My host family and school

So I've been in Avignon for about 6 days now, and I'd thought I'd share with everyone a little bit about my host family and schooling.

I live with Madame Colmant and her 3 daughters, on the top floor, in a building from the 1600's, that used to be a hotel. Napoleon used to live down the block. It's ridiculous. I'm a few blocks from the ramparts (the old surrounding walls) and from the Pope's Palace and the famous Pont (Bridge) d'Avignon. I live in the center of town, and just a 5 minute walk from the insitut, which is great.

Everyone is very nice, and I am so glad I have host siblings. Marie Charlotte, or Sha Sha, as they call her is my age and goes to school in Lyon, so unfortunately she will be leaving in about a week to go to University. However, she already invited me and her sisters to come visit one weekend.

Then there is Aurelie, who is 19, and she goes to la FAC here in Avignon, and should be here all semester. She is very nice and talks a lot me.

And then the baby of the family is Marine, she is 15, and hilarious. Very animated, and just starting their equivilant of high school. She calls herself the "big boss", but said in a very french accent. She's my enterainment.

Madame Colmant is a divorcee with a boyfriend Didier who is very friendly. Apparently the name Colmant, which is her ex husbands last name, and her family name Huily aer very, very well known in the South of France in the restaurant business. Both family's own restaurants, and Corinne (my host mom) works most nights during the week in a restaurant here in town.

So basically its a girl party most of the time which I love, besides when we hang out with the cousin, thibaud, who is a chef and lives down the block. He's a clown. He made me play video games with him. I sucked at it.

I've only had a few days of school so far. I'm still trying to figure out which courses to take, as well as the possibility of having an internship. I'll be dicussing it tonight with M. Alcaras, which will impact how many classes I will take. I also signed up for the opportunity to be a teaching assistant in an english class in a grade school or middle school. I think it could be so much fun! But much is still yet to be determined. I don't want to spread myself too thin. But the insitut is cute. It's an old chapel they've turned into an academic center with classrooms, and a library and a salon.

All in all, things are going well. It's hard moving in with strangers and speaking a different language all day, but I feel my living situation couldnt be any better, and it's definitely getting better day by day. I just wish my host family had a pet. I miss Taco and Sparky so much! But the weather is beautiful, sunny and high 70's or low 80's. And the food is delicious. I eat very well :)

I'll write more soon! Off to class.

Oh and if anyone wants to write me besides email, my address is

17 Rue Petite Fusterie
84000 Avignon France