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!