Adjusting to Life in Montpellier

No matter how many hours I sleep each night here, I am still exhausted by the end of the day.  While much of this exhaustion probably has to do with jet lag and trying to get settled in, I realized that simply being surrounded by a language other than your own is exhausting in itself.  Even trying to understand what people are saying takes constant effort and concentration, not to mention speaking.  I think these first few weeks are going to be much of the same, as I will find myself immersed in the language from the time I wake up until the time I go to bed.  

It's been a whole week since I last wrote, but I feel like it's been much longer since so much has happened.  Everything has been a whirlwind since I arrived in town with my rather ridiculous amount of luggage.  It turns out that the narrow, cobblestone streets and packed trams in France are not ideal for lugging around two enormous suitcases, a backpack, and a purse.  Now that I'm finally somewhat settled into my new home, my large, bulky, "American" luggage looks almost comical in their new, refined, French surroundings.  At home, it's hard to notice, but even after being in France for just a few days, the whole "bigger is better" concept seems ridiculous.  Even the fruit is smaller here.  

While being in France helps put American excess in perspective, there are definitely frustrations with living here.  Everything seems so much slower and less efficient.  There is no such thing as stopping somewhere for a quick bite to eat, unless you are getting your food to go, and forget about quickly running into a store for a few items.  After spending the day at the University yesterday, I returned back to La Place de la Comédie, the center of town, to grab a few items from the Monoprix, the rough equivalent of a Target.  Since we had just finished a tour and placement testing at Paul Valéry, I was already pretty tired and just wanted to buy my stuff and go.  While I am familiar with how stores operate in Europe, I had forgotten just how frustrating it can be.  There always seems to be the longest line imaginable because there is only one or two people to ring up everyone's purchases.  Whether it's adjusting from the 30 check out lines at Target to the one, long line at the Monoprix, or going from a quick meal at Panera to a two hour lunch at a café, these differences are all part of the experience.  Appreciating these differences is part of embracing the culture and slower pace of life here.