Francia

Francia.
BONJOUR! Este de fin de semana pasado fui al sur de Francia para celebrar el cumpleaños de Gretchen! I was kind of sad at first that I wouldn't get a chance to go to Paris, but I'm really glad I went to Aix-en-Provence and Avignon instead because it gave me a chance to not be touristy and it was so beautiful down there. It was also my first time ever traveling 100% alone so it was good to finally go through that process. Besides getting to actually use my three years of French, eating the classic crepes and croissants, laying in the park, shopping in the French boutiques, taking a day trip to Avignon to visit the Palais de Papes/famous bridge, I had 2 favorite experiences and learned 2 things about myself while I was there.

On the eve of Gretchen's birthday, we had planned to go out obviously because 21 is a big deal. Me, Gretchen, Erin (one of my friends from UNH that also came down to visit from studying in Dijon, France) and people from Gretch's program went to the store to buy some drinks before going out to the bar later that night. Erin and I decided we'd split a bottle of champagne. We went outside to a spot down the street from the store and everyone was casually drinking their beers or whatever they bought, while Erin tried to open the bottle. It was a twist off so we thought it'd be easy. NO.

For some reason it was impossible to get the top off. There were at least 7 different people that tried using a wine bottle opener, biting it, smashing the top off, using the ledge of a statue to pry it off, etc. We decided to just poke a hole in the plastic part and take turns feeding it to each other (ok we sound desperate but I spent 5 euros on it that's like 8 bucks sooo) but because the pressure couldn't be released it just kept exploding in our faces. After a half an hour we decided to just go back to the store and ask the cashier for a new one because it was clearly defective, but Gretchen thought she'd ask him first if he could open it. There were like 6 people in line and I watched as she literally asked him if he knew how to open it, while all the French people were basically laughing at us because we looked PATHETIC. The guy took the bottle and tried, and Erin and I were just waiting for the guy to fail because we had obviously tried twisting it off a thousand times. 3 seconds later he popped off the top and handed it back to us with no problem. It was so embarrassing, mostly because the guy looked like he was 12 years old and none of us could open it but him.

My other favorite part of the trip was Gretchen's birthday dinner on the actual day. She's also in a host family with an elderly woman so it was really interesting to see the differences between her situation and mine. Her host mom planned a whole dinner ordeal for her birthday, which was so nice and a bunch of people were invited. She had us play bingo and win tiny presents, and it was actually really fun with all the people our age. After that a few more adults came, and during the dinner we all sat in a circle and it was a huge mixture of speaking in English and French, and it was so cool. I will never get that experience again, and I loved being able to use my French and try to understand what was going on. One of the other English speakers there was also from Scotland, so hearing her accent plus all the French ones mixed with English was really a once in a life time kind of thing. It also made me appreciate my Spanish sooooo much; I love how comfortable I am with it and honestly consider myself fluent after going to France. In Spanish I can say anything I want to, simply by explaining a word even if I don't know exactly what it is. Even though I know French it was so much harder to feel connected with it, even in France, and I'm so happy I took the Spanish route :)

The two lessons I learned include:
1) Realizing that Spain has turned me into SUCH a loudmouth. Apparently I speak so loudly all the time and pretty much yell compared to people in France...and learning that was embarrassing but funny and humbling. I never realized how loud the Spanish culture is, and now I totally get it. It's a national law in France to be quiet in your house after 10pm...meanwhile I can hear children running and people yelling in my apartment building at all hours of the day. Also, because my host mom is older, I've become accustomed to speaking really loudly...and that's just not a thing in France. Erin and Gretchen SHHHH'd me like a billion times while I was there..sorry guys, I have a little Spain in me.

2) Birds are birds no matter where you go but especially in France they SUCK. If you know me well you know that I'm absolutely terrified of all birds, and for some reason all the pigeons there were monster. They aren't scared of humans and just walk right up to you/fly directly towards your face and don't care. I was on edge the entire time we walked past a flock of those disgusting head bobbers.. ew even writing this makes me cringe. Whatever I'm weird but I learned that I still hate birds and always will.

This shout out is to the four people in Scotland I reallyyyyy wish I could visit, but can't figure out a way how to make it work. :( To my Tennessee/Scotland family, I wish more than anything I could come stay with you guys for a weekend since I'm so close, but I'll have to wait to see you til you're back in the summer! I miss and love you guys, Micah is more adorable every day and I can't wait to see you all! And to the person who gave me the closest thing to a cactus iPod, I also wish so much that I could come visit :/ you seem to be having an awesome time, it was good to talk to you a bit this weekend!

Merci beaucoup for reading, ya es abril y no puedo creerlo. A little Frespanglish for you all.
Hasta pronto,
-Male (the current name my coffee cup has this time)