You know those times when you are terribly torn between two things but you can only chose one? You finally decide and go with it but always kind of wonder...what if? Well I can honestly say the feeling of discovering five months later that you absolutely made the right choice is an awesome one. For months I kept debating, Paris or Lyon? Paris? Lyon? Back and forth until I finally had to make a choice. After visiting Paris for the first time this weekend, I couldn't be happier with my decision of Lyon. While Paris was beautiful and exciting, Lyon is just more my type of city. It is big enough that I can't possibly get to everything that I want to, even in four months. But it is small enough that it is manageable, and it feels much more personal.
The mix of that realization, seeing my mom, and then just the 'holy crap I'm in Paris' factor made for a great weekend. Friday night we went out for drinks at not one, but two bars. At the first we just had wine and some food, but moved on to the second for cocktails. Four drinks and 40 euros later we figured it was time for bed. On Saturday, we spent the majority of our time at the Eiffel Tower. Seeing as it was a first for both of us we took our time and had lunch at the restaurant on the first level. We spent the evening shopping at Le Bon Marche (where I got the cutest cropped jacket thanks to mommy!), and people wathching from a wine bar on the street. I'm slightly embarrassed to say it...but per my request we finished the evening off at the extremely classy (and very French) Pizza Hut. I couldn't help myself. On Sunday, we started off at the Louvre but opted not to stay for long. We saw the important sights (the pyramid, Mona Lisa, Venus de Milos), but our shared preference for Impressionism won out. We walked over to the Musee D'Orsay and spent the afternoon there with Monet, Renoir, and Degas. Overall it was a wonderful weekend, and it was so good to see my mom even though it has only been three weeks.
As for this week? Wednesday night we have our very first cheese tasting!! Obviously wine is included so that should be a good time. I think what we are all looking forward to most though is Barcelona this weekend. Nine of us from CEFAM are leaving Friday and staying until Monday. I have to admit I'm equally as excited for another reason though. My boyfriend, Adam, is studying abroad in Rome this semester and he will be meeting us in Barcelona for the weekend. What more could a girl ask for?
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Exactly the same, just different...
One of the most common themes discussed in our "Real World"-esque house is how strangley comfortable we all feel. It helps that the group of us get along extraordinarily well. It's not at all bizarre to find ten or more of us huddled together in one room talking about anything and everything that may come to mind. But what we have all noticed is that even with the extreme language barrier, the everyday actions and behaviors of people in Lyon are astonishingly similar to what we are regularly confronted with at home. Just to further connect home and here, I have found many similarities to Lyon and Boston. They are both historic, large cities that have more of a town center vibe. These factors explain the seamless transition we seem to be making. The only tiny obstacle left? Speaking French...
But even with the comfort of the city we live in, the fact that we may actually miss home is starting to take its affect. The first clue? A rather lengthy discussion involving every food that we miss from home. I admit that we sounded a bit dramatic for only two weeks in, and after a while our conversation resembled a war movie way too closely. The top things that we miss? Dunkin Donuts, bagels in general, worcestershire sauce, cheesesteaks, light salad dressing, breadcrumbs, anything requiring an oven, and the obvious front runners...peanut butter and mac and cheese. Although the peanut butter/mac and cheese has pretty much been taken care of due to certain family members special deliveries (thanks guys!).
As for highlights of the past week? We finished our first week of classes. After having to switch one of my classes I now only have class on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays! Long weekend trips here I come. On Saturday night, a group of us hiked back up to the Basilica around midnight. We ended up having to jump the fence :/ but the view was absolutely worth it.
It was breathtaking during the day and just downright stunning at night. That was followed by about a two and a half hour walk home. Strolling, talking, and really enjoying to sights was definitely an experience to remember.
This week at CEFAM we don't have any regular classes. This is what they call seminar week. Us Americans are grouped with the third year students for a week long marketing simulation "game". We have to be there from 9:30 - 4 everyday, but it's not that bad. Still having to get used to this two hour lunch break thing though. It definitely clashes with the American mindset of "let's get everything done as soon as possible so we can go home early." I guess I'll just have to learn to slow down a bit.
Coming up...I'm going to Paris this weekend to see my mom! We are going to a Lyon soccer game on Wednesday (my first one), and then Barcelona in two weeks!
More interesting things we've noticed:
-You are hard pressed to find a clock in this city. There are none anywhere in school, in the apartments, in stores...
-All of our butts are looking fabulous due to the fact that there is a ground floor in every building. So we live on the third floor, but its actually the fourth. Same thing at school. I'm refusing to take elevators because that and walking are pretty much my only forms of exercise.
-Buying hair dye is an even more stressful situation when you can't read many of the colors.
-Stock up with whatever you might need on Saturday because absolutely nothing is open on Sundays!
But even with the comfort of the city we live in, the fact that we may actually miss home is starting to take its affect. The first clue? A rather lengthy discussion involving every food that we miss from home. I admit that we sounded a bit dramatic for only two weeks in, and after a while our conversation resembled a war movie way too closely. The top things that we miss? Dunkin Donuts, bagels in general, worcestershire sauce, cheesesteaks, light salad dressing, breadcrumbs, anything requiring an oven, and the obvious front runners...peanut butter and mac and cheese. Although the peanut butter/mac and cheese has pretty much been taken care of due to certain family members special deliveries (thanks guys!).
As for highlights of the past week? We finished our first week of classes. After having to switch one of my classes I now only have class on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays! Long weekend trips here I come. On Saturday night, a group of us hiked back up to the Basilica around midnight. We ended up having to jump the fence :/ but the view was absolutely worth it.
It was breathtaking during the day and just downright stunning at night. That was followed by about a two and a half hour walk home. Strolling, talking, and really enjoying to sights was definitely an experience to remember. This week at CEFAM we don't have any regular classes. This is what they call seminar week. Us Americans are grouped with the third year students for a week long marketing simulation "game". We have to be there from 9:30 - 4 everyday, but it's not that bad. Still having to get used to this two hour lunch break thing though. It definitely clashes with the American mindset of "let's get everything done as soon as possible so we can go home early." I guess I'll just have to learn to slow down a bit.
Coming up...I'm going to Paris this weekend to see my mom! We are going to a Lyon soccer game on Wednesday (my first one), and then Barcelona in two weeks!
More interesting things we've noticed:
-You are hard pressed to find a clock in this city. There are none anywhere in school, in the apartments, in stores...
-All of our butts are looking fabulous due to the fact that there is a ground floor in every building. So we live on the third floor, but its actually the fourth. Same thing at school. I'm refusing to take elevators because that and walking are pretty much my only forms of exercise.
-Buying hair dye is an even more stressful situation when you can't read many of the colors.
-Stock up with whatever you might need on Saturday because absolutely nothing is open on Sundays!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Classes, Cathedrals, and Showers...oh boy
Today was our first day of classes (none of us have class on Mondays!) and it was definitely an interesting experience. I had two classes, French at 12:30 and International Business Law at 3:30. Each are an hour and a half. My French teacher is awesome, shes very French and very glam. Also a very good teacher, definitely hoping she'll help my language abilities this semester! We had a nice lunch break and then our second class. I must say it gave me a unique perspective on French classrooms...at least at this school. All I can say is it reminded me a lot of high school. Students were disruptive and talked throughout the class. They often talked back to the teachers. The doors to the classrooms lock as soon as class starts and if you are late you cannot come in. The whole system is just extremely more structured than any American university any of us have seen. Oh and once the whole class finds out you are American (as they are all French) they either have tons of questions, or have a nice hearty laugh all in unison...it's interesting. Day 2 tomorrow, and my first time in Art History class! The professor is our Study Abroad Liaison named Paul who is an absolute riot so it should be fun.
This weekend was our first weekend here, but we didn't go too crazy. We went out on Friday around the Hotel de Ville area of town. We found a fun little bar and pretty much spent most of the night people watching. As a sidenote, also in the Hotel de Ville area is the new, and only, Starbucks in Lyon! Very cool. On Saturday we didn't do very much. We did realize that it is not ok to go outside in your pajamas in France, even if you are just running downstairs for a baguette. Never. Just don't do it. The looks we got were enough to burn a hole in your head. They take their fashion very very seriously.
With that duly noted, we decided to get properly dressed and go explore on Sunday. Ten of us left the apartment at 11 am to walk to the other side of the city to see Vieux Lyon ("Old Lyon"). It turned into a four hour trek and by far the most incredible experience I've had thus far. We took our time walking there enjoying the gorgeous day and stopping to take plenty of pictures! The boys had gone exploring a few days earlier (while the girls were taking pleasure in the incredible January sales) and they claimed to have found the best view of the city. They told us it would require a bit of exercise and to wear comfortable sneakers. When we reached the base of our destination, it was immediately apparent that they were not at all exaggerating. We stood facing a gigantic old staircase, and that was the smaller of two. It took 812 steps plus some additional walking, but the result was beyond worth it. At the top you could see the entirety of Lyon. It was one of those few moments where you honestly feel as though you can't speak because no words can explain the beauty that is laid out in front of you. I've added a link to pictures of it, although they don't compare to standing there and looking out. We concluded that wonderful day by squeezing six of us on a bed and watching the movie Juno :)
As far as complaints go, so far they are few and far between. A major issue that all of us have been having is in regards to the shower. The shower head is detachable and rests at about waist level. They are tiny and the possibility of flooding the bathroom is extremely high. After all of our first showers we realized that every single one of us had left the bathroom floor coated in a thick pool of water. It took me until my shower this morning to really get the hang of it. I'm proud to say that when I got out there was hardly a drop on the floor! The other issue with the shower is the temperature. It tends to put the word "icy" to shame. It's not that bad though...it's good for waking up in the morning.
My only other issue is that I am still cell phone-less! We had gone last week as a group and with our bilingual Study Abroad Liaisons to the phone store. Most people bought phones, I opted for just the SIM card to put into my American phone. After a week of wrestling with AT&T to get an "unlock code" for my phone so that I could use a French SIM card, I am giving up. I went back to the store by myself today to just buy a phone, and because it is much cheaper as a pair, another SIM card as well. They are currently out of stock, but hopefully by Friday after 5 pm I will be all set! One good thing about all of this...the women at the store do not speak a word of English. So the fact that I managed all of that in French means that I must be getting a bit better at speaking and understanding the language!
Oh! Yesterday we booked our very first trip together! We are all set for Barcelona the first weekend in February and we are all incredibly excited!!
I think that's just about everything for now...
A bientot!
This weekend was our first weekend here, but we didn't go too crazy. We went out on Friday around the Hotel de Ville area of town. We found a fun little bar and pretty much spent most of the night people watching. As a sidenote, also in the Hotel de Ville area is the new, and only, Starbucks in Lyon! Very cool. On Saturday we didn't do very much. We did realize that it is not ok to go outside in your pajamas in France, even if you are just running downstairs for a baguette. Never. Just don't do it. The looks we got were enough to burn a hole in your head. They take their fashion very very seriously.
With that duly noted, we decided to get properly dressed and go explore on Sunday. Ten of us left the apartment at 11 am to walk to the other side of the city to see Vieux Lyon ("Old Lyon"). It turned into a four hour trek and by far the most incredible experience I've had thus far. We took our time walking there enjoying the gorgeous day and stopping to take plenty of pictures! The boys had gone exploring a few days earlier (while the girls were taking pleasure in the incredible January sales) and they claimed to have found the best view of the city. They told us it would require a bit of exercise and to wear comfortable sneakers. When we reached the base of our destination, it was immediately apparent that they were not at all exaggerating. We stood facing a gigantic old staircase, and that was the smaller of two. It took 812 steps plus some additional walking, but the result was beyond worth it. At the top you could see the entirety of Lyon. It was one of those few moments where you honestly feel as though you can't speak because no words can explain the beauty that is laid out in front of you. I've added a link to pictures of it, although they don't compare to standing there and looking out. We concluded that wonderful day by squeezing six of us on a bed and watching the movie Juno :)
As far as complaints go, so far they are few and far between. A major issue that all of us have been having is in regards to the shower. The shower head is detachable and rests at about waist level. They are tiny and the possibility of flooding the bathroom is extremely high. After all of our first showers we realized that every single one of us had left the bathroom floor coated in a thick pool of water. It took me until my shower this morning to really get the hang of it. I'm proud to say that when I got out there was hardly a drop on the floor! The other issue with the shower is the temperature. It tends to put the word "icy" to shame. It's not that bad though...it's good for waking up in the morning.
My only other issue is that I am still cell phone-less! We had gone last week as a group and with our bilingual Study Abroad Liaisons to the phone store. Most people bought phones, I opted for just the SIM card to put into my American phone. After a week of wrestling with AT&T to get an "unlock code" for my phone so that I could use a French SIM card, I am giving up. I went back to the store by myself today to just buy a phone, and because it is much cheaper as a pair, another SIM card as well. They are currently out of stock, but hopefully by Friday after 5 pm I will be all set! One good thing about all of this...the women at the store do not speak a word of English. So the fact that I managed all of that in French means that I must be getting a bit better at speaking and understanding the language!
Oh! Yesterday we booked our very first trip together! We are all set for Barcelona the first weekend in February and we are all incredibly excited!!
I think that's just about everything for now...
A bientot!
Friday, January 11, 2008
Finally settled in!
So I must say, after months of agonizing worry over applications, CampusFrance, the visa process, money, and worst of all cutting my wardrobe down to a third of what it was...finally being in France is absolutely worth all of it. I'm getting started a bit late on this so I'll do a quick recap of everything that has lead to this point.
Number 1 - The CampusFrance application and visa process are absolute headaches. In order to study abroad in France you must be accepted by the CampusFrance group before even applying for your visa. Had it not been for the extremely in depth instructions Danielle (our study abroad advisor at Northeastern) had given us, I'm sure I would have completely messed it up. And they are not at all kidding when they say it will take about two weeks to process. I received my acceptance email two weeks to the day after I sent it in! So moral of the story...if you are going to study abroad, get started early!
The second part of this process to make you legitimate is to receive your student visa. Basically have three copies of absolutely everything that could possibly justify that you are a US citizen and that you live precisely where you say you do. I must say I had an easier time that a lot of my friends had with this. I live in Pennsylvania, so instead of making an appointment at the NYC or Boston consulates, I got mine in Washington, DC. I went down early in the morning, got my visa on the spot, and was back home by early afternoon. Stressful, but really quite simple. A lot of people who went to the other consulates ended have to go back two or three times before receiving visas...yuck. So if you can make it to DC, I would absolutely recommend it!
The website is: http://www.consulfrance-washington.org
Number 2 - Packing was an emotional event. I am a girl...a girl with lots of shoes and clothes. And I am also a girl that was forced to part with the majority of those, basically not a pretty sight. I did eventually manage to squeeze as much as possible into two bags, but it took a while.
Number 3 - When they say pack only what you can carry, don't take it lightly. I'm pretty sure I am going to have permanent back damage from lugging my beloved clothing around.
Now that that is out of the way. Our flight over was about as smooth as could be. There were five of us flying over together and we immediately got along very well. The first flight was a seven hour flight from Boston to Amsterdam. We all got to sit together which definitely made the long flight bearable. About the only issue we had the whole time was involving a mysterious stain on Meg's seat.
We arrived in Amsterdam at around 8 AM. We didn't get to walk around or explore too much because everyone was exhausted. Once we were settled at our gate we decided to grab some food before our flight. I'm not sure if all European airports are like the Amsterdam one or not, but the eating situation was so cozy! There were couches, fresh food, and real silverware. You didn't feel like you were sitting in a carbon copy airport where everything is exactly the same. Much different from any U.S. airport I have ever seen.
When we finally arrived in Lyon it was such a relief. That is until we realized that we weren't being picked up by any sort of service...we were going to be taking public transportation to our apartment. After carrying two 50 pound bags, a backpack, and a large tote bag all the way through the Lyon airport, onto a bus, through a metro station, onto a metro, two blocks to our apartment, and then up four flights of stairs...I was definitely rethinking my packing decisions.
Once we were unpacked and had met all the students from other schools, it didn't take long for us to want to explore. We went to dinner at a place called "Ninkasi" right around the corner from us. We later learned that there are three of these in the city. The main one is in the center of Lyon and is a huge microbrewery. We will definitely have to try that out at some point. Our first attempt at ordering in a restaurant did not go as smoothly as we expected. We realized that dinner here isn't served til 8 o'clock! A rude shock to a bunch of hungry travelers.
In the days since, we have just been spending time getting to know one another and our new surroundings. Grocery shopping, checking out the Carrefour (known to some as the "French WalMart"), clothes shopping for the girls (January is the month of sales!), and just walking around the city have taken up our days. We've all been having such a good time that it slipped our minds that we are inevitably here to go to school....but classes start tomorrow so that will change!
Some interesting things that we have learned:
- The French have very strict eating schedules. Breakfast, at least a 2 hour lunch, a 4 o'clock snack, and an excruciatingly long three course dinner with drinks beginning around 8.
-Baguettes are delicious. But 100 grams = around 240 calories...I don't even want to know about the croissants.
-Don't stand too close to the Metro door....it opens before the train comes to a stop.
-Never go out wearing sweatpants.
-Its 812 steps to the most incredible view of the city.
-In grocery stores, you have to weigh fruit and veggies yourself and print out a little sticker before taking it to a register.
-You can't get Cosmopolitans.
I'm sure there is much more to come...but for now, here is a photo of the lovely rooms:
A bientot!
Number 1 - The CampusFrance application and visa process are absolute headaches. In order to study abroad in France you must be accepted by the CampusFrance group before even applying for your visa. Had it not been for the extremely in depth instructions Danielle (our study abroad advisor at Northeastern) had given us, I'm sure I would have completely messed it up. And they are not at all kidding when they say it will take about two weeks to process. I received my acceptance email two weeks to the day after I sent it in! So moral of the story...if you are going to study abroad, get started early!
The second part of this process to make you legitimate is to receive your student visa. Basically have three copies of absolutely everything that could possibly justify that you are a US citizen and that you live precisely where you say you do. I must say I had an easier time that a lot of my friends had with this. I live in Pennsylvania, so instead of making an appointment at the NYC or Boston consulates, I got mine in Washington, DC. I went down early in the morning, got my visa on the spot, and was back home by early afternoon. Stressful, but really quite simple. A lot of people who went to the other consulates ended have to go back two or three times before receiving visas...yuck. So if you can make it to DC, I would absolutely recommend it!
The website is: http://www.consulfrance-washington.org
Number 2 - Packing was an emotional event. I am a girl...a girl with lots of shoes and clothes. And I am also a girl that was forced to part with the majority of those, basically not a pretty sight. I did eventually manage to squeeze as much as possible into two bags, but it took a while.
Number 3 - When they say pack only what you can carry, don't take it lightly. I'm pretty sure I am going to have permanent back damage from lugging my beloved clothing around.
Now that that is out of the way. Our flight over was about as smooth as could be. There were five of us flying over together and we immediately got along very well. The first flight was a seven hour flight from Boston to Amsterdam. We all got to sit together which definitely made the long flight bearable. About the only issue we had the whole time was involving a mysterious stain on Meg's seat.
We arrived in Amsterdam at around 8 AM. We didn't get to walk around or explore too much because everyone was exhausted. Once we were settled at our gate we decided to grab some food before our flight. I'm not sure if all European airports are like the Amsterdam one or not, but the eating situation was so cozy! There were couches, fresh food, and real silverware. You didn't feel like you were sitting in a carbon copy airport where everything is exactly the same. Much different from any U.S. airport I have ever seen.
When we finally arrived in Lyon it was such a relief. That is until we realized that we weren't being picked up by any sort of service...we were going to be taking public transportation to our apartment. After carrying two 50 pound bags, a backpack, and a large tote bag all the way through the Lyon airport, onto a bus, through a metro station, onto a metro, two blocks to our apartment, and then up four flights of stairs...I was definitely rethinking my packing decisions.
Once we were unpacked and had met all the students from other schools, it didn't take long for us to want to explore. We went to dinner at a place called "Ninkasi" right around the corner from us. We later learned that there are three of these in the city. The main one is in the center of Lyon and is a huge microbrewery. We will definitely have to try that out at some point. Our first attempt at ordering in a restaurant did not go as smoothly as we expected. We realized that dinner here isn't served til 8 o'clock! A rude shock to a bunch of hungry travelers.
In the days since, we have just been spending time getting to know one another and our new surroundings. Grocery shopping, checking out the Carrefour (known to some as the "French WalMart"), clothes shopping for the girls (January is the month of sales!), and just walking around the city have taken up our days. We've all been having such a good time that it slipped our minds that we are inevitably here to go to school....but classes start tomorrow so that will change!
Some interesting things that we have learned:
- The French have very strict eating schedules. Breakfast, at least a 2 hour lunch, a 4 o'clock snack, and an excruciatingly long three course dinner with drinks beginning around 8.
-Baguettes are delicious. But 100 grams = around 240 calories...I don't even want to know about the croissants.
-Don't stand too close to the Metro door....it opens before the train comes to a stop.
-Never go out wearing sweatpants.
-Its 812 steps to the most incredible view of the city.
-In grocery stores, you have to weigh fruit and veggies yourself and print out a little sticker before taking it to a register.
-You can't get Cosmopolitans.
I'm sure there is much more to come...but for now, here is a photo of the lovely rooms:
A bientot!
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