We Are Family

I'm back! And excuse the cheesy title. :)

(Psst, see that new link section on the right? It's a link to the blog for my photography class. There you can find my pictures and those of my classmates from each assignment. Updated every two weeks ish.)

Saturday the 10th (woah, long time ago) I finally found my mom and my aunt! After some more shenanigans involving TGV stations, poor communication, poor planning on my part, and my mom thinking the back of the station was the front of it, I finally managed to find them safe and sound in Aix-en-Provence. We spent that weekend hanging around, I showed them the markets and we bought food and sat and had a picnic: goat cheese, emmental, bread, chocolate, Orangina, and macarons. My kind of picnic.
Monday they were left to their own accord as I was busy all day and had to take a midterm. (But I just found out I got an A on that midterm!) They spent the day shopping and we met up for teatime and dinner after finally finding somewhere we all wanted to eat. Tuesday my mom had some meetings at school and I had classes so we all "worked" that day. Then met up for tea and dinner again.
Wednesday we went a-travelling! All three of us booked a trip through the office of tourism in Aix and that morning at 9 hopped in a car with our nice guide and were on our way. Wednesday's trip included a wine tasting in Châteauneuf-du-Pape (fancy!), the city of Avignon, the Pont du Gard (big Roman aqueduct / bridge) , and finally a stop at Tarascon (castle on the Rhône River). 

Modeling in some ruins near Avignon.

GIANT wine bottles at Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

My mommy, my aunt, and me with the Pont d'Avignon in the background

Pont du Gard

Aunt Kath and mom posing at Tarascon

 Thursday I skipped some more class and we went on some more voyages. We had the same guide but were joined by three more other women on our adventures. We went to Arles, Les Baux, Saint-Rémy, and Glanum. Wednesday was warm and sunny, but sadly Thursday was cold and foggy. But we saw the theater and amphitheater in Arles, the monuments in Glanum, sites where Van Gogh painted, and the view from Les Baux--once the fog lifted.

Looking out at Les Baux in the distance

Inside the amphitheater at Arles

Amphitheater in Arles

Mom and Aunt Kath looking majestic on a mountain overlooking Les Baux

Stick fighting outside the mental hospital Van Gogh stayed in

The theater in Arles

Oh yes, there was stick fighting too. Everyone was looking at us like we were a little crazy--including the other people on our tour and the mental hospital workers. Oops. Haters gonna hate, that's why I have my hater blockers. 
Friday was our sad day of departure. :( It was so nice having them here I was really sad to see them go. But we spent our time before that hunting down a new bag and jacket for me, since a wool jacket doesn't seem necessary here anymore. Then we all drove down to the TGV station for hugs, tears, and goodbyes. Sadly, the first train was full I found out later, but they took the later train and got into Paris with no problems for a smooth trip home on Saturday.

That weekend I hung out with my friends and moped around because I was all alone again. Studied for some midterms or something because this Monday started midterms week. Three midterms in one week, oh the horror. It's also been foolishly cold here. 65 is not acceptable with Pittsburgh is 80. Swap, please?

So this week, finally. I took three midterms: french conversation, film, and literature. I think they all went well and I'm not really in any danger of failing this semester. Nothing terribly interesting or of note happened this week. Our student teacher in french class told me I should go out more. I think she thought I was pretty lame because I spend my week nights reading and sleeping. Sometimes I go out on weekends, but I value my sleep, let's be real. Oh, I did book my spring break trip though! I'll be going to London with one of my friends!! (commence singing 'We Are Going to London', that song from Madeline. Does no one know that song but me....?) So I'm super pumped.

Wednesday I hit the two-month-until-home mark and boy am I glad. I've been away from Pittsburgh since the end of December and away from the US since the beginning of January, so my two month away mark was hit a while ago. 
Don't get me wrong, I like being here. It's great and I could never have any experience like this back in the states and I would regret it if I hadn't done it. I wouldn't quite say I'm counting down the days until I get home, but I will be glad when that day comes. I didn't realize how much I like being near my home, my friends, my family, and Pittsburgh. Some people handle being away from home well and this has taught me that I prefer being around familiar things. And that is just that. I've realized that besides people I miss the little things, like my own bed, Starbucks, drinking tea in the morning, my animals creating chaos, sitting in the Baker basement studying and napping, wasting time at the black chairs (holla, SnS), making the food I want for dinner, Gluuteny, oh and understanding everything around you because it's in English.
I have plenty more years in my life to change cities, to go places and whatnot, but for right now, I'll be happy to go home. Most people at school keep yelling at me, telling me not to remind them how little time they have left. And they're right, I need to enjoy the time I spend here. I'm sure I'll miss France once I'm back in the US, but as a French person would say, "Pittsburgh me manque". I've also realized I'll never be French, I'll never speak french like a French person and while I'm here I just have to do my best to adapt and be a non-culturally awkward American in France. And that my dear friends and family, is just that. I hope this update finds you all happy and warm (curse this weather in the south of France!) and I can't wait to see you all!