i've baked three things here, but nobody eats what i make except me...

---

for the past week, i've stayed in town and done a few things, but nothing incredibly photo-worthy. it is true that all of my surroundings are beautiful and picturesque, but it has rained on and off a lot of the week, making picture-taking an impractical task at times. i am starting to gain some knowledge in my classes at paul valéry's institute for foreign students, where all of my classes are, but i lack the vocabulary and grammar skills that most of the other students in my level are at. i enjoy what i am learning, but it is difficult knowing that i am at a disadvantage, and on top of that, professors seem inclined to point out all the flaws of american students, i.e. poor pronunciation, poor comprehension of grammatical concepts that students of other nationalities have no problems with, etc. i have no problem with this, i guess. in the past week i have made both an apple pie and an upside-down grapefruit cake. they are both very tasty. i went to a flea market on sunday that is out at the end of one of the tram lines. you can buy bicycles there but i didn't feel like shelling out 35 euros. so instead, i bought fish plates. they are gorgeous and slightly impractical but i love them. i haven't taken any pictures of them yet, but next week. there was a man selling a whole set of fish bowls, plates, and giant pot with a lid, a shaker, another plate, and soup cups, all for 20 euros, but it would have just been illogical to buy all of that and try to get it home. i've purchased the second harry potter book in french and i'm making my way through it quickly. i've been going through quite the harry potter renaissance lately. i was going to go to madrid this coming weekend, but my roommate, who is going with erika and mariano, is leaving on thursday while i am in a class that i only have once a week, so i won't be able to go. however, big news, i'll be going to berlin the weekend after, and that definitely merits a photo blog. the plane tickets were ridiculously expensive since it isn't long from now, but i think it's an opportunity that i should take. this weekend i should probably not spend too much money going anywhere, but there are some towns close by that i would like to visit. near the town of mende, which is north of here, there is apparently a bison reserve, as well as a wolf reserve. that would be an interesting thing to see, being that i'm in france, not wyoming, but it's probably something that would be difficult to visit without a car. a trip i definitely want to take, possibly by myself, is to strasbourg. planned in advance, train tickets are quite cheap, and it sounds like the town has a nice atmosphere. there just aren't enough weekends... most of my pictures this week are just little things i've seen, or what i've been doing with my time. perhaps i will have a new place to report on next week, but if not, i'll be gearing up for berlin the weekend after. until next week, à bientôt!

---

Comments

[Tom]

i really like to see all of the pictures of the area you are in right now. you should put up some of your school and cafeteria and such! i think you should come home by boat just so you can bring that stag's head. it's worth it

[susan taff]

Nice pie and upside down cake
Hi, Emma - Your pie and cake look good despite the lack of utensils. We're enjoying traveling through your experiences/eyes. This week is cherry pie week in the U. S. because of George's bday on the 22nd.