Life Update

I've been meaning to write a little update since my Ireland post. A lot has been going one since I got back. At the moment I'm finishing up my exams, which have been going pretty smoothly, and the only one I actually have to know anything for is Wednesday. At the forefront of my thoughts is that I'm stressing out a little because I've got so many things to pay for, like my rent, therapy for my finger, hospital bill, and then paying to ship stuff home and for travel once I leave Poitiers. I'm still waiting to (hopefully) be reimbursed by Ryanair, but by the beginning of June I'm supposed to get a nice 400-500 euro check from the government for housing aid.

On May 27th I'm moving out and leaving Poitiers, and I'm going to Toulon to spend a few days with Miléna and then a few days with Stéphane in Marseille. Sometime before then, I need to make time to take a bunch of stuff to Sylvie, things like dishes and blankets, to give to students who will be here next year. I really appreciated getting free things when I got here, and I've got quite a bit of stuff that will make someone happy. Yay recycling. On May 31st I'll fly from Marseille to Munich, where my friend Andy will pick me up. I haven't seen him for 4 years. He still has a few days of school before we go to Nürnberg for Rock im Park, so I'll be staying with his family in Landsberg and he told me his mom is taking a few days off to show me around. That was so incredibly nice. It's not necessary at all... really, all I need is a place to sleep. But I'm excited for this. I haven't been to Landsberg for 4 years and know it a little bit, but it will be really nice to get a memory refreshing tour. I believe around wednesday June 2, we'll head to Rock im Park and get our camping site set up and such. I still have to get myself mentally prepared to see Rammstein, Rage Against the Machine, Rise Against, Slayer, Bullet for My Valentine, Lamb of God, As I Lay Dying, and HIM, among many others. I also have to prepare myself for potentially not decently showering for 4 days and getting very little sleep... because I already know that people are going to be partying 24 hours a day. After RIP I'll stay in Munich for 4 days just hanging out. I may try to get in touch with some old friends. The day before my flight back to the US, I'll fly from Munich to Paris CDG and stay the night in a hotel there. I could have flown into CDG the same day as my flight to the US, but with landing at CDG at 8:05 from Munich and taking off from CDG at 10:45, with having to pick up my luggage from the first flight, check it in again, go back through security... it may have been do-able but I would have had a chance of missing my flight home and would have been very stressed.

I'm a little bummed I wont get to go to England or Italy, but I know I'll make it there someday. There were other Americans who went to like 5 different countries during our vacations... I just don't know how they could afford it. I think they had friends studying wherever they visited, so that probably helped.

The fall catalogue for classes went up on April 30th. I'm pretty sure I get to register on May 19th. I've done what I think is the correct math, and I'm supposed to earn 28 credits from being abroad, which is half of what I needed before I came here. Meaning, I have 28 credits left, 8 of which are French classes, 8 are general education, and that leaves 12 credits of electives. So I basically have 2 terms left until I graduate. I've broken it down like this: 14 credits per term with 1 required French class (4 credits), 1 Psychology class (for gen ed, 4 credits), one 4-credit elective class, which for fall term will be "The Psychology of Gender", and then 2-one credit classes. For fall term, these are probably going to be a weight training/body sculpting class and a salsa or tango dance class with Luke. For winter term, I'm planning on taking my last required French class and another Psychology class, German 312 as my 4-credit elective, and perhaps yoga and another weight training class as my 2 one-credit classes. Organization and efficiency are my friends.

On sunday, Bryan (a guy in my program who goes to school at PSU) is throwing a big BBQ at his and his host mom's house for all of us in the Centre Oregon program. There's also going to be a little talent show. His host mom has a friend who will be there that has a violin that he said I could play if I wanted. I'd be happy to, but I have no music and I'm sure I absolutely suck. I haven't legitimately practiced in over 6 months. We'll see. I think I may try to look up online some sheet music I know and try to mentally practice.

That's pretty much it for the moment. This month is going to be an exciting/complicated one, so there will be much more in the way of blogs to come. I just know it's going to be such a relief when I'm finally on that plane back home. A bittersweet relief, but a relief nonetheless.