Salut tout le monde, j’espère que vous allez bien. Moi, j’ai un
grand mélange des emotions – je suis triste, contente et un peu fatiguée mais
vraiment satisfaite avec mon séjour en France. Je suis à l’aéroport à Paris en
ce moment et j’attends mon vol de retourner au Canada. J’ai deux grands
valises, un sac à dos, un sac à main et un sac des souvenirs et bien sûr, un
peu du chocolat pour le voyage. Ce n’est pas encore me frappé que je rentre
chez moi aujourd’hui – il semble que c’était juste hier que ma mère et moi
sommes arrivés ici et étions “perdues en translation”. Quatre mois plus tard,
je suis ici encore, avec un meilleur niveau du français, beaucoup de nouveaux
amis, un portable plein avec les photos et un million des souvenirs que je
garderai pour toujours. Je ne peux pas imaginer une meilleure façon dans
laquelle je termine mon année. Merci à Tours, à l’université François Rabelais
et à la France pour le meilleur échange possible!
Translation: Hello everyone, I hope you are all doing well. I myself
am experiencing a grand mix of emotions – I am happy, sad and a little tired but am very satisfied with my time in France. I am currently at the airport in
Pairs, waiting for my flight to Canada. I have two large suitcases, a backpack,
a purse and a truckload of souvenirs, and of course a little chocolate for the
road. It hasn’t hit me yet that I am returning home today, as it seems like it
was just yesterday that my mom and I arrived here, and were totally lost in
translation. Four months later, I am here again, with a better level of French,
many new friends, a camera full of photos and a thousand memories that I will
keep forever. I cannot imagine a better way in which to finish off 2014. Thanks
to Tours, UFR and France for the best exchange a girl could ask for. <3
Was it really already four months ago that I sat at the sushi
restaurant in Pearson writing about how excited I was to come to France? The
time passed much, much quicker than I would have liked it to. Yesterday it hit
me that Christmas is in less than a week. I blame the lack of snow and
winter-like weather in Tours for my inability to comprehend that it is already
December. Not that I’m complaining as I am definitely a fan of the warmer
winter weather. No wonder the French can be so chic – they don’t have to bundle
themselves up in parkas and face blistering winds while they mangent their croissants! But no fear,
my thick winter coat is ready to go once I land on the other side of the
Atlantic. Good thing I brought it to France for that one time I wore it….
As sad as I am to leave, my last week and a bit in Tours were
fantastic. Last Friday, I went public skating with my French buddy at the local
patinoire. I thought it was just
going to be a regular free skate but no – it turned about to be the “Soirée DJ
Mixé,” which included a “freestyle skate battle” between two local “freestyle
skating teams.” Picture a street dance battle, or breakdancing battle, but on
the ice! It was super interesting to watch, as I had never, ever seen anything
like that before in my countless hours spent at the arena. I should have gotten
a quick lesson and then started a new activity in Canada.
SATURDAY=DISNEYLAND PARIS, aka the trip I had been waiting for all
semester. The exchange student association organized a day trip there on the 13th
and, despite the day being very, very rainy and cold, it was absolutely
magical. We left Tours at 6am (only for you, Mickey) and arrived around 10am at
DisneyLand Paris. My buddy for the day was my friend Constanze, the German
exchange student I was with in Bordeaux, and it was her first time ever at
Disney. We had park hopper passes, so we started at Disney Studios, which sort
of has the same idea as Hollywood Studios in Florida, but the only similarities
between the two parks are Rock n Roller Coaster and the Tower of Terror. The
line to get in the park was so, so long. We only had half the day to spend
there, so we went on the backlot tour, watched two shows (indoors because it
was freezing) and then got fast passes for Rock n Roller Coaster. We ended with
the new 4D Ratatouille ride, which was absolutely adorable. The Ratatouille
land was really cute, with little French themed bistros and Paris souvenir
shops. Definitely my favourite part of the park. After a quick stop at the
Starbucks (white girl moment), we went to DISNEYLAND and arrived just in time
for front row positions to watch the Christmas parade. Anyone who knows me is
aware that every Christmas I watch the full parade and spectacle on TV so it
was a dream come true to see a (much smaller) Disney Christmas parade in real
life. After the parade, we took many photos in front of Sleeping Beauty’s
(pink) castle, rode the carousel, Pirates of the Caribbean and Space Mountain
and then did some shopping in the Emporium. Unfortunately, we had to leave
before the fireworks, but my freezing cold toes and fingers were happy to get
back on the bus. Thank you DisneyLand Paris for a merry and magical day.
Sunday, I had planned to rest chez
moi and prepare for my exam, but instead, Anna and I went to the mall to do
a bit of shopping. We were both pretty unsuccessful, but we did get to watch a
bit of a Christmas performance before heading to centre of town to try and
see Santa Claus. According to Anna, getting a photo with Santa is not a thing
in Germany, so Sam and I decided we had to take her to get a picture. Anna and
I ran into him before we got to his chalet, so got pictures with him in the
middle of the Christmas market and then the three of us got pictures with him
in his chalet. We had to fight off some little children and aggressive parents,
but we succeeded. When we tried to leave the market we were stopped by “Père
Noel au moto” aka about 70 people dressed up as Santa Claus driving up and down
the streets on motorcycles. Only in France…
Monday, Anna and I went for lunch with our host mom for a final time
together before the holidays. I somehow ended up having a three course lunch,
which was maybe not the best idea before my CrossFit class. A nap was required
before I could drag myself to the bus and to to the gym. At the end of
CrossFit, my instructor asked me to keep in touch – who would have guessed my
French pen pal would be my gym instructor?? (#favouritestudent)
Tuesday, I had my second last exam and then went to the last ERASMUS
bar night at Gros Bar. France has changed me…since when do I go to the bar the
night before an exam? But it was a great chance to say goodbye to a lot of my
friends, including Anna who was heading out the next day.
Wednesday I had my LAST exam and I was finally free from studying at
14h! I then went home and packed and packed and packed, went to the mall for a
bit and then over to my friend Esther’s residence to spend some time with the
other 3 remaining Canadian girls. We drank wine, ate cake, and played Heads Up
and Just Dance, and they comforted me as I cried about going home. I had a
really great night, but it really made me realize how much I am going to miss
all of them.
Thursday I had my last swimming class and then spent the afternoon
cleaning my room. In order to avoid a cleaning fee, there was a whole list of
things I had to clean and do in my room in order to pass an inspection. Never
in my life have I worked so hard for 26 euros! After passing the entire afternoon
with a bottle of multi purpose cleaner and a few rags, I went to the movies with
Constanze and her roommate Katherine. We watched La Famille Belier, a French film about a girl with parents and
brother who are deaf and who wants to become a singer. Her family has no way of
knowing that she is talented and are terrified by the idea of not having her to
help them in daily life, but also don’t want to stand in the way of her dreams.
It was a really touching film, and we all left the theatre a bit teary-eyed.
Friday, I checked out of residence and into my hotel. I then
tied up a few loose ends in town, i.e. closing my bank account and cancelling my
phone plan. Esther, Kelsey, Danielle and I then went out for our last dinner
together and we had raclette, the
same thing I did at Mont St-Michel, where you melt the slices of cheese and pour it on meat and potatoes. What a great last meal, and what great
company to spend it with! Today, I fly home, Danielle goes to Paris, Esther
goes with her dad to the Netherlands and Kelsey is meeting up with her brother
to go backpacking for the next two weeks. I am happy I got to see them all
before going our separate ways.
So before I go, I have a few thank yous to give out. Thanks to my mom,
dad and family who have supported me throughout my adventures. Thanks
especially to my mom who I think sometimes felt like my own self-help phone
line. Thanks to everyone at my two universities forever helping me along.
Thanks to my new friends here for all the great adventures and memories and to
my friends back home for always being only a Skype call away. Finally, thanks
to my boots, my backpack and my purse who stuck it out through for 4 months of
being stuffed past their limits, walking all around the continent and facing
all kinds of weather – wouldn’t have made it through without you!
Now, here comes my boarding call! Talk to you from the other side of
the world!
Bisous,
Erica xoxoxoxo
