Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Smiling and besties!


Echo and I at a supper yummy Italian place in Salt Lake

So in one of the readings that was assigned for my study abroad prep class it gave six codes. They were basically six things that are essential to know in order to successfully live in the wonderful, and at times slightly odd, country of France. The first one, though I'd heard a little about it before, caused me a little bit of shock. It says "Don't Smile!", exclamation point and all! So as anyone who knows me might know, this is a bit of a problem for me. That's not to say that I am always smiling all the time, that is certainly not true....especially when I'm in a bad mood (sorry for that family), but when I'm happy there is definitely no way to get me to stop smiling. The worst is when I try to stop smiling when I recognize that maybe I'm creeping people out with my ear to ear smile and then I just end up looking like I'm in pain or just like an awkward person (which is true a lot of the time). :) So after fully reading this section about not smiling I recognized the challenge now before me. The French just aren't like Americans at all in the smiling department. In America we smile all the time at strangers, especially here at BYU (Brigham Young University), but in France you just don't do that. To them if you are a stranger that means that you could be dangerous and hence not somebody they want to just be willy-nilly smiling at, which I guess makes sense. Now this isn't to say that the French never smile, they definitely do! I remember seeing some smiles when I was in Paris a few years ago, but they definitely weren't as frequent as they are here in the States. All of this was really interesting to read about, and if you want to learn more about it make sure to read French or Foe? by Polly Platt (http://www.amazon.com/French-Foe-Getting-Visiting-Working/dp/0964668424











                   So the pictures above are partly meant to prove to those that may not know me or see me often that I do indeed smile, but mostly to give me an excuse to talk about my cute besties Echo and Amy! :) Echo is leaving for California to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for 18 months in June and since I am leaving for Paris April 30th we don't have much time to hang before we have to part ways. She is such a great friend and always makes my days happier when I see her! Amy is my bestest friend from back home in Colorado and I miss her dearly. I'm taking this time to make a rather public apology for being a terrible friend and not keeping in touch the past few months, I am officially an awful person! :( Amy is such a wonderful friend and not to mention just a rock star person all around! Great friends just make life that much more awesome, and Echo and Amy are the best best-friends a girl could ask for. I am looking forward to making equally as wonderful friends during this adventure that I will be embarking on soon. I cannot wait! 



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