Just a few of my favorite pictures from France...

The things we don't talk about...

Time for a new post! Fall has always been my favorite time of the year. I love the smell of fall and of course the perfect weather to wear a hoodie. Although France seemed to have a late starting fall it seems to have come finally!! I went shopping yesterday and bought my first hoodie here. J  Last week was my 21^st birthday which was a lot of fun even though I have been able to legally drink since I got to France in September.  My friends here made an amazing dinner and really made it a very special day. J

France has been pretty great so far. Classes have started up and I’ve been adjusting nicely to the homework and each teacher’s different teaching techniques.  My friends and I rented two cars and we took a road trip to the south of France.  It was my first road trip and it was so much fun. Car is really the best way to see/experience a country. When we got down there we went canoeing along the Dordogne River. It was so much fun!! As for my French…My comprehension has gotten so much better since getting here…My speaking skills still need work though, but all things come in time…I just have to keep practicing.

Changing topics a little bit, I read this article and I wanted to address it.

The other night I was reading the headlines on yahoo news and I read a headline about a kid that killed himself after being bullied for being “different” or gay...It was so heartbreaking to read the article and the watch his “It Gets Better Video”.  The writer of the article wrote how this boy’s family was all very supportive of him and accepting so it was such a big shock. I don’t know for me, it was interesting to read that. I think one of the hardest parts about being gay is just accepting yourself. I mean yes everyone wants to be loved and accepted by others but it really starts from within. It’s not an easy process and it takes time.  I think we have to tackle both issues (simultaneously) of bullying and the complex issues of “growing up gay and accepting it within” in today’s world. I think by simply focusing on the bullying itself we’re only eliminating half the problem.  It just seems like the youth are the ones that are suffering, because of their silence. It’s not easy speaking up…I think it takes time to find your voice.  I’ve always been a little critical of events like The Day of Silence and after things like this I feel like more than ever we need to encourage talking. Now I’m not saying that TDS is encouraging people to not talk I’m just saying that I don’t know if it is helping any, it seems like more of a political fighting tactic…I don’t know I’m far from an expert on it. Maybe we just need some fresh ideas in the LGBT community? 

Here is a link to the article:

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.andersoncooper.com%2F2011%2F10%2F02%2Fjamey-rodemeyer-family-speaks-out-about-bullying%2F&h=TAQCS41eRAQDBxRZmtPUjLwdTqwA9S3KtesMHnKifF2zd-w

So a friend of mine found this picture below and I wanted to share it as it deals with what I wrote about:

I took the photos out of the album that Lisa and Amber gave me at my going away party to hang up around my room, I realized I needed some decoration and I was starting get a little home sick…So what better way to fix that then surround myself with friends and tons of memories pictures offer J I must go start some homework and studying now. Until next time hit me up on skype!! J