I've been filling my time with classes, trips, and planning my October break vacation! I'll start off in Oviedo, Spain visiting my very best friend Jackie before meeting up with my parents in Madrid. I am insanely excited to see some familiar faces - much needed.
I also have some news - this morning I moved out of my homestay and moved in with a new family. Things weren't really going as well as anticipated and so after some thinking I decided to stand up for myself and make a change. Thanks to Mom and Dad for their support on this decision...and especially Dad's wise words: "Life's too damn short to not be completely happy."
I now live up in the hills of Nice and have an AMAZING view of the Mediterranean. I live with a woman and her 4 year old son :) I already feel so at home here - definitely a positive change in my life.
Some quick highlights of the past couple weeks....
Last weekend the group went to Aix-en-Provence and Marseille. In Aix we took a "Walking in Cezanne's footsteps" tour of the city. It was great to see the city from a cultural/historical point of view compared to my previous trip to Aix when I just took pictures of buildings that I thought looked pretty. In Marseille we saw an opera (I know I know...I'm becoming so cultured) and I actually really enjoyed it! The opera was set during the beginning of the Revolution (1789...an all-important date here in France) and was based on the idea of finding eternal love after death (the two main characters are sentenced to death soon after proclaiming their love for each other). Total tear-jerker.
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| view of Marseille from the train station-- Notre Dame de la Garde is up on the hill in the right hand corner of the photo |
Next we went on a very windy boat ride to Iles de Friouls - islands just off the coast of Marseille. We only had about an hour to explore the island but it was so windy that walking in a straight line was impossible. This wind is called"Le Mistral" because its the very specific wind that comes off of the Rhone river valley. We started the joke that it's actually Mr. Mistral who is blowing our shirts and dresses up :)
More veggie pictures from the marché (market)...note how small the potatoes are here!
I learned something interesting about typical French architecture....take a look at this photo and notice how small the 3rd story windows are compared to the 1st and 2nd floor balconies. Before the 1850's the apartments on the top story of a building were the least expensive, usually rented by maids, starving artists, and other low-income earners. Nowadays we have the idea that the top story of an apartment is the best, and is always the most expensive (penthouse suites in apartments or hotels). In 1857 the first commercial passenger elevator was installed in a department store in New York City. Since then, and as more and more people started to trust in the new technology, the top floors of apartments have been the most coveted (they've always had a better view! )
Last night I met up with a friend from the group, Sheridin, for dinner and a Baroque concert. We had a really hard time finding the venue..or any posters for the concert...so wandered around Old Nice for awhile. We happened upon a little theater and were looking at some posters for upcoming events when a guy came out and invited us in to see the play - that had just started! The play was some ridiculous, absurd, french comedy with only 4 actors who broke out into song every 2 minutes. I haven't laughed so hard since I got here - and it was about time! It was fate that we stumbled upon this hilarious little play - and exactly what I needed.
I'll be starting this next week with my normal optimistic attitude (I think I lost touch with it for a little while). I am so excited to see Jackie and my parents..and in just 2 short weeks! When I get back my break I will only have 6 weeks left here - time is really flying by! And I have also made the resolution to keep up on my blog --- no more laggin!
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