1 month.

I've been here for 40 days! A bit more than 31, sorry for the late update! This month has gone by so quickly... I'm nervous to see how fast the next 10 months go. Since my last update, I've settled into my life in Belgium. These are some of the pictures from my last few weeks:

I spend my days waking up, eating baguettes and Nutella for breakfast with my host family. Old Zoë would not eat breakfast. And, I barely ever ate Nutella at home. I didn't even like it that much. Also, just like almost every other exchange student... I said I'd eat healthy on exchange. Now, I eat a baguette a day, a jar of Nutella a week, and so many Gaufres and Frites I can't even count. So so so worth it though. I sort of makeup for it by going on runs with my host mom Claudine, and sister Alix.

Tomorrow I'll start my third week of school. My expectations in the beginning, were so low. I thought I would have no friends and be made fun of all the time. Turns out, that was surprisingly not the case. I have friends in every class! People make fun of me sometimes yeah, but it doesn't bother me because most of the time I'm not too sure what they're saying! problem solved! At lunch, I walk to a hill near the school with Alix and her friends. We eat our sandwiches and sit in the sun every single day. It's so nice I even fall asleep sometimes.

Speaking of falling asleep, I want to. All the time. More than ever before. I spend all day just trying to figure out what people are saying, and then trying to formulate sentences to translate into french, and then attempt to respond?! I'm ready to go to bed by 8 pm every night haha! My french you ask? it's uhh... it's going. I can understand a lot, almost everything. But, when I try to speak, I have a really hard time putting the words together. On September 30th I have french lessons starting! I'll be going from 9-12 for 2 days a week. After October, I'll go 4 days a week. I'm excited to become more confident with it.

On the weekends, I go into town and I spend time with my exchange friends. I can't imagine some of them not being apart of my life. They already mean so much to me. Sometimes we will organize picnics by the river, or we go out for lunch, or sightsee in different cities! I've also become very comfortable with the transit here. I love taking the bus and the train. It makes me feel so happy!

I went to my first Rotary meeting last week! It went well. I had to do a presentation about Canada and the other exchange students did presentations for their countries. I was so nervous, but my presentation went well and they told me they could understand! I was surprised by how much french I could actually speak without looking off my paper.

I can't think of what else to say! Things are just going good! This past week was hard for me. It was my Grandma's birthday, followed by Jackson's 14th and then it was Auntie Brynnie and Jesse's wedding. Which I would have never wanted to miss for the world, and seriously no wedding's dance floor is a real one without me on it ;) So everyone missed out :( But that's just the highs and lows roller coaster.

OH YES! I'm going to Paris in 5 days!!!!!!!!!! Get ready for me to lose my marbles!!!

I know that was a very scattered update, but I hope you got what you wanted. If not you can email me as always zbrygidyr@me.com :)

LOve you all!

Bisous ~Z