Vacances!!!

The title of my post is meant to be read with enthusiasm, with arms raised, a huge smile, and an unmistakable glint in the eye.

Vacances.

I have so much to update about- it's finding the time to do it. The best I can estimate will be next Tuesday. A lengthy update that will recount all of my adventures up to that time including:

-My French Easter- Mass, the Pope, Easter Bunnies, and my host family

-Vacances- another one, a whole week in preparation for "finals" in two weeks

-Lyon, the cave adventure, the Chateau and Annecy

-Naaature hikes, and climbing the Bastille without a rope or trail

So, anyway. I hope everything is going well on the other side of the world.
Bisous,
Chel

Vacances!!!

The title of this post should be read with enthusiasm- in fact, shout it from the rooftops. It's vacances.

I need to update on so many things- my French Easter, the beautiful weather, my lovely host family, my vacation plans, etc. And I promise a thorough update asap.

Bisous,
Chelsea

Les Photos

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=vkth859.15vdk2l1&x=0&h=1&y=4ppyln

Go here for new pictures. From my trip to the wine country to the family's visit (though I somehow only seem to have pictures of India??) to Nice this past weekend. Selected photos. I didn't upload all of them because it takes SO LONG to do so. So Ill just have to have a huge slideshow viewing party when I get back.

Oh, and it was also Dad's 50th birthday last weekend. Happy Bday, again, Dad.

And it's Mom's 30th birthday tomorrow. (See how I did that? That thing with the age? I love you!)

So I love you guys and wish I could be there to celebrate. But I took more picture of myself this time, for you guys, so there you go.

Bisous,
Chelsea

On ne fait pas d'omelette sans casser d'oeufs (can't make an omelette without breaking some eggs- French proverb)

Wow, it's been a little while since I've updated. I hope everything is well with everyone and you guys are enjoying the benefits of a true spring.

I went to Nice and Monaco last weekend. A little less than seven hours in a bus and we were at the coast. The water was beautiful and we even had a bit of sunshine while we were there. In Monaco, we visited the aquarium, the gardens and the church where Grace Kelly is buried. We walked around the old part of town, and the palace, and even saw the Monte Carlo casino. (We weren't dressed appropriately enough to venture inside, so we kind of lingered around the front for a while. As long as we could have without being suspicious... a bunch of American girls in blue jeans! Sacre bleu!) We didn't stay in Monaco very long because everything was very expensive, and we were spending the night in Nice, anyway. So we hop back on the bus to Nice. I love this city. It reminded me a lot of Barcelona. They speak Nicais there- an Italian/French mixture, and even the street signs are in two languages. It was an incredibly endearing city- a couple steps from the waterfront you have these immense outdoor markets, selling everything from fresh flowers to fish. Everytime you turn a corner, you happen upon a different church in a different style of architecture. The food was delicious as well. We were encouraged to try the petits farcis- stuffed vegetables. Holy cow- my stuffed onion and zucchini were delicious. And it always helps to have friends and good conversation around as well. Even if we did drift into non-table topics... ;)

That night we just sat on the beach. We did a lot of that- and it was perfect. There is nothing more relaxing than just sitting on a beach, joking about how far the horizon is, and enjoying the company of others. It was a stone beach- the water makes a different sound when the waves pull back into the sea- it's so...strange! It was a little hard on the feet, but simply breathtaking. We did the touristy thing- we had a guided tour of the city, we saw the ancient Roman bath ruins, went to the Matisse museum. I had my salade chevre chaud- Im going to miss you!- and it was all in all a very fun weekend. Guy- our bus driver- even stopped at a rest stop with a playground on the way back- we let out some pent up energy and he gave us candy. He was awesome- and incredibly thoughtful.

On Sunday, we went to this tinytiny village on the side of a hill called Eze. It is literally, built into the hill. The streets were just wide enough where I could stand in the middle with my arms stretched out and practically touch buildings on either side. It was built upwards, not outwards, and the church at the top was cute. There were more markets in this tiny town. It was like it was built for dolls or something, instead of people. So funny.

We also went to the Fragonard parfumerie, at the base of the hill in Eze. Learned some interesting perfume facts- 1000 kilos of lavender for 1 liter of extract- and smelled some beautiful scents. I threw some samples- the pieces of scented paper- in my purse, and now the mixture of scents is very strong- they kind of smell like an older lady at church. We all know that smell. Ha.

Speaking of, Im going to midnight mass with the family in celebration of Easter on Saturday night. Im excited- something about a fire ceremony followed by a water ceremony? Outside at night? Who knew those Catholics had all that fun? (No offense meant towards any Catholics reading this!)

I threw a surprise 21st birthday for my friend Gothy last night. We all worked together and pulled it off. It was such a surprise! She was shaking and almost cried. I was happy that she was happy- it's hard to celebrate your birthday thousands of miles away from your friends and family. So you make a family of friends here, and sometimes you just need to know that everyone's on your side. It was really funny, because the plan was her host sister was going to take her to dinner and then say her friend was at this bar and that Gothy should come with her. The bar where we would all be waiting. And so Gothy tells me yesterday afternoon that her host sister invited her to a bar, which is very strange because her host sister is Muslim and it's against her religion to drink alcohol. So Gothy was really confused, and asking, "What am I going to do at a bar sitting between two Muslim women who dont drink?" It was really hilarious, but I kept a straight face, and she was pleasantly surprised. (Her host sister stuck around, by the way, and drank orange juice. I love her! She reminds me of Manar!) So that was fun, and as a result Im a bit on the exhausted side today.

Spring IS coming to Grenoble. Trees are blossoming- cherry trees, orange trees, apricot trees, trees of every sort. I love it. Flowers are blooming, things are melting. Grenoble is coming alive and I can wear capris! This weekend we're looking into exploring a cave. And there's a carnival in town, so hopefully that will be fun. French carnies? I wonder how different they are...

Im about to post some pictures as well. They start in Beaune / Dijon, go through Paris with the family, and end in Nice / Monaco. Enjoy!

Bonne Paques!
Bisous,
Chelsea

It couldn't be worse! .............. Wait, I mean better!

My subject line is courtesy of Molly and Jillian's host mom. It was her response when asked by a group of study abroad advisors (from different universities who came to Grenoble to check out the API program) what it was like to host an American student. Imagine the quickly dropped jaws of all the advisors, and then her quick recovery. Comedy at its finest.

Top that with Kettelyne- a student in the program that's been here a year- responding to an advisor's question at the dinner last night about study abroad- "Study abroad is worthless!" >pause< "I mean priceless!"

So, please, none of you be surprised if I come home and can't think of the English words for small things. Things I would have ordinarily known. This language sneaks into your brain and plants falsities- false cognates, mispelled words, etc. Im just warning all of you.

And I have a whole new appreciation for the remark we always chastized Manar about- "Senior year it's gonna be!" I understand now. ;)

Another day of strikes in France. At least it's not raining like it was last Tuesday. It's actually beautiful. Not a cloud in the sky, although the temperature has dipped considerably. I almost wore shorts the other day and now Im back in my coat. We leave for Nice Friday morning, and Im hoping some kind of heat wave will sweep the country so I can actually lay on the beach. And just se detendre- relax.
I have some tests this week in my courses. That's always exciting. This weekend the sun finally showed its face- after a long week of hiding- and I got to relax outside and read a book. I read Memoirs of A Geisha and Im almost done with my short-story compilation book. It's really great- compiled by Joyce Carol Oates and Janet Berliner, it's called Snapshots, and is just a collection of short stories from modern female writers about the relationship between mothers and daughters. It's great.
Last night was the dinner with API. It was nice to have a dinner in English, and actually sound (somewhat) like an articulate college student again. I think API is a great program, and I enjoyed promoting it. And speaking about my experience, what I wish I would've known beforehand, etc. And quite a few of them seem interested in that powerpoint I made.
Good times.
Took another NATURE WALK- it deserves all capitals- with Laura and Jenna. I like exploring the Montbonnot countryside and the mysterious fields of perfect grass. Still intrigues me.

Friday night I went to this crazy Jazz concert with API. I say crazy because it wasn't really jazz. It was more "New Age." And they were a group from Norway. Ever since my modern art class about decadence, Ive been scared of modern art/literature/music that comes from the Scandinavian countries, and this group was no different. I think my favorite song was "Fat Girl's Revenge" where the lead singer kind of screamed for five minutes, accompanied by the lightest tinkling of the keyboard, and only a soft, slow drumbeat. And Im also convinced she spoke in tongues at one point. Interesting experience to say the least, but the theater was really pretty. Saturday hung around with Maylis and Vero. Maylis had her friends over- the ones who had the Raclette that she took me to the first weekend I was in Grenoble. The guys are so nice and made sure to involve me a lot in the conversation. Gentlemen. And of course, we had a fabulous meal because there were boys in the house to be fed! Ha. And holy cow, we had this lemon pie that was unlike anything I had ever tasted before. Isabelle is going to have to FedEx me things when I go back to the US. I mean, really.

Sunday I went to mass with the family. This was my first English speaking mass ever- I've been to mass a couple of times- with Herbie, Summer- and it's always been in Spanish. So I was able to understand a bit more, but it did make me think of being in the FRONT row of Grace Presbyterian with Dad, Becky and the girls. It was nice because we walked to church- even crossed a bubbling brook- everything is so quaint. It's in a stone building that seems relatively new, but is constructed in a gothic style. Very beautiful church.

Not much else to report. Im eagerly awaiting Spring! I haven't put any pictures online yet- Ive got a great picture from my window of a double rainbow!- but hopefully soon. I want them to be entitled "Spring Comes to Grenoble," but alas, that hasn't happened yet. There are a few patches of wildflowers here and there, and some trees are blooming pink petals of some sort, but nothing overwhelming yet.

Hopefully soon.
And whatever you may be hearing on the news, Im fine. The manifestations are far from me and are not interrupting my coursework. The only way they affect me is that there are less buses and trams, so transportation becomes a little more difficult.

A bientot
Bisous
Chelsea