Oct 11th. VIVE

Oct. 11 vive.

Ma vie ici va bien et puis va mal, ça dépend de jour à jour. Mais je crois que la vie est comme ça...et ça ce n’est pas mal ou bien, c’est simplement comme il est...Il y a des jours où je parle français et puis il y a des jours où je parle juste l’anglais...oui, c’est grave, ça je sais. Cette ville est un peu dur, un peu injuste, un peu méchant, mais il y a aussi des moments où il est gentil, superbe, charmante...en fait Paris est plutôt une rêve où on mélange le bien et le mal, et tout ça donne un saveur...je ne sais pas, mais mon goût dit que c’est bon...ah...Paris je n’ai pas des mots pour vous...j’ai seulement un grand sentiment pour vous.

I’ve decided that I’m going to drop my Human Resources class, it’s much too difficult and I don’t want a bad grade on my transcript. I hate not knowing what’s exactly going on in the class. So in its place I will take American Civilization…lol I know it’s not a very French choice, and that it’s very much in my comfort zone, but that’s just what I’ve decided. I don’t want to have to justify it. (stern face). Actually, I’m thinking of taking that or Cultural Barriers, I’m not completely sure yet.

Since I’m lacking internet at home, I can frequently be found at my school’s library using the wifi (pronounced in French as WEE-FEE). In my time there, I see many students studying. I think to myself…what are they studying for? School just started, it’s not like we have midterms this week. These people are highlighting, reading, taking notes, and have textbooks. I don’t even have textbooks! They freak me out, when I’m in there I feel like I should be studying and not updating my blog or checking my email! AH! Should I be studying? I wouldn’t know what to study. The only thing I have to study are my notes because I haven’t been told to buy a textbook for any of my classes…ah…I don’t know, I give up. The French university system is so discobobolated, it just makes my head spin. But honestly when you go in there it feels like finals week in the States and they all look so stressed and rushed. It’s no wonder that when you walk outside they are smoking! We have this courtyard where everyone drinks coffee and smokes while they chat it up with their friends. I never see anyone eat, they’re always drinking coffee or smoking…strange. We’re definitely a Business school. My friend Lilli (a former Art student) told me that our school is really snobby and that everyone dresses really formally. I didn’t really believe her until I had a class at another campus ( a non Business school) and they all looked to be dressed very funky, relaxed, edgy, hippie-ish, you get the picture. That same day I went back to my school and noticed that people were wearing much darker colors, lots of gray, black, and brown, many of the guys were wearing suits and carrying briefcases. The girls looked much more serious, wearing dresses or slacks. It was a very different vibe there were no bright colors, definitely no hippies, and no edgy fashion looks. I guess it’s the same in the States, everyone knows the Business building because they’re all in suits, you know “the business man type of look.”

I’ve decided to babysit for a French family tomorrow they have two daughters one is 5years old and the other is 7 years old. We’ll see how it goes…stay tuned.

WORK: Tom loves graffiti. He has this balcony and he painted graffiti all over it. I walked into his room the other day and his walls are covered in it. I asked him to write my name in graffiti. Today he was working on it and it looks awesome! I’ll post a pic of it as soon as he’s done. We had this paste for dinner called Rillette (I think that’s how you spell it) its shredded pork in lard. It was very culturally different, but tasty. I’m Mexican so pork is not strange to me. They want me to make them a Mexican dinner. That is a bit of a challenge since I have no chiles verdes here…or mole…I don’t know, but I have until next Thursday to figure something out because that’s when they want it. Apparently their mom is having a guest over for dinner and they really want Mexican food, Great more pressure!

I know what you’re thinking today is Thursday I should be at the Erasmus bar, but not tonight. I’m just getting over my cold and I don’t want a relapse. I can’t afford to be sick here. I just need to rest up and then maybe next week I can go party, but this weekend will be dedicated to relaxation.

Weekend: IKEA trip (in the Paris suburbs, uncharted territory), Find Mexican food store, babysit, Montmartre festival (in honor of wine grapes). Miscellaneous in between…

Oh and STUDY!