Tuesday into Wednesday...

Another great day on Tuesday :-)  Class dragged by but once it was over the fun began!  There were some people from school were outside having a picnic and invited us to join.  It was fun, we talked (in French) with one of the administrative people at the school, and some French students, while relaxing and having a little snack/lunch.  After a while Anna, Yvonne, Hope and I headed into town and did a little shopping.  For about 25 Euros I got a dress (which I LOVE and plan to wear Thursday night, look for the pictures :-P), two shirts, and a necklace to go with the dress.  Super exciting, these soldes really are the greatest.

Hope and I were quickly all shopped out, so we convinced the other two to get ice cream and Michael met us there.  After ice cream Anna and Yvonne shopped a little more while Hope, Michael, and I just relaxed.  It was necessary.  Jeffrey and Brooke joined us later and then Mike got back from Chartreuse.  We all hung out until 9 when we were meeting to go see fireworks.  In France July 14 is the equivalent of our 4th of July so there were fireworks last night (even though it was the 13th....I wonder if there are some tonight too?).  The fireworks were sweet, we were so close to where they set them off that ask was raining down on us, something I've never experienced while watching fireworks.  The bus back into town was packed so we decided to walk.

We got home a little after 11, changed and then went to Mojito...again.  The town was SO alive last night because today's a national holiday...and there are a bunch of tourists around for the tour de France, which started here this morning :-D  We hung out, decided to go to the club cause we heard it was free.  We didn't have our IDs but the guy took care of that for us, but then we got inside and found out it was 10 Euros...not worth it.  We came home and Mike, Michael, and Brooke were hanging out in my room because they had my key and the internet didn't work in any of their rooms.  We hung out for a while and before we knew it the four of us turned it into an all nighter.  I fell asleep around 6:30, which was upsetting because we had said we'd make it until 7 and then go to our rooms to shower and stuff because we had to meet at 8:30 this morning for the tour.

After we met this morning we walked to the main part of town and claimed our spot on the side of the road.  Everyone, even those who didn't pull an all-nighter, was pooped.  We all have the same mentality: It's our last week, let's stay out late and make the most of it!  We stood around for about 4 hours waiting for it to start.  but there was stuff going on the whole time.  We got a lot of random free stuff, saw a parade and then it began.  The bikers were SO close to us.  Like close enough that Mike, who was standing next to me, shook one of their hands while waiting for it to start.  #211.  It was SO cool.  And Michael got a sweet pic of Lance that I stole from his facebook:

Now it's nap time.  We all agreed to go to our rooms and sleep for three hours.  I'm not too tired, at least I haven't been.  I packed and started cleaning.  It's so sad.  This summer has been so perfect.  I can't believe it.  I feel like I've known my friends here forever, I can't believe that two months ago I didn't even know they existed.  It's so weird.  Tomorrow night and Friday are going to be fun but rough.  It's going to be so weird to say goodbye.  It's different than saying goodbye to other people.  When I leave home and say goodbye I know that I'll be back for Christmas or the summer and that I'll see who I want to see.  When I leave Chicago for the summer I know that we'll be right back in the fall.  Those things aren't so sad.  But with these people, it's not like we're just going to all meet up again in France next summer (I wish!).  We will never ALL be together again, and that's sad.  There are so many different personalities on this trip, yet the group as a whole is SO fun.  We were out dancing at Mojito on Monday night and you would NEVER guess that we just met less than 6 weeks ago.  I'm getting teary-eyed typing this so I'm going to stop.  I wish I could explain the unique bond we all have, but it's impossible.  I will never forget this summer or these people.

France is great, I love it, I never want to leave :-(