Cards, Classes, and Eye Candy

I've been spending most of my time at home hanging out with my new brother and sister. Constance and I played cards for probably a few hours today and last night (a card game that I think could last us until I leave after this semester). It is very entertaining because not only do we get a little competitive during the game, we also dance a little in our chairs as Polo plays some electro beats. For playing cards in France, it is important to know the word qif-qif (I dont think it is spelled properly, but it sounds like "keef keef") which is what you say when two stacks of cards look about the same thickness. Constance has been beaucoup de fun already. Her playroom/attic is right next to my room and I talk to her while she plays (Sometimes I return home and hear her talking and think she has a friend over, but she just likes to have conversations with the people and horses she plays with). Polo and I listen to music together on the computer and sometimes I watch him dj in the basement (la cave).

I signed up for my classes today, but they are subject to change within the next few weeks. I will take a French grammar class, a translation class (Traduction, French-English), Contemporary French Society, French Classicism: Art and Architecture (I am really excited about this class because I will be studying art and architecture IN FRANCE!), a class called The Palestinian Question from 1945 to today (I am going to see if I like it and then decide whether to keep it or not), and a Geographie class at the University de Nantes (Another girl who is a geography/conservation/development major and I are going to try out a few classes and see which one is the most interesting). I will also attend a Conversation Club each Tuesday which pairs IES students with University students and allows for more french speaking time. The course load seems pretty feasible for me because I will have three classes on Wednesdays and Thursdays, one class on Mondays and Fridays, and only conversation club on Tuesdays. The rest of the time I will be exploring Nantes, visiting museums, eating fresh bread, and of course talking at a cafe. A teacher here told us that the French do not like to work and have two main occupations: la greve (strikes) and cafes. So far, I can not argue the opposite.

Things I've noticed in France:
1. French people walk on the left side of the sidewalk. I never noticed how smoothly things work in the States where everyone knows to move to the right if someone else is on the same sidewalk walking towards you. It is not that big of a problem (Ce n'est pas grave), but it is intersting to wonder why different societies choose simple unwritten rules like that.
2. Sidewalks are streets and streets are sidewalks. My family and everyone on our block park their cars on the sidewalk. They also have to parallel park in tiny spaces and hop a small curb to get to each spot. In le centre-ville, the sidewalk is paved with bricks like the "streets" and everyone walks everywhere. It is easy to see where the sidewalk begins (closest to the wall, although sometimes cars park along the front walls of buildings at night) but in most places it blends in with the street and cars will gladly drive on anything to swerve around people/bikes/other cars.
3. Everyone is really attractive. I am not sure why French genes are so great, but most people here have really nice bone structure and smooth cheeks (Everyone so far seems to be blemish-free and really pretty. My only hypothesis on why is that they pay more attention to the oily status of their face because they are constantly giving welcome and goodbye cheek kisses). I am not complaining though. It makes people-watching twice as enjoyable.

(Cows say "Meuh" in France)