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Published: September 3rd 2014
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So, today marks my one week in France, and I have to say that so far I love it. Choosing to leave home again for a year was a very hard decision, because I would be far away from my family and friends, but I believe it will be worth the experience. I miss my friends and family a lot, but when you become an au pair, you become apart of a new family as well. My host family has welcomed me with open arms and big hearts, and they treat me like their daughter. By doing so, it has made being away from home a lot easier!
This past weekend, we went to Saint Remy De Provence, which is a big tourist town near by. It is also the town where Van Gogh was when he was in the psych ward - just a fun fact! We were walking through the town, and my eyes were going crazy. I studied every inch of this place because of how beautiful the architecture is. To be honest, everything that I have seen so far is breath taking. Even just driving throughout their small town of 400 people makes me feel as
if I am in a calender! The roads are encompassed by big trees, and there are fields of sunflowers (its out of season right now though, so most of them are dead) and farms.
Back to my weekend, sorry! SO! We sat down to eat ice cream, and right when we were finishing, we heard church bells going off. My host mom, Emilie, gets all excited and says "Ah! A wedding!!!" We quickly paid for the ice cream, and walked to the cathedral down the street where the wedding was happening and crashed it... well, only for a few minutes. The cathedral was like something I have never seen before- big dome ceilings, detailed stained glass, a huge alter, etc, and in front of the alter was the couple getting married; however, they were sitting down. I haven't been to a few weddings so far, but never have I seen one with the couple not standing. I asked Emilie about it, and she told me that in traditional church weddings in France, they sit, but in more modern weddings outside of the church they don't. After a few minutes of watching the wedding, we left the cathedral and went
to a carousel that was in the middle of the town so Emma (the girl I am watching) could ride!
Saturday night, my host parents were invited to a neighborhood party, and they allowed me to join them. It was very strange being an American there, because since they live in such a small town, they don't really get foreigners. I was introduced to a girl who studied in England for 4 months, so she knew some English, and I was also introduced to another girl who spoke some English as well, and they were very nice. In fact, one used to live near Paris, and one in Lyon, and they both told me I can go with them the next time they go to visit family/friends! I also met a few other people, but it was a little strange because every time I started talking, those near me would stop what they were doing and just stare at me. It was like I was a circus attraction. One thing I have learned since being here, is how hard it is for someone of a different place to go somewhere new. I now know how people who come to
the US feel, and I will never look at them any differently again. It takes a lot of courage for someone to leave what they are accustomed to go see a new place, and the last thing they need is for people to be rude to them because they are different.
Sunday, we went to a few towns that were having like a giant garage sale. The first place we went to was alright, it was just a big fields with a lot of different people selling random things. We bought a mirror for my bedroom, and Emma got two barbie castles, one was Princess Jasmines and the other Cinderella, as well as a Halloween candy bucket resembling a jack-o-lantern. (Halloween in France is not celebrated as much as it is in the US, but I'm hoping that this year we will be able to at least dress up!) Once we left this place, we stopped in another town where the people were selling their things in the street. After this, we went to Cavaillon, the town where Emilie works, because they were having a small carnival. Emma and I rode a ride that was similar to
the Dumbo ride at Magic Kingdom, then her and Hugo went through a fun house, and after Hugo played a game where you had to shoot the balloons.
Overall, it was a pretty fun weekend. I think that I can get used to this 😊
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Barbara Collard
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Happy 1st week
Em, so glad your week was a good one. Pics are beautiful. Takes a brave woman to do what you did but I proud and so happy for you. Miss ya though. Keep on blogging.