Monday was a bit of a 'sickie' day as we might say in the land of Aus...My host-mum woke up feeling rather tired and ended up throwing up :S. Looks like all her business and lack of sleep caught up with her :S. She decided to take the day off work and Aurore too as Deborah was also sick (Sandrine was meant to drive them both to the bus-stop)...although we found out later on that this was due to an English test that neither of them wanted to do or thought that they were ready for :S haha.
Sooo, we had four for lunch - something that we weren't expecting (Sandrine had bought double serves of everything for the week as we were expecting it to just be Marine and I alone at lunch for the entire week).
After lunch, Marine began her revision for her BAC - well, not began, but continued with ;).
While she was doing so, I got her to help me pick out my top 10 photos for the Student Exchange Australia photography competition which I thought ended on the 15th of June (haha, turns out I stuffed up the month :S). Marine chose 13 which I later on sent to the photography expert, Alexiiiiis! He then told me which ones not to send.
Marine was a little nervous about going to code...Soooo, me being the wonderful person I am :D hehe, I decided to accompany her. So I got together my iPod and book. Although my iPod was out of battery and my earphones were no where to be found :S. They ended up being my Aurore's DS as she had mistaken them for Marine, and, unfortunatly broken them :S so only one of the ear buds works :S.
Code ended up going extremely well and she really didn't have the need for my company :) hehe. Although Jacki told her off a few times for talking to Maxime. And she had to lie to him when he asked how many mistakes she had made, "three" haha, nope...it was actually seven :O.
: : Tuesday : :
So, it was the 15th of June and Alexis had responded to my photo-email before he went to school. I was rather stressed as I thought it was the closing day of the competition.
I spent the morning attaching and reattaching my photos to emails to send to Student Exchange Australia as they kept being way too big to be sent. I even explained it all to my host-mum and left my computer on the kitchen table for after I my shower...Which resulted in even more Delivery Failed notifications :S. Whoo!
During lunch I had a bit of a breakthrough as they actually worked! hehe, I think Marine was a bit frightened by my instantaneous jumping in and out of my chair to check whether they had sent or not.
It wasn't until later on when Natacha popped by to say hello as she was back from her holidays, that I checked my emails and found three "Message Delivery Delayed" notifications! :O Three that replaced my emails which I THOUGHT had sent :S. They said that the delivery would be delayed until the 17th of June; I panicked as this was past the closing date. So while Marine and Natacha practiced, "Je te mentirai" for Friday, I sent a message to Student Exchange Australia via Facebook and put all my photos onto Photo Bucket too (hehe, yes, I really was quite desperate :O).
Ten or so minutes after I sent that message, June (another fellow exchangee) commented on my post telling me that in fact, it was the 15 of JULY...not June...hehe, yes, I felt rather idiotic, but amazingly relieved :D.
This was also the day of Marine's little "Code story" with her run in with a mother...let's just say mothers don't seem to like her all that much :O. So we both had a rather disastrous story to tell eachother when we were reunited after her code.
: : Wednesday : :
My host-mum was a little stressed Wednesday morning as one of her English students called up and made a last minute appointment :S. Although all passed well and the two ended up talking about hot-chocolate in the kitchen and how to pronounce it, hehe. While they were at it, I moved onto the rather emotional task of removing all my memories and souvenirs from the shelves surrounding my desk and putting them in box...:'(
After lunch, Marine went to her code. I chose to stay home when Aurore and my host-mum left to pick her up. Aurore was going to get her hair cut, "just like Becky!". Earlier that morning my host-mum had tried to show Aurore some haircuts that were similiar to mine but might suit her face better...but she just kept on yelling, "je veux couper mes cheveux comme Becky!" (I want to cut my hair like Becky!). So I tried to reason with her and told her that she would have to explain to the hairdresser what she wanted and that she couldn't just say that she wanted her hair cut like mine because I wouldn't be there...
At 3:30, Natacha popped by...I wasn't really expecting this as I was the only one home. We went upstairs into my room and I started to help her with "Boys Don't Cry".
Marine arrived home soon after and we sang the song all together. It was a little bit disastrous as neither of them could get the melodie that well :O hehe but it was good fun.
Natacha left and Marine and I were looking fowards to seeing the new "Becky" walk through those doors.
When we were in the bathroom getting ready to go to singing, Aurore entered! :O I caught a quick glimpse of her as she squealed and ran into the toilet, giggling.
The way the hairdresser had styled her hair was rather funny, hehe...but it was better after it was washed ;).
When we arrived at singing, we were 15 minutes early. We said hi to Alexis, who was already there and, for once when he asked me how I was I didn't say, "oui"...instead I answered, "...triste..JE VEUX PAS PARTIR!!!" (...sad...I don't want to leave!).
Because we still had a while to wait until we started with the group singing of "Boys Don't Cry", Alexis decided he would return his art magazines to the library (which was next door).
We had a little trouble finding where to return them...going down the stairs, to the childrens' section, then up two flights of stairs to the non-fiction section, then down the stairs again to get out...a lot of stairs :O.
On the way back to the Centre Culturel, Alexis stopped and gasped, telling us that we could take amazing photos at this abandoned building thing. I handing him my camera and he got Marine to stand in front of it as if she was on a deserted island. He then got me to join her and we both yelling, "OU SONT LES GENS?!?!?!" (WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE?!?!?!). Hehe, it was rather funny.
When we returned, we were 15 minutes late :O. Which turned out to be alright as the room was still locked we arrived outside the door.
Karine came to see our group first. I made a point to tell Marine that I was just there to help with the English pronounciation as I was rather afraid of what Karine would say if she knew I was trying to sing with the group again :S.
It turned out well, as she realised that I knew the lyrics and the melody (hehe, Marine and Natacha were rather catastropic!) and I told her, that yes, I knew the song well :). So she paired me up with Alexis and left Natacha and Marine together. We sang through one time in couples (Alexis/me, Natacha/Marine). I wasn't really used to the microphone so I shied away quite a bit, which resulted in Alexis trying to shove his microphone infront of me when I was least expecting it, and me, firmly closing my mouth...Then, Natacha and Marine joined in two, so I was faced with THREE microphones :S.
We had a bit of a break from the hot little room and loud music and Marine, Natacha, Alexis and I went to the art room and had a little poke around :) before returning to our singing duties.
That night was "La Nouvell Star"! The final! Between Francois and Luce. The whole family was going for Luce as Francois was all stuck up and...:S-ish. Marine and I took our computers downstairs to the dinner table so we could watch the final as Marine still hadn't reconstructed her computer from when she took the speakers for the party. We didn't end up really watching it that much and even left before the finish; although we both heard Luce win :) which we were rather happy about :D.
: : Thursday : :
Thurday morning, Marine got up early to go pass her Code...for the second time. We both thought it impossible for her to actually PASS as she kept making 6-8 mistakes at Code, in general (but telling her parents it was only 3-ish as you need to get less that 5 to pass...ahem).
I was to meet Marine in Soissons after her code, which meant that I had to catch the mini-bus. Marine had told her mum that I would have the change to pay the woman...when, in fact I only had two 20 euro bills...a bit much :S.
Before my host-mum dropped me off at the bus-stop, she received a message from Marine saying, "j'ai pas mon code...j'en ai marre". Which basically meant that she had not passed her code...:O...we were both really disappointed :S.
The woman didn't have any change for me :S. So I told her I was meeeting a friend in Soissons and maybe she would have some money...and if not, I would go and exchange some money.
I was rather proud of myself, doing all ths on my own :) hehe.
When we arrived at Soissons, neither the woman nor I could see Marine waiting for me, so she asked if she could drive me around to a shop so I could exchange some money and then pay her...Howeer, it was then that we both spotted Marine on the ground :). And she had the required two euros :).
When I first saw Marine and called her over, she screamed at me, "J'ai mon code! J'AI MON COOOODE!!!" (I have my code! - aka, she passed her code), I was rather confused at this stage as she had sent an SMS to her mum saying otherwise...Then I realised that she was joking. It was funny as Marine had called NZ to tell Henry that she had her code too and she had used all her credit, so she couldn't reply to her mum's worried calls and texts...haha, Sandrine ended up getting Mammie to call Marine...Marine filled her in on the surprise ;).
Marine and I walked around Soissons for a while before waiting for Sawdatou at the bus-stop, not sure whether or not she would come...turns out she didn't...so we proceded to go and eat Kababs. Marine's head was in the clouds when ordering and the man behind the counter and the whole queue had a good laugh, hehe.
After eating, we went looking in the shops...I had the 15 euro Pimpkie giftcard from Cindy in my bag and was ready to do some Pimpkie shopping; however, we didn't find anything :(. So instead I bought some tan brown shoes from MIM :).
We waited for Marine's mum outside my school where there were a lot of students stressing an waiting to do their BAC. :S
When my host-mum arrived, we were mid-photo-taking with the school and its sign.
We told her that Marine actually did have her Code in the car and she didn't believe us...HAHAHA!
: : Friday : :
Friday, I was in a bit of a misty mood as I was hit with an overwhelming wave of, "life-in-France = over". So up until lunch my mood was pretty solemn...
After lunch we heading to the bus-stop just outside the church in Vauxrezis. As we were walking there, we watched as our mini-bus passe us. We began to panic a bit as we thought that perhaps my host-mum ha given us the time of arrival and NOT the time of DEPART :O.
We quickened our pace and put on some motivational music as always. When we arrived, we were relieved to see the mini-bus still parked behind a school bus :).
The driver had gotten out of the vehical and was talking casually with the other bus driver. It turns out she was Marine's bus driver when she was younger and she commented on how much she had grown.
She dropped us off at the market place where we then walked on towards "Le Bureau" (The Office) - a bowling cafe - where we would be meeting everyone.
Marine and I were 15 mins or so early, so we took a seat and waited for everyone.
Cindy was the first to arrive...then Clement, with his new haircut (I gave him Aurore's massive pink sunnies which he wanted to borrow too :))...then Constance...then Kenvin (some random who invited himself and who we originally thought was just a passer-by)...then Yanis.
By this stage we realised that Sabrina was going to be late, so we entered the cafe and made our way up to the bowling area on the second floor.
Once Sabrina arrived, we paid for our shoes and game and got to it.
It started off horribly! The first four people (Cindy, Constance, Yanis and I) got 0s, and then after that 1s. Sabrina won in the end.
At the end were the goodbyes and when I ave Constance a great big hug, Yanis wanted one too - so he got one. We took a group photo at the end (with Sawdatou, as she had arrived 5 minutes before the end as she thought it was the last time she would see me).
After our goodbyes, Cindy, Sawdatou, Marine and I accompanied Clement to go and get his scooter. He looked rather funny strutting down the street, pink sunnies and scooter ;) haha. It was hilarious watching the looks he got! We all took a photo with him, haha.
Marine and I then caught the mini-bus back home where we got ready for the concert that night.
Marine sang to me in her bedroom while was getting ready to see if she was with the music. I got rather emotional and started to cry as I realised that this was the last time I would see her and all the others singing at those mini concerts that I love so much. After a chat in the bathroom we went back upstairs - where Aurore was still on MSN talking to her friend (she talked for her fr three or more hours...:O and even invited her to come to watch the concert - she and her dad said yes...)
Marine was tired and wanted to go in her street clothes which had holes in them :S. I covinced her otherwise...;). Oh and I got to wear my new shoes :) muahahahahah :D.
Natacha arrived later on to go over her songs with Marine while I packed dinner and te drinks for the family.
When we arrived we joined two tables and sorted out the ten chairs we needed; although people ended up stealing them so Aurore and I had to go on a wild chair hunt...we didn't find any...so we went next door and asked for some ;).
Aurore's friend never showed up which really upset Aurore - sadly, the family believed it was on purpose :S...so Alexis came a joined us at our table as there were two seats spare. When Marine was singing, Aurore started crying...I didn't realise until afterwards when Alexis tapped me on the shoulder and told me - so I took my adopted little sister out of the room and into the bathroom.
She told me that she was upset because she didn't want me to leave, so I held her in my arms and promised I would come back. I had a little trouble wording why Aurore was upset when Alexis came to check on us, as even I was starting to choke up...but I kept a straight face for quite some time, not wanting to give her a reason to be sad...however in the end I did end up cracking when Natacha and Marine joined us and we in a great big group hug.
Later on, Marine and Natacha had to sing...and they were really not in the mood...So Natac put on te brave face and said that they would sing for me. So I took my seat and watched on.
I managed to go pretty well throughout the song...but then at the end, Marine had to announce that the song was for me and pointed me out...Luckily I had a tissue handy :').
Once the concert was over, I went to put the many cans and cups in the bin. Natacha and Marine were already outside with Alexis (he didn't sing and was pretty gutted as his new microphone did't work and cost hime 400 euros!). He had even brought a constume and everything with him.
When Marine's parents joined us and this little 6 year old girl who Marine had made friends with, Alexis gave me the roses that were meant to be for his performance as a gift for my depart. There was a red one an a white one :). Sandrine got a little over excited and started saying in French AND English, "oooh, red. The colour of the passion!" which went on for a full five minutes...Alexis and I were quite shocked and laughed at her...I added that white was the rose for grandmothers too, so if she wanted to take his literally, I was a grandma who he was passionate about :P haha. But nah, we exchanged some pretty worrying looks, hehe. They smelt really really really good though :).
When we got home, I put the roses in a vase and Sandrine made me leave them in the dining room as it was more practical to change their water...although I wanted to take them to my room :(. Oh well...
That night, Aurore set up the mattress and dooners in my bedroom, where she spent the night as she wanted to spend as much time with me as possible before I leave, which is sweet. Annnnd, that means that the mattress is already prepared for when my sister comes to stay...
Saturday:
