Je Suis Une Espionne!

"Let's meet at the Ped Mall."

"What did you say?"

"We'll meet at the Ped Mall. You know?"

"What's the 'Ped Mall'?"

"You don't know what the Ped Mall is?"

"Haha... No."

"It's okay. I'll show you."

I'm meeting my French partner at the "Ped Mall" at school. I wasn't sure what she meant at first, but then she took me there. I'd been there before, but I didn't know it was call the "Ped Mall" and I'm not sure what that means exactly. A mall of peds? I really don't know. It just looks like a small courtyard of tables and chairs where people sit around and chat. But we're meeting up because we have an oral test on Monday and we're doing it in partners. The test will be a system of role play, where my partner and I will play "dormmates" who meet each other for the first time and we get to know each other through various questions, using what we've learned in French thus far.

Today I experienced my first sense of friendship at school. See, being someone who lives off campus, it's a little more difficult to get to know people. Well, there's this one girl in my French class named Sussy (pronounced the same as Suzy) that I've been talking to off and on since school started and today, she totally asked me to be her partner in class. She used my name and everything. You may think this is overrated, but allow me to explain. Because even Andy rarely says my name. He says my pet-name (which I won't tell you what it is). The only time I actually hear my name, like audibly, is when Andy's family uses it or if I'm talking to a family member on the phone. That's the only time, and those instances are few and far between. So to be in class and actually hear someone say, "Hey, Carly! You want to be my partner?" I was overwhelmed with a new appreciation for making friends or getting to know someone. My sakes! The day when someone out here refers to me as "Car" will be incredible! Absolutely incredible!

So yeah. I've got that little meeting at 2:15 with Nikki for our oral presentation. And then I've got to find something to take a picture of that represents my full understanding of "depth-of-field" for my Basic Photography class, due tomorrow. After that, I need to write up another paper for Mass Media about newspapers and their mass media influence. I've finished the book of Mark for New Testament but I have to write up a summary to show my prof that I read it and understood it. Then, at 6:30, I have to head to the alternative chapel service which is held in a house-like building called, you guessed it, "The House". Oh yeah! I also have to finish writing up my review for The Clarion. They asked me what I could give them to publish for the next paper and I offered my review of the new Switchfoot album. They were all for it. So I've been working on that. I need to get that turned in as quick as possible.

In the meantime, I have a great desire to dress in camouflage and go crawling through the campus lawns, taking pictures of students and eavesdropping on interesting conversation. Unfortunately, I lack the resources (the camo and night vision goggles). Oh well. Maybe next time.