And I think to myself...what a wonderful world!!!!!

Hello to all! Im sorry it's been a few days since Ive updated! :S I dont even have an excuse! Mais, I am French now, so there for I take life a lot slower than Americans do. :D

This week hasnt been to busy. Wednesday was my birthday! WOWZERS! Im 24! I dont feel anything close to that, but I guess that's what people say every birthday :). I started my orientation on Wednesday, too. We did a lot of paper work for insurance, etc. Im pretty excited, because the health care system in France is so much better than in the U.S. I have social security taken out of each paycheck and that gives me 70% coverage on any health related issue and then I took out insurance through a company (which I guess is very common in France) that will give me the other 30% coverage for only 30 euros a month! Plus, I get the first three months free! The insurance covers everything: dental, eyes, doctor appointments, medicine, anything! YAY! I plan on getting my eyes check out and getting some glasses and contacts AND hopefully going to the dentist and getting some work done AND going to the doctor just to make sure Im in good condition :). So, Im pretty excited about that!

OH! Tuesday, Lee, Laura and I found this amazing park in La Rochelle. Though it was rainy and kind of cold, this park was still so beautiful! Here are some pics:
(The beautiful gardens)
(Lee by a huuuuuuuuge tree)

(I love palm trees)

(Exploring the vast jungles of La Rochelle)

On Wednesday night, the night of my birthday, a bunch of other assistants and I went out to eat. It was wonderful. There was: Me, Lee (American assistant/one of my roommates), Laura (American assistant), Elisa (American assistant), Sarah (British assistant), Greg (Sarah’s French boyfriend), Donald (American assistant), Jaime (Canadian assistant), Scott (Elisa’s American friend who works in La Rochelle) and Emily (American assistant). We went to a restaurant right by the port. It was beautiful. The night was a bit chilly, but nothing matters when you have a view like we did! After we ate, a few people went home and a few of us went to an Irish pub for some drinks. It was such a great night. I really had a good time. We got home about 2ish and had to be up again at 7:30 to get to our second day of orientation! Ei ei ei! We just were taught how to teach through games and song. It wasn’t anything tooooo new for me, because of all the TESL classes I have taken, but it was a nice refresher.

(The group minus Donald (who's taking the pic) eating at my birthday supper)

By the time I got back home from orientation (about 4 four in the afternoon), I was so tired from being up so late that I had to came home and took a nap! Haha. That night (which I guess was just last night), we (Lee, Laura and I) sat at my place and had a few drinks and chatted with my other roomies (Michel and Dorota). I, honestly, have the best roomies one could have in the situation I am in. First, we have Dorota, who is Polish, but speaks native-like French and doesn’t know hardly any English, so I MUST speak French with her. She is very understanding of my broken French, because she said she knows what it’s like to learn a language and helps me with my French. Then there’s Michel. He’s French, so obviously knows French very well, but he knows hardly any English. He (LITERALLY) makes me speak French. If Lee and I are speaking English when Michel is in the room, Michel will say (in French), “Ah, no no no! French not English!” Haha. It’s awesome, because if I don’t know how to say something, I can just reference Lee (cause he knows French really well) and keep speaking French. It’s an awesome combination.

Tonight, my roomies, a few other assistants and I are going to get together. It should be a good time.

Know what? Even though I am away from everyone I love so much, I am so happy. I am so lucky to have everything I have. I know it sounds cliché, but it’s the truth. I have a wonderful family, an awesome boyfriend and the most amazing friends anyone could ever ask for AND I have this amazing opportunity to live in France. Wow. Wow. Wow. I just think of how far I have come. I mean, not financially, etc, but just in who I am. I feel like I have come full circle. Even three years ago, if I look at the person I was then, I know Ive grown and changed for the better, so much. Ive learned so much about myself and who I am. And now Ive become who I am today, which is exactly who I want to be. Nothing more, nothing less. This is me and I like me :).

I must go play Guitar Hero now :).

Until next time…!