Ending Entry

Strange to think I’ve been home for about four days now. It is strange I think because I’ve just been gone for all this time. I’ve looked back at my old blog entries form back in January and I remember just how unsure I was about all of this.


I would have never predicted the countless ways that I have developed myself and on so many levels. I read my blog especially from France and I become very satisfied by this.


Okay, so I’ve fulfilled the fantasy; I’ve traveled to Europe. I now have to decide what I’m going to do about it. I could very well leave it all alone and move on to a life stuck in the states and be happy about it as so many others I know are happy about it. They are truly happy as well. There is no hollowness to the satisfaction they feel in having gone to Europe just the one time. I don’t think they should feel any hollowness either. However, could I experience their same satisfaction? The trouble is I just don’t think so.


Which brings me to my next mission. How am I going to get back? I love the States. They are my home. But Europe is like a really good friend. You don’t just leave friends and forget to keep in contact with them. So I’ll have to leave this entry with something of a cliffhanger, annoying as it may be. Maybe it is better this way though. Travels shouldn’t be just a story but a chapter of one’s life story. That’s at least what this feels like the ending of one chapter and the creaky beginning of another. I hope to one day show up with more chapters like this hoping that this chapter analogy isn’t so cheesy you’ll just give up on me. In the meantime, I hope to find many other travel blogs that can give me some inspiration.

Last Blog Entry from France

Why yes that is a two-story mechanical elephant! Spent yesterday in Nantes for one last petite excursion before I left France. Went with now-former CIDEF classmate and still fellow American, Jess from Michigan who came up with the idea in the first place. She hear about this thing from AHA and we told ourselves that it was just bizarre enough that we had to see it for ourselves. It is a part of a machine museum, in translation called, Machine Island, where engineers have the funnest job in the world just creating and building big toys like this for adults and kids to enjoy. This is the most popular attraction as the rest of the machines are usually hold just one person and are just on display for the most part.

Not a bad last day out. Besides, how many people can claim to have ridden a mechanical elephant in France?

Today, I'm packing up my suitcases completely, going to mass the St. Maurice's Cathedral (host family found out my love of organ music), and I am leaving on a 5:30AM train tomorrow for Paris where I will take a plane to London and begin the second part of my time in Europe.

Wasn't it the beginning of February yesterday?

But there is no way that it was just February. I don't feel like the same person who first came to France. She was "fresh off the boat" (or plane) so to speak with no clue of where she really was and what sort of people she was going to meet. A dreamy sense came over me as the plane began to touch down at Charles De Gaulle. I look back and wonder how it was I didn't manage to get lost in that huge airport and actually grab a train for Angers at the minute it left. I wonder how on earth Monsieur was able to understand by hesitant, nervous, and badly pronounced French, saying who I was and, oh, head's up, I'm passing Le Mans but I have no clue what that means (means btw that I was an hour away via TGV) and, um, can you pick me up, complete stranger who I don't know.

Still, it happened. It all really happened and I got through it all- no- I succeeded through it all. This place feels like a different sort of home to me in the definition of a place where I keep my heart. Four months and over fifty blogs later, this is not the Elizabeth who began writing about her wishes, problems, and thoughts on France in late winter. It is the middle of spring and this Elizabeth, who also responds to Elizabet, is writing to you now. I can't imagine how to better express how happy I am that I came here. I can only say that, well, then, maybe you should try something like it as well. The most dangerous thing you can do is to walk out your front door as J.R.R. Tolkien once wrote. But it is worth it.

Speaking of changes, I have one last kind of fun list on this France entry to share specifically some things (mainly preferences of food and drinks) that have changed. Some may be relateable. Others? Well, just trust that my judgment is working soundly enough.

Things that will never be the same for me:

Coffee: I thought I knew strong coffee. I know better now. Thank you Italian influence on the rest of the continent to show me what a real wake up is like. I’m currently looking at a stovetop espresso maker on the Internet. Jessica introduced me to hers and I think I’m in love.

Bread: Here is yet another thing that the French just do well. Adkins dieters better beware France. They love their carbs but they have every reason to do so. A baguette is so cheap but so delicious with a dream-inspired crunchy texture on the outside and soft and spongy white goodness on the inside.

Dessert: Presque obligatoire, one must always end a meal with a little something sweet. Here, it never has to be a big thing— just good. From something simple as fresh strawberries with a touch of whipped cream to deck-out cakes, the French accept it all. Before, dessert for me had to be something like cake, ice cream, some sort of candy or any like it but not now. Now, a good dessert is something sweet, simple, and just plain bon.

Cheese: France has more than enough types of cheeses to have a different cheese for every day of the year— no joke and enough said.

Cereal: Thank you again Jessica for introducing me to Weetabix. I’m not sure how to classify this crazy British creation. It is like cereal but sometimes with the consistency of oatmeal? I don’t know. I just love it and I must find it back at home somehow.

Wine: I can confidently say now that I “know” French wine or at least how the classification system here works and how to spot a decent bottle that I’ve never tried before. The problem though? That’s only when I’m in France. The French sell and label wines in different ways than the Americans. First, a cheap wine doesn’t mean a bad wine. Now if you buy a Euro fifty wine, that might be really bad, but just about anything around three Euros should be fine. There are rouges, blancs, and rosés…and champagne (a whole other category on its own). Champagne only comes from the region of Champagne in France. Everything else is sparkling wine. That isn’t a bad thing to drink it, but just don’t dare call it champagne. Other wines are also categorized by region simply enough despite the color. A Bordeaux is not always a rouge in other words. However, the grand majority of French rouge wine comes from this region so chances are if you’ve got a Bordeaux, it is a rouge. From what I understand, the Americans categorize their wines differently. I’ll have to go down the liquor section when I get back to survey the new system have to learn and probably hit the Internet/library.

Beer: I finally had beer for the first time here within about a week and after I got over the surrealism of walking into a bar with the knowledge that I was “legal.” It was a Kronenbourg, a standard brand in France. It isn’t all that bad and it is about the cheapest thing to get. So, okay, beer has been made accessible to me for the first time, I’ve got a ways to go on my exploration. England couldn’t be too bad of a place to continue on to.

Cocktails: I had no clue that America is basically THE country for a good cocktail and that we invented them. The breakdown seems to be (in French eyes so there's the disclaimer) that France (and, okay, Italy) can claim a good wine. Germany, Ireland, and the UK are beer cultures. Russia may claim anything that is too hard for anyone but a Russian to swallow. HOWEVER, a good cocktail is always found with the Americans.

50th Post and Last Day at CIDEF

This week has gone by so quickly! Between visiting Paris one last time and then Chartres and doing it all between finals, it has been a little crazy over here. I visited the Pompidou Center and the Pantheon while in Paris, both the last things on my "To-See" list in Paris.



With Pompidou, the Louvre, and the d'Orsay, I've covered the most general view of French Art History. Pompidou was very fun and sometimes confusing but there's modern art for you sometimes! For me it was fun to see THE classic Dada art piece, "La Foutain," by Duchamp (as seen below).



I didn't buy a thing at the museum but I vote the Pompidou gift shop as the most fun museum gift shop I've ever been to (no pics as they were forbidden- sad). It has wonderful prints of all prices and the housewares section gives all sorts of ideas to make your home, too, just like a modern art museum...that is to say you'd actually want that.


How do I describe Chartres? I can't really except when I walked in the South Entrance the first things I noticed were the echoes of my footsteps that seemed to bounce off in all direction and the only thing on my mind was, "This is what someone fantasizes about when they think of being inside a cathedral." It is one of the most huge and magnificent made-man sites I've ever seen. I tried going around and taking pictures to fully illustrate how gorgeous and gigantic this building is, but found that to be a near impossible task. Like so many other sites, this one is under restoration now, too! I think I've been following a theme throughout France.



There is a special shrine to many French Catholics called Our Lady of the Pillar. It is a statue from the Middle Ages that has been appealed to by French children in times of crisis in France. Madame charged me with two Euros to light a prayer candle at the cathedral for my safe leave of France and for her family and my own. It was an immense honor.


Off to review some more this morning! Oral Expression is this morning and Art History in the afternoon. I got quite a lot to do!

Last Day of Classes

It is so very hard to believe this changed scene from when I was writing on this small blog during my first days in France. Darkness seemed to last longer than home. Over half the time I was tongue-tied and feeling culturally out of place. Now it is spring in both the literal and figurative sense for me. Daylight reigns from six in the morning to past ten at night and I’ve made the mental transition from being just a citizen of the United States to being a citizen of the world (aka not culturally ignorant in the middle of France).



This has been one busy week and next week will be even busier. Well, I can’t even say that. I’m already starting finals tomorrow. We had a class party in my General Language class. That is what the pictures are from save the ones with people on the stage. That is to be explained in a little bit. The "fête" was incredibly fun. I was trying all sorts of food like stir-fry, sushi, “rice made the correct way,” and quiche among other dishes.


My peanut butter cookies were very much appreciated by every one of the Asian cultures in my class, which was an honor. Many of the girls take cooking very seriously as was evident by their attention to their food that they brought and also how much food they brought. Much of their conversation between each other was on each other recipes and techniques. At least, that is what one Chinese classmate translated for me (Incredibly nice of him. He just started doing it when I expressed a curiosity about the Chinese language.).


We also got to exchange cultural information was well. Our Japanese classmate explained the fundamental rules of etiquette with chop sticks and our Taiwanese classmate explained that often women in her region will hold chopsticks in certain ways to show what sort of man they would be interested in marrying. It was a very multilingual scene, as those who spoke Chinese would sometimes have to converse with each other for translation help and then sometimes turn to Anglophones like me to ask what the French word was for some English words. Crazy, but fun.

Earlier this week I attended the International Soiree. One of the best activities I think that CIDEF offers, it is just necessary to go. It is not often one gets to live and study in such an international setting and have the chance to enjoy the cultural gifts of so many nationalities in one night.






After I post this, I’ll be returning to studying for my test tomorrow. I predict it to be the hardest so it is great to be able to get it over with from the start. After that, time is going to pass by very busy and very fast but I’m determined to write still. I need something to make me pause and reflect before I go crazy from stress.

Weekend at the Beach

For the weekend before finals (aka: last stress-free extended period of time), I went to the beach with a couple of Anglophones from CIDEF. I almost wish I could say we did a whole lot of exciting things but both Saturday and Sunday basically went like this:

Mid-morning: Arrive at the train station and take train to beach

Close to noon: Arrive at beach and find a market and bakery for impromptu picnic goods

After noon: Pick spot on beach and eat

Later: Sleep

After That: Go into the ocean…a really cold ocean

A Little After That After That: Eat a little more and promptly take another nap

Over An Hour Till the Next Train: Walk around the streets with ice cream stands and pretty vacation homes

Late Afternoon: Leave for Angers on train

Late Evening: Get back and have a late dinner at respective residences

Day one took place at La Baule, a well-to-do- beach town, and the next day was at Les Sables d’Olonne, also a vacation town but more family-friendly.

Sadly enough I didn’t take any photos. I forgot my camera for La Baule and the next day I thought that I should limit my number of electronics at the beach anyway between wind and sand ruining them.

Definitely, I’m ready for tomorrow and the rest of this final week of classes. Just this afternoon I made dozens of peanut butter cookies, another hit with my host family! The rest I will be bringing to the end-of-the semester party in my general language class. Finals begin this Saturday afternoon for me but then I don’t have any exams on Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday. I predict using at least Monday and Wednesday for balancing between studying and traveling. My last Sunday will be for final preparation but Saturday is a mystery. Perhaps Paris? We’ll see how well my packing has gone along throughout the week!

Closing In On Time (and Money)

Well it certainly feels like the closing of the semester! I have about two weeks left until I leave for England and I’m amazed that I’m getting so close to it. Next week is my actual last week of classes and then come the “lovely” final exams. Had an Irish classmate the other day mention she thought it was weird and funny that Americans call end-of-the-semester exams “finals.” Apparently the Irish just call them “exams.” “Finals” are the exams you take at the very end of your degree. I had no good response for a reason behind it. “Finals” I admit does have a dramatic sense of, well, finality to it and in that sense is kind of silly.

This weekend I plan on going to another seaside Atlantic town called La Baule. I’ll be going with Halifax-native, Mitchell, who convinced me to go with him just yesterday. Originally he wanted to go to Poitiers, as that is where his ancestors are from before they came to Canada, but he hadn’t realized before that Poitiers is a three-hour trip. La Baule on the other hand is less than an hour to get to. Hope I have something good to share later!

In the meantime with my time in France ending, slowly I’m creating a list of things I’m going to miss here. The coffee for one thing and the plethora of small businesses are the first two that come to mind. This is not to say I have a rosy view of Europe and certainly not France. I just appreciate this country that has become more and more familiar to me. I will certainly not miss the train strikes or the eighty-euro budget hotel rooms (breakfast costing extra). I’ll gladly leave those behind.

Actually, thinking of expensive hotel rooms, France in general I have to say is expensive. Perhaps a rule of thumb would be that Europe just gets more expensive the farther West and/or South you go. Italy from my CIDEF classmates can be worse than France. Spain isn’t so cheap either. Ireland makes France look not look so bad anymore. England (thanks to their rejection of the euro) can be just simply painful to the student’s budget.

It is funny how the end of the semester is putting personal budget dread on almost everyone. Suddenly spending one more night at the bars, an afternoon shopping, or a day trip with the train suddenly has lost spark with many. I’m doing the same as always but with more attention as I’m trying to avoid any more visits to the ATM. I’ve budgeted and set aside the rest of the money I owe my host family on extra rent meals, food not at the host family’s house, stamped postcards, treats for the folks back home, future TGV reservation fees (I would really like at least one last day trip to Paris!), Metro fees, extra Angers bus tickets for June and so on. I think I can do it but it shall indeed be close!

Of course one cannot but look back and wonder, “Okay, where was it where I would have done things differently or could have cut back earlier?” This is not to say I’m full of regret. I can’t change my past mistakes and it was them that taught me some very good lessons about France.

Things I wish I had known for my own financial benefit before coming to France:

Sundays and a plethora of holidays can really put a damper on your travel plans if you don’t know how to work with them. Know the system.

Speaking of knowing the system. ALWAYS and I do mean ALWAYS be on the alert for a train strike. France is known for them. The French tend to pay very close attention if they use the trains frequently. When traveling in France, it is advisable to pay just as much attention as them.

Bakeries but especially grocery stores are your best friends when it comes to getting cheap eats that doesn’t come with fries

Makeup and hygiene products with few exceptions such as hair removal products can kill the wallet with prices an American can never conceive of without seeing it for themselves. In Angers, very close to the Monoprix, I highly, highly recommend SAGA for such things if at all possible. They act as an outlet for multiple name brands makeup, cleansers, shampoos, etc. These are very good brands at that.

A hotel or hostel easily having just as good of a deal as back home for the price will probably not happen as long as you are in Western Europe. It is best to accept and grab one or more travel buddies to split the cost with you.

When buying a rail pass, go conservative. There will be times when you just want to chill in Angers. I overestimated how much I would be able to travel but can at least say that though I probably saved no money with my rail pass, I generally broke even. I can live that that….or at least I have to live with that. For the most flexibility, if I could do it all over, I’d forget getting a rail pass in the States and go with SNCF’s student card which takes 50% over any and all train tickets you buy from them. In the end, it is probably a better and certainly more flexible situation. I didn’t realize that my pass would limit me as much as it did.

La Rochelle

So ends another lovely weekend.

I traveled to the well-loved town of La Rochelle for Friday and Saturday. It was rather perfect timing because there was an international cliff diving championship at the main port all weekend. Artists, farmers, and antique owners took advantage of the large number of people and I had many markets to peruse on both days.

I took this picture at one of the two food markets going on mainly for my mom who loves olives. Olive stands like this one are very personal with customers naturally and are always happy and proud to have their olives tasted before bought.
There was only one metal artist I found at the art fair. I loved the wine bottle holders with their very supple and improvised designs. At 25 euros each, they weren't too bad in price as well! Didn't buy one though. I really don't know what I'd do with a wine bottle holder upon returning home even with my new-found love of wine as when I come back I still have a bit of time til I'm of legal drinking age.

On Saturday I spent all morning at the Aquariam at La Rochelle. It is a wonderful and well-varied collection of fish from almost all over the world. I apparently came at the exact time and day that all the French families in La Rochelle had choosen to come as well. Children were EVERYWHERE. Both sometimes annoying but incredibly cute, they certainly were as fun to watch as the fish.



I've been really neglecting my collection themes of dogs and American things so here I have at least some more French dog pictures. My favorite was finding the Pomeranian in the comic book store.

Countdown, trying to keep my head, and Cointreau

It is easy to say that it is countdown time at CIDEF. Yet, I don't know if I can say I'm feeling that things are getting any livelier around here. We have two and a half weeks until finals but this weekend is a four day weekend due to the Ascension and the next weekend is three days due to Pentecost. As a result, there is this mixed and confused sense of not having much time and yet a lot simultaneously. As a heads up, I'll been heading off on Friday to the seaside Atlantic town of La Rochelle. It isn't well known by the foreigners but it would seem to be a French favorite. I reason that if it inspires French sighs of envy when I mention going there, it has got to be worth my time. The forecast does call for rain which inspires no shock or sadness in me as the weather has been miserable for the past week and a half. The natives are as disappointed with the weather as the foreign students. This May has been exceptionally cold and wet. Thankfully La Rochelle is more than just the beach. It has one of France's best maritime museums and one of its largest aquariums. I don't swim all the great anyway and my skin's so pale I'd probably burn before I getting a decent tan.

Both of these future long weekends are French national holidays with obligatory paid vacation with they fall on a working day as with all others. These past two Saturdays were national holidays as well. Meaning? France is as closed down on those days as if it were Sunday. Needless to say perhaps, I didn't use the train yet again this past Saturday but my good luck landed me an invite to the Cointreau distillery with AHA (American Heritage Association in association with the University of Oregon. This whole time I've forgotten to explain that.)


Cointreau is a French hard liquor and is made only in Angers. The tour ended with a taste test and here myself and other female Americans who have gone to the French bars had a good comparison talk between of a French girl's and an American girl's attitude to hard liquor. For almost all of us, we found Cointreau to definitely be a hard liquor but an incredibly sweet and rather feminine in taste because of it. That is not to say that that is a bad thing. In fact, I fell in love with it. In contrast though to our reaction, while drunk by both sexes in France Cointreau has traditionally been more popular with French men than women. Currently, the Cointreau PR people have explained, they are studying the ad campaigns of American liquor companies to try and attract a more feminine group of buyers.



The building of the distillery itself is deceptive on the outside. It looks incredibly small for what it houses. Unfortunately, you'll have to either take my word for it or go to Angers yourself because photography the majority of the tour is forbidden. I still have the distillers themselves to put up!

Computer Issues and Food

Well, if you have been following my statuses on Facebook you know that my life hasn’t been so boring as not to write about it. The stress of final exams is rising and the countdown probably started as soon as we all got back from spring vacation. Yesterday I was having an awful time trying to figure out what was wrong with my battery and/or power adapter for my Macbook. It kept on saying that the battery wouldn’t charge but the computer was using whatever energy the power adapter was giving. After some advice from a Macbook whiz friend from EIU via Facebook I realized that I would probably have to look into a new power adapter or at the very least a new two pronged extension for it. As many Macbook users probably know, a Macbook power adapter comes with two different prongs to attach to it, a two pronged short one as in it is like plugging the adapter itself into the wall and then a longer more “typical” looking three-pronged extension cord. It is the two pronged one that is in the worst shape. Monsieur and I discovered that until I return home and look into the two-pronged attachment, I can still use my three-prong with my two pronged European plug converter. I look on this paragraph and see how complicated it can be with computers.

During the day itself while trying to figure out my problem, I must have looked more upset than I was because Madame later said she was certain I was ready to cry any minute the morning I made the discovery. Later, I cursed up a storm at life itself in the AHA office only to stop myself and feel like an impolite idiot when Sue looked at me and said, “You realize of course that it isn’t the end of the world if you just don’t happen to have a computer with you? It isn’t like we’re not surrounded by computers and Internet already.”

Feeling rude and somewhat dejected I took up the offer of another American to walk and talk with her into downtown so she could get a set of headphones for Skype and we could both get lunch. Taking her up on the offer was the best decision I’ve made all week at least. I felt so much better and it reminded me of talking about my favorite places to grab lunch in Angers. While we didn’t go to any of these places, these are my regular places to go and some of them are very popular with other students, too.

Ali Baba

Ali Baba is one of the few havens a vegetarian can go to in Angers. It is also the most lusciously decorated place I’ve eaten at for just a sandwich. The ceilings are draped in lush yellow and blue oriental cloth. Intricate Lebanese artwork is all over the walls with Middle Eastern lamps flanking them. It is just incredibly nice looking for such a laid back eatery. Being a vegetarian (not to actually say I am one) in France and going out to restaurants isn’t always easy. At least that is so if one is outside of the larger cities like Paris. The French have a passion for meat that I believe could rival many Americans. So it is a good idea to be assertive in order to find food that isn’t only meatless but nutritional. As much as I love cheese, I doubt if I were a vegetarian I would want to eat cheese and tomato sandwiches almost every single day when going out. While Ali Baba may be the only one I’ve got one this list for being veg-friendly, I can add that vegetarians in France have their best bets going ethnic while dining in France. The Lebanese restaurants are a good bet as well as the Indian restaurants. Any basic Sushi establishment should have something and generally as long as you shoot for heritages with some sort of Buddhist influence, you’re good to go. Good luck in a traditional French restaurant. At least it should be interesting.

Go for: the best-priced falafels in Angers, handmade Lebanese bread, Lebanese fries, a decent vegetarian menu in general, a well-decorated room for a casual lunch, charming Lebanese cooks

Avoid it for: sometimes-drafty rooms, a sandwich no cheaper than 3.50 euros

Sidi Bou Said

They guys got me into their restaurant early on in the semester and I do believe my initial interest was their warmer than average kitchen in the middle of February. Enough said there. How this husband-wife duo kept me coming was their fries, the cheap sandwiches of which I can choose not to have mayo and/or cheese, and mint tea with everything I order. Their tea in particular is done in something of a Moroccan style.

The Albanians, the Moroccans, and the Lebanese all serve mint tea in their eateries in France but they all do it slightly differently. By my experience, the Moroccans serve a sweeter tea. The Albanians serve a stronger tea. The Lebanese serve it not too sweet, not too strong, but always with lots of fresh mint leaves pounded and placed in the cup before pouring the tea itself. I like them all for their little nuances.

The fries and the bread in this establishment are done “a la maison.” This is always a good sign on a menu because that means they make it themselves by hand. It is one of the few places that I can eat fries without too much guilt besides Ali Baba only because though I’m eating junk food, at least it is really good junk food.

Go for: some of the cheapest, hot sandwiches in town (2.20 euro for a ham and veggie sandwich that for once has NO cheese and NO mayo), the fries, tea that comes with every meal

Avoid it for: the preteens who crowd in here at noon time so it can be better to just get your sandwich to go

Asia Wok

This is a place that just opened this semester. I pick it for best place to go when you’re just sick of eating bread. This is a stir-fry establishment and also vegetarian friendly. Woks are ordered custom made with choices of rice, different noodles, veggies, sauces, and meat. If you’re looking for a spicy stir-fry in this French-tailored “Asian” eatery, you wont get it. I mean, yes, they do have “spicy” on the menu but it is impossible to find spicy amongst the French. I only find this an issue because spicy is my favorite taste. I’m not happy until I’m looking for a gallon of milk. I’ve just accepted that French cuisine, while rich and full of flavor will never be able to touch the world of spice. Thank heavens for the North African, Middle Eastern, and Asian immigration wave in France yet again.

Go for: the meat choices that include kangaroo, a meal guaranteed with no bread, the only place I’ve found in Angers where you can eat mung beans and soy noodles.

Avoid it for: lack of seating except the four-stool bar…stuck in a corner, sodium intake, crowds at noon

Grignotine (forgive me as I’ve probably misspelled it somewhat)

Might as well ignore those other sandwich-selling bakeries if you want to stretch your euro. For the price of just a sandwich at a bakeries, you can get a sandwich, a pastry, and a drink here.

Go for: a quick, well-priced lunch, a sandwich with whole grain bread, some of the cheapest pastries in town

Avoid it for: the inevitable, mayo (this is no “Have It Your Way” joint)

Resto-U

This is the University Restaurant but everyone calls it the Resto or Resto-U. This is where you will get the best meal at the lowest price possible. The food it typical French and is sometimes an adventure. If you won’t eat it if you can’t recognize and/ or pronounce it, I wouldn’t suggest ever coming here. If you want to eat what the French typically eat on a budget, come here as much as you can. There is also dishes here that you will not typically see in an American cafeteria simply enough. How often really can one pay just 2.90 euros for salmon served with a white wine cream sauce as the main dish? Not very often.

Go for: the best priced meal to be had for a student, trying new food

Avoid it for: really noisy setting, mysterious dishes

The Art of Doing Nothing for a Weekend

I can't believe I'm doing this, but towards the end of the week I had to make the decision to not travel this weekend as today is France's version of Labor Day. That means that everything runs about as much as on Sunday so the country is on semi-shutdown for two days in a row.

At least I'm getting used to it.

It is four weeks until finals and five weeks until I go to England. I'm about halfway through my reading list now, having made myself just sit down and finish Wuthering Heights already.

This weekend is not to be completely wasted though. I've got a writing assignment for my general language class to do, Dracula to start, and my family finally requested White Chili for Sunday lunch. White chili sounds great I have to say for this weekend. Another good reason to not be traveling somewhere right now besides the lack of working things is the rainy forecast. All the wonderful, warm weather from this past week is gone unfortunately.

I'd say that is enough to keep me busy.

For the blog, I'm in the middle of coming up with two other lists. One concerns itself with my favorite "cheap" eats in Angers and the other is about what I will miss here. One of my Canadian classmates is right along with me and we spent all of dinner before Mardi Cafe talking about things we will be sorry to leave behind here. It is great that I've loved this place enough to have a list about it! It will also be something of an extension of an earlier post about 10 things in France I wish existed in the U.S.

Spring Vacation Review (part 3, Provence and goodies from the States)

Because of my sudden train rescheduling, I stayed in Avignon just long enough to enjoy Le Palais des Papes but I’m not complaining. It is one of the more intriguing parts of Catholic history to learn about and the political and religious chaos it inspired. Loved of the artistic touches the popes of Avignon incorporated everywhere. There is so much Italian influence, one might get the feeling that Avignon was something of a copy of Vatican in Rome. To butcher an over-used phrase structure, you can take the Pope out of Italy but you can take Italy out of the Pope. The principal part of Avignon interestingly enough is still surrounded by fortifications. Upon arriving, it really does look like one is stepping into the Middle Ages while getting off the train and walking through centuries-old town gates and down twisting and narrow cobblestone streets.

I admit to spending most of my time either in a museum, cathedral, or café. In Aix I went to a café I remember first reading about in Mrs. Hester's French class at Routt, Les Deux Garçons. Simply enough it is famous for attracting many celebrities and politicians including several Hollywood elite, British Prime Ministers, and, my favorite, Edith Piaf. I had the best, probably most expensive cappuccino in my life.

Worth it? Oh, yes and I might have passed off for another French person again if I hadn't been all photo-happy. Instead as usual the waiter inquired if I was British. I have never had any European guess my real nationality unless I'm with other Americans. Funny.

Almost every other day there is a huge clothing market on the main street that starts "early" in the morning at 9:00. I woke by southern standards then on Thursday, got a café, and discussed the fabric of Provence with a stall owner who could have kept me entertained all day why working out deals on table clothes and various textile goods. Charm seems to come naturally for the French as it did for this stall owner. That is though when they wish to show it. When it does show, it is hard to not fall for it a little.

That same market is also perfect for souvenir shopping as the typical things one brings home like lavender sachets and soap are usually a euro cheaper than at a place like Monoprix or Carrefour (think tiny French Walmarts). They are about two euros cheaper than at the train station. A general seems to be that everything is more expensive at the train station. Lesson to be learned: always go local because you tend to get the best price.

And when I got home, my books for my studies in England! At this point from Friday, I've finished Pride and Prejudice and am half-way through Wuthering Heights. I want to be clear though that the only reason I'm going through very complex plots so quickly is because I've already read them several times before in my life, Wuthering Heights especially takes me back to my days at Routt and the months I had to study it under Mrs. Kirkpatrick.

Along with that was my Mom and Dad’s latest care package where Mom sent me two “American” t-shirts including the red one with Wonder Woman, Super Girl, and Bat Girl. For a twenty-year-old it may be cheesy state-side but my host family approved heartily as things like Marvel comics are among the “cool” things that come from the States. Wonder Woman, Europeans seem to get. Baseball t-shirts….not so much.

Dad, the wonderful man, sent me organic, very, very American things like water crackers, peanut butter, and chocolate chip granola bars. In addition, he tucked in some Kellogg blueberry cereal bars. Only Dad sends me ANYTHING blueberry-flavored, like a kind of signature meaning “Love, Dad.” Mom got some peanut butter Kashi bars in there as well. More Orbit gum came as well as real Honey Nut Cheerios. I’ve seen them in French Grocery stores once and that was in Aix-en-Provence. However it looked, well, just not like my Honey Nut Cheerios.

Dad, clever and lucky man, succeeded in sticking it to air mail regulations and got one more bottle of nail polish to me; Sally Hanson “Instra-Dri polish in “Wined Up.” It is the perfect dark color for hands with short nails and pale skin. It was hidden in a bundle of precious individualized Arizona Tea and Crystal Light drink packets. These instantly intrigued Madame as I got the impression that she had heard of these low-calorie, wonderful-tasting packets of joy so I’ll have to have her sample some. I have NEVER seen or heard of them at least in France. They’re missing out! I have quite a few but even so, I must ration out to keep it lasting. Does it at all seem that I kind of like these things? (Insert here sarcastic voice)

Spring Vacation Review (part 2, Strasbourg)

Strasbourg made for an appropriate transition from German into French culture. It is a very European city. Not French, not German, not Belgium, not anything in particular, but it is European. Most likely this is due to the presence of one of the EU headquarters as well as the European Council (a completely different thing I’m told but I’ve yet to understand their necessity with the presence of the EU. Working on it.). During my day spent in Strasbourg, it was quite lively because the next day the EU was going to start another session. I went to la Cathedral Notre Dame de Strasbourg.

Once you see enough churches in person, you start picking out the little details that make each one different and interesting. What made this cathedral very interesting was the astronomical clock. It is a very complicated and sophisticated piece of machinery for its time of construction in the mid 16^th century. It was depended upon to calculate the date of Easter every year following the very complex Gregorian calendar. Implication being made here is that this ability is impressive.

It is also incredibly accurate in measuring the alignment of the planets and the zodiac. Yep, I said zodiac and it is in a church. However, considering the context of when the clock was built, it was during a time when every European court had its own court astrologist (or a team of them) and dates were evaluated and prioritized based on heavenly alignment. Today, I admit, it seems slightly bizarre.

Afterward, I visited the museums for local archeology, decorative objects, and fine arts. In Strasbourg it is incredibly easy to do so as all three reside in the same palace that was once built by a local and powerful cardinal.

Conveniently enough, the boat tours are right next to the palace so I was able to go there next. Rivers surround the central part of Strasbourg and so boat rides make for a practical and fun tour.

Yes, I did the tourist thing but it was at least not expensive and the French and Germans surrounded me and no Asians could be found so I deemed the experience authentic enough.

Not too many non-Europeans make it out to “that neck of the woods” in Europe. It is really too bad. It is a pleasant city with all the aesthetics of French life like the architecture and a public transportation system that must have been German-inspired being easy and efficient to use even for a complete stranger like me. It is the best of both worlds. For all Anglophones out there, head to the books stores in the center squares of the city. Most of them are English bookshops. That is just an FYI.

As an off side note, you know you’re missing the states when you get the urge to crank up some country music. Realizing some ways he is not really country, I’m finding myself listening to a lot of Johnny Cash lately. It is not that I didn’t like him before but I think I’ve fallen in love with him now.

Spring Vacation Review (part 1, Transportation, An Adventure in Inself)

Oh, goodness. What a vacation. Both relaxing and sometimes high-pressured, out of nine individual trains three were canceled due to the strike still going on and that continued during the Iceland volcano chaos. The volcano never once affected my two weeks of vacation save giving something to watch on CNN and a reason for an Irishman on one of my trains to call me a “f**king yank.” In his defense he said it with a very Irish, very charming smile.
Thankfully when I did run into problems the ticket people of France are amongst the quickest working and creative of problem solvers I’ve come across. There was an estimation given to me by one in Nîmes that there’s some sort of strike every month. I think it could be assumed that they are used to working around this sort of thing. I remain glad that such a reputation stays in France all the same.

In the meantime, as my time traveling was nothing compared to the rest of the world I took photos. The appropriateness of it, I don't know but after being in train stations during times of clam and then suddenly those chaotic times, it was a wonder for me to observe all the lines and craziness.
Strasbourg was so full on the inside, people were even waiting outside of the train station so as not to be too crowded in.


Of course, I had to notice that humans weren't the only ones in the middle of the problems. Dogs had to be delayed form just getting home as well.


So really that covers it on the transportation side of things. Thank you all for thoughts, prayers, encouraging words, everything!.

Another List and leaving Avignon Today

As I’m in the middle of going to Aix-en-Provence from Avignon this morning, I realize I have learned quite a bit about traveling in my short time in France. I’ve only used the public system to get around France and that can be…kinda chaotic for an American. You never know when the trains will strike or nature will interfere. You also never know the people you’ll meet along the way. My most recent episode was announced on my Facebook status. Thanks to the strike (that is still going on despite the Iceland volcano trouble), my overnight to Avignon last night was canceled. I had to be open enough to not only change my ticket that had me spend a good part of my day on the train on Tuesday but also find and book a hotel in the middle of the volcano crisis AND on the night before the EU returned to session. That equals expensive, hard-to-find rooms. Sometimes it helps playing the desperate-looking, young foreign female in France to the right people. I’m very certain I wasn’t suppose to pay close to what I did in Strasbourg’s current state but the Hotel Vendrome pulled through for me.
So with the various episodes I’ve been through, I’ve come up with a list of sorts of all the things on my part that I credit to having helped me out many a time.

Things that every traveler needs (but especially if you’re a twenty-something female traversing about France)

A good, all-weather coat: As you might have already noticed. I use a khaki London Fog trench coat. It is well made to put up with all sorts of abuse from hard wind and rain to being used as an impromptu picnic blanket. It also as two deep pockets that are only easy to access by the person wearing said coat. To cap it off, a trench is akin to a scarf in Europe: a must-have. Key wardrobe pieces like this that serve at least two purposes for the everyday are invaluable. Note that, for me, one good purpose is just fashionably blending in. Appearances, when you’re interacting with almost no one but strangers, are EVERYTHING.

A scarf that can go from winter/fall to spring/summer: Guys, this even includes you. Yes, shocking perhaps for American guys, but Europeans including guys use scarfs in their year-round wardrobe. It is a simple way to make your limited wardrobe suddenly very unlimited. They can also be double as half-blankets on cold trains.

A high quality bag(s): This is what I’ve got: one very large rolling suitcase, one Osprey brand Porter 40 that converts from backpack to carrying suitcase, one Incase laptop backpack, my small, turquoise HOBO purse, and my beloved Longchamp khaki patent leather purse. I admit that the two purses are MAYBE overkill but my excuse is that I’m what my mom refers to me as “a bag lady.” The indispensables are my suitcase and backpacks. The just SUPER, super, super nice-to-have’s are the purses. However, as a woman spending time in ridiculously feminie France, I’ll say that at least one purse is needed. I can’t imagine lugging around a backpack as an alternative.

An easy to care for, nice haircut: Again, I’m mentioning the “appearances” point. I know. I know. We’re taught from being very little “appearances aren’t everything.” I’ll just take you to the side and explain that in this situation, it is best to ignore that a little bit. When no one knows you, they need something to start off with to start trusting you. For me, I like an easy-to-care-for cut because if I’m getting up for a 6:10AM train, I will want as much sleep as I can get beforehand and that means I don’t have a bunch of time to look like a decent person. Decently looking equals decently helped, as I’ll continue to explain.

A credit card that works overseas: Refer to one of my previous entries on that one.

A sewing kit: Europe=Expensive and so it is wise to always have someway to not have to depend on buying replacements for clothing if it breaks, rips, etc. Actually, this rule could apply for a lot of other things that you own.

A first aid kit: May sound girl scout-ish (which I was by the way) but when you’re as clumsy as me or you walk as much as me, your little scraps and blisters will thank you for the extra protection as they’re trying to heal.

An amazing pair of walking shoes: Walking=blisters EXCEPT when you have a good pair of shoes. I think I’ve made only one bad shoe decision here (Jessica knows what I’m talking about as she helped me discover it). Lesson to be learned: buy wisely and very, very carefully. You will be walking miles everyday.

Enduring sense of awareness: The world isn’t evil but it’s no angel either. I have personally trained myself to place certain important items in certain places in my pocket/bag/money belt/etc. and then always be aware of them. I failed in doing this one time during March and I lost my wonderful red leather gloves to what was probably a pickpocket. The best thing about those gloves besides being in my favorite color was that they were actually small enough for my hands. Size 6 isn’t always easy to find.

An open mind and flexible attitude: Life is always changing and it always seems that when you start moving faster then it does, too. Be ready for it all and sometimes being creative about it. I had to give up my whole day in Avignon for just an evening thanks to the French strike. Earlier, on my way to Baden-Baden, I had to switch to an earlier train, missing class, in going to Paris to catch another train to get across the border. Crazy, it can just be crazy sometimes. Ah, well, I can at least claim that I know the French train system after this.

A sense of adventure: Again it is the nature of traveling. Don’t just be willing, but be excited to try out fois gras or escargot. Imagine being Anothony Bourdain or something. If a world-class chef isn’t afraid to try crazy stuff, and this goes for outside of food as well, shouldn’t we all take the same attitude? On top of that, is the likeliness to visit and experience all those great things you won’t find in the guidebooks. Be like a native you’ll come home with great stories. This I can guarantee.

A great smile: This could possibly be the most important thing to pack. No one will want to help you, approach you, or (most importantly) even play with the idea of doing a favor for you if you go around looking like a grump. A lot of situations I’ve gotten in, from canceled trains to just rather high museum ticket prices were made into much better experiences because people just found me to be worth it.

Here’s to hoping the rest of my transportation is blissfully boring!