Adventures in Shopping

First of all, things have gotten better. I'm still just chilling in my room for the most part, but I feel better about the whole studying-abroad-for-four-months situation. I saw Sara's room today--totally jealous. I want a skeleton key for my room!! This is what I get for asking for a shower in my room haha. I could have had a room overlooking the garden too! Oh well. I guess I got what I asked for, at least!

I've been going to monoprix for the past few days and trying to do my shopping as a series of trips so I can carry it all and such. Plus I get overwhelmed with the intrinsic frenchiness of everything and I have to step back for a minute. Anyway, the other day was pretty whatev--just buying toiletries. Today was a little bit more frustrating/hilarious as I tried to find dish soaps and such. First of all, I had to hold off on buying towels because a normal towel, or "bath sheet," was 16 euros!! So, like 20 bucks. So I did all my shopping and surreptitiously checked my wallet and had to take the two towels back and this French schoolkid openly watched me as I put the towels back on the shelf. I kind of wonder if putting things back from your cart is something that is "Just Not Done" in France.

Finding the laundry detergent was fun. I came across an entire shelving unit of bottles and tablets and sheets that had labels that said either "adoucisseur" or "assouplissant," so I'm looking all over this shelf because I know that "douce" means soft or sweet, and "souple" means supple, so I wondered if I was just overlooking it. Finally I just wandered over to another shelf that had bottles that said "shampooing," and basically laughed, but in my head. I never thought that I would "shampoo" my clothes. So I grabbed the cheapest brand and took off. Of course, as I was checking out I was staring at the full label: Shampooing Laine. And there was this niggling feeling that I should know what "laine" means. But it was too late. So when I got back I looked it up and of course: laine = wool. So I would feel indignant except the rest of the label is taken up with SKEINS OF YARN. Excuse me as I go put on my "Captain Obvious" tee shirt. Whatever--I bought it and it'll work for handwashing things. And it was only like 3 euros! Cha-ching!

You would also think that buying hand soap would be easy...not really. All these different concentrations and formulas are mixed together with hand AND body soap AND hand lotion. I settled for this oxymoron of a description: creme lavant, or "cream washing." And it's made with the oil of the olive leaf, and it looks like oil. But I tested it out when I got home and yes, it does foam a bit and rinse clean.

Some surprises: A mini umbrella was my most expensive purchase, at 10 euros; these cotton pads for 99 cents that feel really firm and hard-core, like they're reusable; 3 BIC mechanical pencils for an expensive 1,95; and the two sponges for 2,50. (Remember to multiply all these prices by 1.4 to get dollar rates)

Headed off to dinner and then to bed early. I have breakfast at about 7 or 7:30 tomorrow, then my placement exam at 9:30. Til later!