Complaining

In general, I think it's pretty dumb to complain about any difficulties while traveling abroad, or as the case may be, studying abroad. You leave knowing that things are not the same as they are at home. In fact, that is exactly why you travel, because it is different. With that in mind, there are still some things that are difficult as hell to get used to.

1. Bathrooms - Call me a princess if you must, but I like toilet seats and tissue paper. Is that too much to ask? really? At the very best, bathrooms have toilets without toilet seats. At the very worst, they are just holes in the ground. And you know why they don't have toilet seats? Because it's pas hygiénique. You want to know what else is not hygienic? Falling into the toilet... Seriously, if you're coming to France, you'll want to do some wall sits and other assorted quad exercises before you leave. Those muscles will be getting a lot of work.

2. Internet - It's slow. And it's not everywhere. I'm at a large research university with tens of thousands of students in a capital city of a first world country, and they couldn't figure out how to get internet to the dorms? Really?

3. Dorms - As mentioned above, there's no internet, the bathrooms are a hole in the ground. The dining hall isn't open for breakfast or dinner (Yah, what the hell is the point of a dining hall that doesn't serve dinner?). But if you think that's bad, oh it gets worse. My dorm is up a freaking mountain. I know there are those of you who lived in Foothill in Berkeley who are thinking, "oh, what's he complaining about? We lived up a hill too, and we managed just fine." Well, you have no idea. First, this hill isn't next to campus. The base of the hill is about 30 minutes from campus by tram. Then the hike up the hill takes over 20 minutes going up. And it's steep. There is a bus, but it only runes between 7-9am, 12-1, and 4-8pm. Want to go out at night? Better bring your walking shoes. Have a class that ends at 7:30pm (which there are tons of, by the way)? Guess you're shit out of luck. Oh, and the bus also doesn't run on weekends.

4. Schedules - This is what really has been annoying. When someone posts their schedule saying they will be there from 8h00-12 h00 and 14h00-17h00 (notice the two hour lunch break... très français) I think it's fair to expect them to be there at 14h00. And I understand, things happen, and sometimes that croque monsieur takes a little longer to eat than normal, so extend that two hour lunch break to 2 hours and 15 minutes. That's fine. I'm not a drill sergeant. But when I wait half an hour for your ass to show up when your OWN SIGN THAT YOU MADE says you'll be there, you better be there. I'm here to give you money for my rent! I'm giving you money and you're not here to take it!!! Oh, and that important university official who you need to talk to for your classes... yah, she's not there. Oh, yah, her sign says she's supposed to be here. But no, she's not here. How about we make an appointment? 10h00 tomorrow? Sounds good. What happens when you show up at 10h00 tomorrow? You guessed it! NO ONE'S THERE! So you sit there wasting another hour of your life until the incredibly important person shows up. Oh, don't worry about it, my time and life isn't important. Go sip your café crème while my life wastes away in front of our eyes.

Ok, I'm done ranting for now. Everything considered, I'm still having a pretty damn good time here. Just wanted to complain a little. It's therapeutic sometimes.