Today is my first full day here without mom. Yesterday was ridiculously hard, but i have to say that i'm glad that it is over. There was so much sadness leading up to that moment that when it was finally over I definitely felt some relief.

Now the hard part starts. They keep saying that my french really isn't bad at all, but I seriously feel like i stutter over everything. My hat is off to all the exchange students that do this without any language skills at all... I can't even imagine.

I'm really starting to miss my friends and family now. They are so good to me here, but you can only get so close when one of you has to think REALLY HARD just to ask how the microwave works. (it was ridiculously confusing btw.)

I'm starting to get the hang of the keyboard. My computer picks up the internet, but it is password protected and I'm not sure whether or not I want it in my room yet... too much of a time suck. I figure that I'll cross that bridge when school starts.

Speaking of which, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.


And the cards that Dad and Darren sent to Mom for her birthday just got here today. I can either send them back or read them to her over the phone, as you wish!

Write me an email... kendrabechtel@gmail.com , they make me happy.

I have a tan.


Yeah, that is a big question mark in my mind too.

We got back from our crazy amazing adventure to the Cote d'Azure today. It was ridiculously beautiful. I still don't believe that I'm here. at. all.

I start school on the 5th of September. I'm pretty damn nervous, but excited too. I need me some friends!

My french is... cromagnon? but improving.

I just have to say, I am OMG jealous of pretty much every item of clothing that my host mom has.


as the back of Camille's shirt says,
Smoke, Peace, and Make love

or rather... as her mom said,
Just peace!


bisous
Kendra

Today I got all of my papers together, including 4 id pictures (which mom and I walked down to the photo store and got all by ourselves thank you very much!), and mailed in my application for a carte du séjour. I also got my super nifty card that allows me to take the bus to school. I'll put up a picture when I get the time to figure out how. The only thing that sucks about the bus product is that there is only one bus in the morning, so I have to catch it at 7:25 whether or not i have class that morning. They told me sometimes I won't have class until 10 or so... fun.

Mom and I took a little tour of Aix en Provence today by ourselves. It was pretty much awesome. Tomorrow we are roadtrip-ing it to the Cote d'Azure.

Benjamin is bugging me to get off, so I'll write when we return!!

I hope you all are doing wonderfully

holy shit i'm in france

my mom and i had a good trip and are glad to be here. i'm understanding a lot more than i though i would but i'm able to say a lot less. nerves i guess. this keyboard is ridiculously confusing.

i'll write again later

yay

I'm packing up my computer now.

This is quite possibly the most terrifying thing I've ever done. Ever.


Goodnight guys, see you in a year. Remember to keep reading this and to comment; remind me how much I love you all.

Expletive...

We called the consulate -- their phones don't work.
We faxed.
They called us back.
My visa is "not approved yet".
They can't guarantee I'll have it on time.


um... kay?





So, despite that, I'm having a going away party at my house on Sunday. I'm excited about it, but nervous. I have these feelings that it is only going to cause a lot of tension even though I know that it will be fun as well... I think I'm just freaking out a little bit and by a little bit I mean a lot.

My schedule for the next week. (I [hopefully] leave in a week)
Thursday: Appointments in the morning, Coldstone 5-9:30
Friday: Peet's 3-7, Chorus Line w/ Heidi
Saturday: Peet's 1-6:45, Coldstone 5-Close (that'll be interesting)
Sunday: Peet's 8-1, PARTAY 3-when the sun comes up, but probably earlier
Monday: Glorious glorious nothing
Tuesday: Appointment at 2, Peet's from 12-5. Again, interesting, and impossible.
Wednesday: Peet's from 12-5
Thursday: Mosey on down to the airport and scoot my booty to France after a wonderful celebratory breakfast with my favorite people. Hopefully.

Here is my host family. Yay! (the picture is over a year old though, so they probably look quite a bit different)


And here is my address. How exciting. Mail me, or email me, once I'm there

Kendra Bechtel
13 la cour Marius Taché
13370, Mallemort
FRANCE






Still waiting for my visa. COME ON CONSULATE!

Lovely new smile!

Before my appointment, and after

Two weeks

Today is the two week mark. Today is also the day I get my braces off. <-- SO EXCITED!

I still haven't received my Visa. I think I'm going to call the consulate today before work.

I am freaking out about leaving -- I know that even if I weren't doing this and was going to college I'd still be leaving, but the whole thought of leaving everything familiar and dropping myself into absolute confusion seems a bit ludacris right now. Don't get me wrong; I'm insanely excited too. Excited, impatient, anxious, nervous... I don't even know.

I'm having a going away party on the 13th at my house from 3-8. I hope it ends up being fun, although at that point who knows what my emotional state may be.