i want to say that today was a "horrible no good very bad day" but that would be a lie. and there seems to be a negative theme to my blogs and i don't like that. so i'm sitting back and taking a moment to remember all the good times i've had recently as well - as to not let all the crap get in the way and overwhelm me out of enjoying what is an awesome time in my life.
let me explain to you two things i am in total dislike about the french right now:
my pass navigo which was a one year pass - expired over 2 weeks ago. this is a huge disadvantage because my new one had not come in yet and well as a tourist its ok to buy tickets and pay for the metro per use (at 1.50 each time you get on) but for someone who lives in the city and depends on the metro as a means of getting anywhere in a decent amount of time -- its very necessary to have this pass navigo. very. necessary. today - after 2 weeks of not having a pass navigo and not having a life or going anywhere really -- i emailed the lady i work for and asked if she could check up on the status of my paperwork. this afternoon i received some of the worst news i've heard in a long time. *warning: dramatic kara coming out* my paperwork had been denied because they misread my birth date and therefore had to be corrected with new paperwork and it will be another TWO weeks before i receive my new card. um seriously????
1. do you know what they misinterpreted? the difference between a 1 and a 7. so the french like to write their 1's like 7's and therefore you must make sure to put a strike through on the 7 so there is not misunderstanding. well - i am an american where we write our 1's like a 1 and our 7's like a 7. just like how this computer is showing you - right? there is a lot that i've picked up on that the french do different from what i am accustomed to being an american and i'm cool with that. i actually openly enjoy learning the differences and adjusting to them because its fun sometimes but this is one case where its not only NOT fun but downright annoying. lets think for a minute here: if the problem was the difference between the 1 and a 7 -- why did they not take a second to realize that there is a 1 and a 7 in my birth date 1987 and realize that with my wonderful hand writing (no -- my handwriting really is good and besides that i always am extra careful on documents) that there was a difference between the 1 and the 7 and i clearly was not born in 7891 .... because the navigo i am applying for is a student one and it is not granted to anyone above the age of 26 -- they misread my handwriting and thought i was born in 1981 and thus i would not be granted a student navigo and decided to void it and reject it. sweet. thanks kind person sitting behind a desk making minimum wage but holding the key to my life in their hands.
i digress.
so this news on top of my already frustrating and equally as hard job made for kara being in a horrible no good very bad mood. doesn't happen very often but when it does its no good. i had already planned to meet up with my super cool friend Grace after work today because between my lack of a social life (you don't get one when you get off work after 9:30pm every night and have no navigo) and her studying for exams that are in a week and having no life -- we decided to meet up at a park by my house. we finally get to the park and after her life saving hug (she is british and the british appreciate hugs as much as the americans) she says she has gifts and i need to close my eyes and hold out my hands. i'm not one to be much for gifts but grace has been known to be quite the gift giver. she always knows exactly what i need at the exact time i need it. so i closed my eyes and held out my hands and in a matter of seconds i had received everything good in life. she started off with a diet coke -- which is kind of to me like what a beer is to an alcoholic. especially on a bad day. then she gives me a viennoise nature which is my favorite goodie from the bakery (and is sure to ALWAYS put a smile on my face) and lastly she says i'm really going to love the final thing she has and i have no clue what else she could be bringing me and she handed me a spoon .... and then finally a can of my favorite betty crocker icing. seriously. seriously. ok those of you who know me know that i have a bit of fascination with icing. as in i should never purchase it because i will eat it before it can make its way to a cake. and she got my favorite flavor ---the kind with little sprinkle things in it. and she found it in paris! besides the fact that its not cheap here-- probably around 7 euros if not more --- this isn't something you can just pick up from any ol' grocery store. no--she called around to the special epiceries to find out where she could find some and then went to this metro called Republique which is no where near where she lives to purchase this icing....just for me! if that isn't a friend then i don't know what is. and the best part was that she brought 2 spoons to eat with me. I cried. a little. but i cried.
I am not much of one for gifts unless its green and come from a tree and no i don't mean a leaf. if you're going to get me a gift i prefer gifts that are meaningful and very personal and grace has mastered the art of giving me gifts. her gifts usually aren't expensive but they are things she knows i will love or need at that point in time. like -- did i ever tell you how she bought me a brush. a hair brush. yes-- she did. and it was one of the sweetest things i'd ever received. sounds kind of strange yes but it was incredible. she came over one night when i got sick in the middle of the night and didn't want to be alone. i was really sick this specific weekend. the kind of sick we won't really go into much detail here on this blog because i am a lady. anyways -- in the process of being sick i damaged my hair brush and it was unusable anymore. i had no time or know where to purchase another brush as i was going out of town for 2 weeks starting 2 days later and it was a weekend anyways and i was still ill. she came around the next day with a brush. ok - sounds a bit stupid but she's the girl who knows just what you need and gets it for you without hesitation. the kind of friend i want. a brush doesn't cost much but the sentiment meant the world. i am definitely holding onto her for life and never letting go. hopefully you all will meet her one day. you will - i'm sure of it.
anyways -- so there we sat in a beautiful park-- chit chatting away eating our american icing from the can with spoons. the perfect ending to a not so perfect week. (which leads me to another topic later of being a europeanized american in france -- and being ok with it)
well ii'm off to go dream away the night. dors bien mes amies and ma famille! je vous aime!
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