Chamonix and Mont Blanc

The Alps, I knew they would be gorgeous, but I was not prepared for their majesty! We were just driving along (8 hour bus ride...) plain non descript scenery on either side, when we went into a tunnel... A magic tunnel, becuase when we came out the other side... Amazing views of the Alps, with every bend in the road the sights got more wonderful. I can't think of anywhere I've been that is as beautiful. Sure Yellowstone is breath-taking too, maybe because I've been there 3 times it has lost some wonder, and Alaska lost some points because of the awful cruise ship my family was on. Oh, the Badlands in South Dakota, now they were amazing when I saw them (hauntingly beautiful in the drizzle). Ok, so I have a list of natural wonders that the Alps most definetly rank near the top (maybe the top, but now I can't decide).

Anyway, I have pictures (which I'll try to load today) and some video from the top of the Aiguille Du Midi, which is one of the tallest peaks in the Alps (some of the group was afraid of heights, they weren't thrilled with the cable car ride). The ride up was a fast 8 minutes to the first terrace, then a few more minutes got us all the way up. The ride was smooth, except when passing the towers that hold the cables running up the mountain. I don't think my words (or my pictures) do the Alps justice... You'll have to go see them for yourself.

The Mer de Glace was also on our itenerary (there were 12 of us who decided not to ski). The glacier is a twenty minute train ride up and a 350 step flight of stairs down just to get to it. Once you get to the glacier you don't just walk up to it, you walk into it! Every year they carve a tunnel into the glacier for visitors to walk through (they have to recarve every year because the glacier moves). You do not know the color blue (bleu since I'm in France) until you have seen a glacier. Seriously amazing colors... Now I have seen glaciers in Alaska and thought, no big deal I've seen them before... But, I hadn't been inside a glacier, that was the kicker. Plus the Alpine valley was amazing even without the glacier. We were rushed because the last train back to Chamonix was at 4:30 and we got to the glacier at 4 o'clock, so we only had a few minutes inside. At 4:15 we were told we had to go back to the station for the train... Think about this for a minute, go back and reread the second sentence of this paragraph, I'll wait.............. Yeah, it says 350 step flight of stairs down, which ultimately means 350 step flight of stairs up... And we only had 15 minutes in which to it, I think it just about did everyone in... There were 2 museums at the Mer de Glace, which because of our time crunch we didn't get to do (or the gift shop)... I'm sure they would've been interesting, but I wasn't in charge of our schedule...

Okay, working in backwards order again, that was Saturday, but we got to Chamonix Friday, so you might be wondering what Friday was like... Let's start with the 4 am get on the bus call... It was early, I mean early... We left the Abbey and drove, and drove, and drove... I thought we were going to drive all the way back to the states (seriously my flight took the same amount of time)... After 8 1/2 hours we finally got to Chamonix. The skiers got kitted out in ski or snowboard gear and headed to the slopes for some lessons. Those of us who didn't fancy breaking bones got to explore the town. I wandered around till I saw a sign for the Musee de Cristal... Now being a rock-hound and lover of natural beauty my interest was piqued, so I followed the signs pointing the way... The museum had stunning crystals from all over the world, with many pulled directly from Mont Blanc (which of course makes sense, since it is right there). The crowning jewel (pun intended) of the collection was the "Cristal de Napoleon", a huge single clear crystal point. I was around four ft in diameter and just as tall (maybe bigger/smaller, I'm bad with guessing size)... The museum was well worth the 4.50euro student ticket, even the 6euro adult price was reasonable. I only wish they allowed photos... After kicking around the museum for an hour I still had 3 hours till we were supposed to meet up for dinner. I spent the time browsing the numerous gift shops and stores in Chamonix. I went into a little grocery store and found popcorn!!! Now, maybe this doesn't sound like a such a big deal, but considering I hadn't found any (not even at the movie theater), I was thrilled. So, popcorn in hand I continued my day, bought a scarf and some postcards, and a pin to add to my collection... Interestingly, the farther from the center of town, the more expensive the souvenirs got... The first store I went into had the pin for 5euro, thinking I could find a better deal elsewhere I held out. Each store I went into got progressively more expensive, with the last store offering the same exact pin for 15euro... Needless to say, I went back to the first shop (which was right by the bus, so it wasn;t like I had to backtrack)... Our Friday dinner was included in the price of the trip. We dined at Le Monchu, which serves traditional fondue... Cheese and meat... I don;t eat cheese or meat... An email had been sent ahead letting the restaurant know that there were vegetarians and a vegan in the group, but I think it didn't translate well... Anyway, after Gabe explained the situation an alternative was provided... Lemme go back, cause even for a non meat eater this was interesting. We started with a salad topped with cheese, ham, and apple slices. Next we were served a baked potato (with no condiments)... Then the fondue came, a pot of melty cheese over a fire and a plate of raw meat... To cook the meat a blazing hot stone was set on the table and you placed the slices on the stone to cook (they were thin, the rock was hot... it didn't take long). I was served a pumpkin soup while everyone else played chef. Dessert was an egg custard, and for me a lemon sorbet. After getting things settled, I was taken care of, and I enjoyed the experience even without cooking up a dead animal at the table (but I digress)... Dinner took two hours, which is not unusual in France (most of Europe for that matter). After dinner, it was back on the bus to our hotel in Annecy. Annecy has been dubbed "The Venice of France", of course it was so late when we arrived that I didn't get to find out why. It is around 1 1/2 hours from Chamonix to Annecy, so we got in at nearly 11... Most everyone went straight to bed, some showered first, and a few found the closest bar... We had breakfast at 9 in the hotel and got on the bus at 10 on Saturday to go back to Chamonix (so we got there around noon), and that is why we were so rushed at the Mer de Glace... Despite the time crunch Chamonix was beautiful and the trip was well worth the money (so future students make sure you sign up)... And despite the long bus ride (with overly loud movies, I have sensitive ears (thank goodness for earplugs)) too.

Photos of the weekend are coming I promise, just have to get on it...

The rest of my day

Alright this is good, two posts, one day... So, after posting my day was pretty quiet... Till I got invited to go into Montrichard for dinner at a Chinese restaurant. Most of the menu was translated to English and we were able to figure out the rest (Qu'est-ce que c'est? and hand gestures work wonders). The food was good, and the owners were nice. I was able to get noodles and vegetables, so I ate as well as I would have if I had stayed at the Abbey. No fortune cookie though... Instead you get a shot of sake, which I, being straight-edge, did not partake of. I was told that the sake tastes the way an old woman's perfume smells... That goes well with my mom saying that scotch tastes the way a Barbie doll smells... So, yeah, with flavor profiles like that one would wonder why I don't drink, sounds delightful (right??? no...).

After getting back, again Steve is awsome (I have said that right?), there was a study group for the French test in the morning. Now, I don't know how it went because I do not study well in a group. I'm a lone wolf... Geez, I sound so cheesy today... So, (gah, do I say that as much as I type it?) I've finished my homework, helped fellow students, and given myself some study time (I don't study much, never have needed to, lucky me). Can I take the test now???

To my fellow classmates for the test I say, Bon Chance!!!

Movies, Mountains, and Me

Yesterday was a busy, busy day. First we start with French class, then French and the World lit class, break for lunch, Leonardo Da Vinci art class, and my last class Expatriate Writers. But we're not done yet, after expats I have film club, then a chateau meeting. After the meeting we had dinner with Michele (more on that later). Finally we end my day with a trip to Montrichard to see "The King's Speech" (which was excellent I must say). So lets see, we started at 7 am, and after harassing my mom with an IM convo, I got to bed at 1 am.... Good times....

Anywho (does that sound as cheesy to you as it does in my head?), dinner with Michele and Michelle. They live across from the Abbey and fix dinner occasionally for the students. Last night two of the chateaux had dinner there, the other two have dinner tonight. Dinner was excellent, at least the parts I ate, everyone raved about the chicken, so it must've been good too. The first course was a tomato and onion salad. Fresh, very delicious tomatoes, way better than what passes for a tomato in the states (see carrot post earlier). Next was the main course, chicken with coucous, garbanzo beans (chickpeas if you must), and vegetables that I'm pretty sure were cooked with the chicken. And then dessert, yogurt with raspberries. It was fun hanging out with Michele, and the other students. We would have spent more time there, but we didn't want to miss the movie...

Only a few of us went to the movie, but what an experience! I'm going to transcribe here what I put in my journal for French class, because, well it was going to be the same thing anyway...
I went to the movie theater in Montrichard today. It is completely different from the theaters in America. First off, it was clean; no gum under the seats, no sticky floors, no ripped wallpaper. At home even the newest theaters look horrible, in no time they are trashed. Next the seats, wonderful, glorious, cushioned seats. Seriously, the most cushy red velvet seats in the world. You just don't get that at home. Apart from the theater, the audience was different. Not a peep during the movie. When people come in they filled the seats. In America people usually leave space between groups, and sit as far apart as possible, unless nothing else is available. Here it seems as though you fill every empty space and leave entire rows empty.
It was kind of amusing actually... A couple of people in our group went to le toilettes before the show started, and before they got back we had to shoo two different groups away from their seats.We left Jess and Jamie at the theater (they didn't go with us, we didn't know they needed a ride back) and had to turn around to get them. Fortunately Montrichard and Pontlevoy are only a few minutes apart, so they didn't have to stand on the street corner for long.

I'm working backwards here... Our second film club meeting was yesterday. We had a good turn out last week, but only a few of us came back. I don't know if people forgot, or just weren't interested... It doesn't really matter, whatever floats your boat. I want to be a director, so learning some skills now will be helpful in the future. And of course this won't feel like a wasted semester (not that it did before, this was one of the best decisions of my life (like I've made so many)). Well I shouldn't say it anyway, since I'm taking two English courses and that is my minor. Yeah Radio/Television major with an English minor, that makes sense... Actually, it does if you think about all of the great pieces of literature that have inspired movie and television (how many Romeo and Juilet movies are there?). So, back to film club... My project... I'm going to do a documentary on Abbey life... Still just in the idea stage, pulling thoughts out of the air, but I will (hopefully) have a film before the end of the semester. And not to ruin the suprise, but this is a 1000 year old Abbey, it is bound to be haunted...

Mountains, that is in my title of this post... Why? Umm, maybe because we are going to the Alps this weekend.... I'm not a skier, and don't want to break a leg the second weekend I'm here, so I'm not gonna try skiing. But, never fear, no ski lodge bunny here, instead a bunch of us are going on a glacier walk! I know it's going to be cool (ice right...), and will have pictures... I promise they are coming, my card reader is in the mail...
Tomorrow is going to be another busy day. Class all day, then a geo-politics lecture, then a bbq, then we get on the bus at 4 am. Quite a few people are already saying pull an all nighter, and sleep on the way to Chamonix (in the Alps, if you hadn't guessed). I don't know about an all nighter, I do those even without a 4 am wake up call...

Week 2

Ok, so it's been a few days since my last post (5 to be exact), but I'm back now...
On Friday we went to Chateau Chenonceau and Tours. The chateau was beautiful. Seriously, I think I was born to the wrong century... Well, maybe not, I like indoor plumbing and women's rights too much... Chateau Chenonceau is the second most visited chateau in France, with Verailles being number one. These chateaus are floor to ceiling (and on the ceiling) oppulence. Every part of the chateau was filled with gorgeous paintings and amazing tapestries.

After the chateau tour we went to Tours. The city of confusion... I say this because googling Tours in France comes up with, you guessed it tours in France. Finding any information about the city can be difficult due to it's name,  but that aside it was cool. Those who needed French cellphones got them in Tours, so now we can contact each other. Those of us who didn't need a new phone went with Dr. Netter to the Musée des Beaux-Arts with Dr. Netter. We had to find a painting that spoke to us and write 300 words about the experience. The museum had so many wonderful paintings that I thought it would be hard to choose... Until I saw her, the “Folie de la fiancée de Lammermoor” by Emile Signol, she captured my attention immediately. After the museum we had till 8:30 to explore Tours. Most everyone found stores with good prices and they bought shoes. I didn't find any good prices, and even if I had, I wear a size 11, which is next to impossible to find in Europe. Besides I'm vegan and don't wear leather, so most shoes are out right from the get go... That's okay though, I have tons of shoes at home that fit and were not made with animal hides. Jaycie and I did however find a music store that had Daft Punk, and I was able to replace my cds that got lost some years ago.

Saturday some of us went to Blois. I needed to go there because of a natural food store that carries vegan food. It was a long, long way away from where Steve parked the bus. Blois is built on the banks of the river Loire, and therefore is uphill. The bus parked at the bottom of the hill, the store I needed was at the top. It took around 30 minutes to walk across town, but when I got there. It was like ascending to heaven, finding vegan food in France. Even yogurt and ice cream made without dairy products! Expensive yes, but then again specialty products like vegan foods are expensive in the states too.

Sunday, the day of rest. I think everybody slept in... It was Anna's birthday however, so we had to go buy some supplies before the store closed for the day. Cooking here is quite a bit different than at home. First off, not everything we can get readily at home is available here, like cheesecake ingredients... Gaby wanted to make a cheesecake, problem was not graham crackers for the crust and no cream cheese for the filling. So, what do you get when you do not have these vital ingredients? You get dip, a strange, brown dip. But, everyone who was brave enough to taste it said it was good. Michelle made a flan (that came in a just add milk box), but it didn't set up properly, so it was flan soup, on fire. Yes I said on fire, you see because we didn't have a cake we put candles in the flan(it was frozen, because it was thought that it would set faster in the freezer) and when Michelle brought it out it looked like a bowl of fire. Good times, good times. John (the amazing cook) made a penne with alfredo and chicken and it nearly dissappeared before Anna got to have any. Definitely no leftovers there... We also found canned scalloped potatoes, and made fried apples with cinnamon. Add a baguette and some wine and you have a birthday meal. Strange how everyone else's birthdays are today... Murray, the owner of the Abbey, opened the "after dark" for us last night for Anna's birthday. The after dark is a hidden space under the kitchen that is reserved for special parties for the Abbey students.

So the weekend went well, and now we are into week two of the Abbey experience. Things are quiet today because the Holocaust class has a paper due and many people are still working on their's. I don't know what I'm going to do with my afternoon, maybe go for a walk in the other direction than I went on Wednesday...

2/16

Since I only have my French class on Mondays and Wednesdays I have quite a bit of free time, so today I went exploring (actually it's after minnight, so yesterday). Dr. Mackaman had suggested that I go for a walk around the village, and it was a good idea. The weather was perfect, not to cold with just the right amount of sunshine. I walked to Giffard, and saw a vineyard that I'm sure will be amazing to see when spring returns to the Loire valley. I walked back into town for lunch at Le Commerce, and stayed for over an hour. I'm a slow eater to begin with and since I didn't have anything better to do (well, homework, but I've since done it) I just stayed and enjoyed being in France. After lunch was a walk in the other direction, to the cemeterie... It is a beautiful, serene cemetery and was a nice place for contemplation. I told my parents I wanted a place in France, I think I may have found it, though I don't want to move in anytime soon ;)

We meet with Bob Yothers today to start a film club, which I am super stoked about. After all, I have finally decided the direction of my life is film directing. So, I can't wait to get started on whatever I decide to do for my first film project (just imagine working on your first film in France, even if it is just for personal growth).

Things have started to settle down as everyone has begun to get into the groove of life at the Abbey. I am still amazed at the diversity of the group, and yet we all seem to have something in common. It is that certain something that drove us to apply for this program and saw us through to the airport for what is one of the greatest experiences one could ask for. I really and truly did not expect to find so many people here that I would click with. I'm sad to see the close of each day, yet can hardly wait for what each new day brings. Every day offers something new, something different, something amazing to explore and experience.

Host Family Day!!!

Today we all got to meet our host families, it was really fun. We set up some games for the kids to play including an obstacle course. Jason and Jamie dressed up as a dwarf (where Jamie had to be Jason's hands). It was hilarious to watch them, I seriously couldn't breathe I was laughing so hard. I'm not a fan of children, but nonetheless it was fun to watch them and hear their little French voices. My host family is actually just one woman, because I requested someone with no children. She doesn't speak much English, which I also requested (I like making things difficult for myself, see being vegan for proof). She is going to Paris for the next twoo weeks, so I won't get to spend time with her till she gets back, but that gives me time to work on my French.

After the host family welcome party, we had our last day of orientation, finally... Several of us went over to Le Commerce after orientation for coffee and hot chocolate because of how cold the chapel was...

Today was the second day of classes, and I am so stoked about this semester (really, just being in France is enough). The professors are all so passionate about what they teach, it makes it really easy to get excited about the classes. I know this is already the most amazing expierence of my life, but having such wonderful professors makes it all the better (hopefully, I'll still be singing their praises after the first tests).

This little town is so full of charm and character it has been really easy to adjust to life here. I already feel at home, can't wait to see what each new day brings. Of course each day has brought different weather, its been cold a drizzly, warm and sunny, overcast and windy, and today was stormy on and off. It's kind of like the saying about Texas "If you don't like the weather just wait 5 minutes"...

Day 3

The first class day... I only had my French class, so I've been wandering through town with some of the other students, getting lost, then finding out you can't stay lost in Pontlevoy, it is just too small for that. The only problem with having Monday basically free, is that just about everywhere takes Monday off the way things close for Sunday back at home. Oh well, still fun to explore the town. The weather has been nice, albeit a bit chilly. Shame, I was hoping for snow, guess I'll have to wait till weekend after next when we go to the Alps.

Le Commerce is where we eat for lunch on class days. I'm pretty sure that serving a vegan is not something they have to do very often. Vegetarians sure, but forgoing dairy and egg can cause quite the dilemma... That's why I travel with my "Vegan Passport", seriously one of the best purchases I have ever made. It explains what a vegan will and will not eat in 56 languages, it even has a page of pictures if you have to explain to someone who either doesn't know any of the languages in the book, or can't read. So, I got a really nice salad and half an avacado. I love avacado so it was perfect!

I was going to post the few pictures I have taken, but I just found out the card reader built into my laptop doesn't support the card my camera takes. I'll just have to wait till my mom sends my card reader from home. I'm not much of a shutter bug, so I only have 5 or 6 photos anyway...

Day 2

I can't believe it, I'm actually posting two days in a row. Today was fun, we went to Amboise to the Sunday market. We went as our chateau groups to buy picnic supplies for a late lunch/ early dinner. Everybody took turns going up to vendors and buying something in French. We met a nice sausage vendor (I know meat, gross...) who explained what was in each of his sausages. My favorite was the one that he wasn't sure of the English word for and descraibed it as "not Bambi". It was either elk or some sort of wild goat/sheep.

After getting back to the Abbey we had some down time before having a host family meeting for those who were interested. It's not like an exchange student program where you live with the family, rather you go over to their house for dinner occasionally, and maybe go on weekend trips or just hangout trying French on native speakers. I'm sure it is going to be a fun experience, since I know what it was like hosting an actual exchange student in '95-'96. Most of the families have children (one of the reasons to host one of us is so their kids can practice English, and vice versa). I am not wild about children, I mean really cannot stand kids... I might can handle teenagers, but thats as far as I'll go, so I requested a family with no children. I also said I was completely comfortable with getting paired with someone who spoke no English whatsoever. I don't speak much French (although I can now buy bread) and don't mind being thrown to the wolves and trying to muddle my way through the language. I'm here to learn and be out of my comfort zone (which I left in Texas), so I figure that if the only way to communicate at times is pointing and listening then thats what I'll do.

My chateau decided upon a 5 o'clock picnic in the dining room. We had paella, chicken with potatoes, chevre (well, everyone else had those), radishes, carrots (the best in the world, seriously), clementines, kiwis, and some sort of pastry thing filled with raspberry jelly. We had bought a sausage, but it didn't make it to the table... We had fun chatting and eating, I think we spent around an hour and a half just hanging out getting to know one another.
About the carrots, when I was in Paris in '08 I bought carrots in the supermarche and they were the best carrots I had ever had, the most perfectly carroty carrots in the world. I was so excited to get to come back to France and have more of the delicious carrots that Frane has. I was not dissapointed, they were just as good as I remembered the carrots being. I'm in love with French carrots...

This place is amazing. I have never felt so close to so many people in such a short amount of time. There are still many students I haven't had a chance to meet, but it's only the second day... Those that I have met are all friendly and seem like I've known them forever, and I hope that we will be able to someday say that we have known each other forever. I'm not the most outgoing person in the world, but I feel so comfortable and connected to everyone here. I'll admit it, there were a few people that when I saw them at the airport I was not sure about, but I've changed my mind about them. We are all in this boat together and that helps bond us, at the very least it provides a good conversation starter. I never have to stare at someone wondering what to say, I can say bonjour and ask about where they are from or what brought them to the Abbey (just don't say a plane and a bus).

Sleeping is interesting. I'm not much of a sleeper, and cannot sleep with any noise or light... Dorms are noisy. I think I got maybe 2 1/2 hours of sleep last night... It's ok, I'll manage, I've gone longer on less. Once I get used to Abbey life I'm sure I'll be able to sleep better.

The first day

France!!! Made it safe and sound, even though it took forever. Seriously long time, an 8 hour flight (luckily it was an hour early arriving, otherwise it would have been 9), the problem was we arrived in terminal A and needed to be in F. There were more than a dozen of us on the one flight, and we wanted to stay together, so  we decided not to take the shuttle around. It's a long walk through a crowded airport. Then we sat at the airport almost 4 hours waiting on everybody to arrive. That wasn't a problem cause everyone got a chance to talk and start meeting their new family. I already feel close to a few people and know that the rest are going to be fun to be around too. From the airport we took a bus through the french countryside to Pontlevoy, most people slept almost the whole way. I wasn't so lucky, I can't sleep on planes and couldn't fall asleep on the bus, so I was awake till arond 11 o'clock Saturday night. That's 32 hours if anyone is counting. Oh well, I don't mind, I got my sleep finally, though I couldn't stay asleep. Night owl, early bird, all the same to me...

The town of Pontlevoy is tiny, but I prefer that I'm in a close community where everyone knows that the Americans are back in town. All the locals we saw on our tour of the town were friendly, one couple even stopped their car to say hello (well, bonjour, but you get the idea).

Speaking of tiny, the shower... I've seem roomier sardine cans... I hit my right elbow, then my left, then my right, I could go on... It'll take some getting used to, but the water was hot and the flow was strong, so really what is there to complain about.
The rooms, they are small, and can sleep 3, but I don't think any room has more than 2 people in it. So, each person has their own little closet and a desk. Glad we don't have to share, cause I like having space to spread my work out.  I'm not used to sharing a room, and having a roomate is weird. Then again, everything is new and different. My horoscope for the day does say now is the time for change...

So, my first day living (so exciting to be living, not just visiting) in France was long and I'm glad to be here and ready for my first full day living here!!!

Leavin' on a jet plane

My last day stateside for 3 months!!! Packing was, umm, fun... Took around 2 hours to get it all into 1 suitcase (and I already had everything gathered up). One suitcase, sounds impossible, but when you're on your own in a country (entire continent really) that doesn't have elevators or escalators it is a nightmare to try to carry more, so I packed and repacked till it all fit into one case (and a backpack as my carry on).  It isn't really the getting to fit part that is trouble, it's the 50lb weight limit that causes the problems, if my luggage scale is accurate I have around 4lbs to spare. Oh, 4lbs sounds like alot, but try to add anything, even a pair of socks and the scale goes over 50, which is why I'm leaving that 4lbs as a buffer. I know exactly what I will take out if I get to the airport this afternoon and they say it is overweight. I don't care if all I had was a toothbrush and a change of clothes, I'm just glad the weather cleared, I was afraid the Wednesday ice/snow would be worse, but fortunately it cleared up and the roads were dry yesterday, so hooray!