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Postings from resident directors and students currently abroad, important announcements and useful infomation for planning your study abroad experience.
July 2007 Entries
If you're interested in studying in China, you have access to more scholarship opportunities. The Institute of International Education (http://www.iie.org) administers three scholarships that can help fund your study experience in China.
Freeman-ASIA (http://www.iie.org/programs/Freeman-ASIA/)
The Freeman-ASIA scholarships are to increase the number of US undergraduate students studying in East and Southeast Asia by providing them with information and financial assistance. Students can receive up to $3,000 for Summer, $5,000 for Semester, and $7,000 for Academic Year programs. You can find more information, including deadlines and eligibility requirements on their website.
NSEP (http://www.iie.org/programs/nsep/default.htm)
The National Security Education Program (NSEP) provides funding for US students to study in world regions critical to US interests (including China). Awards are up to $10,000 for Semester and $20,000 for Academic Year programs. There is a post-study service requirement attached to this program that students should carefully study prior to applying for this scholarship. This information, along with eligibility requirements and deadlines are available on their website.
Gilman Scholarship Program (http://www.iie.org//programs/gilman/index.html)
Although the Gilman program is open to all eligible students studying abroad, there is a new Critical Need Language Supplement program, including Chinese, that offers an additional $3,000 in funding. Eligibility and application information, along with additional program details, is available on their website.
As part of our usual social and cultural program, Abroadco students in Granada can enjoy immersing activities that will give a good taste of what’s up in the city. Here you have some of them :
Flamenco show: Granada has a large gypsy population from which many of Spain’s best flamenco guitarists, dancers and singers have emerged. Traditionally the gypsies inhabit cave homes on the Sacromonte neighbourhood but don’t think they are like being in the Stone Age! They are modern and perfectly equipped with every modern appliance. We usually go to “La Rocio” a cave that specializes in family Zambra (party) which means that almost all the dancers and musicians come from the same family. The members of the family start to learn flamenco from the moment they can walk or possibly even earlier. Students enjoy a colourful shows where the dancers perform different flamenco styles in their fancy dresses. (photo: Abroadco student learning how to dance flamenco)
Tea house: The tetería is a really exotic experience, following the Arabic tradition of sipping exquisite aromatic herbal teas in a relaxing ambience in cool, dimly lit rooms with low tables and chairs and scatter cushions in fabrics of rich Arabic colours. In a tetería you can expect to see many young people, both native Spanish and foreign including many students. If you are lucky you can enjoy a belly dancing perform or live Moorish music.
Arab baths: Probably the most popular option for students after taking their finals at school. The place combines cold, warm and hot pools in an Arabic old style reviving the ancient Moorish bathhouses where a long time ago locals went not only to clean their bodies but also their spirits.
Tapas: Going out with friends for tapas (tapeo) is one of the great social activities in Granada. A tapa is a small portion of food which you receive when you buy a drink (alcoholic or non) and the best thing is that in Granada tapas are free so you just pay for what you drink. They can vary from just a few nuts or a small dish of olives to almost a mini meal in itself (mini rolls, omelettes, paellla, hamburgers...). Some students do not need to have dinner at home when they go out: a couple drinks with tapas will make it!
I can hardly believe this is my last week. I have my final exams tomorrow (language) and Friday (culture). My time here went by so fast it seems, probably because we had a lot of things to do. Tonight we are going to Arab baths, which apparently are these great saunas. I will even get a 15 minute massage!
Last night, Meghan and I cooked dinner for about 12 people. Since Meghan is part Mexican too, we made Mexican food for everyone. For a lot of them, this was there first time tasting Mexican foods, so it was fun watching them experience the picante salsa and jalapenos. We made beef tacos with all 
the fixings, rice, beans, and this oh-so-tasty dessert that was an apple tart. There was a lot of leftovers even with 12 ppl eating!
This weekend we are going back to Nerja as a group with Abroadco from Saturday to Sunday. I will be sure to use spf 30 this time since I am still burnt from last Saturday :(
AJ, me, Akiko, Sarah, and Meghan. You can see by our hair flying everywhere that it was very windy, and therefore, there were huge waves! It got to be quite dangerous actually.
Federico Garcia Lorca is the most famous poet and playwriter from Granada. He was killed during the civil war (1936) because of his political beliefs.
This summer there is a splendid spectacle every night in the beautiful Generalife gardens – part of the Alhambra monument – inspired by Federico’s surrealistic poems and experiences in New York from 1929 to 1930 when he studied at Columbia University: “Poeta en Nueva York”
All the Abroadco students enjoyed a show full of different syles: from flamenco to hip-hop, jazz and blues with more thatn 20 modern and classic dancers on stage and a wondeful light and sound effects.
Dressed up for a special night: the July Abroadco group
 Two of our Paris students sent in photos of Abroadco students on excursions, around Paris, and just having fun.
Enjoy!
This photo was taken at Canale on one of the excursions.
Touring Paris by bicycle is now the thing to do! The city of Paris has just installed bicycle vending machines. Just picture yourself riding through the newly created 230 miles of bike lanes in Paris, peddling past the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe to the Tuileries Gardens for a picnic with your baguette and cheese in the basket on your bike! Does life get much better?
Paris is making an effort to be more “green” and “tourist friendly”. This new program is called Velib (a combination of the French word for bike, velo, and liberty). There are 10,600 bikes throughout Paris and 750 stations! You can register online or use the vending machines at the stations located around Paris. The vending machines are in eight different languages – so no need to panic if you haven’t perfected the French language yet! Once you purchase your pass, you follow the instructions and pick your bike. The bike can only be used for half an hour; you will be charged if you keep the bike longer. However, you can always pick up another bike! So drop off your bike on the way into the Louvre, and after seeing the Mona Lisa, pick up a new bike and take off to visit Notre Dame! The possibilities are endless!
You can buy a year, week or day pass for the bikes. Passes can be purchased at the stations or online at: http://www.velib.paris.fr/.
Highlight of the trip thus far? Dinner party at Pam's (Abroadco onsite director in Aix). On Friday all 7 of us on this program were invited to Pam's apartment in Marseille for dinner. Her beau, the former chef extraordinaire, whipped us up a fantastic 5 course meal served outdoors on a terrace overlooking the Marseille Palais and surrounding gardens. Pam's apartment was unreal and what has now become my dream abode when I grow up and "turn into a Pam," as Adam likes to say. Perhaps I won't go so far as moving abroad to teach art and art history, but then again, where else will I find an apartment and food and wine like this?
We walked 40 mins from the bus station and then climbed a spiral staircase four flights before finally reaching Pam's door. She welcomed us into this sprawling apartment lovingly decorated with shabby chic furniture, exotic trinkets, luxe fabrics, and the best of all: paintings upon paintings done by Pam herself! They were all infused with light and color and emotion. Her art is unlike anything I have ever seen before. Unsurprisingly her apartment was such too. I wandered around taking pictures, of course, of the stack of antique luggage trunks in her bedroom, of the gatherings of ceramic pots in her fireplaces, of the strings of onions in her kitchen window...I just adored it all and was two breaths away from asking to move in, but then I thought that might not be appropriate.
At dinner we all helped ourselves to glass after glass of pastis, rose, white, this rich perfumy red, a strawberry dessert wine...all amazing! We watched the sun set over the city as we sipped our red pepper soup. We discussed wines and travel over a spread of pungent cheeses. We attempted to pop corks off the balcony into the neighboring park, listening to stories of the time Pam dropped a knife from four stories up. And of course we all adamantly agreed that we are the best group ever! (even when there have only been one or two groups...ever) The night was topped off with a framboise tarte and fresh whipped cream. If there were one food to sum up an evening like such, it would have to be whipped cream. Delicious and ephemeral.
Everyday during French class an outdoor concert is held in the courtyard of our school. If it were not enough that we get to study in a beautiful yellow stucco building in the center of Aix, we get serenaded by opera singers and lulled by string quartets, and energized by dramatic pianists each and every day. Today, in particular, I was blown away by this unreal experience of taking a French test to classical live music drifting in through our windows. You could really listen because everyone was silently working away. I think the music may have even helped us! Surely I will never get to recreate a learning environment that even remotely compares. Northwestern's lake-views have nothing on IFEE!
In other happenings, I've been enjoying the nightlife here a lot. Each night holds something entirely different! Tuesday I went out with Sara and AIU kids to an Irish pub for free champagne night (for ladies only of course). Wednesday I hung out with some school friends for a bit and then went to IPN for hip hop night. Last night was all planned out to be a fun night of tapas/sangria and then Hawaiin night at IPN but sadly no one quite rallied and it fizzled out; Of course it was still a fun night, but just not the one I had envisioned (and dressed to theme for!)
In the afternoons I have really enjoyed spending time with different people. Just yesterday I spent the entire afternoon at a gelato cafe with Adam where we attempted to study but instead could not stop talking long enough to breathe for the whole afternoon. I also just went to see the new Harry Potter movie on Wednesday when it just came out. Thankfully the French are not as into it as Americans are so we had an easy time getting in--especially because we went to the English showing. It was nice to be surrounded by Americana again just for a couple of hours. Later that night a few of us went out to a really good Vietnamese/Chinese/etc. fusion restaurant. It was nice because it was a bit of a hodgepodge of people but still ended up being a good time.
One of the things I love about being here is that with such a limited amount of time and the the kind of environment we are thrown into it is easy and fun and exciting to make a lot of friends with many different kinds of people. You don't get the usual cliqueiness that usually comes with most other social scenes and it is refreshing! It just feels freer in a way. And I guess that this sense of freedom and opportunity and excitement is really what has got me hooked on this place and this little slice of time this summer. I have decided I definitely want to study abroad senior year. This has just given me the tiniest taste and I want more! Now off to brainstorm and daydream about where to go!
With Bastille Day coming up on the 14th, we wanted to give you a little background on this national French holiday.
This national holiday commemorates the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, which started the French Revolution. The Bastille was a prison that held political prisoners who had irritated the royal government. When the French stormed the Bastille, it had only 7 prisoners, none of whom were of great political significance. The act was seen as a symbol of liberty. The revolution eventually lead the country into what is now the Republic of France with its Tricolor flag (Le Tricolore – representing Liberty, Equality and Fraternity).
The Champs-Elysées is decorated for the occasion with French flags as military parades march down the street. Traditionally, the firemen around the country organize dances, parties and fireworks for the commune. Bien sûr, there are fireworks at the Eiffel Tower! So if you happen to be in Paris for the Quatorze Juillet, head to the Eiffel Tower and watch the fireworks (le feu d’artifice)!
- Cassandra Trachy
It has been fascinating reading about all of your adventures! It is great to see that Abroadco has such an enthusiastic group of students! My name is Cassandra and I studied abroad in France for a semester. I am the new Admissions Counselor that some of you have spoken to on the phone.
After participating in study abroad and going home, students often start to dream about their next adventure and all of the possibilities. The world truly is your backyard! I know that the idea of coming home isn’t always exciting. It is sometimes difficult to accept the fact that you won’t be able to buy fresh bread from the corner baker on your way home from school or take the next cheap flight to Dublin for the weekend.
But the adventure doesn’t have to be over when you get home! I found the “Ten Pillars of Delaying the Real World”. It is in the book Delaying the Real World: A Twentysomthings’s Guide to Seeking Adventure. This book has some great ideas and resources on how to jump into your next adventure.
My French teacher didn't show up today! Yesterday she had been hobbling around because of a broken toe but today she just never appeared! We were all pretty worried, of course, especially when we checked with the school administrators who were at a loss as to why she hadn't called. Worried, but slightly relieved to not have class, I embarked on a day of exploration around Aix.
Finally I had the opportunity to check out the markets that go up and back down again all before I get out of class each day! After a dose of caffeine to get me revved up I wandered down to the Marche where produce and flowers are sold. Here I had a picture snapping frenzy, trying to steal a few images to recreate later with my pastels and paints. The fish were particularly photogenic! Next I found my way to the clothing market. Here shopped and haggled to no end. My parents would be less than thrilled to learn I made more than one trip to the ATM for cash. Remarkably the hours just flew by and after the markets regular classes were already over! I rushed back and met up with Risa and Adam for lunch from Paul's Patisserie. I found the best deal: 6 Euros for a sandwhich, drink, and dessert du jour! Needless to say I will be back again...and again...
All in all a good unexpected treat of a day. Playing hookie is even better when you don't even have to feel guilty!
Today we went to visit the Cathedral of Granada. The Cathedral is real close to my host family’s house. I learned that Granada was the last city that the Moors conquered. So before the Cathedral of Granada was a big mosque that the Moors built, and after the Moors gave up the Spanish land, then the Mosques all over Spain were either torn down or, the other reason was that the Spaniards kept the mosques up, because they thought that the Moroccan architecture was too beautiful to cut down, so they just built the churches over the mosques. I have seen something like this in a church that was once a mosque in Sevilla when I went 2 yrs. ago. It looked so weird, almost that the church just didn´t belong there, because the Moroccan architecture was so significant and beautiful. I am sorry that I am rambling on about the Spanish history, but I was just so interested in it. In some parts of Granada where I walk, it seems that I am in Morocco, with the architecture, and when I hear Moroccan Arabic. On certain streets they sell Moroccan stuff.
Well other than learning the Spanish history, I am having a good time bonding with my Abroadco group, my host family, and with my roommates. It is very interesting learning and living the Spanish culture. The Spanish culture is very different and very unique at the same time. People are very nice and welcoming here. I have had no bad experiences here at all. All of it has just been an incredible dream come true. I just still can´t believe that I am here. My roommate did Moroccan henna on me. It consists of tiny flowers all around my right wrist. It is beautiful. The henna will last at least 3 more weeks, but my roommate will re-do it for me, so I can still have the henna when I go back to the States. My roommate is a Spanish Major and a Arabic Minor. She speaks very good Spanish, she sometimes translates for me, with my host family, or on the streets, if I need to communicate anything. She knows 4 different languages, and she is only 21 years old. I think that is so amazing, I wish I knew many different languages. It is a great way to learn and communicate with different cultures from all around the world.
The experiences you have while studying abroad can really last a lifetime. In this blog I usually don’t post anything personal from myself, but I thought that I would write an entry about the impact my international experience made on other people. While we always think about what this experience will mean to us, we often do not consider how it will affect others.
I studied abroad for a year as a high school exchange student in northern Italy. I had a wonderful host family that consisted of a mother, an older sister and younger brother. While these relationships are ones I will always treasure, this story is about my cousin Luca. I first met Luca right after I arrived at my host family’s house. He came over to meet me with his parents and older brothers. Luca was four years old at the time. He had never met anyone who did not speak Italian and couldn’t believe that there was an American living with his relatives. He laughed at me as I struggled to use Italian words and couldn’t roll my “Rs”. And he got frustrated when I couldn’t understand his child’s garbled Italian.
Over the year I lived in Italy, Luca and I spent a lot of time together. He helped me learn Italian and I taught him a little English. I introduced him and the rest of the family to American traditions like Halloween, Thanksgiving, and chocolate chip cookies. I showed him photos of Ohio (where I am from) and helped him (and the rest of the family) learn what Americans and the United States is really like rather than what they see on TV. When I left after my year was done, Luca cried and begged me to co me back soon.
Over the years I have returned to visit my host family. I have watched Luca grow from childhood through his teenage years and into adulthood. The last time I was back visiting my host family was in 2004 and there was Luca, 29 years old, waiting to greet me with a wide smile and big hug. As we talked and reminisced, he admitted that he could not imagine his life without his American cousin. I've included a picture of Luca (left) and his older brother Marco from my last visit, when the whole extended family got together for dinner during my stay.
My experience abroad played a formative role in my life. But it also played formative roles in the lives of my extended host family – my host siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles. It is something we all need to remember – your experience abroad is not limited to you. You can actually make a much bigger impact on others than you ever thought. Enjoy your experience and make sure to take every opportunity to engage with the local community and others. It really does make a difference!
- Ann Halpin
On Saturday a few of us from Abroadco, Risa, Megan, Erin, and Gray, headed out at 8:30 am for a grand adventure led by George...a tour guide who arranges great 20 Provencal trips for the students of Aix. Originally this weekend I had wanted to visit St. Tropez and was sorely disappointed that the trip got cancelled. Thankfully George came up with a nice alternative: Moustiers. While "Moustiers" does not immediately draw the same kinds of connotations of glamour, excess, and leisure that St. Tropez does, the region in Haute Provence definitely has its draw.
First off, we stopped at one of the many lavender fields dotting the countryside in that area. The colors were fantastic! Rows upon rows of the purple plants separated by yellow dusty earth, dotted with twisted trees, framed by blue-gray mountains and a vibrant sky. I was so infatuated with this place that I almost got left behind when I realized that the people surrounding me were a French family and not the hoardes of Americans I had arrived with. Scary!
Next we stopped at the little town of Moustiers where the "pseudo triathalon" began. We decided to climb an endless semblance of a flight of stairs to the top of a craggy hill/small mountain (to me it definitely felt like a mountain) to see this tiny little church and its surrounding views. Was it worth it? Questionable. After a few moments rest we half slid/half shuffled our way down the smooth worn steps to the bottom where my legs were shaking and generally taking on the properties of jello. Excellent.
Next stop I thought I was in for some relaxation: we pulled up to an aqua-marine lake housed in a ring of towering mountians! beach? swimming? This is more like it. Then part II of the triathalon set in. I was somehow convinced to join in swimming across the lake to a low cliff where we proceeded to rock climb to the top and jump off. In theory this sounds incredbly fun. in actuality I was worn out and my ears were filled with water...for the rest of the night...then came part III: since Risa and I were worn out by the long swim over we decided to walk back to our home base on the other side of the lake. This sounded like a good idea. Then we realized half-way through that the pavement was scorching hot. To avoid burned feet we then sprinted like fire-coal runners back across a bridge and down a black tar road to our towels. We half succeeded but our feet definitely suffered. For the rest of the day we finally took it easy and just lazed about in the sun.
So after waiting for a whole week, I finally got my luggage very late last night! I was getting very worried because that was nearly all of my wardrobe. There was only one slight problem - my shampoo leaked and stained a dress of mine. I think Encarna was able to get most of it out.
I live with Encarna and her husband Paco. Her daughters both live very close and are also housing study abroad students. I am having a better time understanding Encarna. I can usually catch at least one word and can figure out what she wants. Even if I am not sure what she is specifically asking, I just say something about the topic and hope I answered her question. I have a much easier time communicating with other study abroad student (obviously) because they speak much more slowly and without the strong Granada accent.
Encarna feeds me very well. I eat a light breakfast around 9.30 and then head to class from 11 to 1. Anyone who knows me knows how much I like cereal, so this light breakfast takes a while to get used to. We eat lunch around 2.30. Sometimes I take a siesta or read until class from 5 to 7. I then hang out with other Abroadco students until dinner around 9.30. (We are going for ice cream tonight!) Some nights we go out for tapas around 11.30, which are free snacks with the purchase of a drink.
One night last week, all of us Abroadco students and our program director, Jaime, went to a Moroccan Tea house. I generally do not like tea, but this was all very good. The traditional Moroccan tea has lemon and mint. Mine was flavored with rasberries and there was one that tasted just like Chai.
Saturday we went to the nearest beach. There were a LOT of people there. The sand was similar to kitty litter but the water was beautiful, blue and clear. We laid out for hours and then rented a paddle boat with a slide. The water was fairly cold but after hours in the sun we all slid down into the salty sea. All in all it was a very fun day with only minor sunburns on a few area I missed with the suntan lotion!
This big city is different than anything I have ever known, but I am starting to have a really good time.
I am just having the time of my life here in Granada, it will be very hard to say goodbye!! I am just learning Spanish quicker than I thought, it is amazing how much I am catching on. After all, I have been hearing and speaking nothing but Spanish.
I love my host family and my roommate. My roommate was originally from France, and she moved from France to Hawaii when she was 10 yrs. old. My roommate has been really nice to me. We talk every night before we go to bed. She is very good in her Spanish. She is in the advanced Spanish class. Yesterday Jaime gave us a tour of the city, he showed us where the hair salon is, just in case we wanted to get a haircut, he showed us where the mall was, some good places to have Tapas, and he took us to a local park that is like a mini version of Central Park in New York. Jaime has been so great!! I am very lucky to have him as my Abroadco director!!! When I told him that I had to pay almost $200 because my baggage coming from Venice to Madrid was so heavy, he told me not to worry, and that he will help me alleviate this problem before I go back to California. He is a very laid back person, who is very positive, and very outgoing. I noticed him right away when I arrived at the Granada airport. The only way I recognized him was looking at the blogs on the Abroadco website. That was a very helpful website to look at. I got a lot of info from just looking at the website.
My schedule for school is that I go to school from 10am-2pm. It takes me about 20 minutes to get home. I walk to and from school, and it takes 20 min. both ways. I love the walk, it is a great time to reflect on all the wonderful experiences that I have had, very, very unforgettable. I am really having a good time, and I am BONDING really well with my host family, and my roommates. They all have been really good to me. My host mom, Marga said that she wants me to feel like I am home. That makes me feel good. From Marga´s house, I can see the Sierra Nevada Mountains, it is so amazing, the Sierra Nevada water is really good and refreshing here. It has been really hot here, I think more hot than in California, because there is no breeze, just pure hot.
Joanna is allowing me to post some of her personal blogs about her experience in Aix here on our blog. They really are worth reading. I'll be posting more later as she adds to her blog.
7/2/07: I have been here 6 days now and this is the first chance I've had to sit down to a computer. In some ways it is a refreshing change to be cut off from the constant flow of online communication but mostly I'm just trying to make myself feel better by saying that...to be honest, I have definitely experienced internet withdrwal and am relieved to feel connected to the world at large again.
Anyway, Aix (pronunced "X"...as I affirmed) is what I had hoped it would be: a laid-back provencal town with an energy that just pulses along at a steady, routine-reinforced, pace. Most days markets go up in a flash and are just as quickly folded away to make room for tiny cafe tables and the patrons who sit perched with drinks on hand for hours and hours of solitary reflection, rendezvous with friends or just some first-rate people watching. I think I am going to settle into this cafè culture quite nicely.
I just started classes today so I cannot really speak to that yet, but in my time off I have already done some great travelling. I spent an afternoon at a dirty beach in Marseille--a true disappointment for my first experience of the Mediterranean--but have since gone on to visit one of the finest beaches I have ever been to at Cassiss. Like the pictures, the water is true, deep aqua-blue. This beach had cliffs rising up on the side and smooth pebbles line the beach instead of sand. You all should be proud, I rocked the giant sun hat (pictured above) and managed to do so without too many strange stares.
More updates to come soon: more on the heavenly food, the sun that seemingly never sets, etc etc
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7/4/07: Last night, after vowing to go to bed early, I headed into town after dinner to grab some dessert with a friend. I got thoroughly lost on my way and was thus late to meet up at Les Deux Garcons but I was please to see my friend had taken the opportunity to do some journalling, leaning against a tree, and striking a most fantastic pose. Clearly I loved it.
After ordering our 9 Euro Pimms Champagne and Mojitos we spent hours discussing religion and philosophy--THIS is what I came for. It was a fantastic evening topped off with nutella crepes and a sleepy walk home.
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7/5/07: During the day, July 4th en France was relatively uneventful. I donned my patriotic colored sundress to celebrate the occasion but all but fellow Americans failed to recognize my patriotim. Perhaps the Aixois were distracted by other things...afterall, the big Saldes (sales) started yesterday and EVERYTHING was on sale. My day of shopping was pretty fantastic and I am thrilled with my found treasures. This was the first day I had to spend by myself and while I enjoyed the alone-time it quickly became clear to me just how limited my French is. I will have to speed up this learning process! It is a frustrating thing to feel you have so much to say but no means of communicating.
After my shopping frenzy I met up with Gray and Megan from Abroadco for an afternoon drink. I again caved and paid 9 euros for an irish coffee. yes, prices are steep. We had a good time just sitting around in the half-shade for a bit. We soon made a trip to the wine store and stole away to Megan's apartment for a bit more afternoon imbibing. Megan's apartment is amazing. It is at such a prime location, just a minute or two from class and the center of town and the apartment is stylishly decorated, has impossibly high ceilings, and great woodwork one can only find in European cities. I'm just a wee bit jealous, as my homestay is closer to 20 mins from class and i just far enough that I feel uncomfortable walking home after dark. But, c'est la vie, right? Thankfully my host mom is incredibly warm and welcoming, making my stay with her very enjoyable so far. Tonight she is taking Sara and me to a concert!
Last night, to celebrate the holiday, Sara and I met up with some friends at a Tapas restaurant. We had already filled our stomaches on our host mom's delicious meal but we definitely helped ourselves to Sangria. Later that night we met up with EVERYONE on Sextius. Several of the clubs/bars were giving free drinks to Americans so naturally it was a fun (and a bit wild) evening. They played American hip hop too which was a nice touch. I had a crazy fun time dancing with my friends.
While this 4th of July was certainly different from my others, I think the night was an overall blast. Who would have guessed July 4th abroad could be so fun?
Paris is truly an amazing city. It’s a place I’ve always wanted to visit and the experience there surpassed my expectations. At the outset I was concerned about basic things like if the language and cultural differences would negatively affect my interactions. Also, I was concerned about how an American would be responded to in France as well. To my surprise, all of the preconceived notions I had about France were all wrong. Everyone I talked to was extremely helpful and accommodating. When I arrived at CDG airport, I was immediately able to locate my bag and call  airport connection (shuttle service), which was at the airport waiting by the time I arrived at the exit gate they requested I meet them at. The ride to the Fondation-Des-Etats-Unis, where I lived for the duration of my stay, was approximately a thirty minute drive to the banlieue (suburb) to inner city Paris. I was pleased to see that the Fondation was literally across the street from the RER/train line and tramway Cite Universitaire stop, which I soon realized was actually ideal location to get to major transfer points on the metro/rer, major train stations, and the airport.
The check in process at the Fondation took minutes, and Abroadco provided a welcome bag with food, orientation information, and very helpful maps upon my arrival. That night, we all met Holly (Abroadco on-site director) and the other members of the Abroadco group. We met at a restaurant a couple of RER stops away and had a filling meal and got to know everyone.
The next big event took place that Friday, the placement test for the Sorbonne. It’s not recommended that you really stress over the test, it’s just meant to gauge your learning level, but brushing up on basic grammar rules and conjugation (future, P.C., use of en) isn’t a bad idea. Class was good and my teacher was Ok as well. Class is from either 9-11 or 11-13(or 1pm). It’s not likely you’ll be able to change  sections based on time - you’d have to have another more serious conflict of interest. Also there are phonetic classes that start approximately a week later that you take for an hour for 10 days. (This depends on your language level).
On a lighter note, my personal exploration was another highlight of my trip. I often just took off with my map, and began to explore the city. The map is essential and there are many one way streets and streets that are parallel, but don’t have perpendicular connecting streets for a long distance. The logic you’d use in the U.S. to navigate might not be applicable in Paris. It seems impossible to see everything in Paris, after you’ve visited the major tourist attractions; there are so many smaller yet still significant museums and landmarks that are worth visiting scattered all over the city. A few of my favorite of the smaller museums were the musee de Picasso, Rhodin, and musee dapper.
I also recommend that you read the free newspaper that you can get in most metro stations A Nous Paris II, to keep abreast of interesting events happening in Paris for the current and following week, many of which are free and very interesting ranging from art exhibits and music to theater. I enjoyed visiting the many museums and exploring the city which was what I did when I wasn’t studying or in class, but there is something to do for everyone depending on his/her interest(s). I definitely missed home toward the latter part of my trip, but I’ll also miss Paris, it’s a great city that I’m sure I’ll visit again.
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