So since the last time I wrote a lot has gone down here. I had tested into a lower level class for all of my classes, so I fought to switch it. Luckily my program director is AWESOME and did it for me, despite the fact that my prof didn't want me to switch (they don't seem to like changing people's levels because the whole schedule has to change). So now I have better, more challenging classes with a different group of friends. It's soooo much better! I have a definite set schedule now, which is incredible (not too many early mornings or really long days!) but I don't feel like I'm involved enough. I might try to join a club or get involved at the franco-american institute. Which, btw, has a really nice library with books in english. funny enough i found myself most attracted to the children's section. They have Roald Dahl, the Eragon series, Harry Potter and Grimm's Fairytales, not to mention the books for really young kids. I loved it! I guess my inner child has been showing herself lately. I've been coloring in my oodles of doodles coloring book (thanks to Megan!) and I chose to watch Beauty and the Beast in French for my cinema class. I'm so excited!
Also, if you haven't seen my facebook, I got my hair cut here. It was really fun! My host mom drove me to the hairdresser (which apparently she used to cut hair) and they played with my hair while discussing how to cut it the way I wanted it. It's pretty different now but I like it a lot!
The weekend after that I went to St Malo and Mont St Michel, which was pretty incredible as well. We left wicked early for St Malo and just wandered around for a while. The weather here is pretty spectacular compared to Vermont/New Jersey right now. We're hitting balmy 40s and 50s while you guys are getting hit with piles and piles of snow... You're jealous, admit it. haha although I have to say I kind of do miss the snow. Not the cold, just the snow. If only they came separately! But anyway, it wasn't THAT warm, but St Malo is right on the ocean so I, of course, really wanted to walk on the beach. So I took off my heels and walked all over. It was so beautiful! It was funny because it reminded me a lot of Rabat, probably because part of the city was walled and the waves were pretty large. we walked along the wall, then I climbed all around the rocks and beach barefoot in the FREEZING cold water. It was awesome! Then we walked around the city, and left for Cancale (a small fishing place known for oysters I guess) for lunch. We had an interesting experience eating fresh oysters while we watched them take more out from the traps. After Cancale, we left for Mont St Michel. We got those stupid headset guided tour things that the ashleys and I just made fun of the whole time. I think it was just too easy. But Mont St Michel itself is gorgeous. The city is built on a hill that drops off and is surrounded by water (I think 2 rivers). We walked all around and hung out until it was time to get back on the bus. That night, my host sister was having a late birthday party type thing with a bunch of her friends while my host parents had dinner with some friends. My host mom said it was ok if I stayed ad hung out with them, but I still can't figure out if my host sister likes me... She's only around on the weekends so I don't see her very much and when I do, we're both doing our own thing. I'm really close with my host mom, but for some reason it's way more tricky to be friends with people my own age. So I stayed for the party even though my friends were planning stuff for my friend Emily's birthday. Ok so if someone in the US was hosting someone from another country and they seemed like they didn't know anyone, people would at the very least be curious, right? Not the case. People came in, sat down next to me and turned their backs to me to talk to the other people in the room. Not one person talked to me for like an hour, even when I tried to talk to one girl she responded to my lame attempt at starting a conversation, then turned back to the others. It was so awkward! So I went to my room and called my friends and headed out. Luckily my friend was on the bus on the way there, and I ended up having a pretty good night and making friends with a few random french people who seem to enjoy just walking up to people and starting a conversation. On my way home, I was in a little pain as I wore my very high red heels so I took them off to walk home, but decided it would be bad to walk in barefoot so I stopped to put them back on... and of course that's when my host parents drove by to get home! We walked into the house together and it was a wreck from the party. with cigarette butts on the coffee tale, a glass with some wine in it next to the coat rack and food scattered on the floor. I was so surprised that my host mom wasn't more upset but i got the feeling that she kind of expected it.
it's crazy because it feels like the days are going by really slowly but the weeks fly by! It's so weird to think I've already been here for over a month! Tonight I'm making my host family tacos and chocolate chip cookies but I'll write again soon, I promise.
