Halloween

Like most Americans, I'm a huge fan of Halloween and will celebrate it whether I'm in America or not. So this year after a suggestion from a friend and some costume shopping by my dear mom, the package was mailed from the states. It took a little cutting here and altering there but the costume turned out quite nice. I was ready to be one of my favorite fellow Geminis, Marilyn Monroe.

Once the fake eyelashes had set and last makeup touches applied, my friends and I headed to The Thistle Pub in Paris where a friend of mine works. We had just missed the Halloween themed pub quiz but made it in time for the costume contest. They had everyone who dressed up walk behind the bar and strut their stuff and whoever got the loudest cheers won. I was a little embarrased to do it but when everyone cheered and I was named the winner, I have to admit I was pretty stoked!
So while I may have been hit on by more guys than I could count, including a very old man.. and gawked at by the french as we walked down the street.. It was worth it because it turned out to be a fabulous and memorable Halloween in Paris.

Paris avec mes amies

Sunday was a full day in Paris. We started off at the Port de Clignancourt flea market (the largest antiques market in the world) where I spent too much money. But it was all justifiable - shoes, a second hand dress and gloves... things every girl needs. Afterwards we went to St Michel and enjoyed some hot chocolate at a cafe and soaked up the heat from the space heater. After we had all finished our drinks and eaten our snacks, we braved the cold and headed to l'Arc de Triomphe. We climbed the 284 steps to get to the top and enjoyed the beautiful view of Paris and la tour eiffel.

Once we were sufficiently chilled to the bone we headed back down the steps and walked around the Champs Elysees then hopped on the metro and headed to the cinema. The Social Network was playing in English (french subtitles) and was only 4.20 euros. I enjoyed the film and found it interesting how facebook came about. What's so crazy is that a website that took two weeks for a harvard student to create has completely altered our generation. Everyone and their mom's are on it. (Literally, both my parents are!) It's become such a crucial way of staying connected with so many people. You can meet once and exchange names and the next day you'll be facebook friends. It's pretty ridiculous how much a social network rules people lives. I know many people who are addicted to it, myself included.
Anyway, after the film we walked back to the metro and headed home to L'Etang la Ville. It was the first time I'd actually taken the train home with someone and it was a lot more enjoyable having friends to talk to the whole time. Plus it felt a lot safer to not be travelling alone late at night.
Two weeks ago when I went for a jog in the Forêt de Marly, I determined that I watch entirely too much Dexter. As I was jogging through the forest I kept thinking that I was going to find a dead body or that someone was going to try to abduct me. Then this last Friday my paranoia became justified. Some people out picking mushrooms discovered a young woman's body in the same forest. The news report said her hands were tied behind her back and she had been stabbed and that the body hadn't been there for long. This is the second type of murder that's happened in the parisien area lately. While I'm not going to let fear rule my life now, I will defintely be more careful and avoid going anywhere alone at night. No point in taking risks that need not be taken.

Patience is a virtue which I lack.

For those who know me well, you know that patient is a word not used in my vocabulary unless it's preceded by "im". 
Learning a language is proving to be the ultimate test in my patience, or lack thereof... 
I read my textbooks, I watch tv and listen to the news reporter discussing issues in a language I'm yet to understand. At night as I lay in bed, I try to put sentences together and later have nightmares that I'm trying to talk in French and have no idea how to even introduce myself. Later, I wake up and feel relieved when I realize all I need to say is, "Je m'appelle Bree." 
People keep telling me that one day it will click and I keep holding my breath for that day to come. I realize I've only studied it for 4 months and I've only been back in France for a month and a half. Regardless, I long for the day when I can hold my end of a conversation in French! I feel as if my brain is just too literal and I keep trying to translate things word for word when that's literally impossible! 
For example, in French they say, "ça va?" which means "How's it going?" but if you translated it directly it'd be "that goes". It's just the little things like that, that make such a difference.
I really feel that when I'm able to argue in French, I will know the language. Thus, I've made it my goal to get into an argument before I leave France. A French friend of mine has agreed to this argument and has given me the deadline of my birthday = seven months. So it begins. I need to work on speaking it more and trying to improve my vocabulary daily. If anyone has any tips or suggestions to help me along the cobblestone path, I'd be more than happy to hear them!

Thursdays aka "Valerian day"

While the older kids are in school and Nathalie takes the day to run errands, Valerian and I hang out. Today the weather was cloudy but decent so I decided it was perfect weather for a stroll through L'Etang la Ville. Valerian has begun to speak both English and French but mostly he just talks gibberish. As I pushed the stroller along the narrow streets, he would point and say, "cwah" (car) after each vehicle passed by. When there were no cars, he'd sing his own little song or repeatedly say "Bwee" and giggle each time I said, "What?" It made for an entertaining morning and a good workout as I pushed the stroller up the steep streets. I think this will be our new Thursday tradition as long as the weather permits.

Just down my street

In the Center of town

The way to St Germain en-laye

Little Valerian

Home Sweet Home

Techno Parade in Paris

Last weekend was the Techno Parade in Paris. Which consisted of large trucks with people dancing on top and different dj's playing techno music so loud you couldn't hear much else. The streets were crowded with people drinking and dancing, as they followed along behind their favorite dj/truck. It was unlike anything I've ever seen and I have to admit I really loved it. There were old women in their apartments who cheered and danced in their window as the parade passed by. Parents with children attached to hello kitty balloons dancing on the sidelines. It was nothing too crazy, just a lot of people out having a good time. 

A quick getaway..

Today the weather was beautiful so I took a break from life and caught the train to Saint Germain en-laye for an afternoon getaway. I walked to the chateau and laid in the garden behind the castle and enjoyed some alone time.

I wrote the following in my journal:

Journal Entry: 17 septembre 2010
As I lay on the grass, I feel the sunshine warm my body and the breeze blows gently through the leaves. It's singing along with the church bell as it announces 12 o'clock. The soft murmur of people passing by is heard but not understood. I came here to escape, with the excuse of studying French. Yet, as I glance through my workbook I want nothing more but to use it as a pillow and enjoy the moment. The quiet, calm moment. There are no children screaming, no fights to break-up, just a serene feeling laying under the clouds above. It's been a rough week. My patience has been tested time and time again. I've been living for the weekend, knowing somehow I'd survive. Just eight more hours until my night is finally mine.

The Side-Effects of a Good Book

I truly love when you become so engaged in a book that suddenly you realize it's 1:00 a.m. and you have to remind yourself that the book will still be there when you wake up. That was me last night. In fact, I only had a chapter left but decided I didn't want to go and spoil it by reading it all. So I saved the last of it as a treat for when I woke up.

The book: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith.

It was given to me by my darling Jason, last winter when he was leaving Paris. Like most things, I never got around to reading it until now.
It's not an action or even a romance novel. Just a story about real life based on the author's childhood experience of growing up in the slums of Brooklyn in the early 1900's, given the fictional character of Francie Nolan. It's heart wrenching and heart warming all at the same time. Every time I put it down, I was left contemplating my own life and comparing myself to little Miss Francie Nolan. I appreciate her compassion, determination, selflessness and innocence. As any good book (or movie), you're left thinking about it for days after you've finished it and that's what is so lovely. You take a piece of it with you.
It's amazing to become so wrapped up in another's words that you forget about your own reality and become absorbed into theirs. It truly takes a talented writer to pull off such a trick and I'm always grateful when I discover such. I find myself being motivated by it and thinking, "I want to write such a book!" Then all the ideas swirl around my head and never seem to make it to paper. I guess that's the problem with being a dreamer, but hopefully someday I'll have my own stories and adventures to share in book form. Someday... Until then, this blog will have to do.

The differences of life

Since living in France, I've been grateful to take part in such a different lifestyle. I find myself constantly comparing things to America and enjoy knowing that there isn't just one way to do things. 

Recently the thing I've thought about most is the difference in the school systems. I'm not necessarily talking about the education system, even though I feel that theirs is better than ours. But moreso the transportation of getting to school. Since growing up and having a mother who's a school bus driver, I've never thought anything about it. It's quite common in America for kids to walk to their bus stops alone and get on the bus to go to school. So I was quite shocked on the first day of school when I walked Anna to school and saw ALL the parents walking their children to school. At first, I admit that I thought that everyone lives close enough to school that the kids could walk alone. But I'm learning that the French are very protective of their children and its rare to see a child without an adult nearby. Now I appreciate seeing all the parents walking their kids because I feel that they understand and value the importance of families. Their schedule seems to revolve around the children and not the other way around. They walk the kids to school and are back waiting at the end of the day to pick them up. I realize that not every family is this way, but in general it seems they are much more active in their childrens lives and I love it. It's definitely something that I hope to adopt and practice when I have a family of my own. Although, after taking care of these children I have my moments of wondering whether or not I really want to have children! :-)

Finally getting used to things..

It took nearly a week to get over the jetlag and the first few days were a bit rough but all is well now. My family is fantastic and I don't think I could've asked to be with a better family. The kids are a lot of fun and full of energy, which I wish they could share with me! My mornings start with walking one of the girls to school at 8:10 (all the kids go to different schools) then I'm free until 16h when I go pick her up from school. (Except for Wednesdays, when the French schools are closed and I have the girls all day.) In the evenings I help with English homework, baths and playing games. They all speak English very well, except for little Valerian who's about to turn 2. The only English he speaks is "car" and "train" but he's a cutie. Then the weekends are free, except for the occasional babysitting. So far things are going really well and I'm looking forward to starting classes next month so I can be improving on my French. I've forgotten so much and need to try watching tv or listening to the radio because my listening skills are awful.

I made it to Paris but it wasn`t easy...

My flight left Salt Lake City at 10:30 a.m. and I had my first layover in Chicago. Normally you don`t have to go through security again on layovers, but lucky me this was not the case. I had to go to a different terminal so I had the joy of putting my carry-on in bins, pulling out my laptop and liquids, taking off my boots and being shuffled through security for a second time that morning. Thankfully it wasn`t a very long layover and I was soon on my way to my next layover - Warsaw, Poland. I was dreading this one because it was a 6 hour wait but I just planned on sleeping and getting some things done online. Once we landed, there were shuttles waiting to pick up the passengers and take us to the airport. When we got inside it was a mess, everyone was standing in line and you can imagine how thrilled I was when I realized we had to go through security yet again. I noticed people coming back after getting to the front and I had no idea why and hoped it wouldn`t happen to me. Once I got through the metal detector and was collecting my things, the man checked my ticket and told me I was in the wrong Terminal and needed to go to B. Which meant that I had to go through security a 4th time that day. It was a good thing I wasn't in a hurry! After I got to my gate, I pulled out my laptop to get online to message my friend in Paris who was picking me up and confirm everything. To my surprise\disappointment this airport didn't offer wifi access. I turned on my phone but had no service so with nothing else to do, I claimed a bench and took a nap for a couple hours. Finally it was time to take my final flight to Paris, which was only a 3 hour flight. After I picked up my luggage, I began searching the crowd for William but he was nowhere to be found. I turned my phone on again but it still wouldn't work and the battery was about to die so I quickly copied down William's phone number before it died. I had 5euro in change so I found a payphone and tried calling but the phone kept eating my money and wouldn't work. Completely frustrated and feeling desperate I asked a young man for help and when the payphone didn't work for him either he told me to wait and disappeared. After about 10 minutes of wondering what the hell I was going to do, the guy returned and let me use his iphone to call William. I was so relieved when he answered, I quickly told him where I was and he said he'd be there in a hour. So I took my luggage outside and waited but after a couple hours I was nervous that he couldn't find me and asked another gentleman if I could make a call with his phone. He handed me his phone and offered to give me a ride but I didn't even know William's address so a ride wouldn't really help me. When I got ahold of William, he was looking for me in Terminal 2 and I was in Terminal 1. Forty-five minutes later and we finally found each other and I don't think I've ever felt so relieved. By this time it was after 10 p.m. and I was hungry and tired. The only thing open that late was McDonalds so my first meal in Paris was le petit wrap and a coke with no ice. I forgot that ice in soda is more of an American thing. Then we headed to William's apartment and I was so excited to sleep in a bed. I think my body is still adjusting from the jetlag and I've lost my appetite but am hoping I'll start feeling better soon.
Anyway, that was my 28 hour adventure of getting to Paris!

Another summer ending..

The fireweed has blossomed and begun to turn red, it's getting dark now but not for long, and the cool weather has swept in and reminded us that summer is ending. The Alaskan summer that is. I'm ten days away from flying back to Utah and only 24 days away from flying to France. I can hardly believe that August has come so quickly and I'm sure it'll pass just as fast. But I must say that I'm so grateful for the opportunity I had to drive to Alaska and spend another three and a half months in such a beautiful, magical place. I'm sure I'll come back and visit again someday, but I feel confident saying this was my last summer spent working in Alaska. It's been amazing and I'll cherish the memories.

Weekend of great weather

The weather this weekend was incredible. Friday morning I took my new bike for a ride just to see how it went and I was able to bike to work and back to the cabin, a total of 25 miles in about a hour and a half. There are two major hills on the road so the way into work is a blast and mostly downhill - it's the way home that's a bit rough. But I enjoyed the ride and am looking forward to many more rides.
It's a GT Avalanche 3.0 Mountain bike. I've ridden 37 miles in the first week and so far am absolutely loving her! I'm planning on biking the Denali Park Road in two weeks which will be 92 miles. I want to catch a bus out to Kantishna (the furthest point in the park) and then bike all the way out. I'm planning on doing it all in one day and just doing it through the night so there won't be any buses on the road. This week will be a good week of testing my endurance and get me in shape. I'm looking forward to it!
In other adventures, last night my friend Austin and I rode his motorcycle out to the old Denali Hwy. (I sat in the super sweet sidecar.)

The drive was amazing and the views were spectacular. I really enjoyed riding the bike and experiencing my surroundings in a whole new way. We went 25 miles on the gravel highway then pulled off and set up camp. Thankfully the weather was great and it was so beautiful. I was able to enjoy the colorful sunset and the light rain that woke me up this morning.

The worst part of it all was the mosquitos. For some unknown reason they seem to love my blood more than most and I was eaten up.

Highlights from the road...

PORTLAND




SEATTLE



CANADA





ALASKA

Penny pickin' up luck.

Yesterday morning I awoke to an amazing sunrise, with pink splashed across the sky. It put me in a good mood and made me appreciate the beauty that is Alaska. Today at 10:00 a.m. I took a quick break at work, pulled out my laptop. logged into skype and shortly after received a phone call from the French family who I interviewed with before I came to Alaska. They offered me the position to become a part of their family for 11 months. I gladly accepted. Thus the planning stages have begun. I will now need to leave Alaska in August in order to go to San Fransico to get my visa before heading back to my beloved Paris the end of August or begining of September, where I will live for the following 10-11 months. I can't believe it's really happening. I am blessed and life is amazing.

The Bell Jar

"I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked. One fig was a husband and a happy home and children, and another fig was a famous poet and another fig was a brilliant professor, and another fig was Ee Gee, the amazing editor, and another fig was Europe and Africa and South America, and another fig was Constantin and Socrates and Attila and a pack of other lovers with queer names and offbeat professions, and another fig was an Olympic lady crew champion, and beyond and above these figs were many more figs I couldn't quite make out. I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig tree, starving to death, just because I couldn't make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet."
— Sylvia Plath

Roadtrip of 2010

After many a sleepless night of pondering what to do about Alaska, I've decided it's time to drive there. Thankfully I have two amazing friends who support the idea and are willing to split costs with me. Thus the planning stages begin!
The tentative itinerary:
Day 1:
Home Sweet Home to Portland (13 hrs)
Day 2:
Portland
Day 3:
Portland to Seattle (3 hrs)
Day 4:
Seattle to Prince George, Canada (11 hrs)
Day 5:
Prince George to Fort St John (5 1/2 hrs)
Day 6:
Fort St John to Watson Lake (10 1/2 hrs)
Day 7:
Watson Lake to Whitehorse (5 hrs)
With a pitstop at the Liard River Hotsprings Provincial Park. (2nd largest hotspring in Canada)
Day 8:
Whitehorse to Tok, Alaska (8 hrs)
Day 9:
Tok to Girdwood (8 1/2 hrs)
Day 10 or 11:
Girdwood to Denali (6 1/2 hrs)

My start date is set for May 10th and my friends and I are hoping to find a cabin this year and live off campus. So I'd like to get to Denali by the 8th or 9th and get settled in. So we'll see but I'm getting excited!

A Julie and Julia Night

After living in Paris for four months and falling in love with basically everything about it, friends kept telling me that I needed to watch Julie and Julia. So tonight as I stood in the wind and rain and scanned through the options on the redbox machine, I added it to my cart and paid the dollar rental fee. When I got home, I put the dvd in, cuddled up on the couch with a blanket and turned off the lights. As it began with Julia Child in Paris, I couldn’t help but whimper at the site of the charming streets that I miss so much. I giggled to myself over the things Julia would say as she adapted to her new lifestyle and attempted to learn French. It brought back so many memories of myself trying to communicate with my elementary vocabulary to the Parisiens. Sometimes I just felt like I was making an ass out of myself but didn’t know how to do it any other way. Do we call those growing pains? I’m not quite sure.
One memory that comes to mind was a night that Jason and I walked to the nearest Grec Restaurant. While I was paying, Jason went to the restroom to wash his hands and the man at the register began speaking to me. I nervously attempted to converse, stammering as I talked. He was asking me what I was doing in Paris and where I came from. When I told him les etats-unis he began asking me more questions about home. He wanted to know if it was as diverse as Paris, at least that’s what I thought he was asking. So I enthusiastically was telling him yes and that we have all kinds of nationalities in the United States similar to Paris. He didn’t seem to believe me and as the conversation continued I was praying for Jason to get out of the bathroom and save me. When he finally appeared, he had a big grin on his face. He later admitted that after he had washed his hands, he heard the man and I talking so he took his time giving me the opportunity to practice my French. I asked him if I was answering the questions correctly and he said that I did fine. I hated those moments because I was so scared of making a fool of myself but looking back on it, that’s how I learned. Sounds cliché, I know. But the whole reason I’m writing this entry is completely cliché. After finishing the movie I was inspired by the story of Julia Child, Julie Powell, and the scenes of Paris to sit down and write!
Lately I’ve been contemplating what my goals and aspirations in life are. I realize that I need to finish school at some point but I’m not feeling very rushed at the moment. As May nears, I prepare for my third summer working in Alaska and I wonder what’s next? Do I come home early and go back to school at UVU? Or… do I follow my dream of finding a job in Paris and moving back? Obviously, the latter is winning. So if life goes as planned, which it never does…eight months from now I’m going to be back in Paris, sitting at a corner café enjoying an expensive cappuccino and writing about life. I just want to go back and write.
My biggest regret is not writing enough while I lived there. I justified it by a lifestyle on the go. Traveling every weekend I could, added to the twelve hours of French class a week, which didn’t even include the hours of studying. Plus all the while working on my online course of British Literature. The thing is, life never slows down. We’re always busy being consumed with school, work, family, etc. etc. I’m nearly 25 and I’m still trying to master the art of prioritizing my time. In my numerology report, it all too accurately described me by saying, “You are about freedom, independence and the right to follow where your heart and gut-instincts lead you in life. You are an inquisitive soul with many questions that can only be answered through travel, exploration and experiencing a variety of life situations”… “One of your challenges is learning how to not waste time.”
This is one challenge that I battle on a daily basis but if I can organize and prioritize what’s important to me, less time will be wasted, right? Now where’s my to-do list...

Oh. p.s.
I finally got my grades from Paris. I received a 'B' in my French class. Go me.

Trip to the east coast and back

I'm back from my visit to Baltimore. I was scheduled to leave Feb.9th but due to the insane snowstorms on the east coast all flights were canceled. I rescheduled for Thursday the 11th and thankfully the weather cooperated in time for my arrival at 11:00 pm. It was great to see Jason again. One of the first things he said was, "It's weird because now we're going to have to be quiet when we bad talk people since now they can understand us." C'est vrai. It was refreshing to be around him, I had almost forgotten how much fun we have together.
Since Jason doesn't have his drivers license I had the privilege to drive everywhere while there which was an interesting experience. Not only because it was in a city I've never been but also because the already narrow streets were even more narrow due to the snow build up on the sides. Jason was able to experience the "Bree doesn't like getting lost, especially whilst driving" temper. Not really fun for anyone. (Sorry Jase.) But we both survived and I was attempting to learn the confusing freeway system there before I left. I wasn't there for very long but was able to do a lot with my time while there.




We went to DC for an evening and Jason's uncle gave me a driving tour of the city and even took me into Arlington, Virginia to see the cemetery and view of the city from the hill. Very cool. Later in the week Jason and I took the train into DC and spent the day. We had a tour of the Capitol, visited the Library of Congress, Ford Theater, walked as close as we could to the White House and Washington Monument then walked around the Smithsonian Museum. I loved seeing DC in the daylight and have decided that I can see myself living there someday. Definitely a fun city with a lot going on.



Jason and I also took the megabus to NYC and spent a day. Unfortunately it snowed pretty much the entire time we were there but it was still such a cool experience. It was crazy to walk around Time Square and see all the tall buildings! We decided to take a tour of the NBC Studios and while we were viewing the SNL stage, Will Forte was practicing a skit. (Love him!) Afterwords we attended a new play on broadway featuring Christopher Walken "A Behanding in Spokane". It was only the second night after opening and I was totally star struck when the curtains opened and I saw Mr. Walken himself on the stage. The man is mad talented.

After the show Jason and I stood outside by the stage door and watched all the celebrities walk by. Christopher Walken, Sam Rockwell, Timothy Hutton, Carey Mulligan, and last but not least John Krasinski with his fiance Emily Blunt... None of them really struck me as the friendly type. I was disappointed but not surprised.. I mean, if being recognized by people in the streets everywhere you go is your biggest problem in life... boo-freakin-hoo. After the celebs climbed into their big black escalades and drove off, Jason and I walked to Charley O's and grabbed some dinner then caught the bus back to Baltimore.
The city of Baltimore itself was not what I had envisioned. I guess I was imagining a more public transportation friendly city with less scary neighborhoods. Then again, I'm from Utah... But it was definitely a fun trip and I look forward to going back. I don't think I could ever live in Baltimore but I think I'd enjoy DC or even NYC. In the end, it didn't matter where I went or what I did as long as I was with Jason. Because really we can have fun anywhere. Even if it's just eating lunch at Panera's. :-)
I was scheduled to fly home on the 20th but to my surprise when I showed up at the airport Delta told me that my ticket was invalid. After making several phone calls and trying to speak with a native English speaker, I had missed my flight. So I went back to Jason's and tried to sort out the mess. After an hour long phone call I was re-booked for the 22nd, which gave me two more days in Baltimore. Quite perfect really since I had lost two days due to the previous snowstorms. Karma was giving back.
It was a great adventure and I'm already looking forward to going back. (Hopefully next time will be less snow and more sun.)

Tick-tock. Time doesn't stop.

I can't believe that it's already January 21st!!! Where did all the time go? When I think about flying home next week, I experience all kinds of mixed emotions. First is sadness. I've truly grown to love Paris and have become so accustomed to the lifestyle here. I love the convenience of taking the metro or walking everywhere. I love all the boulangeries. It's perfect to walk down the street, buy a fresh baguette and munch on it as you wander around. Oh, how I'll miss these boulangeries... I love the French buildings and how EVERYTHING in Paris is tiny. I love walking around on a beautiful day and feeling impressed by everything I see. Sometimes I forget where I am. Then I see the incandescent glow of the sun as it sets across the city and have a moment of beautiful silence. Yes, the city can be dirty and sometimes smell really bad but it's still so beautiful and charming. I really think I could spend the rest of my life here.
Then I begin to think about going home and seeing my friends, family, grandparents, two beautiful nephews- who have grown so much since I've been gone! - and I get excited! Between my Alaska and Paris adventures, I only had a week at home. So it feels like it has been ages since I've spent time with everyone. Being away has made me appreciate the little comforts of life. I'm looking forward to understanding what people are saying wherever I go, eating Mexican food, drinking horchata and being back to the American dollar. :-)
This experience has been amazing and has changed my life forever. These last four months have been a journey. I've met some amazing people along the way and can't imagine my life without them. I've learned so much about myself and have truly grown from being forced out of my comfort zone. I've had it pointed out to me that I'm a very impatient person by someone besides my mom. (Thanks Jason! haha) But I also feel that I've learned to embrace and love myself in a whole new way. I don't feel ready for this experience to end but are we ever really ready to let a good thing go? I guess it's all about closing one chapter and opening another. With only nine days left in this chapter, I'm doing everything I can to make sure it has the best ending possible.

Late Christmas Gift to Jason

Dear Jason,

Knowing the computer savvy gemini that I am, I'm sure you'll appreciate the time and effort it took to make this video. (Especially on cites sloooooowww internet.) I'm sorry that I couldn't afford to send you anything but I figured something like this was more meaningful anyway. I hope that you enjoy it!
Love you and miss you always.

bisous,
Bree