update! :D it’s been in the 20s fahrenheit here for about two weeks now…going outside is just so so painful. 50 degrees finally seems warm to me. Instead of super cold as my namby-pamby LA self thought before. The big fountain at Place des Terraux is all frozen over, it looks really awesome. I need to take a picture of it lol.

Other news: It’s the end of week 3 of classes! And I finally figured out my schedule! After going to about 15 classes I finally found 4 I like and am going to take. That was a crazy few weeks, just like it was first semester. Except this semester I’m playing it smart and taking classes that are

a) easy, as in only have a not-too-hard final and not a zillion assignments, which is actually what most classes are like in France

b) at the Quai or IEP campuses, and not in Bron the extremely far away and hideously ugly suburb

cause last semester I ended up with 3 classes at Bron, and a really hard class. I super regret my class choices. :/ but this semester is going to be awesome!

side note: still haven’t gotten my gradess :( they are really slow. 

anecdote: while searching out classes this week, I attempted to go to one on monday night, and here is the (typically French) situation that came about: Showed up (slightly late, oops haha) to find 4 people outside the room, who said the prof wasn’t there, and hadn’t been there for the last 2 weeks of class either. The office had called him but couldn’t reach him, had no idea what was going on with him, but confirmed that the class was happening. :/ sooo didn’t take that one…

more updates…

I went skiing! Day trip, with a couple other americans…it was fun. Except I fell a lot cause it was only my second time ever skiing. and it was -15 degrees celcius, but I was very bundled up so it actually wasn’t too bad, it felt warmer than Lyon, I suppose because of the wind chill here. But I totally whacked my head super hard and got a super mild concussion :/ all better now tho! Just have some sore muscles. The view from the mountain where we skiied was absolutely gorgeous…there was sooooo much snow. It was les Sept Laux, in the Alps. 

Oh, interesting point I’ve been mulling over since Wednesday (because it was brought up in my translation class): In French high schools they often focus on America’s racial problems, which hey, we have (and had) a ton, so fine, knock yourself out. But apparently, according to my translation teacher, they leave out a lot of the progressive changes that have occurred in America. They briefly cover MLK, but they leave out the ACLU, for example. I found that point really interesting, because it makes certain situations my friends have encountered make a looot more sense. On one occasion some french people were telling my friend that America is super racist, etc, probably because of what they learned, and didn’t learn, in school, especially about contemporary American society. BUT we American students found that particularly ironic, because upon first arriving here many of us were shocked at how racist French people seemed to us. My opinion is, that because America has had so many racial problems we had an about face and are now super sensitive to that issue (always trying to be “politically correct” etc) but in France they’re not as sensitive, so they say more things that we would consider way not politically correct. Especially some of my asian friends have encountered some majorly racist behavior. 

Okay, so with that nugget to think about, I’m off. Later!

Hello! I exist! Started second semester yesterday! After a weird month of class/vacation. Classes ended in December, with some finals the second week of December, and then we had 2 weeks of vacation, for which I went to stay with some cousins near London, and had the BEST time.

Read more …

Bonsoir! Honestly, I don’t even know where to start for this update because too much has happened since my last one ;_; I’m such a blog fail. 

Well anyways I thought I’d start with some random observations.

A. European grocery stores are just as huge as American ones. Videos made by Europeans making fun of huge American grocery stores (ahem, Alex Day) are total BS. See: Auchan, Géant Casino, etc.

B. My cousin commented that she likes French commercials better than British ones, getting me thinking about the differences between advertising in English-speaking countries vs. France. (P.S. in France they refer to them as Anglo-saxon countries, so I may say that too at some point). Conclusion: French commercials do seem to be classier. I cannot claim to have seen all French commercials. But the ones I have seen tend to be less ridiculous than American/British commercials can be. One British commercial I saw over the weekend: Some cave man crashing his car and telling a cave girl he just invented car insurance, at which point things really get weird cause this curly-mustachioed man in a suit appears saying that you should shop around for car insurance, and then there are some giant birds or pterodactyls or something, and more cave girls. I don’t remember exactly, suffice to say one of the most bizarre car insurance commercials I’ve ever seen. Seemed like it ought to have been an Ionesco play (haha yess finally got to reference him). Anyways.

C. If you, like me, are not a huge fan of beer, there is this amazing thing you can order at basically any french bar: flavored beers. I thought u had to get this specific fancy flavored beer, that is really expensive, but you don’t! Just order a “demi (insert syrup flavor here)”  and you get a demi of beer with a flavored syrup, for the same price as a normal beer. This seems less exciting when I write it down. But it was a really cool discovery, and it tastes delicious.

On to updates:

I sat for about 3 hours today listening intensely to an extremely interesting talk about the Jewish experience in Lyon during WWII—and understood all of it! Except for maybe a word here or there, but seriously, like 99.99%. And I focused really hard the whole time to do so, because it’s info I really need for an exposé I’m doing, rather than drift off and doodle like I do in lecture (ahem), which left me with a headache and a sore jaw from repressing yawns. BUT I got a ton of useful info for my exposé. Except then at the end I was asking the speaker some question and for some reason it took me way too long to figure out what “say sahn karant saynk” was (545)…even tho my brain was on high-alert and I’d written down a ton of numbers already…it just blanked on that…but it’s okay I got there in the end. 

ensuite:

Spent the weekend with my second-cousin and his wife in the Beaujolais. It was AMAZING. lazed about, worked on my dissertation (paper, not the same as a dissertation in English), went for walks through woods and vineyards in the mist with the adorable dog, petted the many cats, watched NCIS in French and Sherlock Holmes in English, drank yummy vietnamese coffee, fed and petted donkeys, and most importantly, got to know my cousins who I only just met, and who are really super cool. They’ve lived all over the world, in really exotic places. They gave me some vietnamese coffee to take home, as well as a really soft sweater that I basically lived in all weekend, and a couple of books. I feel so lucky to have found family here! Every time I put on my new sweater or drink my coffee in the morning I feel loved :)

Also: stocked up on black beans and baked beans from Auchan. Which my cousin drove me to, thereby avoiding the 2 hours roundtrip it takes to get there from my place. So…whenever I get the chance, probably Wednesday, I’m gonna make a bunch of refried beans! In fact, Wednesday is cooking day. I’m gonna make hard-boiled eggs, Quinoa, and refried beans. 

Oh, on that subject, a couple other Californians and I had a mexican food night the other night, it was amaaazing. Treated my roomie and her friend too. haha all the californians here (myself included) are so elitist about Californian mexican food, and how it’s the best. We made refried beans (my dad’s recipe, with onions, garlic, cumin, and red pepper) and guacammole, which we used to make burritos and the most epically delicious nachos ever. I still salivate thinkingn about those nachos. I need to make them again soon. Three of us shared one pan and I was stuffed on less than my share. Tortilla chips slathered in black beans and melted cheese, then drowned in guacamole and tomatoes. noms.

Umm other updates….

oh, an Italian friend of mine had a vintage-themed bday party a week ago, it was really fun. You were supposed to dress 60s so I wore my vintage polka dot dress that’s from the early 60s, with black tights (cause it’s 40 degrees out—5-7 degrees celsius) and finally, for the first time in France, my black pumps that I adore but never wear because I can’t walk very well in high heels. I’m gonna work on that. But anyways, the party was really fun, and I thought it was really cool how international it was. I heard…a lot of Italian and French, and I practiced my german, and heard a little English. And I made some new French friends. It was one of those moments when I think “wow, I’m studying abroad right now. This is pretty cool.”

Also, Café de Jeux. if you are in Lyon, you should go there. it’s amazing. A café stocked with about a zillion board games and card games, that you can use for 2 euros a night or 8 euros for the year. Had a lot of fun there with some British peeps. Hopefully gonna go back soon, maybe this week. It’s exactly the sort of place my dad would love, so that made me miss him. Things that remind me of my family are so bittersweet tho.*sigh*.

So, that’s all I can think of right now. I’m keeping busy, trying not to laze around my apartment alone too much (however, lazing around watching TV with other people qualifies as being social and is therefore a success). Example: This coming weekend, gonna get some xmas shoping done at the Marché de Noel at Perrache, maybe check out the sunday book festival at the Quai Saint-Antoine that I STILL have not been to even tho it’s the coolest thing ever (okay, I use that expression a lot. but it’s really cool), see my friend perform with the Lyon 2 orchestra, possibly watch Star Wars 6, and, oh yeah, prepare my exposé that’s due a week from tomorrow ;_; 

But actually, once my exposé is done, I’m in for the final stretch, 4 finals and an exposé on Finals week. However only one of those finals do I actually need to study for, and the exposé should not be difficult either. So, not too worried about that. Tho I am somewhat worried because that is what I do about schoolwork. stress. but IN ANY CASE I am very excited for the first semester to be over! ça y est! At the end of finals my besty from Cali-for-na-ay is coming and we’re gonna have an epic week, of course, and then it’s off to Angleterre again for the holidays (snow? maybe? maybe? pleaseeeee) and Paris for New Year’s. 

I feel good about finishing my first semester here in France, because I know I have a whole ‘nother one. Otherwise I would feel really stressed about the fact I haven’t visited most of the places I want to visit yet, or done half the things I want to do. But it’s okay: i have a whole nother semester in which to do weekend trips to Prague and Budapest and Istanbul and Berlin and Stockholm and Amsterdam and Vienna and Venice etc. 

My list of things to do here in Lyon:

Musée Gadagne

Musée des Tissus

Musée Gallo-Romaine

Another trip to the Musée de Beaux-Arts

um, just realized it’s all museums. Well, what can I say, I’m a history major.

Ok that’s all for now. À la prochaine!

Okay guys, get ready, this is gonna be a long one. And it ought to be, considering I haven’t updated in about a zillion years, I know.

So. Where to begin…well, today is Simchah Torah, a Jewish holiday celebrating how we’ve finished reading the Torah and now we’re starting it over again from the beginning. I don’t normally (well not in the last few years) go to services for Simchah Torah but I really like going to the liberal congregation I found here, so I went, and I’m so glad I did. I almost didn’t go, because it’s cold and rainy today and I felt like curling up under my blankets and watching more Downton Abbey…but I did, and it was great. 

It’s this tiny congregation, that meets in this little room in one of two locations, with just one Sefer Torah, and especially on Simchah Torah, aka not High Holy Days, it’s small. Tonight there were about 30 people, including children. The entire room got up and stood around the lectern at one point and watched the Torah get rolled back to the beginning (it’s a huge scroll, so this takes a while) and then we all had an Aliyah together. That’s how small it is. And I love it! They paraded the Torah around and we all sang, and they were all the same tunes that I know from back home, that my mom taught me when I was little. David Melech, Hinei Matov, Sim Shalom, Negilah Havah, Simin tov, and more that I can’t think of right now. Simchah Torah is such a joyous holiday, it was such a pleasure to share it with these people who have so much in common with me, even though they’re from a different country. Same traditions (side note: when they drop a siddur, they kiss it, too), same service, many of the same tunes…and tonight there were a bunch of kids who were absolutely ADORABLE, they were the only one’s answering the leader’s questions (I say leader because I don’t think she’s a rabbi, she just leads the service) in adorable French no less. I’m gonna ask if I can advertise babysitting with the shul, cause I would love to babysit those kids. 

Anyways, and it was also nice because I know people there now, I’ve had dinner with 3 different families from that shul (well, one of them was lunch), oh actually 4 if you count C, who’s a student like me. C was there tonight, with a non-Jewish friend who wanted to check it out, and so were some other people I know.

I am gonna go to more holiday stuff at UCLA when I get back, I’d forgotten how much fun it is, and how calming, to go to services. When I’m there I feel at peace and at home, and I leave with a feeling of contentment I get from few other things.

Afterwords C, her friend, and I went to this cafe called le Rouge Tendance that I’ve heard about before, it’s near my place, and it was super cool. It’s this exotic restaurant/bar/cafe place, decorated really cool, with a mongolian barbeque with exotic meats (tonight they had Zebra (!) Ostridge, Kangaroo…) and a lady doing henna tattoos (tues-fri: henna, mon-tues: massages (!), thurs: tarot card reading, sat/sun: magic shows! The service was not so great tho, super slow. 

Anyways, so we ordered desserts, I got a café gourmand, a thing that I just discovered that’s AMAZING. it’s an espresso accompanied by a sampler of all the desserts! I shared it with C’s friend, cause I have class at 8 am tomorrow so the espresso was really unnecessary. But it was very tasty :)

We were eating, when all of a sudden that song by the Black Eyed Peas, “Tonight’s Gonna be a Good Night” (no idea if that’s actually what it’s called) started playing, really loudly, and we were like “…what?” and then the lights dimmed. I thought they were gonna put on a show or something, and then this huge bucket with a giant sparkler gets carried out, along with a huge sombrero hat, which is put on some girl, and everyone is clapping, and I’m pretty sure it was a birthday thing. Sooo I am DEFINITELY taking at least one friend there on her birthday, cause that was a pretty epic birthday do. 

Also, the bathrooms there are SO COOL. The doors to the stalls are clear, and when you lock the door, they become opaque. Instantly. And they had a pretty fountain in the bathrooms, with mist (like, dry ice smoky stuff) and the sinks had really cool faucets. It was like a fountain. I can’t really explain it. I didn’t have my camera with me so I couldn’t take any pictures… :/ C did tho! So she will post those eventually. Although I didn’t take any pictures of the bathrooms, so you will just have to visit le Rouge Tendance yourself. That is directed at people here in Lyon, but those of you back in America should visit one day too lol. 

So, that was tonight. Tomorrow: Class from 8-12 (x_x) then hw…then packing…cause Friday morning bright and early A and I are meeting at the flyaway to go to DUBLIN AND ENGLAND for the next 10 days!!!!

Weekend in Dublin, hanging out with M, then London for a few days, then Oxford and seeing L, then Cambridge for a day, then back to London for a day, and back home to Lyon on the 31st. On a 7 am flight, so that’s gonna be lovely. But in any case, AHHH I’m finally going to Englanddddd. And the best part is, when I’m done with my awesome vacation I go back to France! It’s like a vacation within a vacation. 

My boarding passes are printed, hostel reservations confirmed and directions obtained…just need to pack…which is sort of an issue because…easy jet and Ryanair have super restrictive carry-on rules, so I have to fit 10 days worth of stuff in a backpack, without making it bulge out too much :/

Plus it’s gonna be super cold there so I have to bring a ton of warm stuff, but I’m just gonna wear that on the plane, cause it’s been really chilly here too. Which is awesome!!! A couple weeks back it was like this too, except more so. Cold and pouring rain. Soo awesome. I dunno why I like it so much, but when I look outside and it’s cold and gray and raining my day just brightens. And I get to wear cute winter clothes that I could never ever wear back in Socal. Tonight for example, I wore my long vintage-looking black skirt over thick black stockings and my new lace-up Edwardian-looking boots, covered with my long black wool coat and topped with purple gloves and a multicolored scarf. Scarves and gloves and thick jackets and boots…yessss. 

So, in case you couldn’t tell, I’m doing well :)

I’ve just been reveling in it the past couple weeks. Just…all of it. Speaking French all the time, being in France, finding cute new cafes all the time and tasting all the amazing pastries and desserts in this city (that part should probably stop soon…but there’s always so many awesome new things to try!!) and I’ve recently converted to French bread. so delicious. The French just know their bread.

My new favorite breakfast is a déjeunette (sandwich-sized baguette) with butter and jam spread on real thick, and a café au lait. I grab some cheese and nuts on the side for some protein, don’t worry :)

ALSO, latest sinful snack, granola with chunks of chocolate. Nuff said, I think. And I broke down and bought some nesquick powder and I make hot chocolate and chocolate milk. I swear I eat healthy things too ><

I’m just so thankful I’m not sick anymore, and I’m done with my first big project for school, and I’m going on vacation, and I finally feel settled in here. I’ve felt that way for a while, actually. It took 5 weeks or so, but after that I finally felt comfortable. I know the stores, I know the products (or well enough, I’m always learning more too which is great), I know all the metro/tram routes, and a lot of the buses too, I know French hours (forget about Sundays, and noon-2 pm every day, and often they’ll just be closed in the middle of when they’re supposed to be open) and what to expect from French bureaucracy(hint: not efficiency). 

One of these days I’m gonna make a post about all the things people have told me/each other about France and French people that are just dead wrong. Like the they-don’t-wear-shorts-or-tank-tops thing (hint: they do). But I’ll save it for now, this post is long enough haha.

So yeah, that’s my update. Need to go to bed now.

So, I have made some cool discoveries today, and I thought I’d share them. 

A. Tabacs are amazing. A Tabac is literally a Tobacco shop. But a Tabac is so so much more than that. They sell: newspapers, magazines, stamps, envelopes, fiscal stamps (for paperwork stuff) AND I just found out today—they will sell you a new battery for ur watch and replace it for you. 

What do Tabacs NOT do??

Well ok, they don’t sell stamps you can use to mail stuff internationally, I found out. You have to go to the post office for that. But Tabacs seriously do everything. Ask where you can find something in France, and 7/10 times, it’s gonna be a Tabac.

So, that was my ode to the Tabac. 

other things I discovered today:

two blocks north of my apt is Cours Lafayette, which is full of tabacs, Kebab places, cafes, restaurants, a Picard (a grocery store where they sell everything in frozen form! It’s pretty cool), various hair salons, clothing stores, and shoe stores…basically, a ton of stuff. Includign a post office and a BNP paribas. All right next to my apt! happy, happy, discovery. AND one of these markets is a KOSHER MARKET. YES. They sell Hummus, and falafel, and PITA. really, really, good pita. And, come passover, they will be #1 source of all passover goods. Really excited about this. 

Oh, and it rained today, which was nice. Not sick of the rain yet! hasn’t rained that often. I like to think that I will never get sick of rain, but we’ll see.

Also, just got back from Strasbourg!! Went for the weekend with C and A, it was a nice not-too-expensive weekend. Visited the Palais du Rhin and the Palais Rohan, and the gorgeousss Cathedral, and la petite France, the old medieval area, which is ridiculously gorgeous. Ate reallyyyyy good food. Vegetarian Tartiflette. Seriously yum.

and now classes finally start, tomorrow! have an academic meeting in the morning, and then class from noon-6 :( but I won’t be taking all of them, just auditing what I want for the first couple weeks. l’Histoire Contemporaine, lecture and discussion (discussions are counted seperately here, btw, not as part of a lecture, but a whole seperate course), Lyon ville d’histoire, l’histoire des religions, traduction pour anglophones, et l’introduction à l’architecture. We’ll see how this week goes!!

And last, but definitely not least, I made a quiche today. Broccoli and Emmental. And it turned out perfect. And I am very happy about it :) totally successful grocery shopping and cooking venture.

Today was actually really productive. Booked me and A’s flights to London/Dublin and back (yikes it was expensive. But whatcha gonna do, we wanna go there), went grocery shopping, did my laundry, cooked, watched an episode of Doctor Who (Night terrors, I’m almoooost caught up)…

These things are significant, because the littlest errands are scary here because Ive never done them before and I don’t know how to do them. But once I’ve done them it’s okay. Like laundry, and using the oven. And grocery shopping. But after my first extremely negative experience grocery shopping I’m getting more and more used to it and finding more stuff, so that’s getting better.

Okay, that’s my little update for today. À plus tard!

…looking out the window, typing, thinking about what feels like 8 million things I need to do. I can’t believe it’s been 5 days since I last posted anything! I haven’t written in my journal since…like, the first day. I’ve been writing on here instead. But I think I’m gonna switch to writing in my journal more often, and posting on here when I have something interesting to write about. I think you have gotten the idea of my daily life here, I can stick to interesting things now. But…first this post!

I’ve had my first few days of the ILP, it’s fine. I’ve met some cool international students! And I got placed into a pretty high French level, so that’s validating :) I moved into my apartment yesterdayyy and I’m so excited to be here! My flatmates are super nice. My room is plain, but comfy, and I have a huge queen bed that is veryyyy comfy. And a teeny desk that is supposed to be replaced with a larger one soon. And as of now I have only shelves for my clothes, but they’re installing a bar for me to hang stuff on soon. I’m just so excited to have a room of my own! I was getting seriously sick of that hostel. Even though it was a nice one with double rooms. No kitchen! Or fridges! But now I have a kitchen! Although I haven’t had time to buy any food yet.

Oh, also, the student cafeteria at the University here is GOOD. They have bascially the same food as they have at every single boulangerie around here—giant (and I mean giant) sandwiches, tartes, coffee, etc. I got this huge sandwich for 2,70 Euros, and a coffee for another 1,30. And I could only eat half the sandwich it was so big. And I saved the other half and ate it just now for dinner. And I can always finish my food. It’s very rare that I only manage to eat half of something. It’s because it was on a really thick baguette that was like a meal in and of itself. It was a chèvre sandwich—thick slices of chèvre cheese with tomatoes and lettuce on the aforementioned superthick baguette. All sandwiches in France are like this. Well they haev meat ones too, but I’m pescetarian, so I get cheese or tuna ones. I think I have already discussed the tuna sandwiches here. 

Also, I love espressos. Whenever I have down time my first thought is “café!” where I promptly sit out on the patio and order an espresso (which is just called coffee here. “un café s’il vous plaît!”

I had two coffees today because I was running on very little sleep. I got one of them from a vending machine so it was only 4 cents! But there was no sugar in it so it didn’t taste very good haha. Usually when you order them it comes in a cute little espresso mug with a stirring spoon and either a little tube of sugar or a couple of little sugar cubes. so cute!

So, I went to Carrefour today, which is sort of the French version of Target, to get school supplies and toiletries, and it was definitely an adventure. 

So, it’s in the Part-Dieu mall, which is a short walk from where I live so that’s nice. But today it was a crazy packed mine-field of people shopping for la rentrée (back to school). I managed to grab paper (the French kind which is all graphing paper basically. They don’t have college-ruled) and a binder and some dividers…and then I went to buy toiletries, which was another kind of adventure. So, they had some of the same brands, for shampoo/conditioner/body wash stuff. (conditioner is called after-shampoo in French, après-shampooing. I guess no French person would accidentally put it on before the shampoo then, huh? *badum-ch*) but when I was looking for lotion and face-wash I ran into a bit of trouble. For some reason there were no plain non-medicated face washes…there were the medicated ones and there were a loooot of face creams that wash ur face. Like Ponds. I eventually bought this face-wash gel stuff…well, it’s a gel. But from the description it seemed like u use it like a face wash, lather and rinse, and it’s non-comodogenic and stuff sooo I think it’ll work. For lotion…I decided to try another time, because they didn’t have anything like Cetaphyl, just a plain oil-free lotion you can use on your face and body. (I’m super picky about face wash and lotion I guess…) also, they’re deoderant aisle was just row after row of spray-on deoderant. For women! it always seemed to me like spray-on deo was more of a male thing back in the states. So I guess it’s not here. Also, proof that French women do wear deoderant. They also shave, by the way. 

Shopping for stuff really made me miss CVS, Target, and Trader Joe’s. Seriously. In America I know which stores are cheap and which ones are expensive, which ones’ products I prefer and which ones have which products…and here I don’t. Appreciate it, people back in America. I’ve heard that Carrefour is the best place to get groceries, so I’ll prolly go there. Another time. When I’m not exhausted and it isn’t a mad-house. Yikes, it took me half an hour to write this. I’m gonna go post pictures on facebook and then take care of everything else I need to do. ta-ta!

We got some macarons from a boulangerie-patisserie on the way back from the bank today. I got citron, framboise, and café (lemon, raspberry, and coffee). They were very good :) it’ really warm out today, some people and I are sitting on the back terrace on our laptops, with a lap spread out in front of us, pointing out where our apartments are/researching apartments. A lot of us have found them! And some people are already moving out of our hostel. I still haven’t met one of my future roommates >< but I’m pretty committed so hopefully it’ll work out. :) positive thoughts!! Went to the bank to pick up my debit card…but I thought I had a copy of my passport with me and it turns out I didn’t sooooo….no debit card for me. BUT I found out that although normally French banks don’t take American checks, my bank is partnered with my French bank, so I can just write checks to myself to deposit money in my French account, which should be pretty convenient. Glad I brought my American checkbook with me!

haha I feel like this blog is so mundane. it’s just me…rambling on about all the little practical things like bank accounts and finding apartments and eating dinner…but I feel like those are the moments that make up life. It’s all those liittle things that combine to give me an impression of Lyon, of France, and of my year. I think it would be interesting to read about the little details of life in France, and all the little problems a wannabe expat encounters. So, I hope I’m not boring you ;)

Had my placement test today! At Lyon 2. It was…fine I guess. The listening section was fast but quite doable. The reading section was the same, and thennn there was an essay! Gah which was really difficult, but hey it’s just a placement test. I’ll place where I place. Tomorrow we have to be at Lyon 2 by 7:45 AM!! (ahhhhh) to get assigned into groups/start classes. Rawr way too early. And the P is here! Me and her and E are gonna hang out and do touristy things on Saturday :)

Oh, and our metro passes kicked in today! Except mine didn’t work earlier -_- so I had to go to the TCL office and be upset and they reloaded it. But now it does! I can just vaguely wave my wallet/purse at the machine and it beeps :)

okay, not much happened today, so there’s not much else to report. Oh, but my friend matt gave me a shout out on his blog, so now I want to give him one. He’s spending a year in Dublin, Ireland, sooo go check it out if you like international blogs! Theirishyear.wordpress.com

and I’m sitting in my friend C’s room with K, looking up apartments on FB (in case mine doesn’t work out) and squealing every time there’s a bolt of lightning. “oo did you see that one? it was huge!” “omg you could see the tendrils!” “woahh listen to that thunder!!!” C is laughing at us but it is seriously cool. Rain! Thunderstorms! Things like this happen once in a blue moon in Socal. This is the third incident of rain so far in the week I’ve been here. 

Got dinner at a nommy Chinese place today. Called “Palais de Sourires” (palace of smiles) so cute! And was quite tasty! Got an amaaaazing dessert there which I shared with K. Coffee icecream with chocolate fudge syrup and a ton of whipped cream (called Chantilly in French, I have learned). Yums!! Anddd was only 8 Euro 30. Cause we shared stuff.

Went to the Centre de la Résistance et la Déportation today, it was a really nice exhibit. There was a lot of long paragraphs to read and a lot of videos, and audio of speeches and songs and things. There was one section where you walked through this room set up to look like a street in France under the Occupation, with propoganda posters mixed with graffiti calling for “La France Libre!” and then a room set up to look like an apt from that period. it really put u into the world of occupied France; and it was a very grim place. Really interesting. And it was so much more real reading about people excecuted in the Place Bellecour, or uprisings in Villeurbane, places we’ve seen and walked through, versus learning about far-away places while in a classroom in California. 

Okay, time for bed, gotta wake up early tomorrow to take our placement test for the ILP 0.0 ahh I hope I don’t get placed in a lower level, it’ll be so embarassing haha. 

I just had such an amazing night. And last night was super amazing too. Going out to bars and staying up late and dancing is all really fun, but these last two nights have been much more chill, since we’re all pretty tired all the time haha, and I’ve really enjoyed them. Last night we got some drinks and sat at the edge of the Rhône river and hung out, just chatting and looking out at all the lights reflecting on the water from the buildings and the gorgeous bridges. Next to us were a couple of boats with people chilling on them, and people were walking by. There was a group of swans on the river who kept floating through the light so they were highlighted gorgeously against the background of the city. Someone brought some french friends who we chatted with too. It was just such a fun and beautiful night. And we left in time to make it back on the last metro (which is just after midnight)! 

Then tonight we went to the Hôtel de Ville (in the center of the city, where there’s lots of shops, restaurants, and bars, and the hôtel de ville, of course) and ate outside at a café. There were 7 of us and we shared some pizzas and a bottle of wine, and then we got really yummy desserts. I had chocolate lava cake with amazing vanilla icecream and whipped cream. Seriously good. We finished dinner around 10 (we’re eating at the French times! 8-10 for dinner) and walked back towards the metro stop, but we stopped at this large café place where they have jazz every night, and listened to it. Tt was really good! Then we came back, and ran into a bunch of people from our group on the metro. 

I feel like these first few transition weeks are my time to feel  like I’m on vacation. We don’t have any school, we’re in a new city, so we can just travel around getting to know the metro, seeing all the cool places, and eating out all the time (there’s no kitchens where I’m staying, and there’s no food allowed, so…) Possibly not super healthy, but I’m not snacking at all, just 2 or 3 meals a day, and we’re on the move all day, not sitting around. But the French eat a serious amount of carbs. like, really. Breakfast? Carbs, carbs, and oh, some more carbs. Cereal, bread and jam, and coffee, basically. Sometimes a yogurt. And for lunch I always end up getting a sandwich of some kind, since they’re some of the cheapest things around. And for dinner, we keep getting Pizza because it’s so hard to find anything else that’s not super expensive. Pizza and Pasta. very Italian actually haha. I mean, when we eat at the nicer restaurants the food is very French. but seriously, expensive. And…lots of dessert. But I mean, I’m in France. Once I have a kitchen I’ll go back to eating what I eat in the states for the most part. There’s a supermarket like 2 blocks from my apt (and no hills like at UCLA!!) seriously, the walk to get groceries is going to be ridiculously easier than at UCLA haha. Although I’ll be getting my fruits and veggies and such like at the big market along the Saone. 

Also, I want to mention French tuna sandwiches. They are not the same as American ones. The tuna is not in salad form, it’s just plain. But the bread has mayo on it (French mayo, which tastes slightly different, more spicy) and tomatoes and lettuce of course, and sliced hard boiled egg, always. It’s actually really tasty!

Okay, so, today, woke up sort of early (early enough to get the Free breakfast which is only served till 9!) and me and K went to meet up with S, my future flatmate, and I paid him the first part of my rent, got the keys, and saw the apt again one more time  (his dog is seriously cute) and then we went to CROUS, which was totally pointless and unhelpful (cause she’s still looking for an apt) and then got lunch, and then came back to the hostel, where I took a nap, and then we left for dinner. 

So overall, a really nice day. And now tomorrow is our last day before school starts! Ahhhhh. Thursday our ILP starts…which involves class for like 6 hours a day…and assignments…and homework…and letter grades. Blech. School. What. I’m in France. No school. 

And then from the ILP we go straight into our classes! Which will be extremely challenging, for obvious reasons. Which reminds me, I need to start researching what classes I want to take. 

Okay, that’s my update for today I think. Tomorrow I’m gonna sleep in, and then hopefully we can go to the Musée de la Résistance et la Déportation, because I really want to. 

A+!