life, briefly
I've been promising it for weeks, so I'm going to attempt to talk about about my life since September 5th.
First of all I'M SICK!! But what's new, right> (I can't ever find the question mark on this "Canadian" keyboard). I'm onto my third and worst cold since arriving. This is 100? --I FOUND IT!!!!--- % not my fault, it is the fault of France. In Paris, you can find a pharmacy on practically every corner - there are two within a two-block radius of my apartment building. These pharmacies are NOTHING like London Drugs, or even like Gonzales Pharmacy, the little one next door to my Canadian house, No, these pharmacies are schnazzy...... generally completely white on the inside and VERY well lit (when you emerge into the stree you have to squint and let your eyes adjust to the darkness), their products are put on display as if they were designer jewelery. They sell all kinds of face creams, leg creams, ear creams, hair creams, a whole bunch of medication that's hiding in little droors behind the counter, strange dietary supplements, and a small selection of ridiculously overpriced toothbrushes and tampons. I spent 5 euros 81 for a tiny thing of dental floss, which translates into about $10.ANYWAY, these pharmacies are not just nice places to photosynthesize which have somehow learned to reproduce and have begun to over-populate the city, they are actually responding to demand. The french LOVE to medicate. When Clara had a bad "gastro" a couple weeks ago and was up puking all night one night, she was taken to the doctor and prescribed five different medications. The girl had a common flu with no fever and was forced to take an anal suppository 4 times a day. SO to wrap up that rant, because, as I know only too well, over-medicating leads to weak immune systems and strong bugs, Paris is filled with disease, and I am sampling.
I've been here a month now and to tell the truth, haven't done THAT much. I have one friend, Meris, from Maple Ridge, who I was in touch with before I came. I am not in school at all and have discovered that making friends with strangers in the streets is not an easy task, especially in a city where people avoid making eye contact at most times. Meris has made a few friends in clubs that seem nice, so I might start borrowing hers if I feel the need. I have a sort've North American (or maybe just an uptight Alix) mentality about meeting people in clubs, namely that people you meet in clubs aren't generally people you want to be friends with, but I think it's different here....
I'm going absolutely stir-crazy not being in school, so I've taken to writing quite a bit, and trying to work out what I want to do next year. I'm planning on applying for all the scholarships I didn't take the time to apply for last year, but I don't know if I'm going to apply to any other universities. I've got my way set at UVic, and being here is making me realize how attached I am to home. By home I mean people, but people I can talk to if I want to.... mostly I mean the ocean, the mountains, the trees, the air.
On the subject of air, I went to Versailles on Tuesday with an EF tour group. Rola is a tour guide, and brought me along on one of her visits. Versailles was gorgeous, but my favorite part of the day was not the palace, it was breathing the air out there. I realized that it was my first real fresh air in over a month, and it felt so nice. The air here is pretty gross. It's dry and turns your snot black, and you can't smell restaurants cooking or bakeries baking. Even out here in Levallois, the air isn't fresh.
I think I've written enough for now.... my rants make things long. I'll try to write more little notes about Parisian culture and all my doings whenever I get the chance.
Thank you to everyone who's been emailing me and telling me about their lives. you can NEVER write to much, and I NEVER find the emails boring.....ANGELA......
Keep in touch,
Bisous,
Alix