Thanksgiving Break
Thanks you to all my friends and family for a lovely Thanksgiving break.
I have gone to Denver every year, and my Grandma makes a huge, awesome dinner. I have no idea how she pulls it off, but I commend her. Also, my family gets along really well; which makes for a pleasant time. I am quite fond of my aunts and uncles (especially Jeff), and it is really cool to see my little cousins growing into such awesome people (Amanda has become such a cool chick, and I loved talking to her). My little cousins who are still little are also fun; like Shane who declares which people he doesn't like to their faces, and Justine who wanted to wear my ring (which I obliged) then later hid my shoes for no real reason.
Also, it was sweet to see my out-of-town friends again. Especially Constance, who I haven't seen in almost a year. I love her, but she, Becky and Erin teased me mercilessly about how I gesture emphatically with my hands while I talk. Also, bowling and Sharis seems to be the cool thing to do now (or because there is nothing else). However, bowling is no fun without making crazy bets. I was by far the worst bowler and wasn't included in the team bowling bets because my many gutterballs would bring my side to ruin, as I was told. Although I was glad I didn't bet this time because the losers had to get shot in the backside with darts from Steven's blowgun. Kudos to David and John for taking it like men!
Rob paid for my bowling one night, and has been termed my "sugardaddy" by Becky, which was supposed to be insulting but we both found funny. That night I was teased mercilessly like I used to be in high school. I was forced to bowl as "Wally" while everyone else got to keep their normal names. Also, everyone would cover the chairs and say, "Seat taken!" so I couldn't sit down. Then, on Nick's signal, they'd all move and leave me sitting by myself. I get teased like crazy. That was my one request of my friends; that before I go to France, I must get one day that we all hang out and everyone is nice to me. They agreed, but I am skeptical.
Ah, what a lovely break, I wish it could have been longer. Now I just have to power through 3 more weeks and it will be Christmas time.
**Since my one and only twin sister has yet to read my blog, I leave this parting message: BECKY IS STUPID.
Society's Utopia
Hello all!
It is so very nice to know people are reading my blog. Comments are more than welcome...What is the point of having an on-line journal if no one reads it? Then I could just write in my actual journal and be able to write a lot juicier and more gossipy things. This blog is total sophistication on my part.
This weekend, I had a lovely time going to Denver with my Art Club. We rented a University van, which worked very well for the number of people we had (8). Field trips in college are so much different considering we organize them ourselves and one of the students actually drove the van. I fell asleep really fast as soon as we left since I'm still a little sick (plus I have my Dad's gift to practically pass out once I am in a car or an airplane), and only woke up when they were balancing an art book on my knee and reading about a new exhibition somewhere. The museum was awesome, even though they are renovating and a lot of the artsy art exhibits are closed. It was mostly artifacts and their private, historical collections. We went up to the highest floor as a group, and then split up and agreed to meet in the lobby in two hours. It was so much fun that way. We all moved about, viewed leisurely, and whenever we ran into each other we would talk all excitedly and show each other our favorite pieces on the floor. My favorite was the old European floor. They even had two Monets, two Pissaros, and a Picasso. I still get all tingly when I see a famous artist. I had a fabulous time, and it was nice to spend a day talking all about art. The whole way back it was talk about what pieces we liked, how we store our art supplies, how many times we've gone to Croquis, etc. I'm glad I have that outlet. Plus, it was sweet because three of the four girls there (including myself) had dyed red hair and cool piercings. The more you try to be different, the more you stay the same.
I am SO ready for Turkey day. Thanksgiving is the perfect American holiday; you sit all day watching football and eating like a pig. I am eager to escape "society's utopia" and come home for awhile. All this independence is getting tiresome.
How 'bout them Broncos?!
DAM!
I just got out of my Intro to African American Studies class. It fills a University "diversity" requirement and it was either this or Women's Studies. However, I heard the instructor for W.S. is this crazy, rabid lesbian who wants to castrate all males. So, in lieu of that I opted for Afro-Am. I thought I would hate it, but it has actually been a really thought provoking class. My friends tease me for my "white-guilt" every time I get out of it, but I can't help being all emotional. We watch movies like "Rosewood" and "Glory" and its hard not to bawl after those. The instructor presents interesting information from a new perspective. In college, you really do enter into a market place of ideas. She erased all the politics, rhetoric, and sensitivity that usually surrounds talk about race. I feel more empathetic towards the historical suffering and climb towards equality that black people had to go through. However, I was never made to feel like I myself did something wrong or am bad for being white (my ancestors are totally scot-free! we never lived in the South! We came over from Germany and the Germans never...wait...oh nevermind.). The class was about seeing and admitting an ugly and painful past, and looking towards the present and seeing how things have changed for the better and will continue to do so. I'm glad I took it, staying in ruts or not looking at new perspectives is a bad way to live.
Speaking of ruts, I decided to start jumping out of my bed loft because climbing down was getting old. I found out it is higher up than it looks, and if you hit solidly on your feet it hurts really bad. So, I jump and bend my knees, or I adopt the jump down and roll method when Rachel is around becuase she thinks I am weird anyway.
Also, I am going to Denver with my Art club this weekend. We will walk around the Denver Art Museum and be pretentious. Actually, my artist group is really down to earth and I think this'll be really fun. The best part is they give you little buttons that say "DAM" and it is fun to point at them on other people and yell, "DAM!" Ah, never gets old.
C'est la vie....
Tonight was our big study abroad meeting. They assembled all us in one room to discuss culture shock, safety, and all the lovely, frightening little things about being an American student abroad. It was cool because they set up all these tables according to what country you are going to. There is only me and one other person (a girl named Tchikita) going to France, so we also sat with the Netherlands and Hungary people. Tchikita is also going to Tours, which is awesome. We exchanged numbers and are going to try to meet up and talk about what we need to do, living arrangements, etc. It'll be good to have another person there from my school.
There were a lot of people there, and the most popular countries were England and Germany. There was a really hot German guy there, but his accent was such an Austrian-schwartzenegger-type that it made me giggle. Then Tchikita wrote a note to me saying the same thing so now I know she rocks. Maybe the riots frightened off any other little Frenchies. All of us "second language site" students were a wee bit snobby to those going to other English-speaking countries.
They told us all about what to expect. The emotional rollercoasters, how not to piss off the locals, how to handle being of legal drinking age, communication problems, etc. Julia (the study abroad coordinator) wore a sweatshirt, baseball hat, jeans and white tennis shoes to demonstrate how not to dress. You never realize how entrenched in a culture you are until you analyze or go into a new one. It makes me feel so...American. We have so many little things we do that we don't even think about like waving, smiling, wearing brand names or sweatshirts. Also, we talked a little about how it'll be weird when we come back. That parts freaks me out too. I will have spent a whole semester by myself, in another country adjusting to their way of life and then I will have to come back and be myself again. And on that note, I must go do MORE paperwork. I think I have filled out approximately 10,000 forms stating that I am sane, capable, legal, financially stable and know where France is located.
Friends
I am starting to think the social aspect of college is more challenging than the academic. There is so much strife over maintaining friends, getting along with roommates, and all the many problems with the opposite sex. There are so many types of people here and it is sometimes like high school to the N-th degree. We are somewhat older and more mature, but we have no supervision, all kinds of vices, and no "home" to go home to. College is in our faces constantly, which is good and bad. We are forced to figure out how to handle people, deal with difficult situations ourselves and discover what kind of people we are. I like to think I am doing a good job with all this stuff, but it gets crazy sometimes.
My good friends help me out and keep me grounded and they become like family. Some of them live far away, but a lot live right here. I thought when I left home I wouldn't get teased anymore, but it happens here tenfold. From things like, "Molly Pox" (Cait called me this when I got shingles) to "Spaztistic," (The way Justin came up with for my friends to describe my weirdness) to having crazy competitions like seeing who can get the lemon seeds out of their ice water in restaurants with only their straw (John is the most competitive human being on the planet)...and I won't even get into all the crap Steven gives me... Friends are interesting because they are like family, only you get to pick them. Sometimes they drive me crazy and I know I get in fights with them a lot (sorry for the temper), but I love you all so much. The picture is of me and my friends John, Petey and Justin (yes, I hang out with a lot of boys). It was taken when we went to CSU for the Border War, and it was so much fun.
Wow, am I ever getting sentimental.
***Just for updates, I figured out how to change the setting so you can comment without having to register for the site.
***Jeff-I don't know who that fat woman was. There do, however, seem to be many of them in tourist areas in San Francisco. :-) Also, I'll be in France from January 14th to sometime in mid-May.
San Francisco
Ok, so the ball is totally rolling again. I just got back from getting my visa in San Francisco. It went pretty well even though it is utterly ridiculous. There is no reason for me to go all the way there. This whole study abroad thing is becoming real. I'm setting dates, filling out paperwork and starting to think about what it will be like to actually live there. I will be living (barring any major problems) in the dorm called "Christophe Columb." it'll be 18 square meters and I'll have my own kitchen and bathroom. It'll be close to the center of town and the international student offices in case I need anything. It looks like I'll depart on January 14th. I'm getting nervous, but really excited too.
This weekend I met with Madame Vialpando (my high school French teacher) to talk. It was so great to see her again. We caught up and talked about the French riots and of course my study abroad stuff. She helped me fill out some French forms and we talked in French for awhile. I get nervous speaking, but I easily understood every word she said to me. She has been so great and I hope I can always keep in touch with her. She is really good and focusing on all the positives of this experience instead of what will be scary.
As far as my friends go, they've been awesome. While I was in the SF airport, I was texting back and forth with Cait. When I told her I was worried that they'd all find new people to hang out with and forget about me while I'm gone, she just said, "Bull."
Notre Dame...a lifestyle
Hello!
I am currently re-listening to the soundtrack for Notre Dame de Paris. For those who don't know, Notre Dame is the French play that actually caused my Senior French class to shut up and focus on something, which was virtually impossible. (We used to do things like lock our teacher out and jump on our desks at random moments when Eric yelled the signal. At least we were organized in our delinquency.) This play is a lot of what drove me to continue with my French, because it is so amazing and romantic and tragic, all things I love. Seriously, if I haven't made you watch it yet, get a copy.
This Halloween weekend was a lot of fun. I got to see the Teddy Graham (aka Steven Lucero). His seminary buddies were something less than to be desired, but it was still fun. I was a vampire, but my stupid teeth kept falling out. Steven and I decided to have a slumber party at my house over Thanksgiving. The worse part is, my parents love that kid and will probably be fine with it. He even calls them on their birthdays and leaves messages at our house for Molly, Becky, Mom and Dad. Unfortuantely, I love that silly seminarian too and can't wait to see him again.
This weekend I fly to San Francisco to get my student visa. Pray that goes well...Dr. Tolo told me the woman who does that is very mean and will make me stand in line a long time. Ugh.
You know what would be nice? A comment or two so I know this is being read....Merci, mes amies. (You all should hear me speak French now, I'd French your brains out.)
