Monday, July 13th, 2009

Before I recount an incredible weekend, I must say that I have at least 10 mosquito bites. I think I should be the one to introduce window screens to France.
The beginning of last week did not start well. On Tuesday I found out that I was placed in the level lower than where I would’ve liked. I was pretty upset, mainly because I feel like I got screwed while taking the test. I’m fine with being where I am if that’s where I’m supposed to be, but I’m not sure that it is, especially after seeing where others were placed. My Michigan professor said she was shocked and that I could switch. I still don’t know what to do because I like the professor I got placed with, and he’s pretty lax on homework, and it’s been an ok review so far. But we also don’t talk at all in class, which is where I’m lacking the most. It’s a tough call.
The oral class is also not what I expected. It’s frustrating because all of the levels are in it, so you have some people who speak nearly fluently next to people just learning. It’s very slow going. I have the same professor though, so he’s very nice.
The rest of the week passed by fairly uneventfully, trying to get ahead for the busy weekend. Friday I went shopping (for the first time!). I realized that there are far too many women’s clothing stores for me to handle. I ended up buying a dress, sweater (thinking ahead to Sunday’s excursion), and necklace. They are all from the same store- Etam. I was in there forever because I couldn’t find the dressing rooms, and I didn’t know the name for them (cabinets), so then I gave up but as I was standing in line I finally spotted them. I also bought a book, and attempted to buy a radio to have some form of media, but to no avail. I probably went in about 7 stores.
I also got upset last week because Isabelle told me that my French speaking ability has decreased since I’ve been here. She wasn’t trying to be mean, but she wanted to let me know. She thinks it’s a result of speaking to much English with the group. I’d agree with that. It’s really hard to keep speaking French when everyone else switches to English, especially in a large group. I also think though that it’s because I no longer have 4 hours of discussion-oriented class a day, now it’s more listening. Finally, I’m attempting more complicated sentences than when I first arrived. (She also mentioned my ability on the phone, but I didn’t tell her that I had written out what I would say beforehand). So that’s why I bought the book, and tried to buy the radio. I also spoke French all Friday night and for the morning on Saturday.
Friday night a few of us went to Bukana pub again because it was student welcome night for the CUEF (where we’re taking classes). However, not many people were there. I had a tequila sunrise, then Alex T. (from Puerto Rico), Emma (new friend from England), and I went to the short movie festival outside. We watched two films and then left because of the early excursions the next morning.
Alarm went off Saturday at 6:40 am. This was bad news, as I tried to set it for 6:15, and had to be at the meeting location by 7:30. The alarm clock is very unpredictable. I had looked up which tram to take, so I hopped on with not much time to spare. Then I decided to double check to make sure I was in the right place.
I wasn’t. I was on the right tram line, but going in the wrong direction. So the next stop I got off and luckily there was one that I hopped on right away. I made it in time, and then we departed for Annecy.
Unbeknownst to us, there was an hour-long stop in Chambery…where we had already spent an entire day with our Michigan class. So while the others took the tour that we already had taken, Alex T. and I got some breakfast (I got a baby quiche) and then perused the flea market. I’m guessing the French don’t know what connotations are associated with the Confederate flag, because I’ve seen them available to buy in more than one place.
Also, I would like to comment on French fashion of the moment. They say that Europe is ahead of America in terms of what’s popular, so let me just warn you in advance: Jasmine pants are coming. Yes, Jasmine, as in the Disney Arabian princess. They’re very baggy, except the crotch hangs below the knees. So watch out. I think I’m avoiding that one. Also, we’ve noticed a lot of women wearing white pants. Like white jeans. Not sure if I support that one either.
Then we stopped for a quick photo op at Lac Bruges (I need to double check the name, it starts with either a B or D, and is an incredibly huge lake). When we finally arrived in Annecy, it was around noon. A group of us decided to get lunch first and then head to the beach. We settled on a restaurant on the canal that runs through town- very Venetian, and incredibly quaint and cute. I almost ordered the Savoie meal- La Tartiflette, but opted for a pizza because it was cheaper and I hadn’t had pizza yet.
Afterward we headed to the beach. Lac Annecy is incredibly gorgeous; the water is unbelievable clear, and it is surrounded by mountains. We set up camp, and I headed straight for the water. The water was comfortable once you got used to it, and some others joined me later. You could swim out pretty far and still touch, but the bottom turned into a sort of net-like moss that really creeped me out because when you stepped on it lots of tiny bubbles would float up, leading me to believe that there were creatures living in it. I was terrified of getting bit/stabbed/stung/killed by some strange French lake monster.
I survived though. During a swim break, I got some ice cream (apricot and strawberry-so good!) and played Euchre with Christina, Nicki, and Brad. Christina and I lost, but we had a good comeback. After one last dip in the lake, we headed back to Grenoble. It was a very relaxing, beautiful day.
Saturday night I got back around 8, made dinner of a curry tofu “ball?”, rice, cantaloupe, a coke (first soda of the trip! Minus orangina), and what was left of some strange, but very good tuna dish that Isabelle had made. I also got to skype Tanner for a while.
Sunday I woke up at 5:45 am. Woohoo!! The excursion was to Chamonix, which is at the foot of Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Europe. We made stops that we weren’t aware of- like Albertville, the site of the 1992 Winter Olympics. We walked around the old village for a while, but I personally think it was a waste of time. We then stopped in St. Gsomething for a photo op. THEN we stopped at this pond which a lot of the other foreigners with us found terribly fascinating and none of us (Americans) could figure out why. It was a pond. There wasn’t even anything in it. So while we waited for the Japonese girls to finish taking pictures of them pretending to fall in, I ate my packed lunch. Then our tour leader person, Mathilde, told us that we had two options when we got to Chamonix: either go to the summit to see the view, which would cost 35 euro, or go to La Mer de Glace (the sea of ice), which would cost 20 euro. Good thing they told us this before we left. I had brought cash, so it wasn’t a big deal, but I haven’t been happy with the organization of the excursions.
I asked Mathilde if there would be time to do both, and she said no. So that was a huge bummer, because both are awesome things to do, how are you supposed to choose? And why did we leave at 7 in the morning (Chamonix is 2 hours away), and didn’t arrive until 12:30? I was also a little upset that we had to pay for the activities. But, nothing topped my fury than when we got off the bus, and maps in hand we set off for La Mer de Glace, only to be halted by the leader. She told us that we have to wait because they would buy the tickets for us. So then we had to wait for everyone to give their money to the leaders (with many clarifying questions that were already addressed on the bus…), and then for them to wait in line for the tickets. So we had to sit there, not able to even go look in the shops because we didn’t know when she would be back.
Wouldn’t it be logical to have us sign up for which activity we wanted to do when we signed up for the excursion? Or at least collect our money on the bus ride? This really pissed me off, excuse my language.
So we didn’t get to the train to go up until 1:30. And I woke up at 5:45. Cool.
Once on the train, all of my anger was swept away by the shiver-inspiring view going up the mountain. With a cliff-face next to me plunging into the valley with houses below, and mountains escalating up the other side, it was majestic. I started thinking about how privileged I am to be able to see what I was seeing, to go where I get to go. Not only in talking about family and friends, but the world in general, about people who will never be able to travel like I am able to. It was an emotional moment.
Once at the top (about a 20 minute train ride), we took the telepherique (lift) down to the grottes, or ice caves. The lift takes you down a certain amount, and then you have to walk down a bunch of stairs to get to it. It was really impressionable to see the plaques on the rock climbing down of the level where the glacier used to be. The difference between 1980 to 1990 was several hundred feet, and then distance to 2000 even more so. It was shocking and really made you believe in global warming.
Once there, I walked into a glacier. I WALKED INSIDE OF A GLACIER.
I’ve been to Alaska and Glacier National Park. I’ve seen glaciers before. But I’ve never gone INSIDE one. On the approach, you can hear the roar of nearby melting water. We walked through a tunnel carved out of the glacier, and they had carved rooms like a house, like ice sculptures. So, there was a kitchen table with some flowers on it, a bathroom, etc. The halls were also lit with very cool colors, changing from blue to green to pink. It was amazing.
Once we got back to the top, we took one of the trails down toward the glacier in another direction. We hiked down for a while until we reached a point where the trail stopped. We though, “Oh, I guess it ends here.” Wrong. There are ladders fastened into the cliff side to go down to the glacier. It was so steep you could only see the first 2-3 rungs before it simply disappeared from view. Some people asked if we were gonna do it. I said hell no. Everyone coming up had hard helmets on and every piece of mountain climbing gear imaginable. It was coo because you could see the dots on the glacier which was people walking on it. Matt in our group decided to try it. He went down the first ladder, then realizing that no one else was going to do it, climbed back up. He was very quiet until he stepped off back onto the trail, at which point he shouted, “OH MY GOD THAT WAS THE SCARIEST THING I’VE EVER DONE”. So I’m really glad I didn’t attempt it.
After taking the train back down, we only had around 20 minutes to look at some shops. I didn’t buy anything, and then we went back to the bus. We didn’t get back to Grenoble until 8 again, so I very quickly made dinner of scrambled eggs, bread and cheese, and cantaloupe. Then I did some quick skyping and printed off my paper at the internet café downstairs, and came back up to start the speech I had foolishly volunteered myself to give for the next day, a result of me wanting to speak more in class, and being upset about Isabelle’s comment, and wanting to prove something.
I went to bed around midnight, and today (Monday) was really tough, especially since we had the Michigan class after the two morning classes. I survived though, and the professor said my speech was pretty much perfect. After class I went to fnac and bought a radio/alarm (to listen to AND to wake up at the right time) for only 7.50 euro. I also bought a cd by a band called Big Mama? But they let you listen to any cd by putting on headphones and scanning the barcode of the cd you want, so I knew I liked it. Came back and fixed myself buttered noodles with cantaloupe and tomato/cucumber in olive oil and vinegar (Isabelle-style).
Tomorrow is the national independence day. Alex M. and I are going hiking in the late morning (totally sleeping in), then there’s a parade, fireworks, and a ball!!! Apparently you dance the waltz, so maybe I’ll get to put my new skills from my ballroom dance class to use! Wednesday I’m playing in a soccer tournament, Thursday I’m playing in a petanque (bocce ball) tournament, Friday I’m going to Chartreuse, Saturday I’m going to Marseille, and Sunday I’m going to Vercors. REALLY BUSY WEEK! Will update probably not until all that is over.
Sending my love from Grenoble,
Katie