My sister's adventure during her stay in Los Angeles... :)

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My homecoming informations

9 weeks passed since my arrival in California!

Flight: Continental (CO) 3502 Operating as: Air Canada (AC) 798Date: Sat., Oct. 16, 2010Departs: Los Angeles (LAX) at 11:50AArrives: Montreal (YUL) at 7:55P Equipment: AIRBUS INDUSTRIE A319

Bye California; hello Québec!

The countdown

I drove my sister to the Airport on Tuesday morning. I passed a small night combined with a very bad night ! I was so tired... I missed one lesson on the morning and I had my final exam at the end of the day (bad mixture).

When my sister was doing her luggage, I began mine. I wanted to begin quietly my California's mourning...

The good news, I miss my boyfriend, my family, my friends and my home. Good timing to return home. I'm going to have another shock without cats! :(

Sure thing, L.A. will miss me a lot. The weather, the kind of easy going life and the friendly people made California so different from Québec! I realized that I became really calm during this trip... difficult to be stressed here.


I was at the school from August, 23 until October, 14 2010. I received my progress evaluation this afternoon. My teachers gave me between very good to excellent for my; speaking, listening, reading, grammar, vocabulary, attendance, participation and cooperation. Gene noted, "Cooperation, enthusiasm to learn. Perhaps needs to work on prononciation and grammar usage". Leah wrote, "Very eager with new vocabulary and great curiosity and motivation to improve. Very very good listening comprehension and good vocabulary". I passed from 69% to 78% for the listening comprehension and from 73,5% to 79,4% for the grammar comprehension based on the TOEFL test scores. I was surprised that my result wasn't worse that at my arrival because I was so tired!













I'm happy of my increase but I was expecting more on my prononciation! But overall : good experience. Experience which cost me a lot of money and my progress is not as much as I expected... But it represented an appreciate sabbatical in my life. :)

Tomorrow is my last day here! I don't have a car, I think that I will take it easy! The weather is not really good since my sister left (she was so lucky for her stay!) and I don't have a lot of money! Hehe.

Thanks to everybody who support me in this adventure. Special thanks to my boyfriend who passed 2 months without me... I know, he had holidays! ;)

My sister is here

For those who don't know, my sister is in town for a couple of days. This is a view from her plane:

We did many activities so far: Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica beach, Venice Beach, shopping at different locations such as Third Street Promenade, The Grove, Farmers' Market, etc.

We also tried two excellent restaurants and The Cheesecake Factory! The Counter (best L.A. hamburgers) and a Korean B.B.Q. restaurant!

Today, I was on Venice Beach with my sister and I discovered who this ass belongs too (picture on the left)! Hehe. I took this picture 1 month ago when I was walking on Venice Beach! As you can see, I'm pretty sure that I could have good chances of being on the next Muscle Show ;)

Special offer - not sexual ;)

As usual, I arrived early in the class this morning and Gene indicated me that they're going to the California courtyard (again for me!). He suggested me being in another group during the day. At first, he proposed me to be in the Eddie's class... hum, we speak about a really advanced group! No! I asked to be in Kyle's group. Many Spanish students were there (like usual for this period of the year - the government gives money to students entering the USA to learn English). It was a funny group and particularly drunkard.

After the first part of my day (the group's lessons), I crossed Gene and he said to me that after the courtyard, they finished the documentary "Bowling for Colombine" and spoke about the movie. Gosh! I wanted to see the end! Fortunately for me, Gene suggested me discussing it in a class (during the lunch time). We discussed it during approximately 30 minutes. More private lessons for me! ;)

At the end, he offered me to work on any subject that I want next week in class! After all, that will be my last week - only 16 group lessons, 4 private lessons and my final test to do! (Just 4 more school days!)

On the last miles...

Since Sunday, the weather isn't very good. Monday morning began to rain until now. I know, that it's difficult to believe in Santa Monica (just-to-bad for my suntan!).

I'm really quiet since few days. I feel so-so (really tired - without explanation) and now I understand why... In a few days, I'm going to be in my periods! Grr. It also explains my sugar rushes!!! Hehe. So, my English improvements seem to me in a fix. I have to let my hair down... I believe that my mood looks like the weather! :(


Good new : The weather forecast is good for the upcoming days. It's a perfect timing because just around the corner my sister's going to visit me (tomorrow evening)! Up to now, we have Jimmy Kemmel's tickets for our planning next monday. For the other things, I'm sure that my sister has a really good ideas for all the things which she wants to do for her stay! ;)

Interesting facts...

As you can see, I haven't had any Internet connection problem for 1 week! I can write many blogs!

About the Californian culture... I have some interesting facts :

• The Californian car culture!!! If you go in California, you need a car! California is really too big to make any sort of activities without a car. I have never seen so much hand car washes! The cars and the gas cost less. You can see on the street : BMW, Jaguar, Acura, Land Rover, Mercedes, Honda, Toyota, Chevrolet, Hyundai and more... I believe that it looks like in Canada, without the calcium and with more prestigious cars. You can easily see a 20 years old driver with a BMW!

• Most of the Californians speak on the phone when they drive
• The lawn/grass is really important for the Californian!! It is always perfectly cut! And you can see several people watering their lawn/grass in the morning. (no limitation on the use of the water?!)
  

• The price to buy a house is totally crazy! I'm going to give you an example : 2509, 23rd Street, Santa Monica 90405 : 3 bedrooms + den, 1,75 bathrooms, 2,022 living square feet, 6750 lot square feet, Fireplace, Built 1948, Copper Plumbing. Superbly situated in the highly desirable Sunset Park neighborhood, this turnkey traditional combines luxurious amenities with the charm of yesteryear. From the excellent eat-in country kitchen with stainless appliances, a delightful banquette and recessed lighting, to a tumbled travertine bath boasting a steam shower and jetted tub, this stunning single story is the finest value in the area. The warm use of wainscoting, gleaming wood floors, and expansive rooms are but a few of the rich interior details, while the magical backyard features a covered patio, green gardens, and complete privacy. Fall in love... for $989 000!

• The United States went through a bad economic period with the recession... and the cost of houses is lower than before! With those house's prices, I can better understand that they don't have a huge backyard!
• Everyday, I see a lot of dogs! Dogs are always perfectly trained. Not a lot of cats... but here is the picture of my new friend. Now than I gave my cats, I think that my return will be really difficult...

• In every public place, there are toilet paper covers to put on the toilet seat! I like it! ;)
• In Santa Monica, I didn't really see obese people (I think that it's worse than Montréal...). I'm really impressed by the amount of people making their jogging on the street or near the beach and how people are usually proud of theirselves.
  
• The Californian's architecture is so splendid! The temperature probably helps the diversity!
  

• Californian people are so friendly! At first I began to think that men were trying to hit on me BUT a woman stopped me on Pico Blvd previously today and she said that I was really pretty and asked me where I came from... Now, I believe in the friendliness of Californian people (man and woman)! I really have the impression that it's a particularly rare quality in today's world! I suppose the perfect weather is helping their kindness ;)

• I'm not sure about the Californians' taste for their bicycles though! It is far from the Canadian style!

• In Santa Monica : over 3,5 miles (5,6 km) of California's best beaches and 340 days of sunshine a year

• From Santa Monica to : San Francisco (385 miles), Las Vegas (275 miles), San Diego (120 miles), Tijana (130 miles) and Grand Canyon (495 miles)

Happy Hour

This evening a Happy Hour was organized by my school, I think that I drank an 36 oz of margarita (with Tequila, juices and crushed ice) for a very expensive $19. It was a really big glass! I decided to take the bus after (because it was dark outside and my roller blades and I could have some problems this evening!) ;)

It is official, I don't like my #8 bus (to return at home)! It is the second time that I have to wait for more than 40 minutes (this evening I waited for 1 hour 15 minutes) and I only took the bus 10 times during last month. Fortunately, I was a little bit drunk therefore time passed faster! Hehe

I realized something... in a short period of time, I'll be at home! Next Thursday, my sister will be there (during 5 days)! Now, I noticed that I only have 2 weeks left before my return and I think that time will pass more quickly! I am going to return home on October 16, 2010!!

I'm not a huge fan of going to the beach, but I definitively have to take care of my suntan before Quebec's winter!!!

Beach day to learn English!

Today was a really good day. Beach all our school's day! Fortunately, the weather was perfected this morning near the ocean (sunny, 26-28 degres Celsius). At the end of our school day, the sun disappeared! Perfect timing to return at home.
I'm really happy because I tried to surf (and it, for $0, I just borrowed the surfboard of another student)! "Try" is the perfect verb because that was very difficult! I can say one thing : the ocean's water is really salted!!! I didn't manage to get up on the surfboard! I crossed many big waves, but under the water! Hehe. Some waves took me by surprise! I drank a lot of the ocean water! I'm prepared to feel so-so in the afternoon/evening! ;)

I really liked this attempt but I think that will be enough for me... For the moment, I don't feel the need to pay 120$ for 2 hours. Excellent because I calculated that I'm going to be really short in my budget (but my To Do's list is realized)!

Berverly Hills

My Los Angeles visit couldn't be complete without a visit of Beverly Hills! As dreaded, there was so much poverty... It was so difficult to look without being able to change things! (Ok, more difficult because I wasn't able to afford a Gucci's purse) ;)
The Pretty Woman's city!



I'm a little surprised by the houses that I saw. The prettiest houses in Beverly Hills don't seem to have a big backyard? Every house is really near its neighbour. Maybe we are not able to see the backyard...


Also, I was surprised by the fact that the Guess store was really near of the prestigious brands (as Cartier, Gucci, Louis Vutton...). Maybe it will become a prestigious mark in a near future (it's already a bit expensive) ;)

Welcome to Las Vegas

To begin really well the weekend a beautiful Mazda 3 was considered as an economic car. I had to drive the round trip (2*4,5 hours) why I couldn't drive this magnificent model? Which was the same price than a Hyundai! ;) I'm really happy to have had this opportunity!

Upon our arrival in Las Vegas (it was 2 p.m. and the room was available only at 3:00 p.m.), we deciced to begin with the most difficult part...
Many hours spent in different stores (a majority of famous brands) to buy : a Tommy Hilfiger's sweater, 2 Polo Ralph Lauren's T-shirts, a Lacoste's T-shirt and some Fossil's accessories (all these things for $111,86!). Finally the torture wasn't so big (only for my purse!) ;)

During our first day, I was a little exhausted because I drove in the morning, we'd passed approximately 3 hours in the Las Vegas Premium Outlets and we decided to split the Las Vegas Center tour in two different days / nights. The Stratosphere's part up to the Sahara Hotel + dinner for the first night and the other part will be for day / night after.

The day after, we realized that the second part of Las Vegas Blvd was much bigger and more interesting! (The Bellagio, Ceasars Palace, MGM and more). During the day we walked to see all the essential!



As promised... I took a lot of photos! Everything is so beautiful! The famous world's cities are reproduced particularly well and it's so "magic"!


The weather in Las Vegas is really different from Santa Monica! All around 36 degres Celsius during the day without wind (it's the desert!) ;-). I have never drunk so much water! We walked about 4 hours in the second part of the Las Vegas Center during the day. After our walking-trip, I asked if I could make a little power nap... I'm older and I wanted to be in good shape to do the "Rumba" all night. ;)

After this siesta, we got dressed up and we decided to drink a cocktail and to gamble in the casino (a big $1!). At first, we went to the Stratosphere's buffet for dinner (the carrots cake was one of the best that I ever ate) and after I ordered two 10 000 calories cocktails (crushed ice - frozen, several rhum, with banana cream and blueberries flavor...). I presumed 10 000 calories, maybe more! Our drinks were so delicious! My dress wanted to explode after all these excesses!(hehe).



After our weekend, I am really satisfied with my Las Vegas visit. I think that my 8 weeks journey of study in California wouldn't have been completed without this trip! I believe that I'll highly regard even more CSI - Las Vegas!


Nota : When we arrived to Las Vegas, Emeline and I began to speak only in English...