Free no more

When I arrived in France I was greeted with the wonderful youthful, energetic, buoyant, age of 24.


And now I am the old seasoned, grape dehydrated turned raisin age of 26.


Had I been in the US of A, in the land of the Free, and the land of Free refills; during this age of transition, this thought might not be so tragic or a transition at all. But because I am in the land of the free, if you are under 26- my cost of living just went up significantly.

See there is this beautiful fact in France that pretty much everything is cheaper when you are 25 or under. Free museums, discounted metro tickets, cheaper movie passes, lower priced gym memberships (the whopping bargain of 52 euros a month), and these are just to name a few. This was especially beneficial when the friends and family come to visit and I would go play tourguide for the touristos and touristas. I greatly appreicated not having to pay full price to see the same things several times. To me it helped even it out.

But alas… the joy of freeloading off the benefits of being young in Paris have dissipated. My time of gallivanting around for free or on the cheap has come to an end. I now must join the rest of the population over 25 and do the unthinkable… but to pay the Adult price.

Ugh.

They can take away my youthful discounts, but they can never take away my yooooooouth!

Another Birthday Away

On May 31st I threw myself into a mini pity party. A wallow of self-depravity that I am so capable of doing when I am tired and missing my friends. This was spurred by my 15 days of constant work and travel. And then encouraged by that fact of knowing that in a few short hours I would be turning another year older, in a foreign country another year without my friends and family around. Yes I have new friends here, but when events like my birthday arrive- I naturally pull to wanting to be stateside.

However- yesterday was an wonderful day! I never cease to be amazed at how many people take the time to wish you a happy birthday when you are away from home. And the extra effort people here make to make you feel like you are at home. I had a simple day- but filled with many facebook greetings of Happy Birthdays, a few cards from loved ones at home, and an amazing dinner with people I have come to know here.

Thank you for all who made not just my birthday special but every other day in between. That’s the greatest gift a girl could wish for.

Ruby Slippers

If I could find a pair of these, and I clicked my heels three times... Would I magically wake up to have one day at home?

Bye Bye Tabs

In the last few days- something quite resourceful disappeared off of my computer. When on the internet, I could click on a new tab, and my “most visited sites” would pop up and I could click, click, click away through my top sites to see if anything interesting at that moment was happening.



Within a minute I could browse through Facebook, Gmail, Blogger, NY Times, and whatever handy dandy site I decide to spend my internet life upon. But, oddly the last few days when I would click on my new tab to zip through my fave sites, the options were missing and I would (GASP!)… wait for it… wait for it…

I would have to click in the browser bar and Type (yes type!) my web address destination, All. By. Myself.

Phew! Tough I know. I don’t know how I have managed but… somehow I am making it. Unfortunately… not all are being as successful in typing up their own websites and are quite enraged by this change. I thought my computer was doing something different, but after researching how to turn it back on, I learned that google removed this feature and it is no longer an option.

After discovering this, there was then a huge long thread of lots of internet based yelling. You know the whole, all caps all bold font. It’s quite intimidating. Anyways, These bold font bulliers are livid. Yes literally livid that their Google tab bar has been removed and they are distraught on how in the world they are expected to access their favorite websites without it.

I loved this option, and really do hope that it’s reinstated. But… it is not something I will waste a day mumbling and grumbling over how ghastly it is, that it’s now gone. (Instead, I will just write a blog about those grumblers. Ha!) One person complained that now when their boss comes in looking for information they can’t just click on their tab and pull it up. They are clueless on how in the world they will function on the internet any longer. In these cases- I laugh and think, “Yah right.” Most studies show that employees are on the internet much more on non- work related items, than on work related sites. So actually… the removal of this tool, might, just might save you your job. Rather than your boss seeing you spend your time on Facebook, Twiter, and crybabies.com, you can save face and (deep breaths again) Type it in yourself. Scary I know!

I actually don’t think this is the end of the tab favorites, especially after all of the slack google is getting from this change. But seriously, we all survived before the favorites tab existed, I think we can survive now. We are just typing it back old school style before 2009. The only question that remains is, How did we ever survive before this time???

Ahhh We Meet Again

After a post about how many of us Americans miss having Taco Bell while living here in France, I recieved a wonderful suprise. My mother sent me a care package with all the fixings to make Taco Bell tacos, here in France.

To celebrate, I hosted a Faux Taco night, to enjoy the fresh ground beef seasoning, shredded lettuce, and cruchy taco shells. Yum! As we were about to eat, I remembered that on my last visit to the states- while at a Taco Bell I nabbed several packets of Mild sauce. (In case of an emergency). Having those packets was the pefect compliment to the gift my mother had sent.

After preping my perfect TB approved taco I reached into the bag, and watched the Red Sauce ooze over my taco with adoration. After squeezing every last bit out of the packet I looked at the front and smiled and though, Oh how true this is...



Yes, Yes Taco Bell, We do Meet again!

Open Your Eyes, Love, and Go on...

“You can shed tears that she is gone, or you can smile because she has lived. You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back, or you can open your eyes and see all she's left. Your heart can be empty because you can't see her, or you can be full of the love you shared. You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday, or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday. You can remember her only that she is gone, or you can cherish her memory and let it live on. You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back. Or you can do what she'd want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.”~ David Harkins

Love you Grandma

Reunited Dream

I just spent an amazing week with my friends. All in all it was pretty mellow – but I think I was simply calmed by having their presence around once again, and overwhelmed knowing that in a few short days it was going to all be like a perfect dream. Magical while it is taking place, but then a suddenly re-awakened into reality, and desperately trying to go back to sleep, to get back to the moments of random blissful happiness.

Initially having my BFF’s with me in a foreign land was exciting, surreal, and a time of adjustment for us all. For me it was a question of, How do I combine my foreign life abroad to my familiar life from home? I wanted to just take off right from where we left off, but while it felt like no time had passed, it was also evident to me how much I have changed, but also reinforced how much having them around- felt to right to who I am.

I was grateful to share my life with them- for them to visually be able to understand all that I try to explain inadequately on the phone, blogs, or email- and to observe them experiencing it all for themselves. I enjoyed seeing what parts they could skip on the next time around, and what parts they took pure delight in and could spend their entire week alone doing. I liked the times we were just lounging around, taking them to places I knew they would enjoy, or experiencing something new for the first time… Together.

I logically knew that taking them to the airport would be difficult but I did realize how hard it actually would be. If only I could have sabotaged their security checks without having them arrested- but elongate the time I could have them around. When it came time to send them off towards security and we hugged goodbye the tears couldn’t be held back in knowing I would be letting the best part of me leave once again. Leaving the U.S. there was so much excitement, anticipation, and promise of what is up ahead. But having my friends here, leaving me (rather than the other way around) made those realities difficult to see.

For one week I had my cake and was able to eat it too (or lots of Macaroons). I was able to enjoy the life I have here in France, with my best friends, being able to share with them a part of who I have become, and the place that has changed me for forever.

I love my friends, and I hope that our next time of being reunited, will not be far off in the distance, and will be for an even greater length in time.