Finally!

Hey all,

I can't believe it's been since September 20th!!! Sorry to keep you waiting - I've been swamped with classes! These past few weeks have been extremely stressful, between figuring out the different system, financial issues, and fighting off a cold.

Am listening to the Killers (Sawdust) and putting the finishing touches on a scholarship essay... feeling a bit nostalgic for the past, but eagerly anticipating my future.

I started classes three weeks ago! Originally I was taking a lot of classes I wasn't prepared for - needed to know Latin for some, others just wouldn't end up transferring. So, after much turbulence, I finally feel secure in a schedule! Boy does it feel good! Currently reading L'Abbesse de Castro, will soon start L'Assomoir. Am also reading L'Heptameron and L'Ingenu. Just finished Candide and Gargantua. At the book store yesterday I got The Portrait of Dorian Gray, for when I get lazy and want to read some English hahah!

Classes are great; I'm understanding about 90%, but having a lot of trouble expressing myself. I've decided to chalk it up to nervousness: I have no trouble speaking French with fellow Californians or strangers my age, but once I start talking to a professor, I start correcting myself and stumble clumsily through my sentences, making me feel just a little bit pathetic. Fortunately, I'll have ample opportunities to change that in the coming weeks - I signed up for an oral presentation on a section of Racine's Britannicus on 11/17, which I'm really excited about. It's a really creepy scene - lines 603-634, for those who have their works handy!

My Chinese class has been disappointing intellectually, but has been great for a weary student who wants to settle in and relax for two hours a week. Apparently it's only a conversational Chinese class, which makes no sense whatsoever. So, I'll have to continue practicing my characters on my own, hoping I'm not completely hopeless by the time I decide to start seriously working on it again. Both my teacher and my fellow students think I'm some sort of genius because I know a few characters and a completely different vocabulary - not something I expected coming into it! Just cashing in on the benefits of a wonderful teacher, I suppose. 我想您的中文棵, 金老师!!! I had my mother send me "Lady in the Painting/畫儿上的美人" so that I could entertain myself with reading outside of French.

My weekend in Paris was amazing - couldn't capture all of it on film, but to be honest I didn't really want to! I've been working on living life instead of capturing it on paper/film... living with regrets gets old after a while! My friend Julie welcomed me with open arms, treating me to a wonderful dinner out my first night in town, and then walking the length of the Champs-Elysees with me. The next morning I met another friend for lunch at the Pompidou Center, which I've never seen - it's hideous in comparison with Hotel de Ville, about two blocks away. We saw a Falun Gong march, which was strange - I had heard about them in reference to the Olympics, but Kelly ended up being the one to fully debrief me on what they're into. Strange!

After lunch, Julie met me at Hotel de Ville and took me to Montmartre - as you can see in the photos, it was an amazing day! As usual, I was totally overdressed; had no idea it was going to be sunny and warm my one weekend in Paris.

I told her I wanted to go to Place de Pigalle to see where Zazie Dans le Metro's Gabriel danced - she thought it was weird, but we went nonetheless. I got us some yummy pastries and then we took a walk down the astonishingly sleazy district - I didn't expect every single store to be a sex shop/strip joint. And certainly not for blocks and blocks and blocks... hahah I decided I was done exploring Pigalle and we sat down and talked for a bit, then headed over to St. Germain-des-Pres, where Sartre, Vian & Co. used to pass their time. The district didn't hold a whole lot for a poor student like yours truly (except for an AWESOME book sale - spent 5 euros on something like 10 books/plays!), so we made our way to the Luxembourg Gardens. After walking there for a bit, she had to take off - girls only dinner for her friend's birthday! I stayed and soaked up the Gardens to the best of my ability - I can see myself settling into one of the benches with a good book and never leaving. Between the trees, lovers, and statues, I don't think I could get enough.

So there I stayed until the sun set. I decided, on the way to meeting Julie and her girlfriends at a bar later that night, I would indulge in Japanese food for dinner. Needless to say, the sushi in Bordeaux is not stellar. It was okay, and not too pricy. On the way to the metro, I stumbled upon a book sale (see above). I headed out to the bar, arriving at 9pm, thinking I would be a bit early. As it turns out, Julie had her cell phone off and the dinner went later than expected - they didn't make it to the bar until 10:30! So, being the patient guest in an unknown city, I settled down in a cafe and started reading Britannicus - a rare sight in that part of town! Got some funny looks, but passed the time well.

The bar was fun - danced a lot, talked a lot. They had TVs set up showing music videos - Prince and Gwen Stefani blew my mind hahahah.

The next day, we went to have brunch at Le Pain Quotidien in the Marais district, not far off from Hotel de Ville. The wait for a table was terrible, but with good company time passes quickly. The meal was huge - hardly needed dinner later that night! I said my goodbyes and hopped on the train - got back to Bordeaux at around 8pm. On the train, I sat next to a really interesting young woman, Emmanuelle. She was reading the Courrier International (see previous posts). We were able to talk a lot about cultural differences, especially in reference to present-day politics. A very rewarding exchange, hopefully I'll meet her again soon!

Will be getting a week off (October 24-November 2) for All Saint's week! Am planning on visiting a friend in Sweden for half the time and perhaps spending the other half in the south of France! Was very disappointed to hear I had missed the Jazz Festival in Nice, which apparently happens in July. My other UC friends have done a lot more traveling on the weekends - too expensive for my budget! Not to mention I will be staying here for the rest of the year and will have plenty of time to travel.

My french family has been great - when I let them know I'd be staying for the year, they gave me the play schedule and asked me which ones I'd like to attend. I'll be sure to keep you updated on that experience - unfortunately, they don't start showing until February/March.

Had salmon with creamy pesto sauce and a side of zucchini for dinner last night, a homemade quiche tonight - the food has been excellent! I showed them an Obama t-shirt that my mom had sent me, and they were very impressed. He's very popular here. Speaking of which, I watched the last debate live the other night - 3am-5am or something silly like that. Was very worth it - makes me feel a little bit more in touch with what's going on over there. By the way, the US's economic crisis is (fortunately for the exchange rate) definitely being felt here in France, and surely Europe as a whole. Everyone's pulling for someone to pull the US out of this nightmare!

Last night at the dinner table, I found myself speaking with the eldest daughter, a recent doctorate, and the mother and father of my host family about gender roles in France and the US. I found that, although my perspective was embraced by some and not entirely by others, the four of us were fully capable of having a serious, intellectual debate without losing our tempers or being insulted. Suddenly, I realized that I was taking part in a French discussion. I appreciated, for the first time, my unique perspective of an outsider looking in.

Hmm... what else? Go vote? You already know that. Hey, if any of you have any questions for me feel free to ask in the comments! No need to be shy! Hope you're all doing well! Until next time!

Ben/毛海东