High Point, Low Point

HP- I got accepted into vocals as my principal instrument, and she'll have me as a full student! LP- I'm not allowed to wear sandals anymore, I have to wear scarfs over high necked shirts, stay even more out of the sun and drink obscene amounts of water.

HP- The jazz sax teacher is willing to take me on, much to everyone's shock, and even when my classical sax lesson cut into his, so I wouldn't be able to make it, he told me to come later! LP- There was a big misunderstanding for my first classical lesson, involving me not knowing that when teachers say I'll see you next week, they mean I'll see you at our next lesson, so I ended up skipping my first course ever... By Accident. Also, I don't know if I will be continuing with my jazz sax, because when I came back, he saw me, blinked twice, looked down and acted as if I didn't exist... All three times I came back.

HP- My scales are starting to sound less like a series of squeaks on the sax! LP- I'm only halfway through sight reading the first page of a 30 page long book.

HP- The food here is excellent!! LP- They eat at really odd hours, and in odd quantities.

HP- Shopping in France is so open to any and every style, and my cowboy boots are even by fluke up and coming for winter! LP- Everything is sized for the people here, who all watch their girlish figures as if having a curve would condemn them to death, so everything is ultra tiny.

HP- I'm now listening to the music on my Ipod through a Philips sound system that they had laying around! LP- I'm using this one because when I finally found an outlet, and a converter for my docking station, the 220 volts system fried my 120 volt system.

HP- There are now official french documents that pronounce me a delegate, and I have a legal assistant! LP- Among my new responsibilities are serving as mediator between students and teachers, and in certain courses, my role will probably be comparable to Canada's Peacekeeping roles overseas at the moment: If everyone doesn't cool their guns, there could end up being casualties!

HP- I understand what we're doing in all my courses!! LP- Teachers here caught on to how to get the slackers in class to get their rears into gear: You see, it doesn't matter how well I work, and follow in courses, because the teachers plug homework at the end of every course. If you don't get done in class what's assigned, you're going to be compressed into a paper weight, by the weight of the paper, and that wouldn't be too impractical since you'll need one anyway.

HP- My schedule at the Conservatory is finally starting to fill up! LP- the afternoon where I have a block without many courses is the busiest day of the week, so it's a minor miracle to be able to get a practice room.

HP- Practicing is starting to come naturally to me, and my efficiency is getting better, and now I have a stand to practice on! LP- Aurélien brought it up for me when he almost took a fit laughing when he walked in on me using my laptop as a music stand.

HP- The countryside is stunning, and the sunrise every morning is gorgeous! LP- I get to watch it from the beginning to the end, since I'm up at 630, earlier on days I was too tired the night before to take my shower then, and as we make our way along the winding hills, and bumpy roads of the low alps at 70 miles per hour, Aurélien and I often still have to speed walk to get to school before the day starts at 8.

HP- My days are absolutely packed, every minute jammed with music! LP- Some nights, when I go to turn out the light, I don't know how I got there again already, even though it's usually 11 by then.

HP- If I want to progress more quickly in harmony, I've been invited to join more advanced classes if I like! LP- I've never done harmony in my life before, and I'm only following because I crack open my notes every time I'm sitting down.

HP- I'm doing excellently in my french class, I'm getting marks only a point or two below the top of my class!! LP- I'm not used to a really good mark being a 14 out of 20.

HP- There is no doubt, with the things I'm doing, and where I am that I am my mothers daughter! <3 LP- This is why no one was surprised when I lost my wallet last night.

HP- Nothing has changed at home as far as friends at home goes! LP- Nothing has changed at home as far as friends at home goes...

HP- My plans for the future are starting to really take shape, and the paths are starting to become distinct,  I really don't mind that they're all insanely rugged anymore! LP- I have no idea which ones I'll be able to follow after the trail of this year comes to an end. And even so, I don't know which one to choose.

HP- Thursday that's coming marks my first day of assistant teaching! I'm giving a lesson on blues and what it meant to African American peoples! LP- This means that I have to have a Charlie Parker piece presentable to a class full of university prep kids.

HP- My classmates at school are really, really nice, and I'm starting to establish my best friends! LP- One of them is probably going back to Monaco...

HP- I still get a kick out of bisous! LP- Hug withdrawal is starting to get on my nerves.

HP- Aurélien is one of my very favourite people here, even though he fills the teasing quota of my brothers, Mads and Jubie combined! LP- I'm starting to miss my brothers, Mads' and Jubie's signature teasing.

HP- Pépère and I really are so alike it's a little bit unfathomable the chance that was mom calling him, of all the hundreds of numbers on the internet! LP- Mostly every one else is our polar opposites, and it's unsettling sometimes how cold people are.

HP- The week after I've been here for a month has gone by without my having a chance to blink, time is really starting to fly! LP- It's not always easy to keep up. I'm pretty tired.

HP- Plans for Christmas are starting to come together, and it looks like I'm going to be in Paris around christmas time, and hopefully get to see some real snow in Germany too! :) LP- It's going to be my first christmas away from home, and I don't know if I'm going to get to see the Nutcracker yet :(

HP- My girls want me to stay :) I feel loved! My daddy wants me to come home :) I know I'm loved. LP- My decision making skills are shot lol

HP- I could go on like this telling you all about the incredible things I'm living, that I'm learning, that I'm teaching, for days on end. LP- As always in life, they have this side that corresponds.

There! For everyone who asked for the sour with the sweet, my life's High Points and Low Points.
xoxooxoxxoxooxxooxooxxo
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