Merry Christmas!

Hey all!

Well, I think this is the first Christmas that I've ever been awake before my mother. Although that might have something to do with the jet lag. The family arrived in London in style yesterday with my grandmother wearing a dark blue jogging suit and an almost floor length blue coat complete with fur lined hood. We have pictures, don't worry. We had an amazing but long day in London on Thursday, complete with a double decker bus tour of the entire city. Yesterday, we took the train to Lille, rented our tiny euro car and drove out to our rental house in Arleux. Today will be a relaxing day and hopefully some pierogi (I definitely had to look up how to spell that. I know how to make them, not type them)  eating as they made the long hop over the Atlantic.

Some memorable quotes from the one and only Gram:

"Where did we sleep last night?"

"My brain is frozen."

"They have satellites here too."

"Will it be in French?...Oh, they're English letters!" Speaking of the Scrabble game in our house.


Enjoy the pictures and Merry Christmas!! We'll be on Skype probably all day so hit us up!

Galettes and cidre

Hey all,

This weekend I took a trip to Rennes to visit a fellow Albion student and AZD, Kelsey. She's there studying abroad so I took the opportunity to see a new part of France! Rennes is in the French province of Bretagne (Brittany) which is also the area of Normandy. I had a wonderful weekend sightseeing and it was truly amazing to be around another Albion person. Albion is truly a unique place and it just confirms the belief that people who don't go to Albion just don't get it. Enjoy the pics.

Also, I just want to make it known that the past couple months I have been planning a trip with my Mom for my family to come here. It's going to be five of us: Mom, Gram, Aunt Lori, and a young friend of the family (this poor girl has no idea.) I'm so looking forward to seeing my family and to all the ridiculous stories that will no doubt come from my grandmother traveling to foreign countries.

Bisous à tous (My french "mom" always gets on me about signing my messages like this b/c it's the polite French thing to do. I forget quite frequently but here's my concerted effort)

B/c every French city needs a large church

I'm jealous of this park

So cute.

Christmas Market

For Simon and Nicolas

Bretagne Museum

Soccer game!

Yes, I changed my shoes to the boots I had just bought. Don't worry about it.

Rennes won on a PK

Beautiful Christmas lights

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Galette saucisse et cidre-two very breton things

New favorite drink-Café Crème

Happy Camper

Hey everyone!

First and foremost, Happy Thanksgiving! Too early for anyone to be up in the states (except maybe Rodg) but I hope everyone has an amazing Turkey Day.

Aaaannnd This is the first blog coming from inside my apartment! That's right, I finally have internet! Which makes me one happy camper, let me tell you. And it also means that I never, and I mean NEVER have to go back to McDonalds. Even happier camper! As the place is a little messy right now, I won't include pics, but as my mom can attest, the skype tour takes very little time.

Well, it's my first thanksgiving away from home and I have to admit, it's quite depressing. Especially since I have to work today. There's no cutting up celery, onion, or bread with Gram the night before while watching the Red Wings, no waking up at 10 am to the smells of turkey and dressing wafting up to my room, no Thanksgiving Day Parade w/ mom going in a sing-song voice, "I love a parade."  But I'm taking solace in listening to some songs about America and a little country too (sorry Mom) And if you're wondering, listening to country music when you're away from home will make you feel VERY American, so that's good. But in the words of Simon and Garfunkel, "Michigan seems like a dream to me now." I also made sure to buy some American food to celebrate. On my Thanksgiving menu: Cereal, pb&j, and Oreos. Quite a culinary feat, huh? But as my apt has no oven, I couldn't attempt to make a turkey. And really, I can't cook, so...yeah.

Lastly, I'd like to take this opportunity to say what I'm thankful for. Going on this adventure has been far from easy and there's been some stressful times. But my family particularly my mother have been so supportive and encouraging for the past two months or so. Also, I want to thank my friends for giving me endless encouragement by writing and posting on my facebook wall. Even though we're not all together at school anymore, your love and support has kept me going these past few months and given me things to laugh about when I was down and out. So, to Mom, Sarah, Gram, Dad, Rodger, Bwhite, Laura Summer (since that's your name now) Sowa, Tawney, Sarah Russell, Chels, and Millsy a deep and sincere thank you.

Yep, cheesy, I know but I can't help it. :) But Happy Thanksgiving and hopefully I can watch the Lions lose later b/c it's just not turkey day without the Lions losing.