Day Nine

Day 9: A favorite picture of your best friend




This is Alli.

She's my very best friend in the whole world. I have a lot of best friends, which might make me a friend whore because some people might think you can only have one best friend. I think I just have a lot of love for a lot of people. But anyway, if I had to choose one best friend, it would be Alli.

We went to the same middle school, but we weren't really friends until high school. I did, however, get tipsy at her Bat Mitzvah for the first time in my life. But our friendship truly began in high school. I had just rekindled a friendship with a girl who was also friends with Alli, so the three of us became inseparable. The three girls meshed with a group of guys who included Alli's then- and now-boyfriend Rob, his twin, my now-boyfriend John. So as you can see, Alli and I have always had similar tastes.

Our group shifted and we gained and lost members as time went on, especially when we went to college. Even though Alli and I went to colleges hours away from each other, we always made it a point to visit one another for birthdays and other fun excuses. She's lived in Chicago for a year and will be there for another year before moving closer to home. We don't talk every day, or even every week, and sometimes not for a month or more, but I never doubt that she thinks about me as often as I think about her.

This has been a tough year to be away from her for a multitude of reasons, and I can't wait to see her in a couple weeks. She's an honest, genuine person who has unconditional love and compassion for people in general.

I'm able to connect with her and discuss topics that I can't quite do with other people. We give each other excellent advice, and are truly honest with how we feel about certain situations. No games. No bullshit. It's refreshing to have such a genuine, pure, and unconditional friendship. Despite the distance, I'm lucky to have such a wonderful woman as my best friend.





NGO

Day Eight

Day 8: A place you've traveled to

This is La Rochelle, France.

If you have kept up with me since the beginning, you've seen the multitude of posts about my summer in France 2 years ago.

If not, I'll break it down for you.

This is by far the best experience I've ever had. I lived in a small beach town on the western coast of France and it changed my life. Living in a different country while speaking a different language with people who I've never met helped me to be more comfortable in my own skin. Adaptability is important in life, and I'm glad I had such a positive experience.

But here's some more information about why La Rochelle is awesome:
-It's famous for it's ports. There are three. The one pictured above is creatively named the "Old Port."
-There are 3 towers. The ones pictured above guarding the port are the Tour de St. Nicolas (Tower of Saint Nicolas) and the tour de la chaine (chain tower). The chain tower has a long chain that comes from it and attaches to the St. Nicolas tower to control ships coming in and out. A third tower (the steeple to the right) is the Tour de la lanterne (lantern tower), which is the only medieval lighthouse still standing.
-Most of the bars and restaurants are on the edge of the old port, about where the photographer is standing. I wonder where he/she grabbed lunch...
-There's a cool music festival every summer called the Francofolies. It attracts people from all over France and is similar to Bonnaroo. I didn't attend because it celebrates French artists only, which I wouldn't really appreciate. It also attracts some cool vendors, though, so I bought some cool souvenirs for friends there.
-There's a delicious ice cream parlor (glacerie) on the old port called "Ernest's." MAKE SURE YOU GO IF YOU ARE EVER THERE. I cannot stress this enough. This ice cream will fulfill your life.
-There's a bar called "Piano Bar." It's not what you think it is. In fact, it's the sweatiest and busiest discotheque you can imagine. If you meet a French guy who looks like a short version of Josh Duhamel and his name is Guillaume, befriend him. He can get you in for free.
-There's a bar called the Phare Cafe. You will meet lifelong friends here.

-A demi-caramel is when they put caramel flavoring in beer. As someone who really despises beer, this was truly wonderful. You can also try other flavors. I recommend strawberry and lemon also. Also, vodka caramel will get you in trouble. But I recommend taking shots of it with friends while saying "Santé!" This is basically like the french "Cheers!" but it literally translates to "health."

So if you ever end up in La Rochelle, hopefully this will give you a good start to an unforgettable trip. I can't wait to go back.