Sorry I haven't written in so long, I've been so busy and surprisingly I have had beaucoup de devoirs. (and I thought going abroad would give me a break from Michigan academia...)
The good news: I can tell that my French is getting better! My tell tale sign is the fact that I'm no longer getting handed the English menu when I walk into a cafe, which has definitely become an ego booster.
The bad news: My French skills come in waves. When I first arrived I was having trouble even saying the casual hello to Myriel or to anyone for that matter. It was like I had a permanent french stutter. I could see what I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it in my head, but when the words left my mouth they were neither French nor English, but were an entirely non-existent language that I like to call merde-speak. But just tonight, Myriel and I had convos ranging from the recent shock of Galliano's drunken anti-semetic rant and his subsequent firing to the racial tensions of the Arabs in France and of the Mexicans in California. Even though sometimes I break into Franglish if I dont know a word, Myriel can understand me and I her, well mostly anyway. However, if I have been speaking a lot of English and not a lot of French which is usually on the weekends when I don't have school or host family dinners, my French skills become merde-speak again, and Myriel is the first one to call me out. Merde.. I hope this does not turn into a vicious cycle
The other bad news : I have yet to do my laundry since I've been here since I accidentally bought fabric softener instead of laundry detergent... I don't blame this on the language barrier though since I probably would be in the same boat if I was in America.
The best news: Not only did Paris Fashion Week start today, but Eden and Amanda, two of my sorority sisters are here for spring break. It has been so great and relaxing spending time with the girls and catching up. Saturday night, we all drank wine at Eden's amazing apt in the 15th, and then we went to this local cafe called Le Dernier Metro to get dinner. We were crammed in between other french diners, and the space was so small, you couldn't help but meet the people around you. To my left were two old men in their 60s or 70s eating dinner and drinking wine (which they later shared with us) and to my right was a french man who's brother ironically lives in Fullerton where my grandparents live. Small world I tell ya.. I bonded with the 60/70 year old men, and told them which boy we each had a crush on in the bar and had a good laugh. One of them had actually been to Laguna Beach and he told me to go this discoteque called the White Horse. I have never heard of it, nor any discos in Laguna for that matter. Maybe Orange County was a happening place 50 years ago?
But if you're ever in the 15th seriously go to that cafe. It is great food, great prices, and the waitress is phenomenal. She has actually taken a liking to us because Eden speaks practically fluent french (while I attempt), and we have been there nearly every night since.
By the way I'm so sorry I don't have any pictures, shamefully, I have yet to snap even one photo since I've been here. But that will all change tomorrow, because my class has a site visit to the Palais Royal, which means I will be seeing a lot of areas to shop. I figure my camera will keep my hands occupied from spending any money.
Plus did I mention Fashion Week started today, and that I managed to get my hands on the schedule and location of all the shows, so I will soon be stalking the Le Jardin des Tuileries, le Grand Palais, l'Hotel de Ville etc just to join the other paparazzos trying to snap a glimpse of the fashion elite. But now that I think of it, if I actually saw one of Anna Dello Russo's outfits in the flesh, I might actually die and go to fashion heaven. Anna is my demi god.. or is that sacrilege to say? Regardless J'adore ADR or should I say J'ADR like she says..
Ok Im off to bed
Bonne Soiree!
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