Brussels, Belgium

I've spent the last few days traveling around Belgium and the Netherlands. It was an absolutely amazing and enjoyable experience. I figured I'd have a lot to say about each place so I will break it up into three blogs. The first is Brussels.

I headed to Brussels with three girls from my program. Lisa, Katie and Rachael. We all had to make up at 4am on the morning of June 25th, to catch the 6am train to Brussels from Paris. We arrived in Belgium at slightly passed 7am, and hopped a taxi to our hotel. The taxi driver was nice and polite and spoke only french with us, (this is something you don't often see in Paris.) The hotel concierge gave us maps and marked all of the good chocolate shops down onto a map for us.

Day One: Mission: CHOCOLATE!!!! We started our walk into town with the goal of enjoying some breakfast. We walked into a little boulangerie hoping to purchase some croissants when a group of Belgians saw us and invited the group of us to eat our breakfast at a huge table. They were a rowdy group and had just finished up a night on the town (if you know what I mean.) They were very interested in making multiple marriage proposals to us, and also about Obama. Oh those Belgians...but, we got a free breakfast out of it so, it was worth it.

After that we wandered around aimlessly and it was lovely. We found a gorgeous church, park, and open air market. We also, went into about 10 different chocolatiers. We got hot cocoa at cote d'or, and it was without a doubt the best hot cocoa I've ever had. EVAR. It was also the perfect pick me up for a cold drizzly Belgian day.

We ate a late lunch consisting of waffles...YUMMMMM! Belgium was all in all a lot of delicious sweet food-eating. We also saw things like their city center and their biggest Brussels tourist attraction the Manneken Pis...which is an 18in tall statue of a little boy peeing! They even dress him in different costumes during the year. He was a funny little thing. He's one of their biggest souvenir ploys too.

The Picture above is Katie and I eating the Manneken Pis's waffle (this statue is like 10 times larger than the original and possibly more fun!) And the picture below is my chocolate banana waffle...which was amazing. But the fork they give you to eat it is seriously 2.5 inches long and half an inch wide. NOT a Proper waffle eating instrument, that's for sure.

 

After all our food adventures, the girls and I retired early to prepare for another early wake up call and a voyage to the Belgian town of Brugges. (Post on Brugges to follow....)

Fête de la Musique

True Life: Yesterday was filled with music. Even though it was raining the metro was filled with music, the streets filled with music, and even the cafes. You could here it everywhere even sitting in my bedroom you could here techno music from the streets below. On la fete de la musique, Paris is crazy. First off there are like 8 places in the city they recommend avoiding due to large crowds and pick pocketing. But, we went to a few of those places and never ran into a problem (However, some lovely french boys did ask me if I sold drugs...bizarre fellows.)

There's not much more to say about la fete excepts that it happens every year on the 21st of June, partly in celebration of the summer solstice. It is seriously a free 24 hour concert on the streets of Paris, and other cities and countries around the world.  There is music here for everyone. And the whole city has absolutely been in an uproar with all the excitement. :)

I'm moving to the Loire Valley....

It's official. I'm moving. To the Valley of the Loire, where the wine is delicious, the chateaux plentiful and the people so nice. This weekend was filled with visits to three different french chateau. The Blois Chateau (pronounced Bl-WAHHH), the Chenonceau Chateau, and the Chambord Chateau.

Bl-wahhhh!

My favorite was the third castle we visited the Chambord, I could live there. It was used as the inspiration for Disney's Beauty and the Beast Castle. :) I couldn't help my self from singing a little to myself as we arrived. I was a little surprised the locals didn't pop out at me and say "Bonjour, Bonjour, Bonjour!" But, I'll have to just accept that fact. lol. Included in this visit was a row boat excursion around the Chateau. I won't lie. My arm muscles are a little wimpy after all the walking I do in Paris, and the lack of upper body strength I've been using. So, rowing was tough especially against the wind! But, all in all we made it back to the dock and never tipped the boat over. Much to our surprise.

Chambord...my new home! jk

The other chateaux we visited were all super gorgeous and hearing about the history was really interesting. After taking FR310 French Civilization and Culture this past winter semester I was kind of giving our tour guides a run for their money when we discussed Henry of Navarre and Queen Margot. I wasn't surprised by how thick the blood of French history runs, but I was still a little mystified by the underground world of Kings and chateaux for their mistresses.

Chenonceau

The last and most important thing about this weekend to tell all of you is that the hotel clerk in Tours told me that I had a beautiful French accent, and he didn't hear those very often! Thank you Nell Kupper, you've taught me well!

I think it's important to mention that I totally forgot my camera in Paris. And have stolen these shots off the interwebs....but since I found them so easily through google, I figured I was just making things easier on you.

QUICHE

I'm developing a pastry addiction. I'm hoping my hips will not show this upon my return to Michigan but, let's face it I've always been a large girl. I'll just look at it as extra padding for the hard winter ahead...Yes, that is how I will rationalize my daily pastry habit.

My tart and Quiche

Today, its a sable framboise (or large rasberry tart) seriously this thing is about the size of a salad plate.  And a quiche. This is my lunch. Usually it's just a mid morning pain au chocolat. But, today after a long night out, I arrived at the apartment at approximately 5 am. After class, and after a much needed nap. I needed sustenance sweet buttery, cheesy, raspberry sustenance (not of course eaten at the same time!)

The best part about this pastry habit is that there is a Boulangerie a block away from my apartment in 3 different directions. I get my pick of good eats and I only have to walk a block, in hind sight I might start walking further to buy pastries....A baguette, quiche, and raspberry tart cost me a mere 5 euros :)

Here is a really unattractive photo of me eating the tart...purely as a reference for size.

One Hour Show

Today was all in all a little bit of a win. I had my first gyro (outside of the Wildcat Den) ever. And it was amazing. I found it (ironically) in the good old Latin Quarter right by place St. Michel. It was only 4,50 euros and it came with fries (inside the gyro.) I sat and ate my gyro over looking the Notre Dame. It's such an amazing and beautiful church. I'd totally live there if I could and it wouldn't be creepy. 

After the Notre Dame and an amazing lunch, and I'll admit a little bit of super touristy souvenir shopping I wandered wit some friends to the Marais district right around the Place de Bastille. All that stands there is a giant statue with a golden cupid, but I can't help marveling at the significance this spot had in the French Revolution. It was a gorgeous day to walk around the city. There was a lovely breeze and the sun was out.

After a relaxing afternoon I headed over to see a one man show on "How to be Parisian is one Hour" with my Study Abroad Program, by far the best excursion they have taken us on. No lies.  The one man show was great and now has me writing 12 potential one man shows in my head. There were so many great parts, most of which were simple facial expressions and a lot of it was very naughty. But one of my favorites was "Girls don't be stupid at a club. If a Parisian man invites you home for the last drink, he is inviting you home for the first sex.

June 14 (for lack of a better title)

Where else in the world can you be let out of your afternoon class to visit one of the loveliest gardens in Paris to view a photography exhibit, but instead end up lost in the garden's modern art exhibit? If you know of any where else, please contact my people.

During today's workshop afternoon class we were let out to explore a photograph exhibit at the Luxembourg gardens. For the life of me and the girl I was with we could not find it. Turns out it wasn't inside the gardens, but on the outer wall. Either way we discovered art to write about for our class. I'm not really one for modern art. I'm more of an impressionist girl myself. I've pretty much wanted to marry Claude Monet since infancy (any Tom Petty, but that's a story for another day) There were some really interesting pieces of art in the Luxembourg gardens today.

I enjoy moving art, I've decided. Video Clips in sync with music, a collection of hour glasses continuously counting time, series of photographs documenting the progression of time. The piece I fell in love with today I decided to call the "Relaxation Box."

It was a wooden crate of a room painted black with projection of waves crashing on the beach playing repeatedly to the tunes of smooth jazz. I could have lived in that room. Here is the artists website: Cynthia Phibel. This piece isn't up on the site yet. I wish I written down the rediculosly long name.

On a cultural note: The Parisians love to give everything a long name, and then come up with some sort of abbreviation for it. Par example: My school is "L'Institut Catholique du Paris" or simply "the Catho" I mean we do this in the U.S. but it's like a weird sort of hobby here to think up crazy long names that no one will ever call anything. Fun fun.

Two Posts, one day oh my!!!

So now that I have motivated myself to begin this blog for real, I've decided I should try to update it rather frequently and possibly with information about how I got started on my journey, and then with information about my journey here.

I'm a French and International Studies double major, scheduled to graduate May of 2012 from Northern Michigan University. I chose my majors because I find other societies fascinating, and I think that sometimes, America sucks. Yes, I live there. Yes, my parents live there. But, there are so many areas of the world that have a much better take on how to live their lives. That's what I wanted to study. I wanted to know that there was more to life then the view of a 21 year old yooper, who had only left the country once to visit Canada in the 4th grade. I wanted to explore more than the woods and Lake Superior.

I began my study abroad adventure by talking to the two lovely study abroad advisers at Northern. Susan and Miriam were very helpful on my search to study abroad. As was my department head Tim Compton, and Angie the ever appreciated IPO secretary. When planning to study abroad you MUST see these people they can answer any question you have and are amazing resources.

The next step really is choosing a program. There are hundreds out there. I choose to go through International Studies Abroad because they had the exact program I was looking for offered the months I was looking into and offering the credits I needed. ISA is not the only study abroad program out there and they don't offer every country but it's nice to look at more than one program and see what is offered there is nothing wrong with comparison shopping. Especially when it comes to something as important as choosing where and how you want to spend a month to a year or maybe more of your life.

After finding a great program comes the fun part. Funding, again the IPO will help you out. But contacting financial aid is a necessity. Also looking into things like NMU Foundation Scholarships and the Gilman Scholarship. Maybe even a Fulbright Scholarship. My advice on any of these scholarships is to apply early! Really early. I started my whole process about 4 months before I left for France. Barely enough time to fill out all my applications.

After these steps comes the packing part. Which you need to figure out all for yourself, since I'm really not sure how I shoved everything I need for these two months into one suitcase and a back pack (P.S. my suitcase probably would have fit in the over head...) So that part, the buying the ticket part (again kids comparison shop!), and the kissing your family good bye part is all your own. As is how you live ot your study abroad.

This is just the basic post on how to get the Study Abroad Ball rolling specifically tailored to NMU if you have any questions or comments on what you'd like to see in this blog please let me know. And don't be afraid to add me for more of my adventures as a pseudo-Parisienne.

Yeah...we visit her at least 2 times a week. Not really pretty in the day time. but gorgeous at night.

Bonjour!

I've been in Paris for three weeks and needless to say I'm exhausted (and today battling some sort of mystery illness.) So, I've finally forced myself to sit down and write about my experience. First off, after arriving in France I received notice that I was awarded a scholarship to study abroad here! Woot Woot. Second, I've been constantly running it seems since I arrived. I've checked half of my must-sees off my list.

• Eiffel Tower 
• Arc de Triomphe (still need to go to the top of both)
• Musee d'Orsay
• the Louvre
• Normandy
• Cemetery Pere Lachaise (Bonjour Jim Morrison!)
• Shakespeare and Co.
• The Catacombs
• Mont St. Michel
• Notre Dame
• Jardin du Luxembourg
• Champs-Elysee
• Versailles

This was about half of my original list. I've slowed down the sightseeing a bit since classes began. It's hard to go see everything when you are stuck inside a class room for 21-24 hours a week. But, I've been making sure to enjoy the little things in France like nutella, cheap delicious wine, fresh baguette, cafe, creme brulee, pain du chocolat, public transport, and just walking around the city. 

In order to help my french I've picked up a few books for 20 centimes or less to read. My prize win so far was a color copy of the Aristochats...lol. So now I'm breezing through a book about one of my favorite childhood movies in French. C'est marveilleuse.

So far my only negatives are the forwardness of French men, the complete lack of personal space here, and the lacking pleasantries. I like being able to walk to class and say hello to people and smile. But all around it's not too bad.

My favorite quote so far has been "If you give an American man an inch, he takes merely 1/2 an inch, if you give a French man an inch he takes 2 kilometers at least." Je trouve que ce n'est pas faux. 

Mont St. Michel (Tres beau, non?)