visa success

Finally got my French visa! The picture is absolutely horrible, the woman asked me to look forward but the camera was to my right so I was utterly confused. I look clinically depressed, but whatever, they'll still let me back into the country after I travel around Europe now.

The trip to New York was awesome, but before - I went home on Friday to help mom out with the picnic stuff and pick up Anand from BDL. Then I drove back Saturday and worked at STT for 8 hours before driving myself back home around 1a. Sunday Kev, Serafina, Jess, Matt, and Shelby came over for the picnic. Got to see Tarun, which was nice after not seeing him ever and now I'm not going to see anyone for a year! Gave me some food for thought about where/how/with whom to celebrate my 21st.

Ended up taking a 6:30a train from New Haven to get to the consulate by 8:50. Waited for 3 hours to get a stamp on my passport in a waiting room that was trying to emulate Antarctic temperatures (the visa officials were pretty cold, too). Spent the day studying and shopping. Went to the NY Public Library near Bryant Park, then shopped for shoes on 5th. Met up with Kev, CJ, and Serafina at The TriBeCa Grille for NYC Restaurant Week! Prix fixe menu was pretty delicious and I "only" ended up spending $56...really need to start saving for Paris.

Just got an email from Isabelle! She sounds like an incredibly charismatic and enthusiastic woman - direct quote "les enfants se réjouissent déjà de ta venue et les chats t'attendent avec impatience!" Kids and cats - my two favorites.

Also need to figure out how to get a bike - I'm thinking it'd be cheaper to buy a crappy bicycle than use Velib. I'll find out when I get there...which is in less than a month!