I am finally in Montpellier (ok, actually I got here on Sunday afternoon), and I'm all settled into my French home. I absolutely love my family. They are so sweet and ridiculously generous. Unlike in the United States where it is common to open your pantry and fridge to guests, the French don't really like to share. However, that is not all the case with my family. Even though they are only required by their host contract to feed me two dinners a week, they feed me all the time, and when they leave before I do in the mornings, they leave me breakfast waiting on the table. My French mom is also always giving me little cadeaux (presents); like today, it was really hot, so she gave me a water mister to spritz on myself. Then, the other night, my French parents and two of their friends sat around for an hour and helped me edit my project for school. I just can't say enough about how nice they are, and their friends really liked me, which made me feel good. They kept making jokes, some of which were at my expense of course, but I understood them, so I was able to joke back, which they absolutely loved.
My room is great. It's on what the French call the rez-de-chaussee (the ground floor), so it's very cool. And that's quite important over here where air conditioning is so rare that establishments that have it advertise in the window that they do!! It is also ridiculously hot here - tomorrow the high is supposed to be 35 degrees Celsius!!!! I melt whenever I go outside, and I drink upwards of a liter of water a day. My house is in a nice neighborhood, and I only live 2 minutes from the tram station and 3 minutes from the bus station on foot, so it's really easy to get around.
I start school tomorrow at the University Paul-Valery in Montpellier. I took a placement test this morning and placed in the highest niveau (level), which I hope turns out well. I'm a mixture of nervous and excited about class tomorrow. I know absolutely nothing about what the class is going to be like. I don't know if I'll have homework, what we're studying, or even really what I need to bring to class! Actually, that sort of thing has been a constant struggle for me here. There is very little in the way of information, directions, etc. and it's frustrating for me. I am the queen of color-coded planners, lists, and coordinating school supplies, so when people don't have plans or their plan is to just do whatever feels good, I sort of flip out. It's definitely a learning experience for me, but you can pray that I will learn to be flexible and keep breathing when there isn't a plan!
So, that's that for now. I'm slowly learning my way around the town and made my first trip to the supermarche this evening. It was challenging to read the labels and even to get a shopping cart - tip for the wary, you have to insert 50 euro cents into the cart before it unlocks and you can push it. I am getting much better at riding the tramway around town and plan to attempt the bus for the first time tomorrow!
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