It's been a while so here's a recap

I hope everything is going well for you at home. In talking to
my parents it sounds like it hasn't changed much since my departure.
People have a hard time believing me when I tell them that there are
currently thunderstorms in my hometown. "You mean, California isn't
always sunny?" Apart from little things like that, my fellow students
in Senlis have few misconceptions regarding the United States. Most
of them just think it's incredible that that is where I come from.
I'm always asked questions about it: the people, the food, the cities.
Of course, I'm more than happy to share.

As for me, I'm having a wonderful time here in Senlis, France. I've
been to Paris at least 20 times and never get tired of it. I've also
been to the Alps (I was skiing there on Xmas day), Nice, and Monaco.
The Senlis Rotary club has been very kind and generous both to me and
the other American (a girl from Tennessee) in town. Just as an
example, my Rotary counselor, Philippe Billebault, invited me to join
him and some guests at one of the top restaurants in Paris and BOY,
was that a treat! That was easily the finest dining experience of my
life. He was also the one who took me up to the Alps for Christmas
and who said that he'll soon take me to one of the top three
restaurants in all of France. And it's really thanks to the Rotary
that I am able to partake in such opportunities. Without them, I
would be so much more lost here. School is challenging but we
exchange students don't have the same pressure as the students here
seeing as we've already graduated from high school and are here
primarily for the language and the experience. Speaking of the
language, we have both been progressing by leaps and bounds since we
arrived. I'm talking about accent, vocabulary, grammar...the works.
It's been very gratifying and I feel both grateful and thankful for
this opportunity.

My current host family is a big success. The dad, Daniel Carlier, and
I get along really well. There are two boys, one is 16 (Alexandre),
the other 11 (Maxim). The mom, Carole, is very attentive and always
wants to make sure everything's OK with me. I feel like part of the
family yet have a large amount of independence as well.

One of my best friends from Orinda just came and visited me this past
week and we had a great time. I showed him around the area and also
went to Paris and the south with him. February vacations are coming
up soon and I'll get to go skiing again in the Alps. At the end of
March and beginning of April my parents will come and visit me. In
June, I will be going on the Euro tour we're we'll visit more of
France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, and Germany.

Sorry it took me so long to send you an update, but look on the bright
side...the longer the wait, the juicier the scoop.

Warmest regards from France,
Ez

P.S. I'm sorry it's taking me so long to post new pix but with no internet connection now at my new home, that makes it difficult. I'll try to get them up soon.