BUMBLEBEE BOY!!!!!

So it has been WAYYY too long since I posted last. I'll start off by the history of the past month. Apparently, October was strike season in Toulouse. The week after my last post, everyone was on strike. The train workers were on strike - I had a couple friends that were supposed to travel but ended up missing their train because they couldn't get tickets. The museum workers were on strike - I walked by the museum of natural history and everyone was outside, the doors were all locked, there were flags everywhere, etc. The sanitation workers were on strike. This one was particularly fun. The workers would come, overturn every single public garbage can, cut holes in all the trash bags, etc. There was trash flying all over Toulouse, piles of garbage all over the place. It was disgusting. Then, the farmers were on strike. Actually, I'm not sure if they were even on strike (how can a farmer go on strike???). I think they just wanted to get their two cents in. At Jean Jaures (one of the big squares in Toulouse), there was just this massive line of tractors that came and blocked off the road. They were dumping things all over the place. There was a big pile of hay in the middle of the street, they dumped hay INTO THE METRO STATION, there was a pile of apples in the middle of the street (that was disgusting - people were taking them and eating them). It was RIDICULOUS.
So at the end of October, a few of my friends and I went to England for a week. We spent 3 days in London, where we saw several touristy things (Westminster Abbey was my favorite, but I also got to watch a debate in the House of Lords- that was pretty cool too), I had fish and chips three times (because everything else looked kind of gross), and I learned that treacle tart is one of the most delicious autumn desserts on the planet. And we went to see Wicked, which was AMAZING. Also, the hostel we stayed in was rather sketch. The beds were all attached to each other, and bunked, so it was like 16 people were sleeping on 2 huge bunk beds. The first thing I thought when I walked in the first night was “oh my God, it’s like a prison camp!!!” Luckily, the other people in our room were very cool and easy to talk to and not strange at all. However, the second night we were there, we were watching The Ring in the den with some of the other people in the hostel when all of a sudden we heard this bloodcurdling scream, dishes smashing, etc. Apparently there was this girl in the kitchen that was just going absolutely mental. We hear a lot more screaming, then she walks out into the den where we were, and started screaming at us. It was a fun hostel.
After London, we headed off to Norwich, where the Dickinson in England program is Located, and I got to spend three days with tons of wonderful people. When we first got into Norwich our friends introduced us to pasties (the pie type things. Get your head out of the gutter) and they were delicious. Later that night, they took us to some pubs around Norwich, and then, on our way back to the University, on the bus these EXTREMELY drunk girls sat by us. They were being rather loud and obnoxious, but hilarious, so I couldn’t help a giggle or two. But after a couple minutes they looked over at me. Now I happened to be wearing my yellow and black striped polo shirt. Well one of the girls looks at me and yells “YOU LOOK LIKE A BUMBLEBEE!!” Chanting ensues: “Bumblebee Boy! Bumblebee Boy! Bumblebee Boy!!” One of them says “Can I take a picture with you, Bumblebee Boy?” A bit confused and rather frazzled, I consent. All of a sudden, she stands up and sits on my lap, and says to the other one “Get the camera out!” Well the other one starts looking in her bag for the camera, when she says “I can’t really find it.” Then she looks at me and says “You just enjoy that for a second” (the girl on my lap). After like 5 minutes she finds the camera, then the girl on my lap kisses me and takes the picture. Well then, a few minutes later they look over again, as they are drinking their drinks, and say “We are very drunk, and you guys are not nearly drunk enough. HERE.” And they force their drinks onto us. I say, very hesitantly, “Um, what’s in it?” And one of the girls says “It’s just vodka and cranberry juice. What? It’s not there’s a roofie in it! I’m not trying to date rape you or something!” More chanting ensues- “DATE RAPE! DATE RAPE! DATE RAPE! DATE RAPE!!!” Luckily it was our stop. The sober girls that were with them, as we are getting off, look at us and just say “We are so sorry…” The whole situation was just hilarious.
When we got back from England, immediately the next day we got up bright and early to take a Dickinson trip. A first class train ride to Paris with 20 students… needless to say it was a fun time. I also have to say, although I don’t have any funny stories from Paris, Paris was WAYYYYYYYYYY better than London. The first night, we went to the National Opera to see a ballet. Well the opera itself was one of the most amazing pieces of architecture. Then the next day we went to the Louvre, which, fun fact: if you were to stop at every piece in the Louvre for 3 seconds, it would take you a constant 3 months to see the whole museum. That’s ridiculous. But the Louvre was amazing, and yes, I did get to see the Mona Lisa. Then a few friends and I went to l’Arc de Triomphe, and up to the top. Then the Eiffel Tower (although we didn’t get to go up.) I won’t keep going, since we visited so many places, but my favorite place was easily Versailles. Not even the palace itself (although that was amazing), but the Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon, and the Hameau de la Reine (these little farmhouses with streams all over everywhere. It was pretty much what I imagine as heaven).
OK so back in Toulouse, and I can’t think of anything special that’s really happened since, sooooo sorry for the delay and long post!!!
And PS, about my last post, I am COMPLETELY over my culture shock and can’t wait to stay the rest of the year!!!!!!