I've actually got time to blog!

I have some down time today (the first in weeks I think), so I have time to sit down, reflect and write a proper blog entry!

I still can't get Paris out of my system. It was amazing and topped any place I have ever been by leaps and bounds. The buildings were all beautiful and it was like an energy seemed to envelope everyone. Paris has always been my dream place, but I can't even count the number of times people have said that Paris isn't that great or that the people are rude there. I honestly have no idea what those people were talking about. I didn't meet a single Parisian who was even remotely rude to me. In fact, the only rude person during my stay there was an American!

I was on the train coming back from Versailles, that really awesome and ornate chateau that housed Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette, and I was chatting with my friends Jia and Margaret. I don't even know what we were talking about, but in a pause in the conversation I hear the man sitting next to me repeating part of our conversation. He was definitely American and sitting with his family, and I realized that they had been talking about us/badmouthing us the whole time we were sitting there! In English! Ok, obviously we speak English, so I have no idea how he felt it was appropriate to talk about us in the same language when we were only two feet away! Then, he glances at us, turns back to his friend, and says,"And that is the future of our country?" in a very sarcastic tone.

At this point I am quite mad at the nerve of this man. Does he think we are so stupid we can't understand him? I text Margaret what he said, but Jia still didn't understand. So then we switch to French (which this  dummy obviously cannot speak) and we go off on him. We are three girls speaking French loudly and waving our hands and glancing at him angrily. He and his friends realize 1. that we heard them badmouthing us and 2. are now talking about the situation in a different language. Uncomfortable, the family got up and left. All I have to say is, if that obese man is the present for our country, then I am glad to be the future!

In contrast to mister grumpy, a very nice French woman on the train saved our butts by telling us that we were on the wrong train and had to get off. She then told us (and showed us with lots of hand gestures) exactly what we needed to do. She didn't have to help our loud group of Americans, but she did it out of the kindness of her heart!

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I can't believe I have already been in France for about a month. I get really sad when I think about having to leave and come back. I definitely miss my family and friends, but I love it here. If they could all just move here, that would be perfect.

One more thing that I miss about America: non-creepy guys! Seriously, the guys here are absolutely horrible. I don't know what it is about me that says, yes please, approach me, touch me, harass me! But not a day goes by that I don't get harassed by these French men. It's mostly harmless, but I hate it.  I just miss being able to stand at a bus stop or even walk down a road without being approached multiple times.

I came to France to better my French, and I am happy to say that living with my French family has helped me a lot. But something that I didn't foresee was personal growth. I just feel like a much more capable, independent person now. I know that I can handle difficult situations and think on my feet. I can figure out the Paris metro and explain to a pharmacist what is wrong with me so that they can help me. I just can do a lot more than I thought I could, especially in a foreign language. And I think I might be braver now, too. I can't put it into words exactly, but this trip has changed me for the better I think.