Deux Jours!

I am writing to you from the beautiful Université de Caen! Oh how the cigarette butts contrast with the beige concrete buildings and graffiti! I’m on my lunch break, so I just found a plug and popped a squat in a building named, “Vissol”. It’s where most of my classes are held.

Sunday evening, I went to the cinema with Rachel and a friend of her French family named Xavier (za-vee-ay). Xavier is a high school senior that tutors the son of Rachel’s French family. We saw the film Paris (pair-ee with a French ‘r’). It was a very French film. What do I mean by that? It didn’t make a whole lot of since, and the end was left to the imagination. American films usually have some sort of happy ending or big moral, but French films are always ended with a bit of mystery. I actually like it. It takes some getting used to, but I like it.

Monday (yesterday) started off with a wonderful two hours of expressive writing. IT’S MY FAVORITE CLASS! Think again! After that class I had an hour of oral expression and then lunch. At lunch I got to eat with two of my French friends. One of them looks exactly like my hall director last semester in Penland (Hey Peter!). As a matter of fact, I walked into the cafeteria, looked across the room to see these two students, and though it was Peter. I almost ran to give him a hug and then remembered that I was in France. C’est la vie! After lunch I had another hour of expressive writing and then went to the gym. There I met a guy who always wears cloths with something about California. I’ve seen him in there several times and have always wanted to ask him about his California clothing. This time I finally just said, “Toujours Californie!” (Always California!) He laughed and then took a seat next to me to tell me about the time he studied at UCLA. I then said, “J’imagine que tu peux parler anglais!” (I imagine that you can speak English!) He told me that he could, but that I probably wouldn’t understand him. He also said that he wouldn’t speak English to me because he knows what it’s like to learn another language with people only speak your native language with you. It’s very frustrating!

After the gym I went home for dinner and saw that we had a guest. Some girl who is a friend of the Groussiers is visiting Caen and will be eating dinner with us every night this week. She’s studying to be a pharmacist here in France. She was very soft spoken, but very nice all the same. After dinner she joined the family and I in front of the television to watch a series called “Père et Maire” (Priest and Mayor). It was a good show and a good way for me to learn French! After the show it was bed time.

Every once in a while I walk by Yves room to go to the bathroom and I hear American praise and worship music playing. I burned him a CD of some Christian songs that he wanted and now it seems like the only music he listens to. He was very excited when I gave him the CD and now he wants more. They don’t have any good modern Christian music in France, so it’s very nice for him to hear Christian music that isn’t Gregorian chant or a hymnal.

Tonight after dinner I will be going to a prayer and worship group at one of the local Catholic churches. Hélène told me about it, so I figured I go and see what it’s like. Maybe I’ll meet some nice French Catholics! You never know!

PS: Some of you were asking what my address is here in Caen. I have been so bad about responding to messages and e-mails because of my internet issue, so here it is:

Chez M. Mme Groussier
24 Rue PAUL TOUTAIN
14000 Caen, FRANCE