tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13549220618420175962024-03-12T18:35:07.269-07:00La Vie GrenobloiseAn account of the adventures of five Ohio University students during their semester abroad in Grenoble, France.Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-15454513296188479042014-05-17T13:08:00.004-07:002014-05-17T13:08:42.746-07:00What won't Zoe miss about France?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="western" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span lang="en-US">I
am very sad to have to leave France so soon. It has been an amazing
experience. If I could, I would stay in France much longer. The
culture here is very different in comparison to the culture in the
United States. I find it to be much more relaxed here than in the US,
people take time to enjoy the small things in life and they just seem
less stressed. </span></div>
<div class="western" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span lang="en-US">Also the public transportation is wonderful, I am
going to miss being able to just hop on the tram to go somewhere-
it’s nice not having to worry about driving every time you want to
go somewhere. However, honestly I think I will miss the food the
most, especially the bread and cheese. It’s just not the same as
the US. The baguettes are to die for, and the cheese here has a
quality that can’t be found in the US. Not to mention if you try to
buy French cheese in the US, it costs an arm and a leg compared to
what it is here in France. </span>
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<div class="western" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span lang="en-US">It
has been a truly life changing experience here, I have met so many
different people, had so many experiences than what I am used to in
the US, some which brought me out of my comfort zone in a good way,
and I learned so much about the French culture while improving my
French. Living with a host family honestly made my experience much
better than I think it would have been in a residence. I had the best
host mom ever. She had my friends over and made big dinners all the
time, and she helped me with French. Also it was nice knowing that
she was there for me if I ever needed anything. </span></div>
<div class="western" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span lang="en-US"> There isn’t one
thing that I can say I am going to miss about France because I know I
am going to miss it all. I’m not ready to leave but I know I have
to. However I have plans to come back and stay for longer once I am
done with school. That is something I would have never even
considered before studying here in France. This was a once in a
lifetime experience for me and something I will never forget. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span lang="en-US"><i>--Zoe</i></span></div>
Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-47782794474410588642014-05-16T16:03:00.003-07:002014-05-16T16:03:47.482-07:00Zoe describes the life of a Grenoblois<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_9KFcCw28Wc/UuDgFYFU5sI/AAAAAAAAAEw/OQWsOX2J27k/s1600/zoe+blog+pic.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_9KFcCw28Wc/UuDgFYFU5sI/AAAAAAAAAEw/OQWsOX2J27k/s1600/zoe+blog+pic.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Ok, so I’ve spent a bit of time here in Grenoble now… I’m getting to know life here and I’ve been integrating into French culture and what goes on in daily French life. <br /><br />Obviously, there are regional differences when it comes to France – Grenoble is no different. You’ll find that no two French regions are quite the same – each city has its own culture and lifestyle. Grenoble, being right at the foot of the Alps (they don’t call it the Capital of the Alps for nothing) has a distinct way of life that is almost exclusive from its location and neighbors.<br /><br />The city isn’t without its charms and quirks, so here’s the lowdown on some of the things that get to you over time.<br /><br /><div>
So, without further ado… You know you’re living in Grenoble when:<br /><br />You know to pack a raincoat… even when it’s scorching – Sadly, wearing shorts just because the day started off at 65 degrees is not going to cut it. Believe me, when you least expect it, the heavens will open and you’ll get caught out. The rain can arrive suddenly off the mountains and for the first few weeks it will catch you out. No matter, because after a while you’ll have learnt to pack that raincoat or umbrella just in case. <br /><br />You remember that a coffee is just an espresso – For a little time, you will forget this. You’ll ask for a coffee and you get a little thimble. No, I really didn’t pay nearly 2 euros for something that you could drink in one shot. Eventually, you’ll learn that you need to ask for an ‘allongé’ to get anything larger than something fit for a small rodent.<br /><br />This is common all over France but especially true of Grenoble, where in the winter months all you want is a nice large coffee to warm you up… <br /><br />You know the difference between Gratin Dauphinois and Tartiflette – Grenoble locals will almost be offended if you confuse the two. Everyone round here obviously knows that the latter has got bacon in it and it comes from the local area. Tartiflette is a local specialty and is almost a regional pride kind of thing. Speaking of which…. <br /><br />You understand that Chartreuse is to be consumed carefully – The first time someone offers it, you love the idea of having one of them – it’s like tequila, right? Nope. Next thing you know, you wake up in the morning with a colossal headache wondering why this is happening to you.<br /><br />Chartreuse is to be enjoyed sparingly – the odd error of ‘one too many’ will serve as a very timely reminder to you. <br /><br />You know every tram and bus stop within a three mile radius including their schedules– At first it confuses you no end… I mean, the wide range of options to get from A to B is baffling and the way you pay looks all strange. However, once you get yourself a pass and you begin to understand where all the stops are, everything else becomes really easy. You’ll even be able to imitate the female announcer’s voice for each stop on the tram. <br /><br />The walk up the Bastille ‘isn’t that bad’ – Once you’ve been up the first time, you realize it isn’t so bad. Honest. <br /><br />You get annoyed by all the skiers clogging up the trams in the skiing season – You wouldn’t think there could be so many skiers on planet earth, could you? Nope, you’re wrong. They ALL descend on the city for their skiing breaks and they make life impossible for the average resident. <br /><br />You can be sunburnt and frostbitten all in the space of a week – I’m ridiculously pale. You get the idea.</div>
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<i>--Zoe</i></div>
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This past weekend I went on a last trip while studying abroad in France to Marseille, a beautiful, historical city in the French Riviera.<br />
<br />My friend, Sam, and I decided to go there because we wanted to experience the south of France one more time and spend some relaxing time in the beach. And Marseille did not let us down. On our first day we explored the town and its monuments and history by taking a walking tour of the old city center. We also enjoyed some amazing food and wine.<br /><br />The next day we made plans to visit the Calanques and enjoy some of Marseille's natural beauty. The day turned out to be more adventurous than expected since we had to go in an hour-long hike before arriving by the water and we were underprepared sporting flip-flops. But we made it work, and it was worth it in the end.<br /><br />On our final day we found a comfortable patch of sand on an amazing beach to lay and tan for most of the day.<br /><br />All in all, my trip to Marseille was one if the best and definitely an experience I will never forget.<br />
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<i>--Alessa</i></div>
Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-57722887464754722672014-05-14T10:17:00.000-07:002014-05-14T10:17:29.147-07:00Zoe discovers Nice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Recently I went to Nice with our program. Since it is in the south of France, it is a lot different than being here in Grenoble surrounded by the mountains. It had been a while since I’ve been to a beach and I forgot how much I missed it! However these beaches were a little different than what I am used to considering all the beaches I’ve been to are sandy. Instead, these beaches have rocks on them, and I’m not talking about small pebbles, these were rocks the size of a fist! This made it impossible to walk barefoot and very difficult to lay out and tan which is what everyone there wanted to do considering we were at a beach! <br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"></a> It was a very bright and colorful city. There is a definite Mediterranean influence in the architecture; all the buildings were pretty colors like pink and blue. When walking around the old part of Nice, there are lots of gelato places and restaurants with the local type of cuisine which is mainly seafood. It was a beautiful city. All the people in Nice are really nice, they definitely defy the French stereotype of being rude. Even being American I had no issues! <br />
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It was a great weekend full of walking around the beautiful city, eating gelato, and napping on the beach, even though it was essentially on a bed of rocks. <br />
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<i>--Zoe</i>Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-84334071341381696022014-05-13T01:45:00.002-07:002014-05-13T01:45:41.699-07:00How France opened my eyes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The final days of the semester are approaching, and I can't help but think back to when I first studied abroad, and how I felt about returning to the states after several months spent abroad.<br /><br />I turned 20 during my semester abroad in Avignon, France, and while I was thrilled to have the chance to live in a foreign country, it was not always easy. Adjusting to life with a French family and struggling with a language that hardly resembled what I learned in school was exasperating at times, but also incredibly rewarding. In the span of a few short months I grew to appreciate a different way of life than what I knew back in the states, and I also learned that just because I'm used to a certain way of doing things, does not mean it's the only way. Now, after spending over two years in France, I can say that no country does everything perfectly, and that the best way to improve is to look elsewhere and take note of how other people do things. Open your eyes and observe, and you just may discover something worth trying.<br /><br />One of the biggest differences that has impacted me while living abroad is the level of materialism in different countries. Western European countries resemble the U.S. in a lot of ways, but they are less controlled by material goods. Take children for example : an American child has an entire room overflowing with shiny plastic toys, while a French child has a small chest of toys and books. This is also reflected by the fact that in France, every store closes its doors on Sunday, whereas it's rare to find stores in the U.S. that shut their doors for an entire day during the week.<br /><br />That said, I tend to wait till the last minute to do many things, including buying flowers for my Mom on Mother's Day. There are some days where I (and my mom as well) am very grateful for America's devotion to consumerism.<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not bad for last minute flowers!</td></tr>
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<i>--Meghan</i></div>
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Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-68208154443704543512014-05-12T07:56:00.001-07:002014-05-12T07:56:30.705-07:00Natalie says goodbye to Grenoble, and hello to OU<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The semester at the CUEF is officially
done! Each exam has been handed in and awaits being graded, and with
the end of the semester comes a whole slew of goodbyes. Goodbyes to
teachers, acquaintances, and friends, all difficult to do knowing we
may never see one another again (although I admit I’m a pretty
sentimental person anyway, which doesn’t help). </div>
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However, I’m so
thankful to have been able to meet all the people I have – when
else will I be studying French with students from all around the
world? Some of my best memories here involve hanging out with other
international students – most recently eating at a restaurant with
five friends from school. Of the six of us, not a one had the same
nationality. Our whole evening was conducted in French, and we got to
spend some time eating some delicious food and reveling in the fact
of being finished with exams.
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It has just been a really amazing
experience studying just French for a whole semester with these
students. Not only do we share a desire to learn French for whatever
reason, whether it be just a hobby or for a future career, but each
of us, too, is able to bring our own life and cultural experiences
with us to share. What’s more, this aspect of student life in
France has helped me develop a greater understanding how important
embracing the diversity at OU is! Although I’ve been involved in
the Conversation Partners Program in the past, I feel really
encouraged to get more involved with our international students at OU
upon the start of the fall semester. </div>
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<i>--Natalie</i></div>
Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-30288930301163468542014-05-11T04:07:00.002-07:002014-05-11T04:07:33.567-07:00What annoys Alessa in France?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>I thought it would be fun to write about 10 annoying little things that are bound to happen if you live in France as a foreign student. </i></div>
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1. Saying "oui" when someone asks you a question and then having them ask if you understood what they said and having to say "non"</div>
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2. Becoming dependent on coffee and then not having a way to whiten your teeth (their products here don't work very well)</div>
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3. Hurting the roof of your mouth on day-old baguettes</div>
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4. Missing your tram/metro by a fraction of a second</div>
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5. Not understanding most cultural references and not knowing celebrities or artists in magazine covers</div>
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6. Messing up on your pronunciation and saying something you didn't mean to at all like a profanity or something vulgar</div>
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7. Having old men/ugly men approach/catcall you in the street</div>
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8. Being asked what Americans think of France and not knowing what to say (how often do we think about them, really?)</div>
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9. Having difficulties with which side to go first for the "bisous"</div>
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10. Not knowing how to tell an intricate story while trying to be funny and interesting</div>
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<i>--Alessa</i></div>
Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-10623137804295825192014-04-27T14:26:00.000-07:002014-04-27T14:26:38.569-07:00The end draws near<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bPnrB164_Us/UuFSwc8jn3I/AAAAAAAAAFI/cYBe_whEj8o/s1600/natalie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bPnrB164_Us/UuFSwc8jn3I/AAAAAAAAAFI/cYBe_whEj8o/s1600/natalie.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
Classes are officially over here in Grenoble and with exams starting next week, there’s definitely a sense that the end of our time studying in France is drawing near. There’s something really bittersweet when semesters end, and that feeling is amplified here. Knowing that there are people you’ve gotten to know in or outside of class that you may never see again is really sobering, but I’m so grateful to have been able to share this experience with students not only from the States, but China, South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Nigeria, and even Iceland. <br /><br /> Hearing our professors wish us well after a semester of hard work and lots of learning helped me once again recognize what an amazing opportunity it is to be here to study. <br /><br /> For our final language class, our professor organized a cultural/hiking excursion to Le Sappey, a small town right next to Grenoble. We were able to split up into groups to discover a bit of the town’s history (and admire the views) before reconvening at lunchtime to enjoy a picnic together. Each of us having brought something to share with the rest of the class, we were able to enjoy the sunshine and each other’s company for the last time before exams. <div>
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<i>--Natalie</i></div>
Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-44507020894314277012014-04-20T07:27:00.000-07:002014-04-20T07:27:06.496-07:00An afternoon at Château de Vizille<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I7Rw7Ga369M/UuDgKVx7fCI/AAAAAAAAAE4/gkSH2sOIOdQ/s1600/Alessa+blog+pic.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I7Rw7Ga369M/UuDgKVx7fCI/AAAAAAAAAE4/gkSH2sOIOdQ/s1600/Alessa+blog+pic.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
This week I took a quick trip to this little town called Vizille to visit an old castle turned museum and picnic in its park area. <br /><br />The castle was built by François de Bonne, duke of Lediguières from 1604-1619 to demonstrate his importance in the French Court. It was later sold to a businessman who turned it into a textile factory. Finally, it was sold to the government, and now it serves at the French Revolution Museum of Vizille. <br /><br />While the castle is beautiful, just as impressive is its surrounding park which houses birds, ducks, swans, geese, deer, peacocks, and ponies one can feed bread and admire. There is also a running stream that runs through the park that is beautiful and a surrounding landscape that takes your breath away. <br /><br />We spend several hours eating and strolling around the park and it was a great and relaxing experience. <div>
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<i>--Alessa</i></div>
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-I7Rw7Ga369M%2FUuDgKVx7fCI%2FAAAAAAAAAE4%2FgkSH2sOIOdQ%2Fs1600%2FAlessa%2Bblog%2Bpic.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I7Rw7Ga369M/UuDgKVx7fCI/AAAAAAAAAE4/gkSH2sOIOdQ/s1600/Alessa+blog+pic.jpg" -->Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-8817228171017600982014-04-14T13:15:00.001-07:002014-04-14T13:15:59.047-07:00Natalie's encounters with the good, the bad, and the funny of French <div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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That there is only about a month left
for me here in France is really just unbelievable. I have a hard time
trying to put into words how great it has been so far. Having real
conversations in French, the food, the traveling, it’s all been
unforgettable. But I think part of what makes this semester so great
is actually the things that have been difficult to deal with. The
miscommunications, the culture shock, the homesickness, all these
things (and more) have ultimately made a huge impact on my time here…
for the good.
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I don’t want to exaggerate the times
that have been rough, but there’s no denying that there have been
plenty of times where I’ve thought, “What am I doing here again?”
Like, for example, the time early in the semester when I thought my
host parents asked me to pick up my host sister from school, but
apparently they didn’t, and consequently thought she might have
been kidnapped and were about to call the police. Yeah. Or smaller
things, like eating at restaurants from time to time trying to order
food without “parler petit-nègre,” speaking using incorrect and
oversimplified language and gestures to get my point across. The
fact that people can tell you’re American without even hearing you
speak. And then getting stared at.
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So where is the good in all this?
Well, for one thing, they make great stories that I can laugh at now.
But honestly, there’s this feeling that comes from suddenly
realizing that I no longer need a pre-food-ordering pep talk, or
knowing that if there’s a miscommunication, I can just explain
myself… even if it takes a little more work to get the point
across. Mistakes? Who cares? We’re in France! We’re learning!
We’re living! And that’s what it’s about. </div>
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This picture corresponds to how I feel
my experience in France has been. After three hours of hiking (half
of which was extremely steep and felt never-ending), sweating a ton,
falling/sliding on my butt, there we were at the top! And what a view
it was.</div>
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<i>--Natalie</i> </div>
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Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-84095024879346648362014-04-13T02:29:00.002-07:002014-04-13T02:29:33.360-07:00Alessa's favorite escapes<div class="p1">
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We have made it into to April and I can't believe our time in Grenoble is coming to an end! For our last month here I want to spend most of it enjoying the city itself and doing the things I still haven't gotten around to. But for this blog, I want to talk about my favorite places and experiences. </div>
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First, my favorite place is the Musée de Grenoble. It's a fine arts museum that features works dating to the 15th Century all the way to contemporary art. Some of the works displayed include artists such as Picasso, Matisse, Kees Van Dongen, Modigliani, Gromaire and Andy Warhol. The museum also holds temporary exhibits from time to time. Although the museum is small, I really enjoy the atmosphere and the paintings. The size of the museum is not overwhelming like some can be in Europe, and most of it can be seen in a day. I enjoy going for an afternoon when it's empty and just walk around, sit, and enjoy art. Very calming!</div>
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Second, the mountains! Being as we are surrounded by them, they are hard to miss. Although I have not visited all of the three ranges, my favorite is by far Vercors. During one of my first weeks in Grenoble, I went snowshoeing there, and it was by far the most amazing experience. It was a beautiful, breathtaking day and the mountain was covered with snow. It was just so beautiful. The Chartreuse, however gives the beat view of the city. And a quick trip up to the Bastille, is a great workout!</div>
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Finally, my favorite thing to see and do is walk by the Isère river. It's really close to my house, and in a nice day there's nothing more relaxing than taking a stroll along the river. </div>
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These will be only a few of Grenoble's aspects I will tenderly miss. </div>
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<i>--Alessa</i></div>
Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-13714271024646015082014-04-13T02:11:00.001-07:002014-04-13T02:11:20.229-07:00Independent Marjorie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Studying abroad has made me realize how independent I actually am. I’ve found out that I absolutely love traveling by myself and that I’m completely self sufficient when it comes down to it, and I don’t need anyone’s help. Being here has brought up a new desire to study abroad again, but someplace different in the world. This experience has made me want to work harder so I can study abroad again and continue traveling so I can reach my goals in life. You find out a lot about yourself when you’re alone in a different country, and I like what I’ve been finding out about myself.<br /><br /><i>--Marjorie</i><br /><br /><br /><br />Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-66888029564712157002014-04-07T01:57:00.001-07:002014-04-07T01:57:17.161-07:00Alessa on friendships whilst abroad<div class="p1">
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<i>"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."</i></div>
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Being abroad brings all kinds of benefits such as learning a new culture, great food, better language skills, and maturity. But it also blossoms great new friendships. </div>
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Since being here, not only have I met amazing people from all over the world (China, Mexico, Australia, Spain, Chile, Brazil, etc.), I have also made great friends from my own program. Most of us come from different corners of the U.S. but we've acquired a certain solidarity being abroad. When we first arrived in Paris, the fear and excitement of being in a foreign country was palpable and we had no choice but stick together. Now, that the need is no longer there —since we've gotten hold of our bearings— we still choose to hang out together because we want to. </div>
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I can honestly say I've made some lifetime friends being here who have helped me grow as person and who have made my experience in Grenoble only better. We've been through the struggling of adapting to a new country, gotten lost together, been through extremely embarrassing moments, cried, laughed, and cried again. These girls have become my support in a foreign land and no one else will be able to understand our experience studying abroad like them. </div>
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<br />I'm excited to keep in contact with them after our semester is finished and to have places I can crash in future trips!<br /><br /><i>--Alessa</i><br /></div>
Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-8922129082861910502014-04-03T01:18:00.003-07:002014-04-03T01:18:53.714-07:00Zoë finds her rhythm <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_9KFcCw28Wc/UuDgFYFU5sI/AAAAAAAAAEw/OQWsOX2J27k/s1600/zoe+blog+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_9KFcCw28Wc/UuDgFYFU5sI/AAAAAAAAAEw/OQWsOX2J27k/s1600/zoe+blog+pic.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></div>
Being three months into the program, I feel I’ve finally found my rhythm here. I’ve made really good friends and I’m used to my schedule which consists of classes and always eating dinner at the same time (this was a change compared to college) and I finally know my way around town, it all just feels right now! <br /><br />Monday through Thursday I have classes, and then on the weekends I can relax, hang out with my friends, and explore Grenoble and the surrounding cities. It’s crazy how natural this routine has started to feel to me! If I have a day off of classes then my whole schedule feels messed up. Although it’s rough having a schedule where classes take up the majority of my day, it’s nice because I get to see my friends in class, and I know that I am doing something productive with my time. If I didn’t spend so much time in class, I would like to think that I would get out into to town and hopefully explore the area a little more, but I would also probably sleep a lot like usual, and I would hate to sleep this experience away! <br /><br />It’s nice having 3 day weekends where I can still do some exploring. Now that I have a routine down, it really feels like home. Whenever I go other places around France and Europe, even if it’s just for the weekend, I always miss Grenoble and can’t wait to return. I don’t know if it’s my friends here, my wonderful host mom, or just the town in general but there is just something about it here that is comforting and feels like home. It’s hard to believe that I only have two months left, but I’m going to make the most of it! <br /><br /><i>--Zoë</i>Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-91518900458981245222014-04-01T04:14:00.000-07:002014-04-01T04:14:06.926-07:00Marjorie travels throughout history
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<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I’ve been
traveling a lot these past few months. For our spring break, I
traveled to Amsterdam, Munich, Berlin, and Krakow. A lot of my
friends went to Barcelona or Greece for their vacation, but I based
my vacation around history. In Amsterdam, I visited Anne Frank’s
house. I’ve dreamed about going there since I first read her diary.
Amsterdam offers a lot of different museums as well. I went to the
Jewish Historical Museum, and exhibition on the Titanic, a Torture
Museum, and I went to the Red Light District and went to a prostitute
museum… it was very informational.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />In Munich, I visited Dachau
Concentration Camp- the first camp set in place by the Nazi’s, and,
Munich was the birthplace of Nazism. In Berlin, I went on many tours.
I visited the Berlin Wall, Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, a bunch of
memorials for the victims of World War Two, and Hitler’s bunker. I
went to Krakow for one reason only- Auschwitz. I’ve been dreaming
of going there since I was little. History has always been a passion
of mine and to actually be at Auschwitz Extermination Camp was beyond
incredible. Not many young people can say they’ve been there. It
was such a heartbreaking experience but I’m so happy I was able to
go.<br /><br /><i>--Marjorie</i></span></div>
Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-87176792776880312712014-04-01T04:04:00.000-07:002014-04-01T04:04:01.925-07:00Natalie's new sisters<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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In the past month, I’ve been so
grateful to see a real sense of closeness developing with the other
members of my host family. I was so excited to have been placed with
a host family with two young daughters (Alice is 9 and Eva is 12),
and bonding with them has been great, not only for more
opportunities to practice speaking French, but also because I’ve
never experienced life with younger siblings!<br />
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A couple nights a week, I give really
informal English lessons to Eva, the twelve year old, who studies it
at school. We’ve read books together, played Bananagrams (sort of
like Scrabble), where she formed words in English while I formed them
in French. The other night we watched YouTube videos of French and
English songs and then helped each other derive their meaning.
Lately, all three of us have been playing card games in the evening
as well.
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<br />When they watch TV in the afternoon
after getting home from school, if I’m there I usually try to join
them, even though they often watch Disney Channel shows that have
been dubbed in French. For a while, Eva was particularly fond of
watching reruns of ER.
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Having the chance to babysit them
every now and then and just spend more time with my host family has
been a big factor in feeling more at ease here in Grenoble, and I
look forward to the times we will spend together before the end of my
time here!<br /><br /><i>--Natalie</i></div>
Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-8772424637921001332014-03-20T05:20:00.002-07:002014-03-20T05:26:10.216-07:00What's the point...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
...of studying abroad? It may seem like a question with
obvious answers, but what really is the point of studying, and even living, abroad ? Wouldn't it be easier to make a
quick tour around a few countries, and retreat back to the comfort of your
home after a week or two? More often than not, living abroad entails a
moderate amount of discomfort and homesickness, so there must be
significant reasons why students continue to put themselves
through these ordeals. After my time spent in France, these are the answers I've come up with:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How I looked in front of anything Hungarian.</td></tr>
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<b>You gain a new appreciation for
home.</b> I once read that the best part of traveling is the moment when
you set foot back in your home territory, because you rediscover the
comfort of the known. Sure, every student looks forward to the moment
when they step off the plane into America and they can buy a giant
mocha-java-latte-ya ya—let's just say Starbucks coffee—and can
greet their fellow countrymen left and right. But the beautiful part
of studying abroad is that you experience this in foreign cities,
when coming back to your home base after travels abroad. I recently
was in Budapest, Hungary, with fellow Ohioan Zoe, and after five days
spent attempting to decipher the enigma that is the Hungarian
language, we were ecstatic to
return to France where we could actually understand what kind of sandwich we were buying before choosing it. Sure, France isn't our <i>real </i><span style="font-style: normal;">home</span><i>, </i><span style="font-style: normal;">but
we feel a sense of belonging.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hjD7o368KzM/UyrWf2W0EEI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/9uCQzsF8_1E/s1600/great_store_hours1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hjD7o368KzM/UyrWf2W0EEI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/9uCQzsF8_1E/s1600/great_store_hours1.jpg" height="183" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At least they're honest about not working.<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>You learn that your way of doing
things is not the only, or the best way.</b> Now I know that
us Americans love to express our pride in everything from sea to
shining sea, but oftentimes that's because we haven't experienced
life beyond our own waters. These don't have to be
earth-shattering discoveries ; for example many Americans
grumble about the French closing shops and restaurants on Sundays,
since in our American universe everything is available, all the time. Come to France, and if it's after noon on a Sunday you make
do with what you have in the fridge, since shops are already closed and the workers are home with their families. Sure, there are
pros and cons to both lifestyles, but that doesn't mean one is better
than the other. They're just <i>différent</i>.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eI1ZNfxiAeI/UyraZwOOHDI/AAAAAAAAAIk/vQkdvzF5JyA/s1600/Moms-meatloaf-card-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eI1ZNfxiAeI/UyraZwOOHDI/AAAAAAAAAIk/vQkdvzF5JyA/s1600/Moms-meatloaf-card-11.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maybe that special dish is easier to reproduce than you thought..</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>You become independent.</b> Well partly at
least, since most students are only able to go abroad thanks to the bounty of their parents (thanks again Mom and Dad!). When students face the reality of living on a different continent than their
parents, it can be a discomforting thought. What happens if you get lost or sick, or are desperately craving Mom's famous meatloaf? You survive, and gain a new appreciation of your mom's culinary skills. Whatever the situation, you learn that you are capable of facing it on your own, and you'll learn to embrace the autonomy of adulthood. After living abroad, being independent in your own country will be a piece of cake.<br />
<br />
<i>--Meghan</i></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-7071555261654088452014-03-20T04:33:00.003-07:002014-03-20T05:22:29.952-07:00Natalie meets Brittany, France<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bPnrB164_Us/UuFSwc8jn3I/AAAAAAAAAFI/cYBe_whEj8o/s1600/natalie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bPnrB164_Us/UuFSwc8jn3I/AAAAAAAAAFI/cYBe_whEj8o/s1600/natalie.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It is hard to believe that the halfway
mark of the semester has come and passed so quickly. Although last time
I talked about the first half of our “winter vacation,” I’d
really like to discuss the time spent in the Brittany region of
France during the second half of the week. Although I love being in
Grenoble, it was a great experience to travel from the southeast
corner all the way up to the northwest and see more of France.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
On the train ride from Paris to Mont
Saint-Michel, there were definitely some areas that reminded me a bit
of Ohio! Bretagne is known for its galettes, or its special savory
crêpes made with buckwheat flour. We also discovered the
“kouing-amann,” a flaky Breton “cake”. We’ll just say that
the amount of butter in the latter is equal to the amount of
happiness I derived from eating it. Needless to say, we definitely
took advantage of the food. <br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uXNPeGY9cjk/UyrQrpynt0I/AAAAAAAAAH4/AjL3nRALjwE/s1600/kouignamann22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uXNPeGY9cjk/UyrQrpynt0I/AAAAAAAAAH4/AjL3nRALjwE/s1600/kouignamann22.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up-close and personal with a kouing-amann</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Although it took a lot of effort on the
planning end of things, making it to le Mont Saint-Michel was by far
the highlight of vacation for me. The beautiful island monastery
offers a history dating as far as Roman times, and we were able to
visit it on multiple occasions. The weather, despite the Breton
stereotype of nothing but rain, was beautiful and mostly sunny,
although the first day it hailed, rained, produced huge gusts of
winds, and then was sunny as though nothing had happened in a matter
of less than an hour.<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7fQ-qP1wFgI/UyrRb8x1uJI/AAAAAAAAAIA/ZyQyXgYGbJM/s1600/Natalie+Blog+Post+5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7fQ-qP1wFgI/UyrRb8x1uJI/AAAAAAAAAIA/ZyQyXgYGbJM/s1600/Natalie+Blog+Post+5.png" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mont Saint-Michel at sunrise</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This vacation was full of relaxation
after working diligently for two months, and was just what I needed
to help push through to the end of the semester. Overall, I’d put a
check in the “success” column for this one. <br />
<br />
<i>-Natalie</i></div>
Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-53524308177094644782014-03-10T16:35:00.001-07:002014-03-10T16:35:39.037-07:00Travels and Adventures with Alessa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DVtMC7hf6-U/Ux5GrhMroZI/AAAAAAAAAHM/wfF9JGJShz8/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DVtMC7hf6-U/Ux5GrhMroZI/AAAAAAAAAHM/wfF9JGJShz8/s1600/image.jpeg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The thing about being in Europe is that many amazing vacation destinations are just a hop and a skip away, so traveling is a must. Since I've been here I've been to Paris, Geneva, Venice and Barcelona. And I still have many trips ahead of me planned (so exciting). But anyways, for my spring break, I decided to go to Barcelona with two friends and my sister, who flew in from the states. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Let me tell you a bit about Barcelona, it's amazing! We stayed for six days at the best hostel (Sant Jordi Alberg) that was located right in town. The people that ran the hostel were so helpful and friendly and the price was a steal! Being in a hostel while you travel in Europe is really interesting because you meet people from all corners of the world. And sure, getting a good night's sleep is impossible but that's okay since most people on spring break aren't there for the sleep (you can do that at home). </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4tWeQ8QwR4g/Ux5Gx8YZ7pI/AAAAAAAAAHU/8CRDqdbVGkA/s1600/Alessa.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4tWeQ8QwR4g/Ux5Gx8YZ7pI/AAAAAAAAAHU/8CRDqdbVGkA/s1600/Alessa.jpeg" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hVgv30ESkaw/Ux5G27hllfI/AAAAAAAAAHc/yf7f-9ZMVkU/s1600/Alessa3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hVgv30ESkaw/Ux5G27hllfI/AAAAAAAAAHc/yf7f-9ZMVkU/s1600/Alessa3.jpeg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The city itself is extremely beautiful and full of history, but we did not have the easiest time navigating and nothing we planned for the day, sightseeing-wise, ever worked out. But we found cool things nevertheless. Another hardship was juggling all the languages since the week prior we were in Italy, I often confused myself between Italian, Spanish, English, French and Portuguese. ¡Ay caramba!</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My favorite part was the art, the people I met and spending quality time with my friends and sister. For my first time in Spain, I would definitely qualify it as a SUCCESS.<br /><br /><i>-Alessa</i></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-82731023192084172452014-03-07T17:14:00.000-08:002014-03-07T17:14:39.010-08:00Zoe gets her hands dirty in the vineyards<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_9KFcCw28Wc/UuDgFYFU5sI/AAAAAAAAAEw/OQWsOX2J27k/s1600/zoe+blog+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_9KFcCw28Wc/UuDgFYFU5sI/AAAAAAAAAEw/OQWsOX2J27k/s1600/zoe+blog+pic.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></div>
<span lang="en-US">Through
API, we had a wonderful volunteer opportunity, which was called
“tirer le bois”. We went to a vineyard in Savoie where we helped
clear the vines from the past season. It was a relatively simple
task, but there were rows among rows to work on! It was a lot of
doing the same thing, but it was with other students studying here in
Grenoble, some of whom I didn’t know yet, so it was a lot of fun
getting to work together! <br /><br /> It was a long day, we arrived around 9 am
and didn’t leave until about 5 pm. However we had a wonderful
picnic on the middle of the day, so it broke up the work. We had
sandwiches and the people from the vineyard gave us different wines
to taste! Considering we were in Savioe, they were all white wines
and they were all so good. There was a really interesting wine that
is frozen in the snow and then when it’s unfrozen it’s more
concentrated and much sweeter than normal white wines. So it’s
something that you would only drink on occasion and with dessert, but
I am really glad that I got to try it. The vineyard we worked at said
that they actually had a patent on it. They also had grape juice that
was just as good as the wine. When we were working, the rows were so
muddy, so we all left tired and caked in mud, but it was a wonderful
experience! In the end we actually ended up raising over 1,000 Euros
to help handicap children in a neighboring town.<br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6IZA5IHkT_g/UxpueSNgRyI/AAAAAAAAAG4/pif9ww3o4y8/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-03-08+at+2.11.57+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6IZA5IHkT_g/UxpueSNgRyI/AAAAAAAAAG4/pif9ww3o4y8/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-03-08+at+2.11.57+AM.png" height="347" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>--Zoë</i></div>
Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-84745586302340497902014-02-23T08:56:00.003-08:002014-02-23T08:57:28.257-08:00Natalie discovers a new way to tackle French<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bPnrB164_Us/UuFSwc8jn3I/AAAAAAAAAFI/cYBe_whEj8o/s1600/natalie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bPnrB164_Us/UuFSwc8jn3I/AAAAAAAAAFI/cYBe_whEj8o/s1600/natalie.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s hard
to believe that we’ve been in Grenoble for a little over a month
now. Although sometimes I feel like there’s still so much yet to
learn, after spending a lot of time in discussion with my host
family, meeting and talking with French and international students,
watching TV and listening to the radio, I can already see a huge
improvement in my oral comprehension. It’s really satisfying to not
have to ask someone to repeat themselves every five seconds, and it
really helps keep the conversations fluid.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Classes so
far have been sufficiently challenging. In our language courses we’re
being trained to take the DELF and/or DUEF (I always confuse the
two), which is similar (I think) to the TOEFL test in the United
States in order to start taking courses in English at the university
level. I definitely have a greater understanding and respect for the
international students who are preparing for the TOEFL exam at OU.
Although it was daunting at first, it’s really great to see how
reading a tricky newspaper article or responding to questions that go
beyond just a simple “yes” or “no” answer is already much
easier than it was a month ago. It helps that our professors are
really cool and definitely do their best to help us succeed. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">That
being said, they are much more direct than professors in the U.S, and
thus have no qualms discussing your weak points on an assignment
being handed back in front of the rest of the class. Sometimes thick
skin is required. But again, you really can tell they want us to do
our best.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> One of the
elective courses that I’m taking is essentially an acting class. I
really didn’t know if I wanted to take this class since I’m
generally pretty shy, but I must say I’m really glad I did. I’m
the only native English speaker in there so I have to speak in French
with the other students, and we all have a good laugh playing silly
improvisational theater games while unconsciously improving our
pronunciation, intonation, and just our general ability to produce
intelligible thoughts.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a> My
career path definitely won’t be taking a turn toward theater work
any time soon, but between language classes and electives, the rest
of the semester is sure to be progress-filled!</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>--Natalie</i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, serif;"> </span></div>
Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-59803742673911566362014-02-17T14:29:00.000-08:002014-02-17T14:29:12.728-08:00Dressing like a Grenoblois: Alessa's advice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I7Rw7Ga369M/UuDgKVx7fCI/AAAAAAAAAE4/gkSH2sOIOdQ/s1600/Alessa+blog+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I7Rw7Ga369M/UuDgKVx7fCI/AAAAAAAAAE4/gkSH2sOIOdQ/s1600/Alessa+blog+pic.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></span></a></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Coming here, my program director gave us ample warning on what to wear. She described it as a sporty and casual city and advised against too revealing of outfits. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">She was pretty much right. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Because Grenoble is located in a valley surrounded by three massive mountains, the city itself doesn't see much snow (thank goodness, I've heard horror stories from back home), and the temperature does not drop that low (we've pretty much fluctuated between 20-50 degrees Fahrenheit). This weather is perfect for the very popular American outfit which consists of: sweatshirt, yoga pants/sweatpants, and comfortable shoes. But in case you didn't know already, that outfit is pretty much a no-no in France. Girls here look extremely stylish just going to class, which is nice because I myself like to look decent and have fun with fashion. Most girls sport jeans with adorable tops and usually boots (even with small heels). </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Also, black is a VERY popular color here, which I also thoroughly enjoy since it's my favorite color. I've taken all this to mean that I should permanently live in France, of course (just kidding, Mom). But my favorite part is how the men dress! French men have amazing style. They always look sharp in nice fitted-pants and and sweaters and real shirts. My favorite guy trend is the scarf. They totally pull it off without batting an eyelash (ahem, ahem). </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyways, I'm having a really good time perusing the shops here in Grenoble and pulling inspiration from what the Grenoblois wear, and I'll make sure to bring some goodies back!</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">(I still refuse to give up my leggings and yoga pants)</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">--Alessa</span></i></div>
Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-60915889520999811882014-02-16T03:38:00.000-08:002014-02-16T03:38:16.587-08:00Keeping up with Marjorie's host parents<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bChcNMoCeFA/UuDfavJceAI/AAAAAAAAAEo/d9irAZaSObc/s1600/Marjorie+blog+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bChcNMoCeFA/UuDfavJceAI/AAAAAAAAAEo/d9irAZaSObc/s1600/Marjorie+blog+pic.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></span></a></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My
host family is the most amazing family I’ve ever met, besides my
own, of course. My host dad, Xavier is extremely athletic. He goes
running at 6am before work every morning. Every weekend, he’s
always doing something active. This past weekend, he went skiing at
Vercors. He’s very social; every week he has a designated night to
play Bridge with his friends and comes home very late- such a party
animal. </span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My host mom, Caroline, is a precious little housewife. She
works part time from home, but she still gets up every morning at
7:30 to get her day started. She cleans the apartment every morning
and runs errands every day. I don’t know what kind of errands she
runs, but she leaves the house for a good amount of time every day.</span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Both
my “parents” are extremely social. They often take weekend trips
to Lyon to go to the theater, meet up with friends, eat dinner, etc.
Today, Caroline had a couple friends over for lunch, which is nothing
new at our apartment. Every time there is company here, Caroline is
eager to put on a show and please everyone- she’s such a cute
woman.
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My
host parents are very encouraging of me to travel. This past weekend
I went to Geneva, and Xavier and Caroline were just as excited for me
as I was to go. Traveling around Europe is so easy with the train,
there’s no reason to not travel. Geneva was absolutely amazing and
I can’t wait to continue traveling around Europe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<i>--Marjorie</i></div>
Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-19563220379419220472014-02-13T14:15:00.000-08:002014-02-13T14:19:54.206-08:00What Zoë learned during a day in Geneva<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_9KFcCw28Wc/UuDgFYFU5sI/AAAAAAAAAEw/OQWsOX2J27k/s1600/zoe+blog+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_9KFcCw28Wc/UuDgFYFU5sI/AAAAAAAAAEw/OQWsOX2J27k/s1600/zoe+blog+pic.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></div>
<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A
few weekends ago I traveled to Geneva, Switzerland, with a group of
friends. We took a train that left Grenoble at 5 am and arrived in
Geneva around 7:30 am. It’s amazing that you can just hop on a
train here and go to another country for the day! It was quite </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">an</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
adventurous day and I learned a lot. The first thing I learned was to
consider what time things open when you go someplace. We got into
Geneva at 7:30 and that was great, but we didn’t have anything to
do because nothing was open yet! So we just went to a café and got
some coffee and croissants. </span><br />
<div class="western" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US">That is where I learned my second lesson,
which is to research the country you are going to. It turns out that
Switzerland uses Swiss Francs, but we didn’t know that when we
first got there and they wouldn’t let us pay with Euros, luckily I
had my credit card that I could use. Then we decided to go the
tourism office to find out what we could get a map and plan our day!
We ended up doing a lot of just walking around, but it was such a
pretty city I had no issues with that! We did end up at the natural
history museum, and that was really cool and it was free! My favorite
thing there was a two headed turtle. We also saw the <i>jet d’eau
</i>which is a water fountain in a lake which sprays water almost 500
feet in the air, </span><span lang="en-US">i</span><span lang="en-US">t
was really neat! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US">After that, we got soft pretzels because that’s
what they are known for, and it was delicious. Auntie Annes will
never be the same! The last thing we did was decide to go on what we
thought was a boat tour, but it wasn’t. That’s the third lesson I
learned: read the signs! This so called “boat thing” was really
cheap so we figured why not, and then we discovered that it was
really a water taxi and not a boat tour! Not what we were expecting,
but it makes a funny story. After that we decided to head home
because it had been a long day and we left at 5am! </span></span></div>
<div class="western" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">--Zoë</span></i></div>
Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1354922061842017596.post-60862959079839171932014-02-03T13:56:00.000-08:002014-02-03T13:56:23.285-08:00Natalie finds herself in the Alps<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bPnrB164_Us/UuFSwc8jn3I/AAAAAAAAAFI/cYBe_whEj8o/s1600/natalie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bPnrB164_Us/UuFSwc8jn3I/AAAAAAAAAFI/cYBe_whEj8o/s1600/natalie.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice view, but not quite like the Alps</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm convinced being
surrounded by mountains on all sides does something to a person's
sense of adventure. This has certainly been true for me in the last
couple weeks here in Grenoble. Having the opportunity to go hiking
here is something I was really looking forward to, but now that I'm
here I realize just how much there is to explore and discover. With
mountainous paths starting sometimes just minutes from certain tram
stops, it's easy to get away from the noise of the city and enjoy the
quiet of the Alps. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
On what started as a
rainy and gloomy Thursday, a friend and I hiked up to the Bastille, a
former fortress and popular tourist site. We took a break and ate our
packed lunches while taking a good look at the city. The sun started
to make an appearance, so we continued past the Bastille, where we
saw the Grottes Mandrins, caves that have some strange and apparently
false stories associated with them. Buried treasure? Maybe not, but
they were fun to explore nonetheless. </div>
<br />
We
eventually made our way over muddy, rocky, and sometimes steep trails
to a large area dedicated to a monument honoring soldiers who had
fought and died. The vantage point from there was even clearer, and
the sun finally fought its out from the clouds, so we went a bit
further before turning back.<br />
<br />
After hiking for a
total of four hours, we consulted our map to see how far we'd gone.
Despite our amateur hiker's confidence, we had only made it a
fraction of the way into the Chartreuse regional park that lies north
of Grenoble. I think it's safe to say
that there is more than enough exploration left to fill a semester's
worth of time, and I can't wait to see how much more beautiful
everything is when springtime finally arrives.<br />
<br />
<i>--Natalie</i>Meghan Devinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854062173871599364noreply@blogger.com0