Tuesday was back to school, whereupon I started a long chain of visits to the school office, continuing every day throughout the week. I was in the process of changing my "options" at school from science to language. I was failing math, and having received a 20 on my first test, I thought it best to reconsider where I should be. So now I am taking easier math and sciences, with the addition of a German class. But I will remark that this was not easy, and consisted of lots of paperwork and a total of five visits to the office. For now though, my schedule is not without flaws, I currently have 7 hours of Dutch and English with the kids a grade below me. I went to have it straightened out with a certain Madame Cubert, but she doesn't have time for this sort of thing right now, so I will have to wait until mid-October when the new schedules come out. Though now, I am happy with my classes.
Thursday I had my first "après-midi sportif," where we play handball all afternoon. I still don't really know what handball is, but from what I have so far gathered, it is like soccer but you throw the ball. I have yet to been explained the rules, so for now that's all I can honestly say about it.
Thursday night I had a Rotary meeting at the Trois Fontaines in Bel Œil, as our Mons-Buyères Rotary Club had been invited by the Saint Ghislain Rotary for the evening. There I met an Australian girl named Julia who is being hosted by the Saint Ghislain group, and she, Rebeca (the Mexican in my club), and I had a really nice time at our end of the table through our five-course meal filled with "aperitifs." It ended just at midnight, where there began a nasty chain of events about which I will not go into to much detail. To make it short, I was locked out of the house, then I went to sleep at a Rotarian's, then I ended up going back to the house, and finally went to sleep around 2 AM. Needless to say, I was quite tired Friday.
I began my first German lessons on Friday at school. Thereafter I came home to take a bike ride and have dinner. Andrea and I went downtown to the Marché that night despite the rain, and we went to our respective groups of friends, all of which were driven inside to the bars in light of the weather. It was a good night, and we came back around 1 AM to go to sleep.
Yesterday I slept in before having the house to myself for a while while Bruno and Andrea were at the doctor's and Spiri at work. I took the bus into the city, where I met Rebeca for our afternoon to Tournai with other Rotary kids in Belgium. We took the train and met up with all the others around 2. From there we walked around the city, went to the Tournai cathedral, and ascended the Middle Age Tournai bell tower (Europe's first). Afterwards we went to the Grand Place for a waffle and drinks, enjoying the company of other exchangers. Around 6:30 we headed back to the train station, but beforehand on account of out later train to Mons, I went with a few Americans and Canadians to a friterie for some Belgian double-fried fries. They are so delicious. I was happy to have gone, and it was nice to meet other exchange students from around Belgium. Upon my return to Mons, I took the day's last bus back to Saint Denis, and enjoyed a "gourmet" at dinner, which here is when you grill little pieces of meat on an electric skillet at the dinner table while you eat. It was pretty good.
Today is Sunday, and I enjoyed sleeping in a bit to catch up on this week's lost sleep. We ate a late breakfast, and this afternoon I believe we are going to an orchard to pick apples. It's been a good week overall.