RYE weekend in Paris

Here's an update from the big RYE reunion in Paris. I hope you enjoy it.

The weekend in Paris was excellent. All 340 Rotary exchange students of France were there. I met people from Taiwan, Japan, South Africa, Brazil, Bolivia, and yes, even California. You were always surrounded by people with great stories to tell and many things in common with yourself, so there was never a dull moment. Rotary kept us well occupied with a jam-packed program that didn't leave much room for anything extra. We took an enormous group picture at the Trocadero in Paris with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Then, we took the Bateaux Mouches along the Seine, touring the heart of Paris. After that we drove along the Grands Boulevards (Haussman, St. Germain,....) ate lunch and were then received by the French Senate. We were given a guided tour of the palace of the Senate where we saw grand parlors, ornate halls, royal staircases, and finally the room where the senators convene for sessions. We then were received in the garden outside by several senators and the president of the Senate. I grabbed a seat in the front row and much enjoyed the talks. Several exchange students asked questions about current events concerning France, from social, to economic, to political issues. At the end, I had the honor to shake hands with several senators as well as the president of the senate, himself! A friend took a couple pictures and once I get my hands on them, I'll be sure to send them out to you. The next day, we visited the palace of Versailles its beautiful gardens. Overall, it was a truly excellent weekend where I got to see old friends and make new ones. It also gave me a taste for the approaching EuroTrip, where I'll be touring around Europe with, no doubt, some of friends I met there.

Things are starting to move really quickly now, and before you know it, I'll be back home with a million more stories for you.

The reason I haven't updated pictures in ages is because my host family doesn't have internet and it's really hard to do it on school computers. I'm trying to find a good solution to this problemo.

Best wishes to all,
Ez