Apparently Air Canada doesn't permit passengers to check-in more than three hours before their flight. This fact is unfortunate considering that Anel and I were dropped off four and a half hours before our flight is scheduled to leave. However what is fortunate is that the Canadians have free wi-fi. God bless Canada.
Our last two weeks have been busy, confusing and cold but overall good. One of the hard parts that I encountered after meeting my Quebec host mom was that she would go between Spanish, French and English once she learned that I speak more Spanish than French. At that point the two different languages were two completely different wavelengths. I would only realize that she had switched languages after she had already said something important. I have definitely improved since then but it took a few days.
Another adjustment was having to wake up early for school. We have to catch the bus at 7:40ish in the frigid cold every morning. This has made mornings difficult seeing as I am the worst morning person in the world. Trying to make small talk in French while it is still dark outside was quite a hurdle for me. I hate speaking in English in the morning which doesn't take much mental exercise. The one life saver? Coffee, the nectar of the gods, is brewed every morning in time for me to eat my breakfast. I don't know what I would have done if my host family didn't have a coffee maker.
In our program there are 8 students: Me, Anel Leon, Ben Burds, Thahitun Mariam, Ashley Benedict, Ethan Avallone, Jordan Marks, and Clara Metzler. There are five freshman, two sophomores and one junior. We break up into two different groups for French classes. I, having only taken one semester of French, am in the lower level. We learned a lot of practical French. Vocabulary for the doctor's office, hair dresser, restaurant, etc. However we still haven't learned past tense... I have picked up some of the basic rules but I would have liked to have it spelled out for me. Oh well.
We have learned a lot of the history and culture of Québec through our excursions that we go on each afternoon. Some of my favorites were going ice skating, Sainte-Anne de Beaupré, and going to Le Voute Napoleon which was a bar with local singers.
Overall, Quebec has been fun. However considering the recent temperatures I am glad to be leaving. When we arrive in Rouen, the temperature will be sixty degrees warmer. I am more than ready to leave the frozen tundra.
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