Melissa Thiessen say's hi !

Hi Susan and club!

How are you doing? Enjoying the nice weather? Along with everyone in the club! How's Grande Prairie? The French always get excited when they hear that my city has a french name! Yesterday was exactly one month until I'm coming home. How crazy is that?! I remember them always telling us over and over again in spring orientation how fast time was going to fly by the last few months, and apparently I did not understand how really fast the word "fast" was capable of going! It's insane!!! Lately, memories from all throughout my year keep popping my head as if they happened just yesterday! Everythings all just a blur of crystal clear moments that have made my year what it is. Now I'm facing my last week of school! I'm done the 13th, so next Wednesday! I really can't decide how I feel about that! Part of me is really happy and proud of myself for making it through the year! Learning all the new crazy french rules, going from not understanding a word the teachers were saying to taking normal high school classes, and meeting so many different personalities and making friends that I know will impact me for the rest of my life! But then on the other hand, I am so shocked and sad that the year is already over! There's so many more things I wish I could do here! I just can't believe how this once terrifying school full of strange faces and attitudes has found itself a large part of my heart now! I feel like I know this school so much better than I know my own school in Canada! 

For the last week of school we've been doing some cool activities! Monday was the carnival which is pretty much just Halloween in spring. Everybody went to school in costumes and we had a contest for the best one! The french got really into it too, there were some impressive costumes! Then this Friday night is our high school ball. It's like a graduation party for all the grade 12 students, except all the students in the school are invited to attend and it's much less flashy than grad in Canada. Just normal dresses for everyone! It's kind of sad to me because this is all they get for grad. No big cap and gown ceremony, no grand march with their escorts, no big dry or safe grad party. But then I realized that my grad with all my friends in Canada just passed, and even though I saw all the photo's  and heard all their stories, I don't wish I was there instead of here. Although I still am excited to get the dress and partake in the ceremonies, it's suddenly just not important anymore. I can't imagine having decided to stay just for that instead of going on my exchange! I feel that my perspective on what's important in life has completely changed here!

Right now I'm busy enjoying the last month of my exchange. Not by doing the most traveling or trying as many new things as I possibly can fit in, but just by embracing my life as an average French girl. Going to the beach, shopping, and the movie theater with my friends. Playing wii with my host brother, helping my host mom with the cooking. Normal everyday things that have made my fall in love with my life in France. My main goal of going on an exchange! I wanted to go a learn how to live a normal life in a new culture, and I have succeeded!!! 

Lately I've been spending every single weekend at a Rotarian's house since I moved to my 3rd host family. Last weekend I got to go house boating on the Bassin for 3 days! Even though I learned I tend to get a little sea sick, it was such a cool experience and one of my goals on my wish list!! This weekend on Saturday my club is having a sort of relay competition to raise money for cancer that I get to take part in! And next weekend I'll get to go canoeing on the bassin!! Should be fun!

In case anyone didn't know, I'm coming home July 5th! So I will see you all in one months time! Crazy! I hope all's going well with Muge and the new outbound!

Gros bisous de la France!

Melissa