Last full day in Angers

I'm sitting on the floor right now surrounded by my mostly packed back. Its amazing how much stuff I have acquired over my 4 month sejour in France. I even found the cork from the first bottle of wine I bought. During these past four months I have learned a lot, and I do not regret a single minute that I have been here. I was able to experience 5 different countries but also get to know France, the country that I've been dreaming of since I was a little girl a heck of a lot better.

Angers had become my home. Not just a place for me to keep my things, but some place that I felt comfortable, safe. And me memories I have made are irreplacable. Today I bought flowers for my host mom and she loved them. Just something as simple as that has made me overwhelmingly happy. I even got invited to one last meal; lunch tomorrow, and I'm pretty sure its not under my program, but out of the generocity of my host family's heart. Especially within the last month or so I've gotten really close to my host family. I've been playing badmitton with Quentin and conversing as if I was a part of the family.

This makes me realize how lucky I am. Not only do have have good friends from my stay in France, but I'm also thankful for the friends I have back home that even though I wasn't there, didn't forget me. I am so thankful to my parents for giving me this fantastic opportunity, not only to discover a whole new world, but myself too. I know that I"m capable of so much more than I have given myself credit for. And I have my boyfriend to thank. Four months apart in a relationship is hard enough as it is, but when we had to go for days sometimes without talking he still stood by me and I to him. Our relationship is stronger because of it. And my relationship with my family and friends is too.

So pretty much the Angers chapter is almost complete and I couldn't be more satisfied with it.

Bittersweet

Today I realized that I only have 10 days left in France... its quite bittersweet. I've grown to love the family I'm staying with and really feel like Angers is my home. It doesn't seem that long ago that I was freaking out about coming here. some thoughts:

1.) I've found out that I have made some wonderful friends while being here. These are people that I will never forget and that I will always have a soft spot in my heart for. Being thrown into a foreign country and not knowing anyone, I've been forced to be more outgoing. But also that people like me for who I am and I don't have to be fake. I can be my normal Kayleigh, and still be accepted and build great friendships.

2.) When I first got here, I wanted to go home. Being in another country was hard to do without having those I love right by my side. Now, I know that I CAN live on my own, and that I have the ability to adapt to a situation, no matter how scary it may seem at first. I'm a stresser, thats for sure. But under the circumstances with travelling to different countries and being in two countries (Italy and Romania), I surprisingly didn't freak out. Although we're still working on the time thing, I still must be early.

3.) I'm looking forward to going home and finally be back with my family and my friends, but above all Chris (the bf). Having to be seperated is a really hard thing to do in a relationship, but for the most part it has just made our relationship stronger. Knowing that he's at home waiting for me is a really good feeling and I can't wait to see him.

4.) I only kinda completed some of my goals. My french has improved by A LOT, and I've gotten to travel to two of the countries I wanted to. Didn't make it to Spain or Portugal, but Ireland and Romania were so much more enjoyable than I could've imagined. I also failed at that whole start running thing. The fact that I have to walk everywhere, and that the weather is cold does not make me want to get out my running shorts and shoes. Buuuuuuuuuuuuuut I will work on that when I get home. I've also been willing to try things. Foodwise I've found out that I like leeks, couscous and tabouli and I terribly miss my hummus and mexican food.

The best part about being abroad is that while I've had the chance to discover who I am, I realize that I am no different from the person I was before. The surrounds don't make me act differently or think differently. I'm a hell of a lot more comfortable with myself. Thats the only difference. Other than the fact that I have some pretty new dresses and shoes.

So its now down to 10 days, two hands, a week and a half and I'll be returning to the ever varied and changing United States.

Bucharest and the Carpethian Mountains

First trip to Eastern Europe and it was very impressionable. Quite a bit different than the westernized world that I'm used to, but I really enjoyed the few days I got to enjoy of it.

Piper, Emma and I arrived in Bucharest, Romania on Friday night and were greated by Vlad which Peeps knew from a group at KU. It was really nice to have someone who was willing to show us around a bit and help out especially since I don't think we would have ever come to Romania, if he were not there. The night started out by heading to our hotel then getting money from the bank. Right now Romania has been in the E.U. since 2007 and are slowly progressing towards using the Euro. So we figured that Vlad had the conversion down since he had been there for a few days, but after a few errors on all of our parts, we took out what we thought was $60. After rethinking it a little bit later we realized that it was more like $600 that we each took out, more than enough. A few minutes after this realization I received a phone call from my dad telling my that my account was over drawn and the bank called. Well of course they did! Moral of the story, I have a lot of euros right now after exchanging most of the money I got out.

After that everything else went up hill. We went and met up with Vlad's friends who were all really nice and lucky for us they all spoke english. We got some foods to eat and they showed us one of the gardens in town and the Parliament building that was built during the Communist regime. It was HUGE. The second largest building to the Penatagon. Like really big! But cool at night. Being from a western nation its hard to believe that so little time ago this country was Communist. Just being there you can tell that it is changing from what it was a few years ago. The divide in class is very obvious, and at times the racism for the gypsies is very potent. We encountered some gypsies and it was actually pretty sad because they were mostly children asking for money, but in cases like that its hard because most likely the money you give them will go to someone else and they won't see any of it.

AFter that we headed to a bar and hung out for a while. It was really nice to talk to the guys we were with. They were friendly and open which was not what we had expected. We felt comfortable asking about Romania and how it works because honestly, none of us knew anything about Romania. The night was really nice and we ended up back at the park just playing around and talking until the boys walked us back.

On Saturday we just spent the day enjoying Bucharest and walking around. The city was so different from what I had expected. The mixture of the western architecture with the modern was really intesting to see. And all the churches were fantatic. I believe the main religion is Orthodox, but I could be wrong. Around the center of Bucharest they have these bushes that are carved and those were all pretty interesting to see the different shapes that they became. Overall Bucharest is a really pretty town, and not touristy at all.

Sunday was probably the best day! We got up early and headed over to Vlad's grandma's place for some breakfast. She really was a sweet woman and the breakfast was fantatstic complete with meats, cheeses, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms and toast. mmmm good. AFter that we headed of the the Carpethian Mountains in the Transylvania area. And it was beautiful. I don't know if I've ever seen anything like it. There was still snow at the top but it was really warm and sunny at the bottem. We stopped off at a little town called Busteni and climbed on the mountains a bit thanks to a walking train. The views and all of it were breathtaking. I really can't describe how beautiful it was. Everything was so green and the air was so fresh. I love it and you can't help but be happy by it. It was definetly a day I will never forget and I am so glad that we got to climb up. After we had a specialty for lunch called mici. It is pretty much meat with spices in it that you eat with bread and mustard. It was fantastic! Well all the food in Romania was delicious. AFter that we looked around the town a bit more and headed to Brasov, or rather the tourist area a little bit further into the mountains. In the winter they are huge ski mountains but when we went it was warm so all the snow was melted but still a little chilly. That too was beautiful and it was a lot higher in elevation I think. We started climbing up a train near one of the ski runs but decided to let the boys go and we just took another trail and sat and enjoyed the view until they came back from the top. Even just sitting there the view was breathtaking. It was like no other mountain range I'd seen ,or maybe its just been a while since I've seen any mountains, i don't know.

Going to Romania was a really good experience. It was eye opening and quite interesting to experience an eastern country even just for a few days. I loved the experience

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Cooking Class, Romania?, and Soiree International

The past week or so has been a pretty busy one. Last week was my second to last full week of classes! I can't believe how fast the time has gone! It seems like I just got here....wow.

Last Friday, I went over to Piper's house to meet her and Emma so we would make some dinner. The minute I reached the doord, Piper answered and asked "How do you feel about going to Romania for our 4 day weekend?" So Romania it is this weekend. I leave tomorrow. After a few little problems with booking we are flying into Bucharest (the capital) and will leave on Monday. A nice little 4 day trip! I couldn't be even more excited! I think it is going to be really interesting to see an eastern European country. Romania has been in the European Union since 2007, but their economy is still not up to par, so they don't have the euro yet. Which is good for us, because things will be quite inexpensive. Its ironic though, because my french host family lived in Romania for a few years, so they were excited for me to go!

Last saturday I went to a cooking class and learned how to make Poulet d'Angevine and Crepe Suzette. It was a pretty good time!! The chicken dish has mushrooms, onions, shallots, and a white wine cream sauce. It was yummy! I can't wait to make it back home for my family and friends of course. The crepes too were really easy to make! The hardest part though is getting them thin and even in the pan. That takes practice but since I love crepes so much I'm sure that I can practice whenever I want and people won't complain. With the crepes we made orange cointreau butter. mmm.. soo yummy.

Tuesday was our Soiree International at the Catho. A bunch of students performed various dances and skits and music. A few kids from the states did a two step and it was really fun to see friends up on the stage performing. I invited Quentin (the 15 year old in the french family) to go with me. I seriously want him to be my best friend. He is adorable!!! But i think he really enjoyed it and it was so much fun to go with him.

So I go home in about 2 and a half weeks. Thats crazy... the time has gone by so fast and i feel like my french has improved so much. It will be weird to return to the states and not speak french. I've gotten so used to being bilingual on a daily basis. Its a great feeling to know I have improved so much. I know that I'm going to be sad to leave my french family. They have been so amazing to me, and I know that I'm going to try to keep in touch with them.

More updates upon my return from Romania!

Rain Rain

Ever since I can remember, I have loved the rain. The smell of wet cement or the sound of thunder after some nice lightning. IF its just a good pouring down rain, I love to play in it with friends, or go for walks. The rain hardly ever ruins my day, and I love to sit in and watch it through the window. When I have my own house, I hope to have a porch, a nice covered porched where I can have a swing and watch the storm. Or even a big window where I can see the rain spatter against it, making it blurry to see. Falling asleep to the rain is my favorite.

The rain makes me happy.

Birthday!!! and the few days around it

My birthday was yesterday. I turned 20!!!! YAY! If it wasn't for the friends I have here it probably would've been miserable.

Thursday was the beginning of the weekend here in France. May 8th is the end of the war in Europe and a national holiday which means a 3 day weekend. Thursday night a bunch of us went to a bbq at the Lac de Maine. Piper, Cate, Emma and I decided to walk while most others took the bus. We are so much better people for it. We were able to enjoy the beautiful weather and walk along the river/lake. On the downside it took an hour to walk there. We finally made it and enjoyed some sausages on baguette (because there are no buns here) and chips. Along with beer, wine and of course brie cheese! It was really enjoyable to just hang out with friends.


On the way to the spot where the bbq was we saw this jungle gym thing. It was not a jungle gym for little kids. The thing was huge and really tall!!! We climbed up it and it was a good distance above the groudn and not the easiest thing to climb. But sitting up there and singing songs was probably the high light of the evening.

We finished of by walking back along the river and sat by the side to finish our beers before heading home.

Friday was my BIRTHDAY!!!! which was pretty awesome! I went to Nantes with friends. The train ride was the wonderful 40 minute one. Once we got there we tried to go to the Musee des Beaux Arts de Nantes, but because it was a National holiday, we had forgotten that most museums would have been closed. Luckily enough the Chateaux was open. Which was good because it had just been refurbished for the past 15 years, so this was the first year it was reopened. It was interesting. They talked about slavery a bit and it showed the French racism that still exists today. Instead of talking about how bad slavery was, they showed the more positive pointsof how lucrative the slave trade was for the white man, calling them wise. We were glad to go anyways because it was kinda cold and had started raining. We denied the weather and all (except Cate) wore dresses and sandals. The afternoon got a lot warmer and we enjoyed it sitting in the Jardin de Plantes which was beautiful. Dinner that night we went to a creperie that was in my France guide book. The meals were quite interesting. I ended up getting a crepe with some sort of green sauce (don't know what it was) and fried roll things with meat from tiny lobsters in them. In addition, the chef puts one of the lobsters on the plate. That kinda freaked me out. But none the less it was a pretty good meal. We finished the night back in Angers with dessert drinks (passoa, cointreau, and pineapple juice.. yum).

Today I was able to sleep in late. I met Emma around lunch time and we did a bit of shopping. After which I proceeded to take a three hour nap. I felt bad that I hadn't talked to my host family in a few days, so I went downstairs to make a cup of tea to hopefully run into one of them in the kitchen. To my surprise, Brigitte had made me a chocolate cake and they got me a present. They were so sweet and kept saying that 20 was a big deal. So I sat with them for an hour while we just talked. It made me so happy that they had remembered!!! And I got one of the prettiest picture frames.

After that Piper and I went over to Emma's for chocolate cookies (yum!) and rum and cokes. With which we enjoyed watching "O brother where art thou!". It was the first time I watched it and really enjoyed that movie!

Recent photos:
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First 3 day weekend

Last weekend was French Labor day so we had a three day weekend. I was really glad that I decided to stay in Angers. It was fun to see all the people in the streets for the Manifestations. (They are the rallies that people gather in the streets to make lots of noise and have flags and all that stuff, but they are peacefully. Different from the strikes) but they are so interesting to see since we don't have anything like that back in the states. Everyone was just friendly and they all had these flowers. I wish I would have gotten the name of them.

After that I pretty must stayed around the house and did homework and cleaned my room until Piper and I went out for a few pints of Guinness, and proceeded to be disappointed by them because they were not nearly as good as in Ireland.

Saturday was probably my favorite day of last weekend. Piper and I went to the Market in the morning and bought lots of fresh fruits and veggies and we bought some fresh chicken and made a fantastic dinner later that night. With chocolate and mixed berry crepes for dessert! mmm yummy!

The afternoon was spent laying at the lake, well practically. I got a little lazy from already walking 45 minutes so I just layed down at the side of the river. It was so pretty and peaceful. I tried to work on my tan but no idea if it did anything. I have tan lines so i'm trying to get rid of those.

Then after dinner, Piper and I went to see "Coco Avant Chanel". It was a really good film! I didn't understand all of the dialogue but I understood the plot and what happened!!

So this upcoming week should be fun. AKA my birthday is in 3 days!!! I'm super excited!!!

Visiting Coline

I realize that I haven't updated this in a few weeks. Thankfully not too much has gone on.

At the end of May I went to St. Etienne to visit Coline and her family. Once again they are fantastically sweet to me! We went to the saturday market then to a creperie. It was really funny because they didn't know what galettes (buckwheat crepes) were! And of course being so close to Bretagne, I eat them pretty often. And they had never had cidre!! It made me laugh to realize that although France is a lot smaller there are so many regional differences.


In the afternoon we went to the Mine Museum. It was quite interesting. We got to go into one of the mines and had a little tour. The vocab was a bit hard to understand because it was all technical words. AFter that we went to play lazer tag...yeah not my favorite thing but it was actually fun to do. I completely failed at it and felt a little awkward around all of her friends. Since I was the only one not in a couple is was like Kayleigh = 9th wheel. oh well. We went to dinner that night with her boyfriend and another couple and I was pretty much lost in the conversation, but it was good practice.

Sunday was one of the best meals I ever had. They remembered that I love escargot! So we had escargot and some other meat and veggies. It was all pretty good, but the dessert was fantastic, and not only because Coline and I made it, but this chocolate cake used an entire chocolate bar that you melt!!! So glad I have the recipe.

It was a fun weekend and worth the 5 hours I spent on the train.

16 Days of Travel

This is probably going to be a really long update... you have been warned.

Going to Beauvais Airport in Paris was like the movie "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles". We took the train to Paris, then the metro to the bus stop to catch the bus to the airport to get the plane to Rome. It was a long trip but worth it. We arrived at our hostel with and were able to just go to bed right away.

The next morning we discovered that is was Rome Communist day, or something like that. There were a bunch of parades and everyone was wearing red. It took us a little while to realize what they were marching for. It was all peaceful but quite interesting. But we went to the Colosseum and the Roman Forum and Palatine hill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My life is now complete. I fell in love with them and they just helped to enforce that I love Classics. The Colosseum was a lot smaller than I though it was be, but super cool to see. They had the labyrinth open (well permanently) so you coul see where the gladiators and animals were kept. Its really cool actually. We then went to the Palatine hill that holds the Roman Forum and the other buildings. It was weird to see things I have learned about in history class and dreamed of seeing. But it may have been my favorite part of the trip, as the nerd in me speaks. Over all Rome was fanastic. For a big city it was very walkable and everything was neat to see. I didn't feel the earthquake and I'm kinda glad. Once I found out what had happened it was kinda scary to realize that I was that close to something so devestating. One of my favorite memories of Rome was when we found this little shop of knick-knacks that this old man sold. I bought several old keys which have become my new interests.

Florence was the second town we went to. The architecture was so different from Rome and everything there was nice to see. It was a lot more laid back and we could relax a little bit. Several afternoon siestas occured in various squares around town. The Pont Vecchio was breathtaking and I was glad to walk over it everyday and see the daytime, evening, sunset, and night; all of them so different. We had some pretty good food while we were there such as this little whole in the wall where this woman made lasagne homemade. It may have been one of my favorite things to eat.

For a daytrip we travelled to Siena which is in the Tuscany region. The countryside was beautiful! so green and like nothing else I have ever seen before. I loved everyminute of wandering through that town. We saw the Duomo which was rediculously extravegant like all other Italian churches. The center square of the town was pretty cool. One of the buildings was actually curved which was neat to see.

Verona was the next of the Italian towns and may have been one of the best. The people were so friendly. Upon arriving and leaving our stuff in the hostel, we went to lunch at this little bar. The bartender asked if we liked pasta because his mama made it. So of course we had to eat there. After talking to him for a few minutes he asked if we liked wine and proceed to bring out a bottle from his region and pour it for us. The pasta was fantastic and was followed by lemon cello (which we had not asked for, but was brought to us). The whole meal cost about 24 euro which was much cheaper than it should have been. The town of Verona was small but perfect. Walking the streets was nice and relaxing, and the weather was beautiful.

Venice was our last town in Italy, and probably my least favorite. Its nice to see the island for a few minutes but then it gets too touristy and expensive. I did by myself a little mask which i love. The day we spent in venice was the perfect amount of time and I couldn't image spending more time there. I had no particular reason to not like it, but the feeling of the place and the fact that some of the other places we went to were prettier.

Italy was really a beautiful place and we picked a perfect time to go. The weather was amazing and we were lucky. I hated not knowing the language though. That was probably the hardest part of the whole week. In France I can communicate, but in Italy it was so much harder and I felt guilty that I didn't know the language. The other downside was that there was a lot of graffeti (sp?) everywhere. I personally hate it so having to turn a corner adn see it in practically every city was a turn off. One of the upsides was gelato. We ate it practically everyday. My favorite flavors were lemon and dark chocolate, and they went really well together.

After Venice we flew into London. We were heading to Stratford-Upon-Avon so we went to what we thought was the general information desk to ask how to get there. The woman said it was a 90 minute bus ride and we could buy tickets there. We did that and got on the bus. We arrived and realized it didn't look right. The stupid woman sent us to Stratford London!!!! one of the suburbs. We spoke with the bus driver and he took us back to the airport. The bus company initially couldn't do much for us because we didn't buy the ticket from them, but said that we could catch a bus and we there at 10:15....after our play. So I started crying which is what I naturally do. The instant that happened 6 people started working to figure out how to get us there to make our play. Cate and I went up to the "information" desk to get our money back. AFter me bitching at them for 20 minutes and telling them that they ruined our trip,we got the money returned to us. Mean while the bus company found a train for us that would get us to Stratford-Upon-Avon at 7:15 in time for our play. They even gave us free bus to the station. They were just fantastic. So after changing into dress clothes on a train we made the play. Winter's Tale was really nice to see and a lot like greek tragedies.

S-U-A was a nice town and good to spend Easter day in. We got to see Shakespeare's birthplace and just wander and explore a bit. The food was quite similar to the food I eat in the states and I was overjoyed to have Cadbury eggs and lots of them!

Next we went to Oxford. It was good town and I love all the universities there. Christ Church was fantastic and I was super happy to see where parts of Harry Potter were filmed. I'm such a nerd. I think I could live there. And all the tourguides had stories and history that they loved to share with us. I loved it. We went to a pub for lunch and had a pint and Piper and I shared fish and chips. mmmmmmmmmmm :) I can see why the British love it. In the afternoon we did some more wandering in the historic district and had some Indian food for dinner with some new French friends from our hostel. It was a nice way to end our stay in Oxford.

Our last place in England was Liverpool. I think it would have been better if we had known what we wanted to see when we first got there, but the problem was that we had no idea what was in Liverpool except our flight to Dublin the next day. So after wandering around random downtown parts of Liverpool we decided to just go see a movie. We hadn't really had a rest day adn we were pretty tired. So we saw The Fast and the Furious. It was interesting to see. But a nice break. The theater was cool because you had assaigned seats, very smart how they do that. But the next day we went to Albert Dock with all our luggage and found the Tate Gallery of Modern Art, A slavery museum and a maritime musuem; all free of charge. That was really nice. So after we found the good part of Liverpool it was enjoy able.

Ireland, however, was amazing. We stayed the first night in Dublin but headed to Galway on the opposite coast early the next morning. It was beautiful. The town is small but the perfect size. We walked to the bay of Galway, and upon starting to head to the other side of the Bay and explore more of the coast, Piper took a stumpled and bruised/scratched/caused to swell both her knees. The cherry on top was when I went to get bandaides, a seagull pooped on her. It was lovely. So we spent some time cleaning her up and her coat. But that evening we went to a pub and enjoyed a pint of Guinness and some live music. I kinda wish we could've stayed longer because the town was so nice to visit. I will return.

Dublin too was amazing and charming. Guinness. The Guinness tour was fantastic. I learned how beer was made and the history of Guinness, which is like no other. For example Arthur Guinness has a 9000 year lease on his land, dating back to the 19th century. yeah. After doing the tour we went up to the bar that was 360 degree view of Dublin for our pints. It was mmmmm yummy! And we took our glasses, which you are techinically not supposed to do... but we paid for it. kinda. oh well. its my pride and joy of the trip. The rest of Dublin was pretty great to see. We went to Trinity College but didn't see the book of Kells or the long room because it was too expensive. But we walked around and saw Dublin Castle, Christ Church Cathedral, and the very much out of place yet fitting Spire. Overall I really enjoyed Dublin.

We returned to France the same way we left: plane to bus to metro to train to walking. So it was a full circle but I loved every minute of it. I was happy to go with two people that I'm happy to call my friends. And I think we really got to get to know each other on this trip. I learned that even though I am the crazy planner, its ok to wing it a few times and that you won't die. And that I'm really good, kinda, with city maps.

I loved this trip and it was a change in a lifetime trip.
photos:
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http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2025747&id=1195471084&l=b4fd0e0df2

Three Countries -> 16 days

Spring Break starts tomorrow evening and I have never been more excited!!! Piper, Cate, and I are going to spend these long two plus weeks exploring Italy, England, and Ireland. The weather already looks like its going to be beautiful in Italy, but a little chilly in the UK, nonetheless this is the perfect time to go! We'll play the role of the tourist, but hope to also see some countryside and make some new friends.

Places to be visited:
Rome, It
Florence, It
Siena, It
Verona, It
Venice, It
Stratford-upon-Avon, Eng
Oxford, Eng
Liverpool, Eng
Dublin, Ire
Galway, Ire

Upon my return April 19th, I will update (or more likely the 20th) and share pictures and stories. Until then mes chers amis!
bisous

Beaches of the D-day invasion

Yesterday was the excursion that I had been looking forward to the most. Finally being able to see the D-day beaches, was overwhelming. The very first day of the invasion 10,000 soldiers died on those very beaches.

We first stopped at the Memorial Museum. The three languages that the museum is in is French, English, German. It started with leading up to the war and through the war. Even being there was overwhelming. They had one room focusing on the concentration camps. In that room there was a picture, full sized, of a girl who had just been hanged. It was startling. At this museum they also had a Nazi flag and other articles. That one flag. What it symbolizes. It was odd to stand in front of it, knowing the ideas that surround it. At the museum the had a short film we watched. It was two sided, one of the preparations and the actually debarqument ( I can't think of the work in english); landing, the other was of the germans, preparing for the day and being bombed. The day they landed, was probably one of the worst days chosen. I can't imagaine first travelling across the ocean, but then landing knowing that you are going to your death. The thought of that is... i don't know. I can't imagine.

We then went to the American Cemetary. It was beautiful. The French goverment gave the land to the United States. It overlooks Omaha Beach and the Ocean. The cemetery is organized quite nicely and really is a lot more beautiful than pictures show. I really enjoyed how the Jewish soldiers had stars of David and not crosses. All of it is so beautiful.

After that we went to Omaha Beach for a few minutes. It was a wonderful sunny, yet chilly day. The beaches themselves are beautiful and if I hadn't known that thousands died here I would've love to run around breathing in the fresh air. But then reality hits that I was standing where someone died. Each step I took, they had taken 65 years ago struggling for their life and trying to kill the enemy. Pictures do not do it justice, and the emotions can't be explained. There is a sense of sadness at all the lives that were lost that day, but also pride in the soliders who went their giving the ultimate sacrifice. I think because we have footage of this war, it makes it so more real. And seeing these beaches did that as well.

We then went to La Point du Hoc. The Germans had quite a bit of artillery here which was pointed at Omaha beach. The Rangers arrived and had to climb the cliffs to get up. In addition the Americans bombed this area like crazy. It was the first place we saw that you really knew war had been there. The craters from the bombings were still there, and they were plentiful. Every few feet there was a new one. And they were huge. Only a few bases of the buildings remain. Seeing this brings the war a new reality.

Our final stop was at the German Cemetery at La Cambe. I was really glad they took us here. This cemetery was so different from the American. It was quite a bit smaller, but had over 22,000 soldiers buried in it, a lot more than the American. Most of the soldiers buried here were about my age when they did. I saw one boy who was 2 weeks short of 18 when he died. It was sad. The cemetery is not as intricate but it was beautiful all the same. There is a monument in the center and at the base, there were flowers from some canadians, some polish people, and some english. It was nice to see that most of the animosity has dissappeared thanks to the European Union.

Yesterday was an emotional and eye-opening day. Its hard to say, after seeing that, that the Germans are the "bad" guys. Because of the Treaty of Versaille, they were forced into a huge depression, and occupied. In the French occupied south, their women were raped requently by the French soldiers and in general they were treated with disgust (this we learned from one of the French history professors who went with us). They were resentful of the English, and French, and even the Russians for doing this to them. How is it not surprising then that this didn't happen? How could you not support some sort of revenge for this treatment? Thats all these soldiers knew, for them it was about regaining the importance of Germany, not about killing Jews. With that in mind, its hard to "pick" sides.

Seeing these places made the war more of a reality. I've always been terrified of war. This makes it so much more. In the states we don't know what it looks like, seeing footage and seeing the actual place are two different things. Even thinking about it now, I hope I may never see something like that. In the states, we have our little comfort zone, we weren't in the middle so its easy to say that we can go to war. But when you see the destruction, see all the graves, and feel the power of the emotions there; its different. It makes you hope for peace so much more.

pictures: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2025362&id=1195471084&l=eb1659cab7

Some pondering

I'm about to my halfway point in France. Its a weird feeling sometimes its still surreal that I'm here. But since I'm not crazy studying for tests at the very moment, its nice.

I've been getting grades back on my tests and they are confusing, either on a 20 or 30 point scale, and much different from back home. An "A" is equivalent to a 15/20 or higher or a 21/30 or higher. Thus far I've gotten all A equivalents: a 23/30 on my lit test, 21/30 on my langue test, a 16/20 on my writing test, and a 28/30 on my culture class. I"m still waiting for the results of my history test. Needless to say I think this semester will be a gpa boost.

Another interesting thing is that women here are super judgment, and appearance is everything! I mean EVERYTHING. Walking into a place sometimes you get a head to foot look down. It was a shock at first. I can't wear tshirts here, and have to watch my style. Anything flashing draws attention, because the French really love their black. Its incredible how much black they wear. For real! And I try not to wear black, so that puts me out of it.

I am realizing how much I miss different food. Not french foods. Thats probably the hardest part about living here, not have such a diverse selection of foods. I don't eat cooked meat that often, but I do eat more desserts because they are fantastic. I'm surprised I haven't gained weight actually. haha. but its probably because I walk everywhere. I'm getting calves of steel! Not really but kinda. I walk up 5 flights of stairs for class at least once a day.

I am super excited right now because my spring break starts in a week! We're are going to Rome, Florence, Siena, the Italian coast, Verona, and Venice (thats Italy). Then up to England for Oxford, Liverpool and Stratford-upon-Avon for a Shakespeare play, A Winter's Night, in his birth town! Then over to Dublin and a day trip to Galway. I am super pumped!!!!! a 17 day trip and 3 countries. And for my birthday, it ends up I'm probably going to go to Brussels, Belguim! And then Madrid at the end of May. I'm really quite excited about all the travel coming up!!!

Tomorrow we are going on our last excursion to the D-Day beaches and the American Cemetary. I have been looking forward to this trip the most since I arrived. Its supposed to be cloudy and rainy, but I feel like that is fitting for this place. It shouldn't really be that sunny.

Greve/Strike

There's something I've been wondering about...

Last Thursday there was a major "greve" or strike in France. A lot of the transportation was down and some places were closed in support. I understand that yes, the French feel the need to strike to show their voice. Thats fine. But students at schools can strike; university students. I'm just wondering how they get away with it. In the states if you were to strike at a college they would just fail you, so how can French students force a test to be moved, or decide they don't like how things are going and strike?

I realize this must come from the days of the revolution, but I still don't understand it.

Past two weeks

The past few weeks have been pretty crazy. I've had a few test (which I'm happy to say I've done well on). But here is an update:

My parents, Terry and Heather were in Angers for a few days. I showed them the sights such as the Chateaux, Galerie David D'Angers, the two major gardens, the markets, etc. It was nice to have them here. And I think they really enjoyed where I am living. I was super excited that Brigitte (my host mom) decided to invite my family over for cocktails! It was a nice experience to be able to show my host family my real family, but also to be able to show my real family my host family. It was a nice little time. My folks left on Monday which allowed me to study and prepare the week ahead.

Tuesday was St. Patricks day. So, as is expected, green was worn and Piper, Emma and I went to and Irish Bar in town. It was packed. A pint and a half of guiness cost about 10 euros... it was pricey. but we're looking forward to real guiness in Ireland.

This past weekend I joined my family in Paris for friday night and saturday. We went to the Pantheon, Notre Dame, and the Jardin de Luxembourg. It was a nice little visit and wonderful to see my family.

I can't believe that I still am in France for 2.5 more months. But its going to start going a lot faster. My weekends up coming are going to be crazy. This next saturday I'm going on our final excursion with the school to the D-day beaches of Normandie. The weekend after that starts Spring Break, so from the 4th to the 19th I will be travelling around Italy, England and Ireland with a few friends. The last weekend in April (25) I'm going to St. Etienne to visit the family I stayed with in high school. The weekend of my birthday, I'm probably going to Corsica with some friends to celebrate. And the four day weekend at the end of may, probably going to Madrid. So its a full schedule ahead and I know time is gonna go faster.

But I still miss people like crazy. Its weird to think that I've been away from the boy this long and from my roommates. I miss them all like crazy. Its nice to know all my friends are still waiting for me back home and not a whole lot will have changed...well we'll see.

So that the abridged version of the update

photos:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2025095&id=1195471084&l=16b926b82b
and
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2025164&id=1195471084&l=37e2c65dff

Paris weekend; walking, and tourism

I can see why people say that Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Everywhere you turn the city has something new to offer you.

Piper and I arrived on Friday evening to meet Hilary, and Mike (two of Piper's friends). We spent the evening in the Montmontre area around Sacre Coeur since that was where our hotel was. I was so happy to have found a wonderful place to stay. It was across the street from a metro stop, was clean and perfect for the 4 of us. Couldn't have asked for anything better.

Saturday turned into a day full of walking. We decided to walk down to the Moulin Rouge then did a walking tour of Paris to the Eiffel Tower; about 15 miles. But we were able to see many churches including Eglise de Madeleine which I think is one of the most beautiful I have seen. We also saw the Opera House, Place de la Concorde, and the Obelisk. After crossing the river we journeyed (still by foot) to the Eiffel Tower. Since we had not had enough walked we decided to walk up the Tower instead of taking the elevator. 388 steps later we had reached the first level and were able to enjoy the sights of Paris. After 668 total steps we reached the midlevel where we could enjoy the views. It really is incredible. Paris stretches out so far! In each direction there are new things to see. And even though this is my 3rd time going up, each time gives a new chance to see everything. It was sensational. After this we were starving to so traveled by train to the Latin Quarter for some Moraccan food. SOOO yummy! i loved every minute of it. And to finish off, we had gelato. The flavor I ended up getting was dark chocolate which also happened to be made of soy milk. mmm :) After this we travelled by foot to the Louvre to see it. The place really is HUGE! and the pyramid is pretty cool! I'm glad we got to go. In the evening we headed back to our hotel for a little rest and a dinner of bread, cheese, salami, cookies, and wine. We decided to finish the night by heading to the bar. I didn't feel like a beer or a glass of wine so long story short i ended up ordering a tequila on the rocks, assuming that is was mostly ice and a little bit of tequila. In reality it was about 4 shots or so worth of high quality tequila; quite tasty and no bite or after taste. It really was good, but I couldn't drink all of it.

Sunday was a bit more laid back. We woke up and walked to Sacre Coeur so we could see it at daytime then indulged in some crepes for breakfast/lunch. Not as good as some of the one's that i've had in Angers, but still ok. We then headed to the Musee D'Orsey, which is mostly impressionism; my favorite. I love Monet and Sisely. They are fantastic! The day ended with some wandering and heading to the train.

Overall it was a wonderful weekend! We got to see and experience a lot. And on the way back, it was a nice feeling to feel like we're returning "home" that Angers has become my home away from home. It was comforting and a nice feeling. Paris is an expensive city and it makes me appreciate the wonderfulness of Angers a little bit more.

Pictures:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024889&id=1195471084&l=08745
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024890&id=1195471084&l=1225d

Successful dinner

Tonight was successful in my opinion and I'm really excited about it; I got to know my host family a lot better and we had a real conversation!!! This really thrills me.

It started with yesterday when we were talking at dinner, and it was mentioned that I should speak English with Quinton (the 15 year old son, I now know how to spell his name!) so he can get a little bit of practice in, just for like 30 minutes at a time. So this evening before dinner we decided to talk a little bit, and at first it was a little hard because we didn't know what to talk about. We ended up discussing his english class and that they're reading Animal Farm by George Orwell. Crazy! but it helped because we also talked about how sometimes its easier to understand than to express yourself. Brigitte came in to tell us it was dinnertime but the conversation continued into dinner, but we ended up talking about movies because we Quinton came in to talk to me about speaking English I was watching Harry Potter. So we talked about that for a while at dinner and the conversation went really well! Like amazingly! They're even going to let me borrow some french DVDs and I can watch tme downstairs on their computer if I want. They were telling me all about them, and they seem to be really entertaining. The only one I can remember is "je vous trouve tres beau". But we (brigitte, quinton and myself) tried and discovered that my american dvds work on their computer! So we might watch one of my movies together sometime.

I feel like this is a great success because it helps me pick up random words, I wouldn't have before! Basically I'm on a high because its sometimes a little hard to have a conversation with a limited vocabulary. But more and more I'm starting to have a good repore with the family and getting to know them better :)

One month, and one day

I have official been in France for a month, one glorious month! The time has gone by fast and I really can't believe that I am a quarter of the way done with my semester studying abroad. To be honest I think I've adapted to the lifestyle.

1.I'm now used to walking everywhere! I don't think i've used a car (expect for major transportation to excursions) in over a month! In the states we're quite dependent on cars. I've gotten used to walk 30 or more minutes to get somewhere if I really want to. And a 20 minute walk? thats nothing.
2. Carbs and veggies is most of what I eat when I'm with my host family. I'm getting used to the pureed soups such as leek, pumpkin, potato and broccoli. They really aren't that bad and I kinda enjoy the pumpkin soup. I still crave meats, but I'm finally starting to adjust to the fact that I haven't had cooked meat (salami and sliced ham does not count) save one time. Chicken? haven't eaten that since i left the states.
3. I love the fact that I am legal here! Not to say I get plastered every night, no, but I enjoy the fact that I can drink responsibly and not have to worry about getting in trouble because its illegal. Bottle of wine for 3 euros? ok, just gonna carry it in my purse. The more and more I'm here I realize how stupid the drinking rules in the states are! If i can vote, why can't I drink alcohol. It also kinda sucks because I like cocktails. And its so much easier to go to a bar, then have to have all the ingrediants at my house to make them. I think I like anything with cointreau in it. Its made in Angers so i've been able to have quite a few things with that in it.

Those are the 3 major things but life in general here is different. I still get confused as to when I should use the familar forms, or formal forms. It can get quite complicated sometimes.
I love the fact that I can decide to take a weekend in Paris, and its easy! Being this close to so many things makes me want to skip class and travel, but the fact that I refuse to skip class and that I don't have the money to spend 3 months travelling is what keeps me from doing that. Stupid responsibility.

Overall life as a student in France right now is grand. There are some people missing from my life, but I'll be with them soon enough. The month that I've been here has allowed me to grow as a person and figure out who I am more and more. My french has improved significantly as have my social skills. But I have also realized more of whats important to me, and who is important to me. And the friends I have here, will be friends for a lifetime because of our experiences together.

Chateaux de la Loire

Yesterday was beautiful!!! The weather was perfect, which allowed us to fully enjoy our day touring 3 chateaux.

1. Azay-le-Rideau: This one was the closest to Angers (even though we took the scenic routes the entire time to see other ones on the way). It was built during the 16th century and was built thanks to Gilles Berthelot. Its located on a water inlet so its surrounded by a moat. The architecture is amazing, and the craftsmanship is so intricate. I think this may have been the prettiest of all the Chateaux. Each room had various (and rather large) tapistries along with furniture. Its actually kinda funny because the beds look soooo tiny. But it may be the fact that the rooms are rather large. I loved the gardens and just being able to be outside. They were fantastic.

pictures: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024726&id=1195471084&l=9eb3c

2.Chenonceau: This one was located further away but was also breathtaking. It was also constructed in the 16th century. It has several gardens and one even has a maze with a pretty gazebo in the center. Chenonceau is situated above the Loire river and acts kindof like a bridge hovering above the water. the base has 4 through areas for water to go. So you literally are above water the entire time you are in the Chateau. This one as well had quite a few tapestries, and all were quite large. When we first arrived we pic-nic ed in one of the gardens just enjoying the beautiful day that we were having. (It was in the 60s!!!!) We explore the chateau and took great joy in the kitchens. The lowest level above the water is the kitchens and staff dinning area. Each of the rooms was refurbished to look as if someone still lived there. Fresh flowers were located everywhere and there were even fresh fruits and vegtables in the kitchen, it was quite amazing. The grounds would have been more beautiful if it had been spring but thats alright. The entrance is flanked by two large sphynixs which of course i had to take my picture next too! duh! Who wouldn't? We also played around in the little maze before heading back to the bus.

Pictures: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024736&id=1195471084&l=fc612

3. Chambord: Probably the most extravigant of all the chateaux with almost 300 chimney's and over 400 rooms. It was crazy. The architecture was great but over the top. The bad part was that they were working on doing construction for it while we were there... oh well. Its actually kinda funny because the grounds its located on are the official hunting grounds for the French president and only his and friends may hunt there. Its also houses the presidential horses and such. It was quite interesting. But the rooms! oh the rooms! I don't know what they did with half of them! The hallways were huge! the whole thing was quite overwhelming. My favorite part was probably where you could go and view the upper roof tops and walk outside. You could see a long distance and it was fantastic.

pictures: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024737&id=1195471084&l=844de

Overall the day was enjoyable! I liked being able to see the various chateaux and their different architecture. Its crazy to think that they are all so much older than the establishment of the U.S. Its and odd realization. But thats life. The only disappointing part of the day was that we wanted to go to this Indian food place that Piper and I have been dying to try...well we found out that Saturday nights you must have a reservation if you want to eat...anywhere! So now we know and are planning on eating there soon, with a reservation. The days are tiring though. Especially when you're gone for almost 13 hours. But the excursions are a lot of fun!

I've been in Angers almost a month now. And I've found that I have adjusted quite well. I'm excited for my parents, Terry and Heather to be here in two weeks! It'll be so nice to see them!!! Next weekend I"m going to Paris, and at the end of March we have our excursion to the D-day beaches of Normandie. And the weekend after that? SPRING BREAK! two weeks of no class and complete enjoyment of our surroundings! I'm so excited! So for the next 6 weekends I have something to look forward to!

Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday

Its funny because we were always taught in French class that Mardi Gras was a major holiday in France, and to be honest, it didn't seem like it was. Most of our professors talked to us about what Mardi Gras was and the traditions behind it. Of course first and foremost its the eve of Lent (le carême). The tradition in France is to get Crepes. We decided this was a very good choice and decided to follow that advice.

So yesterday was Mardi Gras and we went out for crepes. They were amazing. It was a tad bit expensive, but then again it was the very first time that we had gone to an actual sit down restaurant. It was quite refreshing. I had a galette for my dinner which is buckwheat, filled with goat cheese, sauteed onions, and poitrine fumee. Although i'm not exactly sure what kind of meat that was it was quite delicious. I longed to have another, but at the same time one galette is quite filling and we still had dessert to wait for. For dessert i got a crepe with mint ice-cream on it and melted chocolate. Needless to say I was quite satisfied when I had finished. I'm pretty sure this is a place that I will take my folks to in a few weeks when they're here. We finished off the night be going to our usual tuesday event Mardi Cafe (organized by the school to meet other students). It was actually quite successful because i talked with a few Japanese girls from my classes and go to know them a little better.

Today, however, is Ash Wednesday (le mecredi des cendres). I found a church close to where I live that I'm gonna to go to mass at tonight at 8 pm. I'm a little nervous about it, even though it is a Catholic mass, it'll be in French and I honestly don't know the words. But I'm going to try and follow along to be best of my ability. I am at a loss though for what I should do for lent; usually I give up something I enjoy (t.v., sweets, etc) but here thats hard to do. First i don't watch t.v., I hardly ever eat meat, and if I were to give up sweets and wine I would really be missing out here. I'm only in France to study once.... So I don't know what I should do. Just by being here I'm trying to develop as a person and get out of my comfort zone so I'm already doing things that I'm not normally at home such as being more outgoing, willing to try new things, optimistic, not worry as much, etc. And once it warms up I'm going to run. I know lent is a time of sacrifice, but my lifestyle here is so different from back home, that I have no idea what I should do...

Love to all

Dinner with the girls and First excursion

These past few days have been quite exciting!!! This past week my host family was gone, and in all honesty it was kinda nice to be able to act myself and not have to worry about their schedules or anything. But it also allowed me to work on my cooking skills such as making savory crepes or grilling up a sausage and making pasta with it etc.

Friday night, we took advantage of the fact that my host family wasn't there. We decided to take the time and cook ourselves a nice dinner. So after buying groceries from the store we made our dinner: we had salad with this interesting kind of greens that looked like cloves, but also had tomatoes, bell peppers and pears. For a dressing it was oil and vinegar like the French. After that we had potatoes with onions and garlic that we amazing, and we seared some pork we marinated in a pan. It was delicious!!! For dessert we shared 4 kinds of little tartes and cakes we picked up from the Patiserie. All were good, but my favorite was the lemon tartelette. But we just spent the night eating, drinking wine, and enjoying each other's company.

Today was quite an enjoyable day. We headed out early to St. Malo which is located in the Bretagne region of France and on the Atlantic Coast. It was beautiful. Although the town was destroyed during World War 2, it was rebuilt to look identical to how it was prior. And the beaches! They were so nice! The weather was beautiful to go today. A little grey, but thats it. We then decided to try the regional specialaties. We went to a creperie and had galettes, which are a buckwheat crepe. In all honesty I prefer normal crepes, but they were good. We also tried the cider that the region is known for. It pretty much tasted like an alcoholic apple juice, which is what we expected. But we also tasted the two regional cakes; one was a custard one, the other was kinda like a round filo-dough with tons of butter and sugar. I prefered the second.

After that we headed to Mont St. Michel. This place is pretty well know because of the fact that during high tide it is an island, but during low tide you walk or drive to it. Its also built up pretty high so you get a nice view of the area. After St. Malo I was a tad bit dissapointed. It was really touristy, where St. Malo wasn't. But thats to be expected. The Abbey at the top was really pretty and the sights were great. I'm quite amazed at how they built it.

Pictures:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024533&id=1195471084&l=5a4d8
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024637&id=1195471084&l=344f7

love to you

Past several days

The past several days have actually been quite busy.

Saturday was Valentine's Day and it was actually enjoyable. I met up with Cate, Piper and Emma downtown and we made a day of it. We shopped and I bought a new dress, a purse and a new wallet to hold euros which didn't fit properly in my last wallet. We then realized that it is impossible to have a late lunch in France; places are closed. So we decided to get bread, wine, cheese, salami and go to a chocolate shop for a special v-day treat. We headed back to Emma's and had a wonderful meal. The chocolates and company were amazing! I've found that the french don't really celebrate Valentine's Day. But I was also able to open my present from Chris. It was perfect!

Sunday was also enjoyable. We decided to go to the Musee des Beaux Arts d'Angers. Their permanant collection was actually really vast and enjoyable. But I like museums. I also met more of the "family" Its vacation in France right now so two of the sons were home. Both were nice, but then again I am a border in their house. Currently everyone is gone. Literally. I have the house to myself, and I'm really enjoying it. I can act normal and not have to worry as much. I made myself a delishious dinner. I bought crepes at the store and made them with salami, goat cheese, and aioli. But I accidently bought dessert crepes so there was a nice mix of sweet and salty, which I really enjoyed. For dessert I continued the feast of crepes and made a few with Nutella, which I"m liking more and more. Today the package came from my parents and it was such a nice little surprise. I loved it!

Thats all for now. Pictures:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024533&id=1195471084&l=5a4d8
and
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024368&id=1195471084&l=a64fe
in both albums

love you all!

Irish Pub: Inishmore

Thanks to Piper's list of places to try, we found the Irish pub in town. Yes, thats right. Its a real Irish pub in Angers. Its ran by and Irishman who speaks very little French and has no desire to learn it. When we walked in Irish "rock" music was placing and most of us decided to order Guiness on tap. It was good! Most of the other beers, on tap were also Irish, 90% of which I have never heard of. Friday nights at Inishmore consisted of Frenchmen and women coming in to speak English with the bartender/owner and listen to live music in the form of 2 acoustic guitars and some sort of flute whistle instrument. Overall it was an enjoyable night and will be repeated!

Loves <3>

Getting into the swing of things

I have successfully gone to all of my classes at least once. Yesterday (tuesday) was my busy day of the week. I had Langue in the morning and it wasn't too bad. We did various activities with an excerpt from the story of Cinderella (Cendrillon), with activities such as listening to it to see what we understand, to talking about it, to finishing the story in pairs etc. Within all of this we worked on our speaking skills and grammar skills. I think I'll like this class. My professor is really nice and helpful if I have a problem. AFter that I went to my French culture class. Its mostly going to be a discussion class on why French do things certain ways, whether in work, daily life, politics etc. I think its going to be one of my favorite classes. We get to choose the themes for the class. It'll be a lot of information, but I think i'll learn a heck of a lot from it. AFter that I had my favorite class thus far: History of France. This teacher is really awesome. She lectures then does a pretty elaborate outline on the board, and whatever is written on the board is on our exams. But also she speaks well and is easy to understand. We're starting with the revolution which is always interesting. Later last night I had my writing class. I think it'll be ok. The main purpose of the class is actually to be able to read the newspapers and understand what is being said. It'll be a useful class but I honestly don't like things like that. Today I only had one class; 20th century French lit. We'll see how this one goes.... we're starting with poetry for the next month, and i really do not like poetry. And we're also starting with Apollinaire, who I really don't like. We read a few of his poems in the intro to lit class and they just went over my head. He likes to make poems in shapes. Literally. For example one poem was in the shape of an apple. Not fun. Overall my classes should be good and I'll have hardly any homework except in lit probably. Not bad at all.

Last night was also the first "mardi cafe". This is put on by the school...kinda. What it is, is every tuesday night, a bunch of the foreign students meet up at a bar and just mingle. Its supported and advertised by the school. Its actually kinda nice because its a way to get out and see more of Angers, but also to meet people that aren't in my classes. I went last night with some friends and had fun. I had two drinks; both of which i really enjoyed. The first was called "une twist" what is consisted of was a lemon syrup i believe and Kronenbourge (sp?). It was actually really good. The other drink was a mojito. It was actually the first time, I had ever had one and I really enjoyed it. They were on special, and I'm glad I tried it.

This morning I walked and finished getting my school supplied (except text books), and some food for the rest of the week. To be honest, I get kinda tired of having to walk everywhere. I would love to just be able to drive there, anywhere but thats really not going to happen for another 4 months. I must be lazy, or just want instant gratification.

now some randomness:
I find it amusing that French people park their cars on the sidewalks. I can see how its convienent but its not quite that convient when you're walking and have to walk in the street.
I miss diet coke. Coca lite is nooooooooooooooooooooot the same! Its like coke zero and is not satifying.
I picked up my ticket this morning for the first excursion! Its to Mont St Michel. If you have no idea what it is, google it. Mont St. Michel is probably one of the coolest places in France. Its a day trip, and totally worth it. I'm planning on taking a ton of pictures.
I miss being able to watch The Office. I can't get it online here, because apparently nbc can tell that I'm in France and can't broadcast there... lame.
I'm pretty sure that people here can tell I"m foreign. Most likly from the fact that I don't wear grey and black all the time. No joke. French people love those colors I think. I'm used to wearing bright colors and my pink coat is probably what makes me stand out. And maybe the fact that I wore a yellow shirt today.

Thats about all.
Loves to all :)

First Day of Classes

Today we received the results of our exams from last week. I scored 325, and I'm really pleased about it. Its in the middle near the top and its a nice place to be. However, I have to take 18 hours while i'm here. Its not going to be sooo bad but it'll be ok. The classes I'm taking are Langue, a basic French language class, History of France which is from the revolution to WW2, a composition class, 20th century literature, and a modern French culture class

Right now here is my schedule:
Monday: Langue 10h15-12h15, Histoire de France 14h30-1530 (2:30-3:30)
Tuesday: Langue 9h -11h10, Culture class 11h15-12h15, Histoire de France 13h30-15h30 (1:30-3:30), Composition 18h-19h (6:00-7:00)
Wednesday: Literature 14h30-15h30 (2:30-3:30)
Thursday: Langue 8h-10h, literature 13h30-15h30 (1:30-3:30), compostion 17h-18h (5:00-6:00)
Friday: Culture Class 8h-10h, composition 14h30-15h30 (2:30-3:30)

So thats it. Not too horrible, except that class until 7 pm...

For some reason, I had a fit of homesickness. I really hate when that happens. Its probably one of the worst feelings in the world to miss someone. Because you feel helpless, and I'm trying really hard to not have that. All I want right now are hugs from my parents, my brother, my best friends, and my boyfriend.

well thats about it.
loves to all

Du Vin

Last night was quite an enjoyable evening. Piper, Kate, Aric, Emma and I got together; we went to the monoprix and bought some things to eat and two bottles on wine. One white, one red. We went to the Place du Ralliement, which is almost the center of downtown; sat and ate our food. Shared the bottles of wine and just enjoyed ourselves. It was fun to just relax (in the cold) and get to know each other a bit more.

We decided to try a few places that Piper had learned about by recommendation. We first went to Le Cercle Rouge, which is a wine bar. It was small and quaint, and quite fun. We shared a bottle of wine, with the agreement that we would only speak French while in the there. That agreement was only met about half the time. After that we went to another place not to far off that was filled with French men and woman as well. Overall, it was nice to get away from the american populated bars, and try something French. Thats the whole point of the trip, right?

I'm slowly learning to enjoy wine. At the moment I like whites, the Riesling we had last night was pretty good. Its a tad bit sweeter and not as dry. But the red we had at le Cercle Rouge was really good too! By the time I leave France, I should have (fingers crossed) have a good idea of which wines I like and don't like. I am most definetly keeping the cork from the very first bottle I bought (also the first legal drink I bought). It'll be weird to return to the U.S. and not be able to buy alcohol or drink freely and not have people question my age.

loves to all

First Weekend in Angers...thus far

Yesterday, Friday, was the first day we didn't have anything scheduled, which was nice because I got to sleep in and take my time figuring out what I wanted to do. I ended up, spending the morning walking around downtown and just sitting in the park eating apples. It was actually quite nice. I'm figuring out new ways to get downtown and walk back, and finding cute little cafes and bars and restaurants along the way. Just scoping things out in general.

Last night I met up with a few people from KU. I first met up with Kate and Piper and we went and bought a bottle of wine and a wine opener from the grocery store. We were going to this crepe thing at the Universite des Beaux-Arts. Which is across the River (La Maine), but we decided to buy a bottle of wine to drink on the way. I bought the bottle opener which was the first legal alcohol related thing I have ever boughten! I was pretty excited about it and kept the cork from the bottle since it was my first legal drink! AFter meeting up with some more people from KU we went to this crepe things and met some people from China and some other French people. But after that we ended up going to this bar K'lypso for drinks. I was thrilled to buy a beer (I'm such a nerd) and be legal. Coincidentally we met up with some people from C.I.D.E.F. who are from Oregon State (OSU) and Notre Dame University. So they were fun to talk to and meet.

This morning I met up again with Piper and Kate and Emma, and we went to the Market (kinda like a farmers market) that is by the park downtown. It was a lot of fun. Although it was cold, everything looked so good and we can't wait to go again when its warmer. Its also some place that I want to take my family to when they get here. We decided to get some things from one of the Chinese venders for lunch. I got 3 eggrolls for 3.something euros and they were probably the best eggrolls I have ever had in my life. I don't think I have ever had any that tasted as good as that. After that we decided to walk around a little bit and go to a cafe to sit.

France is quite an amazing place. Although there are some everyday things I miss (like my shower and diet coke), I'm able to find something new each day. I'm looking forward to doing weekend trips with friends to various parts of France and to just explore.

I did experience a tad bit of awkwardness today...When I got home from the market a little bit ago, I could hear Brigitte (my house mom) on the phone. I talked to her youngest son (whose name I am always forgetting) and met one of her daughters who I guess is home today (she lives in Angers and goes to another university but doesn't live at home). I generally hear Brigitte on the phone quite often so it didn't really phase me, but when I went up to my room it was a little strange because she started crying and yelling on the phone. I think she may have been talking to her husband who was supposed to come home this weekend, but because he had a lot of work didn't. I honestly don't know for sure but she kept saying "le week-end!!!" so thats what I think it was. So now I'm not exactly sure what to do....her room is just down the hall from mine and I know thats where she was because it was quite loud. Now its pretty quite and I think everyone is just keeping to themselves. I'm not sure what to do so I'm just going to give it time and we'll see what happens.....

loves to all. and duh I miss you!

Journee 2

So today was my second day in Angers. I got to sleep in a little bit which was nice. The homesickness set in a tad bit last night but after talking to my roommates and my parents it got a lot better! Its weird being the only student in the house, since I think most everyone else is with another foreign student. So there have been times when it gets a little lonely.

I'm still working on adjusting to the food difference. Tonight is the last night that I've paid for meals for the week (I receive 3 dinners a week, and breakfast everyday). So I went to the closest grocery store with is kinda on my way back from the university. But I looked around and bought a few apples and some cookies to snack on, but I think I can find things to make pretty easily everyday. It'll probably go there everyday and just pick up something small for dinner and eat lunch at the university restaurant.

Its actually kinda funny because i find that I'm starting to think in French a little bit. Although I'm quite far from fluent and I can talk many times without having to think, and I don't really ever translate things in my head. I can just hear them and understand. Its a nice feeling. I'm looking forward to classes. And I'm slowing getting more confident with my speaking capabilities.

The weather here is interesting. It tends to rain a lot over night but then be fairly clear for most of the day. Its cloudy off and on, but overall its been nice weather.

I put pictures of the town on facebook. this link should work :

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024368&l=a64fe&id=1195471084

love to all, especially you and you and you etc.

First Day, First Adventure

Today was my first full day in Angers. It was a little difficult to sleep last night because of the time difference and jet lag. But I got up fine this morning. It'll be interesting because i have no mirror in my room, and there are no electric plugs in the bathroom (where the shower is, not where the toilet is. Those are two different rooms). So I blew dry my hair this morning using my webcam to see myself. it probably was a funny sight to see.

The weather here is pretty good. It was a little rainy but still fairly nice out. The school really is only 15 minutes walking so I'll definitely get good exercise. But I had my exam for class placement this morning. It wasn't too difficult, but there were some question I had absolutely no idea on. After that we had lunch at the university restaurant...it was ok. But then we did a walking tour of downtown. It is so pretty and I found so many places I want to shop at; Galerie Lafeyette, H & M and a bunch more . We walked down to La Maine river and looked at the other side of Angers. Overall the whole town is really pretty. I think I"m going to enjoy it here.

I've met a few girls I'm getting along with. One is Katelynn who actually goes to KU, and the other is Kate who goes to a small school in Oregon. Both are really sweet and I hope to hang out with them more soon.

Overall I'm really enjoying it here. Although its a little hard to adapt to some of the differences. Like food and clothing, and of course language. I know my language skills are greatly improving. But the food is a little difficult to adjust to. I don't know what half the things are, that are presented to eat at the university restaurant. And you get these little tiny cups to drink out of. Like tiny, maybe only a few inches tall.... And everyone pretty much wears muted colors lots of blacks and greys... oh well. My wardrobe doesn't fit at all. haha. The other thing is smoking. I was really surprised how many people smoke. They aren't allowed to smoke inside anymore but its weird to see all these students congregated and smoking. I guess thats just how it is.

To be honest I'm kinda looking forward to when classes start because it'll give me some solidarity of something to do. I think when those start I'll pick up running because I'll be on a more solid schedule. I also should probably find out if I have a curfew, i've yet to go out and see how that works.... hmmmm.

Overall I think I'm gonna do well in Angers, and thankfully I have yet to feel homesick. So yayayaya!!!!!!!!!!!!! But that doesn't mean I don't miss anyone, duh.

loves to you

Airplane, Trains, and Angers

I arrived to Paris without any problems because I slept through most of the plane flight!!!YAY! It was pretty boring actually. However, it took me quite a long time to actually figure out where the train station was in Charles De Gaulle Airport. But eventually I found it and had to wait for...3 hours..ugh and it was coooooooooooooooooooold!

But I made it to Angers and Mme Boucher met me at the trains. She is a really sweet woman. Her husband works in a different town so he's only home on the weekends. They have 5 kids;3 boys, 2 girls. Only one still lives at home (He's 15). But their house is really cute. I have my own room and the bathroom to myself. Plus she' going to allow me to put things in the fridge and pantry and use the kitchen to make food when I want to! I know hardly anyone does that. I also got a tour on Angers, got to see where the university is, the trainstation, the two closest shopping places. It was all very nice and pretty. Angers is really a pretty town, at least the part that I'm living in. Probably later tonight I'll install their wi-fi onto my computer. Then I can talk to everyone more. I'm still trying to figure out my cell phone....its tricky with the international numbers and everything. But i've been able to talk to my folks a few time which makes it easier.

I have been surprised though that I understand the French fairly well, and can express myself. Although there are still a lot of words (A LOT) that I don't know, I think I'll be able to make it here.

I miss youuuuuuuuuuuuuu all

loves

Leaving tomorrow

This time tomorrow, 3:30 ish I'll be in Chicago preparing to board my international flight soon. Its a weird feeling, but I am for sure starting to get really excited!!!! I will be a lot happier once I'm finally in Angers and know that I don't have to travel hardcare for a while. Being on an airplane is one of my least favorite things. I really hate to fly and be on airplanes; so this 8.5 hour flight will be nerve racking. But I'm excited.

I'm pretty much all packed now. I was really trying to only take one bag....but that of course doesn't work out. So I have two large dufflebags. I'll be able to manage them....I hope. I'm small so its always my worry that I won't be able to manage my bags. So when I discovered I wouldn't be able to take just one bag, I was (in classic me fashion) kinda pouty and not happy. It'll be fine. I'll only have to deal with my bags with regard to the train...ugh. still.....

However, yesterday, was a really good day. My friends, and roommates, and boyfriend, came over and we just watched the KU game and ate Jimmy Johns, and cake etc. It was really nice to see everyone and say goodbye one last time. Chris got to hang out for a while after everyone left and that was nice to just spend sometime with him. I know thats something I'll miss. I'm gonna try really hard to not get emotional. I'm a naturaly emotion driven person, so I react upon those, but I'm going to try to overcome that and this is my chance to do it. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to miss some certain people.

love to all

4 days left

I'm now able to count the days until I leave on 4 fingers. Its exciting! But I don't feel prepared to go yet! I have yet to test pack and finalize all I'm taking with me. For me, the super-organized-lets-make-a-list-of-what-to-bring kind of person, I probably would have been packed a week ago if I really could. But then again I wouldn't have much to wear. I'm trying my hardest not to overpack!!!! And I only have one bag...so I don't think I will.

Today, however, is my last day of work! I'm really happy about this. Not to say I hate my job but rather that I would prefer to not get up early and work on science everyday..... The lab is going out to lunch for my last day, which is always something I enjoy because we get to go to the Blue Koi which is pretty much amazing. But I'm only working half day because I have to get a physical before I go...lame. oh well. I guess I have to make sure I'm healthy to travel. Ha. I think I'd travel to my semester even if I wasn't healthy. I think death would probably be the only thing keeping me from going. *knock on wood*

The next few days should be interesting. Tomorrow I'm going though all my clothes and figuring out what to bring and what to give to Goodwill. Might as well clean out my room while packing. But I'm also gonna spend some quality time with my folks, go out to eat (I get to decided where!) and have some foods that I won't get for a while. Then Saturday a bunch of my friends are coming over and I get to see them on last time. I'm really excited about this! I mean it is the last time I'll see them for 4 months. It should be a good time, and we get to watch the KU game, and eat Jimmy John's. What could be better? I'm expecting hugs though.

I'm also hoping that Chris and I get to go out for a little bit after everyone leaves on Saturday in the evening. Yesterday he was I guess officially accepted into the Army ROTC. He got all his gear and his hair cut. Its quite short, but I really like it. He looks as handsome as ever! Its kind of weird though because I hadn't really anticipated him being in the army. But its something he wants to do and I'll support him 100%. Our deal is he can't die, so I hope he keeps up his part of the bargain. To be honest I think it'll work out well; his four year commitment after graduation will be as long as my grad school. After that? we'll have to see where it takes us. But in today's world its a guaranteed career track.

Thats pretty much all for now. I'll update again before I leave.

Loves