Update 9-24-2010

I think I have finally settled on what courses I will be taking this semester. The intensive French language course is kind of overwhelming because we meet for 14 hours a week. On top of that, I am taking Beginner's German, some French culture classes, Ethnology in Latin America and The Global Conversation (this last one is the only one in English because it is an online course for people in the BCA program all of the world...should be interesting). Tomorrow, we are going to the Vosges Mountains to hike! I am excited about this and hopefully will have some cool pictures. I also went to a medieval castle about an hour away from Strasbourg. That was pretty cool.


From the top of the castle in Frankenstein, France.


I thought these trees looked cool like this.


A play at the castle; as you can see they were court jesters. At the end of the performance, they dumped a bag of pots and pans with sticks on the ground so that the kids could have drums. I don't have any words to describe the sound. haha


A mini concert in Strasbourg. It was cool, the played lots of songs we knew including "Hit the Road Jack".

A park nearby where I live. People made the sculptures the day before I took the picture. Pretty awesome.

See you later,

Paige

Update 9-14-2010

Today I have been super frustrated! I am trying to get together all the classes that I want to get credit for this semester. If you were thinking, "But I thought classes already began?" then you are right! When I got to my first class on Monday, they told us what our schedule would be for the semester. Since I am a foreign student, I am taking some intensive language training classes which is overwhelming because we meet for so many hours per week! I took for granted the TCU class picking system, where we know what our schedule will be a semester in advance. Also, we have advisers to help us stay on track. After I was frustrated today, I began to be angry about small things like why there wasn't street signs at every intersection and why is it getting cold already. I am less frustrated now, but I can't wait until this week is over and things are a little more settled down. It's really not as bad as I'm making it seem; I'm doing fine.


I was so surprised to find a Tex-Mex restaurant here, I had to take a picture. One of these days I'm going to eat here.


This is the cat I wrote about in the last blog, Bambou. And this is my bed. And the Snoopy Daniel got me.
I went to a circus. It was cool because I was literally right in front of the stage. I don't remember the last time I went to a circus or if I've even ever been to one.



Creme broule. Yes, they lit it on fire to crust the top. It was so good!


Stanislaski Square in Nancy, in the French province of Lorraine.

Me in front of a town where we went to an Alsace museum. The town was beautiful from this distance. The museum was about Strasbourg changing from being German and French over the centuries.

See you soon!

Paige

Update 9-10-2010

Bonjour!

I have been wanting to update everyone on me being in Strasbourg but just haven't made the time. When I first got here, I was really homesick and kept thinking to myself, "What am I doing here??" I came to find out that just about everyone who came on the trip through BCA was feeling the same way. In the beginning, I had so much trouble understanding French...especially the accents and the words. I can see that I am improving already. Each night, I try to do a little bit of French grammar. I live with a host family: a mom, Isabelle, and her 8 year old daughter, Manon. They are very nice and patient with me! There is also a cat (which if you know anything about me, you know I love cats) who follows me around when no one is home. So far, I have gotten lost for about an hour and a half. It was the second day I was here and I had to take the bus home. I didn't know what the house looked like so I just kept walking around and eventually I recognized a trashcan outside the door! The city is beautiful with lots of flowers. I begin school this coming Monday, September 13 so I am kind of nervous about that. Below I will post some pictures so you can see what I have been up to!


The European parliament is based in Strasbourg. We went to see the president of Mali speak. He is sitting down in the front with the reddish/pinkish outfit on. After I took this picture, a lady came by to say it wasn't allowed.

Strasbourg is in the French province of Alsace. This is historic Alsatian dress.

This is the oldest building in Alsace (the brown one on the left). It has a German look; Strasbourg has passed between being German and French several times over the centuries.

A pepsi and a croque monsieur, which is kind of like a grilled cheese sandwich. There was also ham in it. Some of the other ladies and I were at a cafe near our school.

The Strasbourg Cathedral, which is the second tallest in France. It is magnificent inside!


I would love to receive emails from you to let me know what is going on in your life; it helps me be less homesick! Talk to you later.

Paige