Reunion!

Today's post will most definitely make up for yesterday's short post, as I have a lotttt to say!

First of all, yesterday after my host mom came home, we went to Thomas's house to bake chocolate chip cookies. On the way, we stopped at the grocery store to pick up some ingredients, but I had to wait in the car with Pierre so I didn't get Twilight. We got to Thomas's house and started baking right away. The kids helped me, along with my host mom and Anne. It was a little complicated, but I had translated the recipe into French before I printed it off, so that helped. They don't have chocolate chips here in France, and my mom's package hasn't arrived yet, so we had to break up chocolate bars. My host mom found grated chocolate & coconut mix at the store, so we added that to one batch, too. It worked out pretty well. In all, I think we made around 30 cookies! Everyone looved them (not surprisingly) and Anne kept my recipe.

Around 6 or so, Pierre, my host mom, and I left Thomas's house and went to McDonalds! We went through the drive through, and instead of pulling up to a window, there was a lady standing outside taking orders and punching them into a machine. I had a cheeseburger, fries, fanta, and Oreo McFlurry. For the record, they don't put ice in your drink. I kind of found that interesting. You can also order alcohol at McDonalds, here. My host mom got a beer, and it bubbled over the lid and got all over my jeans! Ha ha! Thank goodness I have my Tide To Go! :D

We ate our McDonalds at home in front of the TV. After the news, we watched a show called "N'obliez pas les paroles" or "Don't forget the lyrics." That was enjoyable. At about nine fourty five or so, Antoine, Pierre Antoine, Simon, Elise, and Emadine(?) (the girl from the Giants Association last weekend) picked me up to go out. This was quite the event, let me tell you. We went into Arras and parked. Then walked for a good 10 to 15 minutes before getting to a place called the Loft. A security guy was at the entrance asking people's ages as they walked in. I got boosted up to 18 for the time being.

Inside I immediately felt underdressed. You seriously have no idea. Everyone was wearing sparkly tank tops and cute party clothes. Since it was a Saturday, I wasn't dressed up by any means, and I had assumed we'd go to the same place as last weekend, so I didn't feel the need to change before going out. I was wearing a hoodie, cami, jeans, and tennis shoes. Hah. We gave a guy at the counter our coats and bags before heading through another set of doors into the main room. It was pretty dark, with small lights and then a bunch of colorful ones by the dance platform. As you walked in, there was a bar in front of you. To the right there was a walkway and on the other side of that was a couple couches and arm chairs. The dance platform was just behind the bar. Thank God we continued on past that to a large section, more well lit, with dozens of billiard tables. Against the back wall were small tables and chairs. We got ourselves a table of each. I played three or four games, my team losing all of them. The first one was me and Elise vs. Antoine and Emadine. Both of us kind of suck at the game, but I had a couple really nice, lucky shots! The second game was Filles vs. Garçons. The filles lost terribly. Ha ha. The last game was pretty close, though, and I think Simon and I would have won if I wouldn't have hit the damnn 8 ball in! We only had one other ball our color on the table, and I just had to miss it, bounce the cue ball off the side, and hit the 8 ball in. Ohh well, though. Ce n'est pas grave!

This morning I got up at 9 or so and after getting ready for the day, went grocery shopping with the family. Unfortunately, we went to a different store and I didn't see Twilight theree! So I still don't have the books! I did, however, see another series of books, and got one of those for Zach! I know it's in French and everything, but I know he'll eventually be able to read it. hah. I'm not going to say which one though, because I'd hate to ruin the surprise. ;)

After grocery shopping, we stopped at home to drop things off and pick up my cookies. Then we headed on the road for St. Pol, where the AFS meeting was to be held. It was only about a 25 minute drive, if that. The scenery in the country side really isn't much different than driving through Minnesota. There are a lot of open fields and small towns. I'd have to admit that it looks more like spring here than winter, though! There is nooo snow on the ground at all, and it's even green in some parts.

We finally got to the restaurant in St. Pol, at around 12:30, where the gathering was held. Everyone in this area who is on either a year or semester program came with their families. I saw Hillary, Marina, and another girl from Germany right away and talked with them for a while. It was greatt being able to catch up and stuff! We all talked in French quite a bit, too! Granted, not all the time, but the girl from Germany knew very little English, so French was more effective. There were some other people there on the year long program, too. I didn't really talk to them much, but I know a couple people were from South America and there was one guy there from the United States.

We had a little discussion and introduced ourselves and then finally, it was time to start eating. All I ate to start out with (thankfully) was a few potatoes and some other stuff that kind of looked like rice, but wasn't. It was kind of shocking when I put it in my mouth.. lol. I have no idea what it was. I sat by Pierre, Hillary, a girl from Ottowa, the German girl, and Hillary's host siblings, Charlotte and Alia(?). Charlotte was really talkative and friendly. I talked to her a bunchh, and Hillary too, of course.

The second course was cheese, salade and fruit. I think the cheese was called Canambar, and ohhhhh god is it yummy! My first slice was just a little square and Hillary and I both decided that we needed to get more. When I went up the second time, I got a piece the size of a small slice of pie. I ate some of it with bread and some of it plain, and it was superduper delicious both ways. We talked and talked and talked some more, then it was time for desserts. Everyone of the exchange kids had to make something from their native country. We had to get up and explain it a little (in French) to everyone before we could eat. I basically just said, they're called chocolate chip cookies and are very popular in the States... ummm... They're basically just cookies with chunks of chocolate in them.. some of them also have coconut... and I think that was it. You could definitely tell who the people that had been there for a few months already, because their French was muchh better than us newcomers'.

I wasn't very hungry anymore, that cheese took up a lot of space, but I decided to try some of everything. My plate was just stacked with chocolates and cakes and cookies. I don't know how I did it, but I eventually managed to get it all in. Everything was verry good! Everyone talked for a while longer, and at 5 or so, people started leaving, including us. I gave Hillary my phone number, because apparently she comes into Arras sometimes with Charlotte and Alia, so she said she'd call me and we could all go out to a café together or something. We said our goodbyes and then headed back to Roclincourt.

I should probably inform you that I got a lotttttttt of good news today. On the way to the grocery store this morning, we were talking about traveling. After this week of school, I have two weeks of "holidays." My host mom told me that she's taking Pierre and I to Paris for three days during the first week. We're going to see Cleopatre (the musical) and then climb the Eiffel Tower, I think! THEN! It gets even better! The second week, I will be going with my family to Belgium! I'm not sure what we are doing or for how long, but I'm verrry excited! Since we were on the subject, my host mom said that over Easter break, we would go visit my two sisters who live in Pepignot (or something like that) in the South of France by the Mediterranian, and while we're down there, we'll try and go into Spain a little bit!!! I thought I'd take this oppertunity to also inform my family that my French class is coming to France in June. She wants to know the dates and everything, but it definitely sounds like I will get to see youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu! Unless, God forbid, I have school or something else comes up and I can't get down there!

I think that hits all the main events for today! I don't start school 'til noon tomorrow, so I will probably get on here again in the morning.
Goodnight!(or for you I guess, have a good day!)
-Miranda

Whether you think that you can or that you can't, you are usually right. -Henery Ford