Madeleine's blog de la France

Recent news: Bread, laptop stress and warm weather!

2010-03-04T09:17:00.000-08:00

Current events in the life of Madeleine:

-bread: I am currently baking my own bread, and right now have a loaf rising. It's cheaper than buying a new loaf every day, probably healthier (I buy the 5 grain pain aux céréales) and relaxing to make by hand.

-laptop crash: I had to take my laptop in to an Informatique boutique last Friday in Agen, due to a random crash that my laptop experienced about two weeks ago. Since then, I've been going to Atlas, the local Internet/phone store, and paying 2 Euro for an hour of connection to the outside world. I have my computer back, with the internet, but the technicians weren't able to restore the files properly from my old hard drive, so now I am missing loads of information (music, photos, documents, et cetera). The owner of the shop was quite rude with me; and when I tried fighting the 24-Euro fee he decided to tack on for "recuperation of files", when really, nothing was recuperated, he wouldn't change his mind. I paid 114 Euro to basically have a new hard drive installed with Windows XP (in French) reinstalled, and hardly any of my old files from my other hard drive. The owner said my files still existed, so it wasn't impossible to recuperate what I had lost; it just took time and effort, both of which he apparently didn't have. Why is it I seem to be encountering this repeating problem of workers getting paid in France to do absolutely nothing?

One nice thing about that recent trip to Agen was the beautiful sky that appeared to be on fire on my way home. Looking out the train window, this was my view:

-Warm weather: The sun has been out and is bringing along with it a feeling of Spring that I have been missing for a long while. Spring means several things for me: The completion of this assistantship, answers from graduate schools, visits to Nice and Biarritz/Hossegor/St. Jean de Luz, and better moods. I am affected by the weather so much, that these cloudy, rainy days we've been having have been weighing on my mood and causing me to stay inside my apartment like a hermit. But dry, warm weather means exercise outside, summer vacation and vitamin D. All of which I need badly.

Ah, success.

2010-02-16T02:48:00.000-08:00

Well, she's in: Lucille has been selected for the Au Pair program.
I was given this news via very-excited-sounding text:
"hello! my interview was very well pass! she had said I have got the profil for this programme! I'm very happy and excite! :) I will say more when we will see! bisous!"
This was definitely a day-maker for me (not to mention, Lucille herself, I'm sure).
I knew she'd be able to do it, and I am so proud of her.
I brought it up in class today as a side-note and we applauded her hard work.
I'm hoping the others will use her success as inspiration and push themselves to greatness.

As per request.

2010-02-13T02:42:00.000-08:00

I have been unfaithful to my blog recently, and have decided to give it the attention it deserves.
For a bit, I was considering continuing the blog with "Vlogs", or video blogs, since I do have a webcam and can easily upload a video on here (it just takes some time). I feel, though, that I can express myself more accurately in writing, because I am given time to think about my words and edit them when necessary. Vlogs are fun, but I like seeing my ideas categorized and written out.

Recently, I've been trying to figure out what I'd want to do with my upcoming vacation, coming in about a week. I'm thinking of going back to Paris to see my friend Nikki who is studying at a University there, while living with her husband. It will be great to see another familiar face, it always gives me a sense of being home. I've found this article on free things to do in Paris, so I'll be studying that before my next trip up north.

Recently on CNN.com, I've been finding lots of articles on France. They seem to be mainly culture-promoting articles, funded by the government. There are a few "i-Report" articles as well, but I couldn't find anything relating to the area where I'm staying. Maybe I'll submit some of my own amateur photography and articles to the site, and see if they are approved. It seems like a cool idea, because not many people have heard about the Lot-et-Garonne (the region in which I'm staying) or for that matter, Aiguillon. I do have quite a bit of extra time, perhaps I will make some submissions with the documentation I've already completed.

Lucille, my student in Terminale who I've been having English conversation practice with, had her interview this morning in Bordeaux. I'm going to ask her how she did on Tuesday when I have her in class. I feel like she's improved a lot in the two weeks we've been talking, and she showed a lot more self-confidence yesterday, during our last conversation before her interview. I sincerely hope she is accepted into the Au-Pair program, she obviously wants it and is passionate for working with children. I will update when I hear her news.

Last night I was invited to eat at another colleague's house for dinner- Claire, another English teacher, had me over and served up a wonderful meal of foie gras, confit de canard, potatoes, wine, salad/cheese, and homemade chocolate cake. They got the duck from a friend of theirs, who raises the animals on his own land. I mistakenly thought the duck was "very fresh" because of this, but confit de canard actually takes a lot of time to prepare and thus, is not fresh. Because the duck is basically marinating in its own fat, (which can be for up to a year in a properly sealed glass jar), the meat absorbs the flavor (as does the skin, which is left on) and makes for a very delicous, appetizing entrée. The skin is the fattiest part, and one is not expected to eat it, but the meat itself is flavorful and incomparable to any meat I've eaten before.
Claire's beautiful children, Bastien (3) and Léo(1), were excitedly running around their house when I came in. There was a lot of joyful squealing and cooing from Léo, who, might I add, has the most gorgeous big eyes and curly hair. He would toddle up to my side when I was sitting at the table and rest his head against me, while drooling and sucking on his fingers. I was biting my lip trying to fight back the cuteness, but Léo won me over and I had to just sit back and admire the beauty of childhood. Bastien was full of nervous energy and was contented while the three of us ate (Claire, her husband and I) with a Pink Panther video playing in the background. This brought up memories of my family watching the older, Peter Sellers version of Pink Panther (not the recent movies with Steve Martin) and I told Claire she'd have to see these movies as they, to me, are classics.

Tonight I am going to another dinner with my newest colleague, Laleeta, who started teaching in January. She is preparing Indian food tonight, as she has Indian ancestry. I believe her grown kids will be there as well, and perhaps her father. I've bought a bottle of red wine to bring over, but now that I think about it, I believe a white moelleux would have been more appropriate with Indian food. Maybe I'll stop back at the store before I head out, around 4 this afternoon.

I still have to take a shower and get some reading in today. I've been slacking on my reading because of the graduate school applications I've been hurriedly trying to complete before the deadline for Fall admission. I'm just waiting now for the 2 recommendation letters to be submitted, and hopefully by March I'll start to receive some responses. Will be thinking nothing but positive thoughts until then.

Long overdue post.

2010-01-27T01:31:00.000-08:00

It's been a bit of time since my last post, so let me recap what the past few weeks have been like.

I started to hold conversation sessions with one of my students (a senior) who is applying for an au pair program in California for this coming Fall. She is very motivated to go to the States, and her level of spoken English is one of the best in her class. However, she'll be applying among older students who've already taken University English classes, and is insistent on improving her level in the next few weeks so she can realize her dream. She sought me out and we picked several days over the next few weeks to speak English for 45 minutes to an hour. It's not a paid gig, just something to help her practice speaking. She's the only student of mine who is seeking extra practice with her English, and to me that shows serious motivation. I'm hoping she gets accepted to the program. With her attitude and knowledge of the language, I don't have much doubt in my mind that she'll be accepted. She reminds me of myself a little when I was applying to study abroad in Besançon- seriously motivated but a less-than-perfect level of the target language. I told her that being in the country where the language is spoken is the best way to become fluent, and that this opportunity could definitely help her. She's even working on her own with a listening CD and book she got for Christmas from her grandmother. It's wonderful to see such drive in my students.

I bought my plane ticket home today, but I am waiting to see if the purchase goes through (I bought it with a student discount, and I'm not sure if my student status will be verified or not). Chances are it will, because other assistants have bought student-discounted airline tickets before after having graduated. If the deny it, it's their loss, right?

The weather here is so-so, no snow but very chilly. I went for a jog a few days ago and I regretted immediately not wearing more winter jogging gear (earmuffs and gloves to be exact), but it did feel great to get my blood flowing. I've been doing lots of sitting around my apartment, so the warmer the weather gets the happier Maddie will be. Amy and I went for a long walk this past Sunday to the hills/farmland outside of Aiguillon. It was really gorgeous where we went, and she took a few pictures (I will try and get them up here once she's uploaded them). I haven't been taking many pictures recently due to a certain power converter of mine that is currently en panne (broken). It's about time I get a working converter; I've been needing one for a while now.

I haven't been going to Sud Management to help Peter after the New Year; he may not need my assistance there anymore. Not sure if he's decided to work on other projects, or what, but now my Wednesday afternoons are wide open. I'll most likely go to Agen today to look for a converter and pass some time away in the bookstore.

Amy and I went and had dinner at her colleague's house with her son and his roommates, as we had done in the Fall last year. The same four students our age were there, minus one. Florian, Anne-Sophie, Jimmy and Leo all brought things to make a delicious dinner of potatoes, cheese, tomatoes, peppers, and spices (can't think of the specific name of the dish) but basically all the veggies and potatoes are chopped up and mixed together, and placed in aluminum foil which gets baked for 30 mins. or so. Starts with a P...I'll have to look it up. Anywho, the dinner was great and we were among good company. Amy and I are in the works of planning a trip to Mont-de-Marsan to visit the roommates and have them show us around- right now we're just trying to align our schedules a bit. The all go to an école du bois, which is like a wood engineering University, and are often out hiking in the woods and getting their boots muddy. They came to the dinner directly from one of their hikes, and it showed! They have the right idea, finding a profession where you are surrounded by nature half the time. Just reminds me that I need to get out more...

(Insert witty subject line here)

2010-01-13T03:13:00.000-08:00

Day 3 of my cold. I've been sick since Monday, on medication, and already missed the first two work days this week. Today, I went in (only have one class- the 3emes) knowing that it'd be an easy day, my other class for the day was canceled (I think the teacher is sick too). It went as any normal day in France teaching goes- waited for the teacher to come with the students in the hallway for about 5 minutes, realized she was late, took the whole class in and started a game with them. We ended up doing the game the whole hour- would've taken about twenty minutes if the kids actually followed instructions, but 1/4 of them were talking the whole period and about 1/4 of them just didn't write anything down at all. It was a super simple game, you write your name in the middle of the white board and circle it. You have 5 branches coming off of that circle with random things (I used my zip code, my age, my dog's name, my sister's name, and the city I'm from). The rest of the class has to guess what each word or number means by asking the appropriate question in English. Such as: "Is 48382 your postal code?" or "is Michelle your sister?" No matter how many times I had to correct them (they usually said things like "Michelle eez your sistehr?" they didn't seem to want to correct their mistakes (give or take two students who are probably the best in the class). I wanted to pull these two chatty girls out by their ears into the hallways and leave them there for the period, but something told me that might not be the best way to handle things. The funny thing about these students is, even though I announced loud and clear (in French) in the beginning of class that I just got over a bad cold and can't yell because it hurts my throat, they were just as loud as if I didn't say anything at all. It's times like this that I can't wait to try my hand at teaching University students just to know what it's like to have students that listen and care!

Getting Stuff Done Day

2010-01-07T06:01:00.000-08:00

So, in a way, today was very productive. And in a way, it was useless.

It started with my heading to my 8:15 a.m. class, arriving early and getting my lesson for the day all written up on the board. Comme normal, I head upstairs to take half of the students away from my colleague's English class. When she arrives, she lets me know that the students have homework due that day, and that I wasn't needed. Well, I don't mind that much, because it's one of my favorite colleagues who I like and she usually doesn't forget to tell me when she doesn't need me for class. At least, she's forgotten a lot less than my other colleagues. So I shrug it off and go back to my apartment, call France Telecom (asking them why some stranger's address was on my account and explaining that that's probably the reason I hadn't received my phone yet), and explaining to them that, since we didn't have our modem until mid-December (when Orange sent us a confirmation that it would be delivered around mid-November) we shouldn't have to pay the first bill when we couldn't even access the service. The guy on the phone was understanding, but what added to the complications of my explaining the situation, was that I was calling from my cell phone- super expensive way to call customer service, because I have the pay-as-you-go plan and calls to Customer Service aren't free. So, knowing the call was about to be cut because of my credit expiring, I hastily told the representative that he'd have to call me back (I can talk on their dime as long as they call me. Instead of saying "okay, will do" he replied "C'est un mobile? On n'a pas le droit d'appeler aux mob-" and then of course, it cut off. (He was in the middle of telling me they aren't allowed to call cell phone numbers. What?) Frustrated, I threw my phone on my bed and was about to find my shoes to go back to the school for my next lesson when he called me back. "It's France Telecom", he said. Apparently they do have the "droit" to call one on their cell phone. He asked why, if I have a fixed line number, I didn't just call from that line instead, because it would have been free. Once again I explained that, because of their error, I don't have my phone, they had sent it to some random person's address. So, we finished up by my successfully (but not without some poor grammar mistakes thrown in) getting the first bill waived from our February bill. Phew, what a process.

Let's move now to the next lesson for the day. Repeat steps one and two. Lesson on board, go to get half the next class...but wait! My students are standing outside my door. They ask me where the teacher is. I look down the hall, and sure enough, her door is closed. I tell them I'll go down to Vie Scolaire with them to solve the puzzle. Sure enough, even though I looked on the missing profs sheet (twice) that same morning, the professor's name was freshly written under Thursday, January 7th. So, my students had a free hour. But that already makes two classes out of the day I didn't need to bother with.

Went back to the apartment, paid my internet bill through January, recharged my phone with credit so I can just lazily call to pay my bills in the future instead of writing a check and mailing it out. It was already late anyway, because it had been sitting in the school's mailbox waiting to be delivered to me all throughout break. Hopefully, I won't be smacked with a fee because of that.
The third class of the day (technically the first), I had the noisy 3emes. They couldn't seem to stop talking (even the girls, who are usually much quieter and more well-behaved). I was spending a large chunk of the hour just standing there trying my best to look stern, waiting for them to get the picture and calm down. Didn't work. I tried explaining that I can't yell (unlike the professor who has them normally) and that when they talk, I have to yell over them. Didn't work. I was running out of ideas and patience, so I just gave in and we played Scattergories for the last 20 minutes. The lesson was finished, and they ultimately felt like concentrating even more on the game we were playing. Guess it's games from here on out.

Bonne Année/Happy New Year!

2010-01-05T01:33:00.000-08:00

So, with the new year, I am pretty much required to update my blog again.
I went back to teaching yesterday. It was a nice, slow start as my first class on Monday didn't commence until 2:20 in the afternoon. Even then, it was cancelled- which left me with my one and only class of Terminales for the day at 3:25. It went well- the students were energetic, but only one of them refused to speak english, and no matter how much I prompted her she only replied in French- most often with attempted wit for every response. I didn't let her get to me (there's one in every class I have it seems) because I know when it comes time for her to study for the BAC, and she can't say a word, I'll just shrug my shoulders with the whole "not my fault" look on my face. I'm really mastering this whole French attitude.

One thing that brightened my day yesterday was getting the mail- and lots of it. Because everything that is sent to me is kept in the school (I can't check my mail over vacation), there were 2 weeks worth of stocked up letters/packages waiting for me upon my return. The packages were a lovely care box filled with an XL size jar of peanut butter/mixed dried fruits and nuts from my mother (love her so much), and my LIVEBOX. Yes, it came. Do I need it anymore? No. Thanks anyway, France Telecom. You haven't done 1 thing right yet since I've subscribed for your service.
The letters were a mix of Christmas cards, bills, letters about my Carte de Séjour (which basically just say they want more paperwork, even though I already sent in everything they required the first week I arrived in France). All they want is three pages photocopied out of my Passport. Did it really take 3 months to go through my envelope and tell me there is still stuff missing? Need I even bother getting my Carte de Séjour anymore, since I only have less than 4 months more in France and won't be traveling out of the country before then? If I have a harder time in the CDG airport without one, then fine. I'll make the copies. But hopefully the security by then will be a little loosened from the past attempted attack on Christmas Day (what is wrong with people)?

The Christmas market is outside, and I am more than tempted to buy a nice loaf of 6-grain bread for the next few days. One can only eat plain baguette so often before one begins to crave heartier things. Amy made the comment yesterday as we placed our items on the conveyor belt in the checkout line that I had "posh food choices", which could be true, if posh means healthy. One of my new year's resolutions was to eat healthier and get a little exercise in every day. So far, I've been eating very well, but the exercise thing hasn't kicked in yet. Maybe once I get my schedule organized I'll create a little time slot for a run. I do miss running, but the weather has kept me gathering the motivation. For the past few days, it's been as if you're walking through a cloud- misty and wet. I'm not complaining, though- CNN.com tells me the States have been hit with a nasty cold spell. I know I'd be much crankier if it were colder here. I'm going to miss this temperate weather in the winter, wherever I end up.

This weekend, Amy and I are planning on meeting two of the other assistants from Marmande somewhere to hang out. It's only during the assistant meetings we've had that we've actually chatted, so I sent them a text earlier this week asking if they'd be interested in doing something on Saturday. Should be fun- I'm going to get out more these next few months and really see what I can of France before I'm outta here.

2009...in 22 photos.

2009-12-30T08:22:00.000-08:00

Because 22 years is how old I turned this year, I decided to sum up my year in 22 special photos, in no particular order. Enjoy!

1. Kalamazoo, MI- An anniversary party was held chez 808 to remember our time studying abroad in Besancon.

2. Visits from Michelle were always "a treat" (forgive the horrible pun)

3. Going to Chicago with Kristina, Sarah and Andy and staying in a ritzy hotel for a few nights made us feel like celebrities!

4. St. Patrick's Day festivities at the campus bar were held immediately after class was done. They didn't stop there.

5. Moving out of the Kalamazoo house marked the end of a great year at WMU with amazing roommates.

6. Seeing friends play gigs at random bars in Kalamzoo was a frequent thing we did to get out of the house.

7. Sang in a choir on the side, called Accapazoo- there I met some wonderful, talented people who ended up becoming close friends.

8. Of course, getting the assistantship has to fit in here somewhere. Placed in the academy of Bordeaux (and a town a whole lot smaller than what I expected), I would begin my teaching career in France for 7months.

9. Seeing movies with friends before leaving for France was a summer hobby. (Jon and I at Emagine Novi)

10.Graduating from Western Michigan University left me a BA degree, a ticket to France, and lifelong friends. My last semester of undergraduate college, packed 21 credits full, left me with a lot of work and little time to do much else.

11. Pancakes and jazz playing make a very welcoming kitchen.

12. Trying new wines at the Wine Loft kept us sane during finals.

13. The choir reunion at Phil's house was a great time for those who once called the choir room their home.

14. Meeting Amy, my British roommate, provided plenty of entertainment, laughs and dinners spent together in France.

15.My sister coming to visit in December provided great company during the holidays.

16. I started eating meat upon my arrival in France, knowing that refusing meat in the country (especially when invited to dinner) is about as common as pigs flying. As a result, I tried some new dishes: foie gras, confit de canard, and numerous types of sausage. The list goes on, but as time passed I realized I still prefer fish over meat. I guess now you could call me a Pescetarian.

17. Went to my first circus:

18. Got to know my sister's fiance a little better:

19. Went to a peace rally in New York

20. I lived by my own means for the first time (!)

21. Spent most of the summer chez papa, working two retail jobs over the summer to save up for France

22. Taught for my first time in a foreign high school:

Avignon, Christmas markets, and delayed trains.

2009-12-23T14:12:00.001-08:00

It's high time I update this thing again, especially now that I've visited a new city: Avignon. My sister and I chose Provence for our winter vacation because we'd both never been to the southeast region of France, and we both had a general interest in the city. After only about 20 minutes, I knew I was going to love the area. Not only is Avignon known for its annual theatre festival, the city is close enough to see the Pyrenees in the distance which provides for a great background, and the Palais des Papes (Pope Palace) is one of the sites the city is best known for. Outside of the Palais, you can walk around after climbing a dizzying amount of stairs (had to pause several times on the way up) but the view is absolutely worth it. There is a little grotto-like place with a waterfall and a stone cliff that you can climb to get the best view all around. We felt similar to a mountain goat trying to balance on the stony, steep steps. Feeling the wind blowing your hair and breathing the fresh air from the heights was something I haven't felt in a long time (and can't really get in the flatlands in Aiguillon). It was exhilarating and enough to get me to want to come back and experience it again.

The first few nights were spent shopping and walking around the city, familiarizing ourselves with the area. As it is a few days from Christmas, we were welcomed with the beautiful icicle lights that hang from the trees and the other Christmas decor throughout centre ville. The Place d'Horloges is adorned with the Christmas market, and it's hard to walk past the man roasting chestnuts without wanting to taste some. I acutally had my first taste tonight, and I can finally make sense of the lyric 'chestnuts roasting on an open fire'... and appreciate the nutty wonder that seems to be everywhere at this time of the season. I also was tempted to indulge myself in a bit of vin chaud, which would have accompanied a nutella crêpe quite well, but as I was short on change the first couple days I decided against it.

I was pleasantly surprised when my paycheck came in a few days early- I had been worried because I was getting low again, and didn't know if we were going to get paid before Christmas or not. This relieved many worries (and I was able to get some more Christmas shopping done, even mailed out some presents the same day). I have a few more that might have to wait until I get home to deliver though, because of the weight it might be too expensive to ship. Anyway, I finally found some good gloves and other things that have long been on my list at H & M, so I gave myself a little Christmas present this morning while Michelle was at the hotel writing e-mails.

Our hotel, in Centre Ville, was a great place to spend the few days in Avignon. We opted out of breakfast (6 Euro every day) and decided it'd be much cheaper to just buy a pain 'o' chocolat and a coffee in Centre Ville (which is exactly what we did). We found a Carrefour where we bought things for dinner, and brought the food back to the hotel to eat. The three nights were spent walking around in the rain with our umbrellas (thankfully during the day it wasn't consistently raining) but we didn't stay too long outside because a dry, cozy hotel room seemed much more appealing to us.

We took the bus today to Villeneuve-Lez-Avignon, which was a smaller town across the Rhône (river) and about a 5-10 minute bus ride from Avignon. We had a good walk this morning as we took the bus to the last stop and walked all the way back down towards the Office du Tourisme, and by that time we were ready to head back. We still hadn't seen the Palais at that point (the highlight of our day) and we wanted to get there before it closed. The rain was starting in on us again, so that told us it was time to go.

I am already planning my second trip back, and shooting for seeing a show next time (it didn't fit the schedule this time around). I'm planning on seeing my friend in Nice in March, so that might be just around the right time to pop back into this wonderful city.

Chilly weather, chilly people and French markets.

2009-12-15T02:31:00.000-08:00

It's getting colder outside and yesterday, we had our first snowfall! Of course, none of it stuck (apparently it rarely does) but it was nice all the same to walk back from Salle 9 (the computer lab in the school) and seeing the snow, enhanced by the glow of the lights. It was enough to make me feel like it was really December, instead of just a cold Autumn day (which would be Michigan's equivalent to Aiguillon's winter). There won't be any snowmen around here, that's for sure- but Aiguillon is decked out in Christmas lights throughout Centre Ville and it certainly does something to make this otherwise plain small town a festive one.

Going to the market on Tuesday and Thursday mornings (which is always right in front of the lycée) always is a trip, because of the things you see (dead pigeons without their feathers plucked, piled on top of one another for sale) and the people you meet. In today's case, it was just a story of pushy old ladies. I was cut in front of *twice* after waiting for my turn and the first lady even told the cashier that she'd been there longer than I had. I just mumbled "ça va, ça va (it's fine)" and she went ahead and paid. She also was the same lady who earlier had pushed me aside from where I was standing in line so she could get her tomatoes. Good lord, what happened to manners?
Normally I would just shrug it off but a third person (a guy this time) did the same thing when I went down to the atelier to have my laundry washed. I dropped off my things with Madame Bertrand and as I was leaving, I came across some man I didn't know walking speedily in my direction. The hallway was small so I tried to scoot off to one side, but he actually just plowed on through, bumped me (enough so that my body weight shifted) and didn't say a thing. Okay, I know you're in a hurry. I understand that you might have things to do. But seriously, is even a small "pardon" out of the question?! Do I just scream "bump into me! I like it!"? I'm pretty sure I don't have that written all over my face, so what's the deal with these people?

I just spoke to my colleague about her Friday class. It's a group of Terminales (last grade of high school, equivalent to seniors) who are all girls and who don't really respond too well to my lessons. I just told her that they don't all respond when I ask them questions, (even in French when they refuse to speak english), they don't participate in the activities I plan and I just get the strong feeling there's no point in coming to that class if they don't care and don't want to participate. I'm going to stay with her before going off with half the class this Friday and talk to the students with her so we can figure out together what the problem is. It's not all the students who react like this, just maybe about half of them. It's hard enough to get them interested in my lessons, but when some of them don't put in any effort at all, I get the feeling like I'm not doing my job right. This is the only class that I've had students like this. I see them every week, and it's been like this since the beginning. The case might be that the lessons I plan for them are just too far above their heads and not their level, but how am I to know if they don't tell me "it's too hard"? That way, I could just adjust my lessons. But I'm not just going to give them lyrics to a song and have them fill out missing words all the time (that was the only lesson I did that seemed to interest them- they even requested a few other songs in english). I have to give a good variety, but why bother if they don't participate?

Paris with Michelle, pt. 2

2009-12-13T09:12:00.000-08:00

Michelle and I stopped by La Comédie Française on Friday night, looking for a show to see that weekend. There were two playing, but Michelle was looking for a comedy that would be relatively easy to understand (it is quite difficult to follow French plays, with not only the language barrier but the subtle jokes thrown in as well). Since we both agreed that we should keep looking for something that really caught our eye, we popped next door into the gift shop and saw this dress in the window:

It could’ve been the purple that caught my eye, or the mere fact that I love period clothing, I don’t know. But seeing it on display there made me want to try it on and run around in the theatre, pretending I was part of the company.
I made a mental note to see Cyrano de Bergerac while here in France, as the main character hails from my region of France. I was reminded by seeing the souvenir t-shirts with quotes from the book. I was tempted to get something to bring back to Aiguillon, but I decided everything was a bit more pricey than I’d’ve liked, so I moved on.

We enjoyed imagining in which apartments we’d like to live and how much they’d cost each. For example, there was one that had a view inside the Louvre, and was probably right off Rue de Rivoli. I didn’t check, but I could bet that living there costs about an arm and a leg. Whatever, we decided when we’re rich that we’d live in the Louvre, not around it. We’d probably have to buy it first from the French Government. Don’t know how happy they’d be with the idea.

Paris was decorated with about as much extravagance as I’d expected for a big city- not to say I wasn’t impressed. Almost every street, small side-street, and corner was lined with Christmas lights. I had to wonder how much brighter Paris looked from a plane if you were to fly above it at this point in the season. The most decorative building I’d seen was Le Printemps (above), and I pictured it to look about the same as a Galéries Lafayette on the inside, with probably the same prices. Needless to say, we didn’t go in. Instead we opted for Gap, H & M, Camaieu, and a few other smaller French boutiques lined along our walkway. Michelle was looking for something without artificial fabrics, but she couldn’t find much under 100 Euro that was 100% wool, cashmere, or cotton that she liked (expensive taste may or may not run in the family). I wasn’t looking for clothing at the time but did find a few things I liked. I keep trying to remind myself that the more I buy here, the heavier my suitcases will be and the more fun it will be to lug them around the Paris Metro when the time comes to leave France.

We started planning our Christmas vacation while in Paris. We’ve booked a hotel in Avignon for 3 nights, and Michelle will be coming to stay with me before and after we take the train out east from Aiguillon. I’ve been looking into things like bike rentals, recommended visits, and must-sees in my France on a Budget guide (thank you Evan, it’s come in handy quite often while I’ve been here). We want to go to the lavender fields for sure, but don’t feel too inclined on taking the tourist-guided buses out there from our hotel. Way too pricey, and not the way we want to experience it. We prefer the Rick Steves way of experiencing, by just going out and doing it yourself or maybe 1 other friend and hosting a TV show about it. Although, we won’t be doing the latter. Yet.

I thought it was a bit of a shame we wouldn’t be in Avignon during the summer when the renowned theatre festival would be going on. True, I have the option of staying later over the summer to see it, but the whole not-working-thing would probably keep me from doing that. Also, I’m pretty eager to see my family and friends. David (the assistant in Nérac) suggested I stay at least for a week longer to visit Greece with his friend Regina (assistant in La Réole). It does sound tempting, but I also have to save up for my plane ticket/rent when I move back to the States. Where will that be, you might ask? Well, maybe not Michigan right away, if I can find an apartment in Boston first. Tickets would be cheaper, and I could start looking for a job straight off the bat. Why Boston? Because I haven’t gone through with any other applications for grad school other than Emerson. So, it’s Emerson or bust. Plan B? Get a job teaching French in a high school (although I may have to get certified for that first, not too sure about how that works) and audition for shows on the side. Either way, if I do go straight back to Michigan, it won’t be for long. After living on my own for 7 months, I’ll want to keep it that way.

Paris with Michelle pt. 1

2009-12-11T03:26:00.001-08:00

I finally bit the bullet and bought one of my favorite classic trilogies: The original Star Wars Trilogy. And what's better? I can watch it in French too! :D (Although it simply wouldn't be the same with different voices...) It'd be the best if Mark Hamill himself spoke French. Anyone know if he's bilingual?

This is the studio Michelle and I stayed at during the weekend. It actually belongs to her fiancé's godfather, but they were both in London for the weekend while we stayed there. As you might be able to tell from the picture, it was very small, and literally only made for one person (but Michelle and I did fine for the few days we were there). There was only room for one bed, so we created a makeshift bed on the floor next to it out of blankets and a rolling futon mattress. It was definitely nice to be able to stay somewhere rent free in Paris, even for a few days.

Eglise de la Madeleine (yes, I had to go there)
Michelle and I passed by this beautiful and well-known church, which happened to be holding Mozart's Requiem mass on Saturday night. We decided we'd like to see at least one show of some sort while we were there, and this one took the cake. Tickets were 20 Euro apiece, and we bought them a day ahead (guessing that it would be pretty popular, and not wanting to get shafted if we bought our tickets the same night). The concert was beautiful, opening with a soprano soloist who sang two versions of Ave Maria, followed by a quartet of vocalists who sang with the orchestra. Then the choir came out, and they sang the Requiem Mass (even with the so-so acoustics in the church, I still found Lacrymosa to be heavenly). We both agreed it was money well spent, and by the time it ended (around 10:30) we were ready to go back to the studio and have some hot soup. We were (physically) tired from having walked so much, my feet were hurting and her legs started to ache, so we decided to call it a night after that.

We were insistent on visiting at least one museum that weekend- so we figured the Louvre would be the best route to go. Michelle hadn't been there before, and I'd only been once, so I was more than willing to go again and see some more beautiful artwork. I was able to find my favorite painting by the artist Pierre Narcisse Guérin, L'Aurore enlevant Céphale. This painting captured my eye the first time I visited the Louvre, and was definitely still in my mind the day I went back. It hangs on a red wall in a large room with several other masterpieces from different French artists. If you can, next time you go to the museum, look for this piece and maybe you'll be as taken away as I was by its beauty.

Paris tomorrow ... :)

2009-12-03T08:29:00.000-08:00

I'm happily preparing for my second visit to Paris this year. My sister called last night, just as I was about to fall asleep, and with this wonderful surprise I woke right back up in excitement to hear from her. Hearing family over the phone is so, so different from just talking to family over e-mail. She called to let me know she's safe in Paris in the studio, and she's planning our weekend as I write this. I'm taking the train early tomorrow morning (6:20 a.m.) and I have to change trains twice before arriving in Paris- once in Marmande and again in Bordeaux. Not fun- but at least I got a steal when buying my tickets. I got them about a month ago, and, not taking into account that I had a class Friday morning, booked the earliest train. This morning I got to awkwardly explain to Marie-José (whose class I help with on Friday mornings) that I bought the tickets without thinking and that I'd be missing her class unless I changed my train until later. She gave me a frank "ça m'est égal" (I don't mind) and said that it should be okay if I miss the one class. Yay! I do still feel like a doof, though, for having forgotten about class Friday morning. :-/

I packed very light because I'd asked Michelle to pack some things from home I'd forgotten (or just decided after arriving that I would need). It turns out that I hadn't as much an opportunity to wear my shorts and skirts as I was hoping, but maybe around March and April the weather will be a bit warmer. Still, for December, the weather is not that bad. We had a bit of rain earlier today but it was absolutely bearable. I just stayed inside and read my bande-dessinées (comic books). I'm really addicted to them. Wondering who back home might like one as a gift from me...

It's beginning to (feel) a lot like Chris-tmas...

2009-11-30T08:32:00.001-08:00

...mostly because of the colder weather we've been having, but also the streets of France are decked out in Christmas lights. It's a wonder to walk along the streets at night with your roommate, demi-bottle of white wine in hand, under the lit-up side streets. I can't think of a better way to pass the time while waiting for a train to come.

Amy and I went to Bordeaux two days ago, for the entire day. I got some Christmas shopping done, and got to take in the city I've been meaning to visit for a long time. It was a long day, but I got some great pictures and was definitely convinced that I need to go back for a second trip soon. We stopped in the museum of Aquitaine, shopped down Rue St. Catherine (the "Champs Elysees" of Bordeaux) and walked along the Garonne river. It was pretty chilly, thankfully the rain had stopped by the time we arrived but it was still a bit wet. We almost went ice skating but after noticing that the rink had about an inch of water lining the ice, we decided we'd pass. You could easily tell who had fallen thanks to the water marks on everyones bums. (I tried not to stare). But there was one guy skating around and he looked like he knew what he was doing, or anyway like he'd been placed there to advertise the rink, because he was singing along to the (American) music that was projecting out and giving the eye to every female mammal that walked by. So...my stare might have lingered a little longer on his bum. And no, there were no water marks.

Aside from those fun-filled activities, I've begun the search for some more interesting lessons to do with my students. I've started working with PostSecret images and discussing them in my classes, having the students make sense of what is written on each card and then following it up with a "how does this secret make you feel" discussion. I'm hesitating to give them the link to the website, because at times the secrets can be a bit risqué. But, I feel like with the way they snog out in front of the school anyway, sex isn't really that taboo for them. Even the younger ones.

I'm getting ready for Paris this coming weekend. My sister and I are going to spend time together, sipping tea in the cafes (coffee in my case) and walking around like two old women, commenting on everything we pass by and just enjoying each others' company. Staying in Mark's (sister's fiancé's) godfather's studio will be a nice change from paying too much for a small hotel where you can't stretch your arms out in the shower. But in any case, shower or no shower, I'm ready to see my sister!

Getting cozy

2009-11-23T01:34:00.001-08:00

11/21/09
I’m finally starting to feel at home here.
I’ve been spending the last few days relaxing (no class this past Friday), walking to the library, listening to Ella Fitzgerald and Michael Bublé, and reading some French comic books. Their world is really something different here, not like a typical Marvel comic book back home. These stories are lifelike, the artists using lifelike situations and with real emotion. They’re a pleasure to read (especially “Les Profs”, a lighter-spirited series compared to those I’ve been reading, but all the same they shine a lot of light on the life of a professor in France). The two I’ve just finished are Le Combat Ordinaire and La Memoire Dans Les Poches- both stories that delve into the personal lives of the main characters, in one case an old man who begins caring for an orphan Moroccan infant, and the other a young adult without a job who meets a veterinarian and begins sharing his life with her. They’re touching stories (especially Memoire) and I’ll be heading back to the library for sure to rent the next chapter as soon as the library opens.

I went to Nérac last weekend to visit my friend David, another American assistant. It’s hard for the assistants there to get around (yep, harder than here in Aiguillon) because they stopped having trains run through, and started using a private bus system instead that goes from Agen to Nérac. It’s about 45 minutes one way, and 6 Euro 10. Much more expensive than hopping on the train, but David’s seemed to become used to it already. He’s been to La Reole several times (his friend Regina is the english assistant there) and Bordeaux as well. It is a bit ironic though, that he got placed at the school with the Theatre BAC (which isn’t at every lycée) and that there is no such specialization for the students at my school. I told him it’s too bad we couldn’t have switched, because they seem to have more going on in that realm in Nérac in general. When I visited, we saw a modernized Romeo & Juliet. Later in the week, he saw a second show (can’t remember what it was). But his students seem to adore him (one of his english prof colleagues told him that they’re going to miss him next year! Already!) So he is pretty happy there, but as far as transportation goes he’d prefer otherwise. The city of Nérac is pretty and charming- we went for a long walk through the historic park which had several fountain/monuments, including one dedicated to the lover of King Henry IV, Fleurette (which is where the word flirt came from, thanks for that bit of wisdom David!) The park is lined by the river Garonne (which, on that day, was a bit brown due to several days of rain preceding our walk). David says it’s normally pretty clean-looking, so I suppose I just came on the day Nérac was grève-ing (on strike) and just decided not to charm its visitors for once. If that was the case, the grève was pointless because I enjoyed the city nonetheless, with its beautiful churches and castle (which we didn’t go in due to the small fee we didn’t feel like paying at the time). I am planning on going back to see the castle and probably show Amy around (she was out of town that day).

Still no LiveBox (modem) or home phone yet. I’ve been patiently twiddling my thumbs and checking my casier every day, expecting to see the package there waiting for me....but alas, nothing. I’ve checked on Orange’s website (the company with which I ordered the service) and according to them, everything is installed and working. If I don’t get this package Monday, I’m going to call them and ask what’s up. The only thing that keeps me from calling is how expensive it tends to be when calling from your cell phone- minutes are eaten up like *that* and it’s hard to get quick customer service over the phone...therein lies my problem. If I had my fixed line by now, it’d have been a free phone call....but I wouldn’t need to call if I had my phone in the first place! (augh)

Still working on those grad school applications. There are a few schools I’m looking at that require the GRE, which means if I want to have my application in by the deadline for Fall 2010, I’ll be taking the GRE here in France. The closest test area is Toulouse (about an hour from Aiguillon on the train) so it can be done. I’m a little bothered about having to take the test because I’m not the best test-taker, and I don’t think my test scores reflect the way I learn material. When I’m timed, I’m always under stress, which always seems to affect my performance. But- hopefully, hopefully the grad schools will look at my transcripts from undergrad and high school and see my past work, and my letters of recommendation and such which will balance it all out. In any case, here are the schools I am planning on forwarding my GRE results to:
1) Emerson College- Boston, MA
2) Boston University, MA
3) University of Northern Colorado
4) DePaul University, Chigago IL

There were a few on the bottom of my list in Canada, but a few things are deterring me from applying there (namely, the weather and the whole not-being-a-Canadian-citizen thing). But, I’ve secretly always wanted to own a cozy log cabin somewhere way up north where I can escape when need be, and go skiing and ice fishing when the mood strikes. I don’t think I could live in a wintry place like that year-round, but a once-in-a-while escape sounds quite right.

As far as work goes for the moment, I plan on doing a Thanksgiving lesson with each of my classes this coming week, as the holiday falls this Thursday. The school is going to be serving turkey for dinner, and some of Adeline’s (english prof) students are going to be making posters about Thanksgiving to hang up in the cafeteria to go with the themed dinner. This will be one of those exceptional days where I’ll be eating in the cantine instead of chez moi- they tell me it’s cheaper to eat there but I like cooking for myself, and they don’t always serve food “qui me plait”. So, I’ll be having turkey on Thanksgiving, à la française, and although it won’t be quite like turkey back home with the family, I’ll be with friends and colleagues all the same. And that’s alright with me.

Thoughts on life after the assistantship.

2009-11-16T05:07:00.000-08:00

So, as I am only working twelve hours a week, I have a lot of extra time to do whatever I choose. Thus, I've found a few things to keep me busy:
1. Apply for grad schools
As this is about the time that I should be getting my stuff together for next fall, I've begun researching graduate schools back in the USA (and a few in Canada) to get my Master's degree in Theatre Education. I'm leaning towards a specialization in Voice & Speech, as knowing extra languages are always a plus, and I just have an overall general interest in this area of theatre. I'm updating my resume, making lists of potential universities, and starting to write motivation letters already, because some of the deadlines are as early as December 1st for entry into the Fall programs. I've thought about getting an MFA in Acting (which doesn't necessarily always require a BFA in Acting in undergrad), but I think I'd feel more secure and there would be more of a need for teachers with specific training in a certain area instead of just a bunch of acting classes. This way, I can get my MA, and still teach (but go from teaching english here to Theatre aux Etats-Unis). I'm looking so far at a few Universities in Boston, California, and Canada.
2. Take tap lessons from an amazing dancer from Switzerland who runs his own company!
This is something I've always wanted to do because this is probably my favorite style of dance to watch. It's super difficult already and I've only been to one lesson (but he's been extremely patient with me and realizes that I haven't been tapping since I was 2.5 like most dancer girls I know.) My teacher (friend)'s name is Laurent, and he's here in Agen studying theatre for a semester until he has to go back to Switzerland to prepare his company for a performance in Russia. I'm his first student here in France and he said he's happy to be teaching again (even though i'm sure he's used to teaching much more experienced dancers). Yesterday we worked for an hour and I was shown just how out of shape I really am. Looks like I'm going to have to start up the jogging routine again to keep up with him!
3. Shop, travel, and eat.
Of course I've been doing a handful of the latter two, which is where most of my money is going at the moment. I'm in the process of discussing Christmas plans with Michelle (sister), and right now we're looking at Paris or the Southeast coast (Nice, Avignon, Marseille, et cetera). Things are still in the works, so if any readers have any input/ideas as to where the ideal place to spend Christmas in Europe would be, your comments are welcome/appreciated!

Plans, plans, plans!

2009-11-10T05:29:00.000-08:00

So, I've decided that I want to visit London during one of my week-and-a-half long vacations that France so lovingly has offered me, and during that stay I want to see a show in London's West End. I've lived in the States for 22 years, and still have never even been to a Broadway show. As obsessed with theatre as I can be, it's a little insane that I haven't been to a show yet- and I'm going to make that happen. I will ask Amy if she's interested in going, and she could guide me around the big city (that I believe she's only been to a few times, but still, that's more than me). Plus, I don't know if she's seen a show there before! I'm looking into Wicked, Avenue Q, and Les Miserables. I'd prefer the first two because I haven't seen them before (I've performed in and seen high school versions of Les Mis, and I love it to death, but seeing a new show interests me more.) A few days ago I went and saw The Bald Soprano (La Cantatrice Chauve) by Ionesco with Amy in Agen, and we both enjoyed it, for an absurdist piece. She's not much a fan of all the non-sequitirs and it's not my favorite style of theatre either, but we were entertained and had some good laughs. I'm still waiting to see a classic play, hopefully this weekend i'll find something good.

The internet technician came yesterday and installed the phone line at our apartment. Now all we have to do is wait for the modem to be sent to us, and we'll finally be connected! I still don't know if we have to buy our own phone or not, but I suppose it'd come with the modem when it gets mailed. Anyway, it'll be a relief to not have to rely on the school being open in order to use the internet.

Yesterday was also kind of a crazy day, from waking up early and not being able to fall back asleep to having the technician come three hours early to rushing to a meeting with the Proviseur to show him my website I created for the students, nothing seemed to go as planned. But, after only two lessons (my only lessons of the day on Monday) I left class feeling in a better mood than when I had entered. Whether it was laughing with the students or just being around people that brightened my day, i'm not entirely sure. But if teaching is becoming therapeutic, I can't say i'll ever be able to stop.

Some post-worthy pictures of note.

2009-11-04T07:44:00.000-08:00

So, some of my posts will be dedicated specifically to significant pictures from my entire France album from this year. This is one of them.

This is in Agen- it is what it looks like: a manmade canal over the river Garonne. Neat, huh? This is a hotspot for bikers and joggers to exercise- despite there being very little room on either side of the canal to move over when there are big groups of people. No wonder why there have been things like bikes, purses, cell phones, even cars found in the canal after it's been emptied. When someone told me about that, I shuddered a bit and now I pretty much hug the very side of the wall so I don't accidentally slip. Who knows, it could happen...

(looking backwards from the canal toward the sunset)

This is Theatre Ducourneau, the theatre in Agen that I haven't been to yet- but will see my first show there this weekend. (La Malade Imaginaire) Will post another update with how it goes.

This is the theatre in Marmande that gives classes every Tuesday night. I'm going to check it out next week- cool painting, eh?

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-01T03:19:00.000-08:00

10-31-09
So, I’ve been reflecting the past two days about what might be the best solution to take care of my restlessness problem. After going over two different lists of pros and cons of staying in this apartment, i’ve decided to stay here in Aiguillon, save some money and just make the apartment a bit more livable. Today I called France Telecom to have them come and install a fixed line here with internet, and we’ll be able to cut the contract at 7 months, when I leave. I am also opting to decorate the apartment a bit with a rug here and a lamp there, but I don’t want to spend too much on decor only to have to give it all away in the end.
I called and canceled the apartment visits that I had planned in Agen. I don’t think with the work they’re doing on the rail system right now that there’s even a train to get there on Saturdays- as far as I know, it’s only running through the main stops during the weekend up until November 20th- but Amy and I are going to walk down to the station later to check the schedule.

The other day, as I was coming back from a shopping trip in Marmande, there was a bit of a disruption with the trains that led me stuck in Agen without a ride back to Aiguillon. Here’s what happened: I was on the last train back to Aiguillon, which kept getting delayed 20 minutes, then 25, then 40, then an hour...and so on. Everyone on the train was getting restless and all the conductor could tell us over the loudspeaker was “we’ll give you information as it comes up”. So we sat for maybe 1 hour-1 hour ½ waiting to leave, and then the conductor says (from what I could discern), something about the gendarmerie (police) being dispatched and us having to switch trains....so I asked another passenger, an older woman, what was going on (for a bit of clarity) and she told me that one of the trains had been “attaqué”, or hijacked I guess. Wtf? So I change trains, only to find that the one I got on passed aiguillon and went straight to Agen. I (fretting a little inside but remaining what I thought was calm and collected on the outside). After disembarking at the Agen station, I found the SNCF worker closest to me and explained my situation. She told me, with the biggest French shrug possible, that there wasn’t a train going back to Aiguillon for the rest of the night (it was only 8:30 or 9!!) and that I should call someone for a ride back home. I called the three professors that I knew that lived in or near Agen- each one was out of town, of course, and one didn’t respond his cell or his home phone. That was my “contact” that is essentially supposed to be the one I call when I need something. Go figure. Anyway, Marie José (One of the profs who took me under her wing as soon as I arrived and already invited me over to her house twice for dinner) was in Bayonne at the time and called her friends from where she was to see if they could take me in for the night. I told her I’d just look for a hotel because I didn’t want to bother anyone- so I walked not far down the main road from the Agen station and came across Hotel Regina, a two-star hotel that seemed to be open but whose doors were already locked. The concierge saw me trying to get in and came to tell me the hotel already stopped taking reservations. I told here I was willing to go elsewhere, but I just needed one room for the night and that was it. She brought me over to her desk and showed me that she had one room available, for 36 Euro (an extra 7 for petit dejeuner) and I said i’ll take it. I was just happy to get a room for the night and not have to sleep in someone’s house I didn’t really know. Plus, it was essentially the first hotel I got to stay in during vacation. For two stars, it was just what I needed- the only minor thing being the toilet was a shared one in the hallway. But that was nothing- the public toilets on the streets however, are crawling with all sorts of diseases and black plagues and such. I think the one in the hotel was typhoid free.
I may be returning to the same hotel a few times a month in order to take theatre classes in Agen. I’ve already gone and met the teacher of one of the classes there, but it doesn’t get out until 9 p.m. (and as we all know by know, there is most certainly no way to get back to Aiguillon at that point in time). Amy suggested instead of finding an apartment to be around classes and such in Agen that get out late, to just stay in a hotel for the time I’ll need to be there. This would be during the week however, and I do have an 8:15 class in Aiguillon the following morning, but thanks to the early trains it shouldn’t be a problem.

La Toulousaine

2009-10-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

10-25-09
Well, I’m on my way to see Toulouse today! My first vacation (Toussaint) since arriving and starting work here in France. I’ve successfully finished my 1st months of teaching high/middle school, and thus far i’m happy with how things are going.
I expect to do mostly touring/taking pictures today and saving shopping for another time. I’m only there for the day, so I’m going to get the most out of it and see what I can in the 5-6 hours i’ll be there.
Amy is in Bordeaux with her parents for the week. She offered to have me visit a little with the three of them, but I wouldn’t be going until later in the week (Wednesday and Thursday I’ll be in Agen working with Peter, a British colleague of mine). Also, my pay advance is expected to come sometime this week, so having that money available would be ideal before travelling again.
It’s very foggy/misty this morning, hopefully it’ll clear up by the time I arrive in Toulouse! I never wrote about Noelle, the librarian who works at ecole Marcel Pagnol with Amy. She is a sweet lady who had us over for Sunday lunch two weekends ago at her house in Aiguillon. It was a bit of a special occasion for her as her son was in town from Mont-de-Marsan, along with his 4 roommates. They were all very sweet and welcoming (and my age!) and they invited us back to their place later on in the coming months. It sounds like they’re planning a trip to the Pyrenees too- how exciting!
The only other people my age that I’ve met so far are the ones i’ve been working with in Agen. The students are part of a business school called Sud Management, and they’ve all chosen to continue their studies after lycee in order to find a job as a manager, business-person, director, P.R. manager, you name it. Apparently, it is becoming rarer for French students to go to a University after high school- most just end up working right away. What my job is at the school is to assist them in projects, especially with their english (right now they’re working on fundraisers to raise money for a trip to England- last week I heard their ideas and suggested my own for a few groups that haven’t decided yet). It’ll be nice to work around students closer to my age instead of just younger ones!
It looks like the mist is already starting to life. The blue skies are a nice change from the past couple wet, grey days we’ve been having.
Yesterday I walked around Agen a bit and took pictures. There is always something I haven’t seen there before, like last night when I happened upon an old Catholic church called Paroisse Sante-Foy. Mass had just started (3 minutes after the hour) so I hopped on in the pews and took a seat. What a nice surprise- the choir consisted of two younger men singing in harmony, one playing his guitar and the other holding an adorable baby. There were a few volunteer cantors who took part of the ensemble, mostly younger teens. After hearing a few gorgeous songs, I decided i’d try and get some information on joining a church choir in Agen. It turns out there are 4 choirs to choose from, and one of them (thankfully) doesn’t meet too late at night, so it looks like I’d be able to take the train to the rehearsals. I just have to find the church first! (There are tons in Agen- I’m not sure the number exactly but enough to get them easily confused.)
I went to Tonneins again on Saturday to find some info about the theatre and dance workshops they offer at the centre culturel. I’m going into the office tomorrow morning to get prices and see if I can attend the first class for free to get a good idea of how it’s run. The classes aren’t cheap (over 200 Euro if you don’t live in Tonneins) but it might be completely worth it. Aside from working 3 jobs, anything leisurely to occupy my time will be a big relied.

~later~
So I’m now back at the gare, waiting for my train to take me home. I had a great time, did tons of walking all around Centre Ville, and what made everything better- I got my advance! :) So, thanks to that big perk of the day, I treated myself to a long-waited for (and badly needed) haircut. I learned a lot of necessary beauty vocabulary right then and there, while awkwardly trying to explain in Franglais what I wanted done to my hair. Split ends, face frame, hair dye and bangs aren’t all words I use on a day-to-day basis.
I decided to hold off on buying the perishable food gifts until Christmastime when Michelle visits, and she can save me the cost of shipping everything over to the U.S. by packing the gifts in her bag. I think the recipients would rather have fresher items, too!
I noticed in the office du Tourisme that the region seemed to boast about their violets. They had violet-scented everything in the gift shop, which I’m sure smelled great (I was more looking for event information and such). I have a bunch of calendars with events and shows going on here so I can plan a longer stay later in the year, with an actual itinerary to go with it!
I’m on the train now. My legs are only a bit sore from all the walking (I wore my usual favorite boots). I probably could’ve gone with my running shoes and been better off. Oh, well!
I’m on one of those compartment trains where you have 8 seats (4 facing each other) and you can close the door. It definitely feels more old-style in comparison with the modern trains with toilets that probably flush. (Mine on the way here did not.) And of course, after I used the bathroom and sat back in my seat, the cute guy in front of me went right in after me. He probably thinks I’m a sick individual who doesn’t flush. I swear it wasn’t my fault!!
Anywho, I should sleep well tonight. Although I should probably try and have a real dinner (last night I wasn’t too terribly hungry after getting home from Agen- so I sort of went to bed with a rumbly tumbly. But not tonight!)

Let les vacances de Toussaint begin!

2009-10-23T02:36:00.001-07:00

So, I've had my last class of the week today and now i'm officially free for the next week and a half for Toussaint. God bless France and their long vacations.
Only thing is, I have to wait until I get paid to go anywhere! I should be geting my cash advance within the next week (hopefully even sooner than that) so Bordeaux isn't too far away. I'm going to go back to Agen to work with Peter again in the business school Sud Management (Peter is one of my colleagues who teaches English with a focus on History and Geography). He's asked me and my roomate Amy to tag along with him and help out at the school there, which is for college-aged students who are interested in developing a career in business or management. We'll be helping the students with their English projects, particularly a fundraiser that they have coming up in order to raise money for their trip to England next year. We've already brainstormed ideas with them, and they've thought of everything from hosting a fashion show to presenting an outdoor play/spectacle, and Peter asked me if I could help with the group who is looking to get the play going. Of course I accepted, and will be meeting them this coming Thursday to see what they had in mind.

The dialogues that i'd been using in class went well, but I'm getting the feeling that my Terminales are a bit "over" that sort of thing and they seem almost like they'd rather just do the normal reading documents and responding to them instead of going outside the box. The younger ones were a bit more into it and seemed to really have fun with it, but it's either too early in the morning for the Terminales or they just don't really care enough to dig into their creative energy. I'm going to ask the other English profs what's worked with them for their 18-year olds and hopefully i'll get some ideas. I've already printed out a few current even articles which I plan on copying and bringing to class for them, we'll see how that goes.

I stopped by the marché this morning and I'm always shocked to see how cheap it is for the fresh, delicious food I can buy right in front of my doorstep. Why can't it be like that in Michigan?

Michelle, my sister, and her fiancé Mark are going to be visiting Aiguillon in December, so i'm looking forward to having them as guests! I'll be going back to Paris early December because Mark's uncle has an apartment there where the two of them work together on research projects. I don't know yet whether I'll be staying in the studio when I visit, or another hotel (probably not the same one again, i'd like to have my own toilet and shower where I can stretch my arms out without hitting the wall!) But in any case, i'm looking forward to their visit.

The car search is still on. I've called a new number today about another white manual I saw in front of the grocery store yesterday, which is going for 700. It looks to be about the same age as the one Clare (the former assistant) is selling, so if she successfully sells her car I may call the guy back and ask for more information. The only thing is, I don't know too much about cars (let alone manuals) so I'd be better off finding a French car-savvy friend to bring with me before I make the decision to make sure i'm getting my money's worth.

Until then, it's the train that i'll be using (which really isn't all that bad aside from the lousy schedule and the strikes).

Apartment hunting

2009-10-19T03:44:00.000-07:00

So, I've started the phone calls today in search of an apartment in Agen, the closest large city to Aiguillon (15 minutes away on the train). I've been brainstorming the pros and cons of living rent-free in a furnished apartment on the lycee grounds, and I've come up with more cons than pros. Here's what I've got so far:

PROS of staying here:
-free rent.
-free laundry
-proximity to school (about 20 steps from my front door)

CONS of staying here:
-have to take the train to have any sort of life outside of school.
-far from entertainment, shopping, et cetera
-no buses that go north or south (train only goes east and west)
-barely anyone my age (excluding the assistant I already live with)
-no Wifi in my apartment or phone jack to have a modem :(

I've considered pulling a Clare and just buying a cheap used car to use during the year while staying here in Aiguillon, but: 1) I don't have a European license, and 2) I don't know how to drive stick-shift. Nearly all (most, anyway) of the cars here are manual and I don't want to have to pay for classes.
The main thing though is that I'm far from the theatre in Agen, which has several shows going on each month and I can't take any classes here in Aiguillon because they aren't offered here. I would take the train to the classes in Agen, but the last train leaves halfway through the class, so I wouldn't even be able to stay through the whole lesson. It makes more sense to me to just commute to Aiguillon to work during the week, and live in Agen where I'll have a bit more of a life.

I'm going to see the first apartment on Thursday. I've called about two others, but I won't be seeing them until later in the week. I don't get my first paycheck until the end of October, but that should give me enough time to look around and weigh my options. I'm trying not to spend over 350 Euro/month if I can, including gas/electricity, so I can have enough left over for food and such....the ideal position to be in would be to live in a famille d'acceuil so I'd be paying less and speaking French a lot more, but finding a family would be the first thing to do. Someone mentioned that I should speak with the Proviseur of the lycee here and ask him about finding one in Agen (as that's where he's from) so i'll probably go to him if the apartment options fall through.

Amy seems relatively happy in the apartment here (she's from an even smaller town in England) so she probably will end up just staying in Aiguillon. I told her if she changes her mind she's welcome to go in on the apartment with me, but it's looking like she's prefering the free apartment over paying for one in a bigger city. Who knows though, maybe things will change in a few weeks.

Br-r-r-r!

2009-10-16T04:42:00.000-07:00

16.10.09

It’s a very chilly morning here in Aiguillon as I update my blog. It’s Friday, i’ve only had one class (very early this morning- 8:15 to 9:10) and I’ve done my grocery shopping. Before a lunch of a ham and egg sandwich on a freshly baked baguette, I’ve decided to heed to my sister’s request and give you all another friendly French update from le Sud-Ouest de la France.
I’m easing slowly into my classes and I’ve finally had two rooms assigned to me so I don’t have to keep running around to the Vie Scolaire at the last minute before the class starts asking someone which rooms will be available. I have one room in the collège and one in the lycée. It’s nice to be able to have only ½ the class, instead of taking on anywhere from 20-35 students at a time (what a hassle!) But I think the longer I teach the easier handling bigger groups will get. Some of my sections are as small as 6 students, some as large as 15. Yesterday I had two new classes, one 4ème and one 2ème. (The school system here goes a bit backwards- collège, or middle school in American, goes from 6ème me up to 3ème, and lycée or high school, from 2ème to 1ère to Terminale). Terminales, however, aren’t necessarily more advanced as I mistakenly thought in the beginning- just because they are older, that doesn’t mean their oral English is more advanced. They are the ones preparing for the BAC (a big oral exam they take at the end of the year that our job as assistants helps them prepare for.) I’ve been trying to find lessons to fit each age group, but due to this initial confusion I have to get a better feel for my classes before I can do any sort of real mapping out for the entire school year. Right now the most energetic, talkative students are my 4èmes, who are mostly 14 & 15, and they seem genuinely very interested in where I come from and what the American culture is like. As soon as you get to the lycéens, however, you get into passive teenager territory and you start getting blank, uninterested, glazed-over stares and lots of side conversations in French. However, I plan on countering this by finding interesting games that will really involve them and get them going instead of sitting and being bored beyond belief. I plan on doing at least one photo-lesson (where I show them a political cartoon or advert and they have to respond to it) every class period, followed by a game of some sort to get them talking. I haven’t had to really discipline anyone yet (hoping that this will be the case for the length of the school year) but in case there are a few delinquents, I have a few different strategies up my sleeve.
Firstly, each student is required at all times to have with them their carnet de correspondance with them- it’s a little booklet where teachers can write down notes about the behavior of the students, and it gets shown to the student’s parents when they’ve done something or behaved inappropriately. Some other assistants have used the “pull out your carnets and have them on your desk!” tactic before, and it seems to have worked- so if worst comes to worst, i’ll do the same.
Secondly, if they get way out of hand, I can request not to have the same students again, and they’ll just stay with their normal english prof while I take my normal sections without them. But I think that would be saved for the more severe cases- so far most of my students are pretty chill and haven’t given me any cause to worry.
I’ve been printing out lots of different role playing activities and dialogues that I want to incorporate with each level of my students. This weekend i’m going to separate the harder ones that require a bit more vocabulary knowledge from the easier ones that have some vocab already given. I have all day tomorrow (Saturday) to plan, after Amy and I get back from Agen. We’ll be going to the big bookstore downtown and I’m going to buy a US map as well as see if I can find any good plays in the English section to use for monologue presentations and the like.
Now to head to the lycée- the fun part about my apartment is that I don’t have Wifi installed here, so I get to take my laptop with me to the school every time I want to update my blog! (cries)

post script- the pictures you've been seeing are only a small sample of those i've been taking during my stay here. Check out the rest of the album on my Flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/22880874@N05/?saved=1

October 'n' stuff.

2009-10-16T04:39:00.000-07:00

8.10.09

So I’m remembering now all too clearly the way the system works here in France. Everything (from doing your laundry to putting up tutoring ads) must go through the heirarchy before anything can get done. There are so many mindless “required” steps one must take before getting to the desired finish line. And even when you get there, there is no way for sure everything will come out clear in the end. It may be warped, it may have a few stains on it here and there, it may be completely backwards when it’s finally returned to you. But hey, just give it all a nice big shrug, and you’re good to go in France.
Prime example: I’ve submitted some handmade posters that I’d intended to put around Aiguillon advertising my tutoring services (teaching English). Before putting them up, I had to okay them with the secretary to the “Proviseur” or school principal, basically, who had to okay the posters. Good, fine. Whatever. So I gave the secretary the posters a few weeks ado (needing money pretty badly I set in right away on a task to earn some extra dough on the side) and waited & waited for her to get back to me and tell me that they were good to put out. But I heard nothing until tonight when some random lady who works in the collège calls me and asks for tutoring for her sons! I said yes but I charge 15 Euro/half hour and 20 Euro/the hour. She said: “Well it says on your poster that you charge 15 E/half hour and 20E/for an hour and a half!” :-O <-- (my face after hearing this.) So apparently my posters were okayed but only after being modified (without my knowledge) and sent out to various persons instead of being sent back to me, where they originally came from. What can I do but go with it? I told the caller that I’d give her what the poster said because of a ‘malentendu’, but she assured me that ‘ça va aller’ and I should fix the price on the poster. Well, I wouldn’t have anything to fix if It weren’t adjusted in the first place!!
So after that big SIGH of the evening, I am left to tinker around with my lesson plans and maybe watch some ‘telly’ (as Amy calls it) before bed. Goodnight for now!

Getting used to this high-school thing.

2009-10-07T04:24:00.001-07:00

Well it's been a few weeks so far and I've been well acquainted with the lycée and collège classes, with only one more English professor left to meet. Today, a Wednesday, the students only have half a school day (as it always is). So i'm using salle 9, the computer room, and planning my next lessons for the rest of the week!

My schedule is relatively bunched together- I asked for Monday or Friday off, but as I couldn't get it completely free I have an afternoon class (around 2 p.m.) on Mondays and an early (8:15) class on Friday, and then the rest of the weekend is mine! I haven't planned any trips yet outside of Aiguillon but first on the list of places to go is Bordeaux. It's the closest metropolis to Aiguillon and definitely worth going for a week-long vacation, from what I hear!

We had the meeting for the assistants in the Lot-et-Garonne region yesterday in Agen. It lasted from 9 to a little before 5 (long day to sit in a muggy classroom and listen to a Frenchman drone on about health insurance for hours! :-/ ) Anyway, it was necessary information that we probably would've missed otherwise, so at least now we're informed.

We met the other assistants in the area, and I recognized a few from the website i've been frequenting (assistantsinfrance.com) and the e-mails we'd been exchanging before arriving in France. Everyone seems just about as excited as I am to be in a foreign country and sharing their culture with French kids. It really is a neat thing, being an assistant, because you only have half the class (which is a little more intimately sized and you can work a little closer with each student individually on his or her progress and help them better). The younger students seem to have (as well as more energy) a lot of excitement about learning english and are certainly more prone to speaking up, as the older students seem a bit more restrictive and shy (their speaking level isn't necessarily higher just because they are older, something I had to take into account after seeing lots of "deer in headlight" looks after explaining where Novi was on my left hand.

I've also been taking some time getting to show Amy around (the primaire assistant who teaches at Marcel Pagnol) and introduce her to the hierarchy of the high school. I'm still trying to get used to the whole French System (System D) of going to 5 people just to get my laundry washed or use the copy machine, et cetera. It's a process that takes longer to get things done but so be it :insert French shrug here:.

First day of teaching: check!

2009-10-01T07:36:00.000-07:00

Well, I don't have my timetable just yet (will get it on Monday), but I already started teaching! I had two 2eme classes today, most of my students were 15 years old (some 14). The first class was relatively lively and not too hard to get to speak, but the second was a little more difficult- they seemed a bit shy and hesitant. I feel like the hours both went by pretty quickly, although a lot of the time the second class just gave me wide eyes like I was speaking in an alien tongue (which, okay, I probably am, but whatever). I am about to research some other activities that will involve them more and maybe pique their interest so that they'll be more responsive, and maybe level-specific activities that won't be too advanced for their age level.

The primary level British assistant moved in yesterday! She's very sweet, and I haven't heard so far from her how her first day went (seems she's been there from 8:30 a.m. this morning- I haven't seen her since my classes ended!) But we're going to talk about our day over a glass of wine tonight and hopefully hers went as well as mine.

I'm hoping the printer is going to be fixed relatively soon so I can print out some more worksheets! Anywho, on to my lesson planning. Yay for my first day!
:D

Lazy Sunday afternoon.

2009-09-28T02:20:00.000-07:00

27.9.09- Sunday
A bit more time has gone by, and I’ve been using it to take the train to Tonneins, gather more touristy-like information to find stuff to keep me busy when I won’t be teaching, and meeting other colleagues. I had dinner last night with one of the English profs, Marie-Josée, and her family. It was really nice, and their house (in Damazan) was beautiful! They have one daughter, Benedicte, who dances at Salle St. Côme (where I intend to take lessons). It’s a little bit out of town, but once I get the bike fixed it won’t be a bad commute. Or, if the lessons are during the day, I could easily take the 45-minute walk to the studio. Benedicte studies at the lycée but doesn’t have any English classes with her mother (understandably).
Today I went to my first mass in French- it was hard at parts to follow but the priest spoke slowly for the most part. Dad will be happy to know the church next to me isn’t Protestant after all, but Catholic. I think I confused it with the Protestant church on the other side of town.

Arrival in Aiguillon/making acquaintances!

2009-09-28T02:19:00.000-07:00

Same day, 20:24- Aiguillon
Well, I’ve just arrived!
Unfortunately, it’s pretty dark outside- the train I took was 48 minutes en retard- I felt pretty bad for Stéphane, who was probably at home in Agen before I arrived 2 hours after the school closed. But- I blame the train system! Anyway, he seems pretty laid back, so I’m lucky to not have someone more prone to freaking out.
The town isn’t as small as I thought, but it isn’t Besançon, either. I only got a speedy driving tour through the city, but from what I can tell it’s a pretty cute city. I feel weird calling it a city when it’s really more of a town- Stéphane told me it’s the 4th or 5th biggest in the Lot-et-Garonne region. The school is the part that amazes me- it’s an older building (18th century older) that used to be a castle. And I live in an apartment right off to the side of it! I wonder what the classrooms look like...
There will be another assistant (niveau primaire) in my apartment who I believe might be British. I hope she’s nice!
(side note- I just ate a whole thin crust pizza. I didn’t have lunch and I think they’re meant to be for one person anyway. I probably could’ve ordered dessert, too...)

21-1-09, Tues. night
Well, a few days have gone by and I’m acquainting myself well with this little town. Today I opened up my bank account, took care of some other formalities in order to get my carte de séjour (which turned out to be necessary) and went up the large hill with Clare (the previous assistant) in Nicole (a nearby small village). We saw everything from up there- all the little villages were even smaller from up there. There is a crucifix one can see from the road that marks the top of the “peak”. The climb wasn’t easy (we were breathing heavily by the end of our climb) and the descent was even more unpleasant, but in a different sense. There was a man who drove back up the hill as we were ascending (he’d already passed us going down) who immediately gave Clare & me the creeps. He smoked his cigarette at the top of the hill, and as we descended he followed us back down. He was mumbling things (in French) to Clare about giving us a tour, and she declined as we kept on walking. He persisted to bug us as we pressed on, and after maybe three rejections he reached out and fondled Clare and tried to pull her tank top down. We started yelling and he slowly drove away. I asked Clare if she wanted me to call the police, but she said no- I should have done it anyway. She went home after we had a few beers and she told her boyfriend Jean-Pierre about it, and he reassured her that we should’ve reported it. We’re going to the gendarmerie tomorrow to do just that (although unfortunately we didn’t get his license plate number, so I don’t know what they’d really be able to do). Anyway, we both remember small details so hopefully it will help the police find the pervert and put him away. The situation just served as a (strong) reminder to always be alert and have my pepper spray on me. I didn’t have it then, and I regret it. Thank God we weren’t hurt.
Joanna’s story of being followed in Paris is another thing that set off an alarm in my mind. Just one more reason why I must make friends fast and never be alone at night. It’s ironic that absolutely nothing happened the entire time Clare was here, but the night before she leaves of course something happens. You can never be too careful.
Other than that sour note, my colleagues all seem to be very nice. One of the english teachers who has a place in Bordeaux invited me over to her place or to ride out with her when she drives out! I’ve met the theatre teacher too, who seemed very willing to get me involved in her productions in one way or another. Her students are doing a piece my Molière in March, so I’m planning on going to that to see them perform. I’m thinking of seeing how much it’ll cost me to get/rent a car to get around while I’m here in Aiguillon. I can only take the train to so many places, and the return times aren’t very late at all (before 8 to get back from Agen, for example). I’m thinking of talking to Stéphane about it, but I don’t know how much info he’d be able to give me as he’s probably lived in France all of his life (or in the European Union, at least). There is an auto-école in the city that I will stop by to see how I can go about maybe getting a car.
(same day, later that night)
Now I know what people are talking about when they say the French are so depressing- I’m trying to find something uplifting and fun to watch, but the happiest thing I can find is a film on the Holocaust. Go figure.

Train down to Aiguillon

2009-09-28T02:18:00.000-07:00

18.9.09- 13:23 (Gare Montparnasse, Paris)
So I’m here at the train station a bit early- I’ve got about 45 minutes before my train is due to arrive. It seemed like my bags were a bit heavier this time around (maybe because my muscles are still weak from arriving, or it could be the bottle of white wine I bought that’s weighing them down. Maybe it’s the apples and grapes I bought from the marché. Who knows!
Today I went to the Jardin des Plantes, visited the Sorbonne (didn’t go inside though) and saw the Panthéon. It was right around then that I decided I’d better find the closest metro so I could check out of Luna Park. I didn’t expect it to take so long to find one!
Paris has officially rubbed in my face the fact that I am really out of shape. Even when I’m not lugging my bags around everywhere, I’m still sweating bullets. This is solid proof that I need to get back into my running habit, and fast!

Same day- 14:07
Now that I’m on the train, I can write without worry. I’m pretty excited to finally be heading to the Aquitaine region. Don’t get me wrong- I loved Paris, but until I find a job there my trips will always be short term.
(side note- I think I forgot to pack my other new pair of jeans. Oh, well- they were a little big on my anyway.)
16:12
So I never went into detail about Sacré Coeur and everything else I did yesterday. I absolutely adored the church- it was beautifully constructed inside and out with a magnificent painting/etching sort of business going on in the front. I would’ve stayed a great deal longer had it not been for Mr. Sleaze-bag who followed me around as I was touring the church and had the gall to interrupt me as I was having a very peaceful moment in the pews. I left almost immediately after that. I just can’t enjoy myself when there are horny men following me around everywhere.
Aside from that, the trek up to the church was tough in and of itself. The church is conveniently placed on top of a steep hill that will really test your stamina once you decide to head to the top. I was panting & sweating near the end but you could plainly tell who was either an athlete or just French by seeing if they were stuggling & sweating as much as I was.
The one other annoyance one has to watch out for are the men who stand in your way as you try to climb the hill that leads up to the church. They try to tie a “bracelet” to your finger, and when you can’t get it off, they ask (demand) for payment. It’s really pretty obnoxious. Even if you just try to ignore them, they’ll push you away and swear at you. If there’s one way to attract better business, that’s most definitely not it.
The cobblestone road leading up to Sacré Coeur is as crowded as it is adorable. The rue was lined heavily with all kinds of tourist shops/typical French cafés & crêperies to lure in hungry travelers. I only stopped to buy a couple of cheap postcards for friends and family as they were 20 centimes a piece, as opposed to 1 euro apiece (the cards I bought by my metro stop near the hotel). Being in Montmartre reminded me of the movie Amélie, but I got to actually experience its sleaziness firsthand this time instead of waching it happen in a movie.
As it usually always is, the noisiest family is sitting directly behind me. My friend Kirk would get a good laugh if he were here right now. He’s been around when we’ve gone to lectures at the University and the chattiest people always sit in my general area.
We’ve just passed through Poitiers, so it appears we’re about halfway to Bordeaux from Paris (or more). Then it’ll be a short trip from Bordeaux proper to Aiguillon. I don’t know exactly how much of the city I’ll get to see today due to my legs being en panne and the things that I need to do (bank account, laundry, groceries, etc) but I’ve got 7 months to tour the p’tite ville de 4,500 people. It’s going to be quite the change from the 2-million some people in Paris. But who knows- I’ve never lived in a town this small before, it could be something I really enjoy. I just hope I can still get the keys to my apartment today (even though I’ll be arriving about 2 hours later than my contact expects me). Whatever, it’s France. If he has a problem, I’ll just give him a big, drawn-out French shrug and a “meh”. If the keys don’t come today, I’ll be crossing my fingers for a cheap hotel or hostel. Anywhere is cheaper than Paris! I’m really very happy for the change in atmosphere from the States. Although I’d love to have my family here, I am beginning to enjoy this whole “being independent” thing, and will enjoy it 1,000 times more when I get my 1st paycheck. Which reminds me, I need to fill out the paperwork for my cash advance. I don’t know how long my weak American money can last in Europe...

Running around Paris

2009-09-28T02:17:00.001-07:00

18.9.09- 00:43 (Paris)
Well, yesterday was quite the accomplished day! I visited Sacré Coeur, Père Lachaise Cemetery, Hotel de Ville; set up my cell phone (and I’m pretty sure I got duped in doing so) met up with Hugues and Samuel, and got TONS of walking in. I also ran into Saint-Chapelle and went inside, and stopped by the memorial de la déportation that was built to remember the victims of the Holocaust. It was a wonderful day- but unfortunately I have to leave Paris a day early to get the keys to my apartment. The other option was to stay until Monday and take the train down then, but I couldn’t’ve afforded the two extra days here. Also, some things ended up being more expensive than I’d predicted (ticket to Aiguillon, for example) which ended up being 67 euro instead of 39 (the first price I researched). Boo!
I’m going to try to wake up at 8 a.m. tomorrow, so I’d best call it a night. More later!

Arrival in France!

2009-09-28T02:16:00.000-07:00

Well, I’ve just arrived in Paris! I’m here for 7 months this time. I’ll be teaching English as an assistant in a small town called Aiguillon (pop. 4,500). I’m looking forward to starting a new chapter in my life, but most importantly from here on out I will be self-sufficient. This is a big turning point in my life, and I’m both excited and a bit scared. I’m currently a bit worn out from getting over a cold/lugging my bags all over Paris trying to find my hotel. I wasn’t expecting it to be this chilly- I should’ve worn a sweater!
A few other things on my to-do list today include visiting Sacré-Coeur, Musées Rodin and Picasso, and other such touristy ventures. I just read an e-mail from my contact (Stéphane) who tells me my apartment won’t be ready until Monday the 21st- which means I’ll need to crash somewhere for another two nights! I could either stay at the same hotel (which is about 39 euro/night, if they even have space) or Charlan B & B (run by two Brits in Aiguillon) for 50 euro/night, or stay in a youth hostel. I really don’t like the idea of a Parisian hostel, as it is probably dirty/sleazy. Bedbugs are also something to look out for.

Same day- 17:10
I feel much better after a good nap to shoo away the jetlag and a quick shower (although very cramped!) I’m now at a café I’ve been to before in the 11th arrondissement (a familiar part of Paris, by my hotel). I’m trying unsuccessfully to connect to the internet, but without much luck.

Same day- 21:27
Here’s my update since I last wrote: I found the internet at McDonald’s (go figure) so I quickly sent a few e-mails and then went to buy a new phone. I wasn’t planning on having to get a whole new phone, just maybe a new battery- but they told me it was kaput. So I bought a Nokia for 39 euro (which already seems a bit better than my old phone I got for 20 euro) but I can only use it to keep time for now until I get a new SIM card (yeah, apparently I need a new one of those, too- so much for bringing my old one with me! :-/) Anyway, hopefully this one will last a bit longer. I bought a Paris Visite card for the next 2 days so I can squeeze in as much as I want with the time I have left. I’m going to buy my ticket to Aiguillon tomorrow @ Gare du Nord, whether or not Stéphane says the apartment is clean! I just don’t have the money to stay another two nights in Paris. Which reminds me...I have to tell the innkeeper that I don’t need those two nights after all. Hopefully he didn’t already charge me! :D
::nervous laugh::

Preparation: Less than one week to go.

2009-09-09T08:09:00.000-07:00

It is 9/9/09 and I have six days before I leave. I'm content that I have all my paperwork necessary but haven't yet started packing. I will probably get that going today when I stop by mom's house (all my luggage is there). I'm getting so close I can taste it!

Last day of work today. Pretty geeked about that. Just about to run some errands before that happens:

Deposit paycheck
Notify bank of going abroad
Visit sis/mom/doggie
Practice mon francais
Revise lesson plans

We'll see how much of that actually gets done. I'm intent on getting the first three accomplished, and if I have time the latter two.

I've been watching a lot of Rick Steves' travel videos (if you're a traveler and haven't seen any of his stuff, I highly urge you to get on the bandwagon). He's an enthusiastic world traveler and documents his stays with passion and a smile, and his unique personality has kept me renting his videos for years. He has some stuff on YouTube too, but most of those vids are just short clips. If you want to see the real stuff, go to the library and chances are you'll find a few of his DVDs just waiting to be checked out.
Anyway, watching the videos has made me even more excited to be in France again. Especially the prospect of seeing my old host family (Samuel, Juliette, Yohan, Arlette & Laurent) and friends (Alban, Alexandros, Adrien). And of course, meeting my students at Aiguillon and the townsfolk around there. And yes, town fits the bill quite nicely as there are only about 4,500 people who currently reside there!

I haven't planned any trips yet to Bordeaux proper, but I feel it is necessary as I will be so close. I'll be equally distant from Toulouse, so i'm sure a stop there will happen in the future as well. Those are just the first few places I want to visit- I plan on doing many weekend trips throughout France so I can experience it completely this time. When I studied abroad, I stayed mostly in/around Besancon, which was nice but I was eager to see more. I didn't have an income as I was only there as a student on a scholarship/financial aid, so this time around it'll be pretty different.

I'm going to be posting a bit more frequently now as the date approaches. This blog will help me organize my thoughts as well as provide a means for me to vent when I may need it.

A bientot!

2009-07-06T12:15:00.000-07:00

Arlette and I went to a very good bakery earlier today after swimming at the indoor pool! They had samples of cherry pie, which were delicious! Arlette seemed to like them, she bought four. ^^ I had fun watching the cute baker make a strawberry tart. They had SO many good-looking pastries and breads I wanted to try! I told myself if I can't find a theatre job this summer/fall, I'm going to work at a bakery. Talk about a good discount, too! Mmmm.
Lila, Laurent's cat, is playing with/watching a snail on the door to the balcony as I write this. It's a trip watching her.
I can't help but wonder how I'm going to feel when I get back to MI. Maybe not nostalgic right away, but it's bound to happen eventually. I am more than ready to get back and see everyone. I did make friends here, but the lifelong ones are waiting patiently for me back home. I miss them! I have a great feeling about this summer. I await it with excitement.

Vendredi- 9.5.08
It's a gorgeous day, once again. I'm sitting on the balcony, listening to music while Juliette is at piano rehearsal and Arlette in Bretagne to visit some friends. Today she took me to look at some paintings by an artist (the same lady who gives piano lessons to Juliette) and Arlette bought a really nice painting for me of Besancon as a parting gift. I finished her scarf today, then went back downtown to buy some neat wrapping paper for the scarf and a card. I thought about making a hat for her, too- but I put that off. Tonight I'll be with Juliette. When she finishes her lesson, I'm going to make dinner, and then maybe see if she wants to go see a movie. Yesterday was her 14th birthday. I couldn't find the CD she wanted (Secondhand Serenade) at Forum so I'm going to take her out instead.

Samedi- 10.5.08
Back out on the patio today. I'm feeling more and more hippie as the time passes here in France. Not taking a shower is pretty nice! (although I do still love the feeling of being clean). Maybe it's just the summer that puts me in this mood. I want to be outside as often as possible (when the sun is shining), go for long walk and enjoy the nature. I hope it's going to be equally pleasant outside when I return to the States- I miss rollerblading!

(same day, but later)
Outside again, only this time I'm sitting under a tree in a more secluded area of a park. I've never felt closer to nature.

2009-06-14T10:54:00.003-07:00

Last night, I went with Juliette and my host dad to see the musical FAME at the Comédie Théâtre in Paris. It was very entertaining! I couldn't compare it to a Broadway show (seeing as how I've never seen an actual B'way show) but it was pretty good! It's a good thing I saw the movie in English before the live version in French- it helped me follow along a lot easier. I still didn't catch everything, though, because there were several differences in the script that weren't part of the movie.

I feel like my spoken French is improving loads- especially after having spent so much time with my host sister and brothers. The other day, Yohan (Juliette's older brother, Samuel's younger) helped me bring my things from Luna Park to Laurent's apartment, where I stayed one night before moving to Arlette's mothers' apartment. He was very helpful and I hope he knows how grateful I was for his help. That day while we were waiting to meet up with Laurent, we went to Champs Elysées and walked up and down the strip, stopping at random boutiques here and there. We stopped at a Starbucks to treat ourselves to a Frappuccino before going to the Ciné to see yet another American film, Penelope. Very cute film. It was dubbed in French, so again I had to pay close attention to follow along, but well worth it.

Thursday- May 2nd
I'm leaving in thirteen days. I succeeded in moving the date up to May 15th at the steep price of $95 (the ticket price for the flight stayed the same, which is unfortunate because it would have been over $200 of a difference!) But either way, it's worth it because I'll be home in time for my little brother's birthday. He was happy to hear that. But now, since I'm quite pressed for money, I'll have to check out what events around here are cheap/free. Tonight there's a music festival on campus, and I was invited by Samuel. Should be interesting! Until then, i'm spending time on the balcony (with a beautiful view of Centre Ville) listening to music on my computer. I really enjoy the quiet here at Arlette's. Last weekend Yohan and his cousin, her boyfriend, and another guy all stayed over. It was pretty loud, sometimes a bit hard to fall asleep but the piano/guitar duets didn't last too long into the night.

Saturday- May 5th
Today is gorgeous. I'm laying on the grass by the Doubs. There are a bunch of people already here that had the exact same idea. I adore this spot- it's like a beach without the sand. It's nice to be able to take advantage of the sun for at least a few days (I heard it's not going to be as nice tomorrow :-/ ) (Post-France edit: I think I spent more time outside in Besac because it was the French thing to do! Also, it helped that I was so close to Centre Ville, and you didn't have to go far in any direction to have a beautiful view of the river, the Citadelle, et cetera.)

2009-06-14T10:54:00.001-07:00

Today we went to the Louvre and checked out the Babylon exhibit, which was new and only going on for a short time. We spent about 3 hours there, then walked around Paris for a bit. We had drinks, ate Chinese and found a movie theatre close to the opera house we went to the other night. We saw "Deux Soeurs Pour un Roi", dubbed. *Mental note- see it in English to see what I missed!*

Academie Nationale de Musique

Sunday
I'm waiting for the shower key while Nikki looks for our friend Sarah downstairs. It looks a little cloudy and chilly outside today, but no matter- I'm going to a cafe after my shower to use the internet and find some show times for an opera today.
*ATTN* Future study abroad students- Don't forget to pack a power converter and adapter! I don't know how much they cost, because I was lucky and borrowed mine from a friend- but if you're going to be using your laptop or hair dryer or whatever that might have an American plug, you'll need a converter!

^Looking out of one of the windows of the Louvre

**later**
Juliette and I are now on the train, heading back to Besancon. I'm ready to be back in a semi-familiar area again, although Paris really was amazing. I truly appreciated all the things I got to do there (ballets, live theatre, spending time with Juliette, etc.) Yesterday was a blast. We went to a water park called AquaBoulevard, which wasn't too far from Arlette's mother's apartment. There, we spent 5 hours swinging from a rope into the pool, riding the waves on floats, sliding down enormous slides with and without floats, and relaxing in the jacuzzi. It was pretty nice outside these past few days in Paris. Today especially- I didn't even have to wear a coat! But maybe I owe that warmth to having dragged my luggage everywhere. That could be it. I didn't exactly pack "light" this time around. I think this was a learning experience for sure.

2009-06-14T10:53:00.000-07:00

We've arrived at our hotel! It's pretty small and it looks independently owned, which is nice. The owner (or relative, anyway) who works behind the desk is very nice and cheery. Even when some Italians came in and didn't speak barely a lick of French, he worked though talking to them. It really takes patience for that kind of thing! Fortunately we are right next door to a laundromat. This is perfect because it is high time I do a load of laundry. Our room is supposed to be ready in about 15 minutes, so I get a little down-time before putting my things away. Nikki is looking for a payphone to call her fiancé. I'm eager to get out and find a bike rental place, and explore the area a little bit. I still want to get a hold of my great Aunt Kay. I've called her twice this morning, but she didn't answer- I wonder if I have the right number? Somehow I need to get my friend Daphne's number, too- I'd love to get a coffee or something with her and meet her fiancé.
I guess Sarah and Andy or our friend Kazu are going to try and sneak in on Sunday and spend a night in our room- I don't know if that's going to work, though. They might just have to pay for their own room. It's a gorgeous day out right now and I am itching to get out there, but the owner is here now, talking to the concierge in rapid...Arabic? (I think).

Saturday
So, second night in hotel Luna Park. Our room is pretty small with only one double bed, so Nikki and I share it. There is an odd-looking non-flushing toilet (I forgot the word) i the corner of our room, with a sink next to it. This little area is separated by a shower curtain. It's a little odd, and we're on the fourth floor (without an elevator :-/) so we have to walk up and down (with the luggage, it was a bit of a pain). The toilet (the real one) and shower are both communal, and a little cramped. I guess this is was 20 Euro a night gets you for a hotel in Paris!
Yesterday after waiting an hour for the chambermaid to get our room ready, we left our stuff in our room and did some laundry at the laundromat next door. It was a little confusing at first, I don't often use public washing machines. There was a dried fruit market right next door to the laundromat, so I went in and got some dried bananas (a new favorite snack of mine. Try them!) I also bought a laundry bag with a sort of wannabe-Burberry plaid pattern for about 1 Euro 60. It will definitely help lighten my load when I head back to Besac. Later that night, we tried finding an opera to go to, but didn't know exactly the price for each one we found, so we decided to wing it. We took the metro to the "Opéra" stop and got off right in front of the Paris opera house. We looked for a few minutes at the schedule of shows at the entrance of the theatre when one of the ushers told us there was a "private invitation only" show tonight, but regardless he yanked two tickets out of his jacket pocket and let us through! Out of total surprise, we walked inside just as the last call for seats bell sounded. We climbed a few sets of stairs and chose a private booth on the side of the theatre. It turned out not being an opera, but a dance rehearsal for a local school of dance! It was a 3-part show with pointe dancers who seemed to all be aged around 12-25 years old. It was really enjoyable, and even better because it was free!

2009-06-14T10:52:00.008-07:00

I've uploaded a short video of one of the guided castle tours before we left Tours. I think this castle is Blois- enjoy!

Thursday, April 11th 2008
So this morning I'll be getting an early start. My train doesn't leave until 12:09, so that gives me about 4 hours to get ready. Perfect! (side note- pain d'epices is very good! :D) I looked online last night, and it looks like one of the best deals for switching my ticket would be May 19th- which is about 530 Euro or something around there. Since there is a 200-Euro fee for changing the ticket, it should equal out to be about the same after the exchange. The cheaper ticket is for flying into Chicago, so that would mean I'd have to buy an Amtrak ticket from Chi-town to Detroit as well. And switch the train from besancon to Paris the day before my flight. I think it would be with the trouble if it means not spending an extra 10-days worth of money on food supplies that I could be saving instead for rent when I get back to K-zoo.

12:19 p.m.
So Nikki, Sarah, Andy and I are sitting here on the train, on our way to Paris from Tours. Nikki and I are going to our hotel (Luna Park) straight from the Gare Montparnasse. I looked up Aunt Kay's house this morning on Mapquest and tried calling her to see when I should visit, but no answer. I'll have to try again later.
I'm glad I have this "let's go France on a Budget" book- it is chock full of tips on everything a visitor can do in France without spending a lot of money, from dining out to ballets and operas to museums and cemeteries. Soon I'm going to write a schedule for my week and take as much advantage as I can of this beautiful country.
I just talked a bit to the others- they think I should just stay in Besac the extra 10 days and forget about changing my flight. It does make more sense- because the earlier flight has me flying into Chicago- so I'd essentially have to spend as much money on a train ticket to Detroit as I would be supporting myself in Besac. Okay, decision made. I'm going to stay. Maybe I'll also visit Dijon! I'll buy some mustard as a souvenir. Cheap and delish. (mental note- on next trip, bring a backpack- it's such a common-sense thing, but I forgot to pack one. It'd have been so much easier maneuvering around Tours and Paris with a lighter suitcase. I get nervous whenever people stand in front of our suitcases on this train. People literally just chill out on the floor right there and it drives me crazy!

2009-06-14T10:52:00.007-07:00

Right now, we’re on the 7:50 train to Tours for our 2-day trip. We’ll be visiting some well known castles later on. After Tours, we’ll be coming back to Paris and my friend Nikki and I will be staying in a hotel until her mom comes. Then I’ll be going to Arlette’s (host mom’s) mother’s place to hang out with Juliette (host sister) for the week. On Saturday, Juliette and I are taking the train back to Besancon. Then there will be four weeks left of classes at the CLA. When we get to the hotel, I’m going to look into changing my flight home a few weeks earlier to avoid having to worry about running out of money. When I bought the ticket home, I thought the 2 weeks would give me a bunch of time to travel and see France. It does- but money certainly helps experience the culture and the country to its fullest. I need to figure out plans for the rest of the vacation, and see what Juliette and I could do during our week in Paris.

~Tours, France~
Right now I write from the hotel Terminus in Tours. Quite the name for a hotel! It’s right next to the train station (very handy, seeing as how I didn’t exactly pack light, and get to drag all my heavy luggage everywhere with me!) We just got back from our last dinner together at a nice restaurant downtown Tours. Right now Keena, Brad and I are chilling in the hotel room, and i’m busily arranging my things for tomorrow. I’m excited to be going back to Paris, because there’s still a lot that I planned on doing that I haven’t tackled yet. Some things include:
-The Musée D’orsay
-Louvre
-Eiffel Tower
-Arc de Triomphe
-Sacre Coeur
-Notre Dame
-Meet up with Alexandros (Greek/French friend from Besancon)
-Try and get a hold of my friend from Michigan and great aunt who both live in Paris
And then, of course, there’s the dessert place Sarah was telling me about that seems fairly priced (15 Euro for a huge plate of tons of rich desserts for several people) but of course I forgot the name of the restaurant.
Also, I’d like to get a few more small souvenirs (I can’t forget about wine) and I plan on taking a bunch of pictures of the city as I go exploring.

These past few days, we visited chateaux (castles) in the Loire Valley- Amboise, Blois, Chambord, and Chenonceau. The entire week we’ve been eating very rich meals (several courses, France style) and plenty of wine to wash it down. Tomorrow our train leaves for Paris at 12:09, so I’ll probably wake up around 8:30, grab some breakfast (petit dejeuner), finish packing, and get all my stuff together.
This week has really been exceptional.

2009-06-14T10:52:00.005-07:00

Chances are, in between classes and group meetings, you’re going to have a lot of free time in Besançon. Take advantage of this opportunity to buy souvenirs from the petite shops on the Grande Rue and Rue des Granges, or visit Arc et Senans and learn about the salt mines (about an hour’s drive from Besancon, so try and find a willing host parent to take you!), or swim in one of the two public pools Besançon offers (only 2-3 Euro for students per visit). Make sure you have a swimming cap, though- that’s something they won’t let you in without at the piscines in France. (You can buy one upon entering for a couple Euro as well). I spent many a day just walking around the city, by myself or with a few friends I met while there, taking pictures of the scenery and historical buildings (especially the Citadelle). The more photographs you end up with when you come back to America, the easier you’ll be able to remember those precious moments you spent at Bar de L’u with a demi-fraises, or in Place Granvelle sipping a petit cafe with your host sister, or even of the CLA. Because as much as you don’t want to wake up at 8 a.m. every two days to take that Littérature class, you’d do well to have some semblance of what it looked like to show everyone back home that round, silver building where you had your fondest moments of French education!

Some students used their time to get involved with community activities, like Sunday mass. The picture above is the church located right in the heart of Place de la Revolution, right next to the Ginko office, Galéries Lafayette, Madigan’s pub, and Brioche Doree, among others. There are countless other churches throughout the city, like St. Jean (remember the church you passed on the way up to the Citadel that first week)? They have masses there, too! If church isn’t your thing, check out the University du Franche Comté’s music programs. I joined a choir while there, and it was not only fun but rewarding- I got to rehearse with 90% French university students, the other 10% American students from another University who chose to sing for their cultural activity. We sang songs not just in French, but in all sorts of languages, including english. This part was fun, as the other American students and I got to help with pronunciation as we sang Simon and Garfunkel’s “Scarborough Fair”. One of the other American students joined the theatre group, which performed with the choir at a final concert at the end of the school year. Not a performer? Talk to some other international students studying at the CLA and see what they’re up to- you can find out about Erasmus parties, night outings, and shopping trips as long as you ask around!

2009-06-14T10:52:00.003-07:00

Where to go when you need your essentials is important for every traveler. If you're staying in Besak, you'll quickly learn the route to Monoprix, the "everything-in-one" store, where you can get a bottle of wine for two Euros or an umbrella (which you'll most certainly need if you've forgotten to pack one) or a new jar of Nutella, which, probably won't last very long if you're at all like me or my roommates. Peanut butter will cost you upwards of 4 Euros for a small jar (about half the size of your average American Jif jar) which gets expensive if you're an addict. Pack a few jars on the plane, and you'll be okay for the first few weeks. Do the same with Mac 'n Cheese, becuase you won't find it in stores.

The Galéries Lafayette is a large department store on Grande Rue, with three levels of everything from designer clothing to groceries, but bring a little bit more money if you go here, especially for food. There is also Intermarché, which is a convenient trek à pied if you live in the dorms, and it's relatively inexpensive. Last but not least is Casino. You'll find these throughout the city- Petit Casinos are located everywhere, but there is a Grande Casino a little further down on bus line 1 (Chateaufarine) and if you stay until the very last stop (which is close to a 40-minute bus ride, but maybe worth it to some) you'll find a Casino Géant, a few clothing stores, a Décathlon (sporting goods store where I bought a Yoga mat for 4 Euro and a Soccer ball for the same!), and a few restaurants. It's worth making the long trip at least once or twice, becuase you can find things in the Casino Géant you didn't even know existed in France. I, being a fan of dried fruit for its convenience and tast, became a fan of dried bananas, which they sell in packages that are perfect for carrying around in your backpack or purse when hiking or just lolly-gagging around town.

There is, however, nothing compared to the meals prepared by your host family. Take advantage of trying new things while you're in France (my host mom served my friends Foie Gras [goose liver] on crackers- not exactly an everyday thing here in the States!). Offer to cook at least once, so you can amaze them with your famous American recipes and dazzle them with your cooking skills (or lack thereof). I baked fresh bread for my host mom, and she adored it! Don't get me wrong, the fresh bread at the boulangeries cannot be beat, but don't hesitate to experiment in the kitchen while you're there, and give your host family a taste of the city you come from!

2009-06-14T10:52:00.001-07:00

I didn't get the chance this time around to go to the Musée de la Résistance, the section of the fort that serves as a memoir during the Nazi reign. It's got plenty of pictures, texts, and original documents dating back to WWII. There are also paintings, drawings and sculptures made by those who were imprisoned in the camps. Those students who had gone to see this part of the Citadel, noted that it was hard to walk through, and made them feel sick. Understandable. I do plan on trying to see it next time I'm in Besancon.

The rest of the day on mont Saint Etienne was pleasant, despite the clouds. We each made a silent vow to come back before leaving France so we could see the rest of what we missed this time. We got back to Centre Ville with time to spare. Some of us spent the rest of the day shopping and walking around Grande Rue, while the rest went back to Hotel du Nord to go online and catch up with their e-mail.

Before Dr. Running-Johnson left for the States, we checked out la Musée de Beaux-Arts in Place de la Revolution. It was free admission, being a Sunday, so we took advantage of the less-than-perfect weather by checking out some of the sculptures and modern art.

We didn't stay for very long, however- it was our first week and we were still too excited to stay confined in one building for a long period of time. We'd later find out that this was just one of many rainy days in Besancon to come- so it was soon time to dig out the umbrellas and make a trip to Monoprix, the "everything" shop downtown where you could find groceries, clothing, and most importantly, umbrellas.
(to be cont'd)

2009-06-14T10:51:00.004-07:00

~The Citadel~ pt. 1
The day we went to the Citadel (http://www.citadelle.com) was slightly chilly and cloudy- we had our winter coats on but were anxious to see the famous fort at the top of the hill that lit up the city at night with its blazing lights. It was a beautiful, breathtaking view from below- the mossy walls constructed under Vauban left us with countless questions about this ancient-feeling fort and its history.
We met up at the Hotel du Nord that morning, waiting on the cobblestone road for everyone to craw out of bed. We started the trek up the hill that first took us to the Cathedrale St. Jean, one of the older cathedrals that overlook the city. Dr. Running-Johnson took us inside the church, which was mostly empty (except for one man who seemed to be “un peu fou/a little crazy”- shouting things about God and muttering under his breath. This echoed throughout the walls of the cathedral and gave us a bit of a chill during out short visit). I made a silent vow to try and visit during one of the Sunday masses so I could experience at least one mass in French during my stay.

From there, it was about a 15-minute hike up some numerous steps, who didn’t care in the least how in shape we were. A few of us took them at a run (just to get it over with). At the top, we ended up just outside the fort but were captivated by its size. Walking around the outer gate, you could look down and see rams nesting or walking around. Once we went through and bought our tickets, we headed first for the zoo, or “Jardin Zoologique”. We took pictures immediately upon seeing the Asian lions, the Siberian tigers, and the numerous kinds of birds and apes. All in all, there were about 300 animals in the zoo. We got very close to come curious llamas who trotted around behind their fence, and had an amazing view behind the glass while watching the lionesses pace their territory.

Walking to almost any edge of the fort gives a breathtaking view of the city below. The citadel provided countless spots where one could simply sit and gaze across the land for hours on end. Some of the famous photos of Besancon were taken from atop this fort, a few of which we found in the calendars in our host families’ homes. The fresh air is priceless up atop the peak of the city, and it makes the cost of the ticket in completely worth every penny.

2009-06-14T10:51:00.003-07:00

Two exams this morning- one more tomorrow. Phew! After that- Paris! I'm leaving Friday morning. I need to pack tomorrow. It looks like i'll be staying there for two weeks, because Arlette invited me to stay at her mother's with Juliette and hang out with her while there! Sounds like a ton of fun. I'm going to be taking a bunch of pictures- Paris is characteristic and so well-known, but I hope to capture some of the lesser-ventured areas of the city with my mom's camera.
I'm actually pretty tired and just found out I still have to go to my 8-a.m. class tomorrow morning (even though we probably won't be doing much because we just took the exam yesterday. Will write more soon.
7:58 a.m.
I just had my oral class, and now I'm waiting or 11:00 to roll around so I can talk to my oral teacher (Madame Perret) about my exposé. Tonight we have a dinner with Joe Reisch, the director of our stay in Paris. I'm hoping we'll go to another restaurant like the one before, where we had pizza in Centre Ville. That was a really nice dinner...I ended up getting "tartiflette" (it came in a bowl- potatoes, a wine sauce, & cheese) and a salad came before it. Of course we had wine before all this so by the time dessert came, I was already full! I had two tiny scoops of ice cream (pistachio & café) and after that we had coffee! I wish more restaurants in the US were like that one (and more affordable). Moreover, I'd die to have a crêperie right by my house! I don't know why people aren't rushing to build crêpe cafés in the US, like on college campuses and such. they'd make a ton of money.

(My train ride/arrival in Paris hadn't been recorded, but I did blog after the first few days of Paris. Here is the entry.)
We've covered a ton of ground here in the past couple days. We've been to the castle of Versaiiles, the Louvre, la Musée d'Orsay; we've had a boat ride on the Seine river, we went to dinner while being serenaded Opera music by Parisian Opera students, dined at fine restaurants with several-course meals, we've seen a classical music concert and last night, a ballet. Let's not forget the play "Le Misanthrope" by Molière. It was, of course, in French (which made it pretty hard to follow.) It was kind of like watching a French film without subtitles. The theatre was cramped, but old and beautiful. Kind of like all of Paris. Tons of stores seem like they've been there forever, and it's not like America where everyone has their own little personal bubble when they walk around anywhere. America is beautiful, but there is a unique, classic feel here that I've never experienced back home.

~Post-trip thoughts~
Never, ever had I experienced a week like I did in Paris during Spring Break '08. Joe took us all around, and thanks to his extensive familiarity of the city, he knew where the best restaurants were along with the best entertainment. It was such a significant part of our stay in France, that I took countless pictures and will continue to blog using the pictures as references to the activities we've done while in Paris. A bientôt!

2009-06-14T10:51:00.001-07:00

Sunday
I've been enjoying the company lately of a few "gars" I've met since arriving: Alexandros, Adrien, and Samuel (who i've mentioned before). I really do have a blast hanging out with them, and it's going to be hard to say goodbye when the time comes in May. But i've got just over 3 months so I need to take every day for what t's worth and push it in the right direction. Being here has forced me to ponder what I'm going to do after I graduate. I need to start getting my name out there and looking for internships or the like. I do feel a little behind in that area, but again, I do have 1 year left before it really gets to be "crunch" time. I'll be 21 in 5 months. I feel like an invisible hand is pushing me to hurry up and accomplish something...but I don't know where I want to begin! One thing's for sure, it won't be Michigan- not with the way the economy is right now. Also after having experienced this beautiful weather in winter, I know I don't have to suffer the Michigan cold if I don't want to.

I start my "new" classes tomorrow, at 8 a.m.. I don't mind really, having to wake up early. At least my classes are usually done by 12:30 and I have the whole rest of the day to myself. I've been using the days running hrough centre ville, usually when the sun is at its peak. I'm going to start looking for new routes to take to avoid breathing the exhaust from all the cars downtown- there are some gorgeous walkways right down next to the Doubs river that I'm thinking of claiming as my new path.

Saturday
I just moved to Arlette's beautiful home at Fort du Bregille. I'm at the top of a very picturesque hill in a fairly large complex with 4 levels. My bedroom is on the first floor right next to the front door. I have a bathroom all to myself (yes!) The second floor is the living room, kitchen, laundry room, and patio (I'm sure when the weather gets a bit warmer I'll be spending ample time up there). One can see basically the entirety of Centre Ville, the CLA, and then some. I'm really appreciating the change in atmosphere! I did enjoy myself chez Francoise, but she was often at work or visiting her friends. I think this new place will be a very healthy change.

2009-06-14T10:50:00.005-07:00

2/19/08
Today I went into Centre Ville and bought an a-do-rable tote bag from a store called "Petit Bateau" for my Aunt, and some other necessities for myself along with a book of proverbs from all over the world written in French. It's one of the cooler things I've ever bought myself, I think!
Tomorow, I'll be going with Gemma (my temporary roommate from Manchester who is only staying for a month at Francoise's) to dinner on the town with her and her blokes. She's experiencing the same thing I did when I first got here- the exhaustion from continuously speaking French. It really does drain you but I know it only gets easier.

2/21/08
I helped my friend Samuel with his english vocabulary today. I can't believe some of the work he's doing- the questions on politics that he has to answer & expand on in english are very advanced. He's a smart guy to be taking such difficult courses. I was having difficulty myself coming up with antonyms & synonyms for some of the words they gave him!
I move out of Francoise's house this Saturday. I'm actually looking forward to it a lot- I'll start cooking for myself, buying my groceries and whatnot. Also i'll probably take the bus to the CLA every day, because it's probably a good 40-45 minute walk from Fort de Bregille, where Arlette lives. It's not far at all from Centre Ville. I may look into getting a subscription for the Velocité bikes. They seem to work pretty well as I see many people using them on a daily basis... it's something to look into.

2009-06-14T10:50:00.003-07:00

2/19/08- So I know i've probably mentioned before, but Besançon is beautiful and it will pain me when I have to leave. I am so grateful to be here in general, but especially because the weather is like Spring right now, and back home it's apparently freezing. What can you expect for Michigan weather, though...

Some of My Favorite Things (So far)
1. The steel drum tone in the airports and at the train station.
2. The Citadel lit up at night.
3. My beautiful walk on the way to the Centre de Linguistique Appliquée.
4. Centre Ville's proximity to both my house right now & Arlette's (The second host family I'll be living with starting March 1st).
5. Comté cheese, the ability to buy wine, Nutella, crêpes, fresh bread
6. The French accent :melts:
7. Hearing accordions. It just feels so appropriate.
8. Living right next to the Doubs river.

9. Les Soldes!! :)
10. My cultural knowledge which has significantly increased!
11. Did I mention the beautiful language?
12. Our neighbor and his tendency to bring over loaves of dessert bread with Marzipan in the middle, mmm! (p.s.- He also has two hens that run freely in his front yard).
13. Sending postcards/getting letters!
14. Seeing the stars, uncovered by clouds.
15. Laughing at Tecktonik! (The techno-inspired dance style quite popular amongst the young French adults that involves planted feet and lots of arm movement).
16. Buying souvenirs for people.
17. Spending Euro in general.
18. Making unforgettable friendships

19. Bar de l'U, brasserie 1802 (where I spend most of my time & Euro thanks to free WiFi and Erasmus nights!)

-Madeleine Bien

2009-06-14T10:50:00.001-07:00

Today my cousin Yvette sent me a lovely homemade card along with three relatively old pictures that I actually have with me (I've been so accumulated to using a digital camera that I don't have prints lying around as much anymore). I've been trying to take more pictures but I keep forgetting to take my camera out when I go out! Actually- it's my mom's camera, so I have to be more careful and watchful of it.

Yvette suggested in her card to write everything down that happens to me here so I can go back later and read about all my experiences. I know i'll want to read everything later on, so i'll definitely follow through with that! I'm beginning to run out of writing space in this journal, but not to worry- I know just where to buy a new one. There's a store in Centre Ville called "Forum" that has a bunch of books, CDs, DVDs, office supplies, and things like that. I bought 2 little notepads from there that I will use for writing down vocabulary words.

I need to remember to carry cash around with me- that, or more of these stores need to start accepting "cartes bancaires" (bank cards). With the help of my friend Katy I was able to open an account at BNP Paribas. I got a carte bleue, which is the card with a little microchip that is used at many locations throughout Besançon, and even Velocité (the bike service that lets you rent bikes to get around downtown). I actually had to wait a while for my money to transfer over to this account- something I wish I had known a little earlier before arriving. I was waiting on my refund check from the University, but all in all it took about 1 month for the funds to transfer over. Next time, I'm going to have the funds ready well before arriving! I still received my carte bleue even though my money hadn't yet been deposited in the account- and had begun to use it without having any funds in the account. luckily, it doesn't work the same way as it does in the States, where if you overdraw your account, you are fined. I just went in the negative after making a few purchases, and when my money was deposited, it all balanced out. Yay France!

~Post-trip thoughts~
The notepads I bought at Forum proved to be one of the best things to help me learn the language- that and constantly surrounding myself with French natives. I would keep the notepads in my purse and write down phrases or words I didn't recognize so I could look them up later in my dictionary.
*If you will be living with a host family, and you want to open a bank account, chances are you'll need their address and a recent utilities bill in their name (as well as other usual necessities like your passport, another form of I.D., etc.). My French wasn't as good as Katy's upon arrival, so if you can have someone come with you to avoid any confusion while trying to open your account!

-Madeleine Bien

2009-06-14T10:40:00.000-07:00

1/14/2008
I had a pretty good day today. I'm realizing that I like my teacher a lot more than my first impression of her. I was kind of intimidated because she spoke super fast and looked real intense. However, after three days with her as our teacher for the Cours Intensif (The pre-semester "test" throughout the month of January we take to get placed into our respective levels), I have found that she's a super funny, exciting person! Au contraire, my other teacher speaks slower but talks a lot more and leaves less room for us to speak out as a class. My writing class is pretty slow, and lasts 2 hours.

2/15/2008
In the mediatheque
After the Cours Intensif, I was placed in some pretty slow classes (level B1 group 4). I was the only American in a class of about 15 students, most of them Asian. They are mostly from China, Korea, and Japan. I wanted to change up to B2 where I feel I would get more of a challenge, but the director said that changing my level would be impossible, and that I could only change the group I was in. I finally (after three weeks of trying to reach the director) was able to bump up to a higher group and felt a little more comfortable with the work level.

Yesterday, I went to an Italian restaurant with Keena, Nikki, Sarah, and Katie. We had a good dinner together on Saint Valentin (Valentine's Day). We each bought ourselves some chocolate to celebrate. I bought myself some red wine, too- only 2 Euro for Merlot! Not bad!
I'm happy to be moving on March 1st. My new host mom, Arlette, is super cool. I struck a good deal living with her. I'm going to help her 13-year old daughter with her English, and as a result I pay cheaper rent. I think it'll be a nice change from a house without kids! Also, with the apartment, I'll be able to cook for myself! Something I much prefer over dorm food. Arlette has two sons (one is 20, the other 18). He introduced me to three of his friends, who are all super fun (not to mention charming!)

Besancon, France- January 9th, 12th, & 13th 2008

2009-06-14T10:39:00.000-07:00

I got up early this morning. By the end of the day, I'm just exhausted because of all the walking we've done! Francoise's house is far from the bus route, so I have to walk to the Centre de Linguistique Appliquee (where we have our classes) on foot. I have a lot of congestion this morning, no idea why. "Les soldes" or the big sales start downtown today, I'm probably going to buy a new winter coat! I hope I can find one without spending too many Euros. Yesterday, my my check finally came in the mail- I've waited way too long to get it. Now, I'm waiting for my USB key to arrive, as well as the European cell phone she said she'd let me borrow. What a blessing to have family that's lived in Europe before!

January 12th, 7:07 p.m.
It was a long walk to the house after shopping with Chad, Katie, and Andy. Earlier today, the four of us met up at Pont Battant (the bridge leading to Centre Ville over the Doubs river). Katie, Chad, and Andy all bought phones to use here as I still wait for my aunt's to arrive in the mail. My uncle told me he sent his out today, so hopefully it'll arrive soon.

January 13th, 2:47 p.m.
Today was very slow. I got up at 8:45, took a shower, ate breakfast, and checked my e-mail. After, I couldn't do my homework because my attention span forbade me to do it. So, I had a very long walk- almost 4 hours by myself. I don't think the others are together now, they're probably at their respective host families. Something I've learned today: NOTHING at all is open on Sundays! It was so hard to find a map of Besancon because all the stores were closed. Maybe Sunday is just a "stay-home" day.

Day 2

2009-06-14T10:38:00.000-07:00

Today (day 2) we visited the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and l'eglise St. Sulpice. I stopped at every magazine store possible looking for FUSAC, the French-USA-Connection magazine with classified ads so I can look for possible babysitting jobs. I would love a way to earn extra Euros while here so I can feel better about buying things I don't necessarily need.

7:28 p.m.- 1/06/08
I arrived at my host mom's (chez Francoise) an hour ago. She is so nice! Her house is beautiful and comfortable to boot. I was just at the Hotel du Nord with the other students when Francoise came and picked me up. She was the first person to come. We left in a hurry- it seemed like she was in a rush. I met one american student living with Francoise named Marta who comes from Boston, and another named Ashley from Nebraska. In a few minutes, we'll be eating!

(same day)
We just ate a big dinner: homemade soup, salad, bread and cheese with ham, and cake for the fete du roi (a French tradition in which families buy almond cakes or other flavors (ours had marzipan) and whoever gets the piece with the toy inside is the "king!") I just learned that we don't say "je suis pleine" when we don't want to eat anymore. We say instead "J'ai assez mangé". The former means one is with child. Good to know!

Arrival in Paris

2009-06-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

Madeleine Bien
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
I am safe in France after a long 8-hour flight, and am sitting here with four of my peers who are staying in the Hotel St. Sebastian in Paris with me. I am exhausted and really want to nap but as it is only a quarter to four here, I can't mess up my sleep schedule! So i'm going to probably turn in early tonight. We haven't done any sightseeing yet as we literally were just able to rid ourselves of our heavy burdensome suitcases! In a bit, after we've all sent our e-mails, we're going to explore a bit more of this area and we're planning on meeting a friend at Notre Dame at 7 p.m.
We'll be in this hotel until Friday, when we'll take the TGV to Besancon and meet up our group leader. She's going to buy us dinner and we're going to talk about our first few experiences. I can already say that I was impressed with even the beggars who played the accordion on the RER as opposed to your usual street beggar on the streets of Detroit. I can associate accordions (as many do) with sounds of Paris and it was kind of a cheap welcome into the city.
I am craving a shower and some authentic, cheap French wine and cheeses, so I bid you goodbye for now and I promise I will write as often as the opportunity arises! More later!

~post-trip thoughts~
Had I a second chance to go back and pack my suitcases, I would have packed SO much lighter than I did! Hauling my suitcases up and down those metro station stairs was tiring- and I know i'm not the only one who thought so. Our arms were aching after all that running around. But hey- good way to burn some calories, n'est-ce pas?
I ended up going to bed that night at around 7 or 8- the others were too excited to sleep and ended up visiting le Sacre Coeur: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/france/paris-sacre-coeur.htm
Next time I go somewhere across the world, I won't spend as much time at my computer as I did. It was nice once and a while being able to talk to friends and family, but Facebook and such can really wait. In the big picture, you're only there for a short time- might as well explore what you can and make the most out of your trip!
-MB