Firstly, j'espere que vous passez un chill day ;)
Secondly, yes I had a month long vacation just one month ago and yes I have another vacation right now. I don't think I've ever had this much vacation in my life..
Ca fait un bail depuis que je n'ai pas ecrit! Oups. Bon.. Quoi de neuf.. ?
School is hard in the sense that I'm being challenged in my time management skills and my ability to do my homework on time :) But I'm learning so much and so far staying on top of everything so that's good! I'm making progress in Arabic, it probably takes up the most of my homework time. But I'm committed to it. My journalism class is hard because my professor has the most French teaching style, while all of my others have a kind of hybrid Framerican teaching style based on their experience of teaching Americans beforehand. M. Zini knows little about American teaching/learning styles, which is good for us in terms of cultural adaptation. But I have to admit, the first few weeks I struggled (and still kind of am) because for some reason the way he teaches brings out my sassy side... haha. He's a knowledgeable and credible and respectable person, but sometimes I just disagree with some things/how he goes about certain things. Perhaps it's a personality clash and/or my stubbornness given the fact that only just NOW am I experiencing the real French teaching style, after almost 6 months here... rather than maybe at the beginning of the year. Anyways, we're learning a lot from him and he's not a bad person so I just have to get over my little ticks. That being said, when he praises something I've done, I feel like I've won a gold medal haha. Even if it's the teeniest thing.
This past weekend I went to Montpellier and stayed Friday night with my friend Manue, which was so nice :) And then Saturday I stayed with our family friends in Prades just outside of Montpellier. It was nice to be in a family environment again- I have so many fond memories there. I went walking with the mom, Annie, who is basically like an aunt-figure to me. We all went and saw the movie Hitchcock- which I liked! And Friday Manue and I had dinner at her cute little studio and then went out with her friend Laura. It was overall a nice, relaxing little weekend, a good start to my winter vacation! But now I am back in Marseille and so stoked to be spending my week of vacation here. I am hoping it will slow down the semester a little by not going anywhere :) My friend Valentina from Sardegna and three of her friends will be arriving Tuesday so Suzie and I are thinking of fun stuff to do we can do all together with our French friends for the whole week the Italians are here! Calanques, Notre Dame de la Garde, going out to Vieux Port, who knows! It is going to be a great week.
I can't really think of anything new to add or say.... Life here is still sweet, full of surprises, and not a minute goes by that I don't fall more in love with this place....
Bises,
Katty
