Apr
15
You know how in elementary school you always used to celebrate the 100th day of school? I am sure I will do that with my classroom as well, but day 100 is so cliché. Why not day 102? So, since I was busy on Wednesday (my 100th day in Limoges!) I am celebrating day 102, and giving out 102 facts about life in France, school, and my life since I left.
- One month and 9 days left in France.
- Cups of coffee per day. Sometimes more, sometimes less. It’s just so good!
- cost of my lunch (in euros) at the campus restaurant. I get an entrée, salad and yogurt, sometimes a dessert, but it all depends on what your entrée is for what sides you can get.
- Months I have passed without seeing my family!
- Croissants that come in a package at Carrefour market. It is 4+1 free! Big deal, huh?! Plus, Bus 5 is my bff.
- Months I will have spent out of the USA when I return.
- People who have used “I would love to speak English with you” or “I would love to learn American English” as their pickup line. Note to them: It’s annoying and doesn’t work. I don’t want to teach you English, especially if I don’t know you.
- Number of letters in “Bordeaux” which was my first trip I took in France where I made lots of friends and had a blast!
- Classses I take each week, now that I don’t have my 8:00am anymore!
- Usually the hour in which I wake up each morning. Except for Thursday’s since I have class at 9:30. Also, the bus I can take to get to the train station and to centre ville.
- The time at night I usually start to wind down and attempt to go to sleep.
- My favorite Skype time!
- Average amount of days between laundry that I do.
- Days it took me to recover from my adventures in Spain!
- Date of my first rugby game that I ever saw, back in January.
- Times I wished I could have driven to Wal-Mart.
- The day I spent the BEST St. Patrick’s Day ever with my very best friend!
- My favorite number and the day in April my family is coming!
- People who have came to my door/window and said “I lived here in past years” talking about my room. Sorry, creepers, but there is no way that many of you have lived here. I don’t believe you.
20. Euros will get you 3 DVD’s at Carrefour.
21. My age 🙂
22. How old I will turn in September!
23. Euros could get you baguettes for a lifetime. Okay, not really, but at least for a week or two!
24. Number of episodes in The O.C. Season 2, which I watched all of.
25. Number of episodes in The O.C. Season 3, which I also watched all of.
26. The date of my DELF exam in May. I am freaking out and need lots of luck!
27. Number of episodes in The O.C. Season 1, which I watched all of.
28. The first time I’ve thought this “102 facts” thing is a bad idea.
29. Times I’ve dusted my freaking room. It piles up so fast.
30. Day 30 was my first visit to a French waxing place to take care of my eyebrows. It’s the same in the US so don’t get excited.
31. Movies/TV Shows I’ve taken from Lelani.
32. On Day 32 is when I made my trip to Bordeaux.
33. Amount of euros it took for me to get from Limoges to San Sebastian, Spain by train.
34. The number of times I’ve had soup for dinner.
35. Day 35: Rent for February was due!
36. The number of times I’ve had pasta for dinner!
37. Thirty-seven plus times I’ve eaten at the campus restaurant.
38. Limoges faucet water is not too bad, surprisingly.
39. I hate the exchange rate.
40. Day 40 is when I began getting really sick and spent the next week in bed, coughing, and gulping hot tea or hot water with lemon.
41. I’ve made 15 new friends being here. Granted, I may never see some of them again (sadly) but I’ve enjoyed spending my time with them.
42. I do not like my class on Tuesday’s at 2:00. I’ve spent all semester in it and I still do not see the point. It’s the worst.class.ever.
43. The first thing I do when I get back from class each evening is check my e-mail. By this point, my mom has sent me 5 e-mails asking “Where are you??????”.
44. I hate doing laundry here. It is 2 euro 50 and there isn’t a change machine ANYWHERE in France, so if you don’t have it, no laundry for you and it sucks!
45. I still cannot believe I can get a bottle of French wine for 2 euro. It may not be the best, but it isn’t too shabby.
46. Day of my first exam in my translation course. It was from English to French (which is difficult for me) but I passed!
47. Average time of a Gossip Girl or The O.C. episode that I watch, almost daily.
48. Times I’ve thought of how much I miss Chelsea Lately, and the hours it took me to read one of her books.
49. Even though I have a quarter of my clothes here and not many options, I still have trouble deciding what to wear each day.
50. I said I would “get ready” for class each day (ie, do my makeup, hair, look super cute) and that lasted about two weeks.
51. I miss my friends back at home so very much.
52. I miss AOII!
53. I’ve learned a lot while I’ve been here so far, but I’m definitely not fluent, although I could have a good conversation with a stranger.
54. I wish I had a refrigerator.
55. I still cannot believe that I am here. Who am I?! I never thought I would ever really do that. I’m quite brave, and that surprises me.
56. I finally found one of my favorite French films, Amelie, today for 5 euro! I’m watching it tonight.
57. I’m actually getting excited to be coming home, but don’t tell my mama!
58. Being in France has made me enjoy the warm weather and has almost changed my mind that I like Spring and Summer better than Fall and Winter.
59. On Day 59, I spent it in Madrid, Spain during my winter vacation.
60. Divide this by 4 and you have the number of decorations I have on my walls. I think “decoration” is a strong word. It’s more a mixture of cards and pictures my mom has sent me.
61. When I go home, it is going to be like I have a new wardrobe. No offense, but I am so sick of wearing the same pairs of underwear, shirts, and socks. I think I might be so sick of them that I will just give them away.
62. I’ve eaten way too many croissants and drank too much wine over here, but hey, isn’t that kind of the point of being in France?!
63. I am going to miss baguettes back home. They aren’t made there like they are here.
64. I’ve missed working. I know, I’m weird.
65. Every night I sleep at midnight I take an allergy pill, floss my teeth, and crawl into bed with my panda, Polly, and get situated for sleep.
66. I think where I live is so dirty and I do not like it. I think it is gross. I dread taking a shower and I hate walking to the bathrooms all the time. I always wear these little grippy-sock things because I cannot stand the thought of walking barefoot here. My room is my safe haven because I know I clean it and I know it’s to my standard.
67. Day 67 is when my bff Kara came to visit me! I also went to Le Bistrot Gournand for the second time and it is still my favorite restaurant I’ve been to so far.
68. H&M has my heart.
69. I would love to come back after I graduate and spend two years being a nanny or an au pair for a French family.
70. Or, I would love to come back and teach English or French in schools here.
71. I’ve already started looking into it 🙂
72. The second time I think this is a bad idea. I feel like I don’t have 102 things to tell.
73. I gave my “notice of departure” to the office today. It is bittersweet that I am almost leaving. I don’t know how I feel about it.
74. I love having my Wednesdays off of class, but then it is a little trick because I have a full day Thursdays.
75. I don’t like having afternoon classes because I don’t feel there is much I can do in the mornings before class, so I usually just sleep and then go have lunch and hang out.
76. I feel like I’ve seen hardly any of France, and even less of Limoges and the area around it. The busses are great, but they don’t take you everywhere.
77. I’ve seen one movie in theatres the entire time I’ve been here. It was a really good French film called “Les femmes du sixeme etage”. It was unlike normal love stories but it was funny and heartwarming. When I get home, I am having a Redbox marathon and stocking up on all the ones I’ve missed that I wanted to see.
78. I’m really good at painting my own nails now.
79. Lelani is my best friend over here and I am going to be so sad to not talk to her all the time. However, she is coming to the US next summer, and in two years I’m going to South Africa to visit her and Tros.
80. Cultures and lifestyles are such an interesting thing to learn about and I am so glad I’ve had this opportunity to experience so many and learn so much.
81. No matter what people say and how much I love being in France, I am very proud and happy to be an American.
82. Boomer Sooner! I haven’t said that in a while.
83. I still wanna sneak away and go to William and Kate’s wedding just to meet Prince Harry, but I’m being honest with myself in that that will never happen. Shucks.
84. I miss Sassi and Coco, my neice dog and my mom’s cat. Actually, I miss any animal because it is kind of taboo for the French to pet their animals.
85. I have 17 more facts to write and I am boring myself, so I pride you if you are still reading this!
86. 86-10 is the number of episodes of The O.C. I have watched total. Hopefully my mom will bring me Season 4 and that number will rise and I can finish the series.
87. Le Petit Prince is the sweetest French novel ever. I love it and my child is going to be read it growing up every night.
88. I’m going to miss public transportation (metros, bus) back home. It’s not the same there.
89. Only one dryer here works really well and so I have to be strategic to get my laundry done properly. I’m very sly in making sure I get to use that dryer.
90. Hot water with lemon and a dash of sugar is a really good thing to drink. I enjoy it.
91. If I were to get a car in France, I would get an Opel Insignia. I prefer the 2 door Opel Corsa, but I know I would hate two doors after two weeks. I’d even take the Opel Astra. Maybe when I am a rich teacher (yeah, right) I can buy it and have it shipped over. 😉 Go Google it.
92. I’m going to miss Kinder bars when I go home. That’s something I’m buy bulk of and packing up!
93. I listen to French talk radio. Gosh, I am an old woman.
94. Since Limoges has no souvenirs besides porcelain, I bought a rugby shirt from last year for 5 euro to save for my time here.
95. 7 more facts to go and I am running out of what to say!
96. Of the 102 days I have been here, I think I have made my bed 99 of them. Pretty impressive, huh?
97. I miss Aquafresh toothpaste and my good lotion.
98. I am obsessed with peach flavored iced tea. Here, Lipton, Nestea, and Carrefour make it and it is wonderful!
99. When I am done with this, I am going to take a nap. This evening, I am going to make dinner, watch Amelie (like I said before) and give myself a manicure and pedicure.
100. I have a test the first class period back after break and I think that is just harsh.
101. I made reservations in French yesterday and I felt so accomplished. I also like going to the post office, train station, Carrefour, wherever and when I do a small task, all in French, I get so happy! It makes me feel like I am improving, which I know I am, but still.
102. I am done! If there was one thing I would like to do for the remainder of my trip, it would be to visit Nice and Monaco, but I’ve done that before, and I’ve done everything I’ve wanted to and more during my time here.
I am sure you are all sick of my facts and I know I wrote some pointless stuff. Anything you all want to know about my French experience, just ask and I will answer!
Lovelovelove,
Teryn
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