Je me suis bien installee a Montpellier

I am finally in Montpellier (ok, actually I got here on Sunday afternoon), and I'm all settled into my French home. I absolutely love my family. They are so sweet and ridiculously generous. Unlike in the United States where it is common to open your pantry and fridge to guests, the French don't really like to share. However, that is not all the case with my family. Even though they are only required by their host contract to feed me two dinners a week, they feed me all the time, and when they leave before I do in the mornings, they leave me breakfast waiting on the table. My French mom is also always giving me little cadeaux (presents); like today, it was really hot, so she gave me a water mister to spritz on myself. Then, the other night, my French parents and two of their friends sat around for an hour and helped me edit my project for school. I just can't say enough about how nice they are, and their friends really liked me, which made me feel good. They kept making jokes, some of which were at my expense of course, but I understood them, so I was able to joke back, which they absolutely loved.

My room is great. It's on what the French call the rez-de-chaussee (the ground floor), so it's very cool. And that's quite important over here where air conditioning is so rare that establishments that have it advertise in the window that they do!! It is also ridiculously hot here - tomorrow the high is supposed to be 35 degrees Celsius!!!! I melt whenever I go outside, and I drink upwards of a liter of water a day. My house is in a nice neighborhood, and I only live 2 minutes from the tram station and 3 minutes from the bus station on foot, so it's really easy to get around.

I start school tomorrow at the University Paul-Valery in Montpellier. I took a placement test this morning and placed in the highest niveau (level), which I hope turns out well. I'm a mixture of nervous and excited about class tomorrow. I know absolutely nothing about what the class is going to be like. I don't know if I'll have homework, what we're studying, or even really what I need to bring to class! Actually, that sort of thing has been a constant struggle for me here. There is very little in the way of information, directions, etc. and it's frustrating for me. I am the queen of color-coded planners, lists, and coordinating school supplies, so when people don't have plans or their plan is to just do whatever feels good, I sort of flip out. It's definitely a learning experience for me, but you can pray that I will learn to be flexible and keep breathing when there isn't a plan!

So, that's that for now. I'm slowly learning my way around the town and made my first trip to the supermarche this evening. It was challenging to read the labels and even to get a shopping cart - tip for the wary, you have to insert 50 euro cents into the cart before it unlocks and you can push it. I am getting much better at riding the tramway around town and plan to attempt the bus for the first time tomorrow!

Derniers Jours a Paris

On Friday morning, a sizable group from William and Mary went with Professor Fauvel on a guided bus tour of Paris…and by guided bus tour, I mean we hopped on and off the slightly unreliable Paris bus system at various destinations around the city, marveled at them, and then took pictures. We went down the Champs-Elysees, saw the Arc de Triomphe, climbed the steps of Montmartre and toured Sacré Coeur. I really loved Sacré Coeur especially because of the reverent feeling that it gave off. Unlike at Notre Dame, you aren’t allowed to take pictures inside, and you’re not allowed to talk at anything higher than a whisper. After Sacré Coeur, we went further into Montmarte, avoided being accosted by the artists who desperately want you to buy their paintings, and saw the café from the movie Amélie. (not that impressive or interesting frankly). Our little group split up after that, and I went with several others to the Louvre. On the way over, we stopped at a little stand that sold crepes and sandwiches, where I got another crepe jambon-fromage. The lady was really sweet and wrapped mine in aluminum foil and then put it in a bag since I wasn’t going to be eating it right away. Since I had already been to the Louvre and seen the Mona Lisa, I went with another girl to see the Egyptian exhibit, which was really impressive. It just astounded me that a civilization from so long ago was so sophisticated and that their things have lasted for so long. At the same time, I was just so impressed with the Louvre itself, which used to be the royal palace, and how elaborately decorated it was.

That evening, we took a river cruise down the Seine, which was very cool…except for the typical American tourist teenagers sitting next to us who were very loud, very obnoxious, and wearing “I <3 st="on">Eiffel Tower!!! And I mean climbed…we decided that since the top floor was closed and that it was less expensive to use the stairs that we’d try it. I am happy to report that I made it safely and that there were no fainting sessions this time around! The view was spectacular, and we got up at just the right time to watch the sunset over Paris. It was just gorgeous. We also got down just in time to watch the Tour twinkle at the top of the hour.

Almost all of Saturday was spent at Versailles, which is even more ornately decorated than the Louvre. I must say, though, that there were far too many other tourists! I wanted to wander slowly and just take in all of the exquisite details, but I felt like I was being pressed on all sides by other people snapping pictures. Tout de meme, it was very cool to see it in person, and mom, you’re going to love the gardens!!

We sort of split up after Versailles, with some of the group staying to tour the gardens and some of the group returning to Paris to do other things. I went back to Paris where two of my friends and I went to the Centre Pompidou – the Parisian modern art museum. We really wanted to see the priceless Picassos and Matisses, but alas, two entire floors of the museum were dedicated to feminist “art”. And I mean to put that in quotes, because the last time I checked, a black and white video of a woman eating her dinner isn’t art, neither is a kitchen sink or a 3-piece bathroom…Happily, we were able to find the art that we came to see, tucked away on the top floor, but nonetheless, we were very glad to escape the feminist section…

I had more of an adventure than I bargained for when I went out for a crepe after dinner…it turned out to be Gay Pride Day in Paris, and good gracious do they go all out for it. There were men in drag everywhere as well as very scantily clad men in shiny tight underpants, and people were making out left and right. The other people I was with thought that it was a fascinating cultural experience, but I definitely did not see it that way. It was all I could do not to walk around with my mouth open like a little fishy.Woooooooo…..

Anywho, Sunday morning we took the TGV – the superfast train – from Paris to Montpellier where we met our host families at the train station! Ouais!!

You should check out my pictures up to this point : http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2122048&id=7610744&l=75fc548a47

Le Premier Jour

These first couple of days in France have been such a whirlwind! Just to fill you in on the nitty gritty details, while my study abroad program is in Montpellier, in the south of France, the other William and Mary students and I are spending a few days in Paris at the Hotel Minerve before heading to Montpellier on Sunday. So, since we’re in Paris, we’re doing mostly tourist-y things, which have been a lot of fun!

If you’re a former resident of mine, you’ll appreciate this, or perhaps just chuckle, but I’m going to do this blog in numbered bullet points.

Le 25 juin (June 25th)

The plane ride
1) Easy peasy. My luggage all arrived on time and intact, and there were no delays.
2) I <3 AirFrance. Their food is so good, and their movie choices were excellent. I watched He’s Just Not That into You on the way over.
3) It was really nice having friends to fly with. Two other girls from my program were on the same flight as me, and one of them sat next to me, which was great!
4) I understood all of the captain’s announcements in French! I felt so proud of myself.

Au café
1) After arriving, the three of us on our flight took a shuttle with Professor Fauvel (the W&M professor leading the program) to the hotel.
2) We dumped off our luggage and went straight to lunch at a cute, tiny café by Notre Dame with another William and Mary student who had already arrived at the hotel.
3) Lunch tasted amazing, as I was starving! I had a crepe jambon fromage (ham and cheese crepe).
4) Our serveur was so impressed with our French skills and spoke to us exclusively in French during our whole meal; it just made my day.

L’hôtel
1) I’m staying at the Hotel Minerve in the Latin Quarter of Paris.
2) It’s a fairly small hotel, but very clean and with decent amenities. The wireless internet is very cheap for Paris (only 1 euro for 30 minutes or 6 euros for a day), but it’s hit and miss sometimes.
3) My room is teeny tiny, with only maybe 6 inches between my bed and my roommates’ bed, but our housekeeper is really sweet. She made my bed this morning with my stuffed animal sitting on it all neatly.
4) The petit dejeuner is not worth 9 euros…fromage, croissants, baguettes, nutella, le thé, le jus de fruit, le pain, le yaourt, le jambon froid, et les pommes sont les choix (cheese, croissants, baguettes, hazelnut chocolate spread, tea, juice, sliced bread, yogurt, cold ham, and apples)

Notre Dame
1) After lunch, we went on an epic excursion to purchase European phones for some of the students on our trip, then several of us ventured to Notre Dame de Paris, which is only a 5 minute walk from our hotel!
2) To get to Notre Dame from the cell phone store, I got to ride the Paris metro without help from any French people for the first time! (When I was in Paris with my exchange program in high school, I did ride the metro, but my family was with me)
3) It was just as beautiful as it was the last time I saw it. I can’t get over how much there is to look at both inside and out and the amount of time it must have taken to complete it.
4) Beware of gypsies! If you ever go to Paris and someone asks if you speak English, ignore them!

Le Jardin de Luxembourg
1) An attempt was made to go to the Musée D’Orsay (the French impressionist museum), but we decided that the line was too long. Instead, we went to the Jardin de Luxembourg and people-watched, napped, and hung out for a couple of hours.
2) French people are far too affectionate in public. Ew.
3) While we were there, a crane was brought in to move a giant statue of a head, and we got to watch them do it. It was super-cool as the French like to say.
4) The French really like manicured gardens, and don’t you dare step on the grass. You must sit in the metal chairs next to the grass or else…

Le soir
1) Everyone from the W&M program met back at the hotel to go to dinner. We went to a gourmand not far from our hotel.
2) In France, they have menus called prix fixe where you can get an appetizer, entrée, and dessert for a fixed price if you pick from certain things on the menu. (Think Friday’s mix and match dinner deal). I highly recommend using this menu. I only paid 9 euros for dinner, and I got vegetable soup, an herb-roasted chicken breast and leg, a baked potato, green beans with carrots, and ice cream!!
3) Back at the hotel, I ended up having to use the hotel next door’s internet because mine wasn’t getting a connection. Fortunately, the concierge was incredibly nice and really enjoyed having me and my friends over there. He chatted with us while we used my laptop to check email, facebook etc. He also gave me a fabulous compliment – I started out by speaking French to him, and he automatically answered in French. He continued to speak with me in French for a few minutes before pausing to ask where I was from. He couldn’t tell I was American!!!
4) By the end of the day, the whole world was swimming around me in circles because I was so tired. I crashed as soon as I hit the pillow.

I just feel so privileged to be able to be here and keep blinking to make sure that I’m not dreaming.

Je suis en France!

I just landed this morning, and I feel like I've already done a ton of stuff. I can't believe that I was just in the United States less than 24 hours ago. Internet is a bit shady let's say...I had a lot of trouble connecting at my hotel (L'Hotel Minerve), but luckily, the really nice concierge at our front desk called the hotel next door, and now I'm using the internet for free at the Hotel Familia! I don't have a lot of energy to write too much this evening...I sort of feel like I'm rocking slowly back and forth on a boat because of the jet lag.

So far, I'm having a great time, and the two things that have struck me the most are:

1) I understand so much! The last time I was in France was after my junior year of high school, so I had only taken 4 years of French. Now, with 4 more years under my belt, I don't have to struggle hardly at all to comprehend conversations, directions, signs, etc. I love it!

2) My French is apparently believable! I have carried on several conversations with French people who have complimented my French, and I can't begin to describe how awesome that is! I love that they don't automatically answer me in English. Instead, their reaction is "Oh wow! You speak French very well." and then they continue to speak to me in French at the same speed that they would to a normal French person.

I must say that I am very popular because most of my group doesn't have laptops, so we've all chipped in to use my laptop to check email, skype, etc. So, I am saying bonne nuit (good night) et a demain (see you tomorrow!)

Un email longtemps attendu

So, here I go, attempting to venture into the blogosphere...we'll see how well this works out! For my friends and family who may not speak French, don't worry, this blog will always be in English (or at least have a translation for whatever French I may decide to include), because this is written with you in mind! I want you all to be able to keep up with my adventures, mishaps, and fun while I study abroad in the south of France!

I just got a very exciting email this morning...my very first email from my French family! They sound really friendly, and I can't wait to meet them. Hopefully they won't mind if I include it here. However, I am not going to include their names right now until I meet them and make sure that it's alright with them if I mention them by name. And I have also taken out their children's names, but they have two little girls!

Dear Amanda,

Voici un petit message pour te souhaiter une bienvenue dans notre maison à partir du 28 juin prochain.

Tu habiteras au rez-de-chaussée de la maison, nous habitons au 1er étage. Pour les équipements dont tu disposeras, tu auras un frigo, un four micro-ondes, une télé, le wifi si tu as ton ordinateur (mais sinon tu pourras utiliser le nôtre), et tu pourras aussi te servir du lave-linge et du sèche-linge. N'amène pas trop de vêtements: il fait très très chaud à Montpellier en juillet (30°C), et puis tu pourras laver facilement tes vêtements. Nous avons aussi un jardin, ainsi qu'une piscine (pense à ammener ton maillot de bain!). Nous habitons à 200m du Tramway, tu pourras aller au centre-ville facilement (en 10 minutes).

Voilà. Si tu as des questions, n'hésite pas à nous les poser par email.

You are supposed to speak French during your stay in France, but we speak English, in case.

Nous viendrons te chercher en voiture à la gare dimanche 28 juin à ton arrivée.

Au plaisir de te rencontrer, et encore bienvenue à Montpellier.

Translation for my non-French-speaking friends and family:

Dear Amanda,

Here is a little message to welcome you into our home! You will be living on the ground floor, and we live on the floor above. Just so you know, you will have access to the following appliances and electronics: a fridge, a microwave, a television, wireless internet if you have a computer (if not you can use ours), and you can also help yourself to the washer and dryer. Don't bring too many clothes because it's really hot in Montpellier in July, around 85 degrees Fahrenheit on average, and you'll easily be able to wash your clothes. We also have a garden as well as a pool, so you should definitely think about bringing a bathing suit! We live about 200 meters from the Tramway, so you can easily get downtown within 10 minutes.

And there you go! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to email us.

P.S. You're supposed to speak French during your stay in France, but we speak English in case!

We will see you on the 28th of June at the train station.

We can't wait to meet you and welcome again to Montpellier.