Une petite visite de mon copain :)

So much has happened since my last entry! First, the main reason I'm here: school. I aced my first round of exams. This was a real confidence booster. Thus far, I think I've been underestimating how much my French has improved. Yes, I know I can function on a day to day basis in French. But keep up with real french students? I didn't think so. It's clear proof that I'm not only comprehensible but fairly articulate in French! It's hard to evaluate how much I've improved while I'm still here, immersed in the learning process. It's good to hit a milestone like this.

In other news, Stephen came for a week-long visit! University College London gives students a week-long break around midterms to he jumped a chunnel and came to visit me. We had an amazing time. We enjoyed the Art Nouveau exhibit at the Musée d'Orsay, I dragged him to the Orangerie and Musée de Rodin, we toured the Palais Garnier and got lost in the Musée des Beaux Arts, we picnicked in Jardin du Luxembourg, we ate at L'As du Falafel, overdosed on sugar with Ladurée macarons and both chocolat chaud and a Mont Blanc at Angelina's, and we got to see Andrew Bird (my favorite musician) in concert! All in all it was a fabulous week.

I can't believe it's the middle of November! The semester has really flown past. The weather isn't even acting like it's almost winter! Today it was sunny and 57 degrees so after class, I took advantage of the weather and read a book in the Jardin du Luxembourg. It was absolutely beautiful. Looking towards the end of the semester I have a lot to check off my "To-do in Paris" list. I still haven't explored more than the Richelieu wing of the Louvre (the wing where my class is held), or seen the Musée de Cluny (the medieval arts museum), climbed to the top of the Arc du Triomphe, seen the Archaeological Crypts beneath Notre Dame... the list goes on and on. I also have some traveling to do! I'm planning a weekend in Marseille with a friend from my program. The plan is, two days there, they make our way back to Paris via Lyon for the Fête des Lumieres. It should be a lot of fun. Stephen and I also managed to plan our Christmas break trip: Edinburgh. We had originally talked about doing Venice or Prague, but plane tickets turned out to be very expensive at that time of year, so, we're taking an overnight coach bus to Scotland! It will certainly be an experience :)