So its been a month...

So it has been a month since I last posted.  Forgive me please!  My last blog post was a recap of my times in Paris.  I left off saying that I was headed into a weekend meeting my mom and grandmother in Paris.  Let me just say that seeing your mom and grandmother come around the corner in the airport is one of the most fun things ever!  We had a great time in Paris, driving to Normandy, and staying in one of the best bed and breakfast's ever (La Ferme du Pressoir in Villers-Bocage).  The picture opening up this blog is from my latest excursion to the capital with some friends from Columbia, SC.  We had quite the amazing race experience in the metro to meet a friend at the pyramid at the Louvre that definitely involved running through the metro and jumping into a car as the buzzer is sounding!  I find it so amazing that I have the ability to know my way around a city as large, exotic, and fascinating as Paris.

So I have also just finished the week of 'devoir maisons'--the literal translation of 'home work' but the actual translation of 'research paper'.  5 pages of single spaced information on art history, in French, was less than simple!  I also had similar assignments in my Middle East class and French Romanticism.  Now it is over and I can breathe-until finals that is!

Life with my host family is going excellently!  When my mom came she brought Jelly Bellies and a pizza cutter.  She brought Jelly Bellies because it was around Easter, and she brought the pizza cutter because she had asked me what my family needed.  I found it kind of strange, but the first thing I thought of was a pizza cutter for their various tartes and homemade supreme pizzas.  Well the Jelly Bellies were a hit.  My 16 yr old host brother found it hilarious to give the root beer flavored one to all his siblings.  The pizza cutter is also now the most commonly used utensil in the kitchen, I believe.  I am fairly sure that you can get them in France, but my family just hadn't given the pizza cutter a chance yet.  Also when my mom and grandmother came, I was sort of surprised to find out which members of my host family spoke English.  We only speak French in the house, unless my host mom wants my 16 yr old brother to practice for an English test, or she is translating something we are eating for dinner. 

Today is the start of our spring break, so I am going to miss my host family a lot!  To match with the university here, we have two weeks to travel and discover Europe!  So tonight I head to Paris where a plane awaits to take me to Malaga, Spain.  I'll be there for a week.  Then I'll head to Dublin, Ireland and on to London.  It is crazy that I have the opportunity to see Europe like this!  I'll update you on my travels when I get back!

A bientot!

Julia