My Birthday and The Australian's Good Bye

 Birthday Crêpes

 Franco, Kathryn, Sofie, Me and Daniela

At the Airport 

After the ‘rentrée’ back to school, I celebrated my 19^th Birthday on the 11^th of January. The day started with my only class on Wednesdays, ‘Sport.’ Right now we’re practicing basketball and everything was going fine until Miso fell and sprained her ankle. This changed the plans of the day! We spent an hour in the infirmary then her host brother came at picked her up. She wanted me to go with her so we had to change things around. We were supposed to have a meeting with our new Rotary Councillor in Lille but instead she came to Miso’s house. We talked about our future host families and I will be moving to the Borelle house on February 1^st. I am looking forward to moving there and think it’ll be fantastic!!

My Rotary councillor took me to Lille after the meeting where I had missed my Birthday Lunch by 2 hours. They ate without me… Everyone met up and we went to the Ugly Church for a few hours. Kathryn gave me a Nutella Recipe book and I was incredibly happy. I’ve yet to make something from it but I am so excited. I think Nutella Muffins are first on the list. Some of my other friends gave me a really nice scarf, a back massager, chap stick (they understand my addiction) and nail polish. I got a bracelet from Sofie and Daniela gave me a scarf too. After hanging out with the other exchange students, Kathryn said bye to a lot of people for the last time and her, Dani, Franco, Sofie and I took the Metro to St. Philibert where my host mom and my next host mom picked us up (silly, petit French Cars).

We had an ‘apéritif’ with my host mom and my next host mom. After the drink my friends and I ate crêpes with ham and cheese for dinner then crêpes with Nutella and sugar for desert. We laughed so much and had such a good time. It was a really special, French birthday! I love my friends and family.

My family and friends at home made me a Birthday Video that made me cry. It was so, so nice of everyone to make videos and of Samantha to take so much time to put it together! I love it so much and have watched it at least 10 times ! What a special present.

The next day I slept in (skipped school) and around mid-day went to Kathryn’s and had lunch with her and her host parents. She and I packed the rest of her stuff and prepared two boxes to follow her home. We then took the train for her last time in Lille with Franco. She had a few things to do and Franco and I went shopping with Daniela and Maria. The sales in most of Europe started on January 11^th so there are massive discounts here. I found a really nice Lacoste watch that was 50% off and some other clothes. We eventually returned to Kathryn’s and her third host family and Miso came to say good bye to her. We had an ‘apéritif’ and Kathryn said her Au Revoirs. We then ate a ‘Raclette’ and Kathryn enjoyed her last evening with her family.

Kathryn and I stayed up until 3:00a.m. organizing and talking. We had to get up at 6:00a.m. to head to the airport with her third host dad, Franco’s current host dad. The four of us hit the road for the Paris Airport  and Kathryn and I spoke our special, ‘Franglais’ language the whole way there while cuddling as Franco slept. We arrived to the airport early so we drank a Starbucks coffee. Franco, Kathryn and I took photos in a photo booth as a last souvenir for her. Eventually all the Australians started to arrive Kathryn checked her baggage. Tim and Maddi brought their host families, Jay and Ignacio were there too so we had a nice coffee together.

We were forced to say goodbye eventually. It felt like a part of me was leaving when I saw her disappear into the tunnels at Charles de Gaulle.  Kathryn and I became really close over the last 5 months and it was so hard to say goodbye to her. I am not sure when I’ll see her next (Cancun 2017) and I think that is why it was so difficult. Her and I went to the same school, lived close to each other and were together all the time so life will be different without her in it every day.

            Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.
-Eleanor Roosevelt