Why it sucks to live in a foreign country...

1.) they speak another language. Why does this suck? Because I suck at speaking another language. Yeah, yeah I can manage hi, good-bye, thank you, and please. In fact, I can even string together a few phrases when necessary, but when you speak like a 3 year old it's very difficult to actually converse with actual French people.
Don't get me wrong, the people themselves are very nice about my total inability to speak French, the national language of France - where I LIVE. But they don't exactly want to be my friend.

2.) It is difficult to find a job when you don't have a work permit. And it's difficult to become motivated when all you see is an endless string of hassles and disappointments ahead of you. Yeah, yeah the rational part of my brain says, "If you don't try you'll never get a job." But, the irrational part of me also says, "yeah, but if you never try you won't fail. If you don't fail you won't feel bad about yourself." Then I burst into tears at my complete inability to function like a normal, rational human being!
hey, as Free to Be You and Me taught us, "it's alright to cry". And no, Carol, I am not pregnant. I've always been an emotional roller coaster - just ask my family! Feel sorry for Josh, he has to deal with it now.
It sucks because I know that if we were living in the States I could do something, even temping. I might not like it but I'd feel like I was more than a waste of space and money.

3.) The Euro is KILLING the American dollar. This wouldn't be so bad if the only working member of our household wasn't paid in US dollars, but thatis not the case here. (hmmm...did that make sense to anyone? did I make a double negative which makes it a positive meaning he is paid in Euros? - no idea so for clarification our income is wholly in US dollars at the moment).
Which only adds stress upon #2, my total inability to look for a job.

4.) It is so difficult to meet people. See #'s 1, 2, & 3 and it's even clearer - no language skills, no job, no money to go out. Add onto that my already hermit like tendencies and you get disaster. It's like this for me every time I move, but at least in the past I spoke the same language as the people I met. I don't know why I thought it would be any different here. I always think that I'll change, I'll be more adventurous, live life to the fullest...but let's face it I'm a big wuss. I just hide away in my apartment and cry myself silly. (really don't be stressed about all the crying, I'm a strong believer in the fact that it's the fault of being the youngest child, I cry at everything -even, occasionally, commercials).
You may think that I'm over exaggerating but I'm not. Seriously, it took nearly 4 years of living in Williamsburg before I made friends with people who weren't Josh's friends first. Sad, but true.

5.)Living on the boarder of 2 countries, while sounding totally cool (especially to Americans,) is a pain in the F'ing ass. You heard me. If both countries were members of the EU maybe it wouldn't be a problem, but good ole Switzerland, land of neutrality won't join up. So, here in France everything is in Euros and they are not pleasant about accepting other currency. And in Switzerland, of course, they use the Swiss Franc. Every time you leave the goddamn house you need to shove Euros (€)in one pocket and Francs (CHF) in the other. Inevitably when you forget one that's the only currency the store or restaurant will take! ugh. I don't even want to go into the hassle of lugging around all those coins. geeze, I'm not even going to go there right now.

6.) Good chocolate and good wine are readily available. At first glance this seems like the upside to living in France (and sometimes it is), but if you remember those hermit like tendencies you'll realize this a bad, bad thing. If I'm not careful there is a real possibility that I could turn into a blimp-sized, chocoholic, wine-o, who mumbles in broken French, and smells strongly of dog.

You may laugh now, but just wait until the day I truly become "CRAZY Aunt Mel" (insert evil laughter followed by sobbing here - just kidding I'm not crying...at the moment)
Ok well, that's enough misery for today. Really, I'm fine. It's just been a long, lonely week. I'll give you all the high points of living in a foreign country next week. Right now I need to go stuff my face before Josh gets home to whisk me away to Tango class. Good thing we don't have any wine in the house otherwise he might come home to find me hunkered down on the couch swigging straight from the bottle. (Just kidding, mom, seriously don't worry, I'm joking...)