This post is dedicated to the crazy lady who lives across the hall.
Here is a quick update. I'm going to try to get in one last update before I leave (in a week). I just want to tell everyone about the crazy lady. Across the hall from my apartment, there is a crazy lady. She has developed a curious talent. Whenever I am home alone and eating, she always manages to interrupt me. No matter what time I eat, she always does it. Sometimes I get away with it, but then she immediately catches me the next day. I don't know how she does it.
But the reason she is crazy, she's crazy. Every time she comes over she immediately asks where my host mom is, even though every time I tell crazy lady that my host mom is at work. It's important to know that crazy lady speaks really quiet and really fast. She also has weird shakes. The entire time she's talking to me she shakes and does weird head wobbles. At first I though it was because she's old, but it is actually because she's crazy. No matter how many times I ask her to speak slower French or tell her my French is terrible (even though my French is usually decent at this point) she will just look quizzically at me and then carry on.
The few times I can understand her, I realize how paranoid she is. She constantly holds out her left arm, showing me an imaginary bruise, and telling me another person hit her there. (I found out today she once even told my host mom I knocked into her arm on purpose once. But my host mom is the one who told me how truly crazy she is.) She also constantly insists on talking to the people who hit her, even though they aren't there.
This woman is truly crazy. And for the past month and a half, she has managed to interrupt my eating at least 3 times a week. And I am simply too nice to walk away and close the door in her face. Also, my host mom found it hilarious when the crazy lady told her how I never help her find the people who hit her arm. Then host mom explained to me that the woman is crazy and not to worry about it.
So, to the the crazy lady!
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Yes, I know, I'm the worst person ever at keeping up with a blog. Sorry. Anyways, now for stories letting you live vicariously through me. I'm moving into my last month here. I make my triumphant return to Memphis on June 4. But that's not what's important. What's important is what I've been up to.
So we have 2 weeks for spring break here. It's pretty wonderful. So I did what any guy in France would do and went to Italy. It was awesome. Pretty much everything I expected and wanted. Most importantly, the food in Italy is amazing. Most meals I ate consisted of at least 3 courses and a bottle of wine. I never ate the same thing twice and only at 3 pasta dishes. I wanna go back and do nothing but eat. Anyways, where'd I go? Here's a play-by-play.
1-Rome
Saw the Vatican Easter Sunday. Verdict: crowded and boring because you can't understand anything said. Still worth it to say you saw it.
The Castello is awesome. Like this huge castle on the edge of a river. Ya the beggars and peddlers kinda suck but you get over it.
The Spanish Steps are brilliant. Like people everywhere just laying on these steps behind an awesome fountain. Eat some gelato while you enjoy a few moments of good weather.
The Pantheon is awesome. You have to go there. It's one of the few places in Rome that is still built exactly the same as when it was first built. You stand in there and realize you are in one of the oldest places that you will ever be and it has barely changed.
The Ministry of Culture is pretty nice. We mostly went there because it was huge and looked good for some pictures of the city.
The Trevi Fountain could be nice. But there are too many tourists there. You take your picture, throw in a coin, and scatter.
The Colosseum is perfect. It's touristy but not so much as to not make it enjoyable. You stand inside it and realize just how much history is in it. You can picture blood and gore and roaring crowds. It might not be pleasant to think about, but it is still awe-inspiring.
The Roman Forum is just a series of ruins. And they blow my mind. I could literally wander the Forum for hours and not get even slightly bored. I can't even go into details on it because there is simply so much. Like seeing where Julius Caesar got stabbed. The hill where Remus and Romulus founded Rome. It's just way too much for me to handle.
The Basilica di San Clemente may be my favorite thing in Rome. They don't let you take pictures there, so don't try to find any. But it is the single most wonderful thing I've ever seen. The ground level is a regular catholic church. Not surprising. But if you down a little hallway you find some stairs that take you to an old underground monastery. Like it was all underwater until recent years. You just wander these dank caves underground with the occasional religious fresco. You lose your way, find it again and hear an underground river. But then you find yet another staircase in a back corner. Which leads to a pagan temple of Mithras. You feel like Indiana Jones. It is this amazing pre-christian Rome that you really don't see untainted anywhere else. It's ruined, it's dirty, it's wet. It's jaw-dropping. There is one statue of Mithras still in the temple and it's so odd to look at. It's still in it's natural setting and is more than anyone can expect.
I did more in Rome of course, but I have more to talk about.
2-Venice
I love Venice. Rome is full of history, but Venice is full of wonder and mystery. I could talk about the churches and the museums and the Doge's Palace. I could tell you about the Clock Tower or the Murano glass blowers. All those things are cool. But the thing that makes Venice so fantastic is simply getting lost. It's so easy, yet nobody ever seems to do it. All the tourists stick to certain areas. Yet all you have to do is take first right you see, followed by another right, and then a left. Voila! You're now hopelessly lost. Enjoy it! You will find so much more joy in Venice if you just wander it and look at everything. You'll find the better restaurants, the authentic Carneval masks, the real Venice canals, all that you really came to Venice for. I may have spent hours just lost in the city. And when I got tired of it, I just picked a direction and walked. Eventually you hit the coast and catch the water bus to where you wanna go. Easy cheap joy. I loved it.
3- Cinque Terre
If you are not aware, Cinque Terre is the one single place I've wanted to see in the past 5 years. So I'm a little biased to how awesome I think it is. For the people that don't know, Cinque Terre is 5 little mountain Mediterranean coastal villages linked by paths. No actual roads for cars anywhere. There is also a train but you only use it when the paths are closed. Also, all the villages are extremely different. Like cuisine, life, placement, architecture, everything. It's amazing. I started in Monterosso al Mar. It is the more touristy of the 5. I stayed in a little single hotel room with a balcony. I kinda loved it. Anyways then I made the 2 and a half hour hike around the mountain to Vernazza. I wish could give details about how awesome it was. Literally, pictures can not do it justice. It was pure wonder. After that, it was getting late so I caught a train back to Monterosso and ate the best seafood dinner of my life. I'm talking prawns and rigatoni, calamari, and mussels. All fresh. With a bottle of white wine. I could not have been happier. The next day I took the train to the last village called Riomaggiore. It's a nice town that encourages things like scuba diving and fishing. I spent a while there and then walked along something called "The Lover's Path" to the next town Manarola. I stopped and ate lunch at a little cafe on the side of the cliff overlooking the sea. It is as awesome as it sounds. Eventually I made it to Corniglia, which is the only town not set exactly on the coast, because it is at the very top of a low mountain. Ya I was exhausted. Just thinking about it makes my legs tired but it was so worth it.
4- Florence
Ah Renaissance Italy! Florence is firmly entrenched in the Renaissance even after all these years. It shows a lot in their architecture and their attitudes. My favorite thing about Florence was the steaks. They prepare them so different than everywhere else. Florence was less entertaining than the other places I went. You can see most of the stuff in 2 days with time to spare. I won't lie, the Duomo and the Bell Tower are extremely impressive. Going to the top will induce a huge sense of vertigo, but once you get back on solid ground you'll realize how wonderful it was.
Anyways, I'm really tired of typing right now so I'm going to cut it here. I'll try to get on here again during the week to talk about how my time in France has been lately. Stay classy, everyone.
So we have 2 weeks for spring break here. It's pretty wonderful. So I did what any guy in France would do and went to Italy. It was awesome. Pretty much everything I expected and wanted. Most importantly, the food in Italy is amazing. Most meals I ate consisted of at least 3 courses and a bottle of wine. I never ate the same thing twice and only at 3 pasta dishes. I wanna go back and do nothing but eat. Anyways, where'd I go? Here's a play-by-play.
1-Rome
Saw the Vatican Easter Sunday. Verdict: crowded and boring because you can't understand anything said. Still worth it to say you saw it.
The Castello is awesome. Like this huge castle on the edge of a river. Ya the beggars and peddlers kinda suck but you get over it.
The Spanish Steps are brilliant. Like people everywhere just laying on these steps behind an awesome fountain. Eat some gelato while you enjoy a few moments of good weather.
The Pantheon is awesome. You have to go there. It's one of the few places in Rome that is still built exactly the same as when it was first built. You stand in there and realize you are in one of the oldest places that you will ever be and it has barely changed.
The Ministry of Culture is pretty nice. We mostly went there because it was huge and looked good for some pictures of the city.
The Trevi Fountain could be nice. But there are too many tourists there. You take your picture, throw in a coin, and scatter.
The Colosseum is perfect. It's touristy but not so much as to not make it enjoyable. You stand inside it and realize just how much history is in it. You can picture blood and gore and roaring crowds. It might not be pleasant to think about, but it is still awe-inspiring.
The Roman Forum is just a series of ruins. And they blow my mind. I could literally wander the Forum for hours and not get even slightly bored. I can't even go into details on it because there is simply so much. Like seeing where Julius Caesar got stabbed. The hill where Remus and Romulus founded Rome. It's just way too much for me to handle.
The Basilica di San Clemente may be my favorite thing in Rome. They don't let you take pictures there, so don't try to find any. But it is the single most wonderful thing I've ever seen. The ground level is a regular catholic church. Not surprising. But if you down a little hallway you find some stairs that take you to an old underground monastery. Like it was all underwater until recent years. You just wander these dank caves underground with the occasional religious fresco. You lose your way, find it again and hear an underground river. But then you find yet another staircase in a back corner. Which leads to a pagan temple of Mithras. You feel like Indiana Jones. It is this amazing pre-christian Rome that you really don't see untainted anywhere else. It's ruined, it's dirty, it's wet. It's jaw-dropping. There is one statue of Mithras still in the temple and it's so odd to look at. It's still in it's natural setting and is more than anyone can expect.
I did more in Rome of course, but I have more to talk about.
2-Venice
I love Venice. Rome is full of history, but Venice is full of wonder and mystery. I could talk about the churches and the museums and the Doge's Palace. I could tell you about the Clock Tower or the Murano glass blowers. All those things are cool. But the thing that makes Venice so fantastic is simply getting lost. It's so easy, yet nobody ever seems to do it. All the tourists stick to certain areas. Yet all you have to do is take first right you see, followed by another right, and then a left. Voila! You're now hopelessly lost. Enjoy it! You will find so much more joy in Venice if you just wander it and look at everything. You'll find the better restaurants, the authentic Carneval masks, the real Venice canals, all that you really came to Venice for. I may have spent hours just lost in the city. And when I got tired of it, I just picked a direction and walked. Eventually you hit the coast and catch the water bus to where you wanna go. Easy cheap joy. I loved it.
3- Cinque Terre
If you are not aware, Cinque Terre is the one single place I've wanted to see in the past 5 years. So I'm a little biased to how awesome I think it is. For the people that don't know, Cinque Terre is 5 little mountain Mediterranean coastal villages linked by paths. No actual roads for cars anywhere. There is also a train but you only use it when the paths are closed. Also, all the villages are extremely different. Like cuisine, life, placement, architecture, everything. It's amazing. I started in Monterosso al Mar. It is the more touristy of the 5. I stayed in a little single hotel room with a balcony. I kinda loved it. Anyways then I made the 2 and a half hour hike around the mountain to Vernazza. I wish could give details about how awesome it was. Literally, pictures can not do it justice. It was pure wonder. After that, it was getting late so I caught a train back to Monterosso and ate the best seafood dinner of my life. I'm talking prawns and rigatoni, calamari, and mussels. All fresh. With a bottle of white wine. I could not have been happier. The next day I took the train to the last village called Riomaggiore. It's a nice town that encourages things like scuba diving and fishing. I spent a while there and then walked along something called "The Lover's Path" to the next town Manarola. I stopped and ate lunch at a little cafe on the side of the cliff overlooking the sea. It is as awesome as it sounds. Eventually I made it to Corniglia, which is the only town not set exactly on the coast, because it is at the very top of a low mountain. Ya I was exhausted. Just thinking about it makes my legs tired but it was so worth it.
4- Florence
Ah Renaissance Italy! Florence is firmly entrenched in the Renaissance even after all these years. It shows a lot in their architecture and their attitudes. My favorite thing about Florence was the steaks. They prepare them so different than everywhere else. Florence was less entertaining than the other places I went. You can see most of the stuff in 2 days with time to spare. I won't lie, the Duomo and the Bell Tower are extremely impressive. Going to the top will induce a huge sense of vertigo, but once you get back on solid ground you'll realize how wonderful it was.
Anyways, I'm really tired of typing right now so I'm going to cut it here. I'll try to get on here again during the week to talk about how my time in France has been lately. Stay classy, everyone.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Hey everyone!
I have been really busy lately trying to plan stuff and dealing with social security things and general Max absurdity. But I'm almost at the 3 month mark so I felt the need to do a quick update. I don't have time to write a bunch of adventures that have happened and do them all justice. So instead, here is a list of English words and phrases that I need the French to learn or have an equivalent of:
1) Sketchy
2) Jankity
3) Blasted
4) Ay gurrr
5) Aight
6) Ballin
7) You suck
8) Scrilla
9) Trippin
10) Geronimo
There you go. Those are preventing me from fully expressing myself. Now, I need to get back to planning 2 weeks in Italy.
I have been really busy lately trying to plan stuff and dealing with social security things and general Max absurdity. But I'm almost at the 3 month mark so I felt the need to do a quick update. I don't have time to write a bunch of adventures that have happened and do them all justice. So instead, here is a list of English words and phrases that I need the French to learn or have an equivalent of:
1) Sketchy
2) Jankity
3) Blasted
4) Ay gurrr
5) Aight
6) Ballin
7) You suck
8) Scrilla
9) Trippin
10) Geronimo
There you go. Those are preventing me from fully expressing myself. Now, I need to get back to planning 2 weeks in Italy.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
How goes it my faithful readers? I hope you're enjoying the warmth and sunshine in America, while here it is a constant brisk 45 degrees. Anyways I'm not here to give you an update on Angers' inability to decide on a temperature. Nope, I wanna talk about where I went last weekend. PARIS.
You know how people will tell you about how awesome a movie is and how much you'll love it? Well imagine the exact opposite was told to me for Paris. Every person who I knew had gone there told me the same things: it smells, the people are mean, see the sights and leave, most of it isn't even worth it, and various things like that. Thankfully, Paris broke every one of those expectations. Only certain areas smelled, like the Red Light District but you expect it there. I don't think I met a single mean person in Paris and I met a ton of people. The sights are awe inspiring. Seriously, Notre Dame is absolutely brilliant. But I may be biased because I love seeing gargoyles and I kept expecting Mr. Hyde to jump out. Anyways, time for the play by play edited by how much I feel like typing.
Day 1: So on Friday around 8 at night, 5 of us hopped on a train and rode to Paris. Pretty easy. Couldn't find my seat so I hung out with a conductor the whole time. We get there, meet up with some people that one of my friends knows and festivities begin. And by festivities, I mean laying in the hotel room staring longingly out the window at the Seine. False. We went out and experienced Paris nightlife. It lived up to expectations. Arrive back at hotel. Sleep
Day 2: We're out bright and early! We hop on the metro and head into town. To where you ask? KFC. WE figured, we need something quick that we know and we'll do Paris cuisine for dinner! Just so you know, KFC in Paris has bouncers. Pressing on. It's getting close to bedtime for me so I'mma shorten this joker up some. We went to Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, Eiffel Tower, Moulin Rouge, and a host of minor places that I can't remember the names of. Hop over to my Facebook to see the pictures. Side note: We met some British people. They do actually say "She's completely mental." Anyways, we wind up celebrating Paris in the Red Light District and make it home around 3 in the morning.
Day 3: We make it out of the hotel in time for check out and decide before we hop on our train, might as well spend the rest of the day in the Louvre. So we did. Absolutely brilliant. Just so you know, I saw the Mona Lisa. And I wanna tell you right now, no picture you have ever seen of it actually does it justice. It really is a spectacularly beautiful painting when you are right in front of it.
Anyways I obviously made it home alive. I'm tired. Many adventures were had. More to come at a later point in time. This post kinda sucks. I'm gonna come back and redo it when I'm actually awake.
Stay classy, America.
You know how people will tell you about how awesome a movie is and how much you'll love it? Well imagine the exact opposite was told to me for Paris. Every person who I knew had gone there told me the same things: it smells, the people are mean, see the sights and leave, most of it isn't even worth it, and various things like that. Thankfully, Paris broke every one of those expectations. Only certain areas smelled, like the Red Light District but you expect it there. I don't think I met a single mean person in Paris and I met a ton of people. The sights are awe inspiring. Seriously, Notre Dame is absolutely brilliant. But I may be biased because I love seeing gargoyles and I kept expecting Mr. Hyde to jump out. Anyways, time for the play by play edited by how much I feel like typing.
Day 1: So on Friday around 8 at night, 5 of us hopped on a train and rode to Paris. Pretty easy. Couldn't find my seat so I hung out with a conductor the whole time. We get there, meet up with some people that one of my friends knows and festivities begin. And by festivities, I mean laying in the hotel room staring longingly out the window at the Seine. False. We went out and experienced Paris nightlife. It lived up to expectations. Arrive back at hotel. Sleep
Day 2: We're out bright and early! We hop on the metro and head into town. To where you ask? KFC. WE figured, we need something quick that we know and we'll do Paris cuisine for dinner! Just so you know, KFC in Paris has bouncers. Pressing on. It's getting close to bedtime for me so I'mma shorten this joker up some. We went to Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, Eiffel Tower, Moulin Rouge, and a host of minor places that I can't remember the names of. Hop over to my Facebook to see the pictures. Side note: We met some British people. They do actually say "She's completely mental." Anyways, we wind up celebrating Paris in the Red Light District and make it home around 3 in the morning.
Day 3: We make it out of the hotel in time for check out and decide before we hop on our train, might as well spend the rest of the day in the Louvre. So we did. Absolutely brilliant. Just so you know, I saw the Mona Lisa. And I wanna tell you right now, no picture you have ever seen of it actually does it justice. It really is a spectacularly beautiful painting when you are right in front of it.
Anyways I obviously made it home alive. I'm tired. Many adventures were had. More to come at a later point in time. This post kinda sucks. I'm gonna come back and redo it when I'm actually awake.
Stay classy, America.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Salut! I sat down and decided to make a proper blog entry. I believe I have finally settled into a normal routine here. I am taking 5 classes that I go to most days. Everyday except Friday I have at least 2 and 1/2 hours for lunch. I usually eat an amazing baguette sandwich out of a bag (5 euro with a coke and chips) or I make my own. I walk everywhere and it's actually somewhat enjoyable. I manage to spend very little at the supermarket. The only things I would consider splurging are my liters of coke and my new obsession with Greek olive. I make new friends everywhere. I've been called the Friendly American and The Nice Southern Gent. I get weird looks still for how I dress and also for holding open doors. I still have yet to find a milk that tastes anything at all like how I think milk should taste. I'm still afraid to buy meat here that isn't ham. Quantro is the local liquor here and it beats the heck out of tequila. From the look of things I will be going to Paris next weekend if I can convince people to go. Expect pictures after that. I'm on the 3rd Harry Potter book in French. My Microsoft Office activation is about to expire, send aid. I'm finally getting into the whole slow way of life here. Also, the weather is turning wonderful here. This was the first week where I didn't see my breath for a whole day. And on that note, I'm off to sit outside a cafe with a good book and a nice wine.
Au revoir!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
It's been a decent length of time since I posted anything, so here you go. Life continues onward. I've been spending my time mostly in class. I have class everyday but it's practically no work. I have made several friends from Kansas and Hawaii (mostly because I heard English in a bar and yelled at them). They dragged me to some other bar called Calypso (which is where I will be spending Valentine's Day) and led to me learning how to correctly take a flaming shot. At some point we all wandered outside and I became friends with some French guy who took me bowling with his friends. I don't know any of their names.
Currently in the process of planning various adventures. Currently, it's looking like Paris (with crazy Hawaiian people), London, Rome, Venice, Cinque Terre, Dublin, Barcelona, Nice, and I'll figure it out from there.
Just in case you were wondering, the French still love cheese.
Currently in the process of planning various adventures. Currently, it's looking like Paris (with crazy Hawaiian people), London, Rome, Venice, Cinque Terre, Dublin, Barcelona, Nice, and I'll figure it out from there.
Just in case you were wondering, the French still love cheese.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Well more and more goes on as I make my way through France. I'm being perhaps the worst tourist ever, eating the same French foods 3 days in a row, quiche lorraine (or as I like to call it bacon quiche). I haven't ordered any wine native to the region yet because i can't figure out what is made here. And my beer? Belgian. Things are progressing slowly. I can somewhat speak to people now, so long as they take sign language. I attempt to avoid all possible responsibility here. I am doing my best not to get a bank account, cell phone, or french insurance. All three are things people insist I must get. Too bad, I'm cheap.
My room is freezing constantly. Today's temperature in Fahrenheit? 8. It's as bad as it sounds. Anyways, I've still been out and about. 40 miles in 6 days. Spending all my money at the bookstore. (Side note: They're obsessed with manga and comic books here.) Anyways, interesting things blah blah blah.
McDonald's is delicious here. It's actually somewhat classy. Nobody realize how terrible it is in America. When the French want food that's bad for them, they go to Quick's (currently serving the Jedi Burger) or to McDonner (which I think is an Iranian knockoff of Mickey D's). McDonner is the sketchiest place I can find here. It feels like home. Also, they refuse to eat dinner before 7:30 most nights here. Yet every restaurant near me closes at bloody 5:30. I can't figure it out. And I'm hungry. And cold. Send Kraft Mac n' Cheese and Tony Chachere's.
Salut
My room is freezing constantly. Today's temperature in Fahrenheit? 8. It's as bad as it sounds. Anyways, I've still been out and about. 40 miles in 6 days. Spending all my money at the bookstore. (Side note: They're obsessed with manga and comic books here.) Anyways, interesting things blah blah blah.
McDonald's is delicious here. It's actually somewhat classy. Nobody realize how terrible it is in America. When the French want food that's bad for them, they go to Quick's (currently serving the Jedi Burger) or to McDonner (which I think is an Iranian knockoff of Mickey D's). McDonner is the sketchiest place I can find here. It feels like home. Also, they refuse to eat dinner before 7:30 most nights here. Yet every restaurant near me closes at bloody 5:30. I can't figure it out. And I'm hungry. And cold. Send Kraft Mac n' Cheese and Tony Chachere's.
Salut
Monday, January 30, 2012
Random observations:
The French don't care about snow, like at all. They don't even salt the roads for the maniacs.
My washing machine looks like a toaster.
Coke tastes the same.
I stick out like a sore thumb in khakis and a North face.
Everyone here is really helpful if you stink at French. And by helpful I mean speak in rapid French if you don't understand then stare at you. Eventually you take the American response when you don't know what somebody said, "Ah oui! Merci!"
Fire hydrants look like Star Wars droids.
Wherever the wine is, I can't find it.
Salut
The French don't care about snow, like at all. They don't even salt the roads for the maniacs.
My washing machine looks like a toaster.
Coke tastes the same.
I stick out like a sore thumb in khakis and a North face.
Everyone here is really helpful if you stink at French. And by helpful I mean speak in rapid French if you don't understand then stare at you. Eventually you take the American response when you don't know what somebody said, "Ah oui! Merci!"
Fire hydrants look like Star Wars droids.
Wherever the wine is, I can't find it.
Salut
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Bonjour! I had adventures in less than 24 hours and decided the world needed to know. Quick update: I'm currently in Angers, France until June. I'm living with a host family. Also my French is sub-par at best. Moving on:
My plane landed in Paris at 10 in the morning. I had to jog across an entire airport to reach the train station. From there, everything went to hell in a way only I could make happen.
Adventure #1 (Arrival): I really had to find a bathroom at the train station and finally saw one. So me and 100 lbs of luggage made our way through the crowds where an African man on a bench proceeded to yell something at me while I simply tried to enter the men's room. In rapid French he said many many things until finally I understood "Deux Euros! Deux Euros!" Now the smallest amount I had was 5 Euros. When given this amount the man proceeded to yell "Beaucoup! Beacoup!" I stared at him quizzically until he finally brought back 5 Euros in coins. He then drops all of them on a table and stared me down. I picked up 3 Euro, not realizing the 3 coins I picked up were actually 6 Euro and the man began his tirade again. Eventually it was all sorted out and I found my way into the worst smelling bathroom in the world.
Adventure #2 (The Host Family): At some point I wound up getting off the bullet train in Angers. My host mom was there to greet me and drive me home. She drives like a maniac. Everyone here does. I'm talking 55mph around a curve into an alley with no idea that brakes exist. All the while she is firing off French at me with the most absurd questions while I am hanging on for dear life. Thankfully we arrived safe and sound at her flat where I met her son Charles (a 24 y/o student at Rennes who comes home every weekend). Charles enjoys messing with my head. He has tried to convince me that the French hate the internet because Americans invented it, that French people shower 1-2 times a week (we'll get to the showers), that if I don't start drinking wine immediately I will never fit in, and that he loves Rick Santorum. Charles is hysterical.
Adventure #3 (The Shower): European showers are freaking weird. You don't even know unless you've been here. They consist of a box, a nozzle on a hose, and a bizarre curtain that stops zero water from leaving the shower. When I first get in, I think this will work American style. FALSE. The shower nozzle sits on a hook in the shower that aims directly at a tilted wall that is at the perfect angle to project water all over the bathroom. Literally, everywhere was water. The little shower box overflowed. It was probably my worst moment as a guest ever. I have now discovered the correct way to shower is turn water on, rinse body, turn water off, soap and shampoo body, turn water on, rinse body, turn water off. The more you know.
Adventure #4 (The Socket): I decided that I would be really clever in France. Of course I realize all of Europe has different electrical sockets, but instead of buying 6 adapters I thought "Hey, one adapter and a surge suppressor!" Wrong. I forgot about how power works. Anyways, I plugged in the adapter and surge suppressor. As soon as I hit on, sparks everywhere! I managed to blow a socket in less than a day of being here. Don't tell my host mom.
Adventure #5 (Lunch): We all sat down today to eat lunch together on Sunday. First course: Bread with a very delicious beet salad. I made it through fine, never having eaten beets before and wound up eating 3 helpings so as not to offend. I didn't realize what was coming though. Second course: Brussels sprouts and some weird meat. My host mother is a wonderful lady. Who is trying to make me very fat. Charles told me so. She piled my plate up with food. I don't particularly enjoy Brussels sprouts but I powered through the 25 she put on my plate. I noticed while I was eating that she had made herself mashed potatoes. I suspect malicious intent. After forcing myself to finish the plate, she brings out a plate of cheese. She chops one entire wheel in half and puts it on my plate. I have zero idea at this time what the cheese goes on. Charles is laughing to himself. I try to be nonchalant about it, sipping water and waiting for her to return. (They don't get waiting on other people to get food before eating here, apparently.) Finally she starts smearing bread with cheese and comprehension dawns. I make it through, stuffed to the brim with healthy food and cheese. Surely lunch is done now? FALSE. She brings out a fruit salad made of apples, bananas, kiwi, and some other weird fruit. I decline. I can't take it anymore. No more food will fit in my belly. She assumes something is wrong and begins to offer me coffee and tea. (I would knife someone for a coke right now.) I continue to decline. Eventually she lets it drop, although I'm fairly certain I offended her.
Anyways, I'm getting tired. There have been many other adventures but later.
Important Notes:
1- Seen naked people already. No one seems to care.
2- There was a guy in a turtle neck eating a pastry. True stereotypes.
3- I walk everywhere, and everywhere (including McDonald's) is closed on Sunday.
4- I got the only French family that doesn't drink a ton of wine.
5- Life is slow here.
Salut!
My plane landed in Paris at 10 in the morning. I had to jog across an entire airport to reach the train station. From there, everything went to hell in a way only I could make happen.
Adventure #1 (Arrival): I really had to find a bathroom at the train station and finally saw one. So me and 100 lbs of luggage made our way through the crowds where an African man on a bench proceeded to yell something at me while I simply tried to enter the men's room. In rapid French he said many many things until finally I understood "Deux Euros! Deux Euros!" Now the smallest amount I had was 5 Euros. When given this amount the man proceeded to yell "Beaucoup! Beacoup!" I stared at him quizzically until he finally brought back 5 Euros in coins. He then drops all of them on a table and stared me down. I picked up 3 Euro, not realizing the 3 coins I picked up were actually 6 Euro and the man began his tirade again. Eventually it was all sorted out and I found my way into the worst smelling bathroom in the world.
Adventure #2 (The Host Family): At some point I wound up getting off the bullet train in Angers. My host mom was there to greet me and drive me home. She drives like a maniac. Everyone here does. I'm talking 55mph around a curve into an alley with no idea that brakes exist. All the while she is firing off French at me with the most absurd questions while I am hanging on for dear life. Thankfully we arrived safe and sound at her flat where I met her son Charles (a 24 y/o student at Rennes who comes home every weekend). Charles enjoys messing with my head. He has tried to convince me that the French hate the internet because Americans invented it, that French people shower 1-2 times a week (we'll get to the showers), that if I don't start drinking wine immediately I will never fit in, and that he loves Rick Santorum. Charles is hysterical.
Adventure #3 (The Shower): European showers are freaking weird. You don't even know unless you've been here. They consist of a box, a nozzle on a hose, and a bizarre curtain that stops zero water from leaving the shower. When I first get in, I think this will work American style. FALSE. The shower nozzle sits on a hook in the shower that aims directly at a tilted wall that is at the perfect angle to project water all over the bathroom. Literally, everywhere was water. The little shower box overflowed. It was probably my worst moment as a guest ever. I have now discovered the correct way to shower is turn water on, rinse body, turn water off, soap and shampoo body, turn water on, rinse body, turn water off. The more you know.
Adventure #4 (The Socket): I decided that I would be really clever in France. Of course I realize all of Europe has different electrical sockets, but instead of buying 6 adapters I thought "Hey, one adapter and a surge suppressor!" Wrong. I forgot about how power works. Anyways, I plugged in the adapter and surge suppressor. As soon as I hit on, sparks everywhere! I managed to blow a socket in less than a day of being here. Don't tell my host mom.
Adventure #5 (Lunch): We all sat down today to eat lunch together on Sunday. First course: Bread with a very delicious beet salad. I made it through fine, never having eaten beets before and wound up eating 3 helpings so as not to offend. I didn't realize what was coming though. Second course: Brussels sprouts and some weird meat. My host mother is a wonderful lady. Who is trying to make me very fat. Charles told me so. She piled my plate up with food. I don't particularly enjoy Brussels sprouts but I powered through the 25 she put on my plate. I noticed while I was eating that she had made herself mashed potatoes. I suspect malicious intent. After forcing myself to finish the plate, she brings out a plate of cheese. She chops one entire wheel in half and puts it on my plate. I have zero idea at this time what the cheese goes on. Charles is laughing to himself. I try to be nonchalant about it, sipping water and waiting for her to return. (They don't get waiting on other people to get food before eating here, apparently.) Finally she starts smearing bread with cheese and comprehension dawns. I make it through, stuffed to the brim with healthy food and cheese. Surely lunch is done now? FALSE. She brings out a fruit salad made of apples, bananas, kiwi, and some other weird fruit. I decline. I can't take it anymore. No more food will fit in my belly. She assumes something is wrong and begins to offer me coffee and tea. (I would knife someone for a coke right now.) I continue to decline. Eventually she lets it drop, although I'm fairly certain I offended her.
Anyways, I'm getting tired. There have been many other adventures but later.
Important Notes:
1- Seen naked people already. No one seems to care.
2- There was a guy in a turtle neck eating a pastry. True stereotypes.
3- I walk everywhere, and everywhere (including McDonald's) is closed on Sunday.
4- I got the only French family that doesn't drink a ton of wine.
5- Life is slow here.
Salut!
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