allo

I just layed down and tried taking a nap just now, (around 5pm my time) but the jet lag is still keeping me from sleeping, even though I am very tired.

So, to finish up my day on Sunday...that night, I decided to go out with some friends. We met at Place Plumereau, which is a little plaza that a lot of students and young people go to. There are several bars and cafes, and some ethnic food, too.

Wow. What a crazy night.
Haha.

Our professor, Thao, who is in his late twenties, came out with us. We went to an Irish pub and at first just ordered a round of beer. The usual group of people that I hang out with are Jen, Lindsey, Matt, Gary, and give or take a few other students on the trip who want to tag along. I invited Melanie (just a reminder, the NY young student living with me too) and she tagged along. I figured she would want to go out and drink since she talks about it all the time really obnoxiously, haha. But little did I know that us MSU students would show her up. Anyway, they never have any crappy beer on tap. I really wish I could remember the name of the first beer I had. But after the first round, and after getting to know our waiter Fan Fan (pronounce Fohn Fohn with a nasaly "o") he told us that they had what they call a Giraffe. Hahahaha. The giraffe is a long tube of beer that holds 2.5 liters, and is cheaper in the end rather than buying a lot of beers. It was 25euros ($35 about.)

At that point, our group was separated in two tables since many of the students had come to hang out. At the other table sat a girl named Caitlin, and she actually has a host brother who is 18 or 19 I think so he brought a few of his friends to come hang out. They ended up pulling their chairs over to our table as soon as Fan Fan brought out the giraffe to hang out with the less-calm group of Americans..haha.
This is the fun group with our second giraffe (this giraffe had 3.5 liters.) From the left, Lindsey, Remi, Me, Abdèl, Jen, Clémont, and Nikki. Nikki is actually Lindsey's roommate, she is with a group from Alabama. The French boys were so excited to hang out with the American ladies. Haha. Apparently, they like American accents. And really, no french youngin's party like college kids do in America, so it's always so exciting for them. They sat with us and listened to tales of keggers, keg stands, and drinking like fish just to get drunk all the while with huge grins on their faces, like little boys on christmas morning looking at all the presents santa has left. Oh là là.

Thao and me.
This was the first giraffe, and Fan Fan!

It was a very educational night for us in speaking French. Haha. And now I have some French friends!

Thao bought us kebabes when the bar closed, and we all walked each other home later after sitting by the cathedral and eating them. They aren't like american kebabes, its more like a sub with greasy Morocco style meat and cheese and sauce served with french fries.

Monday was our orientation. We are separated into 2 groups for the first month of classes, and while we only have one class for 2 or 3 hours of the day, I'm in the more advanced group and we have more work to do :( bummer. I actually have a lot of homework and school work to do while I'm here, too. I have to read 2 books, write papers about them, do 2 portfolios, and do a 20 min presentation in the class, all before June 21st. Then I have placement tests, and for the month of July we are separated by levels and have classes based on that.

After class I wandered around all afternoon with Lindsey and Jen and bought a cellphone. I was soo tired, and just spent the night in even though I didn't end up going to bed early like I had wanted to :/

Today was the first day of class, nothing too crazy. Then another whole afternoon of nothing. Jen and Lindsey and I went shopping though and I bought some cute French clothes! AND A CARDIGAN. I'm going to wear it tomorrow, it's so cute. Thao came out with us and so did Matt for lunch, and he told us how they went to the pub again last night, but with other students, and Fan Fan kept asking him where the fun girls were :) haha. We are apparently more interesting or entertaining or something.

And on that note, I have dinner in an hour, and then we are going back for a little bit tonight to hang out at Fan Fan's bar, nothing too crazy though. Classes haven't really gotten started yet so we have nothing else to do. Tomorrow we have our first excursion to Amboise, one of the castles around here. Should be really beautiful!