Allo!

Bonjour from France!

I've been here for almost a week, and I'm so in love with it! Montpellier is so clean and beautiful, although a little confusing. I've definitely gotten lost a few times. The woman I'm living with, Claudine, is very sweet. She has the tendency to get fed up with my poor French, but we get along fine. She is an interesting cook to say the least! Not only have I eaten liver and burnt toast, I think I have qualified for Fear Factor: she served me fried cow brains.

I knew what they were the second she put them down. I was praying to God that it was chicken. I cut into the gray mush and tasted it. Definitely brains. She asked, after I took the bite, if I knew what part of the cow it was. I pointed to my head and said, "brain?" "Oui, oui!" she shouted. I must've turned as white as the table cloth. I ate it all so as to not be thought rude, but I piled on the salt and potatoes. Probably the most adventurous eating experience I've had. I just hope she doesn't think I liked them! Who serves an American student brains? Seriously.

Reason #46 I shouldn't drink: I make a fool of myself on a public French beach.

We went to the beach yesterday. So, so beautiful. The water was very cold but nice. I had a little too much fun... three glasses of wine and a little Malibu goes a long way when it's hot outside and you haven't eaten lunch. Luckily, I survived. I hope I didn't make any enemies in the process because I had to be watched. Apparently, I was screaming "Je suis Americainne!" and "C'est bon!" ("I am American" and "It's good"). I'm interested to see everyone's perception of me today. Almost all of us were tanning topless, too. So free, so French.

I've been working on my single French-inspired dread. I think it looks cool. Mother-bear will probably kill me but my hair, my choice.

Here it is:

I think it's pretty groovy.

We are visiting St Guilleme today. Should be interesting!

Au revoir, mes amis <3