First Impressions!

Here I am, living the dream! It's been a week since I've arrived, and I just fall more and more for this city and the people every single day! I am truly, truly overjoyed with the family that was chosen for me. Corinne (maman) is seriously, the best! She is so sweet and just so motherly! Like, it's so hard to explain, without wanting to using loving and affectionate, but that appears to be the only way. She has two children: Solal (15) and Esther (9). They are awesome! This whole family is awesome and I honestly feel like I lucked out!

My flights were alright. As I briefly mentioned in my last post, I had an 8 hour layover in Minneapolis. So that was cool. Then it was about an 8 hour flight. That was interesting. The girl i sat by slept for a lot of the time, honestly, I would've too, except for the fact that my bladder was about to explode. Literally, the minute she woke up, my seatbelt was off and I was crawling around her. It would've been embarrassing to pee my pants and have that many witnesses. Also, because I'm 20. Alright, so when I arrived, I was to be greeted by maman, Esther, and someone from IAU. However, that didn't happen quite like I thought it would. I got of the plane, and got my suitcase, and there was still no sign of them. Obviously, not having set up a phone plan yet, I was unable to get a hold of anyone, except via email (thank you wifi).  So I emailed both Corinne and Margaux (the housing director for IAU) and told them the situation. A nice old man at a food station in the "hall" I was in noticed I was still there and tried helping me. Unfortunately, it was just broken French for both of us, as that was the only language we had in common. Then as I headed out, trying to comprehend his directions, I got a call from a French number. All I could do was hope it was good news. And it was! It was Margaux! Her and Corinne were at the airport,  just in a different hall. (Apparently, my flight details got placed with all the people arriving from Munich) Pas-grave! Honestly, that was about the only time I thought I was going to cry. I didn't, I held it together! So, Margaux came and got me, and immediately I was greeted with kisses and hugs! Then we chatted a little as we walked over to "Hall 4" (I was in Hall 1), as soon as we walked in my host mom and host sister greeted me with hugs and kisses as well! My host sister even made a sign for me (she's a wonderful artist). I felt so at home! Immediately, there was just, like, I don't know, a peace of mind that hit me. It crazy how wild our imaginations can run when we just know bits and pieces of people. I knew I would get an amazing family, just never thought I'd be blessed with such phenomenal people. Every single day I'm just greeted and filled with love by them! The very first thing my host mom did with me was take me to IKEA. We spent almost 2 hours at IKEA. As tired as I was, I probably could've spent like five more hours there, just exploring and planning my future home. :) Then we headed for Aix. It's about a 20-30 minute drive from Marseille to Aix, but it was beautiful! We got into Aix, and we drove around, my maman was showing different buildings and streets and such, in all honesty, I didn't remember. Then we got home! So we live on the eighth floor of the apartment building. 86 stairs. My suitcase weighed 48 pounds. It's alright now! I actually thoroughly enjoy taking the stairs, and walking everywhere is not a problem what so ever! But that first day I honestly would've just laid down and slept in the entry way of the building. I did make it up, my maman helped me with my bags and then she showed me around, gave me the rules, and then let me get settled. That night, we were to go to her friends house for a little get together. So I decided to just take a quick 30 minute nap and then get ready and unpack some more. Well, I slept through that alarm, and ended up waking up two hours later (6 pm). Pas-grave!  We didn't have to be at Marie's until 8. (Side note: dinners here usually don't even start until about 8 pm or so and they can last for a couple hours!) The night was great, we went to Marie's and now I know more French people, they are kind and wonderful people! Again, I was greeted with hugs and kisses! I love this place! This little get together was cut short (at about midnight or so), on account that I was falling asleep. I felt horrible for doing that, but I could not fight it anymore! So, we checked out Marie's cave. Oh, I should mention that Marie lives in an old Museum, and most houses here have caves! It's beautiful! So we got home and I ended up sleeping for 12 hours! Whoops.

I might also mention, that every time maman would introduced me to someone new, when she'd say my last name, everybody would start laughing. Skoog. It is kind of funny sounding, I guess. Regardless, everyone is seriously so kind. So Sunday, maman took me out on the town to sort of help me be able to find my way by myself! (She works, so she wouldn't be able to show me to class my first day) We met up with Marie and Daniel (from the party) and we checked out Daniel's place. Daniel is a ceramist, he's renovating his apartment so that he lives upstairs, and his workshop is in the cave. Also, Daniel's cave has a cave. C'est incroyable! Then we took a look at the cathedral! Gorgeous! Then we just meandered and we stopped somewhere for drinks and lunch. I got "un cafe" just a shot of espresso, and for food "croque monsieur." Let me explain "croque monsieur" because if you ever try it, it will rock your world, as much, if not more than it rocked mine. So, basically it's a grilled ham and cheese, but with good cheese, because this is France after all. It's put on a panini grill and has beautiful marks, then after that's all nice and melty, there's even more cheese added on top, and then it's broiled or something until that's melty, but crunchy! It's beautiful! Grilled cheese will never be the same for me.

The rest of the week was the "early start program" classes in the morning and scheduled group activities in the afternoons. Honestly, the first like three or four days, I would show up late because I was super awesome at getting lost, I even had a map, and like 3 different people helping me every time. Any who, so the classes were French classes, just to refresh our memories and such, then some of the group activities were: wine tasting/checking out a vineyard, hiking Mount St. Victoire, picnic, checking out Picasso's chateau. Ya know, ordinary things. :) This is the week that classes actually start. Not bad, I mean, as fun as it is being in the south of France, I am here for school, and school is school, after all.... Should be fun though! The school is taking us to La Ciotat on Tuesday (it's a coastal city), then this weekend, they're taking us to a resort in the Alps! I'm not complaining! It really is still incredible to me that this is my life! Like how did I score such a deal! I'll be chatting with friends over tea or something and remember "oh yeah, I'm in France right now." It's so unfathomable that this is actually happening! I can't even begin to explain my emotions for that thought/realization!

I honestly don't know how often I'll actually be updating this, but I'll try and do at least every couple weeks, if not once a month. You guys are awesome! I do miss you! And Montana. As awesome as this is, Montana IS my home!

Bissoux!
Linnea