Family are friends, not food

I am now halfway through my two week vacation. I’m glad to say that even with some personal drama I’m still growing in my language skills and taking every opportunity I can to become closer with people here. I was, however, starting to take my host family for granted and pretty much only seeing them at meal times. It wasn’t until this week I fully realized that they are my family. They aren’t just here to give me food and a place to stay. They are here to form a relationship with. They are here to listen and talk about the good and bad parts of my day. I feel awful for not trying harder to be more a part of the family before, I read this quote, “the only person you have to be better than is the person you were yesterday.” So I am not going to just live in regret. I’ve already started watching TV and hanging out with my host siblings more. I have started asking more questions about everything (even things I know so that I can get a little extra french practice in). I have also asked my dad to teach me how to cook, because I am hopelessly lost when it comes to cooking and I have a big appreciation for a good, home cooked meal and I am not going to just hope and pray I marry someone who will cook for our kids every night. It will also be cool to come home and cook my family and friends a French meal! So far I have only learned a simple omelette dish because I only asked him the other day, and last night and most all of today I was at my Australian friend’s house. I will get to how that was in a little bit, I’ll tell you how my week went in the order it went in instead of jumping around so much. So, last weekend I tried some new food! I had a liver. not sure from which animal and I didn’t really know what it was at first. I kinda thought it was a different kind of steak. All in all it was not bad, but I didn’t find it that great either. I also had pig stomach! It kinda just looked like an odd kind of baloney slices. It also, was not bad but I don’t think I will be craving it anytime soon (or ever). My family never tells me what kind of food I’m eating until after I ate it. I think it’s so I won’t become to scared to eat it. There was this one other food that is very common in the United States… yet the way it was served in  bowl was… well… different. It was shrimp. I already know I don’t like shrimp so I didn’t have to try it. The shrimp, though, didn’t come how you may be imagining it. It had the legs and eyes and full body and everything and you had to pull it all off! Now I don’t eat a lot of seafood so that may be normal but that was bizarre to me. Just pulling off all the legs.. I didn’t even like watching the process.I also tried bread and cheese with lettuce! That is my new favorite snack. I am also just really falling in love with cheese! Even though I am surrounded by all this amazing french food, I’ve been really craving a burger from Smashburger or 5 Guys and also I really have been wanting mexican food, even just chips and salsa. So when I go out to eat with friends I will now suggest something along those lines. I did more than just eat though, I went to Saint Malo with my host parents and Maxent (host brother) and it was so historic and beautiful. It’s this walled town/city right on the ocean and good lord do I love the ocean. I mean I love the mountains too, but there is just something about the ocean that will always have a special place in my heart. At Saint Malo , there was also a little boardwalk carnival there with a ton of rides and games and it was like something from a movie it was so fun to just be there and walk around and my host dad bought me my favorite pastry so that made me very happy.  I also went out shopping with my friend Joel again, I had a hung out a lot with Faustine’s friends (she’s my host sister is you don’t know) and then of course I hung out with Eliza (my Australian friend). It has not been a disappointing vacation so far to say the least.Well, except the whole difficulty of relationships from so far away. However, I have a great support system here and I’ve been leaning on my family and friends here, but also I have a fantastic support system back in the States. I feel as though it is important for an exchange student to have friends and a family member who really knows you and knows how to calm you down and everything because your new friends can help a lot, don’t get me wrong, just sometimes you need someones voice you know. I do feel as though I am extremely lucky to be in the situation I am in. My family really helps me with my french and my host sister is so awesome. I wonder if week two of vacation will be as fun and eventful, fingers are crossed!