…so I am going to try and make the most of it. In class, we prepared for a poetry slam that we are planning to have on Monday. We had stipends for lunch today and I ate at a really good pasta restaurant in Old Nice. It was my first time having creme brulee on this trip and I loved it. French food is one of my favorite parts of the program. We had some free time before electives so I hung out with everyone back at the residence. Our elective was really fun today, we started at a park playing petanque. Petanque is a game played often in France and I had a blast learning how to play. Once the group was tired of the game we went to a park and did some yoga. A few of the kids were adept enough to lead the class and it was a relaxing time. When we were done with yoga, I played basketball with a couple of other guys until dinner. I spent my free time on the beach and enjoyed the sunset tonight. We have to be up really early tomorrow for St. Tropez so I came back and went straight to bed.
It was a really early morning for all of us on Saturday but I still managed to grab breakfast before we headed for St. Tropez. It was a long bus ride which helped me catch up on some sleep. Once we were in St. Tropez, everyone had free roam of the city for 4(ish) hours. I spent most of my time exploring the markets and stores but eventually met up with a group of kids at the beach. Our free time went by really fast and I was on the bus back before I knew it. I dozed off again and awoke to us getting out at a huge mall by the Nice airport. I ended up buying some clothes and ice cream during our time there. We got back and I was excited about dinner. Sushi night is always one of my favorites, and I was starving. We had a lot of free time tonight so I went out without any plans. It turned out to be my favorite night of the trip. We went to a huge party on top of the Nice library. It was pouring rain which made the experience so much more fun. Everyone came back soaked with huge smiles on their faces. Tonight was the most memorable night of the trip for me.
I slept in until almost 11:00 this morning. We had brunch today so I headed down and feasted on all the pastries, fruits, cheeses, and meats that anyone could ask for. Brunch is a great way to eat a traditional French breakfast without having to spend money at a cafe. After brunch, I went out to Old Nice for a couple of hours and just enjoyed the French scenery. I came back and got ready for the beach because today we are going snorkeling. The whole experience was super cool and I loved touching the sea urchins and starfish. We were all exhausted after the snorkeling adventure so the group just headed back to Nice. I took a nap before dinner and woke up feeling rejuvenated and energized. The group got stipends for dinner and the entire night of free time. I went to an Italien style restaurant with my friends and it was exquisite. After dinner, my friend and I broke off from the group and walked the promenade for the rest of the night. My favorite part about walking down the promenade is meeting people from all over the world. It is crazy how similar we are despite living so far away. We got back to the residence just before curfew and hung out in my room until everyone decided it was time to get some rest.
I got up early this morning to go buy souvenirs and gifts for my family. I couldn’t find anything that I liked so I decided to go back later in the day. There was still quite a bit of time before I had to be back, so my friend and I went on a run. I came back and got ready for class. Today was a fun and easy day because all we did was eat pastries and read our poetry. We had lasagna for lunch and then a few hours of free time before our elective. I went out with a friend to buy gifts during free time and came back successful. For elective today we walked to a nice park and played games in the shade. It was relaxing and I got to better my speaking skills. Right after elective, the whole group went to the beach where we got pasta and pizza delivered. We ate together and then had free time until 11:30. I stayed at the beach until about 10:00 and went back early to pack. Tomorrow is my last day in Nice and I honestly don’t want to leave yet. I have become so attached to this city and these people so saying goodbye will be the hardest part.