The broad is abroad

This weekend was FANTASTIQUE!

Friday night, the group met up at a cafe and sat outside to drink some wine and enjoy eachothers company. It was very nice, but we cut the night short because of our big plans for the next day :)

Saturday morning, we all met at the train station at 8h45 to catch a train to Avignon. In Avignon, we saw the Palais des Papes, a castle which housed 3 Popes during the Great Schism. We walked to the top of a garden type area and took pictures as we looked out over the city. After eating lunch in this area, we walked back down and enjoyed an orchestra which was playing in the middle of the square. I also saw a guy playing "Dust in the Wind" (reminded me of scotty!) The city was overall very beautiful, mainly consisting of narrow winding roads and unique little shops.

We left Avignon around 1 and took the train to Nimes. Nimes had more of an open feeling to it than Avignon, as the streets were wider and spacious. We saw a VERY old coliseum called Arènes, which was built during 1st century AD while Nimes was still part of the Roman Empire. Bull fights, concerts, and various shows are held here. Our group is planning on buying tickets to see Jason Mraz play here later in the summer :) We then hiked veryyy high Mount Cavalier to Tour Magne. Tour Magne is the oldest Roman building, which stands at 92 feet tall. The city looked très belle from up here!

Saturday night,when I arrived home, completely EXHAUSTED from the rough life of being a tourist, my famiy informed me that it was 104 degrees outside! OY!
After resting and eating dinner, the group met up for a night out on the town. We went to an AWESOME Australian bar, where the bartenders would juggle/do tricks with handles of alcohol and glasses. The place was packed, and it was SUCH a cool atmosphere! Not to mention our bartender liked us Americans and was very generous (sorry mom, i had to throw that in there) The night as a whole was SO much fun, as we had MANY funny things happen to us (ill spare you and be vague on that part mom)

Sunday morning, I got up and arrived at the beach at around 11. We stayed until 6 that evening, and I got SCORCHED! I decided sunscreen is not a necessity, and I immediately regretted that decision upon returning home last night.

Yesterday another girl arrived at my house to live and study in Montpellier. I cant remember her name right now to be honest, but she is SO sweet, and she is Italian! She studied for a year of college and then decided to go work at a museum in London for 4 years, so now she speaks fluent English. She decided that before she returns to school, she wanted to live in France and learn to speak the language, so here she is doing just that!

I was POOPED after the long, AWESOME weekend, so I went to bed rather early. I woke up this morning, and my eyes would barely open. I was very confused so I got up and went in the bathroom...my eyes were SWOLLEN so MUCH because I got burned so badly on my eyelids and right under my eyes. Needless to say, I rocked the glasses look today. I bought some hydrocortisone cream (2 bottles) and took a bunch of advil (i know what youre thinking dad--i never learn my lesson about sunscreen). So I am red as a lobster and my eyes look like theyre sunken into my head -- not to mention my face is covered with blisters -- you cant see them though, thank heavens.

Today, we have 2 more girls coming to live with us!! That will fill up all the bedrooms, so there wont be anymore coming. The two girls are from Columbia, so hopefully Ill be able to practice my spanish a little!

My host family is having a surprise party for a friend tonight at their house so there is gonna be TONS of food and TONS of people tonight, I am SO excited!! Im gonna pick up flowers on my way home from my afternoon class for a little décor :)

We have our midterm tomorrow in our Le Midi class (i know, SO soon, we just started!) so I will be studying and doing work a LOT tonight.

Well, thats all for the weekend and today! I wish I could have written EVERYTHING about the places we went, but that would be a novel.

ps...mom, thanks for the comment about my pics...PREESHIATE it. I wanna get some of em printed and framed for my room next year :)
and if the dueckers are looking at this at all-- I have ducked my head into EVERY childrens store I have seen, I am keepin on the lookout for things for mason and averi! tell them i miss them!