Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Sunday, April 18, 2010
London: A place of possibilities?!?!
Have you ever grown up and lived in place where you could visibly see, taste, feel and understand that it wasn’t for you? Did you ever find yourself day dreaming about what else is out there? When you over hear converstaions from other people who have travelled internationally and come back with incredible memories, does a certain feeling/jolt/joy/aniticipation rise within you? This is me before I came to France and after I had random tastes of travels to foreign countries. This, and more, is why London and my time here in France have touched me so profoundly. As I have said to many people since I have been back as well as the quote from Ernest Hemingway about Paris, where ever I go for the rest of my life London and this time in France will always be with me. I know that Alicia et Jay-Z say that the lights in NY will inspire you but London has left a mark even a wound of inspiration. ‘La mixite sociale’ or multicultralism IS REMARKABLE!!!!! Never have I seen or been in a city where cultures get along so well. Sitting in the park with Lindsay and Tyler I was blessed to see, walking in front of us as Lindsay LOVES to sit in parks and people watch, people from all over the world with different tastes/religions/styles/experiences and more are peacefully getting along. Even, when we were out at night, it was the same story. And, interracial couples were everywhere that I looked and it was totally ok. Nobody cared. Nobody made insensitive remarks as the couples passed by. I saw fully veiled muslim women and girls and nobody, except for us or maybe me, looked twice. It was so beautiful because those women even added style to their veils. Incredible! How is it that this is happening there?
We had the privilege to see London with people who live there and I decided to take advantage and ask if it was real or not. It was real. The people there really LIVE comfortably with everyone else. Now, I am sure it is different outside of London but it exist somewhere and for me that is all that matters. Many questions came to mind as I saw this everyday. Why is it that we have these certain stereotypes? Cliches? False perceptions? And why is it that we feel it necessary to force them on others? There in London, it felt like those walls didn’t exist. In fact, to not be yourself there would mean to not be a Londoner. I love it and I loved it! I hear that NY is like this soo… I will find this out.
Our hostel where we stayed was cool, and low key. The weather was sunny and warm and if you know anything about London, that is rare! We rode double decker buses, such a great idea. The British accent is funny expecially when you don’t expect it. The food in England isn’t that good, which is why I might be skeptical to live there, but the fish & chips were alright. The Victoria & Albert musuem was fantastic a must see! It reminded me of the Louvre in Paris.
So, my last update was back in January, well tons of things have happened since then. I found out in London that the group that I dance with has been invited, expenses paid, to Italy for 2 days to give an performance! Awesome, right! So excited. This weekend I am going to Nice, St. Tropez and Eze, awesomeness. School is going well and almost over, SADNESS! The weather is getting warmer. There are strikes going on which interrupts the trains and of course there is the problem with the volcano. I left London the day before the volcano erupted, thank God, but I have plently of friends who will be stuck in Spain or Ireland or Turkey or wherever for a week or more. Everything is great with the host family! And new experiences continue to happen !
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The 2nd takeoff
Well, I'm off! Yes, you know what I am talking about...
I'm off to France again for another semester and 1 day before my birthday! It has been great catching up with those who I have had the chance to catch up with. Blessings and peace and hope onto you all and onto all that you do. I'll be back. I'll be around but I hope that you stick around for the new and exciting adventures that await me this next semester. If so, you will have a first class seat to all the happenings just like I will have on this flight today!!!! Love you all!!!! Ciao!!!!
I'm off to France again for another semester and 1 day before my birthday! It has been great catching up with those who I have had the chance to catch up with. Blessings and peace and hope onto you all and onto all that you do. I'll be back. I'll be around but I hope that you stick around for the new and exciting adventures that await me this next semester. If so, you will have a first class seat to all the happenings just like I will have on this flight today!!!! Love you all!!!! Ciao!!!!
Friday, November 6, 2009
November is here (novembre est ici)
Il y a une version francais en-bas.
Someone told me this story last week.
This experience is kind of like a family that is moving. They are excited and are looking forward to the new challenges that they will face together. They are all packed and ready to go. As they drive off somehow the dog gets left behind or falls off and the family doesn’t notice. So, here is the dog all alone, nothing familier, feeling uncomfortable. This is us (study abroad students) there always seems to be something missing, something just not right.
:)
The weather here has not been good but with great reason. It has been raining everyday but I’m ok with it because God is dressing the mountains in snow for us!! I’m looking forward to ski season. Good news: My French is improving. People have told me that they hear less and less of my American accent and that I am speaking better. I have yet to find a French man or woman who volunteer false information so I can trust their comments.
This weekend, I prepare for another dance concert so that’s exciting. The last, if you remember I wrote about it, went well. I just found out that we will be doing the same routines on several different days. Look for pictures. The sports here are amazing. I have watched soccer and I am thoroughly impressed with the talent over here. Also, rugby, is awesome! I myself would never play it but I find it great to watch. Next week, I start filming a short video with other students in my film class. We are going to enter into a competition in which we can win an iPod. We have 1 minute to show the difficultes faced by study abroad students, this should be fun. If anybody wants to skype me let me know! Ciao and have a great week!!!!
Une amie m’a raconte une histoire sur la vie pour d’etudiants etrangers.
Il ne fait pas beau. Il pleut tous les jours parce que Dieu port la montage avec la niege. :) Bonnes nouvelles: Peut-etre, je peux parler francais! :) Plusieurs personnes m’a dit <<>> :) Je suis tres tres content parce que j’ai besoin d’encouragement. Ce week-end, j’ai une repetition pour un autre spectacle, cool! J’ai vu un match du football et du rugby. J’aime bien les deux et je pense que je prefere du rugby plus que du football americain. Cela c'est beaucoup plus d'interessant. La semaine prochaine, j’iras commencer un projet video avec d’autres etudiants dans mon cours histoire du cinema francais. Nous nous inscrions une competition. Rien du plus.
Ciao
Someone told me this story last week.
This experience is kind of like a family that is moving. They are excited and are looking forward to the new challenges that they will face together. They are all packed and ready to go. As they drive off somehow the dog gets left behind or falls off and the family doesn’t notice. So, here is the dog all alone, nothing familier, feeling uncomfortable. This is us (study abroad students) there always seems to be something missing, something just not right.
:)
The weather here has not been good but with great reason. It has been raining everyday but I’m ok with it because God is dressing the mountains in snow for us!! I’m looking forward to ski season. Good news: My French is improving. People have told me that they hear less and less of my American accent and that I am speaking better. I have yet to find a French man or woman who volunteer false information so I can trust their comments.
This weekend, I prepare for another dance concert so that’s exciting. The last, if you remember I wrote about it, went well. I just found out that we will be doing the same routines on several different days. Look for pictures. The sports here are amazing. I have watched soccer and I am thoroughly impressed with the talent over here. Also, rugby, is awesome! I myself would never play it but I find it great to watch. Next week, I start filming a short video with other students in my film class. We are going to enter into a competition in which we can win an iPod. We have 1 minute to show the difficultes faced by study abroad students, this should be fun. If anybody wants to skype me let me know! Ciao and have a great week!!!!
Une amie m’a raconte une histoire sur la vie pour d’etudiants etrangers.
Il ne fait pas beau. Il pleut tous les jours parce que Dieu port la montage avec la niege. :) Bonnes nouvelles: Peut-etre, je peux parler francais! :) Plusieurs personnes m’a dit <<>> :) Je suis tres tres content parce que j’ai besoin d’encouragement. Ce week-end, j’ai une repetition pour un autre spectacle, cool! J’ai vu un match du football et du rugby. J’aime bien les deux et je pense que je prefere du rugby plus que du football americain. Cela c'est beaucoup plus d'interessant. La semaine prochaine, j’iras commencer un projet video avec d’autres etudiants dans mon cours histoire du cinema francais. Nous nous inscrions une competition. Rien du plus.
Ciao
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Quoi de neuf...
What's new...
Where to start... I AM HAVING A TON OF FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;)
Wow, Obama won a Nobel Peace prize, that's really bizarre. Almost unbelievable! Something is not right with that.
Well, I've gone to a French bible study and found it nice. They're trying to organize a bible study for the Chinese students which I think is incredibly awesome. Also, I participated in an Colombian art show opening in which I danced in group of about 8. We did two numbers, a meringue and combo (if I spelled them correctly). I was unable to take pictures or video of the actual performance because a member in the group was Muslim and with the knowledge that API will use the video and pictures I take and put them on Youtube would cause her many problems. That was very frustrating and a little depressing and caused me to reflect on a lot of things. However, we had fun, we did a good job and we have another show next month in which I plan on taking part of and hopefully I will be able to take video and stuff.
Last weekend I went to the city Annecy and it was a great time. The city is incredibly charming and gorgeous and on the particular day we went they had a parade with all the animals. I have pictures so enjoy them.
This week we start our 'examens blancs' or midterms but not really midterms. In all honesty I'm not sure if the grades will count towards us or not. The professors have said 'No' but you never know. I'm ready.
I enjoy being in situations where French is the only method of communication, aside from sign language. I especially love meeting French people who have tons of questions about America, English and more. It's cool, and sometimes not so cool, to here the views/thoughts/ideas of America. Last week I met Elodie, a young French woman (no surprise huh!) and when I told her I was from Texas she got excited like I get when people tell me they're from somewhere I like or wish to go. It was funny because I am not a big fan of Texas thanks to my mom. I blame her because she showed me the world. Elodie is friends with a guy name Jorice, Jorice and I have agreed to help each other with English and French respectively. We got together last week and it turned out to be fun and by the end of the meeting other people came and joined. We were discussing stereotypes that the French have of Americans and black men. Fun!
Also, last Wednesday the French Consular had a small party to welcome American students and I found it to be cool. I met a lot of people including a cool group of women who are all doing a Master's in business here. They're all from America. They were like a breath of fresh air with tons of laughter. I enjoyed their company and I hope we can all hang out and merge our groups together which I am sure will not happen. Which brings me to my next topic...
A problem that I am facing here (amongst many others) is American friends or non-American friends. It's absolutely necessary to have friends that are not from your country when you are in a foreign country with the purpose of learning a language. It's important, it's the only road to success. It's difficult trying to balance it all out and not get discourage. And sometimes when I try to introduce French (or Chinese, Colombian, Syrian, or whatever) friends to my American friends I'm more often than not met with resistance. However, this could really be my own subjectivity. However, I'm not the only one that has noticed it or commented on it. It frustrating at times for me because I never want to neglect anyone but whatever!
That's a small fraction of what's going on. Tell me how you guys are doing!
Where to start... I AM HAVING A TON OF FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;)
Wow, Obama won a Nobel Peace prize, that's really bizarre. Almost unbelievable! Something is not right with that.
Well, I've gone to a French bible study and found it nice. They're trying to organize a bible study for the Chinese students which I think is incredibly awesome. Also, I participated in an Colombian art show opening in which I danced in group of about 8. We did two numbers, a meringue and combo (if I spelled them correctly). I was unable to take pictures or video of the actual performance because a member in the group was Muslim and with the knowledge that API will use the video and pictures I take and put them on Youtube would cause her many problems. That was very frustrating and a little depressing and caused me to reflect on a lot of things. However, we had fun, we did a good job and we have another show next month in which I plan on taking part of and hopefully I will be able to take video and stuff.
Last weekend I went to the city Annecy and it was a great time. The city is incredibly charming and gorgeous and on the particular day we went they had a parade with all the animals. I have pictures so enjoy them.
This week we start our 'examens blancs' or midterms but not really midterms. In all honesty I'm not sure if the grades will count towards us or not. The professors have said 'No' but you never know. I'm ready.
I enjoy being in situations where French is the only method of communication, aside from sign language. I especially love meeting French people who have tons of questions about America, English and more. It's cool, and sometimes not so cool, to here the views/thoughts/ideas of America. Last week I met Elodie, a young French woman (no surprise huh!) and when I told her I was from Texas she got excited like I get when people tell me they're from somewhere I like or wish to go. It was funny because I am not a big fan of Texas thanks to my mom. I blame her because she showed me the world. Elodie is friends with a guy name Jorice, Jorice and I have agreed to help each other with English and French respectively. We got together last week and it turned out to be fun and by the end of the meeting other people came and joined. We were discussing stereotypes that the French have of Americans and black men. Fun!
Also, last Wednesday the French Consular had a small party to welcome American students and I found it to be cool. I met a lot of people including a cool group of women who are all doing a Master's in business here. They're all from America. They were like a breath of fresh air with tons of laughter. I enjoyed their company and I hope we can all hang out and merge our groups together which I am sure will not happen. Which brings me to my next topic...
A problem that I am facing here (amongst many others) is American friends or non-American friends. It's absolutely necessary to have friends that are not from your country when you are in a foreign country with the purpose of learning a language. It's important, it's the only road to success. It's difficult trying to balance it all out and not get discourage. And sometimes when I try to introduce French (or Chinese, Colombian, Syrian, or whatever) friends to my American friends I'm more often than not met with resistance. However, this could really be my own subjectivity. However, I'm not the only one that has noticed it or commented on it. It frustrating at times for me because I never want to neglect anyone but whatever!
That's a small fraction of what's going on. Tell me how you guys are doing!
Friday, September 25, 2009
Maillot de bain...
Maillot de bain…
means ‘speedo’ guys. Yes, it’s the required swimming attire for public pools here in France. And what can I say after the fact… ce n’est pas grave(no big deal)! The only thing that stuck out was my terrible and outdated swimming. I actually looked good in the ‘le maillot de bain’ but that’s what I think. Oh, I do have pictures.
means ‘speedo’ guys. Yes, it’s the required swimming attire for public pools here in France. And what can I say after the fact… ce n’est pas grave(no big deal)! The only thing that stuck out was my terrible and outdated swimming. I actually looked good in the ‘le maillot de bain’ but that’s what I think. Oh, I do have pictures.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
I have a headache
J’ai mal un tete…
seriously! Everynight my head is full to the capacity ready to burst at the seams. It’s good for me it’s good for all students. I honestly feel like I will not get close to being fluent but that has to be false because the pain of my brain testifies to something different.
seriously! Everynight my head is full to the capacity ready to burst at the seams. It’s good for me it’s good for all students. I honestly feel like I will not get close to being fluent but that has to be false because the pain of my brain testifies to something different.
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