Quick Post

So I haven't updated this in a while and now it's starting to feel a bit daunting to try and explain everything that I have been doing for the past couple weeks. So instead of doing that I am going to be lazy and make yet another list. This time things that I miss from America and/or differences in myself that I have noticed lately as a result of being in France for 3 months.

Things I Miss
1. Pancakes. I seriously want chocolate chip pancakes so bad. But not just any pancakes, my dad's pancakes that he makes for me all the time when I come home from Minnesota. And cinnamon rolls. Basically any breakfast food I really miss right now.
2. Family and Friends. This probably should have been number one but skype is helping me miss everyone a little less.
3. Driving. I miss driving in my car, blasting the music, and jamming out with my sister especially with the weather as nice as it is.
4. Not having to convert dollar amounts in my head when buying things. Every time I buy something I think it's just a couple dollars and then I realize that 20euro I just spent is actually about $26. It especially sucks when you buy big items like plane tickets.
5. Conjitos. I miss Mexican food. One of my first stops when I get back to Wisconsin will be conjitos (aka the greatest Mexican restaurant in the Midwest if not the entire US) for guac and chips and cheese enchilladas
6. Random small things that pop into my head as I am sitting in class or walking around. For example my dad blasting Root Boy Slim through our entire house, walking through the mall in Minnesota, talking to my mom on the phone every day, my sister's crazy screaming laugh

UofM Mall

 Even though I miss all of these things I don't want to come home. Not yet at least. I wish this last month and a half in Nantes would just sloooow doooown. I can't even think about leaving yet it makes me way too sad.

Ok so now onto changes I have noticed in myself
1. I find myself picking up French mannerisms a little bit. French people do this thing where they kind of pout their lips and let out a tiny bit of air, it's kind of the equivalent of a shoulder shrug. I now do this without even realizing it.
2. I am way different about food. I never snack anymore and don't find it strange at all to eat dinner at 9pm even though I ate lunch at noon. All I need is the "gouter" at around 3pm (where I usually eat a piece of baguette and a small coffee) and I'm good to go.
3. I feel like I am a lot more laid back here than I usually am in the US. This isn't true for all aspects of my life but I try to just let what is going to happen, happen and not stress out so much if things go wrong. This probably stems from the fact that when you are living in another country things go wrong and plans change often but everything has always turned out for the best, so why worry about it. Wow I'm starting to sound like a hippie backpacker or something
4. At the IES center there is a computer lab with french keyboards. Some of the letters are in different spots like the a and the m and I find myself mixing up the keyboards all the time.
5. Most importantly my French has improved a TON! My listening comprehension at least. It's still kind of difficult for me to easily find what I want to say in French but I can usually understand people pretty well. Even random conversations that I creepily overhear on the tram.
That's all I have for now. Sunday we leave for Florence for Spring Break so I'll hopefully have more than a list to put on here when we get back. Until then here are a few pictures of things I have been doing just to add to this post.

We spent a night on the beach about an hour away from Nantes and made hot dogs and smores on the fire. It was pretty american except for the fact that I ate my hot dog on a baguette

D-Day Beaches

Caen Memorial