Hello Hello

I am glad to be able to say that I am feeling amazing right now, because it's like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel of bad family situations.

But let's start at the beginning. Wednesday I was hanging out with Alicia and Claudine but honestly I don't remember what we did. I was feeling pretty scared that I would be stuck with my current host family for weeks, which wouldn't be good. But I was also enjoying my time with my liason and her daughter who are like a second host family to me- in fact they told me that they would gladly host me if they had the space. Claudine's son sleeps in the living room of their apartment every weekend and has to get up at 3 in the morning because he is a pastry chef so they can't make any noise, and plus Alicia and Nastia (her sister) spend the weekends with their dad, so obviously they can't host me. I just feel fortunate that I get to know them and hang out with them and that they are truly there for me if I have a problem.

Anyway, Thursday came and I was having fear for the weekend because I hadn't really seen my host family since Sunday and that was when they told me I had to switch ASAP. But Claudine and I took a really long long walk around the old city of Fribourg and it was absolutely great, she explained to me the buildings and names of the fountains and such. While we were walking my friend Andréanne called (because I had text messaged her before) and we agreed that Saturday I could go over to her house to talk about if I could living with her family. I went home from my liason's apartment after dinner but didn't see my host parents because Jess was in the shower and PA wasn't there.

Yesterday, Friday, I went to Fribourg to hang out with Sakshi; we walked around looking for the perfect purse for her (which ended up being in the first store we looked at, go figure), a fountain pen, film, and facewash for me.. yes, this is the life of an exchange student. We also ate crèpes (well actually, I had a crèpe, she had a gaufre) with nutella. Très bon. And of course we talked, a lot. And she made me try on this hideous dress at H&M. I went home in time for dinner, when my host parents told me that I was rude when I didn't say knock on the door to say hi to Jess the night before when I came home and she was in the bathroom. Of course I said sorry, but in reality I wasn't because I am trying very hard to be as agreeable as possible toward them. Not that I won't keep it in mind for next time, I'm just not going to feel horrible like I've gone and crushed their feelings, which seem to be really fragile anyway.

Today I woke up around 9 after not sleeping very well. I got ready and then my friend Andréanne and her mom, Béatrice, came to get me, though I had to meet them at the bus stop because they couldn't find where the house was. We went to their house, and they showed me around. They have a cat named Hannibal who loves people, including me. It's all figured out that I will move into their house next Friday, Halloween, assuming AFS is okay with everything. I will have my own room with a desk and a computer without internet (which is good because otherwise I would use it all the time.) It's a little small but cozy. Actually, I prefer small because I don't have enough stuff to fill a big bedroom. Andréanne said like 4 times that she's really glad I'm coming to live with them, probably because she's only ever had an older brother (Nicolas, 18.) I am super glad too. I already feel more at ease with this family than I ever have with Jess and PA. It's super cool that I was already friends with Andréanne before, and now she's going to be my host sister. I ate lunch with their family and so I got to meet my soon-to-be host father (Bernard) and soon-to-be host brother, who are both nice. After that Andréanne had to go work at the nursing home in the village where she works a half day each week so I helped Béatrice do the dishes. It is interesting because she is a native German speaker and that's part of the reason Andréanne did an exchange last year to German-speaking Switzerland. And also it's pretty ideal because she works 50% time so she will be around. And also, she explained to me that their house is not always 'tip top' and I almost cried from relief. Because it was just, you know, normal. Clean but not freakishly so like basically all of the other Swiss houses I've been to. How did I get so lucky to find this family?

Anyway, so that basically sums up what I've been doing since last I wrote. Things are looking up up up and I have no doubt that AFS will approve this family because they are always desperate to find families. And honestly, if indeed I move in with them on Friday, I will hardly have time to pack my things from this house because I will be with Claudine and Alicia from Monday to Thursday. I am feeling really really good about life here right now, and might even be sad to see les vacances d'automne come to a close! I am certain that things are only going to get better from now on. There is no cloud without a silver lining, and mine is that while most of my other exchange friends are finding school and life here increasingly difficult, for me things can only improve.

Ahh, I know what I'm forgetting. I must ask you all not to send me any mail, if you were planning to, until I am all situated with my new host family. If it gets sent here after I change families I am not sure if I will ever see it. Which reminds me, Chloe I got your letter (thank you!!!) and am in the process of writing back so be not disappointed by my lack of emailing.

Amy I got your email about cell phones and it was very helpful, thank you! Sorry for being a horrible correspondent through email to everyone but I just don't have enough time on the computer.

Lots of love to everyone