After a few days of exploring the narrow streets and tram lines that shape the city of Nantes, France, we hopped on a bus early Saturday morning for our first field trip: A tour of the Loire Valley châteaux. Over 300 châteaux, or castles, decorate the Loire Valley. Relics of royal courts and the Renaissance, …
Continue reading “Royal Residences: The Loire Valley Châteaux”
Ok I might have lied. This is not a blog post where I talk about planes at all actually, or trains for that matter. Although both of the latter are very useful and common modes of transportation for traveling long distances across the country, I am excited to write about one of my greatest surprises …
Continue reading “Trams, Trains, and Planes (But Mostly Trams)”
I’ve always been an organized person, just take a look at my planner! Since my first, school-given agenda in 2010 I’ve kept track of deadline after deadline, even notes for things as simple as ‘text Mom!’, to help me keep track of my days. In my experience, if it’s not written down it will quickly …
48 hours. 48 hours until I say Au revoir! to the suburbs of Chicago and depart for Nantes, France. Well, maybe 54 hours is more accurate since I have a connecting flight in Texas, but my shock is the same. I’m leaving my parents, brother, three cats, and tortoise to travel over 4,000 miles to …
Continue reading “Socks & Suitcases: Preparing to Study Abroad”
One of the many pros to studying abroad in Europe is that you are so close to other European countries. My flight this past weekend to Paris took less time than it would take me to fly from Michigan to Florida. In my program, IES classes are 90 minutes Monday through Thursday which gives us …
One of the cool parts about studying abroad are the class trips. They’re not your typical field trips most of us remember from high school–they’re historical, wonderful, beautiful weekends in places like Loire Valley, Normandy or Versailles. This past weekend, we went to Loire Valley. It’s a stretch on the Loire River in the center …
Here’s a recap “goodbye” of all the incredible friends I made last year and the host family I stayed with last semester in Paris. Spring semester is already off to a great start, and I can’t wait to get to know all of the new students here on campus!
Let’s talk about a French stereotype: strikes. If you don’t know, the French have a reputation for constantly striking against the government–it’s a right protected by their constitution and it’s been going on majorly since 1789, a.k.a., the French Revolution. As with everything in France, there’s clearly a long and complicated history when it comes …
Continue reading “Soundtrack of Sirens: Paris’ Largest Industrial Walkout Since 1995”
I thought that when I got home from studying abroad, everything was going to feel different. That my friends and family would look a bit older. That there would be many events I missed out on or didn’t know about. That I would accidentally slip some French into my English. I know I was …
I have nine days left in Paris until I go home for Christmas. I know what you’re probably thinking. Isn’t this the girl that’s staying abroad for the whole year? What does she have to worry about? And you’re right. I feel extremely lucky to be able to go back to the winter wonderland of …
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