Ahhh France

I will admit, this may have been taken in our backyard in summer, not spring

So I`ve come to the conclusion that I like France. I really do. I'm sure you're saying "well ya, thanks tips, I kinda gathered that from your posts". But I mean fer realsies, I like France, I love the idea of living in Europe (it's a slightly romanticized idea, but hey...) but I miss home. Which is odd because you would think the homesickness would kick in like maybe, oh I duno, the first week I was here? But no, then I didn't miss Canada, or family and whatnot. But now I do. I miss not being in the loop--I don't like finding out about things after they've already occurred, I want to know as soon as it happens. But I can't when I'm 6 hours ahead. I recently realized that I missed the small things, things you don't even realize you miss, or realize exist at all. Take spring for example. The weather has been getting better here and in Canada, which means it's spring. At some point during the past couple of weeks I realized that I missed the way things smelled when it became spring. I missed walking down my street and seeing the bright sun, the flowers blooming and the leaves returning to their former glory. I even--Heaven help me for saying this--miss the march madness that is final papers. It's the little things.

Same with this one. Minor details! Don't get uppity with me!

That being said however I have to once again mention the damn french scooters. In my last post I said I hated those damn things; in this post I said "I like France"--keyword here being "like". Why do I only "like" France? BECAUSE OF THOSE DAMN SCOOTERS!!!!!!! If I could change one thing about France, it would be those scooters. Not even the dog poop EVERYWHERE piss me off as much as those scooters. It's like everytime I hear one of them whining it's like it's saying "EEEEEEEEEEE-you can't do anything to shut us up you silly CanadieneeEEEEEEEEEEE" They are the most obnoxious and loud things I have ever heard--and I come from an Italian family, so that's saying a lot (haha just jokes family *nervous laugh*). But in all seriousness, France is lovely, but I miss being able to watch a TV show with a friend and not have to worry about a loud scooter going down the street or some dude loudly and badly singing. Oh yes my friends, true story. Some loud and possibly drunk french guy was singing somewhere on our street the other night......so ya, good times....

Enough of my ranting. Enjoy you're weekend, I'm off to Lyon for the day tomorrow, so we'll see what that city has in store. Ta Ta for now!

It's the little things

Versailles--woah, wait! Who is that sexy beast in a pink scarf??

Hey! It's been a little bit since I've posted, I know, I'm terrible. But I'm posting now, so that makes it better. So some friends and I went to Paris the other weekend. It was fantastic there. We saw all the usual suspects--the Louvre, Eiffel tower, Arc de Triomph....and some other stuff. But I have to say that I've decided that I'm moving to Paris and I'm going to work in the Louvre--eventually. I might have to finish school and actually find a job at the Louvre first, but hey, minor details!

Also at Versailles, featuring my very first Macaron. Spoiler alert: I ate it.

In talking with some of the people here you start to realize how different each country really is. And I know what you're thinking, "no shit different countries are different, ya dink". Well yes, but you never realize the extent to which you're different. Take workplace wardrobe (alliteration FTW!) for example. My friends and I had a simple, but very confuddled conversation about what you wear to work. Don't ask how we got on the topic, just keep up. So the North Americans (myself and an American) were saying that it was considered not proffesional to wear jeans to work--you need to dress up a tad. But the Europeans were like, uhm no, everyone wears jeans to work, you'll look like you're trying to hard if you dress up. Something simple like that you would never think would be different. Oh but it is. And none of us could understand why the other would wear something like that to work (hence the use of the word confuddled).
Even just talking with the Americans, I get confused. Why you no start school based on year and not academic year??!!? I couldn't figure out why people my age were graduating a year after me. Why? Cause apparently Americans do things differently than Canadians. But anyways, back to my point. Everyone's different. You don't realize this until you're brought out of your comfy, large, Canadian bed and plopped into a small, mostly-comfy-but-you'll-get-used-to-it French bed.

The Eiffel Tower on a nighttime boat ride on the Seine

On a side-note, I friggin hate scooters. SHUT THE FRENCH HELL UP!! Why must you be so loud??? I'm trying to nap or get my cinematic adventure on and all I hear is EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE......I apologize for the novel/rant. Au revoir until next time.

France: Continued

So we got back from Nimes a few days ago--it was lovely. For the first time in......lets say 4 months, I didn't have to wear a jacket/coat which is a legit big deal for a Canadian. Lots of Roman ruins to look at= crack for an art historian. Nimes is like Rome in the winter (I say this not actually knowing what Rome is like in the winter) lots of ruins and stuff but not a lot of people. Unfortunately we came to the conclusion that Nimes would become like Rome in the summer--crap loads of people in hot, sticky, south-of-France weather.

We started our classes this week, sort of. The schedule's a little messed up, but there were classes none the less. I shall come back to Canada with a greater knowledge of the EU. How I will use this knowledge, however, is yet to be seen.

One last thing that I keep forgetting to mention and share with you all (whoever you are) is this jar.This jar here is not just any jar--no, it is a jar of Speculoos. "Hwhat iz ziss?" you say? Well I'll tell you. It's weird. It's different. It's intriguing. It's the consistency of peanut butter, but it tastes like graham crackers and gingerbread. You can eat it with apples or grab a spoon and have at it. We've also discovered that it's mighty fine on pancakes. I don't think it's available in Canada though..... :(
That's all for now folks!