(Dana, that title means "I am tired but happy.")
Ok, so I know I haven't been great yet at updating this thing, but I think from now on I'll be able to do it on a regular basis. I've figured out my schedule and everything and I'll be checking email at least once or twice a day, so hopefully that means I can update this at the very least every other day!! I go to class most of the day- from 9 in the morning until at least 3 or so in the afternoon. It's not really serious class time like I thought it was going to be, so that's good. A lot of the time I spend in class is discussion and doing various exercises that aren't important or for grades but mainly for improving our language skills. The first day we took a placement test to put our different groups into our skill levels. Mandy and I placed in the same group (thankfully, so we are together) and that is level 6 out of 8. And no Mom, level 1 is not the best- level 8 is tops! There are quite a few girls from USA in our class, 2 girls from Mexico, 1 girl from Taiwain, 1 girl from Libya, and 1 boy from Italy. :) hehe. And yes, he's cute! He speaks a little French, a little English, and a lot of Italian and Spanish, so we can communicate well enough. Today he gave me his email address and told me to come visit Bologna (the city in Italy, not the sandwich meat). So.... after I'm done in France I might not come home right away... haha. JK! I'll be back--June 27--and I'm expecting big celebrations from all groups of people reading this blog.
The family I live with is woooonderful. The mom is probably in her 50's and she doesn't work. She just does lots of going out and reading and social activities. She is very funny and I love to talk to her during and after dinner. (We talk for hours in French and we both understand each other--it's great!) I have my own little room on the top floor of the very, very, very old house. Think 1800's. The downstairs has a bathroom, kitchen, dining room, sitting room and then you go up the wooden spiral staircase to the second floor which has the mom's room, Aldona's room, and a bathroom, and then you go up the winding spiral staircase again to the third floor which has a bathroom, Agnes' room, a small study room, and my room! For those of you who don't know, a few weeks before I left home I fell down the entire length of the staircase at my house-- a straight staircase covered in carpet. I can't tell you how slowly I walk down the three stories of spiral wooden staircase so that I don't completely killy myself everyday. They have one small TV in the sitting room, but I was told the first day that no one watches it. They don't have internet and the girls are very distressed over that. As am I. I eat some kind of cereal or small bread product in the morning for breakfast, with orange juice. (Someone should explain the values and benefits of me drinking caffeine in the morning. I want my Diet Coke!!) For dinner, I have had mostly stuff that I like. I ate pate' last night for the first time. Not exactly sure of what I thought, but I ate it with salad and poured lots of dressing on top so it was do-able. I've eaten several different kinds of goat cheese, some kind of unidentifiable soup, lots and lots of bread, and yogurt for dessert. I went grocery shopping so I could take my lunch to school and I am happy to say that they make "pain au chocolat" in individual packages. Basically croissants with chocolate inside, aka my favorite food in the whole world.
I don't know the plan for this weekend, but I get out of class at noon on Friday, so I'm sure I'll find something to do. I think we might go shopping. I am hanging out mostly with Mandy (the other grad student from Memphis) and Rachel, a 20 yr old girl from UWestGA who roomed with us the first few days at the hotel, and Sam, a 21 yr old guy from UGA who I sat by on the 8 hour plane ride! So we all have fun together.
Ok, I think that's all for now but I'm going to try to put up some pictures from my castle visits last week. I'll try to take some pics of my house to put on here later.
Bisous,
Catherine
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4 comments:
Jealous....but so proud of you! I'm sure you're having fun and I'm glad your host family is treating you as well as you deserve. Probably a good thing there aren't any sons in the family or we'd never see you again!!! ;) Lightare? (didn't know how to write that phonetically!) I miss you, come home in one piece, and I'll send you an email soon...I know how exciting it is getting emails when you're in a foreign country!!! "My computer has intRAnet, not intERnet." Love you!!!
Now that's the kind of update I was looking for! I can now picture you climbing up some rickety old winding staircase every night to go to bed--thanks for the details!
I am very, very jealous. Especially since I'm sitting here in my freezing cold cubicle not wanting to do any work and it's only 9:30. I would much rather be in class for most of the day if it meant that I was in a foreign country getting to be adventurous! Although I'm pretty sure I could not eat foreign food. I'm proud of you for eating all of that for dinner! There's no way in the world I could do that...Do they have hot pockets there?
Ok, I should probably go now. Oh, what's the time difference between us? If it's 9:30am here then it's what time there????
Hi, baby girl! I am over here at your grand's house reading your blog! What fun! We are trying to read your French words. Did you say at the beginning that Jesus was tired? Also, what is that last word? We don't know no stinking French!!!! We love your pictures. I think you look too thin! Eat some more chocolate soon! Grandma and Grandanny say hi and they love you! Grandanny says to stay away from italy!!! Love you so much! Mommee', Grandanny, and Grandma
So your host mother's name is Eveline? That is like my favorite name...Evangeline Lilly! How cool! Can you hear me saying that? heehee! Lovie, lovie, lovie
Did I tell you Casey got a job? We might be able to pay our house note now! Yippee!!! Mommee'
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