Vendredi

Today I was Lazy with a capital “L”! My one Friday class was cancelled, so I slept until 15h30 (3:00pm)! I was VERY tired! When I finally got up I went to buy some bread to go with my Nutella™! Let’s take a moment! If you are in the United States right now, please understand that YOU CAN buy Nutella™ there! It is sold at Target™ and Walgreens™. As soon as you get finished reading this post, if it’s not too late, go to one of these stores and buy some! It will change your life! You must eat it on a baguette (French bread) or on a croissant! If you’re trying to lose weight, forget it! Nutella™ is where it’s at!

I would also like to take another moment to give you a bit of a cultural lesson:

Milk: In France milk comes in a box and can be stored in the pantry until you open it. Apparently it is ultra sterilized and has a lot of aluminum in it that keeps it fresh as long as it is kept sealed.

Toilets: In France every toilet is flushed by pushing a button! Crazy!

Central Heating and Air: What? Who’s ever heard of that? Not the French! In France there is no such thing as air conditioning, and heating comes from wall heaters that are placed in every room, bathroom, kitchen, and hallway. Talk about clutter!

Old: You name it, it’s old! Almost all of the buildings here were built over one hundred years ago!

Cars: I don’t worry about dying by being hit by a car. I worry about hurting the car should it run into me. Did you every play with matchbox cars or know of people that played with matchbox cars? In France matchbox cars aren’t toys; they’re actual cars!

Car lots: Think of what you would picture a car lot looking like in France. Is it similar to the United States? If so, you’re wrong. There is a car lot near the apartment that is completely inside! There’s a show room with a giant garage in the back for all of the cars. Above the garage there are very nice apartments. Talk about saving space!

Sales: It’s time to go to town! JC Penny’s is having a sale! Not in France! In France sales are only twice a year. When I got here they were having a sale for the end of winter. Now the prices are back to normal and won’t be reduced until August! Put your scissors away! There are no coupons in the paper this week!

Scissors: Haircuts here are asinine! For a guy to get his hair cut, he must pay €18! That’s $27.314! For no more hair than I have, I may as well use a knife!

Politics: Topic of discussion nine times out of ten! You’re from Texas?!?! Do you like George Bush? Do you want Obama or Hillary to win the election? Can you say rude? Not to French people! It’s ruder to ask a French person whether or not they have any siblings than it is to ask them for which political party they vote. Every time they ask me this question I want to say that it’s none of their business, but it’s truly just part of their culture!

After I bought my bread and had breakfast at lunch time, I went to the gym. I then went back home and had a sandwich for dinner. It wasn’t an American sandwich. It was a big sandwich with baguette, lettuce, gruyere cheese, ham, and butter. It was very good! I then went to church and enjoyed some very nice fellowship in French! On my way back to the tram from the church I walked with my friend Carlie from England. She speaks French very well, so we spoke French the entire time. When I got back home I finished off the baguette with some Nutella™.

Tomorrow I will be going back to the cafés to meet people again! Keep praying!