Well well well, look who it is. Yep, I have been negligent. But you can't blame me, because in the past three weeks, I have moved apartments, had my "medical visit" confirming that I can stay in France for a year, and went on a trip to the lovely region of Normandy.
One of the keys to surviving in this place is certainly getting out of the city once in awhile. Don't get me wrong I am not complaining about PARIS, but I am finding that I miss nature!
First off, you are probably wondering, "MOVE?! Why would you move?! I thought you really liked your host family." And my response to you would be, "Yep I still really like my host family." However, there were some extenuating circumstances that led me to feel less comfortable in the home, and fortunately for me another student in the program decided to leave her apartment for students housing. Fine by me, because I love the apartment I'm now in! Very different from the 3eme arrondisment, the 14eme is a little bit more families and trees and a little less touristy. And although I miss my runs along the canal, I have a gigantic park just next door that allows me to take a breather from the city air. (I will load pictures very soon, but for now my computer is acting a bit funny)
Ensuite, what the heck is a medical visit?!!
Well, do not worry, I am not sick! (I get that question a lot). Essentially the visit is to confirm that I do not have tuberculous. You may think that such a disease doesn't exist any more and therefore such a medical visit seems pointless, but you would be wrong...and right. In some ways the medical visit IS pointless. I have been in France over a month and a half, if I were to have tuberculous, I would have already given it to other people. Unlike last year, I left the medical office called, OFII (office of integration and immigration) WITH my carte sejour (the official stamp that says I can stay). Sadly I cannot really describe the visit to you all, it's just something you will have to experience yourself. Arriving at the cusp of dawn, waiting among a bunch of students and immigrants that hardly speak a word of French, and trying to be patient with all the nurses and doctors who seem have none. And a young woman yelling at everyone to take a seat when there are in fact no seats left. It's a priceless moment.
Every now and then you get run into someone who is having a good day, but as Evette (another gal in the program) says, "I feel bad for them! Look how unhappy they are and it's only 9am, that still leaves a good 12 hours in the day!"
THREE: Trip to Normandy
Many of you should be familiar with this region. Normandy is where D-day took place, you know Omaha beach and all that. (Normandy has a ton of other things too, but this is what it is known for). So, us middlebury kids spent to days in the region. We went to the American cemetery, the tapestry of Bayeux, stayed the night in a small hotel not far from Mont-Saint-Michel (a church built on a mountain), then in the morning visited the famous Mont-Saint-Michel, and a Chateau---the name of which escapes me.
Although rainy and kind of gray, we were not disheartened, in fact we felt that the rain was only appropriate for the kind of trip it was. Seeing the beaches and the American cemetary, lined with all those white grave markers is humbling. Even on my most difficult days in Paris, things could always be worse.
Next, to make things a bit more abeat, we saw the tapestry of Bayeux, which is one of the longest and oldest surviving tapestries. It tells the story of William the Conqueror and the Vikings. The museum is really well done, because they give you a little head set that explains the story as you look at the tapestry. Almost like a comic book.
That evening, we stayed in a very nice little hotel, and had the opportunity to explore a fair à la française. Yep, bumper cars and cotton candy.
The next day we got a up bright and early to visit Mont-Saint-Michel which is a church ontop of a moutain. It was first built in the 600s and over time has changed uses. For awhile it was a prision. Now it is a monastery and allures thousands of tourists. The church is also under attack...by sand! For most of the church's history the tide from the ocean would come in every night (like galloping horses as they say in French) and surround the mountain leaving an even flow of sand all the way around. Today, there is a road that leads all the way up to the mountain, so that tour buses and such can have easy access. WELL the consequences of human intervention on nature is that now the sand builds up because it has no where to go. A huge project is under way to build a suspension pedestrian bridge where the road currently sits. Thus reopening the flow of water and sand. I highly recommend visiting it, this was my second trip and I would go back.
To finish off the day we went to a little chateau on the way home. Unfortunately I didn't have time to explore the gardens because the others didn't want to stay (it was raining afterall), but the chateau itself was preserved better than most because it remained private until about 1950, when the only children of the family were women, they lost ownership of the chateau. (YES in 1950! heritage of such things was still for men only). But that meant that a lot of the furniture and decor is original.
Well that about does me in for this week. (Writing in English is a bit tiresome these days!) BUt I hope that you are all doing well, and if ever you want to drop me an email please do not hesitate! (Or if you have questions about anything!0
Miss you all!
-Rebekah
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