9/30
Since I am in the international program at the Univerisity, I am with students from all over the world of all different ages. We have students from China, Nepal, Germany, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, Australia, Thailand, Morocco, Iran, and Albania. And these students range from the ages of 18- 39.
I find this thrilling to know that I am working, on a daily basis, with students completely different from people that I had ever know before in my life.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Cooking: The International Language
9/19/2008
This evening I had to distinct pleasure of cooking a meal for my French mother. This is how the story goes.
Friday night, I ask my mother, “Qu’est-que nous mangeons ce soir?” (“What are we eating this evening?”)
Elle dit, “Rein.” (She says, “Nothing.”)
I think, OK, now what? Of course, she was completely kidding, however she was sick and hadn’t had time to plan a meal for us. I have the wonderful idea to suggest that I cook dinner. Now keeping in mind that the French are very possessive of their kitchens. They rarely let strangers help prepare the meals. And oddly enough when I suggested that I cook, she agreed. However, it was not an ordinary meal, no; she only entrusted me with cooking a meal from a box.
Baked potatoes, with sauce, and fancy Hot Pockets was what she gave me to make. However simple this meal was. The gesture of what she did was extraordinary. And while I was cooking, she cracked open and beer, and asked if I would like some. We continued to chat and discuss random things in our lives, I asked questions and so did she. It was an opening of communications, almost as if we were in peace talks. Not that we had been at war, but we finally seemed to be equals within, her home, which I now feel is our home.
This evening I had to distinct pleasure of cooking a meal for my French mother. This is how the story goes.
Friday night, I ask my mother, “Qu’est-que nous mangeons ce soir?” (“What are we eating this evening?”)
Elle dit, “Rein.” (She says, “Nothing.”)
I think, OK, now what? Of course, she was completely kidding, however she was sick and hadn’t had time to plan a meal for us. I have the wonderful idea to suggest that I cook dinner. Now keeping in mind that the French are very possessive of their kitchens. They rarely let strangers help prepare the meals. And oddly enough when I suggested that I cook, she agreed. However, it was not an ordinary meal, no; she only entrusted me with cooking a meal from a box.
Baked potatoes, with sauce, and fancy Hot Pockets was what she gave me to make. However simple this meal was. The gesture of what she did was extraordinary. And while I was cooking, she cracked open and beer, and asked if I would like some. We continued to chat and discuss random things in our lives, I asked questions and so did she. It was an opening of communications, almost as if we were in peace talks. Not that we had been at war, but we finally seemed to be equals within, her home, which I now feel is our home.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
My House!
My mother suggested that I put of some pictures of my house so here they are!
1) Patio area, and doors into the kitchen
2) The backyard
3) The wee garage
4) My House!
5) The church next to my house
6) My bus stop
7) The back of the church
8) My street
1) Patio area, and doors into the kitchen
2) The backyard
3) The wee garage
4) My House!
5) The church next to my house
6) My bus stop
7) The back of the church
8) My street
Friday, September 19, 2008
Discobolus (as my greek grandfather would call me)
9/19 9:38 PM
After completing my first week of classes, I decided to take a little time to myself. Also I wanted to scope out the public pool, but that was just a little bonus to my little afternoon adventure. Since I don’t have any classes on Friday (I know! How lucky am I?) I decided to go to the pool, which I have been meaning to do for a while now. I went, swam for about 45 minutes and left. When I got to the bus stop, I realized that the next bust wasn’t for another 30 minutes. So I deiced to take a little walk around the building with the pool. I had heard seen on the map that there was a park around there and I wanted to check it out.
As I was walking I realized that I had no idea where I was going. And before an ounce of panic set in, I realized that it didn’t matter. After having that very profound thought, I instantly stumbled upon a bunch of old French men playing petanque (bocci, but French, and therefore way better). There were about 30 old men and women playing this very French pastime. I stood and watched for a little while, watching them laugh, yell, and get out their measuring tapes to see who was REALLY closer to the little ball (cochon?). As I continued walked, I walked past the GRASS tennis courts, the grass soccer field, the astro-turf soccer field, and then the dirt soccer field (the French like their soccer). And on the dirt soccer field, there was a gym class being held, and the kids were learning how to throw discus.
Reflecting back now, it all seems so symbolic. The throwing of a well shaped object. The object can be perfectly shaped, but until the thrower throws it, nothing can happen. Now think of me as that well shaped object. Shaped by four years of high school French, but that French was just sitting in my lap, until I decided to throw myself in the language itself.
I was tossed into the language, the culture, the food, the wine, and the people. That park, those kids, the fact that I had finished my first week of classes, all made me realize that it is up to you to make your life happen. You can sit back and let things happen to you, but then you have no choice in the matter. Or you can choose the say yes, to put yourself out there, to chuck yourself into the unknown and hope that you land on something soft.
After completing my first week of classes, I decided to take a little time to myself. Also I wanted to scope out the public pool, but that was just a little bonus to my little afternoon adventure. Since I don’t have any classes on Friday (I know! How lucky am I?) I decided to go to the pool, which I have been meaning to do for a while now. I went, swam for about 45 minutes and left. When I got to the bus stop, I realized that the next bust wasn’t for another 30 minutes. So I deiced to take a little walk around the building with the pool. I had heard seen on the map that there was a park around there and I wanted to check it out.
As I was walking I realized that I had no idea where I was going. And before an ounce of panic set in, I realized that it didn’t matter. After having that very profound thought, I instantly stumbled upon a bunch of old French men playing petanque (bocci, but French, and therefore way better). There were about 30 old men and women playing this very French pastime. I stood and watched for a little while, watching them laugh, yell, and get out their measuring tapes to see who was REALLY closer to the little ball (cochon?). As I continued walked, I walked past the GRASS tennis courts, the grass soccer field, the astro-turf soccer field, and then the dirt soccer field (the French like their soccer). And on the dirt soccer field, there was a gym class being held, and the kids were learning how to throw discus.
Reflecting back now, it all seems so symbolic. The throwing of a well shaped object. The object can be perfectly shaped, but until the thrower throws it, nothing can happen. Now think of me as that well shaped object. Shaped by four years of high school French, but that French was just sitting in my lap, until I decided to throw myself in the language itself.
I was tossed into the language, the culture, the food, the wine, and the people. That park, those kids, the fact that I had finished my first week of classes, all made me realize that it is up to you to make your life happen. You can sit back and let things happen to you, but then you have no choice in the matter. Or you can choose the say yes, to put yourself out there, to chuck yourself into the unknown and hope that you land on something soft.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Lost in Translation
Hello to all of the people back in the states! How is life? Well here it is fantastic, with a dash of stress and constant confusion! We signed up for classes over the past couple of days and for the most part, it has been utter chaos!
Let me explain. First of all, 35 of the 40 students on my program at college juniors or seniors doing their study abroad programs. Therefore, they all need to receive credit for their semester here. In the exchange student program at the university (CIREFE) there are 7 levels of French that you can be enrolled in, and each has different classes that you are allowed to take. They base all of this on a test that we all had to take, blah blah blah. NOW, some of the other students had a level that they had to place into to receive credit, and some of them didn’t place into their required level. Obviously, this spells disaster. Keeping in mind, that our program (CIEE) advisors seem to have little knowledge of how the levels work. There have been lots of tears, hugs, maybe even a couple of yells. One girl is scheduled to graduate this year, and unfortunately she didn’t place high enough, which is forcing her to graduate late AND give up an internship in France that she had set up for next year.
But, enough about the disorganization of my program! Everything is great here! We just finished up our 2-week intensive French classes. We had classes for about 6 ½ hours a day. And at the end we had a gigantic test! Which would tell us if we needed to be place up or down a level at the university. I placed into the same level, which is what I expected. The next day we got to take another test! This it was an oral test. We went into a little room with a professor and they asked us questions and we had to respond accordingly. It was quite simple and I think I did fine. This test was to place us into a level for our oral expression classes.
What else has happened? Not too much, I start classes today (Monday). And it looks like I will be having Fridays off, and I wont have classes on Monday until 1 in the afternoon. So that means lots of travel time for me! But, we still haven’t been scheduled with the teachers who we will be interning with. So, that schedule might completely change within 2 weeks.
Mostly, my life is up in the air at this point! Nothing is concrete yet, and nothing will be for at least another 2 weeks. Mostly because of me not knowing when I will be teaching. But, I am keeping my head up, working through it, always looking to tomorrow.
My French mother is great. My house is good, and my friends are wonderful. I went to a club here in Rennes Saturday night, well more like Sunday morning. The clubs open at 11 and go until 5, so we went at midnight and party-ed it up! It was a great stress reliever, and I am so glad that I went.
So that is my life in a nutshell. I have just started to miss some things back home. Like going to soccer games, homecoming is coming up I think, or has already passed. I miss that kind of stuff.
But this is an adventure in it self and I love it. I don’t have a choice; everything is wonderful, how could I not love it?
Let me explain. First of all, 35 of the 40 students on my program at college juniors or seniors doing their study abroad programs. Therefore, they all need to receive credit for their semester here. In the exchange student program at the university (CIREFE) there are 7 levels of French that you can be enrolled in, and each has different classes that you are allowed to take. They base all of this on a test that we all had to take, blah blah blah. NOW, some of the other students had a level that they had to place into to receive credit, and some of them didn’t place into their required level. Obviously, this spells disaster. Keeping in mind, that our program (CIEE) advisors seem to have little knowledge of how the levels work. There have been lots of tears, hugs, maybe even a couple of yells. One girl is scheduled to graduate this year, and unfortunately she didn’t place high enough, which is forcing her to graduate late AND give up an internship in France that she had set up for next year.
But, enough about the disorganization of my program! Everything is great here! We just finished up our 2-week intensive French classes. We had classes for about 6 ½ hours a day. And at the end we had a gigantic test! Which would tell us if we needed to be place up or down a level at the university. I placed into the same level, which is what I expected. The next day we got to take another test! This it was an oral test. We went into a little room with a professor and they asked us questions and we had to respond accordingly. It was quite simple and I think I did fine. This test was to place us into a level for our oral expression classes.
What else has happened? Not too much, I start classes today (Monday). And it looks like I will be having Fridays off, and I wont have classes on Monday until 1 in the afternoon. So that means lots of travel time for me! But, we still haven’t been scheduled with the teachers who we will be interning with. So, that schedule might completely change within 2 weeks.
Mostly, my life is up in the air at this point! Nothing is concrete yet, and nothing will be for at least another 2 weeks. Mostly because of me not knowing when I will be teaching. But, I am keeping my head up, working through it, always looking to tomorrow.
My French mother is great. My house is good, and my friends are wonderful. I went to a club here in Rennes Saturday night, well more like Sunday morning. The clubs open at 11 and go until 5, so we went at midnight and party-ed it up! It was a great stress reliever, and I am so glad that I went.
So that is my life in a nutshell. I have just started to miss some things back home. Like going to soccer games, homecoming is coming up I think, or has already passed. I miss that kind of stuff.
But this is an adventure in it self and I love it. I don’t have a choice; everything is wonderful, how could I not love it?
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Newspaper!
I was in a French newspaper! Just for being an exchange student! Well, I didn't get quoted or anything, BUT, I am in the picture! (Can you find me?)
Saturday, September 6, 2008
24/7 French Class
9/6/08 8:38 AM
There is so much to tell! And I don’t know where to start! I haven’t blogged in such a long time, it feels like I have been here for an eternity! As I sit here on Saturday morning, with my skylight open, the chilled crispy fall air spilling in, I feel lucky.
Even though I feel lost half the time, the joys that come along with that fear are worth it.
So I have now been living with my French mother for a little over a week, she is wonderful. She has some weird quirks, but then again don’t we all? She does fold and iron my underwear, as well as all of my other clothes, and she makes dinner every night. We eat between 7:30 and 9, and we eat tons of bread! My room is good, comfortable and very functional. I just wish I had a corkboard over my desk, that would make everything a lot easier. I guess that’s the update on the home front.
I started classes last Monday. Now these are not the classes that I will be taking for the next 4 months. These are just private classes that our program has arranged for us to take to prepare us for the entrance exam into the University. We have one week left of these prep classes. We have class from 9-3 with an hour and 15 min break in the middle. And then after that we go to an information session with our advisors, usually on culture shock, or general information on life in France.
I am in the lowest level (which is what I had expected) and I hope to place up a level so that I wont have to take as many classes at the University (I no that sounds backwards, but its true). If I’m in the lowest level at the University I have to take 4 classes, but if I’m in the next one up, I only have to take 2. It’s really weird. My classes have been a good review, and we have gotten some good information on the culture.
Now I would like to paint a picture for you: imagine when you wake up every morning, everything is in foreign language. And I mean everything, the television, the radio, the signs on the bus, signs in the streets, the graffiti, everything. For those of you who have had Madame Jourdet for a teacher, take the ounce of fear that you have (or had) whenever she would start to ask YOU a question. Multiply that by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Welcome to my life in France. Now I’m not saying that I am scared all the time, but there is always that intensity around you, that what if feeling. And that feeling is the learning process, where ever I turn I am learning something new. I have a list of new words hat spans about 4 pages in my binder (front and back). But despite all of that, I love it here! Its great., I wouldn’t have asked for anything else.
There are 2 things that I have had difficulty with at this point (not counting the 24/7 French class). The first being that I never really have alone time: I am constantly with people. Weather I’m with friends after class, friends in class, my mother at home in the morning or night. I am never truly along to get things done. I do have a 30-40 min commute in the morning, but that’s it. And I can’t bring my computer with me on the bus and metro, it just doenst really work. And when I am home, I feel obligated to be social with my mother, so I never really have time to talk with friends or family, update my blog, listen to my music, watch a show.
The second thing that is hard is knowing how much connection to keep with the States. In terms of family and friends that is a no-brainer, but when it comes to music, television, Internet. I almost feel guilty when I get onto iTunes to get some music and it isn’t French. It’s a weird feeling.
Other then that life is grand! Im am making a day trip to St Malo, which is just north of us, with some friends tomorrow. I am taking a shopping/personal day today. Just some time for myself hanging out, getting some more school supplies, toiletries, maybe some clothes! H&M here I come!
There is so much to tell! And I don’t know where to start! I haven’t blogged in such a long time, it feels like I have been here for an eternity! As I sit here on Saturday morning, with my skylight open, the chilled crispy fall air spilling in, I feel lucky.
Even though I feel lost half the time, the joys that come along with that fear are worth it.
So I have now been living with my French mother for a little over a week, she is wonderful. She has some weird quirks, but then again don’t we all? She does fold and iron my underwear, as well as all of my other clothes, and she makes dinner every night. We eat between 7:30 and 9, and we eat tons of bread! My room is good, comfortable and very functional. I just wish I had a corkboard over my desk, that would make everything a lot easier. I guess that’s the update on the home front.
I started classes last Monday. Now these are not the classes that I will be taking for the next 4 months. These are just private classes that our program has arranged for us to take to prepare us for the entrance exam into the University. We have one week left of these prep classes. We have class from 9-3 with an hour and 15 min break in the middle. And then after that we go to an information session with our advisors, usually on culture shock, or general information on life in France.
I am in the lowest level (which is what I had expected) and I hope to place up a level so that I wont have to take as many classes at the University (I no that sounds backwards, but its true). If I’m in the lowest level at the University I have to take 4 classes, but if I’m in the next one up, I only have to take 2. It’s really weird. My classes have been a good review, and we have gotten some good information on the culture.
Now I would like to paint a picture for you: imagine when you wake up every morning, everything is in foreign language. And I mean everything, the television, the radio, the signs on the bus, signs in the streets, the graffiti, everything. For those of you who have had Madame Jourdet for a teacher, take the ounce of fear that you have (or had) whenever she would start to ask YOU a question. Multiply that by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Welcome to my life in France. Now I’m not saying that I am scared all the time, but there is always that intensity around you, that what if feeling. And that feeling is the learning process, where ever I turn I am learning something new. I have a list of new words hat spans about 4 pages in my binder (front and back). But despite all of that, I love it here! Its great., I wouldn’t have asked for anything else.
There are 2 things that I have had difficulty with at this point (not counting the 24/7 French class). The first being that I never really have alone time: I am constantly with people. Weather I’m with friends after class, friends in class, my mother at home in the morning or night. I am never truly along to get things done. I do have a 30-40 min commute in the morning, but that’s it. And I can’t bring my computer with me on the bus and metro, it just doenst really work. And when I am home, I feel obligated to be social with my mother, so I never really have time to talk with friends or family, update my blog, listen to my music, watch a show.
The second thing that is hard is knowing how much connection to keep with the States. In terms of family and friends that is a no-brainer, but when it comes to music, television, Internet. I almost feel guilty when I get onto iTunes to get some music and it isn’t French. It’s a weird feeling.
Other then that life is grand! Im am making a day trip to St Malo, which is just north of us, with some friends tomorrow. I am taking a shopping/personal day today. Just some time for myself hanging out, getting some more school supplies, toiletries, maybe some clothes! H&M here I come!
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