It's Christmastime!

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Merry Christmas from our traditional family to yours!

The Buddhas are all decked out in Santa hats and reindeer antlers, there's a fire going, and it's been snowing like crazy for the past hour. Then later this afternoon, we're going to Sherwood for Indian food. I love Christmas.

What's awesome about Christmas is that it's not even about religion. Obviously it is for some people, but I love how it's also been turned into something that emphasizes peace, love, and family. Christmas is a day for spending time with people we love, showing kindness to others, playing in the snow, and eating too much (Indian?) food. More important than any religious or material significance that we tend to put upon this day is the Christmas spirit. Every year I see people stressing out about the perfect decorations, the perfect presents, the perfect dinner, all for this one day. We spend so much time trying to make Christmas perfect that we miss out on the simple magic of the holiday. We have this one day to be with people we love and to not have to focus on anything else. Relish it. Keep it simple. Listen, love, and practice forgiveness (maybe starting with yourself).

Christmas wish list 2010:
1. Snow. Lots of snow.
2. Health and happiness to everyone I know and love.
3. Peace - internal and external.
4. Plane ticket to France and/or Sénégal.
5. A beautiful day with the family that I have here with me.
6. Some more snow.

Listen to this today: Winter Song by Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson.

Merry Christmas to everyone, no matter what the day means to you :)

Love, Josie

The Return to Maryland.

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So I'm sitting at my dining room table, fire going, mom in the kitchen, Rocco MIA with some friends, and downing glasses of water to prepare for my first class back at Bikram Yoga SP, and it's like no time has passed. It's like nothing has changed since I left in August to go to France. But so much has changed. So much time has gone by. Not only have my bangs grown out and my wardrobe been hit with an H&M invasion, but the experiences that I have had abroad have changed who I am as a person. How could they not?

So now it's almost Christmas and my heart is all over the world. I want to be everywhere I've ever been, everywhere I haven't been yet, and exactly where I am right now. I have the travel bug more than I've ever had it before, but I am also so happy to be home with my family again. It's just hard because I feel like I have so many different kinds of family now, in all corners of the world. I miss my host family in Rouen, I miss traveling around with my friends in Santorini, I miss Centre Baobab in Dakar, I miss my Senegalese friends in Mont Saint Aignan, I miss Simone in Germany, I even miss sleeping on trains and in airports while traveling all over the place. It's just a very different lifestyle, living in France as opposed to living back at home. And it's going to be even more different rejoining all the alcoholics up at St. Lawrence University in January.

But for now, I really am happy to be back with the family for the holidays. Even if Christmas means nothing more to me than any other day of the year, it's special because I'll be with my family who I love more than anything. Are we going to Christmas mass? Absolutely not. Are we having a giant Indian curry dish for Christmas dinner? Yes. Is is going to be awesome? Absolutely.

It's already time for me to get ready for yoga. My first class back in 4 months (besides one class in Brussels and one class in Paris), and it should be an adventure.

I haven't decided what I'm going to do with this blog yet. I mean I'm no longer a vegan, I'm no longer traveling the world, I'm no longer doing anything out of the ordinary, so I'm not sure how much longer I'm gonna keep updating this. So peace and love and talk to you next time, whenever that may be!

Love, Josie

"mais l'important, c'est pas la chute. c'est l'atterrissage."

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I"m meeting my host mother downstairs for a 5am breakfast in a half hour. Then I'm leaving.

I got home around 3am this morning from a tearful goodbye up at Mont Saint Aignan. I'm going to be so tired when I finally get home tomorrow (today?) I'm so excited to sleep in my own bed again, to see my family again, to relax around my house again. But at the same time there is so much here that I have gotten to know and love, and words can't begin to express what I'm feeling when I think about leaving.

I've learned so much on this trip (most of which I will reflect upon later when I have more time), and all I can say is that I am so beyond happy that I did it. Any heartache I'm feeling now is a result of the fact that I poured my heart into my experience, and I got so much out of it in return.

Goodbye is far too sad, and far too final so for now I"m saying "ba beneen, à bientôt, and see you soon" to France and all of the amazing people I have known here.

America: I'll see you tomorrow.

Mida yidma!

-Josie

J-2.

N'ayez pas peur du passé car il est enfui à jamais,
Ne craignez pas l'avenir car il n'existe pas encore,
Vivez la vie au présent car elle mérite d'être vecue.

How to say goodbye.

I have my first final exam in 3 hours. I haven't studied yet. This is bad.

It's hard to stay focused on school - or to start focusing on school - when you are, at the same time, stressing out about packing, seeing friends, and saying goodbye. That's the only thing that really sucks about this program: the teachers give you absolutely no work until the final exams and projects, and by that point your worth ethic is past the point of no return, and your mind is full of other thoughts. What is there that I have to do in Rouen that I haven't done yet? Who do I need to make sure I see before I leave? How am I going to pack all of my things in my suitcases? Where can I buy another suitcase? With what money? Am I really going home in 4 days? And so the little things, like final exams, get lost amongst the multitude of thoughts about what to do before leaving France. Leaving France - wow, I can't believe it.

I said bye to Luc this morning, who left to go back to school in Paris for the week. It's just so strange to think that I won't see him again. I don't think it's hit me yet. I feel like it will, everything all at once, when I'm finally on the airplane. In 4 days. Wow.

I really am excited to go home. How could I not be? It's not like I would want to stay here without my family and my friends forever. But it just seems like the end snuck up on me. Wasn't it just yesterday that we were making ourselves feel better by saying, "We only have one week of classes, then Senegal, then 2 weeks of classes, and then break. And then it's almost December, which means we're almost there!" How could all of that have flown by so quickly? Now it's Monday, December 13, and I can't even begin to imagine how quickly these nexy few days are going to speed by.

List of things that I need to accomplish. Like now:
1. Study.
2. PACK MY SHIT.
3. Make pumpkin bread.
4. Wrap presents for Luc and Marie Christine.
5. Buy wrapping paper.
6. #4 and #5 are out of order.
7. Write notes for people.
8. Go to the Christmas market for last minute shopping and Rouen-exploring.
9. Buy another suitcase if necessary.
10. Clean my room (this should probs be moved to the top of the list)
11. Take pictures!
12. Continue the memory-making :)

People to write notes for:
1. Marie Christine
2. Luc
3. Bineta
4. Khady
5. Khadim
6. Cheikh
7. Djibril
8. Henri
9. Zoumana

I'll think of the rest later. I really should go study, especially considering I have to leave my house in less than 2 hours to be to the exam on time. Ahhhh.

Ak jamm. Ba bennen.

Josie

Last class already?!

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I just got home from my last class at the Fac. Ever. I really just can't believe that the semester is already over. It's been such a whirlwind.

So the only class I had today was Literature with Mlle Dang (who is amazing), and we just listened to three exposés: Serge Gainsbourg, an absurd play, and Une Partie de Campagne. We also turned in our portfolios (which I somehow managed to finish finally). I just can't believe now it's just one weekend and then finals week. And then America. I'm really going to miss my daily mini Wolof lessons.

I feel like I'm just now really getting into life here in Rouen, into speaking French, into getting to know the people and make friends here. It's amazing how people can adapt like that to new environments, and be forever changed by it. Being here in the living room in my host family's house in Rouen, I feel like I've lived here all my life. Being here right now is just so normal, so comfortable, just exactly where I'm supposed to be when I come home from school at the Fac and want to relax. It's so ouf to think that in just one short week, all of this will go from being my life quotiedienne to nothing more than a very fond memory.

For now, I think I'm gonna go take a nap, maybe eat some lunch, and maybe (but probably not) start studying. I'm exhausted and almost fell asleep in class so many times today.

No definitive plans yet for tonight, but the day is still young. It's only 1. And it's our last weekend in Rouen, so I'm sure people will start rallying to do something later in the afternoon. Maybe I'll go walk around and check out the Christmas markets some more. Ok - maybe after the nap.

Love, Josie

Jusqu'ici tout va bien.

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So, sorry I suck. I haven't written in so long, that I forget what has even happened in my life. What has been so fun about keeping this blog is that I get to keep track of the little day-to-day things about my life in France, and now so many days are lost. Mais, pas de souci - on recommence maintanent.

Thinking about the fact that I'm leaving so soon makes me want to shut down and not write, because I won't even know where to begin. So I'm not thinking about it. Don't ask how I feel about leaving France, because I don't have the words, good or bad. All I have to share right now are my experiences. Donc, the highlights of my life as of late:

- Buying awesome gloves from the Rouen Christmas market
- Watching my first Marilyn Monroe movie ever in France: Some Like It Hot (Certains L'Aiment Chaud) with Luc and Tiffany
- Walking to school every day, and either being too hot or too cold the entire time
- Trying to make dinner for myself. It was a disaster involving trying to cook rice and lentils together. At the same time. In the same pot. Which was actually a pressure cooker.
- Taking with my host mom at dinner every night. I always go back up to my room in such a wonderful mood. Words can't express how happy I am to have moved here. (And now impossible it is going to be to leave).
- Spending an entire weekend with my Senegalese family. It's amazing and sad that I'm just getting to know them so well at the end of my trip.

Une petite histoire before I go:
Today, I took the bus coming home because it was late and I didn't feel like walking. I got on the bus, bought a ticket because I don't have a bus pass anymore, and the bus driver made a comment about my gloves, I told him I bought them at the Christmas market in town, and we started talking. He was really nice except for the fact that when I told him I was thinking about studying in Senegal in the future, he told me that I didn't want to do that because that country is really poor and there's nothing going on there. I said that I had, in fact, already been and I loved it. And then he offered up that he was from Algeria. Suddenly, it all made sense. There's this weird thing in France about race. Obviously this is a gross generalization, but here it is, simplified: The French are racist towards people from the Maghreb (c'est à dire, from Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco). They don't seem to have a problem with many from Sub-Saharan Africa (aka Senegalese). The Senegalese don't have a problem with anyone. And immigrants to France form the Maghreb don't like the French because of their racism, but don't like the black Africans just because. Now, this doesn't speak for everyone, but it's just a general sentiment that I've felt since I've been in France. The people I surround myself with obviously aren't blatantly racist, but just from what I've heard, seen, and experienced, there is an underlying racism of France towards immigrants from the Maghreb.

So anyway, we talked, he tried to figure out the name for Chat Roulette (which I couldn't remember until after I got off the bus), and he told be about how much he hated French people because of how racist they were. In his defense, he did have some pretty crazy stories about not being able to rent apartments, or people being hostile to him for no reason other than the fact that he is Algerian. But still - I'm not a fight fire with fire kind of person, so I was a little less than impressed. This is all while he was driving the bus in the darkness from Mont Saint Aignan to Rouen, but no big deal.

But as a bonus, he didn't realize I wasn't French until like half way through the conversation. Which. Is. Awesome. I'm making progrès :)

I promise to write more soon. Now, it's bed time!

Love, Josie

Germany: Un Coup de Foudre.

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Whatever-day-it-was-that-I-left-Germany, November-possibly-December, 2010.

I am completely in love with Germany. My time here went by way too fast, and I wish more than anything that I had more time to spend in this beautiful country. Even the freezing cold added some kind of magic to my experience here. Compared to Rouen (and even Paris) where Christmas is too far away to get excited about it, Köln is all over the Christmas spirit. There are lights, signs, and decorations everywhere, excitedly announcing the arrival of the best holiday of the year. Not to mention the wonderful Christmas markets with people selling the even-more-wonderful glühwein. I can't believe we don't have Christmas markets in America! I was so excited about the German culture, that I even tried bratwurst! One full day in Germany definitely wasn't enough. There is so much to do and so much to see - I really hope I can go back soon (next weekend?). I LOVE GERMANY.

When I first got off the train on Friday at around 7pm, I met up with Simone (so exciting!) and her friend Sandra and we walked around Köln a little bit. I got to walk through two different Christmas markets, both of which were nothing short of magical, before walking through Köln to get to the car.

We got to Schermbeck at about 9:30pm, and it was freezing but adorable. I met Simone's mom, ate some bread with confiture and cheese (actually delicious), and bundled up and fell asleep watching 27 Dresses. Not very eventful maybe, but it was perfect in its own way.

Sidenote: I think that people who try to get babies' attention by waving at them are extremely obnoxious. And usually American. I just feel like if I were a parent trying to get my baby to fall asleep on a train and a bearded, overweight man in a bright red "Starbucks" tshirt were waving and saying "hello" in a voice that sounded like his testicles had been cut off, I would probably want to smack him. I mean, I already kind of want to and I'm just a third-party observer.

In other news, there is snow on the ground and it is beautiful. Was. We just drove through the world's longest tunnel so now it's pitch black, but I'm sure it will be beautiful on the other side too (when we finally get make it through). Wow, and it is. I love the snow.

It snowed on Thanksgiving in Rouen, which was awesome. Sadly though, it didn't really stick at all. Yesterday though, it snowed in Schermbeck during the Christmas market festivities. It was freezing but amazing. Simone and some of her friends from school had a stand to raise money for their school's equivalent of Prom. We sold cookies, coffee, hot chocolate, waffles, and -- of course -- glühwein. All of her friends were so nice. It's always hard hanging out with people who don't speak the same language as you, but everyone made me feel really welcome, and that was really awesome of them. I had a blast at the Christmas market, and I really hope I can come back again next year! If not, I'm definitely bringing the tradition to America -- starting with glühwein. Yesterday, we were outside from 10am - 8pm and those hot drinks kept us going in the cold.

I can't believe I'm already on my way back to Rouen -- I feel like I just got to Germany. That's the problem with weekend trips: they end up being two days of traveling and one day of visiting. Better than nothing though. And now I know that I love Germany and need to come back. ASAP. The warm people, food, and drink more than make up for the freezing temperature. And honestly, I kind of liked the cold. You get used to not being able to feel your toes after a little while. I really can't wait to go back to Germany; it is an amazing country inhabited by wonderful people. Even though I only got a few short days there, I am so glad I decided to go!

Highlights:

-Seeing Simone!!!
-glühwein
-Christmas markets!
-barely making my train this morning
-German chocolate from pedophile Santa
-meeting the German Mr. Buckley
-"tu as envie de faire qqch avec Max?"
-eating a pretzel bigger than my head
-hearing people speak German

Observation: Too many of my highlights have to do with eating and drinking. Time to re-evaluate my lifestyle choices?

Cultural Learnings:
-engagement rings go on the left hand; wedding bands go on the right
-celebrate St. Nicholas Day on December 6 - shoe with candy
-Christmas markets every year (did I mention the glühwein?)
-hot chocolate with amaretto or rum (or both)
-people are generally pretty open about homosexuality
-you can get your driver's license taken away for jaywalking
-cheese + jelly = normal to eat
-16 to drink beer; 18 for hard liquor; not difficult to evade any/all drinking laws
-license plate tells you where someone's from. ex: K=Köln. WES=Schermbeck. The more the letters, the smaller the city.

I'm sitting in a backward-facing seat on a fast-moving and kind of swerving train. I'm gonna go listen to some music and stop writing now. Hopefully I make it easily on my train to Rouen! Wish me luck. So far my first solo voyage in Europe is almost completed successfully :)

Love, Josie

(Interjection)

More Greece adventure stories to come!

As for my life in France, things are cold and wonderful. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and does not feel like it at all. My teachers have decided to celebrate it with excessive amounts of homework and a grammar exam. Can't wait.

Other than that, things have been pretty uneventful, but in a good way. Every day is something beautiful. Rouen in the winter time is really cute, especially since I'm starting to love the city and think of it as my own home. Living up in Mont-Saint-Aignan before was not nearly as amazing as living in Rouen is.

Today, I kicked an African Studies exam's ass, rode the bus without paying (and without getting caught!) and got told by my Art History teacher that I speak French really well. "Mais vraiment, vous parlez le français très bien - avec une facilité." Donc, I'm saying that overall today was pretty great.

Now it's bed time though. I need my energy so that I can recount my Greek adventures tomorrow before the group Thanksgiving dinner en ville. And then Friday - GERMANY!!!

A demain!
Love, Josie

Greece: Day 6 (18/11/10)

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Finally, I am on vacation. Santorini is the most beautiful place and I can't believe I am here right now.

Yesterday, we got off the ferry around 3pm and immediately got bombarded by hotel/hostel offers. Enter Poppy and 11 Euro/night rooms in a beautiful hotel right outside of Fira. Life is so beautiful. The first day, we moved into our room, chased a sunset, got some dinner where the owner spoke no English but gave us free dessert, and jumped into the icy but gorgeous swimming pool. And I got to shower! Glorious.

This morning, we woke up around 10 and ate breakfast at the hotel. Then half of us rented ATVs from a frustrated Greek man. Exploring an island by ATV is on the the coolest things ever. We drove around, got some delicious fruit at a grocery store, and went to hang out at Perissa, a gorgeous black sand beach on the south of the island.

Oh wait - the Canadians! We randomly met up with the Canadian guys from the hostel in Athens the other day on the ferry to Santorini! So now, we're all staying together and it's awesome. Though, I'm counting down the seconds until they are driven totally insane by our Russian accents.

So the beach was beautiful, the water was cold but amazingly refreshing, and the sunset was magical. Not to mention, we spent the day driving around an incredible island with the wind blowing in our faces on ATVs. Santorini is absolutely stunning. I am so happy to be here.

Tomorrow, we're all hiking to the highest point in Santorini, going to some more beaches, and watching the sun set in Oia (reputedly the most beautiful sunset in the world). Also, we're planning on swimming to the hot springs at some point. This island is incredible.

So, we're currently all sitting in our room lounging around, drinking fruit juice and watching Greek soap operas. I am so exhausted and so wishing that Alec could be here right now. This would be the best place to go on a vacation together. It's so gorgeous and magical here. And it's so hard being around so many incredible things without being able to show them to the people I love. I'm so ready to go home in so many ways. But it's hard because I'm also excited to go back to my host family in Rouen, and to be here in Santorini right now. I just miss having my best friend around.

I'm trying so hard to stay focused here on Greece though. This is my time to be happy, healthy, and relaxed before returning to rainy Rouen. I'm so lucky to be here now. Life is so beautiful!

Love, Josie

Greece: Day 4 (16/11/10)

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En route to Santorini.

We arrived in Athens at 6:30am, and then hopped on the 7:20am ferry to Santorini. Emily, Emily, and I are the group leading the mission to the island, and everyone else is staying in Athens to help Mika figure out her passport situation and then are taking the 7pm ferry to meet us in Santorini.

The ferry last night was actually pretty great. I slept in on the on the air seats (which we were not supposed to be in, by the way. Oops.) on and off the whole time, and it was pretty wonderful. I only got about 4 hours of sleep though, so I just woke up from a nice long nap on the floor of the deck of this ferry :) Comfy.

Currently, I'm drinking a $5 cappuccino and wondering what the shower situation is on this boat. I'm a little concerned about it because this ferry doesn't seem to be nearly as tricked out as the other ones we've been taking.

Wow - I've taken so many kinds of public transportation on this trip: train, plane, bus, metro, ferry. I'm becoming such an expert. It's going to be so weird to be back at SLU going to a normal school, living in one state, doing a normal amount of homework. I'm (shockingly) really excited about it - it's all about the people you're with, and the people I have waiting for me at home are the best in the world. I'm trying to stay focused on myself right now though - I'm almost there. I can't have any regrets when I get home. Raison pour laquelle I really wanted to hop on the early ferry to Santorini this morning. I want to get on this island ASAP so I can spend more time there. I've been to Athens twice now and it's amazing to see, but I don't really feel the need to spend more time there when I can be exploring a Greek island. Now, I'm just praying to Apollo to come through for me - beach vacations are no fun with stormy weather. We've already experienced a few torrential downpours in Crete, and now I'm ready for some sunshine :)

It's amazing taking a morning ferry because I can actually see the ocean, and it is beautiful. Blue as far as the eye can see. And no ominous clouds (yet)!

If nothing else, this trip has shown me that traveling is not impossible. That may sounds obvious, but I always had the attitude that I didn't have a lot of money, so I could never travel. To an extent that's true - you have to have the money for a plane ticket, which can be a bitch, but after that there are options. Hostels, student discounts, and making friends will save you a bundle. Anyone, anytime can travel. And travel doesn't necessarily mean internationally - just doing something in the states or in Canada would be amazing. There will ALWAYS be somewhere you haven't seen yet.

So, starting now, my goal is to do a big trip once a year. I'll just work, set aside enough money for the cheapest plane ticket to somewhere (anywhere) I haven't been yet, and take a backpack and go. I'm living out of my backpack in Greece for 9 days and so far so good. I would have packed a little differently id I had known more about the weather, but I'm getting by just fine. So, once a year, one backpack, one journal, and one plane ticket for a whole bunch of new experiences. Pourquoi pas? Anyone who wants to is more than welcome to join me - I promise you'll never forget it. I also promise that ocean showers feel better than those boring normal ones that everyone else takes.

It's important to just live every once in a while. Easy for me to say maybe, because I'm only 18 and have minimal responsibilities, but maybe that also gives me more time to reflect on the importance of doing things like this. I feel like people don't give me enough credit for my thoughts sometimes because of my age. It's like people think, "Oh, that's nice. But well, you're 18; that'll change when you're older. Just wait." Well, first of all, I challenge you to find another 18-year-old like me. But secondly, why should I wait? Why should anyone? If getting older changes you into being more careful and settled-down, why should I wait around until that happens? I should be taking advantage of these ideas I have and growing from the experiences that follow.

Maybe young people are here to encourage those who have lost hope in their youthful dreams that it's never too late to pursue them. From my perspective, it is never too late. The most important thing in life is being happy. Why would you ever settle for unhappiness when there are so many opportunities for beautiful experiences everywhere? The key is maintaining your sense of adventure enough to see these opportunities. Life comes at you in waves of good and bad, but the thing is that they keep coming. You have to hold on to the people you love and make the changes (tiny as they may be) that you need to be a happier, healthier person. The most important thing is to never give up on yourself. If anything is worth it, you are.

I'm on a ferry to the Greek island of Santorini with absolutely no idea of what it will be like, what kind of people will be there, or where I'm going to sleep tonight, and I'm okay with all of it because I know that I can figure it out. Maybe people need to take more risks, so that they can surprise themselves with how well they can handle their situations. It's really empowering.

Well, $5 coffee is cold and (mostly) gone. It's just foam now. Maybe it's time to scope out the shower situation? It doesn't look promising, but it's worth a shot.

Peace and love,
Josie

Greece: Day 3 (15/11/10)

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On the ferry heading from Crete to Athens.

When we first arrived in Crete, we saw a wall on which someone had written in Sharpie two words: "Greek Hell." Never has there been more accurate foreshadowing. From now on, I will take graffiti warnings into consideration when visiting new places.

We arrived in Crete at 5:30am on Sunday. It was dark and raining. Initial thought: Oh shit - where's the beach? Apparently, we made the rookie mistake of assuming that islands have beaches. And also that they would be there, sunny and wonderful, just awaiting our arrival. Not a good mistake to make. We basically spent out entire day on Crete being homeless. Which is actually funny because we were probably the most homeless people on the island - even homeless people don't want to live on Crete. We walked, took a bus in a very wrong direction, walked around for some more hours, took another bus, met some police officers, hung out on the sidewalk in front of the police station and shaved, drank wine out of plastic bottles, and then walked some more.

Untimately, we ended up in a town by the ocean (finally!) where we all slept in one hotel room for 35 Euro total. Excellent. And the floor was actually extremely comfortable.

So far, I haven't showered, but I have been in the ocean. Twice. Also, we are all slowly but surely becoming Russian.

Last night we drank, ate food, played cards, and crashed on the floor of the hotel room. I left my bullshit pants (the ripped black ones) behind. I hope they will find a happy new home. Doubtful because they are stranded in Greek Hell, but maybe something will work out for them.

I am so tired right now, which will not be helped by the minimal sleep I will be getting on this ferry ride, so I'm sorry for the incoherent writing. Also, why am I writing this like I'm writing in a blog? Ahhhh the internet is taking over my journal!

So basically, Crete was . . . an experience. I'm glad we did it. It was a lot of walking, a lot of receiving false directions, and a lot of eating (as usual), mixed with a minimal amount of showering and sleeping. Yes, we spent about 6 hours lost the first day, but we eventually found somewhere to stay and I actually slept pretty well. Today we went to the Palace of Knossos, where we met a guy from Cape Cod who is in the process of creating a reality show based on bull jumping. The people I meet in my life, I swear. En tout cas, his name was Mike and he was quirky, but very nice, helpful, and fluent in Greek. Score. The best part about traveling is always the crazy random people you meet along the way.

If nothing else, we definitely spent a lot less time being lost on Day 2. We also actually checked out the center of town in Heraklion, and it was pretty sweet. Best graffiti I've ever seen award: "Honey I love u. You buy me chips?" We made friends with a few stray dogs, ate Greek food, ice cream, and coffee and almost got hit by cars, trucks, and mopeds (oh my!), all the while carrying our huge backpacks on our backs.

So far, I have decided that Greece is a very strange combination between France and Senegal. To be elaborated upon later - I'm lying on the floor of the deck now and I'm getting exhausted. I miss Alec and the family so much!

Love, Josie

Greece: Day 1 (13/11/10)

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Tally of Greek people who have asked me if I was Greek: III

I'm on a ferry from Athens to Crete. The plan was to take the midnight ferry from Athens to Santorini. There was no midnight ferry. So now we're on our way to Crete because . . . why not?

The little boy on the floor next to us just came over and took my purple Fray Bans and tried to put them upside down on top of his head. He is precious. So happy and smiley with his big, sparkling, black eyes.

In other (less adorable) news, Mika's passport, camera, and cell phone were all stolen on the Metro in Athens today on our way to the ferry. It 's a traveler's worst nightmare. Hopefully we can get it all figured out before we leave Greece.

The little boy's parents are trying to distract him with Enrique Inglesias music videos on their cell phone. Not working. He wants the Ray Bans. I mean, I don't blame him - they're awesome. Bonus: the guy we bought them from in Athens was Senegalais! Our Wolof came in handy in a bug way - hello 5 Euro sunglasses! I'm very satisfied.

Also, I bought an awesome black and gold dress by the Acropolis today. While not cheap, it wasn't too expensive and it was beautiful and exactly what I needed for going to the Greek islands. Also, the people who worked at the store were so incredibly nice that I just wanted to buy everything. I think that's really the secret strategy of the shop owners here in Greece - kill everyone with kindness. This seriously is the nicest country I've EVER visited though. People will go out of their ways to help you with any and everything. Just today, we had a woman come across the street just to tell us that there was a park nearby if we wanted to eat our sandwiches there instead of on the curb. We also met a guy named Kostas on the Metro who told us how to get to the ferry. Everyone - shop owners, random people, tourists - are happy and kind and open and wonderful. So kind, in fact, that they so badly don't want to disappoint you, so they make up directions on how to get somewhere when they don't know. While sweet, this is not very helpful, and I advise any future travelers to Greece to look out for this. Consult a map, or ask about 10 different people the same question before taking any advice. This country is such a happy and kind place though. I love it already.

So anyway, a man working at a store we visited today looked at me for a couple of seconds and then said, " So which of your parents is Greek?" And so began the series of random Greek people asking me if I was Greek. Later at another store, the man at the cash register got the same look on his face and then asked where in the US I was from. "Washington, DC," came the Europe-friendly answer. "So you're from Maryland or Virginia?" he asked. "Maryland," I said laughing. How cool is that? He used to live in Westminster, apparently. Followup question: "So which of your parents is Greek?" "Italian, actually. My father." "Well Mediterranean - that's still family!" Love it.

So today we woke up at the hostel (awesome hostel by the way where we met the coolest Canadian guys ever) and then headed out into Athens for a touristy day. We visited the Acropolis (again) and walked around the city a little bit. It was absolutely beautiful out - I actually wished I had shorts to wear! Fortunately, my pants were ripped at the seams all the way down the back and no one told me before we left the hostel. But at least Athens for to appreciate my pink Christmas underwear for a good hour today.

In other news, Allie's boyfriend Mark is here and he's awesome. They're precious together and I really love having them around. It can be so hard to see them so happy together in Greece when I miss Alec so much though. Up until now, I've really missed him but I've been dealing with it pretty well, keeping myself busy and focusing on my own situation. But seeing such an amazing, happy couple together on this trip really makes me miss Alec more than I can even think about. I really am glad that they're here though. I love both of them already.

And so now I'm focusing on this: I'm on a ferry on my way to Crete. That's fucking sick.

More on life later - I'm going to go brush my teeth, wash my face, and daydream myself into a daze. We arrive in Crete at 5:30am. Ohhhhh yeah. I love college.

Love, Josie

Baaack (Again).

And I was doing so well too. It's these long vacations - they really throw me off. I get out of the habit of blogging. I more or less documented my Greece trip in my journal though, so I'll be doing the same thing I did with my Senegal journal: re-posting it online for all of you to see.

Today was my first day back to classes after our vacation to Greece, and it was definitley hard to have to start doing work again. Also very difficult to get used to wearing a winter coat and not driving ATVs around in a bathing suit all day. Overall things are good though. Still love the host family, and I'm actually very happy to be back home in Rouen. Santorini was magical, but it's nice to feel comfortable back in my French city.

Also, I can't believe I'm coming home in just over 3 weeks. I'm extremely excited and extremely sad about it at the same time. I'm just trying to focus on France while I'm in France, and being home when I get home. I have so many things to look forward to and to appreciate about my life right now. Also, I'm going to visit Simone in Germany this weekend!! It will be my first solo journey in Europe and I'm super excited about it :)

So, I'm going to post my Greece journal entries on here as soon as I can. I think it might be dinner time now (it's starting to smell delicious in the kitchen), so I might have to go soon, but you'll be updated ASAP. In short, Greece was AMAZING. Santorini is one of my favorite places in the world, and I know I will go back there again in my life. I know it.

Talk more soon!

Love, Josie

Lazy, Cold, Beautiful Sunday.

Just chillin with Vivaldi.

First things first: anyone who has not heard "Ocean" by John Butler, go and listen to it right now.

So let's see - last night I went into Rouen, met up with Emily at a coffee shop and hung out there/did homework/talked about life for a few hours. Of course it was raining, so walking home after that wasn't exactly a blast, but it's still way better than taking the bus :) After that, I got lost around Rouen for a little while (at least I got some exercise), and ended up calling it a night fairly early. Not too much to tell there.

Today, I woke up earlier than I wanted to, and hung out around the house for most of the day. I learned how to play a song on the piano, worked on some French poems for my literature portfolio, and looked into hostels in Athens for the first night there. Oh - I'm going to Athens, by the way. I'm so excited about it :) And the weekend after my vacation, I'm going to visit Simone in Germany. What an exciting life I have here.

Exciting and wonderful as my life is, I've been thinking a lot today about going home. Maybe it's the weather - the crisp cold of November always makes me excited for Christmas time. I can't help getting excited about relaxing around the fire, listening to music, eating delicious food, and being with my family. What makes everything so much easier though is the fact that I'm with a real host family now. Their house is warm and comfortable, they listen to music all the time, currently it smells delicious because my host mom is cooking dinner, and they even have a cat (Vivaldi) who looks like Bella. I am so happy to be here.

So other than walking into Rouen for a little bit this afternoon to work on my art project at the Musee, I didn't do much today. Which I feel is okay because it's Sunday, it's cold, and it's just one of those days that you need to have every now and then.

I can't believe it's not even 6pm yet; it gets dark here so early now. The sunset today was absolutely gorgeous though. I tried to take a picture, but my camera batteries are completely dead. Of course. Just add that to the fact that my credit card company froze my account and I don't have a cell phone, and you have my luck with technology in a nutshell.

Tomorrow, I get to wake up at 6:30am to walk to school. Yay!

Now I have to find something to do until dinner is ready to keep my mind off the fact that I'm starving and the food smells delicious.

Love, Josie

Back to Real Time (Almost).

So I just had an espresso. It's raining. There's a manifestation about to start. My life today is so typical Normandie.

Unfortunately, those entries are all I wrote while I was in Senegal (besides the French journal I had to keep, but those entries sound like they were written by a 3-year-old). My American host sister there told be about an SIT program that she did when she was in college in Senegal, so I'm really excited to look into that some more when I get home. I'm sure I'll be reflecting on my Senegalese experience some more throughout the week, because I haven't really had the time recently.

So, on to my other exciting news: the big move. The day that I got home from Senegal, instead of going home and showering and napping like everyone else, I had to go back to the apartment and pack ALL of my things. I moved out of the psycho house at 5pm, excited, nervous, and exhausted. I honestly have NO idea how I'm going to get all of my stuff home without buying another suitcase. Fuck.

But anyway, Ante and Dargan came to help me move, I said goodbye to crazy lady, and we were out of there. In the taxi, I started getting nervous about meeting my new family. What would they be like? What had they heard about me? Would we get along? When we finally got to the house, my stomach was turning, and then the door opened. Immediately, I knew I was going to love this place. My new host mom is adorable and friendly and welcoming, and I immediately felt at ease. I thought it was just going to be me and her in the house, so I was surprised when I got to meet my host brother, but it was definitely a pleasant surprise. He's super nice, super cool, and even speaks English. Very helpful.

So now, I've only been here for 5 days, but I like I've been here forever. In a good way. I am so happy here, and I adore my new host family. When you're studying abroad, the host family that you live with can really make or break your experience - I'm so lucky to (finally) have the best host family ever.

This week has been pretty uneventful besides that. I finally managed to unpack the other day, and I bought some boots (also finally), and I've been going to lots and lots of classes. I also walk to school every day now, which is awesome. It's about a 40 min walk uphill and I love every second of it. Also, yesterday I went to play some pickup soccer with Luc and his friends. Even though I hadn't played in forever, it was really cool to be back out on the field messing around again. I had a great time. After that, we had a family dinner, and I hung out with Luc in the kitchen for a while until his girlfriend showed up (she's awesome too). We hung out for a while, and I ended up crashing in bed at around 12:30.

Today, I have no plans. There's a manifestation going on that my family is going to, but I think I'm going to meet some people in town to do some homework (ugh). Maybe I'll see them greve-ing while I'm in town later. Tonight - no plans let. I'm thinking of a pretty chill night. Something warm and indoors :)

Have a beautiful day!

Love, Josie

27 octobre 2010.

I love this country so much. Today, we woke up early in order to be at Centre Baobab at 8:30, waited around for about an hour, and then finally got on the bus and left. I love Africa time. We went to Sangalkam, a village about an hour drive away from Centre Baobab in Dakar, where we visited two schools and the Sangalkam Health Post. The health post's biggest issue is malaria, because Senegal isn't a big area for HIV/AIDS. In fact, Moctar's best friend just died of malaria 10 days ago. It's a serious issue here, but the health post can only do so much with the funding that it is given. Especially with the increasing number of people it treats (currently 40-50 people per day) due to population growth and people moving due to flooding.

After touring the health center and talking to the doctor (yes, one) there, we walked to our first school - the kindergarten. The children were so cute (some of the older ones sang Senegal's national anthem to us, to which we responded with "If You're Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands") and it was a joy giving out our gifts (lots and lots of school supplies) to them. We listened to the director of the school tell us about it, and then we got to play with the children. Now, this was a little difficult because Senegalese children don't learn French until about age 7. All of them only spoke Wolof. There was a lot of "na nga def?" being whipped out by us Americans. This was just another experience in my life where I got to see firsthand how bonds can be created between people, even where there are language barriers in place. One little boy had a hat on that he would pull down over his eyes every time I looked at him, so we made a "peek-a-boo" game out of it. He would pull his hat down, I would peek up from underneath its brim, and he would laugh and laugh. Then I would pull my head scarf down over my eyes, and he would stare at me until I moved the scarf away, and then he would laugh and quickly hide his own eyes. He was so adorable.

After the kindergarten, we went to another school for kids a little bit older. There, there were three different classrooms and a big communal area, and the students were between 6 and 9 years old. They also loved our presents, and the teachers were extremely grateful as well (especially since they had just founded the school one year ago).

After visiting Sangalkam, we took our trusty bus over to Lac Rose, where we ate a delicious lunch at a resort-type area. It reminded me so much of the place where we are our group dinner on Caye Caulker in Belize, it was truly amazing. Yes, there were French tourists everywhere, but it was beautiful and enjoyable kommem. Also, it was very cool being the only tourists there who knew any Wolof. I thanked our waiters and waitresses in Wolof (jerejef), said hi to several people (asalamaale'kum), and responded to lots of others when they said "na ng def?" (maangi fii rekk). I love Wolof. It's such a cool language and I would absolutely love to learn it.

After lunch, we went outside, some people went swimming in the pool and I met Joe (which is not his real name). Joe lives in the village right next to Lac Rose and talked to me about Senegalese life, culture, and family. It was really interesting to talk to him about his country - I always love hearing different people's perspectives. Little did I know, he was our guide around the sand dunes by Lac Rose. The sand dune ride was sweet. We all hopped in these very open, very loud car/truck/heavy duty machinery type vehicles, and took off on a tour around the lac (which, unfortunately, was not very rose). The color of the water changes depending on the rain though, so the lake will be more pink in winter.

When we got out of our truck thingies to look at the lake, we were immediately attacked by vendors offering us "cadeaux," trying to get us to bus their things. Unfortunately for me, I only have huge bills in CFA, which means that I can't buy anything ever because no one will break a 10,000 CFA bill. That's $20USD by the way.

Oh no - I'm starting to fall asleep while writing. Again. I get to exhausted so suddenly here in Senegal.

Anyway, after that, we went for a little dune ride over to a traditional Peulh village. The chief of the village only spoke Arabic, Pulaar, and Wolof, so we had another man (his cousin?) guide us around the village. Basically, I learned that Peulh society is sexist with a capital "S," but also I've never met such kind sexist people in my life. The environment of the secluded village with curious children and kind, open adults reminded me so much of Frank's Eddy. I couldn't believe how much of my Belize experience I've relived today. It is amazing to be in this kind of environment again, but it seems completely wrong to be here for only a week. Yes, I'm studying abroad in France and yes, this is just an introduction to Senegal, but I still feel like I'm being robbed of a true, meaningful, experience when I think of how soon we are leaving this country.

Anyway - I bought a few petits cadeaux in the village, and then we got back on the dune riding machines. We drove around, and then drove right up to the ocean - it was the most beautiful scene in the world. Long story short, I of course ended up in the ocean, with ALL of my clothes on, had a long, wet bus ride back, but all was worth it.

In other news, I ate some beef at dinner. No on understands the concept of vegetarianism. And now I'm about to get ready for bed. Shower? Probably not. I will wash my face/brush my teeth though. Let's just hope I don't get sick from this dinner!

Tomorrow will be a long, beautiful day. We're going to a fishing village where we are spending the night, and taking dancing and drumming lessons. I'm so excited!

I'm really missing la famille a ton, so I'm trying not to think about it too much. That's really the only way to do it - enjoy life knowing that you are loved, but don't get caught up in the fact that you aren't always with the ones you love. C'est la vie - et sa passe vite. Enjoy all of it, every last Baobab tree, every last sip of Bissap juice, every last word in Wolof.

Love, Josie

25 octobre 2010.

J'adore ce pays! I am so exhausted from a very hot, long, sweaty day walking around Dakar, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I am so tired though, which makes my writing horrendous, so I'll keep this short to spare myself the embarrassment.

I slept so well last night - didn't wake up once in the middle of the night, and felt happy and well-rested when I got up this morning. I put on my new black & white striped t-shirt from H&M (where else?), a long, flowy, red skirt of Leslie's, my blue and red headband from Bruxelles, and my 10E flats that hurt my feet to put on because of how swollen my feet are from the heat/humidity.

We met our Senegalese guides - the beautiful pink! - and walked around Dakar. A lot. It was really cool to be walking around in the city, but it's impossible to escape being scrutinized by the general public as you walk by. White people do not blend in in Dakar. Especially when in packs like we were. The guides were super nice though - one of them told me I had a big butt, to which I probably looked very confused (because I don't), and she said that that's a compliment in Senegal - it means that you're very beautiful. So that was a really sweet, if at first very confusing, cultural experience.

I also met my host family today. My host mom is so kind, so generous, and so genuinely excited to have us here/get to know us. She's been taking in international students for 20 years now, and it's obvious that her love, curiosity, and kindness have not dwindled over the years.

The house is located just off the main highway, just less that a 10 minute walk (which incluses walking across the double highway) away from Centre Baobab. I'm sharing a room with Charlotte, and Ante is down the hall. I have one host brother, Moctar (the other now lives in Ohio with his family), host parents, and two random women who live here, make food, do dishes, and don't really speak. Maids? Could it be? Relatives? You never know in Senegal.

We also met a very nice guy - 3rd year university student in Sacre Coeur in Dakar, who is studying French and who promised us a Wolof lesson. Saldy, we had to eat dinner and the he didn't come back in time to hang out before bed. Tristesse. Maybe tomorrow! J'espere. It's always great to have Senegalese friends when you're a new, white, English-speaking foreigner in Dakar.

Anyway - bed time. More details/thoughts when I'm less exhausted.

A demain!

Love, Josie


Bonne nuit!

24 octobre 2010.

Bienvenue au Senegal!

I can't explain what it feels like to be in Senegal finally. It feels familiar, like I've lived here before, but also strange, like I have to adapt back with the culture I once knew. I feel like I'm reliving Belize in some ways. I can't even describe what that feels like - a powerful mixture of joy and fulfillment and longing and homesickness.

The first thing that stuck with me when I got off the plane in Dakar tonight (besides the stifling humidity) was how black everyone around me was. I've never been so racially outnumbered before, so naturally that caught my attention. I mean, everyone besides us is black - and it's a true deep, coffee bean, beautiful, rich black. It's really striking.

The city of Dakar (from what I have seen) really reminds me if Belize City. What I'm going through right now really reminds me so much of my first few days on the Belize trip. The streets are crowded with people, bikes, cars (mostly taxis), and animals, all nudging each other around, fighting for breathing space and room to move. The streets, even at nighttime, are scattered with fruit stands, around which groups of vibrantly dressed women gather to talk with each other. The men wear plain colors, light and pale against their rich colored skin which always seems to glisten every time it catches the light.

Riding on the bus on our way to the night's lodging was the most surreal experience - firstly because it was my first time seeing Senegal, but also because I felt like I was returning home to Belize. The streets, the cars, the people, the change in culture and climate - it was all beyond reminiscent of my Belize experience. It's really amazing.

So I'm in a new country on a different continent that I've never visited before, and I feel like I 'm being reunited with my Belizean roots, family, community, and experience. I'm sure that Senegal will prove to be very different from Belize, but feeling this way again - sweaty, uncomfortable, exhausted, tingling with excitement and bug spray - is indescribably amazing.

I feel so comfortable being uncomfortable here already, and I can't wait to experience whatever Senegal has in store for me. I love this country already.

Highlights of the day (because I'm starting to fall asleep):
-Gave my EarthTreks bracelet to a young boy who spent a good 5 minutes trying to signal to me that he really wanted it. The smile was beyond worth it.
-Standing on the balcony of this house, breeze blowing calmly, Arabic music playing sofyly, people lounging leisurely on the rooftops, on the streets, in their houses - so much beauty to be seen in this country.

I would write pages and pages more, but everyone is waiting for me to be able to turn off the lights and go to sleep. More tomorrow - I promise.

I miss Alec and my family SO much. I am so excited to have these experiences to share with them.

A demain!

Love, Josie

Where to begin???

Most recent post: October 22. Seriously? I've been so neglectful. But t'inquiète - I'm back. With a vengeance. So much to write about, so many beautiful things happening, and so much time flying by. This is how my study abroad experience is supposed to be.

So, 2 huge pieces of news:
1- I went to Senegal.
2 - I moved out of the psycho house, and in with a new host family (who is wonderful).

I did my best to write in my journal while I was in Senegal, but I failed pretty miserably. I think I wrote 2 or 3 times in total while I was there. It's really a shame because I had so much to say and so many thoughts to develop, but our program did an excellent job of exhausting us every day, to the point where I would fall asleep with my head in my journal at night because I literally couldn't keep my eyes open. At like 9pm. Embarrassing? A little. But I am so grateful that we got to experience so much of Senegal in such a tiny amount of time.

So anyway, I'm going to type my (few) Senegalese journal entries in here so you can at least get an idea of my Senegal experience, and then I'll write some more about my current life (which is fabulous).

Just wanted to say welcome back into my crazy life, and I promise not to let my laziness come between us again. From now on, I'm back in the blogging world. Prepare yourselves.

Love, Josie

I don't know if that's good or bad.

I'm moving out of this apartment the day I get back from Senegal.
I'm thinking that's good.
Very good.

More to come later. I'm falling asleep with all the lights on now.

Bonne nuit!
Love, Josie

At the Fac.

I want to be on my way to Sénégal right now.

Yesterday was pretty average- ate two avocados like they were candy, had art history class in a ceramic museum, and did some of the first homework that I've done since we've been in France.

The host "mother" is going crazy. This morning at 8am, she woke me up banging on my door because she thought I took her hairbrush. Obviously, I did not, but the fact that she really doesn't trust me enough to know that is probably not a good thing. I don't know what's going to happen when I get "home" tonight, but I don't know how much more of this stressful living environment I can take. It's hard enough being away from home - I don't need to feel like this the whole semester. I have work to do, and this crazy relationship with my host "mom" is only going to get in the way, it seems.

It just feels crazy to move out so late in the semester. I mean, is that even an option? How can they find another family to take in a student so late in the semester? And it would need to be someone who doesn't know my current host mother, because I'm sure she's complaining to all of her friends about me. At this point, I've already tried to male things good with her, and if I get home tonight and things are worse, I'm going to talk to the director about moving out.

Right now, I'm on my lunch break from classes, but can't go to the post office to pick up my package because it's closed for lunch. Because why wouldn't the post office be closed? Welcome to France.

Time to get something to eat!

Grevès, Grevès, and More Grèves.

Welcome to France, aka Land of the Many Strikes. I have never been in a place where so many people care so deeply about changing the retirement age. At first, it was pretty exciting. I remember that day in Beauvais when we came across the people striking, and we all stopped to take pictures, laugh, and hold up Communist Party signs. Now, however, the novelty is wearing off. Quickly. Was it cool that we had all of our classes canceled today due to threats of tear gas? Definitely. Walking in the rain from the gare in Rouen to Place Colbert? Slightly less exciting. I mean, I loved every second of it, but I'm definitely glad that I have the option of taking the bus when I need to. I just imagine public transportation, post offices, and schools being shut down in the United States because of a strike, and immediately start laughing. That would never fly. On one hand, it's pretty cool that the French people have the freedom of grève-ing whenever they want, but on the other hand, it's incredibly obnoxious for people who just want to go about their daily lives. I guess that's the point though, isn't it?

Sidenote: I'm currently loading pictures to Facebook, and every time I check the window to see how much time is left, the number gets higher. Ex: When I started, it said 25 minutes. Ten minutes ago, it said 43. Now, it says 82. Awesome.

But life is beautiful, because I am currently listening to my (autographed) Trombone Shorty CD and imagining being at one of their concerts. I also just walked from Place Colbert to the Gare, and then back up, and I'm really happy about it for several reasons. One - I didn't get lost. I'm having this amazing streak of having a wonderful sense of direction in France, and I really hope I don't lose it when I get back home. I'm loving the confidence that comes with knowing where I'm going. Two - It was (kind of) exercise. I mean, I'm in France and the French would consider that exercise, so I'm going to call it exercise too. It was a solid hour of walking at a fast pace, half of it up a sizable hill. Okay, well it's better than nothing, and it made me feel happy. Three - It was actually pretty beautiful. From the Mont Saint Aignan area of the walk, you can look down and see the city of Rouen below you, and it's gorgeous. Especially when I was walking back up the hill at around 7pm, I could see the sunset and it was so pretty. Long story short: I'm walking whenever I can into and out of the city. I loved it.

So, now it's catch-up time. The day before yesterday was useless. I did nothing except lie in bed and recover from my Paris trip.

Yesterday was slightly more eventful. I got out of bed, had a slight confrontation (that's not really the right word, but I don't know how to describe it without having to write the entire story) with my host mom/landlord, and then went to unlock the Fac for classes. I came back to the apartment, showered, and then headed to Art History at the Musee. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was one of our drawing classes, so I spent 2 hours walking around the museum and drawing trees. Yes.

After class, we all went to a cafe to meet Senegalese students who were going to talk to us about our trip to Senegal. I have never been so excited to travel to a place before! After hearing all about Senegal, it sounds like the most amazing place in the world. I cannot wait to be thrown into that culture. Finally, a chance to be culture shocked. In a good way. In a strong way. I only wish the trip to Senegal was more of our semester. Next year - Africa here I come! I have to start looking into programs, because I'm pretty sure SLU only has Kenya. Not that that's a bad thing - it's just that I want to study in a francophone African country. Gahhh SO excited!

So anyway, we talked to them in the cafe for a while, and then everyone started leaving to go home. All of the Americans lived in Rouen, so they just walked home, but I had to take the bus up to Mont Saint Aignan, which was where the Senegalese students were headed. So I walked around with them, we got kabobs and talked, and then all rode the bus together up to Mont Saint Aignan. I LOVE THEM. I have never met people who immediately opened up to me like this before. All of the Senegalese students were so excited to talk to us and get to know us, and it was amazing getting to meet all of them. We all can't wait to have an African-American party when we get back from Senegal. I will definitely have to work on my Wolof before then. It's pretty pathetic right now.

Today, the entire country was in greve mode, so I walked to Emily's house where we "studied" and "planned our trip to Greece" AKA ate obscene amounts of Nutella, watched ANTM, uploaded pictures, and talked. It was greatly needed though, even if we didn't get much accomplished. I loved every second of it.

And so, here I am now, hanging out in my room not speaking to my "host mom" as usual. It's not that she's not a nice person; it's just that our arrangement is more like a landlord-renter relationship than a host-mother-host-daughter thing. I don't even call her my host mom to the other American students. I mean, I don't necessarily think this is a bad thing - it's just a lot different than what the others are dealing with at home.

So now I'm still listening to Trombone Shorty and dreaming of being at a concert right now. I miss Bonnaroo (which Trombone Shorty played BY THE WAY!!) You know - I think I actually remember going through the program in a circle one day, and someone being like "Haha. I'm gonna go to Trombone Shorty" as a complete joke, because -- well, what a silly name. I feel like such an idiot looking back on that. But I mean, what a cool place to discover a musician - in a tiny jazz club in Paris. Fucking awesome. And now I'm going to see him in Baltimore, so no worries :)

I've also been getting pretty homesick these past few days. It's not really in a sad way though - it's hard to explain. I guess it's just that the happiest thoughts of my day are thinking about going home for Christmas, being in Maryland for the winter, sitting by the fireplace, drinking coffee with my mother, and verbally abusing my father. Doing Bikram yoga every day and hanging out with Rocco, going sledding, going out to dinner and watching movies with Alec, just being home. I love my family so much. They really mean the world to me. I am so lucky to have the family that I have. I honestly don't know anyone in the world who has the relationship with my parents that I do with mine. I know that they probably have a few parenting regrets (though I can't think of what they would be - but everyone has regrets), but I feel so strongly that they are the best parents in the world. My brother is pretty freaking amazing too. Not many people can say that their siblings are their best friends, but I can. Not to mention, Rocco is the best, most talented, most hilarious kid I've ever met (even if he may not truly be a kid anymore). And I don't even have words for how great Alec has been throughout my semester abroad. I couldn't ask for someone more selfless and supportive. I've seen firsthand how relationships can crumble when one person is abroad, and I am so lucky to have such a strong and loving one with Alec. And THIS is why I can't wait to get home sometimes. I have the most incredible people in the world waiting there for me!

Only 2 minutes left on the Facebook upload!! And then I have to upload the Paris pictures . . . This internet connection will be the death of me. At least I have the sweet power of music to keep me going.

I hope you're all having a beautiful day. It's almost 9pm now, so I guess it's about time to start studying for my Africa test. Ughh.

Bisous!
-Josie

Paris, Je T'Aime.

I was so brokenhearted to leave Paris this morning. I am completely in love with the city, the people, the scenery, the history, and the culture. There is so much life in Paris; Rouen is a sad, rainy, and vegetarian-unfriendly comparison. En tout cas, I am back in my chambre in my apartment in Rouen and it is -- wait for it -- raining. I had a wonderful week in Paris, and I really hope to go back there as soon as possible. Next weekend maybe :)

So let's see . . . a few nights a go, I went to the Trombone Shorty concert (where I also happened to see Lenny Kravitz). I love my life. I am already looking up ticket information for when they come to Baltimore/D.C. They will be playing at Ramshead Live and the 9:30 club!! Anyone who wants to go with me, let me know. You will NOT regret it.

So, that night was absolutely amazing. The metro spit us out at kind of a sketchy area of town, and I was definitely glad to be in a big group, but when we finally made it into the show, all of my worries melted away. The venue was warm, welcoming, and vibrant with the energy of the performance. Trombone Shorty is one of the most talented musicians I have ever seen, and I truly can't wait to go back to another one of his amazing shows!

Wow. I literally can't remember what I did the next day. This entire trip was so wonderful, but so hectic. I got an average of 5 hours of sleep each night, and spent all day out and about doing different things in Paris. I'm pretty sure that the next day was my promenade to Sacre Coeur though. Let's just go with that . . .

So the next day, I woke up early, wasted a few hours in the most boring museum in the world, the Musée de Carnavalet, and then went on my promenade around the Sacre Coeur with Emily Valentine. It. Was. Amazing. It was the most beautiful day ever, and even though I didn't get to shower that day (or the night before after the concert. Shhh.), it was a wonderful time. Montmartre is absolutely gorgeous, and though it has been pretty taken-over by touristy shops, there are still some real gems in the area. Emily and I probably bought a million new scarves (I mean really, the most beautiful scarves I have ever seen), bought some really artsy new wallets, got some ice cream and coffee, and checked out some paintings by local artists. The art district of Montmartre is so quaint - I loved it. We sneakily got tricked into "buying" these bracelets that some Guinean guys made us on our way up to the Sacre Coeur, but at least we know what to avoid next time. Plus, they're pretty cool bracelets. The Sacre Coeur itself is absolutely stunning. I've seen more churches in France than I have ever seen in my life before, and the Sacre Coeur is definitely the most beautiful of them all. Inside and out, it is completely breathtaking.

Another amazing part about our promenade in Montmartre were the street performers. Unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera, but I think Emily probably took 100 pictures of our favorite one: the soccer guy. I wish I had a video of him to show you - I'm sure there are some up on Youtube (and I think he even has his own website now), but he was amazing. He stood up on a flat column along the steps of the Sacre Coeur and did the most amazing tricks I have ever seen with a soccer ball. Basically, he has just mastered juggling (soccer juggling, not clown juggling) to the point where it is now an art form. He balanced it on the top of his head while he sat all the way down, he spun around while still controlling it with his body, and he climbed up a lamppost with the soccer ball on his foot. It was sick.

There was also a singer/guitar player who played for a pretty big crowd on the steps leading up to the church, though he wasn't really that great. The crowd was hilarious though (especially the one guy with the dreds and Rasta hat on trying to get everyone to dance and sing along).

So after all of that, we finally made our way back to the FIAP (oh, FIAP) where we ate dinner, and I FINALLY got to take a shower. I didn't have too much time to relax though, because right after the shower, I got dressed and hopped on the Metro to meet some people at the Eiffel Tower so that we could see it all lit up at night. It was gorgeous. We took pictures, watched people in love kissing and cuddling all around the monument, and froze our asses off, all while evading street vendors trying to sell us glow-in-the-dark Eiffel Towers. I loved it.

The craziest part about that night, was that we were walking along the grass in front of the Tower when we heard music, and decided to go over to where it was coming from. There, we met some really awesome people - also students, also American, also studying in France. Well, some were Russians, and honestly I can't remember how they fit into the picture, but they were awesome too. So we hung out there, listened to some guys play guitar, and chatted it up with the other students. We also got our pictures taken with French soldiers who were patrolling the Eiffel Tower area with their machine guns. Sick.

So, after that, we went back to the FIAP, the guys at the front desk made fun of me because I couldn't find my room key (it was in my purse the whole time), and then I went to bed. Good night.

The NEXT day (yesterday), our group went on a boat tour on the Seine of Paris. It was beautiful, but absolutely freezing. Tomorrow, I need to go coat shopping. I have seen some beautiful ones, and have tried on a few that I loved, but they've been too expensive to say yes to. I may have to cave, because I will freeze otherwise. I may also just have to buy some matching gloves and hats . . . We will see.

Anyway, the boat tour was really cool, because I got to see almost all of the most famous monuments of Paris from the water, but it was also the coldest thing ever and I was definitely content when it was over.

After that, we searched for somewhere to eat, got sandwiches in a brasserie, and then went to another museum, this time about foreign cultures. The coolest exhibit was the Africa one, but the Americas was pretty interesting too. Basically, I stayed there for about an hour, and then Maddie, Allie, and I left to go to on their Rive Gauche promenade in the art district. It was the coolest place ever! I was totally enamored with it. Every street we walked on was more beautiful and impressionante than the next. I (finally) took tons of pictures, so they will be up soon :)

While we were there, we were walking down a street when we saw a TON of graffiti all over the wall up ahead of us. It was super cool, so we started taking pictures, when I noticed that there was a spray-painted image of Serge Gainsbourg up on the wall. Cool! I thought. Caldwell will love this! So I took a picture of it. Then I started reading the things on the wall. "Bonnie and Clyde," "Je suis un homme à tête de chou," "Je t'aime . . . moi non plus." They were all Serge lyrics! We stumbled upon the Serge Gainsbourg graffiti wall! It was so cool, and such an exciting discovery. Caldwell would be so proud.

After that, we walked around some more, got espressos at a really cute cafe on the corner, and walked around some more. We also discovered a really great frozen yogurt shop, and an amazing health food/juice/fruit store from which I bought carrot juice and a protein bar (coconut flavored). Yummy!

We then made our way back to the FIAP, rushed to get dressed a little nicer, and the ran out of there without eating dinner in order to make it in time for a piano recital at the Theatre de Champs-Elysees. Though the theater was beautiful, and it was great to have the experience of hearing a classical musician play in Paris, I left at intermission, and I will tell you why. The pianist, though I am sure very talented, looked like Mr. Collins from Pride and Prejudice, and his music sounded like had been composing a piece when, all of the sudden, he had a seizure and continued playing anyway. I watched a seizing Mr. Collins flop his head about as he smacked his piano keys for about 5 minutes, when I realized that I needed to leave at intermission. So I did.

Teo, Emily, and I walked along the Champs-Elysees, and I finally saw the Arc de Triomphe! So we're walking down the Champs-Elysees, when I hear a really familiar voice. I look over, and there is Lainey, a friend from high school who is studying abroad in Paris this semester. It was insane! What's crazier? The girl she was with was one of the girls I met at the Eiffel Tower the night before. I love this life! Hopefully, I'll be coming back to Paris soon and I will actually be able to hang out with them some more. It was so cool to run into a familiar face in Paris! What a tiny, tiny world, even in one of its most hectic cities.

Emily, Teo, and I also may have gone into the Hagen-Daaz (which is a freaking ice cream restaurant on the Champs-Elisees!) and the Quick (I had to get a milkshake banane like the Carpe Diem song!) before getting on the Metro to meet Teo's girlfriend at a really cool bar by the FIAP. We were there until a little after 1am, and it was a blast. I only wish I had known about that place sooner. Getting home in the freezing early morning was not fun, but we made it, exhausted, in our beds probably around 2.

And so this morning, I woke up at 8, ate breakfast at FIAP (for the first time since we've stayed there) and then packed and got on the bus to some back to Rouen. We stopped at Vaux la Vicomte first though, the most beautiful chateau I have ever seen (built by some of the same designers of Versailles), and had a guided tour and ate lunch there. Again, I have a lot of pictures. It was so beautiful, even though the weather is starting to turn freezing.

And so now I am back in Rouen. It's nice to be back in my own bed, my own room, and with internet that I don't have to pay for or stress about. But also, I really, really miss Paris. I loved every second of my time there, and I am already planning my next trip back. Maybe this weekend?! We'll see. All I know is that I have fallen in love with the city of love.

So now, it's almost dinner time. I'm really missing home now that I'm back in Rouen, but my host mom/landlord tells me I have a package that I have to pick up from the post office. I can't wait!!!! Thanks Mama Bear - I know it's from you :)

Almost dinner time I hope. It's getting dark here.

Bisous!
Love, Josie