a Little more Interesting than Past posts

Suppose I have some new news to share with you.

I ended my 2 week break last week with a bike ride (2 hours this time, she's killing me) on the island 'isle de rei' which I had visited when I first arrived.  The weather was much nicer this time around and I got to see so much more.  Leila, the daughter living in Paris, arrived Thursday and stayed for the weekend.  Thursday afternoon we all had lunch at my host mother's parents home.  It was a very nice home, very updated & well kept.  My host mother did grow up in this house, & is within walking distance from our home.  Thursday was also 'International Women's day'.  I honestly never heard of it until I came here - the US should celebrate that a little better...

The kids went to their father's for the weekend.  Saturday we didn't do much & Sunday we went for a nice walk along the beach. 

My mother left Monday morning for the week for work, and returns Saturday morning.  This is the longest she's been gone since I've been here & this is the week I needed her the most.  The kids come to the house everyday after school & go to their fathers around dinner time for the night, when she goes away.  I woke up Monday and decided to go into the city for a few hours - it was beautiful & I wasn't sitting at home - of course I had Monday off of school.  I left the city shortly after lunch time not feeling well.  Ines came home from school, & Moussa (who speaks NO english) shortly after from work - I took some medicine, but didn't do anything, but possibly made me feel worse.  I'd say it was the flu, as it's going around here - so they say. I wouldn't have gotten the full expereince if it didn't happen. (Case 1 I needed my mother) Unfortunately I missed Tuesday class, but I didn't miss anything, of course.

Wednesday I was back in swing.  This course is being taught by a professor from England and is a lot more enjoyable than my previous class - though I have to stay here at school until 9:45 p.m. tonight (!)  & have 2 Saturday's in April of it.  Crazy.  Moussa will come pick me up from school tonight.  (Case 2 I need my mother)  Last night, Thursday, I had a very nice evening with the assistant dean of the college of business at Shippensburg.  He arrived late Tuesday evening with his wife, visited the school Wednesday & met with 'important' people & met me last night.  Unfortunately they didn't spend much time in this beautiful city as they visited Poland & Prague before coming here, & currently are on their way home.  It was one of the best nights I've had here, my first beer I've had here (no wonder it was a good night) & it was with my dean; hm. I'm not to worry about credits transferring, it will happen.  He realized how unorgnized this school is & understood my problems a lot better.  He said though I'm not getting the best education, it's all about the experience I'm having - which is true.  I've learned so much since I'm here - about myself, other cultures, how to deal with change, the list could go on.  I called my mother once we ended dinner & she called Moussa to come pick me up - which is what she told me to do, I had planned on either walking or calling a taxi.  (Case 3 I needed her)

Tomorrow evening I'm taking an overnight train to Nice (in the French Riviera) until Tuesday evening with another overnight train and arriving home Wednesday morning.  'Class' for a few days then off to London for 5 days - then it's April - my final month here!

I forgot to mention - we did NOT change our clocks here yet.  I asked my mother about it Saturday night, & she looked at me funny.  Europe changes their clocks the last Sunday of March, while the US changes the 2nd Sunday of March.  And Europe 'falls behind' a week or 2 before the US, as we do it the first Sunday of November.  Did you know that Arizona is always on Standard time?  (I did a little research about Daylight Savings when I learned we didn't change yet.  Thought I should learn something while I'm here)

Hopefully I gave you a good read this time.  Have a good weekend & I will update after my trip to Nice!

my Break is Slowly coming to an End.

I wish I had something interesting to share with you, but I really have no new news. I've been enjoying these 2 weeks off - more than the whole month I had off when I first arrived.  The weather is beautiful & much more pleasant here.  Last week my mother had to leave again for a few days - so I was alone again with just my french speaking african, Moussa.  I'm UNDERSTANDING french a lot better, but I'm always at a loss for words - just don't know what to say or how to respond!

Ines stated the other day that she thinks english is the best language.  Her dream is to live in NY - I'm expecting a visitor in the near future.  She's very much into photography & forgot her camera today - so I gave her mine for the day - she clearly enjoyed it.

  Today I met my mother's parents, her brother & his daughter.  We went on a walk through open farmland for about 5 miles.

My dearest Mother.

It was an overall good, exhausting day. 

I have a few things to look forward to in my near future - my dean visits next week for 2 days, a weekend trip to Nice in the French Riviera for St Patrick's Day, & 5 days in London the last week of March (yet another week off from school). 

Back to class next week! Finally.  Never thought I'd be so upset about such a matter.  & I assure you that next week I will have pictures of my school - I'm busy right now...

Hope you're all having a good week!  Miss you all!

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!

Things have not been well - but everything turned around today.

I was to have a meeting Monday afternoon to discuss possible changes in my courses - before I came here it was to my & Shippensburg's & my host family's understanding I would be here until the end of April. My host family being as nice as they are don't care when I leave, as long as I'm out by July, she has another student coming. Once I had looked into my schedule further, it had I'd be here until end of May - that's an extra month if you didn't catch on.
I may have repeated myself with my previous post, but maybe some of you haven't read that one...

I arrived at the school Monday for my meeting & whoever was in his office said he'd be back at 2, which is their normal end time for lunch, but he did tell me to be there at 1:30. So I waited, & waited, & waited until 3. Never showed up. Bus was coming at 3:30, so I left.  I Scheduled another appointment with someone else this morning for 10 - only had to wait 20 minutes for this one. Not bad. We fixed all problems & I will be done April 27, as originally planned. I will attend a few extra french classes between now & February 20 when I begin my first business class as well. 

Yesterday I also woke up to it snowing.  Very rare for this part of France - similar to the south -it's rare, but it happens.  It was only a dusting.  By the time I came home it was raining, windy & cold.  (I was soaked when I got home, just to top off the day I was having)

Things are definitely looking up now & I'm a much happier person.

I have met my other host sister, Leila, who lives/studies in Paris.  She is here for the week & yes, speaks English.  Sami, her son, began in internship this week at a local doctor's office, Leila is currently studying the Arabic language, Hana knows German & English & Ines is learning English & Spanish.  It's crazy - but I'm very impressed with them all. 

Today they also only had a half day of school because of a strike.  Apparently strikes are popular to occur here with schools - so just an afternoon session today. 

I have no more news to share.  Not sure what the rest of the week entails - other than french class.

Hope you're having a good start to the week!

my Updated, Interesting life; Pictures included

Spring is right around the corner here! Moussa is out doing yard work this afternoon, cutting grass, pulling weeds - looking forward to beautiful weather here soon. 

I have limited interesting news to share with you - I'm hoping to switch my business program here into Bachelor International 2, I'm currently in 4.  Which would mean that I'll finish at the time I was told I would before I came.  As of now, if I'm correct, in this program I wouldn't finish until the end of May, which I had always been told end of April.  I'll find out Monday afternoon what I can change - & I hope it's nothing but good news. I had also attended my first french class on Friday.  Should I complain about this - I went in on Friday after the professor had been teaching all week, I was only told to go on Friday.  Basically I went to day 5 of the class & missed all others.  Not too big of a deal, however we do get an exam at the end of this course.  We are told to 'catch up' by the advisor - a possibility we may sit in on her other classes during the week. However, once I start my business classes, my schedule will not allow to attend any french classes - will get interesting. 
It seems I'm just having bad experiences with the school right now - everything is going great.  I am the first student from Shippensburg attending this school, as we just acquired it, so will have much to share when I return. 

Sami came home for the weekend from school & Sunday I will meet Leila, her other daughter living in Paris. 

 My humble abode.  Right side of the building - garage is behind the tree - my room is the bottom window with the other garage to the left.

 Kitchen, obviously. My bathroom is to the left of the wall, where the coats are hanging. 

 The street I live on.

 The other direction of the street.  The first tree on the right is the driveway to my home - that was my landmark for my first few solo trips.

 The beach.

My neighborhood.

 The Beach - Atlantic Ocean

 The Port.

 2 of 3 towers in La Rochelle. Google it if you want to know about it - I can't tell you much.

 My living room. My room is to the left, at the bottom of the stairs.

 My room.

Kitchen, Living room, Where we eat (on the bottom) and my room is at the bottom of the stairs.

Hope these pictures satisfy you a little.  I have no pictures of my school yet - I don't spend anytime there!  But I will soon enough!
Enjoy your weekend in the States! I'm thinking of you!

a Weekend in Paris

Sorry to leave you hanging; I'm alive & well.  I had no internet access while in Paris to update while I was away.

The train left La Rochelle at 11:45 Thursday morning & arrived in Paris just before 3. Once we arrived we were in search of our hotel.  By taking the metro, we found it no problem.  Once checking in, we went out for a bit to see sacre coeur; our hotel was very close to that, which is a church in Paris.  Had to walk up quite a few sets of stairs to get to it, but it's worth it. 

Once we left there, we walked around the area of our hotel for the rest of the evening; had dinner & called it a day.

Friday morning we got up & took the metro to another side of Paris - Place de l'Étoile - where Arc de Triomphe is located along with a street of major stores on each side of the busy street. 

Of course we were in and out of a lot of the stores.  We spend most of the afternoon there until heading to the Eiffel Tower around 5. We arrived during daylight but left by night so we had the opportunity to see it lit up as well.  We did go to the top of it; very neat but extremely cold while waiting in lines  & of course at the top - but well worth it.

                                                              

After leaving the Eiffel Tower, we went for dinner & made our way back to the hotel. 

Saturday we explored the Louvre.  I just don't have the appreciation I should for art - we spent about 2 hours there.

After we left the Louvre we met up with someone studying in Paris who is friends with one the the girls I was with.  We went for dinner & afterwards saw the Notre Dame Cathedral.  Had an opportunity to go inside but was very dark and couldn't see much. 

That about sums up my weekend in Paris.  We left Sunday afternoon at 1:15.  The weather was wet and cold the entire time.  Never rained hard but was always a few drops.  Once I arrived back to La Rochelle my mother was waiting for me at the train station; very nice of her to come pick me up, as the bus only runs once an hour on Sunday's.  Most places close down by noon on Sunday's as well.  Sunday isn't a good day to do anything. 

Today I ventured to my school to find out when I can actually learn something.  According to her, I'll start my first French class on Friday; I don't get it.  I receive no credits for a French class here so I'm not too concerned about it - as much as I should learn some french while I'm here.  So I came home for the day around noon to do some things.  I'm in the process of doing laundry and I couldn't be more thankful for her allowing me to use her's, as some students are not allowed to use their host parents, and she has both washer & dryer.  The weather is beautiful today, 50 & sunny.  

We celebrated the Chinese New Year last night at dinner with Chinese food (very good) & today for lunch I had sauerkraut (mmm, my favorite...).  Hana also arrived home yesterday & had a nice time in Berlin.

Sorry for your loss all you PSU fans/alumni.

& I see we'll have a patriotic super bowl this year. 

Until my next post - bonne journée.

I probably won't have any interesting news for a few days. 

The 4 of us that went to Paris - Cindy, Claudia & Karolyn