Noverber = Done

Another month just kind of flew by... woa. Only three more weeks of school!!! I'm really looking forward to a more relaxed schedule. It looks like I'm going to stay in Lyon this Christmas, to save a bit of cash. I would have liked to have come home but there are some very important things I'm looking forward to getting done over the break. First on the list is applying for enrollment next year; the application is due before the end of January. The University of Lyon II offers a French Language and Modern French Literature program for undergraduates that I would love to do. It's a three year program, I might skip the first year. I'm going to talk to the head of the program this week to see what they recommend. The program is specifically designed for students who want to teach french... like me, only natives. It would definitely improve my french though. We'll see where all this leads.

A lot happened this month, which, you know, that's normal. We finally got internet in the house which is AWESOME... I hadn't realized how dependent I'd become on the internet until it was gone. I had the flu which was not cool, I was confined to my room for two days. Now I'm well again. While I was sick, I watched a lot of movies in French courtesy of my roommate Benoît. I really liked this one called REC, a blair-witch (cloverfield for the young-uns) inspired Spanish Zombie movie. It was so well done, I didn't know what I was watching when I started it and got sucked in. It was the basis for the American movie Quarantine, and the American version just copied the Spanish version play for play! Tsk. The week after that I was crazy busy with trying to catch up with homework and tests. I worked really hard and got everything taken care of.

Thanksgiving came and went too. I didn't do anything for the holiday... which sucked. I was nostalgic for a moment and missed everyone back home. Then I went to a Brazilian-themed bar party. That helped! I'm kind of isolated here all by myself, without a specific program to sheepard me around. I miss my community back in Chicago something fierce; I wish I could find a community here. It takes time... and I need to start putting in more effort to go out and meet people. I should join a club or something. Or maybe start hanging out at a bar, although I never was really skilled at that. Now that I'm more established here I can start looking around for like minded crazies.

I've been watching videos on the internet, especially the Daily Show. I also watch the evening news on TV 5, which is the French equivalent of BBC world news. Recently I started catching up on Le Chanson de Dimanche and Un Gars Une Fille on youTube. And because I was missing the Canadian Desk at my old job, I watched a Quebecois show about Montreal called Mange Ta Ville. It was really nice to hear a Quebecois accent, although I had some trouble understanding everything they said. I recommend the french stuff to anyone wishing to improve their french.

I've settled into my apartment, for better or for worse. I'm resigned now to stay here until the end of May. This year the French embassy changed the format of their student visas, which has delayed the Family Allocation Center in getting around to reimbursing me on my rent. I'm waiting on word from them by mail. Moving right now would likely create another administrative debacle with their office, and more importantly I would rather concentrate on other stuff. There will probably be more students moving out at the end of May, and thus I'd have more luck finding the perfect place. I feel home-ish here, which will have to do for now. The roommates are cool, except one of them pees with the door to the bathroom open but he's moving out at the end of January. There's no common room either, so most of the time everyone's in their own room alone. SIGH... I'm going to be so very glad when I move out!

I'm looking forward to job-hunting over the winter break. That and exploring Lyon, and MAYBE (probably) going on a short vacation somewhere close like Italy, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland, or even France... that would be fun. Or Ireland! Also finishing the application for the program next year, practicing the viola, reading books, becoming a member of the local library, buying a web cam and a microphone/headset combination, figuring out my classes for next semester, maybe trying to use the electric portable oven, making tomato sauce, hanging out with my Brazilian friend, finding clubs to join in the city, watching movies... good stuff. Having Skype in my house has made this experience ten times better, I call my parents a lot. Call friends over winter break, that just got added to the list. Also sending packages back home to family and friends. And crocheting more hats.

Ok that's it for now! More... sooner.