LONDON…I love you. But so happy to be back in Nantes too!

TUESDAY: Today was my day with two of my IES girlfriends who were in London. We met up at the London Eye, which was quite an experience on its own. I thought it would be easy, we were going to meet in front of the “pick up prepaid ticket counter” and I have a bright pink coat right. WELL, it took us 45 minutes to find each other, and I didn’t think that it was ever going to happen. But it did, and I am SO glad because we had such a lovely London day. We rode the eye and took really amazing pictures of LONDON! Then, we walked to the Imperial War Museum were I seriously thought (as a history major who took TWO classes on the world wars last semester) that I had died and gone to heaven. There is a whole floor dedicated to the world wars, an interactive blitz and trench experience, and a whole floor dedicated to the Holocaust. Two hours was not anywhere near enough time, but it is reason to come back. Then, we walked from there to Picadilly Circus which was gorgeous. It was about 6pm so we were able to see Big Ben, Parliament and the Eye all lit up against the Thames River. Light and water at night make the most magical photos and it was breathtaking. Then, we made it to our destination restaurant that I researched as a trendy, yet reasonable place to eat in Soho: Randall and Aubin. It was really good and is known for their seafood so I had a prawn Caesar salad which was incredible. We then enjoyed walking around the rush and lights of Picadilly at night before landing at a little Italian restaurant for the BEST dessert called “The Godfather”: chocolate walnut brownie, chocolate ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles and chocolate covered something with a wafer cookie. Yes, and I am lactose intolerant, and yes, it was SO worth it. I returned home to my wonderful apartment with the Sheehans and again slept like a princess.

WEDNESDAY: After an early morning run through Hyde Park, Marianna and I set off for Notthing Hill and the streets of Portabello Market. We found the travel bookstore where Julia Roberts worked in the film, Notting Hill-it is really quite fabulous. Across the street there is this amazing COOKBOOK store called Books for Cooks and we spent some good quality time in that store as well. Then, I left Marianna for my Beatles Magical Mystery walking tour. But first, I searched out this organic muffin shop called Muffinski that is near Covent Gardens. It is a long story, but when my friend Heidi and I were in London this past summer we spent three hours searching for this muffin shop that had been recommended to us only to find out that we were on the wrong King Street. So, it was my mission to find it this time. And I did. And it was good, but not worth planning a return visit to London for! Then, I met up with two different girls from IES for the walking tour. It was about 3 hours and we saw everything related to the Beatles in London-all their recording and performance and hangout venues…and of course ABBEY ROAD! Then, Wednesday night we had the most scrumptious dinner prepared by Marianna: killer butternut squash soup with Thai chili curry, lemon sauce fish, and asparagus! We finished off the evening with a trip to a famous pub. It is so fun to be with Marianna and Pat, all the time we just have a good time. They are fabulous hosts, and substitute parents.

THURSDAY: This was the morning I had been waiting for since I left London in July. A return trip to Borough Market, this fabulous market that sells the best food in London. We had many a taste of delicious foods and even saw ostrich burgers. Then, Pat met us for lunch there. I bought lots of yogurt covered bananas and nuts (and sampled enough to make me feel sick and never want to eat the ones I bought again…)!!! Then, Marianna and I tubed up to Kensington High Street-a rather swanky part of London and poked in the shops. She took me to this bookstore that is just like a Dickens bookstore, so full of books, bookshelves deep and just stuffed to the brim! It was delightful. We returned home, another amazing dinner of muscles in white wine sauce and that damn delicious soup. THEN, Marianna caught the bus directly to Victoria Theatre where we enjoyed 3rd row seats of the smash hit Billy Elliot. It was so fun and the dancing just takes your breath away.

FRIDAY: I was not ready to leave London, and despite for the loveliness of Lea and Nantes, I would still like to be there right now. The week was perfect and I just had the BEST time with Marianna and Pat and their generosity and coziness and being taken care of by real parents! It was perfect. And London, how could you NOT love it??? I guess that I will just have to return real soon…Another morning run in Hyde Park, a lovely breakfast with Marianna, and then I had to start my adventure back to Nantes. The flight is only one hour, but all the traveling TO the airport (two hours: one by tube, one by train), getting to the airport 2 hours early, the hour time change…Basically, I didn’t get back to Nantes until 5pm. BUT, guess what? The BEST surprise in the whole world awaited me. I have never been met at the airport by anyone other than my parents (which, if you are reading this, I don’t take for granted when it happens!), but LEA was there waiting for me. She rode the bus and tram for 45 minutes just to meet me there. What a WONDERFUL friend. And then rode it back with me, and then because I was tired, spent the whole evening with me and my house. I cooked the chili for Saturday night’s dinner (I made an American meal Saturday night for her family), made banana bread, and we looked at each other’s photos. She is quite fascinated by prom, all the photos, and all the hoopla because nothing like that exists in France. Also, she can’t understand that France is the only place in the world that has boulangeries on every corner. I think she is going to be for a surprise come August in Seattle and life without boulangeries and walking down the street for a butcher or a petit café!

SATURDAY: I went to the market and got my fresh fruit for the week. Then, all Saturday afternoon I had the great fortune of being a MODEL! For reals. Ok, so this lady who has a hat/jewelry store in Nantes hired Lea and her photography studio to take photos of the stuff, but they needed a model…Lea asked me and I was ALL about it. It was SO fun. For over 3 hours I got to pose and Lea took over 550 photos. The lady is coming in on Monday to view the photos and select which ones she is going to use for her flyers, pamphlets, and magazines for her merchandise. How cool is that?!?! And I get a disk of all the photos-Lea is an AWESOME photographer, let me tell (and show) you. It was so fun. Then, I had made the chili, and a salad, orange slices (serving fruit like that is VERY American I learned) bread from the local boulangerie (also heating your bread in the over is VERY American, they had never heard of hot bread, but now they are convinced of its greatness) as well as hot homemade applesauce served over vanilla ice cream for dessert. That was the American meal that I made for Lea’s family tonight, and they enjoyed it (as did I!!!). We had a wonderful leisurely meal. Then, we all snuggled on the couch together with the fire in the background and watched a French film together (in French, without subtitles). It was really good and I understood most everything. Then, they took me home, in their car, at midnight (which is a really nice gesture as the night buses are few and far between!). They are just so great, all three of them, and have truly made my Nantes and France experience the greatest!

SUNDAY: After a nice long sleep, a nice long run along the river, and a nice long warm shower, I met up with Lea for a spectacular afternoon, again! We “balader” (walked around) all of Nantes. We went to the Lieu Unique to view this really cool photography exposition. Then we walked around for about an hour again. Everything is closed on Sunday in France (except the cinema!) so there is really nothing spectacular to do, but it is just so fun to be outside and wonder, and talk in French with Lea. Well, Lea had the grand idea to go to the La Cigale. La Cigale is the nicest restaurant in Nantes, written up in all the guidebooks, and quite revered. We had hot cocoa and their attempt to make me a coffee “American” (look at the photo…they were unsuccessful, it was about 2 sips worth!). But, we had a lovely long afternoon/evening coffee break at the nicest restaurant in Nantes!!!

Valentines Day in LONDON!

I am in LONDON and LOVING it. I thought I never wanted to leave Nantes, but now maybe I never want to leave London. I will give just a quick update on my week last week (my French buddy Lea was at school…), and a quick update on my first couple of days in London…but I get to be here for a week! (No photos b/c I don’t have my picture-loader to computer tool. I will upload when I get back to Nantes.)

Monday: I had a couple of girlfriends from IES over for watching the definitely well acclaimed film “New York Minute” by Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen dubbed in French! I also made banana bread and homemade applesauce! Then, Monday night I had my first volunteer group and it was so fun. It is kind of hard to explain WHAT exactly I am doing, BUT it is basically a group where anyone is welcome and about 4 refugees came and about 3 other volunteers. We just talked for the first hour and I think it is just a way for them to get to be with people who have careers, and established lives and to interact. The second hour is devoted to something more cultural. For example, we watched a DVD of a French comedian, and next week we are going to give them lessons on using the computer. It is super fun, the other volunteers and refugees are so welcoming and nice, and it is great for my French!

Tuesday: After conversation club returned to my favorite creperie, “Creperie St. Croix” for another delicious seafood crepe.

Wednesday: Lea’s parents are SO wonderful and invited me over for dinner and a movie, even though Lea was not there! Katrine, her mom, made REAL FRENCH tuna Nicoise salad and it was delcious. Then, we went to “Miller’s Crossing” with French subtitles because there was a Cohen brothers film festival in Nantes! Then, when the movie was over (which was about 2 minute walk from their house), we returned to their home for dessert. We chatted (in French, of course) until about midnight and then they so kindly drove me home! They are fabulous!

Thursday: Well, I was a little disappointed because I tried to go to this Christian youth group that I had found out about. Some of the other IES girls were going, but I had to eat dinner with my host family so I was going to meet up with them. I ended up leaving my house at 8pm and iddn’t get there until 9pm (it goes until about 10pm). One of the girls told me it was just right there when you get off the tram, so I didn’t look into it. But, in fact, it was down the street and behind…I looked all around (in a kind of sketchy dark neighborhood), couldn’t find it, called them, no one picked up, so I returned home flustered and upset. But, I got to cozy up in bed and read HP…

Friday: Lea returned Friday ~6pm, so when she got home we went to the cinema and saw “He’s Just Not That Into You” dubbed in French. I was THRILLED when I left the cinema because I understood almost everything and I didn’t even have to think about it. Not that it is a deep plot, but still, it is a step in the language learning direction. Then, we returned for the THIRD time in the week to my little creperie, this time had a mussels and tomato crepe, and then we went to “Lieu Unique” which is the bar/dance place/café/hang out for late teens/20-somethings in Nantes. Stayed there until past midnight and then crashed at home.

Saturday: Happy Valentines Day to me. No one here celebrates like the states. It is really just a day for “lovers.” I was a little disappointed because I love any reason to celebrate, but I had made Valentines for my favorite profs and host family and friends…trying to put a little spirit into the day. AND, my Papa J and Mama J sent me the bEST homemade Valentines. Steve Juergens is QUITE the artist! But, although they don’t celebrate here, I did get to go to London on Saturday so it wasn’t all bad…We have a week of winter break! Wohoo! There were 7 other IES girls on my flight, which was fun. The only problem was that I did decide to check a bag on Ryanair, but there was a weight limit of 15kg and I didn’t know that. Mine was 18kg (or 45 EUROS extra for the weight) so I embarrassingly repacked (I had put my lacy pink underwear on TOP and thus had to unpack that) my bag to move all my books to my carryon. I made it with 14.9kg. I am a little worried about coming back, because you always CONSUME more when you travel. Well, I finally got to Marianna and Pat’s (my European parents…my parent’s from the states bestest friends who are living in London, right near Hyde Park, for 3 years, and have so wonderfully embraced me into their family and accepted me as their daughter for the week!). Marianna had hot soup and homemade applesauce waiting for me and then we literally walked across the street and went to the pub for a hard apple cidar. I didn’t realize how much I needed a hug from someone who loved me. It is so nice to be in a welcome (and warm) home and have parents who love you!!! I am just in heaven here.

Sunday: I got to sleep in (they prayed for me at church…) then we set out for an afternoon at the National Gallery where the lovely impressionists are and where I spent the majority of my time. Then, we walked around the area, and Convent Gardens, and popped into a pop for a late afternoon rest-up! So civilized! We returned home and Marianna and Pat’s two girlfriends from San Fransisco were there (they left this morning) so that was fun to have all of us there. After meeting, greeting, having some happy hour, we set out for a wonderful Indian/Persian restaurant. We had a cozy and delicious dinner filled with delicious na’an (that we got to watch them make in the clay oven). Last night I got to talk to Karina (my bestie from school) on the phone for an HOUR, for the first time since going to Europe, so that was a treat. And my papa too! 

Monday: Since Pat works for the US government here, he had the day off (he gets British and American holidays!) I went running this morning and tried to go to just Hyde Park and back, but alas, I kind of didn’t look very well at the map, and although I pride myself on my sense of direction, this time my pride suffered. I saw a little more of London than I wanted and ran a little longer than expected! When I finally returned home we visited the British Museum. All I wanted to see were the Elgin marbles from the Parthenon and right as we arrived, their was an ancient Rome tour leaving so we had an excellent guided tour of it all! Then, we had lunch at EAT, a really good soup/sandwich chain, then hit the Tate and Albert Museum which specializes in fashion and materials! Then, we rode the bus home, which is just so fun to look out everywhere…and went to another pub for another pint! We returned HOME (a real warm lovely home) and Marianna made the most FABULOUS dinner of salmon cakes with tomato sauce, wonderful sweet potatoes, and caramelized brown sugar Brussels sprouts. Yum, yum, yum…I am being treated like a true princess!

One Month Already!?!?

I truly cannot believe that I have been here for ONE WHOLE MONTH ! Wow, I guess time really does fly when you are having FUN FUN FUN! This week was fabulous, but oh so tiring. The French don’t understand why I am always tired, but thinking and living in a different world and language really tires you out. I am ALWAYS ready for bed…I feel like a grandma! Here are the week’s highlights, day by day:

MONDAY: Monday afternoon Lea (my amazing French friend) and Meggie (my amazing US friend) came over and we made Valentines! And watched a French film! This was also the national holiday of crepes so my friend Andrea invited two of us over to her house and we had a dessert crepe party with her host mom! It was delicious, and I discovered a new wonderful combination: strawberry jam WITH nutella! Here host mom is this crazy 75 year old lady who is actually really racist so it was quite an entertaining evening listening to this French lady tell us stories of her past 70 students who have boarded with her!!!

TUESDAY: I had my favorite class, twice, the US-Palenstine-Israel-France 1945 to present, so that made me happy. I also had phonetics without the lab so we dissected sentences, wohooooooo…not quite my favorite. But then we had conversation club on Tuesday nights 6:30-8 and that was really fun, met some new French buddies. Afterwards, Lea met me and we went out to a French bistro-place. Apparently I ordered calamari over pasta in its own ink. It was actually surprisingly good! And, of course, just being with Lea was fun on its own!

WEDNESDAY: My glorious day of only two classes! I had a relaxing morning to myself, finished Mean Girls dubbed in French, then went to classes. I don’t think anything really exciting happened on Wednesday.

THURSDAY: Well, the French apparently have to always be on strike, so again, starting on Thursday morning they went on strike at the university, this time for a week! So, I had an AWESOME day! My tennis class was NOT cancelled so I had tennis. I met another “etranger” named Arthur from Romania who is very nice. We exchanged information, and have tennis together every Thursday, so hopefully we can hang out! I also had a meeting at the Secours Catholique which is this volunteer organization that I found online and went to the informational meeting they organized when I emailed them. They presented me with their mission and the ways I can become involved. And, guess what? I start on Monday night 6-8pm. I am not quite sure what I will be doing, but it sounds like a club where people can come and be social. It sound perfect for me, and I don’t really understand how it is volunteering, but, I will let you know! Then, Thursday night, after a lovely (JOKING) dinner of PLAIN white noodles and sticks of artifical crabmeat, I met up with Lea and her friends. We hung out in one of her friends’ apartment and I got to meet some new French friends and listen to their interesting taste in music!

FRIDAY: I had a coffee date with this girl named Audrey who is a student at the university who I met at conversation club on Tuesday and I invited her out to coffee. She is super sweet and studying sociology…we talked in French for almost 2 hours! It was grand, but tiring. Then, Friday night Lea’s amazing family had me over for a delicious meal of salad, celery salad, smoked salmon, and this homemade Kashi bread, topped off with chestnut mousse for dessert! They (Lea and her parents) are SO wonderful, welcoming, and kind and have really made my Nantes experience what it is! They are also really patient with me and help me with my French. After our great meal, Lea and I hit the town. We went to another one of her friend’s apartment where there was LOTS of alcohol and smoking. All the kids wanted to speak English with me…I kept trying to insist that I speak French but it didn’t quite work. Then, we went to Lieu Unique which is hard to describe. It is a the old “LU” cookie factory (Dad, you know your favorite LU Bastogne’s? Thos come from NANTES!) and it is a bar/art exposition center/café/restaurant/dance area all in one. Well, everyone who was anyone in their late teens and twenties was there on Friday night! It was a crazy Nantes dance party!!!

SATURDAY: Meggie and I (and others) had our annual Saturday morning (noon) market date. It was AMAZING and I was in heaven, like always. BUT, there was this whole TABLE of grapes. GRAPES!?!? My favorite in the whole world and they were delicious and without seeds (hard to find here) and only 1 euro/1kg…a steal! That was the best part of my day. We also did our sampling of everything and bought apples and bananas and also some dried figs and apricots. We were there for about two hours! Then, I went home to drop off my stuff for about 3 minutes, then headed out to meet up with Lea. She took me to the “Beau Lieu” which is this French shopping mall with Carrefour in it (French version of Walmart). It was just a sight to be seen. Then, we went and met up with her friend Pierre because they are both photographers and had organized this “Masquerade Blanc” (white masks) photoshoot for a project. For about 1.5 hours, me and two of their other friends modeled these masks in different poses and locations around Nantes. Everyone was staring at us, but it was a project for Pierre and Lea, and now they will have some fun photoshop material to work with! Then, Lea and I went to the movies: LOL, it is this new French chic-flick that came out on Friday and it was actually really good. The best part was that I actually understood pretty much everything (it was in French without subtitles!). Then, Lea and I went out to dinner at this really delicious creperie. I had one stuffed with all seafood and it was absolutely delectable. Then, we went back to Pierre’s apartment before their friend’s birthday party which was supposed to start at 11pm at this bar. Well, we showed up and waited for ½ hour and no one came…alas, I was exhausted after a day of “go go go” and played grandma again and went home…to sleep for TWELVE HOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SUNDAY: If you did the math, yes, I slept to NOON! Lea tired me out…in a good way though! I felt quite refreshed and went for a lovely run along the river this, well, not morning, but I guess afternoon! Then, this evening I went over to Lea’s house for a date with my translation homework. Her mom had made wonderful spice bread and we sat around the fire drinking tea and they helped me with my French homework. Lea has school this week in Rennes (an hour from here) so I will be without my French playmate, but her kind parents invited me over for dinner and a movie on Wednesday night! Now, it is time for CREPE NIGHT Sundays!

It is February ALREADY???

Bonjour bonjour!!!

Oh my goodness, I can't believe that it is FEBRUARY already, I feel like I just got here and if it is already February and I come home in May, ahhhhhhhh, that is TOO soon! I don't feel like I just got here in the since of being "new" (I am getting into a good groove!) but I am just love it SO much and time is passing by too quickly!!!

Let's see, I will give the highlights of this week:

MONDAY: I made banana bread for my family...I am not sure what they thought of it, there wasn't much said, but it did disappear. I enjoyed it at least! :)

TUESDAY: I LOVE my class on the Middle East/US/France relations since WWII and the professor is amazing and I have that class twice, for two hours (total of 4 hours) on Tuesdays! Then, we had conversation club (45 minutes of speaking in French then 45 minutes of speaking in English) with French students and that was fun. THEN, I went out to INDIAN food for dinner and it tasted SO good. I went out with two friends from IES and LEA, my new wonderful friend! I had spinach curry and salmon and you wouldn't believe how good Indian food tasted in France!

WEDNESDAY: This is my day to relax...I don't have class until 4pm! And since it was raining, I slept in (I am ALWAYS tired here...thinking in a different language really wears you out and thus I need way more sleep than in the US) and lay in bed reading HP! I finished Harry Potter in French and understood pretty much everything, which was a feat! Then, after classes and dinner with my host family on Wednesday I went to Lea's house. Her family is SO nice and welcoming and her apartment is warm, cozy, and chic. She showed me some of her photos and we chatted about life...in French, of course!

THURSDAY: WOW, this was a DAY! It was a national strike and it was CRAZY! The transport didn't work, our university classes were cancelled (which meant my tennis class was cancelled and I was bummed) but it was QUITE a French experience! EVERYONE was in the streets demonstrating. I don't think most of them actually PASSIONATELY belived in the cause (which was very general, angry at the economic crisis) but it was a reason to drink and be routy! It was quite a sight and made it a bit difficult to get to the IES center. BUT, I had to get to the center because we had elections. And, after speeches, I won the PRESIDENCY for the IES center (the group of us 60 American students!). So, I get to plan fun parties and address the concerns of the students and work with the administration. Also, my first order of business (I had a meeting on Friday with the head) was to create a recycling program for IES because NO ONE in France recycles and it has really been bothering some of us! So, from now on you can call me "Madame President!" Je blague (I am kidding...)

FRIDAY: After classes I had my first presidential meeting. Then, my friend Andrea invited me to coffee with the native speaker from her school Bowdoin who now lives in Nantes. We were a little disappointed because she wanted to practice her English on us! We wanted to speak French with her...Then, Friday night Andrea came to my house and we had bought STRAWBERRIES, GRAPES, DARK CHOCOLATE, and RED WINE and I borrowed Amelie from Lea and we had a very cozy and wonderful girls night in. I had never seen Amelie and I am in LOVE. It is an AMAZING film! We watched it in French (duh!) with French subtitles and I was quite proud of myself because I actually understood it all. Then, we started "Mean Girls" dubbed in French that Lea loaned me. It is called "Lolita Malgre Moi" in French, and it is really funny to hear Lindsay Lohan dubbed...

SATURDAY: I went to the open air market and again, spent TWO lovely hours there tasting everything and deciding what to buy. I bought SO much yumminess at SUCH a good price: 15 Braeburn apples for TWO euro, clemintines, grapes, tomotoes from Morocco, onions, lettuce (which was actually hard to find), carrots, pears, and a pineapple. YUM! Then, Saturday afternoon I finished my SECOND novel IN FRENCH. We were required to choose one for our French grammar class and I started and finished this really good French novel in TWO days (15o pages of French!) I was quite proud of myself. Then, at 5pm I met Lea at her photo studio and got to see where she worked. Then, we walked back to her house (she lives right in the center, SO lucky, she walks everywhere) and I had made a salad with my French veggies and I had a LOVELY two hour dinner with her family. Her mom made apple "crumble" (they use our English word) for dessert. Her parents are the nicest people, so so so so welcoming and so helpful with my French too! Then, Lea took me on the town: we went to two different bar/night club places. The second was called "La Maison" which means the house. It is decorated like a house and there are different rooms: the salon, the kitchen, the bedroom, ect, all with furniture that correspond. I didn't return home until 1am, and I was pooped!

SUNDAY: Today, I was lucky enough to go to the "Folles Journees." It is this HUGE classical music festival in Nantes that attracts people from EVERYWHERE! The IES center gave us each one free ticket and so I got to go to a violin and piano concert of Bach and Brahms. It was lovely. Then, Lea met me after the concert and we went to the Musee of Beaux Arts (the art museum) and viewed some Monet, Picasso, and Kandisky, amongst others. Then we walked in the sunny cold through the "Jardin de Plantes" and throughout the city of Nantes (nothing is open on Sundays though...except the cinema!) and returned to her apartment. Then, her parents and her helped correct my English-French assignment for my translation class. It was a group effort and they were SO kind and patient with me...and are going to help me again! Tonight, in a couple of minutes is CREPE night again, like every Sunday!

Getting settled...

Hello!

I am trying to get settled here in Nantes, and it is coming along! This week was week one of classes, and it was a lot of trying out different classes and discovering that the French University system is quite different from the US one (much less organized and worse teachers) and that I LOVE all the classes at the center...I am really excited about my US/France and the Middle East Since 1945 class and also I am in a phonetics class that is really going to help my French. I joined the tennis class, in the advanced level, and it is really challenging, but good! Who knew that I would come to France to improve my tennis game? But, it should be a fun way to meet people!

Tuesday was Obama's inaguration! It was a huge deal here and my friend, Meggie, and I made chocolate chip cookies at my host family's house and then brought them to school for the party we had for the inaguration. It was funny to hear Obama dubbed by a French man!

Friday afternoon we got to have a walking tour of Nantes and visit the cathedral and the chateau which were both very cool. There is a lot of history here, and Nantes was bombed twice in WWII! (by the Americans...they defininetly add that part too!) Nantes is very walkable and easy to get around, which I love!

Saturday was a good, but long day! We had a field trip with IES and visited Mont St. Michel as well as this little fortified town on the coast, St. Malo. We were really lucky and had great weather, which allowed for some very picturesque photos!

Today, Sunday, I went to a Catholic mass at one of the many Catholic churches. I was super happy that I understand almost all of the sermon. This afternoon I met up for a coffee date with this French friend that I randomly met the first week I was here, named Lea. It was SO fun and I got to go to her apartment afterwards (she lives with her parents, works 3 weeks a month as a photographer, and goes to photo school one week a month) and then we took her dog (a terrier!!!) for a walk. I am SO excited about the friendship and we are already planning things to do. She is excited to have an American friend (but we speak all in French!) and is SO nice and her parents want to have me over for dinner, and we are going to walk her dog, and go to the movies, and she invited me to the coast, ALREADY! I can't wait and am quite jazzed for my friendship with Lea!!! People really do make all the difference...

Anyway, things are going really well here, as you can tell. I am excited to settle in even more and figure out exactly which classes I am actually going to take...Please write emails/letters/send packages!!!/facebook, anything, I LOVE to hear from you all!!! bisous, bisous!

My Nouvelle Vie

Bonjour! Wow, this has been a TIRING but good week! It was orientation to life in Nantes and France in general. I am still EXHAUSTED and I come home every night and fall asleep RIGHT AWAY! We have had orientation from 9am-7pm every day, and now it is Friday night and I want to fall in a heap...but I am SO ready for it to all begin. We learned all about Nantes, how to get around, toured the university and the city, had 4 hours of intensive French EVERY DAY, and all I have been doing is speaking French, even with all the other Americans, so I really feel like I am expeditentially improving! And, that is the reason I came here, so it is a success so far!

My family is great! There is a mom, Isabelle (she works part time as a dentist), dad, Theirry (he is a pulmonologist) and a 15 year old boy (super timid) Charles who live at home in their 3 story giant house. There are 3 older kids who don't live at home. We have a huge house with parrots and a cat, 7 bedrooms, and a salon, office, TV room, living room, kitchen, and lots of bathrooms. The mom has been SUPER welcoming to me and very conversational and helpful. They are great and I can't wait to get to know them better and hopefully be invited to their country home! I have posted some pictures of my bedroom in case you are curious about where I am living...

Classes! We finally signed up for classes today and I can't wait for them to start. I am taking a grammar class at the IES center, a art history class at the IES center (both in French), and then three classes at the university: European history, a translation class, and a phoenetics and grammar class. I am about 20 minutes on bus from the center and about 30 minutes on bus to the University. The only problem is that I am going to spend lots of time in transit because unlike Whitman, the scudeule of the day is not 10am class, 11am class, lunch, 1-4pm lab...Here I might have one class at the center at 10-11:45am and then not have class until 5:30-7:30pm at the university. Not ideal for me, but c'est la vie Francaise! I am looking into possibly a dance class, or tennis, attending a church, and trying to find a place to volunteer so we will see how those go...I really want to IMMERSE myself here, meet French people, and learn the language!

I am ready for my first week...but I think I will be doing a lot of relaxing. My head needs it...

Orientation "Vacation" in Tours!

Well, it is Sunday night and I am exhausted. I am finally back in Nantes after three long, but fun days in the FREEZING cold. I seriously think that this country does not know what heating is, and it doesn't help that it has been around 20 degrees every day since I arrived. So, they wisked us off on Thursday morning to TOURS in the Loire Valley. Friday and Saturday our days were: breakfast, chateau, three-course lunch, chateau, three-course dinner, free time, bed...and then again the same on Saturday! Only problem was that I wore: 5 pairs of socks, leggings, jeans, 2 turtlenecks, sweater, my sherpa fleece, regular fleece, ski jacket, hat, warm gloves, and yet my toes literally lost circulation and FROZE and I shivered the whole 3 days. It was cold...But, we did get to see 4 famous chateaus: Loches, Chenonceau, Blois, and Chambord. Apparently every Sunday night is "crepe night" with my host family, so we had crepes (with jam, butter, sugar, cinnamon, ect...) tonight. I am off to bed and start orientation to NANTES tomorrow for one week before classes starting on the 18th. A bientot!