*Cigarettes*

The gutters and sidewalks of France are absolutely filled with cigarette butts. When you walk out of school everyday you have to hold your breath to keep from breathing in the fumes from other smoking kids. During the two months I�ve been here I already have had one person I�ve met have a heart attack due to smoking. What�s worse is the smokers� lack of respect for those who don�t wish to light up. I�ve had many ruined meals just because someone next to me is smoking and the cloud of fumes fills the air around me and I can�t breath, much less eat. My host family doesn�t smoke, and yet when their friends that do smoke come over they don�t even ask if it�s a problem if they smoke. Its so disgusting. The amount of smoke blackened teeth I�ve seen since my arrival here make me want to puke. Somebody alert Nicarette, they could make a fortune in this country.

*P�t�*

Imagine cubes of goose liver congealed together with clear chunks of lard, sliced up like Spam, and slapped on a plate. Ugh. That�s enough to make even a meat eater queasy. This is supposed to be a specialty. Being a vegetarian, all I have to say is, �Pass the barf bag.�

*Colored Mascara*

I�m not sure if colored mascara exists in the US, but if it does, be warned, it looks positively freaky. Blue mascara seems to be a favorite among the professors at my school, and I can�t even begin to explain how weird it looks. How can I take anyone, much less a teach, seriously if their eyes look like they came from another planet. I don�t know why women insist upon wearing all the makeup they do anyway. Colored mascara is ridiculously over the top. Its like some resurrected fad from the eighties. Please people, lets all try to forget the eighties like we�ve been peacefully doing for a while now. Put the colored mascara away. Its time for the totally natural look to come in style.