My French classes have officially begun and my first impressions are not so good. But it has only been the second day so we shall see what happens. The afternoon (culture) classes have been really interesting so far and it'll be difficult to chose which one to go to.
On Tuesday Cat and I went to her house to watch the inauguration of Obama and because it was live we thought there would just be French subtitles but then they were dubbing the speech so we had to watch it on her computer while her host sisters watched it on the TV.
Afterward we went out to celebrate Cat's birthday and by the end of the night it was just Cat and I left and we decided to walk a little bit to save some taxi money but when we tried calling a taxi, it said that the number was wrong even though I had already used to number once. So at this point we are no where near downtown and a tram passed by so we hopped on it in the hopes that it was going downtown so we could regroup. However, this tram took us to someplace where we had never been. So being completely lost we starting freaking out, but luckily as we were about to have panic attacks, Cat saw a taxi and jumped in front of it.
So today is the only day of the week that I have 8:3o class and I was all prepared but I forgot to set my alarm clock last night. So when I woke up and it was light outside I was freaking out and saw that it was 8:30. I ran to put clothes and ran to the bus (twisting my ankle in the process). However, the little bus was late so I had to wait for another bus to come and then I got on. However, this bus although it was the same number did not go to the campus and since I had no idea where I was I stayed on the bus until the end of the line and finally the bus driver asks me where I wanted to go. When I told him he started shaking his head and then went into a restaurant for a while for his break. However, when the bus finally did go to the campus he opened the doors and let me out at the building where my class was even though it wasn't a bus stop.
I made it class for the last 30 minutes and then the teacher asks why I was late so I had to explain my stupidity in front of the whole class =/
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Day Trip to Lyon
Lyon is only about an half and half train ride away from Grenoble so our teacher Victor took us there on a trip. The day started out pretty early and the first thing that we did when we got there was take the funicular, which is like a roller coaster in the beginning where it just pulls the cars up a little bit at a time. It took us up to see this Church where every year there is a pilgrimage.
After the Church we had some free time to grab lunch so everyone that wasn't a vegetarian decided to go to buchon, which Lyon is famous for. My host mom tried to warn me about some of the food there but since I didn't know how to spell the things I was not able to heed her warning. The meal started out well with a Lyonaise sausage with brioche. It was surprsingly good. Then I ordered something, I was not really sure what it was when I ordered. But I figured that since it was a menu that people must eat it and like it. When the plate comes it looks like a giant piece of fried fish. I cut into it and discovered that it was not fish, but instead tripe. I tried to eat some of it but could only eat like 3 bites of it. After that dish I decided to play it safe with a lemon pie, while Cat inadvertently ordered prunes in wine.
Victor took us to this museum about the French Resistance and Deportation during WWII. It was interesting but the museum was badly laid out. And then some people went to the museum of Fine Art but I was tired so a group of us decided to catch the 5:15 train. I don't know why but Victor sent of off walking to a really far metro station in Vieux Lyon so the 5 of us were power walking because we only had about 25 minutes to catch our train.
When we all got to the metro station I saw that the train was about to leave to we all run and make it one, but as Lauren just reached the train the doors literally closed on her. She wasn't able to make it because most of her was still on the platform. The rest of us unsure whether or not we should wait for her or not, kept going to see if we could make the train. We finally got off but had to make a transfer within the Metro and we were all running trying to make the train.
Finally when we arrived at the train station, we couldn't find where our train was departing from. Frantically searching I discovered that it was the J platform but I only saw the elevator as a way to reach it so we all ran into the elevator which moved so slowly. But finally we made it to the train. After trying to find seats one of us gets a call and it's Lauren! She made it to the train station and she was almost at the right platform. As she was about to make it on the train, the doors were starting to close. But I said that it couldn't happen again so I forced the doors open and she was able to make the train.
However, from what everyone says about trains in Europe are always on time LIED because after all of that effort the train was 30 minutes. So we didn't need to ran everywhere in Lyon to catch the train. Oh well, I am just glad we made the train because I was exhausted especially after my earlier culinary adventure.
After the Church we had some free time to grab lunch so everyone that wasn't a vegetarian decided to go to buchon, which Lyon is famous for. My host mom tried to warn me about some of the food there but since I didn't know how to spell the things I was not able to heed her warning. The meal started out well with a Lyonaise sausage with brioche. It was surprsingly good. Then I ordered something, I was not really sure what it was when I ordered. But I figured that since it was a menu that people must eat it and like it. When the plate comes it looks like a giant piece of fried fish. I cut into it and discovered that it was not fish, but instead tripe. I tried to eat some of it but could only eat like 3 bites of it. After that dish I decided to play it safe with a lemon pie, while Cat inadvertently ordered prunes in wine.
Victor took us to this museum about the French Resistance and Deportation during WWII. It was interesting but the museum was badly laid out. And then some people went to the museum of Fine Art but I was tired so a group of us decided to catch the 5:15 train. I don't know why but Victor sent of off walking to a really far metro station in Vieux Lyon so the 5 of us were power walking because we only had about 25 minutes to catch our train.
When we all got to the metro station I saw that the train was about to leave to we all run and make it one, but as Lauren just reached the train the doors literally closed on her. She wasn't able to make it because most of her was still on the platform. The rest of us unsure whether or not we should wait for her or not, kept going to see if we could make the train. We finally got off but had to make a transfer within the Metro and we were all running trying to make the train.
Finally when we arrived at the train station, we couldn't find where our train was departing from. Frantically searching I discovered that it was the J platform but I only saw the elevator as a way to reach it so we all ran into the elevator which moved so slowly. But finally we made it to the train. After trying to find seats one of us gets a call and it's Lauren! She made it to the train station and she was almost at the right platform. As she was about to make it on the train, the doors were starting to close. But I said that it couldn't happen again so I forced the doors open and she was able to make the train.
However, from what everyone says about trains in Europe are always on time LIED because after all of that effort the train was 30 minutes. So we didn't need to ran everywhere in Lyon to catch the train. Oh well, I am just glad we made the train because I was exhausted especially after my earlier culinary adventure.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Placement Test
Well today was the day of the dreaded placement test which places you into a certain level according to your French skills. I'll I have to say is that it was dreaded for a reason. We were told that we would start with the listening/writing section which was good so we good practice for the oral section. I should have known that the test was going to be ridiculous when I said that the test wouldn't be that bad and then all of the lights in the room went out. It was just destined to go down-hill from there.
We actually had to do the oral part first. I was not the first to go so I was able to hear the kind of questions that were being asked and they weren't that bad. Such as where has your family done on vacation? do you like to dance? Well it's finally my turn and I am thinking okay I can do this and then she asks me why I am studying French. So I say because it's a diplomatic language and I want to be a diplomat which she then counters with why. Which sends me stumbling around trying to think not only in English but in French as well. After narrowly avoiding catastrophe with that she then asks me what I find interesting on the news lately. Well since all of the news here in France is in French I can't understand half of it so I haven't been watching it. Basically the only thing I know is the crisis between Israel and Palestine. So I say that. BAD IDEA! She then asks why it interests me so then I had to come up with something which took a while yet again. So here I am trying to explain the Israel and Palestine conflict in another language while it is confusing enough in my native language. Basically it sucked. I have no idea why I got all of the hard questions while others got asked what countries they know.
At least it is over now so I won't be stressing about it over the weekend.
We actually had to do the oral part first. I was not the first to go so I was able to hear the kind of questions that were being asked and they weren't that bad. Such as where has your family done on vacation? do you like to dance? Well it's finally my turn and I am thinking okay I can do this and then she asks me why I am studying French. So I say because it's a diplomatic language and I want to be a diplomat which she then counters with why. Which sends me stumbling around trying to think not only in English but in French as well. After narrowly avoiding catastrophe with that she then asks me what I find interesting on the news lately. Well since all of the news here in France is in French I can't understand half of it so I haven't been watching it. Basically the only thing I know is the crisis between Israel and Palestine. So I say that. BAD IDEA! She then asks why it interests me so then I had to come up with something which took a while yet again. So here I am trying to explain the Israel and Palestine conflict in another language while it is confusing enough in my native language. Basically it sucked. I have no idea why I got all of the hard questions while others got asked what countries they know.
At least it is over now so I won't be stressing about it over the weekend.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
The Start
So when I got into Grenoble on the 4th, Victor (my teacher) took us around the town which took all of about 5 minutes and then left us to our own devices. A couple of us decided to climb the stairs of "La Bastille" which was originally built to see intruders from Italy and then later was used during the French Revolution. So this is about 2.5 KM up a steep hill on steps. I should have been in the other group that just went walking around town =)
Half way up the hill I was tired and didn't want to go any higher but then this cute 70ish year old French woman was encouraging me up the hill. Now this is sad on many accounts because she should not be giving me advice I should be giving her advice. Oh well. I started goging back up the stairs and we starting talking. During the conversation we went over what we (Julia and I) were doing in France and how old we were, ect... And she said that I spoke better French, but Julia could climb the stairs better. Either way it was really funny.
After that we went out to dinner in the Italian Quartier and had some pizza and pasta. And then we were all so tired that we just passed out at about 9:30 at night.
The next the director of API (the program SU is going through over here in Grenoble) took us on another walking tour of Grenoble. And then finally it was time to meet our families.
I was the only one with a dad to come pick them up and then he took me to Carrefour, which is like a HUGE Target with a full grocery store and clothes and other things. Basically whatever you could possibly need or think of would be in this store.
Then it was finally off to the house where I meet the mom and the brothers and sister. Edouard (21) doesn't live at home but is studying in Toulosse. Charles (19) is studying economics at Grenoble and Clementine (15) who is still in high school. They are all really nice and really welcoming. The dad speaks English and so does Edouard and Charles. But Francoise (the mom) and Clementine don't really. However, they all said that I spoke well and that I was doing fine, which is something I think.
Today we had our first day of classes with Victor. Cat (who lives literally down the street from me) and I took the buses to school today and Charles came along to show us how it works and which one we take and where it goes. That was really nice especially because we would have been so lost without his help.
However, our commute was not helped by the fact that it was snowing! I discovered that snow is pretty but not practical.
Half way up the hill I was tired and didn't want to go any higher but then this cute 70ish year old French woman was encouraging me up the hill. Now this is sad on many accounts because she should not be giving me advice I should be giving her advice. Oh well. I started goging back up the stairs and we starting talking. During the conversation we went over what we (Julia and I) were doing in France and how old we were, ect... And she said that I spoke better French, but Julia could climb the stairs better. Either way it was really funny.
After that we went out to dinner in the Italian Quartier and had some pizza and pasta. And then we were all so tired that we just passed out at about 9:30 at night.
The next the director of API (the program SU is going through over here in Grenoble) took us on another walking tour of Grenoble. And then finally it was time to meet our families.
I was the only one with a dad to come pick them up and then he took me to Carrefour, which is like a HUGE Target with a full grocery store and clothes and other things. Basically whatever you could possibly need or think of would be in this store.
Then it was finally off to the house where I meet the mom and the brothers and sister. Edouard (21) doesn't live at home but is studying in Toulosse. Charles (19) is studying economics at Grenoble and Clementine (15) who is still in high school. They are all really nice and really welcoming. The dad speaks English and so does Edouard and Charles. But Francoise (the mom) and Clementine don't really. However, they all said that I spoke well and that I was doing fine, which is something I think.
Today we had our first day of classes with Victor. Cat (who lives literally down the street from me) and I took the buses to school today and Charles came along to show us how it works and which one we take and where it goes. That was really nice especially because we would have been so lost without his help.
However, our commute was not helped by the fact that it was snowing! I discovered that snow is pretty but not practical.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Life in Paris
I really don't know why some people think that the French are snobby and unhelpful. Our time in Paris was full ofwonderful people that were willing to help us out.
When we first arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport we thought are bags were lost because they were the last to arrive. Then we couldn't find the train that would finally take us to the Metro. Finally we found the RER B and tried to squeeze on with all of our bags (6 HUGE bags between the 4 of us with lots of little carry-ons). On the train some man got on who was carrying a rifle without a case or anything which is kind of a sketchy thing, but we made it off the train without any hassles.
At the metro station we couldn't find where to buy tickets and then when we did there was a HUGE line so we thought maybe we would take a taxi. But outside at the taxi line up there was no one there so after 15 minutes in the freezingcold we thought we would brave the metro station again. I had NO idea that the Metro would be so difficult with all of our bags because I thought that it would be handicap accessible...Well i was wrong, SO wrong. We had to make 3 transfers with about 4 flights of steps between the different metro lines. It was very difficult. Lucky someone was kind enough to help Cat carry her bags up the stairs because she was really struggling.
On the next Metro, Cat and I almost got stuck while Kathryn adn Julia got off the train because the doors didn't automatically open like i thought they would. I didn't know how to open them either and trying to get out the other doors my suitcase got caught on the stairs and the doors started closing, but some really nice man lept up to keep the doors open from closing for us.
At the hotel we had to wait an hour because they hadn't cleaned the room for us which kind of sucked because we were all tired and then the "elevator" was like a coffin so it only fits 1 person comfortablly so getting our suitcases to the 5th floor was an experience.
Once in the room everyone went to bed, but I wanted to explore a little bit so I walked around to get a feeling for the neighborhood which was really nice, and when I got back to the hoteleveryone was sleeping so I went to bed too. We all woke up at 4 in the morning, which was funny.
We went to the internet cafe that I found the night before and then to breakfast because we were all starving. We ate a tartine (bread, butter, and jam), fresh orange jucie, and coffee. It was really good and then went to a pharmacie to get some toiletries.
After that we tried to find a cell phone store that was open so we could buy our French cellphones. But since it was only 9 in the morning on a Friday, not much was open. We kept trying toask where to find "Bouyges" but no one understood what we were saying because we were prounoucing it so bad. We finally found a store but the guy didn't speak English, but we were able to speak French and understand each other and eventually we got our cell-phones.
After that we went to this amazing bakery and bought a sandwhich, a drink, and a dessert for only 6 Euros, which is pretty amazing and it was REALLY good. Then we took the Metro to see the Eiffel Tour and the Siene. I didn't know that it was so big. We walked around a little trying to kill time because Julia made plans to meet a monastic priest who lives in Juresalem but was in Paris at the time to go to dinner with him. It was a very interesting meal to say the least.
After dinner we were all tired and took a nap, but we wanted to go to a cafe so I set an alarm to wake us up. Cat, Kathryn, and I went to this cafe. It was nice and we sat at a table by the window. After a while this guy tried to talk to us through the window and then LICKED the window. It was very odd. After the one drink we went back to our hotel to sleep.
The next day we woke up at 7 AM (What an improvement!). We tried to go the cemetrary but I sent us in the complete opposite direction =/ So we just ate breakfast. We had the "Classic French Breakfast" (soft boiled eggs (which weren't as awful as I thought they would be), orang juice, coffee, a crossisant, and bread with butter and jam).
Then we took Julia to the train station, so she could go to Grenoble a day early. There we discovered we couldn't retrieve our train tickets because our cards didn't have the chip that most French cards have. So we went to a ticket window and after waiting in line we found out the we were in the wrong line because she didn't speak English, so we went to the "English" line. Which wasn't moving at all. Luckily everyone in front of us couldn't speak French at all so we got to skip the line and go to someone that did speak French (we didn't want to wait in line and we thought that 3 of us could work together and be able to accomplish what we wanted). This lady was really nice and didn't know ANY English at all but we were able to retrieve our tickets even though some of us forgot our reservation number. We were even able to change our tickets to be able to be on the same train and not have to switch trains either. She was really nice and patient with us.
Cat, Katryn and I then went to the Jardin de Tulleries (the garden right outside the Louvre) which was gorgeous. We then walked to the Obleisk which was really cool and we were able to see the Arc du Triomphe from there. We were a little too lazy to walk all the way there though.
We also went to the Notre Dame. It took us a while because again I got us turned around and we went in the wrong direction =/ but eventually we found it. Then we went back to our hotel on the metro, where this really creepy lady was singing a really creepy song and was asking for money. She was staring at me for a really long time, even though I wasn't looking at her.
We got lunch from the sandwhich place again and it was really amazing again. I went to walk to the cemetary by myself because the others were tired but I just missed it becuase it was closing right when I got there=( I'll have to go there when I go back to Paris.
Once back at the hotel I just passed out becuase I was so tired from all of the walking around. This morning we had to wake up really early in order to catch our train. We met Victor at the station in Grenoble and are going to have a walking tour of the city today.
(Updates will be more regular now that I have wifi)
I meet my family tomorrow!
P.S. If someone asks you if you speak English at a tourist spot say NO!
When we first arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport we thought are bags were lost because they were the last to arrive. Then we couldn't find the train that would finally take us to the Metro. Finally we found the RER B and tried to squeeze on with all of our bags (6 HUGE bags between the 4 of us with lots of little carry-ons). On the train some man got on who was carrying a rifle without a case or anything which is kind of a sketchy thing, but we made it off the train without any hassles.
At the metro station we couldn't find where to buy tickets and then when we did there was a HUGE line so we thought maybe we would take a taxi. But outside at the taxi line up there was no one there so after 15 minutes in the freezingcold we thought we would brave the metro station again. I had NO idea that the Metro would be so difficult with all of our bags because I thought that it would be handicap accessible...Well i was wrong, SO wrong. We had to make 3 transfers with about 4 flights of steps between the different metro lines. It was very difficult. Lucky someone was kind enough to help Cat carry her bags up the stairs because she was really struggling.
On the next Metro, Cat and I almost got stuck while Kathryn adn Julia got off the train because the doors didn't automatically open like i thought they would. I didn't know how to open them either and trying to get out the other doors my suitcase got caught on the stairs and the doors started closing, but some really nice man lept up to keep the doors open from closing for us.
At the hotel we had to wait an hour because they hadn't cleaned the room for us which kind of sucked because we were all tired and then the "elevator" was like a coffin so it only fits 1 person comfortablly so getting our suitcases to the 5th floor was an experience.
Once in the room everyone went to bed, but I wanted to explore a little bit so I walked around to get a feeling for the neighborhood which was really nice, and when I got back to the hoteleveryone was sleeping so I went to bed too. We all woke up at 4 in the morning, which was funny.
We went to the internet cafe that I found the night before and then to breakfast because we were all starving. We ate a tartine (bread, butter, and jam), fresh orange jucie, and coffee. It was really good and then went to a pharmacie to get some toiletries.
After that we tried to find a cell phone store that was open so we could buy our French cellphones. But since it was only 9 in the morning on a Friday, not much was open. We kept trying toask where to find "Bouyges" but no one understood what we were saying because we were prounoucing it so bad. We finally found a store but the guy didn't speak English, but we were able to speak French and understand each other and eventually we got our cell-phones.
After that we went to this amazing bakery and bought a sandwhich, a drink, and a dessert for only 6 Euros, which is pretty amazing and it was REALLY good. Then we took the Metro to see the Eiffel Tour and the Siene. I didn't know that it was so big. We walked around a little trying to kill time because Julia made plans to meet a monastic priest who lives in Juresalem but was in Paris at the time to go to dinner with him. It was a very interesting meal to say the least.
After dinner we were all tired and took a nap, but we wanted to go to a cafe so I set an alarm to wake us up. Cat, Kathryn, and I went to this cafe. It was nice and we sat at a table by the window. After a while this guy tried to talk to us through the window and then LICKED the window. It was very odd. After the one drink we went back to our hotel to sleep.
The next day we woke up at 7 AM (What an improvement!). We tried to go the cemetrary but I sent us in the complete opposite direction =/ So we just ate breakfast. We had the "Classic French Breakfast" (soft boiled eggs (which weren't as awful as I thought they would be), orang juice, coffee, a crossisant, and bread with butter and jam).
Then we took Julia to the train station, so she could go to Grenoble a day early. There we discovered we couldn't retrieve our train tickets because our cards didn't have the chip that most French cards have. So we went to a ticket window and after waiting in line we found out the we were in the wrong line because she didn't speak English, so we went to the "English" line. Which wasn't moving at all. Luckily everyone in front of us couldn't speak French at all so we got to skip the line and go to someone that did speak French (we didn't want to wait in line and we thought that 3 of us could work together and be able to accomplish what we wanted). This lady was really nice and didn't know ANY English at all but we were able to retrieve our tickets even though some of us forgot our reservation number. We were even able to change our tickets to be able to be on the same train and not have to switch trains either. She was really nice and patient with us.
Cat, Katryn and I then went to the Jardin de Tulleries (the garden right outside the Louvre) which was gorgeous. We then walked to the Obleisk which was really cool and we were able to see the Arc du Triomphe from there. We were a little too lazy to walk all the way there though.
We also went to the Notre Dame. It took us a while because again I got us turned around and we went in the wrong direction =/ but eventually we found it. Then we went back to our hotel on the metro, where this really creepy lady was singing a really creepy song and was asking for money. She was staring at me for a really long time, even though I wasn't looking at her.
We got lunch from the sandwhich place again and it was really amazing again. I went to walk to the cemetary by myself because the others were tired but I just missed it becuase it was closing right when I got there=( I'll have to go there when I go back to Paris.
Once back at the hotel I just passed out becuase I was so tired from all of the walking around. This morning we had to wake up really early in order to catch our train. We met Victor at the station in Grenoble and are going to have a walking tour of the city today.
(Updates will be more regular now that I have wifi)
I meet my family tomorrow!
P.S. If someone asks you if you speak English at a tourist spot say NO!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
(Barely) Alive in Paris
Well I have been up for over 24 hours and barely got here in one piece. Currently I am in qn internet cqfe I found near the Bastille. I am really not a fan of the french keyboards so this wont be very long. I just wanted to let you know that I finally made it to France!
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