Salut ça va??

Hello everyone! Sorry I haven't updated this in a while...I've been busy!! So...here we go...on-y va!

Second semester has begun! Time is flying! I have to remember to not think of the time passing because as a dear friend told me, I can't stop time nor can I change it. I have to enjoy each and every moment I have! I changed levels for my French classes and now I am in the advanced level! I love my new language class and my electives are a lot of fun! I have a challenge and I think that is what makes it fun. I really love that my ability to speak the language has improved so much. I can now switch between english and French with less hesitation! So fun!!! I am now preparing to take a language exam (in may) called the DELF which will permit me to apply to grad school here in France. Don't worry...I will be coming home to graduate from CSUSM of course! :)

Now onto Aix! :)

It snowed! It has been so cold here and last week we got snow...twice! My little town is beautiful under a blanket of snow but it has been FREEZING and I am a whimp when it comes to cold! It is an interesting experience! Even the main fountain, la rotonde, has frozen for the first time in 30 years! Crazy!!

La Rotonde!

View from my terrace! 

I have lots of travel plans in the making! I am headed to Nice and Monaco next weekend and I have a week-long break coming up and I am headed to Rome with my friend Laura! I have also started thinking of Normandie (Normandy), Bretagne (Brittany), Switzerland and Germany. I would love to do all of those before the summer! In May I will be back in Nice to see Coldplay and hang out on the beach with my friend Kat! Can't wait! After that, I hope to head to Spain before returning to the States at the end of July! Lots to do!!! Hope to do it all! :) anyone want to come and travel with me!

Just a picture from a day trip I took...this was a city called Gordes and it is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in France! 

Et maintenant...un peu en français pour ceux qui parlent français! Vivre en France à changé beaucoup de choses dans ma vie. J'aime tout! Pour moi, la France est devenue mon foyer. Je manque ma famille, mes amis et bien sur tous les autres qui sont importantes à moi mais, j'ai appris que ici, je suis comme un poisson dans l'eau et c'est ça qui est importante dans la vie. Si vous aimez quelque chose, allez-y, et ne regarde rien en arrière!

Bisous!! :)

Qu'est-ce qui se passe?!?!

Salut everyone et bonne annee!! Sorry I haven't updated this in a while...here is a quick recap:

Christmas: I was back in San Diego for 10 days. It was fantastic! Thanks Mom and Dad for flying me home :) I got to spend lots of time with my family and closest friends! I'm sorry I didn't get to see everyone...I was only there for a short amount of time and it was hard to fit everyone in! I'll be back before classes start in the fall and I will see everyone then! Thank you to everyone who has encouraged me through all of this...I wouldn't be able to do it without all of you. My parents...you are always there whether or not I need you and you'll love me forever even though I moved across the world, my siblings...who laugh and make fun of my new experiences, special thanks to Gma because if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't and couldn't be here, friends...you never fail me, and last but not least, ma "prof" et mon amie...tu est vraiment important dans ma vie (en general) et aussi ici en France. Je serais perdue sans toi!

:)

Back to France: I am about to finish the fall semester...I cannot believe it is almost over! I will have to say au revoir to my CEA (fall) friends at the end of the week and je suis triste! The new students arrive on Wednesday and we begin spring classes next week. I have been very successful in my french studies this semester and I will be moving up a level for the spring! :) yippeeee!!! 

If I had to choose my favorite project from this semester it would be my presentation on the Aquitaine and Bordeaux for my language class. I had to speak for about 30-45 minutes on anything and everything from the region. It was easy and fun to do.....plus I got to take a great trip to Bordeaux (for research...or just for fun! ;) ) with my friend Katherine! Perfect right?!?!

In general, my french skills have greatly improved and I'm looking forward to learning even more over the next several months :) 

Work: I have two jobs man!!! I am teaching english to four young children ages 4-8 and I"m also tutoring a french girl for her english classes! It is awesome! Both jobs give me the opportunity to teach english and speak a little bit of French. C'est parfait!

And of course...I am still enjoying everything about ma vie en France! 

OK...so time for a current update:

I spent the past weekend in PARIS :) It was beautiful but cold! I thought Aix was cold during the winter but it is a different kind of cold in Paris (more life freezing)!

Ahhhh the Notre Dame...so beautiful

Did I mention that Melissa is here visiting me for two weeks? :) It has been so much fun so far and I'm loving the opportunity to show her everything I love about my new life here in my beloved France. 

Of course...La Tour Eiffel!! I never get tired of looking at this beautiful thing! I love all the history behind it! 

...and at night :) 

La Louvre...this museum is absolutely amazing. I love it. I could spend an entire week in this place and not see the same things twice!

This one is for you Maman :) Second trip to Paris...second photo like this!

Would Paris be complete without the Metro? No way...I got stuck in the turnstyles...twice!

yay for Metro signs! They are all so fun! We walked just about everywhere but by the end of the day we were just too tired to walk anymore!

French class this one is for you...FLY boats :)

whewww je suis fini...bonsoir d'Aix-en-Provence!

Bises:)

Oh France...je t'aime

Christmas in San Diego was fantastic! More on that later...

Melissa is here visiting for two weeks and I am introducing her to "ma vie en France!" dinner consists of cheese, sausage, bread, and wine from Bordeaux (my favorite!).

:)

Bonnes Fêtes de Aix en Provence!

Hello! SO you all know that I will be spending the holidays in San Diego but Provence has some pretty cool traditions I wanted to share with everyone.

Christmas Markets: Just about every town has their own set of markets. Often you can find french specialties but you also find things from all over the world. It is fun to try new types of food and find fun gift ideas. Here in Aix, the Cours Mirabeau is lined with a market and my favorite stand is definitely the "vin chaud" (aka hot wine) stand. So delicious!

Santons: These are the traditional Provençal figures for the crib scenes. They are hand-made out of clay and they are only made in Provence. Aix is famous for them! They are beautiful and it is a tradition for French families to put out their "santons" (little saintes) on December 5th and they stay out well into January. 

The meal: it s called "le gros souper" (aka big meal). Traditionally, the whole family is present. The table is covered with three white cloths layered over each other and has three white candles symbolizing the Holy Trinity. The sprouted lentils and wheat, tied with ribbon and sprigs of myrtle decorate the table. In Provence, places are laid for the poor and for family members who have died. 

13 Desserts: yes there really are 13! It is broken up into 3 categories: dried fruit and nuts, fresh fruit, and sweets. Here are some of the common sweets: Calissons d'Aix (almond-paste pastry with sugar icing), brioche, nougat, buche de noel (cake shaped like a log), and navettes. This is often held late at night following the Midnight Mass. 

Sooooo there you have it! 

Gros bises :)

Meet two of my Professors!

My university held a Christmas party last night for all of the foreign students! It was a lot of fun and we got to see some of our professors "break loose". I have six different professors and I managed to grab photos of two of them. :) Madame Abadie is one of my language professors and she is so nice and her class is helpful! Madame Moreels is my théâtre professor and frankly, she is a riot and her class is always hilarious! Watching them dance and interact with their students outside of the classroom was epic! Thanks for throwing such a great party!!! :)

Il fait froid mais...la ville est belle!

Pont du Gard et Châteauneuf du Pape

So today was the last CEA excursion for the fall semester...the next one isn't until the end of January. Anyways...first we headed to Pont du Gard which is one of the best preserved Roman ruins in all of France. It was huge! It was a beautiful day here in the south of France...now it is a pretty consistent 55 ish degrees (or 12-14 degrees Celsius). A tad chilly but absolutely beautiful!

Me...J'adore ma vie en France :)

The CEA Grenoble students joined us for this excursion and it was fun to see them again! 

(Courtesy of Dylan, one of us Aixois! Thanks Dylan!)

(Also from Dylan) Just looking off into the vineyards...I really do love everything about my life in France!

This was where we went for our degustation...aka wine tasting. The building is not the "new pope's house" but the wine is labeled Châteauneuf du Pape. Their wines are considered to be some of the best in France and also in the world. It was interesting to learn about the "terrior"(the individual characteristics and components of the soil) of this particular appellation because it is very specific. Only in this appellation are the vines planted in rocky soil. This is important because it helps to keep a consistent temperature throughout the year therefore protecting the vines from the winter frost and the summer heat. We got to taste 3 different wines and all were fantastic so.....

I splurged and bought a bottle :) I'm saving this one for my birthday! Excited! It is going to be fantastic!