Something else I have learned about the French... there aren't very many "off limits" subjects. Today the lunch conversation consisted of my religious beliefs and what I was looking for in a husband. My host family is very catholic and very interested in the protestant religion which is great.... except for that i'm not really sure of how to tell them the Gospel in French. I tried though!
This morning I went to church with my family which was an amazing experience. They go to a beautiful Catholic cathedral right on the Loire river. The whole service was in French- and I actually understood a good bit of it. I had never been to a Catholic Mass before and attending my first one in a beautiful cathedral in France is something that I will never forget. I definitely want to go back again!
Well, now its homework time! Au Revoir mes amis!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
C'est Vendredi!
Bonjour!
C'est Vendredi! Mon premier semaine de cours est termine! Ce matin.... ok ok I will speak English. I survived my first week of classes! I am taking Translation; French Grammar; Religion, Society and State in Modern France; International Marketing; and France and The United States in the Middle East from 1945 to today: Alliances and Discrepancies. Oh, and they are all taught in French! Except for my translation class which is at the Universite de Nantes with French students, my classes are at the IES center and the professors speak slowly because they know that they are teaching Americans. For the most part, I am able to understand them.
Well it is the weekend again and I'm not sure what I am going to do for the next few days... No one is really traveling yet because we want to get to know our way around Nantes! Tomorrow I am planning on going to buy books and maybe do a little shopping while the huge sales are still going on? :)
I know this has been a short blog and my life hasn't been too terribly interesting this week with all of my classes, so I will leave you with some more interesting things about the French:
*The parents and children up through high school still come home every day for 2 hours to have lunch together.
*Once everyone comes in for the evening, they are here to stay. No hectic schedules and meetings and sports practices, etc like in America. Unless of course, they are going over to a friends house for a "Soiree" which happens pretty often.
*Everytime you get on a bus or walk into a small shop in France, it is necessary to greet the bus driver or salesperson with "Bonjour Madame/Monsieur!"
*Speaking of greetings, you NEVER say just "Bonjour" to an adult. ALWAYS "Bonjour Mademoiselle/ Madame/Monsieur"- This is considered basic manners.
Au Revoir mes amies! A tout a l'heure!
C'est Vendredi! Mon premier semaine de cours est termine! Ce matin.... ok ok I will speak English. I survived my first week of classes! I am taking Translation; French Grammar; Religion, Society and State in Modern France; International Marketing; and France and The United States in the Middle East from 1945 to today: Alliances and Discrepancies. Oh, and they are all taught in French! Except for my translation class which is at the Universite de Nantes with French students, my classes are at the IES center and the professors speak slowly because they know that they are teaching Americans. For the most part, I am able to understand them.
Well it is the weekend again and I'm not sure what I am going to do for the next few days... No one is really traveling yet because we want to get to know our way around Nantes! Tomorrow I am planning on going to buy books and maybe do a little shopping while the huge sales are still going on? :)
I know this has been a short blog and my life hasn't been too terribly interesting this week with all of my classes, so I will leave you with some more interesting things about the French:
*The parents and children up through high school still come home every day for 2 hours to have lunch together.
*Once everyone comes in for the evening, they are here to stay. No hectic schedules and meetings and sports practices, etc like in America. Unless of course, they are going over to a friends house for a "Soiree" which happens pretty often.
*Everytime you get on a bus or walk into a small shop in France, it is necessary to greet the bus driver or salesperson with "Bonjour Madame/Monsieur!"
*Speaking of greetings, you NEVER say just "Bonjour" to an adult. ALWAYS "Bonjour Mademoiselle/ Madame/Monsieur"- This is considered basic manners.
Au Revoir mes amies! A tout a l'heure!
Monday, January 24, 2011
Some perfect advice...
I know that I have already posted a blog today, but this is just something I had to share because of it's perfect timing. Over the course of this evening I have been thinking about everything that has seemingly gone wrong on this trip. All of my flights were cancelled, I lost my luggage, I wasn't sure anyone was here upon arrival, I have had a ton of trouble communicating and then to top it off I am sick. I was second guessing myself all evening wondering if I made the right decision to come here. Although the city is beautiful I just haven't been sure that this semester abroad was meant to be. Well, my horoscope always comes up on my home page of igoogle and I never pay any attention to it. But I believe that this is something that God put in my pathway for me to read today when I needed it most. This is what my horoscope said today:
"Instead of questioning a recent decision, accept your previous judgment as being logically sound. It's already past the time to consider whether or not to proceed. You have moved beyond the point of no return, even if you're still experiencing some self-doubt. Instead of questioning your choices again and again, consciously shift your attention from the inner realms toward taking the next steps on your journey."
At first I couldn't believe that this advice from my horoscope was so perfect. This is exactly what I need to do: I can't go back now, so I need to stop second-guessing myself and start enjoying this once in a lifetime opportunity! I firmly believe that it is because of the prayers from all of you that God put this in my path today so that I would read it and I just had to share it with all of you. Love you all!
"Instead of questioning a recent decision, accept your previous judgment as being logically sound. It's already past the time to consider whether or not to proceed. You have moved beyond the point of no return, even if you're still experiencing some self-doubt. Instead of questioning your choices again and again, consciously shift your attention from the inner realms toward taking the next steps on your journey."
At first I couldn't believe that this advice from my horoscope was so perfect. This is exactly what I need to do: I can't go back now, so I need to stop second-guessing myself and start enjoying this once in a lifetime opportunity! I firmly believe that it is because of the prayers from all of you that God put this in my path today so that I would read it and I just had to share it with all of you. Love you all!
First weekend in Nantes and the beginning of classes!
I definitely enjoyed my first weekend in Nantes... until I was sick with a fever all day Sunday. The weekend started out well, about 9 of us from the program met up at commerce (the central tram/busway/meeting area) before dinner. We went and had pizza (which was absolutely delicious). Afterwards, we went out on the town for a little while, but public transportation ends early on Fridays so we didn't stay out for very long. On Saturday morning I woke up and was trying to figure out something to do for the day when my host sister, Hermine, asked me if I wanted to watch a movie and cook lunch with her so I did. I had a good time hanging out with her! We watched the movie in English but with French subtitles so we both understood it. Communication is still difficult between us but it is getting much better. For lunch, for just the two of us, we cooked potatoes and onions and steak hache. It was wonderful! After a late lunch I came upstairs and started getting ready for the night. We went to dinner again and after dinner we went to a creperie (I am officially obsessed with crepes). We then went out on the town again trying to get ourselves acquainted with the city of Nantes! Unfortunately I was sick all day Sunday and stayed in bed and didn't have a bite to eat. Turns out I had a high fever which I think that I picked up from one of my friends at IES who was sick all week last week.
I am feeling a little better today which was good because it was our first day of class. My first class was at 12:30 today which was Traduction (translation). The professor talks really fast so it is hard to understand him (if you didn't know already, all of my classes are in French). But I think that once I get used to it, I will really like the course. My second course was International Marketing which was 6:00-7:25 tonight. I have never been a big fan of night classes but I really wanted to take marketing so hopefully it won't be too bad. The professor in this course was much easier to understand and I think I am going to enjoy it.
Hopefully the rest of my classes go well this week! A bientot!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Bounjour!
The past 2 days have been very long. We continue to have a lot to do for orientation! Yesterday morning we visited the Universite de Nantes, where I will be taking some classes. After a tour of the University, we ate lunch in the cafeteria there for 3 Euros. The Universite de Nantes has 34,000 students, many many more than the 1,600 students at Wofford! After lunch, we had about 2 and 1/2 hours of free time until our French classes in the afternoon. Me and a few other students went to get European cell phones that IES requires us to have (mine still does not work which is incredibly frustrating), and ran some other errands. In the afternoon, we had our 3 intensive French classes. After class, we walked to a hotel where an organization for French and Americans (I can't remember exactly what it was called) hosted a "gallette de rois" for all of us. Gallette de Rois or "King's Cake"is a very popular tradition in January in France, especially among Catholics. A cake is baked and cut into slices and a small favor is hidden in one of the slices. Whoever eats the slice and finds the favor is king or queen for the night. Unfortunately I was not the queen but the celebration was a lot of fun!
Today, we began the morning with our French classes. For lunch, me and some other students went to a traditional creperie and I had a ham and cheese crepe which was absolutely delicious! As we were walking back to IES we stopped in a small pastry shop and I had a chocolate and pistachio Macaroon which was also wonderful. Back at IES we had a couple more short meetings and then we were free to go! This afternoon I walked around the city with 2 other girls looking at some of the shops. In France, shops do not always have sales. Every store has a big sale at the exact same time twice a year and one of those times happens to be now. :) We first went into a bag store where I bought a longchamp bag for only 59 Euros! We went into a few other stores but we didn't really buy anything else.
Now I am back at my host family's house just resting until dinner. The other day I began a list of some interesting things about the French. Here are some others that I have noticed:
*The French eat very very fast. Meals last for about 2 hours because of all of the conversation and multiple courses but actual eating itself is very quick for them.
*Sometimes, they drink hot tea out of a bowl. They just put the bowl to their lips and drink it as you would the extra milk after a bowl of cereal.
*They don't smile, nod or acknowledge you when you pass them on the street as people do in America. It is not because they are rude, but they simply see no reason to do this.
*Keyboards in French are completely different. When I am in the IES center it takes me about 30 minutes to type a short email on the computer.
I am sure I will continue to add to this list throughout the semester but dinner is soon so Au Revoir!!
Oh, and if you want the blog site to email you whenever I post a new blog so you don't have to keep checking back, just leave a comment with your email address! It will let me do it for up to 10 people :)
Today, we began the morning with our French classes. For lunch, me and some other students went to a traditional creperie and I had a ham and cheese crepe which was absolutely delicious! As we were walking back to IES we stopped in a small pastry shop and I had a chocolate and pistachio Macaroon which was also wonderful. Back at IES we had a couple more short meetings and then we were free to go! This afternoon I walked around the city with 2 other girls looking at some of the shops. In France, shops do not always have sales. Every store has a big sale at the exact same time twice a year and one of those times happens to be now. :) We first went into a bag store where I bought a longchamp bag for only 59 Euros! We went into a few other stores but we didn't really buy anything else.
Now I am back at my host family's house just resting until dinner. The other day I began a list of some interesting things about the French. Here are some others that I have noticed:
*The French eat very very fast. Meals last for about 2 hours because of all of the conversation and multiple courses but actual eating itself is very quick for them.
*Sometimes, they drink hot tea out of a bowl. They just put the bowl to their lips and drink it as you would the extra milk after a bowl of cereal.
*They don't smile, nod or acknowledge you when you pass them on the street as people do in America. It is not because they are rude, but they simply see no reason to do this.
*Keyboards in French are completely different. When I am in the IES center it takes me about 30 minutes to type a short email on the computer.
I am sure I will continue to add to this list throughout the semester but dinner is soon so Au Revoir!!
Oh, and if you want the blog site to email you whenever I post a new blog so you don't have to keep checking back, just leave a comment with your email address! It will let me do it for up to 10 people :)
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Un autre jour en France!
The past two days have been busy busy busy and tons of information. Yesterday morning, we met at the IES center and had our administrative orientation where we basically learned everything we would need to know about life in Nantes. After this, we went to lunch. A few of us found a cute little cafe in La Place Graslin near IES which was delicious. (However, my coke cost almost 4 euros...très expensive!) After lunch, we had an orientation on family life in France. This is important for us to know in our homestays so that we know the typical way of life in the home. Very very different than in America! After this second orientation, we were split up into 3 groups based on our placement test we had taken the day before. These groups will be the group that we have our French language classes with. My group is called groupe Bretagne. With these groups, we were given a tour of the couer de ville (heart of the city) of Nantes and the main places that we would need to know. When the tour was finished, at about 5:00 (or 17h00 here) we were able to head back to our host family's house. My host mother had walked me to IES that morning, but I was supposed to find my way back by myself. It is about a fifteen minute walk. I got lost for a few minutes but soon I found my way and made it home fairly easily!
This morning, we began by having a security orientation so that we would all know the important security measures for the semester. Then, the director of the program introduced us to the academics of the program so we could begin deciding what courses we want to take. For lunch, me and 2 other girls found another cafe near IES where we had a HUGE meal of bread, hamburgers and french fries, and dessert (I had creme brulee). After lunch was an intensive 3 hour French language session with our group. Je suis très fatigue!
I really am surrounded by the French language. It is all I hear and speak all day and I am even beginning to think in French! (A few minutes ago I thought to myself, "Je voudrais une cup de reeses" instead of I want a reeses cup out of habit). I am understanding the language so much better though. I can understand the basics of what anyone is saying but I just might not pick up all of the words.
My host sister is learning English in school so we can help each other with our homework. It is kind of fun to help her learn English and she is definitely helpful with the French. And on Friday she is going to show me around the city again so I can get to know it better! Nantes is an absolutely beautiful place. Almost as if it is a French city on television with the cobblestone streets, small outdoor cafes and it is right on the Loire River.
Tomorrow we have another day of intense French language courses and we are visiting the Universite de Nantes for the first time, where we will all be taking a few classes. Tomorrow night IES is hosting a small party for us to welcome us to the country.
I know I have so much else to say but I can't even begin to think anymore right now so... à demain!!
P.S. I have uploaded some pictures to my lost blog entry of the Chateaus in Tours!
This morning, we began by having a security orientation so that we would all know the important security measures for the semester. Then, the director of the program introduced us to the academics of the program so we could begin deciding what courses we want to take. For lunch, me and 2 other girls found another cafe near IES where we had a HUGE meal of bread, hamburgers and french fries, and dessert (I had creme brulee). After lunch was an intensive 3 hour French language session with our group. Je suis très fatigue!
I really am surrounded by the French language. It is all I hear and speak all day and I am even beginning to think in French! (A few minutes ago I thought to myself, "Je voudrais une cup de reeses" instead of I want a reeses cup out of habit). I am understanding the language so much better though. I can understand the basics of what anyone is saying but I just might not pick up all of the words.
My host sister is learning English in school so we can help each other with our homework. It is kind of fun to help her learn English and she is definitely helpful with the French. And on Friday she is going to show me around the city again so I can get to know it better! Nantes is an absolutely beautiful place. Almost as if it is a French city on television with the cobblestone streets, small outdoor cafes and it is right on the Loire River.
Tomorrow we have another day of intense French language courses and we are visiting the Universite de Nantes for the first time, where we will all be taking a few classes. Tomorrow night IES is hosting a small party for us to welcome us to the country.
I know I have so much else to say but I can't even begin to think anymore right now so... à demain!!
P.S. I have uploaded some pictures to my lost blog entry of the Chateaus in Tours!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Orientation in Tours!
I haven't updated in a few days because we have been in Tours, France for a three day orientation period so that we can all get to know each other. We visited many chateaus/ castles. Chateau de Loches, Chateau de Chenonceaux, Chateau de Blois, and Chateau de Chambord. Chambord was definitely my favorite. It was tres beautiful! Below are some picture of the beautiful Chateaus!
The orientation period was fun but exhausting. I met a lot of people and made a lot of friends but I am having a hard time remembering names. We are supposed to speak French all the time, but we all have a bad habit of speaking "Franglais" which is basically English with French words thrown in here and there. Ex. "I am tres froid." (I am very cold). We had a placement test this morning which we all seemed to find difficult. It was 3 hours long and kind of like the SAT but in French. Not the most fun thing ever...
We still have a week before classes start so this week in orientation at IES. Basically grammar and culture intensive study. In French IES is pronounced "ee-oo-es" and when the French say it fast it sounds like they are saying "The US." So For the first week we were all trying to figure out why they wanted to take us back to America...
Some interesting things about French so far:
The cars are tiny
They do each cheese AFTER every meal
They eat bread with every meal- but it is not ever put on the plate. Always on the table
Yes, they do kiss each other on the cheek every time they leave or return from anywhere
There are multiple roundabouts on every road
The meals are HUGE (4 or 5 courses for both lunch and dinner)
Well... I am back at my host family's house and dinner smells delicious. So, Au revoir!
Chateau de Chenonceaux
Chenonceaux
Chenonceaux
A beautiful view from Chateau de Loches
Chateau de Blois
Blois
Chambord: My favorite! Here, I am standing at the very top
of the castle!
This is why it is my favorite Chateau
The view from Chambord
The orientation period was fun but exhausting. I met a lot of people and made a lot of friends but I am having a hard time remembering names. We are supposed to speak French all the time, but we all have a bad habit of speaking "Franglais" which is basically English with French words thrown in here and there. Ex. "I am tres froid." (I am very cold). We had a placement test this morning which we all seemed to find difficult. It was 3 hours long and kind of like the SAT but in French. Not the most fun thing ever...
We still have a week before classes start so this week in orientation at IES. Basically grammar and culture intensive study. In French IES is pronounced "ee-oo-es" and when the French say it fast it sounds like they are saying "The US." So For the first week we were all trying to figure out why they wanted to take us back to America...
Some interesting things about French so far:
The cars are tiny
They do each cheese AFTER every meal
They eat bread with every meal- but it is not ever put on the plate. Always on the table
Yes, they do kiss each other on the cheek every time they leave or return from anywhere
There are multiple roundabouts on every road
The meals are HUGE (4 or 5 courses for both lunch and dinner)
Well... I am back at my host family's house and dinner smells delicious. So, Au revoir!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Je suis arrivée!
I have arrived! I am finally in Nantes. I am so happy to finally be here because the past 48 hours were an absolute nightmare. Thanks to our fabulous snow storm, my first flight was delayed which would have caused me to miss my connecting flight out of Chicago so I was put on a flight through Dulles in Washington D.C. Well that flight was delayed as well which caused me to miss my other connection so I was put on a flight which had a layover in Frankfurt, Germany. This flight was ALSO delayed and I almost missed my connection into Paris but I made it by a hair thank goodness. I lost my luggage but I can deal without it for a few days.... But I had missed my train and had to get another ticket. Imagine yourself in the middle of Paris alone trying to figure out a railway system that is in a completely different language. It is difficult, believe me. Well this train had a layover in Le Mans, then I finally went to Nantes. Upon my arrival at the train station in Nantes. I had to figure out how to catch a taxi and tell them (in French) where I needed to go. Once I arrived at 7, rue des Candeniers, (The IES abroad center) I started to walk up multiple pitch black stairwells (electricity is very expensive in France so lights are always kept off when they aren't being used). My cellphone was dead, I was in the middle of France by myself and walking up pitch black stairwells. Absolutely terrifying. I found the floor where I needed to go and I thought the door was locked. I started banging on the door and yelling "Hello?" "Bonjour?" and finally Mme Rouchet (the asst program director) came to the door and let me in. She was incredibly nice and called my host family, Famille de Joigny, and they came and picked me up. As soon as I got back to their house I fell asleep. What a journey.
On another note, this is going to take some getting used to... my host parents do not speak any English and I am a little rusty on my French so communication is difficult. Fortunately, my host brother speaks some English so when he is around, he can help translate. Something that I find interesting here is that the French listen to English music all of the time. In the taxi last night the driver was listening to "Jump" by Van Halen and my host siblings are listening to English music right now as I write this....
Today, we leave for Tours, France for orientation. I am hoping my luggage has arrived at the IES center because I didn't pack too many clothes in my carry on. I am just happy to be here. Je t'aime!!
On another note, this is going to take some getting used to... my host parents do not speak any English and I am a little rusty on my French so communication is difficult. Fortunately, my host brother speaks some English so when he is around, he can help translate. Something that I find interesting here is that the French listen to English music all of the time. In the taxi last night the driver was listening to "Jump" by Van Halen and my host siblings are listening to English music right now as I write this....
Today, we leave for Tours, France for orientation. I am hoping my luggage has arrived at the IES center because I didn't pack too many clothes in my carry on. I am just happy to be here. Je t'aime!!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
2 Days 'til Takeoff...
On 11:17 AM on Tuesday I will be leaving on a flight out of Charlotte, NC beginning my journey to La France!... Well, as long as the weather permits.... As of now there is a 100% chance of snow tomorrow and ice on Tuesday morning. I hope and pray that this will not deter any of my flight arrangements! After leaving out of CLT, I have a 6 hour layover in Chicago before I begin the long flight to Paris. After arriving in Paris at 9:40 AM (3:40 AM in North Carolina), I have a 3 hour train ride to Nantes.
Once in Nantes I will be taken by taxi to the IES Center. IES is the study abroad program that I am going to be a part of. There are about 60 American students in this program that I will be taking classes with and I will spend most of the 4 months with these students. We have the option of taking classes at the IES abroad center with professors who tailor their lessons for American students, or at the Universite De Nantes with French professors and every day French students. I will probably have a mixture of the 2 but will not know for sure until I arrive.
Packing has been a struggle. It seemed impossible to pack in 1 suitcase and 1 duffel bag for 4 months. But finally, after hours of taking stuff out, rearranging, and re-weighing, it finally seems to be ready for departure. Now lets just hope I am!
With All My Love,
Leah
Once in Nantes I will be taken by taxi to the IES Center. IES is the study abroad program that I am going to be a part of. There are about 60 American students in this program that I will be taking classes with and I will spend most of the 4 months with these students. We have the option of taking classes at the IES abroad center with professors who tailor their lessons for American students, or at the Universite De Nantes with French professors and every day French students. I will probably have a mixture of the 2 but will not know for sure until I arrive.
Packing has been a struggle. It seemed impossible to pack in 1 suitcase and 1 duffel bag for 4 months. But finally, after hours of taking stuff out, rearranging, and re-weighing, it finally seems to be ready for departure. Now lets just hope I am!
With All My Love,
Leah
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