Lycée and meeting the Mayor!

Hey all you Aussies...


I ate vegemite this morning just to be patriotic and boy did it taste good!!! A nice change from choc croissantes and brioches dipped in coffee.
















Monday was my first day at Lycée Jaufré Rudel (My highschool). I have been stuck in premiere sx which is science extension (Oh God I thought I was through with chemistry). And if Mrs. McLean thinks that the chemistry we were taught at Somerville was university level then what they learn here must be like PHD material! Of course it's all in French so I just let my lab partner answer the questions cause I obviously wasn't going to be of any help! Good thing he knows what he is doing.


I sat through Histoire/Geo having absolutely no clue what the teacher was saying. My classmates are really nice though and I've made friends with a small group of girls as the class is mostly guys!


Yesterday Chihiro (a Japanese exchange student) and I were presented to the mayor's conseille of Bordeaux. The ceremony celebrates each new season of wine growing and the wine growers from the different regions of the Gironde dress up in funny little costumes, dink wine all day long and parade around the city of Bordeaux in the freezing cold! I got a little photo signed by the Mayor of Bordeaux (people here think that he could be the next president of France so he is kind of like a celebrity!).




















I've included some photos of my arrival and of the ceremony yesterday.


Keep the comments coming!

Tana I can't wait to see the third season of Grey's Anatomy! Tell me what happens!!! (I think I'm suffering from major Grey's withdrawal) And people have to tell me what happens on The OC! Kym your comments are v random but much appreciated none the less. I like your style!

I miss all of you and love you heaps xxx

Lots of hugs and kisses, Phoebe.

In France at last!!!

Hey! I finally found an internet cafe tucked away in one of the side streets here. I am trying my best to use this french keyboard while breathing in tonnes of smoke from the guys playing pool in the next room.

This place is great. It has the usual country town charm, having only one of every type of shop and everyone seems to know everyone else so i get strange looks on the street cause they recognise me as a foreigner. I like the attention though. People here think that australia some exotic country millions of miles away (which it is i suppose!) so they are constantly asking me questions about my strange country.

The conversations usually goes like this: "Salut! Je m'appelle Phoebe et je suis une etudiente d'echange d'Australie"

... and the reply: "Ah Australie! Vraiment? Kangaroo oui??"

Yes everyone here just knows Australia as the land of the Kangaroo or Steve Irwin!

I arrived here safely after 3 long plane trips with a bunch of rotary students wearing the same bottle green blazers. Us 3 aussies flying into the same district were greeted by a large party of Rotarians and host parents. We were suffocated by hugs and kisses (I quickly learnt that you kiss first on the left and only kiss twice otherwise you may be mistaken for a Parisien!). It was difficult to stay awake for the remainder of the day. I found myself awake at 2 o'clock the next morning and I was not able to go back to sleep.

I have since recovered frm my jetlag and am eagerly awaiting the start of school. I was meant to start 2 days ago but it snowed during the night and blocked all the roads (something that hasn't happened for 10 years) so school was cancelled and all the shops were shut. So I have been spending my days wandering the town and getting to know the locals. And I have been practicing for my audition for the "L'ecole de Musique" which has also been put back due to the snow!

Tomorrow I go to Bordeaux with Chihiro (a japanese exchange student) so I can shop. YAY! I need to buy a ski jacket as my current winter clothes just don't cut it in this weather!

Thanks for all your comments. I feel very loved. I will post again soon and tell you about school.

à toute a l'heure... Phoebe xoxoxoxoxo

P.S. I'm not sure how to download photos here so I will send some when I have the chance!

WATCH THIS SPACE!!!

Hey Everyone!!! This is where I'll be posting pics and keeping you up to date on my life in France! 3 days to go YAY...