vaycation, only half begun

I am now halfway through vaycation and its only beggining to rev up. The first night I spent the night in a french friends beautiful house. They might be my third host family wich would be very cool. The second night was a party. Well thats what they called it anyways. It was seriously straight out of Miami Vice. Rich white kids in pastel polo shirts dancing disco. I kid you not. DISCO, well it was a fun time anyways. Then my friend elena came up despite all resistance from her rotary club. We just kinda hung out in St Quentin, shoped a little, met up with some of my friends. Then we went up to douai wich was cool. Ate really good food at the host grandparents house. My host family and I went up to berc on the coast. It was pretty ok, cold and gray but still nice. Saw some friends of the family up there and ate crepes mmmmm. Got my hair cut today. Really short, feels kinda wierd. My side burns got shaved off too, first time in a long while I havent even had side burns. facial hair is a no no on the kids here. Well have to go pack for the second leg of my vaycay.

two month update

So ive now been here for over two months. I like it most days. I have a routine and friends and I sometimes I really feel as if I have completley integrated into the community and on other days its like im still stuck at the first day. My french is getting better most times, but sometimes I cant get my point across at all. Very frusterating. Elena came over for a few days and that was a blast, we hung out and went up to douai. So far vaycation has been pretty cool, we are heading up to the ocean tommorow I think. here are some pics of my life, me in a cafe with friends, le hotel de ville, my friend florin, a group of friends, le basalique. so thats all for now. Ben Bloomfield

integration

Well I really think im starting to integrate into the french lifesytle. Im at the point that when people meet me on the street they dont realise im american until after a little while. Most people who talk to me when they realise im not french think im german. Well its closer geographicly than the US. I will post pics later of my friends and town. Right now im trying to find a place to crash after a concert that I want to go to in Lille. Well thats all for now.

Ben Bloomfield