“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.”

--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Friday 28 January 2011

We conquered the Lyon!

Sorry this post is a little late...but a couple weekends ago, we had a Girl's weekend in Lyon!
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it ws the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going directly to Heaven, we were all going the other way."

I'm pretty sure I've never been as cold as I was this past weekend. It was beautiful and terrible all at once! But Lyon, the city of Bouchons and France's best food, was incredible!

We arrived late Friday night, starving, FREEZING, andddd a little lost! We soon navigated the 5 of us to our 4-person hotel, and practically ran inside to warm our frozen toes. We warmed up and then decided it was time to eat, however, we definitely weren't in the food district, so we ventured to a shady-looking restaurant which turned out to be the first of the AMAZING things that we experienced this weekend.

I ( of course) got the ALL you can eat hibachi Grill platter, which included unlimited trips to the hibachi grill with two meats and a million vegies, AND (this is the best part) a dessert bar where you pick fruit and they pour chocolate fondu all of it and heat it! YUM

It turned out that is was an exotic food restaurant that was half hibachi grill half pick the coolest food you've ever heard of and try it here!

Saturday:
Currently there are what's called the "Soldes" going on throughout all of France, which I would consider the equivalent of Black Friday for 3 weeks. Anyways, so Saturday morning, we got up and got our barrings on the city. So, of course, we went for the soldes or shopping. Didn't take long before we were starving and thus of course had to find the traditional food of Lyon called a Bouchon (Lyon is the food capital of France). We had an INCREDIBLE meal of salad, risotto with scallops, and formage and Creme Brulee for Dessert. Unfortunaltely it cost us an incredible 30 Euro per person, per meal. Thus the price to pay for incredible to pay for fine dining. Two hours later, a little more shopping and then we headed up the mountain to see le Notre Dame-de-Fourviere, a beautiful cathedral at the top of a huge hill in Lyon.
Beau
From the top, So gorgeous, but FREEZING!


For dinner this night, we met up with several of our French Friends for crepes and a tour of the great city! Our meal consisted of Great food, and a LOT of laughter, including naming each of our French compadres with American names and birthplaces... (ie. Kellie from Miami) After we met some Baby lyons...but that story will have to come another day.

I think our waiter had a crush on my roomie Lisa, cause this is the crepe he made her...

Sunday was Reserved for Museums. We began with the Musee de Tissue, which were a bunch of cool fabrics tapestries and beautiful paintings. It was my fav! We then proceeded to the the typical Buchon for a Lyonese lunch, and then back to the museum hunting, where we went to the Museum of minatures and musee de Beaux Arts. We were all pretty exhausted, and headed home early to rest.
This is a miniature of what I like to call...The typical Frenchman!

Cool Tapestry!

Monday, We woke up, did some major shop therapy in Lyon, then headed home from a GREAT weekend!

The French students here always tease me and say that I see the world through Rose-colored glasses, and after a great weekend like this I think they might be right. I can be freezing all weekend, walking in ice-cold wind, and LOVE my life!

Tuesday 25 January 2011

Heart in Pieces

"The heart is forever inexperienced"
-Henry David Thoreau

They say that you heart loses little pieces every time you lose a friend, move somewhere new, break up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, but I think I beg to differ. My ever inexperienced heart holds those loses as a treasure, maybe that's naiive, but maybe it's a blessing that I can.

I'm an optimist, so I believe that through each experience, we have the opportunity to give those pieces, that yes, maybe "we don't get back," but in return, you gain what I affectionately call "a heart in pieces." It's kinda like you're in a room with a bunch of windows, all closed and locked except for one. That's your window, you're view. With each new person you meet, and each new place you visit, you receive a key. One more window opens, and then all of the sudden, you're no longer just seeing black and white, you see red too. You didn't even know you needed red until you have it.

Right now, I have a piece in Texas, a Piece in South Carolina, some in France, and some in DC NY Nas and all the other cool places my friends and family are living right now. Even though I don't have all the same friends close to me, I have those colors in my life, those open windows.

My heart is in pieces right now, but I'm ok.

Monday 24 January 2011

Life like an ankle

So my Girls weekend in Lyon post is coming tomorrow, but in the meantime, I'll fill you in on the more thoughtful moments of my trip.

So This weekend was accompanied by a lot of time for reflection, as we wandered through the many museums, and here's my thoughts...We all have many thorns in our road, some big some small, but to get past them, it takes perseverance, for example:

Life, is like an ankle. My ankle to be exact. I know this sounds strange, but let me explain.

in high school, I sprained my ankle several times, to the point where it was so weak it would just continually get worse, never better. Solution: put a brace on it!

Genius I know. So from this point on, I kept my ankle safe, always wearing my brace, building up a wall of security around it. This brace helped to retrain my muscles to do their job. It was completely supported, except anytime I took it outside it's protection, it failed, It had been so protected, that it could no longer stand on it's own. I realized this was not a good solution. I can't always protect it.

I decided I had to exercise it, test it outside of the brace. In the back of my mind, I was always fearful that it was going to be hurt again, that I would once again feel that agonizing pain. But overtime, it got stronger, tougher, able to stand strong against potential threats (like flag football fields and waterball games :))

I was reminded of my fear on these cobblestone streets here in Europe, but for the first time, I knew I could walk with confidence. Even though fear creeps back in occasionally, I'm resilient and strong. I walk tall.

So my life here in Europe and on my own is like an ankle. I've left my support and shelter that taught me the important things in life, and now I'm walking tall in a life unknown, with fear, but also with confidence that I have a good road ahead. I walk tall.

Tuesday 18 January 2011

Rugby or Die

Notre Equipe and our coach!
So tonight, I played Rugby for the first time ever. I had never even watched a game in my life, but Julia, Lisa, Cheney and I all decided to go for a little exercise, in what we thought was a small pickup game of rugby...little did we know...we ended up at the Tryouts for L'Ecole team (our school team) it was really really fun, but well worth it...and we all passed the test, so I guess I'll have rugby match updates coming your way soon, as soon as I learn the rest of the rules! I do however, understand exactly why so many girls attend rugby matches to watch.

Anyways,

Ciao for now!

J l'blondie

We were SOOOOOO DIRTY

Monday 17 January 2011

Direct your cookies here:

les Gateaux

So I moved in, Finally!

you can send you cookies and love notes to:
9 Avenue D'Italie
63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France

Romantic name huh?!
So This weekend we moved in, and then made a dinner for all our American Friends! Dinner for the French friends will come soon...but i need a little settling time!

In the meantime, our flat in INCREDIBLE...except, our neighbor. We live above an older...well...cat lady, who doesn't like us to walk around our house after 7PM...We already gotten once visit and a note. :) oh well, life gives you some challenges and this is probably the least of our worries here in France.

My little camp bed.
The fireplace in my room and mon amoire...that's very very temporarie

So the crown is part of a game. You bake random trinkets in a cake and whoever bites into them "gets" to wear the crown. Obviously, i bit into it.
my petite crown
Ju Ju being French
My first French home, that I shared with 2 other girls...
Our Mexican Dinner, first official meal to cook in our flat!

I'm doing well so far...no homesickness (sorry mom and Dad, I miss you, but well, France Rocks!) I love making friends with the French people, they have all been sooo friendly and welcoming!

Life here is very different. Im currently just another face, in just another town. just a dot. But hopefully that will change very very soon! It's time to make a imprint on Clermont-Ferrand!

Friday 14 January 2011

homeless no more!

I am homeless no more!!!!! We finally moved into our flat...well sorta.

We signed the papers, and moved our clothes there...unfortunately, the apartment is non-moble...which means unfurnished. Tomorrow=furniture shopping, and spending WAYYY to much money, but all is well in the world, because I have a place to rest my head at night!

Beautiful cieling, Ghetto light fixture
Our living room, this pic doesn't do it justice!
My Awesome room! Favorite part=fireplace!
Kitchen, 70s style

Wednesday 12 January 2011

Traded my Sorority Screams for French Kisses

Bonjour Mes Amis!
So, today as I was standing in our ecole, AKA school, and as I was watching the people around me and realized just how different the world is, where I'm now currently residing. I've traded my girly loud, American sorority greetings for quiet and polite kisses on the cheek.
Greek for Chic?
I think so. It's beautiful really, that fact that traditions are so different across the world, but now my adventure is learning how to fit in!

So one week and a half ago, I arrived in Clermont-Ferrand, France, but I feel like it's already been about 3 months! We were welcomed by an amazing party of Students from the school I am attending, Group ESC. It's a Ecole Superior du Commerce, which is like a university, except...more specialized.
The French Students and I playing " babyfoot"
This is the Place de Jaude, basically the center of town

Julia (one of the students from my program) and I were whisked away to the apartment of a Moroccan exchange student, also attending ESC! We were...crowded, we stayed 3 people in a small studio for the past week and a half. We've had many adventures in our small place, some good, some not, including a deflating air matress, and broken lightbulbs, but all-in-all, it's been a wonderful introduction to French Culture, thanks to our many new French Friends!
Meet Sarah
Our temporary Awesome French roomate is in the middle right!

One of our biggest struggles thus far on the Trip has been housing. There have been many delays, and struggles. I originally planned to stay with a host family, but this fell through pretty quickly, because of the timing of my arrival. So I changed to wanting an apartment; however, There is a new law just this year in France, that if you want an apartment, you have to have a guarantor in France, which...I don't have. We were hoping to be moved in by this past Monday...but delays happen, and we are still imposing on the hospitality of our new friends!

At least the food and cafe are good...

I drink cafe in cafe's nonstop...
This is why I'm actually here...


But the Best news came today! We found a new flat for 3 girls to live in, and if all goes according to plan (which would be a first for this trip :)) then we can move in tomorrow!!

Learning French is incredibly fun! Although, I'm completely horrible as of right now, I think i'm catching on fast! we've been working hard, and have much more to come!
At least maybe Ill look the part??

It's incredibly hard to describe the array of emotions I've experience in the past week. It almost feels that language, words, are not enough.

I have so much to write, and not enough time. Hopefully I will be in an apartment soon, with better internet access. Until then, I wish you the best! I'm about to have some GREAT French Adventures!

kiss kiss, Bonne Nuit,

Jenny