Rotary Weekend in Annecy

I wish I could tell you all that I've been absolutely wonderful these past few days, but to be completely honest, I think I am dying. I can barely breathe, I have a major sinus headache, and to top it all off, I sound like the girl in the Exorcist. Luckily, I wasn't on my deathbed until after I got back from Annecy last weekend, and since I'm sure you don't want to hear me dragging on about my dreary, plague-like symptoms, I'll talk about my Rotary weekend instead.

When I arrived at the hotel in Annecy, I was kind of nervous. All the exchange students in my district were already chatting away in their pre-formed, best-friend groups, and I didn't know anyone. At all. Does this only ever happen to me? Apparently, there was some Facebook group for my district, and all the exchange students had been chatting away for a month, but I never got the memo. Anyway, when I went to get registered, I was given a key and told to find someone who could be my roommate. Great! (sarcasm) I started walking around asking random people if they wanted to be my roommate, but they were all paired off. After being rejected many times, one girl from India named Pruthvi finally said yes. I wanted to give her a big hug right then and there, but I refrained from it to avoid looking tragically-desperate.

Pruthvi and I went to our room to unpack, and after a while of hanging out and talking, we headed back up to the main hall for the Rotary presentations on the rules and bus trips and such. I would like to take both of the bus trips (one from Paris to Barcelona, and another one throughout Europe, including the countries: France, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Italy and Switzerland). I know I'll probably go on the Europe tour, but since they're both kind of expensive, I'm not sure if I'll do the Paris to Barcelona one. 

That night, we had a talent show. Pruthvi and I were late because I had to help her with her complicated costume and hair for a traditional Indian dance. After many ties and clasps and bobby pins, we were all suited up and ready to go. I ended up playing my violin and Pruthvi danced amazingly, and it was all lots of fun. 

I spent the rest of the night talking to Pruthvi. I'm so glad I ended up rooming with her, and now, she feels like an old friend. She told me all about her life in Bombay, and we compared our lives in France with our lives back at home. It was so easy to talk to her, and since we had so much to talk about, there was never a break in the conversation. 

The next morning, I got up and went to breakfast. It was amazing. I ate so much (insert_look at picture), and it was all so much fun, and everything tasted so good! I didn't even care that I had about twice as much as everyone else; I was just so happy to see a limitless expansion of the wonderful invention: buffet food!

All the exchange students went into Annecy and we broke off into our groups and wandered around. Pruthvi and I were lucky to meet Lana, an Australian girl who lives in Annecy, so she was our tour guide for the day. She took the two of us to the best ice cream place, a bakery, and the market. (Did I mention how much I like Lana?) The weather was sunny and warm, and Annecy was so pretty! Later on in the day, we took a boat ride around the lake with all the other exchange students. It was such a fun day, and we were all depressed to be heading back to our home towns and schools afterwards. 

Now that I'm back in Privas, I'm focusing on not dying so that I can go back to Annecy one day. It is one of the most beautiful places in the world, and I was so lucky to pass an amazing weekend there!