March 23, 2010

Update time! It's super late so I don't think this is going to make any sense... and I may just give up and try again after my London trip... but here we go.

Yesterday I had class. I had french class, nothing to report, there. I had religion class as well. It is the second to last one and I'm actually kind of sad. Our teacher in that class is really awesome. He's french, and just about the nicest french person I know. It'll be nice to get that class out of the way, though.


Near the institute, we witnessed all the missionaries dressed up in African suits. It was fairly odd. they are learning the Hacka (sp?) in african suits. not making much sense. oh well.


FHE with the Ricks was canceled yesterday, but Ariel and I still wanted to go to the singles FHE to get a good break from the usual break. We had a good few hours to hang out, though. We went to the Apple store in the Louvre where they have free WiFi so she could update her blog. I was just reading my French 362 book the hole time. The security guard who was prob in his mid thirties and not super attractive came up to speak with us. He brought a buddy to help translate. He said he recognized us from an earlier trip because of our hair and said that we were very beautiful. He asked if he would see us again, and I said he could when we came back. I was fine with it all but there were a lot of Americans sitting by us witnessing the whole thing which I found amusing for some reason. Whenever I hear an American I just want to speak to them so bad! I always refrain. I just miss Americans, I suppose. One sitting next to me commented to his buddy that a guy with the most awesome hair ever just walked by and I looked at where he was talking about and he looked at me and I got all bashful and started reading my book again. Ariel and I were talking about it, though. We seriously just want to talk to every American there is. One time I did but they were from Canada and I ended up having to go a different way and it was just a tad awkward. I've learned my lesson. I saw one American family arguing on the metro about which way they should go and I almost went up to help them but I was on thee way to class so I didn't. They were having issues, though.


Anyhow, after that, we were wandering around near hotel de ville (the only place we know we can for sure find good cheap food) and I was really tired for some reason. I was down right delirious. I was kind of stumbling and just super out of it. We got some food in me, though (in the form of a banana nutella crepe) and headed to FHE.


FHE was fine. Landon gave the lesson, which I understood most of until I tuned everything out because of my tiredness. After the lesson I just sort of sat there and spoke with Chelsea, Angela, and Ariel Miro came over and he and Ariel were flirting a bunch so I let them do their thing. I actually spent almost all my time talking to Carter. He's an American BYU alum who's just working in pairs. Everyone has decided to dub him a creeper, but he's not really. He's actually quite funny. I'm not even sure what we talked about, though. It was all kind of a blur. He said he wants to interview me on film about love, though, so I'll prob end up doing that some time. He was a film major, BTW. No flirting or anything during this FHE. I wasn't really in the mood. I just wanted to go to bed. In fact, we all kind of ended up closing up the party. I didn't mean to but I was waiting for Ariel to stop talking to Miro. I finally just got up and was about to leave on my own cause I felt so bad for staying late. Everyone ended up following me anyways. At the RER station, an American girl (forgot her name), Miro, and Carter all gave me nice big hugs and I realized how much I miss hugs! The kissy kissy thing is all fine and dandy, but there's nothing like a good squeeze. I never used to be a huge hug person but after this, I think I'll be converted.


Today, I just had french class and a French oral test. The oral test was OK, but I think I spoke too much about beaches. I also messed up on a lot of the pronunciation. After I was done telling my little story, Garret asked me how to say certain words and I actually said them right that time. We talked about how it's hard when you're talking in paragraphs to try to also keep pronunciation right, too. Hopefully he took that into account.. we'll see. He's kind of a tough grader. I was going to go when my text book disappeared out of thin air! I left it on the floor and then I couldn't find it anymore. I looked everywhere. I didn't freak out cause I knew it still had to be in the institute somewhere. I waited for music class to get out but none of them had it, of course. Finally I went and asked Richard if he happened to have two books. He was all “let me check... whoa, I do!” and he felt kind of bad that I was waiting around for my book and he had it the whole time. It wasn't a big deal, though. It was just really baffling.


I had dinner with my family tonight. It wasn't bad, but a little heavy on the potatoes. There was a potato carrot salad and then mashed potatoes with fish in it. It was actually funny, Fmom pointed at the mashed potatoes and was going to scoop me up some and she asked if I liked poisson. I was really confused and Lorene translated for me that that meant fish (which I already knew). I said sure and she scooped me up some and I was just kind of grossed out by the fish slop. I asked what kind of fish it was and they answered cod or something like that. I could taste the potatoes but I thought surely they wouldn't have TWO potato dishes in one meal... especially since they only usually have only one or two dishes and cheese. I told them that we don't have dishes like that in the states and Fmom was all “no no, it's very french.” after dinner, and after eating it all I said “I'm really confused by this dish. Is it pureed fish?” and then they explained it was just potatoes with fish bits in it. It was all very fishy tasting. I'm a tad slow, I suppose.


As usual, they didn't really speak to us much. Courtney was trying to explain that we got free tickets to go back to England but was having issues so I had to interject a lot. That was about the only time we spoke to them, though. They asked what we were doing there and where we were staying and for how long. That was about it. The kids were joking around with each other a lot. Tristan really likes to do impressions of random people when his sisters are telling stories. I also heard Tiphine talk about American accents and said “je parle francais” in a perfect American accent and I chuckled a little... it was just a little awkward though.


Fdad didn't come to dinner, tonight. He was practicing his guitar. I always thought it was Tristan learning guitar, but I suppose it's Fdad. He's very beginner level and everyone at dinner was making fun of him. And they shut the doors so they couldn't hear them but the simple tune he was playing was stuck in all our heads by that time. It was kind of amusing. I give him props for learning the guitar. If he wants to play, then it's good that he's going for it. It was kind of funny, though. Fdad is pretty cute. And Lidwin complemented my dress. Before Tristan went upstairs, he stuck his cheek right in front of his mom's face and wouldn't move until she kissed it. That was funny and very french seeming. That isn't something you see in the states. Tristan doesn't act like American boys at all, but he's not femmy... just different. Lauren once asked if I preferred french or American boys and I said American without hesitation... but then I added that I didn't really know any french boys. That's about all there is to report about dinner.


Well, I'm off to the shower. I am really very tired and I have a trip to London after class, tomorrow! I can't wait to post pictures and let you all know how it goes. I miss and love you.


ps. I got to talk to Mom on skype and Granny and Papa were there. I was cracking up the whole time. I understand myself a bit better now. It was grand :)

oh, and no pics for this update. sorry!