france is AWESOME

i just had my first experience with night clubs in france, and i am really excited... and rather proud of myself!
a whole bunch of us decided to tag along with julia's friend lindsay to a little "get together" at her friend caroline's... that part of the evening was decidedly awkward, since i don't think that they were expecting to have eight americans show up at their doorstep... i'm just socially awkward in general, but (a) being in such a big group and going to the small apt. was pretty invasive and probably cramped their style and (b) most of our group spoke mainly english... i tried to talk to camin and richard, who i'd met before, in the kitchen, but it still just felt very contrived...... the caroline said that they wanted to go dancing. i was really tempted to go but was nervous about the idea at first - plus i really didn't want to go with our big group of americans.... we kinda stand out. but then about half our group decided to go home, and caroline and her sister invited us again to go with them and seemed like they were genuinely happy with having a couple of americans tag along, so i stopped being a wuss and went, too.
we had to wait a little at the club (le sirius) before going in, just long enough for caroline's other french friends to arrive and be very cool, and then (deep breath) went in..... (btw, it's on a boat.)
there was a long smoky chemin between the long bar and people sitting at very crowded little tables. at the end, there was a pretty small little dancefloor that was still relatively empty when we first arrived.
i love drunk young french people. or maybe they weren't even drunk, but just really know how to have fun. in any case, there was TONS of american/ english music (including the Rolling Stones, Queen, Jackson 5, "a little less conversation..."....) also lots of jumping around and people moving around wildly with a cigarette dangerously poised in hand. these people are nuts, and i love them. emily came too and we had a really good time - i got pretty tired though and it was realllly hot in there. next time we go i can plan my outfit ahead of time so that i'm not wearing tights under my jeans and a wool sweater.... all in all though, it was great.
also, came up with a great plan for meeting french ppl. we'll just hang out outside nightclubs and talk to friendly loquacious drunk ppl. perfect....
PS, did my expose on pirates in my oral class today.... went pretty well! i think i was pretty conherent, and ppl seemed to think it was funny. hope herve' didn't think i was making light of his class... i'm just not serious enough for a serious subject. he seemed amused though. he probably thinks i'm frivolous, but i don't care! i got to give a speech on pirates. in french. SWEET. (and, i got my whole class to practice their YARGH....)