I got a cell phone! It's so nice not to stress about getting lost anymore. Or at least, getting lost and having no one to call.
If you call me it will obviously be expensive for you, but for me anything incoming is free. So if for any reason you need to call me here's my number (i'm pretty sure this is how you dial from the us):
011.64.38.51.07.8
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Bisous Bisous
My sister, Clarisse, invited a bunch of her friends over ce soir for dinner and asked me to join. It was fun and interesting at the same time as it was awkward and difficult. For one, EVERYONE TALKS AT THE SAME TIME. At least two people, if not more. It’s all well and good if you speak French, but I had absolutely no idea what was going on pretty much the whole time unless someone was directly speaking to me. Usually I was like “ok, someone just said the word for underwear” and that was as far as I could get. At least there’s always non-verbal communication. Thank goodness for that. Anyways, it was a good night. Oh and I was surprised that all of Clarisse's friends did the bisous (kisses on the cheek). In my opinion, bisous are way better than handshakes, much more personal.
We had kind of an interesting meal consisting of: A super fresh tomato soup. It was delicious, but not too filling, and I was hungry. Instead of using a spoon, everyone just drank theirs. Bizarre! We also had a salad of grapefruit (pamplemousse! my favorite word.) and smoked salmon and some other thing that I have no idea what it was. I know it sounds weird but it tasted excellent. There was also a salad with avocado, chicken, pineapple, corn, and something weirdly spicy. It wasn’t bad, but I don’t know if I’d make it for myself. My favorite part of the meal, though, was our chocolate cake (duh). It had about 5 ingredients and you made the whole thing in the microwave. The microwave! It was sooo good and easy. Super moist and almost brownie like only better. So good.
One of my favorite things to do is to help my family cook. It’s so interesting and different and more delicious than what I’m used to. Also it helps me learn all sorts of vocabulary. Like the word for egg shell, where else would I get that?
The rest of the day was eventful, but not too interesting. I was sad to say goodbye to Niki who's been living with me for the past few days. Her family is finally back from vacation, so she had to leave. Boo.
And I think that's all I have for now.
Bon soir!
We had kind of an interesting meal consisting of: A super fresh tomato soup. It was delicious, but not too filling, and I was hungry. Instead of using a spoon, everyone just drank theirs. Bizarre! We also had a salad of grapefruit (pamplemousse! my favorite word.) and smoked salmon and some other thing that I have no idea what it was. I know it sounds weird but it tasted excellent. There was also a salad with avocado, chicken, pineapple, corn, and something weirdly spicy. It wasn’t bad, but I don’t know if I’d make it for myself. My favorite part of the meal, though, was our chocolate cake (duh). It had about 5 ingredients and you made the whole thing in the microwave. The microwave! It was sooo good and easy. Super moist and almost brownie like only better. So good.
One of my favorite things to do is to help my family cook. It’s so interesting and different and more delicious than what I’m used to. Also it helps me learn all sorts of vocabulary. Like the word for egg shell, where else would I get that?
The rest of the day was eventful, but not too interesting. I was sad to say goodbye to Niki who's been living with me for the past few days. Her family is finally back from vacation, so she had to leave. Boo.
And I think that's all I have for now.
Bon soir!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
ICI!
Hmm, where to start? At the beginning, I suppose.
I tearfully left Portland Tuesday at 12. Landed in Dallas around 5. Left for London around 9. The plane ride sucked. I didn't sleep at all, didn't have a personal light so I couldn't even read, and they didn't have personal tv's, only a big one at the front that stopped playing things fairly early on. Um, lame. But it was over soon enough. Once in London I considered going into the city seeing as I had 8 hours before my flight even boarded. But I decided that I was too exhausted and that it was too expensive to leave my baggage at the left luggage counter. I amused myself over the next 8 hours listening to the wonderful British accents that surrounded me as well as by keeping my ears open for French speakers that I could eavesdrop on. I was successful in finding said speakers but unsuccessful in understanding what they said. Ha.
After an uneventful flight to Lyon, I met up with fellow participant Tyler. A very kind woman, Alice, picked us up and we filled her small car to the brim with our 4 large suitcases. We went to sleep pretty much right away. The next day we woke up around 1:30, ate a very late breakfast of DELICIOUS pain au chocolat. We spent the day getting acquainted with the metro/bus/tram system and exploring Place Bellecour and Hotel de Ville. As we emerged from the escalator leading up from the metro into Bellecour, I found myself completely breathless. I don't think a view of anything has ever done that to me. I'd seen pictures, but there's nothing quite like being here yourself. I've never seen anything so beautiful and perfect. Both of these places are located on the "presque-isle" or "almost island" which is created by the two rivers of Lyon: the Rhone and the Soane (Soane rhymes with Rhone, in case you want to know how to pronounce it). There are many, many shops. How dangerous for me!
The next day we got up a little bit earlier to visit the Parc de la tete D'or. This park has a great big man made lake and in general is just... big. There are a lot of gardens and greenery etc, etc. The best part is that they have a free zoo! FREE! ZOO! Two of my favorite things combined. I think I'll enjoy studying while simultaneously watching the animals.
That night, I went to the station complete with all my luggage to finally meet my host family. Benedicte, my host mother, picked me up. We talked in French the whole way to their house. She is very good at speaking super slowly so I can understand almost everything that she says. She also speaks English pretty well, so if I don't know I word it's easy to ask. She is so nice and welcoming.
When we pulled up to the house, I had to pinch myself. It is absolutely beautiful. It has a huge gate that you have to open in order to enter, so it's basically it's own private oasis of awesomeness. The house is 100 years old, three stories tall, and has that surrounds the hosue complete with a garden, the fruits of which I have already enjoyed. My room is on the third floor and I'm happy to have plenty of room for all of my clothes and shoes. C'est tres bien! My family are seriously some of the nicest people that I have ever met. They are so welcoming and sweet. I mentioned that I needed an adapter for my computer, just in passing, and Thierry, my host father, had got me one while I was out today. So nice! I love this place, I love the people and the food and my house and my host family and the architecture and the rivers and the culture and the language and my co-participants. Everything!
This morning Benedicte and me went to the market which was super fun; everyone is very friendly and it's basically impossible to get fresher food. After that we went to pick up Niki, who's family is still on vacation so she's staying with us until they get back. We ate a delicious lunch of chicken and cous cous salad and then Thierry dropped us off at an amazingly beautiful chapel (that's not the word I'm looking for, my brain is slight dead, but whatever), where we started our tour of Viex Lyon (old Lyon). Viex Lyon is the part of Lyon that is, well, old. ha. The church is on the same hill that Niki and I live on. Thierry told us that there are two hills in Lyon: one to pray and one to work. We live on the praying hill. Even though the tour was completely in French and I think that most of us didn't understand too much of it, it was super fun to get to hang out with the people in our group and see the city that we live in. Once again, I've never been in a more beautiful place.
Tomorrow we're having a picnic at the aforementioned park.
I hope this isn't too long/boring.
à tout à l'heure!
P.S. en francais, ici means here :)
I tearfully left Portland Tuesday at 12. Landed in Dallas around 5. Left for London around 9. The plane ride sucked. I didn't sleep at all, didn't have a personal light so I couldn't even read, and they didn't have personal tv's, only a big one at the front that stopped playing things fairly early on. Um, lame. But it was over soon enough. Once in London I considered going into the city seeing as I had 8 hours before my flight even boarded. But I decided that I was too exhausted and that it was too expensive to leave my baggage at the left luggage counter. I amused myself over the next 8 hours listening to the wonderful British accents that surrounded me as well as by keeping my ears open for French speakers that I could eavesdrop on. I was successful in finding said speakers but unsuccessful in understanding what they said. Ha.
After an uneventful flight to Lyon, I met up with fellow participant Tyler. A very kind woman, Alice, picked us up and we filled her small car to the brim with our 4 large suitcases. We went to sleep pretty much right away. The next day we woke up around 1:30, ate a very late breakfast of DELICIOUS pain au chocolat. We spent the day getting acquainted with the metro/bus/tram system and exploring Place Bellecour and Hotel de Ville. As we emerged from the escalator leading up from the metro into Bellecour, I found myself completely breathless. I don't think a view of anything has ever done that to me. I'd seen pictures, but there's nothing quite like being here yourself. I've never seen anything so beautiful and perfect. Both of these places are located on the "presque-isle" or "almost island" which is created by the two rivers of Lyon: the Rhone and the Soane (Soane rhymes with Rhone, in case you want to know how to pronounce it). There are many, many shops. How dangerous for me!
The next day we got up a little bit earlier to visit the Parc de la tete D'or. This park has a great big man made lake and in general is just... big. There are a lot of gardens and greenery etc, etc. The best part is that they have a free zoo! FREE! ZOO! Two of my favorite things combined. I think I'll enjoy studying while simultaneously watching the animals.
That night, I went to the station complete with all my luggage to finally meet my host family. Benedicte, my host mother, picked me up. We talked in French the whole way to their house. She is very good at speaking super slowly so I can understand almost everything that she says. She also speaks English pretty well, so if I don't know I word it's easy to ask. She is so nice and welcoming.
When we pulled up to the house, I had to pinch myself. It is absolutely beautiful. It has a huge gate that you have to open in order to enter, so it's basically it's own private oasis of awesomeness. The house is 100 years old, three stories tall, and has that surrounds the hosue complete with a garden, the fruits of which I have already enjoyed. My room is on the third floor and I'm happy to have plenty of room for all of my clothes and shoes. C'est tres bien! My family are seriously some of the nicest people that I have ever met. They are so welcoming and sweet. I mentioned that I needed an adapter for my computer, just in passing, and Thierry, my host father, had got me one while I was out today. So nice! I love this place, I love the people and the food and my house and my host family and the architecture and the rivers and the culture and the language and my co-participants. Everything!
This morning Benedicte and me went to the market which was super fun; everyone is very friendly and it's basically impossible to get fresher food. After that we went to pick up Niki, who's family is still on vacation so she's staying with us until they get back. We ate a delicious lunch of chicken and cous cous salad and then Thierry dropped us off at an amazingly beautiful chapel (that's not the word I'm looking for, my brain is slight dead, but whatever), where we started our tour of Viex Lyon (old Lyon). Viex Lyon is the part of Lyon that is, well, old. ha. The church is on the same hill that Niki and I live on. Thierry told us that there are two hills in Lyon: one to pray and one to work. We live on the praying hill. Even though the tour was completely in French and I think that most of us didn't understand too much of it, it was super fun to get to hang out with the people in our group and see the city that we live in. Once again, I've never been in a more beautiful place.
Tomorrow we're having a picnic at the aforementioned park.
I hope this isn't too long/boring.
à tout à l'heure!
P.S. en francais, ici means here :)
Friday, August 6, 2010
Address in France
120 rue Commandant CHARCOT 69005 Lyon, France
Hopefully at some point I'll get a phone.
Hopefully at some point I'll get a phone.
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