- Leigh (obviously)
- After New Year's massive sales. Les soldes are pretty great, but not nearly as drastic price reductions.
- Having a car for things like grocery runs and random visits to nearby towns, etc; though the bus and train system here is pretty nifty too
- Going to the movies or, at the very least, having full access to new releases
- The Dollar Store for things like cheap housewares, nail polish, cleaning supplies and books
- Having my own apartment. My roommates are great girls, but I much prefer a place with just Leigh and myself, even though we tend to relax a bit too much and let things get messier than when we live with others
- Having people know what it means to have a US law degree. This sounds horribly conceited, but in Europe a law degree is more or less a bachelor's degree and not that impressive to the general population. When I lived at home I got annoyed by how people would "ooh" and "aah" at my having one, but now that I'm here and being treated like a college kid again I'm about ready to trade that in the anonymity for the "oohs" and "aahs."
- Church-going folks. OK, so I'm rarely one to say I love living in a Christian nation because more often than not those Christians are telling me I'm going to Hell and taking away my civil liberties. However, France is so secular that my students think that all people of faith are either religious freaks or their great-grandparents (the last generation to bother going to church, from what I gather). I miss living in a country where being religious is pretty normal, though I also really appreciate living in a country where one religion doesn't dominate all laws and social norms.
Things I DON'T Miss About the US:
- 24/7 coverage of every time Obama or a Member of Congress sneezes
- Not having health insurance or coverage of any sort. It's nice to know that as long as I am working in Europe I am well cared for no matter what happens.
- Extreme obsession with celebrities- you'd be amazed how little Europeans care about famous people. It has been so refreshing every few weeks to realize that I haven't heard a peep about so-and-so since October
- Unavoidable onslaught of advertisements that, undoubtedly, manage to influence me to buy things I don't really want or need
- Extremely fattening foods in massive quantities. OK, I know it's a cliche, but my lifestyle change here has been amazing and so refreshing. I can actually eat a lovely meal and not feel horrible about myself afterwards because I know 1) it wasn't a huge portion 2) it had nutritional value that outweighed its sugar and fat content 3) 90% of my meals are very simple, unprocessed foods eaten at home and 4) it tasted amazing.
Things I'm LOVING About France Right Now:
- Sunshine
- Dinner parties
- People staying out of my business almost to a point that I can't comprehend
- Wine, all sorts of wine. It's so decadent and special yet so cheap and accessible.
- Beaucoup des days off from work, again almost to the point of non-comprehension
- The chance to visit amazing, romantic, seemingly far away places within just a few hours of time on a train or plane and for just a little bit of extra cash.
- The extreme contrast of very old traditions with very new ideas.
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