Double Whammy (for you ;)

Watch out, world--Katie's about to write a pretty long post in a pretty exhausted state of mind...I'm just sayin', watch out.

So, where should I start? Ah yes I left myself a clue on yesterday's post about the highlights of the day...But I think I'll start with today and go backwards!

I have just come from a really truly French soirée--Ok, not so much a party, more a family dinner. Isabelle's mother has come to stay with us until Thursday and hence Stéphane and Anne-So came to spend time with her too. We actually ate in the dining room! We had some yummy Tours-famous meat that I already forget the name of and potatoes au-gratin (and it's funny, because before dinner I said it smelled like Thanksgiving, and then afterwards I double checked that they call them au-gratin here too and said how we have them at home a lot and Isabelle said, "So that's why it smelled familiar!") and la grand-mère was for some reason impressed that I eat their salad with vinaigrette. ?? I explained to Claire about salad sauce that you just buy at the grocery store. Claire had to go do homework but I sat for the rest of the time and listened to their doctor talk about AIDS (SIDA or TIH I think) and whooping cough (coqueluche--I figured out what it was just by listening to them talk about how it was gone and then came back and then Stéphane did a great imitation that sealed the deal). It's very interesting to hear them talk about med school and people who re-take years etc etc. Claire told a story (that her parents had never heard--hmm) about how once when she was on a school trip they went to see a little circus and the elephant escaped! haha! We didn't have cheese tonight (WHAAAAAAT??) (which only bothered Stéphane) but we did have some kind of cake that somehow tasted like the dried jerky-type Taiwanese thing that Shu-Fen let me try once combined with orange combined with cake. I have no idea how those all tie together. But they did. It was really weird, I'm not gonna lie. I enjoyed my baguette with applesauce. Then, since grandmama was here, I went and sat by the fire with her and Hervé after dinner a bit (and Isabelle joined us) and talked about French lit some and how Isabelle made photo albums for all the kids and they seemed very happy to receive them but the albums are just sitting in the dining room! I tried to explain how scrapbooking is very popular in the States. I almost told the story about how when we were cleaning out the basement I saw an envelope that had my signature all over it but I didn't remember it and it looked a little different--because Isabelle forges her family's signatures for things too and was lamenting how difficult the oldest brother's is. I couldn't come up with the word for envelope fast enough though...ah well.

Ok, so that was tonight--today classes were assez interésants (interesting enough). I had done the homework alright and for lunch we (Makayla, Hannah, Emily and I) went to Mangez-moi (Eat Me). We kind of hope it's an Alice in Wonderland reference. My panini was kind of not-delicious, but whatever, it was 2,50. BTdubs: Paninis are made baguette style--really long. I had an art history/geography class (somehow everything always ends up being geographie here...) in the afternoon and WHY did he have to keep the room so DARK! I don't mind if the slides aren't as brilliant if it keeps me more awake to be aware of them! I really struggle from like, 1:30-3:30, man...

I chose to go to the business French atelier au choix (you-pick-which-workshop) because I find myself sorely lacking in all knowledge of business which could someday prove detrimental if I go into translation. Plus, the other options were lit and judicial French...no thank you.

One of the girls from the program is in the hospital and I kind of felt bad for not going to see her with everyone, but, I don't really know her and I kind of doubt she cares if I came or not...it's a bummer for sure though! I think it just started as an ear infection or something? Je ne sais pas. (I don't know).

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed myself this evening.

OK then, rewinding to Monday:

Yes, everyone in my class is very nice, I was kind of afraid the other BG girls would be standoffish but hopefully that fear isn't making ME seem standoffish...I think we're getting along fine though. I sat next to the one in Art History and the other is a smile-and-wave-er, even just across the room. I talked more to the Saudi guy today "What are you doing here" blah blah blah, and the Taiwanese girl I met is indeed in my class and was just absent yesterday. I've reached a nice blend of not ALWAYS answering ALL the questions and of having the prof replay the listening things right when I need it instead of definitely when I don't, etc. Plus, everyone else in the class is capable enough that we got into an interesting little debate about whether or not we would hire the girl whose job interview we heard. (That was today, but demonstrates the same point). And the homework is really nothing. I don't know if it'll continue to be really nothing, but... And the 4th level prof lied: He made it sound all scary that at the 5th level you don't study grammar anymore...what did we do first thing this morning? For a good chunk of the morning? Accordance for participles in the passé composé. Uhhhhh huh. Rules are now clearer in my head, although I didn't do so badly...

2? Oh yeah, I had a really enjoyable afternoon snack: A baguette with nutella and too many chouquettes--like little donut pastries with big sugar grains on them. The lighter, fluffier, this-can't-be-that-bad-for-you version of donut holes. ;) Oh and just a really important FYI: DON'T microwave baguettes! Yes, even if they're kind of stale and some softening might do them good, you will not make it softer. You'll just make it more flexible which does not make it easier to rip off a bite. Just don't do it. Toasting works a lot better. Then you can at least kind of break off a bite. This brings me to this morning's breakfast: there was this AWESOME whole grain bread that was just marvelous with honey. I kind of hope I can have it again tomorrow and it's just as soft and delicious. Like, mmmm, such a good petit-déjeuner. (breakfast). ...Mmmmm....

*shakes self*

3: I went to the Café de Langues! It was very fun! Like any new thing, I was a bit apprehensive, because I had to go by myself, but Isabelle lent me her portable (cell phone) and assured me that there was no reason to fear walking in the dark (the idea seemed to seem preposterous to her, actually, and Claire was all like, "huh?" basically) and I could call her at any hour and she would come pick me up. It was totally fine. OK so that was préoccupation #1, and then when I got there it looked like no one was there, so I like walked by, walked around the plaza, and came back, went in behind some people and followed them up to the second floor where there was someone directing with a nametag (phew!) and a whole lotta people. I sat between (among??) three older French ladies for a little bit and spoke English to them, and then ended up sitting a bit more comfortably with three other studentes from the Institute (two Japanese, one Américaine) and by the end of the evening, three French people (one man--farmer, distributor among supermarkets, who wants to improve his English for business--and two studentes our age). I had anticipated getting a hot chocolate, but it was definitely warm enough already! (My goodness! So many people!) So I got a cold chocolate (chocolat glacé) which cost more than my panini (3,50)--but as the French customers pointed out on the receipt, they charge a tax of some sort when you're in the Café de Langues so it's a bit more expensive.

Oh, interesting note: Here, on the price tags, they have the price before tax and after tax because some professions don't have to pay tax. It's very helpful to be able to start counting up the right coins before the total arrives.

Let's see, other interesting facts? The grandma's hair is impossibly dark. I don't think it's a wig and I don't see why she would dye it, but it's BLACK. I still dislike getting up and getting ready while it's still dark and then walking to class with the sunrise. It was a little colder today and I didn't dress quite appropriately, but Isabelle lit a fire tonight and so I'm warm again. I didn't want to wear my awesome cream wool sweater AGAIN but I shouldn't have worried--both of my profs had clothes on from yesterday--one the pants, one her shirt. (Oh yeah, stereotypical French: Yes, they do love their wine and cheese, yes, I have seen quite a few people wearing black and white striped shirts of varying varieties who yes, may or may not be carrying a baguette, but no, I have not seen any berets [and noticed]). More randomness: We're going to their country house this weekend and I'm looking forward to it. I feel like Hisa often. They say I'm really good at French--having a new person in the house accented it a bit because they talked about me in front of me--like, Isabelle: "blahblahblah" Grandma: "But you're talking a little fast!" Isabelle: "But she understands everything!" FALSE. I'm really good at guessing. ;) And really, it's not the speed, it's the clarity. But I do understand like 95% of what they say and 90% of what's going on--it goes down a bit at dinner, especially if multiple conversations break out, but Isabelle makes sure I get the gist. :)

Tomorrow, I'm going to go do whatever the young adults at this church do on Wednesday nights, and I should really work on sending in that visa paper that I'm supposed to send in. :)

Eh bon, I think this was sufficiently long enough to make up for yesterday, and I hope that you haven't drowned. Do I overuse parentheses? Hmmm...Ah well...News from YOU is always welcome too! Questions to be addressed are also welcome!... Good night!

PS: Do you think my English is getting affected by French? Because I do. I can hear in my head how certain things would sound in French and can tell that they're influencing each other. I tried to speak a bit of Spanish with the guy last night (because he threw some in here and there) and I just couldn't! I'd reach for Spanish and come up with French! This could be a bit of a problem...hopefully I'll figure out a way to fix it. It's not like there are no Spanish speakers à l'Institut! ...Well, none in my class, but...surely I can find some!