Oh, I am going to add this to my last entry quickly since it's relative:
I have never had so many caucasian people recognize the asian in me as I have here. Well, I could be looking more like a Chan, as faces do change over time. But I don't think it's that. I will react with suprise when they ask because if someone asks at home, it's almost always someone who is either asian or eurasian or is married to one. Kind of like you have to be one to know one. When I react in such a way, they laugh and say it's obvious "evidement!" they say. My conclusion- at home, everyone is a mix of something so we're used to seeing all sorts of faces. Here, blood has not been "tainted"- not a good word, I know. So someone with "exotic" features stands out. Ha! I'm exotic. Who knew?
Monday, November 26, 2007
BONJOUR!
Well, I've really put this blog off... so many other things going on, but it's nice sometimes to take the time to write about a couple of incidents. Helps me remember them and laugh.
These past few weeks have been very nice. School is going well and I got a very warm letter from the directrice on my progress and work in my classes which made me feel good :) I've also had time to do silly things with friends. Last week we went shopping after school and then watched "Orgeille Prejuge" = Pride and Prejudice on Kathleen's computer. One night we went out for Tapas (which are so so good!) and there's been a lot of Mafia nights- strange mystery game, a little difficult to explain. Francoise was telling me last night- and this is a typical French conversation- that there has been a recent influx of Japanese people in France. She says she hopes that if anything it teaches them not to work so hard! So maybe all this playing and less work is really just me experiencing Frenchness. I'm all for that! Actually, it is true, I find myself feeling terribly guilty when I've had too much fun. So is this the fault of American "culture" and our "master narratives" or is it just crazy eccentric Lauren?
On the American culture note: When Kristen came in from Spain a few weeks ago now, Francoise was so nice to invite her to dinner! Kristen, who has been surrounded by Spanish for a few months now, still remembers some French, so we had a few simple conversations which was very pleasant. Of course we talked about the Spanish and the French (this is a country where grouping peoples doesn't seem to be taboo). Francoise commented that Kristen does not really look representative of an American. Of course, she was proud sitting there in her european scarf and black sweater. So I had to ask, well, what does an American look like? Francoise didn't understand the question so I clarified, "We are under the impression that there are no generalized features to the american face because we come from all over and we are a 'melange' of many races and cultures. It's rare that any caucasian is all English or all Scottish..." She shook her head and corrected me, "Mais oui! You see, an American is a redhead. He looks quite a lot like an Irish. He's not very thin, but not "gros" either. Average height. Fair skin. That's an American". So now, I'm in hysterics and Kristen is look back and forth between Francoise and myself to make sure she is really hearing this correctly. I kind of repeat that we are not all Irish! Francoise says "well no, but you see, your parents were already born in American. You were too. Your kids will be too. Little by little the features in your family will be American." So pretty much, my kids will be redheads.
Gotta love the French!
Yesterday I saw a movie because there is nothing else to do on a Sunday (and by the way, when you're desperate for that one perfect bite of after-meal chocolate on a Sunday, don't bet on finding it! grr). So yes, movie: "Ce soir, je dors chez toi". Romantic commedie and tres americain, meaning, no real depth but a lot of light humor and in the end the guy gets the girl and all is well. No, not French at all actually. But of course, it was in French and took place in Paris. In one seen, the girl is mad at the guy and she flies to New York. Of course he follows her and catches her with an American man and guess what he looks like: Yup! Redhead! Medium build. Freckles. Clueless.
That's who we are :p
Okay, that's a wrap (wrap or rap? the first makes more sense). I will write about my Yeti experience later if I get a chance. Now it's school time. A quick note- the winds are absolutely shockingly violent here. Really, the sound of the wind drowns out the trains at night. Crazy! Sort of fun, but it's getting old. I guess it makes for a cheap treadmill though, I can just go outside and try jogging- i won't get anywhere if I face against the current.
Thanks for Reading. I'll be home soon.
xo, Lauren
Well, I've really put this blog off... so many other things going on, but it's nice sometimes to take the time to write about a couple of incidents. Helps me remember them and laugh.
These past few weeks have been very nice. School is going well and I got a very warm letter from the directrice on my progress and work in my classes which made me feel good :) I've also had time to do silly things with friends. Last week we went shopping after school and then watched "Orgeille Prejuge" = Pride and Prejudice on Kathleen's computer. One night we went out for Tapas (which are so so good!) and there's been a lot of Mafia nights- strange mystery game, a little difficult to explain. Francoise was telling me last night- and this is a typical French conversation- that there has been a recent influx of Japanese people in France. She says she hopes that if anything it teaches them not to work so hard! So maybe all this playing and less work is really just me experiencing Frenchness. I'm all for that! Actually, it is true, I find myself feeling terribly guilty when I've had too much fun. So is this the fault of American "culture" and our "master narratives" or is it just crazy eccentric Lauren?
On the American culture note: When Kristen came in from Spain a few weeks ago now, Francoise was so nice to invite her to dinner! Kristen, who has been surrounded by Spanish for a few months now, still remembers some French, so we had a few simple conversations which was very pleasant. Of course we talked about the Spanish and the French (this is a country where grouping peoples doesn't seem to be taboo). Francoise commented that Kristen does not really look representative of an American. Of course, she was proud sitting there in her european scarf and black sweater. So I had to ask, well, what does an American look like? Francoise didn't understand the question so I clarified, "We are under the impression that there are no generalized features to the american face because we come from all over and we are a 'melange' of many races and cultures. It's rare that any caucasian is all English or all Scottish..." She shook her head and corrected me, "Mais oui! You see, an American is a redhead. He looks quite a lot like an Irish. He's not very thin, but not "gros" either. Average height. Fair skin. That's an American". So now, I'm in hysterics and Kristen is look back and forth between Francoise and myself to make sure she is really hearing this correctly. I kind of repeat that we are not all Irish! Francoise says "well no, but you see, your parents were already born in American. You were too. Your kids will be too. Little by little the features in your family will be American." So pretty much, my kids will be redheads.
Gotta love the French!
Yesterday I saw a movie because there is nothing else to do on a Sunday (and by the way, when you're desperate for that one perfect bite of after-meal chocolate on a Sunday, don't bet on finding it! grr). So yes, movie: "Ce soir, je dors chez toi". Romantic commedie and tres americain, meaning, no real depth but a lot of light humor and in the end the guy gets the girl and all is well. No, not French at all actually. But of course, it was in French and took place in Paris. In one seen, the girl is mad at the guy and she flies to New York. Of course he follows her and catches her with an American man and guess what he looks like: Yup! Redhead! Medium build. Freckles. Clueless.
That's who we are :p
Okay, that's a wrap (wrap or rap? the first makes more sense). I will write about my Yeti experience later if I get a chance. Now it's school time. A quick note- the winds are absolutely shockingly violent here. Really, the sound of the wind drowns out the trains at night. Crazy! Sort of fun, but it's getting old. I guess it makes for a cheap treadmill though, I can just go outside and try jogging- i won't get anywhere if I face against the current.
Thanks for Reading. I'll be home soon.
xo, Lauren
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Home sweet home
Hello all!
Thanks for reading this! I have to admit: I'm not feeling well at all, and really not in the mood to write about my travels. I hope I get around to it though because it will be a good way to remember what I did and saw. Anyways, I'll list some of the cities I visited during my 12 days of adventure:
Nice
Toulon
Rome
Sorrento
Capri
AnnaCapri
Tuscany region
Florence
Cinqua Terra
La Spezia
Milan
Sirmione
Verona
Venice
Arezzo
! a lot! also, I will just spend a moment complaining about how difficult it is to get one country away (I mean, a much shorter distances than SF to Austin! but what trouble!)
I took a bus to the train station, the train to Nice, a bus from the Nice station to the airport, a shuttle from terminal 1 to terminal 2, a shuttle from terminal 2a to terminal 2b, security blah blah, a shuttle once at my gate to my plane out in the middle of a field (small plane- a little creepy but Alitalia, good airline) then switched planes in Milan (running frantically to gate), finally arriving in Rome, waiting 45 minutes for my bag, begging to have them stamp my passport, but no one would do it, and finally a train into town and a taxi to the hostel! So I left at 9ish and arrived around 11! Then I had to reverse it all to return. Aiya!
But it was a good experience to do it all- and I'm glad I did it alone in the end. It's scary to be a female traveling alone, but I think I did the best I could do at taking precautions and I'm grateful it all worked out.
Italy was not France. It did not feel like home to me- but of course, I was only in cities for short periods of time, on the bus a lot, and I don't speak Italian (although, yes, I can practically read it because of its ressemblence to French). But all in all, it was so so nice to come back on Wednesday to my "home" in France. Francoise was out, so I fixed myself a bowl of cereal and got in my pajamas and was very grateful to be able to relax after all the traveling.
I do hope to write more about the cities I visited and the things I saw.
I'm missing normaly a lot right now. I guess because I don't feel good, it's starting to feel like a long time since I've been with friends and family from home. Thank god for the people at IAU- I'd be lost if I was just going to the U of Avignon! I've known a lot of people who have picked up and moved to foreign countries permanently or indefinately, and I give them so so much credit. How daunting!
Okay, I'm off.
Love you all!
Thanks for reading this! I have to admit: I'm not feeling well at all, and really not in the mood to write about my travels. I hope I get around to it though because it will be a good way to remember what I did and saw. Anyways, I'll list some of the cities I visited during my 12 days of adventure:
Nice
Toulon
Rome
Sorrento
Capri
AnnaCapri
Tuscany region
Florence
Cinqua Terra
La Spezia
Milan
Sirmione
Verona
Venice
Arezzo
! a lot! also, I will just spend a moment complaining about how difficult it is to get one country away (I mean, a much shorter distances than SF to Austin! but what trouble!)
I took a bus to the train station, the train to Nice, a bus from the Nice station to the airport, a shuttle from terminal 1 to terminal 2, a shuttle from terminal 2a to terminal 2b, security blah blah, a shuttle once at my gate to my plane out in the middle of a field (small plane- a little creepy but Alitalia, good airline) then switched planes in Milan (running frantically to gate), finally arriving in Rome, waiting 45 minutes for my bag, begging to have them stamp my passport, but no one would do it, and finally a train into town and a taxi to the hostel! So I left at 9ish and arrived around 11! Then I had to reverse it all to return. Aiya!
But it was a good experience to do it all- and I'm glad I did it alone in the end. It's scary to be a female traveling alone, but I think I did the best I could do at taking precautions and I'm grateful it all worked out.
Italy was not France. It did not feel like home to me- but of course, I was only in cities for short periods of time, on the bus a lot, and I don't speak Italian (although, yes, I can practically read it because of its ressemblence to French). But all in all, it was so so nice to come back on Wednesday to my "home" in France. Francoise was out, so I fixed myself a bowl of cereal and got in my pajamas and was very grateful to be able to relax after all the traveling.
I do hope to write more about the cities I visited and the things I saw.
I'm missing normaly a lot right now. I guess because I don't feel good, it's starting to feel like a long time since I've been with friends and family from home. Thank god for the people at IAU- I'd be lost if I was just going to the U of Avignon! I've known a lot of people who have picked up and moved to foreign countries permanently or indefinately, and I give them so so much credit. How daunting!
Okay, I'm off.
Love you all!
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