Mon ami

So it takes forever to get things done in France. I've been trying to rent a bike for a long time, but first I needed to open a bank account. I finally got my bank card today, but there were no bikes when I got the bike shop :(  I'll have to try going really early in the morning...

So last night I cooked a hen for dinner and I used a pot that was too small. I think I over cooked it, because it was tough and chewy. But because I didn't cook it evenly, the top was fine, and the broth I cooked it in was delicous. I cut up apples and dipped them in soy sauce and sesame oil and stuck them inside the hen. Then for the broth, I squezzed fresh orange juice and more soy sauce, and vinagar, and water and more apples, and scallions, and the orange peels, and salt and pepper. Sounds good right? But I don't think I'll do it again. It was too much trouble to cook and to get all the meat off. Plus I need an oven!! If I had an over I'd be baking all the time. It makes me sad, but that ok.

I just fixed some lunch and I can now say I've tried Ratatouille. It was  disgusting. It's just a vegetable dish with lots of peppers and eggplant and zuccinni and tomoatoes. I don't care for peppers that much, but the rest was good. And I couldn't pass up the offer! I've never had it before. Plus I bought it in a can, so it probably wasn't the best

So on Sunday (dimanche) we went to visit the château d'Angers. 

It's free to visit on the first sunday of each month. I'm so glad I went. It was really beautiful. My favorite part was seeing the city from the top tower of the château. While I was up there, I remembered how much I love hiking and getting to top of a mountain to see the God's beautfiul creation. Hopefully I will get to do some hiking when I travel over my break. Once it gets a little warmer I was talking to my friend about going down to the Pyrenees to do some hiking. 

So for our break I've planned a trip with some others to Riga, Latvia. We have about 2 weeks there, so we're planning to travel to Lithuania and Estonia, and hopefully to Helsinki, Finland. I'm super excited. Apparently France is the only country that really demands that you speak it's language; and probably Spain. But others I've talked to, said they use English when they travel. In other countries most people would rather speak to you in English than french. Either way I'm excited about travelling. 

Last night I found out that my friend Juan from Venezuala is a Christian. Praise the Lord! He was talking about music and he mentioned a singer named Jaci Velasquez (a Christian artist), who could sing very well. I asked him if she sang Christian music in Spanish and he said "oui". And so I proceeded to ask him if he was a Christian. He said "oui." I was so thrilled to have finally met a Christian, and someone who lives close to me (right upstairs). p.s. he was the one who I said didn't drink. He is now my brother (mon frère). He told me about a prayer group they have on Wednesday nights. So I'm gonna try to go tonight. God is good. He is providing for me. He's working things out for my good. I stand astounded as to why He is good to us, but I am also so humbled and thankful. I have a friend in Jesus.

Classes: I think I have all my classes in order now. I have 4 hours of class Monday, 3 hours Tuesday night, 3 hours Wednesday afternoon and 2 classes on Thursday (1 hour and 1.5 hours). So a total of 12.5 hours and I think I'm going to take a PE which will give me another hour. It's nice because I need one more hour of PE credit, so it will transfer back. I'll be taking langue française, culture français, converstation, thème, version, tradcution et expression orale, and Techniques d'expression (française). Thème is a class where we translate things from french in to english, and version is where we translate from english to french (a lot harder). It should be a good semester. Next week will be my first full week of classes. It's funny that I'm finally figuring out my schedule on feb. 4th, instead of half way through last semster when I usually do at school.