary school teacher. She teaches 5 and 6 year olds. My host Dad is working on a huge 15 year project called "le project grand lac" which is in the process of improving the environmental conditions of the biggest lake in France, Bourget du Lac, about 20 km from our house. They have 3 daughters, one in Mexico, one who is at school at Grenoble, and one who works in Annecy. I am an only child again in the house during the week, except for a student who rents a room here, named Dorine.
It's odd to see the australians leaving. All the exchange students from the Southern Hemisphere come at christmas and stay till the next because thats how their school system goes.
The australians for the rest of the exchange students, or at least for me, are like the holders of all knowledge. They have been through what we are going through, they know how frusterating, good, bad or uncomfortable it can be. They can not only symapthize and tell you that it was the same way for them, but give you advice based on how they got through a hard time. If there was a problem, and an australain was taking care of it, you know that its going to be ok. They really "know what they are doing." All the experiences that we are going through blindly, have already been done by them, just 6 months ago. They have this perspective we can't see, and because it was only 6 months ago that they were in our shoes, they remember exactly how it was. Its good to look at them and how they have, moved on, integrated well and are terrified to leave France. It makes me apprecaite the fact that I do still have 6 months here, and that it will fly by, so make the best of it. However it makes me wonder if I will ever be that integrated and "french"
In any case it will be funny to see the new student from New Zealand that we are getting in our school next week. It will probably make me realize how "french" I really am and it will be a good to reflect on how far I have come as opposed to how far I have to go.
Even in my 4 months here I have really come to see France like my home country a bit more.
When people say to me "oooo I would absolutly love to go to Canada, its such a wonderful country etc..." my reaction is always a bit like "Why? Yeah, its nice if you like the outdoors and nature, but its just a country" Yet at the same time it was my country. I totally apprecaite it and love it for what it is and what I can do there. I will always be very attached to it, just not in a touristic way. Someplace where I will always feel at home.
When I first came here I was the tourist that was constantly saying how wonderful and amazing France is. Now after my 4 months, its like my home. I've realized that while its an incredible country, its not perfect either. There are things that are incredible, like the old buildings, history and diversity of the climates. I have come to apprecaite those things even more, but my love for France is not so crazy and touristic, I see France more home, its amazing, but above all its real.
Thats part of the reason that I am glad I am doing this with Rotary. Althought the rules and restrctions are incredibly frusterating at times, this year I really get to see France through a french persons eyes. I see what they see, and how their lives really are here. Its not just cheese and wine, but real life, just in french.
Its weird to change families. My current family is really really nice, but it just is a bit odd to come home to a different house, have different rules and values in your life and talk about different things.
My host Mom is named Marie and she is an elementary school teacher. She teaches 5 and 6 year olds. My host Dad is working on a huge 15 year project called "le project grand lac" which is in the process of improving the environmental conditions of the biggest lake in France, Bourget du Lac, about 20 km from our house. They have 3 daughters, one in Mexico, one who is at school at Grenoble, and one who works in Annecy. I am an only child again in the house during the week, except for a student who rents a room here, named Dorine.
It's odd to see the australians leaving. All the exchange students from the Southern Hemisphere come at christmas and stay till the next because thats how their school system goes.
The australians for the rest of the exchange students, or at least for me, are like the holders of all knowledge. They have been through what we are going through, they know how frusterating, good, bad or uncomfortable it can be. They can not only symapthize and tell you that it was the same way for them, but give you advice based on how they got through a hard time. If there was a problem, and an australain was taking care of it, you know that its going to be ok. They really "know what they are doing." All the experiences that we are going through blindly, have already been done by them, just 6 months ago. They have this perspective we can't see, and because it was only 6 months ago that they were in our shoes, they remember exactly how it was. Its good to look at them and how they have, moved on, integrated well and are terrified to leave France. It makes me apprecaite the fact that I do still have 6 months here, and that it will fly by, so make the best of it. However it makes me wonder if I will ever be that integrated and "french"
In any case it will be funny to see the new student from New Zealand that we are getting in our school next week. It will probably make me realize how "french" I really am and it will be a good to reflect on how far I have come as opposed to how far I have to go.
Even in my 4 months here I have really come to see France like my home country a bit more.
When people say to me "oooo I would absolutly love to go to Canada, its such a wonderful country etc..." my reaction is always a bit like "Why? Yeah, its nice if you like the outdoors and nature, but its just a country" Yet at the same time it was my country. I totally apprecaite it and love it for what it is and what I can do there. I will always be very attached to it, just not in a touristic way. Someplace where I will always feel at home.
When I first came here I was the tourist that was constantly saying how wonderful and amazing France is. Now after my 4 months, its like my home. I've realized that while its an incredible country, its not perfect either. There are things that are incredible, like the old buildings, history and diversity of the climates. I have come to apprecaite those things even more, but my love for France is not so crazy and touristic, I see France more home, its amazing, but above all its real.
Thats part of the reason that I am glad I am doing this with Rotary. Althought the rules and restrctions are incredibly frusterating at times, this year I really get to see France through a french persons eyes. I see what they see, and how their lives really are here. Its not just cheese and wine, but real life, just in french.
posted by Bonnie at 2:37 PM
2 Comments:
Bonnie, your post today sounds a little sad to me. I know a little bit of how you feel. Mary has been with us for a bout two months now and will be moving at the end of January or the begining of Feb, she has become such a wonderful part of our family, I will miss her very much when she goes.
I imagine with each different home there are things you love and things that you don't. You will find home no matter where you are Bonnie.
Thank you very much for sending the books for the kids. They all love them I I have read them all about 15 times already. They are good little stories! Everytime I read your note in them to each child it makes me think of you and miss you a little.
You will be happy to know that Mary has learned to knit while staying here. She is working on her very first scarf. Granny Kelly at work.
Hugs to you Bonnie! We love and miss you so very much! XXOO
Ce que tu vis s'appelle : l'expérience Bonnie. Avec tout ce que cela comporte de hauts et de bas... Sache que tu as aussi des amis ici en France et appelle les quand le blues s'installe ou quand tu es heureuse.
Nous t'aimons Véro
Post a Comment
<< Home