#nziiu

[airariaira]

Final Thoughts - 24/04/2020

Here we are, at my very last blog entry... What an experience it has been. Thank you for coming along on this journey with me.

First of all, I would just like to thank NZIIU from the bottom of my heart for giving me this incredible opportunity. This would never ever have happened without all of the help I got from NZIIU. All throughout my exchange, the team at NZIIU was incredble. From their help during the application process, to their clear and helpful instructions and guidance for my travel and arrival, to their answering any questions or concerns I had while on exchange, even to how quickly they arranged my early travel home due to the current pandemic situation. NZIIU are a helpful organisation with a friendly personality, and I’m very glad I chose them to go on exchange with. They made the process of going on exchange a comfortable and very enjoyable one.

I have wanted to go on exchange for most of my time at high school, and decided to finally apply to go at the start of my gap year. My initial desire for going on exchange was fuelled by wanting to improve my French skills and knowledge, and being inspired by others I knew who had already been on an exchange. Another personal reason that I wanted to experience an exchange was because I wanted to have the opportunity to experience a new culture, living like a local, and meet some realy cool new people all the way on the other side of the world. The reason I decided to go on my exchange during my gap year is because I really wanted to be able to focus all my energy into getting the most out of my exchange experience, rather than feeling hung up on grades and school stresses from back home. In hindsight, it may have been nice to utilise my improved French skills in class, but for the most part I am very glad I made this decision. 

I went on exchange to France, and was placed in the beautiful and historic city of Troyes, in the Champagne region. Troyes was a really cool place to have been placed in, and I could not have chosen a cooler place myself. Because Troyes is so close to Paris (just a train ride away) I also had the opportunity to take a few day trips to Paris with my host family, which was so cool - I was very excited to be able to explore a bit of France. School was great, too - it gave me a chance to meet some really cool people who would become my peers, classmates, and friends. It was really awesome being able to speak and learn French with people the same age and in the same classes as me. I also loved having the opportunity to take new classes I hadn’t taken before back home in New Zealand. I was placed in the Litterature (L) stream, which meant I had lots of history and geography, English, Literature, art... And I even had the chance to learn philosophy! Though sometimes I felt pretty out of my depth at school (I didn’t have any French as a second language classes, and only recieved one tour of the campus on my first day in terms of exchange student support), the feeling of independence this gave me did help me feel like just a normal student at school.

One of the best parts of my exchange experience was my incredible host family.I feel so incredibly grateful for them - how they opened up their lives and home to me so that I could have a wonderful exchange experience. They were all lovely and supportive, always helping me to feel included in their family and encouraging me to practice and improve my spoken French at every opportunity. Some of my favourite moments from exchange I would have to say were mealtimes with my host family, sitting around the table and chatting and laughing casually. When I left, I didn’t know how to adequately express how grateful I felt for them in words. I wish I could have had a better opportunity to give them some more nice gifts before I left. Thank you so so much for inviting me into your lives with such open arms!

Now, while an exchange is as a whole an incredible and very rewarding experience, it (like most things in life) wouldn’t be without it’s drawbacks and challenges. I would say some things to be aware of before committing to going on an exchange would be these challenges. One of the main ones would of course be missing out in things back home. Personally, I missed being there for the birth of my half-sister, which was hard but we all decided that it would be okay for me to simply meet her a little later. Some other things one could be missing out on might be more minor things like school, jobs, hangs with friends, etc. But then again, I’d say to that, what good things don’t come with a little sacrifice? Another tough part of exchange for me would have been the language barrier. It was pretty overwhelming at the beginning feeling like everyone around me was speaking French at a million miles a minute and I could barely keep up... I will admit I also made a good number of silly mistakes! It does all get lots better and a whole lot easier with time, though. In addition to that, it can sometimes feel hard to fit into a whole different culture. We might experience some culture shock, or feel a little isolated at times because we come from a different background. However it’s important to remind ourselves that it’s our differences that make us so rad! Having mentioned all of these challenges, though, it’s important we’re not too discouraged from taking the leap and going on exchange - they’re simply challenges, not barriers, and the good parts outweigh the harder parts by far.

One of the best parts of exchange, as I already have mentioned, was the awesome people I had the opportunity to meet and get to know. These included my host family, my classmates, my friends... even other NZIIU exchange students I met through pre-departure orientation. I feel so lucky to have met all of these incredible people, none of whom I likely would have ever had grace my life without my exchange. Another benefit, of course, would be the immense improvement of my French. I feel a lot more comfortable and confident now speaking French than I ever would have been before going to France. I remember on the bus home after my last day of school, one of my classmates said to me how happy she was for me that my French had improved so much. I’m happy for me too! Now, just to maintain the motivation to practice without French being spoken all around me all day every day... (I kid, of course I don’t want to lose the valuable language knowledge and skills I’ve gained). A third incredible benefit of going on exchange would be the great experiences I had and the awesome memories I made. Trying to frantically take notes on Kant in philosophy class, getting confused by the metro system in Paris, goin skiing and falling on my butt many times, going to a local burger restaurant with my host family, getting bubble tea and going to the carnival with friends... The list goes on. I feel so grateful and happy that I was able to gain these amazing experiences, and I will treasure the memories for all time.

Before I finish off this last blog entry, I’d like to give some advice for anyone considering whether an exchange is for them, or anyone about to head off on their big exchange adventure. First of all, if you’re heading to a predominantly non-English speaking country, don’t be too hard on yourself when your language skills aren’t perfect. You’re still learning! It’s okay and completely natural to make mistakes, and you can’t expect yourself to magcally become fluent overnight (or really throughout your exchange, for that matter.) Don’t place your expectations too high, and be kind to yourself. Secondly, I’d like to remind you how important and kind and lovely your host family is! They are there throughout your whole exchange, looking after you, they’ve got your back and they’re providing for you so that you can have the best exchange experience possible. Appreciate them! I would definitely recommend getting them some really nice gifts. I think if I could recommend some gifts to my pre-exchange self, I would say maybe a book or something on native New Zealand birds, and perhaps some famous New Zealand snacks (everyone loves some jaffas or whittakers). Get things that to you really represent you and your Kiwi culture. And don’t stop being grateful for the support of your host family. Next I’d say, write a travel journal! I know for sure that my future self will feel so grateful for me because I wrote not only this blog, but my travel journal too. Having that journal is something special and personal that you will always have to look back on when you want to relive one of the coolest experiences of your life. Speaking of, I’d also say don’t miss any opportunities. Take charge and do anyting and everything you have the chance to do. An exchange is what you make it!

Finally, I’d like to say that I want everyone considering going on exchange to know that it isn’t as big, scary or impossible experience as we sometimes tend to convince ourselves it is. Anyone can do it if they have the desire and motivation to make it happen! It’s so weird to me now, thinking back on how nervous I was to apply to go on exchange, all the scary “what if”s that were floating their ways about my mind. I’d tell that anxious part of me, try to stop thinking “what if...” and instead consider; “why not?” If you want to make an exchange happen for you, why not just do it!?

Thanks again for reading and coming along on this super cool experience with me! This is me signing off. ❤️️

[cyuinitaly]

CINQUE

Ciao Tutti. Yes another post so soon . Who am I?

So as of now I’ve officially been In this beautiful country for four months . Theseee last four months have flown by and right now everything is a blur, but I thought to commemorate the occasion , I’d share 4 Life lessons I have learned so far being in exchange in Italy.

I. Patience is a virtue

It is definitely true that Italians run on their own timeline and being late or ‘tardi’ isn’t taken so seriously. In fact, ‘we’re leaving now’ really means, in about 30 minutes. And ‘we’re leaving in 15 minutes’ can be translated to - go relax and take a nap because you’ve got one hour to get ready

After enduring countless meals usually lasting anywhere from 1(on a good day) to 4( the longest was actually 5 but we’re taking averages so...) hours long , I’ve come to realise that mealtimes are made for conversation and as much as the food is great here, it’s even better with good company. Also always remember to leave room for the dolce.

Instead of stressing about being on time, life is more about appreciating the moment and taking it one caffè at a time.

II. Happiness is a mindset and not being happy is okay sometimes.

I know it sounds deep, but I think often exchange is glorified and nobody really talks about the negative aspects. Now don’t get me wrong , the following is not meant to discourage people from coming on exchange and in fact, coming on exchange is by far the best decision I’ve ever made ,however in contrast to everyone’s Instagram feed, it is isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Most of your time is spend in school, especially if you come to Italy. Typically kids go six days a week and their life revolves around studying for the frequent oral and written tests. Meeting new people and going to visit new places is definitely a huge highlight however exchange is definitely not a holiday and to put it bluntly if you’re looking just to travel and visit new countries, exchange probably isn’t for you. Homesickness is a no brainer but I don’t think one can really understand what being 11,000 miles away from home actually feels like until you’ve experienced it for yourself. Of course it goes without saying that you miss your friends and family, however there’s so much more than just people.

You miss living near the sea , you miss the wifi at home , you miss speaking to people without having to say ‘it’s difficult’ instead of ‘its hard’ because people don’t understand. You miss your old small bedroom and not having to worry about when to do your laundry or take a shower or when to call your parents because there is a 12 hour time difference and they’re probably sleeping. You miss the food (yes I know Italian food is amazing but there’s nothing quite like hearty bowl of oatmeal or blueberry smoothie to start the morning before school or a peanut butter and jam sandwich or grandma’s tofu & vege stir fry. Okay I need to stop before I get too sad, but anyways you get the point.

When I say happiness is a mindset, obviously I don’t mean that you can feel happy whenever you want. Although wherever you are, whatever you’re doing , there’s always so much to be grateful for and thus whenever I feel down, I just remember the fact that I’m literally living in ITALY and how lucky I am to be able to have this experience.

III. Kisses equal kindness and you give them to everybody

So it is no secret that Italians are very passionate people and although I don’t think I was quite aware how kissing people really is the most basic greeting. Growing up in New Zealand , especially from an Asian background apart from the occasional peck to please mum, kissing people wasn’t really a thing. Although in Italy it really is the most fundamental greeting, whether it’s saying ciao to friends after dinner, or saluting the grandparents.

Even boys and girls in my class will often kiss each other on the cheek like it was nothing, however to be fair the school system in Italy is different so unlike in New Zealand where you change class for every subject, in Italy you are in the same classroom with the same people all day. So after four years together all the kids in my class are super close and often go out for dinner together on Saturday nights.

I’m not gonna lie, still feels a bit weird kissing strangers , but I’ve learnt to suck it up and embrace the awkwardness because I know that if I can’t express how grateful I am in words, they are a universal sign of kindness.

IIII. There’s plenty of time to sleep when you’re dead.

Yes, it sounds morbid but really a good nights sleep doesn’t seem to exist here. For starters dinner is typically at 8 or 8:30 in the evening and even later in the summer. And as I mentioned before meals usually last an hour so you can imagine being full at 10pm, going to bed early isn’t really an option. And To make matters worse there is also school on Saturday’s and Saturday nights are for going out with friends or family and thus after returning home after midnight ,sleeping in on Sunday still doesn’t equate to quite enough for me. Therefore I’ve become quite dependent on coffee and as soy milk is a rare find in my small town, I’ve taken a kindness to espressos which I guess is a good thing as Italian coffee is the best in the world and now I understand why Starbucks can not compete.

X

Ciao for now

Caterina (Because nobody can say Catherine and it sounds better in Italian anyway)

[catherlime]

TRE

Ciao Everyone !! I've been in Italy for over 1 week now. On the 28th of August I embarked on a laborious 26 hour journey from Auckland to Rome. After arriving in Rome I had a 4 day orientation where we spent the first two days learning about Italy and getting to know all the other exchange students to Italy from all around the world. The final two days of orientation consisted of being tourists around Rome and visiting the infamous Colosseum, The Trevi Fountain, St Peter's Square, Parthenon and probably something else important that I can't remember. On the 2nd of September I took a 2 hour bus ride to Perugia where I met with my host sister and aunt and soon after the rest of the family. Currently I am enjoying life here in Italy and I'm embracing being in holiday mode before the start of school. X Catherine

[heyitsmeyuki-blog1]

Almost there!

Wow, 20 days left...Im nervous, excited, happy. All my emotions running wild but I know as time gets closer Ill come to my senses and be prepared(well as prepared as I can be). Ever since my 2014 japanese exchange for a couple weeks I found it just wasn't enough, I had to get more, really learn the culture and language in a more detailed manner so last year I looked into exchanges and found the best organization that suited me, NZIIU to go to Japan for 5 months. 

I must admit, the interview and paperwork were VERY nerve racking and time consuming but it was SO worth it because not 1million pieces of paper or interviews could stop me from having this one in a lifetime experience. 

My biological mother lives in Japan making me half japanese. However I don’t know much about my own culture or my mum so this exchange will surely create a new bond with my mum and a good knowledge of my roots. My Japanese is very beginner so I know I will have language barrier but Im practicing something new everyday and will continue to do so during my exchange. Even though my language is poor I know I’ll still have a great experience.

My host family seem like the sweetest host family I could ever ask for. I have 2 sisters, One 15 and the other 13. Ill be living with them for the first month  I’ll be attending the Sagami Women’s University, Junior and Senior High school in Kanagawa. As much as I already love my host family I know I will encounter some homesickness like I feel already but I know the way to truly overcome it is to really bond with my host family. I cant wait for japan and the many things it'll have to offer me along with the new experiences I’ll have.

Japan here I come!

[katieinvielmur-blog]

Leaving France

On my last day in France, we went out for a meal at a Flemish restaurant and had a really nice meal with the five of us and their grandparents. Afterwards, we drove into the train station where I said goodbye to everyone, not without a couple of tears. 

I was both sad to leave them all and excited to see my own family again. We made plans for me to come back with my family soon, so I know I will be seeing them again. It went so fast and I met so many wonderful people, and learned so much about the French language and culture. The exchange was an amazing experience and honestly something that I will never forget. 

Thank you to Mari, NZIIU, CEI, my family and friends in NZ, my family and friends in France, and everyone else who supported me and helped make the exchange such an amazing experience.

[littlelostkiwi]

Yay! Only 54 days and 11 hours until my flight to Japan!!! 5 month student exchange. Soooo nervous.

[emwoodsy]

BEHOLD: my attempt at convincing my parents that I should go

[christineinjapan]

Blog post #3 - The Interview

Right now I'm having some issues with my new computer >:C it came up with an error message saying "PAGED_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA". Grr. Not cool, man. Not freakin' cool. So I have to resort to using my old, broken laptop. jdfkjsdjj I hate you technology :c

anyway...

So as I mentioned in the previous blog entry, once your application gets accepted, they'll arrange an interview. This requires you and one of your parents to be there. Thankfully, my mum is awesome and probably played a big role in helping them pick me. ^^

I feel kind of sorry for the guy who interviewed me. Another girl in my class applied to go on the exchange, but she backed out last minute. So he had to spend a long time in palmy (which is boring as hell btw).

When he arrived to our home for the interview, he started off with some really intimidating, scary questions. Such as my attendance report, and my grades. I was so nervous. But I explained that mostly it's because I had been very ill for a long time so I had missed out a significant amount of school, but I'm healthy now and can go to Japan fine ^^

He then proceeded to ask me a lot about myself. Like why I want to go to Japan, etc. Unfortunately my memory isn't that fresh of the interview because it was like a month ago and I've been too busy with exams to really talk about it on the blog. 

But anyway, he had a biiiig folder of papers and it took us over 3 hours to discuss everything. It seems like a long time, but really it went super quick.

At the start of the interview he seemed to be very stern looking, but as the interview went on he proceeded to become more friendly and we shared a few jokes here and there.

Basically he explained the process of the exchange - how things would move on from there, and asked me questions about myself. He also told me all these horror stories about Japan. Like, things going wrong etc. I guess that was just to try and scare me and see how I would cope if I were in those situations. He says that he doesn't really need to select people as most people drop out on their own xD.

I must agree that the interview made me question whether I wanted to go or not. Those stories really got to my head. But in the end I decided it's a learning experience so why not?

I think I got brownie points because my mum is Russian and she knows what it's like to live in a completely new country. He says one of the main problems with parents is that they become overprotective and want to know what their child is doing every minute of the day. My mum knows I'll be in safe hands so she won't really be that worried if we aren't able to contact each other often. And if I cry on the phone to my mum about how hard life in Japan is, she'd just tell me to get over it or grow up xD.

So yeah, that was all of the interview that I can remember. It was an interesting experience. (:

[airariaira]

Cinquième - 22/04/2020

Well, it sure has been a while! I’ll start this blog post off my saying this: I’m back in New Zealand now, and I have been for almost a month now. It’s wild how fast time flies. In this blog post I’ll update on what I got up to for my last few weeks in Troyes, then I’ll write another one to sum up my final thoughts about my time in France!

Lets go back to the 4th of March, when I wrote my last blog post, shall we? That morning I went back to the Musée Saint Loup, where this time I got some pictures. That museum is home to a copy of the Mona Lisa by one of Léonard de Vinci’s students.

There were also some familiar looking stuffed feathered friends:

(that poor, dishevelled tui! Pinkie promise they’re prettier while alive...)

Thursday the 5th had me going to the cinema, where I watched The Invisible Man, and found myself understanding a little more than I had while watching movies in French before. Friday the 6th I had a quiet day, we got the car all packed up for going skiing over the weekend (exciting!) While I was out in town getting some things done, a family group tried to stop me and aggressively make me give them parking money, and then laughed at me as I walked away. An earlier exchange me would have been very stressed out by all that, but I was able to handle it well. The silly thing was, I probably would have given them the euro they needed if they’re only asked nicely! That afternoon we drove to Marie’s sister Elizabeth and her partner Laurent’s house where we would be staying during our ski weekend. The following day we went to a ski area called Lelex, where I spent the morning and the start of the day learning the basics with a ski teacher. He didn’t know much English, so it’s funny now that I know these words about skiind in French... But not in English! Seeing as this was practically my first time skiing, I fell over a lot and wasn’t anywhere near perfect - and I will admit there was some stressful moments, falls, and tears. In the end I really enjoyed myself! I hope I have the chance to try skiing again.

That day was also Lola’s birthday! So we sang happy birthday, and had raclette then cake for dinner. I then slept very well after such a big day!

On Sunday we had a quiet day, went to a nearby village to get some cheese, and went to admire a nearby waterfall after a lunch of Tartifette. Then we drove home. Monday the 9th was my first day back at school - it was nice to see all my classmates again. Tuesday was a nice day at school, and we had a fun game of hangman in an interesting French/English mix in an empty classroom during our free period. Wednesday was a really nice day! Seeing as it was my short day (just Philosophy and Englush Literature), I had the afternoon free. One of my friends from school sent me a text asking if I wanted to hang out that afternoon - whoop whoop! So I met she and two others by the Cathedral. One of them was a friend of my friend who was an exchange student from China. She had been on a one year exchange since September 2018, but had loved it in Troyes and France so much that she had decided to extend it for another year. Naturally, her French was incredibly good! I wonder how she is doing now, in the midst of COVID-19? Anywyas, the four of us wandered to a coffee shop to have some bubble tea, and then we walked to the Foire de Mars! It was huuuge, so many different stalls and lights and colours and smells, and the sounds of music and rides all mashing together. It was a very energised environment! Mostly we just wandered around and observed it all. I was really glad I got to check it out before I headed back home to NZ. Following that we wandered to the thrift store. It was really nice to spend some time with friends and classmates outside of school hours - I think that day would have been one of my favourite days from while on exchange! Unfortunately I didn’t get any photos, but I hope my description suffices :)

Thursday the 12th was a wild day indeed. It started off as per usual, went to school, sat down in class... However, my entire Philosophy period was spent with the whole class gossipping about events that had happened at the school the night before and that morning. Drama alert at Lycée Marie de Champagne! The night before, all of the outside D-block lockers had been broken into, and many students had had things stolen. The police there there, someone got tazed... That morning a student punched a teacher, and a teacher (unclear whether it was the same one or not...) returned a test to their class, giving everyone a score of zero for no apparent reason! Dang! On that day in the timetable we have a 2 hour lunch period, so four of us wandered down to the thrift store again, and had a fun time. When we got back to school before class, there was a huuuuge group of all of the school’s staff, and even some students, holding a number of signs and also a big banner - all reading “NON A VIOLENCE”. This was a protest because of the teacher punching incident. They had even gone around and every teacher in support of the protest and the cause had stuck a sign on their classroom door reading the same thing. So it sure was a wild day at school. But, of course, it doesn’t end there... At 8pm there was that fatal announcement from President Macaroon (I kid, President Macron, Françaises, Français, mes chers compatriotes and all that) which we had all been waiting for. He announced that from that coming Monday, the 16th of March, all schools would be closed. It was such a sudden announcement, and I came to the realisation that the following day, Friday, would be my final day at school, and perhaps even my final opportunity to easily see my friends and classmates. It was a disappointing thought, but I knew that the decision had been made for the good of France and the good of the world. I was just glad the borders hadn’t been closed! 😂😅 Friday felt bizaare, almost surreal, being my last ever day of school. The time felt like it had gone by so fast, and I didn’t expect for my time there to be ending to soon, but alas - it was. It wasn’t too bad of a day at school. Super weird that that would be the last time I’d ever see those teachers, and likely many of those students too. By the time lunchtime rolled around I couldn’t find any of my friends, so I resigned myself to eating alone on the last day. I started thinking about how soon my entire exchange experience was ending, and how I felt sad that my last day at school would be spent eating lunch alone... not quite the exciting exchange experience I had been hoping for... I felt suddenly very overwhelmed by emotion and will say that I did shed some tears. Once I finally got to the canteen, though, I found some girls from my class and sat with them to eat lunch. I was really glad I found them. They were all really kind and nice, and it was pretty cool to spend some time with people I didn’t know very well for a new experience. That afternoon some of us took some photos together. It will be really nice to have those to look back on in the future... 

On that day I really started to get hit by the feels... It felt like I’d been on exchange for barely any time at all, that I hadn’t had long enough to get very close to the people I had met... And yet at the same time I was so sad to be leaving so soon. It felt as if I had unfinished business of some sort (not to sound like a character from an 80s ghost movie or anything). The tough emotions that come along exchanges can be really hard sometimes. My classmates had been commenting on how much my French had improved during my time in France, which made me all the more sad to be leaving. Imagine how much better it could have been still if only I’d had longer?

It feels good to have improved a fair amount in my French. I almost wish I could take my year 13 French exam again just to see how much I’ve improved! 😂 At this late point in my Exchange I found myself starting to, when thinking about hypothetical situations & conversations as we do sometimes, think in French - which felt rad. Sometimes when thinking back on conversations past I couldn’t remember if they were in French or English (though in reality they were probably mostly a clunky mix of Franglais).

On Saturday the 14th, the closure of all non-essential businesses was announced by President Macaroni. There was also an announcement from Aunty Cindy back home that all people entering New Zealand from international borders will be required to self-isolate for 14 days. Things were starting to look a bit grim, but we were trying to keep our spirits up in my host family by listening to BTS for my host sister, and also some Disney songs thrown in there too. That day we also took the opportunity to get some takeaways from the good burger restaurant Rosaparks just before the restaurant closures. That evening, we watched Pan’s Labyrinth (bit of a tough one for me to understand in French, but what more can you do thank try, right?) and played the Harry Potter trivia board game with my host mother. Side note; the name differences are wild... Hogwarts = Poudlard, Hufflepuff = Poufsouffle, Hedwig = Hibou (adorable!) Hermione is still spelt Hermione, but it is pronounced “her-me-on”. So that was all a little bit wild for me! Marie, Lola and I also tried to play Scrabble, but that was a little bit of a fail.

On Sunday, I got a message from Mum saying that she thought it might be a good idea for me to come home a bit early. That afternoon we drove out to the house in Geraudot, and Marie and Lola did some gardening while I felt very unhelpful. It was really nice to get out in the sun though. Marie received a call from my Local Co-ordinator saying that she thought it a good idea that I didn’t go home early because of the risk of infection while in transit. It felt a bit like everyone was telling me it was totally my choice, but then proceeding to nudge me in one direction or the other. In any case, it was nice to sit out in the garden for a while and appreciate being in the outdoors just for a wee while. We then drove a slightly different route home through the village, so I was happy to have that opportunity to appreciate more of the pretty place. Dinner was a nice, fun and lighthearted one with my host family. I think those moments at the dining table talking and laughing are some of my favourite memories from while on exchange.

Monday the 16th was a pretty quiet day for the more part. However, it was the day on which the country-wide lockdown in France was announced. The lockdown would begin at 12pm the following day. I had at that point begun to stress about my travel plans and things. I also had begun to feel I wasn’t showing my host family the gratitude they deserved for welcoming me into their home and helping me so very much. I was very disappointed I couldn’t express my gratitude with some nice gifts due to the shop closures. On Tuesday my leaving date was confirmed to be moved forward to Friday the 20th. On Wednesday I wrote in my journal that it was “so weird thinking that the day after tomorrow I’ll be gone... All my things, gone from this room with me... I’ll be on the exact other side of the world again 4 days from now. It hasn’t really ‘hit’ me yet - maybe it won’t hit me per sey?” That night we played a fun game of monopoy, which was a good time in French. Wow my host brother had unbelievable luck - he got free parking so many times!

Thursday the 19th of March marked my last day on exchange. I think a quote from my journal entry would probably reflect my feelings on that day better than me writing in hindsight would...

“My last day on exchange. Wow. I’m at a loss for words. It feels simultaneously like this big monumental thing, and yet also just quiet, and normal and chill. It’s bizarre. The time has gone by so fast. I’m just sitting here shaking my head because wowow. At one point today I found myself feeling sad about the opportunities I lost due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and instagram-stalking the accounts of a few other exchange students. I felt myself getting those major FOMO feels. But then I just reminded myself that there’s probably other people who look at my social media and feel that same way too, which only proves tgat life and exchanges are more complicated than what we see on Instagram.”

The weather was very nice that day, and I was appreciating the view I had through my bedroom window more than I had before. The sun was (oddly enough) very hot on that balcony - clearly spring was on it’s way. I finished off packing up my bags that afternoon. Then at 6pm we gave my host family’s previous exchange student a call, because it was her birthday. We all felt pretty sad for her seeing as she would be missing all the big celebrating on her special day (jokes on me, I’ll now be having my birthday while isolated at level 3, too!) I introduced my host parents to some popular New Zealand music, and my host father gave me a Zaz CD, which was so nice of him! For dinner we had crêpes, which was so nice. After that we took my suitcases downstairs, and then did a wee orange juice cheers to my exchange. Then we sorted all my paperwork in case I were to be stopped by the authorities and questioned as to why I was out and about and travelling. That evening, I couldn’t believe it was all over. Everything seemed to have went by so fast, in a flash. It felt so weird that I would be heading back home to Blenheim, resuming life as if nothing had changed at all (although naturally it has, being in isolation now). Even though it was ending, I knew I’d have the memories of this great experience, and my travel journal and this blog to remind me of all the cool things I did and learnt, the cool people I met, and the great experience I had. I was definitely not looking forward to hearing that 5am alarm that would mean I’d be starting my looooong 49 hour journey home. 

[airariaira]

Troisième - 12/02/20

It’s been more than a month, and holy heck time has truly flown. Yet somehow I feel like I have been here for a while, too. I’m feeling more settled and comfortable here in Troyes - I can get to and from school fine, and I don’t jump up with fright at every bus stop on the way home alone, worried about missing my stop! I couldn’t even imagine getting lost now. I feel confident enough to explore a bit more, and this afternoon I took a walk a little in town and along the Seine, because the weather was gorgeous. That was of course until i was 15 minutes away from home and the wind picked up, then suddenly there was needles of rain soaking through my jacket and my bag and my jeans. Honestly, I felt very personally attacked by the weather at that point. On a day that only a few hours earlier had looked like this from my window?:

It was so gorgeous outside with my window open, I could hear the traffic and the birds and the breeze - the air coming in was a little cold, but in that nice fresh winter way. I couldn’t possibly not go outside. So, after my two hours of school this morning (Philosophy and English Literature), I decided to go on a little walk exploring:

^A padlock fence I saw while walking along the river

^This is one of the ol chimneys from the 19th-century factories in Troyes. Troyes has been a city famous for producing clothing and goods for hundreds of years, and you can see these bad boys pop up all around. I also met some cute new friends:

So what if these new friends are paintings of cats on the streets? This is MY blong, you’re not allowed to judge me.

Since my last blog post, a fair amount has happened, I’ll catch you all up... Which won’t be too hard for me to do, seeing as I started writing a travel diary to keep up to date with what I’ve been doing - unlike Mr Alex Gasson it seems, as he wrote in his blog (which, by the way, you can find on this link here) Lets go all the way back to Saturday the 26th of January, the morning of which I wrote my last blog post. That afternoon we took a trip out to my host family’s house by the lake (called La Lac d’Orient) in the pretty, historic village of Géraudot only a little while away from Troyes. We went for a walk around the nearby forest, which was gorgeous. We heard a woodpecker, too.

The lake is man-made, not natural, and is where water from the Seine is redirected to avoid flooding out Paris each year. On the shore, there’s a small plastic path down to the water to make the lake more accessible for those with disabilities. I thought that was good, I’m surprised I’ve never seen anythign like it before. 

Following the walk, we went back to the house for a coffee and a board game. That evening on the way back to the city, we stopped by the outlet store shopping centre. I found a little bit of home there...

(I pinkie promise that the bag has gifts in it! For other people!) Sunday the 26th was a slightly warmer day, which I suppose was a bit of a last hurrah, because the forcast for the following week was not so good. On that day I went out with my host mother Marie, we went to another museum. This is in a building called Hôtel de Vauluisant, which houses both the Musée d’Art Champenois, and the Musée de la Bonneterie. The art section was so phenomenally beautiful - filled with old paintings and sculptures and stained glass from the many many churches in Troyes. The section on Troyes’ factory and bonneterie history had many machines from the early factories of the city. This is the area outside of the building:

After that, we went to a beautiful church just across the road from the museum. The inside of the church took me aback for two reasons. One, because if was so incredibly beautiful inside, filled to abundance with enormous paintings, sculptures, and flowers. Two, because it was so freaking cold inside. I coud see my breath cloud out probabaly more dramatically than it has during any winter commute to school in New Zealand. That said though, it was definitely worth the visit. I never knew churches could be so decked-out in beautiful things. I don’t think a picture could capture how pretty it was, but here you go anyway:

Monday the 27th was a pretty standard French school day. I ended up with a bit of a migraine so had a quiet day. That evening we (my host siblings Lola and Antoine, and my host mother Marie) did some English revision for Antoine’s upcoming English exam, which was fun. Tuesday the following day was another good school day. I had a lot of free hours, so I went into town for a while. Wednesday was of course my short day. That afternoon I went out with two new friends, Cheyenne and Alicia, to the museum and town. It was good fun! Cheyenne and I at the museum:

The weekend of the 1st/2nd was good. On Sunday in the afternoon we went bowling. The cousin of my host siblings, who’s from Boston and living in Paris for a year, came and joined us. Her name is Noa, and she stayed from Sunday to Wednesday to celebrate her birthday. On Monday I finally handed out the rest of my New Zealand souvenirs in my English class. At lunchtime I sat with Juliette and some others. Juliette lived in Christchurch for a year a little while ago! Tuesday the 4th was Noa’s birthday. School was interesting, with lots of free periods spaced out throughout the day (awkward timing!) We couldn’t find a spare classroom for French Literature which was weird?? That evening, we celebrated Noa’s birthday with raclette and then cake. On Wednesday she left back for Paris - I wonder if one day we’ll meet again in this big old world? That evening I went wandering around town with Marie for a while again, and I got a photo in front of the famous Cœur de Troyes:

It lights up at night and the red light beats like a heart. I’ll be interested to see how many couples will be taking their pictures in front of it on Friday for Valentine’s Day! Last Friday I walked to the bus stop with a new appreciation for how pretty the city is. I start school at 9, so get to see the way the morning sun hits the old buildings so beautifully. The sky was so blue and the light so nice, I don’t know if a camera could capture it quite so perfectly:

And on Saturday the 8th... Paris!!! I travelled over with my host sister Lola, and we met Marie there. The day seemed to last for so long while it was happening, but somehow I found myself suddenly sitting on the train back to Troyes again. Now, it feels like it went by so fast. We started with the Tour Eiffel, naturally, where I took a video - and unintentionally caught someone proposing! Everything there was so big and old and impressive - it sumultaneously felt surreal, and like it was exactly where I was meant to be. 

Following the Eiffel Tower, we took a short cruise on the Seine on the Bateau Mouches to sightsee a little bit. It was so bitterly cold and windy on the water, but the sculptures and cuildings and bridges were pretty enough to make up for it. Here’s a picture of a scaled-down model of the Statue of Liberty, and the Eiffel Tower in the same frame:

After lunch, we had our little indulgence in consumerism by going to the Galleries Lafayette, where all the expensive brands and rich are piled into one big, pretty shopping centre. It was sparkly and dazzling, and I don’t think I’ve every been surrounded by so many expensive things in my life before. It smelled like money and every kind of perfume all at once. Just how Jay Gatsby would have liked it. Here’s me on the roof:

It was such a long way down! After that, we went to the Arc de Triomphe. It’s so incredibly huge in person. It was wonderful to see all of the avenues surrounding me while on the roof (getting rained on... am I making a habit of that?) The rain didn’t drain my spirits, however. It was so cool to admire the bustle of Parisian life happening all below me. 

The view from the top:

(I think the stairs were worth it... I’m not sure what the other two think though...   🤔)

I was so tired after that big day that on the train ride back home I just stared into space for the entire hour and a half! Throughout the day, I kept waiting for one of those slack-jawed tourist moments to hit me, a feeling of helpless amazement when I looked at some monument or the like. But it didn’t - perhaps I’m just better at enjoying travel in a slow, contented kind of way. The rain in Paris on Saturday would prove to be the beginning of a storm that would last a few days. On Monday the 10thI was very happy to be sitting inside, writing my travel diary, rather than outside in that rain and wind I could hear against the roof and walls. All in all, I’ve been really enjoying my time on exchange. Sometimes I do truly feel a little out of my depth - like I’m wasting my time here is I speak much English, but I just can’t always articulate myself fully in French. Sometimes I feel a little out of place and behind when I’m around my peers and they’re speaking such rapic French. However, it does get easier each day. I feel happy and comfortable here.

Here’s some more photos, just so I can flex on my people back in New Zealand about how pretty this city is...

^A fountain the bus goes past each day, taken on one of the rare occasions that the bus isn’t packed to the brim and I manage to grab a seat!

^A pretty sculpture in town

^A church with a gorgeous roof that’s just behind the house

^Some more pretty houses (gosh I must look like such a weirdo taking pictures of all these buildings)

^A pretty street in pretty afternoon light

^A very ~zenn~ little square nestled in buildings in town

Aaand last but not least...

A prime example of the memes and doodles that are copied onto the blackboard during recreation. (Shh - don’t tell the teacher who drew what!) Until next time!

[airariaira]

Quatrième - 04/03/2020

Alright, strap yourselves in lads, because I left the writing of this about a week later than I usually do so this post will probably be a bit of a long one. First of all I’d like to say again that yes, I feel that my French is improving quite a lot with each day here - even if I’m not perfect, but confidence is growing and I’m definitely more confident in saying the things I say often.

Now, let’s go back to the 13th of February. My journal entry from that day seems a bit of a negative one, because I was writing about my conflicting feelings that sometimes pop up - whether I should allow my classmates to approach me first and thus seem like the quiet and awkward exchange student, or whether I should approach them first and feel like I’m pushing myself on them. It feels a little overwhelming sometimes to be surrounded by so many cool French people when my language skills often can’t keep up (and perhaps a bit the same with my social skills too 😂). Sometimes it feels like I’m wasting the opportunity right in front of me when I don’t have the confidence to strike up a conversation. As mentioned by Alex in his blog, I know I shouldn’t keep myself at a distance from my peers, but it’s so hard not to fall into the trap of doing that when 1. I’m leaving in only a month (oh my goodness, it’s so soon 😱), and 2. the past two weeks have been holidays and I haven’t seen any of them at all (reasoning for that is distance, being busy, and/or the fact that the week following the holidays - this week - is their BAC blanc exams, which is prelim exams for all you NZ ppl).

The 14th was a better day. Of course it being Valentine’s Day, the Cœur de Troyes is a major attraction on that day. I should have wandered by it to see it all dressed up. That morning I was late to school (great first time French school experience...) I was close to catching the bus, but just not close enough.. How frustrating it was to watch that bus leave without me right before my eyes. I caught the next bus, but it turns out that my bus card had run out that day. However, the bus had already left so I took that ride without a working bus card (oh heck, is that police sirens I hear?) So all in all, that was a day of many bus hardships. Because of all that, I walked home and it was actually really lovely to take the chance to admire the city again. Sometimes I find myself getting a bit comfortable and I have to remind myself that omg I really am  a c t u a l l y  in France right now! 

On Saturday the 15th I went to the market with Marie. The market here is so cool. Lots of bustling people buying all the things they need for the week, there’s live chickens, cheese of course, clothes, a whole lot of other random stuff... The market is a pretty big thing in French culture so I enjoy going and seeing it. That afternoon we drove to pick up Antoine from a friend’s house, who lives a few towns over. It was a really nice day, so the sun hit the rolling countryside really nicely that day. We also drove through some small towns I hadn’t seen yet, and they were very cute. I’ll never stop being impressed by all the beautiful old buildings in France. That evening I made a silly language mistake and mixed up the words for packing bags and doing the dishes, so now whenever I hear one I think of the other. 😅

Sunday 16th had us travelling down to Marseilles for out 5-day holiday. It was a 7 hour drive, but we took the whole day because we stopped off at Marie’s sister’s place for lunch. She and her partner live close to where Alex is placed, so I took this truly wonderful quality photo to demonstrate to him whereabouts I was:

For lunch we had raclette, the weather was very nice, and so was the company. Marie’s sister’s husband’s children were there too. Last minute, it was decided his daughter Ambre would come along on the holiday with us which was nice. So we switched to a bigger car and set off again. When we reached Marseilles it was almost pretty much dark, but I could still see the countryside - different but really nice. The city is an eclectic mix of old and new, and there’s even a Hollywood style sign (like in Wellington!) here’s another definitely really great quality photo...

Some of the highlights from our trip to Marseilles:

Visited the museum (called Mucem)

Place des Pistoles

The Cathedral

The Notre-Dame of Marseilles

Picnic on the beach

Visit to Cassis

It’s very easy to get around Marseilles, because there’s a card called “le ticket” which you can access not only the Metro with, but also the busses, which is very useful. The Metro system is also a lot more simple than the one in Paris, because it only has two lines. The city is also quite pretty because it’s this nice mixture of old buildings, street art, flowers and plants overflowing from balconies, sculptures, and sunshine of course. People’s accents in the south are also a bit different to in the places further north, so that was interesting for me to experience too. The first day (Monday) was a bit rainy, so we decided to visit Mucem, which was nice. The museum was incredible. The two exhibits I liked the most were one on voyages and travel, which had a mixture of different art pieces that I really adored. One of them was this light globe, which seemed cool... Until we noticed that the rug in the foreground had left out New Zealand! Typical 😂

The other exhibit I really liked was one on the life and work of the famous and very celebrated French author/poet named Giono. He was a part of the world wars, so a lot of his work is descried as being often very haunting. I hope to be able to read some of it sometime. I wish I could have stayed in the museum for longer and committed the exhibits to memory. After seeing the exhibits, we headed outside onto the roof, where there’s a pretty herb garden and a gorgeous view all around you of the city and the sea.

The following days, the weather was a heck of a lot better, with the sun out and about I almost forgot it was winter at some points! On Tuesday we visited a pretty old part of town, and walked along the Place Des Pistoles, which is an area of streets dedicated to street art. it was very pretty, and I guess you could say it felt ... right up my alley 😏

After that, we went to the Catheral which was nice - it was very very big inside, and the weather at that point was very very windy outside.

Following that, we continued with the church thing and went to visit the very high-up Notre-Dame of Marseille. Because it’s so high up we were able to take a bus thank goodness, and there was also a gorgeous view of the city below us. 

The inside was incredibly extravagant and shiny...

On Wednesday we went for a picnic lunch on the beach. We definitely earned it, as we had many bus mishaps on the way there! It was a very sunny day, but the wind was very strong on the beach. We also amassed a small army of seagulls, pigeons, sparrows, and other miscellaneous birds while we were eating. This is the view back from the shore:

There was also this dude here across the road from the beach:

Thursday was a wonderful day. It was also the half way point of my exchange, whaaaat!? We drove out to the pretty nearby village of Cassis. It was even warmer there - so warm I didn’t even need to wear a jacket! We went on a short walk first, and got some nice views of the cliff-faces, water, and boats below:

(Cassis has always been a boating/fishing area. I can see why, with how beautifuul the water and the weather is!)

^ Ambre, Lola and I

Halfway through the walk, we stopped on some warm rocks for a rest and some lunch. It was really nice in the sun.

Lola, myself, Lola, and Olivier.

Clearly I missed the peace sign memo AND the cup holding memo!

After that, we wandered around the town a litte bit. It is truly a beautiful place - I couldn’t really believe I was seeing it all with my very own eyes.

There were also a few groups of people very intensely playing games of Petanque. I think Dad and Lisa would have appeciated that. We then had icecream while looking over all the boats. It feels very odd writing about the nice weather there when currently as I am writing it is 6pm and suddenly very rainy! That evening, we had dinner at a friend of Marie’s. It was very nice, and their family was lovely and welcoming. I did gett a little overwhelmed at one point because there was a lot of rapid French being spoken by a lot of different people all at once and it was difficult for my tired self to keep up after a big day. However it was still enjoyable. Us younger ones got along pretty well. It’s a little weird, meeting all these nice people here while I’m exchange and realising that I may very well never see some of them again... On Friday the 21st we drove back home, stopping off to drop off Ambre and to have some lunch there too. 

That weekend was quiet. On Sunday Marie’s mother joined us for lunch. We then went to the house in Geraudot for a short while, then went for a walk along a different, bigger, lake nearby. I would love to see it in the summer, when all the restaurants and things were open, people camping just across the road, the golden sand in the sun... Here’s a picture from the ride home to demonstrate why the landscape here sometimes gives me (coming from Blenheim surrounded by hills) shellshock. Tell me, am I living in that Window’s screensaver we all know and love?

On Monday evening I went to watch my first sports game ever - a French football game (sorry Kiwi rugby diehards). The Troyes football team is called Estac. The game felt a little slow at times, but other times I found myself getting pretty into it! A good experience in general.

On Wednesday evening, three friends of Lola’s came for an early overnight celebration for Lola’s birthday. We played a game called “Ta Mere En Slip”, which is a little like “Heads Up”, but with a person and an action to guess. Here’s a photo from that:

Thursday 27 February - Paris no. 2

On Thursdays, usually Marie works in Paris, taking an early train there and an evening train back. We decided that it could be a cool idea for me to travel over with her and spend the day by myself. It was an... interesting day, to say the least.

We had an early start, took the train, and then recharged my Metro card once we got there. All good, mostly, except until the card didnt work, which was a little awkward and confusing 🙄 After getting through that, Marie and I parted ways; she on her way to a meeting at work, and I on a metro to the Louvre. I had some trouble with the many confusing lines once I got there, and another tourist even asked me if she was in the riht line, to which I replied that I was sorry I was also rather confused! I hope she found her way in the end, because we were both very much in the wrong line but for different reasons. I found the correct line for me, and then I was in the Louvre! I ended up spending upward of three hours here, there was so much to see. Beautiful paintings that are so nice to appreciate in person, Greek and Roman sculpture (my inner classics nerd was wilding, it was great to see these things that I’d studied up close), some gorgeous neoclassical and otherwise French sculpture, beautiful extravagant objects from past French royalty, even Eastern and Egyptian antiquities. There was just so much and of course it was impossible to see it all (though naturally I tried - my sore feet did not thank me later). That moment of awe you feel when you see something that you truly ove is near indescribable. Here’s some photos of some of my favourite things that I saw:

A bust of Alexander the Great

Some very  impressive, large paintings

The very very extravagant ceiling in one of the gallery rooms

A view of the pyramid, the little doll people, and the not-so-great weather outside from the beautiful objects area with all the past belongings of French monarchs

A nice piece from the French sculpture area

I got pretty lucky with my trip to the Louvre for a few reasons. One was that my ticket was for the morning at opening time, so I managed to get in before the worst of the crowds. Pretty awesome being able to wander around without being hindered too badly by lots of other people also trying to get as close as they possibly can to every piece. The other reason I got lucky was because the Louvre is now closed. It closed on Saturday the 29th of February, and remains closed now, it being unclear when it may open again. This was following an announcement of a nation-wide ban of gatherings of more than 5000 people in a confined space. The Louvre, of course, falls under this category.

Anyway, after that very long musemum trip, I was happily full with appreciation for art nd culture, however I was also very hungry and thirsty (no drink bottles allowed in the museum haha). So I went outside and got myself a bite to eat from a bakery stall outside, which I had overlooking the pretty garden outside (yes it was raining a bit and the bench was a little damp too, so yes I sacrificed my rain jacket to sit on). The interaction I had with the person at the bakery stall felt like the most natural interaction all in French I had had with a customer service person so far. I think that was the proudest I’d ever been of myself simply for ordering a sandwich! 😂 It was nice to just sit down with my food and admire my surroundings and people watch for a while. I could even see the Eiffel tower fro my spot, which was nice. I then wandered all the way through the garden, admiring the flowers and fountains and sculptures and the many many empty benches. I’d love to see how it looks in the sun - I bet those benches will be pretty well occupied in the springtime. After that I went on a mission for toilets and discovered the truly wonderful and fantastic thing that is Paris’ tendency for toilets that cost money to use. After that delightful exprience I headed to see the Obelisk. I may have been walking against the wind and rain, but the area was still pretty. 

I then walked all the way down the Champs- Élysées (my poor feet), until I reached the Arc de Triomphe. It was by then only the early afternoon and I realised I was at a bit of a loss as to what to do. I had options, of course, but the travel to them on the metro or busses or otherwise seemed confusing and I had the added issue of not having any data or wifi to use google maps with. (Next time I am definitely getting some data - that would have solved a whole lot of problems 🙄). Long story short, one thing led to another and I ended up stressy ugly-crying with a burger I didn’t want in a McDonalds just so I could use the wifi to try and make sense of the metro system, while messaging Marie. Then to top it all off, my bathroom grievances continued because, naturally, the bathroom in that restaurant was another one that costed, and I had spent the last of my change on that burger. Dang. Anyways, I decided to go down to the metro to try and find my way to the Montmartre church. However, my metro card problems continued, my confusion of the metro system continued, and I ended up on the phone to Marie who said she would come meet me. I felt very bad that she left work for me, she said it was all okay, but naturally I still felt bad. She found me eventually, a littel tearstained and very embarrassed, and we headed on the metro to Montmartre together. She tried to explain the metro system to me a bit more, which was good and I feel like I’ve got a liiiittle bit of a better handle on it now.

On the steep walk up to Montmartre there were lots and lots of tourist shops, and then a lot a lot of stairs, with some street art on the walls which was pretty cool. The church was very pretty. We didn’t go inside, but the outside was very nice. All the surrounding fences were cooovered in lovers’ padlocks

The viewn was also very nice. Paries views (and I think French views in genral?) are always interesting. A mix of that classic Parisian architecture, you know the one -modern buildings, well-known monuments, building cranes, oooold old buildings and monuments, and sometimes the odd bit of big street art on the high-up walla. It’s never the same view you expect to see. 

After that nice wee trip we went to grab a coffee and stop off at the cafe’s toilets before we headed home. However, toilet grievance number 3 hit us suddenly because the toilets were out of order. After that we decided to head to the train station and leave a littel earlier than originally planned. I was so tired after a big day I couldn’t help but fall asleep on the train 😂 Once we were back home I recounted my metro meltdown and we all decided that perhaps public transport (missing train stops, being confused by the metro and bus syetems...) is simply not my strong point, lol. Anyways, despite the stressy moments of that day, all in all it was a good experience, and the good moments were really enjoyable. I’m not going to letit deter me, and I hope in the future I’ll have more chances to explore the city and improve my knowledge of how to get around.

Saturday the 29th was a good day. We had gratin dauphinois for lunch, which was cool because it reminded me of my Nanna because it was one of her specialties, and it reminded me of the one time I made it for a culture project for French class. That afternoon, Marie and I headed back to the museum with the section on bonneterie, because there’s a new exposition there at the moment. It’s on the brand of socks called Doré Doré, celebratng it’s 200 year anniversary (weird that a sock brand in France is older than the entire government in New Zealand), and the factories have been based in Troyes since the beginning. It was cute, and a littel funny with all the little socks and things. There were lots of these big sock wall decorations outside the exhibit:

Sunday was the last day of the holidays. In the morning Marie, Lola and I went to the bakery to pick up Lola’s birthday cake. Her birthday isn’t until the 7th, but on Sunday afternoon there was some family coming to celebrate. It’s funny when we go into any store, every time the cashier assumes I’m a separate customer, so I’m now well practiced at saying oh no thank you we are all together. For lunch, Marie’s mother, brother, his partner, and their young son Jack-Jack came around. There was nice conversation, nice food, and then a game of ‘Ta Mere En Slip’. They’re all very nice, and it feels easier now than every for me to speak French with groups of people. It’s still hard sometimes, but it’s much better! 

Yesterday was interesting. It was sort of the first day back at school. I got up early, Marie took Lola and I to school as usual... However I had neglected to check what the case was with the BAC blanc exams this week. Turns out that no, there is no classes at all, and it is in fact just tests all throughout the week. So that was an interesting time for me, turning up there and my classmates finding it funny I was there at all. So I just headed back home after spending a little while in the school library, and sike! I have, in some ways, another week of holidays... I’m thinking I might do some more exploring, go back to the museum, I could go to the movies and try watching something in French again, I could write some postcards or things home... Today I’ve just been writing this blog entry this morning, I’ve gone out to eat pizza for lunch with Marie, but the weather today is lovely (much better than the rain last night), so I might go do something. I am in absolute disbelief that I have less than 4 weeks left on exchange. Where did the time go? I swear I must comment on how fast the time is going by at least a few times a day at this point. But wow, it really is going fast.

Until next time!

[airariaira]

Premier - 12/01/20

I am leaving for France tomorrow. How did the time creep up so fast?!

To NZIIU I am eternally grateful for this incredible experience. My family here at home have been incredible while I have been preparing for my departure, and my host family over in Troyes have been amazing as well! The masses of organisation that have had to have been done is immense, but still so worth it. I will admit I'm pretty nervous, spending three months in France is not to be taken lightly! I'm just trying to convince myself that the nervousness is really all just excitement... Here are some photos of some of the people I'll miss seeing almost every day!

[airariaira]

Deuxième - 26/01/20

I have been in Troyes for almost 2 weeks now - wow! The travel day over was hectic, Alex and I were on planes for 27 hours. We were very tired, and I felt like I really needed a shower and a nap.  Us before it all:

Us right in the thick of it:

I was so tired by the end of it that I missed my train stop 😰 I made it in the end though, and was really struck by how beautiful the countryside and old buildings around Troyes are! The city is also in the shape of a bottle cork, which is pretty neat. It’s also been around since the middle ages.

^ This is the oldest house in Troyes - from the 15th century!

I had my first day of school last Thursday, my first class being Philosophy. Still beign jetlagged and very tired, the French went right over my head. I met some of my classmates though! Most of them are good at speaking Engish, which is great when I dont understand something in French... We ate at the canteen at lunchtime. The canteen food here isn’t nearly as bad as people have seemed to describe it as, in my opinion! We also visited a nearby thrift store, which was pretty cool. The bell at school took a little adjusting to - it’s a tuneful song sort of thing, and was a little jarring for me at first!

The school system here is organised into subjecct streams - I’m in the Literature stream, so the subjects I take are Philosophy, History-Geography, French Literature, Arts-Plastiques, English, and both Literature and History-Geography taught in Englush also. Being in classes taught in French was very difficult at first, but each class seems to feel easier. My comprehension of French feels like it’s improving already! Sometimes I feel a little behind though, seeing as I’ve arrived in the middle of the school year, hence in the middle of most topics. I’m getting there though. Art classes here are very relaxed - no art portfolio board to stress about finishing like in New Zealand. Before art on Thursday I gave soe of my new classmates the souvenirs I brought over from New Zealand - the pins and patches were very popular.

I found my own way home, and I have each school day since - at the start it felt like I got a little lost or confused in a different way each time, but now I’ve finally got the hang of the route home. I also bought some postcards to send back home, to friends, family, work, etc. Sometimes I take pictures of the buildings and things around me - I must look like such a tourist! One of the things I walk past each time is the Seine river, which also runs through Paris. Along the riverside there’s some cool sculptures...

Speaking French is frustrating at times - when I know what I want to say, but just don’t have the knowledge of how to say it in French. I’m trying my best and it feels more natural each day. When people ask if I speak French, I still say “oui, un petit peu”, though. Troyes is famous for it’s outlet sales in January, which means a lot of stylish or branded clothes and shoes are at a really good price right now. I suppose that’s part of the reason so many people here look so stylish every day! At times I feel that I left a lot of my stylish clothes back in New Zealand, instead opting for my warmest options possible. It’s pretty cold most days here, usually the high being 5 degrees and the low around -2. However over the time I’ve been here I’ve been blessed with beautiful weather most of the time, which makes the pretty city look all the more gorgeous. Last Saturday I saw the local market, and also tried some chocolate from a chocolatier that won the award for best chocolatier in the world a few years ago - miam! I’ve also really been enjoying baguettes from the local bakeries, and good French cheese. The food here is great. I also went to see the museum and the inside of the Cathedral on Saturday afternoon with my host mother Marie. It was gorgeous:

There’s also lots of tributes to Joan of Arc there, too:

The museum was huuge, and had everything from archaelogical history, to Greek and Roman artefacts, to beautiful paintings from the 18th century to now, and even a section with stuffed animals. There was even a few stuffed New Zealand birds. The tui was very ugly for some reason - how sad that that ugly tui is the way so many people will see New Zealand’s native birds for the first time. On Sunday I woke up to the Cathedral bells - what an amazing thing to wake up to! I tried harder to speak French with a friend of my host family - I know I’ll get there eventually. That afternoon I went to see a movie at the cinema with my host family, in French. We watched ‘1917′ and it took me some concentration to understand, but I’m glad I went. One of my host family’s traditions is having crêpes after dinner on Sunday evenings - it feels similar to the tradition we had when I ws a kid to have pancakes every Sunday morning for breakfast. On Monday I met a classmate in my English class who lived in Christchurch for a year! It was really cool talking to her. Monday was also my first 10 hour day at school, so was very tiring. It’s weird getting to school while it’s still dark in the morning and leaving school after the sun has gone down in the evening. I started getting a little bit of a head cold on Monday, which sucked but is to be expected suddenly coming into the middle of winter straight from the hot New Zealand summer. On Tuesday we had P.E. class in the gym in the morning. It was pretty fun! I also found myself able to join in with some more banter and jokes with my classmates, which is really cool. Wednesdays are a half day, and seeing as I don’t take Spanish or German I only have 2 hours of classes on Wednesday mornings - wow! I had my first English Literature class, which was right up my alley. The teacher also had a lot of questions for me 😂 I went into town alone for the first time that afternoon because I needed some stationery, found my way around alright and actually quite enjoyed myself! I bought a French baguette for the first time 

(“I’m a real French girl!”) Since Thursday I’ve really been putting in effort to speak French and ask for people to speak French to me too. At school in my English class my teacher asked me to read out an extract from the text we’re studying to deomstrate how English has tonal shifts. I hope no one takes my accent and tone to be the absolute end goal of how they should speak English, because everyone talks differently! On Thursday during Arts-Plastiques we also went to see a showcase of art from the artist Deborah Bowmann. It was really fun to go to, but I did find the guide a little bit difficult to follow in French. Still a great experience nonetheless. I couldn’t believe that I had already been going to school here for a week - time is going so fast! On Friday (yesterday) I had a good day at school, and found myself opening up a little bit more to my classmates. I hope I can get to know them well with the time I have here.I only had one class yesterday because my Arts-Plastiques teacher was striking today. Some people here, particularly teachers I think, are striking because of the times the workday finishes. In the afternoon I went with all of the last year students (those in Terminal) to the Forum, which is a big expo in a big hall showcasing study and job options for after they’ve finished school. Some friends and I talked to a lady who was representing the (expensive) school that you go to to train for working in shops like Chanel in Paris. It’s very expensive, and you have to be very articulate in French, English, and even Chinese - as well as immaculately presented - because you are, essentially, the face of France. One of the other ladies at the stand was even told off because she had a piercing in her upper ear 😳 I walked past some of the strikers with Marie that afternoon - they were big yesterday. They caused traffic jams and there were protesters on many of the streets and everything. Yesterday evening we went out to dinner to a cool local restaurant called Rosa Parks. (It was très bon!) This afternoon we are going to go for a walk nearby the house my host family has by a lake that’s close to Troyes. I am really enjoying my time here! Until next time.

[cyuinitaly]

DUE

It is currently 1 week until I depart for Italy !!!!! They say a picture paints a thousand words so this set of photos sums up my current feelings pretty well.

x

Catherine

[cyuinitaly]

UNO

Sooo this is my first official blog post. As I am writing this it is 20 days until my departure for Italy, where I am going on exchange for 10 months! 

My application is now fully complete and I have recently received my passport back with my Italian Visa which is very exciting.

I don’t know how much I can say but for now I am going to be living with a host family in the region of Umbria in central Italy.

The company I have gone with is NZIIU (http://www.student-exchange.co.nz/) and they have asked me to set up a blog about my experience and I will update it it every week (hopefully) about what I get up to, so stay tuned for all the exciting things to come.

Ciao for now

x

Catherine

[christineinjapan]

Blog post #2 - The application

Hey Tumblr! I'm so sorry for not posting recently! My laptop broke and got sent away for repair. </3 But I'm back now.

Today I'll be talking about my progress with the exchange and what I had to do to actually get into an exchange program.

So, what steps did I take to get an exchange?

Firstly, I did some research and found an organization I really liked - NZIIU. I chose them because their pricing options are good, I liked their program, and they're a New Zealand based organization, which is always nice (: They've also been in business for over 20 years and my mother knows some people who have went on an exchange with them. So it seemed to be a logical option.

I got in contact with them and they emailed me an initial application form. I completed it and sent it back to them. It just contained the most basic details about yourself, with a photo of you. etc. It cost a $50 fee to apply, but if you're planning on going on an exchange I'd imagine you'll be prepared to spend a lot more than $50.

So afterwards, they emailed me saying that everything on the form looked good, and sent me the full application. Now, this was a hefty document split into 4 categories. "About me", "Agreement", "Medical", "School". As well as a 5+ page autobiography, a 1-2 page letter in Japanese to my host family. family, and a letter from my parents about me to my host family.

That's a lot, huh? I was told on average, it takes people about 3 months to complete, but I had 3 weeks to do it. I worked on it each day and managed to get it done in the nick of time.

"About me" was pretty much just talking about my hobbies and what type of person I am. It asked me what type of household I would like to live in. eg. Do I mind living in a single parent family? or with smokers? stuff like that.

The "Agreement" section was a list FULL of rules, which me and my parents had to sign. I was pretty surprised with how strict it was but the rules make sense mostly. There were two sets of rules, NZIIU's and JFIE's rules. JFIE is the affiliate of NZIIU and will be organizing my life in Japan, such as where I'll live, what school I'll go to. Stuff like that.

The "Medical" section was pretty big. Basically they needed to know if I had any diseases/serious illnesses in the past, vaccinations I've had, and I had to get assessed by my GP, not to mention a blood test and various other tests like eyesight. I can say that I DID NOT like the blood test one bit because I'm shit scared of needles. But hey, I'll get over my fears to be able to go to Japan.

It was certainly a huge thing to complete but I managed it.

The last part was "School", which included a letter of recommendation from the principle, all of my grades, a letter from my teacher saying what type of student I am and my flaws and strengths, and a list of my absences. That last part, man... that screwed me over because I am often late to school. I've also got a few Not Achieved's here and there, which didn't help me much. But everything else looked good in that aspect.

So I sent my application away and I got me an interview ;D I'll talk more about that in my next post. But after you get accepted, you start paying. The bill is split up into 4 payments, which is pretty convenient.

After that, you sort out flights (also will talk about in another post) and travel insurance.

At the moment, I just sorted that out and am now working on my "Application for Certificate of Eligibility" form. It's my first Japanese document and will be sent to the Japanese Embassy - who ultimately decide whether I get a visa or not.

Pretty much each time I finish one document, another gets sent to me. It's a lot of work, surprisingly.

So the lesson here, kiddos, is if you want to live in another country, or go on an exchange, there is a LOT of legal paperwork that goes into it and you have to be prepared for it (unlike I was. xD) But in the end it is really rewarding. And the fact that I'm the one completing these documents makes me a lot more independent and I'll know what I'm getting into.

Til next time!

Christine ;D