Feb
2
Whoo hoo! I am up to four followers on my blog! Thank you, followers, for now I feel so special! Somehow I became of follower of my blog and I don’t know how to not become one. It is weird. Oh well!
The rugby match on Sunday was great! Limoges won, and there was a lot of tension and fights (some more intense than others) that made for a good game! It was SO very cold outside though, and by the end of the game, no one could feel their feet!
This week has gone by so fast! Yes, it is only Wednesday, but still! Monday’s classes were good. In my “pratique de l’oral” class we do these things called “Coup de coeur” and “Coup de guele”. It’s basically like a good thing and a bad thing. My good thing: I have been speaking lots of French with some new friends in my dorms. The bad thing: I think it would be cool to babysit while I am here, but I haven’t found much info on it yet. So tell me, what are your “Coup de coeur” and “coup de guele”? We also did a “piece de theatre” that had to deal with situations with neighbors. It was my 30th birthday and I was having a party, my neighbor was upset, but eventually we got her to join the party. It was fun. In my societe francaise class we kept talking about the education system. It is different from the US and it confuses me, but I guess it works for the French. In the French system there are so many levels of “degrees” and tests for certain ages and it is just odd compared to the US. There are also two movies out, “La journee de la jupe” and “entre les murs” that are about different teaching styles. I want to watch them both. They look interesting.
Tuesday’s classes were good and afterwards Kristen, Ebony, Jacques and I went to eat at this wonderful French place! Beforehand, Kristen and I were sitting in class and discussing how much we did not want to have soup, a sandwich, or cook something, and how we don’t like finishing with class at 6:30 and just going to our rooms. We wanted to do something, anything! Jacques was the lucky taker on his willingness to drive us. The restaurant was called “Le Bistrot Gourmand” and it was the best food I have eaten since I have been here. Save for the crème brûlée at La Bibliotheque. Everyone hold your breath and let this blow your mind:
I ate escargot. Snails. And I liked it. 🙂
It was surprisingly good. Jacques told us the ones we had weren’t that good, but they were good to me. There wasn’t much flavor in them, but they came out in a little dish with oils and herbs that was great with bread. I still can’t believe I actually ate it. For my meal I had something that had egg, ham, cheese and some other vegetable stuff with pasta. It was SO good. This is where I am taking my family when they come for their first meal. The wine wasn’t bad either. 🙂
Naturally, this little outing took us four hours. I am beginning to learn that is just how it works over here. No one is rushed and meals are used as a socialization method and it is nice. I like it. We talk about the most random things, but the conversation never stops. Kristen told about this house that is haunted in her hometown, so I made a plan to go visit her in Louisiana and go see it. It sounded creepy and we all know how much I hate haunted houses.
Today I got my first eyebrow waxing done by the French. Don’t get too excited; it was no different than the American way. I have lots of homework I need to do today and I might go to the big Carrefour with the other girls.
Tell me this, Oklahomans: I was talking with Lelani a couple weekends back about what South Africa is “marked” by and known for, and she asked me about Oklahoma. She said, “I know you deep fry everything, but really, what is Oklahoma known for?” Good question, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. Of course, if you are a collegiate, you say “Oklahoma football”, if you are stereotypical, you say “Cowboys, teepees, and Indians” and if you are clueless, I’m not sure what you would say. Really though, what is Oklahoma known for?! Wheat? The invention of the parking meter?! It has to be something better than that!
Ponder that thought and get back to me 🙂
lovelovelove
Teryn
Feb
2
Everything has been going really well these past couple of days! I started my translation course which will be extremely beneficial to me, but it looks like it can be difficult at times. Plus, the Friday morning at 8:00 am doesn’t quite help that! There are a few classes that I am taking that are simply just for preparation for the exam at the end, which is basically, in my mind, a French ACT, but only with reading and writing. We are doing a lot of old tests and learning how to listen well, time ourselves and things like that. It is stressful because right now I don’t see myself doing well on it at all, but I know a lot will change when May comes around.
There are a couple of guys who live in the same building as me and we have created a “date” for speaking French each night. It just happens and it is really nice. I can ask questions, they help me, they re-teach me things! It takes effort on my part because I feel uncomfortable speaking French sometimes, but that is what I have to get over and just talk and I will be better. It’s becoming easier, and I’ve realized I know a lot more than I think I do.
Remember how I talked about the Carrefour by my dorm being like a French Wal-Mart? Well, it is, but moreso a Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market. The actual Carrefour, which I discovered Wednesday, is b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l! It is literally like walking into a Wal-Mart! They have SO much stuff and it is cheaper than the things at the Market. I’ve decided that even though it takes more of an effort to get to it by bus, I am definitely going there for everything! That is the one that I am taking my Mom and Sister to when they come to visit.
This next weekend I am going to Bordeaux with Kristen, Kelli, Ebony, Jacques, his friend, these two girls in our class from the Czech Republic, and Alex and Claudia, the two students from England. It should be really fun and I am very excited to go! We are staying in a hostel, taking the train there and back, and visitng a winery! We found a 5 hour city and winery tour that I think will be very interesting. I am happy to finally go somewhere on my weekends and I am looking into where else I want to and can go visit on the weekends and for my first break!
Today I am going to the Rugby game. Tros told us they are playing a French team that they lost to last time and there should be lots of fights! I am definitely wanting to see that! Last week I was at Lelani’s and they showed us videos from different rugby teams and the level of intensity and fighting went up and the level of competition went up. It was interesting. All I know is, these poor rugby players have to be either so sore or so dead after playing a match. I wanted to cry when I saw the hits some of the guys had. It looks awful.
That’s really all that is going on. Funny story: I needed to buy a mini-stapler because a lot of the copies my professors give me are just pages and pages without being stapled and it drives me crazy. So, I was at the big Carrefour and I bought a hole punch instead. In my defense, they look EXACTLY alike, and the picture looked like a freaking stapler. Oh well. Now that I don’t have a need for a hole puncher, I have one. Maybe one day.
I realized when looking at my calendar that I have almost been here a month! It is crazy how fast it has gone by. Just a few things that I really miss:
- Sonic ICE!!! Or, ice in general!
- Dr. Pepper, but not as much as I thought I would.
- My mom, sister, JayJay, and of course, Sassi and Coco!
- I haven’t had Starbucks, BWW, Sonic, anything in one month!
- RANCH! OMG, ranch! I do miss you!
- A bathtub. I officially hate showers. So inconvenient, plus, who really wants to stand while getting clean? Not me, that’s for sure.
- Driving, I haven’t driven in a month! Honestly though, I enjoy walking now and taking the bus. The public transportation here is ten times better than in the US and it really can take you almost anywhere! Walking now gives me time to think and notice things around me that I wouldn’t if I was driving.
- Kara, Taryn, Shelby, my tortilla!
I am sure there are more things that I miss, but overall I really don’t miss home all that much. Sorry, mommy! 🙂 I truly enjoy it here, and could definitely see myself coming back for a much longer period of time. We shall see…
Lovelovelove,
Teryn
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