In exactly seven days I will be on a plane to lovely, WARM, Hong Kong. Aside the incredible Christmas spirit that makes this cold bearable, it is all about the actual Christmas break now. Things are hectic organizing the next semester, juggling work, internship, students, CIEL, and class is not an enjoyable task, especially when the school gives our the exam dates (not time) a week before vacations. I must once again denounce my shock towards the bureaucratic organization – or lack of – of the French university system. At Holy Cross I know my final exam dates the semester before the courses begin! In fact, I know people take a class or not depending upon when the exam is and thus how early they can go home. Here, it’s a mystery. But it’s all over now, now we know, now we are almost on break.
Similarly, today we had our first final exam, THREE hours, and I’m glad it’s over. I suppose that because classes are so different here, I’m having a hard time feeling like I have to study because I don’t know exactly what to study or where to study from beside my notes. The French expect you to learn EVERYTHING, because professors want the freedom to write down a question from a lecture the day before the exam. They also expect to buy and read all ten books from their bibliography; not going to happen.
On a more joyful note, this weekend was the Scout’s Christmas Show, quite lovely. Before the show I’ll have you know that I mastered my very first hand-made tin box, beautifully decorated and varnished by my lovely hand to be given as a gift to a louvette. Saturday I had to juggle my day between hosting my boyfriend’s French aunt – here in town for the marché de Noel – and rehearsing with my louvettes the song they would sing on Sunday, as well as exchanging gifts and attending the 90 minute mass. Sunday I had to get up at the crack of dawn to greet them as they arrived and then wait until it was our turn. When it finally was our turn, I found myself backstage dressing five girls at a time and somehow finding the French words of encouragement that would keep them sane. It was truly an amazing experience, not only did I speak French in a way in a never had before, but I got to share with many families the joy of watching their child perform.
And so, one exam, one final paper, one Christmas show over; seven days and a thousand more things to do, but in seven days it will all be over, and I get my two weeks off in lovely Hong Kong, where it’s WARM, and where there is not much to do but have fun, and study of course. Tonight we have the Répas de Noel, or Christmas Dinner, at a restaurant with Malou. You shall hear all about it next week!
