27 May 2010

List of 10--Fail.

I've now spent six nights in Paris. However, it was for a good cause. Two of my friends from home were in Paris last weekend and I hopped on a train and went up there for the weekend to meet them. It was fun to see them and get to talk to people from home, greet them with hugs instead of bisous [the kiss on either cheek], and hear the Johnson County accent I know and love so well.
We didn't do anything too exciting; walked around the first night and got to the Eiffel Tower just in time to see it light up and start flashing, which is always beautiful. Then Saturday we did some shopping [Mom-I'm sure you haven't sent the package still. I just bought shorts. You can pay for them if you really want to :) ] and hung out in le Jardin Luxembourg for a while, then stopped by the "Mimes in May" show that was going on.
It was nice to be able to be in Paris and just relax instead of going like crazy the whole time, and the girls had an extra couple days there after I left, so they could still do things I'd already done without making me repeat anything--perfect!
On Monday I'm leaving Clermont-Ferrand for good and moving to Lyon...I'm excited!

11 May 2010

Une Parasseuse

A lazybones. That's what I've been lately. So, it's May 18th and I'm updating for the first time in weeks. Sorry.

So here's what's been happening....
April 28th: Went to class, turned in a paper that was unfortunately quite full of typos but also lots of good ideas. So my teacher liked it okay-ish.

April 29th: Went to class, went to this really-cool-but-hard-to-describe gathering in Centre Jaude...evidently "they" (the ever-elusive "they") had tried similar things in bigger cities around the country and Clermont-Ferrand was the first middle sized city they tried. Basically, all the youth of Clermont and the surrounding towns gathered in the town center to drink, eat, play, and enjoy each other's company. It was very cool actually.

April 30th: Went to class (littérature) at 8h45 after going to bed around 5h00. Pleasant.

May 1st: Watched "Into the Wild" with Ola, then went over to our friend Siavash's apartment (Siavash is Iranian and introduced me to Iranian pistachios, which are red, delicious, and addictive.) While there, Samantha, who is from Glasgow, taught us traditional Scottish dances and Lukasz and Krzysztof taught us how people dance at Polish weddings. It might have been the Polka. I'm not sure.

May 2nd: Went to a hookah bar...green apple flavor was good, fruit punch was not. Said hi to Jesus.

May 3rd: Homework

May 4th: class

May 5th: Cinco de Mayo...Cari, Chantelle and I made fajitas for dinner

May 6th: Went to Afterwork, a monthly event at a local club-ish place. It starts at 5 or 6 and people go there straight from work (hence the name) and ends around midnight. It was fun, good music and good people. When that was over, Chantelle and I met up with some other Erasmus (European study abroad program) students at the "Soirée Désintégration" for students who had finished their study abroad and were going home. While there, we met Pedro, the French man with an Italian mother who "had always dream to meet American real girl!" Needless to say, that was his only dream to come true that night. The American girl was not very impressed.

May 7th: Gave a presentation about a chapter of Candide

May 8th: Hung out in Chantelle's room...actually, crammed 13+ people into Chantelle's room. It was very fun, but a little too loud, or so said our Résidence administration.

May 9th: Mother's Day. I got Mom flowers. but I got them Saturday. So they were delivered on Thursday. Oh well. Said hi to Jesus.

May 10th: nothing exciting

May 11th: one class

May 12th: two classes

May 13th: No class, spent the day doing homework so I wouldn't have to over the weekend.

May 14th: One class, then met up with a bunch of friends to do some grocery shopping...our friend Cécile offered her home for a multicultural sleepover Friday night and it was great fun. We made pizzas, Spanish tortillas (omelettes with egg, onion, potato and chorizo), a Polish yummy thing you make by lining a pot with cabbage leaves then layering in potatos, onions, carrots, and sausage. Let the pot simmer for an hour or so and then it's ready. We also made Sangria, Zubrowka and apple juice (a popular drink in Poland), crêpes, and a really big mess. But we cleaned it all up in the morning and left Cécile's house looking as good as new :)

May 15th: slept.

May 16th: slept more. Said hi to Jesus.

May 17th: Cleaned my room and went to the grocery store.

Annnndddd....that is what I've been up to.