update, part I

So! Quite a lot has happened since my last post... in January... sorry everyone, I'll try to post more!

The long winter is finally over... spring has sprung in Overijssel! There's a warm breeze, daffodils are sending up shoots, and the grass is green again. I'm laughing at my poor Alaskan fellows with their meter of snow. So what if you all got snows days, for the first time in decades, because I'm wearing sunglasses and a hoodie. Thpp.

It's definitely been a busy winter/spring - a ski trip to France with my host aunt and uncle, passing my big Dutch test from AFS (yess) and a school trip to Rome just the week before last.

Juggling events has never been a skill of mine but I've survived thus far! Today is actually my 7 month mark, so I've been reflecting on how much I've done this year... I'll post updates in chapters!

My sojourn to France was fantastic - thanks to Margo, Ton, Robbert, Monique and Imke for inviting me along! We stayed in a beautiful mountain chalet just a quick walk from the lifts, complete with a gorgeous view of the French alps with the tiny village of Puy de Saint Vincent tucked in the foothills. Our first evening there, the owners of the house (Ton's niece and her husband, Illonka and Vincent) took us on a midnight snowshoe trail by the light of the moon. It was breathtaking - the stars and moon above us and pure, sparkling powder below our feet. Looking out on the tiny illuminated village below us, I felt like maybe I had found a mountain town to rival the beauty of my own home.

We spent six glorious days skiing and snowboarding there. It was so relaxing, to wake up in the morning and slip right into underarmour and ski pants, sit together for a breakfast of fresh bread, Dutch cheese, and meat, and then shoulder our skis for a morning in the mountains. Imke and Robbert are both talented snowboarders. Most of my friends at home ski, so it was fun to see the different ways we could interpret the slopes on our chosen equipment. I didn't think I'd have the chance to ski this year, so I felt really blessed to have such a great host family!

the gang!

Imke giving cousin Emmy a ride

(more on flickr soon!)