OUFTE
Mood:  rushed
"OUFTE" that is all I have to say.

..no not true... I have too much to say, thats the problem. I'm so far behind myself that I don't know what to do. I have to stick to writing primarily in Engish because it takes too long to write everything twice (as you can see in my dernier deux entries) and infact, in the very last one that I wrote, I cut it extremely short because I had been working on that one entry for plusieur jours.

So now to begin where I left off. Friday, the 6th was the day that I went to School with Heike. Saturday morning I left Germany to head back to good 'ol Belgium. After dancing all night with Martin (both times that I was in Germany at the School parites) I never once spoke to him and as I was leaving Germany, at the train station, I figured, oh well, I guess I missed that chance. Then guess who took the same train as me to Cologne. YEAH! Martin! What a coincidence! We talked for a quick 10-15 minutes and then at the Cologne station, he walked me to where my second train would be and gave me his e-mail address. (!!)

Once on the second train headed to Liege, I was in a little room with 3 other people. It so funny that 3 people who know nothing about one another, who have nothing in common, could prove such great company! There was me who speaks french and english, A Woman from Germany who spoke english, french, and german, an American soldier who had been stationed in Germany for 2 years but was going home that week who spoke only English, and an arabic man who spoke only in Arabic and French. We all got along fine. Once in liege, 3 or so hours later, I showed the Arabic man around the center of liege a little bit and then scotted home. But before I went home, I stopped at a flower shop to buy some flowers for my host mom for mothers day.

o:)

Noticed that Womens' day is March 8th (same as my birthday! I know that is what everyone was thinking!) and Mothers day is May 8th? kwite the koincidence, non? so what is April 8th? :)

When I arrived home, no one was there and because I wasn't sure how long they would be gone, and since I couldn't find a vase for the flowers I stuck them in the fish bowl! yep! I know I know, good thinkin' tracy!

theeeeeeen there was the week, that wasn't so eventful. There were some things... like Adriana and her host family. And then the Rotary meeting where I took adriana with me and we drank too much wine... then coca blanc on top of that *rubs nose* <-- sign of drunkenness oufte that was tooo ofunny

During the weekend Adriana left for Paris. Ca va. It was oooook.

.... I <3 paris (!!)

Friday, Sandyah called me to invite me into town to party with her. Yes! I'm there! I met Killan who(after a long period of uncertainty I am now officialy dating ):)(I have an album dedicated to him, if you're interested in seeing photos) and so everyone stayed in town until 6 saturday morning.

No school on Monday, Adriana was still in Paris. I went into town with Killan but nothing was open so we just walked around ... a lot. It was fun tho :) Being with him is fun. :D

The tick tock of the clock is painful, all sain and logical... I wanna tear it off the wall
Mood:  lyrical
Topic: Trip to Germany
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY, EVERYONE!!
BONNE FETE DES MERES!!

Before I talk about today, I have to finish telling my story about Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

Tout d'abord, d'avant je commence dire les evenements d'aujourd' hui, je dois expliquer ce qu'il se passe sur jeudi, vendredi, et samedi.

Friday night at midnight, when the school party got over, Heike's dad was waiting outside for us, with Martin, to go to the Holiday house an hour or so away. We stayed there all of thursday because it was a religious holiday and no one had work or school. Another family came to visit for the day. We chilled at the house all day and I made some pages with Heike for her scrapbook. They came out sooo cute, I wish now that id gotten photos of them but I forgot. :(

Vendredi soir, apres la fete de l'ecole, le pere d'Heike nous conduira jusqu'a sa maison d'holiday ou on restera pour tout le journee de jeudi. Une autre famille sont allee pour voir la maison et ils sont rester la tout la journee jusque on a parti pour retourner chez heike. Heike et moi ont fait deux pages dans son scrapbook pendant la journee: un de ses photos de son premier homar et le deuxieme de GAPP. Ils sont trop mignon, maintenent je souhaite que j'ai pris un photo, mais j'oublie :(

Friday there was school (even for me, I think) and so I went with Heike to her highschool in Germany. It was a really easy day for her, she only had to stay there for 3 hours and I didn't have to wake up until 9. The first 2 classes were English and the second was a Science Social class (like what I have in Beligum, but never a class I've seen in America) I met some of the people I'd seen at the party and everyones nice to meeeeeee :D

Tout le monde a l'ecole vendredi (meme moi, je crois) alors je suis aller a l'ecole en Allmagne avec Heike pendant la journee. C'etait un jour tres facile pour elle, on a seulement 3 heures des classes et apres on est fini car ses deux cours au debut etaient libres. La premiere classe etait anglais pendant deux heurs et pris Science sociale. J'ai rencontree du personnes qui j'ai parlee avec a la fete et tout le monde est treeeeeeees gentille.

I had some kind of 're culture shock' when I went to Germany because the culture resembled more like America, where as Belgium is closer to the french culture. Heike's school isn't even a public school, its a school only for the upper bound students; all the same, it is a lot more relaxed than my Belgian school.

Au debut d'entree en Allemagne, il m'arrive un sorte d'echoc cultural, car la culture est forte similarie a la culture aux Etats-Unis, par contre la Belgique est plus prosh (pres ?)a la culture en France. L'ecole d'Heike n'est meme pas un ecole publique mais cest dix fois plus libre que l'ecole ou je vais en Belqigue.

When the teachers were making a speach for the class, not all the students were attentative, some talking with eachother and such. If I were to come directly from America to Germany, this wouldn't surprise me at all but after spending 8 months in Belgium, I was shocked that the teacher didn't do anything. In Heike's Science Social class a boy had a hat on all through class and the teacher never noticed. Thats not even allowed in America!

Les eleves n'etaient pas attentative pendant les paroles des profs mais si j'ai arrivee juste des Etats-Unis, ca me derangee pas parce que c'est le meme mais j'ai restee pendant 8 mois en Belgique alors je l'ai trouvee un peu bizzar. Pendant l'entier du cours de Science Sociale, un mec a porte un chapeau et ca n'est meme pas permettre aux Etats-Unis!

The americanized culture catches me off guard once in a while too. In Belgium, the people (my age) are very concerned with their grades and less on their looks and dating scene. (Or so I percieve it to be) but in Germany, the girls are much more aware (concious?) of their looks. I go there just looking like whatever and then see all these really pretty people and think... shit, I should have put in some effort. :p

Les Belges sont plus interessent en ses etudes que ses resemblances (ou, au moins, ca cest comment je le percieve pour les persons qui ont le meme age que moi.) Au contraire, les filles en Allemagne sont bcp plus 'aware' (je sais pas le mot en francais) et moi, j'y arrrivee avec n'importe quelle vetements et ect. et je vois plein des filles tres belles et je me dis: oh merde, j'avait du ajoute plus d'efforte!

Wow, what a day!!!
Mood:  happy
Topic: Trip to Germany
Have you ever gotten so far ahead of yourself that you got lost? Today is Friday. I know because I checked the date on the computer; That means that I have not written in 3 days! It might as well have been 13 days for all I've been through, it doesn't even seem possible for it all to fit into 3 days!!

(Continued below... the next paragraph is just explaining in French what I already said in English)

Ne vous est-il jamais arrive de tant errer que vous etes tout perdus? (d'accord, je sais que c'est une tres mauvaise traduction :( ) Aujourd' hui on est vendredi, je le sais parce que je l'ai vu sur l'ordinateur; Je n'ai donc pas ecrit pendant trois jours!! Comment est-ce possible!? J'ai fait tant des choses que je ne peux pas imaginer que tout se soit passe dans ces 3 jours seulement.

On Tuesday night, Heike called me to tell me that I could go to her house on Wednesday after school; I had to bring her big suitcase and all the scrapbooking supplies with me. All my scrapbook stuff was at my 2nd and a half host families house but it was ok because id just go there after school and pick it all before going to the train station.

Mardi soir, Heike m'appelee pour me dire que je pouvais aller chez elle mercredi. Il ne faut pas oublier de prendre les choses pour scrapbooking et aussi sa grande valise. oooOooo mais toutes mes affaires etaient dans ma deuxieme famille et demi! ca va je me suis dit car je peux aller chez eux demain apres l'ecole avant de partir pour la gare.

Wednesday was the longest; The events of that day could easily be spread out over the course of a week or even 2!! The morning started out just like any other Wednesday. I woke up around 7 ... contemplated the consequences of skipping school that day... decided against it and got ready for a really easy half day. ( I already knew that there was no school on Thursday for a religious holiday and I wasn't sure if I'd be in school on Friday either, so therefor I kinda' had to go to school on Wednesday)

Mercredi etait le jour le plus long; Les evenements peuvent facilement s'etaler (prolonger, elonger?) sur une ou deux semaines!! Ce matin-la avait commence comme d'habitude: je m'etais reveillee vers 7h et je me suis demande: reste ici ou aller a l'ecole? (Bien sure il faut aller a l'ecole parce qu'on a conge jeudi pour une fete religieuse et je ne suis pas encore sure d'aller ou non a l'ecole ce vendredi

It was a crappy morning; gray skies that threatened to rain at any minute...oh wait, thats normal in Belgium isn't it!? lol any ways... it was not too too cold, but not warm either. My host mom, Marie-Anne, dropped me off two blocks away from school like usual on her way to work and I started to make my way to school. Not a clue as to what my day was about to present to me...

Le matin de vendredi etait merdique; (pardonnez-moi)le ciel etait tout gris et il etait menace de pleuvoir ... aaaaa mais attendez-vous; c'est normal ici en Belgique!! mdr ... hehe alors... il ne fait pas trop froid mais en meme temps, pas assez chaud non plus. :/ Ma maman d'acceuil m'a deposee comme d'habitude pres de l'ecole, sur le chemin de son travail et j'ai commence a marcher vers l'ecole, sans avoir la moindre idee de ce qui allait m'arriver ce jour-la.

The first hint I got that it was going to be a rather odd day presented itself before I even got to school. Normally I arrive at school 5 or 10 minutes before it begins and theres not usually a lot of other people going in (and especially not leaving) but on this day I found it hard to push through the swarm of elementary students who were all going in the opposite direction of me. (hello, don't they know what direction the school is in?!)

Le premier signe que ce jour-la allait etre un peu bizarre etait que l'entree de l'ecole etait grouillee de petits de l'ecole primaire; ils ont tous traverses la rue et continuaient dans la direction opposee a la mienne. (hellooooo?! Qu'est qu'il se passe?! Tout le monde a oublie ou est l'ecole ou quoi?!)

My school is surrounded by a 12 foot brick wall, making it somewhat difficult to see what is going on behind it but when I passed by a metal gate that allows you to see into the park area I realized that there wasn't anyone there. Am I really that late?? But I didn't even hear the bell. Picking up my pace a little bit, I entered through the main gate along with a couple other straggelers who were about to be as late as me. I passed my English teacher just inside the gates who laughed at me and said "Just going for a little stroll?" I thought he was referring to my tardyness so I just laughed along with him, thinking, "well he doesn't seem to care if I'm late or not :)" Then another teacher stopped me as I was walking towards the building and told me to follow the other students out back. ... if you say so...

Un mur brique, vers 12 metres en haut, s'encadre mon ecole alors c'est difficile voir a l'interieur mais lorsque j'etais passe par une grille qui me permet a voir au park de l'ecole, j'ai remarquee qu'il n'a personne-la. Etonne, je me dis: "est-ce que je suis si tard que je n'ai meme pas entendue le sonne du cloche!?" J'ai augmentee ma vitesse un peu et entrer a l'ecole avec un ou deux d'autres eleves qu' etaient devenu si tard comme moi. Je m'ai passe mon prof d'Anglais a l'entree de l'ecole et il a fait le remarque: "tu fais juste une petite promenade?" en rirent. J'ai cru qu'il etait parle de moi etre tarde et j'ai donc rire avec lui et je m'ai dis: "il s'en foue si je suis tarde ou pas... chouette:)" En train d'entree l'ecole, un autre prof m'arrete et me dit que je dois suivre les autres eleves au derriere de l'ecole... C 2 D...

Come to find out, earlier that morning someone who lives in the area had alerted the police of a possible bomb in the Jupiller beer factory that is across the road from my school. The police called the principle of both the schools (mine and the elementary that is across the road where my 4 host siblings go to school) and told them to evacuate the schools. All the elementary school kids went up the road to the Delhaze store ( a small grocery store close to Adriana's house) while all the highschool students were sent to 'le Maison Communale' which is a building just behind the school. (way to get us out of danger!!) :P

Le raison, on a decouvre, etait un menace d'un possible bombe dans l'usine de bierre Jupille qu'est situee aupres de mon ecole. Le police a appelle les directeurs des lycees pour les charger a evacuer les deux ecoles. Les petits ont ete envoyes a le parking du Delhaze et les eleves du lycee ont ete envoyes a le Maison du Communale qu'est juste derrier l'ecole. mdr (merci pour le bon protection:P)

Adriana and I waited for an hour in the parking lot of the building behind the school with the mess of other students who had also been directed to stay there. It started to rain but they wern't letting anyone leave (and I was beginning to feel more and more like somehow I'd gotten stuck in some demented in-color holocaust movie) Adriana and I schemed up a really great plan to excape... (walk past the teachers and down the sidewalk to her house) I know it sounds risky but some how we pulled it off. :P

On a attende pendant une heure dans le parking de la Maison Communale et meme quand il a commence a pleuvoir, les profs ne permettaient pas les eleves se retourner chez-eux! J'ai commencee a me sens si j'etais piegee dans un bizzar film couloure de l'Holocaust!! Heureusement, Adriana et moi, nous avons fabrique un bon programme d'action pour faire un echappe belle: passe les profs et marcher chez Adriana. mdr!!! dangereuse, non?!

We stayed at Adriana's house until 11:30 when I had to take the bus to my second and a half host families house. Right as I was leaving, host brother from hell, Romain, was arriving and he and his host mom started yelling at eachother then she started yelling at Adriana for leaving school early and how totally wrong and unacceptable it was... bla bla bla... errrrrrrr (!!!)

Il y a plusieurs des heures que nous avons restees chez Adriana et lorsque je suis sortis, le frere d'enfer, Romain, est entre(e) et lui et sa mere ont commences a dispute et pris elle disputai avec Adriana pour les raison completement inconnues... bla bla bla... eerrrrrrr (!!!)

Poor Adriana. I took the bus 67 to try to get to my families house in Belaire, not knowing that they have 2 bus 67s... one that goes to Belaire and one that ...doesn't. So guess what!

... yup you guessed it; I took the wrong one! Because I have an extremely strong American accent and because I was crying, someone gave me a ride the 5 kilometers distance to where I was supposed to be. (thank you so much for that... whoever you are, because if I had to walk there then I'd still be walking even now!

Pauvre Adriana. J'ai pris le bus 67 a Belaire car j'ai besoin prendre mes affaires de scrapbooking. Inconnue a moi, il a deux buses 67 et tout le deux conduirent les chemins completement different. Et moi, bien sur, a pris le bus que va dans le direction tres loin d'ou je veux aller. Grace a mon fort accent americain, et aussi parce que j'etais pleuree, quelqu'un m'a conduire jusqu'a Belaire, la destination ou il je faut aller (Merci au ciel parce que si non, je serais toujours marcher!!)

I ate lunch there with Michelle and Guillaume; Explained the adventures I had had so far that day and then around 2:30 Guillaume dropped me off at my house so I could finish packing to go to Heike's. My host dad took me to Guillmans (the train station) around 4 even though my train didnt come until 5:30 but that was ok because the last time I went to Germany, I missed my train so if I get there an hour and a half early then I would surely not miss it this time!!!

J'ai mangee avec Michelle et Guillaume a chez eux et j'ai expliquee tout mon histoire de mes aventures jusqu'a cette pointe et vers 2h 30, Guillaume m'a conduit jusqu'a chez moi car j'ai eu besion fini arranger mes affaires pour aller en Allemangne. J'ai attendue pour le train pendant 1h 30 a le gare de Guillmans car le dernier fois j'ai arrete mon train et j'ai raisonnee que si je suis la une heure tot je suis sur que je ne vais pas l'arrete.

Sure enough, I didn't miss the train. Surprise surprise:D I was nervous at first because the train that I took was like an ultra souped up train that goes faster than the others and it reminded me of being on an airplane... (It could have been the huge suitcase of Heike's that I was carrying around that made me think that I was about to get launched back into the US... :P)

... I'm not sure when I got so nervous of airplanes :/

Et bien sur, je n'ai manquee pas mon train!! surprise! D'abord, j'etais nervous car le train, c'est un model special pour les voyages loin et il me souviens comme un avion; je crois que c'est parce que j'etais apportee la grande valise d'Heike que m'a fait pensee de ca.

je n'ai aucune idee pourquoi je suis nervous des avions :/

The trip to Cologne is an hour and a half but then I had to change trains to go from Cologne to Pulheim where Heike and her friend would pick me up. My ticket was only good as far as Cologne, but the woman who sold it to me, told me that I could buy another ticket when I was on the second train. When the man checked my ticket (On the second train) I spoke to him in French, explaining that I only had a ticket to Cologne because the woman said that I could buy another one once I was on the train. He didn't understand anything in French, and after trying to explain something to me for like 10 minutes in German, he gave up and let me go!!! hehehehee From the train station, Heike and her friend took me to the school party... :D :D :D

Le voyage par train jusqu'a Cologne duree vers 1h 30 ou 2h mais moi, j'ai d^u prendre un autre train plus petit a Pulheim ou Heike et son ami me chercherais. Mon billet est bon pour seulement Liege - Cologne mais la femme qui le me vende, m'a dit que je peux acheter un autre billet lorsque je suis sur l'autre train. Quand le bon homme du train m'a demande pour mon billet, j'ai expliquee en francais ceux ci que la femme, elle m'a dit mais il ne parle pas en francais et apres 10 minutes de lui parler en allemagne, il l'a lasse tombe!!!! hehehehehe!! Pris, Heike et son ami, qui s'ont attendees pour moi au gare, m'a pris au fete de l'ecole... :D :D :D

ahhhhhh haaaaaaa; and now for the School Party: This time I came prepared for the 'fete' and brought good dance clothes (unlike the last time when I was caught in my cutsie long sleeved pink shirt with a dopie cartoon dog on the front that says 'avoir du chien.' *blushes*) I saw some of the people who I had met the last time and some new people who were just as friendly. One girl started a conversation with me about another girl being there who was also from America... she wasn't sure, but she thought she was from Maine also... About 2 and a half beers later I finally met this girl and... for some reason... she kinda looked... familiar...

aaaaaa et maintenent je vais vous expliquer le fete de l'ecole: Ce fois la j'etais preparee a dancer (car le dernier fois que je suis aller a une fete, j'apportai mon t-shirt rose avec un bete dessin d'un chien que dit: 'avoir du chien' *rouger*) J'ai rencontree des amis d'Heike qui j'ai deja vu le dernier fois et aussi du personnes qui, au debut, je n'ai connue pas mais qui etaient comme m^eme super sympa! Une fille m'a dit qu'elle connais une fille la qui est aussi des Etats-Unis... peut-^etre m^eme de Maine. 2 bieres et demi plus tard j'ai finallement la rencontree. Et elle a ete l'air... un peu... familliare...

"Hey did you go to Mt. View?" she asks me. OMG Kate Hall!? as in Mr. Hall's daughter; as in Adem Hall's sister; as in Clifford's neighbor!? omggggggggg!! Not only is she from Maine, but she went to the same school as me!! We have been randomly running into eachothers paths now for years!! It was so great to have someone to talk to, I felt like I've known her forever! (I guess it gets like that when you've been in a strange place for almost a year and when something from your 'normal' life comes into your 'out of the ordinary life' you automatically feel drawn to it) She has been studying Anthropology in England for the past 6 months but this is the last week she is here.

-Tu va au Mt. View? elle m'a dit. O M D!! Kate Hall?! Comme la soeur d'Adem Hall; Comme la fille de M. Hall; comme la voisine de Clifford!? oooooooooo mon dieu!!!!!! On a souvent traverse les meme rues!! Je me sens comme je la connais pendant toute ma vie!! (C'est comme ca lorsque vous ^etes dans un endroit etrange et quelque chose 'plus normalle' s'entree dans votre vie) Il y a 6 mois qu' elle a restee en Angleterre pour etudier Anthropologie mais ce weekend-la c'est son dernier weekend ici en europe :(

She was in Germany visiting her ex-GAPP exchange student from back when she was in school and he took her to the same school party that I went to with heike and voila that is how we met! Mathias and Heike swapped phone numbers before we left and we promised to get in touch on Thursday and do something, but heike text messaged him and he never responded. Its ok, I'll see her again I'm sure when I get back to the US of A

Elle etait en Allemagne pour aller pour voir son partner d'echange de GAPP de quand elle etait toujours au Mt. View. Mathias et Heike ont echange ses numero GSM avant on a parti et tout on a promet qu'on va faire quelque chose le jour apres mais Mathias n'a reponde pas lorsqu' Heike l'envoyer un SMS mais c'est pas grave. je suis sur que je vais rencontrer Kate encore quand j'arrive aux Etats-Unis.

And that about sums it up for... Wednesday! I'll save my tales of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for another post because this one is getting waaay to long.

Et ca c'est tout pour mercredi!! Je garderai mes histoires de jeudi, vendredi, et samedi pour un autre poste parce que ce poste-la est devien beaucoup trop longue!!!

-ciao

Just a little catching up to do
Mood:  a-ok

^ This was today... really. Adriana took that photo on my new dig. camera infront of my house. I know, I know, you thought I downloaded it off google. But your wrong (!!) its really belgium!! And this is exactly what last weekend looke like as well. The weather was wonderful all weekend and I even got a little red on my nose and shoulders.

I spent Saturday and Sunday with the Fauquenoit family; realizing that it is, most likely, the last chance I will get to see them before returning to America. That was a sad realization, but I can't be too upset because they are already planning on coming back to Maine next year, in the summer time!!

On May 1st, people give and recieve May Bells (flowers... I'm sure that isn't the right name, but anyways) the little white flowers that hang down, looking like bells... yup those. The Fauquinoit family gave me some before I took the train home that were so beautiful. Of coarse, upon my arrival back in Jupille, 3 hours later, they were somewhat less impressive... :/

(oufte! And my adventure home is a whole nother story!)

Thais, the Brazilian exchange student who they recieved in January is still there because her second host family is on vacation, but she will be moving shortly. Her french is really great, for only being there for 3 months, I'm pretty sure she knows as much as I do, and I've been here much longer. We didn't talk a lot, not like how I talk to Adriana, but she seemed really content there. (And she has every reason to be there... that family is soooo wonderful)


If it wasn't for the Fauquenoit family (and the Fayerson family, and Adriana (!!!)) being there when I really needed them, then I'm sure I would have terminated my exchange after 3 months. My only regret is not spending as much time with the Fauquenoit's as I wanted after I changed from my first host family.

Working my way backwards now: Wednesday was the Birthday of Amandine, Adriana's little host sister who is now 8. After school I went to her house to 'support that' and give Amendine her presents. Adriana bought her tons of diddl things. (Diddl is the white mouse cartoon like thing with the really big feet...remember? There is a photo of a diddl card I recieved on my Birthday in my '~And Ends' Album)

Ok stay with me here, because now I'm going to jump to next Thursday. We have a holiday, but I'm not sure what for, and 2nd and 1/2 host dad tried to explain it to me, but he didn't understand it either. I understood my School Journal to say that we didn't have school on friday after that either, but I think I'm wrong on that one. Oh well, I don't think I'll go anyways because if it all goes according to plans (as it seldom ever does) then I will be in Germany with Heike. Buuuuuuuuut... Jo, Heike's boyfriend, has hurt his back and I guess its not getting any better any time soon so that might put up a minor snitch in my plans... poop.

:(

poor jo...

poor me

... no just kidding ;))))))

I promised Christel that I would write more of my entries in French if she promised to read them but knowing that her computer isn't working correctly at the moment, I'll continue to write in english for now and then... maybe... my next entry will be in French. :)

...aaaaaaaaaand back to today. I skipped 3rd hour Geography to make a presentation in Mm. Bemeur's English class about highschools in America. I brought my yearbooks, and the DVD Mean Girls that I was going to show them, like I did for my French class... just in a different language. It was all set up and I was ready to start when I realized that the teacher wasn't there that day.

...grrrrrr

But its hard to stay angry ( with anyone for any reason) on such a beautiful day... because they are just so rare!! **we must improve the moment**

Tomorrow it will rain.

I'm such an optimist... :)

Saturday (oufte here we go again) was Laurie Fauquenoit's birthday and my mom made a little 'fete' for her. That evening while I was at her house (and she, at mine... ironic, right!?) I called to wish her a happy birthday.
**Mom answered**
I guess "we had a bad connection" at first because I said "hi mom! is Laurie there?" but all she heard was "- is laurie there?" so she passed the phone off. When Laurie took the phone, I wished her a happy birthday and she said "thanks... who is this?" -"ugh! its tracy! Didn't my mom tell you!?"

lol nope.

"bad connection" ... sure. This can only be the work of one thing... and phoneline isn't it, mom. :P


Because I live so close to school now, my mom wrote me permission to leave school at noon time to eat at home, but to get a real signed paper from the school saying that I can leave was another story. I had everything that I needed to finish the document except for a photo and the people were being so anal about it... like "well if you don't have a photo, even just for today, you can't leave" so I went and talked with Mm. Garot (the sous-directrice) or vice principle about it. She granted me permission just for that day and said to come back later to have my picture taken.

Later that week when I went back (during my Sciences Sociales class, because that was when she asked to see me) just to have a quick photo. It would have taken all of 3 seconds to do, but Mm. Garot was inspired and decided to take me all over the school, getting photos of me... "here with the lilacs" ... "there on the bench" ... "with the Magnolia tree" ... "put your hands like this"... so on and so fourth...

Its rather funny to see this strict Vice Principle going and doing random things like that. My whole S. S. class was in the TV Lab. watching a film and they could see me walking back and fourth all over the school with the V. P. and I'm sure they found that kinda funny...

being out of character once in a while never hurt anyone.

I know I've done more since the last time I wrote, but I forget (I have that right you know; its 12:10 in the morning here on a Monday night... Tuesday Morning to be exact)

Adriana came over today and we took pictures with my new camera. Those are in my May Album. Check that some time! :)

Ok that is allllll for now.
-ciao

IHOP a chez Duschesne

INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES AT THE DUSCHESNE RESIDENCE

Today we had an American style breakfast for lunch. Bernard, my host dad made the pancake batter and started to cook the pancakes but then I took over about half way through. (me... cooking?... I know what you're thinking) but surprisingly they all turned out alright and my family liked them. We also had bacon, sausage, and eggs. Marie-Anne, my host mom, invited some friends over and their two children so there was 11 of us in all.

Like yesterday, it was sunny until later in the afternoon, but it hasn't started raining yet. In the morning from 10 to 11 I went for another walk with my host siblings. All 5 of us went on this excursion, not just Guillaume and Charles, like yesterday. It was a much shorter trail than the rabit path, but because Laure was with us so it took longer.

--whooops, spoke too soon. It just started downpouring.--

**Welcome to Belgium**

The rest of the day (so far... because it isn't over yet) I spent with my host family, enjoying the sunshine. What a beautiful Sunday afternoon it was.

I've added tons of new photos to my Duschesne Family Album that were taken today.

enjoy! -ciao