Finally!

Hey everybody! So, it's been much longer than I would have liked to wait to write this post. I've been super super busy (in a good way). I've been trying to see as much of the city as possible while also taking classes and doing the work for them. For one of my classes, we go to a different museum each week to apply what we've learned earlier in the week. So far, we've gone to the Quai Branly (a world art museum) and an immigration museum called the Musée de la Cité. On my own or with friends, I've also gone to the Centre Pompidou, which is the modern art museum, as well as a couple of smaller ones.
Thursday night, I went with some friends to a play called "La Maison de Poupée," a French rendition of Henrik Ibsen's "Dollhouse." It starred Audrey Tautou, a French film actress who you might recognize from the movie Amelie. Although film actors and actresses often don't translate well to theater, I thought she did a good job with the role, and the production and stage direction were amazing.
As far as settling in, I feel that I'm really starting to be absorbed into Parisian life--my French has improved in leaps and bounds, and I've gotten into the routine of living like a true Parisian. One thing that sounds banal but is actually a ton of fun is going grocery shopping, since most people still go to markets with vendors selling produce. I discovered a wonderful market right near my homestay house, and the smells, sounds, and colors are quite a sight. Vendors are constantly calling out the places where their vegetables are from, while the poisonnières (fish sellers) yell out the specials of the day. There's a stand with about 80 different kinds of cheese, and a flea market right next to the food market. It's really an experience to pick out your vegetables and see all the hectic action.
That's about all that's happened recently with me. I'm going to try (for real!) to write more often, so as to make posts more manageable and also to keep you all updated. À bientôt!