This week I finally got to start my classes!
Monday we had an orientation in the morning (presentation of the library, introduction of the professors, description of available courses), and from there we are free to choose courses and attend them this week to see if we like them. That afternoon I attended écriture créative (creative writing), which was very enjoyable even though it runs a little long- 3 hours. It is taught by two men: the kind professor who interviewed me during the placement tests, and an actual writer, an older gentleman born in Algeria and continually perfecting his craft in French. The writer is quite the talker, to be honest! He expounded on the merits of creative writing for over an hour, using metaphors like "mixing a soup" and "following little stones in the forest" to illustrate the process of writing. Very entertaining, if a bit over the top.
Tuesday I had the two required courses: writing and speaking. The class is small- only a dozen or so students, and six of them are from the U of Nebraska, with myself and two others from different states the US as well! So not a very international mix, but a nice group of people all the same. The professors are very exacting, but not too harsh or mean.
Wednesday I had the two required courses again (Tues and Wed from 8-11am) as well as Modern French Literature. It is the same prof as the creative writing class, so I am glad he seems to be a good one! We are starting off by reading L'Etranger (The Stranger) by Camus. Looking forward to reading and learning a lot!
Today I don't have class until 3pm, Francophone Literature (literature of former French colonies, often focuses on those in Africa). Tomorrow I am going to try out two classes which prepare you to take a national exam at the end of the semester to certify the level you have achieved in French.
I am already looking forward to the weekend! Friday night at an Irish pub in the center of town there is a live performance of Irish folk music, as well as a tribute to Neil Young and Bob Dylan. Could it get any better?! I don't have plans for Saturday yet but on Sunday Christine and I are going to the Percée du Vin Jaune (Piercing of the Yellow Wine) festival in a nearby little village. This region is famous for yellow wine, and the yearly festival draws over 50,000 people. There was even an article about it in the travel section of the New York Times. Check it out at: http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/01/20/travel/20journeys.html?8td&emc=tda1
I'm also trying to plan a trip to Italy with my friend Kate during our upcoming week of vacation in February, but the date is fast approaching and we haven't put much together yet. Hopefully it will all come together soon! For now I'd better do some research while I have the time.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Quite a weekend!
When I last left you, I was looking forward to seeing the movie Sweeney Todd with Christine. But as luck or life would have it, I took the wrong bus and ended up in a neighborhood on the edge of town, far from the center-of-the-city cinema! Lesson well learned: the bus stops beaux arts and marché beaux arts are not one and the same! Thankfully a young french woman was kind enough to help me get my bearings and find a bus which would take me to the cinema, but the whole ordeal took well over an hour. When I finally arrived at the cinema, the woman at the box office thankfully allowed me to exchange the ticket I had purchased earlier that day for a later showing. Really the worst part of it was leaving Christine to see it alone- it was a good movie but definitely bloody and strange.
After a day of rest and repose on Saturday, my host family invited me to accompany them to the birthday dinner of my host dad's sister (so my host aunt?) on Sunday. She lives in a town about an hour away from Besançon, and it was a beautiful drive, with farmland like Iowa but also forested mountains. We arrived for lunch and practically ate until dinner! Please allow me to describe our meal:
First course: paté, cherry tomatoes, pretzels, and pringles, with a very nice white wine.
Second course: a salad cup of croutons, cucumbers, tuna :( , and tomatoes.
Main course: noodles with turkey, and a second variety of very nice white wine.
Cheese course: over half a dozen varieties of the favorite local cheeses, with a lovely red wine.
Dessert course: gateau au chocolat et crème anglaise (chocolate cake with English creme sauce)
Coffee course: fantastic coffee with sugar cubes, a galette de roi (king cake), and beignets (french donuts).
No kidding! But my favorite part of the whole day was the family. Everyone (finally!) gave me the traditional greeting of a kiss on each cheek; and there were a dozen people there besides my immediate host family! I was so pleased. And one of the grandpas (I was seated next to the grandparents) was so funny- always trying to get my attention to say or mime something amusing to get me to laugh or smile. Just like a mischevious little boy!
Overall I found the conversation to be very interesting, what I understood of it, anyway. Most of the time I could catch hold of the topic fairly easily but I didn't grab onto enough details to respond very quickly. I often came up with something to say five minutes after they had moved on to another topic :) oh well. We talked some about the primaries in the US, and I gladly and resoundingly contributed to that topic.
My host dad said he doesn't think Obama is electable because there are too many racists in the US. Whether or not that may be true, it sure pissed me off to hear him say it. My host dad happens to be a big supporter of Gore and Nader, as he is a dedicated environmentalist. The family car even runs on liquid natural gas- I didn't even know that was possible!
The meal finished abruptly when everyone got up from the table and went to put on their coats. Was it time to leave? No, we were all going to go for a walk together. As she lives right next to a creek and a park, it was really lovely. All in all a wonderful day, and a kiss on each cheek when I left, too!
After a day of rest and repose on Saturday, my host family invited me to accompany them to the birthday dinner of my host dad's sister (so my host aunt?) on Sunday. She lives in a town about an hour away from Besançon, and it was a beautiful drive, with farmland like Iowa but also forested mountains. We arrived for lunch and practically ate until dinner! Please allow me to describe our meal:
First course: paté, cherry tomatoes, pretzels, and pringles, with a very nice white wine.
Second course: a salad cup of croutons, cucumbers, tuna :( , and tomatoes.
Main course: noodles with turkey, and a second variety of very nice white wine.
Cheese course: over half a dozen varieties of the favorite local cheeses, with a lovely red wine.
Dessert course: gateau au chocolat et crème anglaise (chocolate cake with English creme sauce)
Coffee course: fantastic coffee with sugar cubes, a galette de roi (king cake), and beignets (french donuts).
No kidding! But my favorite part of the whole day was the family. Everyone (finally!) gave me the traditional greeting of a kiss on each cheek; and there were a dozen people there besides my immediate host family! I was so pleased. And one of the grandpas (I was seated next to the grandparents) was so funny- always trying to get my attention to say or mime something amusing to get me to laugh or smile. Just like a mischevious little boy!
Overall I found the conversation to be very interesting, what I understood of it, anyway. Most of the time I could catch hold of the topic fairly easily but I didn't grab onto enough details to respond very quickly. I often came up with something to say five minutes after they had moved on to another topic :) oh well. We talked some about the primaries in the US, and I gladly and resoundingly contributed to that topic.
My host dad said he doesn't think Obama is electable because there are too many racists in the US. Whether or not that may be true, it sure pissed me off to hear him say it. My host dad happens to be a big supporter of Gore and Nader, as he is a dedicated environmentalist. The family car even runs on liquid natural gas- I didn't even know that was possible!
The meal finished abruptly when everyone got up from the table and went to put on their coats. Was it time to leave? No, we were all going to go for a walk together. As she lives right next to a creek and a park, it was really lovely. All in all a wonderful day, and a kiss on each cheek when I left, too!
Friday, January 25, 2008
A Big Day!
Quelle journée! (What a day!) This morning I visited a house to see if it would suit me for my next residence, after my family stay ends in a few weeks. It is a lovely old house, seated right beneath the mountains and walls of the citadelle! The woman who lives there is retired and spends her days caring for an ill friend who lives a few blocks away. I would have my own bedroom and bathroom, and access to the kitchen for preparing my own meals. It is about a 15-20 minute walk to my school from there, in a very nice neighborhood that is easy to navigate. There is a boulangerie (bakery) and Petit Casino (a type of small grocery store) very nearby as well. I think I will really like it there.
After lunch in the R. U. (lasagne this time, much better than the fish), I went to the CLA (my school) to find out the results of the placement exams. I placed into level C1, one level higher than I thought I would (the levels are: B1, B2, C1, C1+). Christine placed into the same level, too! I am very pleased and looking forward to classes starting on Monday. As soon as I figure out what classes I'm taking, I will def. let you know.
This afternoon I went to the Prefecture to make an appt to get my carte de séjour, a government-issued card which allows me to stay in France for up to a year. They were all booked up until the 28th of February! Such a long time to wait- don't let me forget!! I'll have to write it down in a bunch of places.
After that I stopped by the theatre to see if they had any tickets left to see the production of "Le Roi Lear" (King Lear) tonight, but alas they were completely sold out. Oh well, there are literally all sorts of shows here playing non-stop. Lear just happened to be one of the few titles I recognized. Instead, Christine and I are going to see the movie "Sweeney Todd," which I am super excited about as I did not have the chance to see it in the U.S.
Finally, on my way back to the house I grabbed a gauffre sucre au chocolat (waffle with powdered sugar and chocolate sauce), what a treat after a long day! And what a tasty mess :-)
After lunch in the R. U. (lasagne this time, much better than the fish), I went to the CLA (my school) to find out the results of the placement exams. I placed into level C1, one level higher than I thought I would (the levels are: B1, B2, C1, C1+). Christine placed into the same level, too! I am very pleased and looking forward to classes starting on Monday. As soon as I figure out what classes I'm taking, I will def. let you know.
This afternoon I went to the Prefecture to make an appt to get my carte de séjour, a government-issued card which allows me to stay in France for up to a year. They were all booked up until the 28th of February! Such a long time to wait- don't let me forget!! I'll have to write it down in a bunch of places.
After that I stopped by the theatre to see if they had any tickets left to see the production of "Le Roi Lear" (King Lear) tonight, but alas they were completely sold out. Oh well, there are literally all sorts of shows here playing non-stop. Lear just happened to be one of the few titles I recognized. Instead, Christine and I are going to see the movie "Sweeney Todd," which I am super excited about as I did not have the chance to see it in the U.S.
Finally, on my way back to the house I grabbed a gauffre sucre au chocolat (waffle with powdered sugar and chocolate sauce), what a treat after a long day! And what a tasty mess :-)
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Cartes, films, amies, photos : Cards, films, friends, photos
Bonjour toute le monde (everyone)! As promised, I would like to comment on the number of discount cards I have so quickly acquired as an étudiante étrangère (foreign student) and a young person in my own right. Basically it seems if you are under age 26, nothing involving a ticket or traveling should cost you full price. What a great deal! But really, the reason cards stand out to me as something to mention is that I find them oddly comforting. Every time I get one, I feel a little bit more like I belong, like I'm a part of the network.
Right off the plane and into the train station, I bought a carte 12-25, which is a discount card on train tickets in France for young people. I traveled from Paris to Besançon for 30 euros ($45), très bon marché (very cheap). Once arrived in Besançon, I got ahold of a carte bus, a discounted card for youth to ride the bus as much as I want to, which is great because for the moment I live somewhat far away from school and the center of the city, where everything is located.
Next, a carte ESN (Erasmus Student Network), for 4 euros- a card to belong to an association of foreign students that organizes parties, language cafés, and weekend outings in the area. Finally, a carte avantages jeunes (young people's avantage card), which cost only 7 euros but comes with a whole booklet of discounts, free entries to museums, and even a gift certificate for 6 euros to any bookstore in Besançon. Definitely already paid for itself. And you can use the card to get discounted admission to the movies! Which of course I have immediately taken advantage of!
Yesterday I saw "A Visite de la Fanfare" (released as "The Band's Visit" in English) and it was wonderful! A tragi-comedy, it evoked a wide range of emotions, notably quite a few smiles of pure delight. It was in English, Arabic, and Hebrew, with French subtitles. Didn't know a single thing about it going in, what luck for it to turn out to be so very enjoyable!
And a bit more news of a new friend, Christine from Sweden. We met by chance at school during the placement tests, and hit it off right away. Turns out we like all the same music and movies (we went to "Fanfare" together) AND she loves to read and visit bookstores and museums! Quelle chance! I am thrilled, and it is super fun to speak French together all the time. Even when we have trouble understanding each other, it always resolves itself in a laugh.
I have posted just a few few photos of my room here, the cat, the girls, and me as a queen from the party. Check them out at http://picasaweb.google.com/pandasamanda. More to come soon, I promise!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Facts and opinions on my stay so far
For your interest and information:
The time difference between Iowa and Besançon is 7 hours. Besançon is 7 hours ahead of Iowa. So as I sit here typing at 10:30 in the morning, it is the wee hour of 3:30am in Iowa.
People of Besançon are known as Bisontins (men) and Bisontines (women).
My region, Franche-Comté, has its own eponymous cheese, which is fairly mild but firm, and tasty.
My address until February 14th (Valentine's day, easy to remember) is:
39 Bis rue Henri Baigue
25000 Besançon, FRANCE
Feel free to write to me, I will be sure to write you back!
Right now as you know I am living with a host family, but after one month I will be moving to another french person's house (I don't know who yet), where I will essentially rent a room and cook my own meals, which is much more economical but still provides plenty of french interaction and cultural exchange.
I have a French cellphone (thanks so much, Amber, it's great!) and the number is 00 33 06 74 69 12 59. The first four numbers, 00 33, are the country code for France, which you must dial before any French number when calling from outside France. However, I don't recommend that you call me, as it is excruciatingly expensive to call a French cellphone, even more than a landline. That being said, text messages only cost about a quarter, I think, so if you know how to text, feel free to surprise me sometime!
Although my host family is most certainly thoroughly French, there are some things that they do and don't do that don't follow what I understand to be French custom. Especially at meals. They do not use their knife and fork in the European style (knife in the right hand, fork in the left, don't set the knife down). Also, they put their hands in their lap during the meal sometimes, which is something I thought the French never did (hands should always be above the table, wrists resting on the edge). So far I have not seen any wine, but maybe my host family just doesn't drink?? Finally, my host family does not do the "kiss on each cheek" greeting, so far as I have seen. Every one has greeted me with a simple handshake, except for the girls, who gave me a kiss on one cheek when I met them and after I gave them presents. Maybe these are just silly, simple stereotypes, but I was surprised by each of them.
Other information of interest: all toilet paper I have seen so far is pink. I couldn't figure out how to shut off the lights in my room, as it is a dimmer dial and apparently you have to press it like a button to shut them off. The biolait, or lait UHF, (ultra-sterilized milk), still sits ominously out on the counter, unrefrigerated, defying all natural laws of spoilage. The streets here are so narrow that most are physically one-ways, with a row of parked compact cars on the side, which makes for an exciting ride on the bus. If you've seen or heard anything about the new ports with rentable bicycles that they have in France, they have quite a few ports here in Besançon but I never see anyone riding them. If you'll look to the right of my blog, I have posted numerous links about the city for your information. The weather link may be of particular interest for you Iowans!
Well that is really all for now but I will be sure to post again as soon as I can. The connection here is kind of slow and it is my host family's computer so I don't want to be on it too much. Next time: a post about all of the French cards I have quickly accrued!
The time difference between Iowa and Besançon is 7 hours. Besançon is 7 hours ahead of Iowa. So as I sit here typing at 10:30 in the morning, it is the wee hour of 3:30am in Iowa.
People of Besançon are known as Bisontins (men) and Bisontines (women).
My region, Franche-Comté, has its own eponymous cheese, which is fairly mild but firm, and tasty.
My address until February 14th (Valentine's day, easy to remember) is:
39 Bis rue Henri Baigue
25000 Besançon, FRANCE
Feel free to write to me, I will be sure to write you back!
Right now as you know I am living with a host family, but after one month I will be moving to another french person's house (I don't know who yet), where I will essentially rent a room and cook my own meals, which is much more economical but still provides plenty of french interaction and cultural exchange.
I have a French cellphone (thanks so much, Amber, it's great!) and the number is 00 33 06 74 69 12 59. The first four numbers, 00 33, are the country code for France, which you must dial before any French number when calling from outside France. However, I don't recommend that you call me, as it is excruciatingly expensive to call a French cellphone, even more than a landline. That being said, text messages only cost about a quarter, I think, so if you know how to text, feel free to surprise me sometime!
Although my host family is most certainly thoroughly French, there are some things that they do and don't do that don't follow what I understand to be French custom. Especially at meals. They do not use their knife and fork in the European style (knife in the right hand, fork in the left, don't set the knife down). Also, they put their hands in their lap during the meal sometimes, which is something I thought the French never did (hands should always be above the table, wrists resting on the edge). So far I have not seen any wine, but maybe my host family just doesn't drink?? Finally, my host family does not do the "kiss on each cheek" greeting, so far as I have seen. Every one has greeted me with a simple handshake, except for the girls, who gave me a kiss on one cheek when I met them and after I gave them presents. Maybe these are just silly, simple stereotypes, but I was surprised by each of them.
Other information of interest: all toilet paper I have seen so far is pink. I couldn't figure out how to shut off the lights in my room, as it is a dimmer dial and apparently you have to press it like a button to shut them off. The biolait, or lait UHF, (ultra-sterilized milk), still sits ominously out on the counter, unrefrigerated, defying all natural laws of spoilage. The streets here are so narrow that most are physically one-ways, with a row of parked compact cars on the side, which makes for an exciting ride on the bus. If you've seen or heard anything about the new ports with rentable bicycles that they have in France, they have quite a few ports here in Besançon but I never see anyone riding them. If you'll look to the right of my blog, I have posted numerous links about the city for your information. The weather link may be of particular interest for you Iowans!
Well that is really all for now but I will be sure to post again as soon as I can. The connection here is kind of slow and it is my host family's computer so I don't want to be on it too much. Next time: a post about all of the French cards I have quickly accrued!
Placement Exams
Thanks for thinking good thoughts for me yesterday! I think the placement tests went pretty well, actually. They were almost fun, if you can believe it. In the morning we had an essay exam from 8:30 to 10 am, then a reading/understanding authentic materials materials exam with multiple choice from 10:30 to noon, then an extremely fast-paced grammar multiple choice exam from noon to 12:30.
Finally lunch at the Restau Universitaire (university cafeteria), a whole meal for only 2.80 euros ($4.20)! I had couscous with what I hoped was chicken, but turned out to be fish :(, a mini-baguette with my fav kind of spreadable cheese with herbs, a side salad of beans and tomatoes, and a coffee flavored pudding cup. Note to self: coffee flavored pudding does not go well with fish and couscous. :/
Then in the afternoon we had oral exams, one hour of listening comprehension with multiple choice that got progressively much harder, and one 15 minute individual interview. Mostly we talked about books and movies, which as you know I never get tired of talking about! So not so bad overall, afterall! The results will be posted Friday afternoon.
Today it is rainy and I don't really have to be anywhere until 12:30, when the office of tourism is giving a presentation on the city of Besancon at my school. Yesterday I met a number of nice girls, one from China, one from Sweden, and a few from the U.S., including Laura, the other girl studying here from UNI.
Laura is a first generation American and her family originally comes from... you guessed it, France! Her grandparents live only an hour away from here in a farmhouse in the mountains, and Laura has invited me to visit them the next time she goes. What fun!
Finally lunch at the Restau Universitaire (university cafeteria), a whole meal for only 2.80 euros ($4.20)! I had couscous with what I hoped was chicken, but turned out to be fish :(, a mini-baguette with my fav kind of spreadable cheese with herbs, a side salad of beans and tomatoes, and a coffee flavored pudding cup. Note to self: coffee flavored pudding does not go well with fish and couscous. :/
Then in the afternoon we had oral exams, one hour of listening comprehension with multiple choice that got progressively much harder, and one 15 minute individual interview. Mostly we talked about books and movies, which as you know I never get tired of talking about! So not so bad overall, afterall! The results will be posted Friday afternoon.
Today it is rainy and I don't really have to be anywhere until 12:30, when the office of tourism is giving a presentation on the city of Besancon at my school. Yesterday I met a number of nice girls, one from China, one from Sweden, and a few from the U.S., including Laura, the other girl studying here from UNI.
Laura is a first generation American and her family originally comes from... you guessed it, France! Her grandparents live only an hour away from here in a farmhouse in the mountains, and Laura has invited me to visit them the next time she goes. What fun!
Sunday, January 20, 2008
I am a queen!
I've spent the last few days exploring the city, and there is really so much to see! Normal tasks like shopping for toiletries and taking the bus feel fresh and new when wrapped in French. My host family is very helpful in explaining how things work around here. I'm glad I chose to begin my stay in Besançon with them.
Last night I went to a party for international students, sponsored by a European Student Network. It was in celebration of Epiphany, but really just an excuse to eat king's cake and have a dance. I didn't know it was going to be a dance, and so I arrived at 9:45pm thinking I would be fashionably late (it started at 9) but nothing got going until 11! So it goes. I met a couple of nice girls from Germany, apparently there are loads of them who study here at the university. It was great fun to converse with them in French, even though it was somewhat difficult to hear over the music. All in all, it wasn't the best place to meet people as it was just too loud. When they finally served the king's cakes at 11:30, I found a little favor inside my piece of cake, and so I was a queen for the rest of the night! Too bad the rest of the night only lasted until 11:50, when I had to be sure to get on the last bus back to my house.
Today (Sunday) my host dad, Christophe, took me and Flore (one of the twins) to a nature reserve nearby so that Flore could ride her bike and we could go for a walk. It is really exactly like Hartman Reserve in Cedar Falls, and very pretty. Christophe tells me it is a custom in France to have Sunday's lunch with family and then to go for a walk together.
I spent the rest of the day napping and preparing for my placement exams, which are tomorrow at 8am. I just hope I do well enough to qualify for the classes I would like to take, but only time will tell- the results won't be posted until Friday, and classes begin on the 28th.
And finally, what did we have for dinner tonight but crêpes! Apparently Sandrine (my host mom) makes either crêpes or gauffres (waffles) for dinner every Sunday night. Quelle chance! (What luck!)
Last night I went to a party for international students, sponsored by a European Student Network. It was in celebration of Epiphany, but really just an excuse to eat king's cake and have a dance. I didn't know it was going to be a dance, and so I arrived at 9:45pm thinking I would be fashionably late (it started at 9) but nothing got going until 11! So it goes. I met a couple of nice girls from Germany, apparently there are loads of them who study here at the university. It was great fun to converse with them in French, even though it was somewhat difficult to hear over the music. All in all, it wasn't the best place to meet people as it was just too loud. When they finally served the king's cakes at 11:30, I found a little favor inside my piece of cake, and so I was a queen for the rest of the night! Too bad the rest of the night only lasted until 11:50, when I had to be sure to get on the last bus back to my house.
Today (Sunday) my host dad, Christophe, took me and Flore (one of the twins) to a nature reserve nearby so that Flore could ride her bike and we could go for a walk. It is really exactly like Hartman Reserve in Cedar Falls, and very pretty. Christophe tells me it is a custom in France to have Sunday's lunch with family and then to go for a walk together.
I spent the rest of the day napping and preparing for my placement exams, which are tomorrow at 8am. I just hope I do well enough to qualify for the classes I would like to take, but only time will tell- the results won't be posted until Friday, and classes begin on the 28th.
And finally, what did we have for dinner tonight but crêpes! Apparently Sandrine (my host mom) makes either crêpes or gauffres (waffles) for dinner every Sunday night. Quelle chance! (What luck!)
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
I have arrived!
I made it safe and sound to my host family's house in Besançon! The flight wasn't too bad (I actually slept some), and I sat next to a freelance reporter for TV1, France's largest tv station. When I was awake, Claude told me all about his work in Los Angeles, where he routinely interviews movie stars! His favs to work with are Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, who is apparently fluent in French. Très cool!
It was nice to see the countryside during the train ride to Besançon; it looks a look like Iowa around here, only older. Besançon actually reminds me of Dubuque, IA: rolling hills, a river, narrow/steep streets. I think I'm going to like it here. It already feels and looks like spring!
My family seems really nice, the twin 6 year old girls are so cute! I live on the third(top) floor of their house, with a bedroom, bathroom, and closet. Very spacious, actually.
Tomorrow I will explore the city by bus and visit my school. Looking forward to it!
It was nice to see the countryside during the train ride to Besançon; it looks a look like Iowa around here, only older. Besançon actually reminds me of Dubuque, IA: rolling hills, a river, narrow/steep streets. I think I'm going to like it here. It already feels and looks like spring!
My family seems really nice, the twin 6 year old girls are so cute! I live on the third(top) floor of their house, with a bedroom, bathroom, and closet. Very spacious, actually.
Tomorrow I will explore the city by bus and visit my school. Looking forward to it!
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Pictures from China, summer 2007
I invite you to visit http://picasaweb.google.com/pandasamanda where I have posted the photos from my trip to China in summer 2007. There are photos from one week touring Beijing, three weeks teaching in Dongguan (including two weekend excursions), and two days touring Hong Kong. I look forward to sharing photos from my stay in France while I am over there. I will make sure to post the link here and let you know when I've added new ones!
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