Final Schedule!

I'm so happy because I've finally figured out my schedule and I really like it:

Grammar - Monday 10:45 - 12:15 and Tuesday 8:45 - 10:15
Phonetics - Monday 1:15 - 3:15
Lit Fantastique - Tuesday 10:15 - 12:45
Lire Le Fantastique (half of a comparative lit class) - Wednesday 3:15 - 4:45
Les Fabliaux of the Middle Ages (the other half of the comp. lit class) - Thursday 10:15 - 11:45
Art History at the Musée Fabre: Thursday 2:00 - 5:00

It gets confusing because Lit Fantastique and Lire Le Fantastique/Les Fabliaux are TWO different classes, yet the subjects are similar.  I'm still really excited for all of my classes because the profs all seem good (read: I can understand the profs when they speak) and I'm really interested in this type of lit/time period so a little over lap won't kill me.

Oh, also I saw a WINE JUICE BOX!!  Don't believe me?  See the picture below:

Ok... so it's not for drinking.  It's for cooking.  But still, it looks like a juice box!  I've also now seen yogurt in glass jars. 

Stay Tuned for: Coin Collecting 101: Class one - Food shopping and Book Buying

(I swear... I have about 10,000 euro dimes.  Can't I get a 50 cent piece every now and then??)

Maybe I should have given the teacher an apple

So today was the first day of classes and I'm kind of burnt out.

I woke up on time, but didn't leave quite enough travel time so I had to seriously turn on the NY legs to get there (got there JUST as the teacher started class).  First class was grammar and it actually looks promising.  We had previously taken a placement test and the syllabus basically looked like a list of everything that I usually get wrong on exams (stuff I've seen before but forgotten, like subjunctive).  And the teacher seemed very nice.

Then I had lunch with my friends (the cafeteria has really good food, at least in comparison to US school lunches, for only a couple of euros).

After lunch I went to phonetics.  Learning the phonetic alphabet and hearing the difference between eh (pronounced like ayee) and eh (pronounced like what they say in Canada, eh) kind of made my head spin a bit, but it looks really interesting and is sure to get my French is great shape.

Then I went to a lit class.  This was a class with native French speakers.  And a second year class at that.  Way too difficult.  Maybe I could handle the content of the class (though Balzac isn't "light reading"), but not in French.  And I feel bad because the teacher definitely was speaking clearly, I just couldn't take notes and keep listening at the same time when the material was so abstract and in a subject that I don't know a lot about (something about autobiographies in the early 19th century). 

So I've dropped that class.  I have another lit course to try out and a psych course if that lit course takes a nose dive like the first.  I'll post my final schedule once I have it.

No "Stay Tuned For" tonight ... even I'm not totally sure what tomorrow has in store.

Ps... I tried foie gras.  Not bad, as long as you can get over the fact that you're eating liver. 

Nîmes et Pont du Gard

Well, we found the cold weather.  It doesn't just show up and stick around like it does in the states.  It blows in from the north in sharp gusts.  In the sun, if it's not too windy, it can be really nice, but it can also be cold.  Today I think it's about 40.

But Yesterday was a lot of fun (despite some cold winds).  The excursion to Nîmes and Pont du Gard was planned by the program so just about everyone went.  First they brought us to Pont du Gard (by bus) which is really awesome.  Pont du Gard is a Roman aqueduct, famous because the gradation of the thing is only about 25 cm, yet it still was very effective in supplying water to the city of Nîmes.  I got some great photos of it (check them out by clicking on my dog on the right side of the page).

Then we went to Nîmes.  First we had lunch.  A couple of friends and I just went to a small lunch cafe and had sandwiches but it was good to get out of the cold.  Then we did a two hour tour of some of the historic parts of the city.  Nîmes is older and smaller than Montpellier (Nîmes being a Roman city and Montpellier being a Medieval one).  We started at the Arena/Amphitheater used for gladiator fights.  We had a great tour guide.  She was very knowledgeable and, even though she spoke French the whole time, everyone understood her because she enunciated a lot and spoke slowly and simply.  Some really cool facts about the amphitheater:

- It was the sight of gladiator fights, typically gladiator vs gladiator (gladiator vs lion really only existed in Rome because only the emperor was rich enough to host such a spectacle)
- All of the "doors" (the arches) were totally open because it was free to watch and paid for by the local government.
- Seating was organized by rank (Romans first level, Greeks second level, and women/slaves/children third level).
- The amphitheater had several uses after it was no longer used as an arena.  I believe she said it was a fortress and used to house people.  When they left, they took a lot of stones with them to build houses elsewhere (same is true with the aqueduct).

She also explained the symbol of Nîmes: the crocodile on a chain with a palm leaf behind it.  This is based on the coin created by the Roman emperor after he conquered (the chain) the Egyptians (the Nile crocodile).  The palm leaf symbolizes victory over.  So all over the city there are palm trees and references to crocodiles. 

Then we saw the Maison Carrée (square house, even thought it's a rectangle).  It started as a Roman temple to the emperor's sons (you can tell the difference between Greek and Roman because a Roman temple has different columns), is on a raised platform with a lot of stairs, and has different columns).  Then it was someone's house.  Now it's a movie theater.


Finally, we went to Jardin de la Fontaine.  There were big statues and the landscape was kind of carved up by staircases, which the guide said was a theater.  On the side was the Temple de Diane, but it wasn't really a temple; it's thought to have been a library.  There was also a lake with a natural source of water.  This source and the water god of the peoples before the Romans has shaped the contours of the history of Nîmes.

Last night was quiet.  I was tired so didn't want to go out (it can be a hassle to go out living in a homestay, but I'm sure I'll figure out the system).  Today I'll probably just relax and get ready for classes tomorrow!  Yikes!

Stay Tuned for... La Fac and other adventures in the French Education System

Always Surprised by Strangers

This story is a bit of a two part-er.

Scene One: The Bar.
Since yesterday was fairly uneventful during the day, I decided to go out at night (there was a big group being led by three French students who were hired by the program as "Social Assistants").  We went to a place called The Austrialian.  A fun place (especially because it was disco night).  Lots of dancing.  It was generally just a good time.

Scene Two: The Email.
Well, I come home today after a great day of hanging out with my friend Lauren (a wonderful lunch, a little shopping, amazing hot chocolate, etc) and I have an email from mom.  She had gotten an email from someone named Patrick who said that he had found my flash drive.  I check, and low-and-behold, it's missing.  I'm so surprised that he is offering to return it.  Anyone else would erase everything on it and use it themselves.  (With permission from my host family) I gave him my address so he can mail it or drop it in the box.

Ok, so maybe it's not that dramatic, but I'm still very surprised.

All Roads Lead to La Place de la Comedie

Today started with some info on registration... I hate doing this sort of thing in English, let alone in French.  And the French registration system is a mess.  There really is no one central catalog except for the one that the UMN program has thoughtfully made for us.  I'll post my schedule once it's final.

Then we went off for lunch.  We found this small little place with one euro sandwiches and 80 cent pain au chocolat (chocolate croissants).  Very good, but I still need to find my favorite Cafe.

At two, we had a historical tour of the city.  I'm not really sure all of the things we saw, because 1. it was in French and 2. I was busy taking pictures.  This city is so pretty and we were shown kind of the little hidden treasures.  Like quiet corners with moss and cracked paint... so lovely. 

As for the title of the post, I'm finding that I do a fairly good job orienting myself and La Place de la Comedie is kind of the big main square.  But, look mom!  No maps!  (not always true...)

Stay tuned for... It's 10:00, do you know where you're children are?  Yep... in Montpellier!

ps. a lot of the friends I'm making are from Minnesota or Wisconsin so I keep joking about the irony that I'll come back from France with a Wisconsin accent.

Catching Up

Wow, three days living in a city and my body is starting to feel it.  Sore shoulders from my bag, sore feet from walking EVERWHERE.  But it's been really good.

Sunday was kind of a relaxing day.  I was able to settle in a little and connect to people at home.  Also walked to school to test out where it is.  It's about a 20 minute walk to class.  A little up and down, but not a mountain like Lehigh.  It's also only about a 10-15 minute walk to the nearest tram stop which can get me into the city in 5-10 minutes.  I was a little worried that I was being anti-social by just relaxing in my room, but my host family is very nice about giving me space and the independence I need. 

Monday was "Orientation."  That word clearly doesn't mean to the French what it means to the Americans.  Our "tour" of the campus was one of the program directors pointing in general directions of buildings that we couldn't even see.  Thank god they gave us a map today.  Then we sat and listened to the general structure of French education and took our placement test.  It wasn't too difficult, except I realized that I've forgotten almost all of my subjunctive (it's ok though--when I told this to my host mom, she basically said that she doesn't know it/use it either).  What's weird about things here is that when things end, there is no official closing.  People just kind of leave.  The people in charge don't stop to say, "We're done for the day."  A lot of times, we're just expected to go.  As simple a thing as it is, it's still different from what I'm used to.

And the big news: I got my suit case!  Clean clothes :)
Not super big news.  But it certainly made me happy.

The rest of Monday I spent wandering the city with a friend.  It's so beautiful!  In the sunset, everything turns a pale yellow.  

I didn't realize how much has happened until I started writing, so stay tuned for TUESDAY (aka... Today!)

A tornado would have been easier

Well I made it to Montpellier, but my bags haven't yet.

Let's start at JFK.  I was supposed to leave at 5:00.  I didn't.  There was something wrong with the plane.  So they said they'd get us a new one and we'd leave at 6.  We didn't.  There was something wrong with THAT plane.  They then got us another, but it was smaller so we had to re-check in while they prepped the plane for us.  All in all, we took off at 8:30.  Now, I was supposed to have 4 hours in Paris to get my baggage, check in again, relax and take off at 11... not the case.   We got in at 9:30.  Soon after the conveyor belt flat out STOPPED because no one's suitcase was coming off, I realized I had to do something.  So I went to baggage and explained my situation and the only solution I came up with was to leave my baggage and run.  And I mean run.  After I got through security (which is much smaller than in the states but much more thorough) I ran to the gate, waving my ticket and yelling "MONTPELLIER!?"

I got on the flight.

And even though I'm tired, things have been really great here.  I've met tons of people from the program and even like a few of them.  Oh, and did I mention that I think it's been about upper 50's to even low 60's here!  So gorgeous.  The first day they gave us to wander so we did for a little but we were exhausted so went to bed really early.

Today we got started with orientation.  Walked around the city a little with a guide from the program, got a more general intro to the program, etc.  I also got my cell phone and tram card.

And I met my host family.  They seem really nice.  The mom (Madame Demoly) is very nice (though I think she feels a little bad that I don't speak French as well as either of us would like).  She's an allergist (of course they give the girl with cat allergies to the allergist with no cat!) and seems very friendly.  She said flat out to tell her if I don't understand.  It's hard because I'm trying to be polite, but I don't know enough French so I think I'm going to have to be more blunt.  She was very friendly asking what I need (lack of suitcase...) but I think I'll be ok for one more day.

I don't know a lot about her children.  I know she has a son (I met him and then promptly forgot his name) and two other kids, all ages ranging 20-23.  Maxime (21) is in Paris, Benjamin (23) is supposed to be in Paris but he hurt his knee skiing, and Clement (20) is in Montpellier.

And did I mention that their house is AMAZING!?  So beautiful.

Stay tuned for: Academic Advising and Other Forms of Torture

Welcome!

Bonjour tout le monde!

It's the night before I go to France and it's slowly hitting me that I'm actually going to france.  By slowly, I mean, imagine a video in slow motion of a fat guy getting hit in the stomach by a bowling ball.  My reaction all day has been: "Wait... tomorrow I'm going where?!"

So why France?  I'm an English major, so where's the logic in that?  Well, I wanted to go to a place where I could test my French skills and study a culture that I think I'll enjoy.  I've been in French classes since 4th grade and so I really wanted to see what ten years of a language meant.  Besides, after so many years of schooling, I kind of wanted to experience the culture that I had spent so much time learning.

Let me tell you a little more about my trip.  I'm going to be spending a full semester in Montpellier, France.  I'll be staying in a homestay (stay updated for a post once I actually meet them) just outside of the city.  The city itself is old but the people are very young (about a quarter of the residents are students).  I'm going to be taking some classes with native French students (the thought is terrifying), some with other international students (cool!  I'm an international student), and maybe one with just Americans (but that sounds boring).  

Not much more to write yet because nothing has really happened yet but I'll be sure to keep you updated!

Stay tuned for: Charles de Gaul and Navigating the dangers of airplane food.