France: January 20, 2002

Today has been rather uneventful. I didn't really go anywhere except to the laundromat. Yes, I finally found it! Tomorrow I'm going to see if I can get the other half of my stipend from Therese. Soon I need to meet with my new landlord to work out a renting contract. It's kind of expensive to wash clothes at the laundromat. It costs 3,50 Euros for one load of clothes. But, the washers hold a lot because I only needed one washer for all my socks & underwear, four pairs of jeans, my black pants, a couple of sweaters, and a couple of shirts. Not too bad. I didn't dry my clothes in the dryers there so that I could save what little pocket change I have left. I hung everything on chairs & in the closet and on the two radiators to dry. Eva showed me tonight that there is a hanging rack in a back room. I don't know if I'll actually use it, though. A nice lady at the laundromat assisted me with the use of the washer & when to put the detergent (la lessive) in...because apparently you don't just put the detergent in at the outset like you do with the washers in the States. You live, you learn! Yeah...Eva and I actually held conversation for a while tonight. My French sucks when I'm around her I think because I'm uncomfortable around her. But, she actually said what I thought about her talking. She said she does have a bad habit of talking softly even in her mother tongue of Hungarian. She corrected my French here and there when I spoke which I am appreciative of because that's how I'll learn to speak better. She keeps insisting that I go to the local swimming pool when I already told her I forgot my bathing suit at home. But, I know I do need to start exercising somehow. I know Tara and some other international students are running or jogging in the park. Perhaps I'll start going there, too. Oh...I didn't make it to church this morning but I did see a telecast of a church service on TV. When I woke up this morning, I made out some postcards to Marta (for her birthday...a little belated, though), Justin, Laura (Mom), Career Services at Clarion University of PA (for Penny, Mildred & Connie...a combined postcard), Andrea, Kristy and Cory. I'll actually send them out tomorrow. I called home and talked to Mommy. I asked her if she received a postcard, yet. She said "no". But, I just sent theirs out a couple days ago anyway. Mommy said Janice has been calling them like crazy asking how I'm doing. Mommy said Janice is acting like I'm on Mars or something, amazed that they can keep in touch with me via e-mail. On other news, I need to really do some job searching. I did send my resume through Monster.com to one company for an entry-level PR position. But, I should've updated the resume before I sent it because it didn't include my info for my semester abroad here at Jules Verne. Oh well. C'est la vie! :-) My room here smells all clean from my hanging clothes...mmm...Now I know why Mommy has to go to the grocery store constantly because I have the same problem here...and I'm just buying for one person!! I'm sure I won't have to buy so much once I start taking classes and being busier (I hope!). I have my family's Christmas picture hanging up by a tack on the wall above my lampstand. I'm just blown away at how homesick I am here. It definitely has the added dimension of difference of language. I mean I know French...but I'm definitely not a native! A new apartment mate moved in today. I haven't gotten her name or origin, yet, but I'll keep ya posted. Oh...I called home back real quick and asked Kimberly for her e-mail address.