First impressions of french school

In France, students write their French diploma exam in grade 11, and it has a written and oral part, and perhaps other parts. The my class' french teacher was administering those exams all week, so we didn't have any french classes this week. My class is like in junior high in that, generally, the same kids go to all the same classes together, and our schedule is not the same every day. But the number of classes you have each day does change. For example, on Thursdays we have school until 5:30, but Fridays end at 3:30. The days are longer than in Canada but they don't feel that long to me, perhaps because the end time changes, but also because there aren't clocks everywhere. Also, there is are two 15 minute breaks in the day. The classes last an hour instead of an hour and a half, so they feel short. For my class, there aren't options other than languages, and you take 3. Everyone has to take English, and I'm taking German and Latin. There is Phys. Ed. once a week, for two hours on Friday afternoons. Compared to my schedule in Canada, this is the equivalent of me taking another language instead of band, this extra social studies course instead of religion, and another language on top of that. There are about 1.5 hours more of school per week, but more holidays than in Canada.
After everything about the French schools being really strict...they aren't so much. They do seem more exclusively academic in terms of courses, at least at this school. But the teachers seem less strict when it comes to security during exams. Kids talk in class as much as they do in Canada. Hovewer, my experience in Canada is: the kids talk, the teacher tells them to be quiet, they are quiet, then they are loud again. In France it seems like it's more of an ongoing, slightly less loud talk.
The self - or cafeteria- makes you scan a card and go through a twirly thing to get in. Then you can get an apetiser, up to three pieces of bread, a yaourt - sort of like yogurt but more tasty and probably less healthy than in Canada, and common at meals-, a main course, a dessert and a fruit. It's so good! The food in France has generally been really good! The first day at the self, the apetizer was a springroll and this indian pastry thing, and the main course had Indian chicken...the self is a bit more like a restaurant than a cafeteria, but it's still wholesome food that keeps you going.
I have met Ambre's friends. They are sometimes calm, but sometimes really social, energetic and playful. They're really nice. Sometimes they seem quite different than a lot of my Canadian friends, and sometimes it seems like we're all the same fundamentality, so it'll be interesting to see who I am friends with at the end of the exchange.
Ambre's parents both live in the suburbs but it takes them each 15 to get us to school. During spares, I'll be able to go into the town and do whatever. We also walk to the conservatory - that's the most highly reputed place to take music lessons, and the teachers play in the symphony orchestra. I'm in a choir on Wednesday afternoons, when school is let out early. It's a high school treble choir and I think they do mostly opera. There are about 20 people in it and at least some of them take voice. The conductor apparently lived in Alberta and he said he knew of my conductor in Edmonton...small world!
Yesterday it had snowed about 10 cm and the buses weren't running! While walking to the conservatory after school for Ambre's viola lesson, we stopped at a bakery and I got a croissant with almonds and icing sugar. It was SO good! I really like French food, even day-to-day. I sort of keep wondering if I could bring some home...
Today-Friday- we didn't go to school because of the snow. It was nice to have free time, although I sort of do everyday now. I don't have activities after school, except on Wednesdays in the fairly early afternoon. I think of supper as a reference point. In Canada, supper is at 6, so I have 2 hours beforehand and 4 hours after. In France supper is at 8, so it's 4 hours before and 2 hours after. Supper seems more calm here, but mostly because nobody is running off to activities. It's sort of nice to have supper at 8, but it's also nice to have a lot of time afterwards.
I just got back from visiting Ambre's relatives. I met Ambre's aunt and uncle, her other aunt, her other uncle, her gradma and her four cousins. "La bise" isn't as weird as I thought but I was a bit surprised when I got it from some of her relatives who I had just met. But in France a hug is considered a lot more intimate than "la bise". Ambre's mom's six siblings all live in Normandy, except one who lives in Brittany, so it's a lot easier to all get together than for my family!