Vacation Time!!!!

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So I have been on vacation for more than a week now. Started out in Paris visiting some friends. It was great! Didnt do all the touisty stuff like usual but still had fun. I think this is the first vacation in Europe where I didnt mind just relaxing and occcationally finding things to do. Sunday I left Lyon and got in and went to dinner with an old friend from my foyer in Paris. We ate at a salon de tea and had amazing cakes that were free because we also knew the manager (she was from my foyer too!). Monday we decided to go shopping but it was so crowded and then had dinner at a friends. And when I say we, my friend Cara from my program in Paris was nice enough to let me stay with her since shes an assistant like me. Tuesday I met up with another friend and her parent's friends were in town. We showed them around the latin quarter and went to the Pantheon and Luxembourg Gardens. Kinda rainy but great anyaways. That night we went and had dinner at one of Cara' friends. Thai food was great but kinda spicy! We ended up at a little bar on the Champs Elysees to go to a salsa class and I tried ,my hardest but it was super hard. Wednesday we dcided to make it a quiet day and we took Flat Stanley pictures near the Eiffel Tower and had a nice lunch at Trocadero. We did go out at night near where I used to go when I studied in Paris. It was very nostalgic ha haha.

Thursday I woke upearly and hopped a train to Bordeax in the southwest. I met up with my old rommie from Paris, Maria. Shes from Morocoo an I hope that I willbe able to visit theAfrican continent this year! She showed me around town....its beautiful and all the buildings are so bright. We ate dinner at he apartment with some of her friends....RACELETTE!!!!! my fave ever! If you dont know what it is....you basically boil potatoes and then melt cheese (it smells bad but tastes amazing!!!) in this big George Forman looking thing and pour it over the cheese and you have different types of meat like ham and prociutto algonside. The next day, Friday, we went and saw "W" the ,ovie about George Bush. It was a real dissappointment but we decided to go out for a bit for Halloween. They dont really celebrate over here but I did have a costume that I had been wearing to my classes to give lessons on Halloween in the States. Didnt get to wear it out here but we had a good time but practically no one was dressed up. When i was in Madrid 2 years ago there were a few more dressed in costumes but here in France its basically for little kids only. Saturday it was still raining but we went shopping anyway and I finally found short black boots that fit me!!!! We walked along the quai of the river and ended up meeting her cousin and her cousins boyfriend for an amawing seafood meal at a local restaurant. I usually dont get the chance to eat fresh seafood like that so I was super happy to have oysters and mussels!!!! Yesterday was Sunday and even though it was still raining cats and dogs we visited Saint Emillion. (I think that I brought the bad weather cuz Paris was also very wet.) But Saint Emillion is only about 45 mins away by train and since this region of France is known for wine I wanted to travel to the countryside and see the vineyards and get some good wine to bring back to Lyon. The rain actually stopped when we got to the town and e had lunch at a little cafe near the train station. We walked around and visited the church and bought some wine! And I have to confess....when I got back to Bordeaux I was pretty hungry and craving.....wait....McDonalds! So I had my first McDo on France since Ive been here....plus it was the only thign open on a late Sunday night.

It has been a great trip and Im ready for my 7 hour train ride back to Lyon! (theres no direct line so it takes a bit longer) I have a babysitting job now and also tutoring some jr. high schoolers every week so I wil be happy to get back to work and be busy! Other than that things are going great with the job and I am very happy at all my schools. I hope thigns are great where ever you are and feel free to send me mail or you address if you want a postcard or something. I am also taking orders for things people want from France for the holidays. I will have some room in my suitcase when I return so let me know if you want anything! Miss you all and love you bunches!!!! Signing off from Bordeaux! a+!!!

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