So, it's been two weeks and Montpellier is starting to feel like home. It still doesn't feel like I'm actually going to be living in France. I still feel like this is just vacation, and I'll have to go home soon.
I have met some pretty amazing people here. They are some of the sweetest smartest most ambitious people I have ever met. We've been doing a lot of shopping and wanding through the city.
Last weekend the program sponsored a trip to Provence. I think I may move there. It is the single more gorgeous region of the world... We started our day with a visit to Pont du Gard. There is an aqueduct that the Romans built more than a century ago, and it's amazing. We climbed to the top and were able to see for miles. The French countryside looks like something out of a fairy tale. Little houses and villages nestled into mountains and hillsides.
Our next stop was the Fountaine of Vacluse. So far, it has been my favorite spot in France. There is a small village which is built around this beautiful river which comes from underground sources. It looks like it literally appears from nowhere. There is giant cliff, a small lagoon, a bunch of boulders, then this surging river.The village looks like it hasn't changed since the 19th century, it's a very provencial town. The stucco houses have bright blue shutters and clay roof shingles. We pickniqued on the river, then boarded the bus to our next stop, Les Baux de Provence. The village deated back to 6,000 years BC and many of the houses and churches that remain were built in the 16th century. The village it self was pretty, there were a lot of modern shops selling postcards and handmade soap. But the view was amazing. We were above everything, and you could see for miles (most of which was vineyards). Our last stop was Le Moulin de Fontvielle. Which was a windmill. on a hill. Nothing spectacular, but apparently it's a huge tourist attraction, someone was even getting married as we were leaving the sight. I'm not sure I would choose that location for my ceremony, but hey whatever makes you happy. The week since our trip to Provence has flown by. We started classes on Tuesday, and I'm pretty excited. I have 13 hours of French Language a week, and hour and a half of litterature, and an hour an a half of art history. I don't have classes on Mondays, which is going to help a lot with the travelling. :) My daily routine consists of getting pain au chocolat at this little patisserie close to campus. Then heading to school class, then usually out in the city for a while, before coming back to my place and eating dinner with Andrea and Fanja. Leah is still pretty shy and stand-off-ish. I wish she would be more sociable when we were all home, but oh well. Fanja is super helpful, and I love Andrea. Over all, I really lucked out with my living situation.
Today some friends and I went shopping downtown, and found this English bookstore called Book in Bar. It's the most charming bookstore I could ever imagine. It's tucked into a charming little side street, and the building is still very medeival lookding, most of the walls are stone and wood. They have two floors packed with wooden bookshelves and cafe tables. The barista is British and speaks french with a british accent. Plus, they have lattees, english style. I believe I will be spending a lot of time in this place.
Tomorrow is the Superbowl, I'm going to be proud to be an American tomorrow night, something that I try not to flaunt normally. Then we are going to try and plan our weekend travels. Ideally, I'll be going somewhere almost every weekend. I'm not sure if that is logistically or financially possible, but we shall see.
Well, I believe you are all updated now. So abientot mes amis.
Bisous,
Ash
Monday, January 28, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
First Impressions.
I am in love with this city. It has been a long two days, but I have loved every minute of it. The journey from Minneapolis was long and tiring, and extremely exciting. I am so glad I took the group flight, it gave us all a chance to bond a little before getting here, plus it was good to have a support network to count on when things got a little too complicated for me to handle on my own.
We arrived in Montpellier at 2:30 in the afternoon, roughly 17 hours after departing from the Minneapolis airport. Sadly, my baggage didn't. One of the onsite directors, Corinne, met us at the airport and helped me and two other students describe our luggage to the AirFrance staff, then we took a taxi to the Ibis hotel, in the center of Le Place de la Comedie, which Montpellier's central square. After showering, I was so tired that I just slept... for 6 hours. Then my roommate and I went out to le place and grabbed dinner. This morning Corinne met us at the hotel after breakfast and after a very very short walking tour we headed to the office. There, we got a short on-site orientation ate some pizza and were taken to our housing. Mine being in the other half of the building.
I love my apartment, no wait I ADORE my apartment. Since we share a building, we are able to connect to the office's wireless. Well, most of the time at least. Somehow, I got lucky enough to be given the biggest room, and the biggest bed! The furniture is all antique and gorgeous. Plus, my favorite part, I have a fireplace and a balcony! I swear, I think I may have the best housing situation out of anyone in the program.
My American roommate, Andrea, was home eating lunch with a friend. They were nice enough to invite me out with them to the bookstore and to walk around the city. Andrea took me to buy my tram pass, which was fairly simple, and to the Monoprix, to buy groceries. Not so simple. They list the price in Euros AND in Francs. I bought a very small amount of food, and the first thing I saw was the Francs price, 98,00. Well, needless to say I got a little worried. There was no way I was spending 98 euro on five grocery items. It wasn't. It was only 15 euro, and it's a good thing Andrea was there to help.
We came home and both of the French roommates were here. Franja (pronounced Fanza) is 22 and used to teach french to brazilian students so she is very patient when I don't understand what she is trying to say, or when I can't formulate an answer. My other French roommate is Leah. I think she is 19, she's preparing for her BAC which is an important test all french students must take to get into university, so she studies a lot. Fanja took Andrea and I out to a cafe with some of her friends last night and it was fun. Andrea and I spent a lot of the time just observing and once in awhile saying "quoi?" (which means, what?)
Today we went as a group to open our bank accounts and purchase rental insurance. Then a few of us went to this little sandwicherie (haha, I love that they call it that) and had really delicious sandwiches. In about an hour we will be taken to our school for the first time, to register as students and see the campus.
I think I may have blown my converter, so I'll have to buy a new one. When I do, I will post pictures of my place and the city.
until then, abientot mes amis!
We arrived in Montpellier at 2:30 in the afternoon, roughly 17 hours after departing from the Minneapolis airport. Sadly, my baggage didn't. One of the onsite directors, Corinne, met us at the airport and helped me and two other students describe our luggage to the AirFrance staff, then we took a taxi to the Ibis hotel, in the center of Le Place de la Comedie, which Montpellier's central square. After showering, I was so tired that I just slept... for 6 hours. Then my roommate and I went out to le place and grabbed dinner. This morning Corinne met us at the hotel after breakfast and after a very very short walking tour we headed to the office. There, we got a short on-site orientation ate some pizza and were taken to our housing. Mine being in the other half of the building.
I love my apartment, no wait I ADORE my apartment. Since we share a building, we are able to connect to the office's wireless. Well, most of the time at least. Somehow, I got lucky enough to be given the biggest room, and the biggest bed! The furniture is all antique and gorgeous. Plus, my favorite part, I have a fireplace and a balcony! I swear, I think I may have the best housing situation out of anyone in the program.
My American roommate, Andrea, was home eating lunch with a friend. They were nice enough to invite me out with them to the bookstore and to walk around the city. Andrea took me to buy my tram pass, which was fairly simple, and to the Monoprix, to buy groceries. Not so simple. They list the price in Euros AND in Francs. I bought a very small amount of food, and the first thing I saw was the Francs price, 98,00. Well, needless to say I got a little worried. There was no way I was spending 98 euro on five grocery items. It wasn't. It was only 15 euro, and it's a good thing Andrea was there to help.
We came home and both of the French roommates were here. Franja (pronounced Fanza) is 22 and used to teach french to brazilian students so she is very patient when I don't understand what she is trying to say, or when I can't formulate an answer. My other French roommate is Leah. I think she is 19, she's preparing for her BAC which is an important test all french students must take to get into university, so she studies a lot. Fanja took Andrea and I out to a cafe with some of her friends last night and it was fun. Andrea and I spent a lot of the time just observing and once in awhile saying "quoi?" (which means, what?)
Today we went as a group to open our bank accounts and purchase rental insurance. Then a few of us went to this little sandwicherie (haha, I love that they call it that) and had really delicious sandwiches. In about an hour we will be taken to our school for the first time, to register as students and see the campus.
I think I may have blown my converter, so I'll have to buy a new one. When I do, I will post pictures of my place and the city.
until then, abientot mes amis!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
In six days I will be leaving the U.S. for the first time in my life. Well, excluding that one day trip to Tijuana when I was in the third grade. I leave at 10:50am on January 16th and at 12:50pm on January 17th (their time) I will land in my home for the next four months, Montpellier, France.
Needless to say, I'm terrified.
I have some pretty amazing people in my life here at home, and I'm going to miss them terribly. Plus, there's the whole having to fit my entire life into two suitcases thing. Not easy, I must say. The past semester has been extremely stressful, trying to prepare myself to leave, take care of school work, and have enough fun with my friends here to last next semester too.
I have a feeling it's going to be worth the trouble.
I know that I'm not going to be the same person when I return, and I'm preparing myself for that as well. I'm so excited to travel, and grow, and reach past my comfort zone (something I've never been very good at). I'm starting this journal for a few reasons. The first being to record my time abroad, I want to remember as much as possible and how it made me feel at the time. Secondly, to look back and see how my experiences have changed me. and lastly, so that the people I care about can read about what I'm doing, so they'll have a little bit of an understanding of how this journey is shaping who I am and who I become.
So, I suppose, here goes nothing...
Needless to say, I'm terrified.
I have some pretty amazing people in my life here at home, and I'm going to miss them terribly. Plus, there's the whole having to fit my entire life into two suitcases thing. Not easy, I must say. The past semester has been extremely stressful, trying to prepare myself to leave, take care of school work, and have enough fun with my friends here to last next semester too.
I have a feeling it's going to be worth the trouble.
I know that I'm not going to be the same person when I return, and I'm preparing myself for that as well. I'm so excited to travel, and grow, and reach past my comfort zone (something I've never been very good at). I'm starting this journal for a few reasons. The first being to record my time abroad, I want to remember as much as possible and how it made me feel at the time. Secondly, to look back and see how my experiences have changed me. and lastly, so that the people I care about can read about what I'm doing, so they'll have a little bit of an understanding of how this journey is shaping who I am and who I become.
So, I suppose, here goes nothing...
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