"So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about." -Marilyn Monroe ♥

I hate to not use a more intelligent individual to quote, but she has a good point ;)

I am happy to say I've had a wonderful weekend. The adjusting blues have hit the road, thankfully. Saturday, three friends and I went to a cute little cafe and then went to dinner. We wanted to stay in French style by going to a cafe before dinner. To epitomize our emotional roller coaster of a week, we went to the Hard Rock Cafe. It was exactly what the doctor ordered. We had a great time and had some good old American food. The girls and I even got a job offer if we choose to take the manager up on it.

A blurry picture of myself, Lexi, Josh, and Pualani outside Hard Rock!

Amurrica :) That's for you Uncle B :)

Speaking of American food...when we saying globalization in civics class (Americanization) they aren't joking. America is everywhere. In French, globalization is not a word that exists. There is "mondialization" which means worldization, but does not carry the same connotation as globalization. The French-American relationship is almost like a reoccuring break up. The French have a lot of resentment for Americans' way of thinking that we are the global leader and the world's superior leader. However, they embrace our fast food, music (any year it is played over here 24.7), celebrities, and pop culture. The reasoning for their bit of resentment to the Red, White, and Blue is because they genuinely feel they have the best country in the world. I'm not striking up this debate, but to give them some merit to their argument they do have one of the most diverse nations in the world in terms of terrain and food. And I digress...

Lexi and Josh with their pretty sweet looking drinks

It's incredibly interesting being told to fully immerse oneself in a country's culture and language when you are constantly reminded of your home culture and language. We may pass a McDonalds from time to time. Or I may walk into a store and speak French and be responded to in English. As the nice elderly man on the metro put it..."your sound, it is different I hear". Despite all of these reminders, I'm supposed to be still immersing myself in France. They really aren't helping the situation :)



Needless to say, despite the reoccuring reminders of the culture I am a few thousand miles away from I am continually trying to immerse myself here. My host family continues to get better. Today we had a birthday lunch celebration for one of the son's and I was kindly invited. This is my second time of seeing a different culture celebrate a birthday (Morocco and now France), and I can still confidently say birthdays are by far the greatest holiday :) And as Marilyn Monroe said, life truly is beautiful and what not a better way to celebrate it than smiling over a birthday lunch with a new family?

My pre dinner snack at the cafe :) Nothing spells happiness better!