Dear Katey,

HI HI HI!!!!!! You wanted an update so here it is :)

I'm gonna start at the beggining :)

The first weekend of school my host family went to a Rotary picnic. It was a family picnic so there were a bunch of games to play. I played darts (sometimes I was good sometimes I sucked); this game on a table where you slid little wooden pucks into different 'nets'. AND I SHOT A GUN. It was only a BB gun and I know that shooting things is nothing new in Huron County but I HAVE NEVER SHOT A GUN BEFORE. Aiden had a gun for pentathlon when I was little but I was never allowed to touch it. I actually was okay at it :) We also had some really awesome food (I FRAKIN LOVE FRENCH FOOD!!!!).

Then I had school for a week Normal long slightly boring school. However school is cool 'cause I have some really nice new friends :) Nerdy friends. French doesn't have an equivalent for the word 'nerd' but that’s my friends. We talk about Manga and Stargate and Castle and Doctor Who and Firefly and Books and all kinds of other things that I love. (A few of us may be going to a manga expo together in a few weeks :D) Also when my friends and I have a couple hours free at the same time we often go into the center of the city which is really cool cause it SUPER old and has a lot of nifty shops.

My second weekend of school was even busier. On Saturday some members of my Rotary club went grape picking. OMG THAT’S HARD WORK. You have these like mini clipper things (which can cut your fingers if you’re not careful) and you cut the grapes and then if there are any nasty ones on the clump you've just cut you gotta get them off with your clippers. We did this for like 5 hours starting at 8ish in the morning. (SIDE NOTE: at some point during the morning one Rotarian asked me if it was easier than catching salmon. I was slightly confused, I wondered if he had confused Canadians with grizzly bears or if he assumed all Canadians were fishermen. Either way I had to regrettably inform him that I have never caught salmon before.)   After we had some awesome French food, with CHOCOLATE MOUSE for dessert. :) Sooooooo gooooood. Then in the evening we went and toured an old underground reservoir. It was built centuries ago so the government decided that you can't store drinking water there anymore. So no it like an underground stone igloo you can walk around in :) It was SO COOL. It is seriously ancient; Dijon was the second city in Europe, after ROME, to have running water. Then we had dinner out.

Then on Sunday my host family and I ate lunch at a friend’s. There were a bunch of people there. They kept asking me questions about Canada and my town; it was really fun to be able to tell them things. My French at the time was great but thankfully everyone has been really patient with me.

The next week/weekend was rather restful comparatively. Except Tuesday (the 20th) when I went to my first meeting with my host Rotary Club. I made a presentation on my home country and community. It was really great cause when I was presenting I showed a lot of pictures but I didn't always know the French word for it and the entire club helped me out :)

The next Tuesday (the 27th) I didn't go to Rotary however that day was the strikes. This is a scheduled day where if teachers have a problem with the school/board they can just not show up for class. I LOVE THIS COUNTRY! Only one of my teachers did it however it was my history teacher and I have two hours of history from 8-10 on Tuesdays, then I have an hour of nothing while my classmates study languages, then I have history of arts them I eat. So my history teacher not showing up meant that I had two hours to just chill with friends. Then from 10-11 one of my other friends (not in my class, therefor not in languages) had an hour off so we hang out. AWESOME!

That weekend (1 and 2 of October) was my conference with all the other exchange students in my area. There was 9 Americans, a girl from Taiwan, a girl form Ecuador and me. Out of the twelve of us there are 9 girls. It was such an amazing weekend. We toured around the country side, saw Charles De Gaulle's GIGANTIC monument, and toured a wine cellar that was built by a monk in the 11 hundreds (I think. It was something like that. OLD.) We ate French food (CREME BRULEE YUMMY) and threw one of the Rotarians in a pool. And we did a LOT of talking. It was super awesome to talk to people who understand what I'm going through. We swapped stories of what we've done while in France as well as sharing stuff about our lives back home. Everyone was awesome and I can't wait to see them again. :)

Then this week was normal. School. English and French literatures are my favourites. I dislike the sciences cause I feel stupid (I mean I suck at chemistry in English!). But thankfully they're only once a week for an hour and a half (one week is bio the next is physics/chemistry).  History/geography is okay cause I understand some of the concepts from back home. My French is A LOT better now so I understand almost all of what people are saying to me. However teachers speak super-fast and they use words that I don't know. Normal everyday conversations are easier but when a teacher uses a wordback home. My French is A LOT better now so I understand almost all of what people are saying to me. However teachers speak super-fast and they use words that I don't know. Normal everyday conversations are easier but when a teacher uses a word that is never used outside a scholarly situation I'm lost. That means taking notes is hard cause I never know how to spell the words. However I usually understand the basic concept of the lecture so sometimes I end up writing small parts of my notes in English. The person who sits beside me in history actually laughed when she saw my notes. These days I write more in French (with horrible grammar and spelling) but at the time it was such a weird mixture. A couple times I started a sentence in French and ended it in English :P

That brings us to the weekend. This rainy dreary weekend. Yesterday I did a bunch of homework. Then in the afternoon me, my host mom and my host sister went into the city for a bit (I live in a town of 6000 people outside Dijon, its kinda like a suburb(St Apollinaire), but my school is like right near the center of Dijon). I sent postcards and we picked up some things. Then today we went to mass and then to a friend’s place. We ate lunch there. More delicious French food. Including some awesome shrimp. Mind you this isn't Canadian shrimp where you take it off the ring and take the tail off. These shrimp were full on shrimp. I had to remove the head the tail and its hard skin stuff (side note to any family reading this: one of them shiznited on me!) but it was so worth is cause shrimp are DELISCIOUS! We also had veggies and meat in red sauce and apple crumble with ice cream. I have to tell you though a good 80% of the time I am not entirely sure what I'm eating but it’s always delicious so I just go with it :) And usually I have a small idea. :D

Also this weekend is Thanksgiving back home so I talked with my whole family while they were at my sister’s place for dinner. It was really great :) Though Thanksgiving means that I've got a bit of a hankering for pumpkin pie.

Anyway that’s what my life’s been like the last few weeks. In short I love France, I love the food, I love how beautiful and old everything is. My host family and my new friends are awesome (me and my host sister get in so many tickle fights. Its epic, I love being the oldest). I miss people back home (especially when something reminds me of them) but I've been keeping myself busy and I wouldn't trade this for the world :)

 PS. Sorry there are no picture on this one, it actually slightly difficult and time consuming to get pictures from my computer to my blog because I have to put them onto a hosting sight (cause I don't have a server just kicking around) and then I have to transfer them and it takes way longer than is necessary. And unfortunately I do not have the time for that today. I promise I will put a bunch up soon. I might to just an entire blog post of pictures or I may make a web album or something. I still have to figure that out. However if you have me on Facebook you need not wait for that and can just check out the three albums I've got on there :)

After arriving I spent three relaxing days at a Rotarians country home. While there I spent an afternoon touring the countryside and nearby villages. I saw a lot of old buildings and took lots of pictures J Here are a few.

Then on the Saturday my host family came and picked me up. The next week I spent hanging out with my host siblings and doing a little exploring. My host mom and siblings spent an entire afternoon with me going around the center of Dijon and showing me my school, which by the way is gigantic. It was built by Napoleon around 200 years ago. I believe it’s an old fort or something. It has three floors and three courtyards. About three thousand students attend Carnot (my school), that includes the younger grades as well as preparatory classes that are offered there (they are classes that you can take before going on to university or whatever). I started school this Tuesday. Every day but Wednesday I have class from 8 in the morning until 6 at night. However I have a spare hour or so every day because I’m not taking any languages (ie. Chinese or Spanish or German). Sometimes it’s really hard because many of my teachers speak really fast French. However I have an English literature class that promises to be really cool. I also am taking two other English classes which probably seems like a complete waste of time however I learned a lot of new French words thanks to my English class this week. Yesterday my teacher taught a lesson based on a Calvin and Hobbes comic strip. It was amusing and also educational because we had to translate it into French.

I also met a bunch of other Rotarians at a dinner. It was great they were all very nice AND they didn’t laugh when I messed up my French. The dinner was outside and I was in a metal chair. At one point in started sinking into the ground so my yeo put this wooden thing under it and I was suddenly taller, the Rotarians were very amused. It was a great night J

The weekend before I started school we stayed a few nights at my host mom’s parents place and they took me to a winery and we went into the cellars. It’s a famous champagne brand called Mercier. I also got to go into the grape fields and to a cooperative where people make wine. It was awesome. You know what tastes awesome? Grapes fresh off the vine. :D

That’s really all that’s happened. So yeah. Here are some more pictures J

 Yes that is a giant wine barrel. I don’t know who the random lady is…

Life as I know it....in FRANCE!

Hello all! Right now it is 10:54 local time in Dijon FRANCE!
A lot has happened in the last week. First there was the tornado. Thankfully my family was out of town when it hit so we are all okay. My family is also feeling grateful right now because none of our property was damaged. That was Sunday. On Monday I ran around doing last minue things and I packed. I also hung out with this amazing girl named Celtae who is one of my very best friends as well as one of my other best friends Kayla, and I saw Alexus :) On Tuesday I said goodbye to my home and my parents drove me to the airport. There we met Jordan and the two of us started our journey. At the gate we met two students we didn't know. Both going to France :) It was really cool bumping into them. One was from Calgary  and the other was from Winnepeg. Me and Jordan sat with the Winnepeg boy all the way to France. When I arrived I was swept into the welcominh open arms of Rotary. And I swear to God they must have taken a hundred pictures :) A bunch of other stuff happend and now its Saturday :) I'll fill you in in the next post but I have to sleep now :)

Also, to the man who changed my screen saver... no. I love YOU mostest.

~Nathanya

The Last 365.

Today I am 17. I have been on this earth for 6,205 days. I have done some amazing things in that time, but I'm just going to talk about the last 365. So here are 17 things I did this year, most of it rocked, some of it didn't.

It's in no particular order, and is probably rank with grammer and spelling mistakes.

17. I learned to play guitar. Now I'm not the best at it. I love to play and it generally sounds pretty good but sometimes I can't remember which note is which, and there are a couple chords I haven't mastered. I also cannot sing and play at the same time. But I don't really care. I play for me, because I love how it sounds. I love the vibrations of it singing through me. And I love how natural it feels to hold it.

16. I was in my sisters wedding. Which was super awesome. I was able to share in her special day and through the entire thing we bonded a lot. Also, I looked rather pretty :)

15. I went in the lake during huge waves. It was freaking amazing! Usually when the lake is rough it scares me, but I just went for it. I was jumping through the water and it was soooo cool. I did it with some pretty awesome friends :)

14. I said goodbye. A lot. One of my best friends went away to Austria, and it was kinda hard to say goodbye. But I know she's having the time of her life which makes up for it. I also said goodbye to another exhange student, much sooner than expected. I said goodbye to YoCo friends, and school friends, and the normalcy of yesterday. This year has been so crazy and busy it's hard to remember the last time I just slowed down.

13. I went to Algonquin park. I was there with my fam-jam, the exchange student, and twoo good friends. We cannoed so much that week. And hiked. We hiked to look out point and I dreamed I could see the edge of the world. I was amazed by that trip, but I also saw how much the park is changing. Gone are the crazy walking trails with roots and rocks and challenge, now so much as been turned into refined gravel paths. It was kinda depressing. However I did read like 6 books : )

12. I hung out in a library for like an entire morning. I just sat and read and wrote. I also talked to some wicked friends, and read Chester the Cat books :) That afternoon/evening I saw two sick plays at the Blyth theater for free : ).

11. I wrote a play. I loved it. I haven't gotten the chance to present it yet, but I hope I do in future. I really loved what I wrote and I think others will to. It speaks to people on a lot of different levels.

10. I took a class I hated and was horrible at, though somehow I managed to scrape by with a 75. Which is the lowest mark I have recieved in my high school carreer.

9. I was in a play called Aligator Tears. It was amazing. The people I met are still close to my heart. We had huge amounts of fun, and the number of inside jokes is too high to count. I also got to preform in front of people who honestly loved what I was doing.

8. I got into Rotary Youth Exchange. I survived my interview, and the huge application, and they've decided to send me to France. Which is freaking awesome.

7. I got a lead role in a play put on at the livery. The people I worked with were phonomenal and I loved every minute of it.

6. I had a small role in a different play at the livery. It was also amazing. Because my dad was lighting designer I got to do a lot of tech stuff which was pretty awesome. I also met some of the most amazing, and dedicated people I know, and some of them are younger than me.

5. I had some pretty rockin' hangout sessions. I have some really amazing friends and we have had some really really great times lately. We discovered that Clinton has few aligator themed things for sale, I can't sing and do an accent at the same time, also there is a frightning epidemic apoun us. And I forget to text people.

4. I had a blast on New Years. I hung out with Haley adn we did hot rock, fondu, and hot tub. As well as play Cranium at three in the morning. Best. New Years. Ever.

3. I'm directing the schools SEARS show. Which is hard, but great.

2. I lost my uncle. I wanted to scream and rage and cry. Meanwhile everyone around me is complaining about such stupid things. So it was hard, and it hurts, but it makes me appreciate who I have in my life.

1. I read a lot of books. I watched a lot of TV. I said deep meaningful things that were probably really cheezy. I started writing a novel. I laoughed and I loved. In short, I lived.

So I left out a lot that I did this year, these were just the first things that came to mind. Even though some bad things happened, I had an amazing year. I hope the next 365 are just as fantastic.

See you the Flip Side.

~Nathanya

Rather Random

So I have not posted in a very, very, long time. And I'm sorry for that. But I've kinda come to a realization. Not many people read my blog. And I'm okay with that. I'm very grateful for the people who do read my blog, but I think the main point of this blog is so that people can keep track of me in France. So i promise to post more when I arrive.

Anywho this is what I have been up to. :)
I was in a play called Wait, Wait...I Can Explain! It was an amazing time! Everyone loved the show and thought it was super funny. I really enjoyed working with the cast, they were all amazing people I look forward to working with them in the future. It was really cool being onstage with so many people watching me. Sometimes it was kinda scary, and embarrising when I messed up my lines that one time : /
But it was really amazing and I hope that I have another opportunity like this in the future.

And the best part of this whole thing was my friends. My frienda Beth and Katey showed up totally surprising me. At another show my friend Kayla and her mom came. And the same show Haley and Rachel showed completely surprising me again :) Each time we went to the pub after and had tonnes of fun :)

I've also had some sick hang out sections with my friends lately, and each time we've come up with some great inside jokes :)

I'm also directing the Sears show at my school which is going really well : D

And my grandparent are up right now for my birthday so I'm going to go:) Byes!!

PS. RANDOM FACT OF THE POST!
Chihuahuas when they were orginally bred in Mexico were originally meant to be for food.

~Nathanya Barnett

Bonjour!

So this is a real quick post, I just have some amzing news. I told you earlier that I had applied to Rotary Exchange and that I was an alternate. Well to day i found out that I'M GOING TO FRANCE! FOR A WHOLE GORRAM YEAR! SUPER EXCITED!