Paris Prep!

I feel at home in Leuven...already. It's hard to believe that this place feels more comfortable to me than Loyola College. Obviously I miss my home in Gibsonia, but I feel like I am not missing anything. Also, it's nice having everybody just a walk down the wall, and it's also really nice that people leave their doors open for anyone to visit. I guess that I got used to being isolated after being forced to live in an apartment last year. This setup reminds me of my freshman year, and I'm loving it. I can really see myself living here for ten months now, whereas prior to the trip I was super super nervous about feeling welcome in a foreign country.

I have been riding my bike into town the past few days in hopes of fixing my camera. First I went to a computer store, bought a memory chip, and then it was too small. Then, I went to a photo store. The guy there really creeped me out, and made some comments that worried me, so I just left, thinking that he had fixed my camera. Nope. The camera still only held 12 pictures. Sooo I went back to town today with Cristina, and I went to this best buy type of place. This cute dutch boy messed with the menu button and turns out that my chip holds like 300 pictures. Soo long story short, my camera is now able to hold a lot more pictures. The riding of the bike has been very difficult, but fun as well. People here weave in and out of people and cars and they do fine. I, however, am struggling. I almost hit a few people today. It's going to take awhile to get used to the whole biking system here. Somebody told me that you can get a 50 euro fine for dribing the wrong way or not having your headlight on when it's dark. I don't think I'll be out when it's dark. It's hard enough to drive during the day.

Last night we wnt out again and it was fun...the beer we got wasnt thast great though. It was called" Maes". It tasted like bud light or miller light. Dissappointing, to say the least. Ireally like Stella and Hoegaarden the best so far. I havent tried anything else, bc stellas are like 1- 1.20 euro. I'm cheap here. Big time. I heard Duval (devil) is like drinking 3 beers. I want to try that soon! haha. I have been staying up really late herew, because I;m still adjusting to the time change.

We had presentations on France today, just as we did yesterday. This took up a few hours. I did mine today,a nd it went pretty well. I just can't wait for Paris...it is going to be amazing! We get to see Normandy, Mont st. micheal, Paris, and the beauyex tapestries. We are actually going to stay right by thre shore where the invasion occured. crazy. I am so glad that I bought a backpack for this trip...all of my paris stuff fits.

Well, I need to go get some help with my neck, for one. I got two marks on it last night, and now they are swelling. I am really scared, seeing as I am a hypocondriac of the worst kind. I think it might have been a spider in my bed....AHHHH. They say that bugs can easily get through the windows here, and I did leave my window open for a bit the other day. I need to put my screen up that I brought. Okay, I need to go take care of this neck issue, and then we have to go watch a movie for our France trip.

I want to add that I love my group though, and that our director/his wife are amazing! Everybody here gets along sooo well, and there is definately diversity within the group, which is refreshing after two years of attendingTHE most homogeneous university known to man. Nobody here is spoiled or selfish...we are all saving as much money as we can and trying to get a job asap. It's nice to be with people who appreciate the value of saving. I am glad that I finally met some down to earth, nice as can be people that accept me. I have never felt like I fit in at Loyola, but these kidfs are different. We all came here for the same reasons, and it's just nice to know that they'll be here for me not just this yrear, but in the coming years as well.