The Trip!

DAY 1:
Like I was saying I got on the train and one of the longest 5 days ever started. It was a five hour train trip filled with PSP, Ipod, you know the usual. The only thing is that some of the girls sitting close to me thought it might be fun to play really loud music. Not only was it loud though it was bad, and it didn't go too well with Bob Dylan. It was kind of hard to do much of anything, but I'm used to long periods of sitting with annoying noise. (I've driven across America with my family.)
When we got there, we got settled into our rooms, and it definitely wasn't the Comfort Inn. It wasn't bad, but our neighbors found multiple cockroaches on the walls (It's all part of the experience.) We we walked down to the town, to check it out, and it was pretty cool. It's just a really small town with a lot of tanned old French people, but it's really beautiful with the beach and the sun, and the French. After that we went back to our complex, where we were fed, somewhat okay food. It was definitely better than airplane food, but not quite as good as home made. It was definitely a long day considering that I got up at 5, and after dinner we had "activities" till 10:20. It was then I decided it was going to be a long week.
DAY 2:
Day 2 was upon me and today was sailing! Got up, ate breakfast, and found my group. I was in the group that did big boat in the morning little boat in the afternoon. They told us to go get our jackets at which point i realized i had forgot my rain jacket at school. So I ended up wearing my Vermont Law sweatshirt, which i semi-regretted, but at least i was still some-what warm, and I definitely represented. The big boat was fun, but everything was in french, so i was a little lost, but i got to pull some ropes. The little boats how ever were much worse. You manned a very small boat with two of your other class mates, with no adults. Boy could that instructor yell. I was always doing something wrong, but i never really figured out what since he was yelling in French. It was fun though, and after dinner we played activities.
DAY 3:
Today was an interesting day, we were piled into a boat and went for about half an hour until we got to a small Southern France town where all the houses looked the same. We got out, and were told that we were going snorkeling. In the beginning I thought "This'll be great.", and i guess i was about a quarter right. There was definitely a lot of salt in my mouth at the end though. I swallowed so much salt my lips felt puffy at the end. It was kinda fun though we got to see fish in the water, but I would've gone for an aquarium because at least they don't stuff you in a blue suit that is obviously way too tight. Anyway, after that we got back on the boat, and they took us to another town that looked almost exactly the same except this one had naked grandma's on the beach (something you should look out for in France). But they let us have two hours of free time which was fun because basically I just walked around with friends, and got a magnet, and some postcards for my moms birthday. It was cool talking to the people, and you can definitely tell the difference in accents between Paris and the South of France. After that they finally took us back to our place, where we ate, did activities, and trudged to bed.
DAY 4:
The second to last day, well really the last day since Day 5 is just packing up, and heading home.
But anyway, today was really a repeat of Day 2, but this time we had to do everything ourselves, which was scary on the big boat considering we had almost tipped it about a dozen times. But we managed alright, partly because there wasn't much wind in the afternoon, but the highlight was when we turned on the motor, filled a bucket of water and threw it on some unlucky classmates in the little boats. When we tried to do it a second a time though Quentin accidently threw water on Niloy, who was in our boat. After lunch it was time for the afternoon activity, which of course was sailing in the little boats. Luckily for me though this time the guys we got spoke English, and they didn't yell as much. That night we played our final activity, and when i went to bed I began to think of my home in Paris, and i realized that, that was really the first time I had thought of Paris as my home, which was stange, but comforting.
DAY 5:
Finally we were going home! The morning was filled with packing, packing, and more packing. Many people found that they had a lot of stuff stolen, lucky for me I had all my posessions with me. We got on the bus, that took us to the train, that took us home. I was so glad to be home although it wasn't the most welcoming weather. It had been warm in the South of France, and we came into rainy weather, but that was just Paris. Apparently there was a mix up because I thought I was supposed to go home alone, when my mom thought she was picking me up, so I left and ten minutes later, my mom came, but we found each other at home, and all I was well. I just wanted to lie down for a while

Pre-Trip

Okay, first I'll fill you in on what the trip is exactly. Then entire high school is put into a train, and we go to the south of France where we get to sail for a week, and do various activities. Pretty much EVERYONE goes. But with the combined power of my mother and I, we turned in the form late. And let me tell you there was stress. They said they had already booked all the train seats, and I could only go if someone backed out. So for like the next we crossed our fingers, but we pretty much had it in our heads it wasn't going to be. I believe my grandma said, "It would be nice if someone got hurt...not bad, just sick or temporary injury." And LUCKILY for me someone changed their mind. I was on. Now you have two choices on the trip Sport, or Culture. Which is pretty much go sailing, or go to museums. Obviously i took sport. The only problem with that was that I had to take a swimming test. But that's not the problem I was worried about. In France apparently you must wear a Speedo to take the swimming test. Being an American I'm not so used to that. But it wasn't that bad. Not that I would even CONSIDER wearing one in front of my American friends. So that was done. On a funny note though at the pool we saw these people filming one of those exercise videos with a fake beach background and hardcore music going. (It wasn't Denise Austin). I don't remember the exact date at that time, but it was getting closer to the date of the trip (Sep. 29th) I went over to Marcos's house again, and played Halo and went to McDonald's again. But FINALLY the trip was apon me, and I had my backpack of stuff to do in the train, and my bag of a weeks provisions. So at like 5 something, mom and I got on the metro to get to the train station. Mom had the route planned out in her head. So we got in took a couple of stops got off, and looked at the map. And from the looks of it, mom had taken us exactly where we weren't supposed to go. But she was determined. "No, no I saw it on the computer, there's got to be a way from here." But no matter how long she stared and shook her head she never found it. So I did the navigating from then on. When we got to the staion it was madness. I didn't really know where I was supposed to go. Mom was like, "How can you not know where you're supposed to go! Don't you see anyone from your class!? Your dad is going to have a heart attack ifyou get left behind and we still have to pay!" Finally I saw someone from my school. I pointed frantically and yelled, "HER! She's in my class! Follow her!" So we followed her and some other lost looking students from my grade and till we got there. Relief and satisfaction were in the air. I kissed my mom goodbye, and waited for and hour and a half before I got on that "Midnight Train to Georgia", I mean "7:20 train to the South of France".

Lets get serious: Filling you in

Okay everyone, I'm gonna get serious and fill you in like crazy. I've worn a speedo, been sailing, danced techtonic, and eaten Ethiopian food. I'm gonna try to split this up into different sections

• Pre-Trip
• The Trip!
• After the Trip to now

Lets do this.