Noël (et marché de Noël)

Merry Christmas everyone!

I understand now why people get lonely around Christmas- thinking of all the family traditions, happy memories... Fortunately for me, I have a really great host family and I got to take part in their family traditions.

In France it's not stockings by the fireplace but souliers (shoes) under the tree. Christmas dinner lasted four hours, and consisted of salad, lamb, green beans, bread, cheese, exotic fruits, cake and chocolate. After that we played board games late into the night... and then another long game session today. Tomorrow I'm going to Portugal with my host family!

Following are the photos of the Christmas market at Montbéliard.

This last photo is of the cake we served yesterday. Remark the tiny fire in the fireplace.

Wintertime fun!

Something cool happened over here- snow! For some reason, I got really excited about this. I know it's just snow, but... it's french snow!

I took part in several wintertime activities- Christmas markets, an AFS party in Dijon, and ice-skating with my friends. It's been jolly! Besançon has all its decorations up and I will be admiring them as I join the crowds in late-in-the-game Christmas shopping.

This was one of the first days that it really snowed. Big feathery snowflakes drifting down in clouds as I walked to the bus stop. It was really magical.

At the AFS party in Dijon we got to walk around a little before dinner.
Wow. All I can say is wow.
Dijon is beautiful. It's a little unreal to see these medieval buildings that are now cell phone stores or high-end fashion boutiques. There was the smell of hot wine mixing with smoke and crisp air, fountains and carousels and castles and a ferris wheel. And then we went back inside for a multicultural potluck and a pretty awesome dance party.

A few days later I went ice-skating with friends from my lycée. Gagnam Style on ice.
Oh yes.

Walk around the block

Not much has been happening. I'm sorry. School is typically from 8 or 9 o'clock to dark (6 o'clock), and while I'm learning a lot, I haven't been getting out much. My biggest accomplishment this week was watching an episode of the very popular "Joueur du Grenier" and UNDERSTANDING IT. Yes!

So anyway, today I took a walk around the block. Cars honked at me, a man on the steet corner yelled at me unintelligibly, my fingers were freezing, and I took these photos: