La meuf à la bibliothèque!

Roughly translated as 'That library chick'. Yes, that is what I am often reffered to as by drunken HEC students at parties and events.  The HEC annual Gala being no exception to this, literally every other guy that past me would suddenly stop (and stumble slightly in the process), squint, and wave their finger at me while they tried as hard as they could to figure out where they know me from... I wait patiently for the realisation to kick in. And then it hits them like a snowball:  'LA BIBLIOTHEQUE!'. Still could be a worse nickname, at least they are not shouting out 'RUT' every time they see me!

The 2012 edition of the Gala HEC took place in Hotel Intercontinenta, a very swish hotel next to the Opéra in Paris. An evening divided into two parts, the first being for those rich enough to afford the'exquisite'three course meal ( which I am told consisted of a tomato, piece of lamb and chocolate mousse) and unlimited wine and the second part for those who want to pay to dress up and join the party just for laughs. The latter of which we attended! (A very last miute decision for me in fact, I only reserved my ticket at midnight the night before!) It would have been nice to have been able to participate in the round tabled, chandeeller-lit (how do you spell that?) dinner but we really don't have 90€ to do that! So instead us girls opted for the 'soirée' at less than half the price and spent a (very) long time getting ready here, taking the train into Paris wearing leggings and boots under our dresses, splashing out near the Opéra on a two course meal + martini for 20€, and then transforming into belles of the ball in the toilets and running into the hotel to avoid freezing our bare legs off in the cold! Such a fun start to the night. We arrived at 11pm and already the Gala was well under way. A night with lots of champage consumption ( not so much on my part, I must say!), suits, dresses, and of course, drunken HEC students! 

Sunday felt like a dream. It was one thing hitting the pillow about 5am, but another waking up to a winter wonderland a few hours later! The whole day was a write off, we all slobbed about not really knowing what to do with oursleves, not being able to go out, and just generally being tired and recovering from the gala! The snow hasn't put the world on hold like usual thankfully. Apparently last year at Christmas it was so bad that staff actually slept in their offices over night! So at least it's not that bad. We had one lot of snow fall and most of it is pretty much cleared now, apart from on the little countryside paths around campus. It has made campus quite pretty, especially when the sun shines and bounces off the white snow, it's dazzlling. 

Work has been pretty slow recently. I wish my days were more eventful! The only exciting thing which happened the other day was making a phone call to the USA, which bought me back to my A level interpreting oral exam where I had one person speaking French to me in one ear, and one person speaking English to me in another ear, and me being the interpreter between the two! But otherwise, I'm not gonna lie, I have managed to catch up on Glee and Desperate Housewives whilst manning the front desk! ( My colleagues randomly disappear for about 20 minutes at a time, and leave me. I have no idea where they go!). And I sometimes add a paragraph or two to my Year Abroad Research Project when I run out of people to facebook stalk..

I disciplined myself not to go to POW last night. Despite it being the  event of the week. Named ' La Luxure' and tied in with HEC Fashion Week, it was a big POW open to all students from whereever. I think the facebook even description explains it all really : Because debauchery is our motto, concupiscence is our way of life... and itemperance is our deep nature. For this party, you will find to rooms and to atmospheres, but only one goal : the LUXURE!

The program of these Bacchanalia: strip-teasers, chipendales, erotic show, massage room, open condoms, open bar, and goodies... And that is just the begining of a long list of even crazier surprises... all night long!

I'll say no more. Other than, would you ever find this in England?? Scandelous.

On a less controversial note, I have my first visitors from Souhampton coming this weekend which will be nice. I stress the word FIRST. Friends, are you coming?!

The Half Marathon is three weeks away and I am already fed up of running. I got to a peak in my training and I just wish the race had been like last week so that it was done and over with, because now my legs are aching and getting tired and the thought of this 13 mile run in 3 weeks is not exciting for me at the moment. I just want the event to come so I can stop running in this icy weather!!

Another slow day at work today I imagine. Post POW Friday's are always dead! But made day just got ten times better as my colleague has just walked in wearing.. Leather pants!! ( Any 'Friends' fans out there want to share a giggle with me?!)

Bisous mes amis :)