The City of Love

     This week has been particularly challenging. I had two examens this week- one on Tuesday (just a regular test for class) and one today. Today we took the Test d'Evaluation de Français (TEF) which will give us a standardized level of our French competency that we can put on our résumés. We'll be taking the test again at the end of the semester to see our progress. So basically taking the test today was for fun, since we'll (hopefully) score much better in May. It was extremely difficult, that's all I can say. I've also been having a hard time getting to class on time. On Tuesday, I rolled in 45 minutes late to our 2-hour class. It's so hard getting up in the morning when I don't get enough sleep and my room is freezing. I better not be late on Monday to my first day at French Travel Partners!

     On a happier note, the temperature is finally back up to the upper 40s, which feels like summer to me. I broke out my lighter jacket and was about ready to wear flip flops to class, too. Meanwhile, the Parisians are still wearing gloves, hats and scarves. If they think this is cold, no wonder the weather was the top story on the news when it was in the 20s. I've gotten quite a few aren't-you-cold stares since I've been walking around with an unzipped leather jacket all week. But honestly, if I tried to bundle up like everyone else, I'd have a heatstroke. I'm just too Minnesotan to pretend 45 is cold.

   I'm feeling pretty lucky that I haven't gotten sick yet, since almost everyone in our group has gotten sick in the past few weeks. As the level of hand sanitizer in my little bottle that I brought has lowered, my disgust for everything in the métro has gone up. People cough and sneeze on everything and I've seen several piles of vomit dotting the quais, as well as a man staggering around and bleeding all over the place. Since I'm so grossed out, I'm getting quite good at balancing myself on the train without holding on- the one pro of having big feet in a country that laughs when you ask for your shoe size.

     On Tuesday, us single girls (which I think is almost everyone) decided to avoid the ridiculous romance that was probably happening around town (and basically everyday) and have a girls night. We treated ourselves to tiramisù, profiteroles, rigatoni and nice white wine in the Latin Quarter, before holing ourselves for the rest of the night at the foyer with the Eiffel Tower view, trying not to think about how many romantic dates were probably going on there at that moment. C'est la vie !  

Rachel

Tiramisù, because I deserve it! (Even if I had to buy it for myself)

Our Valentine's Day!