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Published: January 15th 2007
Au CLA
Me and Amy at our school. The weather is strange here. One day it's beautiful, the next it's pouring.Things have started to pick up a bit. School is getting better, I've started my travels and I'm about to move into the dorm. France is a-ok.
Right now, I'm sitting in this little bar in the centre ville of Besancon called Bar de l'u. ( Bar of the University.) They're playing a vamped-up version of Michael Jackson's "Beat it," which kind of freaks me out. It's so funny how almost EVERYWHERE I go, there seems to be American music streaming out of the speakers. France is extremely americanized. There's a Claire's on the Grand Rue, even. But I'm not complaining, it's kind of nice to have some semblance of home.
The language is getting better too. I now know that I can do just about anything I need to do in French. M. Olds told us that we would have small victories, like getting home in a cab, buying tickets, yadayada. And I can do it. I am by no means a conversationalist...but I guess I've only been here for exactly two weeks, which is so so hard to believe.
Now it's the Beatles. Thank god! God I love the Beatles.
ANYWAY (refrencing Klosterman, Anna):
I
Fancy Schmancy Toilette
The restrooms in France are less than desirable, so we decided to take a pic in this fancy one where we ate in Dijon. And FYI McDonalds bathrooms are some of the best here! got back from Dijon last night. I absolutely LOVED Dijon, and not just because of the mass amounts of mustard that was available. It was so beautiful and old; I think it's quite a bit older than Besancon. We had a wonderful dinner, and the wine was unbelievable. Not that I really know anything on the subject. But then again it doesn't take a genius to figure out that you're going to have good wine when you're in the most famous wine region of the world.
Lucky me.
But it was just so nice to get out and about. The train system in Europe kind of baffles me, though. I mean, you just get on the train and about 20 to 30 minutes later they come and check your ticket.
Ok fine.
But one: what if you get on the wrong train.
And two: Where is the security!?! Anyone could easily bring a bomb onto one of those trains and NO ONE would ever know because they'd all be dead. I understand that there is really no reason that anyone would want to blow up a train, but still, it could happen.
Aside from those
qualms ( along with the fact that you have to pay .50 euro to pee!) I like the trains in Europe.
Family life is still pretty good, albiet still kind of awkward. But that's my own problem. I'm sure they really couldn't care less if I spent 85% of the time in my room. That's not to say they aren't nice, it's just that I am a boarder. I pay them $21.50 a night to stay there.
I usually come home from school/walking around/ the bar around 6 pm. The bus is getting pretty easy to navigate, but I still have my moments. At the bus stop I met this boy whose name I can't pronouce...billet, perhaps. (Ha. That means a ticket in France, so I'm sure that's NOT his name, but we'll call him Billet.) Anyway, I've met Billet by chance a few times at the bus stop. He is a nice enough guy; he at least attempts to talk to me en francais. But the point of this story is that french men are VERY forward. It's true. I met Billet and 10 minutes later he told me we should live together. Uh. Wow. I told
Park time
In a pretty pretty park in Dijon. him that I have a very wonderful "copain" and that he would not appreciate my moving in with him. It was a strange strange experience. It's funny how different the men are in different cultures. But I have seen Billet a few times since and he hasn't proposed anything quite as drastic, so I think I'm ok.
Well, I am sure everyone is tired of my rambling, so I'm going to stop. I'll try to update this a bit more regularly.
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sarah scott
non-member comment
fun!
Wow sounds like quite the adventure! Don't be fooled about the wine--we live in the premier wine district in the United States and I've consumed a fair amount of swill! The .50 Euro to use the bathroom would ensure that I consumed very little beverage before boarding the train! Yikes. Remind me to tell you about the French boy I met on the train back from Denver while I was in college. In a nutshell--he flew to Lincoln to France to live with me...some rules at the sorority usurped that idea!!! Enjoy but be careful--spoken as a true mother...albeit one that enjoys adventures, too! Sarah