Tadaaa!

uuuuugg... I spent all evening on the internet... it was not on purpose. What's the difference between a live journal and a blog? I ask you. Today was really excelent aside from my inability to pry myself away from the interweb. I've been caught in it's glue-silk. I may resort to drastic measures... which will remain mysterious for the moment. FIND OUT NEXT er... SOMETIME SOON.........

I worked on job applications. I applied to the coolest jobs first and then discovered problemes with my resume that the cool employers will tip down their sunglasses and raise eyebrows at. Such is life. I got some responses though! They didn't turn into anything because I don't have a french bachelors but at least now I know I'm barking up the right tree! Woof y'all! It snowed in a rainy way, which was preety on the bamboo clusters surounding the library. I wanted to take pictures but my camera's battery was dead. Tomorrow.

I met for the first time with a girl named Andrea. She's from Mexico City and she's getting a degree in translation, for which she has to master French, English, and Spanish. We totally want to learn the same languages! I helped her practice english for an hour, it was so much fun. She was studying irregular verbs like sleep, spend, get, take, steel, feel, hear. We made up stories about Haiti- I felt the ground shaking, I hear the house falling, I got food rations from the rescue team. Also about her getting her wallet stolen- They spent my money, they took my walet, I sleep with one eye open. Next week we're going to do the same thing in spanish! She's a big sweetheart.

I went to the grocery store too and bought beans and tomatoes. I wonder where I could find a place to buy Masa here, then I can make tortillas and tamales. I did what I did for as long as I could... and now it's bed time. Night!

Maybe I'll write more often...

It appears I've taken a break from my journal in French so that means it's probably a good time to blog.

Lord I hope I get accepted to this bachelors program for next year... I met with an academic advisor today and it was helpful. If I am accepted I'll have the opportunity to learn two other languages while studying French. She told me that with the degree I'm going for it's hard to find opportunities in France but easier abroad, which is good for me! I want to start learning Chinese, we'll see where that takes me. There are so many opportunities for teaching languages in China. Otherwise Spanish is one of the languages I would study. I met a girl from Latin America who's getting a degree in translation here, we're going to exchange English/Spanish lessons. The first one is tomorrow, I'm excited!

If I don't get accepted though, I have a back up plan : be an au pair. To be continued.

After meeting that advisor I moved over to the Mission Emploi office. They have an awesome trove of how-to books for cover letters and resumes. I found a book of anti-cover letters mixed in there with the serious stuff, it's HILARIOUS. First point of business: make an awesome kick ass cover letter for babysitting jobs. I would love to babysit; kids are awesome and it would be a totally different experience from what I can get in a class room. Using the über-polite vocabulary expected by employers is fun, for example...

Dans l'attent, Monsieur, veuillez agréer l'expression de mes sentiments distingués.

In the mean time, Sir, please accept the expression of my distinguished sentiments.

heehee! So polite and so banal!!

When the Mission Emploi closed I went to the library and rooted around for Beginning Spanish books. Nuthin. So I studied for the upcoming French test to prove to the universe how awesome I am at French. I did verb drills and listened to music, it was fun! The library is all glass and metal, and surrounded by bamboo.

Now I'm home drinking caramel tea. I should start meditating again. Ok I'm out!

Back in School... looking for a Job!!!

Hello people! I hope you are doing good!! I've been back in school for three weeks now and it's been interesting. I've been going to the 2nd semester classes for the degree program I applied for- a degree in Linguistics and Modern French Literature. For the application they wanted my High School Diploma translated into french, I got that sucker almost TEN YEARS AGO! That took me back.

Based on the classes I've sat in on so far, I'm very encouraged; it will be challenging but not impossible. I've been sitting in on 6 classes total. Three are in a lecture hall and don't have homework: History of French Language, History of French Litterature, and History of Languages. I LOVE THESE CLASSES... they are so interesting and are exactly what I wanted to learn more about. The other three are smaller and do have assignements: Latin, French Poetry, and French Linguistics. These are more challenging; the course work is built on what was covered in the 1st semester. I honestly don't know if I'm going to continue attending them but I'll give it my best shot and just take it from there. It's a little bizzare taking classes knowing I won't be getting credit for them and that if I get accepted into this degree program I'll just have to take them again. But the point of going to them is to prepare myself should I get accepted. We'll see how it goes, if I do end up dropping out it's not the end of the world.

I've also been looking for a job, the need for which is becoming greater. I've applied so far to about 7 jobs, for babysitters or waitresses, but nothing's come through. It's been very frustrating, especially as my savings dwindle. All my failed attemps gave me a bad case of the blues for a minute, until I realised I was exagerating and kicked it. I sought out the Job Counseling service offered by the university, which was a very illuminating experience. Apparently by French standards the letters I'd been sending out were not polite enough. The counselor who will be helping me started using the polite wording employers expect. It was mesmorising- I understood what she was saying but realised I was incapable of forming sentences that way. It was a preety cool experience! So I'm going to go back there tomorrow and start reading the books they've got on how to write resumes and cover letters.

Other than that I've been watching Lost like a maniac. Happily, I'm almost done with the 5th season and then I'll have to wait like everyone else for the new episodes. AND I FOUND A NEW APPARTEMENT THANK THE LORD!!! I move in May 1st. It's $150 less than what I'm paying now and it's A LOT nicer: living room and kitchen, nice neighborhood, gas stove, big rooms. I sent my landlord a "three months notice" letter with no small amount of glee. My new roommate seems nice, his name is Vincent. We're looking for a third but haven't confirmed anyone yet.

Ok more later!