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Bio
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September 4 Journal & Pictures - "We're
greeted by a large group of Rotarians who start speaking rapid fire French
to us; we promptly forget that one French phrase we'd practiced over and
over again." |
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November 19 Journal - "It’s hard to
resist French chocolate, and French bread. And cheese. Yes, the strong
cheese that I actually dreaded when I arrived, I now love. I guess that’s
the difference." |
| January 31 Journal - "I
made snow balls, had snow fights, made snow angels, and tried to make a
snowman... all without gloves, since I'd forgotten them at home." |
| June 1 Journal & Pictures
- "Yes, my dear readers, I have fallen into the typical Exchange Student
pitfall - not only have I fallen in love with my country, I feel like I am
French." |
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Brianna's Bio
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 Bonjour, mes amis! My name's Brianna and I am 17 years old
and closing. I am a senior at Paxon School for Advanced Studies and going to be
an exchange student to France for the next year. I have two younger
step-brothers, one younger step-sister, one older step-sister, and one older
brother. I live with my mom and step-dad during the week and my dad and step-mom
on weekends. I have two cats, one dog, and a bird.
Besides helping out with my little siblings, I also enjoy
the performing arts, spending time with my youth group at church, and
playing with my pets. At my school, I am the President of the Bible Club and
Secretary for our International Thespian Society troupe. I am very active in
the theater and film, along with dancing. I often go Swing Dancing with
friends on Friday nights. I also love to take random pictures of things I
find beautiful (usually nature).
I hope that this year will extend beyond a resumé
of skills and help me to understand other cultures better. I also can't deny
that, though a little scared and nervous, I am extremely curious to what
this year will bring. As Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "Life was meant to be
lived, and curiosity must be kept alive." So I plan to live this year fully
and enjoy every curious minute of it! Thank you Rotary so much for this
amazing opportunity and life changing experience! |
September 4 Journal & Pictures
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It's
about 6:30ish in the morning in France and I feel this rush of anxious
excitement and "Am I really here," shared by the 30 or so exchange students
getting off the plane. We're greeted by a large group of Rotarians who start
speaking rapid fire French to us, to which we promptly forget that one
French phrase we'd practiced over and over again on the plane. I find my
counselor, who luckily speaks English, and get through the preliminary
questions about baggage. Then, after a two hour drive and a quick meal with
my host club, I meet my host family at their/our house in Yzeure.
My town is actually three towns by name, but one town by proximity. I live
in Yzeure, one of the three towns of Moulins. My host family is really sweet
and my host Mom has dedicated herself to making me fluent in French. She
works on my pronunciation for about 30 minutes a day if she can. This past
week has not only been my first week in the country, but also the last week
of Summer Vacation here in France. My host mom, who is a school nurse, has
taken me on a whirlwind of activities I won't be able to do during the
school year. So far I've gone on a kayak/canoe trip, gone to an American
Jazz concert (which is apparently very popular here), gone a horse and cart
ride (which my host father drove), gone on some escapades with my host
family, signed up for my classes at school (10 of them!), went to a
traditional French Dance, and visited a Town called Vichy. Like I said, a
whirlwind.
Vichy was interesting. They have this water there that is suppose to help
you, health wise. My host mom had me try all the different types, which
there were about 8, while she said, "This one helps with digestion" or "this
one helps the pancreas" and so on. They all tasted like metallic, warm, tap
water to me, so it was nice to hear my host mom tell me that most young
people aren't particularly fond of the taste either. The traditional dancing
was also a lot of fun. Apparently, the Traditional Dance for France if a mix
of the Waltz, the Polka, and Line Dancing. Well I know how to Waltz and Line
Dance, but the Polka was difficult!
I haven't had much culture shock yet, past the showers being so different. I
think my biggest change so far has been me getting a cat. Yes, a cat. On my
first full day in France I go on a horse and cart ride with my host family
and in the woods we find these baby kittens someone has dumped. Well my
family takes pity on them and me and my host sister beg them into taking one
home to be our cat. They asked me to name it, and after much deliberation, I
choose Florida, since it's where I'm from and my host family's daughter,
Hélène, is staying. It's absolutely adorable!
I also start school tomorrow and I have to say I'm nervous and excited.
According to my family, I speak French OK, but my comprehension...well...
that's still coming along! Still, I'm excited to find out what this year has
in store for me through places and experiences!
Hope everything is going good with all my comrades at the different parts of
the world also!
Brianna
A small castle near
my house |
My house |
Host mom, host sister, and the new cat |
A place in Vichy to get
the "healing water" |
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November 19 Journal
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Monday you end at 4pm, Tuesday at 6pm, Wednesday at
9am (but
come back for 1 to 3), Thursday at 3:30pm, and Friday at 5pm. And you start
every morning at 8am, except Thursday. Then, lucky you, you start at 9am...
Welcome to the French School System, which is more
confusing than I could have imagined. For a few weeks I didn’t even know I
was missing a class and often I find my class has changed rooms. Also "Gym"
class here, I found, doesn't mean basketball, Ping-Pong, volleyball, or even
normal athletics. It means gymnasium for the gymnast... Like the Olympics.
Very Different.
Life is good, though, here in France. My host family keeps
me busy with weekend trips to Lyon, traditional dancing, hiking, and movies.
I went to a film festival in my town and really liked it. My host mom bought
me a ticket for ten entrees plus a cine-concert, and the final film. I saw
three sets of short films, 4 foreign films, 3 French films, and 1 Belgium
Film, which I preferred. Quite funny.
Also the vacation just finished. My host mom kept me busy
in the countryside for most of it. The first Thursday and Friday of it I
walked around some small towns near Clermont Ferrand with my host family....
And hiked a Volcano. Yes a Volcano. There are actually three chains of
Volcanoes in France... All relative close together and all relatively close
to me... And all inactive and gorgeous. The one I hiked was called "Le Puy
de Dome" and it's 1465 meters tall. The following Saturday and Sunday were
filled with family Birthday's and the Monday I spent biking around and
visiting my town. That Tuesday I went to a small Halloween party with a few
friends. It was fun, consisting of face painting, eating, dancing a lot,
playing charades, and singing karaoke with out the words. I then went hiking
in the countryside for three days with my host mom and aunt. We hiked a lot
of small mountains (or at least mountains to me) and another Volcano, "Le
Puy Mary", which is 1787 meters. The first time I hated it, but now I
actually like hiking. The last two days of the vacation I rested because I
caught a cold, which has luckily disappeared now.
But, alas, as I said the vacation is over and school has
recommenced. This means people asking me for corrections on their English
and political conversations. Politics are hot here with the change in
politics in America and the upcoming election here. People often ask me my
opinion here on the American politics, to which I carefully choose my
response and often choose the route of "I don’t really like politics" to
avoid a debate that would be very difficult for me. Though I understand most
now, it’s still hard to talk. But, day by day, it’s getting better.
Now I look forward to Noel and cooking a Thanksgiving
dinner. I explained Thanksgiving to them and they liked the idea of
celebrating it with me so they can understand it better. I have to say, as
good as French food is, I’m looking forward to Pumpkin Pie.
Speaking of food, I’ve gained weight here, so I’m now
biking to school. It’s hard to resist French chocolate, and French bread.
And Cheese. Yes, the strong cheese that I actually dreaded when I arrived, I
now love. I guess that’s the difference. I’m changing here, but not in any
dramatic ways or all of a sudden, but little things little by little. I like
cooking, walking the dog, and hiking. I can actually clean the house without
leaving soap suds behind. I understand things that I never thought I would
in French. I’ve adapted to the French way of life and love it…
"Je suis contente de ma vie." |
January 31 Journal
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Host dad pulls jokes on me all the time!
January: It’s finally happened! One week ago I wake up and
my thoughts are something like "It’s the weekend! No it's Tuesday. I hate
Tuesday'. Blah. It's such a long day. What's that I smell? It smells like
wet dog. I bet it's the dog. Or maybe some old socks. Etc, etc." You get the
gist. I stumble out of bed and, after dragging myself into the hallway next
to the door to the outside, my host dad asks me if I've looked outside
today. My thought: "No of course I haven't. I just woke up." He then opens
my door.
A slight gust of wind blows in and I look outside and one
word fills my head. It has first filled the outside, and continued to fill
the outside for the ENTIRE day. It trickles down quickly to my mouth as I
(some what scream) the words: NNNNNNEEEEIIIIGGGGEEEEE! (Which translates
into: SSSSSSSSNNNNOOOOWWWWW!) I made snow balls, had snow fights, made snow
angels, and tried to make a snowman... All without gloves, since I'd
forgotten them at home.
End of the day comes at 6pm and I wait outside the school
for my host mom. The busses aren't running, too much snow. Though aren't
running today either. Anyways, I wait for 40 minutes, and my excitement for
the snow has died out. I now just want it to stop. It doesn't, of course. I
try calling my host mom's cell. No answer. I call the house. My sister
answers: "The car isn't working, can you catch a ride?" My response:
"Everyone's gone."
"Then you're going to have to walk home. Sorry." That's a
20 to 30 minute walk. I'm freezing. So I stop into my counselor's house, who
lives in town, and ask for a ride. They say yes, thankfully, and I get home
around 8pm. Anyways, because of all the snow I officially had my first snow
day. :D! I was very, very happy. Yeah for Snow!
Then last weekend I spent the weekend with Rotary! It was
so much fun to spend the weekend with all my different Rotary friends again,
seeing how we’ve changed, and meeting the Rotex here! I met two old exchange
students who went to District 6970 (one in Jacksonville, one in
Gainesville). But I have to say my high point of the weekend was when I
arrived and got to spend some time with my exchange sister,
Emma Roux! She looked so different!
I only stayed with her for 30 minutes, because she had to go, so I didn’t
get a picture of her. But I’m hoping to spend a week with her in April!!!
The saddest thing that happened is my host sister in my
new family just left for a year in Canada. That was sad, because I really
got attached to her. But I’m hoping to see her this summer and she says
she’ll try and make a trip down to Florida at some point…. Still it was hard
to see her go.
I have now been here 5 months, though it doesn’t seem like
it’s been that long. I’m starting to think about when I’m going home now and
it’s a scary thought! I don’t want to leave! I’ve heard other exchange
students say that before, but it never felt so real until now…
But I must think of other things, and there are plenty of
other things to think about. Oh la vie, la vie … la vie of a Rotary Exchange
Student…. A year that is unforgettable.
A bientôt !
Brianna |
June 1 Journal & Pictures
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Every
day I walk to the same school, go to the same classes, see the same people.
I know what stores I like, which clubs have the best reputations, and where
to go when I need a quite place. I know the local sport teams, the market
workers, and the local political subjects. I know about cheese, bread, and
wine tasting. If someone stopped me on the street, except for my “petite
accent”, they would think I’ve lived here my whole life…
And every evening when I open my window to close my shutters, and I hear the
bids singing and I feel the spring wind, and see the cute house tops of the
neighbors, I think: “Do I really have to leave this in two months?”
Yes, my dear readers, I have fallen into the typical Exchange Student
pitfall - not only have I fallen in love with my country, I feel like I am
French. I’m having the typical mixed feelings of wanting to come home and
see my family and friends and at the same time not wanting to leave. I’m
nervous about being accepted by my friends, knowing I’ve changed and that
they must have too. And, in the middle of all this confusion inside my mind,
trying to stay concentrated for the end of the year exams. Life, as usual in
May, has been hectic.
My days are filled with reviewing for the final exams, theatre, and
“football”. I am currently performing the theatre here with a local troupe.
We have four shows, total, and my family, who came to see me about two weeks
ago, even got a chance to see one. They were very surprised to see me
performing the theatre…In French! And yes, this sports-hating, theatre girl
has now become a soccer fan. I now often help my little brothers, ages 8 and
12, with soccer practice, before heading to my accordion lessons.
I am also with my third, and final, family now and quite happy. They treat
me as one of the family. I even got a birthday card from my “French
Grandparents”, that I’ve never even met, who said that “Our daughter
considers you her daughter. She loves you very much. Therefore, we are your
grandparents”… Yes, I’ve had a “successful” exchange - a new family, life
long friends, and a new country that I now call home. I often get asked,
now, “When are you coming back?” And, as much as I’m looking forward to my
return to the US and continuing my life there, I answer:
“Soon. Very Soon. Now that I know the France, how can I live with out it?”
Me with exchange student friends during our bus tour |
Presenting: Notre Dame |
A strike at my school by the teachers; we students "supported" the
teachers by not going to class |
Notre Dame |
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Brianna Wilson
