1 Your Least Favorite Song

This is another tough one, because when you hear a song you hate, you try to forget about it as soon as possible. But I would say that I never turned the radio station so fast as when anything by Nickelback came on.



(Spanish subtitles included in case you're curious.)

0 30 Day Song Challenge

At my dad's suggestion - and in lieu of some photos that won't be posted on here for a little while - I'm going to do the 30 Day Song Challenge.

Day 1: Your Favorite Song


Although it's basically impossible for me to pick one song I love more than any other, this was the first one that came to mind. To fully appreciate it you also need to watch the first minute of the following video. It breaks my heart every time.

0 Lens error

Last weekend something funky happened to my lens and I had to send my camera in to be repaired. I feel like I'm missing a limb. The biggest bummer is that my travel plans are picking up soon: London next weekend, Madrid over April break. Keep your fingers crossed for a speedy repair.

But I wouldn't leave you empty-handed! You can watch me and Ben sing "When the Stars Go Blue" here.

image via we heart it

0 Bordeaux nights

I'm not leaving.

0 All my troubles in the rearview mirror

Ben and I performed at the open mic at Houses of Parliament in Bordeaux on Wednesday night, and at Plus que Parfait in Bergerac on Thursday. To start, here is a video from Wednesday night of us playing "Keep it There" by The Weepies. The sound quality is less than ideal, but I think you'll get the gist.

0 March, halfway

It's been a great month so far.


My Running Challenge hasn't been without hiccups - I've gone four times in the past six days. Yes, I've already broken my 6-day a week rule, but it's certainly an improvement from the one or two days a week I was doing before. Plus, forcing myself to run over the weekend in Bordeaux actually turned out to be amazing, as I went along the river and, for once, wasn't gawked at for running in France. On Friday it was sixty and sunny and I passed people sunning themselves on lounge chairs outside restaurants that faced the river. Now I know where my next beautiful-day lunch destination is.

It's hard to believe that my flight home to America is scheduled for less than two months from now, and that my best friend Laura, whose visit once seemed so far away, will be arriving in Bordeaux in three weeks. Now is the time that I'm becoming extremely envious of my English friends, who can stay in France visa-free, and can come and go between here and home affordably. The thought of leaving this country in seven weeks literally gives me a pit in my stomach, and I'm beginning to think of ways I can stay in Bordeaux this summer - ways that are both financially and legally viable. Wish me luck as I embark on my summer job hunt!

0 Forty days

Over February break, Celeste told me that she was giving up Facebook for Lent, which I thought was a fantastic idea. If I had to choose, I'd give up something food- or drink-related, as those are by far my biggest vices. But I'm not particularly religious, and I thought it would be wrong for me to give something up without taking the time to consider the meaning behind it.

That being said: I have, for personal and spiritual reasons, decided to embark on my own forty-day challenge. While giving up red wine, white bread, chocolate or any of the like would severely damage my enjoyment of my last two months in this wonderful country, I figure that adding some physical activity couldn't hurt. I can take my running sneakers with me anywhere, and I bet more exercise will make me feel great and make all those yummy French foods feel a bit less guilty. So I'm going to run everyday for the next seven weeks, taking off one day a week. The goal isn't to complete certain distances or times, but to pry my lazy butt out of bed, lace up my sneakers and get out there, even if it's only for twenty minutes. Wish me luck!


By the way, today was perfect. 60 and sunny again. I went to market, I played guitar outside, I watched Glee (really good episode, by the by), I cleaned and rearranged my room. Oh, spring: for you I am infinitely thankful.