It's not just the language barrier

Anne, Arnulfo and I were going to make our last dinner together before he leaves. Well, I get a call from Arnulfo saying to come over to his friends at 8pm and we are going to eat there instead if that's okay. So, Anne and I get over there and we find out that we are going to a restaurant in another town!

Here we are in a car with all our friends heading towards Blagnac to find out even more that this is a school event! A university was hosting a party at Bocha Chica - a restaurant/dance club on a lake!

We ended up paying 12 euros for all you can eat and drink! However, we got there with only 30 minutes left for that deal. So we ate, had a glass of champagne and then danced the night away!

The funny thing is, Arnulfo didn't understand that we were going to a university held event! I like to think, that the misunderstanding was not my fault this time! The night was a success!

You always get more than what you pay for

Look what I found nesting with my eggs? This is what happens when you buy them from the farmer at a market!

When one door closes another opens...

Oh man. I'm bumming right now. I believe that when one door closes another one opens. Same thing for me as saying God will take a bad situation (that he has no control of b/c its the devil at work) and make something good out of it.

Example One:

Aunt Donna's cancer is back. She has started a more intensive round of chemo. I keep on praying that this time the cancer will never come back. I pray everyday for her. She is so strong and amazing.

A door closing: Aunt Donna getting cancer.

A door opening: All the awesome and wonderful things she has done through her fight.

Example Two:

John (my boyfriend!!!) was supposed to get in this Friday and stay for the whole week and leave on Monday. Well, plans changed and he is now getting in Monday and leaving the following Monday.

Door closing: Losing a whole weekend with my Johnny.

Door opening: Getting to go to Palma de Mallorca for the weekend with friends! It's an island off the coast of Spain!

Example Three:

Arnulfo (my roommate) just got his diploma for his masters in engineering. He had an internship at Airbus (Boeing's number one competitor). I consider us friends. We cook together, go out together, hang out with his friends and mine, etc.

Door closing: The french love to protest. Researchers are protesting and Arnulfo is not getting paid anymore and does have a job at Airbus. No choice. He has to leave because he can't live here without his job and income. He leaves this Saturday to go live with his girlfriend in Paris.

Door opening: ? (will let you know when I find out...yes, I'm sad)

LONDON!!!

I just spent a week in London with my Mom! It was the first real vacation that we spent alone, just the two of us. It was perfect. We got to see all the places we wanted to see without boring anyone. We got to go shopping without feeling rushed! We ate at some of the most wonderful places:) And, we got to spend quality time together.

Here is a little list of some of the things we did!

Day 1:

Arrived in London and ate lunch in our hotel, JW Marriott Grovesnor Place! I had duck confit and a glass of wine. We went exploring around our area. The hotel is right on Hyde Park, two blocks south of Oxford St. and two blocks west of Grovesnor Square and Berkley Square. Perfect location!

Day 2:

Worked out. Got my hair cut!

Had High Tea at the Dorchester! What an awesome experience! To think the queen started that tradition!

For dinner we had to go to Garfunkels...a popular chain.

Day 3:

Saw the guards change at Buckingham Palace!

Walked to Westminster Abbey...oh my goodness!!!

Went to Nobu for a sushi dinner!

Day 4:

Tour of Kensington Palace! Saw Princess Diana's dresses!

Don't buy tickets for "The Big Bus Tour Company".

Went shopping!!!

Went to the 5pm mass at St. Paul's Cathedral where Princess Diana and Charles were married. It was so cool to go to a mass here!

Had dinner at a very trendy and hip vegetarian restaurants before we went to ICE BAR!!!!!

Ice Bar was AWESOME!!!! We had to wear huge capes to keep us warm and everything including our glasses were made out of ice! Brrr!

Day 5:

Another great day!

Had lunch at a local pub, went shopping and then went to dinner at Cote a French restaurant before we went to the theatre and saw Dirty Dancing!!! It was so much fun! The theatres are very small here so wherever you sat you had a good seat! However, my wonderful mother (with the help of Mike!) got us GREEEAT seats up front! It was a great night!

Day 6:

Took a Day trip to Windsor, Stonehenge and Bath with premium tours! All three places had something unique to offer. Windsor castle, stonehenge formation and the Roman baths! Check out pictures on facebook!

I'm so happy and fortunate to have the chance to spend a week with Lynnie! And, that we get along:) Thanks Mom! Love you<3

Life as we get old

I'm a very fast walker. When I have class at 8AM I have to leave for the metro at 7:10AM. I don't like to waste time. Therefore, I walk fast. I have gotten used to walking fast, so says Arnulfo. Today, I was stuck behind an old lady taking her time. I slowed down, realizing I had no where to go. I was taking in all my surroundings - cafes, markets, people in general. And then she stopped for the first time to look into a store window. My first reaction was to feel sad for her. She was looking at a motorized wheelchair. At first I thought she was looking for helself. Maybe she was in pain as she walked, but no - she seemed to be doing fine. It made me really curious about who she was thinking about. Perhaps a husband or just a friend. The fact that someone needs a motorized wheelchair makes me sad. I kept on walking hoping that I would never be in that situation.

Bisous > Kisses

I think that sometimes the people here lie to Anne and me knowing that we won't know they aren't being serious. Everyone knows that in Europe/France when you say hello you do "bisous" which is the kiss on each cheek. Everyone does it. Girls to girls, girls to guys, guys to girls, and guys to guys. And to just put it out there, I love when guys do bisous. It makes them so unmanly, yet so confident at the same time. Okay, not all guys do it...and that's where the "fooling Anne and Jordan" comes in.

Anne's roommates told us that you do bisous with someone you meet or with people you know every time you see them. They also told us that if you are really good friends with them, you can do an extra kiss on the cheek or lips. I have not seen a guy give a guy an extra kiss on the lips...but I have seen the extra kiss on the cheek with girls and guys and from time to time on the lips. I can't decide if that is true or if they are just telling us that to be funny.

However, for example, my roommate who has a girlfriend living in Paris does the extra kiss on the cheek with his friends here (only the girls). So, it makes me think maybe Anne's roommates were telling the truth. I know some people in the states who give a kiss on the cheek or lips to their good friends without anymore intentions then just, "Hi really good friend of mine, who I don't like sexually, but you're just a good friend".

I can handle the extra kiss on the cheek with guys and girls. But, I'm not sure about the kiss on the lips...makes me think of the song, "I kissed a girl". If you don't know that song, download it and listen to it. It's hilarious. Thoughts on this subject anyone?

Jogging along the canal and my garden!!!!

Today I woke up freezing only to find out that the heat had been turned off (I think it was one of my roommates...). I was so cold that I couldn't wait to go wash my face with warm water. Ha. That wasn't working either! And yes, things do come in three because when I went back into my room to turn on the light...the bulb flickered and burnt out! My day got much better though!

I only had class until noon today and it was beautiful here! 60 degrees and sunny! I went for a run along the canal and felt great! When I got back I checked how far it was on google maps...6 miles baby! I knew I had been running for a long time, but I was not expecting 6 miles!

I made homemade alfredo sauce last night with onions, mushrooms, garlic and all! The one thing I was missing was chicken! So today, when I bought a new lightbulb, I also bought some chicken! And, while I was out and about - I bought two plants for my balcony!

I now have a Calathea Crocata with orange flowers and a small red rose bush! I wasn't sure what else to put out there with them, so in the picture as you can see...there are wine bottles! I hope that the plants don't blow over...I'll have to keep a close eye on them! And, if you have suggestions on how to keep either of them alive...more than what I can find on the internet - let me know!

Right now, my roommate Irene is making dinner and dessert and singing to her iPod. At the same time, Arnulfo - the other roommate is playing his guitar! And, I have on Nora Jones with some bread, cheese and wine! What a French mixture!!! If you can't tell...I'm fitting in just fine and having a great time over here!

Prom once again

Last night my school had a "Gala" or Ball...also known as a dance kind of resembling an American prom. I was told to come dressed up with a date and that Champagne, wine, beer and food were going to be served!
I still can't get over the fact that a university although private, hosts events and serves alcohol! It was a fun night! There was a live band playing in one room and then a mixture of American and French music in another. It seems like all the french guys and girls know how to dance really well (especially swing)!
Girls were dressed up in everything from prom dresses to skirts and the guys wore suits. It was so bizzare to be in a setting like this again. The whole school kind of reminds me of one huge Greek system.

I got Yelled at by a French Prof!

That's right, I was yelled at today in class. Well not really yelled at, but totally got called out! For nothing! The very first day of this class I went up and introduced myself and told the prof I was an international student and was learning french...etc. So she knew I was American and that I couldn't speak or understand french fluently.

Well, she must have forgotten that tiny detail because today when she said something and I didn't understand I asked the boy next to me what a word meant. While he was explaining it she said all in french of course, "Girl in black, what did I just say? Repeat what I just said." Or course I didn't know what she just said because I was asking the boy next to me. And so I just smiled and was confused and not totally sure if she was talking to me. And then I was told to pay attention and I would know what she just said! Oh my gosh!
Let me give you some background information. Everyone talks in the classes here. It is so annoying and rude. I have a hard enough time understanding what the teachers are saying and on top of it I have students talking and being loud. So, in this case it's not like the kid next to me was the only one talking. And I have never seen her or another teacher call out a student like that before. It was so bizzare, and all the French students agree that it was weird.

I was a little bothered by it at first, but now I find it all a little bit funny and ironic. The student who wants to learn and is trying gets in trouble. Only me.

A Trip Around France in a Week

Anne and I went on a mini France tour this past week! We went to Rennes, Strasbourg and Lyon! I have pictures up on facebook of everything we did! Here are a few highlights of the trip!

Rennes:
We took a day trip to a city that is on an island! Mont Saint Michel! There is one main road that we had to climb up in the rain!! If you can imagine slippery, wet rock...then you can imagine me struggling to climp up the steep incline of the street! Thank goodness there were plenty of shops and cafes along the way up to the top! The best part about reaching the top of the mountain was the church! We did an audio tour in French and I understood most of it, which makes me feel great!

Strasbourg:
My friend Matt from UofI met up with us and we did a day trip along "The Wine Road" also called the "Route du Vins"! We went to Riquewihr, one of the best cities along the 100 mile route so we were told! It was beautiful! There was one winery after the other lining the streets. The wines in the Alsace region are mostly white german wines. We tasted Riesling, Gewuvztraminer, Pinot Gris, Muscat and Pinot Noir. My favorite part of the day was the walk from one city to the next. There is a walking trail that goes through the middle of all the vineyards leading from one city to the next! It just so happens that the day we were walking around, was the same day all the vitners were prunning their vines! It was a great experience to watch!

Super Bowl:
In Strasbourg Anne and I were told about a bar we could find the Super Bowl playing. If you're not good at math, the super bowl started around 1AM here. We found our way into a bar called Snookers and with that a private party for the super bowl! We didn't know it was a private party at first, but then some guys asked me how I found out about it? The Strasbourg football team had rented out the bar to watch the game! It was awesome! There was food and a tab at the bar and they loved us! They couldn't believe that two American girls wanted to watch the super bowl, especially since it was so late! That was a game / party I'll never forget!

Hostel in Lyon:
Let me start by saying that I wound up getting my money back for the one night we stayed in this hostel. We were sharing a room with two other girls (8 beds total) who were already sleeping at 11pm when we got back from dinner. We decided to go play cards and meet other people at the bar in the hostel. Right as we were leaving a very old woman came into the room. She started looking for a bed that was open and choose a top bunk that had a light that didn't work. When we came back around 1AM there was note on the door that said, lock does not work. There was no handle or lock on our door! We walked in and the very old woman had all the lights on, the two other poor girls were wide awake and looked very annoyed. So, I went to bed spooning my backpack and purse the whole night thinking I was going to get robbed or killed because the door didn't close. Well, in the middle of the night I was woken up to the very old woman asking someone to turn on the light for her! I'm sorry, but if she couldn't get down her own bunk, then she should have taken a bottom bunk - and one that had a working light! So we were all woken up by her nonsense of having to have the light turned on, only for us to have the pleasure of hearing and smelling her have the runs...if you know what I mean. It was horrible. At this point I wanted the door wide open. The same routine happened in the morning except the toilet was clogged and I almost died of the stentch. I complained and got my money back:) I am proud of that! There was no right for them to take off the lock and handle of a shared room, just because an old woman...who was staying in a YOUTH hostel couldn't unlock the door. I said a prayer for her, me, Anne and the other two girls and got on my way!