March and April

It's been a while since I've updated here and I'm sure you've all been waiting with baited breath to hear the next exciting adventure in my whirlwind study abroad experience. This time I don't have anything too terribly exciting to share, but I have a number of somewhat touching, little things to tell you about.

First of all, at the end of March, my Mom and Dad and my brother Matt visted me here in Montpellier for a weekend. Although they came here under the guise of wanting to see Paris, I know that they really just came here because they wanted to see me.

I enjoyed showing them around the city I've been living in for the past few months so they could actually see the Place de la Comédie and all the little streets in the city center and meet my host family (which, despite the language barrier, was awesome. By the way, guys, they love the loon you gave them) and a few of my friends here in France. I got to impress them with my mad French skillz and take them to the Marché aux Puces (the flea market!!) and show Matt a little what Montpellier-by-night is like. By the end of the weekend I may have been a little worn out, but it was totally worth it.

Second, just late night my host family did something incredible for me. They threw me a surprise birthday party after dinner which involved fruit cups, black forest cake (I don't remember telling them it was my favorite, but I must have told them something about it at some point and by some amazing fact-retention abilities, they remembered!), a kitschy birthday song recording (Mom, Dad, Matt, you know which one I'm talking about), some muscat-based champagne, and some birthday presents, including a book by Slavoj Zizek, a CD of world folk music, a nice little card about friendship with a Pythagoras quote, and a tacky Hallmark card with messages and signatures from all those attending last night. I can't express how incredibly good it made me feel to have such a surprise and to have just about everybody I care about in France around me giving me their best.

So those are just two little things that made me feel good.

Coming up now is France's two-week long spring break, and though my plans are not completely finalized, we're planning to drive to Germany and after that I may just go to Italy, though I don't have a travel buddy for that, unfortunately. That's what's keeping me from going right now. My friends are out of money since they've been here since August, and though I'd love to go with them on more trips, it's just not a possibility. Oh well.

In any case, it may be rainy, but my one class today got cancelled, so I'm in a good mood and I can just figure out my schedule for Fall semester (since I have to sign up for classes tonight!).

Until next time ...