Do you smell the nostalgia?

Maybe it's just my overly-sentimental sense of smell, but it's there. Not quite summer, not quite fall. Not ready to end, but not ready to begin either. It's like the earth is right on the edge of diving into a whole new world of orange and yellow and red. It will be brilliant.

Do you smell it? 

On another note, I've been tasting the dreams of pregnant mermaids all day. Pretty fancy stuff.

Host Family Update!

Thanks to Facebook, I've been able to talk to all of the other 59 students who are going to France with me! Not only that, but students who went to Rennes last year are on the Facebook group too, giving advice, telling us about their host families, seeing who has their host family this year. It's been so helpful. I never expected to talk to the student who had my host family last year. It just never crossed my mind, but when the 1 in my message box popped up and I read "I had your host family last year!" I was so excited, and so relieved.

So what have I learned about my host family that I didn't know before?
Well, firstly, I have the jackpot family. They're called this for two reasons: 1. They live in the perfect location - the center of Rennes! They have easy access to everything, and they are right across from Parliament Square, where there will be different events all of the time. 2. The second reason why they're the jackpot family is because of the kids. Kids?! What? I thought I didn't have any host siblings! Well, it turns out, not only do I have host siblings, I have 5. That's right, 5! For those who don't know me, I only have one sister, so an addition 4 siblings will be quite the change.

I am so excited to move to France. I leave in 5 days! I've been packing and shopping and freaking out, and I can't believe that the day is finally coming. For those who would like to write to me, my address will be:
Elizabeth Ollero
5 Allée Sainte-Marie
35700 Rennes, France

For those who would like to email me, my email is: Elizabethollero@gmail.com
Add me on skype to chat or video with me: ElizabethOllero
Or, if you have an iPhone/Android, add the Viber app (and my phone number!) so that we can text and talk for free!
Keep in touch! Remind me what English is! Send me stickers!

I Found Out Who My Host Family Is!

I got a letter on Monday from SYA. When I opened it, there was this big long letter from the SYA Program Director (or something), and then on the back there were just a few short lines telling me the most minimal information about my host family.

I know their last name.
I know their street.
I know one of their email addresses.
I know their phone numbers.

I googled them, Facebook searched them, google-mapped them, and all I've come up with is this:

I don't have any host brothers or sisters.
I live in the middle of Rennes, very close to Parliament.
I live in an apartment.
I'm 15 minutes away - walking distance - from school.
That's about it.

Isn't this so exciting?! I've also been talking to all 59 (quite a bunch!) of the SYA France students, and we've mapped out all of our houses, and the school. I may or may not meet up with a couple of semi-local (Connecticut and surrounding states) students before we go to France together. 56 DAYS!

And It Begins!

Today I really started getting ready for France. I went to the French Consulate to get my visa so that I can spend the year in France! We left the house at 8:30, drove down to New York City, and waited from 11:30 to 2:30 to get my visa! I didn't even get called until 1:20 to hand in my forms, and then I had to wait another hour to be interviewed. But, it was a success! After July 2nd, I will be a visa-holding goose on the loose!