Mon Petit Chou

2009-05-03T15:30:00.002+02:00

Well this is going to be my last post for my voyage in the french land . . . haha. I just wanted to say thanks to everybody who followed my blog and who commented, it was nice to know that I wasn't completly forgotten. Hah. Ok well believe it or not, see you guys on Wednesday!

SALUT, et un Grosse Bisous de Cécile!

Au Revoir Party

2009-05-03T15:15:00.014+02:00

AHHHHHH C'EST FROID!!!! (it's cold!)

Centre Ville et le Vieu Mans - Cécile's house!

2009-05-03T15:01:00.013+02:00

below: My walk home from school

Claire's (Cecile's sister) Birthday Present

2009-05-01T10:38:00.009+02:00

Claire loves horses, she does horseback riding and everything so I decided to draw her a little something.

Au Revoir Lysée Saint-Croix!!!

2009-05-01T10:34:00.005+02:00

France Miniature 2

2009-05-01T10:15:00.028+02:00

France Miniature!!!

2009-04-27T19:26:00.039+02:00

2009-04-20T22:08:00.038+02:00

The streets are filled with smart cars

P-A-R-I-S - DAY 2

2009-04-20T20:55:00.019+02:00

P-A-R-I-S - DAY 1

2009-04-20T19:21:00.022+02:00

Below: Pigeon cliché!!!

VOGUE . . .

Vacances - Au Revoir L'Ile de Ré

2009-04-20T19:12:00.009+02:00

This is how they make salt. So as you can see there is salt water in individual squares and when the water evaporates, the farmers then pick up the salt that's left. The salt that's on top is called fleur de sel (a.k.a. the chique, expensive salt) and then the salt that's left on the bottom is ordinary, chunky, non-pretty salt, for the average folk.

Vacances - L'Ile de Ré

2009-04-20T18:58:00.018+02:00

So this is l'Ile de Ré. It's really cool because all, well almost all the shutters are green, apparently on the island everyone has to paint their shutters and doors green, but they can choose the shade.

La Phare des Balaines (the whale light house - years ago when the tide was down, people found a few dead whales on the beach, that's where the name comes from)

Easter Déjeuner

2009-04-20T18:52:00.006+02:00

L'apperitif typique français

Paque - EGG ART 2

2009-04-20T08:59:00.009+02:00

Paque - EGG ART

2009-04-20T08:08:00.011+02:00

A close friend of Cécile's had a baptisim so this was a little easter gift.

Teaching Claire how to do a Walk-over

2009-04-11T17:03:00.007+02:00

Les Chateaux de la Loire - Chateau de Blois

2009-04-11T16:06:00.008+02:00

Les Chateaux de la Loire - Beauregard

2009-04-11T15:55:00.011+02:00

Les Chateaux de la Loire - Chambord

2009-04-11T15:20:00.028+02:00

Personally I think my gargoil is way better . . . :P

For Monika's dad . . . crne!

Petit promenad apres le déjeuner

2009-04-11T15:00:00.010+02:00

2 Week long EASTER HOLIDAYS

2009-04-11T14:55:00.002+02:00

Well, the easter holidays have begun. As I've written before, the french have a lot more hours in school then we do . . . but they also have longer holidays. So enjoy your (pitiful) easter weekend! :P I've already had a week of vacation and still have another to go!

Lysee Saint-Croix - Dejeuner

2009-04-03T08:26:00.013+02:00

That guy right there, he's one of the chef's. It's so funny because every time he sees me he autimatically gives me an apple. We get along very well . . .

below: You see that vegetable stuff to the right? That's Ratatouille! I was like OUI!

(from left to right) Anne-Constance, Héléna (that's how they pronounce my name, love it), Cécile, Lucie and Léa

below: That's Paul, he's just genial

Lysee Saint-Croix, the front. It small isn't it?!

below: That's the parking where everyone parks their vespas, scooters, motos et vélos

This is the hallway were everyone clumps together and fights to get their card scanned so they can go through that door right there. I was too scared to take a picture during lunch because when french people are hungry, it gets violent :P

Un promenad en Mans

2009-04-03T08:14:00.010+02:00

"Hotel de Ville" means city hall . . . I thought it was a hotel and they laughed . . . so it's not :p

I finally went through the view mans (old town) by myself to explore, I was so proud of myself, I actually didn't get lost.

MSB - le basket!

2009-04-03T08:09:00.004+02:00

Ma premier jeu de basket . . .

10 km Marathon (en 55 minutes)

2009-04-03T08:03:00.005+02:00

Printemp shopping

2009-04-03T08:01:00.001+02:00

2009-03-23T19:15:00.001+01:00

I would like to just give a BIG thanks to Valentina, for making my blog readable and fixing it everytime I mess it up. My blog wouldn't be the same without you Val. Give her a round of applause . . . no really Val, thank you so much!

Canadian Weekend - Dinan and Saint Malo

2009-03-16T21:08:00.014+01:00

below: me with felow croatian (girl in the middle)

Canadian Weekend - Mont Saint Michel

2009-03-16T18:45:00.040+01:00

A wall . . . . ? There's a whole little town in it!

That is a boat that comes from England to France, apparently it takes about 10 to get to France. Cecile took this boat to go to England too!

BEACH!

Below: Oh my god french chocolate ice cream is actually made out of real chocolate. Laura Secord just totally lost my vote.

Yes it was like sprong and there are blooming trees EVERYWHERE.

Le Chateau

2009-03-08T19:24:00.015+01:00

Today (Sunday), we went to visit the Chateau de Langeais (built in 1465), oui c'est tres vieu! This is the view of the back of the castle.

Below: That is the Loire river, and a pretty bridge.

Le jardin . . .

Below: Me being honorable.

This is also in the "backyard". It is the most amazing, architecturaly pleasing tree house I have ever seen! (The little green and black dots are Cecile and I, that's how big it is!)

Since it was a castle built in the mideveil times, and built just after the hundred year war (yes tata I am learning my history) that means it has lots of swirly staircases, YAY. Definetly the high light of my day.

The front

RUGBY

2009-03-08T19:14:00.006+01:00

Yes I went to see Mathew's (Cecile's friend) Rugby game. In Cecile's school, the most common sports played are Rugby, Tenis and Horse-back riding, and no they don't play football and there are no "cheerleaders"

Munchkins in the jardin

2009-03-08T19:08:00.006+01:00

The backyard . . . with Clement and Claire trying to climb the tree (with assistance . . .)

Samsung

2009-03-08T19:00:00.002+01:00

Samsung, 3X the optical ZOOM
I'm sorry, this has nothing to do with France, but this was taken while I was waiting for Cecile to get ready before we left to go to the movies. I just thought it turned out kind of like a camera add. You know, blank expression\confusion face and all!

The Sunday Market- FISH STAND

2009-03-08T18:42:00.007+01:00

I'm so I am not good at this blogging thing, huh the explanation is at the bottom . . . ohhh but do you see that hideous fish called Lotte??? Well when I first saw it I was like !?!?!?!? The only time I ever saw that fish was in a book, and its one of those creepy, mercky, deep water, lercker fishes. Well we had that for super and it was SO GOOD! But don't be too alarmed, we cut of the head, the tail is only edible. :P

Yes last Sunday I went to the market with Cecile's dad, located just infront of the cathedrale. I had to take some pictures of the fish stand for tata, because unlike the one in Hamilton, the fish are actually fresh, LARGE and there are so many different kinds, a lot that I've never seen before!

Impressive, isn't it tata?!

2009-03-02T18:33:00.002+01:00

Just a little note to everybody reading my blog . . . .
I've noticed that the only people that have commented on anything are Val and Ailish, who both also have a blog. So either you guys dont know how to comment or you just dont have a comment (which for some I find highly unlikely) sooooo . . . if you want to comment, you go to the bottom of a post and in little print it says comment, click on that and then a big white box pops up and then ya you write something . . . nice.

First Day of French School

2009-02-26T18:07:00.002+01:00

Well, it is 18:05 here (for some reason french people like to complicate things by saying its 18 o`clock instead of 6) and I got home not to long ago. Its Thursday meaning that Ive survived (yes I used the term survive) 4 days of french school. Now how can I start to explain what its like to go to school in France, well . . . . . well school starts at 8:00 AM and finishes usually around 18:00 (it depends on the day and how many classes you have), and what kind of classes are we talking about here? Well my time table goes like this, (keep in mind that I was put a grade lower so it wouldnt be too hard for me to follow)

Monday: theres math, math, english, euro english (meaning english working with computers), LUNCH, free period, SES (multimedia), french, french and chemistry. (mind you that every period lasts one hour and yes that means on Mondays Im finished school at 6PM)

Tuesday: math, math, science(basically lab stuff), history\geography, LUNCH, english and physics.

Wednesday: History/Geography, lab, physics and Im done my day (on Wednesdays, school finishes at 12 PM, I know, awsome.)

Im not going to tell you Thursday and Friday because I think you get teh point. Its LONG DAYS. And whats really hard about it is that its all hard stuff, and theres no art, drama, music, cooking, tech. design or anything like that to even it out. I really have no idea how they keep their concentration for so long, its actually amazing. When I tell them when we finish at home and that we get to choose a lot of our subjects, they just laugh. We have it easy guys, so appreciate it.

LUNCH: Now lunch time just blew me away I have to say, its just like being in University. We dont bring our miserable sandwiches (mom reference) to school and eat on the floor but instead we go through a self (meaning we have trays, passe through and pick our entrees, main course, cheese, dessert and so on . . . . ) and sit at a table. Ohhh but dont worry, there is a wild side to this very non barbarick systeme. At the door to the self, there are poeple by the masses, pooshing and shuving trying to give their card (everyone has a card like in Westdale but it has to be scanned by Steve (the scanner guy) before you can get in) to Steve. But the food is sooooo good, and theres lots of choices so ya its great. And its just like Mean Girls when it comes to tables, every clique has their table and if you arent part of a clique then its of to the bathroom stall, thankfuly I have Cecile so its good. :P

TEACHERS: Now the teachers, well lets just say they arent as friendly as the ones we have at home. Well that isnt completely true, it really does depend on the teacher but for the most part, the teachers are a lot more seriouse and respected. Ohh and when you go to school here, you actually LEARN SOMETHING. Hahaha. Its true though. No one, not even the stupidest kid in class is completely clueless about the course. They have major tests every week and so yes everyone is pretty much on edge all the time. And you know I really dont stand out that much here because everyone is stressed out, ALL THE TIME. Most conversations also start or end with something to do with school, tests, University and math equations. I even ask them sometimes when do you guys ever just relax, and they just laugh and say jamais.

STYLE: I have to note this because I noticed it the first day. No body, and I mean NOBODY comes to school like a slob. Yes there are punks, emos and so on but they all have this classiness thing. And almost no one wears running shoes (unless for gym) but instead they mostly wear leather shoes, but Im talking nice shoes. Everybody colms their hair, have a somewhat better posture and just overall have a much higher standard for living.

SCHOOL: The school Im going to is called Lysee de Saint Croix, and it is a small, private high school. It has three floors, library and all that but it has the weirdest shape when it comes to hallways. Im still getting lost all the time but Im kind of starting to understand where to go.

CONCLUSION: My conclusion is that we have it easy, and they learn a whole lot more then we do (well unless we are talking about art, we rock in that field) and I think it seems like that to me because for example Ive never studied Chemistry or Physics (well detailedly that is) and when I sat in Chemistry class and saw all those formulas with the Cs and Vs and Ns and C1/C0 = V1 / V0, then it just hit me. At that moment I realised how much I really dont know and havent learned and just how little overall knowledge I have. I must say it didnt feel to good. But that was just Chemistry. Tuesday and Wednesday and today was better and I met lots of new people and have just been gabbing and gabbing in french. The first day was a little tuff because french people arent nearly as open as us North Americans (where we run infront of someone random and are like yooooo, want one of my french fries????) so not many people talked to me at first. But as the days went by it got better and by today I met ALOT of really nice people. So there ya go, I said everything. Im done.

I MISS YOU ALL!!!!

Fondue Party

2009-02-21T19:35:00.005+01:00

I know Ive posted way too much at once but there ya go its all there. So yesterday (Friday) the entire day was spent preparing for their Cecile's fondue party. Ohh it was soo great! I met all her friends and we had cocktails (don't worry Janet they were non alcoholic) but it was so fancy how they did it. They dipped the top of the glasses in strawberry syrup and then they dipped it in sugar so it looked like it had a fancy, crystal trim. And the fondue was sooooo good. It was cheese fondue and we (well me actually) had to cut 6 baguettes into little pieces. It was the first time Ive ever had fondue and omg so good. And this was basically just a get together with friends. I was like wow this is a little different from the get togethers we have at home. These people really live high class I have to say. Anyways from now on Ill try and up date my blog every Friday so it wont take me 2 hours. Huh, well as the French say grosse bisouses and ya enjoy the snow. Hahaha.

My French Room

2009-02-21T19:28:00.005+01:00

Yes so this is my room . . . . . its like twice the size of my room at home so yes I am contente. My favorite part is the window, you cant really see it in the picture but the view is so pretty!

Vannes

2009-02-21T19:15:00.009+01:00

So this is Vannes . . . . we stayed at her grandparents place for 3 nights (and ate her grandmas home made crepes and jam) but I didnt really get to see much of the town because the day they went to see it, I was sick in bed the whole day. So they drove me through it the next day after we visited Quiberon so I got to see some of it.

More. . .

2009-02-21T19:12:00.000+01:00

The whole bunch . . . . .

La Cote Sauvage

2009-02-21T18:52:00.008+01:00

Yes so this is Quiberon, it reminded me of our trip to Tobermory with all the rocks and stuff. Ohh and Clement (14 year old brother of Cecile) did the weirdest thing. . . there are clams stuck to rocks by the hundreds all across the beach and the whole time we were walking, he kept breaking the shells, taking the meat with a stick and he eating them, RAW. By the end of the walk, he got a cramp from eating so many. Believe me it was a lot weirder when you actually saw him eating them.

French wine

2009-02-21T18:46:00.002+01:00

This is a viniard that we pased when we left for our 3 day vacation to Vannes and Quiberon (where Ceciles grand parents live and which is located on the coast of western France). Ya I just took this picture for dad, so there ya go Tata.

Le Mans

2009-02-21T18:39:00.004+01:00

This is the wall that surrounds the old town, and this wall is . . . 1800 years old or something, ya. And thats Ceciles 8 year old sister Claire, so
cute.

I love this picture . . . . this is what the old town looks like!

French culture

2009-02-21T18:29:00.003+01:00

Look at this view. . . . . once I kinda put myself together after that rocky voyage, Cecile showed me the local bakery, stores, and my favorite . . . . the old town. Its so amazing, its just like a little pop up book of old France! Little old houses, no front lawns, little french people walking with their baguettes, little stone walkways, its just amazing. And sorry for my really bad blogging to all you pros, I havent got the hang of it yet.

The cathedrale inside and out . . . .

2009-02-21T18:25:00.001+01:00

2009-02-21T18:23:00.002+01:00

My first days in the french land. . . . . This cathedrale is called the Saint Julien cathedrale and its beside the vielle ville or the old town
My first days in the french land. . . . . So continuing on to my story . . . so I finally got on the plane (which was air france) and ya the flight the pretty good. The food was acceptible, met some nice people and it was all smooth until the landing, lets just say the food ddint taste nearly as good the second time it passed my throat. Ya so we were finally in Paris and then came the news, your flight is cancelled. Your next plane comes in 10 hours. It was the longest 10 hours of my life, end of story. We finally got on the pane, landed in Nantes and I found Cecile and it was all good.

Airport

2009-02-21T17:46:00.003+01:00

Hey everybody!
Yes I know this is a little delayed but the last week was shockingly pretty busy. Sooo where do I start . . . ok well first of all this picture was taken right after they told us our flight was delayed 4 hours due to a storm in Paris (a rain storm). So me and mom walked through the shops like four times, took random pictures of me and hung out at this little cafe thing. Yup it was great. We were then supposed to meet back at the "meeting spot" at 6 but me being me I didnt really take it seriously and came 15 minutes late and got yelled at cause everyone already went through the gate. But by then I was way too excited to really care.

What the heck is Petit Chou?

2009-02-06T13:25:00.003+01:00

Well Petit Chou, when translated from French to English, means little cabbage, something which my friend Stephanie has insisted on calling me for quite some time now. I couldn't resist, I just had to name my blog after cabbage.

Introduction

2009-02-06T00:06:00.006+01:00

Cécile et moi

Hi and welcome to my France excursion blog called Mon Petit Chou. This is a really easy way for me to show all you guys what I'm up to in the French land that is also known as France. This is easier than emailing every single one of you. So yeah I hope you'll like keeping up with me.