Week 11 (sorry it has been so long)

Well, where to begin, where to begin! Since I last spoke with you all so much has happened!
I think going in chronological order will be best.
ok. So a few days after my last blog we had the end of exams party... and boy was that an experience! Exams finished at 10am at which time most of the year level ran to the pub to start drinking. Me and a few friends thought that it was a bit early though so we had lunch and wandered around a bit first. At about 3pm we hit the pub and it was PACKED! I swear that every single face I have seen since arriving was there! I had to leave at 6.30 for a rotary meeting that night but I was still receiving text messages after midnight from people still going! CRAZY BELGIANS!!

Next exciting thing was the changing of my host families. I am now with a family who have a son Jerome 21 a daughter Justine 15 and another son Ludovic 18 who is currently in the USA on exchange. My new parents names are Axele and Patrick. They are all so lovely and they spoil me ROTTEN!!

Well only 2 days after changing host families I was off to Greece. We spent 16 hours on a bus which took us through Luxembourg, France, Switzerland and Italy. Finally we stopped in Italy and had a much deserved leg stretch. Then back on the bus to find the quay. We then travelled 19 hours by ship to Greece. The ship was beautiful, like a miniature P&O and given that there were 74 rotary youth exchange on board it was a guaranteed 19 hours of partying! So finally we arrived in Greece all very weary from the long trip and lack of sleep! We all took an early night in the hotel (or so the Rotarian's thought [we were up until almost 5am!] haha) and anticipated the next morning. So morning rolled around with again not a lot of sleep and we began our touring. first stop was the gorgeous city of Delphi, then on to Athens where we saw the Parthenon, first Olympic park and so much more! then we went to the most incredible stadium I have ever seen! After 8 days of our 10 day tour was complete excitement filled the air... Jenna turned 18 in the morning!! So being the wild child that I am I decided that given it was my 18th I was going to see the first few hours of the day. So on the boat and up to the 24hour disco we went. At 1 minute to midnight all the music went off and we were all a little annoyed, then all of a sudden this HUGE chorus of happy birthday erupted! I got about 3000 hugs and a million kisses and happy birthdays! I couldn't have asked for a much better present! So when that was all over we got back on the bus to make the long 15 hour journey back home!

When I finally got home Axele was there waiting with a HUGE hug, a bag FULL of gifts and a promise of a Saturday shopping trip in France. So for my 18th birthday I was given, by the family of Axele: Betty boop postcards, Betty boop handbag, Betty boop coffee mug, Betty boop underwear, (think someone told her that I like Betty Boop!) a guess t-shirt, a pretty summer dress, make-up bag, and a gorgeous silver bracelet. Then from the family of Christine: Betty boop blackboard, an 18 charm for my bracelet, a J charm for my bracelet, a photo in a frame, a photo holder, a bronze replica of the 14 year old dancer and so much more. I was right and royally spoiled for my 18th birthday by ALL my families :D lets not forget the Guess watch from mummy and daddy and the gold belly ring from Desy!

Well now you are all caught up on my hectic past 2 weeks!

Can't wait to let you know about next week, I have the ANZAC day service at Flanders Fields and I can barely wait.

Talk to you all next week.

Lots of Love, Jenna

xoxoxox

(P.S photos: the first 4 are me enjoying the first day of being 18, 5th = stadium, 6th = Greek Harley Davidson shop for daddy, 7th = the smart Aussies who posed with the flag backwards, 8th = me at the Parthenon)