What an adventure-filled week. Vizille was a much better field trip than Chambery. The grounds of the museum were beautiful- gardens, flowers, with a river flowing through and mountains in the background. The museum itself was alright- we had to fill out elementary-school-esque worksheets that really detracted from looking at things, but it was still interesting. Afterward, Alex M. and I ate our lunches we had packed (I’m saving so much money doing that!) and then walked around the town while the others ate. Then we had class for a bit on the grounds.
Thursday Alex M, Alex T, Christina, Brittany and I hiked up the Bastille. It was beautiful! But also extremely hot. I wish there was some information explaining when and why it was created, but all we could find was how the mountains were created by shifting tectonic plates. It took us about an hour and fifteen minutes, but I suspect I could do it in around 45. At the top, I bought souvenirs galore, but I won’t disclose what I got there as some will be surprises. We then enjoyed a refreshing bottle of Orangina at the restaurant on top, and ended by taking the telepherique down (kind of like a lift).
Friday was also very busy- right after class we went to Monoprix to pick up groceries for the Geneva trip because we were told that Switzerland is very expensive. At 5:10 everyone was at the gare (train station), and someone asked, “Does everyone have their passports?” And a look of horror appeared on one girl’s face- who had booked our hotel. With our train leaving in less than 15 minutes, I quickly wrote down all of the hotel information she had with the confirmation code and directions to get there, and someone grabbed the tickets. It was decided she would catch the next train, but we had no idea when it was.
An hour into our trip we had a confusing “change” of trains where we moved cars and then the train separated- which we almost missed because we didn’t understand what people were saying. The scenery along the way was gorgeous- huge lakes with mountains surrounding them. However, the new car we were in must have had broken air conditioning, and it was like being in a sauna. I had to stand in the between-car-bathroom-area to be able to breathe.
Once we got to Geneva, everyone looked at each other with puzzled expressions. I then took charge. While traveling abroad, I have learned three things. 1- Things will go wrong, sometimes horribly. 2- Stay calm, don’t panic. 3- Be smart and think logically about the situation, like it’s a game or puzzle.
So, I gathered my thoughts and concluded that to we needed to get to our hotel by tram. To buy tram tickets we needed Swiss currency (Swiss franc), so the first order of business was to get money. After some searching we found an ATM. Now armed each with 50 francs, we went outside. I read the tram ticket machine and deduced that we needed to each buy a 24 hour ticket, but that if we put in our 50 franc bill, it would not give us any change. So, I marched everyone inside to buy something to get the correct change (there are no change machines or converters). With tickets in hand, we took a tram, and then made our connection successfully. Luckily (!), when we got off, we were right across the street from the hotel, so I didn’t have to ask a stranger where to find it.
We walked up to the doors to find them locked. A nice Belgium man named Faisel with his Californian friend David and English friend Indie let us in. We then discovered that the office was closed for the night (it closed at 8). So I used someone’s cell phone to call the number listed. I spoke with a man who luckily didn’t ask for a credit card number (it was the girl who left her passport!), and had me open a small safe which contained our room keys. Success!
The hotel was ridiculously nice! After setting our stuff down, a few decided to go meet the girl coming at the train station, because it took a group of 10 people an hour to get to the hotel, and we figured it would be extremely difficult for her, especially later at night. So we went back to the train station to wait for her. We waited…..and waited….and waited, until no more trains from France were coming. We were very worried, so we called our professor to get her host mother’s number. The host mother told us that she had, in fact, left that day, so for all we knew she could be anywhere. With no other options but to pray that she was safe, we made the long trek back to the hotel.
Where we were greeted by the girl! She had taken a train only 30 minutes after us, which had not been on the schedules we saw. So that was a big relief. The downside was that we had been invited to a rave and Bollywood music bar by the group who let us into the building, but by that time they had already left, and Friday night was wasted.
Saturday four of us woke up early and took a boat ride of Lake Geneva. We saw the Jet d’Eau, which means jet of water, and it’s in Lake Geneva, and just spouts up water very high in the air (tallest in the world). We also saw various famous buildings, like where Byron and Shelley lived, Napoleon’s wife, and the United Nations. We next walked to the UN to meet the rest of our group. It was a very long walk. I was very surprised by the number of free water fountains scattered all across Geneva. I guess it doesn’t seem that strange when compared to the U.S., but in Europe it’s very rare. And to add, the fountains are coming out of sculptures and the like (they aren’t your average bubbler).
Once at the United Nations, we took some pictures, and discovered there was nothing else to do there, so some of us went back into town and looked at the Basilica Notre Dame. Then we got some ice cream, and watched a gay pride parade (at least we think that’s what it was). If so, it was rather tame, and mainly consisted of floats with techno blasting and people in outrageous costumes dancing. Later that night we went out to eat at a very nice restaurant downtown. The food was very good, but can you imagine that we paid 6.60 francs per bottle of water! They have no free water, and it was more expensive than a soda. (Sidenote: the dollar is worth slightly more than the franc, surprisingly. 50 francs is around 47 dollars).
We tried to go dancing at a discoteque after dinner, but to no avail. The only club we found rejected us for not being properly dressed (flipflops=no good). That was a bit embarrassing, but other than the flipflops we were dressed nice! Oh well.
Then next morning I woke everyone up because it was near check out time. With backpacks strapped on, we walked up to the old part of the city and toured the archeological ruins underneath the Cathedral St. Pierre. It was constructed around the 3rd century, so its foundations are all still underground. We were literally walking in what was the old church. I saw bell casting molds, monk’s quarters, baptismal fonts, mosaics, wells (dating back to B.C.),etc. It was amazing. Next Alex M and I walked around (packed lunches again). We strolled through the park, up to the Grand Theatre, back into the old city where we listened to a talented violinist which was beautiful.
We searched for a chocolate shop (hello—we’re in Switzerland!) but to no avail. Note to all travelers: Europe is closed on Sundays.
The group then took a ride on a ferris wheel where we could see the entire city, which was awesome. There was one “gondola” that was ‘VIP’ and cost 100 francs. It had tinted windows and included champagne. Suffice it to say, we did not purchase the vip. Some people got Starbucks (!!!!!!!!!!!!!) next. I went inside….but only to use their bathroom, which I think is acceptable. We then had 50 minutes to get to the train station. We tried walking back to the tram, but did not realize that it runs on a diagonal, so we ended up walking a very long way to find it (in the opposite direction of the gare). Our walk turning into a swift jaunt, we reached the tram, and took what we thought to be the tram to the gare. Until the train turned and my eyes widened in panic as I shouted to everyone, “Get off at the next stop!” We did, and managed to run to the next tram. Some had already resigned to missing the tram (it left in 15 minutes!), but I wasn’t giving up. We called two others who were already there and they told us the train was at platform 7. Pulling up to the gare, we strapped down our backpacks tight and readied ourselves at the door. Luckily the old woman who had been in front of us got off at the stop before, or she would have been crushed. With three minutes to go, the tram doors opened, and the sprint began. I was in the lead as we dodged other citizens sprinting full force in flipflops. I flung around the corner into the entrance where the customs woman who saw us told the couple in front of me to let the young people through- the man moved for me in time, his wife….not so lucky. I ran into her a bit…nothing serious, but to be fair, she was warned.
Dashed up the stairs, and went up to the doors of the train, but panicked realizing we hadn’t “composter”-ed our tickets, we turned around but the conductor said to just get on because it was leaving.
We made it!
Today we took our placement tests for the CUEF grammar class. I first had an “oral exam” which was so easy I didn’t even know I was taking it- I just had to answer questions like “What’s your name?” while the woman filled out a sheet of paper. When she found out I was American, she was surprised, and said she thought I was Austrian. I took this as a good thing, I’m not sure why. She also told me that I have a very good accent (!!!), so maybe that’s why she thought I wasn’t American?
I then took the written/listening portion. It would have been helpful to know that it was being timed and what time it would end. All of the sudden the woman said, “15 minutes left!” and everyone panicked because no one was near done. I “finished” but I don’t think it was my best work, so hopefully I’m placed correctly. I then enrolled for my two courses that I pick. I chose “Perfectionnement Orale” and “Vocabulaire”, so oral perfection is conversational and vocabulary is…self-explanatory. I’ve taken enough literature classes at Madison, and in the long run what I want to keep is my speaking ability.
Tomorrow we don’t have class till 12, but just because they’re grading our exams- so I’ll find out tomorrow where I’m placed. Since we can sleep in, we’re going out tonight. That’s all for now, I hope everyone had a relaxing, fun Fourth of July, and I miss everyone!
06 July 2009
02 July 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
It’s hot. I’m lying on my bed at 10:30 at night with the window wide open, and just sweating. Ever since Sunday, there’s been humidity in the air that has not gone away. But to recap the past few days…
Friday night we ended up buying some wine and drinking it in the park (because apparently that’s not illegal here?). We mainly did that first because we didn’t want to shell out a ton of money at the bar. A good amount of people came (around 12 maybe), and at about 11:30 we went to Le Couche Tard (which means go to bed late). There was no one at the bar though, so we haven’t quite figured out what’s popular to do/go at night. I left around 12:30. It was fun to hang out with the group, but nothing spectacular.
Saturday morning woke up early to catch our group trip to Chambéry, the ‘historic capitol of the Savoie”. So the Savoy is the region of southern France that at one point was its own sovereign territory, owned neither by France nor Italy. We had a guided tour of the city. It was built around the 13th century I believe? And is constructed like Venice, using pilons as support because there used to be a lot of water (not anymore). We also saw some buildings where Jean Jacques Rousseau frequented during his 10-year stint there. The tour ended at a fountain with the front half of an elephant on each side, commemorating the Duc de Boigne? Yeah, me neither. People call it the ‘quatre sans culs’ which is a play on words of ‘quatre cent coups”. The second being the four hundred blows (as in strikes or hits) as in the war, and the former meaning the four without asses (aka, the elephants’ front halves).
After the tour we had a group lunch at a restaurant called ‘Le Sporting’. Salad, chicken, duck, potatoes, green beens, and chocolate cake…miam! As the French say. It was a two hour lunch, but that’s how they do it here. We then were set free to explore on our own. Some of us tried to shop because this is the time of ‘soldes’ which is a three week period of sales in nearly every store, but we didn’t find anything so wonderful that is was worth paying what was still a high price for being on sale. So three of us found a park and just talked for the last half hour or so before our train left.
When I got back, it was dinner time chez Isabelle, and she asked me, “You’ve been speaking English all day haven’t you?” Uh-oh…. It’s amazing that she can tell, and that my French declines that much by speaking more English just for one day. Our group is pretty good with balancing though. Obviously it would be the most beneficial for us to always speak French 24/7 with each other, but it is really taxing on your brain, and we already have very intense classes in French, along with talking with our families at mealtime, and navigating the French world that sometimes it helps (and is definitely much faster) to speak English. So it’s funny, because sometimes someone will ask a question, and without warning, another will answer in French, and then everyone starts speaking French. It shifts back and forth a lot.
After dinner 7 or so of us met at the movies for a relaxing night. We saw ‘Les Beaux Gosses’, which I would compare to a ‘Superbad’ in that it’s a comedy about awkward nerdy teenagers trying to pick up girls and (awkward) hilarity ensues. I was surprised at how much I understood because teenagers here use a lot of slang and in the past, movies in French have always been difficult for how fast they talk and the sometimes unfamiliarity of the subject matter. Anyway, it was very good, and because it’s Fete du Cinema this week, we got a pass that will get us into any movie this week for only 3E as opposed to 7.
Sunday I ‘slept in’, but not very late because I’ve gotten used to getting up early. I wrote my paper right away, in my pajamas, then showered and met a group of girls for lunch and ‘doing homework’. I was disgusted by the pigeons eating the leftover food from the people who had left the table next to us (outdoor café). I had pasta with pesto, which was strange. Usually I think of pesto as a kind of green sauce, but this was more like crushed green herbs, which I guess is what pesto is supposed to be, but it was still not what I expected. After that I went to the internet café and skyped Tanner until my computer screen went black. PANIC!!! I turned it off and restarted it but it happened again. A primal fear stirring in me, I rushed upstairs to see if plugging it in would help because it was on a special power saver mode, so I thought maybe it did that on low battery. It’s worked fine ever since, so hopefully it was a one-time thing.
We eat tomatoes a lot. Probably because it’s ‘what’s in season’. I like tomatoes, and Isabelle prepares them differently every night, so I don’t mind. But it’s interesting. It’s also very different that she gets all of her ingredients for dinner every day. As in, she really only keeps a few basic ingredients in the kitchen and every day has to go buy what she’ll make for dinner.
Monday for part of class we went to some strange exhibit about the history of the construction of the hospital? Bizarre, but it killed time. These first two weeks we have one class that lasts from 9-1. Monday is four hours of placement tests, and then we’ll have three days a week of four hours of classes, and the other two are 5.5 hours.
After class Monday we saw Transformers 2, in French bien sûr. It was surprisingly much harder to understand than the real French movie. But I realized it was probably because 1-their lips don’t match what they’re saying, and 2- French robot voices? No thanks. All the same, after a while, you got used to it and you don’t even realize that it’s in French anymore, and I followed the plot just fine.
After class today I went to the park for internet purposes, then went grocery shopping to buy lunch things. It’s too expensive, and not worth it (as in it’s not that good) to buy lunch every day. So, I bought sandwich accoutrements, yogurt, granola bars, and cookies/a different kind of cookie . The last two were an effect from me being so ravenously hungry when I went to the store- it being 3:30 and I had not yet eaten lunch.
I would say one of the most difficult things of being in a foreign country is giving up the fear of being really awkward and/or appearing really stupid. The latter is especially difficult for me. I bring this up now because at the grocery store, I had no idea where the ziplock bags were to put my sandwiches in. I first looked everywhere. Then I resorted to approaching a nice looking woman with not many people around and saying, “Excusez-moi, est-ce que vous savez ou on peut trouver les sacs en plastique ou on peut mettre les sandwichs?” And with a few pauses added in, which basically means, “Excuse me, do you know where I can find plastic bags where I can put sandwiches?” I didn’t know if they say “ziplock” here, or if sacs was even the right word to use for a baggie, or if mettre was the right verb to use (the meaning is correct in English, but there could be a different verb for this purpose), she told me they’re on the 1ere etage, which actually means second floor. In France, what we call the first floor is the rez-du-chausee, and then the second floor is the 1st, etc. So, I ended up finding the bags. I also had no idea what the (teenage) cashier said to me when checking out and telling me that there was no barcode on the cheese I was trying to buy, and to go back and pick out one with a barcode. I was only confused for a few seconds, and by the 3rd time she told me I understood, but it’s embarrassing with a line of people behind you!!! Oh well, barcode wasn’t in my medieval literature class ;)
Tomorrow class is another field trip, but all-day! We’re going to Vizille, an important town during the Revolution. This weekend it’s been decided that we’re travelling to Geneva! Will update autant que possible! Salut!
Friday night we ended up buying some wine and drinking it in the park (because apparently that’s not illegal here?). We mainly did that first because we didn’t want to shell out a ton of money at the bar. A good amount of people came (around 12 maybe), and at about 11:30 we went to Le Couche Tard (which means go to bed late). There was no one at the bar though, so we haven’t quite figured out what’s popular to do/go at night. I left around 12:30. It was fun to hang out with the group, but nothing spectacular.
Saturday morning woke up early to catch our group trip to Chambéry, the ‘historic capitol of the Savoie”. So the Savoy is the region of southern France that at one point was its own sovereign territory, owned neither by France nor Italy. We had a guided tour of the city. It was built around the 13th century I believe? And is constructed like Venice, using pilons as support because there used to be a lot of water (not anymore). We also saw some buildings where Jean Jacques Rousseau frequented during his 10-year stint there. The tour ended at a fountain with the front half of an elephant on each side, commemorating the Duc de Boigne? Yeah, me neither. People call it the ‘quatre sans culs’ which is a play on words of ‘quatre cent coups”. The second being the four hundred blows (as in strikes or hits) as in the war, and the former meaning the four without asses (aka, the elephants’ front halves).
After the tour we had a group lunch at a restaurant called ‘Le Sporting’. Salad, chicken, duck, potatoes, green beens, and chocolate cake…miam! As the French say. It was a two hour lunch, but that’s how they do it here. We then were set free to explore on our own. Some of us tried to shop because this is the time of ‘soldes’ which is a three week period of sales in nearly every store, but we didn’t find anything so wonderful that is was worth paying what was still a high price for being on sale. So three of us found a park and just talked for the last half hour or so before our train left.
When I got back, it was dinner time chez Isabelle, and she asked me, “You’ve been speaking English all day haven’t you?” Uh-oh…. It’s amazing that she can tell, and that my French declines that much by speaking more English just for one day. Our group is pretty good with balancing though. Obviously it would be the most beneficial for us to always speak French 24/7 with each other, but it is really taxing on your brain, and we already have very intense classes in French, along with talking with our families at mealtime, and navigating the French world that sometimes it helps (and is definitely much faster) to speak English. So it’s funny, because sometimes someone will ask a question, and without warning, another will answer in French, and then everyone starts speaking French. It shifts back and forth a lot.
After dinner 7 or so of us met at the movies for a relaxing night. We saw ‘Les Beaux Gosses’, which I would compare to a ‘Superbad’ in that it’s a comedy about awkward nerdy teenagers trying to pick up girls and (awkward) hilarity ensues. I was surprised at how much I understood because teenagers here use a lot of slang and in the past, movies in French have always been difficult for how fast they talk and the sometimes unfamiliarity of the subject matter. Anyway, it was very good, and because it’s Fete du Cinema this week, we got a pass that will get us into any movie this week for only 3E as opposed to 7.
Sunday I ‘slept in’, but not very late because I’ve gotten used to getting up early. I wrote my paper right away, in my pajamas, then showered and met a group of girls for lunch and ‘doing homework’. I was disgusted by the pigeons eating the leftover food from the people who had left the table next to us (outdoor café). I had pasta with pesto, which was strange. Usually I think of pesto as a kind of green sauce, but this was more like crushed green herbs, which I guess is what pesto is supposed to be, but it was still not what I expected. After that I went to the internet café and skyped Tanner until my computer screen went black. PANIC!!! I turned it off and restarted it but it happened again. A primal fear stirring in me, I rushed upstairs to see if plugging it in would help because it was on a special power saver mode, so I thought maybe it did that on low battery. It’s worked fine ever since, so hopefully it was a one-time thing.
We eat tomatoes a lot. Probably because it’s ‘what’s in season’. I like tomatoes, and Isabelle prepares them differently every night, so I don’t mind. But it’s interesting. It’s also very different that she gets all of her ingredients for dinner every day. As in, she really only keeps a few basic ingredients in the kitchen and every day has to go buy what she’ll make for dinner.
Monday for part of class we went to some strange exhibit about the history of the construction of the hospital? Bizarre, but it killed time. These first two weeks we have one class that lasts from 9-1. Monday is four hours of placement tests, and then we’ll have three days a week of four hours of classes, and the other two are 5.5 hours.
After class Monday we saw Transformers 2, in French bien sûr. It was surprisingly much harder to understand than the real French movie. But I realized it was probably because 1-their lips don’t match what they’re saying, and 2- French robot voices? No thanks. All the same, after a while, you got used to it and you don’t even realize that it’s in French anymore, and I followed the plot just fine.
After class today I went to the park for internet purposes, then went grocery shopping to buy lunch things. It’s too expensive, and not worth it (as in it’s not that good) to buy lunch every day. So, I bought sandwich accoutrements, yogurt, granola bars, and cookies/a different kind of cookie . The last two were an effect from me being so ravenously hungry when I went to the store- it being 3:30 and I had not yet eaten lunch.
I would say one of the most difficult things of being in a foreign country is giving up the fear of being really awkward and/or appearing really stupid. The latter is especially difficult for me. I bring this up now because at the grocery store, I had no idea where the ziplock bags were to put my sandwiches in. I first looked everywhere. Then I resorted to approaching a nice looking woman with not many people around and saying, “Excusez-moi, est-ce que vous savez ou on peut trouver les sacs en plastique ou on peut mettre les sandwichs?” And with a few pauses added in, which basically means, “Excuse me, do you know where I can find plastic bags where I can put sandwiches?” I didn’t know if they say “ziplock” here, or if sacs was even the right word to use for a baggie, or if mettre was the right verb to use (the meaning is correct in English, but there could be a different verb for this purpose), she told me they’re on the 1ere etage, which actually means second floor. In France, what we call the first floor is the rez-du-chausee, and then the second floor is the 1st, etc. So, I ended up finding the bags. I also had no idea what the (teenage) cashier said to me when checking out and telling me that there was no barcode on the cheese I was trying to buy, and to go back and pick out one with a barcode. I was only confused for a few seconds, and by the 3rd time she told me I understood, but it’s embarrassing with a line of people behind you!!! Oh well, barcode wasn’t in my medieval literature class ;)
Tomorrow class is another field trip, but all-day! We’re going to Vizille, an important town during the Revolution. This weekend it’s been decided that we’re travelling to Geneva! Will update autant que possible! Salut!
28 June 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Hmm, what has happened? Wednesday I don’t think there was much to report on, except that I ate lunch by myself (brave!) at a creperie. I don’t think the waiter discovered I wasn’t French until the very end (if he did at all?). Yesterday (Thursday), half of the class time was spent at the art museum! It was good- lots of religious paintings, which I always like (not kidding), no Renoir though- disappointing. However, there was one Monet, so it wasn’t all bad. I realized I’m starting my “I walk by myself at historic sites” thing. Not that I don’t want people to walk with me, or that I explicitly told people that, but often times in museums or other historical/cultural landmarks, everyone spends different amounts of time looking at things, and it’s more of a reflective, individual experience. So yes, I’m in the same room as other people from my group, and yes I still talk to them, but I don’t need people waiting for me or me waiting for them. I am enjoying something in my own time, which I don’t find anything wrong with.
I stopped in the gift shop afterward and bought a Renoir calendar. Almost bought some Robert Doisneau cards, but then hesitated because I didn’t like the selection. After the museum, we split up to get portable food and rendez-vous’d at Place Victor Hugo. I had pizza with gruyere cheese and tomatoes. I then persuaded the group to get gelato. I chose raspberry, good choice. We then spent some time criticizing our professor.
I have a 20 minute presentation on Monday. That meant I had to do double the homework last night to be able to give her my subject idea today. My presentation is on a book we haven’t started yet. So, last night I started to read it, and discovered: whoa, this is extremely difficult. And I had no problem with the first book, unlike some others in the class. My host mom, Isabelle, asked to see what we were reading, so I showed it to her. She started reading it and from the first sentences looked up at me with wide eyes and said, “This is difficult language!”. Um…..yeah. She then proceeded to go through the introduction with me- it’s only around 3 pages, but it took around an hour to do. It’s filled not only with lyric language written in an uncommon verb tense, but it’s choc-full of allusions. Am I supposed to know about the war between Lorraine and Germany? I didn’t think so. Anyway, Isabelle then asked how far we had to read for homework. When I showed her, she said, “Quelle vache! Ma pauvre belle” meaning “What a cow! (in reference to my prof.) My poor girl!”.
Yesterday I met Liza, Isabelle’s daughter. She’s 20. She talks very fast, but doesn’t use slang like some other French youth, so I could pretty much understand her. Apparently Liza later told her mom that she was very impressed by my French. Score!!!
A big group went out last night, but I was stuck with too much work. Apparently 2 girls in the group were followed by a man on the tram—Scary!!! And it was only 11. Today was alright. It’s depressing to admit, but today’s class went by much more quickly because we had a debate and an in-class essay. I then stayed after to try the wifi-with no success. Apparently it’s not working for anyone? (Including the technician in the media room, nor the regular internet on the computers in the room….awesome). So I gave up and took up my usual post at Place Victor Hugo. Got some more euro successfully from the atm. Tonight a group was planning to go out, but it’s storming so I don’t know if that will still happen. If it’s nicer out, I’ll go. We have an excursion tomorrow to Chambery, the “historic capitol of the Savoie”. Not sure what that means either. We have a guided tour of the city, lunch and then free time with an African festival?? Whatever, should be fun to be with the whole group.
One thing I keep forgetting to mention: the first day, Isabelle asked me how to say my name. She was like is it “keh tee” or “kah-tee”. So I said “keh tee” cause that’s the French way to say it, and that’s how all my profs. at school say it. She said that’s what she thought, but the program was like no, it’s “kah-tee”. So the next morning I woke up to find a note telling me she had gone to the market, and starting with “Bonjour Kitty!”. HAHAHAHA. So apparently I’m “Kitty”. Oh well, While in France…or something like that.
Till the next time- Katie. (or Kitty, if you prefer)
I stopped in the gift shop afterward and bought a Renoir calendar. Almost bought some Robert Doisneau cards, but then hesitated because I didn’t like the selection. After the museum, we split up to get portable food and rendez-vous’d at Place Victor Hugo. I had pizza with gruyere cheese and tomatoes. I then persuaded the group to get gelato. I chose raspberry, good choice. We then spent some time criticizing our professor.
I have a 20 minute presentation on Monday. That meant I had to do double the homework last night to be able to give her my subject idea today. My presentation is on a book we haven’t started yet. So, last night I started to read it, and discovered: whoa, this is extremely difficult. And I had no problem with the first book, unlike some others in the class. My host mom, Isabelle, asked to see what we were reading, so I showed it to her. She started reading it and from the first sentences looked up at me with wide eyes and said, “This is difficult language!”. Um…..yeah. She then proceeded to go through the introduction with me- it’s only around 3 pages, but it took around an hour to do. It’s filled not only with lyric language written in an uncommon verb tense, but it’s choc-full of allusions. Am I supposed to know about the war between Lorraine and Germany? I didn’t think so. Anyway, Isabelle then asked how far we had to read for homework. When I showed her, she said, “Quelle vache! Ma pauvre belle” meaning “What a cow! (in reference to my prof.) My poor girl!”.
Yesterday I met Liza, Isabelle’s daughter. She’s 20. She talks very fast, but doesn’t use slang like some other French youth, so I could pretty much understand her. Apparently Liza later told her mom that she was very impressed by my French. Score!!!
A big group went out last night, but I was stuck with too much work. Apparently 2 girls in the group were followed by a man on the tram—Scary!!! And it was only 11. Today was alright. It’s depressing to admit, but today’s class went by much more quickly because we had a debate and an in-class essay. I then stayed after to try the wifi-with no success. Apparently it’s not working for anyone? (Including the technician in the media room, nor the regular internet on the computers in the room….awesome). So I gave up and took up my usual post at Place Victor Hugo. Got some more euro successfully from the atm. Tonight a group was planning to go out, but it’s storming so I don’t know if that will still happen. If it’s nicer out, I’ll go. We have an excursion tomorrow to Chambery, the “historic capitol of the Savoie”. Not sure what that means either. We have a guided tour of the city, lunch and then free time with an African festival?? Whatever, should be fun to be with the whole group.
One thing I keep forgetting to mention: the first day, Isabelle asked me how to say my name. She was like is it “keh tee” or “kah-tee”. So I said “keh tee” cause that’s the French way to say it, and that’s how all my profs. at school say it. She said that’s what she thought, but the program was like no, it’s “kah-tee”. So the next morning I woke up to find a note telling me she had gone to the market, and starting with “Bonjour Kitty!”. HAHAHAHA. So apparently I’m “Kitty”. Oh well, While in France…or something like that.
Till the next time- Katie. (or Kitty, if you prefer)
24 June 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Hmm, I’m pretty sure Isabelle’s lover just left. The hall smells of smoke. Ok, I don’t really know if it’s her lover, but all of the sudden during dinner she got a phone call that he was paying a visit, so she quickly got herself ready and told me he was just dropping by for a minute and wasn’t staying long at all. I got the feeling though that she wasn’t going to introduce me, so I went into my room. Once he came, I went to the café next door to do homework. I came back at 930, and was greeted by the smell of tobacco. It wasn’t too bad, I don’t know if it was just him smoking or what, cause that was the first time it smelled. Anyway, my room smells fine. He just left though (1130), and they were just in her room the whole time. But to be fair, there is nowhere else to go but the kitchen. Amusing.
So, on Sunday I came back to the apartment and tried to open the door. Although I had the code to the building, I couldn’t open it. I could tell it was correct because it would make the unlock noise but I’d tug and tug as hard as I could on both doors and neither would budge. It was during the day so I didn’t freak out too much, but still! Finally a man came up to me and told me to push the door inward. Smart Katie. But they look like you have to pull them! Anyway, to recap Fete de la Musique, a group of around 6 of us met at the park and just perused different artists. They are playing at nearly every street corner, but none interested us too much. (Interjection: I think this might be a sleepover, he’s still here!) So it was nice to do something, but the event itself wasn’t too special. I came back at 1130, and got the door open, but didn’t know where the hall light was so I felt my way up three flights of stairs, gripping the skeleton key for dear life that no one was lurking in the corner. Reset my alarm from 1030 am to what you would think was 715 am…
Woke up Monday morning and looked at my watch. 858. Class starts at 9. I’m no rocket scientist, but I’m fairly certain that is something to fear. I was in shock for about 10 seconds, immovable, and then I went to it. Contacts, brush teeth, throw clothes on, grab backpack. Out the door in 3 minutes, a new PR to be sure (usually takes me an hour to get ready). Ran to the tram (luckily close), luckily came right away, but it still takes a few minutes to get over there. Luckily Isabelle had told me which tram to take and which stop to get off (Thanks, CUEF for giving us that info….), and luckily I remembered it without writing it down. Got into the building at 930, half hour late. They never told us our room number, so I was stuck. I then ran into Mike, who was also a few minutes late. We wandered around, listening at classroom doors, unsuccessfully. We went to the cafeteria and I asked for a public telephone. We got there, and luckily Mike had his calling card with him, and I had the profs’ phone numbers. It took us about 10 dials to get it right, and when we did, we got their voicemails. That really helps, huh? Anyway, that’s when Alex (different than earlier) ran into us. She had been on time, but didn’t know where to go. So the three of us, an hour later, “found” the group in the lobby. The other prof was really nice about it, but our prof wasn’t. Too bad it’s her opinion that counts—she’s pretty strict, and not necessarily mean but I don’t think I like her. I’m not totally outraged that she included the first day as being tardy, but I thought it was a little ridiculous. Anyway, we were just in time for the scavenger hunt, which I guess was a little helpful in finding where some things were (however, Isabelle, who used to work for CUEF, said she used to run it and it was much more helpful). Then we came back, only to be dismissed….
Four of us went to the Creperie which is a block away from my place. Good stuff! Although Mike gave away our American-ness, so the waiter spoke English the whole time. Oh well. We then went to Monoprix and I bought a notebook so that Julie (prof) wouldn’t think I was out of my mind for not having paper the first day. Je m’excuse. Then went to buy an alarm at Galleries Lafayette (huge French chain). I asked for them, and we followed where he pointed, which was leading toward lingerie? I was like, “Did I ask for this?!?!”. But alas, they were just before the lingerie. Anyway, Mike and I were then offered extra alarms by the other two with us, so we didn’t buy them.
Sidenote: I seem to be the one in many public places asking for directions, etc. I kind of like it.
We then parted ways, and I grabbed my computer and went to the park for a bit. After that, came back and I had dinner with Isabelle. We (meaning I had while she watched, per usual) had noodles and olive oil, tomatoes with cheese, and some kind of boca-burger like substance? With soy sauce no bun? It was good though. We actually talked for 2 hours. She doesn’t necessarily interrupt me, but many times I try to say something, and she just keeps talking. Sometimes I have to talk over her (which I know is rude) to communicate something. Anyway, it was good conversation, about the way technology has so rapidly changed life. But I also learned about her divorce…that’s she’s somewhat depressed…that she left the city she loved to live in Grenoble with her husband and now they’re divorced… she doesn’t have much money…all things that you are taught the French are really discrete about. She’s really nice, she’s not psycho, but still. I also find that she will ask how my day was, etc., but I have to ask her the conversation topics.
Got back to my room at 9. Whoaa!!! Started homework, finished at 1230. It was in English, and really philosophical in a ‘making something out of nothing’ way that I despise. Today woke up on time woohoo! (Oh, apparently the other day my watch reset to pm when I changed the time—why would it reset to pm? Who makes a watch like that??). Got to class on time—it was looonnnggg. Four hours for one class is difficult, especially considering the dull subject matter, “Illness”. Got out, got a sandwich with Mike, Alex (I’ll call her Alex A for now), and the other other Alex (not Alex M, I’ll call her Alex B for now). –3 Alex’s and all girls!! Anyway, I ordered a café au lait, which in this case came out of a machine. The hot milk came out, and then nothing happened….I stared at it, then removed the cup, at which point the coffee dumped all over the machine. Cool. Enjoyed my sandwich and hot milk, then came back and computered in the park again. I look like a fool skyping because it basically looks like I’m talking to myself with a computer in my lap.
Got some chocolat ice cream (finally!!!) Was so good. Walked around the block with it, and there are lots of restaurants around. Got back, and did half my homework. Ate dinner (omelet and pasta), then the lover situation happened, and you know the rest….
Ok, but really I think he did leave now. Oh! And the glacial river showers I’ve been taking should be a thing of the past now because I asked Isabelle about it, and she realized she neglected to tell me that in the shower, the hot and cold knobs are reserved, so the red one means cold. Good to know.
Other things: I think my accent may be good enough to fool these French for a bit, but then I make a grammatical mistake and they correct me and know. I told Isabelle to correct me, and she has started to a little, but not often. She says I make few mistakes, and am the most fluent student (at the beginning) she’s had (out of 5-6). Alright, long enough entry, a bientot! (with inserted correct accents)
So, on Sunday I came back to the apartment and tried to open the door. Although I had the code to the building, I couldn’t open it. I could tell it was correct because it would make the unlock noise but I’d tug and tug as hard as I could on both doors and neither would budge. It was during the day so I didn’t freak out too much, but still! Finally a man came up to me and told me to push the door inward. Smart Katie. But they look like you have to pull them! Anyway, to recap Fete de la Musique, a group of around 6 of us met at the park and just perused different artists. They are playing at nearly every street corner, but none interested us too much. (Interjection: I think this might be a sleepover, he’s still here!) So it was nice to do something, but the event itself wasn’t too special. I came back at 1130, and got the door open, but didn’t know where the hall light was so I felt my way up three flights of stairs, gripping the skeleton key for dear life that no one was lurking in the corner. Reset my alarm from 1030 am to what you would think was 715 am…
Woke up Monday morning and looked at my watch. 858. Class starts at 9. I’m no rocket scientist, but I’m fairly certain that is something to fear. I was in shock for about 10 seconds, immovable, and then I went to it. Contacts, brush teeth, throw clothes on, grab backpack. Out the door in 3 minutes, a new PR to be sure (usually takes me an hour to get ready). Ran to the tram (luckily close), luckily came right away, but it still takes a few minutes to get over there. Luckily Isabelle had told me which tram to take and which stop to get off (Thanks, CUEF for giving us that info….), and luckily I remembered it without writing it down. Got into the building at 930, half hour late. They never told us our room number, so I was stuck. I then ran into Mike, who was also a few minutes late. We wandered around, listening at classroom doors, unsuccessfully. We went to the cafeteria and I asked for a public telephone. We got there, and luckily Mike had his calling card with him, and I had the profs’ phone numbers. It took us about 10 dials to get it right, and when we did, we got their voicemails. That really helps, huh? Anyway, that’s when Alex (different than earlier) ran into us. She had been on time, but didn’t know where to go. So the three of us, an hour later, “found” the group in the lobby. The other prof was really nice about it, but our prof wasn’t. Too bad it’s her opinion that counts—she’s pretty strict, and not necessarily mean but I don’t think I like her. I’m not totally outraged that she included the first day as being tardy, but I thought it was a little ridiculous. Anyway, we were just in time for the scavenger hunt, which I guess was a little helpful in finding where some things were (however, Isabelle, who used to work for CUEF, said she used to run it and it was much more helpful). Then we came back, only to be dismissed….
Four of us went to the Creperie which is a block away from my place. Good stuff! Although Mike gave away our American-ness, so the waiter spoke English the whole time. Oh well. We then went to Monoprix and I bought a notebook so that Julie (prof) wouldn’t think I was out of my mind for not having paper the first day. Je m’excuse. Then went to buy an alarm at Galleries Lafayette (huge French chain). I asked for them, and we followed where he pointed, which was leading toward lingerie? I was like, “Did I ask for this?!?!”. But alas, they were just before the lingerie. Anyway, Mike and I were then offered extra alarms by the other two with us, so we didn’t buy them.
Sidenote: I seem to be the one in many public places asking for directions, etc. I kind of like it.
We then parted ways, and I grabbed my computer and went to the park for a bit. After that, came back and I had dinner with Isabelle. We (meaning I had while she watched, per usual) had noodles and olive oil, tomatoes with cheese, and some kind of boca-burger like substance? With soy sauce no bun? It was good though. We actually talked for 2 hours. She doesn’t necessarily interrupt me, but many times I try to say something, and she just keeps talking. Sometimes I have to talk over her (which I know is rude) to communicate something. Anyway, it was good conversation, about the way technology has so rapidly changed life. But I also learned about her divorce…that’s she’s somewhat depressed…that she left the city she loved to live in Grenoble with her husband and now they’re divorced… she doesn’t have much money…all things that you are taught the French are really discrete about. She’s really nice, she’s not psycho, but still. I also find that she will ask how my day was, etc., but I have to ask her the conversation topics.
Got back to my room at 9. Whoaa!!! Started homework, finished at 1230. It was in English, and really philosophical in a ‘making something out of nothing’ way that I despise. Today woke up on time woohoo! (Oh, apparently the other day my watch reset to pm when I changed the time—why would it reset to pm? Who makes a watch like that??). Got to class on time—it was looonnnggg. Four hours for one class is difficult, especially considering the dull subject matter, “Illness”. Got out, got a sandwich with Mike, Alex (I’ll call her Alex A for now), and the other other Alex (not Alex M, I’ll call her Alex B for now). –3 Alex’s and all girls!! Anyway, I ordered a café au lait, which in this case came out of a machine. The hot milk came out, and then nothing happened….I stared at it, then removed the cup, at which point the coffee dumped all over the machine. Cool. Enjoyed my sandwich and hot milk, then came back and computered in the park again. I look like a fool skyping because it basically looks like I’m talking to myself with a computer in my lap.
Got some chocolat ice cream (finally!!!) Was so good. Walked around the block with it, and there are lots of restaurants around. Got back, and did half my homework. Ate dinner (omelet and pasta), then the lover situation happened, and you know the rest….
Ok, but really I think he did leave now. Oh! And the glacial river showers I’ve been taking should be a thing of the past now because I asked Isabelle about it, and she realized she neglected to tell me that in the shower, the hot and cold knobs are reserved, so the red one means cold. Good to know.
Other things: I think my accent may be good enough to fool these French for a bit, but then I make a grammatical mistake and they correct me and know. I told Isabelle to correct me, and she has started to a little, but not often. She says I make few mistakes, and am the most fluent student (at the beginning) she’s had (out of 5-6). Alright, long enough entry, a bientot! (with inserted correct accents)
22 June 2009
Soon to come...
Stay tuned for future postings of La Fete de La Musique, not being able to open my apartment door, and waking up two minutes before class starts.
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