a) SCOTLAND. Madeline and I went to Glasgow to visit Jillian. which was LOVELY. i had never been to the UK so it was utterly fantastic. We went to a ceilidh! which is basically traditional scottish dancing. it was in a church and just families and such but was so very down to earth and so much fun. I danced with boys in kilts, how great is that?? the british pound is irritating, and illogical but ah well. i am quite sure i could eat scottish shortbread and tea for the rest of my life. 'til i die! Brodders, you both got little presents from Scotland!
b)CLASSES Oooh classes. Ce n'est pas tres difficile. M/W I have a class on comic books (it's a literature class) that I am liking a lot. We've been discussing elements of racism in comics. On Mondays I also go to a class on Christian theology and interreligoius dialogue at L'institut catholique. It's strange because the only people under age 35 are all the american students. many of the students id say are 50 or older. It's just a very different demographic than in the states. T/Th is my long stretch. Three classes at 9, 1230, and 4. Being at school from 9-530 is a little tiring especially since the commute is about 40 minutes. But i have two 2-hr breaks so I have time to eat and finish up homework and such. I have a language/culture class that i ADORE. mostly the people and atmostphere. Though I do have a secret love of conjugating verbs. I have an Islamic Art class which I like the subject matter of, but my professor drives me a little nuts. She has tagged me and another girl as the religious studies girls. Excellent. Slash mildly annoying. I also am taking a really basic into to lit class. which is fine. cause i hate lit. i like reading. i hate lit classes. period.
c)FRENCH THINGS One of my favorite things I've done in France is actually all in English. No bueno, I know. But its these afternoon teas and discussions at this relatively well known and historical book store near Notre Dame, called Shakespeare and Co. I suggest google ing it. I have met and talked to some interesting people and the history of the bookstore is really awesome. it also functions as what they call the 'tumbleweed hotel' because young people often come and are given a place to sleep in exchange for a few hours of work a day in the store. Cause things like that happen all the time. I spend a lot of time riding the Metro here. It's actually kind of funny. Everywhere is a commute but with my ipod its all fine. except you cant do too much people watching. making eye contact and smiling, particuarly with a man, really not good. so i dont. i try to do sneaky people watching. Mass here is a little nutty - there is no orderly fashion to go to communion everyone just herds at once into the aisles. I actually can't stand it. Of course AshWednesday was fun. The priest dumped ashes down the front of my coat and i forgot to tell my host mom 'no meat today thanks' and came home early afternoon to see a leg of lamb prepped for the oven. what am i supposed to do 'uh thanks for making a special meal, but no thanks.' at least it was a very appropriate meat, eh? My host family left for Argentina today for ten days. They stocked the fridge but I don't think they realize all their bread and cheese and maybe wine will be gone when they get back. well maybe not the wine though my host dad did tell me to help myself! and for any aunts uncles etc thinking 'oh goodness they left you alone!' please remember i am 21 years old and know how to feed myself as well as lock doors. Went to the Agricultural Fair last weekend. LOTS of animals and food and anything a person can grow. Bought the tastiest apples and saw a million cows. Unfortunately a communication mix up kept me from returning the next day to seek out the wine. Ah well.
d) THE HOME FRONT I am lucky enough to have people who arent opposed to paying international postage! i thought i would have my first valentines in a while sans hot tamales and yet my AWESOME twin, Roxanne Tucker, sent me a loving care package with hot tamales, cheez its, and a letter and a photo collage. Alex sent me thin mints! I shared the cheezits with people but not hte tamales or the thin mints. That stuffs like GOLD. So anyone interested in sending me gold, you will win lots of my love and the address is here on my blog. I sent out some postcards yesterday and will try to send more. I am in love with this city but always feel a touch of homesickness. Getting to talk to everyone at home makes me realize how much I need to seize this opportunity so I can get back to everyone i miss as soon as I can with no regrets. Also, if anyone can figure out how to mail me a chipotle burrito, id love you forever! Oh, and get this! Whlie I am in France, I win a party at my favorite dueling piano bar in Chicago. I mean, really? Crazy. I am always on skype if i am at a computer and it's been great chatting with my mom all the time while she's at work. I keep up on everything going on in the family and end up with hysterical stories too. Dougie needs to get skype at work, its fun to just talk to mom between patients. any other fam members have skype, chat me up while you're working, its usually homework time for me and lord knows i love any reason to avoid homework. I like being able to keep up with the family. It has become even more so clear to me lately how very wonderful all my family is and how we aren't a group to mess with! And it's nice to know that I always have an absurd number of people on my side, no matter what. I love my family, all million and a half of them all across the country.
Its like two am i should sleep, eh?
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