I can't remember...

I've forgotten everything I was going to post today.


I got a card from Grandma. A card from Heather.  A card from Kelly.  Thank you all very much.  I go by the USAC office every day to check for mail, because I have nothing better to do.  Now I'm waiting for a box, I guess.


I got a new student ID card because I already lost the first one. The USAC office told me I'd have to pay 10 euros for it, but the foreign students office didn't charge me so I guess my program's office was mistaken...


My host dad is excited to speak American to my mother. He wants to surprise her with how good his American is.  Don't tell him I told you that, it's supposed to be a surprise.  They've both warned me that normally when they have dinners with friends or family, they can spend up to 3 or 4 hours at the table and that they think their last host student's mom got really bored and annoyed with being at the table for so long, especially since not a lot of Americans eat at the table I guess....


So when they were talking about speaking American, and my host dad said something about how when my family is here, he can speak American with them, etc. and my host mom said something along the lines of, well you don't speak Spanish to Angie, she speaks some Spanish, don't you Angie?  And then he started to talk to me in Spanish and... my brain exploded.  My brain is thinking in French! And it's an English brain!  Do you know how hard it is to translate French to Spanish in an English brain?!  I could understand him but I was drawing blanks on how to respond. It wasn't very nice of them.  I have a feeling it might be similar to that next semester when I first get to Spain. My brain will think in French before it thinks in Spanish...  I have been studying them both at the same time for 4 years and have never had a problem with that, but I think pretty soon I will.  I can't wait for the day when I can say things without having to think too hard about what I want to say.  Well I can already sometimes do that in French but there are still things I have to think about or backtrack on.  I'll get the hang of this, I'm sure...  I wish I could take on a couple more languages... But maybe I should fluently learn the ones I've already got first.


I hope Mom and Dan will survive in Paris without me that first day.... Just remember, guys.  Pickpockets... Especially on a crowded metro (and particularly metro line 1), if you have a bag or anything hold it in front of you on the metro...  And a surprisingly small number of people in Paris know English (especially compared to Carcassonne. I was shocked).  Before you get too far from the airport, find somewhere to grab a metro map...  Those are super useful...  I found the metro pretty easy to navigate as long as you know where you're going.  I know you guys aren't even going to be here for another three weeks but still.


Also wanted to let my mommy know that all French people are far more aggressive as drivers and you'll probably have to be equally aggressive or you won't be going anywhere. Also, French people don't really follow speed limits...


Alright. I'm out of things to say for now. Bye bye!!