And so it begins...

Ok, so I'm not sure if today was the 'official' first day of class, but it was the first day of school for me, the protagonist of this European storybook adventure. It's after a long day like today that one simply falls down, puts up their aching but educated feet, and drinks a hot cup of tea to smoke out the cold chills. Which is what I'm doing. I don't know where we last left off, but I'll just begin with the events of today.

My first class (after long internal debate over whether or not class ACTUALLY started today) was medieval history at ten this morning. Classes in France are once a week and two hours long, which seems great, but talk to me again when you're about to fall asleep and realize you still have an hour left of mind-numbing lectures. Even in French, they are mind-numbing. My comprehension level is still only so-so and I only understand about half of what happened once, a long long time ago in the West. There was something about corn and then something about silk. It will take some work. But after speaking with the professor, I'll be getting help when I need it and I'm not all that worried.
The next class was French & Communication, where the professor dashed all my hopes and dreams by telling me that I'll be attending the class at 8 in the morning on Mondays. Curse 8 in the morning. The American Ashton would be a little worried and nervous about that class since her French is terrible and the course requires her to do a fifteen minute speech in French. The French Ashton is just "ehhh whatever". It will all be over soon.

That's the blessing and the curse of it all. It will all be over soon. Yeah, it will be over and whatever fear, nervousness, anger, anguish, loneliness, or despair that I feel will be gone and in the past. I'll barely remember how I felt as I stood there, probably red faced and trembling, giving the speech once I'm back home. But it will all be over soon and all those good, happy, wonderful feelings and memories will be gone too. Blessing and curse.
The last class I went to today was economics - and that will be the last economics class that I go to. Right now it's kind of pick and choose and you can go and feel out the class to see if you want to stay. I don't want to stay. The worst part is that I totally understood the vocabulary, the definitions, and even the professor's French. I was on top of that whole language thing in that class. The part I didn't understand - the economics. I can't do or understand economics in English and there's no way doing it in a different language is going to be any easier. So I've decided to drop that one, take something similar if I need it when I get home, and not add that extra stress to my life.


I have a few more classes that I have yet to go to this week, but I'll make sure to document how they go either on here or in a journal to later type up on here. I have my first day of tennis tomorrow which I'm more excited about right now than nervous, but ask me again at 10h15 tomorrow and I'll tell you the nerves have taken hold. I bought a Babolat racket so now I'm like Nadal, who is the greatest no matter what anyone says.

Chambery, sweet Chambery.

I'm finally done traveling, I think. It's kind of nice to be in one place for an extended period of time now. Traveling was great and I loved every experience that I had, but traveling is exhausting too.

I'm moved into my dorm and almost completely settled in. I'm a little sniffly, but hopefully that will pass. I'm a little homesick too, but I'm hoping that will pass as well. I miss home a lot. I think it's the abrupt changes and the slow changes that have me a little off my balance. I miss all the people from last semester that made this place what it was. It's different now and I still haven't gotten used to that. I can't wait until May 31st right now. So many things I'm already planning to do when I get home.

Rome, Italy - let me just say this city was everything and nothing I expected it. I think I get in my head that these historical places still look like they do in the history books. I always know that's wrong, but it doesn't stop me from hoping to see no modern day buildings and cobblestones everywhere. I loved the coliseum and the Vatican. Rome is definitely a place I've always wanted to go and that's one more thing to scratch off my bucket list.

My dorm is different from where I lived last semester too. It's a pretty big room and I really like it, but it's definitely lonely. You're basically just alone unless you actively seek someone out to hang out with. I can't go into the kitchen and strike up conversation with two awesome ladies like I could last semester. I'm going to have a hard time battling with that, I think. I love my alone time and I love being alone, but I also don't like being confined alone for long periods of time. And since I'm kind of homesick, I definitely need to make myself get out there and do something. I need to distract myself.

*I've heard that it's not been possible to comment on my blogs without being a member of some sort. I think I have fixed that issue and I think that anyone who wants to will now be able to post comments on this blog. So go on, give it a go!

Happy New Year!

It's been a while since I've posted, but I've not really known what to say. I did go to Colmar and it was as adorable as I wanted it to be. I went to Strasbourg too. But the best part so far has been staying with Melodie's family in Avignon.

French Christmas. I had two of them, really. I surprised even myself with the way I've pushed my limits and crossed my boundaries when it comes to being a picky eater and trying new things. I ate so many things that I never would have eaten if I hadn't been here and I'm better because of it. Chestnuts? Who knew I liked chestnuts? I didn't, but I sure do now! And snails, even. Superb.

It's been great being here and just having a home to stay in instead of a dorm. I know I lived in a house last semester, but I would hardly call that a home. It wasn't warm, it wasn't welcoming, it wasn't inviting. People weren't allowed to come over and it almost felt like we weren't allowed to actually "live" there, just be there. This has been wonderful and I'm going back to Chambery tomorrow. I'm going to miss it here. Melodie and her entire family have been more than welcoming and even though there's been a language barrier, it's been wonderful. I'm here for another 5 months and I just hope that I have a chance to come back and find a way to thank them for giving me a home for the holidays. I missed my own family, but it was nice to shake up the season. When else will I have a Christmas and a new year in France?

Speaking of the New Year - it was crazy. Where was I when it turned 2011? Well, technically I was passed out in bed for all my American friends and family, but when it turned 2011 in France I was living it up.

A few New Year's Resolutions - (I have some more personal resolutions, but these are the more general ones. If you want to hear about what else I have in mind, feel free to chat with me sometime)

-Actually say yes to everything. I know that Bridget and I made that pact in the beginning of the year and by the end of the year I was saying no more often than yes. I'm going to try to at least make it 50/50 this semester. Try and say yes as much as I say no.

-Speak French for crying out loud! That's what I'm here for!

-Keep trying new foods and new things. It's going well for me so far, so I don't see any reason to stop now.

-Keep in touch with the people close to me that aren't here with me. I've realized the value of friendship and how important it can be to not let the people you want in your life slip away from it.

-Finish a story. This was something that I said I wanted to do before I left for France and I'm not even close. I've got to get a move on.

That's really the gist of my list. There are more petty things like "dress like a Frenchie" (which I'm slowly starting to do) and the generic "do better in school" ones.

Up next for me is Rome and then back to classes. Hopefully everything will get settled down soon because it's kind of a mess going into it right now. Confusion is something very common in this country, I've realized. Hope everyone had a fabulous new year and here's to what 2011 can bring!