F-R-A-N-C-E!!!!



Chocolat Chaud
Hot Chocolate! Fancy :-)



 I absolutely with a passion love love love France! It is gorgeous! I'm close to the beach! There is so much history here! They have old villages that are totally incredible! I live in a city called Mougins and I went to the Old Village there where I got hot chocolate. I've also been to a city called Eze which is close to Nice which had a breathtaking view and old ruins! Me, being the history nerd that I am, I was absolutely in awe! I took lots of pictures but unfortunately, I forgot my camera cord at home so I have no way to get them on the computer!!! :-( But they will all go up as soon as I get it! France is a very old country so what my seem old and decrepid to some, to me is just filled with history and the essence of the past. The US in comparison is new especially where I was living! It was commercialized with suburbs everywhere which is nice for the luxury it offers but doesn't have the same ancient zeal that France is overflowing with!

 I hope to go to some other places around France that I've only seen pictures of! It truly is amazing! :-)

 

Old Village in Mougins




The Old Village in Mougins! Amazing!



Mailys and Me

Donkeys at Eze

Eze

Cactuses... I thought I left Arizona!



View from Eze

   



Nice in the background



The house is beautiful and the family is so so so nice!!!! I couldn't ask for better people to be staying with! Mailys is 8 and she is so cute. She talks to me completely in French as if I completely understand everything. Haha it's funny. Jeremy is 14 but he doesn't talk to me much because I think he's scared I don't understand when he talks in French. Haha :-) The cherry on top of the whole situation is I have family just down the street... Stasha is my dad'scousin (I don't know what that makes her to me??? 2nd Cousins???) and that's how me coming here all came to bout! I had never met them before... I just told my mom I wanted to go to France (just a dream then) and she said "Your dad has a cousin in France" and that's how I ended up in France!!! When I got here, Dave, her husband, was the only one of their family here. Stasha and her 4 kids came 4 or 5 days later. They came here about 3 years ago but before they lived around the Phoenix area like me! They can all speak French now but they know they feeling of having to learn another language etc.. It's nice having someone who has gone through the same thing that I am now. Dave was really nice. He would have to translate quite often and answer my questions but he's awesome! I'm so stinkin happy they will be so close! I don't know if I could do it without them!

 

Haha some of the major differences betweeen France and the U.S.... well because it's so old the roads were built before the houses were so they are really small. So you come close to running into a car but then one of them has to back up... Haha it's scary sometimes because you are just cruising along when BAM!!! Another car is an inch from your bumper! You kinda need to be an aggressive driver here because it gets kinda intense. I would be terrified to drive!!! I would get in a wreck a minute from the time I got in the driver's seat! But yet again... I haven't seen an accident yet... :-) Here, anything like a Walmart or Target is out of the question! Mostly, it's smaller stores that you need to go to in order to get a particular thing... Think of it this way each section in a Walmart=smaller store in France :-) And another big difference is of course...the portions! Haha when you go out to eat, they don't give you very much food (it's delicious just small...) because the idea of taking food home is absolutely absurd whereas in America, they load up that plate as much could possibly fit and say it is for one person... Haha but whatever you didn't finish you could take home! I kinda miss the American way! The feeling of "Aww...there's nothing to eat in this stinkin house...Oh wait a second!!! I have leftovers" And then your heart skips a beat and you skip merrily to the fridge! And then you warm up that deliciousness in the microwave and your head is spinning in a frenzy of excitement and when you eat, you get to relive the experience of eating it at the restaurant! Haha oh yeah... good times! Haha and everything here is so much more expensive... Haha the U.S. is a well-oiled mass-producing machine! Sparkling water is also very popular which I really don't like! I think it tastes like soda without the flavor! I prefer de l'eau plate!!! Yeah yeah!!! Fortunately, they have a refridgerator with ice :-) Because French don't always like ice... I never realized how much I liked ice until I came here! It's just common at home! There is tons more that I will mention as I go along but I think that's pretty good for now!




The view from my bedroom!
You can see the ocean when it's clear!
It's so green!!! :-)





Ridin' Solo!!!

I used to love flying in airplanes! And just being in airports but this airpline trip has been about the worst plane trip I have ever had! So the flight from Phoenix to Chicago wasn't too bad! I left August 25th! I had a window seat and nobody was sitting next to me! So I just had some chill time! I wrote some letters, read my book, and listened to music! And they played the Big Bang Theory which is about my favorite show ever so I was in a good mood! It was just me and I was finally on my way to France! I had never been to Chicago so I was so excited to just be in the city if only in the airport! "I'm feeling like a star, you can't stop my shine, I'm loving cloud nine, my head's in the sky. I'm solo, I'm riding solo, I'm riding solo, I'm riding solo, sooloooo. Riding solo, soooooloooo, yeah it's like S... O... L... O... S... O... L... O... S... O... L... O...Living my life and got stress nomore." Haha so basically that's how I was feeling!!! It was just me and I was on my way to a year of amazing!!!



Plane view of Chicago



I had never been to Chicago so I was so excited to just be in the city if only in the airport!I had 2 hours before my next flight so I planned on getting dinner so I didn't have to eat the airline food and just chilling! I was all smiles...until...I thought I lost my passport, ID, money, and credit card!! But after standing in the middle of the airport looking ridiculous searching frantically for it I finally found it after 10 minutes! And I had a lot of stuff! You see... I'll be gone for a year which for me equates to lots of luggage so to maximize the amount of luggage I could bring, I put all my heavy non-liquid items in my carry-on therefore I had about the heaviest carry-on ever!!! And then I had a "purse" which in all truthfulness was actually just a small little tote/duffel thingamajiggy! But for all intensive purposes, it was my purse! And that wasn't too light either. So I just put that on top of the rolling suitcase. Technically, you are only allowed 2 carry-ons but I kinda bent the rules by bring a pillow which was stuffed with my blanket and BugaBoo... So obviously I did not have the smallest load!

 

Anywho... when I found my stuff, I looked at the monitors but they didn't have the right flight so I was a tad confused! I didn't know if something had changed or what was going on! The terminal was so big I thought it was the whole airport! So I just started walking to the main part of the terminal (which already was enough of a walk) and after walking up and down this one part of the terminal several times I finally found a map that said my airline was in a different terminal! And that's when the lightbulb came on!!! Oh and keep in my mind my carry-on was ridiculously heavy!! I had to switch arms every 30 seconds which kinda turned into a twirl for me so I can imagine I looked quite ridiculous. But my arms were so dead after! I already have no arm strength to begin with so this was absolute torture for me! So I followed the stinkin signs to the terminal I needed to get to... but they were totally wrong! They took me out to the pick-up area which was in the opposite direction of my terminal!! I don't know if any of you have been to the Chicago O'Hare airport but holy gee whiz it is big!!!! And walking around in it is not something I could do with ease! So I finally asked this lady who worked at the airport but she didn't seem to thrilled to be giving me directions! And she gave me bad directions :-/ I was basically walking in a zigzag...but I eventually made it to my terminal after much tribulation! I wanted to cry a couple of times! I was like "I left Arizona for this????" Haha I spent like an hour and a half trying to find my gate so when I got there, they were boarding! I didn't have time to do anything!!! My next flight was an overnighter so I wanted to change into comfy clothes but I most definetely did not have time for that! And I didn't get to eat  :-(

Dublin, Ireland

So finally I got on the plane and you could probably imagine my relief... Haha I needed a guy to help me with my carry-on everytime because it was so heavy! But this flight was completely full and I was all scrunched in by the window! I was already crowded with my "purse" and my pillow so it was not especially comfortable. I was starving too! So airplane food... I have not heard the best things about it... but here's my opinion on the subject: it did it's job... I wasn't hungry after... And even though it was not the greatest culinary experience I will ever have it sufficed! My meal was chicken with pasta, salad, cheese and crackers, a brownie, and a roll. And it was a'ight. I watched My Life in Ruins on the plane which is an excellent movie! I didn't sleep very much on the plane. My neck hurt and I was just in an awkward positon. So I was very happy when it was finally morning! For breakfast the next morning... it was a banana, yogurt, and a muffin. By the time we were getting off the plane, my legs felt totally dead. And it being August 26th, it was my mom's birthday (WOO HOO!!). I'm like the worst daughter ever!! I was on my way to leave my mom for a year on her birthday!!! Haha on Facebook I said "She even let her favorite daughter go to France for a year! Talk about sacrifice!" :-)

I absolutely love Dublin! They have awesome accents which I adore! It took awhile to get through immigration! The lady was like "You are just here for vacation right? Not here for school" And I just said yes when I was thinking 'I'll be out of the country in like and hour so can I go?' Haha :-) I was supposed to have 2 hours inbetween flights but the plane was already late and immigration ate up most of my time. So I just went straight to my gate which took a while but I didn't get lost. But I think going any distance with all my stuff would seem like a lot. And the same thing with this plane. They were boarding when I got there so I didn't have time to do anything! Thank goodness it was short flight!!! Just Dublin to Nice! I sat by two Italiens I think! It was chill! I was just anxious to get to France!

This flight was late too so we didn't have a gate so we had to take a bus from the plane to immigration. And lugging my bag from staircase to staircase was not fun!!! I got straight through French immigration. No big D! But unfortunately they lost one of my bags :-( And that bag had all my clothes in it! So after we got that all sorted out and had arranged for my bag to be delivered to the house (which didn't come until Sunday afternoon :-/) Pascaline and Mailys were on our way to what would be my home for a year!! That's when I felt so relieved! Just done carting around luggage!!!  I was finally here! After 16 hours of flying and airports! I was in FRANCE!!!!! :-)

Bittersweet :-/

Emileigh

For some reason, I randomly woke up at 4! Thank goodness because I probably would have missed my flight! So I packed for a while... Then at around 6 I went to the Powells to say goodbye! I love that whole family... I went home and packed some more. Then I went to Emileigh's to say goodbye. Then to Lindsay's house...which is pretty much my second home! Then I had to say goodbye to my mom because she had to go to work :-( Lindsay and I then went to Higley and I said goodbye to Mr. Farrlley, my AP US history teacher, and Mr. Clark, my hnrs chemistry teacher. They are the best teachers ever. The gates were locked when we were going to leave so Linds and I just walked out of the office doors like we owned the place and no one got mad at us. I wonder if that would have worked all year! Haha then went to the Thornes house to say goodbye. I've been babysitting for them for a while and I absolutely love it!! They have the two cutest little boys ever- Dallas,4 and Dylan,2. I'm going to miss them so so so much!! All that was left was for me to finish packing which was kinda stressful but with the help of Lindsay, we strategically got everything I needed with the bags just barely under 50 pounds-stinkin weight limit!! My carry-on weighed a gazillion pounds though!!! Bri, Lane, Linds, and I went to Chic-fil-a and QT and then Linds, Lane, my dad, and I were off to the airport. We had to speed because my dad thought the flight was a lot later than it actually was! Haha and then we went to the wrong terminal. I barely made my flight and we got a little hassle for not having our bags checked 2 hrs early! That's not how the Carters do it! Linds and Lane walked me to the security where we had to say our very tearful goodbyes. I was just trying to focus on the technical like I'm going to miss my plane but once I sat down on the plane I just started balling! Those two girls are amazing! And I don't know what I'll do without them! They are both like sisters to me... Well one actually is! Haha

So that's it... I'm going to France and I won't be back for about 10 months! It is one of the most scariest and most incredible things I have ever done! It really is just bittersweet! I wish I could just pause how life is right now and then come back and press play. I really did like where I was and I am giving it all up for an adventure! Yupp I’m pretty much crazy! I’m scared everything is going to change when I get back and I won’t be there to experience it. A year is a long time… But I think it is so worth it! I'll be bilingual by the time I get back! French is a beautiful language :-)

Last Day...

Tuesday... my last day in the U.S... Oh man!! Well I was fasting all day because I was getting my patriarchial blessing that night. That wasn't too fun because there was so much food I wanted to have before I left but it's chill. I ran some errands with my brother! Had to watch him eat Chic-fil-a for lunch! Haha it was good that I got to spend some time with him before I left. He really is awesome! I picked up Lane and said goodbye to Brother Olson, the coolest seminary teacher ever! I hope I have him again Senior year! Lindsay, Lane, and I did some shopping for France. Then I went to Target with Lisa to stock up on a lot stuff. Then I went to get my patriarchial blessing which has to have been one of the most amazing experiences in my life!!! I cried like no other! I went to say goodbye to Jessica Layton. She's a sweetheart and I'm so sad she's going to Highland!

Next, I went to "My Last Supper" at Oregano's! It was my family, Lindsay, and Josh (Bri's boyfriend). It was amazing after fasting all day. On the way back home, Lindsay and I stopped at Jordan's house to say goodbye. It ended up taking a long time because we talked for quite a bit. Jordan is one of the funniest people I know. Haha it just never feels real. Lindsay and I wantd to stay up all night because the second we fall asleep, I leave in the morning... So we got some 5-hr energies... Didn't help too much because we fell asleep and I was not even close to being done packing.



Vive la France!!!



Sunday/Monday

Sunday night, I had to say goodbye to one of my best friends, Ashlee Elizabeth Morris. We have been friends since Junior High and even through the complicatedness of going to different high schools, we have remained good friends maybe too good… Haha just kidding! She is really shy when you first meet her but inside she’s just as weird as the rest of us! Haha and she has good taste in music. I think we click so well because we both have older brothers so we get each other. One of the days Ashlee starting questioning our friendship was when she actually understood one of my whacky and crazy ideas! But she knows she loves me <3 I don’t know what I am going to do without that girl!!! Saying goodbye to her was definitely was one of the more difficult ones.


Monday, I went to lunch with Karen Krieger… “We’ll always have Jason’s Deli” Haha I love talking to her. I would be doing Culinary EVIT with her if I wasn’t going to France. Too bad…That night we had Uncle Ron's family, Brad & Lisa, Grandma, Uncle Steve, and th Nielsons over for pizza. That was very fun! Sami Nielson is one of my best friends. Our families have stayed tight for a very long time so we were kinda forced to like each other! JK she is the best!! Our goodbyes were pretty chill... We always have a good time together. We eat, we sleep, we watch House & the Labyrinth, and we laugh! Haha I'm for surely going to miss that!

Bon Voyage Going Away Party!

Lindsay's Beautful Cake Decorating!

I finally got around to making a blog. I’ll be recording my whole French experience starting with my last few days in Arizona! It really has just been a big blur of emotions. Let’s start with Saturday when I had my going away party. I was definitely like 45 minutes late to my own party because I got caught up cleaning and such. I didn’t even get out of the shower until 7 which was when the party started! Haha that’s just how I roll… But the party ended up being way fun! My parents were out of town(visiting JerKee in Colorado, I was going to go but it was getting to stressful) so with no adults of course we got a keg :-) Just kidding! But seriously! Haha I had Jenn Powell chaperone it and she actually encouraged the drugs and the drinking! Thank goodness for careless moms! Just kidding! She is such a sweetheart! She is like my second mom. But it was a little odd when she called someone a “ghetto booty” haha.

I bought tons of junk food and just let the party happen. I’m glad I got to say goodbye to a lot of people! It almost felt like just a normal party and I wasn’t actually going to France. But unfortunately it really was goodbye to a lot of people that I love. It actually started raining a lot that night as if the sky was crying for me so I didn’t have to. But it also made my friend, Trevor, get in a car wreck. They were “drifting”… I’ve never done it but obviously there is some risk involved. Anyways, his car hit a tree and for surely caused some damage. I felt so bad for them. Luckily, I have never gotten in a car wreck or gotten a ticket so knock on wood. Well actually I should be good for another year because in France, you can’t drive until you’re 18.

Jenn, Me, Priscilla, and Amanda
Best Friends since 4th Grade!!!

Karla, Me, and Jordan
Love these girls!

After the party, because we were soaked through and through from the rain, Lindsay and I took a hott bubble bath! I know! I know! How old are we??? 16!!!! But we don’t have to act like it for awhile. Haha we even had the bubble beard thing going! Gosh dang I love that girl. Haha