My Aix-perience En Provence!

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Meters and Memory

It sucked getting up today. I should have snoozed but I can’t figure out how to change my iPod to have 5 minute snoozes instead of 9 minutes. So that sort of sucked. Today is Wednesday, which means that Madame doesn’t work and that it is laundry day! This means that I get to reflect on my week! I feel like this week went by a lot slower than other weeks. It seems like forever ago that I went to the Gorge but it has only been like four days. I also feel like this could be because I have been kind of down in the dumps (sort of) and had a cold and just not my favorite week of being here. Also because it is Wednesday Madame is here in the mornings, which is weird for me. I really like that she is usually gone in the mornings. I am a big fan of self-run mornings where I don’t have to talk to people. I just don’t like to talk in the mornings before I choose to and it usually will set the tone for my whole day. In high school mom and I had it figured out that she wouldn’t talk to me until I talked to her and it worked nice. I am not like rude about it I just really like to take care of me and then say hello to the world when I am ready. I don’t have that luxury on Wednesdays. It also doesn’t help that it is one of my wake up early days…

But I woke up and put on a fake cheery face, as anyone who knows me knows that I am not the nicest person in the mornings, and went out to eat breakfast. I had bread and a banana and then talked to Madame about Beebow. She bought him a like cat scratching thing but it is in the shape of a wave. It is really weird and she keeps getting mad that he isn’t using it. I reassured her that it might be because it smells weird that he doesn’t like it yet. But it looks weird and I don’t know how it would really work because when he tried to scratch it, it moves. But I didn’t buy it so I am not too worried about it. I went and packed up my stuff and decided to leave. Madame was wondering why I was leaving 40 minutes early so I told her that I like to be early so that I can go over my notes before class. She liked that answer. I walked to class and was there really early but luckily the building was already unlocked.

On my way to school I got to thinking about how bizarre like memorial monuments are. When you think about it, it is almost weird to have a museum of like Anne Frank’s house. I mean it is a bit strange that we like to go places where like especially with WWII, people were suffering. I mean the people there that went through it would never have thought “Oh yeah later they are going to turn this hell hole into a museum.” DO you see my point? I mean I think it is important and I see why we do it. But it does seem a bit strange…

When I got to school, I got on my computer and looked at tours in Munich again and listened to music while I waited a bit longer. The Wi-Fi at school is much more reliable than at the house. Once Patrick got there I went and talked to him and we talked about my trip to Munich and how I know I don’t have a ton of time there but I want to see everything. So I know I will have to go back there. I was talking about Dachau and Will one of the guys there was like Yeah I really think it is important to do one of those while I am here. We talked about how no one wants to do them because they are so sad and depressing but he told me he was going. I asked which one and he said Auschwitz. I was very jealous. That was where I originally wanted to go but then decided that it was too expensive. But I am excited to go to Dachau.

Class seemed a bit dull today. I think that it is becoming a habit. Class just is not as fun as my free time or my travels so it is definitely on a back burner. Too bad I have a paper and three tests next week… Ooops. I will figure it out. I am not here to get perfect grades, but I will still try and do well. But I have to remind myself that while it is important to keep up, I should not revert to my perfectionist and overly hard working attitude while I am here. That is not the goal for this semester. We talked some more about the monuments in Glanum and then a bit about the creation of Aix in -122 and where the old ramparts and city spots where in comparison to where we are now. It was pretty interesting. A lot of the streets are the same. Also the roman baths are where the spa is now and I guess you can see the ruins in the window. I want to go there and get a spa treatment… $$$. But it is pretty cool that what it used to be 2,135 years ago is what it is now. That’s pretty awesome. I feel like I want to go there just to say that I did. Maybe I will add it to the list…

After class Patrick and I went down to the Cave. I ran up to check my mail. No letter. L And in the meantime Patrick grabbed us both the new packet reading for The Angel Esmerelda. We went downstairs and I was like if there isn’t a real angel in this I will be sadly disappointed because there wasn’t the Devil in Tolsoys The Devil and I was sadly disappointed. I played around on the internet looking at ideas for travel for next weekend/ the two days after our class trip that we have off (Sunday and Armistice Day). Patrick read the reading and then told me I would be sadly disappointed. I started reading, got five pages in and then asked him if it was ever going to get any better, he said no. I skimmed the rest. It was really a boring piece… I didn’t care for it. After that Patrick, LaSia, and I went to crepe a go-go to get lunch. I got banana and nutella, Patrick got chocolate and coconut, and LaSia got honey. They were delicious as usual. We walked back and sat around in the cave on the internet and doing homework. It was kind of nice to do it there. Some girls came in and LaSia and I exchanged looks for a while. They seemed like they were 12. They were complaining about everything and asking each other the STUPIDEST questions ever. I feel like sometimes girls who have a lot of access to money act kind of dumb… Like not to judge or have a prejudice, but a lot of times I have found that to be the case. But they were acting really stupid and turned out the lights on everyone and when they left I was like were they serious? And LaSia responded that she thinks they may have been drunk. But it was like noon… I wouldn’t be surprised though with the way some people party here.

I read some Game of Thrones when I was avoiding homework. And I read the Red Wedding. And I said to myself… That’s it?! That’s what all the hype was about!? I saw that coming like a mile away! But okay. I am not far past that so maybe more things will happen. I think I will read some more before I go to bed. After that Patrick went home and about an hour later LaSia had class. I went and paid George for Monaco and also for Barcelona! Woot woot! I am all set! I didn’t even have to take money out for it because Cassandra paid me for her portion of Lyon and that was enough to cover it! Yay! After that I went and read before class.

I learned that we have two tests next week in that class. It is mostly vocabulary of all the parts of the body, how to describe people, and stuff for the first one. Then the five senses verbs for the second. Both won’t be HARD necessarily but definitely will need flashcards. That won’t be too hard though. I am thinking maybe Friday I will take my laptop to Book in Bar and sit and have a smoothie or something and write my paper and read all day. Sounds like a fun and French thing to do. There isn’t internet there either so that will make it easier to stay on task. But I am not totally sold yet on that idea. But we will see. We translated a poem for my class that I had translated in high school. It is a nice poem. A bit sad but also it was a warm up for a harder one so that’s why it was so easy. It was nice to have a little reminder of the olden days when I was learning what basic French words were was tough. When class was done I went home.

When I got home I went home and started trying to do a bit more homework but because I had done a lot today I was really unmotivated. Madame came up not ten minutes later to close her window and I went down with her to hang with Paul taking another pack of Pokémon cards. He liked them. After that we watched a show on Disney channel called Victorious. It was pretty Disney-channel-esque. Once that was done we played a memory card game with the pictures of animals on the back of the cards and you are supposed to make pairs. Easy enough but they kept like moving the tiles! So then it was like not remember where the card was but like where it was at the time you remember and then where it could have been moved to. It was kind of messed up. Paul kept cheating and after three rounds of taking turns it ended up going Madame, Paul, Me, Paul, Madame, Paul etc. it was like oh yeah little kids you are supposed to let win. So I started playing stupid and like revealing cards that Paul was looking for and then making the wrong pairs.

We did that and then Laurence came home and then the Nurse arrived for Jean-Claude to give him a shot. She is very nice but I find it interesting that nurses make house calls here. It seems like an old fashion thing to me. But it is pretty cool. I guess old people get nurse or assistance house calls, makes sense I guess but I haven’t heard of it in a long time. Jean-Claude got home a few minutes later. Once we finished the game Paul found a tape measure and so we all measured how tall we are. I am 1 meter 65 cm because of course they use the Metric system! I am not sure how accurate that is to my real height of 5’6 ½” because I am no conversionist.

For dinner we had Chicken nuggets and cubed hashbrown potatoes. Oh and before that we had avocado… I ate half. And then was very glad that after I stopped eating for a while she asked if I was done with it and she took it away and wasn’t mad. WIN. I don’t think I could have done the other half. I was struggling. Stupid not being able to swallow things I don’t like. Though I have to admit I am getting better at eating nuts since I have been here. So I am trying! I went and Skyped Thad before he had lunch and we had some interesting discussion topics. After that I went back to the living room and watched the last episode of La Source with Madame that is on twice a week for the last few weeks. She falls asleep during it a lot and then I have to remember what happens so I can tell her when she wakes up but since they talk quietly and quickly it is hard for me to pick up everything so it is a bit of a challenge. We had ice cream bars again too.

I found a flight to Rome for next weekend… It isn’t too expensive either. I feel like I am in a weird position though with my host because I asked if I could take her on a trip for this weekend but she shot me down because she has too many responsibilities here in Aix. But she said we could do like a day thing. I said that was fine. But now I am like well it is my last open weekend and if I want to go somewhere farther away this is my last time to be able to do it. So after class when I got home I asked her about it and explained the situation and she was like yeah that makes way more sense do that and we can do it on a Sunday that you don’t have things going on no big deal. She was really good about it. I think she was shocked that I had offered in the first place. But yeah. She is really cool… I am glad that I have her for my host. She is awesome. She wasn’t upset either she was just like yeah you should go far away while you can. So I made a Facebook group chat to see if anyone would be in to go with me. I invited Patrick, Cassandra, and LaSia. So I will see what happens. I told them that they could invite people too. So I will see… But I want to book soon. Like tomorrow so that I don’t lose this deal.

Déjeuner du matin

Il a mis le café
Dans la tasse
Il a mis le lait
Dans la tasse de café
Il a mis le sucre
Dans le café au lait
Avec la petite cuiller
Il a tourné
Il a bu le café au lait
Et il a reposé la tasse
Sans me parler
Il a allumé
Une cigarette
Il a fait des ronds
Avec la fumée
Il a mis les cendres
Dans le cendrier
Sans me parler
Sans me regarder
Il s'est levé
Il a mis
Son chapeau sur sa tête
Il a mis
Son manteau de pluie
Parce qu'il pleuvait
Et il est parti
Sous la pluie
Sans une parole
Sans me regarder
Et moi j'ai pris
Ma tête dans ma main
Et j'ai pleuré.

Breakfast

He poured the coffee
Into the cup
He poured the milk
Into the cup of coffee
He put the sugar
Into the coffee with milk
With a small spoon
He stirred
He drank the coffee
And he put down the cup
Without speaking to me
He lit a cigarette
He made rings
With the smoke
He put the ash
In the ashtray
Without a word
Without looking at me
He got up
He put his hat on his head
He put on his raincoat
Because it was raining
And he left
Under the rain
Without speaking to me
Without looking at me
And I put
My head into my hands
And I cried.

Also as a general statement for past and future blogs, Sorry for my terrible grammar and spelling weirdness. I write my blogs between 10-12 my time so I am tired and just trying to get it done so I can go to bed/ my English grammar is failing because my french is taking over. I try my best to catch it but it isn't really my greatest priority. :-) Also i just put pictures in wherever I think it will look nice. :-)

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Bookstores

Waking up was easy today. I woke up half an hour before my alarm so I decided to just get up and take my time getting ready. I took a shower and shaved which is a bit awkward to do because I have to use bath water and it is awkward and weird. After that I got dressed and had some breakfast and played stare down with Beebow. I made a PB&J for lunch and then packed some pretzels and a Special K bar. I also found a Dr. Pepper in the fridge that I had forgot I had bought! I packed up my stuff and headed out to class. I get there early usually but it is nice so that I can use the internet or finish up homework. Today I looked at tours for the Dachau camp, though now that I think about it I should have looked at things to do in Paris because that happens first… Oops!

But then Cassandra came in and we talked. Apparently she had a dream about me last night about me opening a package from my mom and it was full of the most random things. I laughed. She probably got that from me saying that yesterday. (Sorry Mom...) I love you sending me things though, especially the heating pad. I will be VERY happy to get that. But we were chilling and then Patrick and his pose came in and we started talking to them. Then class started and we started talking about Charles X and how he was kind of stupid for thinking he could change back to an absolute monarchy after the Revolution just happened to prevent that… So obviously there was another revolution. I was sitting there and I whispered to Cassandra that Patrick and this other girl should totally date and she looked at me and was like, “You just want to play match maker!” Yeah I do.

After class Cassandra was done until 3:30 because she is a lucky duck and her class this week was cancelled. She also paid me for Lyon and an extra thirty so I can pay George for Monaco tomorrow for her. I just thought paid was spelled payed because the French verb is payer I genuinely couldn’t figure out why it was wrong... English is hard. So I feel pretty rich but I am just going to turn around and pay for Barcelona with it. Woot!

So ileft Cassandra and went toward the other building to go to my next class. There was some kind of live guitar music/talk show going on in the block so I stopped to listen and then saw a girl I knew named Darcy sitting on some steps nearby. I went and joined her and ate my lunch. I was very happy to have my soda. Pretty soon it got towards class time so we headed that way. Ran into Patrick on the way and we started talking about places we are going and the bizarre same page reading packets. We had class and during we talked about the idea of if there was a train coming and it was heading towards a track with 6 people on it and you had the power to flip the switch and have it go on another track with only one person on it if you would do it. Everyone said that if you let it hit the six people you were selfish. But I kind of look at it as if you are stupid enough to be walking on the train track when there is a train coming on it, you are pretty stupid so it is kind of your fault. I wouldn’t want to hit the innocent guy who wasn’t being AS stupid. But I said that and everyone told me that I was missing the point. And I did get the point that should you kill 6 if you could just kill one idea but I mean. If it’s your number it’s your number whether its at the same time as 6 other people or not. But I kind of got scolded for trying to make a point. So that was a bit disheartening. Then later when we were talking about the endings of Tolstoys The Devil I said that I thought that neither ending was the best ending and that it should have ended where the two others began because it would have been a more interesting end. Everyone shot me down without hearing my side of the story which made me sad again. I wasn’t in the best mood when class was done. I left the class and then ran into Cassandra and Kelan who asked me why I was sad and I told them that I feel like I don’t really fit in here, which is true I feel like I don’t a lot of the time.

But I feel like I have this problem a lot in my life. I didn’t fit in at Linfield. I really didn’t have a solid group in Middle school that I fit in with or all the way through elementary school because all my best friends ended up moving every year. I feel like it is a really common thing for me like I know I have great friends but I feel like a lot of times in my life I haven’t really fit in. And that makes me kind of sad. But also makes me really glad for the friends that I do have, and especially glad that Spencer and Megan were at WOU to help me find fit in easily because I think that it would have been the same deal at WOU if it wasn’t for them. I dunno maybe it wouldn’t have, but I feel like there is just something in my personality that makes me hard to fit in? I am good at being really good friends with few people but when it comes to a group it is a lot harder for me; which is why I mostly hang out with Cassandra because she and I are similar in that way. Kelan and she reassured me that I do but eh… What else are you supposed to say when someone says that? Maybe I am homesick. I don’t know.

After that I said bye to them and then went to Orange to try and see about internet. After waiting a bit longer to talk to the guy who speaks English there I learned that to get internet through them I have to buy like a box thing to plug into my computer for 50 Euros and then pay to fill it with points or whatever for how much data I use. I said but wait I did this thing through Orange online for internet for 20 Euros without buying stuff. He said oh, so you paid to connect to a hotspot. You can do that too but the internet is pretty bad. And I said yeah it is pretty bad but it is way cheaper and only for a month so I can deal until Jean-Claude gets his internet installed. So I decided to do that.

I went back to school to wait until Cassandra got done with class so we could go get a crepe and decided to sit in the library and Facebook. Pretty soon a girl came in and we sat in silence for a while until she asked what I knew about the George trips. I told her and we talked about them for a bit and then the conversation died. I started reading an article about the government stop or whatever it is called and I asked her what she knew about it. She knew nothing so I emailed her the article and then we talked about it a while. She is from Washington I learned but goes to school in Montana. Her dad is a financial advisor and she said he saw this coming from a mile away. We talked about that for a while and then she called her parents (international calling plan. I was only very jealous.) and got their opinion. We talked after that and then got to how California’s prisons are so full of prisoners that they are letting people go so we talked about that. We talked about some heated stuff and then she told me a story of a family friend of theirs who they found out was raping 14 year old girls and went to prison. We talked about the… Oh man. I forget what it is called but where you can get killed if you did bad crimes? Like legally they like kill you? I forget. But we talked about that too. We probably talked a good hour and pretty soon Cassandra got done with class so I had to leave but we quickly introduced ourselves before we left. Quite a talk for not even knowing each other’s names, but it was pretty cool. I enjoyed it and it made me feel better.

Cassandra, Patrick, and I went to the other building and Cassandra ran up to her locker. On the white board was the sign up for the wine tasting on Friday (free) that I had signed up for but Cassandra couldn’t get in because her email wasn’t working. But luckily some girls had crossed off their names so I signed her up. Then a class in the main hall got out so I played sales girl to try to get people to fill the empty spots. Cassandra and Patrick found it very funny and Sophie who told me to cross her off because she had made better plans thought I was bizarre. (Another not fitting in…) But it was fun and some people did sign up. So you’re welcome. After that we went to Crepes a gogo for a lemon and sugar crepe. They were super busy but we were in no hurry so we waited. After that we went to Book in Bar which is an American bookstore where you can buy books in English (they do have game of thrones but like some of the books have larger font and are split into two books because of it. Weird but kind of cool. ) Cassandra was mildly looking for an Amsterdam guide book but her Uncle lives there and is going to show her around so I don’t really understand why she needs it but maybe she wants some pre-knowledge of it? Who knows. We walked around a bit and looked at their café menu and said we should come here some time. But they don’t have wifi… :-/ Books only. Which is cool but also not… But I think I will send Cassidy there when she comes and I have class because she would like it. It’s pretty chouette. Lots of chouette histories too frère. ;-) Though I think the slang should actually be mec. Eh.

After that Patrick wanted to show us a bookstore he knew that sold Mangas. So we went there. It was pretty cool. It was like Barnes and Noble but like a bit smaller but with lots of books like a real book store not like most of the stores in Aix which are like little dinky things. It was pretty cool and we spent a good amount of time there. I found a copy of my history book there for 20 Euros and every time I use it Madame comments on how nice it is. So I think I will buy a copy for her before I leave. That seems like a nice gift and she doesn’t have it already, or any other books on Provence or Aix.

After that we parted ways and then I came home and did my Provencal history for tomorrow. It was pretty easy. We are going to be talking about the Roman amphitheaters, and I guess there is one here in Aix. So that is chouette. Madame came home and we had chicken and Ratatouille for dinner. We talked about the internet and I gave her back a ten since it was cheaper than anticipated. After we talked about poachers killing elephants because it was on the news, and also about the Marseille soccer team (who lost tonight 3-0). I showed her some of the pictures on my computer of the wedding and of my graduation and things like that as well as a picture of Cassidy, (She thinks you are very beautiful by the way.) and I told her a bit about her. We talked about all the family relations and who is passed away and how well I knew them. I felt a bit touchy about it because both her parents died when she was young so… it was sad. Then we had ice cream bars for dessert, and to my surprise when I bit into it, it was chocolate instead of vanilla. She pulled a fast one on me!

We watched TV for a while as per normal, tonight was the Mentalist. It was a bit bizarre. She complained that there were too many commercials and I told her there were at least twice as many as in the US, and that when you watch a movie on TV you get 2 hours of movie and an hour and a half of commercials. She didn’t like that idea too much. After that we both got tired and went to bed.