Hello again, everyone! Not much has happened this week, besides school stuff. However, I had a good day today, and I figured that since I actually had something to write about, I might as well not be lazy.
Okay, so basically ever since I got here a month ago (it's been a month already?!), I've been somewhat depressed. It's been really hard for me to deal with being so far from home, and even harder for me to deal with the time difference and having a limited period of time during the day to talk to my friends from home. Also, it's been bothering me a lot that I never have anything to do at night or on the weekends, and I spend most of my free time alone, and usually in my apartment. I've found it somewhat difficult to get to know people here...I'm not like most of the students, and I can guarantee that I'm not like most of the other exchange students that have gone to Monaco from Miami. I wouldn't say it's culture shock...maybe just wealth shock. Almost everyone from around here has money, and I'm one of few people who really doesn't. So it's been hard to deal with that.
But today, I decided that I was not going to sit in my apartment all day. I noticed that it was really nice out; it was really sunny and around 60 degrees. I had been to the beach once before a few weeks ago, but it was kind of chilly. And I really just went to see what it looked like. So today, I packed up my organizational behavior textbook, along with my iPod and a few other things and headed down to the beach. It was so perfect there. I sat on a bench and realized that I was kind of hot. So I took off my jacket and soaked up the sun :) I think today was one of very few times that I wore a short sleeved shirt. I sat on the beach for about an hour and a half and pretended to read for OB. Then, I was getting hungry, so I went to the snack shop right near the beach and got a crepe with Nutella. It was good, but I prefer my Nutella crepes with strawberries :D After I ate the crepe, I went back to the beach and sat down on the ground against a wall, with the sun shining right on me. It was so great to be warm and outside. While I was sitting here and (not) reading for OB, I realized how lucky I am to be here. I live in one of the most beautiful places in the world, and for the last few weeks, all I've done is complain about how lonely I am. Today I realized that while I may spend a lot of my time alone, that doesn't mean that I can't enjoy myself. How many other people can say that they can walk down to the beach and sit there and do homework in the beginning of February? (Miami people, you don't count :P) I have decided to embrace the rest of the time that I have left here and do what I can to make sure that I enjoy it. While I may not go out a lot, even just having the right mindset can make things a lot better.
After the sun started to go down and I started getting chilly, I packed up my stuff. I didn't want to go home yet, so I walked in the opposite direction I would take to get back to my apartment. I passed some hotels (including Monte Carlo Bay and the infamous Jimmy'z Night Club), and ended up passing the border into Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France. I didn't want to walk too far there, since I had no idea where I was going, so I turned around. Then I walked from there, past the Casino, and up into the Roqueville area of Monaco. Basically...it was a very long walk. But I got to see most of the rest of Monaco that I haven't already seen. When I got near the train station, I turned back around, and walked through Beausoleil back to my apartment.
I had a really good day, for not having anything planned with anyone. I've decided that every Friday that the weather is nice and I don't have other plans, I'm going to go to the beach, just to sit there and do homework or whatever. I think the fresh beach air is good for my mood. :)
