In Which We Start Actually Studying

It’s the first week of classes at CIREFE! Finally, every last bit of orientation is over and we get to start attending real classes! The last three weeks were absolutely exhausting because every day was different. Sometimes we attended classes at a place called Langue et Communications, which specialized in teaching French to foreigners.  Other …

Rennes

All I can say is: I’m so glad I picked Rennes. I come from a small town and the idea of living in a city made me feel extremely wary. Most of the grand metropolises I’ve visited have seemed less grand and more smoggy, noisy, and claustrophobic. How can I enjoy all a city has …

Bienvenue En France!

Today marks the start of my second week in France. This sounds absolutely ridiculous to say out loud and in print, because with everything I’ve done, I feel like I ought to have been here for at least double that time. We all arrived in Paris on January 6 to report for Orientation. I’d flown …

Winding Down?

In one week I’ll be done with the classroom portion of my time abroad… nuts!  I’m staying in Europe for the majority of the summer to travel and volunteer a bit, and so ready for a change of pace and fresh adventure!   Recently I had the opportunity to go to Paris!  With all the …

Small Time Farming

So it’s been a while! But here is a quick recap of the research project (and other random adventures) that I did in the beautiful Pyrenees-Orientales of France!   For my 10 day stay, I was with a host family in a tiny village in the middle of beautiful farm lands.  Unlike typical midwest farmlands …

Village Study

I’m currently in the midst of a two week village study in an even more southern region of France! I’ve been quite busy and discovering a multitude of things, so I’ll do updates in installments as not to overwhelm.  The first three days were with the whole program in the most beautiful city, Collioure.  It’s …

Not-So-Everyday Happenings

Time is going so quickly, my mind is perpetually confused in some non-existent and illogical time frame.  My french language classes are coming to a close this Wednesday (hooray!) and Thursday I leave for a two week home stay in the mountains!!! Near the ocean!!! And a only a day-hike away from Spain!!! I’ve been …

Okay, perhaps this photo is a bit deceiving as today we got snow in Toulouse, but a few short days ago this was life after classes, sun-bathing on the banks of the Garrone. Such bliss!!! I seem to have somehow entered a glorious place in my study abroad experience:  the demands of the language are …

Weekend in Lot

Last weekend I went to the Lot, a department in the south of France, with my program.  Lot personifies and surpasses all the cliché images that come to mind when you think of southern French countryside.  When we first arrived we explored a prehistoric cave, bison and mammoth cave drawings and all! It was absolutely …

La Ville Rose

  Yesterday for the first time in my life, I experienced mountains with snow! I had the chance to snow shoe in the Pyrenees and after that day visit, it’s fair to say I’ve fallen in love with those beautiful mounds of earth!  It was also my first time out of the city since I’ve …