French Mondays

Yesterday was my first Monday in France. Granted, because I am still adjusting from so much travel and couldn't hardly tell you what day it is, for most of the day I wasn't super aware of the fact that it was Monday.

In France, a lot of stores are closed on Mondays. I'm not sure why, but they are. Maybe French people just don't like Mondays.

After a breakfast of coffee, croissants, baguettes, cafe (coffee), orange juice, and yogurt, my friends and I did my first homework assignment of the semester. After that, our group went to lunch at an Italian cafe. It was very good. We then met our professor at the archeological museum here in Dijon. We had a private tour of the part of the museum that focuses on ancient Gaulois history. It was interesting, although my family knows...museums like that are not my favorite!

After the museum, we were free to do as we pleased for the rest of the day. A few friends and I went to get cell phones, although unsuccessfully. We had to work with the rudest man in the store, who gave one look at us and talked to us in very poor English and wouldn't really talk French. What he didn't realize was that his poor English was just as annoying to us as our poor French must have been to him. He told us to come back the next day. We still don't know why he did so.

After returning to the hotel and doing our homework, the group went to dinner at a restaurant nearby. We sat inside because it was raining and it was super hot. We were all sweating. Yuck. Dinner, however, was delicious. The drinks were also delicious. I tried the "cocktail maison" (house cocktail) which was flavored with creme framboise (raspberry) and creme italien. Very yummy.

After dinner, we went to a grocery store and bought some chocolate and a few cheap bottles of wine and just hung out at the hotel. My roommates and I turned in a bit early, as we were tired and all had emails, phone calls, etc to attend to.

This morning, my roommates (Lauren and Kara) and I got up early and went on a run around the city. We actually planned our route so that we would run by our host families' houses. Maybe a bit stalker-ish, I know, but we wanted to know how far apart we lived and where our houses are in relation to le centre-ville.

We ran about 3 miles and we got more strange looks than I have ever received in my life. People in France don't run, I guess. Or maybe just not where we were running. But we had little children pressing their faces against the bus window to stare at us as we went past, and when we ran by bus stops, everyone watched us go by. Amusing.

After getting ready for the day, Lauren, Kara, and I returned to the phone store. The same rude man was there but when we reached the front of the line, even though he was available, he went to the back of the store and disappeared for about 10 minutes. We think he was avoiding us. The lady who helped me was very nice. I spoke almost completely in French, and understood almost everything she said. I was very proud. Now, I have a nifty French cell phone with a nifty French number.

After leaving the phone store, we walked around a marketplace where different vendors sell all sorts of things, from produce to shoes to jewelry. We bought peaches and grapes at a produce stand...best grapes I have ever had! We also grabbed lunch at a little sandwich station and ate it as we were heading back to the hotel.

Our first real class is today at 2, so we have a bit of time to relax until then. Today is Lauren's 21st (!!!) birthday, so tonight we are going out to a salsa dancing club. I am SO excited. I've been waiting for a chance to dance in France.

A bientot!