A Little Eccentric

Looong weekend

Hello everyone!
I am currently a wee bit bored...
Tchykita went to Paris for the weekend with her boyfriend who came to visit and I'm a little alone. Like hardcore, in-your-face, have nowhere to go, no one to talk to, alone. If you would like to give me a phone call and ameliorate this problem, my mother has my phone number and would gladly give it to you.
However, being alone is interesting because so few people (especially at my age) know what it is like to be entirely on your own, despite our constant insistence we are totally independent and should be allowed to stay out as late as we want over breaks. For someone who grew up in a close family with a twin sister, had extremely close friends in high school, and went in-state for college, I don't think I have ever really been entirely on my own before. However, the cool thing about it is...I can do it. Even here in France where everything tiny thing is different, I can take care of myself, get myself places and communicate with no help or guidance whatsoever. It’s a little scary, but is also a really powerful feeling. Not too many adults can do what I'm doing, and that makes the French sun a little brighter on this lonely day.
Also, I saw a line of catepillars going down the sidewalk like ants. I was very impressed.
Well, in CPE news, there is no news. Both sides are taking a break until after Easter in which they will relax and recoup. One of two things will happen: One, they will forget their differences and decide to come together to build a stronger, better France, or two, they will get refreshed after going home, doing laundry and eating some Easter chocolate and go at it all over again, fighting like cats and dogs. I can tell you which of these things I think will happen...
One cool thing: I wrote an article for the Branding Iron, my college paper, and sent it in with some photos. They are interested in publishing it, and I am actually pretty happy about that.
I took the time Saturday to do a drawing of all the strikers in Place du Carousel outside the Louvre.
Besides that, I have spent a better part of the day doing laundry. I try to do this as rarely as possible, and I thank God I brought as many socks and underwear as I did. At my dorm, there are only two washers and two dryers for the 300+ people that live in Grandmont. And currently, one of the washers and one of the dryers are broken. Doing laundry requires bringing all your clothes down and waiting for upwards of 45 minutes for the one washer to be open. Once you get your clothes in, you have to check it repeatedly to make sure no one takes your clothes out and puts theirs in. It gets pretty cutthroat. Also, it is very expensive as well as time consuming to do multiple loads, so I have figured out how to wash everything in two, and dry them all at once. “Dry” however, is a relative term. The dryer doesn’t work very well, so usually after I try and do laundry, my room is covered with wet clothes drying out for the next week. Plus, the climate here is so humid that if you don’t get your clothes dry fast, they will mildew. I rotate my clothes in my room to the driest places like my radiator, etc, and even use a hairdryer. Just figured you should know the effort I go through so I can wear my little “pajama” shirts, as well as everything else. J However, it is nice to have everything clean again, even if I have to do a lot of it by hand. I’m so clean now it’s ridiculous. Just today, I scrubbed my shower, did dishes, swept the floor, reorganized and cleaned my desk and shelves, did laundry and made my bed. For anyone who knows my normal habits (Cait and Rachel), this should be amazing.
You know what rainbow trout is in French? "la truite arc-en-ciel." Or “trout (with) arc in the sky” I liked that.

posted by Molly Jo @ 3:08 AM