Thinking of Jeff

 One of the assignments we have in order to pass our class over here is to participate in three cultural activities.  I'm not really sure what they think we're doing all day, but we are required to isolate three of our activities as cultural and write about them.  So here is Cultural Activity # 1:

A Rugby Game 

It was held in the French Stadium, which we're told is THE stadium.  It's huge and

it was at least 2/3 full--for a rugby game!  I kept thinking of Jeff and how this was the dream.  One of the girls that went with us to the game played ruby in high school and she kept trying to tell me that rugby was a safe sport, and I kept telling her about Jeff and Brent and broken faces and concussions and she kept assuring me that it still was safer then football. But sure enough, we saw a head crashing pile-up that left a couple of guys out for the count.  I really don't get this game, it makes lacrosse look pretty tame!

The two teams playing were the two French national teams.  There were billboards up on the streets and in the subway stations and, it was a big deal.  And then we got there and found out that the team colors were either baby blue, or pink!!  I'm not kidding!  It was hilarious and seemed incongruous in every way.  But this was a very serious game!  

I had an additional cultural experience, my first french hot dog. A grilled hotdog on a baguette with french catsup and mustard.  We saw someone in the stands come up with one and I decided we had to try it and it was delicious.  I'm not sure why Kelli snapped the second picture, but I though you would all enjoy it considering how much you like to make fun of me.  The caption for this should be, "Oh gosh, this mustard is hot!!"  But it was good, it just surprised us all.  I think I'll bring a bottle of it home. Believe it or not, I'm learning to like hot mustard and strong cheese!  Who'd of thought!

Here's a picture that shows the pink, just in case you're thinking I made it up!

Rugby friends: Ashley (rugby player), me, Kelli and Rachael

Same group minus me, but with Brittany, my other roommate.

Cultural Differences:

--Baby Blue and Pink as team colors for a very manly sport

--When you enter the stadium, they don't take your water bottle, but they take the lid

--If you have your own water bottle, a nalgene or the like, they make you check it at the door, they give you a ticket, and you pick it up after the game

--There was very little alcohol at the game, it looked like it had been dumped at the door, and we only saw 2-3 people with beer

--Hotdogs are way better

--Rugby is a legitimate sport it France.  None of these crowds of several hundred, there were tens of thousands of people at this game.  I really thought of Jeff the whole time.