At 8 o clock yesterday morning, I woke up with nothing but anticipation for the trip which laid ahead of me. I couldn’t believe that the famous “exchange trip” I had been hearing about for the last two years was actually about to happen. I was excited to travel abroad and experience a new culture, but nervous that I wouldn’t fit in as well. When I got to the airport, I noticed that my classmates were feeling the same mixed emotions. After what seemed like a never ending wait, we finally cleared security and boarded the plane. Ahead of us was a challenging journey that would test all of our abilities to function with limited sleep and limited legroom. Not only would we have to endure the 8 hour plane ride, but a 5 hour bus ride once we arrived in France. Somehow, someway, we battled through the transatlantic flight and acquired cramps and neck aches in the process. Then came the rush of arriving in a new, unfamiliar country. And then came the bus ride. For the first half, we passed time by playing card games and eating the most unhealthy snacks. The second half, a half that started after a quick lunch break, was spent sleeping by the most of us. This sleep, for some of us, was the only sleep we had obtained in the past day of travel. Finally the bus pulled into the narrow, interesting streets of Tours and dropped us off with some familiar faces. Our exchange students greeted us with warm hugs and took use to their school. There, we were greeted again with cool snacks which I unfortunately forget the name of, but which tasted heavenly. It was then time for class for some of our exchange students, and so this is where some of us went different ways.
I went with my exchange student to his German class with the idea of sitting in and grasping some of the similarities and differences in French and American education. Unfortunately, his teacher wasn’t too thrilled about having a foreigner possibly disrupt her class. A little disappointed, I joined a group of students who toured Tours. As a group, we visited a shopping area where we attempted to find things to buy. We also went to various cafes to get something to eat. After heading back to the school, a couple students and I visited a park near to the school. It was a good place to relax after such a long journey. Finally, it was time for me to go home with my exchange student. Once I got into his car, the nerves I had earlier in the trip were alleviated by the hospitality of his mother. At his home, I was given time to rest after my long trip. At about 8 pm, we ate dinner. I had a sort of stir fry which I really enjoyed, followed by some cheese that was alright, and topped off with some sweet cherries for desert. After today, I can safely say that I am no longer as nervous as I was before. The warm welcome we received in France today was very helpful.
