Simple Update/ Second day of class

Well, I'm in what is called Moyen deuxième degré (middle second level) and so am right in the middle (somewhat off centered to the advanced) group of French language students there. Not bad considering Monsieur Canfield of the EIU Foreign Language Department and I both figured me to be Moyen première degré (middle first level) material, the level just below deuxième degré. This means I have a little more choice in taking "fun" cultural classes and not just language classes. Parfait!

Finding out exactly how to sign up for classes and where to go for said classes was a exam in itself for not just myself but everyone else as well who wasn't French.Both Asian and North American students were incredibly nervous and stressed because we are used to these general bits of information made plain well ahead of the time students even set foot on campus for the first day of classes. It wasn't until just before our classes in general were about to start were we finally given our general language classroom and teacher assignments and course choices and when and where they would be.

We are all required to take a general French language class which is assigned to us. This class can take up anywhere from 12 of one's 18 credit hours at the introductory level to just 6 hours out of the 18 which starts at the Moyen deuxième degré. Any classes outside of that can either be restrictive such as at the beginning level or more flexible with more subjects to study within French. For example, in my case I can take up to nine hours of just culturally based classes and only have to take one more language classes. Almost all classes are chosen by students during the first week where we can attend as many classes as we want this week and we can decide whether to sign up for the course by the final class. Out of my choices that I've seen on paper, I found the one's that fit me best time-wise and academically are Social Economics of France, 20th century French Literature, and French Art History. I've already had Social Economics and Art History and I think they are perfect fits for me. We'll visit Literature and see how it goes. I really, really hope well.

My other language class outside of my general one I also hope will be Oral Expression but I won't find out where that will meet until they have a definite sign up list for that class. Oral-based classes are unique because the must be signed up for by the end of tomorrow and then they will calculate where the class will be if there is a class...last time I checked by mid-afternoon today, I was the only one signed up on my level. So I'm not sure if it stays that way whether they will cancel the class or I'll be it. Either option leaves a knot in my stomach.

If I had to give the French lifestyle a theme, it would be "All in good time. Patience." Let me tell you that patience is how things are run here from where I've been positioned. After having been raised in the comparively fast-paced, super organized world of the United States, I have found myself having to aquire patience and calmness like never before as if they were some survival tools. In the meantime, my other survival tools of being fast-paced and super driven have been put aside for now out of necessity for keeping my sanity.

Well, third day of classes tomorrow and the observation/decision week has yet to be over so this poule is off to bed. Bon nuit tout le monde.