Stike? Durango?! Ski Stuff!!!

So the students at Chambery may being going on strike, yes that's right students all across France on going on strike and Chambery might follow suite. The reason behind this is that traditionally, the university system in France is funded completely through the government yet this could change. The is a new plan to make enterprises start funding the Universities. The problem is that if Universities need to start negotiating contracts with enterprises for money it will break apart some of the equality that France so strongly strives for. The big time Campuses in big cities would get more funding, more marketing of junk to students and ultimately realize that they don't want to depend on these companies for money. Smaller campus like at Chambery would struggle more for money because a smaller campus has a smaller opportunity for cooperations to give money to the campus and market their stuff. All around a lose lose situation.

So, on Thursday I meant to go to the meeting for the greve (strike) but I got a little distracted. First I got trapped in the epic lunch line of doom which I wasn't expecting to be so big because I'm used to it getting like that 10 mins latter. Anyway I ate lunch with some acquaintances and they drank some free wine they were serving in the cafeteria. I was asked me where exactly was from. I told them I was from Durango. The response: oh so you know the other girl from Durango. What?! So out of all the billions of people in the world who is studying abroad from The Fort (Durango's college) is in Chambery as well.

Yea there is girl from Durango that lives in Chambery. About a half an hour later she happened to arrive at the table. So we got to know each other some and it turns out that she worked kitty corner to where I work. If I say this again later I won't be surprised: It's a small world after all.

By the time I showed up to the greve meeting it was over but mon ami americain told me that he spoke out at the meeting and offered support from the american contingent. There would probably be more news to come later about how this goes. I might not even have class, but the international section of schools typically keeps going when strikes happen.

Afterwards I got some laundry done and now my clothes have an air cave. Whether it be cave caves or wine cellers, the wine cellar/basement is called a cave in french and its name suits it well from my experience: musty, dark, where are the bats hiding?

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I made a vision/affirmation board out of my desktop and it is pretty spiffy. Basically the theory is if you have goals create a poster to represent all of those goals so you have something to visually strive for when goal setting. It is still in the works but I've got one started. I'm stying playing with some ideas in my head for my future plans but have day is a step towards the right direction.

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Today I went to the Bourse aux Ski to find some skiing stuff. I got boots, poles and skis with bindings for 53 euros. It is 8 euros over the maximum I had in mind but the cheaper stuff at the ski swap was already falling apart. Still though not too bad for equipping myself for the ski season. I like to think of it as a birthday present for my self and now I really want to go skiing. The ski places are starting to open up now, and this years seems to be like it will be a good snow year. It certainly is cold enough to be one. It is rumored that this region has the best skiing in the world. I'll be finding that out over the next few months.