You're not missing Much!

I apologize for not updating this very often anymore - but to be honest, there is nothing exciting going on - you're not missing out on much. 

Last week ended my first class - a class that was suppose to be 2 weeks, changed to 1 week - but resulted in longer days.  Followed by an exam on Friday - true/false & a few short answer - nothing tricky!  Not really sure how or if I get a grade - don't really know how it works between Shippensburg and here either - guess I'll find that out in March - my assistant dean of the college of business will be visiting - will be nice to see a familar face. 

With all that said, I'm now on a 2 week break.  Don't have any adventures planned, but the kids I live with and all the kids in La Rochelle, are currently on a 2 week break from school as well.  So it's nice to have them around more, rather than just at night.  Re-live my childhood a little... 
Ines just out of the blue started to talk to me A LOT the other day - was very surprised but it's about time she talks to me!  Guess she's going through withdrawl from school!

Saturday my mom took me and the kids to a beach - 2 down from where we live - it was extremely nice - she said that's where they like to go in the summer.  That evening we went to see 'The Artist'.  I never even heard of it & I don't know how I didn't with all the awards it won!  Going into it I didn't think I would like it being that it's black&white and silent, but it was surprisingly good - the Oscars obviously show that.  I'd recommend it.  Friday night was the French Oscars and 'The Artist' won 6 awards here as well.  No, I didn't watch them - I was told that. 

Sunday my mom took me for a bike ride - an hour & a half bike ride.  (The kids went to their father's Sat night)  Was it her way of proving to herself Americans are out of shape?!  I didn't let it show!  But it was nice - there are a lot of paths along the beach & port that we went on - I now know how to walk or bike to my school along the beach & how to get to the port (without taking the bus). 
The weather has been beautiful!  I understand it's been a little too beautiful at home too for this time of the year - I guess I brought the weather with me - you're welcome. 

Have a good week all!

& a very happy 2nd Birthday to my sweet cousin Jonah - (he'll appreciate this someday!)

a Trip to Normandy

I would have to say this past week has been the best week since I've arrived - I went to class & I met & traveled with 20 fellow-Americans - also the most I've done in a period of 5 days since I'm here...

My class - nothing too serious.  They are in English, but the professor enjoys saying things in French sometimes - I can only laugh about it.  I'd guess about 80% of the class are french students. The class went for 3 hours Monday & Tuesday last week with a 15 minute break.  My schedule for the upcoming week has changed, yet again - the course will now end this week resulting in longer days. 

On Wednesday I left for Normandy with the group from Colorado.  We left at 3 p.m. and arrived after 9 - it was a long, boring ride.  We stayed in a hostel which provided breakfast & dinner - it was my first hostel-stay & from what I've heard about hostels, this was not bad.  We were the only ones staying there which was nice.  The town we stayed in was Bayeux. 

Thursday morning we left at 9 with a tour guide for the day. First stop was Ste Mere l'Eglise - where US airborne troops dropped on June 6, 1944. There was one paratrooper who got caught on the steeple of the church. 

Next stop was Utah Beach.  This is the most western of the 5 beaches, it's about 5km (3 miles) long.

After Utah Beach, we went to Pointe du Hoc, a cliff in Normandy about 100 ft tall overlooking the sea - a point of attack by the US Rangers; the land on this is covered (I don't know what the right word is) with bomb craters. 

The next stop was Omaha Beach - 8 km (5 miles) long.

The last stop for Thursday was the American Cemetary. This land is owned and kept by the US. There are quite a few unknown soldier's buried here along with 3 women who were nurses during the war - one died on a plane crash, not sure of the other 2. & there are 3 medal of honor graves - one is Theodore Roosevelt Jr.

(The Chapel at the cemetary)

Friday morning, we had about a 2 hour bus ride to Mt. St. Michel. It was a very cold, wet day.  It is surrounded by water, and depending on the tide, it will either be surrounded by water or beach.  It was a long hike to the Abbey, but worth it.  A lot of people were saying it reminded them of Harry Potter - I have no interest in that so I really don't know - but that's what others had to say. 

All in all it was a nice trip & I'm fortunate to have seen what I did.  I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to meet the group I did too.  We arrived home Friday night around 8:30.  My nice host mom came to pick me up. 

A few other things happening:

Spring is arriving.  No more freezing temperatures. 

France is divided into regions & currently, the region Paris is in, the students have a 'holiday' from school  (All non-English speakers refer to 'vacations' as 'holidays'.) for 2 weeks.  I'm not sure when the kids here will be on break.  There are a lot of tourists in La Rochelle now with this happening.  Everyone is off for 8 weeks during the summer, & if you're working, you receive 5 weeks off - not sure when, or how that exactly works.  I do know that my host mother travels for work sometimes & is getting ready to leave for 3 days in the near future. 

I just found this cute - Ines had her first sleepover last night at her friends house & was so excited for it. She went to her dad's today so I haven't seen her, but I'm sure she enjoyed it. 

My french is coming along - I seem to understand a lot more, but I just can't speak it.

I don't think I have any other intersting news.  & it's getting close to bed-time.  Have a happy President's Day Weekend!

No news is Good news

I suppose it's been about a week since I've updated you all on my life but I have limited interesting things to share. 

Last week started out very slow with the snow - it's funny seeing their reaction to it because they simply don't know how to handle it.  I would estimate no more than 2 inches had fallen - which resulted in no buses for the day & public school cancellations.  No one owns a shovel so snow & ice still remain on sidewalks & driveways.  But it has been sunny everyday since & gradually becoming warmer & the snow is slowly disappearing. 

Our water pipes also froze & bursted Thursday night causing a nice thick layer of ice on the driveway & no water Friday morning.  My host mother did not handle this situation very well - she was very upset & was bringing snow in from outside & melting it on the stove for water! Once I saw her reaction doing this, I thought maybe it would take awhile to get fixed, but the man came about 11 a.m. Friday morning & literally took 5 minutes. 

The end of my week ended on a very high note (aside from the water problem).  I had a meeting Friday afternoon with the director of the international program.  He is from the States & just moved here 7 months ago with his family to take this job.  I received an apology for the confusion of the start-date with an explanation (simply they had to push the date back a month because of an issue.)  He has had dealings with Shippensburg in the past in regards to the AACSB accredidation.  & shared some interesting stories he has encountered since h'es been here. Overall it was a nice meeting & he took me to lunch along with another international coordinator.  I had also met a professor here from Colorado with 20 of his own students.  He is traveling to Normandy next week with his students & invited me to go along.  I will find out tomorrow if there is enough room.  If I do go, we will leave Wednesday afternoon and return Friday evening & is about a 5 hour bus ride. 

Also, in the beginning of all this school business, we were told to check our schedule everyday for changes - there is nothing ever permanent here - & it has changed already to my first business class starting this Monday the 13, rather than next Monday.  But only is Monday & Tuesday this week (just luck the trip to Normandy coordinated).  & also as of now, my one saturday class I had scheduled from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. has been switched so hopefully I don't get another Saturday class!

I hope all is well in the States - RIP to Whitney Houston,  I'm fully aware Shippensburg University has been on the news lately - no comment about that, & the good news is - 13 weeks until my return! & if you ask me for my address, I'll tell you where to send my valentines...

Bonne journée!

Happy Superbowl Sunday

A few things to share since my last post:

Not much school-related though.  I do attend french class everday so I'm learning something!  I met a girl from Chicago in my Friday french class who is in the same program as me & is also only to go to french on Friday's.  She also made the same switch as me by not taking the last course & has been just as confused as me - what a relief. 
Exactly 2 weeks I'll be preparing for class to start, finally.  

Friday afternoon a group of us took a weekend trip to Bordeaux - a 2 hour train ride south of where I live.  A very beautiful city - I enjoyed this city a lot more than Paris.  (Paris is certainly a must see as a visitor in Paris, but I'd rather re-visit Bordeaux before I leave) We only had one full day to spend there as we arrived Friday evening & left Sunday afternoon.  The weather was sunny & cold.  Sunday I woke up to about an inch and a half of snow - which was a trip in itself.  We had to make our way to the train station - it's Sunday so buses & trams (they use in Bordeaux) run seldom, however with the snow, were not running at all.  The sidewalks were slush & snow covered & slippery.  I don't think anyone owns a shovel which was what made it so difficult & the fact we had our bags with us.  But we made it & here I am. 

Yes, my host-mother picked me up at the train station.  Sami & Leila have gone back to school & will be home again at the end of February/beginning March again. 

Have fun watching the Super Bowl in the States tonight (I'll get the results in the morning)!  & have a great start to your week!