...but not really - much of this trip will unfortunately be spent working on internship stuff and completing this pesky placement test. My test was reset (so I am no longer signed up for the introductory section), but it still refuses to work - so I have to try another computer. Of course, we are leaving in less than 2 hours so I have no idea where I will be finding a computer, unless I can miraculously find one at my hostel in Florence. Yikes - what a mess.
Well, no matter - I am looking forward to the trip, especially Florence. It should be a lovely time!
Today's plans:
3-5pm: train from Tours to Paris-Austerlitz
>walk across bridge in Paris-Bercy
6:30pm-7am: train from Paris-Bercy to Florence, Italy
So long for now - I will update tomorrow night after our first day in Florence!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Uggghhh...
Today is one of those days - I am inexplicably tired, which is a bad start. Add to that the fact that the online placement test that I have to take didn't work and therefore I can't place into the right level for the class in a week, and it gets worse. Add to that the fact that in my frustration, I clicked on the other option (the first was I have already taken French before), which was "I have never taken French before," and of course it worked and automatically sent me back a message saying I will be placed in Level 1, introductory French, and blocked me out of the system. So now I am furious. Stupid French people and their dumb internet sites...
I suppose all will be fine in the end: I can talk to the people at the Institute when I get back - and on the bright side, I don't have to take the annoying test at all now. And hopefully Professor Spielmann can take care of it for me while I am on vacation. :) It's just frustrating, nonetheless.
So I spent this morning finishing up last minute French stuff (had to write a separate French blog and email an assignment) and working on internship things. I filled out my new resume for the State Department for the spring semester (due July 1, which is crazy). It's not easy - you have to complete an entirely new resume for it - no simple upload of what I already have. I need to work on the essay today too - or else on the train and hope that I can find internet somewhere and can send it before July 1.
We leave tomorrow for the mega-trip. I need to pack tonight, though my clothes are still in the wash. I also need to work on finalizing plans in all the places we're going - I have never been less prepared for a trip in my life.
Summary of the day: merde.
I am going to get some fresh (87 degrees and humid) air for my sanity now...
I suppose all will be fine in the end: I can talk to the people at the Institute when I get back - and on the bright side, I don't have to take the annoying test at all now. And hopefully Professor Spielmann can take care of it for me while I am on vacation. :) It's just frustrating, nonetheless.
So I spent this morning finishing up last minute French stuff (had to write a separate French blog and email an assignment) and working on internship things. I filled out my new resume for the State Department for the spring semester (due July 1, which is crazy). It's not easy - you have to complete an entirely new resume for it - no simple upload of what I already have. I need to work on the essay today too - or else on the train and hope that I can find internet somewhere and can send it before July 1.
We leave tomorrow for the mega-trip. I need to pack tonight, though my clothes are still in the wash. I also need to work on finalizing plans in all the places we're going - I have never been less prepared for a trip in my life.
Summary of the day: merde.
I am going to get some fresh (87 degrees and humid) air for my sanity now...
Les Vacances!
So vacation has technically started, but I feel like I'm swamped with work: internship apps, our mega-trip planning, the placement test, etc. Today will be a VERY busy day.
Last night, as you know, our beloved Landon Donovan and company lost to Ghana - yes, it was sad, but we should still be proud of how far our team went. At worst, we did better than France. :)
So I always manage to get the duty of walking the girls home at night - this is my 6th night in which I have done so - last night of course we got lost after the 2nd girl's house (I blame Noelle) and it took me about 1 1/2 hours to get from the bar in which we watched the game to my house (normally takes 8 min.). Oh well...
I returned to my house, where I expected everyone to be asleep (it was 12:30am), but everyone was just getting home. My host parents just pulled their car in (and smashed the front of a car behind them) as I was getting back and my host brother was having a slumber party with his friends (who are here ALL the time) in the guest house.
Lastly, it is grossly hot here - last week the high was in the mid-50s; now it's in the mid-80s and humid.
Last night, as you know, our beloved Landon Donovan and company lost to Ghana - yes, it was sad, but we should still be proud of how far our team went. At worst, we did better than France. :)
So I always manage to get the duty of walking the girls home at night - this is my 6th night in which I have done so - last night of course we got lost after the 2nd girl's house (I blame Noelle) and it took me about 1 1/2 hours to get from the bar in which we watched the game to my house (normally takes 8 min.). Oh well...
I returned to my house, where I expected everyone to be asleep (it was 12:30am), but everyone was just getting home. My host parents just pulled their car in (and smashed the front of a car behind them) as I was getting back and my host brother was having a slumber party with his friends (who are here ALL the time) in the guest house.
Lastly, it is grossly hot here - last week the high was in the mid-50s; now it's in the mid-80s and humid.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Chambord
Chambord is the most popular chateau - but in my opinion, not the coolest. Yes, the architecture was very interesting and the thing is huge, but the story is not as good as the others - it is a chateau made solely for parties and hunting for the king. It lacks the oldness of the other chateaus and interesting stories.
That being said, the place is still cool. Perhaps I am just tired of visiting chateaux. The famed double spiral staircase in the middle was built by none other than Leonardo da Vinci - it is cool but not as impressive as the classical staircase at Blois.
Well, that finishes off the CIW course - I should be getting an A! (crossing my fingers)
About 48 hours til we leave for Florence! Unfortunately, I haven't had time to plan out specifics - after the US game tonight, I will buckle down and work on it. I also have to submit some internship applications for the fall - the real world doesn't go away when you're in France unfortunately. :(
That being said, the place is still cool. Perhaps I am just tired of visiting chateaux. The famed double spiral staircase in the middle was built by none other than Leonardo da Vinci - it is cool but not as impressive as the classical staircase at Blois.
Well, that finishes off the CIW course - I should be getting an A! (crossing my fingers)
About 48 hours til we leave for Florence! Unfortunately, I haven't had time to plan out specifics - after the US game tonight, I will buckle down and work on it. I also have to submit some internship applications for the fall - the real world doesn't go away when you're in France unfortunately. :(
Sleeping In Never Felt So Good...
For the first time in 2 and a half weeks, I was able to sleep in past 10am because our field trip today to Chambord is not until 1:30pm. :) Unfortunately, I have to spend the morning doing the written (online) portion of the placement test. Oh well.
Yesterday was frustrating - between not knowing what the guy was asking in my oral interview and sitting at the table with my host brother's friends and not understanding more than just bits and pieces, I am starting to think I have a serious problem comprehending French speakers. My speaking is improving, but my listening is not. Part of it is that I think the group's commitment to speaking only French has sputtered away - too much English now. And now that the 1-week vacation starts tomorrow, it will only get worse. That being said, I am coming equipped with "Le Monde" and hope to keep reading it to improve my vocabulary and keep my mind fresh when it comes to French.
Tonight I really need to buckle down (after the US game of course) and start working on the day-to-day specifics of our mega-trip - what we're going to do in each city (Florence, Monaco, Nice, Lourdes), how we're getting around, etc.
Last night all of us (minus Hansky) met up at the Loire to have some wine and hang out. It was nice, but I did stay out pretty late...all the more reason sleeping in was fabulous. :)
Off to the most famous chateau in France today: Chambord!
Yesterday was frustrating - between not knowing what the guy was asking in my oral interview and sitting at the table with my host brother's friends and not understanding more than just bits and pieces, I am starting to think I have a serious problem comprehending French speakers. My speaking is improving, but my listening is not. Part of it is that I think the group's commitment to speaking only French has sputtered away - too much English now. And now that the 1-week vacation starts tomorrow, it will only get worse. That being said, I am coming equipped with "Le Monde" and hope to keep reading it to improve my vocabulary and keep my mind fresh when it comes to French.
Tonight I really need to buckle down (after the US game of course) and start working on the day-to-day specifics of our mega-trip - what we're going to do in each city (Florence, Monaco, Nice, Lourdes), how we're getting around, etc.
Last night all of us (minus Hansky) met up at the Loire to have some wine and hang out. It was nice, but I did stay out pretty late...all the more reason sleeping in was fabulous. :)
Off to the most famous chateau in France today: Chambord!
Friday, June 25, 2010
Last Day of Class!
Today we had our last CIW class (though the field trip to Chambord tomorrow technically counts for it too) - class seemed to be a bit more interesting last week, but by now it has gotten a little repetitive. But no worries because now it's time to move on!
I took the oral portion of the placement exam for the next course - I'm a bit upset because I couldn't understand the last question at all and probably will get placed in a lower level because of it. Maybe not - a lower level is not necessarily a worse thing, but I'm still a bit mad at myself. But from now, in a typical French manner, I will refuse to blame myself and instead blame everything else - the accent of the professor, the room temperature, whatever...
After the tests, we went to the "gangette," a nice outdoor bar next to the river that offers free game-playing in the afternoon. We played this schweet game in which the object is to move your piece across the board first but you can build wall things to block other people. Very interesting...and I won the first time, so of course I liked it. :)
So I bought new Converses for the trip (to look slightly more European) and I am not convinced of their supposed "comfort": everytime I wear them, they hurt and squeak incredibly loudly - making people stare at me funny. They better get worn in soon...
Though I have given up on the whole "look like a European" thing a bit - I refuse to not wear my neon orange, $0, plastic sunglasses. Classy.
For now, I just finished my last homework assignment for the course and will probably take a nap before heading out tonight for a bit with the homies...
I took the oral portion of the placement exam for the next course - I'm a bit upset because I couldn't understand the last question at all and probably will get placed in a lower level because of it. Maybe not - a lower level is not necessarily a worse thing, but I'm still a bit mad at myself. But from now, in a typical French manner, I will refuse to blame myself and instead blame everything else - the accent of the professor, the room temperature, whatever...
After the tests, we went to the "gangette," a nice outdoor bar next to the river that offers free game-playing in the afternoon. We played this schweet game in which the object is to move your piece across the board first but you can build wall things to block other people. Very interesting...and I won the first time, so of course I liked it. :)
So I bought new Converses for the trip (to look slightly more European) and I am not convinced of their supposed "comfort": everytime I wear them, they hurt and squeak incredibly loudly - making people stare at me funny. They better get worn in soon...
Though I have given up on the whole "look like a European" thing a bit - I refuse to not wear my neon orange, $0, plastic sunglasses. Classy.
For now, I just finished my last homework assignment for the course and will probably take a nap before heading out tonight for a bit with the homies...
Thursday, June 24, 2010
I've Seen Enough Churches...
So according to the last post, last night I was going to relax and catch up on work. But of course, just like every other night, something comes up - this time, MT called saying "I have tickets to a concert at Notre Dame de la Riche." When I asked what kind of concert, she replied "I don't know." Hmmm...so I was expected some kind of outdoors concert with live music - possibly rock, possibly just some violinists or something. Nope. Turns out the concert was in an old Gothic church and was 2 hours of a choir singing Gregorian hymns in several different languages (all incomprehensible because of the length of the notes) - including Latin, Old French, Italian, and a bit of English. Even the English was nearly impossible to understand. Overall, the experience was very cool, however - the voices were incredible. But it does get a bit dull after an hour of Latin singing that all sounds the same...
So today, after class, a group of us visited several "boulangeries" to finish our projects on French bread and other foods and then relaxed at the Institute for a bit - David and I played some foosball (boy, I am awful at this game...) before the whole group had a celebration for the end of the course (though it doesn't technically end until Monday) with wine (Vouvray white) and sweets bought by the professors.
Dinner was quite different today - I already knew that my host parents would not be there, but I did not expect to come down at 8:30pm to see a group of around 15 18-20 year olds eating on the lawn. They were the friends of Martin, my host "brother" who just finished the "bac" (test after high school) and is beginning his summer. It was fun to talk to some people my age again and eat some "steaks" (which are really hamburgers eaten by hand?) and French fries - the closest thing to an American barbecue I have had here yet.
Well, tonight, I again followed MT (this time with Hansky, Marie, and Christina) to the beautiful Cathedrale Saint-Gatien for a special occasion in which the church is open at night (it NEVER is). Even more beautiful than the inside is the glorious facade outside lit up at night - with its 1500s "flamboyant" style mixed with tenth century Gallo-Roman and 12th century Gothic style. It was a delightful night - but I think I'm ready to chill out a bit and cut it out with the churches.
We take our placement tests for the 4-week course at the Institute tomorrow!
So today, after class, a group of us visited several "boulangeries" to finish our projects on French bread and other foods and then relaxed at the Institute for a bit - David and I played some foosball (boy, I am awful at this game...) before the whole group had a celebration for the end of the course (though it doesn't technically end until Monday) with wine (Vouvray white) and sweets bought by the professors.
Dinner was quite different today - I already knew that my host parents would not be there, but I did not expect to come down at 8:30pm to see a group of around 15 18-20 year olds eating on the lawn. They were the friends of Martin, my host "brother" who just finished the "bac" (test after high school) and is beginning his summer. It was fun to talk to some people my age again and eat some "steaks" (which are really hamburgers eaten by hand?) and French fries - the closest thing to an American barbecue I have had here yet.
Well, tonight, I again followed MT (this time with Hansky, Marie, and Christina) to the beautiful Cathedrale Saint-Gatien for a special occasion in which the church is open at night (it NEVER is). Even more beautiful than the inside is the glorious facade outside lit up at night - with its 1500s "flamboyant" style mixed with tenth century Gallo-Roman and 12th century Gothic style. It was a delightful night - but I think I'm ready to chill out a bit and cut it out with the churches.
We take our placement tests for the 4-week course at the Institute tomorrow!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Allez Allez Les Etats-Unis!!!
Oh what a match!! 2 minutes left in EXTRA time and the US had to score to advance - and they did! 1-0 vs. Algeria and they are moving on. We took a brief break from the French world and watched the game at "The Pale," an Irish pub swarming with Americans. And what a fun game it was - tense up until the last minute. So even with the game against Slovenia stolen from us, we managed to win the group. Wow.
This morning, before all the madness, I of course had class, which for the first time today seemed rather boring and I was antsy to get out of there. After talking about food for an hour in class, we managed to build a mighty appetite - Mara, David, Hansky, Jacqueline, and I went out to lunch for a 10-euro lunch/dessert - filet mignon and creme brulee. Nice break from the daily tradition of a ham & cheese baguette (don't get me wrong, those are quite tasty too).
We had to go on individual visits to historic sites in the town today - David and I chose a History of Touraine museum in the old Tours chateau, but it is no longer open? So we went instead to the beautiful Saint-Gatien Cathedral, an amazing church built originally in the 300s, destroyed in several fires, rebuilt in the 1500s and added to every time. There is Roman, Flamboyant, and Renaissance influence. The church has an amazing display of stained glass and is also the final resting place of Anne de Bretagne, the famed woman of the 1400s who we have been following the story of through the past 2 weeks. We also got a mini-tour by nice lady who worked there and LOVED to talk. Great time all around.
After that, we watched the match - quite a sight even though we're not even in the US at the moment. I came home to an exasperated Chris (the other student living in the house), draped in an American flag and freaking out because he thinks he just watched a lady get hit by a car and die. Wow. He was the first to call the police...we'll see how it turns out - she is definitely seriously injured at the least. There were two little kids with her as well. Scary, scary thought.
Tonight, I am catching up on work - I have to write a 2-page paper on my visit to the Saint Gatien Cathedral and do some readings, as well as load pictures.
-Andrew
This morning, before all the madness, I of course had class, which for the first time today seemed rather boring and I was antsy to get out of there. After talking about food for an hour in class, we managed to build a mighty appetite - Mara, David, Hansky, Jacqueline, and I went out to lunch for a 10-euro lunch/dessert - filet mignon and creme brulee. Nice break from the daily tradition of a ham & cheese baguette (don't get me wrong, those are quite tasty too).
We had to go on individual visits to historic sites in the town today - David and I chose a History of Touraine museum in the old Tours chateau, but it is no longer open? So we went instead to the beautiful Saint-Gatien Cathedral, an amazing church built originally in the 300s, destroyed in several fires, rebuilt in the 1500s and added to every time. There is Roman, Flamboyant, and Renaissance influence. The church has an amazing display of stained glass and is also the final resting place of Anne de Bretagne, the famed woman of the 1400s who we have been following the story of through the past 2 weeks. We also got a mini-tour by nice lady who worked there and LOVED to talk. Great time all around.
After that, we watched the match - quite a sight even though we're not even in the US at the moment. I came home to an exasperated Chris (the other student living in the house), draped in an American flag and freaking out because he thinks he just watched a lady get hit by a car and die. Wow. He was the first to call the police...we'll see how it turns out - she is definitely seriously injured at the least. There were two little kids with her as well. Scary, scary thought.
Tonight, I am catching up on work - I have to write a 2-page paper on my visit to the Saint Gatien Cathedral and do some readings, as well as load pictures.
-Andrew
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Party on a Monday night?
Well last night was a special night in Tours - it was the annual "Fete de la Musique," a huge party in the streets with loads of live music (ranging for classical to rock to rap to techno) dedicated to the beginning of summer. The whole town practically was out in the streets - including a strange old man we have now seen two nights in a row who walks around with a goat. Crazy. We danced and drank a bit and David and I met up with our French friends for a little while by the Loire. Nice time - but I didn't get back home until 2:30am as I had the duty of walking 3 ladies back to their houses all across town. Not too big of a deal though.
Of course, we had class this morning at 10am, where we discussed and ate different types of cheeses (I've decided I prefer the Camembert and hate the Roquefort). After that was a short visit to the market (Les Halles)- wow, I realized then that I really didn't know the French names of tons of foods, from meats to vegetables to spices. Then again, I might have trouble understanding them all in English.
We had a brief break, during which 5 of us ate lunch down by the Loire. We talked there for about an hour before we checked out a nearby church (built in the 1200s!), which turned out to be closed (permanently, I think). But we found a sweet game there - a game in which you throw little carved chunks of wood into a wooden shoe haha - playin' it up Middle Ages style.
Then as part of our class, we went to view a French movie at the theater - titled "La Tete en Friche", it was tough to understand all the words, but I definitely got the gist of it and it turned out to be a cute little movie about a middle-aged, poor guy and an 80-year-old lady who teaches him how to read. Simple, but well done.
Rough week for the French soccer team - "Les Bleus" - two days after they caused an uproar by going on strike after the coach ejected one of the players for insulting him, France lost yet again - this time to South Africa - and put a cap on a pitiful performance this year. But the US plays tomorrow!
After a brief nap this evening, I finished my 5-page composition about the French retirement age and read a bit more of "Le Monde." I have to pick up the pace on reading the French newspaper - it is not only incredible helpful for comprehension, but it's fun and a great way to keep up with events around the world.
Nighty night,
Andrew
Of course, we had class this morning at 10am, where we discussed and ate different types of cheeses (I've decided I prefer the Camembert and hate the Roquefort). After that was a short visit to the market (Les Halles)- wow, I realized then that I really didn't know the French names of tons of foods, from meats to vegetables to spices. Then again, I might have trouble understanding them all in English.
We had a brief break, during which 5 of us ate lunch down by the Loire. We talked there for about an hour before we checked out a nearby church (built in the 1200s!), which turned out to be closed (permanently, I think). But we found a sweet game there - a game in which you throw little carved chunks of wood into a wooden shoe haha - playin' it up Middle Ages style.
Then as part of our class, we went to view a French movie at the theater - titled "La Tete en Friche", it was tough to understand all the words, but I definitely got the gist of it and it turned out to be a cute little movie about a middle-aged, poor guy and an 80-year-old lady who teaches him how to read. Simple, but well done.
Rough week for the French soccer team - "Les Bleus" - two days after they caused an uproar by going on strike after the coach ejected one of the players for insulting him, France lost yet again - this time to South Africa - and put a cap on a pitiful performance this year. But the US plays tomorrow!
After a brief nap this evening, I finished my 5-page composition about the French retirement age and read a bit more of "Le Monde." I have to pick up the pace on reading the French newspaper - it is not only incredible helpful for comprehension, but it's fun and a great way to keep up with events around the world.
Nighty night,
Andrew
Monday, June 21, 2010
More Chateaux...
Okay, so I think I'll be seeing chateaus and tapestries and whatnot in my sleep after spending yet another day visiting chateaus - this time in Langeais and Blois. Sunday monring we spent at what was probably the least interesting chateau (mostly because we basically just had a tour of all the different tapestries)- Langeais. The fortress dates back to the 13th century and is famous for being the site of a secret marriage between King Charles XIII and Anne de Bretagne in the 1400s. The view was nice, but it was FREEZING cold outside, so not too much fun.
The afternoon was a bit better - we visited the town of Blois, famous for a pretty cool chateau which has 4 different architectural elements - Gothic (1200s), Flamboyant (1400s), Renaissance (1500s), and Classic (1600s), each very, very different, making for an interesting tour. It was also the site of the assassination of the Duke of Guise in the 1500s, inciting a religious war between Protestants and Catholics.
The rest of the day was spent catching up on sleep, loading pictures, skyping with the family, and working on fall internship stuff/homework for this week. I have to write a 4-page composition for tomorrow about the retirement age in France but there is also an enormous music festival tonight that we're basically required to go to for class - it's a celebration of the beginning of summer and a Tours tradition every year.
This afternoon, we are going to a massive supermarket to fill out a bunch of questions for class on French food and whatnot.
The afternoon was a bit better - we visited the town of Blois, famous for a pretty cool chateau which has 4 different architectural elements - Gothic (1200s), Flamboyant (1400s), Renaissance (1500s), and Classic (1600s), each very, very different, making for an interesting tour. It was also the site of the assassination of the Duke of Guise in the 1500s, inciting a religious war between Protestants and Catholics.
The rest of the day was spent catching up on sleep, loading pictures, skyping with the family, and working on fall internship stuff/homework for this week. I have to write a 4-page composition for tomorrow about the retirement age in France but there is also an enormous music festival tonight that we're basically required to go to for class - it's a celebration of the beginning of summer and a Tours tradition every year.
This afternoon, we are going to a massive supermarket to fill out a bunch of questions for class on French food and whatnot.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Last Two Days
So I guess I'm getting pretty busy and have run out of time to update the blog daily. Oh well...here is an update from Friday and Saturday.
Friday morning was our last "class" of the week, though this course never really ends as we go on mandatory field trips (complete with quizzes) during the weekend. Friday afternoon, I chilled out for a bit and tried to do some homework but was pretty out of it from the late night Thursday night. We watched the US-Slovenia game at a bar (we were robbed!!), which was full of other Americans.
That night, I had another nice political discussion with the host family at dinner, this time about international politics, more my expertise. We talked about WMDs, Iraq, Bush's stupidity, etc. It was a jolly good time. Also, I finally met the other kid who lives in the house (I think he goes to boarding school during the week?) named Martin - he is 19 years old and studying for the last year of the "bac": a mega-test that each high school aged kid has to pass.
Friday night, we went out with intentions of drinking some wine and then going to a discotheque (so European, I know), but the disco looked rather lame - we learned earlier that Europeans don't go clubbing on weekends - only Wednesdays and Thursday. Weird. But we spent some time at a nice bar outside in a busy place called "Place Plum," where all the locals hang out on weekends and eat and drink. It was nice but I did stay out rather late.
Saturday was packed with field trips - one to Vouvray and another to Amboise. At Vouvray, a small town 7 km east of Tours, we toured a wine cave and had another wine tasting (white this time). It was okay...I could barely understand the tour guide (who was of course yapping in fast French).
After a long lunch, we travelled to Amboise - easily the coolest place we've been so far. It's a little bigger town than Loches and has more tourists, but it is quaint and awesome. There were chocolate shops everywhere and live entertainment (though it was eccentric - a bunch of clowns playing instruments and messing with the crowd). But what makes Amboise special is the historical castle/chateau: home to several former kings (dating back to the 1200s) and Leanardo da Vinci. da Vinci lived here the last 4 years of his life and was actually buried here. It was eerily cool to see his grave. The gardens at Amboise are tremendous too, complemented by an outstanding view from the top of the hill down to the town, the Loire Valley, and beyond. Incredible.
Last night Hansky, MT, and I worked a bit on our mega-trip planning and then some of us went out to a bar for a bit before peacing out early to hit the sack to get ready for today's adventures beginning at 9:30am: Langeais (another fortress) and Blois (a historical city on the Loire).
Peace,
Andrew
Friday morning was our last "class" of the week, though this course never really ends as we go on mandatory field trips (complete with quizzes) during the weekend. Friday afternoon, I chilled out for a bit and tried to do some homework but was pretty out of it from the late night Thursday night. We watched the US-Slovenia game at a bar (we were robbed!!), which was full of other Americans.
That night, I had another nice political discussion with the host family at dinner, this time about international politics, more my expertise. We talked about WMDs, Iraq, Bush's stupidity, etc. It was a jolly good time. Also, I finally met the other kid who lives in the house (I think he goes to boarding school during the week?) named Martin - he is 19 years old and studying for the last year of the "bac": a mega-test that each high school aged kid has to pass.
Friday night, we went out with intentions of drinking some wine and then going to a discotheque (so European, I know), but the disco looked rather lame - we learned earlier that Europeans don't go clubbing on weekends - only Wednesdays and Thursday. Weird. But we spent some time at a nice bar outside in a busy place called "Place Plum," where all the locals hang out on weekends and eat and drink. It was nice but I did stay out rather late.
Saturday was packed with field trips - one to Vouvray and another to Amboise. At Vouvray, a small town 7 km east of Tours, we toured a wine cave and had another wine tasting (white this time). It was okay...I could barely understand the tour guide (who was of course yapping in fast French).
After a long lunch, we travelled to Amboise - easily the coolest place we've been so far. It's a little bigger town than Loches and has more tourists, but it is quaint and awesome. There were chocolate shops everywhere and live entertainment (though it was eccentric - a bunch of clowns playing instruments and messing with the crowd). But what makes Amboise special is the historical castle/chateau: home to several former kings (dating back to the 1200s) and Leanardo da Vinci. da Vinci lived here the last 4 years of his life and was actually buried here. It was eerily cool to see his grave. The gardens at Amboise are tremendous too, complemented by an outstanding view from the top of the hill down to the town, the Loire Valley, and beyond. Incredible.
Last night Hansky, MT, and I worked a bit on our mega-trip planning and then some of us went out to a bar for a bit before peacing out early to hit the sack to get ready for today's adventures beginning at 9:30am: Langeais (another fortress) and Blois (a historical city on the Loire).
Peace,
Andrew
Last Two Days
So I guess I'm getting pretty busy and have run out of time to update the blog daily. Oh well...here is an update from Friday and Saturday.
Friday morning was our last "class" of the week, though this course never really ends as we go on mandatory field trips (complete with quizzes) during the weekend. Friday afternoon, I chilled out for a bit and tried to do some homework but was pretty out of it from the late night Thursday night. We watched the US-Slovenia game at a bar (we were robbed!!), which was full of other Americans.
That night, I had another nice political discussion with the host family at dinner, this time about international politics, more my expertise. We talked about WMDs, Iraq, Bush's stupidity, etc. It was a jolly good time. Also, I finally met the other kid who lives in the house (I think he goes to boarding school during the week?) named Martin - he is 19 years old and studying for the last year of the "bac": a mega-test that each high school aged kid has to pass.
Friday night, we went out with intentions of drinking some wine and then going to a discotheque (so European, I know), but the disco looked rather lame - we learned earlier that Europeans don't go clubbing on weekends - only Wednesdays and Thursday. Weird. But we spent some time at a nice bar outside in a busy place called "Place Plum," where all the locals hang out on weekends and eat and drink. It was nice but I did stay out rather late.
Saturday was packed with field trips - one to Vouvray and another to Amboise. At Vouvray, a small town 7 km east of Tours, we toured a wine cave and had another wine tasting (white this time). It was okay...I could barely understand the tour guide (who was of course yapping in fast French).
After a long lunch, we travelled to Amboise - easily the coolest place we've been so far. It's a little bigger town than Loches and has more tourists, but it is quaint and awesome. There were chocolate shops everywhere and live entertainment (though it was eccentric - a bunch of clowns playing instruments and messing with the crowd). But what makes Amboise special is the historical castle/chateau: home to several former kings (dating back to the 1200s) and Leanardo da Vinci. da Vinci lived here the last 4 years of his life and was actually buried here. It was eerily cool to see his grave. The gardens at Amboise are tremendous too, complemented by an outstanding view from the top of the hill down to the town, the Loire Valley, and beyond. Incredible.
Last night Hansky, MT, and I worked a bit on our mega-trip planning and then some of us went out to a bar for a bit before peacing out early to hit the sack to get ready for today's adventures beginning at 9:30am: Langeais (another fortress) and Blois (a historical city on the Loire).
Peace,
Andrew
Friday morning was our last "class" of the week, though this course never really ends as we go on mandatory field trips (complete with quizzes) during the weekend. Friday afternoon, I chilled out for a bit and tried to do some homework but was pretty out of it from the late night Thursday night. We watched the US-Slovenia game at a bar (we were robbed!!), which was full of other Americans.
That night, I had another nice political discussion with the host family at dinner, this time about international politics, more my expertise. We talked about WMDs, Iraq, Bush's stupidity, etc. It was a jolly good time. Also, I finally met the other kid who lives in the house (I think he goes to boarding school during the week?) named Martin - he is 19 years old and studying for the last year of the "bac": a mega-test that each high school aged kid has to pass.
Friday night, we went out with intentions of drinking some wine and then going to a discotheque (so European, I know), but the disco looked rather lame - we learned earlier that Europeans don't go clubbing on weekends - only Wednesdays and Thursday. Weird. But we spent some time at a nice bar outside in a busy place called "Place Plum," where all the locals hang out on weekends and eat and drink. It was nice but I did stay out rather late.
Saturday was packed with field trips - one to Vouvray and another to Amboise. At Vouvray, a small town 7 km east of Tours, we toured a wine cave and had another wine tasting (white this time). It was okay...I could barely understand the tour guide (who was of course yapping in fast French).
After a long lunch, we travelled to Amboise - easily the coolest place we've been so far. It's a little bigger town than Loches and has more tourists, but it is quaint and awesome. There were chocolate shops everywhere and live entertainment (though it was eccentric - a bunch of clowns playing instruments and messing with the crowd). But what makes Amboise special is the historical castle/chateau: home to several former kings (dating back to the 1200s) and Leanardo da Vinci. da Vinci lived here the last 4 years of his life and was actually buried here. It was eerily cool to see his grave. The gardens at Amboise are tremendous too, complemented by an outstanding view from the top of the hill down to the town, the Loire Valley, and beyond. Incredible.
Last night Hansky, MT, and I worked a bit on our mega-trip planning and then some of us went out to a bar for a bit before peacing out early to hit the sack to get ready for today's adventures beginning at 9:30am: Langeais (another fortress) and Blois (a historical city on the Loire).
Peace,
Andrew
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Oh, What a Night!
So after dinner, I raced to catch the beginning of the game with my new French friends + David. David and I arrived at a packed house to watch the game (which didn't go well - Mexico beat France handily) and had a lovely time afterward talking with all the French students at the huge house, blasting music and dancing a bit (they listen to mostly American music...), and swapping stories. Awesome. It probably wasn't necessarily because the students were French, per se, but it was just an awesome, relaxing night. :)
To bed!
-Andrew
To bed!
-Andrew
Oops, I Missed a Day...
Well, I forgot about yesterday's blog post, so I will just combine yesterday with today.
Yesterday we had a wine tasting, which was cool, but we only tried two years of the same wine (Bourgeuil - a red wine of this year) as well as a bunch of cheeses and other French snacks. After class, a few of us wandered a bit around town and ended up walking next to the Loire River for a bit, which was nice. Later on, I spent some time at a bar with some other friends to watch the Spain-Switzerland game (Spain lost...what??). I then met up with MT, who had made a couple of Mexican friends who wanted to also come on the same trip, so I scrambled to make arrangements for them before they backed out today (which I guess is less work). Last night, we had a political discussion at the dinner table, which is very difficult to do in French - the other student (from UPenn) loves Hillary Clinton but hates Barack Obama for rather stupid reasons. It was nice to have the family on my side - they are big Obama fans. I also learned a bit about French politics - what Sarkozy is doing with unemployment, the retirement age, etc. Yesterday was on the whole a bit annoying because I was rather tired.
Today was better - after our usual class from 10-1, we met with a huge group of French students to talk about the differences between our educational systems, and afterwards, they invited some of us out to a bar, where we chatted in French and met a bunch of REAL French friends! Woah! They also invited David and I out to watch the World Cap match tonight (between France and Mexico), so if I can get out of dinner early enough, I will go!
My host family is leaving for Paris this weekend and the UPenn student is going to Amsterdam, so I have the house all to myself!
Yesterday we had a wine tasting, which was cool, but we only tried two years of the same wine (Bourgeuil - a red wine of this year) as well as a bunch of cheeses and other French snacks. After class, a few of us wandered a bit around town and ended up walking next to the Loire River for a bit, which was nice. Later on, I spent some time at a bar with some other friends to watch the Spain-Switzerland game (Spain lost...what??). I then met up with MT, who had made a couple of Mexican friends who wanted to also come on the same trip, so I scrambled to make arrangements for them before they backed out today (which I guess is less work). Last night, we had a political discussion at the dinner table, which is very difficult to do in French - the other student (from UPenn) loves Hillary Clinton but hates Barack Obama for rather stupid reasons. It was nice to have the family on my side - they are big Obama fans. I also learned a bit about French politics - what Sarkozy is doing with unemployment, the retirement age, etc. Yesterday was on the whole a bit annoying because I was rather tired.
Today was better - after our usual class from 10-1, we met with a huge group of French students to talk about the differences between our educational systems, and afterwards, they invited some of us out to a bar, where we chatted in French and met a bunch of REAL French friends! Woah! They also invited David and I out to watch the World Cap match tonight (between France and Mexico), so if I can get out of dinner early enough, I will go!
My host family is leaving for Paris this weekend and the UPenn student is going to Amsterdam, so I have the house all to myself!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Settling In...
I finally feel like today was a bit more boring than any day prior. By that, I mean less hectic and not as many new things to encounter. Class is starting to pick up and we have more work, but still very manageable. I explored the Instiute de Touraine (where we're studying) a bit today and continued our planning of the mega-trip in 1 1/2 weeks there (took awhile to connect to the Internet). It's becoming very difficult to find places to stay in Nice and Monaco because it's holiday season and every French person will probably be there. Well, c'est la vie, I suppose. :)
I have realized that my French is by far the weakest when it comes to numbers: every time I have to use them, I stumble. Crazy - this is something I should know. And you have to use them ALL THE TIME here - making train reservations, talking with people on when to met up, how much money something costs. Weird - I guess I could have a worse problem.
Lastly, it was fun hearing my host mother's English today - I feel much better about my Frencg after hearing it. :) She knows less than I do (but somehow knows the word "courtyard"?).
My French is improving, but I lost some confidence in the past couple days after i realized my reading skills are rusty.
Tonight, our homework is to ask someone (a vendor, a bartender, etc.) about characteristics of wine - so of course, being college students, we decided to go to a bar tonight haha. So I am off to meet people now!
Salut!
Andrew
I have realized that my French is by far the weakest when it comes to numbers: every time I have to use them, I stumble. Crazy - this is something I should know. And you have to use them ALL THE TIME here - making train reservations, talking with people on when to met up, how much money something costs. Weird - I guess I could have a worse problem.
Lastly, it was fun hearing my host mother's English today - I feel much better about my Frencg after hearing it. :) She knows less than I do (but somehow knows the word "courtyard"?).
My French is improving, but I lost some confidence in the past couple days after i realized my reading skills are rusty.
Tonight, our homework is to ask someone (a vendor, a bartender, etc.) about characteristics of wine - so of course, being college students, we decided to go to a bar tonight haha. So I am off to meet people now!
Salut!
Andrew
Settling In...
I finally feel like today was a bit more boring than any day prior. By that, I mean less hectic and not as many new things to encounter. Class is starting to pick up and we have more work, but still very manageable. I explored the Instiute de Touraine (where we're studying) a bit today and continued our planning of the mega-trip in 1 1/2 weeks there (took awhile to connect to the Internet). It's becoming very difficult to find places to stay in Nice and Monaco because it's holiday season and every French person will probably be there. Well, c'est la vie, I suppose. :)
I have realized that my French is by far the weakest when it comes to numbers: every time I have to use them, I stumble. Crazy - this is something I should know. And you have to use them ALL THE TIME here - making train reservations, talking with people on when to met up, how much money something costs. Weird - I guess I could have a worse problem.
Lastly, it was fun hearing my host mother's English today - I feel much better about my Frencg after hearing it. :) She knows less than I do (but somehow knows the word "courtyard"?).
My French is improving, but I lost some confidence in the past couple days after i realized my reading skills are rusty.
Tonight, our homework is to ask someone (a vendor, a bartender, etc.) about characteristics of wine - so of course, being college students, we decided to go to a bar tonight haha. So I am off to meet people now!
Salut!
Andrew
I have realized that my French is by far the weakest when it comes to numbers: every time I have to use them, I stumble. Crazy - this is something I should know. And you have to use them ALL THE TIME here - making train reservations, talking with people on when to met up, how much money something costs. Weird - I guess I could have a worse problem.
Lastly, it was fun hearing my host mother's English today - I feel much better about my Frencg after hearing it. :) She knows less than I do (but somehow knows the word "courtyard"?).
My French is improving, but I lost some confidence in the past couple days after i realized my reading skills are rusty.
Tonight, our homework is to ask someone (a vendor, a bartender, etc.) about characteristics of wine - so of course, being college students, we decided to go to a bar tonight haha. So I am off to meet people now!
Salut!
Andrew
Monday, June 14, 2010
First Day of Classes...and Adventures with Train Booking
So today was a crazy day, full of new challenges and new rewards. First, we began our class today about French culture - we discussed my favorite subject ever - geography - as well as history, completely in French of course, because we all signed the pledge. It's amazing the difference it makes when English is not used as a crutch. At Georgetown, when the professors regularly use English, I am now convinced that it is not helpful, but instead makes it more difficult. Of course, the total immersion here in France also helps with comprehension, not having to return to other classes that are in English, which disrupts the flow.
So after class, the whole group split up (unintentionally) and somehow got back together within 30 minutes or so to get lunch. Sandwiches here rock! I love the "jambon, beurre, fromage" on a French baguette. Today's sandwich was a bit tough because the bread was not as fresh, but good all the same.
The highlight of the day, but also the most ridiculously stressful, was when MT, Hansky, and I went to the train station to book reservations on trains for our long trip in 2 weeks. It was ridiculous because first of all, all of the reserving for our complicated, several-layered trip was in French, and secondly, because we had to rearrange our plans on the spot, shuffling destinations and arrival and departure times at the blink of an eye. Of course, it was amazingly difficult to do this all in French, but I truly felt like I stepped up and felt confident enough to convince the person at the ticket counter (le guichet) to look up complicated train schedules with connections and whatnot.
Eventually, we figured it out - we have to scrap our Grenoble plans as there was no room (French vacation time booo). So we are now taking an overnight train to Florence a day later than originally planned, but we would get there close to the same time as the original plans. So 2 days in Florence, 2 days in Nice/Monaco and 1 day in Lourdes, with the rest being travel days. Kinda crazy with lots of trains and lots of connections, but do-able.
MT and I also went back and booked our tickets for our trip to Lausanne, Switzerland, now set for the 16-18 of July. The man we had at the ticket counter this time was not as helpful as the other and spoke insanely quickly in French. And when I asked why we could not use our Eurail passes on the same train where there was availability for other paying customers, he refused to give me an explanation. It's the French way...the way it is is just that: the way it is. No questions. A good experience nonetheless.
Busy, busy, busy! I now have lots of stuff to think about: hostel reservations for the 1-week trip, a new itinerary, and now...homework. :( Boo...back to the real world of taking classes. But tonight's homework is geography and history. Awesome. :)
Bonne nuit,
Andrew
So after class, the whole group split up (unintentionally) and somehow got back together within 30 minutes or so to get lunch. Sandwiches here rock! I love the "jambon, beurre, fromage" on a French baguette. Today's sandwich was a bit tough because the bread was not as fresh, but good all the same.
The highlight of the day, but also the most ridiculously stressful, was when MT, Hansky, and I went to the train station to book reservations on trains for our long trip in 2 weeks. It was ridiculous because first of all, all of the reserving for our complicated, several-layered trip was in French, and secondly, because we had to rearrange our plans on the spot, shuffling destinations and arrival and departure times at the blink of an eye. Of course, it was amazingly difficult to do this all in French, but I truly felt like I stepped up and felt confident enough to convince the person at the ticket counter (le guichet) to look up complicated train schedules with connections and whatnot.
Eventually, we figured it out - we have to scrap our Grenoble plans as there was no room (French vacation time booo). So we are now taking an overnight train to Florence a day later than originally planned, but we would get there close to the same time as the original plans. So 2 days in Florence, 2 days in Nice/Monaco and 1 day in Lourdes, with the rest being travel days. Kinda crazy with lots of trains and lots of connections, but do-able.
MT and I also went back and booked our tickets for our trip to Lausanne, Switzerland, now set for the 16-18 of July. The man we had at the ticket counter this time was not as helpful as the other and spoke insanely quickly in French. And when I asked why we could not use our Eurail passes on the same train where there was availability for other paying customers, he refused to give me an explanation. It's the French way...the way it is is just that: the way it is. No questions. A good experience nonetheless.
Busy, busy, busy! I now have lots of stuff to think about: hostel reservations for the 1-week trip, a new itinerary, and now...homework. :( Boo...back to the real world of taking classes. But tonight's homework is geography and history. Awesome. :)
Bonne nuit,
Andrew
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Le Francais Tous le Temps! Mais...
Well, so I signed the French language pledge last night - vowing, along with the other 13 students, to only speak French for the rest of the 7 weeks. It's tough and a bit awkward and makes for some quieter dinner conversations, but well worth it. Do you know the saying when people tell you that you are beginning to know the language when you think in that language? Well, I didn't believe it until now - now it seems like every situation I think of in my head - past events, upcoming ones, etc. - I am thinking of how to describe or say it in my head. Even now, I am struggling to go back to English. Wow. Awesome.
So the past two days have been like a break - after speaking mostly in French in Paris and on the way to Tours, when I arrived in Tours, I spoke in English with the professors and students. Now - back to French again and full-fledged.
Today was quite cool - we took two field trips as a group: one to a "chevrerie" (goat farm) out in the countryside, where we tried some surprisingly delicious goat cheese delicacies and played with some cute goats. But the highlight was the next trip - to a town I had never heard of previously called Loches - 1 hour south of Tours, where there is a fabulous historical district dating back to the 1000s. Yes, that's the 11th century. And the castle is still intact. There were three parts: "le donjon" (a big castle, with dungeons, torture rooms, and a huge tower), la cathedrale (the least interesting), and "le logis royal" (the chateau where many kings have either lived permanently or from time to time). The whole tour was in French, of course, making it tough, but it was very cool.
Lastly, when we returned, I met my host family! They have 5 kids, 2 of which still live in the house and 1 of which I still have not met. The house is great and I have a large room to myself. There is also another student staying here - he is from UPenn and is named Chris. He showed me the ropes a little bit before heading down to dinner, where I learned that my family regularly visits the small town in Poland where my ancestors are from!! What a coincidence! I think the fact that I am Catholic and Polish suits well with them. We'll see how it goes!
I start real class tomorrow at the Institut!
A bientot,
Andrew
So the past two days have been like a break - after speaking mostly in French in Paris and on the way to Tours, when I arrived in Tours, I spoke in English with the professors and students. Now - back to French again and full-fledged.
Today was quite cool - we took two field trips as a group: one to a "chevrerie" (goat farm) out in the countryside, where we tried some surprisingly delicious goat cheese delicacies and played with some cute goats. But the highlight was the next trip - to a town I had never heard of previously called Loches - 1 hour south of Tours, where there is a fabulous historical district dating back to the 1000s. Yes, that's the 11th century. And the castle is still intact. There were three parts: "le donjon" (a big castle, with dungeons, torture rooms, and a huge tower), la cathedrale (the least interesting), and "le logis royal" (the chateau where many kings have either lived permanently or from time to time). The whole tour was in French, of course, making it tough, but it was very cool.
Lastly, when we returned, I met my host family! They have 5 kids, 2 of which still live in the house and 1 of which I still have not met. The house is great and I have a large room to myself. There is also another student staying here - he is from UPenn and is named Chris. He showed me the ropes a little bit before heading down to dinner, where I learned that my family regularly visits the small town in Poland where my ancestors are from!! What a coincidence! I think the fact that I am Catholic and Polish suits well with them. We'll see how it goes!
I start real class tomorrow at the Institut!
A bientot,
Andrew
Saturday, June 12, 2010
First Full Day in Tours
This morning we had some free time before an introduction to French history and culture at 1:30pm, which we used to plan some of our mega-trip to Italy/southern France. The train schedules, etc. are very complicated and a lot of work to schedule!
After that, we had a 30-minute talk from Professor Spielmann (in English) about French history and Touraine history. Interesting! We then had a short (and rather uninformative) tour of some spots in the city, including the nice, but touristy historical district. We then had to utilize our French to negotiate for cell phones and phone plans, which was actually pretty fun and a good experience. After a short trip to the bookstore and a market, I am back at the hotel relaxing for awhile before dinner. Plans to watch USA vs. England at a pub later!
After that, we had a 30-minute talk from Professor Spielmann (in English) about French history and Touraine history. Interesting! We then had a short (and rather uninformative) tour of some spots in the city, including the nice, but touristy historical district. We then had to utilize our French to negotiate for cell phones and phone plans, which was actually pretty fun and a good experience. After a short trip to the bookstore and a market, I am back at the hotel relaxing for awhile before dinner. Plans to watch USA vs. England at a pub later!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Off to Tours!
Ah what a relief. Today could have been potentially stressful, but travelling from Paris to Tours (location of my program - 2 hours by train from Paris) was rather painless. First, the metro was sparsely crowded, so taking it from Gare du Nord to Gare d'Austerlitz (in the south of Paris) was very easy. I had one hitch in that the electronic ticket station didn't work at the train station, but I stood in line (I was there early with lots of time) to get my e-ticket (ordered in French, of course). The guy at the ticket booth also told me that another train to Tours was leaving sooner and I could use my ticket for that. So I rushed (literally ran) to catch the sooner train and safely travelled to Tours (didn't even have to stop and transfer in St.-Pierre-des-Corps as I thought I would). I then walked down the busy center road (a nice promenade in the middle) across town to the hotel, where I met Hansky, David, and Ali waiting.
The three of us chatted for a bit, then went out to get some food and wine. Of course, we got a bit lost, but it was nice to see the city. Tours is much bigger than I expected - not only is it long from end to end (which we didn't do), but it is also rather well-populated.
After that, we came back to watch a bit of the South Africa-Mexico world cup match and eventually started watching the French version "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" Very educational, actually!
So we met the rest of the group (about 12 of us - 4 guys, 8 girls) at 7:30pm for dinner, where we planned travel plans and discussed our first impressions of France and whatnot. The people seem just dandy - and it should be an excellent group! People from all over - Idaho, California, Nicaragua, Philippines. Great! I knew a few of the people coming into the program already as well.
So we went out to a bar (sorta - actually just a big tent) to watch part of the France-Uruguay world cup game (0-0 tie - lame) and had some delicious (and cheap!) kirs. I am a fan of Tours already and can't wait to get started!
The three of us chatted for a bit, then went out to get some food and wine. Of course, we got a bit lost, but it was nice to see the city. Tours is much bigger than I expected - not only is it long from end to end (which we didn't do), but it is also rather well-populated.
After that, we came back to watch a bit of the South Africa-Mexico world cup match and eventually started watching the French version "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" Very educational, actually!
So we met the rest of the group (about 12 of us - 4 guys, 8 girls) at 7:30pm for dinner, where we planned travel plans and discussed our first impressions of France and whatnot. The people seem just dandy - and it should be an excellent group! People from all over - Idaho, California, Nicaragua, Philippines. Great! I knew a few of the people coming into the program already as well.
So we went out to a bar (sorta - actually just a big tent) to watch part of the France-Uruguay world cup game (0-0 tie - lame) and had some delicious (and cheap!) kirs. I am a fan of Tours already and can't wait to get started!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Day 2 in Paris
Wow, what a difference a day makes. Today was much more relaxed, with only plans to see the Louvre in the morning and meet up with Alice (friend from Georgetown) in the afternoon to do...whatever (I know! No plans? GASP!).
I did not, however, want to get up this morning after a nice sleep. I skipped the free breakfast to sleep in a bit longer and made it to the Louvre groggy and hungry. I eventually found an amazing tartellete to eat - first truly great French food so far.
Anyway, the Louvre is obviously world-famous for the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, and Venus de Milo. The last two were cool, but crowded. The first was obviously swamped with people and honestly so much smaller than expected. And with all the people, it was hard to get anything out of it, let alone get a picture. The rest of the museum is huge and overwhelming, and I probably didn't get nearly as much out of it as I could have. First, for a non-art history studier, every Italian painting looks the same after awhile. And all the statues? Same. Plus, they had a significant Egyptian, Greek, and Roman antiquity collection, but not as impressive as the British Museum's in London (seen just two days prior). Overall, it was a nice visit - but I didn't do a guided tour or anything and I was jet-lagged again, so it wasn't the most educational or enjoyable experience.
After the Louvre, I exhaustedly scrambled around the Jardin de Tuileries before meeting up with Alice at Arc de Triomphe...barely. The plan was to meet under the Arc, but it was closed due to a French military thing. So I spent 20 minutes wandering around the surrounding streets and thank God I finally ran into her (after unsuccessfully trying to use a pay phone).
I met two of Alice's friends as we wandering the famed (and not-that-great) Champs-Elysees before eventually going to La Defense, the business district of Paris and very modern-looking. There lies the Grand Arche de la Defense, a massive modern interpretation of the Arc de Triomphe. Very cool area - we even went to a French shopping mall, where I went to the equivalent of Wal-Mart for some shampoo/soap (I lost mine in London :( ).
Finally, Alice and I went up to Montmartre, a district near my hostel that is famous as a hotspot for artists, like Picasso, who used to hang out here. Now it is kind of touristy, but quaint - and the Basilique de Sacre Coeur (beautiful cathedral atop a hill) provides an amazing view of the city. Great place - but also jammed with drunk people who throw their beer bottles down the hill and people who try to sell wristbands to you by forcibly putting them on your wrists before you have a chance to say no (I escaped them). We also had some yummy kirs here.
On the whole, a more enjoyable day than yesterday, even though I saw less stuff. I am sooo ready to settle down, however, and have a train from Gare d'Austerlitz (across town - Metroing with my stuff will be interesting...) to Tours tomorrow!
I did not, however, want to get up this morning after a nice sleep. I skipped the free breakfast to sleep in a bit longer and made it to the Louvre groggy and hungry. I eventually found an amazing tartellete to eat - first truly great French food so far.
Anyway, the Louvre is obviously world-famous for the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, and Venus de Milo. The last two were cool, but crowded. The first was obviously swamped with people and honestly so much smaller than expected. And with all the people, it was hard to get anything out of it, let alone get a picture. The rest of the museum is huge and overwhelming, and I probably didn't get nearly as much out of it as I could have. First, for a non-art history studier, every Italian painting looks the same after awhile. And all the statues? Same. Plus, they had a significant Egyptian, Greek, and Roman antiquity collection, but not as impressive as the British Museum's in London (seen just two days prior). Overall, it was a nice visit - but I didn't do a guided tour or anything and I was jet-lagged again, so it wasn't the most educational or enjoyable experience.
After the Louvre, I exhaustedly scrambled around the Jardin de Tuileries before meeting up with Alice at Arc de Triomphe...barely. The plan was to meet under the Arc, but it was closed due to a French military thing. So I spent 20 minutes wandering around the surrounding streets and thank God I finally ran into her (after unsuccessfully trying to use a pay phone).
I met two of Alice's friends as we wandering the famed (and not-that-great) Champs-Elysees before eventually going to La Defense, the business district of Paris and very modern-looking. There lies the Grand Arche de la Defense, a massive modern interpretation of the Arc de Triomphe. Very cool area - we even went to a French shopping mall, where I went to the equivalent of Wal-Mart for some shampoo/soap (I lost mine in London :( ).
Finally, Alice and I went up to Montmartre, a district near my hostel that is famous as a hotspot for artists, like Picasso, who used to hang out here. Now it is kind of touristy, but quaint - and the Basilique de Sacre Coeur (beautiful cathedral atop a hill) provides an amazing view of the city. Great place - but also jammed with drunk people who throw their beer bottles down the hill and people who try to sell wristbands to you by forcibly putting them on your wrists before you have a chance to say no (I escaped them). We also had some yummy kirs here.
On the whole, a more enjoyable day than yesterday, even though I saw less stuff. I am sooo ready to settle down, however, and have a train from Gare d'Austerlitz (across town - Metroing with my stuff will be interesting...) to Tours tomorrow!
Couple More Things
A couple more things about yesterday that I forgot:
First, after ordering my crocque monsieur (in French, of course), the next people in line were American tourists, who asked, after taking 5 minutes (for which the vendor basically yelled at them for), "Uno sandwich, seel vous plait?" Uno? Wow - the server had a field day - making fun of them mercilessly in French without the tourists having any idea what they were saying. I encountered experiences like this all day - and made me feel much better about my French-speaking abilities because I can at least order food, granted with an American accent - but it's convincing enough.
Second, I was sitting under the Tour Eiffel (really overrated, actually) catching some rest when a homeless man (who didn't really look homeless, per se) asked me for a smoke. I said no, but then we talked some more and it turns out he was very nice and genuine, a recent immigrant from Romania who knows good English but speaks no French, yet is looking for a job in Paris. I gave him some helpful hints that he really had no idea about (obvious things - like going to a homeless shelter or asking around for job opportunities), making me realize: I really may have made a significant difference in this guy's life! Also makes you wonder, as he asked me how much I was paying for hostels and whatnot (to which I replied not too much) and was shocked with how astronomically high it was, "wow, I am so incredibly lucky to have the support and the finances to do an awesome thing like this." And a lot of guilt too. A very valuable experience - and quite the setting for it!
First, after ordering my crocque monsieur (in French, of course), the next people in line were American tourists, who asked, after taking 5 minutes (for which the vendor basically yelled at them for), "Uno sandwich, seel vous plait?" Uno? Wow - the server had a field day - making fun of them mercilessly in French without the tourists having any idea what they were saying. I encountered experiences like this all day - and made me feel much better about my French-speaking abilities because I can at least order food, granted with an American accent - but it's convincing enough.
Second, I was sitting under the Tour Eiffel (really overrated, actually) catching some rest when a homeless man (who didn't really look homeless, per se) asked me for a smoke. I said no, but then we talked some more and it turns out he was very nice and genuine, a recent immigrant from Romania who knows good English but speaks no French, yet is looking for a job in Paris. I gave him some helpful hints that he really had no idea about (obvious things - like going to a homeless shelter or asking around for job opportunities), making me realize: I really may have made a significant difference in this guy's life! Also makes you wonder, as he asked me how much I was paying for hostels and whatnot (to which I replied not too much) and was shocked with how astronomically high it was, "wow, I am so incredibly lucky to have the support and the finances to do an awesome thing like this." And a lot of guilt too. A very valuable experience - and quite the setting for it!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Much better second half of the day (Paris)
After taking a mini-nap, I was somewhat refreshed and braced the rain as I trekked out to the Pantheon in the "Quartier Latin," south of the Seine, but not after first finally figuring out the metro and eating a pretty good crocque-monsieur!
Okay, so when people tell you Paris is all about the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, they are wrong. By far the best (and least crowded) attraction I saw today was the Pantheon. Dating from the 1700s, it was formerly a church and is now a huge memorial to the various people buried there - plus an awesome pendulum which dangles at least 150 feet from the ceiling and keeps track of time - perfectly (Michel Foucault's invention). But it was the crypt that was to die for (haha first pun of the blog!). Buried here are: Rousseau, Voltaire, Marie & Pierre Curie, Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, Emile Zola, Jean Monnet, and many others. Basically its now a home for famous dead people. But to be in the same room as these people's bodies was an incredible, indescribable experience. Two thumbs up.
On the other hand, the Eiffel Tower is over-hyped and packed - thus I didn't appreciate it too much.
A quick word on my French abilities, which are surprisingly not as bad as I would have thought. Yes, they help you out a bit when they recognize you are American, but I genuinely felt like I was not only dressing more French, but actually speaking the language a bit too. Highlight: describing to an Italian person directions to a place in French. Nice - I guess I don't look like a tourist?
Speaking of tourists, I'm still sick of them, and there are plenty in Paris.
Lastly, I had a lovely night meeting up with Melissa in the Bastille area for a dinner at a cafe and some after-dinner drinks at a bar later.
Today I covered: London to Paris at 5am, purchasing EURail tickets, speaking a lot of French, eating a crocque-monsieur, (legally) drinking wine, exploring Notre-Dame Cathedral, Saint-Chapelle Cathedral, the Conciergerie, the Palais de Justice, the Latin Quarter, parts of Montmartre, the Pantheon, and the Eiffel Tower.
To the Louvre and then meeting up with Alice tomorrow!
A demain,
Andrew
P.S. Paris is EXPENSIVE. Yuck.
Okay, so when people tell you Paris is all about the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, they are wrong. By far the best (and least crowded) attraction I saw today was the Pantheon. Dating from the 1700s, it was formerly a church and is now a huge memorial to the various people buried there - plus an awesome pendulum which dangles at least 150 feet from the ceiling and keeps track of time - perfectly (Michel Foucault's invention). But it was the crypt that was to die for (haha first pun of the blog!). Buried here are: Rousseau, Voltaire, Marie & Pierre Curie, Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, Emile Zola, Jean Monnet, and many others. Basically its now a home for famous dead people. But to be in the same room as these people's bodies was an incredible, indescribable experience. Two thumbs up.
On the other hand, the Eiffel Tower is over-hyped and packed - thus I didn't appreciate it too much.
A quick word on my French abilities, which are surprisingly not as bad as I would have thought. Yes, they help you out a bit when they recognize you are American, but I genuinely felt like I was not only dressing more French, but actually speaking the language a bit too. Highlight: describing to an Italian person directions to a place in French. Nice - I guess I don't look like a tourist?
Speaking of tourists, I'm still sick of them, and there are plenty in Paris.
Lastly, I had a lovely night meeting up with Melissa in the Bastille area for a dinner at a cafe and some after-dinner drinks at a bar later.
Today I covered: London to Paris at 5am, purchasing EURail tickets, speaking a lot of French, eating a crocque-monsieur, (legally) drinking wine, exploring Notre-Dame Cathedral, Saint-Chapelle Cathedral, the Conciergerie, the Palais de Justice, the Latin Quarter, parts of Montmartre, the Pantheon, and the Eiffel Tower.
To the Louvre and then meeting up with Alice tomorrow!
A demain,
Andrew
P.S. Paris is EXPENSIVE. Yuck.
Bad first impressions of Paris...
Maybe it's because I'm groggy and tired (and a bit lonely :( ), but Paris has been incredibly stressful. So I took a 5:25am Eurostar train under the English Channel from London to Paris (Eurostar is soooo fast!) and then bought my EuroRail passes for our future trips to Italy/Switzerland/southern France, which was nice to get out of the way.
After that, I dropped off my bags at a nice hostel, where I am now taking a break, and proceeded to the metro (back at the train station - Gare du Nord), which is crazy and full of locals, which makes you feel like an idiot for not knowing what they're saying. And the metro is wicked expensive too. Worst, just as I am getting off the metro at the Cité stop, I suddenly crash right into a big guy, bashing my head for the second day in a row. Wow...I like to think that I am not oblivious, but this was just plain dumb. Though it's not like I had much time...literally jump off the train and WHAM!
Once I got my day going, it got slightly better, but I was still groggy and grumpy when I went to Cathedral Notre-Dame, which would have been better if I sucked up the money to take a tour. I did, however, spend money on going to Saint-Chapelle church (beautiful, enormous stained-glass windows but half of them were blocked off due to refurbishing...boo) and the Conciergerie (old prison where Marie Antionette lived and now is buried).
However, I made a stupid move - I left most of my euros back at the hostel thinking I wouldn't need them. But turns out because of the expensive metro and fares for Saint-Chapelle/Conciergerie, I had to go back to get more.
But of course on the way back, the metro broke down and we all had to unload the train about 1/3 of the way back up to Montmartre (where my hostel is) - leaving me with 2 or so miles to walk - making me realize my new Converse purchases are not so comfy after all.
So now I'm back, and it is pouring rain, so a break is good. Have to save some energy for later, as I plan to see the Pantheon (in the Latin Quarter), Eiffel Tower, and Les Invalides.
This day probably would have been better if I didn't have jet lag, so I won't write off Paris yet. Though I am excited to get out of the city and into the countryside...
After that, I dropped off my bags at a nice hostel, where I am now taking a break, and proceeded to the metro (back at the train station - Gare du Nord), which is crazy and full of locals, which makes you feel like an idiot for not knowing what they're saying. And the metro is wicked expensive too. Worst, just as I am getting off the metro at the Cité stop, I suddenly crash right into a big guy, bashing my head for the second day in a row. Wow...I like to think that I am not oblivious, but this was just plain dumb. Though it's not like I had much time...literally jump off the train and WHAM!
Once I got my day going, it got slightly better, but I was still groggy and grumpy when I went to Cathedral Notre-Dame, which would have been better if I sucked up the money to take a tour. I did, however, spend money on going to Saint-Chapelle church (beautiful, enormous stained-glass windows but half of them were blocked off due to refurbishing...boo) and the Conciergerie (old prison where Marie Antionette lived and now is buried).
However, I made a stupid move - I left most of my euros back at the hostel thinking I wouldn't need them. But turns out because of the expensive metro and fares for Saint-Chapelle/Conciergerie, I had to go back to get more.
But of course on the way back, the metro broke down and we all had to unload the train about 1/3 of the way back up to Montmartre (where my hostel is) - leaving me with 2 or so miles to walk - making me realize my new Converse purchases are not so comfy after all.
So now I'm back, and it is pouring rain, so a break is good. Have to save some energy for later, as I plan to see the Pantheon (in the Latin Quarter), Eiffel Tower, and Les Invalides.
This day probably would have been better if I didn't have jet lag, so I won't write off Paris yet. Though I am excited to get out of the city and into the countryside...
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
London extravanganza!
After my shenanigans of this morning, I finally found people like me: tourists, and LOTS of them. And NONE of them seem to speak English? Where are all the Americans? I expected loads - but the Germans, French, and Japanese crushed the U.S. in terms of crowds.
That being said, the crowds were not horrible. Only around the Rosetta Stone in the British Museum where a bunch of absurd, Japanese, short ladies decided to shove their way through me to the front. I stood my ground, but eventually was consumed by the masses. I got my picture and moved on.
The British Museum is cool, but it didn't take as long as I thought it would to finish. Well, probably because I was tired and didn't feel much like reading every placard. The highlights? Elgin Marbles, Egyptian mummies/statues, and the Lewis Chessmen. In addition, I visited the National Art Gallery, which had a surprising amount of quality Monets, Cezannes, Rembrandts, da Vincis, van Goghs, van Eycks, and even Michelangelos. But no pictures allowed there though. :(
I decided to walk everywhere too, because the metro (the Tube) is absurdly expensive for non-residents. That meant i probably walked ten miles but i was able to see some areas I wouldn't have otherwise (e.g. Covent Garden, Soho)
I also waved to the Queen at Buckingham Palace (she may not have actually been there, but whatever), trekked through Green and St. James Parks, visited the London Eye (big ferris wheel), Trafalgar Square, Parliament/Big Ben,Westminster Abbey, and even got in some time to relax. Not bad for a day's work.
Two lessons learned today:
1. I no longer want to be considered a "tourist" after reliving the horrible experience of being around tons of them.
2. British people are pretty mean - they don't say "bless you" when you sneeze, they sit around and do nothing if somebody gets clonked in the head, and they glare at you if you drop your knife on the floor on accident (oops...).
Also, the food that i had was disappointing: a ham omellette (awful) and tomato and mozarrella sandwich (equally bad). Maybe I didn't try too hard though. The tea was yummy, however.
Anyway, 4:30am wakeup tomorrow to get to my 5:30am train to Paris! Ahhh, I have to get up early AND speak French!!
Bonsoir,
Andrew
That being said, the crowds were not horrible. Only around the Rosetta Stone in the British Museum where a bunch of absurd, Japanese, short ladies decided to shove their way through me to the front. I stood my ground, but eventually was consumed by the masses. I got my picture and moved on.
The British Museum is cool, but it didn't take as long as I thought it would to finish. Well, probably because I was tired and didn't feel much like reading every placard. The highlights? Elgin Marbles, Egyptian mummies/statues, and the Lewis Chessmen. In addition, I visited the National Art Gallery, which had a surprising amount of quality Monets, Cezannes, Rembrandts, da Vincis, van Goghs, van Eycks, and even Michelangelos. But no pictures allowed there though. :(
I decided to walk everywhere too, because the metro (the Tube) is absurdly expensive for non-residents. That meant i probably walked ten miles but i was able to see some areas I wouldn't have otherwise (e.g. Covent Garden, Soho)
I also waved to the Queen at Buckingham Palace (she may not have actually been there, but whatever), trekked through Green and St. James Parks, visited the London Eye (big ferris wheel), Trafalgar Square, Parliament/Big Ben,Westminster Abbey, and even got in some time to relax. Not bad for a day's work.
Two lessons learned today:
1. I no longer want to be considered a "tourist" after reliving the horrible experience of being around tons of them.
2. British people are pretty mean - they don't say "bless you" when you sneeze, they sit around and do nothing if somebody gets clonked in the head, and they glare at you if you drop your knife on the floor on accident (oops...).
Also, the food that i had was disappointing: a ham omellette (awful) and tomato and mozarrella sandwich (equally bad). Maybe I didn't try too hard though. The tea was yummy, however.
Anyway, 4:30am wakeup tomorrow to get to my 5:30am train to Paris! Ahhh, I have to get up early AND speak French!!
Bonsoir,
Andrew
Day 1 of being a stupid tourist...
After a quite lovely flight from Charlotte to London-Gatwick airport (I had two seats all to myself!), I arrived to a typical scene in London: heavy rain an gloom. :( I bought a train pass to get from Gatwick (way out in the country) to St. Pancras (North side of London). On the way, I showed my true tourist colors by struggling to squeeze my much too large bags into a tight container under some seats, to the dismay of the locals on the train (they are all silent, reading newspapers, and not by any means friendly - my impression so far at least). So I am riding along next to the only nice person on the train (a very attractive blond, I might add) and THWACK - my big duffel bag which was stored above me comes crashing down and hits me square in the head. Ridiculous. And the worst past is - all but one person pretended it didn't happen - only a "are you okay?" from the blond girl next to me. Booo - maybe this weather makes people grumpy.
Well, it's 10am local time and I am off for a day of fun in the city (weather-permitting), beginning with a quest to the fabulous British Museum on the Tube! Here it goes!
Well, it's 10am local time and I am off for a day of fun in the city (weather-permitting), beginning with a quest to the fabulous British Museum on the Tube! Here it goes!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Departure Day!
Well, I'm awake (barely) and my flight leaves in 4 hours. I'm a bit concerned about lack of sleep...I've never been a great airplane sleeper. But oh well. We'll see how it goes!
Off to go print out itineraries, finish packing, and going to the the currency exchange before departing!
See you on the other side of the Atlantic!
Off to go print out itineraries, finish packing, and going to the the currency exchange before departing!
See you on the other side of the Atlantic!
Wow - I am an idiot - 12 hours til departure!
Well, good thing I was doing this blog - because as I was messing with the settings, I cam across the date - Monday, June 7. I went, "Huh, don't I leave on June 7???" Well, turns out I thought Tuesday was June 7, not TODAY!! So I scrambled to pack up my clothes tonight, and I fortunately still have some time tomorrow to exchange my currency (dollars for pounds & euros!) and print some last minute stuff before my 1:35pm flight departure from Tampa to Charlotte, NC (then Charlotte to London-Gatwick).
Wow...well, off to bed. Early start tomorrow! And so it begins...
Wow...well, off to bed. Early start tomorrow! And so it begins...
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Less than 2 Days!
Bonjour!
Welcome to my new blog! I feel like blogging is a new, hip thing I should do as everyone else seems to be doing the same for their global adventures and whatnot. So I'm giving it a shot!
Anyway, so I will be travelling extensively this summer (and studying a bit too!) in Western Europe, a destination I have not yet been to. The focus is a 7-week (with a 1-week break) French intensive language/culture program in Tours, France. I will be spending 2 weeks with other Georgetown students studying French culture with Georgetown's own Professor Guy Spielmann, then a week off to travel w/ MT and Hansky to Italy and southern France (sooo excited), and 5 weeks at the Institut de Touraine studying French language intensively, with the hope of eventual proficiency!
But wait, there's more! I am crazy, as most of you know (puns, geography bees, etc.), so it comes as no surprise that I will be doing something adventurous and exciting: travelling ALONE in two of the continent's largest cities (London and Paris) for 3 days prior to the program. It will be an interesting experience, to say the least, and I already have a full slate of sites to see and things to do for those 3 days, making for a very busy introduction to world travel. Making up for lost time, I suppose...
Anyway, hope you enjoy the blog - I will be seeing museums, historical sites, castles, chateaus, etc. and hopefully do some hiking, biking, and other activities that should make for some excellent pictures and some good stories!
Au revoir!
-Andrew
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