I'm going to Strasbourg!

Next weekend (Feb 20-22) I am going with two friends to Strasbourg, in the Alsace region of France!  I'm very excited because the pictures look incredible and it will be great to see other parts of France besides just Paris.  Also, I booked a flight to Madrid for March 6-8 will be fun.  My roommate Kim from last semester is studying there so she will be my tour guide & hostess.  After taking so many years of Spanish, it will be my first time in a Spanish speaking country!

Today was my first day of class. It was basically a hurricane when I went outside, and still completely dark out when I got out of the metro around 7:30, so that's going to take some getting used to.  My building was very hard to find in the midst of hurricane-like weather, luckily I made it on time.  It's very very near Notre Dame and the famous bookstore Shakespeare & Co.  

My professor seems very kind, and there are only three Americans including myself in my class!  There are also students from China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia, Russia, Australia, and a few other places.  This will probably be great for learning the language because French will be our only common language-- no English in that classroom!

Then I had my Paris Civilization & Culture class which will be fun.  We learn about, and then go to Notre Dame, Musee du Cluny, the Louvre, the Pantheon, Musee d'Orsay, Opera Garnier, Montmartre, Saint Germain & the Latin Quarter, and Belleville, plus watch two French films.  I don't think it will be too hard, except that it will be alot of reading.  Also what better way to learn French & Parisian history than to actually experience it!?  

Thanks again for the comments everyone! I definitely love reading them.  The picture is of me and a friend in front of one of the many Sorbonne buildings.  If it's nice out tomorrow (doubtful) I'll take some of the building I have class in- it's tres chic!  Now off to do homework.

My schedule (sucks)

This morning I finally got my class schedule.  Of course, we were told the wrong building to go to to pick up our tests results/schedule.  Luckily, it wasn't raining (yet) so I walked with a few friends to the correct building about 30 minutes away.  It was a nice walk- right by Jardin du Luxembourg and the Pantheon.  

Of course I'm in the first of 5 levels-- but some others were disappointed- people that have taken French for 8-10 years placed into the 'beginner' level-- second out of 5.  eek!  I have class with at least one girl in my program which will be nice.  Also, my class is on the Left Bank of the Seine near Notre Dame, which is a great area. 

Onto the bad part: I have class at 8am everyday.  This means I have to get up at like 6!  

My schedule:

8-10am every day:  French class

10:30-11:30am every day, every other week: French phonetics class

1-2:30 Tuesday & Thursday: Paris Civilization & Culture class

Classes start tomorrow! Apparently all notebook paper here is graph paper which I'm definitely going to hate.  Besides school stuff I've just been working on planning travel which is really stressful when you're working with a group of people, limited funds, different ideas of what is expensive, etc.  I'm booking my flight to Madrid to visit Kim tonight though! 

PS: It has either rained or snowed 7 out of the 8 days I've been here. C'est terrible!

Castle visit!

Today we went to see the castle! It was incredible, when we pulled up I could not believe that people actually lived there. It has been in their family for a long time- the grandfather told me it was built in the 18th century, and German soldiers seized it and lived in it during World War II. There's not much more I can say because the pictures speak for themselves!

The sign from the road. I haven't googled it yet but I'm sure there's info online!


Pulling up to the gate


Me in front of the Chateau


Entranceway


Sitting area


The old kitchen (They only use/renovated the right half of the house so the left half is still old style, unheated, and not really useable)


The bedroom they had to keep at all times for the Archbishop's visits


Writing from when the German's occupied the Chateau


A great view of the whole place: yes those are swans


Of course they have horses, this guy was my favorite


I have so so many more pictures, but they take forever to upload! When I get back I will be sure to share with everyone. It was about a 1.5 hour drive from Paris, after I got back I met friends in the Latin Quarter and got dinner and hot chocolate. Now I'm getting ready for bed and I finally find out my class schedule tomorrow. Then classes start on Tuesday!

EDIT: this website has some great panoramic photos of the Chateau.

They live in a castle!?

Yesterday was unremarkable besides carrying on a full conversation with my host mom in French.  We were tres, tres American by going out for pizza and then to an Irish bar..but they really were the only place that had room for so many people.  

Today I skipped out on touristy stuff with friends because my host mom's ex-husband's dad was coming over for lunch.  He's 94 and doesn't speak a word of English but still managed to ask me about Obama..like most people do when they find out I'm American.  Speaking of Obama, the pizza place we went to had a special "Obama Pizza" which I thought was pretty silly.

Then, my host sister's friends from her university in Korea were visiting, so despite the snow we ventured out!  First, I found out that my host mom's parents live in an apartment with this view:

THEN I FOUND OUT THIS IS THEIR SECOND 'HOME' AND THEIR REAL HOUSE IS A CASTLE.  REALLY!

So, I'm trying to drop hints that I desperately want to see it!  And keeping my camera charged at all times in hopes that I get to.

Anyway, tonight we somehow got 6 euro tickets to the ballet which was neat. I don't think I've ever seen a ballet besides friend's dance recitals.  Luckily it was 3 short performances instead of one long one, so I didn't get as sleepy/bored as I feared.  Also, the Opera National de Paris (the building) was absolutely stunning.  My camera was dead by then but I'll be sure to get some pictures of it soon! 

Au revoir!  Cross your fingers that I get to see the castle soon...and thanks for all of the comments everyone!   

What I did today..

Kicked off the day with a meeting with my academic advisor-- just making sure all my classes are in order.

Then went to the Conciergerie- palace for French kings and eventual prison which had Marie Antoinette's cell. 

Right next door, Sainte-Chapelle.  Awesome cathedral with lots of stained glass that I admired- just one room (the upper sanctuary) had 1,113 scenes depicted in stained glass.

Then of course, some shopping.  I got a hair dryer, floss, & a navy blue/teal plaid scarf.

Checked out my school.

The sun came out so we headed up to Montmartre and enjoyed the view.

Entered Sacre-Coeur and the difference between the bustling outdoors and silent indoors was great.

Climbed down some steps and headed home.

Watched Grey's Anatomy in French with my Host Mom, and here I am!