Since returning from France in late August, I have been busy with school, work, and friends. Yes, it all sounds super unique, but there is more to each of those parts.
School - beginning of the end. I just completed my penultimate semester of undergrad. Thoughts? How could five classes that only amounted to 15 credits be so difficult? I'd fall asleep drooling still with my eyes open to pages about women's rights and collective actions problems in international relations. My roommate Katie can witness how I'm one of those college students that gets back from work at 7 and is in bed by 11 "reading", which actually means getting in bed with a book and falling asleep once I hit the second line of the preface (all stories are true). However, I could not have asked for more rewarding classes this semester. Yes, I am such a nerd using the words "rewarding" and "classes" together, but I guess that's when you know you like your major? At least for me it is.
Work - I got a job tutoring high school kids in French. It's a pretty sweet deal, and even though the kids are sometimes unmotivated to do their really hard homework like conjugate "avoir" in the present tense, it's great to tutor this language and get off campus for a couple hours a week.
Friends - My roommate Katie and I hibernate in the best of apartments. We enjoy our good earth tea, espresso machine, buy-one-get-one sushi coupons, ranting about gender roles, politics, Bono songs, the amount of homework we have, boys, and the people that yell outside on State Street while we're working. We had a really great fishbowl once from Wando's and have neighbors that serenade us on Monday nights. We even had a holiday party, complete with too much food and leftover wine. It's really the place to be.
Besides studying for amazing classes, enjoying our apartment, drinking lattes, and working, I've been able to have a couple of adventures. Laurent took a long vacation to travel West. While he was visiting his brother in Montreal, I was able to go see him during my Thanksgiving break. Since the Canadians celebrate that day much earlier, we didn't have the traditional turkey-stuffing (your face) type of holiday, but instead had sushi and visited this amazing international city. I was also able to make a weekend trip to New York, another city I had never really visited. It was Halloween weekend, and definitely the place to be.
After Canada, Laurent was able to visit me in Madison before then coming home with me for Christmas time... and yes, meet the whole family. I think he passed. I have enjoyed seeing my family and spending time with them - finally!!! Although I was home in between France and going back to school in August, I am glad that I have a month rather than just a week to have sleepovers with Katya and make jokes with my parents. For "winter" break, I will be making some sunny road trips to San Francisco, LA, Santa Barbara, and Napa with Laurent and my family.
As far as next year, we'll see. I am applying to come things, but keeping my options open....
In not too long, hopefully!
Tatiana
