Hi Everyone!
So, I had a great fall break. Even though it rained most of the time, I managed to take lots of pictures for everyone to see. As it turned out we only made it to 2 cities (Nice and Marseille) because it was raining so much we decided to head back a day early. So we spent 2 nights in Nice, spent today in Marseille, and then Crystal and I headed back to Aix, and Rin and Keebee are spending the night in Marseille at a hostel so they can catch their trains tomorrow morning.
I got back and I was so tired. Today with the traveling and such I didn't really get meals at the right times, and I didn't have breakfast, so I've been a bit out of it most of the day. I did go shopping today though, and I got some shirts that I'm excited about at H&M, and I only spent 30 euros on 3 shirts, so I don't feel too bad about it. It was stuff I needed. I bought a sweater, a long sleeved shirt, and a nice t-shirt.
I liked Nice a lot. It was really pretty. We went to the beach, and I saw the Mediterranean for the first time. I got completely soaked by a crazy wave, well I was only soaked from the knees up...
I took a video of the water, but I don't know how to post it to photo bucket, but if I figure it out I promise it will be up, and I'll leave the viewing directions in the comments of the post...but that's only if the technology decides to be nice to me.
We also climbed this mountain like thing. There were a whole lot of stairs, and at the top you could see for miles. I took a lot of pictures up there. There was also a waterfall at the top of the mountain, it was really cool.
I tried roasted chestnuts for the first time today, it was interesting. They were sort of bean-textured, and they were slightly sweet. It wasn't my favorite thing in the world, but it's always good to try new things.
I hope you enjoy my pictures. It's the post that's right before this one, and as always, to view my album click on the picture and it will take you to my photobucket album. Then when you get there, there are some blue squares of different sizes in the upper right hand corner of the screen. Click on slideshow and you can see the pictures better.
With lots of love,
Shannon
OH, and....
Happy Halloween!!!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Fall Break
Bonjour tout le monde!
So, today is Monday....and I have successfully kidnapped my 2 friends from the states who are also studying in France this year. They are both sleeping over in my room till Wednesday when we are going on a trip to explore southern France. We are going to Nice, Cannes, St. Tropez, and of course Marseille. I am so excited, and I promise to take pictures this time. I am going to make sure that I pack my camera...and if I don't, I will take pictures from my friends who also are going, but I would like to bring my camera because I tend to take pictures of things that my friends don't. I like taking pictures of the scenery more than pictures of people, I don't know why. I guess it's because I'm there to see the scenery, so my brain automatically thinks it's more important than who I'm with.
This weekend I was in St. Etienne visiting Rin because I thought she wasn't going to come because she has class all week. But she decided to skip class the whole week (which is totally not like Rin at all...I thinks she gave in to peer pressure) I forgot to bring my camera to St. Etienne, but I'll steel some of Keebee's pics and post them on my photobucket. I just have to figure out the photocard reader on my computer which I haven't tried to use yet. This computer has so many new features that I'm still trying to get used to. It makes my old computer seem low tech.
Today Keebee, Rin, and I are going to explore Aix, so I'll bring my camera and actually take pictures of where I live for once. Compared to St. Etienne, this place is really beautiful. Well, I'll talk to you later.
I love you and miss you all.
So, today is Monday....and I have successfully kidnapped my 2 friends from the states who are also studying in France this year. They are both sleeping over in my room till Wednesday when we are going on a trip to explore southern France. We are going to Nice, Cannes, St. Tropez, and of course Marseille. I am so excited, and I promise to take pictures this time. I am going to make sure that I pack my camera...and if I don't, I will take pictures from my friends who also are going, but I would like to bring my camera because I tend to take pictures of things that my friends don't. I like taking pictures of the scenery more than pictures of people, I don't know why. I guess it's because I'm there to see the scenery, so my brain automatically thinks it's more important than who I'm with.
This weekend I was in St. Etienne visiting Rin because I thought she wasn't going to come because she has class all week. But she decided to skip class the whole week (which is totally not like Rin at all...I thinks she gave in to peer pressure) I forgot to bring my camera to St. Etienne, but I'll steel some of Keebee's pics and post them on my photobucket. I just have to figure out the photocard reader on my computer which I haven't tried to use yet. This computer has so many new features that I'm still trying to get used to. It makes my old computer seem low tech.
Today Keebee, Rin, and I are going to explore Aix, so I'll bring my camera and actually take pictures of where I live for once. Compared to St. Etienne, this place is really beautiful. Well, I'll talk to you later.
I love you and miss you all.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
France is confusing
Hi Everyone,
I just thought it was time for an update, even though not much has been happening. Today I went to carrefour, which is like the French version of walmart. I finally got an actual blanket for my bed. I've been living with my polarfleece I brought from home and the smelly wool blanket the school gave me. Now I just have to find a place to keep that wool blanket......
I also bought some pants and a new shirt because I felt like it. It was so hard to find a pair that fit because I had to guess my size....so size 38 in french sizes = who knows what in american sizes....I really don't know what size I am anymore, probably about a size 5, but who knows.
So, last week I missed one of my classes because I didn't know that they had changed the schedule for level 3 classes. All I had was the old schedule, so some of the classes were right, but some of them were at completely different times and in completely different rooms. I had a test on the subjunctive and I missed it. That day wasn't all that great. I mixed up which day the photography and literature class was, so I got up expecting to have 8am class, and I went all the way there just to find out that I read the schedule wrong, and it wasn't on Thursday morning....it was on Friday morning. Then I studied for part of the afternoon, and I went to class again because I thought my class was at 5pm, but actually it was moved to 10am. So I missed my test/quiz, and I'm pretty sure the teacher isn't going to let me make it up.
Today was ok I guess, other than being slightly depressed because I found out the guy I like is not actually single......he's dating someone, which was news to me. God, I feel so stupid sometimes.
Well, hopefully I'll get everything figured out this week with my classes. Wish me luck!
À bientôt!
I just thought it was time for an update, even though not much has been happening. Today I went to carrefour, which is like the French version of walmart. I finally got an actual blanket for my bed. I've been living with my polarfleece I brought from home and the smelly wool blanket the school gave me. Now I just have to find a place to keep that wool blanket......
I also bought some pants and a new shirt because I felt like it. It was so hard to find a pair that fit because I had to guess my size....so size 38 in french sizes = who knows what in american sizes....I really don't know what size I am anymore, probably about a size 5, but who knows.
So, last week I missed one of my classes because I didn't know that they had changed the schedule for level 3 classes. All I had was the old schedule, so some of the classes were right, but some of them were at completely different times and in completely different rooms. I had a test on the subjunctive and I missed it. That day wasn't all that great. I mixed up which day the photography and literature class was, so I got up expecting to have 8am class, and I went all the way there just to find out that I read the schedule wrong, and it wasn't on Thursday morning....it was on Friday morning. Then I studied for part of the afternoon, and I went to class again because I thought my class was at 5pm, but actually it was moved to 10am. So I missed my test/quiz, and I'm pretty sure the teacher isn't going to let me make it up.
Today was ok I guess, other than being slightly depressed because I found out the guy I like is not actually single......he's dating someone, which was news to me. God, I feel so stupid sometimes.
Well, hopefully I'll get everything figured out this week with my classes. Wish me luck!
À bientôt!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
I'm moving up in the world!
So, today I faced my fears and went to the office to see the man in charge to see if I could change levels. After speaking to like 5 different people and having to fight with his secretary, I finally got moved. I don't know what it is, but it seems whenever I have to go to an office to get something I have to fight with the secretary. I think they just like a good argument. I'm not really sure, but you really have to have some courage to go up against some of those. I have a friend who isn't going to change levels even though he's about as good at French as I am just because he's scared of the secretary.
So now we were talking about Corsica and conjugating verbs in the subjunctive. We took actual notes, and I didn't have to amuse myself by playing tic tac toe with the person sitting next to me. It's always a good sign when I walk out of 4 straight hours of class dead tired. That means I actually learned something. I'd rather have my classes challenge me and give me a headache than bore me to tears. I guess that's because I'd rather be busy all the time. We actually have a quiz on Thursday. I think I'll do ok as long as I study.
Well, I'll update later, hopefully with pictures. I always seem to forget to bring my camera places. I needs to get a bigger purse to carry my folders and my camera and such....
So now we were talking about Corsica and conjugating verbs in the subjunctive. We took actual notes, and I didn't have to amuse myself by playing tic tac toe with the person sitting next to me. It's always a good sign when I walk out of 4 straight hours of class dead tired. That means I actually learned something. I'd rather have my classes challenge me and give me a headache than bore me to tears. I guess that's because I'd rather be busy all the time. We actually have a quiz on Thursday. I think I'll do ok as long as I study.
Well, I'll update later, hopefully with pictures. I always seem to forget to bring my camera places. I needs to get a bigger purse to carry my folders and my camera and such....
Monday, October 6, 2008
Day one of class!!!!!
Ok, so today I went to my first classes. It's weird, I have this class with this teacher from 8-10, and then from 10-11 I have my language lab with the same exact teacher, and then from 11-12 I have more class with him again.
I'm not quite sure if I'm in the right level or not. It seems as if I know a lot more French than a lot of students in my class. I mean....today we went through and spelled our names and introduced ourselves. It was really hard to understand the spelling of the oriental students' names (and they make up half of the class...I think it's cause they have strange names in the first place, and then their pronunciation is very weird and hard to understand)
I also bought my first textbook today. Since the school doesn't have it's own bookstore, the teacher told us where to go. It was some smallish bookshop on the main street in town. I feel sorta bad, there were only 2 copies of the book there, and I bought one of them. The teacher said that there would be two classes using the same book....so that's like 40 people all trying to go to the same place and buy the same book. I'm probably going to end up sharing with my friend because he didn't go with me. I just felt like going for a walk, so I walked there. It's so nice out today.
After I bought the book I sat in the park and people watched for a while while looking through the book. It's a French grammar book, and I'm pretty sure I've learned everything in it already. Given, I don't remember all of it, but still, all I would need is a short review, and then move on to the harder stuff.
I'm not exactly sure what I'm gonna do for the rest of the day, I wasn't really given any homework. I guess I'll figure something out.
À bientôt!
I'm not quite sure if I'm in the right level or not. It seems as if I know a lot more French than a lot of students in my class. I mean....today we went through and spelled our names and introduced ourselves. It was really hard to understand the spelling of the oriental students' names (and they make up half of the class...I think it's cause they have strange names in the first place, and then their pronunciation is very weird and hard to understand)
I also bought my first textbook today. Since the school doesn't have it's own bookstore, the teacher told us where to go. It was some smallish bookshop on the main street in town. I feel sorta bad, there were only 2 copies of the book there, and I bought one of them. The teacher said that there would be two classes using the same book....so that's like 40 people all trying to go to the same place and buy the same book. I'm probably going to end up sharing with my friend because he didn't go with me. I just felt like going for a walk, so I walked there. It's so nice out today.
After I bought the book I sat in the park and people watched for a while while looking through the book. It's a French grammar book, and I'm pretty sure I've learned everything in it already. Given, I don't remember all of it, but still, all I would need is a short review, and then move on to the harder stuff.
I'm not exactly sure what I'm gonna do for the rest of the day, I wasn't really given any homework. I guess I'll figure something out.
À bientôt!
Friday, October 3, 2008
Les Resultats!
Hi!!!
Well, I got my placement test results back. I am not entirely thrilled with the results, but I'm not in level 1. That's a start :) I got into level 2D, which is almost level 3, but I'm still in level 2. There are 5 levels, so I only feel slightly dumb.
I would have french pounded into my brain in any level I guess. This just means that they'll start at a level I can handle.
Sorry I'm not really in the mood for posting anything longer at the moment, I has a headache.
Well, I got my placement test results back. I am not entirely thrilled with the results, but I'm not in level 1. That's a start :) I got into level 2D, which is almost level 3, but I'm still in level 2. There are 5 levels, so I only feel slightly dumb.
I would have french pounded into my brain in any level I guess. This just means that they'll start at a level I can handle.
Sorry I'm not really in the mood for posting anything longer at the moment, I has a headache.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Placement test....of DOOM!!!!
Hi Everyone!
Well, yesterday I took my placement test to decide which level of French classes I'll be in. Parts of it were easy, and others I was trying to remember....hmmmm which tense should I use? Do I use qui or que? I guessed, and I'm pretty sure I got some things wrong, but overall I think I did ok. The oral part on the other hand, that was hard. I got the lady who doesn't prompt you with a question. Instead she says ok, talk about anything you like. I have problems doing that in English let alone French! What was that lady thinking? So, I think I failed that part. I talked about a few things, but since I was so scatterbrained at the moment, I was having trouble putting my thoughts into words. I should have just talked about myself. But instead I was trying to talk about things I like, and it wasn't working out too well.
Well, tomorrow I should get my scores back. I'm just hoping for above beginner. I have taken enough french classes that I think I'd go insane if I was in beginner level. I know I forgot a lot of the grammar rules over the summer, but those come back pretty quick.
Tonight there's a party for the international students. I don't know what the dresscode is, but I think I'll wear a nice shirt, and my dark jeans. I don't feel like putting my dress pants on, and then realizing everyone else wore jeans. Well, I might wear my dress pants....I does not know. Poor indecisive me.
On Monday my classes start, and I am so excited to meet some more new people. It's nice to have more of a choice to who I can hang out with. Only having about 4 friends gets a bit lonely, especially if most of my friends here are the go out and party all the time sort of people. They are nice to hang around with when they're not partying, but I would love to have some people more like me to hang around with.
Oh! Guess what? On Sunday there's a trip to climb the mountain which you can see from here. It looks like a pretty big mountain. The other hills around it are covered in trees....and then there's this big rock, like something out of the Swiss Miss commercial or something. Crazy mountain or rock! Well, I'll make sure to bring my camera, I'm pretty sure there will be some nice views of Aix.
Well, I'm off to find something to do today. Tootles!
Well, yesterday I took my placement test to decide which level of French classes I'll be in. Parts of it were easy, and others I was trying to remember....hmmmm which tense should I use? Do I use qui or que? I guessed, and I'm pretty sure I got some things wrong, but overall I think I did ok. The oral part on the other hand, that was hard. I got the lady who doesn't prompt you with a question. Instead she says ok, talk about anything you like. I have problems doing that in English let alone French! What was that lady thinking? So, I think I failed that part. I talked about a few things, but since I was so scatterbrained at the moment, I was having trouble putting my thoughts into words. I should have just talked about myself. But instead I was trying to talk about things I like, and it wasn't working out too well.
Well, tomorrow I should get my scores back. I'm just hoping for above beginner. I have taken enough french classes that I think I'd go insane if I was in beginner level. I know I forgot a lot of the grammar rules over the summer, but those come back pretty quick.
Tonight there's a party for the international students. I don't know what the dresscode is, but I think I'll wear a nice shirt, and my dark jeans. I don't feel like putting my dress pants on, and then realizing everyone else wore jeans. Well, I might wear my dress pants....I does not know. Poor indecisive me.
On Monday my classes start, and I am so excited to meet some more new people. It's nice to have more of a choice to who I can hang out with. Only having about 4 friends gets a bit lonely, especially if most of my friends here are the go out and party all the time sort of people. They are nice to hang around with when they're not partying, but I would love to have some people more like me to hang around with.
Oh! Guess what? On Sunday there's a trip to climb the mountain which you can see from here. It looks like a pretty big mountain. The other hills around it are covered in trees....and then there's this big rock, like something out of the Swiss Miss commercial or something. Crazy mountain or rock! Well, I'll make sure to bring my camera, I'm pretty sure there will be some nice views of Aix.
Well, I'm off to find something to do today. Tootles!
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