mardi le 21 juin
Today was a busy day!  I had to arrive at school an hour early to take a test.  The test was voluntary, but after it you received a certificate identifying my level of French comprehension.  It would be nearly 2 hours of testing, which was quite short.  The first hour or so was a written exam, composed mainly of articles to read followed by questions for answering.  There were also two writing exercises where I had to write letters to people saying certain things.  The next half hour was spent doing oral comprehension.  We listend to an audio CD and answered questions accordingly.  This was the most difficult part for me because I find that the French speak too fast!  One of the scenarios to which we listened was an overhead speaker at an airport, complete with echo.  It was very difficult!  And the final part of the exam was conversational skills, where we had 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes or so to present based on the questions.  This part was, honestly, the easiest in my view.  Although I was very nervous when I walked in and sat down with the teacher who would be judging me - I'm pretty sure my voice quivered when I first opened my mouth.  Isn't it strange how your body's chemicals can react to silly situations like that?

Overall, the test was not to difficult.  After the test, I returned to my classroom for the remainder of the day, and then had writing class from 1-4.  After class, I returned to my house to do my homework because the national Fete de la Musique was that night, and I had tentative plans to meet up with some friends that evening. 

Francois Xavier is to the left of the conductor in a cream shirt; Florence is in a red shirt with white capris to the right of the conductor.

After munching down a very rushed dinner, Ramon and I rushed downtown to the Place du Parlement where the parents in our host family, Francois Xavier and Florence, were singing in a little concert at a book store, Machine à Lire.  They actually sang one song in english... and I'm pretty sure that it's a song I've heard before at Shanty Night at the Griswold Inn!  I ended up recording it, and maybe I'll put it up online for all to see!  It was very amusing.

After that, Ramon, his friend Linda and a few of his Chinese friends who I had gone bowling with the previous week all met up to find some cheap wine and some fun!  We ended up having some wine at a little bistro along the Garonne, which was very nice.  Afterwards, we headed back to the Place du Parlement which was jam packed with people watching a band play.  It seemed that every Place had a band playing music, and I had never seen so many people in the streets of Bordeaux! 

La Fete de la Musique - Place de Saint Pierre

We ended up staying out very late.  After about 1am, Ramon, Fang (a Chinese student) and I went to a bar and stayed there way too late.  Ramon and I didn't get back to our house until after 5am... oops.  Reminded me of going out in NYC, where the bars never seem to close!  Needless to say, we had a great time!  That night, though, I learned that it's too expensive to go out partying in France!