Current Mood: Quizzical, and (being finished with my homework), Slightly Bored
You know, there are some things that you just have to be in France to understand. For one, the pros and cons of different Nutella brands. And it takes trial and error to learn how to determine the taste and texture of French breads by looking at the shape and color of the loaves. You figure out which patisseries have pain au chocolat half off during the morning for petit déjeuner to-go. You taste test the hot chocolates of all the different cafés, factor in the price and speed of service, and subconsciously decide where to go again and again. You quickly learn how to tell a too-expensive “chic” we-glare-at-teenagers-who-come-in-and-obviously-can’t-afford-anything boutiques based on the window displays, and the facial expression of the ladies that work there. And after not long at all you become [annoyed] by the cafés where the waiters hand you the menu in English, and learn to avoid them at all cost. Avoid even walking past them if at all possible, they are that annoying. (I like French menus! But yeah...I know they're just trying to be helpful.)
This morning, I went to the boulangerie with Maggie, and the lady looked all flustered. She sold me a burnt pain au chocolat, and that made me a little sad. Stuff like that isn’t supposed to happen in France. I’m pretty sure it’s illegal to sell inferior pastries in some French law – or at least cultural unwritten laws. Burnt pain au chocolat – c’est pas bon! Later when we got back to school, Thomas and Allen were jokingly upset about burnt croissants too… what’s up, Red Boulangerie?
Did I mention that my Wednesday is a total joke? I take the 7:20 bus, and get to school at the normal time, but we have a free in the morning so that gives me extra time to email/facebook/do internet homework for history and literature class. Then we have TPL – French pronunciation – which isn’t really even a real class (no grade or homework, and we only have it 45 minutes a week). Then, we have Culture – CESF – which is a real class, and my favorite class to boot… but after just one legitimate class I’m done for the day! It’s quite nice, and also annoying. Quite literally, I got out of bed for THIS?! I’m done with school at 10:35! (Don’t be too jealous Americans, my school lasts on the rest of the days until 5:05 PM, some days. Depends if I have free last period, but yeah.)
Lunch today was an epic fail. We went to Jean Macé, but there plate of the day could have been called “Processed Meat With Suspicious Sauerkraut.” Hot dog, weird sausage thing, mystery beef thing, and distasteful sauerkraut (“but when is sauerkraut even good,” I say). We all kind of picked at lunch unenthusiastically and unanimously decided to try that one more time – at St. Vincent this time. So we walked over to the other school, and were greeted by an overwhelming smell of fish. Fish stick day at St. Vincent… we all ate yogurt.
In better news, we should be studying the French education system soon in Culture. I am very excited, we already learned a bit about their system, and I really really want to know more. I think all of us find learning about their schooling to be really interesting. After all, we’re still in school so it affects us, or at least interests us a lot. From what we’ve learned so far, French education up through high school is amazing, but university is underfunded and needs work.
Oh also, something new! I’ve learned the value of a cell phone. I’ve taken to texting, and I find it quite fun and helpful in life. You know, communication? I only wish I had the equivalent of an unlimited texting plan; they don’t really do that in France for pay-as-you-go phones. It’s too bad. Me and Maggie are texting fiends. Text text text. Blah blah blah. I’ve learned how to text really quickly too, it’s amazing and undoubtedly a very important life skill.
The Grand Spectacle (SYA’s totally intense, awesome talent show for host/real parents and teachers and a bunch of SYA people) is in December and I really want to do something but I can’t think of a good talent…I don’t like singing which is the obvious one. Anyone have any genius ideas? Kelly and I were thinking of doing a skit or something maybe with the others, we’ll see. It reminds me of Laugh Tracks…SIG… (Nerd camp for life!) (“YOU’RE DATING A MARRIED WOMAN?!?! …inside jokes are amazing, but I forgot the rest of them!)
I’m rambling…je parle trop parfois. Oh mon dieu! Quelqu’un doit me faire fermer la bouche.
Je ne sais pas si la grammaire de la phrase au-dessus est bonne. Excusez-moi.
À tout à l’heure, tout le monde! Je vous aime! Laissez-moi les comments, s’il vous plaît. Et si on veut me faire heureuse, envoie-moi un peu de courrier d’escargot!
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