"Mardi Gras"

I have lots of extra free time today so I figured I would go ahead and post an extra post. :)

So last night, two really cool things happened. First, we had our last (thank god) orientation meeting for school. They aren't bad or anything, they are just later in the evening and we're all so tired by then. Poor us. After a quick meeting, we were told that we would be having our initiation ceremony sort of thing. We got to go to the actual Abbey around 8pm when it was all dark and quiet. So so quiet. It was almost a bit creepy, but mostly really nice! Dr. Macaman said a few things about the history of the place and things about us finding out who we are as people, that sort of thing. It was VERY cool. We all each held a lit candle. It was cold, but it was nice.

And at last, we were all finally true Abbey-ians. Of course, what better way to celebrate anything in life than to go to a little bar called Le Commerce? The big group of us, which was about 55 or so, walked across the street and had our own little Mardi Gras party to kick off the semester in the right way!

It was very very fun. We all dressed up and wore beads and masks. Took tons of pictures. Drank a couple glasses of this strawberry infused beer that the locals drink. It was so yummy. My favorite thing of the night though, was seeing our professors (there's about 8 of them) all hanging out with us at the tavern. I talked to a few of them. One offered to buy a round of wine. It was so cool to talk to them as a person or a mentor, rather than the person who eventually grades you at the end of the semester. My French teacher was talking to us about a French bourbon, her kids, our French, our lives. Not one teacher in my life has EVER talked to me about what I want to do when when I'm older or what my favorite book is. My 80 year old da Vinci professor, who's so interesting and SO nice was drinking a beer and eating a banana. He is so funny sometimes.

So the night eventually wrapped up and we all came back to the dorms and all hung out for a while. I went to bed pretty late cause I couldn't sleep.

I had classes this morning. French is getting easier and easier. Thank god! Lunch was good, we had fish and this salad with capers, tomatoes, vinegar and this cabbage stuff. Not bad. Very French.

Right now I'm just in my dorm doing some homework and doing some laundry. The weather is very foggy and damp and cold right now, so I probably won't go walk around today. I'm tired too!!

Can't wait for this weekend!!!