#pally rambles

Good parts of my several months in France so far:

My French is getting better, cool, fun, I’ve gotten compliments on my accent even if I struggle with the « u », and the « r » kicks my ass every time. My grammar is still very simple and my vocabulary overly limited, but it’s something.

The food is amazing. And the more structured eating schedule and the portion sizes make me feel healthier.

My European friends are awesome and I love them all, and would die for them.

Lowkey feel like I fit in a bit better with the Europeans than with with my fellow Americans...

In fact I have been told I act more French than expected of « the American », although I still have my habits of course.

Have received many compliments from my students and colleagues about my teaching and just my personality in general, very uplifting.

I have been forced to become a true adult, banking and renting and cooking. And banking in French as an anglophone is an adventure, don’t recommend. But either way, growth.

CHEAP. HEALTHCARE. THATS ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID.

Wine. Just. Wine. Everywhere and all of it. Amazing.

Bad parts of France so far:

I’ve realized how much I dislike my own home country, the great US of A and I dread going home. Like I miss parts of it, buuuuttttt....

I miss my friends and family. Like a lot. But the internet and more messaging services than can be counted really help.

I miss 3am drunk trips to Taco Bell, I am not going to lie. Actually I just miss the super wild nights in general, which are possible here, somewhere, but it doesn’t feel as common or socially acceptable....

My English is getting corrupted by different accents, wordings, and I’m losing some of my vocabulary. For my own native language. Which is weird. I speak to only one other native English speaker regularly, and she’s Irish. So my American accent is getting a bit weird...

The paperwork and administration in this country is of the devil, and is the one part of the culture I really can’t look past yet, it’s just evil and annoying.

I’m an hour away from Paris by train and literally never go because I get paid a very small amount for this teaching position and I never want to spend money. Basically I’m poor as hell all the time, which is not too different from back home, but it feels so wasteful not to travel more while here.

I will do my best to answer these (very late because Europe giving me some bad WiFi)

My boy Raelin Liadel, my absolute Boi, favorite, first, and most developed D&D character of mine. And a cliche high elven paladin, for anyone not in the know.

5. “Does your OC get lost easily? What do they do when they get lost?”

Raelin is typically pretty good with directions and landmarks, actually. He does not get physically lost very often, because he has a good sense of direction, good sense for landmarks, and even if he doesn’t know the way, he generally can find where he needs to go through guesswork. He’s also willing to follow maps and signs. Now spiritually, he’s lost like always. He is a confused boy trying his best in life. When he’s lost in life he usually prays to a higher power, because paladin and he grew up religious/spiritual. Doesn’t always help, but hey, it’s his strategy.

6. “What would STOP your OC doing The Right Thing in a tense situation?”

Raelin will be stopped from doing the right thing by his personal emotions, there’s really not a way to get around that. Raelin often gets too emotionally invested and that impacts his ability to do right and wrong purely based on Right and Wrong. Which is probably good for his Chaotic Good (Trying His Best) alignment, because he would Not make a good Lawful Good or Lawful anything character. He weighs so much of what is Right on his own emotional sense of it, which can lead to him being petty or making stupid decisions. Elf he may be, but Wisdom is not his strong suit. 

7. “Realistically, could your OC (in their normal circumstances- i.e. at their own house/battlecamp/spaceship/etc.) keep a small child alive for a week if they had to? A dog? A houseplant? A rock with a smiley face painted on?”

Keeping a child alive if Raelin had a week of time to do so? Pretty easily, I think. He has a more nurturing personality. He’s the Mom Friend. But I’m not sure he would have the confidence in himself. Raelin likes kids, he would like to have them some day, he’s just paranoid that he wouldn’t make a good parent. So with a kid he’s watching for a week he’d be great at keeping them alive, but he’d spend the entire time worried he’s fucking it up somehow. As for a dog? Yeah, he could do it. He’d be a bit more neutral with a dog. Plus he’s more of a cat person, so he’d have to adjust a little bit to the idea. He doesn’t Dislike dogs, he’s just not used to them. Raelin has a green thumb. Houseplants would be no problem. In most AUs he would be a florist or a gardener of some kind. Hell, he’s a farmer in Stardew Valley because  that just fits him. With the rock i’m pretty sure he would just forget about it, find it a month later, maybe, and just call it a day.

8. “If your OC had to take the S.A.T. tomorrow with one night to prep, how would they do? Both emotionally and academically.”

Emotionally Raelin, perfectionist that he sometimes is, would be an absolute wreck of a person. He would probably cry a few times, and have more coffee in a single 24 hour period than he has in a month (he’s a tea boi so I guess that’s not saying much…). Academically he’d do absolutely fine. He likes to read A Lot and on many different subjects, so he’s well rounded in knowledge. He’d be the most uneasy with math but would still do a little better than the average. He’s an academic boy, but he does not like having no time to prepare is all.

9. “What would cause your OC to choose to do something petty/pointlessly cruel?”

Oooh, gosh, thank you :D Corec is an adventure to answer questions for, I’ll do my best.

(21) Do they have a temper? What are they like when/if they do lose it?

-Corec has that whole ultra calm thing going for him at most times, but the moment you piss him off, it’s like a switch. His cold rage is very intense, and quite honestly murderous. He’s not one to forgive easily. So yes, he has a temper, and woe to anyone who brings it out.

(22) What are their favorite insults to use? What do they insult people for? Or do they insult behind someone’s back?

-Corec aims for people’s insecurities or lack of social grace typically. He was raised in a noble family and it shows: all his insults are usually veiled or in backhanded compliments. You only clearly know when he’s insulting you if he wants you to know. He doesn’t necessarily insult someone behind their back so much as he uses the rumor mills and gossip like any other weapon in his arsenal. That is to say: cruelly and with much mastery. His charisma is his strongest weapon.

(46) Do they make a good first impression? Does their first impression reflect them accurately? How do they introduce themselves?

-“A first impression is the most important social tool one can employ,” in Corec’s mind. He always puts his best foot forward, laying on the charm or the intimidation needed, depending on the context of the situation. In a a way, his first impressions reflect him accurately in that he puts great value on charm and strength. Otherwise, he has a tendency for lying and never showing his true face except to those he most cares about, so his first impression is also just one of many masks he chooses to wear. -“Corec or House Duskwhisper, at your service. A pleasure to make tour acquaintance,” is the go-to, but not the sole introduction he uses. He relies a lot on his noble name to make an impression, but that works best in Silvermoon. So among non-elves, he uses military titles. High ranking Blood Knight and a Champion if the Horde? That’ll do for a strong introduction in most cases.

(47) How do they act in a formal occasion? What do they think of black tie wear? Do they enjoy fancy parties and love to chit chat or loathe the whole event?