Narcissism

Is it self involved to have a post of just pictures of me? 

Probably, but it's not very often that I have nice photos of myself. 

Some friends and I went around Flagstaff and took our very own graduation shots. This is the result. All camera credit goes to Rebecca Rice

The Smells That Will Linger

They say that smell holds the strongest key to memory. That being said, Montpellier will be difficult to forget. As my time in Montpellier is winding down I find myself nostalgically walking through its windy streets and alleyways. Walking with friends at night and walking with my groceries during the day I stumble across scents fragrant and foul. Here I've compiled a list of the daily things I've been smelling for the last 10 months.
- coffee
- the stink before rain, rain and the refreshing after-rain
- pain au chocolat and bakeries
- poop, pee, sewer, garbage and exhaust
- Frenchy body odor
- chrysanthemum, hydrangea and sperm trees
- curry and garlic
- l'herbe qui n'est pas de qualité
- "the oaky afterbirth of wine" - Michael Scott
- salty beach air and the swamp
- people smoking cigarettes outside of bars, restaurants, classes and the health clinic
- lavender laundry

The Experiment : E 'n R's Stovetop Apple Pie

Have a sweet tooth? Don't have an oven? Find yourself only having stale bread, apples, sugar and raisins? No worries, you've got a dessert!

Stale bread
Cream/Milk
Butter
2 Apples
Golden Raisins
Sugar
Tea bag of Chai Tea

In a large saucepan sauté up the chopped apples in a generous heap of butter and sugar. Meanwhile, soak the stale bread in a cup of Chai tea, milk (or cream and water) with more sugar. Once the apples look brownish, add the bread and golden raisins. Let simmer until a thick, pretty much disgusting consistency. Then in a separate sauté pan, melt some butter. That's right, Paula Deen style. Put your bread-apple mixture in the sauté pan patty-style and fry. This will create a 'crispy' texture. Add sugar to taste. And there you go, a heart attack without an oven!

Self Inflicted Project

Seeing as how French schooling is quite a bit less involved than the universities of America I have had to find other ways to occupy my day. This little art project is made from daily things that I had laying around. The flowers are fabricated from an old ripped up book, acrylic paint and paper maché putty (flour and water). The stripes are stained with coffee and tea.

Deck the Halls

The halls look like those of a mental institution. So I've made some door decorations to bring the Christmas spirit to Vert Bois.

Red Alert

This weekend Montpellier was on red alert due to non-stop rain and 100 km/h (62 mph) winds.

Solution? Why sit around, eat, drink tea and talk, of course.

Crazy rain, cheese lady continues

Contrary to commonsense, Saturday I dragged my friends to the market (because they have become my ultimate addiction here). Walking there was manageable, a little sprinkle here and gust there; nothing threatening. Halfway through picking up my discount vegetables (three huge bowls of eggplant, avocados and bell peppers for 5 euro, by the way) the clouds opened their flood gates. And when I say flood gates I mean sheets and sheets of pelleted water. Bullet sized rain. We thought we could wait it out. Twenty minutes later it hadn't let up. So we braved it. We got to the center of town (Place de la Comèdie) and completely drenched, we decided to duck back into a café. A leisure coffee and torte later, we thought we might be ready for more.

At the movie theater

I have never been so soaked in my life. Not even when I had swimming lessons in Holland where I had to tread water fully clothed for two minutes. The streets were about knee high in water. Rivers were pouring out of drainage pipes and there wasn't any end in sight. Our coats, our shoes, our clothes underneath our coats: dripping sopping wet. The trams stopped and the only thing left to do was to sit inside, make a delicious meal (thanks Sarah) and listen to music from our middle school days. Sometimes taking it easy is just what the doctor ordered. This time the doctor prescribed it by way of red alert rain.

Les Pâtes Ivres

Drunken Pasta

3-4 large mushrooms
1 onion
clove of garlic
butter
salt/pepper
parsley
rosemary
bottle of red wine
fresh pasta (not dried, although that works too)
parmesan

In the bottom of the large saucepan saute the onions and garlic together in the butter. Add the sliced mushrooms, salt and pepper. And maybe some more butter. Once that is all nice and almost crispy add half the bottle of wine and fill whatever space is left of the saucepan with water. Bring to a boil. Add the fresh pasta once the water is bubbling. Be careful not to overcook, it should only take about three minutes. Drain and serve with parmesan on top. Bon appetite!

Un Vélo et Marché aux Puces

Salsa

The days are going by quick here. There never seems to be a day that doesn't go by without a festival, shopping trip, dinner or walk.

Emma and Sarah vogue-ing

Class Trash: Mussels and Wine

Today (Sunday), I bought a bike at a flea market. It's a stolen bike. A shit bike. But it was only 30 euro. There was haggling and there were old men getting all up in my grill demanding more money/less money/ bike adjustments/ warning me that I am going to die on the bike. To say the least it was an event that itself was almost worth the 30 euro. This bike is going to get me to the beach. It's going to take me grocery shopping and it might even take me on a countryside ride to a local vineyard. Overall, a good investment.

Oh, The Places We Will Go

The market was pretty insane and totally hip. It's in the 'ghetto' of Montpellier and lined with sellers and their sketchy vans. All the clothes, pottery, bikes, food, headlights, stolen shit is splayed out on the street and you are more than welcome to haggle with the snaggle-toothed men and women. I felt that taking my camera out to show y'all would've just become another item for sale. Nonetheless, it was fun. Some friends and I were able to find a streetcar to try some authentic Moroccan food, get some cheap shoes and proudly wobble our new bikes around town.


Every once in a while, I must say the humidity and simple things are running me down. A cold has been meandering through the group and it ain't so pretty. Some TLC would do some good but in a foreign country where you can't figure out how the washing machines work it's difficult. I had to hand wash my towels and after two days they still aren't dry. I'm glad I'm here still, I'm excited for my courses, I'm excited for my trip to Barcelona that is in the works, I'm glad that my dorm looks a bit friendlier and that I can hit the hay in safety.

Des Moules Espagnols

Registering for classes here goes like this:

1. Look on internet for 'listing'
2. Go to building to find time/date/room number. Don't know where building is. Ask for directions. People laugh because they don't know where the building is either. Find building. Perspire from running.
3. Stand in long line to 'pre-register'. Most things closed from 12-2 for lunch. Then close again at 4.
4. Go to class for three weeks to see if you like it
5. Sign up by Sept. 26
6. Do administrative registering and registering with the teacher
7. Register for exam at end of semester.

Where is there any efficiency? I'd take LOUIE/online registration any day.

With that being said, I survived my first 3 hour lecture on the methodology of sociology in French. My head hurts but I understood most of it! Probably am going to the beach to celebrate.

I also made mussels last night with some American friends. Fresh Spanish mussels with some olive oil and herbs, white wine and they're barnacles still attached. A whole half kilo cost only a euro. I could get used to this. I have speaking French a lot and making some French friends in classes and clubs but it's definitely nice to just 'be American' every once in a while. Talkin' English and shootin' the shit.

My New Place of Residence, Part III

I would like to begin with how I started the 4th of September, 2011. My new exchange friends and I went out to explore Montpellier nightlife. I think we found it and then we found the daylife. We started with a scenic tram ride and ended up at Place de la Comèdie, once again. There were bars open everywhere and bustling because it was only 12 am. We found one and instantly made friends with some locals. The bar was quaint and playing 'TNT'. The Frenchies sang 'I'm dynamite' with their accents, it was hilarious.

My dorm

The bar closed at 2 and our local friends suggested we head to Panama, a boîte à nuit for some more dancing. Downstairs they played old Top 40 (they're still stuck on Time of My Life by the Black Eyed Peas) while upstairs there was the salsa lounge. Dancing was had. At 5 am we found ourselves on a guided tour with our 'bodyguards' through the streets of Montpellier as the sun began to break the night. It had rained a bit and the cobble stones glistened (and killed my feet). We walked through the historic districts and 10 km later, it was 7 am and we were safe in our dorms and drenched from a second shower of rain.

 Later that day, after much contemplation and self motivational pep talks I found the strength to go to the zoo. That's right, the zoo. I live a 10 minute walk away from a free zoo with all the goodies. Rhinos, monkeys, an otter (I thought of you Mom), giraffes (Goose) and lots of lemurs. That being said, I spent a good two hours soakin' in the animal poop smell and laughing children. A perfect Sunday then topped off with a late afternoon rain shower.

I've slowly been learning my way around the neighborhood and really enjoying the mix of ancient buildings and modern design. The university is located in a quiet residential area where the house have ivy and vegetable gardens. However, much differently than the States, there's graffiti everywhere. And it's not meant to look ghetto. I believe it is just that people aren't motivated about cleaning it up and quite frankly, it's pretty most of the time! 

My New Place of Residence, Part II

Bâtiment A à Vert Bois (my building) 

My dorm is a 90 sq. ft. functional dream. There's so much storage I'm tempted to go to H&M and fill up the shelves some more. My toilet is underneath the shower. I got everything I needed at IKEA for $50! Except I don't have a fork or spoon. They don't sell 'em for single people. Mom was right, I should've taken some from home.

I made a video for y'all!

Last night, the American and Canadian exchange students went to Place de la Comèdie for wine tasting and a stroll through the historic buildings. There was food everywhere. I had some African fried plantain bananas and chicken. Yum. 

Today I went to IKEA and the supermarket (which only took me two hours to find). In celebration, I bought my first classy bottle of wine for 2 euro, bread and the reddest tomatoes. And some other not as interesting things. 

I've learned that when walking on the street men will flash their headlights at you, almost fall of their mopeds and give you the thumbs up. I've also learned that you shouldn't ever buy more than you are willing to carry for an hour. My feet are sore and my shoulders feel like I imagine a Norwegian body builder's would feel like. However, a lovely homemade salad awaits me followed by some nightlife exploration with the fellow exchangers. C'est la vie enchantée!