Oh yeah, I live in Paris...

Sometimes I forget. I know that's sounds stupid, but I do. I have a routine just like at home, get up go to school in this case instead of work, exercise, read, homework, stupid things like that. When I go out, recently it's been to walk around and have coffee with friends. These activities aren't different than ones I might do in Chicago. So it actually makes it harder because I then start missing you guys a lot more and my family and of course Adam. It's kind of weird. I have to remind myself that this is a foreign country.
So what have I been doing while living in this country. I obviously have been going to class. Last Friday I went out to celebrate Barbara's birthday (the swiss girl). That was a lot of fun. Maryann made me dinner before that and then we out to this bar and i invited a bunch of my school friends. It was a very good time. Saturday I needed some alone time. So I went running and then spent the rest of the afternoon shopping and buying some souvenier. I actually bought a suit! it was so inexpensive, though funny because I bought it from Zara, a Spanish store! Of course the pants have to be hemmed, so I pick them up tomorrow. Bought some gifts, had an excellent crêpe and headed home. That night Maryann and I walked around Montmarte, bought scarfs and just sort of wandered. I went home early (like midnight) b/c the Metro stops running after
12:30 and it's not a short walk for me. But it was for the better as I went to that picnic on Sunday. So my chicago French teacher introduced me to her two best friends via email: Olivier and Hélene. Hélene invited me to a picnic at her house this past sunday. of course i accepted. She picked me up at 11:30. I got home at 7:30pm! I was exhausted and my head was killing me. I had a great time, but it was a whole lot of french for a really long time. the french love their picnics. seriously, love their picnics. the spend hours lounging on blankets, eating, drinking, napping, etc. Something I'm not used to. Had a great time though. As for food, there was pâté, and meat slices, bread, salads with couscous and stuff, a french form of gazpacho, of course cheese and wine and fruit and dessert. It was lots of fun but very exhausting as I couldn't let my guard down attention-wise.
They also invited me to a picnic on Thursday as it is Independence Day and we're going to picnic and watch the fire works by the eiffel tower. kind of crazy but super fun i'm sure.
I also somehow in the midst of not understanding full conversations, agreed on a weekend get-away. apparently one of them has a house in the country and they're throwing a huge party there. So they're going up next saturday morning and coming back on Sunday. I'm sure it'll be a great time, but I'm not sure i'm comfortable going. we'll see...
Ballet class. So the girl who I met who gave me all the info about this school, Anne-Benedict, was out of town in london on vacation until this week. I took class last tuesday and friday and loved it. Last friday this really nice girl introduced herself to me (i didn't catch her name, but i thought it was Mindy). then friday night i get an email from Anne-Benedict saying she was really glad to meet me, sorry she couldn't talk after class but maybe we could get coffee this week....
so the girl who introduced herself was not mindy at all, it was her!!! So I felt stupid of course. But c'est la vie. She's so nice! We went out for coffee after class today and talked for about an hour and half. she's very nice and super friendly. we'll probably get coffee again this friday!
So that's my crazy life right now. On another note, I'm so tired I could cry and my body is already sore from pushing myself too hard!
Miss you beaucoup!