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I went to Le Mans today to go foyer hunting.
In case I haven't explained what a foyer is, it is basically a dorm for young workers.
In fact, that is exactly what it is.
It even comes with a meal plan and shared showers.
This day went way better than the disasterous one in Anger. I bought a new umbrella to replace the one I smashed against the steel pole, but it didn't even rain that much.
There was a strike at the train station (Again or Still?) so I waited an extra hour before boarding. I found the place with minimal trouble after a little trip to the tourist office for a map.
Truth: I had been walking in circles for half an hour before I stumbled across the tourist office.
It was about 2:00 and the foyer lady told me to come back at 5 when the other office workers would be there, because apparently French people have decided to just, not work, at ALL during the day.
But no harm, so I went to go meet Kiwi-Girl who I had made plans with.
*Note the subtle introduction of a real, live, female, age appropriate female-friend
We did some browsing and walked around and then headed back to the foyer where she happens to live.
I think there are only 2 foyers in Le Mans so its not that big of a coincidence. I am certainly not stalking her, though I have been known for my stalkerish tendencies, like that time two weeks where I stalked the admin assistant to beg him to let me pay my rent.
The room is a pretty standard dorm room. Nothing too off-putting or special. The rent is very high, but the government heavily subsidizes it, so after all the paperwork, if I haven't yet died from licking envelopes or paper cuts, it should only be about 200 euro including all breakfasts and 16 meals a month.
They don't have wifi- that being something that exists only in developed countries and the bastion of developed countries, Mcdonalds- but they do have ethernet in the common room, which will have to do.
Frankly, it could have been a shithole and I still would have wanted to live there if only to be in a place that takes more then 7 min. to walk through....
Next: Why I don't want to live in Anger!
*I don't want to overburden you with an overly long post in case you decide you are done procrastinating.
Monday 30 November 2009
Saturday 28 November 2009
The Local Bar
British roommate has escaped to Nantes to visit his grandmother so Me and the Spanish roommate went to the local bar tonight.
It's actually a nice place. There are darts and pool tables and young French people.
Pretty exciting for Sable.
After I did the usual round of cheek kisses which took about 2 min (2 min of cheek kisses is a lot. I feel really awkward doing it. When there are 5 people, for example, you have to kiss all of them. That's 10 kisses. And everyone kind of crowds around you until you are done. I'm the only one who feels awkward about it though, so I try not to blush) a nice garcon bought me a drink (he also bought like 4 other people a drink- he was just nice).
It was ouzo with some sort of juice. Every time I drink ouzo I think of that time in Greece when I was 18 and it got poured down my throat and then ceramic plates were smashed over my head. Needless to say, ouzo gets me in party mode!
I tried to ask if there was any weed without sounding sketchy, but didn't manage to snuff out any leads. I guess smuggling from 'dam is the only way to go.
The best thing about going to these local bars is that it rapidly improves my French and forces me to converse in it.
Also, PROGRESS... my French language goal for the year is to be able to watch a movie or tv show in French and understand it, and when I watched Lost in Translation tonight in French, I could totally understand a significant amount of words. It is starting to sound less blah blah blah blah and more sensical.
K so I just looked up "sensical" in the dictionary and it is not an entry. Maybe learning French is regressing my English?
It's actually a nice place. There are darts and pool tables and young French people.
Pretty exciting for Sable.
After I did the usual round of cheek kisses which took about 2 min (2 min of cheek kisses is a lot. I feel really awkward doing it. When there are 5 people, for example, you have to kiss all of them. That's 10 kisses. And everyone kind of crowds around you until you are done. I'm the only one who feels awkward about it though, so I try not to blush) a nice garcon bought me a drink (he also bought like 4 other people a drink- he was just nice).
It was ouzo with some sort of juice. Every time I drink ouzo I think of that time in Greece when I was 18 and it got poured down my throat and then ceramic plates were smashed over my head. Needless to say, ouzo gets me in party mode!
I tried to ask if there was any weed without sounding sketchy, but didn't manage to snuff out any leads. I guess smuggling from 'dam is the only way to go.
The best thing about going to these local bars is that it rapidly improves my French and forces me to converse in it.
Also, PROGRESS... my French language goal for the year is to be able to watch a movie or tv show in French and understand it, and when I watched Lost in Translation tonight in French, I could totally understand a significant amount of words. It is starting to sound less blah blah blah blah and more sensical.
K so I just looked up "sensical" in the dictionary and it is not an entry. Maybe learning French is regressing my English?
Quote from Lost in Translation
Me and my Spanish roommate were watching Lost in Translation tonight after we got home from the local bar (!) and I found this great interview by Bill Murray. I'm not being maudlin, swear, I just like the quote.
"It’s not just being awake in the middle of the night and being anonymous. It’s being awake in the middle of the night with yourself. Without your support, without your buffers, as we call them. Your comfort things, you’re laying down.
He didn’t even have his TV stations. He was trapped. He didn’t have his stuff, he didn’t have his bedroom, he didn’t have his booze, he didn’t have his stuff, [and] he didn’t have his world. It’s just a shock of consciousness where all of a sudden you’re stuck with yourself....
And there’s nobody here that knows me. There’s nobody here that cares about me.
So who am I when I don’t have all my posse, my stuff with me?” That’s what it is. When you go to a foreign country, truly foreign, there is a major shock of consciousness that comes on you when you see that, “Oh God, it’s just me here.”
There’s nobody, no neighbors, no friends, no phone calls - just room service"
~Bill Murray in an interview for the movie Lost in Translation
Ps: I don't even have room service.
"It’s not just being awake in the middle of the night and being anonymous. It’s being awake in the middle of the night with yourself. Without your support, without your buffers, as we call them. Your comfort things, you’re laying down.
He didn’t even have his TV stations. He was trapped. He didn’t have his stuff, he didn’t have his bedroom, he didn’t have his booze, he didn’t have his stuff, [and] he didn’t have his world. It’s just a shock of consciousness where all of a sudden you’re stuck with yourself....
And there’s nobody here that knows me. There’s nobody here that cares about me.
So who am I when I don’t have all my posse, my stuff with me?” That’s what it is. When you go to a foreign country, truly foreign, there is a major shock of consciousness that comes on you when you see that, “Oh God, it’s just me here.”
There’s nobody, no neighbors, no friends, no phone calls - just room service"
~Bill Murray in an interview for the movie Lost in Translation
Ps: I don't even have room service.
Friday 27 November 2009
Cheddar Cheese!
There was a surprise today in the grocery store.
I saw cheddar cheese for the first time since coming to France! Granted, it wasn't real cheddar cheese, but it was processed and pre-sliced.
How North American!
No rind, no smell, just good 'ol sterile cheese full of chemicals.
Sometimes, ya just need a cheese that melts. Brie is all well and good, but nothing beats cheddar for a good grilled cheese sandwich.
I saw cheddar cheese for the first time since coming to France! Granted, it wasn't real cheddar cheese, but it was processed and pre-sliced.
How North American!
No rind, no smell, just good 'ol sterile cheese full of chemicals.
Sometimes, ya just need a cheese that melts. Brie is all well and good, but nothing beats cheddar for a good grilled cheese sandwich.
Christmas Lesson
I "taught" about Christmas today.
I've noticed that I mostly complain on this blog instead of actually describing what I am in in France to do.
But it's my blog so I can write what I want.
(but please keep reading! and commenting! lurve comments! they make me feel less lonely and depressed)
So I got a bunch of pictures about winter and Christmas in Canada. And Channukah and Kwanza obviously. I'm nervous that I forgot some sort of ethnic holiday since I have only been around white people for the past 2 months.
I made them a slide show of
children in snowsuits
red Starbucks cups,
Tim Hortons roll-up-the-rim-to-win cups,
Christmas trees, the Ottawa canal, how busy Yorkdale is.
It didn't even make me homesick! Except for the snowsuits...
damn I wish I could wear snow pants and not look like an idiot.
There was this guy in university (shot out-you know who you are) who used to bike to school in bright yellow rain pants from Mountain Co-op, and I was always a little jealous.
Neways, so yes that is basically how I "teach". I showed pictures. And then I wrote the words on the board. Hard shit.
2 classes tomorrow are cancelled. Yay. More free time to accomplish nothing.
The less I do the less I am motivated to do.
I miss ice coffee.
I think I will go to Paris next weekend to buy some. Is anyone else going to be there?
I've noticed that I mostly complain on this blog instead of actually describing what I am in in France to do.
But it's my blog so I can write what I want.
(but please keep reading! and commenting! lurve comments! they make me feel less lonely and depressed)
So I got a bunch of pictures about winter and Christmas in Canada. And Channukah and Kwanza obviously. I'm nervous that I forgot some sort of ethnic holiday since I have only been around white people for the past 2 months.
I made them a slide show of
children in snowsuits
red Starbucks cups,
Tim Hortons roll-up-the-rim-to-win cups,
Christmas trees, the Ottawa canal, how busy Yorkdale is.
It didn't even make me homesick! Except for the snowsuits...
damn I wish I could wear snow pants and not look like an idiot.
There was this guy in university (shot out-you know who you are) who used to bike to school in bright yellow rain pants from Mountain Co-op, and I was always a little jealous.
Neways, so yes that is basically how I "teach". I showed pictures. And then I wrote the words on the board. Hard shit.
2 classes tomorrow are cancelled. Yay. More free time to accomplish nothing.
The less I do the less I am motivated to do.
I miss ice coffee.
I think I will go to Paris next weekend to buy some. Is anyone else going to be there?
Monday 23 November 2009
A comically bad day
I went to Anger to Foyer hunt today.
I planned to take the 11:30 train, but I ended up sleeping until 11:30 and taking the 1:00. Then the station informed me that there was a train strike today.
Luckily, I had looked up the word for strike last week because there is a teachers strike this week, as well.
I only had to wait 15 min though, so I guess it is some sort of partial strike, or something.
I got to Anger and easily found the first Foyer I was supposed to look at, but I will talk about that another time; this post is about the shitty parts of my day.
So I left to go find the other Foyers and stopped at the tourist office for a map.
I'm extremely bad at map reading, usually I don't bother with maps because I know it will just get me lost. I usually prefer to wander in circles with no destination in mind or else I get incredibly frustrated by my lack of directionability skills.
But I actually had a specific destination in mind, so attempted to find it by map, which obviously failed, so I walked in circles for a half an hour.
Which was okay since I'm pretty used to being lost.
So I figured that I had to cross the street and turn left. So I crossed the street at a zebra crossing, making sure that the bus had stopped.
annnnd
BAM, I was on the road.
I had tripped over the random stone circles that are evenly spaced on roads.
I was splayed on the ground, in shock. My knee had slammed into the pavement and my palms had broken the fall and ached. I didn't move for 10 seconds than looked up to the bus.
The driver was just sitting there. Emotionless. I caught his eye with mine. It was clear he was unperturbed that a young girl had just tripped in front of him, and I didn't want to hold the bus up.
Yes. I didn't want to to hold the bus up.
Canadians, eh?
I couldn't stand because my knee hurt too much so I dragged myself across the road like a lame drunk and hobbled over to a bench.
I sat there and cried, but I hid my face in my oversize purse so as not to draw attention.
Eventually I got up, my knee was feeling better and I set about trying to find this Foyer again.
After another 10 min, I thought Fuck it, I don't want to live here anyways, why waste my time.
I decided not to live in Anger because they are building a tram line so it's very noisy and congested and the entire city square is being dug up.
So I decided to go browsing instead.
I was innocently in Sephora, when I got kicked out.
Kicked out of Sephora. How could I live in a city where I couldn't even innocently browse in Sephora?
I guess I had used one tester too many or something because the security guard came up to me and told me that I had to ask one of the shop ladies for assistance.
This was just ridiculous. Sephora has a millon testers for a reason. I can't speak French. I don't want to talk to shop ladies, I just want to see if this lipstick is my colour dammit. I can do that myself. Just leave me the fuck alone, I'm browsing, this is my happy time.
Of course his long speech to me about how I couldn't just TEST the TESTERS myself spoiled everything so I left.
---> insert tirade on French customer service here.
I exited the store to pouring rain, but congratulating myself on my cleverness, I whipped out the umbrella I had remembered to bring from home.
I had purchased it for 5 euros along the Seine the last time rain had sprung up on me.
The winds were fierce and in about 10 min. the damn thing broke. I tried to salvage the day, and walked around for a bit more but eventually decided to cut my losses and headed towards the station.
My umbrella just kept breaking and breaking and eventually I got so angry, and was soaked and my knee hurt and my hair was frizzing that I slammed my umbrella against a steel pole and screamed FUCK YOU.
That placated me for a bit. I wanted to do it again , but the sponteniety of the anger had left me and I just felt silly.
I waited 2 damp and shivery hours in the train station because of the strike reading Down and Out in Paris and London, which was extremely appropriate for the situation and made me happy that at least I am not living in 1930s Paris in a flee-infested motel working 12 hours a day as a busboy.
I planned to take the 11:30 train, but I ended up sleeping until 11:30 and taking the 1:00. Then the station informed me that there was a train strike today.
Luckily, I had looked up the word for strike last week because there is a teachers strike this week, as well.
I only had to wait 15 min though, so I guess it is some sort of partial strike, or something.
I got to Anger and easily found the first Foyer I was supposed to look at, but I will talk about that another time; this post is about the shitty parts of my day.
So I left to go find the other Foyers and stopped at the tourist office for a map.
I'm extremely bad at map reading, usually I don't bother with maps because I know it will just get me lost. I usually prefer to wander in circles with no destination in mind or else I get incredibly frustrated by my lack of directionability skills.
But I actually had a specific destination in mind, so attempted to find it by map, which obviously failed, so I walked in circles for a half an hour.
Which was okay since I'm pretty used to being lost.
So I figured that I had to cross the street and turn left. So I crossed the street at a zebra crossing, making sure that the bus had stopped.
annnnd
BAM, I was on the road.
I had tripped over the random stone circles that are evenly spaced on roads.
I was splayed on the ground, in shock. My knee had slammed into the pavement and my palms had broken the fall and ached. I didn't move for 10 seconds than looked up to the bus.
The driver was just sitting there. Emotionless. I caught his eye with mine. It was clear he was unperturbed that a young girl had just tripped in front of him, and I didn't want to hold the bus up.
Yes. I didn't want to to hold the bus up.
Canadians, eh?
I couldn't stand because my knee hurt too much so I dragged myself across the road like a lame drunk and hobbled over to a bench.
I sat there and cried, but I hid my face in my oversize purse so as not to draw attention.
Eventually I got up, my knee was feeling better and I set about trying to find this Foyer again.
After another 10 min, I thought Fuck it, I don't want to live here anyways, why waste my time.
I decided not to live in Anger because they are building a tram line so it's very noisy and congested and the entire city square is being dug up.
So I decided to go browsing instead.
I was innocently in Sephora, when I got kicked out.
Kicked out of Sephora. How could I live in a city where I couldn't even innocently browse in Sephora?
I guess I had used one tester too many or something because the security guard came up to me and told me that I had to ask one of the shop ladies for assistance.
This was just ridiculous. Sephora has a millon testers for a reason. I can't speak French. I don't want to talk to shop ladies, I just want to see if this lipstick is my colour dammit. I can do that myself. Just leave me the fuck alone, I'm browsing, this is my happy time.
Of course his long speech to me about how I couldn't just TEST the TESTERS myself spoiled everything so I left.
---> insert tirade on French customer service here.
I exited the store to pouring rain, but congratulating myself on my cleverness, I whipped out the umbrella I had remembered to bring from home.
I had purchased it for 5 euros along the Seine the last time rain had sprung up on me.
The winds were fierce and in about 10 min. the damn thing broke. I tried to salvage the day, and walked around for a bit more but eventually decided to cut my losses and headed towards the station.
My umbrella just kept breaking and breaking and eventually I got so angry, and was soaked and my knee hurt and my hair was frizzing that I slammed my umbrella against a steel pole and screamed FUCK YOU.
That placated me for a bit. I wanted to do it again , but the sponteniety of the anger had left me and I just felt silly.
I waited 2 damp and shivery hours in the train station because of the strike reading Down and Out in Paris and London, which was extremely appropriate for the situation and made me happy that at least I am not living in 1930s Paris in a flee-infested motel working 12 hours a day as a busboy.
Sunday 22 November 2009
Oh, so that's why I'm broke
I sat down today with a glass of sparkling rose wine and a piece of chocolate cake to make the process of going through my finances easier.
And I discovered why I'm in around -70 euro in debt on my French bank account and why I'm around 450 in debt on my Canadian bank card.
Two nouns.
London. Paris.
I spent waaaaaaayyyyyyy more money then I had planned to.
The biggest purchases on that trip was all the train rides, with me taking the wrong train and everything. In total I payed 215.58 CDN and 78.20 EU for transportation. That's a lot, and next time can be avoided by booking early, not travelling during peak periods, not getting lost, (being less careless is something I have to work on in general!!) and booking trains only with my French account--> which I didn't have a choice of because at the time my debit card hadn't activated.
I spent around 100 Euro on food and beer, which can easily be avoided by NOT EATING OUT!!! Sometime it is very tempting, but I have to learn to control myself. I think next time I can get this number down by half, which will still allow me to eat out a few meals.
I have 50 euros, 150 USD and probably 20 pounds in cash unaccounted for so I have no idea where that money went! Probably ice cream knowing me...
I can't stress how important it is to write down what you spend, either when you are spending it or at the end of the month. For me, it opened my eyes on where I can easily save and where I am overspending. And it only took about 20 min, so its pretty painless. I was kind of in denial before, but now I see how careless I can be. I know what mistakes I won't make again like.....
1. using my Canadian cards
where the exchange rate makes everything 1.5 times more expensive. To my credit, this couldn't be helped because my French card randomly stopped working for a few days in London.
2. Bank fees.
I spent a total of 17.7 on bank fees. Every time you purchase something in a non-Euro zone my French bank charges me 1 euro. It would have been better had I taken out a wad of cash, for which they would have only charged me 3 euro. Of course, knowing me I would have lost all the cash so thinking about it, I would rather spend money on bank fees!
Things I did good
1. Tourist Sites
I only spent 16.07 on tourist site, and that was for ONE entrance fee to the Tower of London. All other touristy things I did for free including walking tours, museums, and markets. This just takes some research time on the internet.
2. Hostels
I spent 40.68 on accomodation. it would have been only 20.65 had I not taken the wrong train and had to pay for a hostel in Nantes.
Now I can budget for future trips with a better estimate of how much I really need and not a fairy-tale version.
And I discovered why I'm in around -70 euro in debt on my French bank account and why I'm around 450 in debt on my Canadian bank card.
Two nouns.
London. Paris.
I spent waaaaaaayyyyyyy more money then I had planned to.
The biggest purchases on that trip was all the train rides, with me taking the wrong train and everything. In total I payed 215.58 CDN and 78.20 EU for transportation. That's a lot, and next time can be avoided by booking early, not travelling during peak periods, not getting lost, (being less careless is something I have to work on in general!!) and booking trains only with my French account--> which I didn't have a choice of because at the time my debit card hadn't activated.
I spent around 100 Euro on food and beer, which can easily be avoided by NOT EATING OUT!!! Sometime it is very tempting, but I have to learn to control myself. I think next time I can get this number down by half, which will still allow me to eat out a few meals.
I have 50 euros, 150 USD and probably 20 pounds in cash unaccounted for so I have no idea where that money went! Probably ice cream knowing me...
I can't stress how important it is to write down what you spend, either when you are spending it or at the end of the month. For me, it opened my eyes on where I can easily save and where I am overspending. And it only took about 20 min, so its pretty painless. I was kind of in denial before, but now I see how careless I can be. I know what mistakes I won't make again like.....
1. using my Canadian cards
where the exchange rate makes everything 1.5 times more expensive. To my credit, this couldn't be helped because my French card randomly stopped working for a few days in London.
2. Bank fees.
I spent a total of 17.7 on bank fees. Every time you purchase something in a non-Euro zone my French bank charges me 1 euro. It would have been better had I taken out a wad of cash, for which they would have only charged me 3 euro. Of course, knowing me I would have lost all the cash so thinking about it, I would rather spend money on bank fees!
Things I did good
1. Tourist Sites
I only spent 16.07 on tourist site, and that was for ONE entrance fee to the Tower of London. All other touristy things I did for free including walking tours, museums, and markets. This just takes some research time on the internet.
2. Hostels
I spent 40.68 on accomodation. it would have been only 20.65 had I not taken the wrong train and had to pay for a hostel in Nantes.
Now I can budget for future trips with a better estimate of how much I really need and not a fairy-tale version.
Saturday 21 November 2009
Me and Betty Draper have Something in Common
Seriously we do.
I'm not tall, blonde, thin or a fictional character, but I feel an affinity towards Betty anyways.
We are both bored and lonely.
I write this as I nurse some sparkling rose wine. Alone. In my room. On my bed. In an old black cardigan and skinny Top Shop jeans. With unwashed hair and only Max Factor mascara and Nars Orgasm blush. At least Betty always puts some effort it. I admire that.
She's sad, bored, and lonely like me but she's never without a full face of makeup and perfectly coiffed hair even as she waits every day for Don Draper to come home and ignore her.
My life would be better had I a Don Draper in it, but I don't even have that.
Perhaps I will pour myself another few glasses and read a book. Or maybe I'll just shoot myself in the head.
Ps: I saw this sparkling Rose wine a the grocery store and couldn't resist. It's a bugetry indulgence, but I need to numb the pain. And it was only 2 Euro 15. Sometimes ya just gotta splurge. And yes, my debt keeps climbing. I think I'm now at negative 72 Euro.
I'm not tall, blonde, thin or a fictional character, but I feel an affinity towards Betty anyways.
We are both bored and lonely.
I write this as I nurse some sparkling rose wine. Alone. In my room. On my bed. In an old black cardigan and skinny Top Shop jeans. With unwashed hair and only Max Factor mascara and Nars Orgasm blush. At least Betty always puts some effort it. I admire that.
She's sad, bored, and lonely like me but she's never without a full face of makeup and perfectly coiffed hair even as she waits every day for Don Draper to come home and ignore her.
My life would be better had I a Don Draper in it, but I don't even have that.
Perhaps I will pour myself another few glasses and read a book. Or maybe I'll just shoot myself in the head.
Ps: I saw this sparkling Rose wine a the grocery store and couldn't resist. It's a bugetry indulgence, but I need to numb the pain. And it was only 2 Euro 15. Sometimes ya just gotta splurge. And yes, my debt keeps climbing. I think I'm now at negative 72 Euro.
Friday 20 November 2009
How well do you know world's great cities? - thestar.com
How well do you know world's great cities? - thestar.com
The survey found that 77.4 per cent of Canadians got all 10 right; third-best in the world. Italians scored the highest (they probably got Rome correct) at 79.9 per cent, followed by the U.S. at 79.8 per cent. Australians have a reputation for travelling a lot but they scored only 61.8 per cent – worst of any country surveyed. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie? Ay-yay-yay.
Cuz Aussies are too wasted to even know what city they are in.
In case this hasn't come out yet, I am not the biggest fan of Aussies.
They creep me out.
They always have the same answer to any question you give them.
For instance
"What's your favourite city Mr. Aussie?"
"London! There's a party going on every night!"
"Tell me about yourself?"
"Well I'm from Australia and I worked for 6 months in London and lived in a bar/in a small room with 5 other Aussie mates. Then I saved up enough money to backpack around Europe."
"Why are you on a gap year?:
Well, I just want to travel. I tried going to school for a year but then I decided that I could learn so much more traveling. When I get back I'll finish 2 more years."
It's like a whole country of traveling clones. I feel like Australia must be like North Korea and they have to educate the citizens on an image to present to the world. The image is just sooo uniform. Have you ever met an uptight, sober, fat Australian who hates the beach, loves Americans, and is only on 2 week holiday and staying in a place that costs more than 20 euros a night?
And I don't really believe that any Australians actually live in Australia. There are just too many of them abroad.
Also, they are really bad in bed.
The survey found that 77.4 per cent of Canadians got all 10 right; third-best in the world. Italians scored the highest (they probably got Rome correct) at 79.9 per cent, followed by the U.S. at 79.8 per cent. Australians have a reputation for travelling a lot but they scored only 61.8 per cent – worst of any country surveyed. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie? Ay-yay-yay.
Cuz Aussies are too wasted to even know what city they are in.
In case this hasn't come out yet, I am not the biggest fan of Aussies.
They creep me out.
They always have the same answer to any question you give them.
For instance
"What's your favourite city Mr. Aussie?"
"London! There's a party going on every night!"
"Tell me about yourself?"
"Well I'm from Australia and I worked for 6 months in London and lived in a bar/in a small room with 5 other Aussie mates. Then I saved up enough money to backpack around Europe."
"Why are you on a gap year?:
Well, I just want to travel. I tried going to school for a year but then I decided that I could learn so much more traveling. When I get back I'll finish 2 more years."
It's like a whole country of traveling clones. I feel like Australia must be like North Korea and they have to educate the citizens on an image to present to the world. The image is just sooo uniform. Have you ever met an uptight, sober, fat Australian who hates the beach, loves Americans, and is only on 2 week holiday and staying in a place that costs more than 20 euros a night?
And I don't really believe that any Australians actually live in Australia. There are just too many of them abroad.
Also, they are really bad in bed.
Damn cancelled classes
So my sleep-in the other day came back to bite me in the ass.
Today I woke up bright and early at 7:30, after only getting 3 or 4 hours of sleep. I got dressed, re-straightened my hair, had coffee, cornflakes; the whole 9 yards.
And when I got to room 414 B, it was locked, no one was there and my next 2 classes are apparently canceled.
I completely forget if the teacher told me that last week, but she definitely didn't e-mail me.
Classes are canceled here ALL THE TIME. Yesterday 2 classes were canceled because one had a field trip and the other was writing a test (so I wasn't needed). Classes are canceled if teachers are sick, which they are all the time. Not week goes by without at LEAST 2 cancellations.
The good thing about living at the school is that I can just pop back into bed, though I am not a napper by nature. If there was something else to do here, I would just stay up but since I have nothing I need to accomplish, I'm writing this from my bed as I try to go back to sleep before my next class at 11:30.
Today I woke up bright and early at 7:30, after only getting 3 or 4 hours of sleep. I got dressed, re-straightened my hair, had coffee, cornflakes; the whole 9 yards.
And when I got to room 414 B, it was locked, no one was there and my next 2 classes are apparently canceled.
I completely forget if the teacher told me that last week, but she definitely didn't e-mail me.
Classes are canceled here ALL THE TIME. Yesterday 2 classes were canceled because one had a field trip and the other was writing a test (so I wasn't needed). Classes are canceled if teachers are sick, which they are all the time. Not week goes by without at LEAST 2 cancellations.
The good thing about living at the school is that I can just pop back into bed, though I am not a napper by nature. If there was something else to do here, I would just stay up but since I have nothing I need to accomplish, I'm writing this from my bed as I try to go back to sleep before my next class at 11:30.
Thursday 19 November 2009
Errr. Slept in. Again
On Tuesday I slept in. Again.
I only work 4 days a week and I only have to make 8:30 class every other week since I have an alternation schedule. I'm naturally a night person and often go to bed at 2, 3 or 4 which makes waking up at 7:30 really difficult.
So when my alarm went off on Tuesday I kinda just stared at it debating if I should get out of bed.
Devil
The teacher probably doesn't even remember that you have this class with her. You haven't been there for 3 weeks because it was an alternative week, then a holiday, then an alternative week. She is going to forget and it isn't even going to be worth it. Just stay in bed. You're tired. She won't even notice.
Angel
You always do this! You complain that you don't have enough hours and then you don't even go to the hours that you do have! How will you ever find a job if you can't even get up in the morning. Stop being so g-ddamned lazy!
Needless to say, the Devil won out and I stayed in bed. When I rolled out of it at 11, I checked my phone only to see that I had received this message:
"No class today Danielle. My son is sick. Sorry" From The English Teacher.
Scoooooore.
I only work 4 days a week and I only have to make 8:30 class every other week since I have an alternation schedule. I'm naturally a night person and often go to bed at 2, 3 or 4 which makes waking up at 7:30 really difficult.
So when my alarm went off on Tuesday I kinda just stared at it debating if I should get out of bed.
Devil
The teacher probably doesn't even remember that you have this class with her. You haven't been there for 3 weeks because it was an alternative week, then a holiday, then an alternative week. She is going to forget and it isn't even going to be worth it. Just stay in bed. You're tired. She won't even notice.
Angel
You always do this! You complain that you don't have enough hours and then you don't even go to the hours that you do have! How will you ever find a job if you can't even get up in the morning. Stop being so g-ddamned lazy!
Needless to say, the Devil won out and I stayed in bed. When I rolled out of it at 11, I checked my phone only to see that I had received this message:
"No class today Danielle. My son is sick. Sorry" From The English Teacher.
Scoooooore.
Moving!
At the orientation yesterday I was struck by how vibrant Le Mans is.
I'm sure it only seems that way because I have been stuck in Sable for so long, but still.
I think I want to move there.
First of all, there are young people in Le Mans.
Young people that I now have met, thanks to orientation.
Second of all, there is shopping. HM, Zara, Sephora. When there are stores, it is easy to spend an otherwise boring afternoon browsing.
Thirdly, there are bars. Perfect way to spend an evening.
Fourthy, it is only 20-30 min away by train from Sable, with good connections so it wouldn't be too difficult to commute.
I just realized how unhappy and bored I am in Sable. I am a really social person. I don't ever want to live alone. I need people around me all the time. I get bored easily, if I don't feel stressed and I'm not frantically chugging coffee, I just dont' feel happy or fulfilled. Productivity is very important to me. I'm not French, I'll never be French and I'm happy being a work obsessed North American.
Soooo I want to move to Le Mans!
Its still a small town, in my opinion, there are 148 000 people, which is a nice number. Much more agreeable than 13, 500.
There are several drawbacks, however.
Firstly, it is more expensive. I would live in a Foyer, which I think is kind of like a residence for young, working people. I think it would be around 170 E/M, which really isn't too bad. I would also have to commute 4 times a week, but the government pays you back 50% of public transportation travel costs. (I know, right? Crazy? How does the French government afford that?)
Also, moving is a bitch and a hassle in general, especially since I am pretty settled in my flat right now, have decorated and gotten TV and all that.
But I just think my quality of life would improve immensely. Aka, I would not be ready to be admitted to a mental institution.
What do you guys think about this? Is it worth it? I would be moving either in december or in the New Year depending if the Foyer's have room.
Oh, I could also move to Anger, which has way better 'culture' according to the English Teachers. There is also an international university there, and it is the exact same distance away.
Orientation #2
Yesterday was a second orientation in Le Mans.
Me and BR (British Roommate) woke up at 7 to be there for 9. Lo and behold there were young people! Speaking English! It was wonderful. I was so shocked and overjoyed by hearing my own language spoken by people my age I babbled incessently.
Not the best way to make new friends, but I was overwhelmed, I couldn't control myself!
There were a lot of cool people there including 2 Canadians! (Its extra exciting to meet Canadians, at least for someone patriotic like me)
AND if that isn't exciting enough, here is the real news.
Last orientation took place entirely in French. I had no idea whatsoever what they were talking about. This orientation also tool place entirely in French, but I had some sort of idea what they were talking about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The words made sense!!
Now, I didn't understand exactly what they were saying, and I certainly didn't catch all the nuances, but I could definitely understand the gist, if not precise directions.
That is definite improvement in a little over 6 weeks.
Day to Day it doesn't seem like I'm really improving, but its nice to know that at least if I'm bored out of my mind and want to kill myself, I'm learning something.
So they made us go around and tell them what lesson plans were working and our experience thus far.
Everyone spoke in French except for me.
I didn't major in French in university like everyone else and I wasn't going to fumble 20 min trying to speak when I could say what I had to say in 10 min. Which was basically that the kids are nice but they can't speak English for shit.
For break they brought in coffee and the head woman poured some for me, which was nice. But she stopped when the tiny plastic cup was half-way full.
"Ummm Madam, I'm going to need more of that. I'm Canadian, we drink full cups of coffee"
"ooo!" And she poured some more. "I was just making sure that there was enough for everyone"
oooops and there is me feeling like a selfish jackass.
Anyways we eventually broke for the 2 hour lunch and a bunch of people went to go get tickets for New Moon. I COULD have joined them if I LIVED in Le Mans, but I DON'T so I COULDN'T. Not feeling bitter about that at all.
I had brought a lunch, in my attempt to budget, and so did one other girl from New Zealand, making me feel like I wasn't the only nerdy one.
I don't have that much food, so my sandwich was 2 slices of brown bread (I finally bought bread), sliced Swiss Cheese and guacamole. Yes, Guacamole. Don't ask me why, I needed something to make the sandwich less dry and guacamole was the only thing I could find in my fridge. Plus, I needed to use it up before it went all moldy like my pesto did. Waste not, Want not!
This New Zealend girl is WAY better at budgeing than me. I need to learn some tips from her. For instance, she only spends 13 euros a week on groceries. That is crazy! I didn't even think that was possible. She is not emanciated or anything..
In Canada I would spend (an embarrassing) 75$ a week on groceries! And I'm not obese. (I don't think...I'm also not a size 00. Or even a size 4. OKAYYYYY, but I'm not sitting all my couch all day eating potato chips.)
After lunch we had to make lessons plans with videos or songs that we were given. That was surprisingly fun. My group got a song by Charlie Winston who "seduced France but is largely unknown in England" and he has really interesting songs and my new favourite artist.
After the orientation a group of people went to see New Moon, and I was left alone to shuffle back to my lonely and cold town.
Okay I actually stayed and did some browsing at HM. I was also really hungry, that Swiss cheese- guacamole sandwich did not hit the spot, so I grabbed a Kebab. For 5 euros. I KNOOOOOOOOWWWW I'M SOOOO WEAKKK.
For a so-called vegetarian on a budget I am doing a shitty job of it. But I was hungry. And my iron levels were low. And I was depressed knowing I had to go back to my town after spending the day with people my own age. So I gave in.
I am officially at -69 euros. Ugh. And when I was at HM I saw such cute things I wanted to buy. I really need a pair of this season leather riding boots. They go with everything.. And I wouldn't mind some converse sneakers as well, for those casual days. And some Uggs for those wintry-casual days.
Must. Stop. Thinking. About. Shopping.
Okaaaay going on www.nordstrums.com to fake-online shop to get rid of this craving.
* I would talk about the people that I met in gossipy detail but they might be reading this blog so I will refrain.
Me and BR (British Roommate) woke up at 7 to be there for 9. Lo and behold there were young people! Speaking English! It was wonderful. I was so shocked and overjoyed by hearing my own language spoken by people my age I babbled incessently.
Not the best way to make new friends, but I was overwhelmed, I couldn't control myself!
There were a lot of cool people there including 2 Canadians! (Its extra exciting to meet Canadians, at least for someone patriotic like me)
AND if that isn't exciting enough, here is the real news.
Last orientation took place entirely in French. I had no idea whatsoever what they were talking about. This orientation also tool place entirely in French, but I had some sort of idea what they were talking about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The words made sense!!
Now, I didn't understand exactly what they were saying, and I certainly didn't catch all the nuances, but I could definitely understand the gist, if not precise directions.
That is definite improvement in a little over 6 weeks.
Day to Day it doesn't seem like I'm really improving, but its nice to know that at least if I'm bored out of my mind and want to kill myself, I'm learning something.
So they made us go around and tell them what lesson plans were working and our experience thus far.
Everyone spoke in French except for me.
I didn't major in French in university like everyone else and I wasn't going to fumble 20 min trying to speak when I could say what I had to say in 10 min. Which was basically that the kids are nice but they can't speak English for shit.
For break they brought in coffee and the head woman poured some for me, which was nice. But she stopped when the tiny plastic cup was half-way full.
"Ummm Madam, I'm going to need more of that. I'm Canadian, we drink full cups of coffee"
"ooo!" And she poured some more. "I was just making sure that there was enough for everyone"
oooops and there is me feeling like a selfish jackass.
Anyways we eventually broke for the 2 hour lunch and a bunch of people went to go get tickets for New Moon. I COULD have joined them if I LIVED in Le Mans, but I DON'T so I COULDN'T. Not feeling bitter about that at all.
I had brought a lunch, in my attempt to budget, and so did one other girl from New Zealand, making me feel like I wasn't the only nerdy one.
I don't have that much food, so my sandwich was 2 slices of brown bread (I finally bought bread), sliced Swiss Cheese and guacamole. Yes, Guacamole. Don't ask me why, I needed something to make the sandwich less dry and guacamole was the only thing I could find in my fridge. Plus, I needed to use it up before it went all moldy like my pesto did. Waste not, Want not!
This New Zealend girl is WAY better at budgeing than me. I need to learn some tips from her. For instance, she only spends 13 euros a week on groceries. That is crazy! I didn't even think that was possible. She is not emanciated or anything..
In Canada I would spend (an embarrassing) 75$ a week on groceries! And I'm not obese. (I don't think...I'm also not a size 00. Or even a size 4. OKAYYYYY, but I'm not sitting all my couch all day eating potato chips.)
After lunch we had to make lessons plans with videos or songs that we were given. That was surprisingly fun. My group got a song by Charlie Winston who "seduced France but is largely unknown in England" and he has really interesting songs and my new favourite artist.
After the orientation a group of people went to see New Moon, and I was left alone to shuffle back to my lonely and cold town.
Okay I actually stayed and did some browsing at HM. I was also really hungry, that Swiss cheese- guacamole sandwich did not hit the spot, so I grabbed a Kebab. For 5 euros. I KNOOOOOOOOWWWW I'M SOOOO WEAKKK.
For a so-called vegetarian on a budget I am doing a shitty job of it. But I was hungry. And my iron levels were low. And I was depressed knowing I had to go back to my town after spending the day with people my own age. So I gave in.
I am officially at -69 euros. Ugh. And when I was at HM I saw such cute things I wanted to buy. I really need a pair of this season leather riding boots. They go with everything.. And I wouldn't mind some converse sneakers as well, for those casual days. And some Uggs for those wintry-casual days.
Must. Stop. Thinking. About. Shopping.
Okaaaay going on www.nordstrums.com to fake-online shop to get rid of this craving.
* I would talk about the people that I met in gossipy detail but they might be reading this blog so I will refrain.
Tuesday 17 November 2009
As "American" as Apple pie
Saturday was SR (Spanish Roommates) birthday, yay! And on Sunday when I was lazing around in my LuLulemons (of course my makeup and hair were done though, my mother trained me well-you never know who's coming over) when our door buzzed. BZZZZZZ.
And in walked our new French 17 year old friends bearing an apple pie with magic candles.
I'm sorry, let me repeat that.
In walked 17 year old boys, carrying a homemade apple pie with special candles that never blow out.
Oh the French! So sweet! It was for SR's birthday of course.
I have eaten lunch at 2 Teachers houses and the desert has been apple pie for both times. Its a different sort of apple pie than at home, the apples are usually from their grandfathers garden or some other organic source and the apples are sliced on top of the pie without a crust over that.
Comme Ca!
So I think apple pies are some sort of true French tradition that the Americans STOLE from the French.
Anyways I can't imagine Canadians doing that. Even in university the boys barely offered me a slice of pizza. Nevermind cooked me an apple pie! Not that these boys cooked me a pie, but I can even less imagine a Canadian cooking a Spanish guy a pie!
And in walked our new French 17 year old friends bearing an apple pie with magic candles.
I'm sorry, let me repeat that.
In walked 17 year old boys, carrying a homemade apple pie with special candles that never blow out.
Oh the French! So sweet! It was for SR's birthday of course.
I have eaten lunch at 2 Teachers houses and the desert has been apple pie for both times. Its a different sort of apple pie than at home, the apples are usually from their grandfathers garden or some other organic source and the apples are sliced on top of the pie without a crust over that.
Comme Ca!
So I think apple pies are some sort of true French tradition that the Americans STOLE from the French.
Anyways I can't imagine Canadians doing that. Even in university the boys barely offered me a slice of pizza. Nevermind cooked me an apple pie! Not that these boys cooked me a pie, but I can even less imagine a Canadian cooking a Spanish guy a pie!
17 year old friends
Me and my roommate finally made some friends! On Saturday night we get a buzz. I thought it was the drying machine, but BR (British Roommate) opened the door to a young French girl.
She invited us to have pizza with her and her friends the student dorm across "campus". (Not that I understood what she said, BR translated)
About a month ago the same girl plus a guy had knocked on our door and invited us to a party which we couldn't make, and I had already eaten when she invited us so we told her we would be along later for drinks.
So we show up and there is a room full of 17 year olds. Okay not full, because it was a Saturday and the school dorms clear out, but there were about 7 kids.
17 year old friends are better than no friends!
So we end up chilling with them and at first its awkward but then we loosen up and it was fun! We did normal things, that are cross cultural, like watch funny YouTube videos and eat chocolate browines.
I showed them a clip from the film Bad cop, Bon cop, which is a Canadian dark-comedy about a murder that the Quebec and Ontario police must solve together. Its hilarious, have the movie is in French and half in English and it really shows the tensions and stereotypes of Quebec and Ontario.
For instance, the Quebec guy smokes, is hot and doesn't give a shit about regulations (hmm like the real French?) and the Ontario guy is very straightlaced and went to UCC (the best private school in Toronto). Anyways, I definitely recommend it.
These kids are all in this prestgious program which I have no idea what it's called but they make furniture. I saw a wooden chair this one guy made and it was super cool, it folded up and scooped your body perfectly. In high school. There rooms are super nice, nicer then ours! They have full length mirror, a study area with nice shelves, a long desk, and they are decorated with plants. For some reason every room had a lot of plants. They were all boys. I guess they like to garden? Maybe their mothers bought them the plants.
And then they showed us the rooms of other students and they are basically hostel-style dorms.
Apparently a bunch of privelleges comes from being accepted to this furniture program (I'm not sure it is a furniture program. Something to do with wood and making things.)
They also get their own kitchen and get to stay in the dorm during the weekend without supervision.
The girl isn't in this program, shes the principals daughter, so I guess she can also do whatever she wants.
She invited us to have pizza with her and her friends the student dorm across "campus". (Not that I understood what she said, BR translated)
About a month ago the same girl plus a guy had knocked on our door and invited us to a party which we couldn't make, and I had already eaten when she invited us so we told her we would be along later for drinks.
So we show up and there is a room full of 17 year olds. Okay not full, because it was a Saturday and the school dorms clear out, but there were about 7 kids.
17 year old friends are better than no friends!
So we end up chilling with them and at first its awkward but then we loosen up and it was fun! We did normal things, that are cross cultural, like watch funny YouTube videos and eat chocolate browines.
I showed them a clip from the film Bad cop, Bon cop, which is a Canadian dark-comedy about a murder that the Quebec and Ontario police must solve together. Its hilarious, have the movie is in French and half in English and it really shows the tensions and stereotypes of Quebec and Ontario.
For instance, the Quebec guy smokes, is hot and doesn't give a shit about regulations (hmm like the real French?) and the Ontario guy is very straightlaced and went to UCC (the best private school in Toronto). Anyways, I definitely recommend it.
These kids are all in this prestgious program which I have no idea what it's called but they make furniture. I saw a wooden chair this one guy made and it was super cool, it folded up and scooped your body perfectly. In high school. There rooms are super nice, nicer then ours! They have full length mirror, a study area with nice shelves, a long desk, and they are decorated with plants. For some reason every room had a lot of plants. They were all boys. I guess they like to garden? Maybe their mothers bought them the plants.
And then they showed us the rooms of other students and they are basically hostel-style dorms.
Apparently a bunch of privelleges comes from being accepted to this furniture program (I'm not sure it is a furniture program. Something to do with wood and making things.)
They also get their own kitchen and get to stay in the dorm during the weekend without supervision.
The girl isn't in this program, shes the principals daughter, so I guess she can also do whatever she wants.
Saturday 14 November 2009
Butter Update!
The 16 euro scale I picked up at Carrfeour informs me that I have lost a whole 1.2 lbs since being in France, (on a good day 2 lbs!) so I am going to keep consuming butter. I just toss it in and on everything now! Pasta, croissants, whatever!
I guess the French really do have something going on, since I have been eating whatever I want, including several spoonfuls of Nutella each night (yes, on it's own, I don't buy bread and I accidentally bought a supersize jar of Nutella that I am desperate to get rid of already!).
I guess the French really do have something going on, since I have been eating whatever I want, including several spoonfuls of Nutella each night (yes, on it's own, I don't buy bread and I accidentally bought a supersize jar of Nutella that I am desperate to get rid of already!).
Knees up!
After discovering the rock climbing gym, I went to the centre of town in the Place de la Republique, turned right into a dark alley way, walked through a parking lot and found the town's not-so-mythical gym!!
A real gym! It is tiny, and it wouldn't be out of place in an 1980s Jane Fonda workout video, but you take what you can get.
A plus: There were TWO age-suitable-good-looking men working out in the front room already.
It is 180 euros for 6 months if you are a student, which I am definitely going to pretend that I am. 30 Euros a month isn't so bad, and I really need something to do and its easy to whittle away 2 hours the gym.
They have classes as well, but I doubt they have yoga :(
Also the sucky thing is is that I don't think you can use the cardio when there is a class in session because they are both in the same room. I will just have to use the weight room. I will become a bulky he-man by the time I return to Toronto! Jokes, I'm way to lazy for that!
Also the hours are hilarious, it opens at 10 every morning, becuase, why would anyone want to to work out before they go to work? Gosh, what a ridiculous notion!
I'm not saying gyms have to be 24 hours, though they should be, but they should at least open at 6! School here starts at 8:30 am, not even 9, so what if a student wants to catch a workout before class? I guess that is just not an idea that enters into French consiousness.
Also, that would mean that the gym workers would have to be there at 6, which is completely unreasonable.
On Wed the gym is open at 2pm. Apparently people have no inclination to work out Wed morning either. At least the closing time is 9, which is not late, but is at least doable if you end work at 6. On Saturday, the gym is open for a whole 3 hours! Score! 10am-1pm. Bien Sur, the gym is closed on Sunday, but I never raised my hopes to include an opening on that day. You can't even shit on Sunday so why would you be able to squat?
Also, my English roommate pointed out that in England people go to the gym and there are a lot of BUFF people, but then I pointed out that there were also a lot of fat people in England. We decided that French people were naturally skinny and saw no reason to go to the gym to gain muscles when they were already slim. As opposed to America/Canada/England where people overeat and then act like a hamster to shed the weight.
I remember reading in French Women Don't get Fat, that French women do not torture themselves by running on a treadmill. Instead they play Tennis or an enjoyable sport several times a week.
Ah, the french, always in pursuit of the maximum amount of pleasure. The original Utilitarians.
A real gym! It is tiny, and it wouldn't be out of place in an 1980s Jane Fonda workout video, but you take what you can get.
A plus: There were TWO age-suitable-good-looking men working out in the front room already.
It is 180 euros for 6 months if you are a student, which I am definitely going to pretend that I am. 30 Euros a month isn't so bad, and I really need something to do and its easy to whittle away 2 hours the gym.
They have classes as well, but I doubt they have yoga :(
Also the sucky thing is is that I don't think you can use the cardio when there is a class in session because they are both in the same room. I will just have to use the weight room. I will become a bulky he-man by the time I return to Toronto! Jokes, I'm way to lazy for that!
Also the hours are hilarious, it opens at 10 every morning, becuase, why would anyone want to to work out before they go to work? Gosh, what a ridiculous notion!
I'm not saying gyms have to be 24 hours, though they should be, but they should at least open at 6! School here starts at 8:30 am, not even 9, so what if a student wants to catch a workout before class? I guess that is just not an idea that enters into French consiousness.
Also, that would mean that the gym workers would have to be there at 6, which is completely unreasonable.
On Wed the gym is open at 2pm. Apparently people have no inclination to work out Wed morning either. At least the closing time is 9, which is not late, but is at least doable if you end work at 6. On Saturday, the gym is open for a whole 3 hours! Score! 10am-1pm. Bien Sur, the gym is closed on Sunday, but I never raised my hopes to include an opening on that day. You can't even shit on Sunday so why would you be able to squat?
Also, my English roommate pointed out that in England people go to the gym and there are a lot of BUFF people, but then I pointed out that there were also a lot of fat people in England. We decided that French people were naturally skinny and saw no reason to go to the gym to gain muscles when they were already slim. As opposed to America/Canada/England where people overeat and then act like a hamster to shed the weight.
I remember reading in French Women Don't get Fat, that French women do not torture themselves by running on a treadmill. Instead they play Tennis or an enjoyable sport several times a week.
Ah, the french, always in pursuit of the maximum amount of pleasure. The original Utilitarians.
Rock Climbing
I went searching for this mythical gym that I keep hearing about, and my Spanish roommate told me that there was a small gym at school as well. So I find it beside the basketball courts and find a bunch of students playing volleyball, but no weight or cardio room. Then I see a door and push it open. That is where I discovered that the school has a rock climbing room!
A bunch of little kids are climbing it but I ask the guy with a computer who looks to be in charge if there is a time that I can come climb, and he says that there is a rock climbing club that meets Tues and Thurs.
He was also cute and spoke a bit of English. Possibly married. Better then lusting after an 18 year old student though, right?
It happened to be Thursday so I went back at 8 pm in my workout clothes and lo and behold there were adults climbing! It is only 56 Euros for a year to join and you have to buy some equipment, but the gym also has stuff for the first few times.
I have rock climbed before at random events, like camp and school and once with my friend Joanna in a sports store in Buffalo (shout out!) but I always wanted to get really "into" it.
In fact the other day I was just looking at the website of the alpine club of Canada and planning to join when I get back home. But this is perfect because
a. I will get a workout
b. I will meet people
c. It's a cool sport
Now, there is one guy there who speaks English because he spent 10 months in England, but no one else does. So we have to communicate with the little French I have and it's pretty funny. Especially with a sport in which you have to trust a stranger to keep you from falling to your death and smashing all the bones in your body. Ha. Ha.
Did I mention I am terrified of heights?
I think I'm a self-sadist.
The club leader, Carol, is super nice though and she taught me how to tie all the knots and some different ways to rock climb so that not all my weight is hanging on my hands.
There is also one semi-hot French man there but he didn't pay me one iota of attention and might possibly be gay. Not because he didn't pay any attention to me, but because he has one of those earrings and just kind of....I don't know I get a gay vibe, but we will see.
Again, crushing married and gay men is more legally acceptable then crushing on my students. Even if they are 18 and a foot taller than me.
Anyways, I woke up the next morning in SERIOUS forearm pain. I could barely clench my fists together.
Now I just have to figure out how to pay for it, 50 euros isn't a lot but it's more than the -14 euros I have in my bank account.
Maybe I can write a post-dated cheque for next month....
A bunch of little kids are climbing it but I ask the guy with a computer who looks to be in charge if there is a time that I can come climb, and he says that there is a rock climbing club that meets Tues and Thurs.
He was also cute and spoke a bit of English. Possibly married. Better then lusting after an 18 year old student though, right?
It happened to be Thursday so I went back at 8 pm in my workout clothes and lo and behold there were adults climbing! It is only 56 Euros for a year to join and you have to buy some equipment, but the gym also has stuff for the first few times.
I have rock climbed before at random events, like camp and school and once with my friend Joanna in a sports store in Buffalo (shout out!) but I always wanted to get really "into" it.
In fact the other day I was just looking at the website of the alpine club of Canada and planning to join when I get back home. But this is perfect because
a. I will get a workout
b. I will meet people
c. It's a cool sport
Now, there is one guy there who speaks English because he spent 10 months in England, but no one else does. So we have to communicate with the little French I have and it's pretty funny. Especially with a sport in which you have to trust a stranger to keep you from falling to your death and smashing all the bones in your body. Ha. Ha.
Did I mention I am terrified of heights?
I think I'm a self-sadist.
The club leader, Carol, is super nice though and she taught me how to tie all the knots and some different ways to rock climb so that not all my weight is hanging on my hands.
There is also one semi-hot French man there but he didn't pay me one iota of attention and might possibly be gay. Not because he didn't pay any attention to me, but because he has one of those earrings and just kind of....I don't know I get a gay vibe, but we will see.
Again, crushing married and gay men is more legally acceptable then crushing on my students. Even if they are 18 and a foot taller than me.
Anyways, I woke up the next morning in SERIOUS forearm pain. I could barely clench my fists together.
Now I just have to figure out how to pay for it, 50 euros isn't a lot but it's more than the -14 euros I have in my bank account.
Maybe I can write a post-dated cheque for next month....
Thursday 12 November 2009
My visa is beside my ice cream
Ok, thats a lie because I don't have any ice cream.
But after researching budgets and money tips, I took a major leap and froze my credit card.
Literally.
Put my visa in a sandwich baggie, filled it with water and stuck it in the freezer.
I feel like the girl in Shop-o-holic (book not movie)
Does anyone remember when she sealed her credit card in her powder compact and then kept having to buy new compacts because she always smashed it open?
But seriously, now, when I'm young is the best time to get into these types of habits. I obviously spend to much on stuff that I don't need and I need to learn within my means. I mean, the French make way less then the average Canadian and they seem perfectly content with what they have. Perhaps because they don't know what their missing, but the outcome is the same.
Next, The envelope method of budgeting! I will be using cash for the first time in my life.
I am the girl who pays for her 1.87$ coffee with debit.
No longer! Cash is my new best friend.
In case you don't know what the envelope method is, it involves make envelopes with categories like "Entertainment" or "Food" and then putting in the amount of cash you want to spend every month. That way, once its gone its GONE and you are always aware of how much you have left.
Simple, and hopefully effective.
So I have about 55 euros in cash that needs to last me until my next payday, the 27th.
hahah, this will be fuuuuuuuuuuuuuun.
But after researching budgets and money tips, I took a major leap and froze my credit card.
Literally.
Put my visa in a sandwich baggie, filled it with water and stuck it in the freezer.
I feel like the girl in Shop-o-holic (book not movie)
Does anyone remember when she sealed her credit card in her powder compact and then kept having to buy new compacts because she always smashed it open?
But seriously, now, when I'm young is the best time to get into these types of habits. I obviously spend to much on stuff that I don't need and I need to learn within my means. I mean, the French make way less then the average Canadian and they seem perfectly content with what they have. Perhaps because they don't know what their missing, but the outcome is the same.
Next, The envelope method of budgeting! I will be using cash for the first time in my life.
I am the girl who pays for her 1.87$ coffee with debit.
No longer! Cash is my new best friend.
In case you don't know what the envelope method is, it involves make envelopes with categories like "Entertainment" or "Food" and then putting in the amount of cash you want to spend every month. That way, once its gone its GONE and you are always aware of how much you have left.
Simple, and hopefully effective.
So I have about 55 euros in cash that needs to last me until my next payday, the 27th.
hahah, this will be fuuuuuuuuuuuuuun.
Wednesday 11 November 2009
Cheap Potage
I'm writing this as my my leek-carrot-potato soup is simmering.
I just took out 50 euros from the bank and the receipt said that I was NEGATIVE 14 euros. Fun! How I got to this dire state will be explained in the next post, after I check out my account online and figure out where I spend my money.
So I have a feeling I will be cooking this soup quite a bit this month.
i literally looked around the grocery store and thought What is the cheapest produce?
This search led me to carrots, potatoes and onions. You can buy kilograms of each of these for one or two euros! (This deserves an exclamation mark because I get excited about things like this)
1 kilo of carrots is 65 cents! That is ridiculously cheap.
So I basically plan to live off of those 3 basic foods. Want to follow my journey until my next paycheck?
I'm not some sort of huge carrot, potato and onion fan, I mean, I much prefer tomatoes and mushrooms and veggies like that, but it is always good to branch out and try new foods. At least that is what they told us in kindergarden.
I'm no Robert Fulgham, but those kindergarden teachers were pretty smart okay?
And don't worry, I also have some other stuff in my pantry including spices, canned beans and tomatoes, leeks that I bought on sale, pasta (39 cents for 500 grams if you buy Carrfour Discount label) and an almost-stale bag of chocolate croissants.
But lets get back to the 3 basics.
I figure that there are a bunch of different dishes that I can make with these.
I made leek-carrot-curry-couscous for lunch the other day.
I just sauteed the veggies, boiled the couscous and sprinkled on curry sauce. It took about 5 min and was good!
Today I used my fool-proof chop'n'drop method of cooking that I utilize, oh, for every single meal, and chopped up potatos, carrots, onions, leeks, garlic and threw it into a big pan with olive oil. Then I added some random spices including: salt, parsley, Thyme. We'll see how it tastes when its done, but it smells good!
I also often make oven-fries, which is really tough. I have to chop up potoatos then put them in the oven for 30 min at 250 degrees. I don't know if you guys will be able to do that. It takes skill. Sometimes I even drizzle olive oil on them.
N:b: No peeling! I never peel anything, all the nutrition is always in the peel. Even Kiwis, I eat the fuzzy part. Some people say that that is gross, but I went to camp and all the cool counsellors did it so, yea..
I am a vegetarian so it makes cooking easier (I think) and I also really like veggies, which is a plus.
My next recipe- since I never make batches, because I am a hungry girl and if I make enough for leftovers I inevitable end up eating it before I should- is this
Its curry-carrot-leek soup! So basically my 2 recipes together. Sweeet. I will continue to peruse great sites like www.allrecipes.com for things I can make. You can just type in the food that you have and a bunch of recipes will come up. Its great. Also, I have so much time on my hands and this is semi-productive.
I just took out 50 euros from the bank and the receipt said that I was NEGATIVE 14 euros. Fun! How I got to this dire state will be explained in the next post, after I check out my account online and figure out where I spend my money.
So I have a feeling I will be cooking this soup quite a bit this month.
i literally looked around the grocery store and thought What is the cheapest produce?
This search led me to carrots, potatoes and onions. You can buy kilograms of each of these for one or two euros! (This deserves an exclamation mark because I get excited about things like this)
1 kilo of carrots is 65 cents! That is ridiculously cheap.
So I basically plan to live off of those 3 basic foods. Want to follow my journey until my next paycheck?
I'm not some sort of huge carrot, potato and onion fan, I mean, I much prefer tomatoes and mushrooms and veggies like that, but it is always good to branch out and try new foods. At least that is what they told us in kindergarden.
I'm no Robert Fulgham, but those kindergarden teachers were pretty smart okay?
And don't worry, I also have some other stuff in my pantry including spices, canned beans and tomatoes, leeks that I bought on sale, pasta (39 cents for 500 grams if you buy Carrfour Discount label) and an almost-stale bag of chocolate croissants.
But lets get back to the 3 basics.
I figure that there are a bunch of different dishes that I can make with these.
I made leek-carrot-curry-couscous for lunch the other day.
I just sauteed the veggies, boiled the couscous and sprinkled on curry sauce. It took about 5 min and was good!
Today I used my fool-proof chop'n'drop method of cooking that I utilize, oh, for every single meal, and chopped up potatos, carrots, onions, leeks, garlic and threw it into a big pan with olive oil. Then I added some random spices including: salt, parsley, Thyme. We'll see how it tastes when its done, but it smells good!
I also often make oven-fries, which is really tough. I have to chop up potoatos then put them in the oven for 30 min at 250 degrees. I don't know if you guys will be able to do that. It takes skill. Sometimes I even drizzle olive oil on them.
N:b: No peeling! I never peel anything, all the nutrition is always in the peel. Even Kiwis, I eat the fuzzy part. Some people say that that is gross, but I went to camp and all the cool counsellors did it so, yea..
I am a vegetarian so it makes cooking easier (I think) and I also really like veggies, which is a plus.
My next recipe- since I never make batches, because I am a hungry girl and if I make enough for leftovers I inevitable end up eating it before I should- is this
Its curry-carrot-leek soup! So basically my 2 recipes together. Sweeet. I will continue to peruse great sites like www.allrecipes.com for things I can make. You can just type in the food that you have and a bunch of recipes will come up. Its great. Also, I have so much time on my hands and this is semi-productive.
Tuesday 10 November 2009
BREAKING NEWS
I have facebook!!!
6 weeks, several phone calls and visits later (okay my roommate made the phone calls and visits) we finally have facebook!
and INTERNET.
INTERNEEEEEEEEEEEET.
That means I can watch tv! Talk to my friends! Update this blog! Read the Newspapers! Date online! (JOKKKES, gosh, as if) Watch porn! (that's more for my male roommates), Book train tickets! Wikipedia everything that pops into my head!
AND it won't be shut off at 2am like the school internet. And hopefully it will be more reliable.
I just explained to my British roommate that in Canada we would go on field trips to museums of like in the 19th century and they would show us the toys that the children had to play with, that consisted of a ball and a cup, or a 2 sticks and the teachers would always say "don't you feel sorry for the kids! They must have been so bored!"
I have been feeling like those 19th century children. But no longer. I have entered the 21st century!
6 weeks, several phone calls and visits later (okay my roommate made the phone calls and visits) we finally have facebook!
and INTERNET.
INTERNEEEEEEEEEEEET.
That means I can watch tv! Talk to my friends! Update this blog! Read the Newspapers! Date online! (JOKKKES, gosh, as if) Watch porn! (that's more for my male roommates), Book train tickets! Wikipedia everything that pops into my head!
AND it won't be shut off at 2am like the school internet. And hopefully it will be more reliable.
I just explained to my British roommate that in Canada we would go on field trips to museums of like in the 19th century and they would show us the toys that the children had to play with, that consisted of a ball and a cup, or a 2 sticks and the teachers would always say "don't you feel sorry for the kids! They must have been so bored!"
I have been feeling like those 19th century children. But no longer. I have entered the 21st century!
Saturday 7 November 2009
Pics from my one day in Paris
So I went to Paris for a day, due to me booking the Eurostar too late for me to catch a train back to my hometown. See what I did on that one, fateful day: (okay it wasn't fateful at all, I mostly just shopped)
C'est Moi in front of the river Siene. The picture doesn't really show how pretty it was. It was actually raining, and my feet hurt and I was cold and worried about my hair curling, but you can't tell from this picture. I think the rain added to the atmosphere. It made everything all dreary and made me want to duck into a cafe and write my miseries away and pretend to be Hemingway or Simone de Bouvoire. But those cafes are pretty expensive and I don't really understand how to order food since the set meal always has meat in it, so I went to Starbucks instead.
Please look at this random, sketchy statue. It's so sexual. In a lopsided, Dali kind of way.
Look at the beautiful pasteries. The colours! The menu! Such a classy French boulangerie. Don't you think?
Think again!
Its MCDONALDS!!!!!!!!!!
A homeless man in front of the Pompidou.
This is the second-favourite-bookstore mentioned in my last post-Shakespere and Company.. It's right across from the Notre Dame and is famous. Well, as famous as a bookstore can get. To be fair to me, I stumbled across it innocently my first time in Paris. The second floor has books that you can't buy, but can only read in the store. A lot of them are signed or valuable copies I guess. The first floor has a mixture of used and new books. And there are ladders. Any bookshop with ladders rocks in my book. ooo a pun!
C'est Moi in front of the river Siene. The picture doesn't really show how pretty it was. It was actually raining, and my feet hurt and I was cold and worried about my hair curling, but you can't tell from this picture. I think the rain added to the atmosphere. It made everything all dreary and made me want to duck into a cafe and write my miseries away and pretend to be Hemingway or Simone de Bouvoire. But those cafes are pretty expensive and I don't really understand how to order food since the set meal always has meat in it, so I went to Starbucks instead.
Please look at this random, sketchy statue. It's so sexual. In a lopsided, Dali kind of way.
Look at the beautiful pasteries. The colours! The menu! Such a classy French boulangerie. Don't you think?
Think again!
Its MCDONALDS!!!!!!!!!!
A homeless man in front of the Pompidou.
This is the second-favourite-bookstore mentioned in my last post-Shakespere and Company.. It's right across from the Notre Dame and is famous. Well, as famous as a bookstore can get. To be fair to me, I stumbled across it innocently my first time in Paris. The second floor has books that you can't buy, but can only read in the store. A lot of them are signed or valuable copies I guess. The first floor has a mixture of used and new books. And there are ladders. Any bookshop with ladders rocks in my book. ooo a pun!
Pics From London!
This is me on Halloween. I won't tell you what my costume is, you will have to guess. I think it is hilarious, but I am easy to amuse. I realize now that those stripes are not doing me any favours though. I am standing beside a ubiquitous (did I use that word right?) telephone booth. Its adorable. I don't even know why people in London have cell phones, they should just make calls from these all day long. And wear Mad-Men-Style fedoras. G-d I want to live in an early 1960s movie.
This is the book that I am obsessed with reading. Though this picture is from London, from Waterstones in Oxford Circus, I finally bought it in Paris, at my second favourite bookstore in the world, Shakespeare and Company, which is across from the Notre Dame.
This is my friend Kat in front of Darwin, at the Museum of Natural History. I actually learned a lot while I was there! Also, last year in school I became really interested in evolution and natural selection so it was nice to see Darwin's ideas basically proven in this museum.
This is a Yemeon Warder at the Tower of London. If you have read Philippa Gregory books about the Plantanageta and Tudors (The Other Boylen Girl, The Virgin Queen, The White Princess etc.,), you will understand why I had to see this, never mind the 14 pound entrance fee. It was totally different then I imagined. I literally thought it was a tower, but it is really an enclosed compound (enclosed partly by an ancient Roman wall) with several different buildings, including one that Yeoman Warders live in. They have been the guardians of the tower for like, forever. All the executions happened in different places and each scaffold was built especially for that person. The places where they were executed is very small! Its just a smallish green patch of land, way smaller than my backyard. I guess since they were all aristocrat, they didn't want lots of spectators.
As opposed to the non-aristocrats who were hung, drawn and quartered in the streets for all of London to see. Gosh there are just so many benefits to being royalty.
This is from Henry's Blog, a book from the Tower of London gift shop that is from the very mouth of Henry VIII. Read it. It kind of makes me sad for this generation. But it also made me laugh.
Friday 6 November 2009
Slept in!
Whoops, I totally slept in through my 830 class today! Very unprofessional! I woke up at 915 and was too late to go to my next class as well.
Those shutters are killing me, without light I won't be able to wake up.
To my credit, I am sick and my body needed to rest, but still that better not happen again, I'm going to buy a big alarm clock this weekend since I have just been using my phone and it doesnt have the same effect as large flashing red numbers.
Luckily, the teacher didn't seem to mind toooo much, but I'm sure it was still an inconvenience.
Those shutters are killing me, without light I won't be able to wake up.
To my credit, I am sick and my body needed to rest, but still that better not happen again, I'm going to buy a big alarm clock this weekend since I have just been using my phone and it doesnt have the same effect as large flashing red numbers.
Luckily, the teacher didn't seem to mind toooo much, but I'm sure it was still an inconvenience.
Thursday 5 November 2009
Everything that Went Wrong
Okay so I had a great time in London and Paris, but I want to tell you everything that went wrong in this post to get it out of the way and then I will tell you about all the fun stuff I did.
1. Blew My Budget
So much for my budget. At first I was really good about food, but by the middle of the week I was eating out one meal a day, plus snacks sometimes. I need to take my own advice. I just have this compulsion to try all the British chain store food like Pret A Manger, Wagamama, Eat. I also had a few beers out, around 4, so that added up at about 3.20 a pop.
2. My French Debit card stopped working
When I first arrived in London my French Debit/Credit/Blue card wouldn't let me take ANY cash out of the machine but it would let me purchase things. The second day I couldn't even purchase anything! I had to use my Canadian credit card and American cash that I had brought along just in case. So everything for a few days ended up costing me almost double because of the exchange rate. Miraculously, my card started working again on the 4th day and I was so happy that I just started spending like crazy. I kinda thought "fuck this! Its in Euros! It's a great exchange rate" But money is money and now I only have a little left for things like food and appt. decorations that I wanted to buy.
3. I missed my train
I didn't realize that the "Please arrive 30 min before your train" on my Eurostar ticket was more then a suggestion. It took me so long to FIND the Eurostar platform in the Paris station. Like...30 min. of walking from the metro, that station is HUGE and the Eurostar platform is upstairs, with no signs informing anyone of that.
The women informed me that since my train left in 6 min I couldn't board.
"WHY NOT!? That doesn't make ANY sense, I still have plenty of time to catch it, its not even HERE!"
"No."
And she sat back with her arms crossed. Then I started bawling. Nothing. She told me I would have to catch the next train, an hour away and I pleaded with her. Nada. Then she told me that it would be free.
Why didn't she just SAY so?
So I got another ticket and it all turned out fine.
4. I got on the wrong train
This one did not turn out fine. It was in Paris, on my way to Sablé that I got on the direct train to Nantes instead of the one that makes stops.
I found out when it was supposed to stop, and it didn't. I started bawling again. (this was a week later then the first bawling episode so its okay). It was too late to take another train to Sablé.
5. I got lost on the way to the hostel
So I had to sleep at a hostel in Nantes. The guy at the train station told me that it was very close. I asked him if I should take a cab and he said definitely not. He told me to turn left outside the station and walk straight. I confirmed these directions twice. Turn left. Walk Straight. So I did. In the rain. With my luggage. About 2km in I realized that this was definitely not the right way. I looked at my map. I was not supposed to be beside the river. The guy had forgotten to tell me I should turn left outside the NORTH entrance of the station, not the SOUTH entrance which I was at. So I walked backed to the station. In the rain. With my luggage. Bawling. And talking to myself.
6. I got yelled at by a cab driver
I decided to take a cab to the hostel once I made it back to the station. 1 min into the drive he starts violently swearing at me in French. I have no idea why. Just yelling really loudly at me. I started to bawl AGAIN. He continued to scream "MERDE" at me.
I kept one hand on the door handle in case he intended to murder or rape me.
This is fast becoming the worst night of my life.
Eventually after driving a very obviously way to long route he dropped me off infront of a nondescript building. Then he wouldn't give me change, claiming the extra was for 'baggage' even though the baggage was in the back seat with me and no cab driver in France has charged me for baggage before.
Then I had enough and started screaming and swearing at him.
FUCK YOU YOU FUCKING FRENCH CAB DRIVER YOU PIECE OF SHIT FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUK YOU I HATE YOU.
I walked around the building and found the hostel, by this time wet and crying and had snot coming out of my nose because I also happened to catch a cold in England.
The receptionist simply informed me that there was tissue in the bathroom and checked me in. No "are you okay?" No "hmm did something happen while you were on the way to the hostel "
She just gave me a room key, told me that I had the absolute last room in the entire hostel. That was my one piece of luck that night. If someone had gotten that room before me I might have just killed myself.
I think French girls must cry a lot since no one in France seemed the least bit perturbed by the fat that I was literally sobbing in a body-shaking kind of way.
The next morning I took the CORRECT train back to Sablé, not without spilling my coffee all over the floor of course, and went to go teach class.
1. Blew My Budget
So much for my budget. At first I was really good about food, but by the middle of the week I was eating out one meal a day, plus snacks sometimes. I need to take my own advice. I just have this compulsion to try all the British chain store food like Pret A Manger, Wagamama, Eat. I also had a few beers out, around 4, so that added up at about 3.20 a pop.
2. My French Debit card stopped working
When I first arrived in London my French Debit/Credit/Blue card wouldn't let me take ANY cash out of the machine but it would let me purchase things. The second day I couldn't even purchase anything! I had to use my Canadian credit card and American cash that I had brought along just in case. So everything for a few days ended up costing me almost double because of the exchange rate. Miraculously, my card started working again on the 4th day and I was so happy that I just started spending like crazy. I kinda thought "fuck this! Its in Euros! It's a great exchange rate" But money is money and now I only have a little left for things like food and appt. decorations that I wanted to buy.
3. I missed my train
I didn't realize that the "Please arrive 30 min before your train" on my Eurostar ticket was more then a suggestion. It took me so long to FIND the Eurostar platform in the Paris station. Like...30 min. of walking from the metro, that station is HUGE and the Eurostar platform is upstairs, with no signs informing anyone of that.
The women informed me that since my train left in 6 min I couldn't board.
"WHY NOT!? That doesn't make ANY sense, I still have plenty of time to catch it, its not even HERE!"
"No."
And she sat back with her arms crossed. Then I started bawling. Nothing. She told me I would have to catch the next train, an hour away and I pleaded with her. Nada. Then she told me that it would be free.
Why didn't she just SAY so?
So I got another ticket and it all turned out fine.
4. I got on the wrong train
This one did not turn out fine. It was in Paris, on my way to Sablé that I got on the direct train to Nantes instead of the one that makes stops.
I found out when it was supposed to stop, and it didn't. I started bawling again. (this was a week later then the first bawling episode so its okay). It was too late to take another train to Sablé.
5. I got lost on the way to the hostel
So I had to sleep at a hostel in Nantes. The guy at the train station told me that it was very close. I asked him if I should take a cab and he said definitely not. He told me to turn left outside the station and walk straight. I confirmed these directions twice. Turn left. Walk Straight. So I did. In the rain. With my luggage. About 2km in I realized that this was definitely not the right way. I looked at my map. I was not supposed to be beside the river. The guy had forgotten to tell me I should turn left outside the NORTH entrance of the station, not the SOUTH entrance which I was at. So I walked backed to the station. In the rain. With my luggage. Bawling. And talking to myself.
6. I got yelled at by a cab driver
I decided to take a cab to the hostel once I made it back to the station. 1 min into the drive he starts violently swearing at me in French. I have no idea why. Just yelling really loudly at me. I started to bawl AGAIN. He continued to scream "MERDE" at me.
I kept one hand on the door handle in case he intended to murder or rape me.
This is fast becoming the worst night of my life.
Eventually after driving a very obviously way to long route he dropped me off infront of a nondescript building. Then he wouldn't give me change, claiming the extra was for 'baggage' even though the baggage was in the back seat with me and no cab driver in France has charged me for baggage before.
Then I had enough and started screaming and swearing at him.
FUCK YOU YOU FUCKING FRENCH CAB DRIVER YOU PIECE OF SHIT FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUK YOU I HATE YOU.
I walked around the building and found the hostel, by this time wet and crying and had snot coming out of my nose because I also happened to catch a cold in England.
The receptionist simply informed me that there was tissue in the bathroom and checked me in. No "are you okay?" No "hmm did something happen while you were on the way to the hostel "
She just gave me a room key, told me that I had the absolute last room in the entire hostel. That was my one piece of luck that night. If someone had gotten that room before me I might have just killed myself.
I think French girls must cry a lot since no one in France seemed the least bit perturbed by the fat that I was literally sobbing in a body-shaking kind of way.
The next morning I took the CORRECT train back to Sablé, not without spilling my coffee all over the floor of course, and went to go teach class.
A Comparasion of Days
I thought it would be fun to compare a day in the life of...ME. The first day is last year in November and the second one is this year in November.
My old days in school used to go something like this:
Wed In Canada
7:30: Wake up (Mon, Wed, Fri, other days at like 11)
7:40: Eat Breakfast
7:43: Get dressed, do hair, assesorize, etc
8:15: Go to bustop
8:35: Late for class
8:45: Leave classes to buy a coffee
Have class until noon.
12:00: Starving, wait in line to buy sandwich from the stand in the hallway.
12:10: Eat said sandwich while climbing stairs back to lounge.
12:12: Check and respond to e-mails, fb messages
12:30: Class until 3:00
3:00-6:00: Study in the Library. Possibly another coffee from the fake Starbucks in the library
6:00-6:20: Wait at bustop to go back to appt.
6:30: Make dinner, eat dinner, watch Lost, and do Yoga/strength exercises in front of the TV. No use wasting time.
8:00: Start researching or writing an essay. Procrastinate on facebook and wikipedia and grad school websites
12:00: Get ready for bed and read for an hour
1:00am: Sleep
3:00am: Wake up hyperventillating because of 10 essays due before Christmas.
Wed in France
7:30: Wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast sitting down at the table and make own cup of coffee
8:30: Get to class to teach until 11:30
11:35: Sit in staff room to check e-mails and read the BBC(not fb messages because that is blocked)
12:30: Go to the cafeteria for lunch
1:30: Go to staff lounge and read The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star and National Post online
2:30: Stare at walls. Go for a walk downtown
2:35: Downtown. Decide to buy some groceries.
3:00: Go back to flat and stare at walls.
3:15: Go back to staff lounge and write on blog.
3:30: Start talking with every teacher who walks in
4:30: Go back to flat. Clean. Do laundry. Start making dinner. Stare at walls.
6:00: Decide to walk to Mcdonalds
7:00: Arrive at Mcdonalds. Use internet. Check Fb.
10:15: Walk back to flat.
11:15: Arrive at flat. Get ready for bed.
12:00: Sleep. Do not wake up anxious in the middle of the night.
My old days in school used to go something like this:
Wed In Canada
7:30: Wake up (Mon, Wed, Fri, other days at like 11)
7:40: Eat Breakfast
7:43: Get dressed, do hair, assesorize, etc
8:15: Go to bustop
8:35: Late for class
8:45: Leave classes to buy a coffee
Have class until noon.
12:00: Starving, wait in line to buy sandwich from the stand in the hallway.
12:10: Eat said sandwich while climbing stairs back to lounge.
12:12: Check and respond to e-mails, fb messages
12:30: Class until 3:00
3:00-6:00: Study in the Library. Possibly another coffee from the fake Starbucks in the library
6:00-6:20: Wait at bustop to go back to appt.
6:30: Make dinner, eat dinner, watch Lost, and do Yoga/strength exercises in front of the TV. No use wasting time.
8:00: Start researching or writing an essay. Procrastinate on facebook and wikipedia and grad school websites
12:00: Get ready for bed and read for an hour
1:00am: Sleep
3:00am: Wake up hyperventillating because of 10 essays due before Christmas.
Wed in France
7:30: Wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast sitting down at the table and make own cup of coffee
8:30: Get to class to teach until 11:30
11:35: Sit in staff room to check e-mails and read the BBC(not fb messages because that is blocked)
12:30: Go to the cafeteria for lunch
1:30: Go to staff lounge and read The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star and National Post online
2:30: Stare at walls. Go for a walk downtown
2:35: Downtown. Decide to buy some groceries.
3:00: Go back to flat and stare at walls.
3:15: Go back to staff lounge and write on blog.
3:30: Start talking with every teacher who walks in
4:30: Go back to flat. Clean. Do laundry. Start making dinner. Stare at walls.
6:00: Decide to walk to Mcdonalds
7:00: Arrive at Mcdonalds. Use internet. Check Fb.
10:15: Walk back to flat.
11:15: Arrive at flat. Get ready for bed.
12:00: Sleep. Do not wake up anxious in the middle of the night.
Holy shit I'm poor and bored
But its okay! I found a website that told me how to ENJOY life cheaply. This kills 2 birds with one stone, since a lot of the tips seem good to relieve boredom as well.
I will try to make this the last "I'm poor" post, but I'm sure a lot of you are poor too so we are in this together! This is the first year that my parents haven't given me any money to live, so I am living almost completely off 750 Euros a month that I earn.
I like doing that though, since so many people are in debt it's important how to learn how to live frugally early! I need to have these habits. I'm way too materialistic anyways and I should learn how to be happy without a Marc Jacobs Torquoise wallet. I will just have to learn to live with my Gold broken D&G one. Or maybe I will make one out of duct tape! Or is that going to far?
Anyways, read the site I have enclosed the link. The main tips are just to enjoy the little things and spend time with the people that you love!
This is kinda hard for me since everyone I love is an 8 hour plane ride away, but I get the message.
I will just have picnics in the park by myself. And bake cookies for my classes. And just enjoy being by myself, on a sunny day, listening to Wilco (my band of the moment).
Dammit, I WILL be zen and fulfilled without a high salary and a packed schedule!
I will try to make this the last "I'm poor" post, but I'm sure a lot of you are poor too so we are in this together! This is the first year that my parents haven't given me any money to live, so I am living almost completely off 750 Euros a month that I earn.
I like doing that though, since so many people are in debt it's important how to learn how to live frugally early! I need to have these habits. I'm way too materialistic anyways and I should learn how to be happy without a Marc Jacobs Torquoise wallet. I will just have to learn to live with my Gold broken D&G one. Or maybe I will make one out of duct tape! Or is that going to far?
Anyways, read the site I have enclosed the link. The main tips are just to enjoy the little things and spend time with the people that you love!
This is kinda hard for me since everyone I love is an 8 hour plane ride away, but I get the message.
I will just have picnics in the park by myself. And bake cookies for my classes. And just enjoy being by myself, on a sunny day, listening to Wilco (my band of the moment).
Dammit, I WILL be zen and fulfilled without a high salary and a packed schedule!
Pasta for the Broke:Eating on a Budget:
So I blew all my money on vacation (will describe it in many later posts) and have no money left to buy groceries.
I looked at the meager offerings in my fridge, leftover from a week ago, and invented the Poor Person's Pasta!
1 Cup of Pasta
Half of red onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 TBS of olive oil
Tomato paste from a tube
Butter
Swiss Cheese
Basil
I sauteed the onions and garlic and then squeezed out some tomato paste. It seemed really thick and sweet so I watered it down with a few splashed of cool tap water and stirred.
Then I shook some basil on it.
When the pasta I had been boiling was done, I strained it then added it to the pan and stirred it all together. I then added some butter and grated cheese, stirred and ate!
It is actually really good! I'm impressed by myself! And all from what I found in my fridge, since I really should use up all my food before buying more. Also I'm too tired to go grocery shopping.
I looked at the meager offerings in my fridge, leftover from a week ago, and invented the Poor Person's Pasta!
1 Cup of Pasta
Half of red onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 TBS of olive oil
Tomato paste from a tube
Butter
Swiss Cheese
Basil
I sauteed the onions and garlic and then squeezed out some tomato paste. It seemed really thick and sweet so I watered it down with a few splashed of cool tap water and stirred.
Then I shook some basil on it.
When the pasta I had been boiling was done, I strained it then added it to the pan and stirred it all together. I then added some butter and grated cheese, stirred and ate!
It is actually really good! I'm impressed by myself! And all from what I found in my fridge, since I really should use up all my food before buying more. Also I'm too tired to go grocery shopping.
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