I've begun a glorious transformation...

...into a French 32 year old!!!!! and it ROCKS. one of the benefits of living with a french couple is they have a ton of social obligations and because they're some of the nicest people in the world, they invite me along. The list of things I've done with them is surprisingly long seeing as I've been here for only a week. For example, today at dinner I got peer pressured into eating a French delicacy which is basically guts stuffed together. Not the worst thing I've ever had (way better than ham) but definitely not my fave. I've also begun my path into becoming a wine and cheese expert. I told them about my cheese job that I had and they found it super amusing so they give me a lot of cheese. Not complaining.

Yesterday, we took a little road trip to the French countryside for a little barbeque. This is where I got to meet some of their friends, who are hilarious. They speak French, of which I understand like 85% of, but sometimes to make it easier for me they try to speak English. Let me just say that for the most part, it's so much easier to understand their French. They usually just start singing random parts of songs they know, hoping I'll get the message. They also try to connect with me about American things, like football. I have a 20 minute conversation with a frenchman about American football--he has family in California so he likes the Raiders. Mainly we bonded over how much we don't like the 49ers. Pack 4 lyfe.

They're all shocked whenever I talk about driving--they thought that because people could drive earlier, there were more accidents. Seeing as I've only ever lived in America, I can't compare the accident rate to much else off the top of my head but that's just one example of how interesting it is to try and see America and our large bubble through the eyes of others in the world. lul I am feelin deep tonight.

Okay I gotta go to sleep--I'm voyaging to the Mediterranean tomorrow! Sorry in advance if I'm too annoying about it on social media oops. Also obvi have to give a shout out to my girl Danielle for being the first one to send me a letter!!!! Step up your game, guys, Danielle is 100% winning in the game of Life right now. And I love her a lot.

sometimes i resemble a gremlin

That picture is not related to anything I'm doing, but my vault of ugly pictures extends way back. lawl

bisous children I lurve ya

I wish I had a clever title for this list but I don't

a list of things that have shocked me since I've been here (both good and bad)

-how many people actually smoke (ew no thank you)
-how delicious real pain au chocolat is. and les crossaints aux amandes (almonds). and croissants. and literally all the french pastries are my favorite things.
-i went to the monoprix (kinda like target I guess but less so) and spent almost $50 on hangers, baskets, and a notebook. oof dah. Also it shocks me how much I miss Target
-I also discovered that pens are expensive (like $7 for 4)
-how much fun exploring new cities are
-how many french women actually have louis vuitton bags (uh now I want one...who feels like donating me a couple thousand dollars)
-how frank french people are
-there was mint in my lemonade
-french wine is actually millions of miles better and cheaper
-however, vodka is like 20 € a bottle...can't believe I'm saying this, but I miss Burnett's
-how much French people like Haagen-Daaz....most of me wants to yell "THERE IS SO MUCH BETTER ICE CREAM IN THE WORLD"

and of course, this

4.75 € for this peanut butter ah 

(if anyone wants to ship me peanut butter, I will certainly not complain)

home home home

Alright let's just put this out there: searching for places to live in two days while jetlagged is not an easy thing to do. Especially when your french is seriously subpar and you struggle to get your words out. HOWEVER, by a stroke of luck/maybe a stressed decision, I found a place to live!! And let me tell you, I'm already a little obsessed.

Okay so I know I told everyone that I was going to live in an apartment, but turns out I don't have 800€ a month (that's more than $1000 a month...no thank you) to spend solely on rent (not including the necessities like wi-fi and water). Instead, I'm staying with the perfect French couple--they're in their 30s, have a cat, and most importantly, they're going to cook for me and teach me how to cook French food. So by the time you see me again, not only will I be a wine expert, I'll also know how to cook the best food ever. They also live just off the cours mirabeau so I'm in le centre-ville--close to everything you could ever want to do in Aix. Allow you to walk you through my new life. 

My room!! Right by the best part of the apartment...

...the terrace/garden/where I'll be until it gets cold

Seriously I can't

Okay so obviously I'm going to spend all my days out on the terrace because I mean just look at it. How could you not. Literally just when I thought it couldn't get any better...here I am. 

Part of the kitchen

Other part of the kitchen

View from the kitchen

Yesterday I had my first experience with them cooking: they had friends and the new upstairs neighbors over for dinner. I wish I would've thought of taking pictures of what we ate, because it was insane. But also, seven adults all speaking french gets tiring trying to understand. Luckily, the neighbors have this adorable girl named Manon (so french) so we talked some to give my poor, weary brain a rest from all the French flying around the patio/terrace/my favorite spot ever.

Today, the three of us (me and my french couple, as I think I'll call them) talked a lot about everything--they asked a lot of questions about my family and were completely shocked when I said I have no idea what my parents do, even though they've told me at least a dozen million times. I just forget. They were also shocked, after I showed them a picture of the four of us, how tall we all were so they measured me to figure out how tall I am and how tall my brother is in comparison. I'm 171 cm tall, just so everyone knows. I found out that they love cheese and beer so I think we'll get along well. It's almost like being in Wisconsin. They drink local beer and eat local cheese and I could just hear the whole city of Madison cheer when they said that. The woman reminds me a lot of my little in gphi sooooo if you know that relationship, you know how much I like this woman. Her husband reminds me of someone I know but I can't figure out who but we'll get there. 

I think that's all I have regarding this right now. I'm supposed to be reading a whole book for my class that starts..uh well...tomorrow, so naturally I'm procrastinating. 

Sideways mirror pic because I can't figure out how to rotate it. livin da lyfe. 

deuces!

Les premiers jours

HEY GUYS I hope you're all fab, wherever you may be. As for me, I'm fanfreakingtastic. I literally cannot believe I get to live in this beautiful city for a whole year. MADNESS COMPLETE MADNESS ahh. I'm a little tired so sorry if this is more rambley than usual.

I'm trying to think of highlights to share from my voyage so far, and I can't think of any so here are some pretty pictures of the Cours Mirabeau, which is super similar to State Street in Madison. Stores and food galore. And a ton of fountains. People in Aix must love fountains because I'm always stumbling upon them as I explore.

o0o0o0o the trees 

La rotunde aka a huge ass fountain 

I'm still hunting for a place to live (I have to find one by Sunday. So this is kinda stressful) but you'll here from me after then hahahahaha maybe unless I turn out to be homeless, which you might here from me in person because I'll get shipped back to America. jkjkjkjkjk that won't happen. Hopefully. Maybe pray to whomever you pray to for me.


Also since it wouldn't be a blog post from me without a hideous selfie, here's one I found on my computer the other day

Big pimpin since 1993

peace out girl scouts! (no french because I am le tired) ((bonus points if you get that reference))

Pre-departure rambles

Alright so I think you're supposed to introduce yourself on blogs, even though I'm 99% sure only people I know (so my parents really) will read this.

This is definitely my best angle

I'm a girl who's never left her hometown of Madison basically ever. I've been to Canada and Boston and San Francisco, but that's about it. Super exciting. BUT now, or in two days, I leave Madison to go live across the pond in the south of France for a year. Crazy, I know.

My favorite city in the world...for now

Anyways, I'm not that scared (yet). Speaking french all the time will be challenge but I'm not afraid of a challenge. Basically I'm just trying to prove my french professor who told me I have no real prospects in French wrong because that's annoying and I can do it, right?

I'm not even close to being done packing so I'm going to do that/probably end up at the pool tanning. You will have a new blog post to read once I get to Aix and get settled. I know you will have trouble waiting until then, but patience is a virtue. You can do it, I just know it. 

Bisous, (see! I'm french already. Suck it, old prof)

Sarah!

(do people usually sign blogs? I don't know. It's my first rodeo so give me break. I'm really done now)