Before I left for Paris I had alot of trouble getting health insurance because I have Celiac Disease. I finally found a company that would accept me, but at $300 a month. I was really upset about how hard it was for me to get insurance and could only imagine how difficult it would be for someone who couldnt afford a ridiculous $300 a month. I really do think it is a problem in our country and that something should be done about it. ATTTTT the same time. I was perscribed Thyroid medication yesterday, because I am boarderline hypothyroid. First of all it was very difficult for me to find a Dr that would treat me because my condition as far as blood tests say, is boarderline when you refer to the lab ranges. But my symptoms have been completely debilitating (anyone who has seen me in the last 2 years knows that). Its hard to get Drs to treat it because the large medical associations say its not necessary. This is really disturbing to me, as a Dr's job is to treat the individual and everyone's body is very different. This is a problem that exists both in America and France. But something else came up last night as I ordered my perscription from Belgim. Yes Belgim. I am taking natural Thyroid that is taken from Pig thyroid glands. You cannot buy it in France because of the medical socialization and in the U.K. it has recently been made illegal, meaning people who have taken it for years can no longer get the medication they need to function. THAT IS CRAZY! You can buy it in America but it is not FDA approved (because it comes from an animal each does is not 100% exact-- but contains a necessary combination of 2 different hormones that synthetic thyroid medications do not contain), and you have to hunt to get a Dr who will perscribe it because it is not FDA approved. Yet among Thyroid patients it is VERY recommended and is unanimously claimed to be the best. The only reason why its hard to get a perscription is because of the FDA, the same FDA that approves medications that kill people every year. I wish Dr's could just treat patients with medications THEY understood and could feel comfortable to perscribe on their own, without a big organization telling them how to treat symptoms instead of the individual. Kristy youre in drugs-- do something! :-)

I finally caved and bought Rosetta Stone. For those of you who dont know it is a language company that teaches you languages on your computer. It is really expensive, but they have an option to not buy the CDs and to go through their server and use the product online for half the price. So this was the option I chose and I am really liking the program. It doesnt explain alot of gramatical sturucture and what not, it just jumps in and starts by associating pictures with sentences. I think I would have been really lost if I had started Rosetta Stone without ANY knowledge of the language but I recommend it for someone who may be a level 2. My French has gotten a lot better, but I still cannot have a normal conversation with people. I can usually get across what I am trying to say, but I know I sound ridiculous. Maybe I will sound like a 5 year old by the time I leave-- heres hoping!

I think the problem will solve itself as they are likley to blow themselves up trying to make their statement of military force. But really they are crazy. I am probably in the safest country in the world right now, as I doubt that North Korea even knows France exists and i know that France wouldn't voulenteer for a war, it simply isnt their way :-) I havent heard many conversations over here though about North Korea's military action, other than on the British news channel I get. But in all seriousness...this is very concerning.

Yes-- had to. There were two consecutive days of 80 degree weather when I discovered I did not pack any shorts or skirts. My packing was centered around bringing the more expensive things that I would not want to have to buy once I got here, so shorts were not on that list. I made a trip to the H&M and bought two pairs of shorts, two skirts and a tanktop-- and a pair of sandals. Its funny to think that these will probably be my only warm weather clothes for the next year! I woke up the next morning to rain. Murphy's Law.

So sorry for not writing for so long. A combination of good weather, then school work, then not feeling well, then school work AGAIN has lead me ignoring my blog. I will try my hardest to remember everything that has happen the last week!

but I have recently noticed that roller blading is the cool thing to do here in Paris. This was a common sport when I was about 8 and then it gracefully exited and left to Paris. Here you will see people roller blading all over the city and its really weird. It is usually middle aged people and you have two groups. The one who is a professional roller blader and is doing all sorts of tricks and making a spectacle of himself or the cautious roller blader who is head to toe in pads like a sausage. I thought there were only two groups...that is until the new group I discovered today: Roller Blade Police. Yes sir. They have roller blade cops. I dont even really know what to say about it I truly feel that it should be self explanatoryin case not-- I have included a picture.

OK so I know that I am a foreigner here in France, but the people I go to school with are also foreigners who dont speak English as a first language. Let me start by saying that everyone I go to school with is really nice and they are all pretty smart. We have an architech, lawyer, accountant...people with very good resumes. One of my favorite things to watch is not only our cultural differences but the language barrier. A few weeks ago I was in a group with two boys and a girl. Both of the men were French (one was from the Congo, Africa-- but went to high school in France and now works in Paris). They always agreed on everything especially when it came to issues of employee treatment and cultural greetings. While the girl (Jamaican) and I always thought they were wrong (which they were). The language barrier really is the best though. On Wednesday as Guian Lucca (an architech from Italy) gave a presentation he discussed how the CEO of the company was very "humil and so he was accepting the praises of the other peoples". He used the word humil about 10 times and I was trying really hard not to laugh. He meant humble, but since the word comes from humility he thought humil was correct. Guian Lucca also finishes every sentence with "maybe"-- for example "the CEO is very humil so he does not accept the praises of the other peoples maybe". Even when there is no need for a "maybe" it will undoubtedly finish off the sentence. Later that night we had a glass of wine after class had finished and Bahar (a lawyer from Turkey) was making fun of our pier and said "oh Yann is a bit gay I think, he is half gay". That one got me going for a while-- she meant bi-sexual. Then of course as I ordered my wine I asked for "a mug of the red wine please" and everyone started laughing, so I am not immune to the barrier.