la première semaine ( 1st week )

hello everyone!

Wow, what can I say? This past week has genuinely been so busy, so different, so abnormal, but also very exciting, with both good times and bad times. I also realised that in my last post, I fully forgot to mention how long I'm actually going for (HAH, clAsSiC Mich). So basically, my exchange is currently a 3 month exchange, although I have the option to extend it to 8 months. The only catch is that I have to decide whether or not I'm extending it by the last week of April (this month). That will be an incredibly tough decision to make. My plan is that I will see how these first few weeks are and hopefully be able to make a decision based on that.

Obviously, I survived the incredibly long journey here, with a heck of a lot of airport layovers as well, which I fully forgot to think about. 

Saying goodbye to my friends, family, and hound was possibly the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life (I'm literally tearing up RN thinking about it). Flying to a place 19,000km away all alone is also incredibly hard to do. When I had to go through security to get to the International terminal at Christchurch Airport, I literally bawled my eyes out knowing it would be the last time that I would see my mum for ages (she was the only person who came to the airport with me). So, I went through security alone for the first time in my life and managed to be scouted for a bomb search (they really know how to choose their victims well, huh). Anyway, after that, I went straight to the gate where I would board my first flight to Sydney. While sitting there, I was soooo emosh, literally bawling my eyes out and literally thinking why on earth would I even choose to do this exchange. Then after a few soaked tissues, the absolute sweetest lady came to me and asked if I was all good. I had a wee chat with her and her husband and they fully took my mind off missing everyone. I am honestly so appreciative that they came to approach me and I would definitely say it made a HUGE difference in how I felt. 

I then had a pretty smooth flight to Sydney, where I got off the plane and found my way to the international transfers point at which I had to go through security again. Nek Minit, they bomb test me again and then I wait in the lounge for 4 entire, boring hours. Then came the longest flight out of the 3, the one to Abu Dhabi which was 14 hours and 50 minutes. This flight was filled with a heck of a lot of crying and screaming children and topped off with no sleep. Actually, I did probably manage a total of 7 hours sleep, but in my view, I'd say that's basically equivalent to none. 

Right, so then I went through Abu Dhabi airport, through the security, the massive and confusing duty-free, before I found a place to sit. I honestly would say that Abu Dhabi airport really sucked in all aspects with poor signposts and a confusing layout. Topped off with minimal sleep I would say this was the worst part of the journey. But at least I wasn't bomb searched...

I then flew another 7 hours from Abu Dhabi to Paris. I arrived in Paris on Friday the 29th of March at 2:30pm and then I waited for my luggage at the conveyer belt. When I exited, I found someone from the exchange partner waiting for me at the international arrivals area. We took the train to one of the central Parisian train stops (I believe it was Gare du Nord) before finding our way to another train which was headed for Melun, the city near where my host family live. I was accompanied on this other train for 1 stop, and then the person who greeted me hopped off and I was left on my own until the train reached the final stop. It was probably an hour and 15 minute train ride to Melun and then I was greeted by both the cold, rainy weather and my host family. We drove to their home where I am now staying and then I showered, had some food and went to sleep. Jetlag was really hard to overcome, I'd say it took me a good 6 days at least. 

The first few days were just spent relaxing and getting to know the family better. They have two children - a boy named Gabriel who is 15, and a daughter named Vicky who is 12. My host family were incredibly welcoming, lovely and kind and made me feel part of the family very quickly after my arrival. I arrived on Friday but only began a few days ago, on the 5th of April. 

I'm not going to sugarcoat it, so I'll say outright that school is extremely difficult and challenging, but more mentally and emotionally than physically. There has been a lovely group of girls who let me sit with them even though I'm a cabbage and honestly I'm really lucky that I don't have to sit alone during free periods or lunchtime. In classes, however, I do sit alone in the majority because everyone sort of already has their 'designated' kind of seat (you know how when you're at school everyone always sat at the same place even though they didn't have to, but it was just how it kind of worked? and then it became their seat???). There are also a couple of classes where the teacher has placed me by myself because there are strict seating arrangements. Honestly, school is really tough at the moment and a huge shock to what I was used to in New Zealand. It's probably also been made worse because I got hit by a nasty cold which peaked on my first two days. Luckily, we only have another week of school before the 2 week holidays begin.

I would say that school will be the most difficult part of any exchange, especially with the extreme differences between school in France and in New Zealand. On Thursday and Friday, I have a 9.5 hour day which begins at 8:10am and finishes at 5:35pm. There are a lot of differences which I might outline in another post otherwise this one will be going for yonks (lol it already has) 😆 


For now, I've only got a couple of photos to share. I'm hoping that soon, this blog will be filled with photos instead of huge text blocks.

Fontainebleau Forest

For now, au rev,

Michelle