Bonjour, This past weekend, I had the most memorable time with a new friend I met as a result of the local French school visit. She is French and very familiar with the area around Caen. She generously invited me to stay at her "simple home" for the weekend which I found to be an adorable French farmhouse (the kind I've only ever seen in movies).
I was able to try raclette for the first time. This was one of the recommendations suggested to me by the students I visited. Raclette is a traditional French dish. It being French, can you guess the main ingredient? CHEESE!! Raclette is the cheese that is melted with a particular machine that sits on the table. Then, it is poured over various types of food. I tried it on boiled potatoes and a baguette. Along with this cheese are various types of meat. During the meal, my friend taught me how to ask for the dishes by saying "Tu veux me donne le pain/la viande/la fromage/les pommes de terre?"
She also took me to a local site for thrill-seekers. The place was called "Viaduc de la Souleuvre". It was once a bridge built by Gustave Eiffel (builder of the Eiffel Tower) that supported rail-way travel, but the bridge was destroyed by bombs during the Second World War. AJ Hackett, a man from New Zealand, decided to use the abandoned area. Here, one can bungee jump, ride the "top swing" or "swing", zip-line, or ride the "luge". My friend and I went zip-lining together, which was pretty intense considering we started from the top of a bridge! We also rode the "luge", something like the Gatlinburg Mountain Coaster. 
After this fun-filled day, we went hiking at "Le Nez de Jobourg", a place named for the nose ("nez") shape of the land that juts out to the sea. It was one of the very few times that I can say I wasn't cold here in France! The weather was absolutely perfect for our hike and picnic (or "pique-nique", in French). This past weekend renewed my burning passion for France, but also gave me an intense desire to travel to other places and meet other people as well. With the 2-week break approaching, I have been planning my trip to London and Dublin (a mere week away). At the end of this month, I will also be spending a weekend in Paris. I am excited for the upcoming events and am willing and ready to answer the call of adventure.
It's strange to consider that this is real life, and that opportunities this enchanting are happening to me! I've been incredibly blessed to have been able to study abroad, and although this trip is my first time abroad, I know for certain that it cannot be my last. For anyone with a curiosity for studying abroad or those who might be hesitant, I say GO FOR IT! A bientot! -Albrianna