Did I really just survive a month?

Hey guys! I thought I’d give you an update, because I just officially finished my first month!!! I can’t believe it! I feel a little slow at picking everything up, but I’m still proud of my progress. I wouldn’t have survived this long if it wasn’t for my constantly helpful host family and all of your encouragement. Thanks to my Mom and Dad for being on call therapists and my #1 fans, my friends for not isolating me (It doesn’t matter that I’m halfway across the world, I always want to help with boy troubles), the rest of my family for all of the things that each one of you has done for me (it’s all so different and important, from helpful tips and care to lovely thoughtful comments), and my brothers and cousins who helped me through my 'A Song of Ice and Fire' angst. I have so much thanks to give to so many people I could never fit it into a reasonable blog post, so that’s all I’ll say about it for now, but if I missed you, thank you, I would go insane without your help.

On a different note, from my daily experiances, I’ve put together a list of things I learned in my first month, titled:

Things I Learned in my First Month:

(creative, I know)

1. How to quickly and efficiently peel a tangerine.
2. How to be a French tourist (It’s basically just walking slowly on obscure paths)
3. French roadways and driving techniques. (You can, in fact, go 100 on the back roads if you want. Also, if you go slower than that, every car will pass you)
4. How to “Shake it Off” just like Taylor taught me
5. How hard it is to write notes in a different language when your teacher’s writing is horrendous (Only the French teacher, everyone else’s is impeccable)
6. How to not cry all the time
7. Also where to cry so you won’t be bothered (the shower)
8. How to prepare French yogurt (You have to add your own sugar or jam or something to sweeten it, trust me, you don’t want that stuff plain)
9. How to effectively nod and laugh your way through a conversation while having understood three of the words spoken. (The hard part is when you hear them ask a question and look at you expectantly and the façade drops and behind is pure embarrassment)
10. How to lie about things happening in your life because you don’t know how to explain them effectively in French (basically if they suggest something, you agree, it doesn’t matter if it’s right, they will understand, and therefore you don’t have to explain)
11. Do not open the Tupperware cheese bucket if you can’t handle the smell of ripe cheese.
12. Get tired in class? No problem, if I look around my French class at any given time, there’s always at least one person face down on their desk.
13. Don’t ask for a ‘coke’ unless you actually want the drug. It’s ‘Coca’, which actually makes a lot of sense.
14. Eat your hamburger with a fork and knife.
15. Fruit is a dessert. And so is yogurt.
16. Creepers are in here. Like, really in.
17. Your French friends will throw English words and phrases around with their conversation, don’t let it alarm you.
18. Curb your urge to tell them to stop singing those two lines of that song that is most definitely off of the Top 40 chart by now. (Also, it’s best not to tell them that she’s saying “room” and not “moon”, their pride in knowing the song is more important than your need to be right)
19. French History is basically: Louis, revolution, Louis, revolution. Really that’s all I’ve gotten from that class.
20. It doesn’t matter how many times they tell you that you can take anything from the kitchen; it still doesn’t feel alright to take anything from the kitchen.
21. Movies dubbed in French are slightly less satisfying than hearing the actors voices (Harry Potter. I’m talking about Harry Potter. And Pirates of the Caribbean)
22. If you’re up early enough, you can still text people who are getting ready for bed. Sometimes 5:30 isn’t so bad then…

I’m sure there’s more that I didn’t record, but maybe I’ll remember them for next months milestone. I’m not actually sure when I’ll post before that. Hopefully we’ll make a trip to Paris (or the grocery store or something) this month so I can update you all on something. Other than that, it’s going to be school for me and I really wouldn’t mind forgetting those days so…

Anyway, I love and miss you all! Thanks for reading