7th- Gabi and I decided to take the bus into Rennes. We planned on leaving at 10.45am as there was a bus for that time, however the bus left at 10.40am so we missed it and the next one wasn't until 12.45 so we hung out at the bus station for 2 hours! Once we arrived in Rennes we realised how hungry we were but after entering a massive mall and seeing clothes shops we seemed to forget all about our hunger and went shopping! I loved the malls they were so amazing. In the streets there are the cutest shops [View Full Entry]

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For the first few days home I did nothing but relax. After all the hiking that's all I wanted to do. I rewarded myself with a massive bag of maltesers :D which is possibly the best thing! On the last day of holidays Gabriela came around and we were going to go to Rennes for the afternoon but couldn't figure out the bus timetable. Instead we stayed in Fougères and went walking around the shops where I finally bought a pair of white jeans! After hanging at her place for awhile we played UNO with her host Mum and sister, the [View Full Entry]

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Holidays! Finally :). After school on the Friday, I went out with Hélène, Matthieu and Emilie. We went to a local pub which was really fun. Got home around midnight and was up again at 6.30am to travel to the Ardéche region, in the south of France. It was a massive 10 hour drive to the middle of nowhere where I would spend the next week hiking. I was surrounded by water trees and rocks. Sort of cool, with amazing scenery! The next day I got to sleep in as we didnt start walking until 3pm. We met the other 11 [View Full Entry]

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With the excitement of my birthday being over I started to feel homesick. I didn't want to go home, I just missed it. It was my first birthday away from my family and friends and reading the message made me realise I miss them like crazy. After a really long day at school I just wanted to talk, so I text Mum telling her how I felt and if she could ring. The next minute the phone was ringing, I cried it was so hard not to. The feeling is one you can't really describe but it makes me feel better [View Full Entry]

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This is the longest birthday I have ever had! It started on Thursday the 15th when people in New Zealand started saying Happy Birthday, because is was the 16th over there. Then on the 16th is was my birthday (17th). I spoke to Mum and Dad in the morning and then went to school, so many people said bon anniversaire and my friends sung happy birthday (in french). In the last class for the day Tanguy, Emilie and Aurélie got everybody to sing to me. Jean-Luc and Françoise gave me my presents after school, French perfume and pyjamas. That night I [View Full Entry]

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Bonjour! A pretty relaxed week :). I saw a squirrel! :D My French is slowly improving. On Monday it rained for the first time since I've arrived! It pretty much rained for four days, more drizzle I guess but cloudy and thunder too. I had my first sort of low day on Tuesday. I slept in, woke up thinking about home, it rained as I walked to school. It only lasted for the morning though and by the afternoon I was feeling fine. Wednesday was school till 12, volleyball and diving. I also figured out how to work the tv. I [View Full Entry]

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Its been a month since I left New Zealand and it really feels just like the other day. I've been kept so busy with the usual school, volley ball and diving practice. Along with that I have also met with my French tutor and I will be having two one hour lessons a week to hopefully help me improve my French quicker. My host parents has a interview with my main teacher at school, I went along even though I didn't understand much. My class has a school trip to Poland in March 2010, I have no idea what Poland is [View Full Entry]

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Time is still going so fast, before I know it its the end of the week! On Sunday 20th received my first snail mail letter from Nana, it was while I was having my first video call with Mum. That was hard and seeing my cat made me cry :( I miss them so much! At lunch we had a picnic with Jean-Luc, Françoise and a four of her sisters and then we participated in a big walk with 1000's of people. I didn't really understand what it was but I walked 13kms :) there were traditional 'brittany animations' throughout the [View Full Entry]

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Lots of people ask me what the school hours are like: lycée Jean Guéhenno; Fougères Prem; Line ES1 Monday 8.00am - Maths 9.00am - Maths 10.00am - Free 11.00am - Free 12.00pm - Free 1.00pm - English 2.00pm - Maths 3.00pm - Spanish Tuesday 8.00am - French 9.00am - French 10.00am - P.E 11.00am - P.E 12.00pm - Free 1.00pm - Free 2.00pm - English 3.00pm - Maths Wednesday 8.00am - Economics 9.00am - Economics 10.00am - History/Geography 11.00am - History/Geography Thursday 8.00am - Science 9.00am - Science 10.00am - English 11.00am [View Full Entry]

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Half day of school today :) yaaayyyyyy. Yesterday it rained for the first time since Ive been here and it only lasted about 10mins. Im definatly not mssing NZ weather, although I think I will miss summer :(. Went to volleyball practise tonight, 2 hours. I had so much fun and the girls there are really nice so I will hopefully continue with that. Each day is going so quickly, its already been 2 weeks since I left home!! One month till my birthday :) Excited but scared, its going to be hard not having family and friends here. . . [View Full Entry]

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