I can’t believe I only have six weeks left teaching left. I don’t know where the last eight months have gone!
This week I finished planning the rest of my time in Europe. My last day of teaching is June 29. Then my family is coming out to visit me. They arrive July 2. We are going to spend a couple of days in Paris then we are going to rent an RV and travel around for another week.
They leave on July 12, and then I am heading up to England to visit Sarah for two weeks. We are going to visit London, Oxford, Stonehenge and Brighton among other places. We are also planning to see a play at the Globe Theater and a West End musical. It will be fun to see England with my own personal tour guide!
I will be back in the US on July 27, which is pretty exciting because I haven’t been there since January 5. I brought my plane ticket a couple of days ago. I can’t believe how expensive it was. I looked everywhere to see what was the cheapest. I guess it is not a good idea to buy a one-way ticket in the peak of tourist season because the cheapest ticket I could find was still $850. That was the price on STA Travel, which has a special price for people under 26. Otherwise the cheapest I found was about $1200. At least the flight I booked is nonstop. That just makes life easier.
Well, I am off to plan the rest of my lessons for the week. I am working on countries with the older kids and doing food with the little guys. It will be the first full week I have worked since the beginning of April because there have been so many days off! I hope I can handle it!
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Flower Market
In Belfort this weekend there is a Flower market. It has flowers, crafts and food for sell. Also since it is Belfort’s 700th birthday they also had a flower design contest. Most of the towns in the Territory of Belfort came up with a design then they put them up all over town. They all looked so pretty.
Flower Market
Some of the entries for the design contest
This one was my favorite. I really loved the lion.
There was also a wine tasting exposition, so Sarah and I decided to learn about wine. It was pretty interesting. We learned quite a bit about how to tell how old a wine is and how to “properly” taste a wine.
Last night I was also able to experience for the first time the Eurovision song contest. All the countries in Europe write and then perform their songs then everyone votes for their favorite song. In other words it is like an even cheesier "American Idol" in a whole lot more languages. It was quite enjoyable to laugh at all the really bad songs, outfits and dances. My favorite had to be Ukraine, who was the heavy favorite to win. Here is a link to check it out for yourself. I am sure you will laugh.
Although Ukraine was favored to win, it was Serbia who got the glory. I guess each year there are problems with the voting because all the countries vote politically, and it has nothing to do with how good the song is. Sarah was pretty upset because the United Kingdom only got 12 points and ended up 23 of 24 countries. I guess there is always next year.
Flower Market
Some of the entries for the design contest
This one was my favorite. I really loved the lion.
There was also a wine tasting exposition, so Sarah and I decided to learn about wine. It was pretty interesting. We learned quite a bit about how to tell how old a wine is and how to “properly” taste a wine.
Last night I was also able to experience for the first time the Eurovision song contest. All the countries in Europe write and then perform their songs then everyone votes for their favorite song. In other words it is like an even cheesier "American Idol" in a whole lot more languages. It was quite enjoyable to laugh at all the really bad songs, outfits and dances. My favorite had to be Ukraine, who was the heavy favorite to win. Here is a link to check it out for yourself. I am sure you will laugh.
Although Ukraine was favored to win, it was Serbia who got the glory. I guess each year there are problems with the voting because all the countries vote politically, and it has nothing to do with how good the song is. Sarah was pretty upset because the United Kingdom only got 12 points and ended up 23 of 24 countries. I guess there is always next year.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
A new president and hair style
Not much has been going on here. I have today off because it is a holiday. It is actually the anniversary of the end of WWII in Europe. It is also raining today, so I haven’t been up to too much. Maybe tomorrow the weather will be nicer, so I can do something.
The presidential elections were held in France on Sunday, and yesterday in my schools all anyone could talk about was the new president. Nicolas Sarkozy won the election, but from what I have gathered this area was much more in support of Segolene Royal, the Socialist candidate. French people are more open about their politics, and they love to talk about them, even the kids. I don't know how many kids asked me who I voted for. I had to explain to them that I can’t vote in France. Then they all had to tell me who they wanted to win. I don't remember being that interested in politics when I was 9 or 10 years old!
Also on Sunday we went to see “Spider-Man 3.” I thought it was pretty good. It was really happy because I found that I could understand it easily. There were even parts where I wouldn’t even realize they were speaking French! It is exciting to see how I have progressed in the last 7 months! I have seen other movies in French here, but I think this was the easiest to understand yet.
Yesterday I went to get my hair done. I really needed a trim because I hadn’t had it cut since the beginning of January, but I was a little nervous about getting it cut in France. I have seen some disturbing hair styles since I have been here.
Sarah and I decided to just go get it done, so we made appointments at Atmosp’Hair. (It still makes me smile every time I say it.) The French love to put English words in wherever they can. In the end I think my hair looks all right. It is a little shorter and choppier than I would have liked, but it could have been worse. I could have come out with the ever-popular European mullet!!
Also I have updated my Web site with the pictures from Barcelona, Rome and Venice so check it out when you have the time.
The presidential elections were held in France on Sunday, and yesterday in my schools all anyone could talk about was the new president. Nicolas Sarkozy won the election, but from what I have gathered this area was much more in support of Segolene Royal, the Socialist candidate. French people are more open about their politics, and they love to talk about them, even the kids. I don't know how many kids asked me who I voted for. I had to explain to them that I can’t vote in France. Then they all had to tell me who they wanted to win. I don't remember being that interested in politics when I was 9 or 10 years old!
Also on Sunday we went to see “Spider-Man 3.” I thought it was pretty good. It was really happy because I found that I could understand it easily. There were even parts where I wouldn’t even realize they were speaking French! It is exciting to see how I have progressed in the last 7 months! I have seen other movies in French here, but I think this was the easiest to understand yet.
Yesterday I went to get my hair done. I really needed a trim because I hadn’t had it cut since the beginning of January, but I was a little nervous about getting it cut in France. I have seen some disturbing hair styles since I have been here.
Sarah and I decided to just go get it done, so we made appointments at Atmosp’Hair. (It still makes me smile every time I say it.) The French love to put English words in wherever they can. In the end I think my hair looks all right. It is a little shorter and choppier than I would have liked, but it could have been worse. I could have come out with the ever-popular European mullet!!
Also I have updated my Web site with the pictures from Barcelona, Rome and Venice so check it out when you have the time.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Back to work...
Well, all my visitors have gone home now, and it is time for me to go back to teaching. I can’t believe how fast three weeks went, but I have had a really good time!
Lat week I visited some new towns in the Franche-Compté region with my grandparents. I really enjoyed it. There are some really beautiful places in this region. It was also nice to see trees and hills again after going to such big cities.
On Wednesday I showed them around Belfort. Then on Thursday we went to Colmar. It was nice to go there again. It was beautiful at Christmas time, but I think I prefer it in spring when all the flowers are blooming. On Friday we went to a little town called Ornans. It is a really tiny town, but the scenery is gorgeous. It is also the birthpace to the painter Gustave Courbet, so we visited the museum dedicated to him. Then on Saturday we went to Dole, which was another nice little town. It is the birthplace of Louis Pasteur, so there is a museum about him in the city. Unfortunately it was closed until May, so we missed it by a couple of days.
The last couple of days I have just been enjoying the beautiful weather and running errands.
In France there are a lot of holidays in May, so I actually only have one full week of teaching for the entire month. I think June will be a hard month for me because I will have to teach the whole month without a day off!!!
Here are a few pictures from the last few places I visited. Hopefully I will be able to get all my pictures up on my Web site soon.
Colorful houses in Colmar
The Petite Venice part of Colmar
The Loue River in Ornans
Cathedral
This bridge is found in a lot of Courbet’s paintings.
Country road
The small town of Ornans
Dole
Notre Dame Cathedral in Dole
The inside
Lat week I visited some new towns in the Franche-Compté region with my grandparents. I really enjoyed it. There are some really beautiful places in this region. It was also nice to see trees and hills again after going to such big cities.
On Wednesday I showed them around Belfort. Then on Thursday we went to Colmar. It was nice to go there again. It was beautiful at Christmas time, but I think I prefer it in spring when all the flowers are blooming. On Friday we went to a little town called Ornans. It is a really tiny town, but the scenery is gorgeous. It is also the birthpace to the painter Gustave Courbet, so we visited the museum dedicated to him. Then on Saturday we went to Dole, which was another nice little town. It is the birthplace of Louis Pasteur, so there is a museum about him in the city. Unfortunately it was closed until May, so we missed it by a couple of days.
The last couple of days I have just been enjoying the beautiful weather and running errands.
In France there are a lot of holidays in May, so I actually only have one full week of teaching for the entire month. I think June will be a hard month for me because I will have to teach the whole month without a day off!!!
Here are a few pictures from the last few places I visited. Hopefully I will be able to get all my pictures up on my Web site soon.
Colorful houses in Colmar
The Petite Venice part of Colmar
The Loue River in Ornans
Cathedral
This bridge is found in a lot of Courbet’s paintings.
Country road
The small town of Ornans
Dole
Notre Dame Cathedral in Dole
The inside
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Home again, home again
I’m baaack!!!! It was a great trip, and we got to see so many places. There was lots of sun, but everywhere we went was so HOT!!! I hate to think what Rome must be like in July!!!
My favorite place I visited was definitely Venice. We had so much fun just getting lost in the streets because you will just be walking and you cross about 8 bridges along the way and then the street just ends. The colors and buildings were also so unique. The only bad things were some of the smells and the prices. We had fees for everything. In restaurants they even charged a table fee. I was wondering if you decided to stand and eat if they would still charge you that fee.
Rome was also a lot fun. There was just so much to see there. We saw the Coliseum, Forum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Spanish Steps and the Vatican (including St. Peter’s Basilica, museums and Sistine Chapel). By the end of those three days we were completely exhausted, but very content with all the gelato we ate!!!
Barcelona was also gorgeous. It is mostly just sites where the artist Gaudi built a something, but everything he made was so bright and colorful so the entire city has the same feel. We also went to the beach and up to where they had the stadium for the 1992 Olympics.
Most of the hostels were all right. In Paris there wasn’t any hot water, so we had to take extremely quick showers. None of them were as bad that the Aloha hostel where we stayed in Paris in February, so that was good.
Overall, it was an amazing time, and I didn’t come back completely broke which is always good.
I met up with my grandparents yesterday in Paris. They will be staying in Belfort until Sunday. Today I took them on a tour of Belfort, and tomorrow we will be going to Colmar. Then we have a couple more day trips. I think it will be nice to be out of the tourist areas for a while, so I have some room to breathe again.
Here are a few pictures I took on my adventures. There will be more to some soon!!!!!
Waiting in line for the Eiffel Tower
Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona
The Coliseum
The Forum (old Rome)
St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican
Swiss Guards who protect the Vatican. (I think they are only there so tourists can make fun of their outfits!)
Sarah and Vicky at the Spanish Steps
Trevi Fountain
A canal in Venice
Another stunning scene from Venice
St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice
The Grand Canal at dusk
My favorite place I visited was definitely Venice. We had so much fun just getting lost in the streets because you will just be walking and you cross about 8 bridges along the way and then the street just ends. The colors and buildings were also so unique. The only bad things were some of the smells and the prices. We had fees for everything. In restaurants they even charged a table fee. I was wondering if you decided to stand and eat if they would still charge you that fee.
Rome was also a lot fun. There was just so much to see there. We saw the Coliseum, Forum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Spanish Steps and the Vatican (including St. Peter’s Basilica, museums and Sistine Chapel). By the end of those three days we were completely exhausted, but very content with all the gelato we ate!!!
Barcelona was also gorgeous. It is mostly just sites where the artist Gaudi built a something, but everything he made was so bright and colorful so the entire city has the same feel. We also went to the beach and up to where they had the stadium for the 1992 Olympics.
Most of the hostels were all right. In Paris there wasn’t any hot water, so we had to take extremely quick showers. None of them were as bad that the Aloha hostel where we stayed in Paris in February, so that was good.
Overall, it was an amazing time, and I didn’t come back completely broke which is always good.
I met up with my grandparents yesterday in Paris. They will be staying in Belfort until Sunday. Today I took them on a tour of Belfort, and tomorrow we will be going to Colmar. Then we have a couple more day trips. I think it will be nice to be out of the tourist areas for a while, so I have some room to breathe again.
Here are a few pictures I took on my adventures. There will be more to some soon!!!!!
Waiting in line for the Eiffel Tower
Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona
The Coliseum
The Forum (old Rome)
St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican
Swiss Guards who protect the Vatican. (I think they are only there so tourists can make fun of their outfits!)
Sarah and Vicky at the Spanish Steps
Trevi Fountain
A canal in Venice
Another stunning scene from Venice
St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice
The Grand Canal at dusk
Friday, April 13, 2007
Off We Go...
I have spent the entire day doing laundry, packing and cleaning, and I think I am finally finished and ready to go on my next big trip.
Sarah and I are leaving for Paris tomorrow at 5:39 am. (Mandy is not coming with us because she only had a 7-month contract, so she is finished and going home. I can’t believe it has been seven months already!) Then we are going to the airport to meet my friend Vicky who is flying in from Denver for the trip. They were expecting a ton of snow in Denver, but the storm stayed south, so she left all right. We have two days and one night in Paris then we leave Sunday night for Barcelona, and we get there at about 8:30 am. I am sure we will be very tired, but we will have to fight through it and take in all the sites.
Then we head to Rome and on to Venice then back to Paris by April 24. Then I meet up with my Grandparents in Paris. They are coming back to Belfort to visit for 5 days, and I am going to show them the sights.
It will be a couple of busy but really fun weeks. I can’t wait until I leave at 5:30 am tomorrow!
Sarah and I are leaving for Paris tomorrow at 5:39 am. (Mandy is not coming with us because she only had a 7-month contract, so she is finished and going home. I can’t believe it has been seven months already!) Then we are going to the airport to meet my friend Vicky who is flying in from Denver for the trip. They were expecting a ton of snow in Denver, but the storm stayed south, so she left all right. We have two days and one night in Paris then we leave Sunday night for Barcelona, and we get there at about 8:30 am. I am sure we will be very tired, but we will have to fight through it and take in all the sites.
Then we head to Rome and on to Venice then back to Paris by April 24. Then I meet up with my Grandparents in Paris. They are coming back to Belfort to visit for 5 days, and I am going to show them the sights.
It will be a couple of busy but really fun weeks. I can’t wait until I leave at 5:30 am tomorrow!
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Bern
Happy Easter or rather Joyeuses Pâques!
Yesterday Sarah and I went over to Bern, Switzerland, and we had a great time. Every time I go to Switzerland I like it more and more. The scenery is gorgeous, the people are friendly and it is amazingly clean.
It is hard to believe that Bern is the capital of Switzerland because it is quite small. I think only about 120,000 people live there. The town is located in the bend in the Aare River. The architecture is interesting too because all the building match, which makes all the streets so pretty.
We first went to the Munter Cathedral and climbed up to the top. The views were amazing even though it was a little hazy. The climb up wasn’t too bad although it was almost 400 steps. Coming down was probably worse because the staircase was so narrow and steep.
After we had lunch we went to the bear pits. Bern is named after the German word for bear. Apparently they named it that because when the area used to be hunting ground the first animal killed there was a bear. They have had bears in Bern for hundreds of years. I guess they are kind of like city mascots.
We also went into some shops in the afternoon, and I bought some good Swiss chocolate for Easter. I don’t think there is anything better.
This week I only have two days of work because tomorrow is Easter Monday. In France it is a holiday, and people don’t work or go to school. Then I don’t have to go to my two classes on Friday because they are going somewhere. That means I have lots of time to do laundry and pack my stuff for my trip. I only have 5 days until I leave. I am really excited. I think I have everything finished, so now all I have to do is actually go!!
I will leave you with some pictures from Bern that Sarah took. She likes there to be people in her pictures, so she usually just has me stand in the street and smile, although I also had her take some with the two of us.
I didn’t know what else to do…
On the bridge to the bear pits
Bern makes a great backdrop
I have updated my Web site if you want to check out more pictures of Bern.
Yesterday Sarah and I went over to Bern, Switzerland, and we had a great time. Every time I go to Switzerland I like it more and more. The scenery is gorgeous, the people are friendly and it is amazingly clean.
It is hard to believe that Bern is the capital of Switzerland because it is quite small. I think only about 120,000 people live there. The town is located in the bend in the Aare River. The architecture is interesting too because all the building match, which makes all the streets so pretty.
We first went to the Munter Cathedral and climbed up to the top. The views were amazing even though it was a little hazy. The climb up wasn’t too bad although it was almost 400 steps. Coming down was probably worse because the staircase was so narrow and steep.
After we had lunch we went to the bear pits. Bern is named after the German word for bear. Apparently they named it that because when the area used to be hunting ground the first animal killed there was a bear. They have had bears in Bern for hundreds of years. I guess they are kind of like city mascots.
We also went into some shops in the afternoon, and I bought some good Swiss chocolate for Easter. I don’t think there is anything better.
This week I only have two days of work because tomorrow is Easter Monday. In France it is a holiday, and people don’t work or go to school. Then I don’t have to go to my two classes on Friday because they are going somewhere. That means I have lots of time to do laundry and pack my stuff for my trip. I only have 5 days until I leave. I am really excited. I think I have everything finished, so now all I have to do is actually go!!
I will leave you with some pictures from Bern that Sarah took. She likes there to be people in her pictures, so she usually just has me stand in the street and smile, although I also had her take some with the two of us.
I didn’t know what else to do…
On the bridge to the bear pits
Bern makes a great backdrop
I have updated my Web site if you want to check out more pictures of Bern.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Sunday Stroll
I went for a very nice stroll today. The weather was gorgeous, nothing but blue skies. I went with Sarah and her parents, who are visiting from England until Thursday. We walked along the path that goes along the Savoureuse River in town. It went all the way up to a lake, which is about 5 miles outside of Belfort.
There were so many people all over, and some people were out sailing their boats on the water. I guess I have finally found out what people do on Sundays in Belfort!
In the end we walked about 6 and a half or 7 miles (we caught the bus halfway back), but it didn’t seem that long to me. I guess I have gotten used to walking more since I have been here.
Here are some of the pictures I took of the river and the lake.
There were so many people all over, and some people were out sailing their boats on the water. I guess I have finally found out what people do on Sundays in Belfort!
In the end we walked about 6 and a half or 7 miles (we caught the bus halfway back), but it didn’t seem that long to me. I guess I have gotten used to walking more since I have been here.
Here are some of the pictures I took of the river and the lake.
Friday, March 30, 2007
TGIF!
I am so glad it is Friday!! This week had been really long, and I have not been feeling well either. Plus the kids have been so loud and misbehaved. I also gave them all a test this week, which probably made it even worse.
I think it all started with the time change Saturday night. Now it doesn’t get dark until almost 8:30! It has really thrown me off this week. I think that is the latest it has ever stayed light anywhere I have lived and that it in the middle of summer. It is going to be really weird this summer when it is light until 10 pm.
On Monday I had a very embarrassing moment in one of my classes. We were reviewing the parts of the body, and I wanted to kids to show me the words I was saying. I attempted to say “Montrez-moi,” which is show me, but instead it came out “Montez-moi.” Only one letter different, but inside of asking them to show me I told them to climb me. I then had 15 kids staring at me. I think they were trying to decide if I really meant to say that. The little troublemaker kid just sat there smirking at me, and he asked, “what” so I then said it again. Then there was a kid in the back who said “monTREZ-moi.” Then everyone laughed at me. I am sure it is a story they will remember for a long time. They will say, "Remember the crazy American girl told us to climb on her!"
Then on Wednesday I had to do laundry, but it seems that three homeless guys have taken up living in the Laundromat. Last week they were in there when Sarah was doing her laundry with a big 5-liter barrel of wine at about 11 am. They proceeded to tell her their life stories. I guess they are from Poland, and it is two brothers and a friend. They told her they were trying to find work, but apparently they are not trying very hard. This time when I went in they were sleeping in the only chairs available, so I have to stand while I did my laundry listening to them snore for an hour and a half. By the end I was a little nauseous from the horrible smell coming from them. I hope by the next time I have to do laundry they have moved on because I don’t know if I can take the smell again!!
Tomorrow I have a meeting with all the other English teachers. Matt, the other American assistant, and I are giving a presentation on a lesson plan for teaching sports we have come up with. We thought we would give a little explanation of football as a cultural aspect. I am not sure how that will go over in a room of European women, but we will give it a try!!
I think it all started with the time change Saturday night. Now it doesn’t get dark until almost 8:30! It has really thrown me off this week. I think that is the latest it has ever stayed light anywhere I have lived and that it in the middle of summer. It is going to be really weird this summer when it is light until 10 pm.
On Monday I had a very embarrassing moment in one of my classes. We were reviewing the parts of the body, and I wanted to kids to show me the words I was saying. I attempted to say “Montrez-moi,” which is show me, but instead it came out “Montez-moi.” Only one letter different, but inside of asking them to show me I told them to climb me. I then had 15 kids staring at me. I think they were trying to decide if I really meant to say that. The little troublemaker kid just sat there smirking at me, and he asked, “what” so I then said it again. Then there was a kid in the back who said “monTREZ-moi.” Then everyone laughed at me. I am sure it is a story they will remember for a long time. They will say, "Remember the crazy American girl told us to climb on her!"
Then on Wednesday I had to do laundry, but it seems that three homeless guys have taken up living in the Laundromat. Last week they were in there when Sarah was doing her laundry with a big 5-liter barrel of wine at about 11 am. They proceeded to tell her their life stories. I guess they are from Poland, and it is two brothers and a friend. They told her they were trying to find work, but apparently they are not trying very hard. This time when I went in they were sleeping in the only chairs available, so I have to stand while I did my laundry listening to them snore for an hour and a half. By the end I was a little nauseous from the horrible smell coming from them. I hope by the next time I have to do laundry they have moved on because I don’t know if I can take the smell again!!
Tomorrow I have a meeting with all the other English teachers. Matt, the other American assistant, and I are giving a presentation on a lesson plan for teaching sports we have come up with. We thought we would give a little explanation of football as a cultural aspect. I am not sure how that will go over in a room of European women, but we will give it a try!!
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Finalizing My Plans
Well, it only took over two weeks, but I have finally finished putting up all my pictures from my trip on my Web site. So check them out…
I now have less than three weeks before my next big trip, and I think I have it almost all figured out now. I bought a Eurail Pass, which offers me 7 days of travel anywhere in Spain, France or Italy. When I bought it I thought it would take care of all my travel expenses, but I was wrong. For all the trains we want to take we had to make a reservation, which of course costs more money.
So Sarah and I went to the train station today, and we were at the window for about a half an hour. Needless to say the people behind us in line were not too happy. The first train we wanted was fully booked, so we had to take the train the next day. That in turn changed all of our hostel bookings, so in the end we had to pay about 85 more euros for our travels (on top of the 220 euros we already paid for the pass) and deal with changing or hostels. We are still waiting to hear back from the hostels about changing our dates. Hopefully it won’t be too big of a deal because we gave them about three weeks notice.
I am just glad that we almost have everything finished now. I know it will all be worth it in the end, and we will have a great time. I am just going to have to eat bread and cheese until we leave, so I can afford this trip!
I now have less than three weeks before my next big trip, and I think I have it almost all figured out now. I bought a Eurail Pass, which offers me 7 days of travel anywhere in Spain, France or Italy. When I bought it I thought it would take care of all my travel expenses, but I was wrong. For all the trains we want to take we had to make a reservation, which of course costs more money.
So Sarah and I went to the train station today, and we were at the window for about a half an hour. Needless to say the people behind us in line were not too happy. The first train we wanted was fully booked, so we had to take the train the next day. That in turn changed all of our hostel bookings, so in the end we had to pay about 85 more euros for our travels (on top of the 220 euros we already paid for the pass) and deal with changing or hostels. We are still waiting to hear back from the hostels about changing our dates. Hopefully it won’t be too big of a deal because we gave them about three weeks notice.
I am just glad that we almost have everything finished now. I know it will all be worth it in the end, and we will have a great time. I am just going to have to eat bread and cheese until we leave, so I can afford this trip!
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Random Happenings
There has been some crazy weather here in France the past couple of days. Last week it was beautiful, sunny with the highs in the 60’s, and this week it has been snowing off and on since Sunday!!!! At least nothing is sticking, so the snow isn’t too bad. Right now it looks like a blizzard outside.
I read in the paper that this year has actually been the mildest winter in recorded history for this area. It seems all the bad weather has stayed in the US.
Today I have been working on planning my next big trip. I am going to Barcelona, Rome, and Venice in April. It will be another trip with lots of traveling, but it will be nice to go to some different countries. This afternoon Sarah and I went to FNAC, THE bookstore in France, and bought guidebooks for Rome and Venice (she already had one for Barcelona). I am getting very excited.
We haven’t planned any other trips before then because we are trying to save our money for this trip. It has been kind of nice just to have some down time. We only have about three weeks before we go…YEA.
Teaching has been going all right. We have been doing the parts of the body for the past week and a half. There have been some problems grasping the concept that you don’t pronounce the “k” in knee and it is mouth and not mouse. The “th” sound is really hard for the French to pronounce, so I have them really stick their tongues out and between their teeth, so I end up getting covered in spit. I have to make sure I stand far away.
Now it has stopped snowing and the sun is shining. It reminds me a lot of good, old Colorado weather!
I read in the paper that this year has actually been the mildest winter in recorded history for this area. It seems all the bad weather has stayed in the US.
Today I have been working on planning my next big trip. I am going to Barcelona, Rome, and Venice in April. It will be another trip with lots of traveling, but it will be nice to go to some different countries. This afternoon Sarah and I went to FNAC, THE bookstore in France, and bought guidebooks for Rome and Venice (she already had one for Barcelona). I am getting very excited.
We haven’t planned any other trips before then because we are trying to save our money for this trip. It has been kind of nice just to have some down time. We only have about three weeks before we go…YEA.
Teaching has been going all right. We have been doing the parts of the body for the past week and a half. There have been some problems grasping the concept that you don’t pronounce the “k” in knee and it is mouth and not mouse. The “th” sound is really hard for the French to pronounce, so I have them really stick their tongues out and between their teeth, so I end up getting covered in spit. I have to make sure I stand far away.
Now it has stopped snowing and the sun is shining. It reminds me a lot of good, old Colorado weather!
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Snails!!!!!
I am one step closer to experiencing all that France has to offer.
Yesterday was Sarah’s birthday, so we went out for dinner. She ordered escargot, and I gave them a try. I was not impressed at all! They have a very weird rubbery texture, and I think they tasted like dirt. I thought of flower gardens and soil the whole time I was chewing.
Here is some photographic evidence…
Here goes nothing…
Don’t think I will be eating more snails any time soon!
Look below for more evidence of me slowing becoming more French than American!!!
Yesterday was Sarah’s birthday, so we went out for dinner. She ordered escargot, and I gave them a try. I was not impressed at all! They have a very weird rubbery texture, and I think they tasted like dirt. I thought of flower gardens and soil the whole time I was chewing.
Here is some photographic evidence…
Here goes nothing…
Don’t think I will be eating more snails any time soon!
Look below for more evidence of me slowing becoming more French than American!!!
A little recap
I realized that I never wrote about the rugby game I went to a couple of weeks ago…so here it goes.
We had a great time. The game didn’t start until 9 p.m., so before we went to an English pub near the Champs Elysées to watch some of the other games that were going on the day. When we were leaving we went by a hotel, and the entire Welsh rugby team was leaving to go to the game. It was really exciting, but I just wished I actually knew who the players were!!
When we arrived at the stadium we decided we had to buy a beret. It seemed that is what all the French fans wear. It was funny because the mascot of the French national team is a rooster, so the beret has a little rooster on it. We had a lot of fun taking pictures of ourselves in the crazy hats.
I enjoyed the game, and by the end understood everything that was going on. In the end France beat Wales 32-21.
Below are some pictures from the game. Also I have been working on all the pictures from my trip today. I have updated my Web page with all the pictures from my Paris weekend, Nice, Monaco and San Remo. I will continue working on the others. Hopefully I will have them all up soon!
The Welsh team, and a very excited fan, leaving their hotel before the game.
Singing of the national anthems
The rugby action
I guess I wasn’t quite sure about the beret yet.
It didn't take long for me to realize how cool wearing a beret really is! We look so French!
All smiles at the end of the game…sadly, the beret was a little tight on my head, so I had to trade it for another hat by the end of the night.
We had a great time. The game didn’t start until 9 p.m., so before we went to an English pub near the Champs Elysées to watch some of the other games that were going on the day. When we were leaving we went by a hotel, and the entire Welsh rugby team was leaving to go to the game. It was really exciting, but I just wished I actually knew who the players were!!
When we arrived at the stadium we decided we had to buy a beret. It seemed that is what all the French fans wear. It was funny because the mascot of the French national team is a rooster, so the beret has a little rooster on it. We had a lot of fun taking pictures of ourselves in the crazy hats.
I enjoyed the game, and by the end understood everything that was going on. In the end France beat Wales 32-21.
Below are some pictures from the game. Also I have been working on all the pictures from my trip today. I have updated my Web page with all the pictures from my Paris weekend, Nice, Monaco and San Remo. I will continue working on the others. Hopefully I will have them all up soon!
The Welsh team, and a very excited fan, leaving their hotel before the game.
Singing of the national anthems
The rugby action
I guess I wasn’t quite sure about the beret yet.
It didn't take long for me to realize how cool wearing a beret really is! We look so French!
All smiles at the end of the game…sadly, the beret was a little tight on my head, so I had to trade it for another hat by the end of the night.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
I'm back...
Well…I finally made it home just after 2 a.m. last night, after a very long day of traveling.
It was a great trip. We covered a lot of ground, but also saw a whole lot. The weather was incredible except for one morning of rain while we were on Corsica. The only bad thing was having to carry our stuff everywhere. Most train and bus stations have taken out all of their lockers for security reasons, so we didn’t have anywhere to leave it.
Last Sunday we left Nice and headed down to Aix-En-Provence, to stay with Mandy’s friend from school. I really like it there. It was different than the rest of France. It definitely had a "South of France" feel with more stone and adobe type houses.
On Monday we went to Marseille. I was not thoroughly impressed with it. It is the second largest city and France, so it was really busy and dirty. We did take the little tourist train up to a church on a hill overlooking the city. That was a lot of fun, and the view from the top was excellent. You could see all of Marseille, all the way from the mountains to the sea.
That night we took the ferry over to Ajaccio on Corsica. It was a long night because it was hard to sleep on the ferry. We were going to take a train to the top of the island where we were staying. They are working on the tracks, so they have taken all train routes and changed them to buses. It was probably better that we were on the bus because we were able to see a whole lot more. I was amazed at the scenery of Corsica. I didn’t know it, but they have mountains that are over 6,000 feet tall. We left Ajaccio and within about 25 or 30 minutes we were already in the mountains, which still had some snow.
The bus ride was almost 3 hours, but well worth it because I got to see a great deal of the island. While on Corsica we stayed in Ile Rousse. From there we visited Calvi and Bastia. All these places were little city with great beaches and a little port. Everything was really quiet because it was still the off-season. It was both good and bad. It was nice that it was relaxing, but there were also a lot of places that hadn’t even opened yet.
On Thursday night we took the ferry back from Bastia to Toulon, and from there we went back to Nice to fly into Bale. We actually landed just after 9 pm, but we had to wait for the next train back to Belfort, which wasn’t until 1 am.
Although I am still sore and tired I had a good time!!!! I really enjoyed seeing another region of France. I took so many pictures I don’t even know where to start with them. I will put them up as soon as I am finished. I know what I will be doing all week!!!!
Now it is time for me to go back to school. I have another 5 weeks before I have another two-week break. It really isn't TOO long. (Although it seems like it rigth now.)
It was a great trip. We covered a lot of ground, but also saw a whole lot. The weather was incredible except for one morning of rain while we were on Corsica. The only bad thing was having to carry our stuff everywhere. Most train and bus stations have taken out all of their lockers for security reasons, so we didn’t have anywhere to leave it.
Last Sunday we left Nice and headed down to Aix-En-Provence, to stay with Mandy’s friend from school. I really like it there. It was different than the rest of France. It definitely had a "South of France" feel with more stone and adobe type houses.
On Monday we went to Marseille. I was not thoroughly impressed with it. It is the second largest city and France, so it was really busy and dirty. We did take the little tourist train up to a church on a hill overlooking the city. That was a lot of fun, and the view from the top was excellent. You could see all of Marseille, all the way from the mountains to the sea.
That night we took the ferry over to Ajaccio on Corsica. It was a long night because it was hard to sleep on the ferry. We were going to take a train to the top of the island where we were staying. They are working on the tracks, so they have taken all train routes and changed them to buses. It was probably better that we were on the bus because we were able to see a whole lot more. I was amazed at the scenery of Corsica. I didn’t know it, but they have mountains that are over 6,000 feet tall. We left Ajaccio and within about 25 or 30 minutes we were already in the mountains, which still had some snow.
The bus ride was almost 3 hours, but well worth it because I got to see a great deal of the island. While on Corsica we stayed in Ile Rousse. From there we visited Calvi and Bastia. All these places were little city with great beaches and a little port. Everything was really quiet because it was still the off-season. It was both good and bad. It was nice that it was relaxing, but there were also a lot of places that hadn’t even opened yet.
On Thursday night we took the ferry back from Bastia to Toulon, and from there we went back to Nice to fly into Bale. We actually landed just after 9 pm, but we had to wait for the next train back to Belfort, which wasn’t until 1 am.
Although I am still sore and tired I had a good time!!!! I really enjoyed seeing another region of France. I took so many pictures I don’t even know where to start with them. I will put them up as soon as I am finished. I know what I will be doing all week!!!!
Now it is time for me to go back to school. I have another 5 weeks before I have another two-week break. It really isn't TOO long. (Although it seems like it rigth now.)
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Livin' It Up Down South...
I have been in the South of France for two full days now, and I am having a great time! Nice is in fact really "nice"! Tonight we are going to the last parade for Carnival. There should be lots going on.
Yesterday we went to Monaco. It was amazing because you can see pretty much the entire country from the top of a little hill. It was also really interesting to see all the really expensive cars. I have never seen so many Ferraris, Mercedes, and Porches in one place! The weather was so nice we even went to the beach and put our feet in the very cold water.
Today we went up the coast into Italy. It was the first time I have ever been to Italy, and I wasn't disappointed. The weather was once again fantastic, so we walked all around the old town and up to a church on a hill for some more fantastic views!
Tomorrow we are headed down the coast to St. Tropez and Marseilles. Then on to Corsica at the beginning of the week.
It is hard to believe I still have another week of vacation!
Yesterday we went to Monaco. It was amazing because you can see pretty much the entire country from the top of a little hill. It was also really interesting to see all the really expensive cars. I have never seen so many Ferraris, Mercedes, and Porches in one place! The weather was so nice we even went to the beach and put our feet in the very cold water.
Today we went up the coast into Italy. It was the first time I have ever been to Italy, and I wasn't disappointed. The weather was once again fantastic, so we walked all around the old town and up to a church on a hill for some more fantastic views!
Tomorrow we are headed down the coast to St. Tropez and Marseilles. Then on to Corsica at the beginning of the week.
It is hard to believe I still have another week of vacation!
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Halfway there
I don’t have to go to my classes tomorrow because they are watching a movie or something before the break, so I am finished teaching until March 12…SCORE!!
I also realized I am now just over halfway finished teaching in France. It has gone by quickly, but I think my French has really improved. My vocabulary has grown, and my listening comprehension is a lot better. I can now catch a part of someone’s conversation and understand it. When I first got here it was hard to understand when people were speaking directly at me, but now I can understand even if they are just passing by. Although there have been some improvements there are still times when I have to rack my brain to try to conjugate an irregular verb in the right tense, but I am starting to do that much quicker now. I hope I keep improving in the second half of my stay in France.
I leave for Paris on Saturday morning. I am really excited about the rugby game. I am excited to see what a real European sports fan is like. I like sports probably more than the next person, but I have a feeling I am not going to compare to the people over here!!
The weather has been so nice the past few days. Nothing but sunshine with the temps in the mid 50’s, but it is supposed to rain this weekend at the game. I hope it doesn’t rain too hard because the game doesn’t start until 9 pm, so it will be cold. But I guess that is just all part of the experience...so bring it on!
I also realized I am now just over halfway finished teaching in France. It has gone by quickly, but I think my French has really improved. My vocabulary has grown, and my listening comprehension is a lot better. I can now catch a part of someone’s conversation and understand it. When I first got here it was hard to understand when people were speaking directly at me, but now I can understand even if they are just passing by. Although there have been some improvements there are still times when I have to rack my brain to try to conjugate an irregular verb in the right tense, but I am starting to do that much quicker now. I hope I keep improving in the second half of my stay in France.
I leave for Paris on Saturday morning. I am really excited about the rugby game. I am excited to see what a real European sports fan is like. I like sports probably more than the next person, but I have a feeling I am not going to compare to the people over here!!
The weather has been so nice the past few days. Nothing but sunshine with the temps in the mid 50’s, but it is supposed to rain this weekend at the game. I hope it doesn’t rain too hard because the game doesn’t start until 9 pm, so it will be cold. But I guess that is just all part of the experience...so bring it on!
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Just a few more days...
I have less than a week of teaching left before I have a two-week break. I am so excited!
I have just about every day of the two weeks planned out. Next Saturday I am going to Paris with Sarah, and we are going to watch a Six Nations Rugby game. It is between France and Wales at the Stade de France in Paris. I can’t say I know a whole lot about rugby, but I have been watching some on the TV. I am slowly catching on to the game.
We are then spending Sunday looking around Paris. Then Sarah leaves to go back to England on Monday. I will probably head back to Belfort until Thursday when I leave for the South of France.
I fly from Bale to Nice on Thursday to meet up with my other roommate, Mandy. We are staying in Nice for three nights and taking some day trips from there. On Friday we are going to Monte Carlo, and on Saturday we are headed to San Remo, Italy. On Sunday we head down the coast to Saint Tropez and Aix-en-Provence. Monday we are looking through Marseilles, and then we are then taking a night ferry to the island of Corsica. We will spend three days looking at some of the places on the island. Then we take another night ferry on the 8th back to Nice, and Friday night we fly back to Bale.
We are trying to fit in a lot of stuff on this trip! It will probably be scary the amount of photos I will take. I have 3 gigs of space on my memory cards. I hope that is enough! :)
Now I just have to make it through the next 5 days. I think I can…I think I can…
I have just about every day of the two weeks planned out. Next Saturday I am going to Paris with Sarah, and we are going to watch a Six Nations Rugby game. It is between France and Wales at the Stade de France in Paris. I can’t say I know a whole lot about rugby, but I have been watching some on the TV. I am slowly catching on to the game.
We are then spending Sunday looking around Paris. Then Sarah leaves to go back to England on Monday. I will probably head back to Belfort until Thursday when I leave for the South of France.
I fly from Bale to Nice on Thursday to meet up with my other roommate, Mandy. We are staying in Nice for three nights and taking some day trips from there. On Friday we are going to Monte Carlo, and on Saturday we are headed to San Remo, Italy. On Sunday we head down the coast to Saint Tropez and Aix-en-Provence. Monday we are looking through Marseilles, and then we are then taking a night ferry to the island of Corsica. We will spend three days looking at some of the places on the island. Then we take another night ferry on the 8th back to Nice, and Friday night we fly back to Bale.
We are trying to fit in a lot of stuff on this trip! It will probably be scary the amount of photos I will take. I have 3 gigs of space on my memory cards. I hope that is enough! :)
Now I just have to make it through the next 5 days. I think I can…I think I can…
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
In the Dark...
So we have been living without electricity for 5 whole days.
It all started last Friday when we got home from working. It turned out that when we moved in we were supposed to change the name on the account, but we never did it. We tried quite a few times, but we were given about three different numbers and either they didn’t work or no one answered. We should have continued, but of course we didn’t. In the end we made it 4 and half months without a problem.
We called our landlady and got a different number. When I called that one I finally got through. I changed all of information, and they told us that it would be 48 hours until it was turned back on.
Everything in our apartment is electric including the water heater and our stove, so we had no way to cook food or a place to store it. We put our refrigerated stuff out on the balcony to stay cool, and took very quick freezing cold showers. We were quite proud of ourselves on Sunday night because we had made it a whole weekend without electricity.
But by Monday morning we still didn’t have any electricity, so we called again and they told us that 48 hours does not include the weekend. (I am not sure why they didn’t tell us that before. I guess in France it is assumed that people don’t work on the weekend.) They said someone would come out and fix it by Tuesday afternoon. When we got home yesterday we still didn’t have any lights, so we called again and this time they said they didn’t have an open appointment until February 21, which didn’t go down too well with us. The poor lady got an earful from Sarah. She said she would put an urgent notice on our name, so hopefully it would get done faster.
Today a man called and said someone had come by yesterday and fixed the line downstairs, so there was something wrong with our apartment. We then had to call our landlady and she came by and called the people up again because there was nothing wrong with our fuse box. They then sent a repairman out, and they found that in fact when someone came by yesterday they didn’t actually turn the current back on…so they flipped the switch and just like that we had LIGHT!
It took 120 hours, 40 euros worth of phone calls, 16 candles, and lots of spoiled food but we made it through. It was such a headache. Granted we could have figured out the whole name change thing earlier, but it was still very drawn out.
In the end I also found I can still be creative when it comes to finding stuff to do, and that it is still possible to go five days without Internet. Difficult but still possible.
Playing Yahtzee by candle light.
It all started last Friday when we got home from working. It turned out that when we moved in we were supposed to change the name on the account, but we never did it. We tried quite a few times, but we were given about three different numbers and either they didn’t work or no one answered. We should have continued, but of course we didn’t. In the end we made it 4 and half months without a problem.
We called our landlady and got a different number. When I called that one I finally got through. I changed all of information, and they told us that it would be 48 hours until it was turned back on.
Everything in our apartment is electric including the water heater and our stove, so we had no way to cook food or a place to store it. We put our refrigerated stuff out on the balcony to stay cool, and took very quick freezing cold showers. We were quite proud of ourselves on Sunday night because we had made it a whole weekend without electricity.
But by Monday morning we still didn’t have any electricity, so we called again and they told us that 48 hours does not include the weekend. (I am not sure why they didn’t tell us that before. I guess in France it is assumed that people don’t work on the weekend.) They said someone would come out and fix it by Tuesday afternoon. When we got home yesterday we still didn’t have any lights, so we called again and this time they said they didn’t have an open appointment until February 21, which didn’t go down too well with us. The poor lady got an earful from Sarah. She said she would put an urgent notice on our name, so hopefully it would get done faster.
Today a man called and said someone had come by yesterday and fixed the line downstairs, so there was something wrong with our apartment. We then had to call our landlady and she came by and called the people up again because there was nothing wrong with our fuse box. They then sent a repairman out, and they found that in fact when someone came by yesterday they didn’t actually turn the current back on…so they flipped the switch and just like that we had LIGHT!
It took 120 hours, 40 euros worth of phone calls, 16 candles, and lots of spoiled food but we made it through. It was such a headache. Granted we could have figured out the whole name change thing earlier, but it was still very drawn out.
In the end I also found I can still be creative when it comes to finding stuff to do, and that it is still possible to go five days without Internet. Difficult but still possible.
Playing Yahtzee by candle light.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
"Cuz We're on Strike"
Tomorrow there is a teachers’ strike in France. I guess a couple of teachers wanted some more money and decided to strike. Then teachers all over the country decided to join in, so now it is pretty much in every school in France. Three out of the four classes I teach tomorrow will not be there because their teachers are participating. Then I talked to the other teacher who will still be there, and she said not to worry about coming in. Now I have another day off this week, but I still get paid. Not too bad…
I am sure the kids don’t mind too much either.
From what I heard the French like to go on strike a lot. In the four and a half months I have been here I have seen two train strikes and one in the schools. I think they like to go on strike because they are so effective. I read in a book that if one group goes on strike lots of other people will join in even if they are not directly affected by the strike. So sometimes if teachers go on strike then transportation workers will also strike.
I guess I will have to be careful and not plan on going anywhere tomorrow, or I might now end up getting back!
P.S. I have put up my pictures of Versailles on my Web site if you want to check them out.
I am sure the kids don’t mind too much either.
From what I heard the French like to go on strike a lot. In the four and a half months I have been here I have seen two train strikes and one in the schools. I think they like to go on strike because they are so effective. I read in a book that if one group goes on strike lots of other people will join in even if they are not directly affected by the strike. So sometimes if teachers go on strike then transportation workers will also strike.
I guess I will have to be careful and not plan on going anywhere tomorrow, or I might now end up getting back!
P.S. I have put up my pictures of Versailles on my Web site if you want to check them out.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Weekend in Paris
I had another busy weekend! We left at 6 pm from Belfort Friday night, and we got in to Paris at about 10 pm. Then we met up with a few of Sarah’s friends who are assistants there. We stayed in a hostel, which was not very nice…it was actually pretty disgusting! There were only three showers available to about 100 people, so they were just as dirty as you would think. It also looked like they didn’t clean them during the day, so the next night they were even worse. I decided I would rather have greasy hair than to shower in that thing.
Saturday we went to Disneyland Paris. It was interesting to see how much they blended French and English. There were a lot of things that were in both languages. For example on the Star Tours ride the little robot guy spoke French, but in the movie part on the screen they spoke English. I guess they couldn’t change everything because it would cost too much. All the cast members spoke both languages as well. I was disappointed to find that their Indiana Jones ride was only a little roller coaster. It was nothing like the ride at Disneyland where you go on the jeep tour. It had been almost 5 years since I went to Disneyland, so it was fun. I also screamed so much on the rides that I lost my voice!
Yesterday we went to Versailles. It is free on the first Sunday of every month, so there were quite a few people there. We had to wait in a really long line to get into the chateau, but it was worth it.
The line from HECK!!! This is only about ¾ of it too!
Inside everything was so elaborate. In the castle there is a two-story chapel, a theater and so many other rooms. It would have been really neat to be able to walk through on your own.
The grounds were the best part of the trip, even in winter. They didn’t have the fountains on though, so again a little disappointing. I guess that is what happens when you go to places in the middle of winter. The grounds are so large. It can take up to an hour to walk from one end to the other. There is also a huge canal where they have boats in the summer. It was so nice to walk around, and the weather was perfect. It was a little cool, but there wasn’t a cloud in the sky the entire weekend.
We caught the 6 pm train back to Belfort, so we got home at about 10:15 pm. I was in bed by 11, completely exhausted.
I didn’t get to watch the Super Bowl because they are showing it tonight here, but it still doesn’t start until a quarter to midnight. After my classes this afternoon I think I will take a nap. I still want to watch even though I already know who won. It will be another long night!
Saturday we went to Disneyland Paris. It was interesting to see how much they blended French and English. There were a lot of things that were in both languages. For example on the Star Tours ride the little robot guy spoke French, but in the movie part on the screen they spoke English. I guess they couldn’t change everything because it would cost too much. All the cast members spoke both languages as well. I was disappointed to find that their Indiana Jones ride was only a little roller coaster. It was nothing like the ride at Disneyland where you go on the jeep tour. It had been almost 5 years since I went to Disneyland, so it was fun. I also screamed so much on the rides that I lost my voice!
Yesterday we went to Versailles. It is free on the first Sunday of every month, so there were quite a few people there. We had to wait in a really long line to get into the chateau, but it was worth it.
The line from HECK!!! This is only about ¾ of it too!
Inside everything was so elaborate. In the castle there is a two-story chapel, a theater and so many other rooms. It would have been really neat to be able to walk through on your own.
The grounds were the best part of the trip, even in winter. They didn’t have the fountains on though, so again a little disappointing. I guess that is what happens when you go to places in the middle of winter. The grounds are so large. It can take up to an hour to walk from one end to the other. There is also a huge canal where they have boats in the summer. It was so nice to walk around, and the weather was perfect. It was a little cool, but there wasn’t a cloud in the sky the entire weekend.
We caught the 6 pm train back to Belfort, so we got home at about 10:15 pm. I was in bed by 11, completely exhausted.
I didn’t get to watch the Super Bowl because they are showing it tonight here, but it still doesn’t start until a quarter to midnight. After my classes this afternoon I think I will take a nap. I still want to watch even though I already know who won. It will be another long night!
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