Paris

I'm sorry, my USB for my Camera has disapeared from the face of the earth, so no pictures. I will upload them ASAP.

Paris is official my favourite city on the face of the Earth. I LOVE the city. However, that was not my first impression.

We went to Paris by train, and as the Train came into Paris, my first impression was a Graffiti filled, lower class, industrial city. Seriously, it was gross. Then, from the train station, we got on the subway, which didn't change my oppinion at all, that, too was gross.

Then we got out of the subway station, and I immediately changed my mind, I love french architecture. Zo mooi!

From the subway station we went to our youth hostel. For the band trip kids, you know the Hotel we stayed in Vancouver that we all complained about?? Thats nothing. We stayed on the 5th floor with no elevator, and the stair case was falling apart. the rooms didn't have their our toilets and the shower didn't have a curtain and you had to hold down a button to get any water, which was just a trickle. I loved it though, it was an adventure.

After droping the bags off at the Hostel, we went to the Notre Dame, which I loved. The amount of work the French have put into creating and maintaining their own, distinct culture is amazing. I think whoever disigned it was thinking, "I'm going to make a Cathidral that will one day bring in hoards of tourist." and that it did. All the steps in the place were worn down and curved in the middle from people walk up them. After the Notre Dame Cathedral, we had some from time, then we went from supper, had a canal tour, then back to the Hostel.

Tuesday we went to a the Pere-Lachaisecemetary. Which was kind of strange, but I really enjoyed it, which kind of made it more strange. The cemetary had the graves of several famous people, including the remains of Peter Abelard and Heloise (What the French consider their Romeo and Juliet - http://classiclit.about.com/cs/articles/a/aa_abelard.htm) and Jim Morrison. Thats right I saw Jim Morrison's grave, I was pretty excited. The funny thing was, compaired to most of the graves, famous people or not, Jim Morrison's seemed like the smallest and most insignificant. After the Cemetary, we had lunch and then went to a Museum (we went to A LOT of Museums, so I cant rember all of them), had supper, had some free time and went back the the Hostel.

Wednesday we went to a Museum, then had some free time. In our free time, a couple of us went to the Galeries Lafayette, which is this huge, 7 story, shopping complex. This place was no ordinary shopping mall, for one, it didn't go by store but by material, the first floor was Cosmetics and Accesories, second was underwear, third was shoes, etc. (I can't remeber the rest.). Also, everything was Gucci, Prada, Channel, Dior, D&G etc. needless to say, I didn't buy anything. However, I was walking around and I turned around and my group was know where in sight, after spending 10 minutes looking for them, I came to the conclusion that Iwasn't going to beable to find them with out getting lost, so I sat at the escalators waiting for one of them to either call me or come looking for me. Luckily, after about 15 minutes, Ann Marie called me. In that time I started to worry I that they forgot about me and I was going to die there. After shopping we went to the Architecture Museum, which was kind of borring. Then Wednesday night we went to a Ballet, it was to the story of Snow White and was really good (though I was fight off sleep through most of it).

Thursday we went to a museum, the name of which I have forgoten because it was over shadowed by the rest of the day. After the first museum we went to the Louvre, so cool! But they only gave us two hours in the Louvre, two hours!! I know i should be thankful I got to go at all, and believe me I am, but if I could choose one thing I would change about the trip, it would deffinatly be to spend more time in the Louvre. After that we went, althought to the contrary of the rest of the group, to my faviourite museum, the Pompidou. The Pompidou is modern art, from 1850 to now, my favourite kind. I love modern art, it's so much, I don't know, more free, I guess. It can be or mean anything you want it to be/mean, or it can be/mean nothing at all, as opposed to older art, where the meaning is clearer. Thats what I like about modern art. After the Pompidou we went to the Eiffel tower, which was cool, but on European tour, I'm going to take the steps, just so I can say I've climb the Eiffel tower.

Friday we had free time. I went shopping with Floor and Ann Marie. I bought a scarf and a winter coat, a pair of converse and Morgans bday present (don't think I forgot about you!). So the converse I bought have a story to them. We were walking around, looking here and there, and I spotted them, and they were really cute, so I decided to try them on. I really liked them, but decided not to buy them because I had already bought quite a few things that day, and you know how I am, I hate spending money. So I nod to the sales guy, and he interprets that as"Ï want them", and before I could correct him, he handed them to the man at the counter who started bagging them. I went over to the counter to explain I didn't acctually want them, but before I could get that out, the man asked me where I was from. After I responded that I was from Canada, he launched into a full speech about how he loved the Canadians, and how we are so nice and polite and clean(?). So after all that, not wanting to ruin our rep, I bought the shoes.

So that was my week in Paris. I now have new week off, I'm going up to Firesland to visit one of the other exchange students, Julianna, and then its back the school!

Doei!

Jayden

p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!

Rotary Youth Exchange

I am very sad announce that the Rotary Club of Medicine Hat has no suitable long term exchange candidate for the 2009/2010 year. Considering that this experience is the greatest thing thats ever happened to me (and I'm only two months in), I find it a shame that the experience is going to waste. If anyone 15-17 years old with a 75% ave. is considering an exchange, I greatly recomend it.

Doei!

Jayden

p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!

2 months!!!

Soooo...as of today I have been in Holland for 2 months!! Wow time moves soo fast!! It's almost mind-blowing how fast it moves, scary even. I can't believe that I'm already 1/5 in. It seems like I stepped off the plane a couple days ago, and yet, it feels like I have been here forever. Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, the plane ride seems like a really, REALLY long time ago. Weird.

So, what have I learned this month? Hmmm. Well, a lot of Dutch to start with. I'm no where near fluent, but I have defiantly seen an improvement over the past month. Today I was sitting in art class when Judith asked Dora if she had an eraser, Dora said she didn't have and I, with out thinking, handed Judith mine. Normally, when someone says something in Dutch, I can understand it, but it takes a minute for me to comprehend it. Today, I understood it and reacted as if she said it in English. To say the least I was quite proud of myself.

What else?? Hmmm, a couple more things I guess:
-I have learned a lot about myself, something’s good, something’s that I have to work on.
-I don't like Frikandel.
-I love Kroket.
-I enjoy drawing, it's very relaxing.

Furthermore, the other day I was reading the "You know you've been and exchange student if..." list on facebook, and it really put a smile on my face. How ever number 052 caught me -"Everyone thinks your playing the tough guy when you say you haven't called your mom yet and don't miss her too much." When people ask me if I miss my family/friends/Josh/etc. I have started to lie and say, "Yeah, but I can handle it." because I got the weirdest looks when I said, "No." Quite honestly, I don't miss home! Which sounds really weird, but it is true. Don't get me wrong, I love everyone at home, but one of the things I have learned about myself is I have a great ability to trust. I can be here and trust that everything is ok at home, and when I get home everything will be alright, which is really helping me enjoy my time here.

Doei!

Jayden.

p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!

Bad Luck

Hello All.

I forgot to mention two week ago that me and my friend, Lotte, went to see the movie Wanted. Do not ask me how it was, because I don't know, we missed the train in Hengelo and missed the movie. This was the first time Lotte has ever missed a train.

So last night we went to see it. Her mom drove us so we would get there on time. So we got there and went to buy the tickets and were IDed, I of course wasn't carrying any. Thats right, I have gone to see this movie twice and still have not gotten in. This is the first time Lotte has ever been asked for ID at a movie. So I have been dubbed bad luck.

So instead of Wanted we went to Mamma Mia. Theaters in Holland are WAY better than in Canada. The seat are comfortable and plush with a couch-like seat in every row for couples. The theater was red with cool lights. At the beginning there was as a laser show and there is a intermission in the middle no matter how long the movie is. A very cool experience.

Doei!

Jayden

p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!