More from France

General update of what has happened to me recently:

-experienced the infamous night bus for the first time ever

-decision made that i never will experience the night bus again-saw Barcelona for three days

-saw Barcelona by night (note: different than seeing it by day)

-experienced night bus again, this time less sketchy-arrived home at 6:30 am...home being Arles

-slept for an hour-went to class

-made plans to go to Venice

-attended a party for my host mom's birthday

-host mom's mom insisted I drink more wine...and more wine...and more wine...and...

-bought train tickets to Venice

-went out for dinner with a genuine French gentleman

-finalized Venice plans

-packed

I can't believe I'm leaving here again to go somewhere else in Europe. Even Chakan (genuine French gentleman) thinks I'm crazy but doing the right thing... I mean, how often am I across the ocean in Europe? Not that often.

Perhaps one of the things I've learned in Europe and really fascinates me is the way people meet one another here. Everything is so open, with cafes on the streets and people cramming into them together...it's inevitable that you'll meet tons of people. I've met all sorts of individuals on my trip, who perhaps I'll never meet again. Chakan is only one of two whose names I've gotten, and the only one I've made a point of seeing again. The only other name I got was Emmanuel, a Parisian who I met at Notre Dame at night. There have been Australians in Barcelona. There have been Frenchmen who speak no English on trains. There have been French college girls at museums. There have been Aix-en-Provence French students on buses. There have been Marylanders on buses. How many faces will I always remember and connect with places, without knowing their names?...

By the way, I'm crazy about French people. I love them. Specifically Claire, my host mom, and her mom. I love girl-talk in French.

I have to get ready for bed. Or go out with my new French friends. Um...one or the other. (This is the way Europe works: Barcelona, Strasbourg or Venice this weekend guys? Meh, we'll see...)