Are There Any Flotation Devices Available?

You know the saying “sink or swim”, well I’ve reached that point in my academic career at La Catho. On Tuesday it’s sink or swim, it's do or die, it’s whatever clever analogy you want to place in here, I have not one but two history tests (midterms, perhaps? This was not explained, surprise, surprise) back-to-back with the same prof. I have already offered her my apologies on butchering the French language. Why am I dwelling on this? Because for the past two days I have been doing nothing but copying notes from her classes. One class, the notes are basic and a smattering of French and English mushed together on a single page. No problem. The other class, oh, that other class. I like it, I honestly love it because it combines not only history but political history. The only problem is that I have two sets of notes for that class one set mainly (98%) in English while the other set is completely in French. And despite only having the class once a week, there are a ton of notes. Times two. I suppose this is mostly hanging over my head because this is the week before our two-week break before March Midterms, rather than March Madness. There could be a little madness going on, but it will have nothing to do with basketball. I’m just concentrating on my two-week vacation.

I have decided to due a 10-day tour of the English speaking countries to my west—thus referred to as the Accent Trifecta—England, Scotland and Ireland. I’m visiting some lovely people from St. Norbert in London for a long weekend. I’m really not sure exactly what I’m going to be doing, it will partially depend where my hostel is, how much things cost and whether or not I feel like revisiting some sites or go to new ones. I’m pretty much playing the entire trip by ear and London is no exception. After the long weekend, I’m taking a train trip up to Edinburgh. I have never been to Scotland and didn’t really think about going until I realized when I was planning this trip that I had that second week off. So, Scotland here I come. It was between Edinburgh and Glasgow, and I choose Edinburgh partially because enough people have told me Edinburgh was gorgeous especially compared to Glasgow. We’ll see if they’re right. Finally, it’s off to Dublin. I really don’t know what city I’m more excited for, Edinburgh or Dublin. There’s a couple of things I want to do in Dublin and tomorrow I’m talking with an American who studied there last semester and who is currently studying in Lille. I at least know she’s marking off the “stay out after dark” parts of towns as well as things she learned over the semester she was there. And yes, Grandma, I will have a pint of Harp while I’m there especially for you.

This week was pretty non-eventful in classes despite the fact that the week went so quickly! I have no idea where these weeks are going and I’m almost panicked to think once I get back from my vacation I will have been in Europe for two months. Out of a grand total of five months… almost half way. As much as I bitch (excuse the language) about school and classes and the French bureaucracy, I love just hanging out here. I don’t know if my language skills are improving that much, but I think I’ve reached a disillusionment with the language. I maintain I should have stuck with the Spanish way back in 7th grade at East middle. But then I would have missed making those crazy videos… oh the choices.

Anyways, I do have one story from my history class, the one not for international students but rather the one where I am the only international student in the class. We were discussing changes made during the 2nd République de la France and one of those changes just happened to be outlawing slavery in their colonies in 1848. Good, glad for you France. Glad you could be so perceptive and then mention that the United States was one of the last countries to outlaw slavery. Way to put me on the defensive. And then the big question came “What’s the War of Secession?” (Also known as the Civil War to us Americans). And the prof came to explain it was it was a war over slavery on big plantations with house that had Greco-Roman columns à la Terra in Gone With the Wind. Oh, prof, I really like you and you’re super nice to me, but you cannot boil the Civil War down to slavery and then compare it to a movie. So then when I try to explain, in my limited French, that one, slaves just weren’t found on huge plantations and two, the Civil War wasn’t just about slavery… well, I don’t think it translated very well. And then my limited attempt to explain Dred Scott and the Connecticut Compromise, well I think I’ve had too much constitutional law, American history, and political science classes. Or I should just learn to let it slide in this history class and focus it more on my upcoming presentation in Question Politique where I have to explain the differences of American federalism and European federalism all within 20 minutes. But that’s not until April and I have other stuff much before that to concentrate on…

Side note, Americans + Canadians = Decent North American brunch. It wasn’t fully complete as there was no toast or any type of meat, but it probably the best breakfast I’ve had since… not including last weekend at Dan and Barb’s…leaving. There were eggs, pancakes, grits (there were Southerners at the meal), and hashbrowns (I would be more tempted to call them American fries). I did not venture and try to grits or the eggs. Sorry, not my cup of tea, but I did have an amazing big old cup of coffee that is unheard of in France. It was a wonderful end to the weekend and a good study break since I had been up since 6:30 copying notes. Fun times.

It’s Called Productivity: A lunch break in France is two hours. Two hours to eat a sandwich. I do not see the need for two hours to eat said sandwich when all I need to do is make a bank appointment. Or find shoes. Or pay 195 E for national health insurance, which I do not need but have to get because it’s illegal for me to be here without it. A half an hour should suffice to eat the sandwich and it’s not necessary for everyone to go on lunch break at the same time. At least please do not close the entire bank/store/office to me. Please?