Good Morning!

I got up too late today to catch the bus in for my group phonetic session. Shame on me, I know, but it's alright. It was the only thing I had to do today, so I guess I have the day to myself now.


I know a few people wanted my address here and I haven't gotten around to sending that out yet so here you have it:


Angela Beck
c/o Ryan Findley OR Robina Muller (you only have to put one of their names on there, doesn't matter which)
USAC France
Bureau 125 Faculté des Lettres
Université de Pau
64000 Pau, FRANCE


I like getting mail. Feel free to send me stuff.


I'm thinking that I should have brought some certain things that never even crossed my mind before.  One girl brought a ton of beef jerky, because she loves beef jerky.  Why didn't I think of that?!  Another girl's mom just sent her a care package with Reese's peanut butter cups in them.  Ehh, I like kitkats better anyways and they have those here so I guess I'm okay on that front.  And then there's the Dr Pepper!  I actually thought about sticking a couple cans in my suitcase before I left, because we had some at home. But I decided against it.  Now I really want some.


I think the fact that they eat so late here makes sense.  We eat dinner around 8:30 or 9, and yesterday I had to get dinner on my own because none of my family was home and I ate around 6:30. I shouldn't have done that, an hour later I was hungry again but there are no snacks to eat.  I guess they don't snack at all in France. You eat three meals and that's it.  Nothing in between. And as far as meals go, breakfast is something small accompanied by coffee or tea. Lunch is a typical lunch meal, always accompanied by bread, and always finished off with coffee/tea, cheese and a small dessert (like a yogurt or a pudding cup or a piece of fruit). Dinner is almost always an appetizer, a main dish, sides and more bread, again finished off with coffee/tea, cheese and a small dessert.  I actually have not been having any coffee, tea, cheese or dessert, nor have I been having breakfast, although I should start taking those.


Seriously, all I talk about on here is food. I should change the name of my blog to The "I'm Obsessed With Food" Blog.


What else can I talk about? Hmmm. School seems easy enough so far. The one class that I've started isn't too terrible, and after the language classes start the elective classes will only be meeting once a week. I think if I can get through the first two weeks of intensive elective classes, I'll be okay for the rest of the semester. I actually can't wait for language classes to start, but I really need to study up on my grammar and vocabulary a little because I'm worried about where those placement tests will put me.  If they place me lower than what I signed up for, I'll only be getting credits for classes I already took so it won't get me ahead at all.  I'll work it out somehow. I'm going to email my French adviser back at Boise State and ask her if she knows of any websites where I can study up. Either way, it is what it is and I'll be fine no matter what happens.


Oh, I thought of another thing.  People smoke like chimneys here. The university and high schools even have 15 minutes breaks in the middle of classes so that the students can go outside and smoke. And some buildings, they don't even have to go outside. There's cigarette butts all over the sidewalks and up on the Eiffel Tower in some of the pictures I have you can see the cigarette butts, and public parks, and everywhere at home where you normally wouldn't see people smoking.  I kind of expected that but some of the people in the program didn't, and they were shocked.  Others, on the other hand, were content because they themselves are smokers and they like that there are fewer restrictions.  I find it amusing that French cigarette cartons tell you that you should have a balanced diet.


I'm sorry if I bore you all. My blog posts are not very exciting or entertaining.  I'll try to find something more exciting to write about.