This has been an interesting weekend, indeed! We spent all of Saturday in Mont. St. Michel with all of our friends and what an amazing city! My Norwegian colleague Preben and I decided that it looks like Rohan from Lord of the Rings and we even found a brochure of horseback riding in front of the castle island so that I could show my brother Brady when I return home. As a family, Tolkien's series were a staple. 

One warning: pack a lunch when you go to touristy places like this because every restaurant expects you to be foreign, hungry and willing to pay the price for delicious, French food. I did just this and bought a small quiche upon arriving in the beautiful, yet windy, city. I paid for this later, however, when I lost my return ticket to Rennes and had to buy another one. C’est la vie, but I would advise travelers to have a safe place for all things like this. My stupidity cost me!

After a homemade Mexican dinner with my sweet girls Graciela, Adai, Lesli and Barbara who hail from Monterrey, Mexico, we all headed up to our Mexican friend Milton’s room (the token charmer in the group whom I lovingly refer to as any of the following at any given time as Pappacito Rico, Chico, Spicy Taco or Hombre en fuego). We watched The Green Hornet in a giant pile of 15 or so international students on one couch in one small apartment, though we shared laughter and moments that could’ve filled twenty. 

When it came to be about 1 am, I decided that I was bored and wanted to go dancing. Fortunately, Rennes’ night life supports such antics and we all changed, put on some eyeliner (the girls at least) and caught the night bus into the infamous and beloved "nuit blanche" (all-nighter) of Saint Anne, the place to be in Rennes. We met up with the beloved Mariette, Paulo and Preben at one of our frequent spots, Le Zinc and danced the night away. Well, the “night away” meaning until the place closed at 3 am and asked us to leave. I tried a sip or two of Paulo’s mint mojito, my first ever of a cocktail, and actually liked it. Wow, alcohol that isn't awful? Stop the presses. I still don’t want to drink because it’s not me at all and I don’t want to ever lose control of myself (and heck, I’m crazy enough without it), but it was a nice flavor for a few seconds that I don’t need to repeat. 

Then, we strolled through the lovely scenes of Rennes at 3 am on a Saturday night which mostly involved barfing, small but loud fights, girls in heels attempting to cross the old cobblestone roads and guys peeing on trash cans in alleys. Brilliantly done, young people of this amazing place, you’ve tainted my romantic picture of French cities. At least the city itself presents the proper picture the next morning when the sane people arise. I always knew there was a reason that I didn’t drink! Fortunately, this is one of the safest cities in which I have ever been. I always have someone accompanying me and I always see police and security keeping a keen eye on the populace. There are always buses and I rarely fear for my safety, despite the crazy people that come out every once in awhile. Rennes really has their stuff figured out, at least most of the time. 

When we returned to Apartcity with the girls, I had no choice but to stay the night because the night bus only runs the number 4 which heads toward my school. "Comme d’habitude" (as usual), I stayed with Graciela on her spare bed and spent the majority of my Sunday with the girls. It’s really great to spend some extra time with them and understand each of my friends for who they are as individuals, in groups and in their own heritage. I love these experiences. Unfortunately, I’m now facing an awful cold and have realized yet another reason why I love my mother: she takes care of me when I’m sick. I may be independent and able to take care of myself and my life on my own, but being sick sure knocks me down to the ground. I can’t wait for this to be over and get back on the dance floor. In fact, I feel like that is my thought process anytime I face pain, suffering or an uncomfortable part of life: it will pass and I will be right back to dancing. That’s where I find joy in life and I shall never let it go.

One last thing, I officially applied to be an RA for fall 2011! I am very excited an am working on editing my resume for my interview within the next couple of weeks. I have a few days off this week because of my ‘every-other-week’ schedule at ESC Rennes, so I hope to wander around France a bit, prepare to help out my friend Audrey's sister by babysitting her sons next week, and finish some administration stuff for back home. I can't wait to practice my French with the boys and see what the French family life is like in their home. What a life I lead, it takes itself just a pace at a time and I really love it here. Adjusting was hard, but I am taking it one day at a time. That’s all I can do and I pray that God walks with me through each one of those days, especially since he seems to just be camped out in a pretty old Catholic church as a relic of the religious fervor that used to be here.