fun weekend/ package

Bonjour!

This weekend and week went by way too fast but I also can't believe that it's Thursday! Saturday I went wakeboarding with Laure (my counselor), Sarah and Anna Victoria. I was quite cold but we got wetsuits (I got a cool cammo one) and I made it up every time. We only had an hour, and because I fell each time on the 2nd turn, which is the exact opposite side of the lake, I only got to start 3 times. After you fall I had to swim to the side, climb out, and walk all the way back.

Sunday I went on my first outing with my Rotary Club; we biked along the Canal du Midi and had lunch, and came back. 12Km each way, but the wind was so strong that it took twice the time to get there than it did to go back! There were only 4 of us that biked, 2 rollarbladed and everyone else (like 30) people just drove to the restaurant. We ate in a greenhouse and it was like an organic restaurant, and everything we ate came from there. So an interesting twist on French food....gaspacho with strawberries and foie gras inbetween gingerbread....my club is on the older side, and I saw a lot of plates being handed back with a lot of food left on them... Here's a picture of one of the many locks along the canal.

This week has gone by so fast!!! And after complaining that I wouldn't find any activites to do...now I'm busy! Monday is the only day I have school till 6pm, which is good b/c its the only day I haven't done anything at night. Tues/Thurs I had soccer, and Wed afternoon I gave my english lesson to twelve year old Amoury, and then went to a Rotaract meeting with Fabien. With Amoury I had him read and answer the 20 questions I made on a little worksheet about Henry the soccer player and then we read some dialogues and did his homework...the 1.5 hours flew by and I got 20€! yay! Soccer is good, the beginnings of the practices are super hard, but then we just do drills the rest of the time so that's alright. Everyone is pretty nice, but it's so disciplined that there isn't really much time to chat. If you talk, you go home! There's a canadian on the team, I think she has lived in Toulouse for most of her life though, so she has a more french friendliness, but it's nice to speak english with her. I've experienced the weirdest looks at soccer...I guess that's what happens when you speak french when you're really out of breath..haha. It turns out that there's soccer friday nights too, and tomorrow they return to the Stadium, so this will be a little complicated with band...ahhh but I want to do both! Christophe, the coach said that they would probably take me in the club, which is exciting, since so far it's been kind of like a try-out.

Today in History, we spent the 2 hours of class time going on a tour of the 19th century history of Toulouse, learning about why and how all the building fit the bourgouisie lifestyle, all the streets and boulevards in toulouse were expanded and modeled after those in Paris, at the same time. Its so awesome to learn about history and then see it!! kind of crazy. In Anglais Renforcé we watched parts of Bowling for Columbine and then we had to describe what we saw. The students were just supposed the practice speaking with out having anything written down. Then we analyzed the American culture and why this happened in the US, and what were the causes and how this couldn't happen really in France. It made me a little uncomfortable because the teacher asked me so many questions and just assumed that my family owned a gun (NO) and everything because the statistics for the US and guns are so much higher. They asked me about violence at my school and I said there were video cameras, fights and a police officer there, so now I think they are all scared of me because my school doesn't sound very nice! But it is! On a more cultural note, people here have to restraint in asking your political views. I have been asked coutless times whether I am a dem. or rep., something you would never ask anyone in the US! But there's no shame here, it's like an icebreaker. I was kind of disgouraged when a girl in my class asked me who I voted for in 2004, and whether I was going to vote for Bush or Kerry this year....hello....I was 15 in 2004, and Bush cannot run for pres, idk about kerry, and the election is next year!! Also noone has heard of Obama! Only Hillary, because everyone likes Bill Clinton here. So that's kind of weird too. Also my host dad always grills me on American things and then seems upset when I don't know the anwser to specific laws, and all the rules of american football....I don't know how long a game is? A couple hours? Today I got my first mail from Champaign! yay! Andrea sent me a Parkland tshirt, Oreos, and a long letter. Thank you so much! I was so surprised and happy!

Bisous for now...it's late now...need to go to sleep.
Tomorrow will be rather hectic, trying to do soccer and band.
Later,
Lise
ps- here's an added photo....my mom has her own neighboorhood (and street that's right by it) in Toulouse! She really needs to come visit soon to see it :)