So This Is Why.

Its been a week full of epiphanys. I realized that I really can't live off of bread everyday. There was a time when i thought I could, but France has proven me wrong. I am literally SICK of bread at the moment. I still eat it though because it is the cheapest thing and I haven't had time to go grocery shopping yet. I'm still going to all the super markets around the city just to see which ones have which items for cheapest. Oh, another epiphany. I realized that not everyone goes around shopping for deals like I do. When i buy something, i make sure i have the cheapest price in the city, whether it is convenient or not. I get around for free on my metro student card anyways so why not? Others just pop into any store and buy whatever they want for however much it costs. Its a little crazy. I wish they would give me that money so i could just shop for them and keep the leftovers.

Okay, and i really miss California though i dont feel the need to go back. California has a PLETHORA of GOOD ethnic food and you can always find something if you're craving it. But you never really realize until you leave and you realize that chinese and mexican food ISN'T around every corner. bummer. The food here is good, don't get me wrong, i just wish there was a little more variety from time to time. Not to mention the lack of Asian spices in the ethnic foods aisle. I guess i won't be cooking like mama here.

Next topic. In my opinion, Europeans are skinnier for one reason, and one reason only. They have massive amounts of stair cases anywhere you go. I don't have any friends who live on the bottom floor. We all live on either the 3rd, 4th, or 5th. Its a little cruel but its great for my butt and my legs. I have been eating massive amounts of cheese too and you think it would get me fatter, but the stair cases counter balance the effects. And it isn't really possible to avoid these staircases. They just about run this town. This is the staircase just to get to my apartment: (we had to move a ton of luggage up this...)

No elevator by the way. France is not very handicap friendly. Oh not to mention i live about 2.5 miles away from my school and its up a petite mountain. Too big to be a hill, so small to be a real mountain. Its called the Croix-Rousse and it's right in between the two rivers running through Lyon. 

The bar scene here is really fun too. It's full of students and fun music. Everyone just hangs around and has a good time. A lot of international kids. Not just French. Last night I met a German, Romanian, and a Norwish (is that what a guy from Norway is called?). We had a lot of fun but my night was cut early because i had an 8am morning class and the metro stops running around 12:30am in Lyon during the summer. It was either leave or walk 2.5 miles up a hill in heels.

If there was one thing i really liked though, it would be the cafes. You can literally sit at a cafe with a friend on the terrace and just sit there for hours talking about whatever comes to mind. Its great because the waiters never rush you and only give you the check when you're ready to leave. The cafe au lait here is my favorite thing to get. The milk in it is delicious. There was a few days where i would just buy a liter of milk and finish it within an hour. It tastes almost like smooth butter going down your throat even though its the reduced fat milk. The cows here are pumping good. Oh another weird thing. France uses an UHT pasteurization method so there is literally no live bacteria in their milk. This means they can store it at room temperature on the shelves (if it isn't opened) for months at a time. crazyness!! Heres some of my friends:

I really love these guys. They make studying abroad a lot easier and much more enjoyable. Each one is hilarious in their own way and make me feel like i still have a little bit of California. A majority of them are either vegetarians or more vegetarian than carnivores. At first it was killing me but then i realized that meat here is super expensive so i might cut back on it anyways. It's not like America where you can pop into a Safeway for a labor day weekend sale and come out with 100 pounds of meat for the same price as 100 pounds of veggies. The vegetables here at the open markets are super fresh and cheap anyways so i don't really mind. The variety is always changing so i will always have a new recipe in mind.

One more thing. French smoke everywhere, all the freaking time. I was walking through a children's playground and this lady was playing with her kid with a cigarette in her mouth. At the restaurants, a man was smoking at the dinner table while his baby in the carriage was sleeping next to him. Its madness. 

BOBA MILK TEA AND RICE AND POTSTICKERS- first thing im gonna eat back home.