Arles and Carmargue

Timetabling is very annoying but I think through all the chaos, I have some direction now. Hoping to still take Russian although I know people say that is a tad ambitious.

Friday the uni organised a bus trip to Arles and a few small towns in the Carmargue (Les Baux, St-Maries-de-la-Mer) and generally, despite it being a grey morning everyone seemed to be in good spirits. I did get a freak out meeting this over-enthusiastic American student who I suspect may be in one of my classes... she had already received the reading list and was promptly reading all the books before class started. I feel like the next two weeks I need to chop and change my classes - can't commit to anything yet, especially if I can avoid it, reading Proust in French.


Arles inspired Van Gogh, it is also where he cut his ear off. The story goes he handed it to a prostitute. Poor woman. A new story emerged that it was cut off by none other than fellow artist Paul Gauguin during a drunken fight; this cover fabricated to save his (Gauguin's) reputation as an artist. Regardless, I can see why Van Gogh would be inspired. It's right next to the Rhone river and there are several Roman ruins side by side with Gallic architecture. It's pretty stunning and was perhaps more so in his day.

Night outs this week. I have tried Vodka jet, which tastes like mouthwash. I went to the ladies night as I did before, met someone from Perth, it tripped me out. Last night there was a lot of rose wine, a lot of Usher pumping in the underground club and generally the same hot mess of sweaty bodies. I actually needed to squeeze past this guy and he was drenched in it. Persistence continues however there was a lowlight this week, someone ACTUALLY fulfilled the stereotype and ponged of garlic. Despite the free beer, I am getting a little disenchanted and know next time to offer a mint to the offending party.