Day 18: Thoughts

Listening to: Obama's State of the Union Address

I feel like a bad American for being behind on my country's current events, but admittedly, last week I was a wee bit stressed out. (WSC, except not as grudgingly.) Since this week really marks the beginning of monotonous school days (well, not really for me, but for you), I'll just share several thoughts bouncing around in my head.

1. In Paris, they don't do that flashing hand when the crosswalk is about to turn. And don't even expect a handy countdown. So sometimes the red hand appears, but it's still okay to cross. I find this activity risky, so I usually go with the crowd on this one. If I am alone, and even if I'm given the right of way, I find it's helpful to stare the car down. People will feel worse about hitting you if they see your face, I discovered.

2. AUP doesn't have classes before 9:00 am. I mean, I'm sure every college student in America would like this measure to be implemented.

3. Everyone wants to sign up for a Shakespeare class to go to a study trip to London and Stratford-upon-Avon, but no one seems interested in reading the plays they're going to be seeing. Shakespeare isn't Old English; it's comprehensible. With concentration, it's easy to read one.

4. Virginia Woolf isn't so bad. I think Edward Albee's clever titling made me nervous. When Woolf isn't writing about dying moths in excruciating poetic detail, she's actually quite enjoyable. Kind of a throwback to Sylvia Plath.

5. It is possible for a dignified college class to discuss poems like this (WARNING: NOT SAFE FOR WORK) in an academic, intelligent manner, but I still laugh like a hyena because I guess I'll never grow up. 

6. Does it ever snow in Paris? I miss it, though I am from New England. And I only miss it because I'm not hunkering down in preparation for a storm of the century.

7. Do people really shower more than twice a day? That was a question on our French worksheet. (Actually, it was technically phrased Est-ce qu tu te douches plusieurs fois par jour? And yes, "se doucher" is the reflexive French verb for "to shower," a lesson impossible to teach to high school boys without some crude comment.)

8. When is Chinese New Year? The Oscars? The Superbowl? Even though I have a computer and a cell phone, I feel like I'm very behind on these things.

9. Also, wow, with The Imitation Game just coming out on January 28th here in France, I wonder if everyone in other countries even sees all these movies before they're awarded at the Oscars.

Bonne soirée, mes chéris!
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