Ah, the sweet warmth of Eurolife's simplicity: hand-washing clothes (or pay 9 euros to have a
machine do it), fending for yourself on Sundays when everything is closed, cobblestone streets massaging your feet as you walk (everyone thinks I'm crazy for that, but that's probably what I missed most about Europe)... No sarcasm here, my friends. I am SO happy to be in Europe again!
So, I'm in Chambéry about to start my 3rd week of classes. Chambéry is a really sweet town. If you walk around for a day, you've probably seen the whole thing almost twice. It's nestled between gorgeous mountains on all sides. The weather just turned nice this week. I feel like I'm in an outdoor person's paradise. Chambéry is an hour and a half away from Geneva, Switzerland, two hours away from Turin, Italy, and one hour away from Lyon (France's second largest city). There may not be much in the way of entertainment if you spend a Summer in Chambéry, but it is a perfect hub if spontaneous exploration is your thing.
I'm enjoying the class a lot and definitely getting a lot out of it. Our group was divided into three groups based on a placement test. Somehow I was placed in the most advanced group after taking only one year of French (Props to my SJSU teachers Nehal and Renee!). Not sure how that worked out, but I was glad to accept the challenge. I would like to get the most language practice possible out of this trip.
The people here are incredible! Completely different from my Paris experience. People are so happy to start a conversation, offer help, invite you to do things. I can just go sit on a bench and within ten minutes be speaking broken French with an old man who sees no reason why we should each be sitting alone on separate benches. One afternoon, I took my guitar into the park and just started playing. All sorts of teenagers came up to me to... hang out, I guess. One 15 year old girl invited me to her parents' house for dinner (I didn't go, but it was a sweet gesture).


Thanks to the genius travelers' website: www.couchsurfing.com , I've come into contact with lots of people from Chambéry willing to get together to speak French. My new friend Olivier is the only such person who I've actually met in real life so far. We've gotten together a few times over drinks, a choral concert, and an Italian film festival. We hang out with his friend Sebastien as well who is also very helpful with learning French. The two of them are adorable and really fun to be around (even if I only understand half of what's going on).











The other people I've been hanging out with are mostly from the program. My roommate, Rophe, is awesome. She's from Alabama and goes to school in West Virgina. Definitely a cool girl. We get along really well.








Madison is my SJSU co-representative. She's a ball of bubbly energy who has similar taste in books as I do. She likes to call me a hippy and a democrat. And she likes to read my blogs (shout-out!). The girl knows how to have fun. We'll probably be going to Spain together in July after the program.

Arthur is my fabulous fashion designer, music loving, thought provoking, creativity sparker friend from Long Beach. Definitely happy he's here. He's great at French, great to go out with, and great at having reflective conversations with.





Then there's Ian who is really quiet at first, but one of those people who gives off so much energy, the need for talking doesn't so much apply. I definitely dig his musical taste and I love the balance he gives to our little social structure.
The program is full of awesome people from all over the country and world. I'll introduce you to a few more next time.

Here are some more pictures of my time here so far... Thanks for reading, if you read. 'Til next time...












Group trip to Annecy - Absolutely breathtaking!











An Annecy swan was so sweet to my camera


























I just don't understand why she thinks I'm a hippy ;)












My very pink room.















Friends and I overlooking Savoie from Albertville











The best fondue I've ever had in my life... and I've had my fair share...

Coming up next: La Fete de la Musique, Tearing up Lyon, Geneva?, My 23rd (!#$?%@*) birthday, more new friends, and the mystery of my missing camera :(

Bonjour! Glad to finally have a quick chance to let you know I'm alive and well. I spent about a week in Paris with my Aunt Lilly and had a fantastic time while learning beaucoup de francais. I would normally go into much more detail than this, but I haven't found the university's internet yet so I'm paying through the nose on this computer...

The plane ride was very long. Look at this incredible sunset! I just bought a fancy new camera before the trip, so hopefully I'll be sending you lots of pretty things like this!

I really had a fantastic time in Paris. I mean how could you not? Despite the drab weather, I loved just being there midst all the vibrance, energy, cheese, and French speaking of the city. Staying with my aunt is always such a pleasure. The one day she had to work, her wonderful friend Isabelle took me to a part of Paris I've never been. We walked along the canal St. Martin and enjoyed all the fancy shops around the 19th district.

We stopped into a cafe and suddenly Isabelle was very excited and urged me to notice the man about to leave. It was this man, Laurent Voulzy. Someone I've never heard of, but who is evidently a very famous French singer. I searched for him on youtube and I'm impressed with what I found. For some reason youtube isn't letting me embed the video, but here's a link to a video of his from 2003. His 70s stuff is also pretty entertaining.

http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=i3_o-EHZx3w

It is so relaxing to be in Paris and do things other than sightseeing. The archives of this blog should have some of the sights if you're interested. I was far more interested in doing normal French people things. Like going to the theatre. One of my aunt's dance students performed in a production that we went to see in a very small and enclosed basement theatre. The sketches were funny, I'm sure, but I confess I didn't understand most of it. My aunt gave a synopsis as we went along. The conversations afterward were much more comprehensible. I think the Spanish immersion experience is really helping me survive with the few French skills I have. As much of a fool I may appear to be at times, I'm conciously trying to ignore my shyness and just jump right into speaking. I make mistakes left and right, but its really helping me learn.

On Tuesday, Aunt Lilly took me to Normandy, where she's been meaning to take me since I was 18. This was my first time in France outside of Paris! We arrived to a city, well two cities. Deauville and Trouville; twin cities divided by a train station and a river. Wow I really have to get going, but the pictures say more than I can anyhow. I'll be back on hopefully within a week and tell you all about Chambery. For now I leave you with images of Trouville...