Life in France

**We are SUPER excited to welcome our daughter, Katreina, to the writing staff of the family blog!!!**

Happy Holidays, everyone! As we are coming up on the New Year, I’ve started to reflect back on my time in France. If you don’t know by now, I’m currently taking an exchange year in France for my 10th grade year of high school. I’ve been here for about four months now, and every moment is one that I will cherish forever.

Orientation in Paris included the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and a cruise on the River Seine!

WHERE DID I GET THE IDEA?

I came up with this idea around the age of 10, when my love for Harry Potter made me dream about living my life in England. As I got older, I told my parents about my desire to spend an exchange year in England, to which they blatantly said no. They explained to me that while it was amazing to have a desire to travel, they wouldn’t send me to another country for an entire year where I already knew the language (which, I mean, fair enough). So, with my want to do an exchange year still high, I started thinking of different countries I could go to. I almost immediately thought of France, as I had spent my 7th grade year learning French in school, and it was up there on the list of countries I wanted to got to. This was just at the beginning of COVID, and with lockdowns and basically sitting around doing nothing, I said “why not?” and started to intensely learn French. 

Flash forward almost two years later, I’m speaking a new language in a new world, surrounded by some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. I live with an entirely different family, and I’m living an entirely different life. To some (or maybe to many), that would scare them to death—and there have been times where all I’ve wanted to do is go back to the U.S.—but I’m loving this journey. I’m learning to be independent, to make my own decisions and to find myself, all while learning a new language. It really is something you’re able to experience only once in a lifetime and everyday I’m grateful that things have worked out well for me.

TRANSPORTATION

I live in Tours, France. It’s a relatively big town, and I live close to its city center. There is a lot of public transportation, so I can go almost anywhere I’d like. It’s a very big change from my remote life on a boat, but I love being able to be very independent when I need to go somewhere. I don’t have to ask for a ride places, I can just look at the bus schedule and leave when I need. 

L' Hôtel de Ville of Tours 

The tram...to school and around town.

SCHOOL

My school schedule is amazing. Most days, I finish by 3 o’clock in the afternoon, which gives me most of the afternoon to do what I want. I have 10 classes (each with varying hours throughout the week): English, French, History & Geography, Math, Physics & Chemistry, Earth & Life Sciences, Technology Sciences, Social & Economical Sciences, Civics, and P.E. I would have 11, but early into the school year, I was removed from Spanish since I had never previously studied it. I have more than an hour and a half to eat lunch everyday (and Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, I go back to my house to eat), so I never feel rushed like I did in the U.S. My grades are on average, and as time moves on here, I’m slowly getting better and better grades. School is definitely more professional than in the U.S. We refer to the teachers with vous (you but when referring to more than one person, someone you don’t know, or someone who is superior to you- in this case, we use vous because teachers are superior to students) and every time a teacher enters the classroom, we stand up and wait to be seated by the teacher. In the U.S., teachers are much more friendly, but here teachers are never ‘friends’ with the students.  It’s definitely different, but it’s nice to experience this type of change. One big difference that even French kids don’t like about high school is the fact that there aren’t school sports, prom, or anything like that. Most of these things are solely in the U.S., so many kids here want to go to the States for one year just to experience it. All in all, though, I really like high school here, even if the classes are a little more challenging.

FREE TIME

After school, and during my free time, I’ve become much more social. I usually like to walk around town with friends or my host sister (who is the same age as me). Sometimes we’ll have a small coffee in town, grab a bite to eat, or browse clothing stores. I also really enjoy going to the movies and just in general talking to the people I know. Their lives contrast greatly to the normal that I know and it’s nice to hear about their experiences. I love hearing and talking about the differences between the States and France because I can learn all the things that I’m missing- and gaining- while I’m living here. 

Croqué Monsieur with friends...dining out around town is a favorite activity.

HOST FAMILY

Most of all, I am very lucky to have a kind and loving host family. In my host family, I have a mom and dad and two sisters—one my age, and one who is six years old. I know several other exchange students who haven’t had as much luck as I have and to have a really great connection with my host family is great. They have been truly nice to me (even buying me Christmas gifts when I couldn’t go back to the Bahamas to spend Christmas with my family) and they make sure that I don’t miss out on any French experiences. They help me with my French when I can’t pronounce a certain word (for the moment it’s the special r sound in horrible), and now I help them with their English. I am truly content to be placed with this family; I would never think about changing families.

Ma famille. Love learning about France with my sisters, Margaux and Romy!

IS IT WORTH IT?

While this is only a sliver of what my life is like in France, I can promise that every second is amazing. There have definitely been tears and homesickness (especially during the holidays) but every day I’m learning how to cope and appreciate living in the moment. I don’t want to go back to the U.S. just yet…I still have so much to experience and so much to learn. And while my French has definitely improved, I don’t think I’m quite ready to call myself bilingual. All of this is a learning experience, so if you ever have the opportunity to do something like it, I would 100% say GO FOR IT!!

~Katreina, 2nd Mate and young nomad extraordinaire

Solo trip to Greece!

Now that the jetlag has passed I can really dig through just what I did for the past few weeks! This trip was full of exploration, relaxing, reflecting, and eating. I hadn't been planning it for very long either so I kind of showed up and just figured out what felt right. Most days I would head out in the morning to do stuff, grab a late lunch and make my way back to the apartment for a shower/nap/reading, then head back out as the afternoon heat subsided.

Long trip=long account, but here it is...

Day 1: Sweet Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight and arrival in Athens--easy with QR code from COVID paperwork; took a 9€ metro train ride to Kolonaki neighborhood--super easy to buy ticket from machines or teller; checked in to my sweet AirBnB and unpacked my backpack; hiked some trails and to the top of Mount Lycabettus; explored the neighborhood on foot; had dinner at Mpirmpíli; hiked back up Mount Lycabettus again for sunset. I had slept a little on the flight and pushed to stay up late so I could be over jet lag...it pretty much worked! And right away I decided I had made a great choice on where to stay.

Day 2: Decided to play tourist! Bought a 5-day unlimited transit ticket for 8.20€ (I did this three times on this trip and it made getting around super easy and cheap); bought a 5-day ticket for access to seven cultural sites (I'll "*" those throughout so you can see which seven) online for 30€ and used e-tickets to access the sites; visited Hadrian’s Library*, the Roman Agora*, and Kerameikos*; discovered ruins in the Monastiraki metro station; tried to go to Observatory but it was closed so I walked around the hills of Muses, Pynx, and Nymphs before strolling through the Thissio neighborhood. It was super hot and I walked a lot so I had a lazy evening.

The ticket details and some shots of Hadrian's Library and the Roman Agora.

After a quick lunch I was off to Kerameikos and then on a lovely (hot!) hill walk with great views of the Acropolis.

Day 3: Visited the Acropolis* which includes the Parthenon, the Propylaia, the Erechtheion complex with its Porch of the Caryatids, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Monument of Agrippa, the Olive Tree of Pandroseion, and the Theater of Dionysus--so much to see that I spent hours slowly exploring the slopes; visited Hadrian’s Arch; stopped to check out lively Syntagma Square before grabbing a cheese pie from the local bakery; back to Kolonaki for an amazing dinner at Oikeio; went to the Benaki Museum which is free after 1800 on Thursdays (and it was Thursday!)!

This was amazing! Loved seeing the restoration work underway, too.

Hadrian's Arch, my first "real" Greek salad of the trip, and a free night at the museum! 

Day 4: Spent a long time exploring the Athenian Agora* which is hailed as the birthplace of democracy; found the Greek Orthodox church that is right in the middle of the road; tried the original loukoumades from Krinos bakery and freddo cappuccino; walked through the colorful Athens Central Market; hit my neighborhood grocery store; visited the Acropolis Museum (it's open late on Friday nights and the sunset from the top floor was AMAZING!).

Really enjoyed exploring the Athenian Agora and sampling treats in the Monastiraki neighborhood.

A trip highlight! This museum is really well done and sits atop a large excavation site. Sunset from the top floor, which features the friezes from the Parthenon, was stunning!

Day 5: Found the Roman baths by Syntagma metro; visited the Temple of Olympian Zeus*; went to the Panathenaic Stadium for a tour/workout (super fun!); visited the archaeological site of Aristotle's Lyceum*; hit the Athens Central Market to shop for fresh food and cooked a massive feast back at the apartment. 

Roman Baths, Temple of Olympian Zeus, and the Panathenaic Stadium. The stadium, made entirely of marble, hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the first modern Olympics in 1896. It was so much fun running the stairs and the track!

I love, love, LOVE markets! The Central Market is full of wonderful colors, smells, and sounds...and some amazing, cheap olives! It was fun to shop and cook a few times.

Day 6: Took a Sunday morning stroll through the National Garden; had breakfast in the touristy Plaka; strolled through the Anafiotika, a neighborhood with a Greek islands feel on the slopes of the Acropolis; went for a jog that criss-crossed the hills of Mount Lycabettus and Kolonaki. 

Loved the gardens! The Plaka felt a little touristy and the Anafiotika was cute but I felt like there were a ton of tourists crowding a peaceful neighborhood so I slid away. It's nice to have options!

Day 7: Beach day! I took the tram to the "Athenian Riviera" and had planned to go to the end of the tram line, but when all the yayas (older women) hopped off in Glyfada, I followed! I ended up on a public (free) beach with warm, clear water and nice rinse-off showers and changing stalls. I read, I swam, I napped...great day! 

Day 8: Time to leave Athens! Took a fast ferry for 23€ roundtrip from Pireaus to Aegina Island; took a bus to the Temple of Aphaia; walked down a mountain and through pistachio and olive groves to the village of Vagia where I stayed the night; swam at two different amazing beaches; had dinner at a local taverna. 

Love the fishing/boating vibe, but also the agriculture vibe on Aegina. It made for a great mix of history, dining, and relaxing.

Day 9: Sunrise swim in Vagia followed by a huge breakfast at my inn; bus back to the Port of Aegina; visited the Temple of Apollo; walked all over the seaside town; sampled and bought tons of pistachios and pistachio treats; had a fantastic meal of local octopus by the sea before catching the ferry back to Athens. Loved my time on Aegina Island!

Swimming at sunrise was one of my top experiences of this trip. But then there was more food and history to get to! Aegina is a proud grower of pistachios and a cooperative of growers sells them and treats made from them near the port--the pistachio baklava is AMAZING.

Day 10: My Birthday! Took an early morning hike up Mount Lycabettus and had a great workout; had brunch at Ante Post (complete with Prosecco); cooking class with Chef Stam at "The Artist"...ate dinner as the sun set with a beautiful view of the Acropolis...one of the couples in the class got me a glass of bubbly to celebrate...perfect birthday! 

A "me" day--great workout outside and cooking!!!

We made spanakopita, moussaka, tzatziki, Aegean salad, and galatopita (a milk pie dessert)--all Chef Stam's recipes and all absolutely delicious! The group, the food, the view...all amazing.

Day 11: Just walked more of my neighborhood that I hadn't gotten to yet and hit the Friday street market; tram to the coast for a sunset cruise (complete with swimming and dinner) on a catamaran down the Athenian coast (had to get out on a sailboat at least once!). 

Day 12: Up super early to watch the sunrise from Mount Lycabettus; walked from there to Hills of Muses, Pynx, and Nymphs and Philopappos Monument and all around them before walking back to my place in Kolonaki (that's a lot of walking!); visited the National Observatory for a tour (it was too cloudy to observe through the telescope, but still fun!); checked out the craziness of Monastiraki Square and Syntagma Square on a Saturday night (breakdancing, skateboarding, and tons of people!); walked through the book fair by the National Garden. 

From sunrise to way after sunset--it was a long day!

Day 13: Visited the Stavros Niarchos Foundations Cultural Center, home of the Greek National Library and Opera (moving news photo display, dancing fountains, manicured parks); walked around some of the old Olympic venues; bus broke down on the way back so I opted for a really long walk; found another awesome pita shop in Kolonaki!

Day 14: Time for my return COVID test (it was negative!); visited the National Archaeology Museum--loved the sculptures; walked through Exarcheia and Monastiraki neighborhoods; dinner back at Mpirmpíli (so good it deserved a revisit) 

The clay pots were interesting, but the sculptures were more my thing...such amazing detail and beautiful forms.

I love the edgy, eclectic vibe in the Exarchaia and Monastiraki neighborhoods.

Day 15: Wanted a beach day, but it was cool and windy so I went to Lake Vouliagmeni (a thermal lake) instead for a day of swimming, doctor fish spa, and relaxing in the sun; octopus dinner at Bourbonaki Kolonaki; went to a play, "The Frogs" by Aristophanes at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus...such an amazing experience in an ancient venue (and I met another solo traveling gal from Cali who lives in Spain at the show!). 

A spa in a natural thermal pool...not a bad day at all!

I don't think I can adequately describe how awesome it was to be in this venue!

Day 16: Finally hit highly-rated Kora Bakery for a breakfast bun; tried to walk through the National Garden and hills, but they were closed due to fire risk; hiked around and up Mount Lycabettus for what I thought would be the last time (oddly sentimental about this place...I've loved having it so close to my place); final night dinner at Oikeio (because it was also so good that I just had to go again) followed by a walk downtown and around the Acropolis with a stop for ice cream...a fitting farewell! 

Just enjoying my neighborhood...I really have loved hikes up Mount Lycabettus.

A perfect farewell date-night!

Day 17: Not so fast! Got up early enough for one more sunrise jaunt up Mount Lycabettus; packed; took the metro to the airport; hit the duty free shop for a few souvenirs (Ouzo and olives!); departed.

I just had to do it one more time! :)

Wrapping it up...can't wait to return!

This trip was truly amazing. I got to explore a completely new-to-me place, its ancient cultural roots, its modern ways, and its delicious food. I reconnected with myself, learning more about what things make me happy in this chapter of my life. And I reconnected with my family and friends in a way that helped me better understand those relationships and how to nurture the positive ones (I know that can sound weird since I was thousands of miles away, but relationships have never been solely about geography for me).

Would I do it again? Absolutely. Am I happy to be back in my little floating home with my people? ABSOLUTELY!

Great to be back with my guys!

~Jo, 1st Mate (and occasional solo wanderer)