it was aboot time for an update, eh? i know all my loyal readers (uh, all four of you? or are we up to five now?) have been chompin' at the proverbial bit, eagerly awaiting the latest news and photos from gay par-ee.
unfortunately, you're gonna have to wait for more pics. i was by notre-dame about a week and a half ago, and, being the obnoxious tourist that i am, naturally whipped out my camera. this was what resulted:
unfortunately, you're gonna have to wait for more pics. i was by notre-dame about a week and a half ago, and, being the obnoxious tourist that i am, naturally whipped out my camera. this was what resulted:
mon appareil est cassé...tristesse!alors, maintenant, that little bitz is at canon's factory service center. in the meantime, allow me to catch you up on some happenings that have occurred since i last wrote...sans photo illustrations. (my B.)
i have in fact confirmed that my eight-plus years of french class amount to very little in the real world. my conversations with french people are, en général, full of 'comment?' s and 'désolée, je ne comprend pas' s. occasionally i manage to form a coherent phrase, or even sentence, and am told 'si, vous parlez très bien le français!' after that, the expectations for the exchange have been set, and knowing i can never live up to them, i get awkward and nervous and revert back to my stuttering, infinitive-rife franglais.
speaking of the real world, my little experiment in supporting myself for the summer has turned out to be a tad stressful. yes, i know, i'm in PARIS and it's beautiful and magical and a once-in-a-lifetime type opportunity, and i'm crazy to let the stress get to me, but it is a little unsettling not knowing whether or not i'll have enough money for groceries and the rent next month. if this is what we almost-seniors have to look forward to next year, then, as kaveets would say, 'mama, take me back!' (i think we can all agree there's nothing more soothing and stress-free than the warmth and comfort of the uterine environment.)
i have in fact confirmed that my eight-plus years of french class amount to very little in the real world. my conversations with french people are, en général, full of 'comment?' s and 'désolée, je ne comprend pas' s. occasionally i manage to form a coherent phrase, or even sentence, and am told 'si, vous parlez très bien le français!' after that, the expectations for the exchange have been set, and knowing i can never live up to them, i get awkward and nervous and revert back to my stuttering, infinitive-rife franglais.
speaking of the real world, my little experiment in supporting myself for the summer has turned out to be a tad stressful. yes, i know, i'm in PARIS and it's beautiful and magical and a once-in-a-lifetime type opportunity, and i'm crazy to let the stress get to me, but it is a little unsettling not knowing whether or not i'll have enough money for groceries and the rent next month. if this is what we almost-seniors have to look forward to next year, then, as kaveets would say, 'mama, take me back!' (i think we can all agree there's nothing more soothing and stress-free than the warmth and comfort of the uterine environment.)
lucky for me i like my job, and have been scheduled for mad shifts the past two weeks. as i mentioned briefly, i'm working (illegally...shh, DON'T DEPORT ME) as a waitress at an American diner called...Breakfast in America! it's pretty adorable. milkshakes, fries, burgers, AMERICAN COFFEE...awesome stuff. honestly, i'm not sure i could handle the whole being-on-your-feet-for-eight-hours-with-no-breaks thing for more than a few months. but for now it's fun and i get to talk to people, and it pays the bills. you know.
last week, i was feeling particularly homesick. i'm not even quite sure why. i guess being poor was getting to me, as was the fact that most everybody else i care about is in nyc or jerz or williamsburg. yes, they're also working crummy service industry jobs or putting in a lot of unpaid time at internships or taking classes, but at least they're together.
the good news is the homesickness is definitely a little better this week. i'm a pretty big homebody, i think i just need to get used to being off on my own. also, my mommy sent me a card that the whole family signed! and anya's been a very good pal through my quasi-rocky adjustment period.
and you know what? i woke up today, and the sun was shining, and i looked out my window and realized...sure, i can't afford to eat in restaurants, or shop, or travel, or maybe even pay rent next month (eek...), but hey man. i'm young. i'm in paris. la vie est belle and it's really all about putting things (and keeping them) in perspective.
oohf, that was corny, i apologize.
to make up for the corn, here's a little france-related ditty from flight of the conchords. they speak french like i do!
later gators.
last week, i was feeling particularly homesick. i'm not even quite sure why. i guess being poor was getting to me, as was the fact that most everybody else i care about is in nyc or jerz or williamsburg. yes, they're also working crummy service industry jobs or putting in a lot of unpaid time at internships or taking classes, but at least they're together.
the good news is the homesickness is definitely a little better this week. i'm a pretty big homebody, i think i just need to get used to being off on my own. also, my mommy sent me a card that the whole family signed! and anya's been a very good pal through my quasi-rocky adjustment period.
and you know what? i woke up today, and the sun was shining, and i looked out my window and realized...sure, i can't afford to eat in restaurants, or shop, or travel, or maybe even pay rent next month (eek...), but hey man. i'm young. i'm in paris. la vie est belle and it's really all about putting things (and keeping them) in perspective.
oohf, that was corny, i apologize.
to make up for the corn, here's a little france-related ditty from flight of the conchords. they speak french like i do!
later gators.
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