FUN-E-TIKS IS PHUHN!

Not much new and exciting to report, so this will be brief. Sunday was a pretty relaxed day. The picnic Saturday night went much later than we all expected - apparently the Seine is the place to be! We met so many other French people our age and had lots of fun. I was challenged by a few of them/made a deal that involved me doing the cha-cha slide (you know, like the bat mitzvah dance?) and let me tell you: that will go down in my history books. There is nothing quite as entertaining as being all-american and cha-cha-ing on the Seine for the French. Apparently I have a funny accent too...
I maintain my previous statement: French men are a different breed than American ones. Forward is an understatement, but it makes for interesting conversations on cultural differences?


Anyways, the last few days have been a little rough (probably why I don't have much to blog about). This is the point in the program where I think everyone feels the distance from home. We're in-between real classes and this intensive class, over the novelty of arriving, but not fully transitioned. The time change doesn't help, and as I've said, French education is a whole new game. Nothing like reaping the benefits of Louis XIV to fix this problem! Shoes and a dress later, lots of pastries, and passing the Eiffel Tour on my way home from school (it really is monumental - never ceases to amaze me with its size), and I'm on my way back! 


Phonetics class has turned into half physiology, half a massive dance party and funny noises. Apparently, French is musical, so all sounds much be sung. I'd pay to sit outside and listen to this class. Its so much fun! Every sound not only gets sung, but gets a dance movement as well. 10 girls, Patrick the Prof, and the best class ever! Its exhausting because Americans don't articulate anything, so its a real mouth workout learning to make all the sounds. The physiological half means I am spending lots of time positioning my entire body in a very specific way to find a sound appropriate in the French language; certainly not a sound that I've ever had to use before. Today, I had to get the stereotypically French-sounding "euhh." Only once I slouched in my chair and tipped my head back far enough to see the wall behind me did I get a "C'est Superbe! Parfait" from Patrick. On and on this goes. I love phonetics. If premed doesn't work out...(just kidding!) But really. Phonetics is so PHUN! 


Lots of homework to finish, and a skype date with my roommate and best friends from school coming up! Only 3 days left of the intensive class...it can't come too soon!


Tomorrow morning I am waking up early to go to the Sorbonne and register for my classes there...free education here means extreme disorganization in the schools.  But seriously? NYU isn't exactly known for its beauty, so what could be better than THE Sorbonne, beautifully built in the center of French life? I can officially say I attend the Sorbonne as of tomorrow! Plus, lunch will only be 2.50 euros :) What an adventure this will be!! I hope they have the right class for me.


Bonne Nuit! Vous me manquent tous! (I miss you all!) And will be posting more pictures shortly....