Five months. The halfway point. Middle.

WARNING, THIS MUST BE READ WHILE LISTENING TO THE FOLLOWING MUSIC:

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DSUY4jwJ9XHM&h=eAQE1gDrQ

Honestly, I cannot believe that I've spent five solid months of my life in France.

This has been such an amazing experience for me so far, and I just really can't believe it.
There's been happy moments, and sad moments, moments where you feel completely lost, and moments where you feel like you're the center of the universe. I'm sure other exchange students will agree with me that this is the most terrifying and satisfying thing you can do with your whole life. I'm at the halfway point, but I know already that I'll remember my time here forever.

BUT IN SAYING THAT, there are numerous people I should thank, because without them, I wouldn't be here now.
So without further ado;

To my parents, for supporting me every step of the way, no matter what the endeavor. Momsy, thanks for raising me to be such a kind and caring young gentleman, and for showing me compassion and how to treat others with the respect they deserve. Pops, tippin' my hat to you for being brave enough to do what I'm doing now when you were my age. I can't imagine the courage that must have taken, knowing that there's no skype or facebook or facetime or internet... Thanks for encouraging me to follow what I believe in, and pushing me to being true to myself, and finding out what I want.

To my siblings, gosh y'all are difficult to talk about. 

Dominic, you're the bully big brother that every younger brother needs. You're also my favourite person with whom to shoot the ahem... mustn't swear on the internet now. We've had our differences, but I really respect you, as a person and as a mentor.Nadia, we bicker and fight a lot, but deep down, I love ya kid, that's all there is to it.

To the Rotary club of Windsor (1918); I cannot thank you enough for being the means by which I was able to have this amazing experience. It amazes me, the Youth Exchange Program, and I think it's such a good thing that's being done by Rotary clubs all over the world. I appreciate all the work you've done for young adults like myself in the past, and all the work I'm sure you'll be doing in the future.

Maintenant en français, parce qu'il y a un tas de gens qu'il faut remercier ici en France. 

Pour commencer, le club Rotary de Metz; il n’y a pas de mots pour exprimer ma gratitude mais je vais tout de même essayer. Je suis tellement heureux d'être tombé dans votre club, vous êtes tous tellement gentils, et sans vous je n’aurais jamais eu la chance de venir en France. 

Mes deux familles d'accueil; honnêtement, je suis tombé dans deux des plus gentilles familles de Metz, selon moi. C'est vrai qu'avec chaque famille il y a des défauts, mais franchement, je ne pouvais pas demander plus. Je suis tellement content d'avoir eu la chance de vous rencontrer, et vous êtes tellement gentils de m'avoir laissé faire irruption dans vos maisons. 

Et enfin, mes chers et chères amis de T2; sans qui je ne sais pas comment j'aurais fait en rentrant au lycée et tout ça, et maintenant vous êtes comme ma...Combien est-ce que ça fait maintenant? Ma vraie famille, ma première famille d'accueil, ma deuxième famille d'accueil... et vous, qui êtes comme ma quatrième famille, et franchement je vous aime tous. Je n'ai aucune idée de la façon dont mon année se serait déroulée sans vous. Je suis sur qu'elle n’aurait pas été aussi merveilleuse qu’elle l’est maintenant. Je n’arrive pas à trouver les mots pour vous dire ce que je pense vraiment de vous, parce que c'est trop dur. Il y a tellement de trucs à raconter, qu'il n’y a aucune manière de le faire. 

Mais c'est juste pour vous dire que, je vous kiffe les amis, voila. C'est tout.

I had a really good blog post I was working on, and then the power went out and I lost everything. So I'm making a new one.

It´s coming. I promise

HOWDY Y'ALL

So this week is the first week back from school, and I'm completely exhausted. Wow, I sound like a real Frenchman. HA, kidding... Or am I? 

Today I had the pleasure of going to see Yves Saint Laurent, a French movie about the fashion designer. It was really well done. That is all! 

Hope you Canadians are keeping warm in that freezing weather you're having.

Holidays and Beautiful Things.

This past month there was a get together with all the students of the district in a town called Nancy, to celebrate St. Nicolas, the celebration of French/German origin that semi replaces Christmas. (It's really cool because since my name is Niklas, and the French translate it to Nicolas, it's basically my second birthday, or is celebrated as such in any case!) 

It was a really cool gathering, mostly because of the fireworks show they had on the Saturday night. They had two video projectors in the city square, projecting the story of St. Nicolas, and fireworks at specific times during the video presentation, accentuating it. It was really cool to see. 

The festival of St. Nicolas gives me a pretty good segue into Christmas, and the two week break from school. I was really lucky to get hosted by a family that spends every Christmas break in the French alps. This year I spent two weeks (including Christmas and New Years) skiing and enjoying the view of what could possibly be the most beautiful mountain range in the world. 

The actual celebration of Christmas, which I spent with my host family, cousin, and grandmother, was therefore a little bit different from what would normally be the French traditions at Christmas. However there was still the Foie Gras, which is the liver of Duck that has been specifically fattened. Sounds gross, I know, but it's actually super delicious. To go with that there's usually a fig jam, and lots of appetizers. 

Speaking of appetizers, segue to New Years! 

New Years eve was really fun. I spent it with my host family and another family, who are friends of my host family. We spent the night eating appetizers, chatting, and watching a T.V. show called "Decembre 31; tout est permi" which is basically a mixture of sharades, dare, and Saturday Night Live. 

A few minutes before midnight, we get a skype call from Julie, the daughter of my host family who herself is an exchange student in New York at the moment. So we chatted with her until it was the countdown, and she was the first person to whom we wished a happy new year. It was really sweet actually, because I know she's been having a difficult time with homesickness what with it being the Christmas season and all. So at midnight we all wished each other a Happy New Years, and even though I know it's technically not allowed, I had a glass of French champagne to celebrate. 

I already knew that I was never going to forget my year here, but now I'm sure of it. So I just wanted to thank you guys back home, and everyone in France for giving me this amazing opportunity, I cannot begin to tell you how thankful I am. 

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.