14 Days

So I have exactly 2 weeks before I'm back in the States. That really is not sinking in at all. It hasn't even sunk in yet that I'm never going back to school here with all those people, and that ended 2 weeks ago! I'm sure once I get home, though, that all that will

But anyway, after the parade yesterday, I went with Simon, Antoine, Amadine, and her little brother Guillaume to the fair in St. Laurent. We walked around and then went on a couple rides. I almostttt played a game for a goldfish, but if I won it, I wouldn't be able to bring it back with me and I don't know how much my host family would want it. lol. After that, I went out to eat at a restaurant with my host mom, Pierre, Annick, and Eileen (Sam's girlfriend). Around 10, Simon, Antoine, his sister, and her boyfriend came to pick me up to go to the bon fire at St. Laurent. I'm not kidding you, the wood was piled tee-pee style about as tall as 3 men standing on each other's shoulders. There was a tonnn of wood and it was all lit up at 11. Then everyone danced around the fire and music played and there were people giving out fire sticks (which Simon, Antoine, and I all took). It was quite the party. After a while, we got kind of bored and the volcano of fire shrunk quickly, so we went across the street to the fair again. We took a little tour around and bought SLUSHIES! That was the first time I'd seen one in France, so I had to get it. Around 12:30, I was dropped off at home and I went to bed around 1.

Today I slept in and thought I was going to be holding everyone up, so I got myself ready in the 5 minutes that I had and then ran downstairs. Both Pierre and my host mom were still getting ready themselves, so things turned out ok. I still have not even once made anyone late here! There have been a few times it's been close, but there's always someone who is running much later than I am, so it doesn't really matter. It was around 10:45 when we finally got out of the house. We went into Arras for the last day of the "soldes." Today, most of the stores put things out in the sidewalks and have super low prices and everything. I bought myself some makeup and then a DVD. We didn't really have enough time to spend clothes shopping. At noon (or around there), we went to Acq to see the rummage sales (which are all done on the same day at the same time on the same street) and then my host mom met up with some people for the 'aparatif' at the Sale des Fêtes. After a glass of champagne and a little talking, we left for Maroeuil where Lilian, Lou-Marie, and Romane all go to school. Today was their open house, so we ate lunch, played some games, and watched each class perform a dance.

Tonight I'm going to be packing my suitcase again because tomorrow at 5AM, my host mom and I are leaving for Lille, because our 'Chunnel' train to England leaves from there around 7AM. That said, you will not be hearing from me tomorrow, and probably not Tuesday night after I get back, either, but I should be on again sometime during the day Wednesday. I'll talk to you then! And bon retourn French travelers. I hope you guys had a great rest of the week :)!

à mercredi,
<3Miranda

Word of the Day: Barbe-à-papa = cotton candy