Lycée Ozenne

I started French high school on September 2nd. It is located in the center of the city, next to the cathedral Saint Sernin. I am in Premiere L, which is like being a junior with a literature based course. They put all exchange students into this because it enforces French and language skills. My school is completely different then back at D.C. Everest. You stay with the same class the whole day, except for the language classes. They also do not have lockers at all. You carry all your things with you around, and girls do not use backpacks just very oversized purses. Also my school is very outdoors, with the only common type area being the courtyard in the middle. The lunch system is completely different then in the States. They get a huge meal and it actually tastes good, with things you wouldn't find in other schools like duck, salmon,  and very yummy homemade French desserts. Another thing different with the French school system is the relationship between teachers and students. The teachers are there to teach and don't talk or joke with the students at all unlike in the US; its very odd to me. And this is even if the teachers even show up. Here if a teacher is gone, that means you don't have class. It is really awesome and I love it, as any high school student would. Also we have  completely open campus, you can leave whenever you want. This helps because the first week of school already the teachers were on strike which meant for me that I had one class a day for three days in a row. It was great, except I had to find ways to waste time, but it's not that hard when you in the city center. Again this week the teachers and all governments workers are on strike. The French love to strike! It is annoying though because I wasn't even sure if the metro and buses were going to work. Without public transportation it puts me stranded and dependent on a ride which then deals with a ton of traffic. There thankfully were transportation today, except it was very reduced meaning less trains and buses which just crowded everything. I have learned how to get around on my own and I definitely know how to work the metro. There is a push and shove policy. When you hear the buzzer push and shove to get inside or you might lose a limb or any object in the way. It is actually really scary sometimes; the metro stops for no one! Its horrible though when your squished in like sardines, and when its hot (which is usually everyday) it is worse! Its my way to get to school though. If I have class at 9, we have to leave by 8:10 to beat the traffic to the metro station, then on the metro, then walking to school all equals to around 45 minutes to an hour of commute. It make the day really long and is worse when its busy. I do a lot of walking in France, and I mean a lot! I don't mind it though, just like how I don't even mind school here. I am completely lost in almost every class for now. It is so hard to follow and understand when the teacher talks so fast. It is worse in my Spanish class, since I barely know French let alone Spanish. I usually end up drawing or day dreaming once I got so lost I can't follow anymore lol. 

The classmates are really nice. They were shy at first, but that's the French. I'm talking with them more and more everyday. It's hard though because many of these kids have been with the same people since primary school. I do have two other exchange students in my class. Lucero is from Mexico and is with Rotary. Charlotte is from Germany, and has amazing French which helps. We stick together most the time because we are lost together in the French world. They are great, and we have a ton of fun. I've already had three test so far though. One in English, Spanish, and French literature. They weren't too hard because the teachers don't expect much right now since they know my language skills are horrible. However in French literature I did have to read the text and analyze it (in French) but I got to use my dictionary so I think I did fine. My classes are just as boring as they are in the States. It's school, just like it is anywhere.

The one thing that helps me get through the day is the amazing views we have from our school windows! You can see most the city center and Saint Sernin. The bells chime every quarter hour, and you can hear it in the classrooms. Just the streets around the school and the courtyard amaze me daily, the Frenchies take it for granted I think! Today we took a three hour tour of the city center of Toulouse with our class. It was something the class put together for us exchange students mainly. It was a lot of walking, but I did get to see parts of the city that I hadn't before. It just makes me fall more and more in love with Toulouse and France in general!

Here is my schedule for the week:

Monday: 9h English, 10-12h French Literature, 12-13:30h Lunch Break, 13:30h-15h Physics & Chemistry/ Biology, 15h History, 16h English Reinforcement

Tuesday: 9h Spanish, 10h English Reinforcement, 11h French Literature, 12-14h Lunch Break, 14-16h Sports/Gym, 16h English

Wednesday: 9h Math, 10h Spanish (Then I am done for the day :) !!)

Thursday: 8-10h French Literature, 10h English, 11-14h Lunch Break, 14h History, 15h Math, 16-18h TPE  (Year Long Project)

Friday: 10h French Literature, 11h Spanish, 12h English, 13h Lunch, 14-16h History

I got lucky they tell me with my schedule. It's not too bad, and I love Wednesdays!!! That's my week for you all. I go to school, wander the town, walk a ton, and am usually lost mentally and sometimes even physically (But I call that taking the long way, lol)! I really try though in all m classes, and things are getting easier everyday which means less doodling and more studying.  :)