i've never appreciated childhood more.

this is an old pic. from last summer, but i thought it was appropriate because i would like you all to know that i have made it a long way since this point. ;)

so... i guess to fully appreciate your glamorous childlike-college-lifestyle you have to move halfway across the world and work a 9 to 5 job (which apparently in translation means 8-6 with commute). today on my way to the metro to begin my hour-long commute at 7:30 a.m., i whipped out my monthly transit pass with my lovely (ghastly) passport photo stamped on the top all ready to start my big girl day... when i realized the entrance to the metro was taped off completely with one measly little piece of paper that said "greve." good thing my 7 years of french did not teach me the word for "strike" when everyone in this world who speaks french strikes like its nobody's business. these people love to strike, they live to strike i tell you. and what is a girl with 3-inch high-heeled boots to do when the bus, the metro and the train decide to all gang up on poor little car-less people who have to be at their next stop to catch their next bus that only runs twice a day by absolutely no later than 8:20 a.m.??? well i'll tell you, after sprinting in your heels to the next closest metro only to find out they're all closed, you find the nearest local grocery store to top-up your go-phone which is dry as a bone as far as minutes. and then you call your boss. and then you get coffee. and then you come to the realization that you are probably not going to work today considering every cab in the city is now booked and even if they weren't it probably would not be worth the 120 odd euros it would cost to get you there and back.

but don't you worry- i've already accomplished so much on this day that was VERY necessary. all of the tasks i most desperately need to do i usually cannot do because i am at work during the only time these places are open! did i mention we have been without hot water since last friday? so- we cannot shower (the water is ice), do the wash, or run the dish-washer. it's been fabulous, really. our neighbors have been kind enough to allow us to shower there (don't worry, they're other mizzou students), although we still have to dart up the stairs as fast as we can in our towels and not to mention, regularly inconvenience these people. and (side note) after i was basically sexually harassed by a 50-60-ish year old man on the bus yesterday (did i also mention this was on valentines day), i have decided that i do not need to be running from the 1st floor to the 3rd floor of my building in a towel. as far as i'm concerned, i may start carrying a night stick. but back to the original story... now i have this perfect day to go speak to my only-french-speaking landlords and raise some french hell (haha kidding, my language skills are too limited to raise hell)- after getting no response from them the first couple times. i explained to my best ability the many problems going on in our flat. our flat is actually very nice, well-located, and huge, but- we also have no hot water, a few ants, and a falling off cabinet door or two. so i explained this all with phrases like (the little door under the water in the kitchen is broken) and sure enough, we got a maintenance man up here and tonight i will enjoy my hot-water shower like i never have before.

so i've come to the conclusion that i'm not sure how people can work 40 hours + a week and raise children, take care of pets, keep a home clean, cook meals and solve maintenance problems!!! haha. props to you mom and dad, being an adult is tough stuff.