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!

Rain, Trains and the Weekend

So I will talk about the weekend I promise, but first i have to say that I am very sad. It's raining here again. boo.

And now to the weekend!

So first, the trains. Ohh the trains. I knew that Europe had great public transportation. I didn't realize that it would be so hard for me to figure it all out. On friday I left for Goes at 3:47, but since I had to go all the way across the country I had to change trains several times. I went Delden to Zutphen to Arnhem to Roosendaal to Goes. The way there was pretty good, although I did almost get off at the wrong place, one of the train people caught me before the train left. The way back was where it got complicated, I was supose to go Goes to Rotterdam to Utrect to Arnhen to Zutphen to Delden. But we all left half an hour early and went to Roosendaal then to Rotterdam, but we got in Rotterdan early so I got on a earlier train to Utrect with some of the Rotex (ex-rotary exchange students). So Esme, one of the Rotex, put me on a train to Arnhem and from there I was by myself. On the train to Arnhem there was no seats left, so I ended up sitting in the doorway on my bag. There was another girl there and she let me borrow a Cosmo mag. to keep me awake. Then I arived in Zutphen and missed my train by a minute. So I ended up having wait an hour for the next train, not very much fun. So that was my first train experience, at least I made it home in one piece!

Other than the trains the weekend was very much fun. Friday night we all sat and talked and caught up with how everyone was doing. It was really good to see everyone again. Then we went to bed, I ended up sleeping in the same bed as Patty (Ohio, USA) and Julianna (Ontario, Canada), and the other people in my room were Meaghan (New Brunswick, Canada), Haruka (Japan), Sara (Washington State, USA) and Kalie(New York, USA). It was "gezellig"...I don't know any other way to descride it. Gezellig is like cozy and warm and lots of people and lots of laughter, the Dutch pride it in being the only word that isn't translatable into any other language.

Saturday we went and saw the Deltaworks, which is a large series of dams the control all the dikes and canals in Holland. Because most of the Netherlands is below sea level, this is a very important part of the country. So we hung out there and watched a few movies on the Dams, took a boat ride to see one ofthe dam, and stuff. It was very interesting all the history and work the people in Holland have put into this.

(One of the Dams)

After Deltaworks we went back to the youth hostel we were staying at and ate supper. Then we played some games and had to present a skit on either an alternative ending or scene for a movie. After that we started up the music and danced (mostly spanish again) for a while. Then some of us went upstairs and sat in the hallway and just hungout and talked again. After a while a few people went to bed, and I realized that my bed had been stolen, so I ended up bedless. So it ended up being Charly(Mexico), Paula(Argentina), Kalie (NY, USA) and me sitting in the hallway. After a while we were joined by more people and I fell asleep in the hallway. Then me and Kalie went to bed (I ended up sharing a tiny bed with her).

Then Sunday we went sailing, but there was no wind so it ended up just kind of sitting in the boat talking. In my boat was Duncan(Arizona, USA), Raki (Brazil) and Matt (New York, USA). Then we went home.

So that was my weekend. I had a lot of fun! I already miss everyone. Life in Holland is still great!

Love everyone!

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!

p.p.s. heres the rest of the picutes:http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=54036&l=93fa9&id=51928056

its been a while

Hey!

Sorry that I haven't posted in a while. Life is a lot like life in Medicine Hat...only wetter. Though we have had sunshine the past few days, so exciting:).

Yesterday I met with my Nederlands (Dutch) teacher and my new tutor, Lotte, to discuss a plan to help me learn Dutch. My Nederlands teacher bought me the book Dutch For Dummies. Also, for the month of October, I don't have to take several courses, in that time I will be putting my time to better use learning Dutch in the Library. I don't have to take, French (Thank goodness, it is sooo hard learning a language from people who aren`t speaking your language), Maatschappijleer (like social), Maatschappijwetenschappen (I still don`t know what that course is about), Levensbeschouwing (The meaning of life class) and Geschiedenis (history). So hopefully this plan will help me learn Dutch a bit faster.

I had a free class today to start my studying, and I would like to ask something. Who knows what, `The perfect tense is formed with an auxiliary plus the past participle of the verb.` (Dutch For Dummies page 38) means? I sure dont. Also, I had to take an English test other day, I spent 2 full minutes trying to remember what an irregualar verb was, man did I feel stupid. Another example, in French class I sit beside a girl who is originally from Australia, here`s one of our conversations.
Lotte: So you have to write a few sentences about the picture. (A girl in a white turtle neck)
Me: Ok so like what kind of sentences (question mark)
Lotte: Like her jumper is white. Only in French.
Me: O, Ok. Whats a Jumper?
Lotte: Her sweater. What do Canadians call them? Hoddie?
Me: Shes not wearing a hoddie.
Lotte: What do you call that?
Me: A turtle neck...
Lotte: Oh, wow thats cool... (sarcasm) So you call all sweaters turtle necks?
Me: Noo, it's not a sweater, its a shirt.
Lotte: But it doesn't have buttons.
Me: So?
Lotte: Shirts have buttons.
Me: Not all shirts. What do you call that? *Points to someones shirt*
Lotte: A top.
Me: Oh.
It went on like that for a while. I short, I think I`m learning a lot of English here, as well as Dutch.

Also, Marita (Germany) touched on the differences in groups at school in her blog. I have to agree with her, there aren`t groups here in Holland here either. Everyone in my year is friends with everyone else. It is much different than in Canada where everyone has a group of friends, and they stick with the same friends, eat lunch at the same table with that same group of friends, hang out with the same people after school. I like the Dutch way much better, this way I can get to know everyone. Oh! and happy 18th Marita!

Hm...On a side note, being an exchange student has really let me appreciate the small nice things that people do. Like, the other day in Lichamelijke Opvoeding (Gym) we were playing Ultimate Frizbee, I was tying my shoe, and one of the guys on my team stopped (with the frizbee) and waited for me to finish to resume the game. Or today, I was walking to the Library before I should have had French class, and one of the guys that I had French class stopped me to make sure I knew we had French. I guess what I`m saying that it`s nice that people are looking out for me even if I don`t know them very well. The small things like that are really the things that make me feel accepted here.

On a different note completely, I`m going down to Zeeland today for a Rotex weekend! I`m really excited to see all the inbounds again. We are going to see the big dam that controls a lot of the canals in Holland, and go sail and stuff. I will try to update with pictures and everything when I get back from that!

I think thats 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!