Since arriving here in France more than two months ago I have:

1.     Seen 29 films-some in French, some in English, some American movies dubbed in French, some with subtitles some without. Sometimes the subtitles don’t line up with the dialogue, like when I watched an old Marilyn Monroe film and she said in French something along the lines of “this is good.” But the subtitle, also in French said, “this is bad.”

2.     Read thirteen books. Well 12.75 books. I’m almost done with the last. Two of these were comic books, but I think that it still counts. Some were in English, some in French. The one I’m reading now is by Sherman Alexie and is translated into French. It’s silly how they translate the names Builds-the-Fire and Warm-Water. Complete direct translations. I read Pygmalion in French then watched My Fair Lady. I finally read Eat, Pray, Love after trying many times and not getting through the first 50 pages. I read one by Virginia Wolf and thought of Alexis. One book was Exercises de Style by Raymond Queneau. He takes the same simple scenario: a man on a bus with a long neck and a silly hat who accuses the man standing next to him of purposefully stepping on his feet. He sits down elsewhere. Later, our narrator sees him again later talking to a friend who is telling him that he should put another button on his overcoat, and then he retells it 99 different times, each time in a different style of writing.

3.     I have forgotten to take pictures. Because now that I feel like I live here, and I’m not just a temporary tourist, I don’t really take my camera with me. And so I feel like maybe I’m forgetting to capture important things. I know that I will remember them, and that they will stay in my memory, but I forget about my family and friends back home. They can’t see into my mind. When I want to tell them about the trees that I can see outside of my window or the ugly storefronts with beautiful buildings towering above them, they won’t be able to picture it. So forgive me, and trust that I will try to take some more pictures to share.

4.     I have made some very good friends.

5.     I have probably listened to every song on my computer. Not that there is a lot. But never before have I done that before. I think I’m ready for some new ones.

6.     I have not been that home sick. I have a teacher that asks me all the time if I am so home sick and if I am so sad to be living by myself and aren’t I soooo lonely and want to be home all the time and I can’t believe that you aren’t going home for Christmas, aren’t you going to be so sad? But in reality I am not. Don’t get me wrong; I am very sad that I will not be able to spend the holidays with my family. And I do get homesick at times. But being here in France, living alone, and teaching is not the WORST thing that could happen to me. It was my choice to do this, and in making this choice, I knew very well what I was getting myself into. She makes it seem like being here is awful. It most definitely is not. Being far away from my family and friends has made me feel more grateful for them. I feel like am more grateful for things in my life. Like easy Internet access. Seedless grapes. Clothes dryers. 24 hour grocery stores-or anything that is open on Sundays. Being able to just call someone up to chat. Especially my Momma. Or take a walk down the street to see a friend. Or gluten-free pastries from Avellino. I do feel very far from home, because, well, I am.  But I know that it will not be forever. And I know that it was my choice to do this. And I know that being here is a wonderful experience that I may not get again.