Here's what happened. I was walking along this sidewalk around this lake... and suddenly I smelled cologne. I was really confused, because there was no one in front of me for as far as the eye could see. Then I looked behind me. No one. But it was definitely the smell of cologne. Sure enough, ten seconds later this older gentlemen walking his dog suddenly walked out from between two buildings. It was him. I was definitely outside of normal smelling range, so either this guy wore way too much smelly stuff or I have one good sniffer.
2. French people have pouty lips.
Whenever I take pictures of them when they're speaking, the camera always freezes their lips in a pout. I don't notice it so much when they're talking to me. Just when I freeze the moment. Don't believe me? Here's some proof.
3. Walking two and a half miles instead of taking the bus sounds like a good idea until you've gone the first five minutes. Then you realize that now you've started you have to finish and two and a half miles is really not as close as it sounds. But then five minutes after that the endorphins start to kick in and you begin to wonder why you're not walking around France everywhere you go always and forever all the time!
4. Really cold weather (i.e. anything that is freezing or below) makes me want to curl up in a ball and never leave my bed unless it's to get hot coffee.
5. I write the best things in my mind when I'm walking or running (but usually walking), and then I always forget them before I come home.
6. The best way to get a French person to stop staring at your embarrassingly baggy American running clothes is to to stare back.
Don't they know Americans aren't afraid to stare? I used to feel awkward when they would look at me curiously and wonder what it was about me that made me stand out so much. Then I realized that if I return their curious look and add a teensy bit of a smile then they would feel ten times as awkward as I did and look away real quickly. Sweet, sweet retribution.
7. There's a Starbucks opening 1.7 miles from my house, and I do a happy dance every time I think about it.
8. A French woman said that I was tall the other day. I seriously giggle every time I think about that.
9. Sometimes when I've been speaking with French people for long enough, I start using their accents... in English. Eet ees so confuusing, I tell you....
10. I thought I was a moderately intelligent individual until I came to France. Then I realized I'm a dunce when it comes to learning French (not false modesty, I assure you) and I can't speak no English either. For instance, what on earth is the actual definition of 'tingling,' and what's the difference between walking up a street and walking down a street, and why do we say 'first one, second one, third one, fourth one...'? Nothing. I know nothing.
This list makes me smile. :)
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