Day Thirty-One: Willkommen

June 30, 2011

4 hours of sleep. Yep. I set my alarm early so that I could shower- lost the hot water right before I was about to condition my hair. Ugh. Then came breakfast. I finished packing. Just me, a huge suitcase, backpack, and bag of wine for Julian. Bus ride to Paris. We got to St. Christopher’s at 2:10ish. It was surreal saying bye because it was so informal. I hit the ground running and scatted off to the Laumiere stop to ride the metro to Gare du Nord. Royally embarrassed myself . like I’m sure everyone watching was like “damn Americans” but this nice old guy got the information lady to open the side door so that I could get into the metro stop with my 60 pounds of luggage. Earlier, I was trying to get my luggage and myself through the turners. More metro. Then uphill. Another nice guy helped me carry my luggage up the stairs. I arrived at Gare du Nord with time to spare. So I stood around and waited. Apparently I was looking at the wrong board- I knew something was off so I asked the lady at the Thayls booth for help again. Got the right board- and holy goodness I thought I was in a Harry Potter film with the way they change the train information. Walked about ½ a mile to my specific car on the train. Hottt. My seat on the train was next to Max, a 19 year old German who just started college in Paris and is from Cologne. . He was reading War of the Worlds; he is an economics major and he has no idea about the major he picked- but he will. I ended up chatting/ looking out the window/ entertaining him with my musical preferences for the last hour and a half. In Belgium, the police boarded the train and started checking passports. Apparently they don’t normally do that… I finally got to the train station at Cologne and met Julian. ESTATIC to see him. ESTATIC. Still tall and skinny- no surprises there. He grabbed my heavy luggage and I felt horrible. He let me know “God damn!” right away. He took me outside the station to see the cathedral. Holy goodness. Woah. Then we hustled back inside to board a train to Bonn. We went to his cute, and steal, of an apartment. So cute. He and his girlfriend have a bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, living room, balcony, garden view, and a cute entry way. He is studying to be a doctor and she’s pre-law. He works three days and goes to school two. We went to pick up Pizza Mann for dinner- different but good- thin crust pepperoni pizza with pepperonis under the cheese and a chicken salad. He misses ranch dressing. Overall AMAZING first day in Germany. 

Day Thirty: You’re wearing Dr. Martens…

June 29, 2011

PRESENTATIONS. After, I got everything squared away with Claire about the rooms in Paris- thank goodness. After talking to Claire, I went into town to exchange my lunch ticket, bought a sandwich and a birdhouse key holder, went home, packed, did some research in the aisles of Super U, and headed to the reception. I may have gotten a touch emotional at the reception. They had wine and sides set out for everyone to snack on . This one puree: carrots and sweet potatoes, and jazz= A+. After the reception, we went to Claire’s house as a final goodbye. (On the trek over I realized Brian was wearing Dr. Martens... I guess those aren't extinct in the North like they are in the South ahahhaa) Claire’s host mom came home and popped open champagne for us. Afterwards, we walked to Falstaff to meet up with everyone else. There were smashing renditions of 90s songs, dance moves galore, and echoes of Tyler’s ‘LET’S GOOOO!’ as we made our last trek to Centerville.

Day Twenty-Nine: Switch.

June 28, 2011

This morning I set out for school earlier than Hannah and Brandy so that I could return my bike to ESA. Riding a bike in France isn’t as scary as in the states because drivers look out for bikers more; nevertheless, I was still iffy because of the shape of the bike I was loaned and lack of protective clothing. I made it to school early and Jake and I rehearsed our parts for our French evaluation. After the French family presentation, Jake and I went in for our French evaluation. Rocky start but I thought we ended pretty strong… UNTIL our professor (who hadn’t previously taught us in class) told us to switch roles. I think we winged it okay but we definitely weren’t expecting that one. After that, I went to buy wedges since I forgot to pack my heels- whoops. I made another stop to grab macaroons from the Petite Bakery. That night for dinner, we had boiled egg bunnies and tomato baskets with veggies inside, pork, four different types of cooked vegetables: tomatoes, onions, zucchini, potatoes, salad with nuts, four types of fromage, and sliced apple pie. This was also the night we had a visitor for dinner- the guy who has been videoing our time at ESA dropped by to film our family and chat.  Serge and Ghisline even broke out the homemade cherry liquor. Good times.

Day Twenty-Eight: Dessert for Dinner.

June 27, 2011

Today’s lessons at ESA revolved around bread making. We made fast bread and slow bread- I even took two loaves home. For our lunch break, a group of us went to the Daytona Bar and Grill where I had a fully cooked cheeseburger. After we got home, it was still HOT, and I worked on our project with Brandy until dinner. Also that night, I had a slight panic attack because a hostel dilemma had been presented. I wanted to roll over my room at St. Christopher’s but they couldn’t confirm it- and I wasn’t going to book more rooms without confirmation. But when I checked again, they didn’t have rooms for all the nights I needed for Mitch, Jessica, and myself. Uh oh. On top of that we had crepes for dinner. Not the food crepes. The dessert crepes. With sugar, butter, jams, moldy whipped cream (that we threw out), cheese and bread, and ice cream cake rum flambé. I almost threw up from all the sugar. Aye. Mitch booked rooms in Rosney at the ‘Cheap Beds’ Hotel- not completed convinced on the location so I’m running it by Claire tomorrow.

Day Twenty-Seven: Cherries. Yum.

June 26, 2011

Getting to sleep in has been a rare occurrence on this trip, so I soaked it up this morning. However, my room is on the second story and it got pretty toasty with no a/c along with the record high temperatures in France. We had lunch with Marie Edith, her daughter, and Claire because our host family was out of town. We had: cantaloupe with bruschetta, avocado, crab, and tomato dip, chicken and potatoes, bread and cheese, and apricot pie. After, we watched Blue Valentine and then napped until dinner at Marie Edith’s. For dinner we had a cold cut platter, green beans, chicken, bread and cheese, and cherries. I’m definitely going to miss French cherries.

Day Twenty-Six: France’s Favorite Past-time.

June 25, 2011

This was the morning of Angers’ tramway inauguration. Serge was nice enough to drop us off on Foch so that we could save our legs for the rest of the walking we would do that day. Brandy, Hannah, and I set out to conquer the trade days/food market first. We came across antique and clothing booths- even married couples exiting the town hall. Then, we crossed the street to the food market. Wow. There was an incredible assortment of fruits, vegetables, raw meats, fish, spices, and homemade concoctions- some that wouldn’t pass U.S. health standards, but they were there nonetheless. We then explored the shopping at Centerville- trying to find specifics and souvenirs. There, we saw that one of the trams had egg and other food items thrown on it in protest. Apparently going on strike is nothing more than a regular occurrence in France. Later, I had this AMAZING FRAMBOISE MACAROON DESSERT WITH ACTUAL FRUIT AT THE PETITE BAKERY. Yum, to say the least. After, the three of us decided to check out the Grand Casino our host parents told us about. We hopped on a bus and about an hour later, we were there. And guess what else!- they had a ZARA. Oops. We walked around and just soaked everything up- I gathered info for my research paper. After, we waited on the bus for quite a while but finally made it home. For dinner we had: green beans, potatoes, frog legs, spaghetti, cheese and bead,  strawberry ice cream cones, and champagne.

Day Twenty-Five: Bring on the gummy fruit drink accents.

June 24, 2011

For dinner we had vegetable soup, Queen’s Crown (a biscuit with meat and gravy inside. A+), mashed potatoes, salad, cheese and bread, and vanilla/raspberry ice cream cake for dessert. Later that night we made the 45 minute trek to the Cuba Bar.

Day Twenty-Four: Insert my computer not starting up properly for the rest of the trip. My apologies.

June 23, 2011 

I did a routine update on my computer, then it found another update to do- only this time my computer didn’t register that it did indeed posses a hard drive and wouldn’t start up correctly. Cue computer on the fritz.

On the bright side, we toured the Cointreau factory today. It was amazing. We began with a video about the history of Cointreau, transitioned to the actual factory, then the ‘museum’ above the packaging plant. Dita von Teese is their spokesperson- who knew? Not France, that’s for sure because people aren’t allowed to advertise liquor. They also bottle a liquor that is a mix of many other different liquors. The price tag you might ask? $22,000/bottle. Noiiice. They said that Jay-Z is a really big fan. For dinner we had: vegetable soup, ratatouille, arrico- navy beans, Mexican BBQ chicken, cheese and bread, and pineapple with a sweeter type of bread.

Day Twenty-Three: The 12 Commandments

June 22, 2011

This morning I was more than a little under the weather. My head hurt and I was getting whiplash from the cold and hot spells I was having. AND it was that same day we were scheduled for two wine tastings. Not one. But two.

Our professor that we had for actual instruction and the first round of tasting was absolutely fantastic. Engaging, super knowledgeable, and ADORABLE. Harry Potter glasses. #wining. And further proof lies in the fact that despite me wanting nothing more than to sleep off my headache during class, I couldn’t fully do that- I wanted to listen to his lecture. A valuable lesson was being taught that day:

The 12 Commandments of Wine Tasting

1) LOOK

2) SNIFF

3) SWIRL

4) SMELL

5) TILT

6) PROLONGED SNIFF

7) SIP

8) CHEW

9) SWALLOW A LITTLE

10) SPIT (OR SWALLOW)

11) BREATHE OUT

12) SCORE

Dinner consisted of: courgette soup, white asparagus, broiled red peppers with garlic, sauerkraut and sausage, Finkbrau beer, and plums. Love our host family. They understood that all three of us have German heritage so they made a German themed meal. Precious.

Day Twenty-Two: A contradiction in itself.

June 21, 2011 

I got a taste of why I was drawn to my major this past semester in AGEC 460- and more reinforcement while in Angers. Economics is just as much a social science as it is a mathematical science. Here, in France, I am learning about the social aspects that perpetuate their economy as well as their history. Not only is it dealing with data and finite information- but human tendencies, culture, and disposition. Stable and volatile all in one- a contradiction in itself; something I respect and appreciate. Today’s French history lesson was a reminder as to why my skin crawls with both how fragile and volatile society can be. I am fortunate that the natures of my personal problems I have are based on what they are- it could be so much worse.

A valid point to understand fully is that societies aren’t always led by morality, but rather by law.

Day Twenty-One: Wait, was that two or three or four kisses?

June 20, 2011

Today’s highlight was our visit to the Caves at Samur, a huge wine cooperative, where we were allowed us to tour its entire wine making process from start to finish: the vineyards, the vats, the bottling process, the storage/aging process, the distribution process, and their marketing strategy. After the tour, we had a wine tasting in the gift shop; receiving alcohol at a school function is still surreal even though it was thoroughly encouraged. For dinner we had onion soup (avec fromage et croutons), salad, BBQ sardines, leftover beef and lamb, bread and cheese, and yogurt. The onion soup was absolutely fantastic, and the sardines weren’t horrible but were quite tricky: too much effort for not nearly enough food. After, Ghisline raised the stakes on me and went for four kisses, instead of the usual three. Host family love right there. 

Day Twenty: Badabababahhh. I’m lovin’ it.

June 19, 2011

Happy Father’s Day!

Breakfast was scheduled to be at 8 a.m. but just kidding guys- so I get to sleep in until 11:something. score. Brandy, Hannah, Claire, Kaitlin, and I tried to go to the botanical gardens at 2 p.m., but instead ended up on a bus that runs an alternate route. Curse you bus #25, you even fooled our host mom. But we did get to see the Chateau d’Angers as an alternative. After our visit to the chateau and a bit of wandering around Angers, we make our first stop at a European McDonald’s. I order a KitKat bar McFlurry et un petite eau. The verdict: the KitKat bar balls were okay but didn’t taste like any KitKat I’ve ever had… but the ice cream was great.  Side note: McFlurrys do come with a syrup topping at no extra charge but they are not actually ‘flurried’ for you. Angers’s McDonald’s is the nicest McDonald’s I’ve ever been in: it has three levels, its own bakery, wi-fi, and bathrooms (that require a code from your receipt). The menu is a touch healthier (less sodium), offers some new menu items (like wedge potato fries), and is cheaper compared to ordering in a restaurant (but still more expensive than American McDonald’s menus). Upon our return, we had cucumbers, mussel salad, radishes, salad, an omelet, cheese, grapefruit, walnuts, and hazelnuts for dinner.

Chateau d'Angers

Day Nineteen: Always a day late and dollar short

June 18, 2011

We head off to Bretagne around 8:45 a.m. After we unload at the Priou’s second residence, we tour the countryside and stop to shop at a fabric store for a bit. When we climbed back into the car, I fished around for Ghisline’s French-English dictionary and solved the question on my, Brandy, and Hannah’s minds: were we staying for the entire weekend or was it strictly a day trip? Answer: day trip. The miscommunication started when we thought weekend meant Saturday-Sunday rather than just going up on the weekend for one day or the other. When we left that morning the three of us each had an overnight bag in hand but neither Serge nor Ghisline told us not to take it. Later, when while talking to Kaitlin and Claire, they said they were going to drive back that evening… which really instigated the confusion. Nevertheless, we got it under control. Only not... because we didn’t fully realize what was coming next. Lunch. All 12 courses of it.

Crackers and champagne

Crab cakes with tomatoes

Again

Green beans

Salad

Navy beans

Lamb

Beef

Cheese and bread

Milk and egg bake

Chocolate cake

Flan

I was absolutely miserable afterwards but we all ate like champs if I do say so myself. We weren’t too sure about our consciousness during the small excursion to come, but away we went to Rochefort en Terre. Rochefort en Terre is a quaint, medieval village lined with shops- and one of Ghisline’s favorite locations. After an afternoon of shopping, we return to Bretagne for another meal. A small dinner. Thank goodness. The weather turns dreary and the rain lulled the three occupants of the backseat of the Priou’s Citrogen to sleep. Bonne nuit!  

Day Eighteen: “Slippery little suckers…” –Pretty Woman

June 17, 2011

We left ESA at 7:45 a.m. for a day full of field trips. Between Jake and everyone else I can only image the pictures that will surface of my mouth throwed open while I snuggle with my iPod and furry, pink travel pillow. First stop was the Beillevaire cheese factory- and then we made our way to Guerande’s Terre de Sel. When we arrived home, we had guests. We met Remi, our host parents son, as well as his two sons: Kevin and Frank. Frank=adorable. I may have found Beth a husband… That night we started off with alphabet soup and I got to try escargot. Not bad, not bad. Ghisline prepared them with a green, pesto-like sauce. I was for sure unsure about the entire situation, but I didn’t have to choke them down in the least bit. Bon Appetite! 

Day Seventeen: Euros can’t buy you happiness, but they can buy you Mexican food and a Corona.

June 16, 2011

After class, I waited on Claire outside her office so I could book my train tickets for Germany. Thalys. Done and done. Hel-lo Cologne and hel-lo Julian. If I could be more excited, I would be… but I don’t think that’s possible. Adsjfhdjfjjhuryuihwuijnejnjiqojhweuihfjnjnjvnmpdkokf. Tonight’s menu takes on a little bit of a different feel- a group of us went into Angers to eat at a Mexican food restaurant. We walked in and almost started skipping to a table when we saw the margarita machine behind the bar and what was offered on the menu. I got the chicken enchiladas and a corona. SPICY FOOD. omnomnomnomnom. Also, magnum ice cream bars are making their way to the U.S. Try one. You won’t be disappointed.

Day Sixteen: It's still mooing.

June 15, 2011

Today I decided on my research paper topic: a comparison of French and U.S. supermarkets. Claire and I already have plans to scope out a couple ‘supermarkets’ together/ stalk people in trench coats, sunglasses, and fedoras. But really. At lunch, I had another encounter with steak haché as a served entrée (a hamburger meat patty put on the grill and flipped so that the outside is browned). Note: when ordering a steak in France, cooked may mean anywhere from still mooing to rare. Our host mom even confirmed that it’s not out of the ordinary for the beef offered on French menus to only be flipped twice and have a brief encounter with the grill.Speaking of steak- the 36 students in the study abroad program at ESA were split into six groups and are to make a presentation to the group over a designated visit as a part of ESA’s curriculum. Today was my group’s lucky day. Our subject: Maine Anjou cattle. The visit was highly informative: we learned about the history of the animal (as well as the history of Mr. Arthus’s enterprise), some of the French government’s subsidy practices, and AOC/AOP programs. Dinner that night was a treat- Serge and Ghistline busted out the ‘Fromage Party’ fondue equipment. We melted Rouchette cheese slices to drizzle over baby potatoes and meat slices. We chased the Rouchette with more cheese and bread; then we ended with peaches.

Day Fifteen: Falstaff, in all its beach themed glory

June 14, 2011

After class, we made a quick trip into Super U, where I nabbed a bag of Haribo World Mix candy. Worth every euro. Tonight's menu selection: leek soup, cauliflower, salad, ‘cordon bleu’ of turkey hen, and chocolate/caramel pudding. After dinner, Brandy, Hannah, and I went into town to meet up with some French ESA students for a bit of bowling. When we arrived, we didn’t see anyone else so we ducked into Falstaff (a past favorite of other A&M students) for a quick drink beforehand. When we walked in, we quickly realized that it was definitely a beach-themed night: the small dance floor was covered in sand, there was a huge umbrella casting shade on a cushioned cove, and multiple guys sporting swim trunks rather than their typical jeans. We made our way back to the bowling alley and were pleasantly surprised to discover that their version of bowling was the same as ours in the states. After bowling, a group of us moseyed back to Falstaff. But beach night wasn’t exactly snazzy, so we called it a night and headed back to the Priou residence. 

Day Fourteen: “…but ask him before you touch it!”

June 13, 2011

After breakfast, we climbed on the bus and headed towards St. Malo. St. Malo is an old city dating back to the Middle Ages that borders the English Channel in northern France. St. Malo was once restricted to life inside the fortified remparts that surround it, but has since spilled over its walls into the surrounding area; however, today we were only able to tackle the walled portion. As we pulled in, we saw that the French Naval ship, Tourville, was docked in the channel; Claire enlightened us that if you touch the red pompom on a French naval officer’s hat, it will bring you luck… but she made sure to also tell us to ask him before doing so. We then grabbed our lovely picnics and climbed St. Malo’s remparts to eat them. St. Malo seagulls. It’s a serious problem- we’re talking ambush/sneak attacks to unsuspecting civilians from behind. After lunch, I went tide-pooling and walked the beach for a bit. Then, Robin and I climbed back up the remparts to walk them in their entirety. After we came full circle, Robin and I went French naval officer hunting. We found one, and definitely asked if we could touch his hat for luck. After, we went back into the city to drift along the streets and see the shops. I was lucky enough to find my third pair of sunglasses on this trip for under five euros. Success. After our trip to St. Malo, everyone caught ‘beach fever’ and began discussing a beach trip for one of our free weekends. We arrived back in Angers an hour ahead of schedule so Brandy, Hannah, and I grabbed a catnap before dinner. The menu was: leek soup, salad, potato/beef casserole, and fresh cherries. Over dinner, Ghistline asked us about our plans for our upcoming free weekend. We told her that we didn’t really have any set plans yet, which set off a flurry of words, some dictionary action, and finally a conclusion.  Our host family wanted to take us to their second house in the countryside of the Bretagne region. ROADTRIP. 

To the window,

to the wall...

Day Thirteen: "For the rest of us, what has been since has not been the same."

June 12, 2011

Today we set out for the Caen Memorial Museum. The museum was fantastic- the amount of information it offered to the public was incredible. Photos, video footage, newspaper articles, clothing (there was even a wedding dress made out of a parachute on display) and countless artifacts. We viewed a short video after our tour that was extremely humbling. We viewed a compilation of videos on a split screen projection- images that I would never wish to experience in person. Yet, the most moving part of the video was when an aerial view of the length of Omaha Beach was projected over the entire screen- the video flipped from the state of the beach in 1944 and the beach in its present state. It’s hard to imagine that a beach so full of hostility and conflict could also have the capacity to be so peaceful. I couldn’t tell you how many times chills ran through my entire body. Never will I be able to adequately express my gratitude to the American veterans, both past and present, who have risked their lives for America and the principles it stands for. After lunch, we set out for the Omaha Beach Memorial and Normandy American Cemetery. The museum was beautifully designed and really did justice to the events and emotions it was trying to represent. After I made my way through the museum, I walked to the cemetery. I was only able to see two of the ten grave areas from where I was standing, but there were already more crosses in the ground than I wanted to see. It was a cold and overcast day to begin with, but the slight drizzle that began to fall matched the somber mood. After viewing the cemetery, I made the trek down the cliff to the beach. Standing on the sand, I let everything from that day -the history, the visuals, as well as my own emotions- just wash over me. You can’t walk away from learning about such catastrophic events like that without it sticking with you- without recognizing something new about yourself amidst all the silent chaos playing out in your thoughts. On the way back to Bayeaux, our bus driver took us to see some of the remaining German bunkers that were open to the public. Personally seeing remains from the war, gaining that much more knowledge, as well as the ability to connect to the events in my own way are all things that I am truly blessed and thankful to have had the opportunity to experience.

The result of flying shrapnel during WWII 

Normandy Memorial

Normandy American Cemetary

Omaha Beach

Day Twelve: Mont St. Michel

June 11, 2011

Today marks the first of three days that our ESA group will spend on a field trip of a portion of France’s northern coastline. We made our first stop at a sheep farm/bed and breakfast by the coast. We didn’t see any sheep, but we could see our next stop in the distance: Mont St. Michel. Mont St. Michel is undeniably beautiful. It was definitely worth weaving through the cramped, winding streets flooded with bodies and shops as well as the multiple flights of stairs leading to the entrance for the view alone. Our visit took place during low tide, but we were told that the tide is apt to rise with speed comparable to that of running horses. Nonetheless it was astonishing. Not so astonishing was the fact that I lost my second pair of sunglasses thus far while taking pictures in the monastery. First Versailles now Mont St. Michel… I guess maybe my subconscious wants me to be Gretel while in Europe? Later, we were informed that the Normandy area was the birthplace of crepes so, naturally, I stopped to grab one. As we departed, we learned that the hostel we were to stay in that night was vandalized so we were going to spend the next two nights elsewhere: Bayeaux. We stayed in Bayeaux’s finest: The Three Pommes- a 2 star motel. #winning. Dinner, a couple bottles of wine, and the unintentional uprooting of an entire swing set helped everyone warm up to our accommodations. 

...in the distance

Mont St. Michel

It was a touch windy.

Day Eleven: It’s official: I can still fall off a bike at 20.

June 10, 2011

More French this morning! I know numbers 1-5 like a boss. This afternoon we had a lecture over European livestock production and the professor who delivered the lecture was my favorite by far. Definitely an enthusiastic little fella. Today, Hannah and I went to meet up with Kaitlin and Brian to ride our bikes in a nearby park. Brian’s ‘dad’ showed him the park earlier that week. With my tennis shoes still out of commission for the rainstorm in Tours- Hannah, my Keds, and myself set out to walk the park and note its layout.  As we were leaving, we came saw that a car was blocking the driveway up ahead. I stopped my bike to assess the situation, and realized there was no driver to be seen. I’ll spare the details… but it didn’t take long for us to understand the actions going on in the car were not what you could categorize as G-rated. As our posse goes to turn around the male in said car honks the horn and Hannah could see him motioning for us to ride by the car and exit the park. We passed on that offer. Another highlight of that bike ride occurred shortly after. My bike has six speeds but it definitely tops out very easily… we’re talking people who get a late start can pass me in no time. BUT instead of getting annoyed by that fact, I should probably have been thankful. I say that because I came into contact with a rogue curb in-between the park and ‘home.’ If that weren’t enough, Hannah and Brian stopped to let my bike catch up, so they saw the whole thing: start to finish. My left knee took the hardest hit, but thank goodness for leggings. For dinner we had: fish sticks (which were probably the best fish sticks I’ve ever had in my life), salad, a vegetable tart (crazy good), and apple pie. During dinner, I used my handy French reference book’s medical section to figure out how to say “I fell.” and “I am bleeding.” in French. I got the biggest kick out of that. Ghisline and Serge, in turn, got a kick out of that. After dinner, Serge was nice enough to bring me some of their antiseptic wash and bandages for me to use. Feel the burn.

“WE. MUST. RE-PLAY-SH. THE. HIGH-FERS.”

Day Ten: Parlez-vous anglais?

June 9, 2011

Today, we had our first field trip- to an organic farm just outside of Angers. Also, we were finally able to rent bikes from ESA- everyone in Angers is only five minutes away from a green space, hopefully I can scope some out pretty soon:) The ride home on my bike was quite interesting though- my bike wasn’t exactly of the greased lighting caliber, there was more traffic than I would have liked, and all the signs were in French… but I will say that French drivers are quite courteous and conscientious of bikers. For dinner, we started with a dish of mixed vegetables outlined with tomato slices, next we moved to a black pancake crepe with ham, cheese, and eggs, then a cheese platter, and finished up with a praline roll and ice cream for dessert. We also had the pleasure of having Ghisline’s sister over for dinner that night.

Day Nine: ‘father/daughter date night!’

June 8, 2011

6:45 a.m. came way too early. Went to class (learned that lecture increasingly induces a sleeplike state), had lunch, and afternoon class was cancelled. Score. Hannah, Brandy, Hayley, and I spent some of the afternoon walking around downtown in search of Land Champs bags and macaroons. Hayley bought this gorgeous khaki/ dark green bag, and we held off on the macaroons for another day. We were back home in plenty of time for our ‘father/daughter date’ to Serge’s garden at 6:30. That night for dinner we had: bruschetta and cantaloupe, barbecue, fries, Camerbert, Brie, and laughing cow cheese, a dry, rose wine, and for dessert- Flaming Banana with Rum. Afterwards we were finally able to put together the entire story about the eel Serge caught (which was what was mounted in the first pictures the Priou's emailed me that made me rethink swimming while in France). Don't ask me how we got onto that topic, but pictures came off the shelves and out of rooms- they do it big.

Brandy, Serge, myself, and Hannah at the garden

Serge's award winning eel

Mediterranean eel all the way in France. He took a wrong turn somewhere.

Day Eight: Courgette Soup. MMM MMM GOOD.

June 7, 2011

6:45 a.m. Oh boy.  For breakfast we had: yogurt, jam, coffee, apple, raisin bread, and orange juice. Then, off to our first French class. Class was definitely informative and my teacher is equipped to correctly enunciate words. After, we got a dose of European history. For lunch: university cafeteria again, but this time we saw steak hache. And steak hache is equivalent to raw hamburger meat. :/ I thought I liked my steaks still mooing when I order them rare, but I stand corrected. I have nothing on the French. Later, we all trekked to City Hall- where we met the mayor, and an ambassador from Wiggins, UK. We learned that many European cities have “exchange ambassador” programs where different students from a European city’s twin city comes to work for a year. We learned that Angers is looking to aquire a new twin city: Austin, TX. Small world. After our visit, Claire and I set out for downtown for a little shopping; I ended up grabbing a cute skirt/shirt outfit at H&M. Upon coming home, I was greeted by my clothes, colorful underwear and all, hanging out to dry. Quite the spectacle for Serge I’m sure. JOJ. For dinner we had: zucchini soup (C’est bonne!!!), veal, potatoes, cheese and bread, ‘Peach Fantasy’ dessert, and Angers’ own red wine. Also, I got a much needed taste of home with a couple Skype dates: Grace and Chris. Bonne nuit!

Day Seven: ESA

June 6, 2011
First day of school. Wake up knock from Serge at 6:45 a.m., breakfast, and then Serge was nice enough to drive Hannah, Brandy, and I to ESA. At ESA, we had another ‘welcome’ breakfast, first class lecture, and then went on a tour of Angers. We ate lunch at the university cafeteria (10 minute walk from ESA) then went to the town square. After, we stopped in a French supermarket, Monoprix, to pick up a couple necessities and headed back to ESA. #V(% BLISTERS. That afternoon, we had the privilege of sitting through a 3 hour lecture from the director of ESA. Just kidding. 3 hours+. Coming to France, I had every intention of being open-minded to experiences, and what I found is that that state of mind isn’t necessarily reciprocated by the French when it comes to our agricultural and business practices. It’s still too early to form anything but observations though, I’ll keep you posted. After school, we walked home. 30 minutes-ish. For dinner we had: shredded carrots with spices, couscous, a mussel and cheese casserole type thing, green beans, pistachio/praline custard, and vanilla marble cake. STUFFED.

Day Six: Next Stop: Angers.

June 5, 2011 

Woke up a touch late at the hostel in Tours. Oops. Not setting alarms right seems to be a recurrent theme so far, haha. Pierre, the bow-tied bus driver, showed Brandy and I to the 2^nd floor for breakfast. After, we hopped on the bus and set out for the Chateau de Chenonceau. GORGEOUS.  As if I missed it at Versailles, Chenonceau solidified the fact that the French don’t play when it comes to gardens. The chateau and its estate were gorgeous: lavish rooms, elegant decorations, fresh flowers in every room, two spectacular gardens, a wax museum, and its very own maze. Big fan to say the least. In addition, the chateau’s crest was gorgeous: overlapping, mirrored “C’s” with a crown adorning the letters. When I got to the gift shop I was disappointed to find there wasn’t any dainty jewelry showcasing the crest… then I found it. A delicate, gold chain bracelet with the crest stamped on a gold pendant in the middle. Definitely taking that one back with me to the states. Next: Chateau de Breze. Breze was different in the sense that it was two chateaus in one- one built underground into a layer of limestone, the other constructed on top of it. Breze was hosting a small medieval festival that day, so we were treated to watching townsfolk cook and gossip, brave riders on their armored horses, and Jill becoming the newest bride of a townsperson (until his actual wife caught him. drama.). Breze was smaller but nice; it has one of the deepest moats in all of Europe. We only toured the bottom tier of the chateau, but after touring we were treated to a wine tasting of Breze’s very own. We tried three: a white, dry red, and chardonnay/wine hybrid. C’est bonne. After Breze, we were bused to Angers- where we would meet our host family. I was nervous and excited, so I started singing a song titled: “Nervous and excited”… just kidding guys. However, I kid not when I say: Serge and Ghistline Priou = ADORABLE. No doubt about it. I had a good feeling after meeting/seeing them and could tell this was the beginning of something great. The three of us were excited and they were too- the ride home was fun/awkward because neither of the parties involved knew how to speak the other party’s language. Then we were 'home' – I could tell by my google map stalking abilities. Their home is split into three sections; upon entering, you find yourself in what seems to be an apartment style section.  To the left is a staircase leading to an upstairs bedroom, ahead a hallway to the patio with a shower on the right and bathroom on the left, and to the right- another bedroom.  Hannah and Brandy took the bottom bedroom to share, and I the upstairs. The bedroom layouts are quite similar: equipped with a bed, armoire, shelves, table, desk, sink, and food station (mini-fridge, microwave, and cutlery/ pots and pans).  Upon entering my room, starting on the left is a sink and mirror, table for toiletries, table and chair, sitting chair, armoire with my bed attached in the center (with a desk at the foot of my bed), a coat rack, two horizontal shelves, small cabinet with a microwave, mini-fridge, and table housing dishes. Our first meal with our family consisted of: bread, deviled eggs, mushrooms in what resembled spaghetti sauce, pork chops, potatoes, and cherry pie for dessert. We discovered they don’t know much English beyond “Cool!” and “No problem!” but they are really proactive. We also discovered that we know squat when it comes to French- here’s to quick learning and French classes!

Chateau de Chenonceau

To the left

On the left

Down the middle

On the right

Day Five: Versailles ate my cardigan.

June 4, 2011

8 a.m. Broke my deodorant. Nice. We headed out for Versailles around 8:30 a.m. As we arrived, I had to blink my eyes a couple times because what I was looking at was a city outlined in gold. Not a rumor. We started off in the gardens before our tour of the actual palace. I was so entranced by everything around me that I didn’t even realize the fountains weren’t running (they turn on at 11 a.m. everyday). It was absolutely beautiful. Not to mention enchanting. [It was about this time when I realized my cardigan didn't make it out of the gardens, even though I did. oops.] After our introduction to the gardens, we stepped inside the palace. The chapel was spectacular. The Hall of Mirrors was gorgeous. Marie Antoinette’s bedroom was as if it came straight from a dream. Heck, even the sitting rooms made me question if I was allowed to occupy the space necessary to tip-toe through them. Viewing Versailles only reinforced the respect I have for European architecture and engineering. It was absolutely, positively magnificent. After Versailles, we bussed over to Tours to stay the night. Hel-lo sketch hostel. Room 119 was more than slightly disappointing after the splendor we just stood in. Upon our arrival, we had a window of free time- so we moseyed around town. While exploring the town, we stumbled up on a couple doing drugs. Great. I got gelato with Hannah. Only not. It was regular ice cream and I was sorely disappointed with banana flavor I chose- not even comparable to the kind I sampled in Paris. We then went to eat at this cutesy little two-story restaurant Claire chose for us. It was small, but the waiter was cute. Even trade. We were surprised with 10 bottles of blush wine by the river. Only it started raining- cats and dogs, actually. The group was caught under a bridge for upwards of an hour. Our company consisted of a family and a troupe of what seemed to be homeless Toursians- bongo drum and all. After the rain relented for a tad, we walked/ran back to the hostel. Drenched. My nikes = raunch. Despite the rain however, we went to see the finest nightlife that Tours had to offer. Turns out that between Michael Jackson, a touch of green, and a splash of licorice, Tours can show you a pretty fun time. :)

“I don’t see nothing wrong… with a little bump and grind” – BLD, WPH

Just a taste of the gardens of Versailles. Magnificent.

Think we can get one of those in Round Top?

Crystal clear.

The infamous Hall of Mirrors.

"Let them eat cake"

Cheers, Tours!!!

Day Four: Mona Lisa's Smile

June 3, 2011

8 a.m.= Bonjour. I grabbed Grace and we headed out of the hostel in search of Paris’s Opera house. From the Opera, we walked to the place Vendome, a ritzy square equipped with fancy stores and ornate windows in every attic.  From there, we hit the Place de la Concorde that is home to the Obelisk as well as the guillotine that killed Marie-Antoinette, among countless others. Claire, one of our ESA professors, took the group on the scenic route. We crossed the Siene River and strolled through the gorgeous Jardin de Tuileries before entering the Louvre. The Louvre was absolutely unlike anything else I’ve ever seen. I’ve been to quite a few museums before, but WOW. I understand there’s no way I could completely appreciate the pieces of art showcased there and my knowledge of art is limited, but nonetheless- I could have easily spent days in there. And yes, I will confirm that Mona’s half cracked smile and eyes follow you wherever you go. The Mona Lisa itself was much smaller than I imagined from the numerous prints and copies, but it is definitely bigger than your typical 11X17. Stunning. However, I must admit that Nike was my favorite piece. After the Louvre, we had a touch of free time, so a bunch of us trekked back down by the Opera in search of a cafe, crepes, and shopping.  Claire reached her Parisian goal; then, we sat down for a bit in a café for a banana/chocolate crepe and water. Not from a tap though, oh no. Even though we distinctly asked for it three times. Typical. Next, we wandered into H&M- where we all scattered; I ended up finding Hannah, so we scooted off into the LaFayette Department Stores. I bought a coral, keyhole top in Zara (thanks for the heads up Katie! Their stuff is super classy:]). After, we navigated the metro to the Crimee stop and St. Christopher’s where I rearranged my suitcase, chilled, updated, uploaded, and chilled.  BREAKING NEWS: We found out that Claire was in a pharmacy by the Opera, as a male tried to rob it for drugs… absolutely crazy. For sure. I was just relieved she was okay. We ate at 9- then after we all planned to go out to a bar/club. We trekked down to a bar that part of the group went to the previous night. However, the majority of us were sadly disappointed with the bar; we headed back to the hostel- others tried their luck with a salsa club a local Parisian told them about. At around 2 a.m., some guys knocked on our door (I’m sure whichever girl opened the door thought it was some our girls who decided to go to the club trying to get back in) and said they were looking for “Natasha”- Brandy got out of bed to show them the door when their “Natasha pleas” got out of hand. Those guys wouldn’t leave our entire floor alone for quite some time… that lasted until about 4 a.m. Sweet dreams, eh?

“Guess who took one in the Louvre today” – BLD

Grace and I makin' moves by the Obelisk

Nike of Samothrace

Da Vinci's Mona Lisa

Texas A&M.

The Louvre

Department Store in Paris

Day Three: “For an old lady, I’m impressed for her age.”

June 2, 2011 

Wake up call at 8 a.m., ate breakfast, and then headed out with the group for the Champs-Elysees at 9. We started the day at the Arc de Triomphe- the group did its fair share of vogue-ing there. As we were leaving, I saw that Ken fell victim to a street vendor selling bracelets. After my encounter yesterday, I did what any reasonable person would do and tried to help him out of being swindled. As the man was putting a bracelet on him and I casually walked by and told him to take it off. As a result, Ken jerked off the bracelet pretty dang rapidly - then the vendor got really upset. Hence, I got cussed out for the first time in Paris. In English, nonetheless… He was quite proficient in his mastery of English profanity, I must admit. From there, we walked down the Champs-Elysees and saw tons of stores. Abercrombie and Fitch had the longest line by far- with its very own model as a ‘bouncer’. We then detoured to the Trocadero to see the Eiffel Tower. After seeing the “Old Lady” we jumped on a train. Destination: Notre Dame.  Notre Dame was a sight in itself. Immense stone pillars. Beautifully constructed stained glass windows. Towering wooden doors with whirls of iron designs. Gargoyles. Attention to every detail.  After Notre Dame, we explored the Latin Quarter. From there, we walked for what seemed like for.ev.er… I was getting a headache from dehydration so I ended up buying a drink off a street vendor. Then, we lost Shane. Or... it was more like we discovered we lost Shane… We walked to towards the oldest square in Paris, place de Vosges- we viewed 18^th and 19^th century architecture and the University of Paris while en route. The architecture was absolutely stunning, and that side of Paris was more of the “real” Paris- less tourists and more Parisians hanging out/ going about their normal routines. The square was lined with shops with living quarters above- I stumbled upon one of my new favorite designers too. Also, let me mention that never have I ever seen so many people in a park so absolutely carefree. On the way out of the park, the group got split up and a little lost BUT we found gelato. And it was GOOD. I got a medium cone with amaretto, crème, and strawberry- cookie included on top. J’adore gelato= complete understatement. From, there we headed back to the hostel with miss Claire leading the way. The group discovered I sat in bird poop or some jazz like that on the walk back, so I implemented the use of my tide-to-go pen and threw on some skinny jeans. At the hostel we sat down for a split-second, headed to dinner (my table didn’t get any dessert but it was this flan jazz that they said we weren’t missing out on), and then away we went to the Eiffel Tower with Dr. Vedenov. LONGGG lines and CHILLY- but so completely worth it.  I got a couple pictures and then my camera died. FML again. But nevermind that- because when I got to the top, it was absolutely spectacular. Sure, we’ve all seen pictures of/from the Eiffel Tower, but a single picture cannot capture what it’s like to see it with your own eyes. Not even close. LONG lines on the way down too- plus the chill of the wind gave us all a run for our money. Outside of the tower, we thought we lost Shane again… and Claire... Cue Dr. Vedenov’s heart attack #1. We heard the metro closed at 12:30- giving us all of 3 minutes to get to the metro stop- but it was open until about to 1 AM. Thank goodness. That saved us the cab fare- but not our tired legs or Dr. Vedenov’s heart rate and stress level. I collapsed into bed around 2 a.m. Great. day.

“For an old lady, I’m impressed for her age.” -JER

“Don’t be alarmed, it’s just me and my bottle…” -DV

Arc de Triomphe

Eiffel Tower at Trocadero

Notre Dame Cathedral

Hannah and I with the Parisian nightlife

Day Two: 1664 white with a twist of lemon

June 1, 2011

Got up around 8 a.m., checked out, had another disagreement with the luggage room, and then had breakfast in the hostel.  Bread, butter, jam. small cup. real small. Met up with Claire downstairs around 9; we also met the two advisors from ESA, Claire and Gael, along with another girl on the FESIA trip, Megan. The now five of us headed out to conquer the Champs-Elysees via metro. Confession: I may or may not have fallen in love on the metro. He was blonde. Huge eyes. And had a great smile. He waved and flirted well. He was sitting on his father’s lap- must’ve been about three or so… complete catch. We exited the metro and ended up right in the middle of the Place de la Concorde: the area in-between the Louvre and Arc de Triomphe. First we went left through the Jardin de Tuileries and stopped short of the Louvre because we’re seeing that tomorrow as a group. We crossed the street to look at all the shops lining the Champs-Elysees. We found Angelina’s Tea Room (I’ll definitely be stopping there when I get back to Paris and meet up with Mitch). We arrived back at our original starting point by the Concorde, and set out towards the Arc de Triomphe. Along the way, we saw an Egyptian pharaoh and shortly after stumbled upon a film crew for a movie they’re shooting in Paris. We then got side tracked by the shops on the right, so we moseyed that way. #typicalgirls, amiright? We got sidetracked again at the idea of seeing Moulin Rouge, so we grabbed lunch at Julien, a sidewalk café. I had a chicken sandwich with a touch of really good horseraddishy mayo and a water; I think the girl gypped me out of a euro but maybe I can’t do math… let that one go- and again to the metro. Once aboard the metro, Claire found out that our stop to Moulin Rouge was under construction… we did a pretty big shuffle but we finally got there. Well. Not quite. We got a bit turned around (which isn’t bad for your first mix-up in Paris if I do say so myself).  We asked a police officer for directions- wrong police officer to ask- he couldn’t really tell us how to get to Moulin Rouge, but a nice lady did, so away we went. Before going there though, we took a detour to the Basilique du Sacre-Coeur de Montmarte. It’s a huge basilique on the north side of Paris that offers a spectacular panoramic view of the city. As we started our hike upwards, the five of us were solicited by street vendors “selling” string bracelets. We dodged most of them, but a persistent vendor followed me. After several “no, no thank you’s” and him assuring me that “if I didn’t like the bracelet, I wouldn’t have to buy it’s”- I 'was nice' and let him start a bracelet. Hannah forcefully told the vendor we had to leave, I agreed, and he took off the unfinished bracelet, smiled, and let me go on my way. Hannah was quick to inform me of their ploy: the vendor will begin to make the bracelet after gaining your attention, then tie it on you in such a manner that you can’t remove it- forcing you to pay for the bracelet… and pay substantially more for it that it’s worth. After that encounter, we stumbled onto another. A male duo was putting on an acrobatic routine on the first tier under the basilique. They stretched to some Fergalicious and then continued with their show- which gave me some good material for the routine Mitch and I will perform after we meet up in July. Lots of hat tricks. Stay tuned. After that substantial hike (and seeing a two-story carousel) we made it back to the main road and made our way to Moulin Rouge. Definitely passed a plethora of G-rated shops on the way there. Finally, we spotted the windmill and knew that we made it. Granted, I’m sure it comes alive at night rather than the middle of the afternoon, but it was still a sight to see. After, we explored a French Starbucks (even more expensive than normal. Ugh.) and hit the Juarez line to St. Christopher’s. Brandy and I grabbled some Swiss ice cream at MK2 after we got off the metro and checked in for the second time. Thank goodness the elevators worked today- yesterday they didn’t- because our room was lucky number 504 rather than one on the first floor. Allie and Tess were the first girls to arrive after us for the FESIA trip. The entire group was scheduled to meet at Belushi’s at 6:30 for dinner- where we got the official ESA introduction from Claire and Gael.  Our waitress, Izzy, suggested our group get acclimated to Paris in the form of a Jagertrain- I’ll conclude that topic by saying she is quite persuasive. After dinner the group retired to our rooms, then met downstairs again at 8:30. We went to Casino, a French grocery store, and everybody grabbed a bottle of wine to drink in a nearby park. Tess and I split a bottle of blush wine -which was great until you actually swallowed it, it had quite a bite. We all sat in a circle on the grass that overlooked the river and drank our first bottle of wine in France. However, it wasn’t for as long as we hoped. A sketchy French male caused us to end our rendezvous early, and we departed back to the hostel soon after. As everyone got back to St. christopher's, we ran into Izzy and had a pint with her (1664 white with a twist of lemon). Highlight of the night: we talked Izzy into letting us leave our mark on the hostel. Jake drew a TAMU sign on a dollar bill and Izzy hung it above the bar at St. Christopher’s. Called it a night at about 1 a.m.

Place de la Concorde

Montmarte

Moulin Rouge

A-A-A WHOOP!