Aw, shucks, how did you know I wanted a "Lil' Shakespeare" in my life....
I ate this. And I was happy again.
Why ISEP?? Why do I end lower than I start?? Are the numbers months? Why do things go downhill so quickly?? This is not a good graph...
Well I’ve been here one month officially.
The last week has been kind of hard. I’ve gotten sick (and better) and sick (and better). I think on the helpful ISEP chart I’ve begun my descent into “depression and hopelessness”. Only it’s not that grim. I don’t know why that helpful chart is so pessimistic. I mean yes, I miss home, but I’m not to the point of slipping into mental issues, weight gain, and bad poetry. I think it’s because I’m switching out of vacation mode, but I’m not at home or at Whitworth.
Today was fabulous though. I began my morning with Shakespeare, where we discussed the possible gender reversal portrayed in Romeo and Juliet against Petrarchan love, and watched Leonardo DiCaprio prance around the screen being emo. I love that class. Then I set off on a quest to conquer homesickness by means of Mexican food. Oh my gosh, did I strike gold. It’s this little hole in the wall place, owned by a husband and wife, and it’s amazing. He’s a French cook and she’s from Mexico and with their powers combined, they could solve world hunger and create world peace. The green mole sauce and chipotle potatoes and coffee made me want to cry out of happiness…and spiciness… but it was so dang good. AND he’s super nice. We talked about Chester, and he told me about his experience as an ex-pat. He had some interesting thoughts. He said he thinks of France like his family, much fonder with distance and time, but now he thinks it’s the best country in the world, mostly because he’s an ex-pat, which in his words are the best types of patriots because they are more objective. I have to agree with him. I’ve never been really pro or anti America, but even just being gone a month I get weirdly patriotic over like normal things or defensive against people who start bad mouthing Americans for stupid reasons. It’s weird, because over here that’s almost exclusively what I talk about. People hear I sound funny, and then to be polite ask about it. I’m sure there’s an element of this for anyone who moves to a new place, but it’s a little isolating, because I have to work really hard to branch out and have deeper conversations. I think that's maybe one reason why it’s so hard to make friends outside of the international students.
After the Mexican food, I went to the Bus depot to try to navigate my way to Hospice. What a nightmare. I still can’t read a 24 hour clock even though I keep trying to get better. The buses are different from Spokane’s and you sort of have to guess which line to take then ask to be dropped off at a certain town. I was very frazzled. But then I got to my stop, crossed a high way, and walked there. I think I’m going to enjoy volunteering there. The people who work there are really nice. And! working on Dreamweaver is a marketable skill so that’s nice. The drive out there once I stopped fretting about bus things was beautiful. I feel kind of trapped in my room/the school/the city center sometimes, but traveling, even to the suburbs really helps.
Tomorrow will be a good day too. I have Absurdism, then gym time, then gelato with friends, and then SALSA DANCING. I’m so excited. Maybe Manchester this weekend? Hopefully?
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