Special Edition: American in America!

So, I've been home for just over a week now. I had been expecting the culture shock to be pretty intense, but haven't really noticed it at all. There are little things that keep surprising me, though, like having white eggs (the only ones I've seen in France are brown), the different shape of light switches, the different placement of toilet handles, thinking in dollars (which is a lot less painful than euro), and being able to make witty remarks to people I don't know without accidentally insulting them. I do miss my apartment, my friends and the warmer weather of Montpellier, but Vermont has its own perks, including (but not limited to) not needing to cook for myself, having a dryer, being able to talk with people, etc. Also, I'm sure that no one in their right mind will agree with me here, but... I had missed American men.

So, I got home on Monday evening, 24 hours later went to my friend Lise's annual Christmas-cookie-making-and-fondue-eating extravaganza which was awesome, and then two days later left for Sunday River, a mountain in Maine, to going skiing with the fam.

This is arguably the least attractive family photo ever to exist, but what can I say? Attractiveness isn't necessary when all that can be seen of you is your nose.

So, we went skiing on Friday and Saturday and headed back that evening. It might have only been two days, but dear God was I sore!! I feel like I pulled every muscle waist down. Ouch.

The exciting event of Sunday was my first contra in four months!!! I got there early to play in a jam session which was fun, and then danced the evening away. It was excellent--not only was the band, Nightingale, incredible, but there were a lot of great people there, as well. There was just a lot of love going around that evening, and it felt wonderful :)

(Photo stolen from Roger Katz, resident awesome photographer)

So, tomorrow I head off to NYC to visit family for New Year's (Seriously, 2010? It's going to take me at least 6 months to get used to writing that), which should be fun, and will be coming back on Sunday. Then, I need to figure out how to cram the following into 11 days:

- Choose a new violin
- Visit my music teacher
- Go to contra
- See Crooked Still
- Visit my Grandmother
- Go to an Irish jam session
- Go to a Renewal concert
- Meet up with 7 different friends, half of which don't live in VT

... And I had been worried about being bored while at home... HA!