Mmm, Crinkled Chips!!

I'm so excited that I went grocery shopping today!! Especially since I'm buying a pot and pan tomorrow at IKEA at L'Odysseum, so I can finally cook something! I'm still extremely overwhelmed, though. There's so much to choose from! I always wanted to do my own grocery shopping, but it's so much harder than I thought! I tried making a list, but it can only help so much. I think that once I get into the groove, I'll be able to shop a little easier. I've been looking up easy recipes, so that'll come in handy.

So we went to Avignon yesterday. Le Palais du Pape (the Pope's Palace) was gorgeous and HUGE (hahahaha I don't miss those commercials). I was soooo in my element! Let's get a big old house like THAT! It was gorgeous, though, seriously, and I was so tempted to buy a pen with a knight on the top of it, but didn't. I figure if I go back with Carl or go to Chateau de Biron, I can get it. After the tour of the palace, Emily, Colleen, and I went to a restaurant called Hiely Lucullus. It was sooo French and so high-class!! We thought they had a fixed-price menu, but apparently its good everyday but Sunday, which is the day we were there. So instead of being really awkward and leaving, we decided to stay. It was still mad awkward. We were clearly tourists in our shorts and tank tops, and everyone else there was older and dressed nicely. But we stuck it out and ordered 20E lunches. I tried ....*ahem*.... Foie gras. Yes, I tried goose liver. Colleen said it was good, plus it was the cheapest thing on the menu, so I tried it. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't something I'm dying to try again anytime soon. It was just weird - I've never had anything like it before. What made this whole experience even better was when a couple came in, looked at the menu, and left. It made us look golden!! Thank you couple!!

Kelly and possibly Shannon will appreciate this: there was a Syngenta plant on the way to the vineyard after Avignon. "Syngenta are killers, k-k-k-k-killers!"

So yea, I'd love to go back to Avignon. I'm thinking a day trip with Carl would be wonderful!!

After Avignon, we went to the Domaine de Donadille. There was a vineyard and vegetable gardens. Apparently it's a school that teaches that stuff to teens and adults. In fact, they grow the veggies and then use them in the cafeteria! I had a taste of rose wine, and it was pretty good, but it's no Beringer White Zinf!!

Kelly: I have been seeing more and more Saabs!! Carl: I saw a Mazda 6!! And a bunch of Nissans, but they are all ridic smaller than yours!!

I got my first reusable bag today *does a happy little dance*. It's not Monoprix (sorry Kelly), but it is for a grocery store. It's for Shopi, which is kind of on the way home from school, plus if I have a lot of groceries, like today, I can just take the tram back. And I'm going to IKEA tomorrow, and Emily says they have huge ones there. Def getting one!!

I feel like there was something else to tell everyone, but I forgot. Oh well.

One thing I hate: bagging your own groceries. I'm used to Tops where there is an extra worker at the end bagging them for the person cashing you out!! Come on, France, get with the program!!

And if you didn't notice, I bought crinkled potato chips!!!!!!!!

Loves to everyone, especially Gramzie and Mocha! *major hugs and kissies*

I'll post again soon,
Luvvies,
Heather

Last Semester Revisited

Today, we went to the Musee Fabre. By we, I mean the large group of American students who are doing the orientation with me. However, it seemed that a lot of people didn't show, which is too bad as they missed out on a very good time. The really good news: once I get my student ID card, I can go the the Musee Fabre for free!! I'm sure I'll be doing that every once in a while.

The first thing I have to say is that I felt like it was last spring semester at Buff State:

• The exhibit we had a guided tour of was of paintings of a man who painted Louis-Napoleon (aka Napoleon III) and his wife the Empress Eugenie. We discussed these people a lot in the Emile Zola class with Dr. Hovland. Kelly will never forget this.
• The painter (Alex Cabanel I think....the spelling might be wrong) had many beefs with Emile Zola. Zola was constantly criticizing his work. Kelly and I spent an ENTIRE semester discussing Emile Zola. No one in that class will forget....not even if they have amnesia!
• This same painter painted a representation of Phedre as she waits to die after hearing of Hippolyte's death. This is by far the most painful reminder of last semester. Kelly and I had to read Jean Racine's Phedre and hated every moment of it. Damn you Phedre! Damn you! The guide told us the story and I was like, "No!! NOOO!! I KNOW THIS STORY LIKE THE BACK OF MY HAND!!" But it was to no avail: she went on and on and brought back painful memories of sitting in the French Dept. conference room trying in vain to have a conversation about that stupid play!

So you see, Kelly, why only you could really understand what I went through today. Oh the horror! Never again!

On the bright side, I liked a lot of the paintings. There was one called Velleda or something close to that and it was beautiful. It's based on a myth about star-crossed lovers and is framed in an ivy design to signify eternal love. There was also another painting (but I think it was by someone else) depicting an Italian star-crossed lovers story about Francesca and Paolo or some variation of that, which I must find a version of online. It also was framed in ivy to signify eternal love. So beautiful! But I liked the first painting better - it was so beautiful!

After the Musee, me and some of the girls stopped at a snack stand for lunch. I got un sandwich Roma, which was ham, emmental cheese (its kind of like swiss cheese), and tomatoes toasted inside a baguette. It was really good - there was soooo much cheese!! And I had a coke to keep things American.>
It cut out a whole thing about not buying anything on our shopping outting today and how I'm not buying anything until I need it, like maybe a trench coat for fall but I don't know if I should get a black one which is more practical or a navy blue one that I saw and which I like because a girl in my International Relations class last semester (again, last semester revisited) and it was sooo cute!! I might have to go with the navy. I had to add that last sentence after I posted it wtf!! ugh!! Here's the rest of what I originally had to say: So let me know what you think! I'll honestly probably get that one. I already have two navy blue winter coats, I think I need to add to the collection! But dammit black would be so stylish!! UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I found Pimkie. I will go there once the orientation ends, just for Kelly! I believe its here 2nd favorite store after Monoprix....

Tomorrow is Avignon. It should be fun, but we are leaving at 8am because it takes over an hour to get there by bus. Note to self: remember ipod!! Then I have a test on Monday, which I've studied for a little. It's so dumb: the profs know we have little excursions on the weekends and they still do this to us! So annoying! But I'll webcam Carl before anything because I miss him so much and we haven't been able to talk for 3 days!! Dumb work!!

So there are A LOT of stray dogs and cats. The cutest dog moment happened a week ago when 2 stray dogs got on the tram!! It was so cute!! They just followed eachother on, like they knew exactly what they were doing! The cutest cat moment was yesterday when I was waiting for Emily to pick figs off the fig tree outside our building. We looked up and saw a black kitten in the tree!! And then it crawled up higher and higher and I got a picture of it perched in the brances amongst the leaves!! So cute!! It's so hard not to steal on for myself - they are all over the dorm area (Cite Triolet). But if I got one, I'd have to buy all the cat essentials, which would be expensive and then I'd have to bring it home, and I don't know if Mocha would want to share me. I don't want to share Mocha. She's all mine. And don't forget it!

I should be going to bed, I guess. It's 3:40pm at home, which means its 9:40pm here, and I have to be out the door by 8am!! AAAHHHH!!!! I was so excited to sleep in til 8:30 today!! That's so sad!! Why won't they let me get any sleep around here! I swear, the first day without orientation, I'm staying in bed all day!!

I love you all,

send me something in the mail and I'll be sure to send some postcards maybe by next week!,

Love,

Heather

Finally the First 2 Weeks!!

So I've been way too busy these last two weeks to be able to post anything, but I've written in my diary, so everything will be fully detailed! Just so everyone knows, I have 114 days til I'm home, and 63 days til my love comes to visit! I have one more week of orientation, and then a week of registration (confusing, I don't really know what's going on then), and then classes start on the 13th of September, so hopefully things will calm down by then. They've kept us soooo busy that I'm so exhausted, or if I have energy its spent on homework, or I go out with friends, so it's been a little crazy. Not to mention, I've had to figure everything out. I now know where the laundry is and the garbage. I learned yesterday that the maid is supposed to keep coming throughout the semester to sweep and clean the bathroom (which is actually really nice, although I'll have to remember not to keep my valuables out). And today I learned that I need to buy my own pots and pans for the kitchen. I'll probly go to IKEA with my friend Emily tomorrow to get that done....just get one sauce pan and one frying pan and any dishes I may need....and silverware. This will all be mailed home, by the way.

So hmmm, what have I been up to these past 2 weeks. Well, I've been missing my Carl a lot, and my Mocha, and my Gramzie, and everyone else in my family. But that's what skype is for. And Mommy, fear not, for I believe my internet will be strong enough to call Gramzie over skype instead of the cell phone, so I'll try that next week!

So I left for France on Sunday, August 15th and arrived in Montpellier at 9 AM local time on Monday, August 16th. It was very stressful. I had to go back through security at JFK AND Paris, and had to switch terminals at JFK, which was HORRIBLE!! I was about to go back home, until I thought of the down payment Mommy paid back in April, and of the expensive tickets. So I forged on and made it to France. But when I got off the plane, I saw a girl (who I now know as Floralie) standing around, but she didn't have her sign ready (my luggage came out quickly, so I guess she wasn't ready for me). So I called home franticly and all in a dither, and stood around until she noticed me and asked if I was going to Paul-Valery (which I was). So that was all sorted out. There were 2 other students with me, Sarah and Robert, so at least I didn't have to ride the shuttle all by myself.

My first couple of days were horrible - I had horrible jet lag, my head pounded even after taking advil, and I had no food and was in no mood to venture out, so I ate when the opportunity knocked. I also was not expecting this little room they put me in. Its really tiny! Like half of a Buff State dorm, and probly even smaller than Carl's room. But I'm used to it now, and I like the fact that I'm on the end. I have more privacy, and there's only one person next to me. Plus the kitchen is like 2 doors down, too....but I can't use it til I buy my pots and pans!!

The next day, we had to go to the campus to take our placement exam and be welcomed by the program directors. This was stressful because I got lost. Its a 25 minute walk involving turns to Paul-Valery from my dorm, so I couldn't figure it out. I found someone at the welcome booth at my dorm and said I was lost and they had to call a monitrice over to walk me there. I felt so bad, but I couldn't figure it out! The map they gave us didn't even have our dorm on it, just the campus and the nearby roads! So Elodie came to get me, and she's really nice. Floralie and Elodie are our monitrices. They look after us and are living in the dorms with us until the presession ends. They are both 27 but look mad young and are trying to finish up school.

The placement exam was ridiculously easy, but I felt like crap. After the two written sections, we all went to another building for the oral part. It was dumb: we went into a room alone with a professor and they asked us where we were from and why we chose Montpellier and then random shit like when was the Eiffel Tower built. But they ended putting me in Group C, which is the most advanced. I'm very proud of myself for that, especially since I felt like such shit during the whole thing.

I learned while talking to several people that day that there is no Wifi in the dorms, which I find absolutely crazy!! It's a big university and there's no wifi?!?! But me and this kid named Nolan went to a mall to buy internet cables, so I had internet on like my second day, which was awesome. I don't think I could have lasted any longer. And what made it perfect was that Carl came on skype right when I did!! It was magical!! <3

I kind of wandered around the neighborhood of the dorms my first few days, but there's not much here, and what is here has been closed because everyone's been on vacation. But there's a Shopi grocery store on the way home from classes, so I'll probly be going there a lot. I did find a Monoprix right at Place de la Comedie, which was my first stop because that's what Kelly told me to do. I love Monoprix!! I just wish it was closer to where I'm living!

Let's see, another thing I learned on my first couple of days: there is a basketball/soccer court RIGHT below by window. I'm on the 2nd floor, and I feel like all the sound just carries right up to me. So just about every single day from 5ish til 9ish when it gets dark boys play basketball. I have NEVER hated basketball so much as I do now. Luckily I've been out the last couple of nights so it hasn't been able to drive me crazy.

Another thing I learned: they are doing construction on a new dorm across the basketball court and they start working at around 5AM EVERY DAY except Sunday. And on Saturday they still start at 7 or 8. I can't wait til that's done with! I'll go crazy!

Also, remind me to take a pic of the building I'm in. It's so desolate looking. Luckily it's always sunny here, or it would just be something out of a movie.

Also, I learned that if you think you should buy something before you go to France and then decide not to just because, you should have bought it: my 2nd or 3rd day here I dropped my sunglasses and they broke! I was going to buy another pair JUST IN CASE THAT HAPPENED at Sears on my last day and then decided not to. I guess I figured I'd dropped them so much and were fine that I wouldn't need them. But no. I had to take the Tram to Monoprix and bought sunglasses that are almost exactly the same thing (thank God!!) and a box of tissues. I was not very happy with myself, but oh well. Now I have FRENCH sunglasses.

Classes started the day after the placement exam, which was nice because you are busy and with the same 15 people for all your classes. There are 3: culture, grammar, and civilization. But we don't do much for civilization. Last week we went to the Maison des Relations Internationales to look at Montpellier from a rooftop (I actually made it up!) and this week we did a wine tasting. I can't complain about that class. Plus, we learn about the region, which I find interesting.

It's been sooo hot here every single day. It was nice yesterday because at around 4PM it got cool like it was going to rain, but it never did. And it's kind of cool now, but it'll be a scorcher again tomorrow I'm sure. It's funny: I go to weather.com and its 80s and sunny every single day for the 10 day forcast. Then I look at the weather for home and right when September hits, its supposed to be in the 70s and cloudy. So typically Buffalo and I'm so jealous. I hate this heat, I want snow!! I don't think I've ever wanted snow so badly in my life! Oh course when I get home and theres snow I'll probly wish I was back in Montpellier, but at the moment at least I want snow.

We've gone to the beach twice so far: once last week and then again today. There are BEDS on the beach with umbrellas. You rent them out for like 12 euros for the day but have to buy their food, which is ridiculously expensive apparently. But someday, I am sooo doing that! Today it actually got chilly after I went swimming. Yes, I went swimming in the Mediterrannean! I hope you are all very jealous!

We went on a tour of Montpellier by night last Saturday. It was neat and I took some photos. They are up on facebook. Geraldine did the tour, and she also guided us through Nimes. She's so cute but I hate her name for one specfic reason haha. Nimes was really cool. I'd love to go back! Its really old and has narrow winding streets like in Montpellier, but there are so many less people! I think I'd like to take Carl when he comes. Then we did the Pont du Gard and swam in the water underneath it!! So I've swum in the Mediterrannean AND under the Pont du Gard! You must be really jealous now!

Let's see, what else: oh Friday nights is the Estivales: it was last week, today, and the last one is next Friday. Apparently they go all summer long! Last week we did wine tasting (4 euros for a wine glass and 3 pretty much full glasses) and I tried falafel for the first time and it was absolutely amazing! When I get home and class starts we are walking down to the Falafel Bar or whatever it's called!! I can't wait!! Then today me and Emily went and I tried this Okin...something or other... which was described as a Japonese pizza. I was weird but amazing: it had something like maybe tuna in it with veggies and looked like a lobster pattie or something and had a sauce over it. The sauce was like a mild bbq sauce, almost like Arby's sauce!! Mm Arby's!! I don't know if I'm going next week cuz our finals are next Saturday.

Emily, Colleen, and I have been eating at this crepe place a lot. We went last Saturday for dinner because someone told Emily about it and got the formula. I had a glass of cidre and a dinner crepe with cheese, ham, and a sunnyside egg in the middle and my dessert crepe was amazing: sugared with the best whipped cream I've ever had! I think the name of the place is La Petite Creperie or something like that. Carl is def gonna have some of those crepes when he comes!! We went last night for dinner because every Thursday and Friday night everything is half off. So I got a dinner crepe with 3 cheeses in it (emmental, chevre, and roquefort) and my fave dessert sucre-chantilly crepe. Mmm!! I love it!! And it was only like 6E40 for both because of the half off and I just had water.

Tomorrow we are going to the Musee Fabre, which is supposed to be a really nice museum, and then it's Avignon on Sunday. I'm excited! Then I have a grammar test on Monday....yay....

I'm trying to think of everything I've been meaning to tell everyone.... hmm.. I bought two used books: La Poesie du Moyen Age (poetry of the Middle Ages) and Romanciers du Moyen Age (another one about the Middle Ages that has some Tristan and Isolde in it!! I'm such a nerd sometimes. I also bought a francais-francais dictionary, which I'm excited about. And I (finally) got my tram pass yesterday, so I dont have to shell out 2E50 everytime I want to go somewhere!

I'll try and write again very soon. I love you all!
Love,
Heather

Now the Official Heather's France Blog, with or without you, Kelly

I'm going to be posting all my happenings on here as soon as things settle down a bit. They've had us doing things every day and it's so hard to have the time to write in my diary, much less post anything on here. So hopefully next week it'll be up along with some pictures on facebook!!

Luvvies,
Heather