"Say something in French!"... "Quelque chose en français"

I have completed my first week here in Aix-en-Provence and I've got to say, it's much better than I anticipated.
The first day here was absolutely exhausting.  As soon as I got off the plane I was harassed by the girls who picked me up to speak french.  Then when I tried to, they criticized me, in french, right next to me! They didn't realize how long I'd been studying the language because I understood every word they said.  I heard them loud and clear; so I quit talking.  When I arrived at my dorm I had a small mental breakdown because my suitcases were so large and my room is so small and I was SO hot and sweaty that I couldn't think straight and so I just took a cold shower, stepped over my suitcases, dug through my luggage for clothes, and laid down and just cried.  Obviously I was only overwhelmed but I just kept thinking, "I hate this place, I hate this cramped, sweaty, dirty place.  (dirty referring to the dirt road that leads up to my dorm)  Eventually I calmed down and unpacked and felt 80% better, but then just lonely and sad so I took about an hour and a half nap when I had a knock on my door.  It was a friend of mine that I met at the Embassy, inviting me to go get a drink!  It was in that moment that I realized that nothing is ever as bad as it seems and you can't ever be as truly alone as you feel. (Side note: I ordered my very first legal alcoholic beverage that night- a mojito.  I felt très cool.)
 As the days went by this week, I got more and more used to the heat, used to walking up and down hills, and used to having absolutely no food in my dorm because the grocery store is a twenty minute walk away and everything costs un bras et une jambe.  I literally eat bread and cheese continuously throughout the day.
However, I will speak of the delicious foods that I have gotten to eat thus far. For starters, there's a cheap food stand down the road (sort of) from my dorm that I've bought excellent sandwiches from.  One being Mozzarella cheese with egg and tomato, and another being goat cheese with balsamic and tomato and spinach.  Both of these being on a whole baguette.  See what I mean about the bread and cheese thing?  But who can complain?  Another great thing I've eaten was a pork paté made in Corsica.  I swear to you it was like something I couldn't explain.  So amazing, now I'm craving...no rhyme intended.  Another thing- myself and two friends went to a nice restaurant Friday night and got croque-madames and croque-parisiens.  The croque-parisien had ham, tomato, mozzarella cheese, and pesto.  My mouth is watering thinking about it! Oh my goodness.  One thing I'm slightly disappointed in is the pizza here.  I haven't found a pizza that I liked much here yet.
Another question I will approach is, "Do you drink a lot of alcohol there?" The answer really depends on your view of "a lot."  Yes, I have a drink a day; whether it's a glass of wine or beer or a yummy mixed drink, hell yes I do.  There are a few very cheap bars around here that I take advantage of.  You can get a glass of rosé for a Euro and a bottle of 1664 for 2.  It's a great place, Aix-en-Provence.
As far as traveling, I have only left Aix once thus far.  I visited a small town named Ciotat and relaxed on the beach at the Mediterranean coast.  It's seriously SO beautiful.  I feel so lucky to be surrounded by such beauty.  Even the topless sun bathers are beautiful.  You know, you'd expect it to be kind of gross or distracting, but it's beautiful!
This country is rather...different, and there are a few things I don't like too well, but all in all I can't get over the beauty.