Ecole

 - school, because it's started for me.

Well, not school-school, like classes at the university, but my UC Intensive Language Program began a few days ago. For all the people that told me I didn't need to review before I left, I have never been so glad that I didn't listen to you. I have so much to learn and get used to even though I practically have my grammar book memorized. I find listening particularly difficult, because someone says something for a moment, and then the information is gone. In class, we listen to recordings multiple times, but it's still much easier to understand  once the transcription is passed out.

In other news, I think I found the largest grocery store I've ever been in. It's called Auchan, it's three stories high, and each floor is enormous. When I first walked in, my mind was blown by the sheer size of the place. Then I fell in love with the restaurant inside that sells ice cream cones for a euro. Seeing as the ice cream places around town averaged at about 2.50 Euros (yes, I checked prices when I walked around), I was extraordinarily pleased by this discovery.