Hello to everyone! I hope you all are doing well and that the craziness that is this time of year has been pleasant enough to handle. This week has been quite a frenzy for me, trying to finish my classes and pack for my month long adventure coming up.
Last week was really a lot of fun. I had the chance to go to "Mardi Cafe" on Tuesday. Mardi Cafe is sponsored by a student organization at UCO that was created to help French and foreign exchange students mingle. Each Tuesday, they host a social event at a different bar in Angers with themes. This past one had a theme of Latin America, and it was a great time. I invited my neighbors, and we all went as a group. I got to spend some time with my students outside of the classroom, as well as meet other foreigners. I had a mojito and a margarita - they were both delicious!
Friday night, I was invited to dinner at Gaelle's (one of my students) house, and she made a delicious pork, rice, and vegetable dinner. For dessert, I made a pumpkin pie that was nothing like what I have eaten in the U.S.; it had more of a flan consistency. We sat talking for several hours about learning languages and exchanging some cultural information - things like songs, comedians, etc. It was really nice to have a Friday evening out!
On Saturday, I went to the Saturday market and the Christmas market with my neighbor, Anziz, and his sister, Amanda, who was visiting during the weekend. I loved the Christmas market! There were chocolates to taste, products of craftsmanship to admire, and hot spiced wine to drink. There was Christmas music - surprisingly in English - playing in the streets, and all around was the enchantment of the Christmas season.
Places all around are getting ready for Christmas. There is a manger scene in the main hallway of the building where I teach at the university. We have a decorated Christmas tree in the lobby of the student residence. You hear Christmas music when walking around downtown. It's strange to think that the time has gone by so fast!
Anyway, to continue with my Saturday agenda, I went to a foie gras tasting with Catherine before having lunch at her apartment. For those of you who are unfamiliar with foie gras, it is a kind of pate that is made from the liver of a goose or a duck. It is a very expensive French delicacy that is traditionally eaten at Christmas. It was positively divine!
Afterward, I went back to Catherine's house for lunch, helped Elena buy her tickets from the airport in Paris back to Angers, chatted with Peter online, went to Mass, and had dinner. I went to bed at a reasonable hour because I had to be up early to help Catherine prepare for our Thanksgiving celebration!
Despite the fact that Peter was nice enough to send ingredients to make an "American" Thanksgiving, Catherine didn't use any of them. She told me she would save them to make a meal for Peter when he comes to visit Angers in a few weeks. This frustrated me a little bit because I was really looking forward to some stuffing and pumpkin pie, plus I was hoping that Peter would get to taste some good French cuisine while he was here. That aside, the meal was superb. My favorite dish was a cauliflower and chestnut casserole; my mouth is watering now just thinking of it!
After the amusement of Sunday came the busy hustle of Monday. This week is especially busy as I have to turn in grades and finish the minute details of my trip around Europe with Peter. I am definitely a type A person, and I want to have everything organized before I leave.
I keep alluding to a trip around Europe, but I haven't yet outlined what the trip will entail! I am leaving this Thursday, December 10th, to go to Paris. I will stay the night there and catch an early flight to Rome. There, I am meeting up with Peter and his family who have come to see Josh, Peter's brother, ordained a priest. The ordination is taking place on the 12th, and then afterward we are staying in Italy for the week! Our week-long excursion includes tours of the Vatican, a trip to Naples, and hopefully the Wednesday audience with the Pope. I am sooo excited to see the West family and to get to share this important event with them!
On the 20th, Peter and I are leaving Rome and heading to Strasbourg, France. Strasbourg, which is located in the Alsace-Lorraine region (right next to Germany!), is famous for its beautiful Christmas market. We'll be there until the 22nd, when we head down to Geneva, Switzerland for a flight that leaves early on the 23rd to go to Copenhagen.
In Copenhagen, we will meet up with my friend Siri whom I met during my studies in France in the fall of 2006. We've kept in touch over the years, and I went to visit her in Washington D.C. when she came to visit a year and a half ago. She invited Peter and me to spend Christmas with her and her family, so we get to have a Swedish Christmas this year! I'm so excited to see her again and finally meet her family. It was so kind of them to invite us.
After Sweden, we are heading to Avignon France and staying there for a few days. Right now, the plan is to leave on the 30th, but we're not sure where we are going to go next. Maybe Grenoble, France to spend the New Year with a French student who stayed at my family's house this summer. Maybe Rennes to spend the New Year with another student who stayed with my family. Or maybe we'll head back to Angers to recoup from three weeks worth of traveling!
As you can tell, I am going to be doing a lot of traveling over the next few weeks. I'm not sure when I'll get another chance to update my blog, so I will take this opportunity now to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year. Thank you all for your prayers as Peter and I travel. Please know that you'll be in ours!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
...it's that time of year!
This week will be a rush of getting ready for the holidays and getting grades in. People, especially teachers, understand very well the chaos that comes with the end of the semester and the approach of a very welcomed Christmas break. Luckily, though, I stayed organized this semester, and it shouldn't be too complicated getting all of turning in everything before the end of next week.
My Thanksgivings were amazing, and the change of pace was certainly needed. On Wednesday night, I went to have dinner at the home of one of my students. Her name is Benoite, and she is interested in being the French assistant at Meredith College next year. I think she would be a great teacher! Below is a picture of her and her mother and brothers. They were all there for the dinner.
We had a fairly nontraditional Thanksgiving at her house. Her mom made two delicious quiches and a fruit salad for dessert. Below is a picture of one of the quiches. Benoite's family was so welcoming, and they've already invited me back again!
The Thanksgiving I celebrated on Thanksgiving day was absolutely splendid. Debra, a professor at the Catho who is a Meredith alumna and was a lectrice (like me!) 7 years ago, is living here in France with her family. She met and married a British man named Charles, and they have two small kids: Kaylee is 2 years old, and Jaden is 6 months. They are here initially to do mission work, but they teach English to pay the bills. They are a young and energetic family.
Debra made an EXCELLENT Thanksgiving meal. She had ingredients shipped from the U.S., courtesy of her mother, so we were able to have real stuffing! As a whole turkey is difficult to find in France, Debra bought turkey breasts, stuffed them with stuffing, and baked them. It was so delicious! She also made a white gravy for the turkey, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, and pumpkin and pecan pies. Below is the pumpkin pie! It was just what I needed to get me through missing my family over the holiday.
I helped her set the table for the party of 20 she invited (all of which were first year students at the university - I have many of them in my classes too!), cut and empty the pumpkin, and watch the kids while she ran a few last minute errands. The atmosphere around the meal was also enjoyable. The students brought her flowers to thank her for hosting the event. In France, the relationship between professor and student is more distant than in the U.S., and I believe it was the first time they had ever been invited to a professor's house. They seemed to really enjoy it.
I still have one Thanksgiving to celebrate! That is coming up on Sunday. Catherine is hosting a Thanksgiving party for me and Trevor, the American that is staying with her. It should be great fun, and the food should be scrumptious (and authentic, thanks to Peter!). I'll be sure to let you know how that goes.
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and that the Christmas season brings you joy! Until next time!
My Thanksgivings were amazing, and the change of pace was certainly needed. On Wednesday night, I went to have dinner at the home of one of my students. Her name is Benoite, and she is interested in being the French assistant at Meredith College next year. I think she would be a great teacher! Below is a picture of her and her mother and brothers. They were all there for the dinner.
We had a fairly nontraditional Thanksgiving at her house. Her mom made two delicious quiches and a fruit salad for dessert. Below is a picture of one of the quiches. Benoite's family was so welcoming, and they've already invited me back again!
The Thanksgiving I celebrated on Thanksgiving day was absolutely splendid. Debra, a professor at the Catho who is a Meredith alumna and was a lectrice (like me!) 7 years ago, is living here in France with her family. She met and married a British man named Charles, and they have two small kids: Kaylee is 2 years old, and Jaden is 6 months. They are here initially to do mission work, but they teach English to pay the bills. They are a young and energetic family.
Debra made an EXCELLENT Thanksgiving meal. She had ingredients shipped from the U.S., courtesy of her mother, so we were able to have real stuffing! As a whole turkey is difficult to find in France, Debra bought turkey breasts, stuffed them with stuffing, and baked them. It was so delicious! She also made a white gravy for the turkey, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, and pumpkin and pecan pies. Below is the pumpkin pie! It was just what I needed to get me through missing my family over the holiday.
I helped her set the table for the party of 20 she invited (all of which were first year students at the university - I have many of them in my classes too!), cut and empty the pumpkin, and watch the kids while she ran a few last minute errands. The atmosphere around the meal was also enjoyable. The students brought her flowers to thank her for hosting the event. In France, the relationship between professor and student is more distant than in the U.S., and I believe it was the first time they had ever been invited to a professor's house. They seemed to really enjoy it.
I still have one Thanksgiving to celebrate! That is coming up on Sunday. Catherine is hosting a Thanksgiving party for me and Trevor, the American that is staying with her. It should be great fun, and the food should be scrumptious (and authentic, thanks to Peter!). I'll be sure to let you know how that goes.
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and that the Christmas season brings you joy! Until next time!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving!
Hello everyone! While some of you are slowing down this week due to the wonderful holiday we call Thanksgiving, things are picking up for me in France! The end of the semester is approaching, and along with that comes getting final grades together and preparing students for national exams.
Right now, I am organizing a review session for the Cambridge Exam, an exam that non-native English speaking students can take to measure their proficiency in English. In the French tradition, I wasn't given the materials to prepare my students for the exam until a few weeks ago, and they take the exam on December 9th. So, I have had to work very quickly to become acquainted with the exam and to figure out how to best prepare them to take the exam. It's been a challenge trying to work an additional 4 hours into my schedule. Luckily, though, I was smart this week and am having my students do "show and tell," so that buys me some extra time. :)
On a personal level, I had a really good week! I have had the opportunity to get to know my neighbors better. Thedi, a Bulgarian girl living on my floor, cooked a dinner for all of us on Friday night. She made Musaka(sp?), a dish with potatoes and ground beef and pork. It was sooo delicious! Saturday night turned into another impromptu dinner with my neighbors. Originally, I was supposed to have dinner with the Belgian and Paraguayan lectrices, but since we made WAY too much food, we invited our neighbors to dine with us. Our party of 3 doubled into a party of 6! It was so much fun - each person brought his/her own thing to share with the group. And, we were truly an international group; not one nationality is repeated. We have one: Paraguayan, Gabonese, Bulgarian, Belgian, French, and American. Needless to say, the cultural diversity makes each meal interesting.
On Sunday, we decided to have an "American Day." We were going to go to McDonald's (since I have never been to a French McDonald's - they wanted to share that experience with me!) and see an English speaking movie. However, on our way to McDonald's, we had a flash storm, and we got soaking wet. We decided to go back to the residence hall, change into dry clothes, and eat leftovers there. We did still go to the cinema. We saw the film "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" in the "version originale" - the original version (i.e. English). It was a very interesting movie - very creative and imaginative. It stretched your imagination and appealed to your senses in a very unique way. I think the film comes out in the U.S. in January - I recommend seeing it! It's also Heath Ledger's last film; he died while he was filming that movie. It was so strange to see him up on the screen.
I also spent some time with Catherine this weekend. I went to the market with her on Saturday. After the market, we went to taste a red wine that only comes out the third week of November in France. It's called Beaujolais, and a French store (La Comptesse de Barry) was having a wine tasting in efforts to sell it. In my opinion, the wine was not the best I have had, but I think the appeal comes with the fact that it only comes out once a year.
I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with family, laughter, and blessings. I am thinking of you from across the ocean. Please pray for me that I remember my gifts here and not be too homesick. I am actually going to celebrate Thanksgiving three times! The first is with one of my students (who is actually interested in being the French assistant at Meredith next year!) on Wednesday and then with Debra (the Meredith alumna here) and her family on Thursday. The third I will celebrate in December with Catherine. God has certainly blessed me with wonderful people willing to share the holiday with me! I'll give you an update on all of that next week. Bonne semaine, mes amis!
Right now, I am organizing a review session for the Cambridge Exam, an exam that non-native English speaking students can take to measure their proficiency in English. In the French tradition, I wasn't given the materials to prepare my students for the exam until a few weeks ago, and they take the exam on December 9th. So, I have had to work very quickly to become acquainted with the exam and to figure out how to best prepare them to take the exam. It's been a challenge trying to work an additional 4 hours into my schedule. Luckily, though, I was smart this week and am having my students do "show and tell," so that buys me some extra time. :)
On a personal level, I had a really good week! I have had the opportunity to get to know my neighbors better. Thedi, a Bulgarian girl living on my floor, cooked a dinner for all of us on Friday night. She made Musaka(sp?), a dish with potatoes and ground beef and pork. It was sooo delicious! Saturday night turned into another impromptu dinner with my neighbors. Originally, I was supposed to have dinner with the Belgian and Paraguayan lectrices, but since we made WAY too much food, we invited our neighbors to dine with us. Our party of 3 doubled into a party of 6! It was so much fun - each person brought his/her own thing to share with the group. And, we were truly an international group; not one nationality is repeated. We have one: Paraguayan, Gabonese, Bulgarian, Belgian, French, and American. Needless to say, the cultural diversity makes each meal interesting.
On Sunday, we decided to have an "American Day." We were going to go to McDonald's (since I have never been to a French McDonald's - they wanted to share that experience with me!) and see an English speaking movie. However, on our way to McDonald's, we had a flash storm, and we got soaking wet. We decided to go back to the residence hall, change into dry clothes, and eat leftovers there. We did still go to the cinema. We saw the film "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" in the "version originale" - the original version (i.e. English). It was a very interesting movie - very creative and imaginative. It stretched your imagination and appealed to your senses in a very unique way. I think the film comes out in the U.S. in January - I recommend seeing it! It's also Heath Ledger's last film; he died while he was filming that movie. It was so strange to see him up on the screen.
I also spent some time with Catherine this weekend. I went to the market with her on Saturday. After the market, we went to taste a red wine that only comes out the third week of November in France. It's called Beaujolais, and a French store (La Comptesse de Barry) was having a wine tasting in efforts to sell it. In my opinion, the wine was not the best I have had, but I think the appeal comes with the fact that it only comes out once a year.
I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with family, laughter, and blessings. I am thinking of you from across the ocean. Please pray for me that I remember my gifts here and not be too homesick. I am actually going to celebrate Thanksgiving three times! The first is with one of my students (who is actually interested in being the French assistant at Meredith next year!) on Wednesday and then with Debra (the Meredith alumna here) and her family on Thursday. The third I will celebrate in December with Catherine. God has certainly blessed me with wonderful people willing to share the holiday with me! I'll give you an update on all of that next week. Bonne semaine, mes amis!
Monday, November 16, 2009
...another atypical week!
Another manic Monday, and time to update my blog! Last week was another atypical week in France. Classes were normal on Monday and Tuesday. Monday I went to eat at Catherine's house, and she had some visitors over from out-of-town. There was a woman named Alberte, who is Catherine's age, her two daughters, and her grandson. They were over on Sunday, but I didn't realize that they would be staying until Wednesday. I had another opportunity to eat dinner with them and to get to know them better.
They're from the north of France, from a city in Normandy. Alberte is from Angers - she grew up here - and they were coming back to visit friends. The little boy, named Noah, was the CUTEST kid. I believe he is 3 years old, and his mom is expecting another little boy in February. There is nothing that brings a smile to my face quicker than hearing a little kid talk, especially in a foreign language! I love their high-pitched voices and their expressions as they're talking. We were playing with some origami birds that Hitomi had made for him, and when I would hide them, he would constantly say "Ou ca?" (where is it?) It was incredibly adorable.
Wednesday was a holiday here in France as well. While it's called Veterans' Day in the U.S., it's called Armistice Day here. No one had work or classes. I was invited to have lunch at Jacqueline's house, and I was there from 1pm until 6pm. Catherine, Trevor, and Nellie were also invited.
It was a typical French meal. I drank a lot of different wine and liqueurs that she has collected from her travels. The most interesting one was called Suze, and it's made from a plant in Spain. To me, it tasted like green beans. She served us a salad, beef tongue as the entree, cheese, and then apple pie for dessert. It was fun to just sit, talk, and laugh with them. I thank God for this group of people every day. They have really made my stay in France so comfortable; they are "ma famille angevine" (my Angevine family).
Thursday was a relaxed day for me as I only had one class, and Friday was a free day! Catherine invited me over for dinner, and afterward, I went out to a fair with Trevor. The fair in Angers comes during the month of November, and it's located on the other side of the Maine, the river that separates the town. They have rides and games that you can pay for, much like a carnival or fair in the U.S. For those of you in Va Beach, it is a lot like the Chesapeake Jubilee.
I went with Trevor because he had to take pictures of streets for a class project, and I really wanted to go to the fair! We rode on a "horror" ride and a super scary ride called "No Limit." With the "No Limit" ride, we were strapped in, and it flung us around - up, down, around, sideways, upside-down. It went on for a solid 5 minutes I bet, which is way to long for my body to be subjected to such conditions. I got off the ride feeling very sick to my stomach with a headache. While it was a thrill to the adolescent boys who were being macho during the whole thing, I enjoyed it the first three minutes, but the last ones were torture. That was the first time in my life that I have felt ill after a ride, and it made me feel like an old lady. I'd like to go back to the fair, but I probably won't try that ride again. "No Limit" definitely showed me my limit!
Saturday morning, feeling much better after that last evening, I woke up and went to the market. Turns out that the weather in Angers is much like home; when I left my residence building, it was sunny and warm. When I got to the market twenty minutes later, it was a torrential downpour. I was soaked, and worse, I couldn't find Catherine. I searched in the rain and finally went to her apartment, hoping to find her, and she wasn't there. I waited there, and eventually she got there, all wet just like me. I helped her unload her baskets, and then we had lunch. Thank goodness for a roof in weather like that!
That evening, I met up with the Spanish lectrice, Elena. We watched the movie "The Holiday," and then went to Mass. We tried a new church this time, one that was closer to my residence hall called St. Madeleine. I really liked the parish - it's much smaller than St. Joseph's. They also offer Reconciliation before Mass, which is great! I'd like to go sometime before Christmas; it'll be interesting to have a confession in French. After Mass, we made dinner at my residence hall.
Sunday was a pretty calm day too. I did my laundry in the morning then headed to Catherine's in the afternoon. I helped her to start organizing things for our Thanksgiving celebration in two weeks. We picked out a table cloth that was big enough, and I started translating cooking directions from English to French. Peter (my boyfriend) sent us some things to make stuffing, pumpkin pie, and cranberry sauce for the feast, and it was my job to translate the directions, measurements, and temperatures. I left Catherine's after dinner.
Today has been an ordinary Monday. It's actually making me a bit homesick as we are talking about American holidays and I'm going into detail about how we celebrate Thanksgiving. I know it's going to be difficult to be away from my family and friends during that time. Thank you all for your prayers because I really need them!
Also, my prayers are with you all who had to endure the nor'easter that came through last week. I know my family was without power for some time, and I hope those of you who were effected by the weather are resuming your lives without much difficulty.
Hope you all have a great week, et a la prochaine!
They're from the north of France, from a city in Normandy. Alberte is from Angers - she grew up here - and they were coming back to visit friends. The little boy, named Noah, was the CUTEST kid. I believe he is 3 years old, and his mom is expecting another little boy in February. There is nothing that brings a smile to my face quicker than hearing a little kid talk, especially in a foreign language! I love their high-pitched voices and their expressions as they're talking. We were playing with some origami birds that Hitomi had made for him, and when I would hide them, he would constantly say "Ou ca?" (where is it?) It was incredibly adorable.
Wednesday was a holiday here in France as well. While it's called Veterans' Day in the U.S., it's called Armistice Day here. No one had work or classes. I was invited to have lunch at Jacqueline's house, and I was there from 1pm until 6pm. Catherine, Trevor, and Nellie were also invited.
It was a typical French meal. I drank a lot of different wine and liqueurs that she has collected from her travels. The most interesting one was called Suze, and it's made from a plant in Spain. To me, it tasted like green beans. She served us a salad, beef tongue as the entree, cheese, and then apple pie for dessert. It was fun to just sit, talk, and laugh with them. I thank God for this group of people every day. They have really made my stay in France so comfortable; they are "ma famille angevine" (my Angevine family).
Thursday was a relaxed day for me as I only had one class, and Friday was a free day! Catherine invited me over for dinner, and afterward, I went out to a fair with Trevor. The fair in Angers comes during the month of November, and it's located on the other side of the Maine, the river that separates the town. They have rides and games that you can pay for, much like a carnival or fair in the U.S. For those of you in Va Beach, it is a lot like the Chesapeake Jubilee.
I went with Trevor because he had to take pictures of streets for a class project, and I really wanted to go to the fair! We rode on a "horror" ride and a super scary ride called "No Limit." With the "No Limit" ride, we were strapped in, and it flung us around - up, down, around, sideways, upside-down. It went on for a solid 5 minutes I bet, which is way to long for my body to be subjected to such conditions. I got off the ride feeling very sick to my stomach with a headache. While it was a thrill to the adolescent boys who were being macho during the whole thing, I enjoyed it the first three minutes, but the last ones were torture. That was the first time in my life that I have felt ill after a ride, and it made me feel like an old lady. I'd like to go back to the fair, but I probably won't try that ride again. "No Limit" definitely showed me my limit!
Saturday morning, feeling much better after that last evening, I woke up and went to the market. Turns out that the weather in Angers is much like home; when I left my residence building, it was sunny and warm. When I got to the market twenty minutes later, it was a torrential downpour. I was soaked, and worse, I couldn't find Catherine. I searched in the rain and finally went to her apartment, hoping to find her, and she wasn't there. I waited there, and eventually she got there, all wet just like me. I helped her unload her baskets, and then we had lunch. Thank goodness for a roof in weather like that!
That evening, I met up with the Spanish lectrice, Elena. We watched the movie "The Holiday," and then went to Mass. We tried a new church this time, one that was closer to my residence hall called St. Madeleine. I really liked the parish - it's much smaller than St. Joseph's. They also offer Reconciliation before Mass, which is great! I'd like to go sometime before Christmas; it'll be interesting to have a confession in French. After Mass, we made dinner at my residence hall.
Sunday was a pretty calm day too. I did my laundry in the morning then headed to Catherine's in the afternoon. I helped her to start organizing things for our Thanksgiving celebration in two weeks. We picked out a table cloth that was big enough, and I started translating cooking directions from English to French. Peter (my boyfriend) sent us some things to make stuffing, pumpkin pie, and cranberry sauce for the feast, and it was my job to translate the directions, measurements, and temperatures. I left Catherine's after dinner.
Today has been an ordinary Monday. It's actually making me a bit homesick as we are talking about American holidays and I'm going into detail about how we celebrate Thanksgiving. I know it's going to be difficult to be away from my family and friends during that time. Thank you all for your prayers because I really need them!
Also, my prayers are with you all who had to endure the nor'easter that came through last week. I know my family was without power for some time, and I hope those of you who were effected by the weather are resuming your lives without much difficulty.
Hope you all have a great week, et a la prochaine!
Monday, November 9, 2009
My One Month Anniversary
Hello to everyone!
Sorry it took me so long to update my post. Coming back from a week of vacation was busier than I anticipated. November 5th marked my one month anniversary of arriving in France - and what a trip it's been so far! Here are my latest updates:
Celebrating Hitomi's 21st birthday proved to be very enjoyable. Catherine invited some people over that I hadn't seen since my first trip to Angers. Among those visitors were Bob and Josette, a married couple who I met my first time in Angers. Bob is from Marseille, a large port city on the Mediterranean Sea in the south of France, and it is always so entertaining to listen to him speak. He has a very different accent from the people here. The French have a saying about the southern accent - you can see the sun in their speech. I love it! I wonder if Americans would agree with that phrase in regards to the American southern accent...
The past week was much like any other week. I taught my English classes and continued taking my French Business class. One interesting thing that happened this past week was that my third year students (the equivalent to undergrad seniors in the American school systems) invited me out with them on Thursday night. In France, Thursday night is the big night to go out as most students leave to go home for the weekend; Thursday night is the last night of the week to hang out with their college friends. So, my students were planning on going out at 8:30, and they invited me to come.
I, being absentminded as I am, had already eaten dinner (some pizza) before we went out. I thought that 8:30 was too late to go get dinner and that we were merely going out for drinks. Turns out they intended to eat dinner at a pizzeria, called La Strada, that is pretty well known in Angers. So, I had pizza twice that night! It was really fun to get to know my students outside of the classroom; I'm hoping also that it will translate to an easier flow of conversation in class.
Afterward, I went with some of them to a local bar called Kalypso. It was such a different experience going to a bar here versus going to a bar in the U.S. In France, people really use a bar to socialize. I met some very nice people that just wanted to talk and meet other people their age. It's not the same in the U.S. in my opinion. I feel like people in the U.S. who are looking to talk to other people in bars do not always have the best of intentions. I tend to put my "guard" on, but I didn't have to do that on Thursday. It was really fun!
Going out that night did affect me the next day though. I woke up with a sore throat and went to a pharmacy on Blvd. Foche (a main street here in Angers). Luckily, I know the owner through Catherine, and she was able to help me get exactly what I needed. She gave me a cough suppressant that I think is a lot like Nyquil in the U.S. because it knocks me out at night. It also makes me have some REALLY strange dreams. However, it does serve its purpose since I'm not waking up coughing in the middle of the night.
Saturday I went to the market and bought some honey, some sausages (I can't remember the specific name right now - I'll get back to you on that), and some broccoli. I also tasted a delectable wine from the region. The name is also fleeting me, but I intend to go back next weekend and buy a couple of bottles; I'll try to remember to give you an update on that as well. I did some window shopping in the afternoon. I love being downtown when the glow from the store windows start to light the streets. It feels so much like the Christmas season - which is probably exactly what the stores want you to feel so you'll start buying stuff! They've already begun putting up Christmas decorations at certain stores. I ended the evening with going to Mass at St. Joseph's Church. One gentleman asked me to be a lector and read one of the readings. I kind of wish that I had stepped up to the challenge, but I responded quickly with "I'm a foreigner! I may not know some of the words." Oh well, maybe next time. :)
I didn't do anything special on Sunday. I went to Catherine's apartment again; she hosted another lunch party for people that were visiting her from out of town. I helped her set the table and prepare and serve some of the dishes. Helping her host parties makes me so eager to have a place of my own and be able to host parties like she does. They really pay so much attention to the presentation of the table and the food; it's really an art. I'll put some pictures up on my picture website soon.
Now the week has begun; my crazy Monday is almost over. I have one class left for the day. Wednesday is Armistice Day and a national holiday in France, so I have another short week! I won't be taking any of my French business courses this week, but I will have one class on Thursday. After that, I'm done with my work week! I really need to enjoy this time while I have it - I know the majority of my adult life will be spent working long days.
I hope things are well in the U.S. and that everyone is gearing up for Thanksgiving! Love and miss you all! Bisous!
Sorry it took me so long to update my post. Coming back from a week of vacation was busier than I anticipated. November 5th marked my one month anniversary of arriving in France - and what a trip it's been so far! Here are my latest updates:
Celebrating Hitomi's 21st birthday proved to be very enjoyable. Catherine invited some people over that I hadn't seen since my first trip to Angers. Among those visitors were Bob and Josette, a married couple who I met my first time in Angers. Bob is from Marseille, a large port city on the Mediterranean Sea in the south of France, and it is always so entertaining to listen to him speak. He has a very different accent from the people here. The French have a saying about the southern accent - you can see the sun in their speech. I love it! I wonder if Americans would agree with that phrase in regards to the American southern accent...
The past week was much like any other week. I taught my English classes and continued taking my French Business class. One interesting thing that happened this past week was that my third year students (the equivalent to undergrad seniors in the American school systems) invited me out with them on Thursday night. In France, Thursday night is the big night to go out as most students leave to go home for the weekend; Thursday night is the last night of the week to hang out with their college friends. So, my students were planning on going out at 8:30, and they invited me to come.
I, being absentminded as I am, had already eaten dinner (some pizza) before we went out. I thought that 8:30 was too late to go get dinner and that we were merely going out for drinks. Turns out they intended to eat dinner at a pizzeria, called La Strada, that is pretty well known in Angers. So, I had pizza twice that night! It was really fun to get to know my students outside of the classroom; I'm hoping also that it will translate to an easier flow of conversation in class.
Afterward, I went with some of them to a local bar called Kalypso. It was such a different experience going to a bar here versus going to a bar in the U.S. In France, people really use a bar to socialize. I met some very nice people that just wanted to talk and meet other people their age. It's not the same in the U.S. in my opinion. I feel like people in the U.S. who are looking to talk to other people in bars do not always have the best of intentions. I tend to put my "guard" on, but I didn't have to do that on Thursday. It was really fun!
Going out that night did affect me the next day though. I woke up with a sore throat and went to a pharmacy on Blvd. Foche (a main street here in Angers). Luckily, I know the owner through Catherine, and she was able to help me get exactly what I needed. She gave me a cough suppressant that I think is a lot like Nyquil in the U.S. because it knocks me out at night. It also makes me have some REALLY strange dreams. However, it does serve its purpose since I'm not waking up coughing in the middle of the night.
Saturday I went to the market and bought some honey, some sausages (I can't remember the specific name right now - I'll get back to you on that), and some broccoli. I also tasted a delectable wine from the region. The name is also fleeting me, but I intend to go back next weekend and buy a couple of bottles; I'll try to remember to give you an update on that as well. I did some window shopping in the afternoon. I love being downtown when the glow from the store windows start to light the streets. It feels so much like the Christmas season - which is probably exactly what the stores want you to feel so you'll start buying stuff! They've already begun putting up Christmas decorations at certain stores. I ended the evening with going to Mass at St. Joseph's Church. One gentleman asked me to be a lector and read one of the readings. I kind of wish that I had stepped up to the challenge, but I responded quickly with "I'm a foreigner! I may not know some of the words." Oh well, maybe next time. :)
I didn't do anything special on Sunday. I went to Catherine's apartment again; she hosted another lunch party for people that were visiting her from out of town. I helped her set the table and prepare and serve some of the dishes. Helping her host parties makes me so eager to have a place of my own and be able to host parties like she does. They really pay so much attention to the presentation of the table and the food; it's really an art. I'll put some pictures up on my picture website soon.
Now the week has begun; my crazy Monday is almost over. I have one class left for the day. Wednesday is Armistice Day and a national holiday in France, so I have another short week! I won't be taking any of my French business courses this week, but I will have one class on Thursday. After that, I'm done with my work week! I really need to enjoy this time while I have it - I know the majority of my adult life will be spent working long days.
I hope things are well in the U.S. and that everyone is gearing up for Thanksgiving! Love and miss you all! Bisous!
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Joyeux Toussaint!
Hello everyone! While most people in the U.S. are saying "Happy Halloween," the French are all geared for Toussaint (All Saints Day). For those of you who are unfamiliar with this traditionally Catholic holiday, it's a day to celebrate and remember all those who have left our presence and are now with God. I went with Catherine and her friend Francoise yesterday to clean and decorate the tomb of their late friend Martine. The cemetery was absolutely beautiful - the tombs were decorated with all kinds of flowers, and there were so many people there visiting the grave sites of their family members. It was such an interesting thing to see; we don't really have a holiday when we remember those who have died.
The city of Angers is decorated in flowers too for the holiday. The fences surrounding the various parks and gardens are covered in flowers. It's nice to see all that color in the dreary, cloudy fall weather we've had.
I had a week off of teaching classes this week in honor of Toussaint, so I had a nice little vacation! While I didn't travel anywhere outside of Angers, I took the time to visit with my friends here. Catherine and I went to go see a movie on Monday. It's a German film titled "The White Ribbon," and it was playing at one of the "independent" theaters - not one of the main theaters that play American films. The theater is named "Les 400 Coups" after a movie by the famous French director Francois Truffaut. It receives money from the government to show films that are produced in Europe; the intention is to support the art of European cinema. The movie itself was strange; it was about a town where crimes were happening, and nobody knew who was committing them. The ending didn't give you a resolution - it left you with two possibilities of who could have been the criminal. Overall, though, it was a quality film.
That night, I went out with the exchange students that are staying in Catherine's house (Trevor and Hitomi). We went to a little restaurant downtown since the one we initially wanted to go to was closed on Sundays and Mondays! It's funny to see the cultural differences here; you would never see a restaurant closed during the week in the U.S. (unless, of course, you're Chick-fil-a!). After dinner, we went out for a drink, and then called it a night.
The rest of my week was pretty relaxed. I am taking a French business class at the university that was still meeting this week, so I went the to the university Tuesday through Thursday. I went over to Catherine's on Tuesday night for dinner, and then Wednesday night, one of my neighbor's cooked dinner for me! His name is Anziz, and he's from Gabon, Africa. French is his native language, so he does a great job with teaching me new vocabulary - especially in the kitchen. He made a great fish-pasta dish for me and Thedi, a Bulgarian girl who also lives in the residence.
Friday, I went to lunch with one of my French business classmates. Her name is Nadia, and she's from Mexico. She lives here with her husband in Angers, and she's hoping to pass the national French business exam after this class so she can work in an office setting. For lunch, we got some Chinese take-out and went back to her apartment to eat it. I got to meet her husband, Johnathan, who works for a French communications business. They were so funny, and I really hope that I will get to see them regularly.
Today has been a little less pleasant of a day, unfortunately. I woke up with a headache (I think it's due to the weather and pressure changes), so I didn't go to the market and canceled my plans with Catherine. I've been resting and feel much better; I'll probably go to Mass tonight and then take it easy - watch a movie or something.
Tomorrow should be a big day though! Catherine is throwing a party for Hitomi's birthday; she'll be 21! She's inviting about 10 people over (which is quite a group in her little apartment!) and cooking a feast. I had intended to go help her prepare for it tonight, but she told me to stay home and rest. I'll give you more details on how that goes in the next post.
Thank you all for your emails and thoughts and prayers! I hope you all are doing well, and I miss you! A la prochaine, mes amis!
The city of Angers is decorated in flowers too for the holiday. The fences surrounding the various parks and gardens are covered in flowers. It's nice to see all that color in the dreary, cloudy fall weather we've had.
I had a week off of teaching classes this week in honor of Toussaint, so I had a nice little vacation! While I didn't travel anywhere outside of Angers, I took the time to visit with my friends here. Catherine and I went to go see a movie on Monday. It's a German film titled "The White Ribbon," and it was playing at one of the "independent" theaters - not one of the main theaters that play American films. The theater is named "Les 400 Coups" after a movie by the famous French director Francois Truffaut. It receives money from the government to show films that are produced in Europe; the intention is to support the art of European cinema. The movie itself was strange; it was about a town where crimes were happening, and nobody knew who was committing them. The ending didn't give you a resolution - it left you with two possibilities of who could have been the criminal. Overall, though, it was a quality film.
That night, I went out with the exchange students that are staying in Catherine's house (Trevor and Hitomi). We went to a little restaurant downtown since the one we initially wanted to go to was closed on Sundays and Mondays! It's funny to see the cultural differences here; you would never see a restaurant closed during the week in the U.S. (unless, of course, you're Chick-fil-a!). After dinner, we went out for a drink, and then called it a night.
The rest of my week was pretty relaxed. I am taking a French business class at the university that was still meeting this week, so I went the to the university Tuesday through Thursday. I went over to Catherine's on Tuesday night for dinner, and then Wednesday night, one of my neighbor's cooked dinner for me! His name is Anziz, and he's from Gabon, Africa. French is his native language, so he does a great job with teaching me new vocabulary - especially in the kitchen. He made a great fish-pasta dish for me and Thedi, a Bulgarian girl who also lives in the residence.
Friday, I went to lunch with one of my French business classmates. Her name is Nadia, and she's from Mexico. She lives here with her husband in Angers, and she's hoping to pass the national French business exam after this class so she can work in an office setting. For lunch, we got some Chinese take-out and went back to her apartment to eat it. I got to meet her husband, Johnathan, who works for a French communications business. They were so funny, and I really hope that I will get to see them regularly.
Today has been a little less pleasant of a day, unfortunately. I woke up with a headache (I think it's due to the weather and pressure changes), so I didn't go to the market and canceled my plans with Catherine. I've been resting and feel much better; I'll probably go to Mass tonight and then take it easy - watch a movie or something.
Tomorrow should be a big day though! Catherine is throwing a party for Hitomi's birthday; she'll be 21! She's inviting about 10 people over (which is quite a group in her little apartment!) and cooking a feast. I had intended to go help her prepare for it tonight, but she told me to stay home and rest. I'll give you more details on how that goes in the next post.
Thank you all for your emails and thoughts and prayers! I hope you all are doing well, and I miss you! A la prochaine, mes amis!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Getting into the swing of things
Hello again everyone! I'm sorry it's taken me so long to post again. I was really busy this week trying to get into the swing of things.
Last weekend I spent the whole weekend with Catherine Marc. Catherine was my host mother the first time I came to Angers. She now has two students living with her, a Japanese girl named Hitomi and an American from Michigan named Trevor. They are both very nice, and they have welcomed me in to their little international family. Below is a picture of Catherine.
Saturday morning, I went to the market with Catherine. Each trip I take to the market is so exciting. I jump on the opportunity to learn new vocabulary by reading food labels on the stands and through eavesdropping on conversations. I love the sights, sounds, and smells that flood my senses, plus I always walk away with quality food for the week ahead!
After the market, Catherine cooked lunch. We had boudin blanc - a specialty of the region. It looks like a sausage, but it's made with milk, bread, and some other ingredients. It's quite tasty with some cooked apples! After lunch, I went out downtown with the her students. I took the opportunity to visit the SNCF store (the train system in France is called the SNCF, which stands for la Societe Nationale de Chemins de Fer Francais/the National Society for French Railways)to buy tickets for Christmas for Peter and myself. He's coming over to France and we're traveling around Europe - more details to come! I am so thankful that I bought the Eurorail pass for that time as each train ticket now only costs me a mere 3 euros. Definitely worth it!
After going downtown, we returned for dinner that night. I didn't get back to my room at the student residence until about 10:30.
The next morning, I went to Mass at St. Joseph, the same church I attended my first time in Angers. It is a beautiful stone church with religious statues depicting our Lord, the Blessed Virgin, and several saints. There is an organ, and the entire service echoes the majesty of God. Ironically enough, though, I feel quite at home since the priest uses a PowerPoint presentation during his homily. In the U.S., I go to Ascension Catholic Church, where they have a continual PowerPoint of images going through the Mass. The similarities are very comforting. :)
I went to Catherine's again after Mass. She fed me lunch, and then we left to go bottle wine in her friend's basement! I had the opportunity to bottle wine my first time in Angers, so I was an old hat at it on Sunday. Here's a picture of me corking a bottle!
It's really interesting how they do it. Nellie, the woman who hosted us in her basement, buys wine in big plastic barrels and then bottles them herself at home. She puts the wine in bottles that she has saved throughout the year and corks it with her own corking machine (which I am using in the picture above!). The corks have to soak in water to fit in the bottle easily, and the labels are dipped in milk and dry on the bottle. The milk allows the label to stay on the bottle, but it's much easier to get off than glue. It only costs Nellie about 1.35 euros per bottle - a very good price for wine from Bourgogne!
After we finished, we ate dinner at Catherine's appartment, and then I went back to my room. I needed to get a good night's sleep to start off the new week!
This past week was my second full week at the Catho (the Catho is short for L'Universite Catholique de l'Ouest - where I am teaching this year). Overall, the classes are great. I was a little worried about one rather large class of 28 students who kept whispering in French, but I think I got a handle on it; this week I heard them whispering in English instead!
Today is Friday, and I have the day off. That's one really nice thing about this job; I only have classes Monday through Thursday. It is a beautiful day outside, and I took advantage of it this morning! I walked about 20 minutes to a larger grocery store to buy some things that I can't get at the market. I also stopped by the post office to send some documents needed to obtain the second half of my long-stay visa. I also went downtown to walk around and look at the shops with Christmas gifts in mind. Now, I know you might be thinking that it's a little early to do Christmas shopping, but I want to make sure I can get the gifts to my family in the mail before the Christmas rush!
One thing that really surprises me on Friday is how tired I am. I was talking to my mom about this earlier, trying to figure out why I feel so exhausted and, even though it's a nice evening, why I'd rather just sit around in my room. I think that teaching 14 hours of classes in four days has something to do with it, but I also think that having to constantly think and speak in a foreign language - no matter how comfortable you may be with it - is tiring.
I do have some loose plans for the weekend. I am going to the market with Catherine in the morning and then staying over for lunch. I am meeting up with Elena, the Spanish lectrice, to get some travel information and do some more window shopping downtown. Tomorrow evening, we are going to Mass at the St. Maurice, the cathedral of Angers. They are supposed to have an impressive organ player. Afterwards, she is coming over and we're making dinner together. Sunday, I will probably go to Catherine's for lunch, and then who knows what!
Please pray for me this upcoming week. Next week is the Toussaint (All Saints' Day) break, and it is quite lonely already around the residence hall. A lot of people went home or are traveling during the week. Due to my lack of money, I was not able to travel to Italy to visit my college roommate, Bekah, as I originally planned, so I am going to try to keep things exciting in Angers this week. Please pray that I continue to focus on the blessings I have here and not get caught up on the fact that I am away from my family and friends. I will keep you all up-to-date on the happenings of this upcoming week! Don't forget to visit my photo website for my latest pictures!
Gros, gros bisous!!
Last weekend I spent the whole weekend with Catherine Marc. Catherine was my host mother the first time I came to Angers. She now has two students living with her, a Japanese girl named Hitomi and an American from Michigan named Trevor. They are both very nice, and they have welcomed me in to their little international family. Below is a picture of Catherine.
Saturday morning, I went to the market with Catherine. Each trip I take to the market is so exciting. I jump on the opportunity to learn new vocabulary by reading food labels on the stands and through eavesdropping on conversations. I love the sights, sounds, and smells that flood my senses, plus I always walk away with quality food for the week ahead!
After the market, Catherine cooked lunch. We had boudin blanc - a specialty of the region. It looks like a sausage, but it's made with milk, bread, and some other ingredients. It's quite tasty with some cooked apples! After lunch, I went out downtown with the her students. I took the opportunity to visit the SNCF store (the train system in France is called the SNCF, which stands for la Societe Nationale de Chemins de Fer Francais/the National Society for French Railways)to buy tickets for Christmas for Peter and myself. He's coming over to France and we're traveling around Europe - more details to come! I am so thankful that I bought the Eurorail pass for that time as each train ticket now only costs me a mere 3 euros. Definitely worth it!
After going downtown, we returned for dinner that night. I didn't get back to my room at the student residence until about 10:30.
The next morning, I went to Mass at St. Joseph, the same church I attended my first time in Angers. It is a beautiful stone church with religious statues depicting our Lord, the Blessed Virgin, and several saints. There is an organ, and the entire service echoes the majesty of God. Ironically enough, though, I feel quite at home since the priest uses a PowerPoint presentation during his homily. In the U.S., I go to Ascension Catholic Church, where they have a continual PowerPoint of images going through the Mass. The similarities are very comforting. :)
I went to Catherine's again after Mass. She fed me lunch, and then we left to go bottle wine in her friend's basement! I had the opportunity to bottle wine my first time in Angers, so I was an old hat at it on Sunday. Here's a picture of me corking a bottle!
It's really interesting how they do it. Nellie, the woman who hosted us in her basement, buys wine in big plastic barrels and then bottles them herself at home. She puts the wine in bottles that she has saved throughout the year and corks it with her own corking machine (which I am using in the picture above!). The corks have to soak in water to fit in the bottle easily, and the labels are dipped in milk and dry on the bottle. The milk allows the label to stay on the bottle, but it's much easier to get off than glue. It only costs Nellie about 1.35 euros per bottle - a very good price for wine from Bourgogne!
After we finished, we ate dinner at Catherine's appartment, and then I went back to my room. I needed to get a good night's sleep to start off the new week!
This past week was my second full week at the Catho (the Catho is short for L'Universite Catholique de l'Ouest - where I am teaching this year). Overall, the classes are great. I was a little worried about one rather large class of 28 students who kept whispering in French, but I think I got a handle on it; this week I heard them whispering in English instead!
Today is Friday, and I have the day off. That's one really nice thing about this job; I only have classes Monday through Thursday. It is a beautiful day outside, and I took advantage of it this morning! I walked about 20 minutes to a larger grocery store to buy some things that I can't get at the market. I also stopped by the post office to send some documents needed to obtain the second half of my long-stay visa. I also went downtown to walk around and look at the shops with Christmas gifts in mind. Now, I know you might be thinking that it's a little early to do Christmas shopping, but I want to make sure I can get the gifts to my family in the mail before the Christmas rush!
One thing that really surprises me on Friday is how tired I am. I was talking to my mom about this earlier, trying to figure out why I feel so exhausted and, even though it's a nice evening, why I'd rather just sit around in my room. I think that teaching 14 hours of classes in four days has something to do with it, but I also think that having to constantly think and speak in a foreign language - no matter how comfortable you may be with it - is tiring.
I do have some loose plans for the weekend. I am going to the market with Catherine in the morning and then staying over for lunch. I am meeting up with Elena, the Spanish lectrice, to get some travel information and do some more window shopping downtown. Tomorrow evening, we are going to Mass at the St. Maurice, the cathedral of Angers. They are supposed to have an impressive organ player. Afterwards, she is coming over and we're making dinner together. Sunday, I will probably go to Catherine's for lunch, and then who knows what!
Please pray for me this upcoming week. Next week is the Toussaint (All Saints' Day) break, and it is quite lonely already around the residence hall. A lot of people went home or are traveling during the week. Due to my lack of money, I was not able to travel to Italy to visit my college roommate, Bekah, as I originally planned, so I am going to try to keep things exciting in Angers this week. Please pray that I continue to focus on the blessings I have here and not get caught up on the fact that I am away from my family and friends. I will keep you all up-to-date on the happenings of this upcoming week! Don't forget to visit my photo website for my latest pictures!
Gros, gros bisous!!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Pictures are up!
Hello again! If you'd like to see my pictures, bookmark this website:
http://community.webshots.com/user/drakecas
You'll see pictures posted from my first trip to Angers and my new albums here. Happy browsing!
http://community.webshots.com/user/drakecas
You'll see pictures posted from my first trip to Angers and my new albums here. Happy browsing!
My (second) first impressions
I've had my first weekend in Angers! It started very nicely. Friday night, I went to my former host-mother's (Catherine's) apartment and had dinner. I got to meet the students that are staying with her now and see her and her good friend Jacotte again. When I walked into the apartment, it was like I was entering my second home. I have some wonderful memories from my first visit to Angers there, and it was really comforting to enter a familiar atmosphere. Of course, the dinner was delectable, and we did some catching up. It was such a lovely evening.
I started the weekend in a very French way - I went shopping at the Saturday market! You can get fresh produce, meats, breads, etc on Saturday morning. My intention was to help Catherine carry her groceries, but it turned out that she helped me pick out mine! I bought some zucchini, potatoes, apples, pears, eggs, and an onion. The vendors are so nice, and it challenges me linguistically because I hear so many different French accents at the market. I'm looking forward to going back next weekend.
Sunday I went on a trip with other students who live in the same student residence that I do to Brittany. An Italian student reserved a private bus to travel to Mont St. Michel and St. Malo - two cities in the Brittany region. We were able to fill it up with about 50 students, so the cost only came to be about 16 euros a piece. It was a very cost effective way of traveling! I had had the opportunity to travel to the two cities my last trip in France, and I found them to be just as charming the second time as I did the first time.
I really appreciated the trip because it allowed me to meet other students living in my residence. I'm surprised at how many international students are living in my building - we have Italians, Americans, Spaniards, Germans, Bulgarians, Belgians, and the list continues! The students I met are very friendly, and it's nice to have the faces in the building be familiar now!
The weekend came to an end quickly, and my classes started on Monday. I had 5 hours of classes, seeing 5 different groups each for one hour. I was so tired by the end of the day; I realized that I have to work up my teaching endurance again! The classes overall went well. There was one class of 27 students that was a little overwhelming; this group of students are in their first year here at the IPLV, so their language skills in English are not as strong. With a group so big, it was hard to give them the individual attention that they needed, which resulted in lots of whispering in French among the students. I've talked to the supervisor, and we've come up with a solution of how to decrease the class size - we're splitting the group in half and I'm meeting each group every other week. I think the conversations will be more fruitful that way.
It's funny to see the differences between the American school administration and the French administration. I am so used to having everything organized in advance. The schedule for universities in the U.S. seem to be set by the time students arrive. Here, they are still working on a schedule even after several weeks of the students being here. Sometimes it frustrates me, but then I remind myself that I am in a different country and that it's an experience for me work under a different kind of system. It's definitely teaching me flexibility and patience.
I also have the pleasure of taking a French class here through the CIDEF (the French language program for foreigners here at the Catho where I studied before). I am taking business French, a class that I have wanted to take since my first trip to Angers. I am learning a lot about the formalities and the basic functioning of French business. I think this new information will be very helpful for my future students.
Tomorrow, I get to have lunch with a Meredith alumna named Debra. She was one of the first lectrices here in Angers from Meredith. She met a British man during her stay here, whom she married, and now teaches English at the IPLV. I'm looking forward to chatting about the lectrice position, how it's changed over the years, and reminiscing about Meredith. I'll be sure to give you an update on that later this week.
Hope all is well with you in the U.S.! A bientot.
I started the weekend in a very French way - I went shopping at the Saturday market! You can get fresh produce, meats, breads, etc on Saturday morning. My intention was to help Catherine carry her groceries, but it turned out that she helped me pick out mine! I bought some zucchini, potatoes, apples, pears, eggs, and an onion. The vendors are so nice, and it challenges me linguistically because I hear so many different French accents at the market. I'm looking forward to going back next weekend.
Sunday I went on a trip with other students who live in the same student residence that I do to Brittany. An Italian student reserved a private bus to travel to Mont St. Michel and St. Malo - two cities in the Brittany region. We were able to fill it up with about 50 students, so the cost only came to be about 16 euros a piece. It was a very cost effective way of traveling! I had had the opportunity to travel to the two cities my last trip in France, and I found them to be just as charming the second time as I did the first time.
I really appreciated the trip because it allowed me to meet other students living in my residence. I'm surprised at how many international students are living in my building - we have Italians, Americans, Spaniards, Germans, Bulgarians, Belgians, and the list continues! The students I met are very friendly, and it's nice to have the faces in the building be familiar now!
The weekend came to an end quickly, and my classes started on Monday. I had 5 hours of classes, seeing 5 different groups each for one hour. I was so tired by the end of the day; I realized that I have to work up my teaching endurance again! The classes overall went well. There was one class of 27 students that was a little overwhelming; this group of students are in their first year here at the IPLV, so their language skills in English are not as strong. With a group so big, it was hard to give them the individual attention that they needed, which resulted in lots of whispering in French among the students. I've talked to the supervisor, and we've come up with a solution of how to decrease the class size - we're splitting the group in half and I'm meeting each group every other week. I think the conversations will be more fruitful that way.
It's funny to see the differences between the American school administration and the French administration. I am so used to having everything organized in advance. The schedule for universities in the U.S. seem to be set by the time students arrive. Here, they are still working on a schedule even after several weeks of the students being here. Sometimes it frustrates me, but then I remind myself that I am in a different country and that it's an experience for me work under a different kind of system. It's definitely teaching me flexibility and patience.
I also have the pleasure of taking a French class here through the CIDEF (the French language program for foreigners here at the Catho where I studied before). I am taking business French, a class that I have wanted to take since my first trip to Angers. I am learning a lot about the formalities and the basic functioning of French business. I think this new information will be very helpful for my future students.
Tomorrow, I get to have lunch with a Meredith alumna named Debra. She was one of the first lectrices here in Angers from Meredith. She met a British man during her stay here, whom she married, and now teaches English at the IPLV. I'm looking forward to chatting about the lectrice position, how it's changed over the years, and reminiscing about Meredith. I'll be sure to give you an update on that later this week.
Hope all is well with you in the U.S.! A bientot.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
I've arrived!
Bonjour to everyone from Angers! I am finally here after an eventful 24 hours of travelling. My mom, dad, Julia (youngest sister), and Peter (boyfriend) all came to the airport to see me off. As expected, I cried at hugging and kissing everyone goodbye. This trip to Angers will be the longest period of time that I have gone without seeing my parents. It gives me a whole new respect for students from foreign countries who come and study in the United States; they have so much courage to leave their homeland and family for four years.
My original itinerary was to fly from Norfolk to Washington D.C., then to Charles de Gaulle, Paris. However, as my luck would have it, the plane to Norfolk was delayed for two hours, making me miss my connecting flight to Paris. Fortunately, the gentleman working at the desk was able to get me on a flight to Frankfurt from Washington, and then I would take a flight to Paris from Germany. While it sounds more complicated, it worked out for the best because the flight to Frankfurt fell over my normal sleeping hours, and I was able to get about 6 hours of sleep on the plane.
When I arrived in Paris, I was pleased to see that both of my bags made it over safely despite my change of itinerary. I muscled my way to the train station where I found that the train leaving directly from the airport would put me in Angers after 9pm, which I thought was too late. I decided to take the bus from the airport to Montparnasse, a train station in the southern end of Paris. However, due to an accident and afternoon traffic, the bus got me to Montparnasse about 30 minutes after my train departed. Fortunately, for only 13 euros more, I was able to get the next train out and arrived in Angers at 8:22pm. I met a nice gentleman on the bus who helped me with my luggage. It’s so comforting to see that people are willing to lend a hand to a perfect stranger; that’s why I jumped on the opportunity to return to Angers.
One of the professors of English at the IPLV (where I will be working in the university) named Brigitte LeBillon picked me up from the train station. She was so kind with her warm smile and open arms, and she had thought to buy me breakfast for the next morning! When she discovered that I had not yet eaten dinner, she took me to a little supermarket where I bought Taboule and yogurt for dinner. It was the perfect end to a long day of travelling.
She dropped me off at the student residence where I am staying during my time here. I am on the 5th floor, and seeing as there is no elevator in the building, going up the stairs with my suitcases was an adventure in and of itself. I eventually made it up, and was very pleased with my room. It is small, but very space efficient. I have a desk, bed, two bookshelfs, a closet, and some cabinets. The bathroom is so small. The toilet, sink, and shower all on connected; only a shower curtain devides the sink and toilet from the shower. It’s interesting to see where cultural priorities lay in the construction of buildings. I’m not complaining though. It’s the perfect size for me, and at only 5 minutes from the university, I couldn’t have asked for a better situation.
Today was my first day at the university. I finally met Mr. Atkinson, the gentleman with whom I was corresponding before my arrival. Much to my surprise, I found him to be a very cordial man! He had lunch with me in the self-serve dining facility for faculty – which is where I will be having my lunches during the week. He then took me around to meet important people with whom I will be working. I was surprised to see how unorganized the programs seemed to be; they were working out the schedules on paper between each visit to get an idea of what my schedule would be like. I was expecting to arrive and have a set agenda ready for me. Maybe that’s typical of university classes; I guess it all depends on what the students want.
I begin my teaching tomorrow. I have two upper level classes tomorrow that are going to be graded courses. The idea of grading the students intimidates me a little bit since I will be using the French system. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, the grades are out of 20, but instead of using percentages as we do in the U.S., a 14/20 is considered to be a good grade – a very strange concept to American students. The other classes I will either be assisting a professor or leading conversations that are not graded. Overall, I will be teaching about 12 hours a week. I am also happy to say that my weekend starts on Thursday afternoon, leaving me Friday through Sunday to travel if I so desire.
I have yet to see my French host mother from my last stay in Angers. I have called her three times but have missed her each time. I did receive an email from her friend asking if I arrived safely. I responded to that and hope to get a reply soon that will result in a rendez-vous. We shall see.
I hope you all are doing well. Thank you again for your prayers! They are certainly working. :) I intend to have a picture website up soon so that you can see some of the places that I am talking about. I’ll give you an update on that asap. A bientot, mes amis!
My original itinerary was to fly from Norfolk to Washington D.C., then to Charles de Gaulle, Paris. However, as my luck would have it, the plane to Norfolk was delayed for two hours, making me miss my connecting flight to Paris. Fortunately, the gentleman working at the desk was able to get me on a flight to Frankfurt from Washington, and then I would take a flight to Paris from Germany. While it sounds more complicated, it worked out for the best because the flight to Frankfurt fell over my normal sleeping hours, and I was able to get about 6 hours of sleep on the plane.
When I arrived in Paris, I was pleased to see that both of my bags made it over safely despite my change of itinerary. I muscled my way to the train station where I found that the train leaving directly from the airport would put me in Angers after 9pm, which I thought was too late. I decided to take the bus from the airport to Montparnasse, a train station in the southern end of Paris. However, due to an accident and afternoon traffic, the bus got me to Montparnasse about 30 minutes after my train departed. Fortunately, for only 13 euros more, I was able to get the next train out and arrived in Angers at 8:22pm. I met a nice gentleman on the bus who helped me with my luggage. It’s so comforting to see that people are willing to lend a hand to a perfect stranger; that’s why I jumped on the opportunity to return to Angers.
One of the professors of English at the IPLV (where I will be working in the university) named Brigitte LeBillon picked me up from the train station. She was so kind with her warm smile and open arms, and she had thought to buy me breakfast for the next morning! When she discovered that I had not yet eaten dinner, she took me to a little supermarket where I bought Taboule and yogurt for dinner. It was the perfect end to a long day of travelling.
She dropped me off at the student residence where I am staying during my time here. I am on the 5th floor, and seeing as there is no elevator in the building, going up the stairs with my suitcases was an adventure in and of itself. I eventually made it up, and was very pleased with my room. It is small, but very space efficient. I have a desk, bed, two bookshelfs, a closet, and some cabinets. The bathroom is so small. The toilet, sink, and shower all on connected; only a shower curtain devides the sink and toilet from the shower. It’s interesting to see where cultural priorities lay in the construction of buildings. I’m not complaining though. It’s the perfect size for me, and at only 5 minutes from the university, I couldn’t have asked for a better situation.
Today was my first day at the university. I finally met Mr. Atkinson, the gentleman with whom I was corresponding before my arrival. Much to my surprise, I found him to be a very cordial man! He had lunch with me in the self-serve dining facility for faculty – which is where I will be having my lunches during the week. He then took me around to meet important people with whom I will be working. I was surprised to see how unorganized the programs seemed to be; they were working out the schedules on paper between each visit to get an idea of what my schedule would be like. I was expecting to arrive and have a set agenda ready for me. Maybe that’s typical of university classes; I guess it all depends on what the students want.
I begin my teaching tomorrow. I have two upper level classes tomorrow that are going to be graded courses. The idea of grading the students intimidates me a little bit since I will be using the French system. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, the grades are out of 20, but instead of using percentages as we do in the U.S., a 14/20 is considered to be a good grade – a very strange concept to American students. The other classes I will either be assisting a professor or leading conversations that are not graded. Overall, I will be teaching about 12 hours a week. I am also happy to say that my weekend starts on Thursday afternoon, leaving me Friday through Sunday to travel if I so desire.
I have yet to see my French host mother from my last stay in Angers. I have called her three times but have missed her each time. I did receive an email from her friend asking if I arrived safely. I responded to that and hope to get a reply soon that will result in a rendez-vous. We shall see.
I hope you all are doing well. Thank you again for your prayers! They are certainly working. :) I intend to have a picture website up soon so that you can see some of the places that I am talking about. I’ll give you an update on that asap. A bientot, mes amis!
Friday, September 25, 2009
...and the adventure begins!
Welcome to my blog! I hope that you will find this helpful in keeping up with me while I'm in France!
I will be an assistant in the English department at the Institut de Langues Vivantes (Institute of Living Languages) - which you will see me refer to as the IPLV. I'll be working with students who are studying for a Masters in English. While I'm not exactly sure what kind of classes I will be teaching, I believe that they will be mostly conversation courses and phonetics classes.
As some of you already know, I've already had a little "road bump" in my trip. I was scheduled to leave 8 October to go to France when I found out that I had misunderstood the email from my IPLV supervisor, M. Atkinson. It turns out that classes start on 5 October, putting my in Angers a week late. Luckily, through the patience of several friends, family members, and professors, I calmed down enough to call and change the date of my flight.
I am now departing for France on 4 October, arriving on the 5th. I'm not sure whether or not they will have me in class that day, taking me from the train station to the school, or whether they will let me rest and start on Tuesday. I am still waiting for response from M. Atkinson.
So, simply put, the adventure has already begun and, without a doubt, will have a few surprises in store. Please pray for me as I prepare to move onto the next stage of my life. I will certainly need it. :)
I will be an assistant in the English department at the Institut de Langues Vivantes (Institute of Living Languages) - which you will see me refer to as the IPLV. I'll be working with students who are studying for a Masters in English. While I'm not exactly sure what kind of classes I will be teaching, I believe that they will be mostly conversation courses and phonetics classes.
As some of you already know, I've already had a little "road bump" in my trip. I was scheduled to leave 8 October to go to France when I found out that I had misunderstood the email from my IPLV supervisor, M. Atkinson. It turns out that classes start on 5 October, putting my in Angers a week late. Luckily, through the patience of several friends, family members, and professors, I calmed down enough to call and change the date of my flight.
I am now departing for France on 4 October, arriving on the 5th. I'm not sure whether or not they will have me in class that day, taking me from the train station to the school, or whether they will let me rest and start on Tuesday. I am still waiting for response from M. Atkinson.
So, simply put, the adventure has already begun and, without a doubt, will have a few surprises in store. Please pray for me as I prepare to move onto the next stage of my life. I will certainly need it. :)
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