I don't know the word "studying" in French.or English.

Bonjour!

All the snow has melted away... which is quite impressive considering how much there was! But no worries though... we are getting some this Wednesay. I still love it... but my feet are starting to not be so much of a fan. I bought new boots but they seem to be more for fashion than practicality... damn my girl instincts. Currently my right toes are numb... and considering that I was outside maybe 30 minutes ago, I think I have a problem. Super.

So finals have started here! Woo! Love finals! I love them sooo much!! Especially in French!

Sorry for that moment of insincerity... that is not at all how I feel at all. I mean it is not like I enjoyed finals at home or anything, but here I find it extra inconvient. I try so hard to study for Science Sociales and the complete Social Security System of Belgium explained in (only) 50 pagess and I try so hard to study verb congegations in German to even form a sentence ... but I just can't. Does this make me sound like a baby? I think I am one. My brain is in another mode and it is winning in the argument, "Should I study or not?". I have had this thought ever since I have been here that I will learn as I live type thing... like French will come to me through life and I'll learn at that pace. So, I think I have tried to apply this to other subjects I'm studying in school... which is not good. You know what my faithful followers... you can judge all you want. I have worked my little (big now) butt off since middle school and studied every single night while doing sports and working. I managed all these things while managing high grades and being a productive member of society without doing anything (too) horrible. And I'm tired and this is my year to actually live and be lazy and be happy and be me...and I'm okay with this. I mean... if you continue this way in life you sooner or later get really burnt out and maybe this burn out is at a horrible time in your life and ruins your life! I am just trying to save my life here.

While this was a mildly convincing declaration to not study and shows my rebeliousness (is this is a word?)... I am also a good student who trys their best (as the exchange student motto goes). After this blog update, I will go study for my Science Sociales exam tomorrow. I hate it how conflicting my morals are... and how easy it is for me not to study.

Now my week in a nutshell...:)

Tuesday was a normal Tuesday. I wrote an essay (for my English class but I wrote it in French) last week and I recieved a pretty decent grade. I was so happy and proud! 22/30! This sounds bad for my school in KC's standards but this is actually really good... nobody in the class got over 24... well besides Jerry who got a 26/30 when he wrote it in English. I was proud of my writing and the teacher was really impressed.

Wednesday was uneventful and a half day. I just went home and chilled. I am so cool. I know you are jealous. Again, should have been studying for my French exam the next day but I instead did other things. I'm a horrible person... I know.

Thursday was my French exam. My first one in Belgium! The teacher was really understanding of the exchange students and made us all a special exam. It had 3 articles from some newspapers in Belgium over the same topic but a different point of view for each one. We had to answer some factual questions and then write little short answers to a few questions asking our opinion on the article. The articles were about these 2 teenagers who robbed a jeweler and the jeweler killed one of the robbers (who was 16) in self defense. It was a really big deal because the jeweler wasn't getting tried for murdering a 16 year old. So one article was saying how the 16 year old was a good kid, and then antoher on how the jeweler doesn't have to be tried for self defense. So being a good American, I defended self defense in one of my short answers ... which might have turned into a short essay. I think I did okay... it wasn't too hard for me. It was something I have done before at my old high school. The others used a dictionary but I didn't... this may be something to brag about if I did well. But we shall see.

Friday I didn't have school. The math exam was that day... and since that is the one class I literally don't understand anything... I exempted myself from that little joy of a test. It is weird because I used to like Math (if I was at the right level) since it is the same language all over the world. But let me tell you something - that is a lie. It is not the same! So instead of exercising a different part of my brain, I slept in until noon. High five! Then in the afternoon, I met up with some friends in town and just chilled. It was fun to just hang out and enjoy the marche de noel with friends :) It wasn't anything crazy but it was still great. I laughed a lot. Mollie (from Kansas) came home with me and I had my first sleepover at my house! Epic! We had so much fun :) We just chilled in my room on the computer doing stupid stuff and attempted to watch a movie. This was an epic fail... but it was fun still for the little part we did get to see. I was excited to have somebody stay at my house since for the past 4 months (officially 4 months tomorrow) I haven't had anyone really over. I was glad it was Mollie :)

Saturday, we slept in until like 10 and then Mollie had to go to the train station at noon. I did a bit of studying (or atleast attempted) and then Larry came home with the Christmas tree! A real one! It was perfect and so pretty :) We decorated the house and I helped decorate the tree. It was a cute bonding moment. Christmas is not so much about the gifts here but more about family... not saying that it is not like that in the states but the kids all receive big gifts on December 6th or January 6th (day of the 3 magis who visited Jesus) here instead of on the 25th. I think that is cool. The house looks so festive now and everytime I see the tree I smile. It is just so cute! It looks fabulous in the light or in the dark... that says something. That night I stayed in and had a very French meal with the family. What does that mean you ask? That means my friends that I enjoyed FROG LEGS. Yes! Everyone was right... they do taste like chicken! But I must add that they have the consistancy of fish. I helped Larry make them and I couldn't stop laughing. They looked like little people legs with a butt and everything! It was just really funny to me and I enjoyed taking lots of pictures. I liked them... but I couldnt eat them often or anything. They are very unique :) Just another experience under the belt!

Sunday was pretty uneventful... besides my failure to study. Blahhhh... whatever. Last night we roasted marshmallows and watched all the big series here (Desperate Housewives is kind of a big deal). It was fun to roast marshmallows in the fireplace and eat so many you feel sick :)

Today, I had my English exam but I took it in French. Without a dictionary again. There was a listening section and then the other part was writing an essay. The essay part was surprisingly easy and I was one of the first one finished... even when I wrote it in French. I am starting to wonder if this was a bad thing or a good thing to be finished so early. The listening part was just really confusing. I had no idea what was really going on... but I found out it was linked to a text they had to read and that that might be why I was really confused. I am pretty sure I failed this part of the test - which is pathetic since all the listening was in English. More funny though... I am currently laughing out loud at how lost I was in and English listening test. My only excuse is that the guy had an Irish accent... haha

All for now :)

Talk to you soon! Wish me luck on my exams... half way done!