Alliance Francaise

This week has been fantastic! One of the best weeks ever!

It started on Monday with the beginning of language school. Many of you know that I was concerned about the scheduling because I was told I had to go to school Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday but I have to work Wednesdays. It turns out I go to school Mondays and Tuesdays from 9-1 and that is perfect. It means I have to wake up at 6:30 to get a parking place at the train station, ride the train, eat breakfast in the station, take the Metro, and walk to the school. But it's really kind of fun. I was able to show someone else how to do it the other day and it made me feel like a pro.

I love the class, even though it's a little over my head. The teacher, Sandrine, is great. She only speaks French in class but she rephrases things if you don't understand. She laughs a lot and I feel like we'll learn a lot with her.

There are about 12 people in my class. 4 are German, 2 American, 1 Canadian, 1 Indonesian, 1 Russian, 1 Czech, 1 Columbian, and 1 Italian. Only the Czech one is a boy. We outnumber him greatly but I don't know that he minds. I feel I got lucky with this class. We all work together really well and I like everyone in there. I had made two friends by the end of the first day and we added one to our group on the second. The four of us have spent most of the week together. Luise I met first. She's German, 20, and really funny. Camilla next. She's also German, 19, and also really funny. Finally, Hannah, 22, who's from Lynchburg, VA. Not only is she from Lynchburg, but she went to school in Charleston, SC (where I almost went to school) and she was born in Johnson City, TN (where I did go to school). Weird how small this world is. The four of us speak English most of the time but we're trying to speak more in French.

After school, we eat lunch and shop some before catching our trains back to wherever we have to go to pick the kids up from school. On Thursday, Luise, Hannah, and I went to la plage (the beach) in Marseille. It was amazing! Hardly anyone there and it was really warm and beautiful. The water was cold and clear and so salty I could just float forever. Fantastic. So the view in the direction of the water is beautiful. The view on the beach just makes me laugh. Men wear speedos, women go topless, and everyone just changes clothes on the beach, sometimes hidden by towels. It is definitely a different life here.

Friday night was the best. The four of us girls spent the night at Camilla's house in Cassis. We dressed up and went out to the harbor for dinner at 11:30pm. Unfortunately, everything was closing but a nice man told us of an outdoor cafe where we could go for some good pizza. We went and spent probably two hours there. We flirted a bit with some French boys (including a waiter) and the restaurant gave us free wine and lollipops. Then we made our way up the forever long, uphill driveway and fell into bed.

*In the photo, Camilla (purple), me (green), Luise (gray), and Hannah (black). Those are the colors we're wearing, by the way, not the colors we are.

This weekend was spent relaxing and doing mostly nothing. We had friends over for lunch today and spent hours by the pool. Each time we have people over, I recognize more and more of what they're saying. I'm not ready to have conversations with people but I like to listen. I don't want to do anything halfway. When I start talking, I want to be good at it. I'm not sure how that'll work out for me but it's what I want. Tomorrow is the third day of language school and another day to see my friends. I'm so excited!