We Are Going to London!

I have safely returned from my adventures in London!

To sum it up: It was awesome.

It was so weird though to be speaking English all the time. Every time I'd go up to a person to ask for help or order something I would start prepping my sentence in French. Nope, that's unnecessary, they speak English. Although, there were so many moments when I could not for the life of me understand what they said. Accents, man. I think I prefer not understanding French, because it feels so silly when you can't understand English, I mean I know it's different, but it is my native language...

London also has so many more American chains than France. Chipotle (!), Starbucks (!!), KFC, Burger King, McDonald's, etc... So weird to see. It was like a cross between New York City, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. And then there are the castles and stuff, that pretty much moves it out of the States.

Anyways.

We got to stay in my friend's friend's apartment and finally got to make our own food (which I missed) and just hang out and talk and watch tv and destress from all that school work we've been doing. Phew, all that work.
But we did actually go out and see London too.

One bus ride, one plane ride, one more bus ride, one tube ride, a switch and another tube ride and I finally arrived in London.
Tuesday I got there late because my flight was delayed by two hours. Almost every flight out of Marseille that day was delayed because the planes weren't arriving, so we couldn't leave because there was no plane to leave on... So from the time I left my house in Aix to the time I found my friends in London, nine hours had passed. That's almost the amount of time I will need to fly back to America. So we just hung out that night because it was already 9PM.

Wednesday was a miserable, miserable, rainy day. We're talking shoes soaked through, wet jeans sticking to your legs kind of rain. And thunder. But we went to Camden Market and walked around. It was really cool, I just wish I had been not so grumpy and wet. Next time I go back it'll be sunny. :)
Then we went to the National Gallery (Free admission! All museums are free admission in London!) to hide from the rain. We appreciated classic art and such until we got too tired to walk and too overwhelmed by art. So much art.
So we found refuge from the pouring rain in a bookstore where we read books and drank hot chocolate and ate flapjacks.

Flapjack pause. These are the new best things ever. They are not pancakes, but kinds of granola bars. Except they have no gluten in general and are made instead with a base of oats, butter, and brown sugar goodness. I will make them and eat them all when I get home. Delicious.

We finally braved the rain and wind to go home and make some Indian food and crash in the warm, dry indoors.
Oh, but that day I did get to see Platform 9 3/4!!

Platform 9 ¾? But, Hagrid, there must be a mistake.
This says Platform 9 ¾. There's no such thing. Is there?

Thursday was thankfully nicer and we were determined to actually see monuments.

 First up was Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and Westminster Abbey. So cool.

Big Ben

So tall!

Westminster Abbey

 Then we headed over to South Kensington to going museum visiting. After lunch at Pret a Manger (where we ate multiple times, so tasty), we headed over to the giant museum of Science and Natural History. It's in what I guess is a giant old castle and it's beautiful. And hugeeee. Huge. We got through only one part of it and were absolutely exhausted. We had to choose what to see, so we chose the dinosaurs and animals, of course.

My favorite bird ever. The dodo bird.

The outside of the museum

After a quick coffee break, because nature is tiring, we went to the Victoria and Albert Museum. Sadly we only had 45 minutes there, because I could have spent all day there. It's enormous and full of art. All kinds of art. And jewelry and paintings and sculptures and everything. Modern art to tilt your head at, old art to marvel over, giant art to stare up at, jewels to awe over, photographs to appreciate, and more! I'm sad we didn't have enough time to see it all. The London museums are fantastic and free. I can't get over it.

Mysterious staircase art I wanted to climb

Giant. Giant giant art. (The room was under construction.)

 After that we wandered around some part of London. We had no idea where we were actually, but the day had turned sunny so we went looking around for a telephone booth. We ran into Harrod's so we had to go in and marvel over just how posh it was. Also, I ate a Cadbury Creme Egg and it wasn't that good, I don't get the hype. I actually kind of didn't like it at all.

Telephone booth found!
I kind of felt like a Doctor Who companion. If only...

We finally decided on a path for our wanderings and went over to Buckingham Palace to ooh and ahh. It is quite shiny and large. But otherwise uneventful. Still, 'twas nice.

Buckingham Palace.
Freaking tourists would not leave my shot.

Then we found a pretty park and walked our tired sad feet to the nearest tube stop to get home.

Pretty park!

All in all, it was a great trip. I hope to go back one day and caper around London some more. I think I'll encourage my brother to study abroad there so I can visit him. :)

The tube!

Saving foreign pedestrians.

And now the end of another week is here. I came from cold and rainy London to a sunny 82 degree Aix-en-Provence. I have a little over three weeks left in my warm and sunny southern France home. I have officially registered for classes back in the US for next fall. And all of a sudden junior year wants to come out of nowhere and make me figure out my life. No thanks.

So for these next few weeks I plan to sit in as many parks as possible and profiter. I know I say it every week, but every week it serves as a good reminder. (And you dear readers at home, don't forget to profiter!) But in between my park sittings, I have to force myself through nine more days of classes and four finals. Sigh, that'll be hard. I have no more desire to do school work.

Well, the next time I get on a plane it will be to go back to my real home. I will never have to deal with the shenanigans of Ryanair or the tiny Marseille airport again. Soon I'll be back in the giant US airports. Weird.

Good luck to all my friends back home with finals coming up, you can do it! I miss you all and can't wait to see you! If you pass, maybe I'll bring you a chocolate croissant!

Happy Spring Break!

Or not if you're me. I spent my first three days of spring break being sick and sitting in bed and not profiting. :( Luckily I'm 99% better now and just in time because... TOMORROW I'M GOING TO LONDON! So excited.

I have honestly no idea what I did this past week. I keep meaning to keep track of it so these last few weeks don't all pass in a blur, but I think I'm too busy doing to blog it all, you know? I do remember a few things, so I'll walk you through the highlights.

First I decided the dramatic tragedy Ruy Blas should actually be reinterpreted as a comedy. Just throwing it out there. (Crap, it looks like someone already did it. Ruy Blas and the Blasé Roué, this looks perfect.)

Wednesday night I saw a show at the theater where I intern. It was a show for children. Small children, aged 3 to 10 probably. It was about the creation of the world and how we're now polluting it. Luckily, it was just about at my level of comprehension. It's kind of sad, because I didn't even understand everything they said. Just when I think I'm good at French, a three year old has to come and show me up. Rude.

France has a smell. A certain smell I've never smelled anywhere but in France. I don't know what it comes from. It's not a bakery, it's not cheese, maybe it's a plant? I've smelled it in Tours and in Aix. It's just a magical French smell, come back to haunt me with it's mysterious origins.

The kids at my internship continue to amaze and perplex me in terms of language learning. I'm becoming such a nerd when it comes to this stuff.
First thing, one of the little girls was told to do something and she responded, "Okay, sans problemo." You just spoke three languages in one sentence. I know, it's not like it's a huge feat it was just so funny to me because we always say "no problemo" and it never occurred to me that in France they'd say "sans" instead of "no". SO COOL.
Second thing, it's so interesting to hear kids argue about the gender of certain words. When was the last time you heard kids do that? Probably never because English doesn't really have genders. It made me feel a little better too because they weren't born with this innate knowledge, thus I can learn it too. Right? Right.
The third thing comes from some kids at the park. They were rolling down the hill and before they would roll they'd count "One, two, three!" instead of "Un, deux, trois!". I thought that was so cool. We Americans throw "bonjour", "merci", "hola", "gracias", and whatever else into our normal speech, it makes sense that other language speakers throw in English, but it's weird to hear. Who would have thought.

I think I've run out of wise reflections. There is nothing new to reflect. Except, this weird moment I had where I was just hanging out in my room thinking about how normal it is being here, this room is normal, is mine, and I'm used to it. Then out of nowhere, I was hit by it. This isn't my normal place... I kind of have to struggle to remember what my room at home looks like.
Let's do the usual run through of time I have left:
-one week in London and one weekend in Aix
-four days of classes and a Sunday trip
-five days of classes and one weekend in Aix
-FINALS WEEK... and that Sunday going to Paris to go back to the US.
Umm... When did that happen?

Let me tell you, it's so much fun ordering things online and sending them to my house, because when I get home it'll be like Christmas.

PS. Pittsburghers, don't get snowed in today! Hahahaha snow in April.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Weather themed titles, as per usual. This week was cold and cloudy and rainy for the good part of the week. I was unaware April would be so dreary and I'm a little disappointed. Especially when Pittsburgh seems to have nicer weather than us (sometimes, it did snow and hail there recently, but it's going to be 80 in the upcoming week so...). Fingers crossed next week gets better, my vitamin D store is dropping low.

This week flew by. Monday we had off so I hung around, walked around, went to parks, the usual. The school week passed without incident nor excitement, save for my literature class.
We haven't read out loud in a while and for some reason I seem to have lost all ability to read out loud. I think I made a mistake on every single word and it is hard to be corrected every time you open your mouth and try to say something. After suffering through a horrible butchered reading of some Proust, the class did improve. I sulked for a few minutes and then enjoyed the class again. It's a great class and we all get along and spent most of the class laughing (and learning, of course). Yesterday I wandered around with my friends while they 'interviewed' tattoo parlors to see where they want to get their tattoos. Don't worry, no tattoos for me. Although if I did, I might just get 'il faut profiter', so lyrical sounding, right?
And Friday I had class during which I rocked a presentation with my friend, then sat in the cave being very silly with my friends, came home ate a whole hollow chocolate egg and watched three episodes of Glee. LIVING THE LIFE. Whatever, it was rainy.

As another week comes to a close, I get even more confused about my feelings about France. While in the cave today, someone mentioned we have something like 37 days left. Uh, what? Sorry, did no one inform time we just got here? No, but really I did. I swear. Time has flown. But here's the weird thing, I don't even remember being home. I haven't been home since December and to think about Pittsburgh and what it's like there, what things look like, where I hang out, how to drive places, all the English, all the people (like yinzers), is so weird. I realize that France isn't the place I 'belong', but at the same time it feels like I've always lived here. I know, it doesn't make much sense.
Same goes for the awesome people I've met here. I was slow to make friends, but now that I've made them, I feel like I've known them forever. We've known each other for two months and yet I can't remember hanging out without them. I haven't forgotten my friends from home and in fact I miss them a lot, but my friends here are my normal friends now. A lot of my friends live close by in the US, which is also weird. Because this whole time, we've been close to each other, but only met once we traveled miles across the world to France. These things are blowing my mind.

I have one week left, then spring break, then two weeks, and finals. I can't wrap my mind around how short that is. I might actually be sad and have a minor life crisis when I leave here. Sure, I still want to go home, but...
As my friends and I have decided, if we could just transport our people to France, it would be almost perfect.

Until next week's baffled end of week post, il faut profiter!

Here Come the Easter Bells!

Here in France we have Easter bells as well as an Easter bunny. Here's what happens:

The church bells in France (and Belgium so says the internet) traditionally don't sound from the Thursday to the Saturday before Easter. Well why on earth aren't they ringing? I'll tell you why. They flew to Rome. In Rome they collect candy from the Pope and wrap it up under their wings. Easter morning they fly back to France and open their wings and spread candy joy all over the lawns. Then they go and ring for Easter morning mass.

And you thought an Easter bunny was odd.

PS. Looks like the Easter Bonnie (haha, get it?!) was busy this year! My host family just gave me the Easter candy that my mom had entrusted to them to give me on Easter. I knew she had it in her suitcase when she got to France and I was wondering where it went. And when did she get a chance to give it to them? It's been a while since she's pulled a fast one on me. Tricky, tricky mom.

I'm going out to eat lunch with my extended host family, but when I get back... I'm going to eat ALL THE CANDY. French chocolate is delicious, but there's nothing like Hershey's, Reese's Pieces, Snickers, and a giant hollow chocolate bunny.

Look! Snickers!

 

April Showers Bring May Flowers?

Remember how last week was great and full of sun?
Yeah, well this week was full of clouds, rain, and cold. So naturally all of us Americans who are mostly used to nasty spring weather complained and complained all week long. Because we're in the south of France and we were promised sunshine. The fact that it even rains is a travesty. It was even humid one day. The horror.

This week passed without much special happening. I had some classes, did some internships, ate some chocolate, hung out in the cave, and went walking in the rain.

Wednesday though I got to go on a fun adventure called, "Go to Marseille for Your Medical Visit to Be Able to Stay in the Country". This has been hyped up for weeks. We knew we were going to have to go, all of us with the unfortunate luck to have turned in the OFII or just have gone to the Boston consulate for our visas. I turned in the OFII due to some confusing circumstances, but it's no big deal now. However, I find it very funny that after being in France for three months already they now schedule us to go to Marseille. If I had diseases, they'd be in your country already... Sorry about that. This visit has been talked about and made much more terrifying that it actually is. I'll admit, the thought of having to go to the doctor and speak in French and get an x-ray (oh no, not that!) is kind of scary. I mean, when was the last time you were taught medical jargon in a foreign language?

But to my surprise, everyone there was very nice and not scary government people at all. They even let me keep my x-ray!

Thumbs up for no tuberculosis!

Just kidding, everyone got to keep their x-rays, I'm not that special. The doctor and I did have a nice conversation about going to the beach though instead of sitting in Marseille on a rainy day. So thumbs up, France, you did well that day with the governmental regulations and such. I do wonder though if the fact that I could speak to them in almost entirely French gave me some brownie points. Oh well, il faut profiter, as the French say. Then we trekked home via subway and bus to return to Aix, go grocery shopping, then go home and crash.

REFLECTION TIME!
Guess what? I finally feel comfortable here.
"Finally, Catharine, it only took you three months."
I know, I know, but better late than never, eh? I was walking to school one day just minding my own business and being rather happy and comfortable and in my routine. I actually feel like this is my regular real life now. Then all of a sudden it hit me. This isn't my usual life, I'm going to go back to Pittsburgh and everything will be different. I won't have this time ever again and I need to embrace all of it. This kind of contrasts what I said a few posts ago, but hey, two weeks is a long time. I think it helps that I've made some awesome friends here, the weather is beautiful (normally), classes are going great, and French comes more naturally. I'm still not fluent, not by far, but it's not a struggle.

I spend most of my days hanging out in the sunshine and laughing with my friends. It's going to be so rough going back to CMU where everyone works themselves into the ground. I go to markets and buy fresh fruits and veggies. For dinner someone else cooks for me and feeds me good healthy food without fail. My friend and I were talking yesterday and realized that reverse culture shock might be harder than culture shock.
What do you mean you don't have a bakery on every corner? You don't have multiple markets everyday? It's not sunny without fail? I don't have time to sit in the park and nap? There's only ten kinds of cheese in the grocery store? Chocolate is over two dollars? Dollars?! What's a dollar?! There's less than four kinds of vegetables on my plate? Your date format is month/day/year?

I'm sure all will be fine, but in two weeks my outlook on all of this has completely changed. So my friends, wherever you are, il faut profiter!

PS. Check out my photography class blog, our new photos have been posted! 

Let the Sun Shine

It's been absolutely beautiful in Aix here this week and it makes it even harder to do my homework. (And by this week I actually mean the week of March 26.)

Sunday
I decided it was really quite necessary to leave my house since I spent Saturday doing my homework. So I went to the park with my friend and we had a lovely time reading and accidentally napping in the sunshine. I sure will miss this sunshine when I go home. And the lack of humidity here bumps Aix up quite a few points in my book.

Monday
I got another midterm grade back, woo hoo for As! At my internship I watched the older kids do french improv which was hilarious. And pretty much the same as American improv. 

Tuesday
Got that final A, I'm four for four, woop. Did some classes, some internships, some museums, the usual.

Thursday
I sat in TWO parks on Thursday. One I sat in for a few hours during lunch time with my friends and then one after class with another friend because it was too early and too sunny to go home. More parks than class on Thursday, that's how we do study abroad.

Friday
Today was day one of three days of excursions. I'm going to be exhausted...
Rendez-vous at 8h15 (ugh, so early) to board a bus to go on our way to a little vineyard near a town called Brignole, about 40 minutes away from Aix. We got a tour from two people who worked there who told us about the crops, the reaping, the pressing, the fermenting, all those fun things. When I first walked in the cave, the first thing that I noticed was that cave smelled like my childhood.

Barrels and barrels of aging wine.

"Wait," you might be saying to yourself, "Catharine, why does your childhood smell like a wine cave?"
Well dear reader, it's because my parents have towed me along to many wine tastings throughout my childhood. I didn't taste the wine of course, but the smell is so familiar.
Anyways. In the surrounding grounds there were some bunnies, flowers, gardens, trees, and of course the vineyard bit itself. And the little girl of the vineyard owners was there just hanging out. Um, how cool to grow up in a vineyard! We had a charming wine tasting and I spent a chunk of time playing peek a boo with the little girl from behind a door. I'm always mature, especially at wine tastings. (The wine cave will actually smell like her childhood.)

Pretty view of the vineyard

The actual grape bush/trees, but they're not quite blooming yet.

Then we went to an old Gregorian monastery which was also pretty darn cool. It's not so interesting to look at, but the acoustics in there are incredible. We had a man who is a professional singer and who restores Gregorian chants come sing to us in the church. It was an amazing experience. The way the cathedral was built makes it sound like a whole chorus is singing in perfect harmony when only one person is singing because of the way the echos work. Then we all got to sing with him which was also super cool. Then finally went home and slept.

Saturday
Spent the day in Avignon with my history class. First we saw the Palais des Papes and walked around learning about architecture and stuff. It's pretty empty inside the actual building, but it's still cool.

Inside the big cathedral

 Next we went to the Musée du Petit Palais, which had a bunch of pictures we had to study for our test, I shan't bore you with that. Finally we got to go to the Pont d'Avignon, or the bridge of Avignon.

Le Pont d'Avignon

 And I'm not sure if you know, but there's a song about this bridge that says people dance on it.
 Here's a creepy children's song version to show you: Le Pont d'Avignon

Thus, naturally, we danced on it.

View from the bridge

And here's a carousel of my childhood, or so I'm told.

Sunday
Final day of excursions. This days was with IAU and so all the students went. We loaded up on a bus at 9AM and drove our way to the Luberon! The Luberon is a fancy and rich area about an hour and a half away from Aix. Our first stop was the city of Lourmarin. There was a little chateau there we stopped to see and run around in. Then we saw Albert Camus' grave. With a lizard running on it. That's the important thing to take away from this.

Pretty view in Lourmarin

The cutest dog decided to pose for me

It's just too pretty. I may buy a summer chateau out here at some point.

Next up, we drove to Lacoste. Lacoste is a perched city, so we had to climb an incredible number of stairs to get up to the top to look out over the city below us. We also had one of Marquis de Sade's ruined castles right next to us. Our guide from IAU told us we could go soak in the atmosphere of Sade, err... thanks but no thanks.
We had a nice picnic and then wandered around some foresty area before heading back to down to hop on the bus again.

Just over looking the land. No big deal, right?

Our last stop was the magical land of Roussillon. It used to be a quarry to mine ocher (I think?) so it's bright and brilliant orangey red. We got to hike through there and see the beautiful green trees contrasted against the orange/red ground. Some of the tree trunks are even colored orange from being in that area. So cool.

Looking out over the land

Unreal. Orange everywhere.

After we finished hiking through we got some ice cream, of course. I had some delicious peanut, chocolate, caramel, vanilla, who knows what. It was magical. Happily we all loaded back up on the bus to go back to Aix. And then that night I got to study for my history test on Monday. :(

And that is all for last week! This week will come in a smaller installment. Sorry if I switch tenses all around on you, I started this entry last week and am just finishing it now... Whoops!