quick notes

This one's gotta be quick, as the wireless network in the house ("wee-fee" as the family pronounces it) is fleeting, and I've got to pack pack pack before I leave for the weekend. I'm going to a conference with my Ni Putes Ni Soumises internship in Dourdan -- a Parisian suburb about an hour and a half away from here. The point of the conference is to work on NPNS' new regional network in the Euro-Mediterranean area. It should be an interesting weekend. I went in to the office for a bit last night to help stuff guest bags and other final preparations for the weekend. Mar (my boss) finally told me what I'll be doing this weekend. I'm going to welcome and show around one of the (very important) guests of the conference. I didn't quite understand all Mar told me, but the woman has an exotic-sounding name and is the présidente of a women's rights organization -- so she's gotta be important, right? Anyway, she doesn't speak a lick of French, so I get to talk with her in English and maybe do a little translation here and there.

Other quick notes before I leave:

On Wednesday night, Caroline, Monica, Melissa, and I had somewhat of an "American" dinner. I took a special trip to "Thanksgiving", the American grocery in Paris, to pick up essential supplies -- cornbread mix and chocolate chips (and brown sugar & cinnamon poptarts... yum). Along with the cornbread, and before the cookies, we cooked up some chicken, carrots, and "mashed potatoes" (more like potato puree). The dinner was a little bit slow in the making, but it turned out quite nicely. I saved the poptarts for breakfast yesterday. They were awesome.

I've finished all but one of my midterms for the semester. Wednesday was Aesthetics. We had to listen to an explication of one of Gluck's 18th century operas, then write about how it could be considered as pre-romantic. Sound fun? It wasn't. I have no clue if I did well on it. I guess I'll have to wait and see. Yesterday was my European Union exam. It wasn't nearly as difficult as I had imagined it would be, but it wasn't a cake-walk either. My last real midterm is on Tuesday, for Translation. It shouldn't be too bad.

Ok, I've got to get going. I have to leave in about 15 minutes, and I still haven't packed. If you know me, this fact should not surprise you in the least. I'll let you know how the conference went when I get back on Sunday.

Happy Travels

-- Cody