Is it currently 12:01 pm in Rouen? Yes. Did I just get back to my apartment from last night? Also yes. Here's what happened:
10pm: Met the group at the gare in Rouen to go out for drinks as a group bonding experience.
10:30pm: The group split up, and went to different bars. Solid. I ended up at a chill Irish Pub with Ariel, Emily, Ante, Charlotte, and Maddie. We were outside and I was freezing. I had a Desperados. That was the only drink I had to pay for that night.
probably somewhere around 11:30pm: Left that bar and went to another one (the same place where I went with Evelyn and her friends the other night!) Had sangria - which reminds me, I owe Ante/Maddie 2.50 (or something like that).
maybe sometime around midnight/12:30am: Arrived at La Réserve. Stayed there until it closed at 2am. Maybe that had something to do with the group of men who bought us a giant (and flaming. seriously. it was on fire) bottle of rosé. There were three Italians (Enzo, Erwen, and Francesco), a French guy (I can't remember his name, but Maddie has his scarf), and a guy so drunk that no one knew what language he was speaking. Oh yeah - and the giant bouncer, Phoenix. It was a blast. Completely harmless, but I was still grateful that Ante was there to have our backs just in case. Granted, I could probably beat up most of the men there if I had to because they were Italian and French, but still.
2am: We got Maddie and started out trek up the hill to Mont Saint Aignan.
2:45am: Finally made it home, walked all the way up the stairs, made it to my apartment door, and my key didn't work. My host mom's key was in the door from the inside, so I couldn't make my key work from the outside.
3am: For some reason, continued to try to unlock the door.
3:05am: Finally realized that I needed to do something other than try to get the key to turn in the lock. Called Ariel.
3:10am: Headed back down the stairs in my heels (genius choice of footwear, by the way) to figure out how to catch the bus back down to Rouen to meet Ariel at the gare.
3:15am: Couldn't figure out the night bus schedule, and was thinking about just heading back to the apartment and ringing the doorbell. Better to make a strikingly bad first impression on your host mom than to be kidnapped, I always say.
3:16am: Saw someone across the street from me. Thought about running back to the apartment, but then saw that it was another student. Maybe this could have been a bad idea, but I just had a good feeling about him. Called out to him from across the street asking if he knew when the next bus was coming. He checked the schedule and said not for another 40 minutes. I know this sounds sketchy, but it really wasn't. You can just tell that certain people are good people sometimes. So anyway, I told him about my situation, and he said that he was walking back into Rouen anyway, so he could walk with me to make sure I made it to Ariel okay, or he would pay for me to get a taxi to the gare. Like I said, he was just a really good person. I called Ariel to let her know I was on my way so that she was expecting me, and then Henry Michel and I started walking towards Rouen, hoping that we would see a taxi on our way and be able to take that. Didn't happen. I'm really glad I ran into someone so helpful, because there really weren't very many taxis out and about at 3am. I am most definitely planning my way home better next time. And by that, I mean I am making sure that my host family doesn't lock me out of the house at nighttime.
But anyway, it was really cool because I got to meet another student, and get this - he's from Senegal! I was telling him about how our group is going to Senegal in November and he freaked out, because that's where all of his family is. Quelle coïncidence!
So we hiked all the way down that freaking hill into Rouen, and finally made it to the gare a little before 4am. There, I met up with Ariel and we took a taxi up to her house in Bihorel, where I spent the night next to Alejandro (the giant bull painted on her bedroom wall). This morning, I left her house around 11am, and then finally made it back to the apartment at noon.
So, in short, I had a wonderful night. What I really don't want is for you (i.e. Alec and my father) to read this and start worrying about me. I promise I was in control of everything all night long. I was with a group of friends (including one boy) my entire night, until I got to my apartment (they walked me all the way home. I love them). I will never be locked out of my apartment again, so I won't have to deal with that situation anymore. I understand that me meeting Henry Michel sounds really sketchy and dangerous, but I was close enough to my apartment that I could have run back inside if anything wasn't safe. He was just another student trying to get home for the night, and was so kind and helpful. I'm so grateful that there are still people so selfless in this world - especially in the city. Also, I called Ariel to let her know who I was with, and when she should expect me at the gare, and we talked periodically throughout my walk to the train station. I promise I was safe and smart the whole night, so please don't worry about me :)
I like how I started that last paragraph with "so, in short . . ." That wasn't short at all.
Anyway, I'm going to go scrounge for some food now. I'm starving (but safe. So stop worrying).
I'm so hungry!!!
Much love, Josie
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