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!)
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3 comments:
Hello Amanda-
Tillie wants you to know she had American crepes (those would be pancakes) for breakfast today!
Sounds like things are going well ......how far did you travel to find toiletries?? :-)
Texas is cold today!! Only in the 40's!!
We LOVE reading your blog, but feel you should be required to make a daily entry!!
Carry on having BIG FUN!!
Good luck on exams if they haven't already happened. I need to look up the time difference!
Hugs~
Rene'
I shall agree with the above about the daily entries. You are killing me. How can I obsessively check your blog if you hardly update!! Lol just kidding. In your defense it is my turn to email! Anyway I am sure you can't find much time in your new French routine for mundane tasks such as posting to us. :) Anyway sounds like your host family is just great. I am terribly jealous. Anything you miss about the US yet? Have you watched bob L'eponge lately? Anyway bonne chance demain!!
Bisous, a
SPRING! Queen for 20 minutes. What fun you are. It is most decidedly not Spring here. And it just keeps on snowing. I can't wait to hear more of your adverntures.
Love Mica & your french loving Uncle Mike
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