I feel bad writing this because my landlord is beautifully playing the piano downstairs and it's wafting up to my apartment. I love it when he plays, sometimes jazz, sometimes classical, but always so pretty and calming. Anyway, this post is about how France is pissing me off at the moment.

First of all, so sick of being though of as the stupid American. In my immigration class a few weeks ago a girl from Hungary said that "Americans don't know where Hungary is on the map, so I just tell them I'm from eastern Europe." I had to raise my hand and tell her that I was American and know where Hungary is on a map-imagine that!

Then yesterday in the same class the teacher said "egalité fraternité liberté" and turn to ME (she knows I'm American) and goes "I'm sorry, do you understand what that means even though I said it in French?" First of all, why do you assume that the American doesn't know French and not the Chinese girl next to me? Second of all, even if I didn't know French I'm not retarded, it's the same in English as in French.

If you think we're so stupid and messing up the world why don't you stop asking for are help and obsessing over our pop culture? That also means stop eating McDonald's (France eats the most McDonald's after the U.S.) It's just rude! I would never insult someone about their own country to their face. I don't believe you can generalize a country at all, but especially one as big and diverse as America. This didn't all happen in this class, just pent up frustration.

Then we proceeded to talk about how France is the most racist country in the world and how it's okay that they ignore it because that's the French way. What?! My teacher said that the French don't like to use the word minority "because that means everyone isn't equal and in France we believe everyone is equal." Um, excuse me we just spent an hour talking about how if you don't look French (white) or don't have a French sounding name people will not think of you as truly French even if you're a citizen and then you won't get into a school like Sciences Po or get the job you wanted.

Oh, and then I came home to find out GW won't accept the courses I'm taking in French towards my minor because they are not "cultural" enough. I'm in FRANCE with FRENCH teachers speaking FRENCH. My minor adviser literally told me I'm learning more towards GW's minor standards by taking a fluff class on French cinema at GW with American kids taught in ENGLISH than taking classes here. I honestly don't even care. Don't give me the minor GW, it'll be a great story.

Also, I'm getting really sick of butter and ham sandwiches. Try to be a little bit more adventurous, please. You eat snails, but you can't stick some mustard and vegetables in a sandwich? AND coffee to go is essential. We don't all have time to sit in a cafe to drink coffee. Oh God, I could go on and on, but I'm sounding a little crazy...