sigh

So Marseille did not work out so well. We (all the students) bought tickets Thursday planning to leave Friday afternoon without any real plans or anywhere to stay. We figured we could find a youth hostel or cheap hotel once we got there and Stacey (our professor) didnt seem to think we'd have a problem.
Wrong.

1. Marseille is a huge city near the beach.
2. Because there was a holiday on Thursday, every French person took off Friday and Monday to go... to the beach.
3. After the hour long train ride we got there only to find that the 2nd largest city in France was packed (not to mention dirty with shady people) with all sorts of tourists for some soccer game, not to mention the beach goers.

So after getting off the train we walked for about 20 minutes to the Tourist Office to see if they could help us. A guy who worked there called every cheap hotel/hostel around the area. They only one he could find was one in the outskirts of the city that could only take 4 girls. There were 6 of us. So long story short, we split into 3s and I was one of the ones who headed back to Avignon since the only option we had was to stay in the streets (or with the tourist office clerk who offered a room at his house...which I was happy to decline). I was actually quite relieved seeing as Marseille was a gross huge city and way too many people for my liking and I felt very unsafe.
Fortunately, arriving back in Avignon I felt muuuch more safe and comfortable with my surroundings.
So that was 49 dollar trip down the drain. Oh well. You live and learn I suppose. The other girls and I ended up doing stuff around Avignon, which is good because now I feel like I know my way around the city a little bit better. Today we walked around the Palais des Papes and I got some really great pictures!
This money deal is still quite depressing. Ive already gone through much more money than I expected just because of the exchange rate and international fees and withdrawal fees. Again, oh well.
I'm starting to feel a little more comfortable with Natalie, my host mother/person. She's very nice and tries to make me feel as much at home as possible. Even though she smokes, I feel like I lucked out compared to some of the other girls.
But I still feel very awkward just being this stranger living in HER house who can barely speak French.. for a whole month.
She's going to be staying at her boyfriends tonight. Ill have te place to myself which is kind of nice. I think ill try to upload some pics since Ill have the computer to myself for a while :)
Hopefully Ill be able to get it to work.

I hope your games are going well this weekend, Duston! Ive been thinking about you :)

I miss everyone a lot. Its hard not being able to just call whenever you want like I'm so used to.

love you all! send me emails and write comments :)