Life has been getting better at Grenoble. Admittedly, I have had a few small issues connecting with people here, as the students I've met and hung out with have actually been of my age, or thereabouts. For the past few years I've tended to be close to people a few years older than me, and in Milan particularly so, hence now it's taken me a while to adjust to being around younger people. It's really really hard to connect with the boys especially. But I figure I'm never going to connect with everyone, I just have to find a handful of people I really get on with. And I think that's very manageable :)
Last weekend I had the opportunity to go to a hiking weekend organised by the uni's Sporting Association, to a mountain nearby. It was definately a great experience: Saturday we did a huge hike from 9am to 6pm (although fairly slowlly and with numerous stops), then had dinner followed by drinks and games, and another more tranquil hike on Sunday. It was a great way to get to know other French students, there were around 50 of us sleeping in a hostel accommodation.
I've been going to a couple of salsa places and had a few good dances, which has kept me happy. Found out that in December there is a big Bachata festival in Paris one weekend, very very tempted to go.
I've dropped my workload to 24 ECTS instead of 28. Still quite manageable, but my two-hour-a-day timetable is pretty annoying.
Speaking of uni, honestly I didn't expect to feel so so ignorant when surrounded by political sciences students. Wow. They know a lot more than me about what's going on around the world politically. Yesterday a French guy told me about Berlusconi's (groan!) latest moment of brilliance. Yes, let's change the name of the PDL (his party) to "Forza Gnocca". Ma vaffanccccccccccc.....!!!!!
What I'm loving is that it's become part of my almost daily routine to switch between the four languages I "speak" during the one day, often even by lunchtime. I wake up and often speak Italian on Skype, go to uni for a course in French or Spanish, speak French with most people, speak Italian with other Italian students and this Mexican guy trying to learn it, with whom I also speak Spanish. Refreshing, fun, but sometimes confusing!
Today I'm going to Milan for a long weekend. Taking the one hour plane trip which cost me 50 E (return) instead of the train, which is 120 E for 5.5 hours of travelling (one way)! I'm catching up with a few good friends from last semester and going to see Bruno Mars in concert (only 35 E)! Should be great =]
Other plans... next week, shortly after getting back from Milan, I'm taking a trip to Nancy and Strasbourg (France) to see Laure, a nice French girl I met in Milan. I've always been curious to see Strasbourg so I'm really looking forward to it.
Towards the end of the month we have 11 days of holidays. I have a brilliant travel option half in mind, but more on that when it's confirmed :)
Following that, the first weekend of November I'm getting a visit from Alizee (whose birthday is today!! joyeux anniversaire ma chere), currently studying in Utrecht. We're hoping to spend a day in Genevra also.
Also very happy at home. I'm getting on very well with Claire, I feel like I can talk and joke with her about almost anything. One day we went for a 3-hr hike together and yesterday we even did our nails together (omg!! :p). The boys are fine... boys are boys... they're good for a laugh. The house is a social meeting point. We often invite our friends over for pre drinks, and last night we had a party which saw 60-70 people. Man I still haven't published photos of the apartment (maybe I'm trying to show you how messy it normally is?), but it's quite ideal to host social gatherings in the large living room. Only thing is, the rooms can't be locked so we have to be fairly careful with out precious stuff, hiding it just to be sure. We're also lucky with neighbours. The only other apartment on our floor is of 3 male students. Underneath, we have a studio of lawyers which is empty past 7pm. The family who lives above us can't actually hear much of the noise at all (4m ceilings!), except if people are noisy going up and down the stairs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuQyQTD3bw0
That is all for now, I have a plane to cath! A toute :)
