Discovering the French Suburbs

If you have ever wondered if there is a bit of suburbia in Europe the answer is yes...but it is a little bit country and not alot of rock and roll. It includeds driving down very very scary one car roads with no lights and lots of fog, but also includes a great view and beautiful stars at night.

Hanging out at a french students home is interesting... and if people tell you that europeans dont get drunk its a lie...I saw a french guy fall down the same stairs twice in one night!

But they are also very sweet. One new french guy friend let me sleep on his air mattress since I was not hooking up with anyone, and another who has a little sister my age tucked me into bed. It was endering.

It is always fun to talk about cultural faux pas...like if and when you can say your mom jokes in forgein cultures. And also how in style is the loser sign.

Tonight... I leave for Nice!

:)

I am pretty happy here.

Today I went to class ( cut short by ANOTHER strike). Then had a bus adventure - because all the corporate stores are like 1./2 hr away) with Amanda trying to buy our sleeping bags, and then sitting like vagrants for half an hour at a bus stop. We also ate at the delic cheeseburger place in Republique (the big shopping center in town). After I attempted to make cookies from a box recepie that turned out more like buscuits and headed to Davids suprise bday party where all the americans and others came to celebrate his 21st bday! We ate alot of food, and taught the drinking game :Circle of Death: to the others. It was a really awesome time, just hanging with some good friends for a bday, I just am happy to have met so many great people.

I am also feeling very grateful for the people I have back home.

I think one of the strangest things about studying abroad is the compare/contrast phenomenon. I find myself comparing and contrasting things....not to say that one is better or worse because each has its ups and downs...but just realizing the things I appreciate....

For example: I love that Le mans has
history, greenery, fresh air, and public transportation


perhaps that is part of why we travel; to find the THINGS or QUALITES that we like so that we may find them agian in our own lives, or find the places that will create the atmosphere we desire.

Lame days

So basically Ive been laying around all week, because of the strikes there has been almost no class.
Last night we had a shots party in kitchenette and taught some European men to dance...sorta :)

I have decided to become a really good cook.

I also found the cutest little knick-knack shop...

We havent recieved our stipends yet...so I will soon be a starving artist.

70's night at the bar tonight.

I am having flashbacks with some musical music

Boof

I feel like I dont know anything about myself...or maybe that there are just two of me?

And maybe I should get on a more normal time scheduel.

I hate that with art everything has to have so much theory, it sometimes...is just fun.

oy veh.

I leave you with this:

Take this kiss upon the brow!

And, in parting from you now,

Thus much let me avow—

You are not wrong, who deem

That my days have been a dream:

Yet if hope has flown away

In a night, or in a day,

In a vision or in none,

Is it therefore the less gone?

All that we see or seem

Is but a dream within a dream.