I started my vacation with a very normal way which was sleeping in, baking cookies with Faustine and hanging out with her and her friends. I think because of this day of rest, I was able to get through the coming week with an adequate amount of energy.
I was at the Gare bright and early Tuesday morning to take a bus to the beautiful coastal city of Dinard. The two hour ride there didn't feel that long since Eliza and I were chatting it up like we always do. So it was a good day from the start. It got better as we (mostly just I) danced in the water and climbed on the rough rocks. I may or may not have gotten a few cuts on my feet from that. After walking and admiring the sea on one side and the beautiful villas on the other, we stopped to eat some fish and chips. We wished the fish hadn't resembled fish sticks so much and that the chips were a little more cooked but at least we had full tummies. We then ended our time there by walking around and buying some souvenirs and lollipops. Even though our socks were full of sand by the time we had to go back to the bus stop, we were both very happy ladies. Both having lived by the beach most all our lives, it was great hearing the seagulls and feeling the sand between our toes. I will say that I love and miss Colorado and the mountains, but for me, nothing beats an ocean view.
Lucky for me I went to the ocean again the next day with Eliza and our Tailandese friend, Sirin. We had a little trouble finding St. Malo from the Gare because Sirin's Google Maps went all wacky. It told us that we were miles off the coast half of the day... We eventually got there and started shopping for presents and souvenirs. We also got a little desert which name starts with an 'a' (sorry for my weak memory) that is by far one of my favorite things I've eaten in France thus far. It's kind of like a cinnamon roll except less fluffy and instead of white icing it's just sugar. We also ate at a fancy-ish seafood restaurant where I ordered an amazing pizza, Sirin ordered a pot of muscles that you could eat forever because they were so good, and Eliza ordered a shrimp pasta (I don't really like shrimp so...). We took a stroll around the exterior of the whole walled town and I noticed a statue of Jacques Cartier! It's interesting for me because I remember dressing up like him and telling my 5th grade class all about his life in first person with a truly horrific french accent, never thinking I would come to his homeland! The tide also went down a great deal so we walked over to a castle that is only accessible at that time and because Sirin and Eliza weren't feeling like it, I walked alone on the wet, partially broken path around the castle that was under at least six feet of water not that long ago. I don't think I will ever get tired of exploring tide pools or even just walking on the beach. I'm a little bummed because I think this fourth time at Saint Malo was my last time there and at the beach. I didn't want to leave but I have to say I was happy getting off my very sore feet that evening when I got back home. In fact, the whole next day was me resting and taking a load off.
Maxent still had school this past week, Stephane and Natalie both had work so that left Faustine and I watching Gossip Girl and eating pasta in our PJs most of the day. Some people may see this as wasting one of my last few days here in France but I wouldn't say it was! I watched TV in French and had some quality time with my amazing host sister! Also that evening, Stephane told me the recipe he uses to make galettes. I can't wait to make them for my family back in the States.
Friday was a busy day that began with a picnic in a park with Faustine and her friends whom she had at her school before she started going to St. Genevieve. I've met them all before but that was about five months ago, so it was nice being able to actually communicate with them this time around. After that Faustine and I met up with Eliza and Faustine's friend, Colleen at Musee Beaux Arts. I'm a little bummed I didn't go there more because I passed by it everyday and it is a big musume without being too intimidating to go though. We got through it in just about two hours, even though I could've spent all day there. There were even Picasso pieces and pieces from the Louvre! Faustine doesn't like museums that much but she wanted to spend some time with me anyway since I was leaving in just a mere eight days! She doesn't like to go out all that often so I was really happy she came and when we all went for ice cream after I bought her cone for her. She and Colleen then left to hang out with some other friends. With our last few hours before the bus home, Elia and I did the last of our gift shopping and (not proudly) ate dinner at a popular fast food restaurant called Quick. We didn't hear good things about it but we both really wanted to see for ourselves why it was popular instead of wondering for the rest of our lives.
After we took to bus to my town (Eliza was spending the night), we got some ice cream at the store, sat on a skate ramp by the soccer fields and told Faustine to come and bring spoons. After she came with her friend, Erika, we all sat, talked and I showed Erika how to do a yoga sun salutation! Some other friends of Faustine happen to walk by so they spent the next hour playing the violin for us and talking with us. Since it doesn't become truly dark until about 23:00, it is a lot easier and less nerve racking for the parents to let us be out late.
The next morning Eliza and me went to the big market in Rennes for the last time. We didn't even buy anything expect some macarons, but it was nice to take it all in one last time. Leaving the market, we made our way over to Saint Anne to sit at a cafe, drink some delicious Bretagne cider and crepes. I felt kind of bad because all morning Eliza was making some obvious hints that she wanted me to invite her to a music festival that night in Thorigne Fouillard but I don't want to spend all my last two weeks in France with just her because first of all she gets a little of my nerves after a while, not to mention a whole 24 hours and second, I don't want to spend it with just any one person! I'd rather spend time continuing to meet new, French people or spend time with people I would like to build stronger relationships with. The festival wasn't super amazing anyway, it was good and fun but it just wasn't anything special. Faustine, her friends and me didn't even stay that long. We went and hung out at a nearby park playing truth or dare. I picked truth every time because you know how the french can be... Overall it was in fact a good night with good people.
Fetes des Peres (Father's Day) was Sunday so we went to Natalie's parent's house for some orange juice and snacks, then to Stephane's mother's house for a very savory, very french lunch like always and also like always, Faustine, Maxent and I sat eating candy and watching American Dad while the adults chatted away. Just to note: I find that french television commercials are a little more out there. Not in an inappropriate way, but in a 'different sense of humor than America' way. Not bad, in fact it makes TV quite interesting sometimes!
After cake and coffee at Stephan's brother's house, we went over to the hospital here Stephane's dad was staying. He lives there now because Stephane's mother couldn't take care of him alone anymore. The room was plane and a little darker but his dad was in high spirits as we sat and visited with him. He thought I was the oldest sister, Ombeline, half the time but that was okay. We stayed there for about thirty or fortyfive minutes before heading home for a late dinner, organizing plans for the following week and then hitting the hay.
I can confidently say I had a really good first week of vacation! I'm now on to face my final week here in France. The closer the day comes, the less homesick I become and the more I want to stay. It's hard not knowing if I'll ever have the money to come back and see my family and friends here again. It's a wonderful, beautiful, historic country that can never be explored enough. I'm going to really take it all in my final week. I have even more planned than this past week! I also have a feeling it will be more of an emotional week. The crying still hasn't come, but just writing this last paragraph is giving me a lump in my thought. I've never had such a strong bitter sweet feeling. Bitter because I'm leaving this home. Sweet because I'm going home. There are so many feeling and so few words to describe them with. I will tell you this, I have a feeling that for the rest of my life, my craving for adventures will be a hard thing to keep at bay, and it scares me that it has to be at bay. I guess I have to also trust that the next thing chapter in my life won't keep me hung up on the last one.
My next blog will be posted on Friday or Saturday night. I'll also write one or two more blogs after that because I'm sure I'm going to get hit with reverse culture shock and also because the exchange doesn't end right when I get home. I still have to show my friends and family the new culture I've learned so much about! But I will worry about impressing my family later, I still have another week to conquer.
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