Today wasn't quite as busy. Devin and I got lost on our way to school though (all of the buildings look the same here). We had to call our instructor and find the way back. They don't really have road signs like we do in the US. Sometimes there'll be the street names on the buildings, but they're kind of hard to see.
Truthfully I don't think the French are really that different from Americans. We had a cultural discussion today though on what we observed, and I realized I noticed more differences than I thought. It seems to the that to the French, your work life is your work life, and when you're not working it's like you don't even have a job. Whenever the bell rings for us to take a break the teacher is always the first one out of the classroom. It's like she can hardly wait to get out. I don't think they work as hard as we do in America either, because everyone else seems to really be waiting for the break in class, but my American friends and I feel like we could keep going for hours.
Also today we went to Le Musee De Beaux Art. I liked it, but I couldn't believe how many pieces of naked women there were. I'm not exaggerating when I say that at least 50% have bare boobs in them, and others have testicles. I understand that the body is beautiful, and that a naked women could symbolize youth and cleanliness, but I can't help but thinking the artist had an element of lust when making those pieces. They probably tried to make things that are pleasing, and if they were like any other guy I know, their lust probably got mixed in with all the other things they found pleasing, whether they realized it or not.
I also learned quite a bit culturally from that museum. The French would often paint their authority figures a little dainty looking. I figured it was probably because to them, especially in the past, you're either born into greatness or you're not. You don't have to do anything, and by such they don't get strong or tan or scared. Americans on the other hand will show their authority figures as strong battle proven leaders. I figure this is because America needed to work for everything it had, it wasn't born with anything.
There was also a section in the museum for old Chinese artworks. Looking at those art works it kind of reminded me of anime cartoons like Pokemon. I can easily see how it could've evolved into it. I realized from these discoveries that things don't just come out of nowhere. Everything has a past that it stems from.
After the restaurant we went out to get gelato, which I believe is kind of an Italian ice cream. No one really explained it too well to me, but I think someone said there were eggs in it. It just seemed like ice cream or frozen yogurt to me.
I feel that French is coming well. I've never been immersed in another language before, but I really feel that the longer I stay here the more I'll pick up. I realized today just how much new vocabulary I've learned and can use now just from doing my daily things.
Sorry I have no pictures today, but there should be some tomorrow. We're going to Monaco. Also if there's any questions anyone has for me feel free to ask. I think you can post them on the blog, but if not just send me an email at spencertedtrotter@gmail.com.
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