La fin de Tours ~ The end of Tours

I leave for Dijon in an hour - honestly, time has passed so quickly. I've been in Tours now for a month, and I can't even begin to describe the feelings that have been felt, the people I have met, the sights I have seen, or the food I have tasted. I have missed my family, and have been adopted by a new one. I have met a woman whose goal it is to battle AIDS in Cote d'Ivoire, and another who has felt the pains of the Iraqi War far too close to home. I have sat in cafes drinking cafe, in awe of where my life has taken me. I have made jokes in french, and tried to say words in german. I have taken too many photos, and at the same time not enough to capture what I have experienced here.

Two nights ago I went to see a concert in Tours center. It was wonderful, and not only because I was with good company or that the music was define...it was because I truly learned something that night. My last night in Tours, I felt at home. I was next to a french woman and a german man. We all spoke different languages, and yet we all felt something - the music was universal, and I was proud to be part of that.

Dijon will be another opportunity for me, another adventure in the making. However, I am sad to leave this one behind, for the little town of Tours has given me so much.

Mot du jour: chasse au trésor = treasure hunt

Today was such a fun day! En lieu du cours cet après midi, nous avons eu une chasse au trésor à Tours! We were split into assigned groups, aussitot que we could meet different people. I was in a group with 2 swiss students (a girl and a boy from the german-swiss area) and a 19 year old from mexico city. We had a set of 31 énigmes, and so we had to walk all around the city (2.5 hours!) to search for the answers. My favorite part was that the questions were posed such that we had to ask people in the street if they knew where things were. It was great. My french has already greatly improved, and everytime I am forced to speak french with others (b/c french was the language that my team members and I shared) I improve. I met a man who owned a book shop, b/c I had to ask him where a store was. I also met une femme sur la rue avec les lunettes bizarres, b/c we couldn't find l'école de la musique. All in all, it was tiring but really fun. I made some new friends, shared some laughs, didn't have to go to class, and won some great prizes at the end (I now have a ticket to a concert vendredi, a handy carrying case, AND un stylo which changes colors)

ps. 2 people asked me for directions today! YAY! That means that they thought I was french! (or that they were so desperate they asked me anyway :0)

En lieu du cours cet après midi, nous avons eu une chasse au trésor à Tours! = Instead of class this afternoon, we had a treasure hunt in Tours!
aussitot que = so that
énigme = puzzles
une femme sur le trottoire avec les lunettes bizarres = a woman on the sidewalk with funky glasses
l'école de la musique = music school
vendredi = friday
un stylo = a pen

Mot du jour: Goûter = to taste

So it was 6:30 in the evening, and I was getting hungry. For the past 3o minutes, Valentin had been hard at work preparing les gaufres. They smelled great, was one of the one american foods they served, and seeing Anne-Lise eat some just a little while earlier, I figured that it was a free-for-all kinda of night. So I sit down, take out some veggies from le frigo, and start eating my hearty répas. However, as soon as I'm done, Brigitte walks into the kitchen, and looked down at the table...and starts to smile. She then informs me that les gaufres were merely a snack, merely "to taste" before dinner, which would be soon. The family is still laughing, and this story will probably go down in history as being one of their favorite foreign student spoofs.

les gaufres = waffles
le frigo = the fridge
un répas = a meal

Mot du jour: Un burger végétarian = "veggie burger"

I put veggie burger in quotes, because they don't actually exist. But I was excited to see burger végétarian on the menu, since I did not yet know this fact. As I waited anxiously for my food, I realized this was the first place in France that I have even seen a vegetarian option, such as soy protein. France's idea of a vegetarian option is either just salad with lots of veggies, or melted cheese over cooked legumes. I had not yet seen in France any sign of tofu, soy, or veggie products of the sort you would find in the states. So, as you can guess, I was mildly surprised to see what was placed in front of me. Yes, it was a hash brown thing (a fried chunk of potatoe) on a bun, with ketchup, lettuce, and a tomato. It wasn't bad, but I won't order it again :0)

For the first time since I've been here, it's raining. I'm actually enjoying it though...the pitter patter of rain on my skylight is relaxing, and it's nice have the sky be a different shade...a change of pace is nice. Plus, I'm sure the beautiful gardens around here are enjoying the drink.

Today, I was looking online for prices for TRAVELING! I'm really excited to see more of europe. Of course, France is first on my list. Bordeaux, Marseille, Nantes, Rouen, the works. BUT I truly and desperately want to see Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy...so I'm going to plan probably a two week trip during one of my breaks all through those countries. Good thing I worked like a dog this past summer!! This won't be cheap!

A tout à l'heure!

Love, Katelyn

The key to my heart

I sometimes have out of body experiences here in France, b/c, well, I'm in France. I visited the most remarkable place today, a little town close to Tours called Amboise. It has it's own chateau, an adorable little town, and the last demeure of Leonardo da Vinci. As the rest of my friends went to Paris today, I wanted to seek out a little place to relax and enjoy. I couldn't have made a better choice, and instead of going alone as I had planned, a friend from the Institut, Martin from Germany, had plans to go to the same place! So off we went together, on the most beautiful day possible. Upon arriving, it was like I had stepped into another world. France is, to put bluntly, drop dead gorgeous. I have never seen anything like it. And on the castle grounds, perched high above the town and the fleuve, I felt truly and deeply content. I knew I was where I was supposed to be, and though it was surreal, with my next breath I inhaled so much happiness and pleasure from the pure French air.

Sometimes I question why I am here. How come people end up where they are? How is it, that I, an American from Boston, and a 32-yr-old farmer from Germany, can meet, and spend a day simply strolling, talking (by the way, I know all about how to own bees and cultivate le miel), and end up standing together, overlooking the little town of Amboise, France? How is it that I, a 20 year old girl, is able to look upon the tomb of da Vinci, see his bedroom, eat a crepe in his garden, stroll among his trees, and then be offered wine afterwards? It could not have solely been my desire to améliorer my french that brought me here. Instead, it was a million little circumstances, a million little desires, a million little morsels of hope. I am in France, a country that is stealing my heart away, and I couldn't be happier.

la demeure = home/residence
un fleuve = a river
le miel = honey
améliorer = to improve/make better

La conte de la meringue

Once upon a time, a girl walked into a patisserie. She was looking for something...well, different. Something to satisfy her sweet tooth, yet a normal brownie or croissant would not suffice. And under the glass, a huge cloud of white caught her eye, and so smiling at the woman behind the comptoire, she pointed out her choice. The woman smiled back, accepted the 1.1 euro, and bade "au revoir." With a "merci," the girl was out the door and into the busy street of Tours. "Quelle chance" she exclaimed, "to have found something so new and exciting," as she headed towards le petit parc to enjoy her treat. She chose a spot on the grass where to her right there was a man putting the finishing touches on a beautiful tableau, to her front there was a pretty little fountain with a stone waterfall, and to her left there was a couple, kissing on a bench. "Parfait!" she exclaimed, and sat down. Perplexed at first as how to commence eating the treat because of it's grandeur, she gave into temptation and took a big bite. The texture, was alas, unnerving, yet the taste, incredible. The sugar was almost overwhelming, but not enough to want to stop eating. The bits of almond were surprising to discover, yet only another pleasant addition to the fluff of a treat. When the gastronomic adventure came to an end, the girl stood up, and brushed the sugar from her shirt and pants (and shoes and arms and face). On leaving the little parc, the girl paused a moment and thought, "this meringue will surely not be my last."

la conte = little story
patisserie = bakery
comptoire = counter
quelle chance! = what luck!
tableau = painting
parfait! = perfect!

La pente

First I will talk about La Pente. She is another friend that I have made. And this time it's not a donkey, nor a Swiss guy who I like to go shopping with, nor a little girl in the park who can't pronounce my name. Instead it's, well, a hill. This hill (in french called une pente) is massive. And in order to get to and from school, I need to ride up and down it every day. This is the hill where many adventures have happened. This is the hill where I have sweated profusely. This is the hill in which a sex shop, un coiffure, un boucheterie, un restaurant, et un petit magasin pour les produits freches (a little store full of fresh fruits and veggies) are all within a few yards of each other. I have smelled fresh cut grass (as there is grass between the two lanes) heard beeping car horns, and seen the annoyed faces of drivers when i cut them off. In the morning, thank goodness, I can ride quickly down. But in the afternoon, that is another story. It takes me about 20 minutes to get up it, as opposed to 5. I end up sweating in places I never thought possible. I am tired, annoyed, and practically keeling over from the size and weight of my backpack. La pente...can't live without it (it's the only route home!), but honestly, I wouldnt want to. I hate it, but I have also come to love it. It's one of the things in France that I actually know. I also pass a lot of the same people as I whiz down, opening their shops or heading to school/work. Many of the same people on their bikes pass ME on their way up (I told you i was slow going up it!). So while la pente is a drag, it is still a good friend, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Comme toujours

So I love watching le journal after dinner. At 8 oclock sharp, I can always count on seeing PPDA (Patrick Poivre D'Arvor, le presentateur) come alive with his serious face, but fairly amusing crooked rides. Also, the news is actually NEWS. Not in America, where all you hear about is murder and gore. Instead, the whole world is at your fingertips, as you learn about the goings on in other countries, as well as your own. For me, that is a huge difference and something that actually makes me feel smarter after I watch it (not to mention I'm practicing my french listening skills!). The news is something of a comfort now, something to look forward to. I find, just like la pente or Jean the donkey, that in a different country, I like having something that is constant. For me, that's a way to know I'm safe and taken care of.

le journal = the news
le presentateur = newscaster
rides = wrinkles
la pente = the hill

Planet Hair

It's gone! MY HAIR!!! Well, not really, but I did get a lot chopped off. I love haircuts (the new swoosh and lightness of your head) and I was in desperate need of one. So I thought, why not? I mean, if french people can go into a coiffure (hair salon) and come out ok, why not me? So I looked around for some chic place (of course, it HAD to be chic...i'm in france, no?) and I came across a place called Planet Hair. Ok, so it didn't sound french. But honestly, the price was great (student discounts! YAY!) Also, I was somewhat pulled to it. So, voila. I went in. Right before the lady began cutting my hair, I got really nervous. All the horror stories of foreign hair salons butchering people's hair...I wanted to run out! But I stayed put, although sweating slightly and growing paler. But, I was able to mumble out in french how I wanted my hair. And 20 minutes later, I had made a new friend (the 32 year old who has been cutting hair for 17 years!) and got an awesome cut. If I could do it, so can you. Honestly, I think all of the horror stories that I heard were made up to make people worried about getting their hair cut - and to make their relatively uneventful story, well, exciting. I should have told you all that my hair came out awful and that I had to ask my host mom to fix it, who made it worse, and then I had to walk around France looking like a boy with lopsided hair, etc. But alas, it was a great experience. Good luck with yours! Oh, and if you ever stop by Planet Hair, tell them that Kate sent you...the girl from America. They'll know who I am :0)

Mot du jour: Les animaux ecrasés = Roadkill

It's Sunday in France (the day of relaxing, gardening, and large lunches), and because il faisait beau (it was so nice out) I went on a bike ride through the beautiful countryside. HOWEVER. As I headed out, I didn't take into account the abundance of roadkill that I would meet. In the United States, or at least where I'm from, we have little roadkill. Little squirrels or moles or mice, etc. I rarely come across, let's say, A HUGE RACCOON/OPOSSUM THING or a really really cute RABBIT that's mashed to pieces. Rabbits...that reminds me. At the butchers, there are lots of meats...but you would never think of it as that. You would think it was a zoo with sleeping creatures. All of the birds and stuff have heads and eyeballs! I was walking through the market a few days ago, and there were skinned rabbits, ah yes, with heads and eyeballs, in the glass case. The butcher must have seen my face turning green, because he turned towards me, grabbed hold of one of the dead rabbits heads, and said, "C'est jolie, non?" (it's pretty, no?) I had to laugh after that.

So let's talk about live animals. I've already talked about the dogs, but I have yet to talk about the horses or the donkey. Yes, I have a friend named Jean, and although he is a donkey, he is awesome. He lives along the country road that I run on, and I like to stop and say hi to him when I get the chance. I like talking to him because he doesn't correct my grammar, nor does he laugh when I make a mistake. (The first day I was here, my host mom asked me what food I didn't like, and I said I like everything, that I'm very "facile." I meant to say easy, but I didn't realize I was actually saying I'm easy sexually!! Good first impression, non?) I feel like he's listening, although he might not be able to hear me over his chewing (he likes to eat a lot). The horses are his neighbors, they live right next door. They are beautiful.

Well, enough for tonight. I'm going to finish watching Erin Brokovich in french (I'm trying to understand as much as I can) and then to bed. School in the morning! Woo! A tout à l'heure!

Language

Just today I discovered something...that you don't notice language when you are among ppl who speak the same as you do. It comes naturally, and it's something you don’t give a second thought about. Instead, you concentrate on what you're trying to get across, and as you're listening to someone speak, your imagination wanders as you picture exactly what they're saying...not spelled out in front of you, but you can see the ideas, and pictures are formed in your head. However, now, being in a place where I am confronted by a different language, I find myself looking at language differently. I actually SEE it...all the words are laid out in front of me as I try to sift through the mumble jumble...and I HEAR it...each word is still just a word...it doesn’t carry much meaning yet. The French language is almost tangible...it’s like a bog that’s almost impassable, and to get through my tired brain needs to wade through each heavy word. It's a strange concept I know, but if you ever travel to a different place where you can understand a little bit of the foreign language, you will see what i mean.

Stinky Feet

I don't know how the french do it. All day they wear flats without socks, and also no sneakers. My question is...how do their feet not smell??? Maybe they do and I just don't notice (or have been in range) but honestly, I've been here for 3 days. My feet have never smelled this bad. BLAH.
And, i have to wear flats too, or people will know that I'm American! Gasp!

Another problem. Sweating in your school clothes. No one wears sweats when they ride their velos to and from school/work. So I'm here, sweating like a dog in my jeans and nice shirts and makeup, with stinky feet b/c i'm not wearing socks and sneakers, and the french go whizzing by with their baguettes in hand, looking as fresh as a daisy. Bon.

Mot du Jour: EMPRUNTER = to borrow

I was in class today, and I wanted to find out if we could borrow the foreign films from the mediateque to bring home. Well, of course I didn't know the word. So I had to describe what I meant...which obviously took 5 minutes longer than it needed to. And all he said was, NON. Awesome.

Then, now with the vocab word in my head and therefore with my boosted confidence, I went to the library (la biblioteque) to take out some books. I picked out four, but then when I went to the librarian to borrow them, she said (in french) "you first need to sign up, then pay 20 euros." I was like, "uhh, peut-etre plus tard" (ok...maybe later). These are some of the little trucs (things) that make France France.

Les chiens francais

Bonjour tout le monde!

Today I went on a run along la fleuve (the river Loire) which runs between St. Cyr and Tours. My house is pres de l'ecole (close to the school) even though I live in St. Cyr and not Tours (where the institute is). I've been riding my host mom's, Brigitte's, velo (bike) to school and back! There is also the option of riding the bus, but I feel more french riding my one-gear pink bike through town.

Anyways, the river route was beatiful. There is a trail which runs besides la fleuve and there are a lot of trees. I'll try to get some pictures up soon. I've been trying to speak as much french as I can, so when I'm running I like to say "Bonjour" to the passerbys (BUT ONLY IF THEY SAY IT FIRST!!! you have to watch out, b/c in france, smiling is seen as fake or if you do it to a guy, they think you're into them!), "pardon" when i need to get past, and "merci" if they move over ahead of time. The french accent is beautiful, as well as the town. There is the also the countryside, only a few minutes away, which is absolutely amazing.

One thing that I've noticed - the dogs here are awesome. They can speak french! A dog owner had a german shepard today along the river, where I was running. And he said, "Ici! Depeche! Allez!" meaning here! hurry! come on! And the dog went to him! I was amazed. I hope I'll soon be able to understand as much as the dog does :0)