so if you don't know, it is extremely rare that a homestay lets you have guests over, and if they do, you're lucky. because my homestay is very laid back... no meals prepared, i basically rent a room from carmen, i assumed it would be okay.
i asked weeks in advance. tuesday before i left i bought carmen macaroons from laduree just to show my appreciation for her agreeing to let abby stay. and on saturday evening we arrived to my lovely home. carmen greeted us, met abby, and everything went supah well.
as we prepared to go out for the night, i took my comforter off the bed and used it as a mattress for myself on the floor, putting my pillow on top with a fitted sheet as a cover. it wasn't the ritz, but it worked. i gave abby my other blanket to use on the regular bed and the additional pillow. and we headed out.
we were meeting dana's friend from GW (nicole) and nicole's friend for dinner. and later michal would join us to go out. we were a little crew.
we found a bistro near school, convenient for everyone to see the eiffel tower at night. we met nicole at the metro stop, walked to the tower, took pics, and found the dinner spot.
nicole's friend was no where to be found. 30 mins later dana gets a call. she is on some street we have never heard of. standing between the tower and the river. we direct her. 20 minutes and michal shows up. still no sign of jess. interesting. FINALLY jess gets there. we are paying the bill. we have finished our wine. and she is panting. l'oops.
we talk for a bit before heading out. we discuss our trip to london, when we stayed at michal's. i mention how NO ONE told us about the different plugs. we laugh. jess looks worried.
"no one told me about the plugs... I AM GOING TO LONDON TOMORROW." wow. talk about bad luck. we pause. and burst into laughter. whatyagonnado.
we head to the metro. as we are walking the eiffel tower begins to sparkle. abby and nicole gasp. jess sighs "that is the fourth time i have seen that tonight" jess has been using a quarter of a map, and guessing where the streets go to navigate her way around. the tower sparkles once on the hour, i believe.
we hop on the metro and figure we will bring our friends to cafe oz, its safe and an easy crowd pleaser. while waiting in line we meet some british folk who we agree to help get in. i go with jess to get her a crepe so she has something in her stomach. and eventually we get in.
the british boys separate. one is fluent in french and studying at the sorbonne, the others are visiting. one will NOT leave abbs alone. like take a hint bro. he keeps calling her julie. we are not sure how that happened. he pays her admission. buys her drinks. like. cool it bucko.
we buy drinks, dance on tables, sing loudly, buy drinks. the usual.
as i go to buy me jess and abbs another round of drinks the bouncer pushes through the crowd. all of a sudden we cannot breathe. we are hacking and coughing. no words are exchanged but people are following him out. we do the same.
we get outside. its hectic. and french. i have no idea whats going on. all i can think is this is how people died in rhode island. we are getting pushed, and attempting to clear the doorway but nicole gets shoved. she hits the girl in front of her. FML.
the girl turns around. shouts, and shoves nicole hard and on PURPOSE. nicole loses it and shoves her back, screaming that she didn't push her. cue fight #1. first in shock, then reality kicks in. we pull nicole away and push her to the side, where we find a quieter place to stand. the british sorbonne boy joins us. he explains there was a gas leak. COOL.
michal lights a ciggy. thanks michal. gas leak. you light a cigarette. good thinking.
we stand around. unsure of what to do next. abby looks up, "aren't those the girls from before?" OY. yes they are. and they are coming our way. bleh.
they start running their trashy mouths in french. "we dont speak french" nicole states. "GOOD. we speak english..." oh great. yaddda yadda. trash trash. yadda. BAM.
fists are in the air. WTF. ughh. get nicole OUT OF HERE. we great a wall and push nicole towards the street we are just going to catch the bus home. abby's flat falls off as we walk. she backtracks to grab it. FIGHT NUMBER TWO.
all of a sudden abby cannot stand up. a feisty little trashy french girl has grabbed her hair and is pulling. um NO. i grab abby's hair too (not the best move, l'oops) and shout "THAT'S HERS" (not the best fighting words). i am grabbing abby's hair back, trying to push the girl away. jess see's what is happening and begins kicking the girl. GO AWAY. finally a man separates us all and we sprint to the bus.
once on board we are loud americans. l'oops. we recall the night. cannot believe what just happened. and head home. i am bbm'ing and whatsapp'ing up a storm. nothing is coherent. i am starting convos and not finishing them. i call my mom. i tell her everything. it is just too ridic. finally we get home.
we enter the house. we get quiet. we proceed upstairs. there. on my floor. carmen has made up a real bed. with a real mattress.
what more could i ask for?
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