ive had enough...

so i have been here for 65 days. and for those 65 days i have been trying to accept the french way of life. trying to accept the strike. trying to not judge the culture and being accepting of their differences.

i'm done. i have been fine for 65 days and not been homesick at all.

now i am.

heres why:

yesterday i was having a good day. i had good classes, i went to raquels and rachels, and we met with a girl who had cute kittens. it was enjoyable day. but it stopped being enjoyable around 6pm. i looked online to see how many buses were running. i knew there werent many but the webpage said there were 4 bus15s running qnd 1 bus 18 running: the 18 is easier to take to my place but i figured i had a better chance to take the metro to the 15 and go home.

so i go get on the metro. i get to the metro station which isnt exactly close to my house (1 hour away to be exact) and i walk to the bus 15 sign only to read: pas de service (no service) so its dark and there are no 15 buses. so i am still calm because there are a lot of buses that come here. so i go back in the metro and look at the bus map and i see bus 17 goes at least part of the way. i for in the little office to grab the bus map to see what stop i should get off: and ther is a woman who is waiting in front of me. i think to myself... i dont need to wait in line. the maps are just hanging on the wall. itll take me 2 seconds to grab one and get out of here/ so as i start to do it, the woman says... wait your turn... i replied (in a not so friendly tone) i only need a bus schedule. she huffs and puffs and i just get it/ quite frankly at this point, i didnt care if she was mad. im mad. ive had it and i just want to go home.

so i go to the bus17 sign and see the words... en retard.. this means: late. how late you wonder? i have no idea. so i stqrt talking to some people and they tell me late for this bus means qbout 2 hours. at this point ive had it. i decide ill stiking walk home: did i mention its raining?

so i start home. its raining, its dark, its freezing cold. i cant handle it anymore: i call the R girls and start crying/ I DONT UNDERSTAND THE REASON FOR THIS STRIKE!!! IVE HAD IT!!! IM DONE!

oh yeah, my unbrella broke so i had to walk in the rain with no umbrella. i was crying: i was pathetic.

i went to ruth Lise's place and hung out with her for awhile and she made me tea. then she drove me to my place and she gave me an umbrella. she told me i could have called her and anytime i am stranded like that, i can call her, and i figured i could, but when you are goign through a crazy emotional time like this, you are stubborn, and i just didnt want to have to ask someone to drive out there and pick me up. plus i figured its better to talk to raquel first before i talk to a freench person who doesnt understand where im coling from.

so i get to ruth lise's and she gives me other clothes to wear since my pants were wet up to the knees and for 2 hours we just hang out and talk. it was better but i've had it with the strike:

i woke up today sick. happy thanksgiving: i came into school to teach my 2 classes of the day, but there is a teacher strike and my students didnt come. so i woke up at 7:30 for no reason: i plan on going back to bed after this.

so happy thanksgiving to you all. i miss you!

also if anyone reads this and wants to send me a winter hat, preferably orange or pink, i would be greatful: its really cold here and i forgot to pack my favorite orange hat. i really dont care if noone here wears winter hats (i havent seen anyone yet) but the fact is, its cold, i dont care, and im american and americans wear hats during the winter.

i dont want people to take my stories and think negatively of the french/ i really like being here and i like the french in general, but i just dont like this aspect of france: the strike. its been going on for like 56 days, and there has been a train strike in there and also today the teacher strike: who knows whats next.


next. the tuesday night thanksgiving party with the french friends was a success: i successfully cooked for 15 people and they enjoyed it. everyone wore pilgrim and indian hats and it was just like a real thanksgiving except for everyone spoke french/ some of my favorite memories are:

Olivier starting to converse with me in indian language and me responding in indian. haha

raquel making me laugh really hard right after i sprayed whip cream in my mouth. ( this was secretly done in the kitchen)

telling the french that it was cheese on the sweet potatoes; not marshmallows...

i will put pics up this weekend:

thanks for bearing through this email. dont worry i am fine, it was just a rough night:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!