Pancake Day!

Today was a much better day! While I still feel a bit out of sorts I am much better than yesterday. First, a few things I have learned today.

1. I am the only girl on my floor...
2. You cannot watch any TV shows online internationally
3. I have a February break that coincides with my birthday!
4. There is a Pancake Day in France.
5.I am useless when it comes to speaking French (but I understand everything)

Today I woke up at noon. I slept for 13 hours straight and they were blessed hours of sleep! I then got ready for the day and went to meet Grace to go to Mme Coates' house. When I arrived in the common room Grace had not yet arrived, but I made a friend somewhat last night in Ingvild who allowed me to eat an apple from her food supply. I chatted with her and John I think his name is until Grace arrived. Grace, Ingvild and I then walked into town. Ingvild was not going to Mme Coates' so we parted ways and Grace and I grabbed a slice of pizza from a food truck in town. (Apparently food trucks have good food here). We then arrived at Mme Coates' who subsequently gave me more information about my time here. In a way I wish she had told me some of it last night but oh well c'est la vie non?


Then we went to Paul Cezanne's studio.

 In case you don't know Paul Cezanne is a very famous painter from Aix. His studio is has been virtually untouched since he died. So it was really cool to look at the very objects that inspired his paintings. His favorite subject however, is Mt. St. Victoire. Which is a mountain on the outskirts of Aix. I hope to climb it at some point this semester. (I brought my hiking shoes!)

Next we went back to Mme's house where she fed us galette which is a pastry traditionally served on Epiphany Sunday (which is supposedly when the magi arrived to see baby Jesus). Inside the galette is a small  object and traditionally whoever's slice has it has to by drinks for everyone. So in a way you don't want to find it. (Some people even swallow it) It's pretty fun how they decide who gets each slice though. The youngest in the family gets under the table and the server points to the pieces and the child says who each piece is for. We then talked about how in Aix the nativity scene is quite different than the usual nativity scene since they not only include the shepherds and the magi, but they also include people who work in Aix like the fish monger for example or the baker. Recently even Paul Cezanne has a figurine. These nativity scenes are kept up until February 2nd, Pancake Day! Pancake Day celebrates the purification of Mary 40 days after the birth of Christ. However, we couldn't quite figure out its connection to pancakes.

Then Mme took me to the grocery store to pick up so food to hold me over until tomorrow. I didn't quite know what to buy myself. I think I need to make a plan of the meals I will make myself each day and go off of that. Then I came back to my room and skyped my parents. Tomorrow I am off to church! Hopefully God will have some encouraging (French) words for me!