mmmm...Shark

Yep, that's right. Last week they served shark at the university cafeteria. Where do they come up with these meals? I just thought it was some kind of regular white fish, but once I finished eating it a friend mentioned that it was shark...I'm not sure if I would have eaten it or not had I have known before hand.

The day after the soirée was the Journée de Huit. Every rowing club in France rows in an eight on the same day to get rowing noticed. Here are some of the girls who were in my boat. It was freezing cold that day and it started to rain right before we went out on the water.

A couple of weeks ago there was a rowing soirée and I had a conversation with some people about stereotypes of French people and Canadians. This guy was my description of a stereotypical French guy:

I don't really have time right now to write about my trip but here are some pictures from my few days in Paris.

For the most part, when I come across differences between Nantes and Canada I have three main reactions.

1. Why doesn’t Canada have this?
2. That’s different…but I guess I can understand.
3. Is that really necessary? / How is that legal? / Stupid France.

Here is a list of differences I have come up with since I’ve been here. I didn’t include all of them but they’re ones that I found interesting or most significant:

· Nutella craze

· No front yards, however I think there are many hidden gardens behind closed doors.

· Coucou and bises. I haven’t quite figured out the meaning of coucou or the translation into English and when/how you should use it. Also, I’m still not 100% accostumed to giving les bises.

· There are no such things as measuring cups here. Either you weigh everything, or there is this weird multi-usage measuring glass that I can’t figure out.

· The only things open on Sunday are a few cafés and some boulangers.

· Girls do not dress up to go out at night to bars/clubs.

· Going on strike is normal.

· There are these scary tram people in suits that come out of no where to check for your metro pass.

· Windows do not have screens on them.

· There is always a line at the post office.

· Pink, blue, & yellow toilette paper.

· Very hard to find oatmeal, peanut butter. Impossible to find graham crackers, oreos, and Reese’s peanut butter cups, tahini, cranberries. I’ve asked some people about tofu, they say it exists but I have yet to find any.

· Can’t recycle cans (ex. tuna can).

· Cars can park front to front, back to back, on the sidewalk, and it’s completely normal to nudge yourself into the parking spot.

· Regular bus lines stop running after 21h00.

· Last Saturday downtown, I thought it looked like there was another manifestation, but wait, no; it was just the swarms of people shopping.

· I’ve made cookies a couple of times and everyone thinks it’s weird that I would make them instead of buy them.

· You can get a doctor’s appointment after 5p.m.

· The internet is ALWAYS down in the residence. There are people here fixing it everyday. May I suggest Wifi?

· Pains au chocolats, Canadians are definitely missing out on this one.

· Cheques are still accepted everywhere.

· Nobody wears bicycle helmets.

· All children are dressed really really well.

· Anything you have to apply for you need a passport size photo to accompany it.

· What is the point of €0.02?

· There is a line-up at Mcdonalds 24/7 and the only thing to eat after midnight is a Kebab.

· Everyone owns a pair of converse.

· Everyone owns a scarf.

· Not the best place to be a vegetarian.

· Rabbit is common in the university caf.

· Never heard of smores.

· Metro is cheap @ €199/year for a student.

· The normal time to eat dinner is about 20h00

· The French are super laid back (at least in Nantes) so things seem to take twice as long to get done.

· Milk is bought at room temperature in jugs and you don’t have to start drinking it right away.

· Everything is in individual quantities so it’s more fresh I guess, but more expensive.

· Buddy lifeguarding is encouraged.

· People sing along to English songs but don’t know what they’re saying and wear shirts with English written on the front and don’t know what it means.