"Correction" is the same word in French AND English.

Just a little recount of a conversation I had with a colleague recently....

Colleague: "KEF, il y a quelque chose que tu dis assez souvent et tu dois vraiment l'arrêter." (KEF - there's something that you say often that you really need to stop saying)
KEF : (Uh oh....here comes more criticism!) "Oui???"
C: "Tu dis toujours que tu fais des fautes en français mais franchement je n'entends rien du tout comme ça...tu parles français mieux que nous parlons anglais, c'est sûr. Donc, il faut arrêter de t'excuser!! (You are always saying that you make mistakes in French but honestly I don't hear any at all. You speak French better than we speak English, so you need to stop excusing yourself!)

Maybe something IS clicking in my head after all???

I was just so shocked to not be corrected and criticized that he left my head spinning! HOOORAY for little victories....

"Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dreams..."

We arrived together, wide eyed, scared and excited 18-year olds. Worried about what to expect, who we would meet, and where we would live. Is college going to be as fun as they say it is? Are these the best years of our lives? Will I find my new best friend in one of these strangers?

It was 1997, and I moved into my dorm at UCSD along with seven other girls. Our little suite was to be home for the next year...and we had no idea what to expect. Little did we know how much fun we would have and what adventures were in store for us....

Here I sit today, thousands of miles away and fighting back tears, with the terrible news that one of my suitemates passed away last week. Though we had lost touch over the years, she will always be an integral part of my college experience...one of the eight who was there through the confusion, the elation, the hard times and the easy...we created our little family together and in my mind all of these women will always hold a special place in my memory.

I'll be playing Karma Chameleon by the Culture Club in your honor today, Jaci....just the way you would like it! The song will always remind me of our time together in the suite and the madness that was Freshman year. Your energy, smile and determination will be sorely missed.

Oh.My.Goodness...

Are you kidding?!?!?!?

Take a look at this video from a Japanese train platform....



I am officially not allowed to complain about being a "sardine" in the Paris metro trains ANYMORE.

Woah.

Why am I so bad at blogging?

I always say I will be better, I will post more, etc but it never sticks!

I wonder why?

Things here have been pretty "quotidien" or "every-dayish" lately. I've learned that our office is moving FOR SURE on May 13th, so I have less than a month left of my hellish commute. That makes me more and more excited by the day, especially seeing as how all the May holidays will have me out of the office quite a bit. At this point, I only have to take RER B to work 13 more times.....ever. I just might bring champagne on the last day....

Otherwise, I've been doing a lot of reading, not enough exploring, and just a little bit of Anglo friend-meeting which makes me really excited actually. I think that I have been really missing the U.S. so much lately because I've been feeling a bit out of touch in Paris. Not only out of touch literally with friends and family, but also out of touch with my surroundings. My French is getting better which is great, but there is still so much missing...the little jokes, cultural references, etc. that I'm not sure if I will ever understand. It's hard sometimes but I'm trying to have a good attitude about everything.

Anyway, that's my brief update from over this way....hope everyone is well and looking forward to a few more April updates!! :)