Day 10 by Sophie

I started my day at 6:45, which was a little later than normal sonce we watched a movie a little late last night. I got ready before I had my breakfast of tea and italian cookies/biscuits followed by yogurt and apricot juice. Matilde (my exchange partner) got to sleep in because yesterday was their last day of school, so her mom, her brother, and I left at 7:30 to drive to the bus station, where I met the rest of my class. On the bus, I took a very nice nap and had fun talking to Ananya, Sadhana, Skyler, Jacob, and Spencer! Chenonceau, the castle we visited today, was by far my favorite! When we first arrived, we were greeted by a large pathway lined by trees leading to the castle. We got to walk around inside and in the gardens for two hours, which was really nice because chenonceau has such an interesting backstory and both the interior and exterior had intricate designs. We also got good ice cream at the cafe near the castle, then walked around some more and found a really cute dog that looked like a really fluffy bear. Then, we ate our lunches by the Cher river, the same river Chenonceau is on. We had planned on canoeing today, but because of wind and rain, we biked along the river and past the castle. I honestly liked biking a lot better, the hills were not difficult at all and, despite some issues finding directions, we made it to the bus! When we got back to Tours, me, Matilde, Ananya, Sixtine, Lucas, Jacob, Spencer, Sandro, and some of their friends went on a walk around the city, where we found a nice café to sit down at. We sat and talked while enjoying some hot chocolate and finger food, which was so much fun! Since the bus was a bit late, Matilde and I hung out with Sixtine and Ananya at their house before taking the bus home! We got back at 7:00, and, before dinner, we listened to some Italian music, had snacks, and started a movie called “Agents Presque Secrets”. For dinner, Matilde’s mom made schnitzel, which I was very excited about when she told me yesterday, since my mom and grandma make schnitzel often. Everything tasted so good and reminded me of home! She also asked me earlier if I prefer chocolate or fruit cakes, and I did not realize why until she brought out a chocolate cake that she got me from a bakery. Afterwards, we watched more of the movie before going to bed. I have thoroughly enjoyed this visit so much and my host family has been so thoughtful and welcoming, I cannot wait for tomorrow and more fun days like today!