There are three things I've been dismayed to learn during my first, slightly agonising, exciting week of school.
1. As unlikely as it seems, it appears that in a school, even one consisting of nearly 2000 students, the appearance of "mystical Australian girls" does not go unnoticed. We are constantly recognised. Even when not speaking English. Especially when speaking French. In the halls, it seems that an echo of "Elles ont Australienes" resonates in our wake. At random moments in class, I hear my name occasionally mentioned, or more often, my nationality, and a group of people turn to face me in synchronisation. To my horror, this has happened more than once. We are even recognised by the vast mass of old, intimidating university students thar swarm to the school cafeteria daily for lunch, who we previously thought to very old students who had had the unfortunate experience of repeating high school until they were well into their twenties. A mistake easily made. Although not everyone thought so.
2. The smoking. Although I promised my self I would never become accustomed to a smoking culture, the day has come. If I held my breath everytime I passed a smoker, I'm quite certain I would pass out from lack of oxygen after a mere 4 minutes. On a second though, probably less. Smoking has become the norm in most european countries, and a friend was urged at a perty not to start, urged by french teens in their butchered English. While they were smoking.
3. And finally, but certainly not least, the sky. Coming from Australia, this is prehaps the biggest change. It "was a long and dark December (with emphasis on the long and dark part) from the rooftops I remember, there was snow, white snow". A clear contrast from the 'four seasons a day' climate I'm used to. If it wasn't winter, I would swear the constant dreary grey was from the pollution caused by the smoking hoards that reside outside evey Lycée and Collége in France.
And on that cheery note, I bid thee farewell.
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