So I am really sorry that I haven't been writing in this for a long time- trust me, I have received enough notifications from everyone to make it seem like I need to write, and I need to write, now. I can't remember as many details as I should from the past weeks- but I'll do what I can for the big stuff.
Today is Thanksgiving, and although the French don't celebrate it, for obvious reasons, Kevin has decided that it would be fun to take us all out to dinner. In the past apparently, they had a party at the school for all those involved- the students, their host parents- the whole shenanigan. Though it was too expensive, so now we get a pre-planned dinner at a restaurant Kevin has booked for us. He invited us over for "drinks" beforehand, assuming that everyone brings their own- since the university is unable to purchase alcoholic drinks for the students. He doesn't always stick to that though- because we've been places, for example, my birthday- when he bought a bottle of wine, and divided it among us- minus Laura.
Laura and Charity had signed a school contract before they left- that promises they won't consume any alcoholic beverages while being here. Laura has stuck to it- Charity has not. Charity drinks wine, or champagne, and once she had an Irish coffee. Of course no one really cares enough to do anything about it.
Charity and I are actually not getting along at all. Sameen says this is because we are like "oil and water"- we simply don't mix. And she was very mean all weekend- and I find that whenever I talk to her, I always feel crappy afterwards, so I decided I just wasn't going to have anything to do with her. I have 23 days left in France- I'm not wasting them on stewing over something she said. I deleted her off my facebook- Sameen said this was rash, but really? Why should I have to associate, more than necessary, with someone who always makes me feel bad? Flat answer- I don't.
We have had an excursion for both of the past two weekends- the most recent was a trip to Angiers- to see the chateau there, and visit the Apocalypse tapestry. This is literally a tapestry that has been woven to tell the story- this thing is HUGE. The colors on the side we see are a little dull, but the other side against the wall is much more vibrant. The picture above this paragraph is one of the portions. I mean this thing is crazy detailed...
The morning before we left for Angiers- Laura and I got up really early, and decided that we wanted to be more adventurous. We walked around the city during that Saturday morning-
focusing on the things that we thought would be most interesting. We went to the flower market- where I went crazy taking pictures of the massive bouquets- the vases- the people. We visited some cute shops- picking out ideas for Christmas presents. We went to a hat shop, and ignored the side glances from the employees- giggling to ourselves, and trying on different styles. We just kept turning here, or there- looking for something interesting, something new.We stumbled across the market out side Les Halles- where we bought a bunch of grapes, a pepper and an avocado. The man who sold the avocado to us- asked when we were going to eat it, what time...and then picked one out and handed it to me. In the car, at noon- when I told him that I would be eating it, I bit into it, and then used a spoon to scoop out the inside. It was delicious. I am really going to miss that aspect of French food- how things are SO fresh, bought daily, how juicy everything is because it comes right from the producer...
...I've been getting more and more involved in photography- sometimes, I just wander off by myself looking for good shots. It makes me really, really happy. Then to come back, and play around with the colors on my computer- to watch how I can manipulate an image to make it be even prettier. I am sad to say that I don't write as much as I used to though- I write little poems next to doodles that I do sometimes- but nothing of real substance.
This really does sadden me though because honestly- I think it's the strongest thing I have going for me. Everyone has that one talent that God gives them- then they develop more as time goes on. Well I can write- I know this, I have an original style- and I know how sentences fit together. I am trying to make photography be another big priority. French is a passing phase, I think.
But I have been working very hard to get good grades- I mean I have the stories, the pictures, the firsthand cultural knowledge, and if I can bring the grades too- I will be really proud of myself. I got one of my written assignments back on Tuesday- and I had a 15 (that's like an A), and yesterday, I got a 16 on my oral comprehension test. If I can just stick to that for the next couple weeks- I will be golden.
All my classes are in order for next semester, which makes me feel pretty secure, the money part is kind of taken care of, I think- and Ireland is coming together. I am working on booking some tours, and then last minute travel things, and am hoping to seriously have the itinerary finished by Monday afternoon. After so much work though, it is fun to see it fall into place. And I know that it will be amazing--
The weekend of December 13th, I don't have any excursions, and I was thinking about maybe going to Paris to see Gill, then realized that "hey, why do Paris again?" So I have been talking with Sameen and we are thinking about going somewhere new- maybe Geneve, I did always want to see the Alps, maybe Switzerland, yesterday she suggested Amsterdam- so my latest expedition is trying to plan that.
I did mention that we have been on two excursions since last writing, the one to Angiers, the other was to Loches. Loches is a city that Patrick and Marie had previously taken me, but will still fun to see it from Kevin's perspective. We went through the chateau, the church, then he took us to Montresor, mostly to go to a little park that he liked there.
That was nice- a little muddy, but oh well. The weather here has generally sucked, like hardcore. Gray skies, cold, rainy a lot. But today, the sky is a new kind of crystal blue, and a little above freezing. I have a lot of classes on Thursdays, most of which I don't like. And today- I am especially tired. I'm not sure why, though I remember feeling the same way at this time last year. Feeling mentally, and physically, quite exhausted. If not for the pre-planned lunch I have with Josh on the 3rd, I would probably just sleep my whole first day home. I call that "pulling an Erica"- everything she ever got home from one of her "adventures"- she would say hi, and then promptly pass out, usually monopolizing the couch.
This weekend we have another excursion- though I don't remember where to, to be honest, I know that we are going to see a very impressive mosaic- it's the first mosaic piece that we'll have seen. We've seen glass, stone, brick, wool, linen- but not mosaic. I'm a little excited. Minus the whole having to spend more time with Charity thing- I'll just make a mental note to bring my headphones.
I'm here to make me happy, not her. I did the high school thing once already, don't really feel like re-living that, thank you. I keep thinking how much more practical it would be to have the excursions on Sundays- chateaux are open on Sundays- nothing else is. Meaning that if we take up the whole Saturday with a trip, we have nothing to do on Sunday. Imagine holidays at home- that's here on Sunday. It's just a dead zone- with the blowing papers covering the streets like tumbleweeds. What do people do here? Marie and Patrick insist that I have to go out, but seriously- there's nothing to do, so....confused?
P & M and I have been getting along pretty well- they don't force conversation on me anymore, when they talk to me, it's generally about something interesting, and I think they have learned that sometimes I just need to be quiet. They talk a lot about their friends, and P's work- well that's great, but I don't have a thing to say about any of that.
They are headed to Paris for the first weekend of December- and I am really looking forward to having the house to myself- I want to watch movies...
...they were gone for one weekend before, and I went downstairs, and picked movies off the shelf and watched them. They were English movies with French subtitles- Chronicles of Riddick, the Matrix, and Batman and Robin- I had Laura and Charity over (this was when I was still talking to her), and we had a pretty good time. We said that it was because it was like we were back at college. I made dinner, and Charity ate with me since she had accidentally told her host mom that she wasn't going to be home.
Yesterday, I had lunch plans with MariaJose, and when I met her, she just smiled and asked me if I minded going to McDonald's...I said it was up to her, so she led the way, and marched us there. It was packed- like more crowded than I had ever been in- but it was nice to just sit down with someone who isn't my friend out of convenience- just because she wants to be- and talk. About her life, her plans, my life, my plans. I miss that so much.
I mean she was the tip of the iceberg, but not even close to the kind of connection I am craving. I just want to have real friends back, you know? Ones who know me- who understand me. Oh well, I'll be home soon enough.
I hope this satisfies you- it's a little look into what I've been doing lately....
...I could probably come up with some more- but I have to get to class....
.......so until then?
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