Pontrieux Life

So, I haven't posted in a while because I've been super busy! The rest of les vacances were great. I visited the beach, and another American AFS exchange student, my friend Natalie, came to visit and stay with my host family for a few days. School has been back in session for 3 weeks, and every day is packed! I've taken my first tests for each of my classes. Some of them were super intense and crazy hard, but I think I did really well in History. I've had to study really hard and try lots of new things- for example, kayaking! Every Friday, my gym class walks to the river that runs through the center of our little town, (here's a picture:)

and we gear up for kayaking led by a local instructor and the school's gym teacher. It's really fun but also challenging! When we do exercises, like navigating obstacles and different paddle techniques, it can be difficult to understand what the instructions are, and navigate a kayak at the same time! But I'm loving it. Most Fridays we end school an hour early so I go with my friends and host sister to the little supermarket to buy snacks and hang out in a little park by the river. These are the times when I realize how much progress I've made with my French- conversations are starting to come so easily!

Spring is here and it's soo beautiful. The weather is finally sunny and there are huge fields of bright yellow flowers blooming everywhere, called Colza:

I've got an official AFS weekend coming up in Brest. I'm going to take the train and meet up with all the other exchange students in my area and stay for the weekend. Then the weekend after that, I'm going to Ireland! I'm super excited!

In other news, my host sister and I have become really close. She's very smart and interested in language and travel, and expressed interest in doing an exchange program. Our families have decided that she will return to the U.S. with me in July, and live with us for 3 months. I'm looking forward to showing her my home, and hopefully being able to help her as much as she has helped me here.

Anyways, that's the update! Til next time!