Secret Santa

Laine decided it was a good idea, and everyone else agreed, to do a Secret Santa amongst our close group of friends. We all drew names and had like a week to get a gift between 10-15 euros. It couldn't be food or alcohol since it was supposed to be something we could take home and remember.

I drew Dan


Immediately I thought oh paska what am I going to get him!?! He's not the easiest person to buy a gift for. Corey get him something music related or Arnold Schwarzenegger. Anna buy vinyl, etc. But Dan (Dan if you are reading this I seriously thought about what to do for you for like a week straight)

Finally I decided to make him something he could take home and keep forever (or not). I thought about how much fun I have collecting weird things like receipts and train tickets etc. So I thought I'd make him a collage of stuff from France and a christmas card type thing that everyone can sign for him.

So early Sunday morning in the fridged cold and walked to maxi coop which is the only store open on Sunday and even then it's only open from 9-12am. I bought a ton of supplies and a picture frame and then spent the next 2 hours or so crafting until my heart was content.

I made this tree out of a green plastic folder for school papers. I layered 3 pieced of plastic and used scissors to texture them then I split gold ribbon into tiny strips and then colored paper and cut it out into red ornaments.


This is a mock-up of the collage that I used for placement, so I could move things around and figure out how I wanted to lay it out.


I created quite a mess


But the final products turned out really well so I'm happy. (I just wish I had, had better glue for it. I'm sorry Dan if it started falling apart on you!)


I used the same plastic folders to make the RBS school logo. I drew the logo on paper then stenciled it onto the plastic.



That night we decided to have a big group dinner all together one last time before finals started and everyone began heading home. We went to this restaurant in downtown Rouen with VERY French food. It was delicious!

Here is Tytti and Anniina's escargot, it was really good:


Corey's rabbit pate which was not as good, but not bad:


I think I deserve an award I got a nice photo of Corey without his "Corey Face"


My dinner was lamb and fries which was good but just not as good as the lamb from Epi's, sorry France the Basques are just better




Tytti's MONDO salad, seriously it was the size of my head.


Anniina with her huge salad


The boys minus Corey, who sat across from me, and Adrian who was a butt face and didn't come
All in all the food was rockin and the friends were even better. After dinner we headed back to Dan's room and exchanged gifts (minus Adrian who was still being a butt face). We went in alphabetical order so Anna started. Anna had me!

Anna is my bestest friend EVER because she go me the most amazing vinyl record called The Masterplan by Discotronic, and a beautiful hand painted pin.

then it was my turn and I gave Dan his gift. Then Dan gave a cute cat clock to Tytti who gave a photo collage to Magda (which is SO fitting since Magda is the Queen of takign photos). Then Magda gave cooking mitts (I think I'm not 100% on this one, Dan you read this clarification please) to Justin who gave a poster we all signed to Adrian who gave wine to Corey who gave AC/DC on vinyl to Anna. Which makes a circle so we moved to Anniina who is next in the alphabet.

Anniina gave a book in French to Oliver who gave a decorated box with a hat in it to Laine who gave slipper socks and socks to Anniina. Which makes another full circle and finishes the gift giving.

It was SO much fun I can't even explain it, everyone got really fitting gifts for everyone else.

That was my best secret santa experience ever.

Rouen's Christmas Market

All of Rouen was decorated starting in late November in Christmas decorations it was quite beautiful and cheery since the weather was VERY cold.






Chocolate Pere Noels! they were too cute I couldn't not take a photo of them.


In almost every town, no matter how big or small, in Europe there is a Christmas market with local street foods and stalls with small trinkets and art for sale. Rouen's was in front of the Cathedral in a small square.




2 of the most popular stands were the lightup Santa hats and the I heart Rouen shirts



Yeah there was a Canadian tipi


It was seriously like Canada ville in the Christmas Market this photo is all maple syrup


There was even a Montreal booth




The cool French thing to do here is drink warm spiced wine while you wander the market (in French it is Vin Chaud pronounced like van show but cut off the n on van like you have a cold)



This guy was my new best friend he made me a fresh crepe avec nutella that was amazing!

do not get confused by this photo Gaufre is a waffle and the round things are beignets and the random person hand's are holding a crepe


I love the Christmas market, we went every couple days just to wander and shop for Christmas

Twilight - Dame Cakes - Highlands - Tex Mex Night

Ok so technically I am back in the US now (currently in a hotel in Sparks, Nevada) but I will continue updating my blog to the end of the trip now that I have a laptop to do it. Never fear I didn't forget about my blog I just haven't had time to work on it. But now I do, sort of.


Okay on November 23 Anna Anniina, Tytti, Magda, Corey, Justin and I went to the new Twilight movie New Moon. We saw it in English (with French subtitles) and had a roaring good time making very inappropriate and ridiculous comments throughout the whole of the film (and much of the night following the film, in fact we still quote it quite often to each other). After the movie we went to Kebab at our favorite place Chez Wham! Walking to the bus I happened upon this treasure of an advertisement. It is half man half evil elf.



It is the up close that really scared me!



At the other bus stop we decided to take a photo with the random ruin in the middle of Rouen. To quote Laine "hey look it's old, let's take a photo with it!"


We are very silly!


On November 26th Laine, Magda, and I went to downtown Rouen to shop for christmas a bit and get some real coffee (80 cent Russian instant coffee was driving me crazy!). On our little walk we ran into this cute little tea house / bakery (It's Rick Steves recommended as I later found out)

the three of us split this epic brownie that I would have sold my mother for (sorry mom it's true)



We had a lovely afternoon all in all. I love my ladies!


***Instert Chateau de la Loire trip here***


On December 9th a large group of us decided to go downtown to Highlands an Irish pub in Rouen for a last night out before Finals and everyone started leaving.

Here are the girls in my wonderful group of friends - Note I am the ONLY brunette -

Me, Tytti, Laine, Anna, Magda, and Anniina (from left to right)


At one point we aquired Steve's sunglasses by way of Amine



This is Justin's most epic photobomb ever


Anna and Ciccio


Here is Ciccio on the bus trying to explain to me (in Spanish even though he is Italian) that he was not hitting on that French girl and that I am his one true love and that his heart is mine. It was cute because the girl had no idea who we were or what was going on, poor thing.


Dan and me on the bus
Anniina and Tytti




On December 10th before a Soiree put on by my school Anna organized a Tex Mex food night. I made quesadillas! Corey with a manly taco!
They were so mad I took photos while they were actually eating



ignore Tytti's crazy outfit the party theme that night was monsters and co. so vampires, zombies etc.