Monday, February 8, 2010

France: January 10, 2002

Well, Forum was just a glorified college fair...LOL!! I wonder if I've confused Therese because while we were there she looked for the stand for International Relations. I'm going to try to see Therese tomorrow about my courses or at least set up a meeting with someone about them. Also, I'm going to get a student card for the University. I don't think I need to get une carte de sejour because my passport is a 6-month long-stay visa. Tara thought the same thing. After the Forum, Therese told me that I have two choices for housing now...the luxury of being here early. :) Tomorrow I'm going to see that first apartment I was told about in the afternoon sometime. But, before that I'm taking in an English-guided tour of the Notre Dame Cathedral of Amiens with the other American (Tulsa, OK) students and the Tulsa professor, Madame Zita Alca. I happened to run into her at the tourism office today while I was wandering around Amiens. That reminds me. I must go to a bank to set up an account sometime...another thing to add to my "Things to do" list! I bought a one-month bus pass today; I kinda lied and said that I already lived at that apartment I'm looking at tomorrow because they needed an address from me. I'm pretty sure that card works for all the buses and not just the Number 4 (because that's the bus she told me runs near "my apartment" - the semi-false address I gave her to get the card). I have to admit it...I'm jealous of how easily Tara speaks and gets to know people. She's only a French minor for goodness sake! But, I know what my major problem is...I try to think too long before I speak so it all comes out slowly whereas she just talks, fumbling all along, but talks rather quickly and nobody cares. I need to be more like her. After checking and sending out some e-mails from the university, I took the bus back to my (temporary) apartment and watched some T.V. Well, during that time I met a new apartment-mate named Dominique; he is a Canadian exchange student studying entymology (study of insects...I think I spelled it right!). He looks older, like in his 30's. He's not very good-looking but he's really nice. He began speaking English with me after he found out I am an American. I (finally) talked to Eva tonight and she laughed when I told her that Dominique is from Canada because she said she's outnumbered by people from North America. Hehehe :) Tara called me at 5 p.m. from the University. I told her a landmark for her to look for to get off at the bus stop near my apartment. I showed her the apartment and afterwards we went in search of dinner. We ended up eating at a place called "Au bureau" - a Pizza Pub with cool rave-type music and lots of things American (that was strictly coincidence, though!). I had a Coca-Cola light with une Margaret Salade while she had une carafe de l'eau with une salade Jersey. We talked there for a long time (in English most of the time). I can see my French slowly progressing forward. I'm happy!! After dinner, we went to her place for a bit then we went to her International friends' apartment. There were a couple Finnish (from Finland) students, Scottish or British guy (named Olly, short for Oliver), a Mauritian (another one...he couldn't believe me when I told him I met a different guy from Mauritius at l'Universite de Picardie Jules Verne...or "Jules Verne" for short...) and a German girl named Anika. Anika is having a birthday party tomorrow night at 9 p.m. and I've been invited thanks to Tara! I'm so very excited about going...a party in France! It's funny speaking with those international students because they prefer to speak in English, not French. But Dina and the other Finnish girl (I can't remember her name at the moment) would tell everyone to switch to French for a while for us (more for Tara...but oh well...I was there, too). I was a little too quiet. And, when I did talk people interrupted...I hate that. Oh well...I'll find my voice with people. Eva said it's good I'm here early because it'll help me improve my French-speaking skills before I begin my classes. I don't know how to take that...just a statement or an easy cut...oh well. C'est la vie! A demain! Bonne nuit. :)

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