I'm trying here, I really am.

I'm seriously trying to find something interesting that happened to me this week that you don't already know. Um, let's see. I had school? No, that's normal. I was sick on Tuesday? Yeah, you know that too... (check my last post if you didn't know that.)

OH I KNOW, I went to a thrift shop yesterday! Seeing as I have school for a half day every Saturday (which wamps), I made the best of my Saturday afternoon by hitting the thrift shop. Might I say it was quite the success. Not only did I get a new profile picture for Twitter (wherein I look like a younger version of Macklemore), but I bought a HUGE comfy sweater made of 100% wool. So that'll keep me nice and warm.

I'm also preparing for our Ski trip that we're going on during the Christmas break. TWO WEEKS IN THE FRENCH ALPS HALLELUJAH. I'm so excited I can't wait. But it also kind of sucks because I'm not with my friends here for the holidays. Like, sometimes you just wanna go to a party with friends on New Years right? Oh well, I'll be with my host family, so it'll still be fun.

After that I'm SUPPOSED to change host families, which is really stressing me out because I have so much stuff already, I have no idea how I'm ever going to fit it into my suitcases to take it to my next house.

St. Nicolas and Christmas!

So today, I'm sick; and because I'm sick, I stayed home, and because I stayed home I figured this would be a good time to share what's been going on with my life for the past little while.

My last post was 9 days ago, and I forgot to mention the little get together in Thionville (otherwise known as T-Town) that we exchange students had. That was fun. Shout-out to Kate and Finley for being the most tired and to Aino for going to that kebab place four times.

Since then things have been very Christmas-y, if I can use that as a word. My host family has started putting candles on the table for dinner time instead of leaving the lights on, it was the festival of St. Nicolas the other day (My saint namesake thing therefore my party woot), and there are so many cookies and chocolates and good spirits going around! It's so fun, I love the Christmas season. Things are kinda hectic too, because I'm trying to figure out what I should get people as gifts, because I'm horrible with gifts. But yeah, that'll be fun.

IN CONTINUATION with the Christmas/St. Nicolas theme, this weekend was the student gathering in Nancy, for the Fete de St. Nicolas, which was interesting. I mean, it was fun and all but museums can get annoying if you don't have the time to properly go through them and then (sorry guys) but going with a group is reaaaaaallllllllyyyyyyyyyyy annoying. BUT OTHER THAN MUSEUMS here was our schedule (briefly): DAY 1: arrival, museum, free time, food, fireworks, bus, St. Nicolas de Port, candlelight procession, "home".
DAY 2: wake up, food, museum, free time, food, parade, train, home.

The fireworks show was really fun, there were screens in the middle of this huge square, and video projections on the two buildings opposite the square that showed the story of St. Nicolas. At specific parts that coincided with the story there would be fireworks going off or flames shooting out from the top of the screens. It was super cool.

I'm just gonna completely change topics now and head over to Reason Why Exchange is Difficult number 7 (completely made that number up): the southern hemisphere people leaving so soon after you meet them. I'm honestly quite sad to have already said goodbye to the people that are leaving, because I won't get the chance to see them again before they go home.
To everyone who's leaving: I'm so honoured to have met you, and I hope that you will never forget your time in France, and all the wonderful memories (I hope) you've made here.

Speaking of wonderful memories, I had my "Conseille de classe" (which is this big scary event at the end of the trimester when all your teachers get together and say the good and the horrible things about you, and then talk smack) the other day, and I got "Encouragements" which basically is really good for an exchange student. The only thing I'm lacking in is class participation, so if I can stick my hand up more, I'll be all set.

So there you go, hope you enjoy it, feel free to post comments or whatever, I'll just be sitting here. All day... Drinking my tea... Trying to get better...

AAAAAAAAALRIGHTY THEN HAVE A NICE DAY.

It is officially the start of the European Christmas season.

Hey guys!

So it's been nigh on two weeks that I haven't given you guys updates, but I've been busy with school and every day life as it were. Which is weird when I think about it, because before I came here I had this whole vision of Rotary exchange by other students that all said things like "Yeah I didn't do any school work and just fooled around in class and yada yada yada.." you get the picture. So it came as a surprise when I actually found out that I was actually going to do the work. (Most of the time.) Of course, it was my decision whether or not to do the work but I figured since I'm spending a ridiculous amount of time in the classroom anyway, why not?

In my last update I asked you for some stereotypes of Canada for my presentation, so thanks to those of you who pulled through and gave me some ideas! The presentation went really well, even though there were some hilarious questions that were asked. You can message me if you want to know, but it was fun. I'm really just at ease with myself in that class, probably because there's only myself and Pierre (who happens to have a beard.) that are the only guys in the class. I don't know why but I just find it easier to be at ease with females rather than males. Weird. ANYWHO, the presentation was really fun and I'm really happy to have done it with that specific class. Euro Anglais represent!

Has anyone heard of the book Fahrenheit 451? Apparently it's a classic in English literature but I've never heard of it. We're reading it in one of my classes, so I just figured I'd put the question out there.

Another thing that's super adorable and cute and I couldn't resist putting it in here: The Marchés de Noel!
I literally cannot describe how amazing they are. If you ever get the chance to go to a real European Marché de Noel, do it. (For all you Canadians who don't want to/can't go to Europe there are several in Quebec that are probably the same type of thing.) So far I've only been to two (Treves or Triers in Germany, and Metz) but I'm kinda planning on going to Strasbourg to see that one, and then next weekend is another student gathering in Nancy, so there's probably going to be something there as well. BUT I'M SO HAPPY TO BE SEEING THESE THINGS they're literally so precious. Okay, they're not much in the way of little boutiques and things, but you just grab a hot drink and wander around the little shops and things and mingle and be happy and WHY DON'T WE HAVE THIS IN CANADA?!? (Aside from Quebec, well understood.)

So there you go, a little update on all things Niklas exchange, feel free to leave comments or questions or anything you feel like leaving.

Gros bisous, Muah!

P.S Just a little side note because this could be a potential catastrophe, my computer's memory has like 3 gigs of free space. I'm freaking out just a tad.

UPDATES ON MY LIFE. if you want them. You're not obligated to read.

SO HELLO EVERYONE, it's been a while, no? I feel like it hasn't been, but perhaps y'all feel differently. My last post was about vacation, and what happened then. Nothing really major has happened in my life since then, other than last weekend which was another Rotary weekend with all the students from the Lorraine region!

Let's just say exchange students are always having fun. I skipped school (with permission of course!) to go to the rotary weekend, and hangout with the other kids. The day started out with me getting lost. WHAT A GREAT WAY TO START THE DAY RIGHT?! But no it was actually fun. Yet I still got to the Centre Pompidou Metz a little bit early actually (read: half an hour, during which I went to a cafe for a coffee) and we all saw an exposition of some painter. Couldn't tell you his name for the life of me, it was that exciting (read: horribly boring). After that we ate, which is always the best part of a rotary get together. Because who doesn't like to eat? And then we had two games of laser tag. Which, let's be honest, is super fun. So yeah, that happened. Then we ate some more, even though it was desert kinda (mcdonalds mcflurries).

Then my councillor drove me back to his house because my host family was in Lille for the weekend for a birthday party. So I stayed at my councillors house the whole weekend and that was fun.

Voila! There's some updates on my life. Hope everyone's doing well at home!

Bisous!
NIKLAS PIZZOLITTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO


P.S: I'm working on a powerpoint about Canada, and stereotypes so if you have any you wanna share, put them in the comments below! Much obliged!

Vacation!

First of all, sorry for not posting, it's been a heck of a two weeks.

So for the past two weeks I've been on vacation, even though it doesn't really feel like it. Vacation started two weeks ago today, and my host family and I kicked them off with a five hour car ride down to a district called "La Loire" which has a lot of castles, and I mean a lot, like it's famous for its castles. SO that happened. We then spent the next few days exploring castles and parading by car from castle to castle. (It's much more amusing than you'd think.) AND CASTLES CASTLES CASTLES. Then that evening we stayed in a really rustic hotel with a tiny room and exposed wood beams and french windows and it was really cozy and nice. Although I just HAD to be stuck next to the window whose blinds didn't close properly. (I didn't sleep much) But what are you gonna do right? Suck it up and bear it. Of course, the unofficial motto of the Rotary Youth Exchange Program; suck it up and bear it. So that's what I did.

The next day was spent driving to another district that's called "Le Gers", in which my host family has bought a new home and will be moving there at the end of the school year. We pulled into this tiny garage, which was super impressive to see in a van cause there was literally less than three inches in between the side mirror and the garage door. Then out pops this man, named Bernard (a family friend) and he immediately starts poking fun at Benji and everyone else. He's the kind of guy that you're never bored around, but I don't find that out till a little bit later. So after everyone gets settled in we sit down for lunch I believe, and just talk for a while. It's nice seeing old friends catching up like that, you know? I think it's really cool.

The next two weeks were spent either at Bernard's house or La Charmoise, which is my host family's new house. There were a couple things that were unexpected, like having the moving truck be too large for the alleyway of trees, and therefore having to trim all the trees that made up the alleyway of about 300-500 meters long. All I can say is it's a good thing that the movers came a day early because that took a while. The next day I felt like the stereotype of Canada, because I had on my new hiking type boots, rolled up pants and a plaid shirt, and was working the whole day lugging that lumber up the alley to the enormous bonfire we had going. (Stereotype here being lumberjack, in case you didn't get the reference. It's no big deal if you didn't, I'll admit that the description was kinda vague.) But that was one thing that happened, and it was kinda funny and unexpected and such. So yes. What else.

OH I went to the largest sand dune in Europe. The "Dune de Pyla" I believe. That was fun, I ran halfway up it and then I collapsed in the sand because it was a really huge workout. But it was much more fun than anything else. It was really quite amusing running back down once you reach the top. But more amusing and beautiful than that was when you reach the top and look to your left, it's sincerely the most breathtaking thing I've ever seen as of yet. But I'll let you discover that for yourself, because it needs to be seen first hand.

Yes, I do believe that's all from my two week vacation. There was a lot of time spent in a nearly empty house, and a lot of bonding time with my host brother, and yeah it was a good time. Relaxing too, because I needed to relax and that was good.

UNTIL NEXT TIME MY FRIENDS.

ITS THANKSGIVING OH MY GOOSHH

Happy Turkey day Canadians!

Plays and Philosophy Papers (Part 2)

I hope you guys found that amusing, because I sure did. 

Other news in my life: 

Last update I gave you guys was my whole birthday bonanzaaaaaaaaaaaaaa so I don't need to go into detail about that, however I didn't go into detail about the Nuit Blanche, so I'll do that now.

I'm gonna set the scene first, bear with me. Nuit Blanche: rain, flying Japanese trapeze artists, feathers, rain, sea of umbrellas, rain.

There you have it folks, a first hand account of the Nuit Blanche Metz. It was fun and everything, but there was so much freaking rain it was ridiculous, and the show that was put on wasn't very interesting, in fact it was really weird and they dumped feathers on the crowd, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand feathers and rain don't mix. Let's just say people looked like ducks. Not pleased, very french ducks.

MOVING ON FROM FRENCH DUCKS, the few days after that were kinda hard, just cause of some personal stuff I'd not like to discuss. THEN IT WAS MY HOST SISTERS BIRTHDAY AND FUN TIMES YAY. 

This week the Danish girl named Sine is leaving, so we're throwing her a going away cafe trip. Also possibly getting her a gift. Woot, that should be fun. I don't think i even talked about Sine, so HERE GOES. 

Sine is the Danish correspondent that's at our school for three weeks, and she doesn't speak much French, but happens to speak very good English, so it's hilarious watching my classmates try and communicate with her. But she's super nice and everything and yeah, she's a sweetheart. 

Boom, there's my life update, hope y'all enjoyed it happy thanksgiving i think.