As the weeks wind down (only 3 more to go!) I have begun to say goodbyes to really close friends... Today I said goodbye to one of my best friends, Leslie, who is leaving Monday to study abroad in Santiago, Chile for a semester. It was the weirdest thing telling someone "alright, well, see you in a year..."
I didn't cry (just a few tears afterwards) but it's making me realize how much little time I have left in the States and that I will soon be doing goodbyes like this for almost everyone I know. I'm not sure if I'm ready for this whole starting a new life in a whole different country thing. I like my stability, I like my friends, I don't like change (at least not the initial adjustments to it). But maybe I'll never be completely "ready", it's just gotta happen and I'll learn to cope with the changes as they come...
I'm excited, I really am, it's just hard when you have an 8 page paper, two novels to read, and a final hanging over your head. Plus all the trip preparations I have yet to make... These last weeks are gonna fly by, I know it. In fact, I sat down today and realized, I only have two weeks left in Madison... Wow.
Well I'm outta here.
Good luck Leslie, I'll miss you so much and I can't wait to see you again next fall! Love you!!
Paix,
Doug
Days to departure: 23
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
Aix-en-Provence
Situated in southeastern France, Aix has a cosmopolitan yet intimate environment with a population of 150,000. As the former capital of the Kingdom of Provence and a former Roman spa town, the city features remains from Roman and medieval times. For centuries, Aix has been famous for its art, its many music festivals, its fountains, and its pleasant climate. Since the middle of the 20th century, Aix has experienced an unprecedented demographic and economic expansion. It continues to develop its university and culture with enthusiasm. The renovation works of the historical centre, the rebirth of its lyrical arts festival the Cité du Livre and the Pavillon noir, the National Choreographic Center, constitute testimony of its cultural vocation open to the world.
You will encounter a variety of open-air markets and can enjoy wandering down the tree-lined Cours Mirabeau with its many cafés and shops. The beautiful Provence countryside around the city has been immortalized in many of Cézanne’s paintings. You will be able to visit Marseille and the Côte d’Azur, and location allows you to explore major cities and cultural centers in Europe.
Aix enjoys a mild climate; it is protected from the winds of the North, but is slightly affected by the Mistral (a famous wind in southeastern France). The average daily temperatures vary between 5-6° Celsius (January) and 21.9° (July). In winter, the sun is almost permanent. The dry summer is pleasant owing to a light perpetual breeze. Autumn can be rainy and winter cold.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Pre-departure Post :)
So I decided to start this travel blog so that family and friends could read about my experiences and stuff since I don't know how often Ill be on facebook.
I thought I would post once now before I leave so I could talk about my plans, feelings, and apprehensions I have about leaving (and excitement too!). It's so hard for me to believe that this is actually happening right now, especially since I am in class for the summer and have so many other things going through my mind. If you had asked me two years ago, I would have been very doubtful about my going abroad or ever actually making it to Europe. It was always the same things: plane tickets are too expensive, I don't want to travel alone, I wouldn't know where to stay/what to do, etc, etc... But now my dream is coming true and Im leaving in 4 and a half weeks! I must say how unbelievably grateful I am to my family for supporting me and helping this dream of mine become a reality! I am going to miss them terribly next year and I know it's going to be very difficult, but I think it's something I've just got suck it up and do.
Before I make it all the way over to La France Métropolitaine (the French mainland), I will be heading to the overseas French département of Guadeloupe, which is a small island in the Caribbean, to visit my good friend Ingrid and her family! I am so excited and can't wait to meet her family! They have been unbelievably kind to me already (we've met over skype haha) and I can't wait to explore the Caribbean. I have been working out all summer in preparation to climb the volcano on the island, which Ingrid tells me is quite difficult, but I am setting a personal goal to make it to the top! (and hopefully back down!) From Guadeloupe, I will be leaving straight to Paris, where I will spend 3 days with Ingrid in her apartment. I just couldn't go straight to France without stopping in Paris first and seeing the Eiffel Tower! I am also excited for Ingrid to show me her school, Sciences Po, which is an extremely famous school of political science in Paris.
After Paris, I will be heading to the town which I will call my home for the next year, Aix-en-Provence. (Aix pronounced like "ex"). Aix-en-Provence is a small town of about 150,000 people in the south of France about 30 minutes from the big city of Marseille on the Mediterranean. It is known for it's famous outdoor music and opera festivals, as well as once being the capital of the kingdom of Provence, before it was taken by the Romans. It is also the hometown of Paul Cézanne and where many of the scenes of his paintings come from. I can't wait to see some of the lavender fields that Paul Cézanne painted and go hiking up in the mountains in the north!
While in Aix, I will also be doing a program called Classroom Connections. I have been paired up with Mrs. Christen's advanced French Language class at Memorial High School in Madison! I will be connecting with the students throughout the year and talking about my experiences in France via letters and skype! I am kind of nervous about skyping with them, but I am sure I will find plenty of things to talk about and hopefully encourage the students to continue their studies in French and look at the world with an open mind.
But while this all sounds lovely, I still have so much to do before I go, it's overwhelming! Besides finishing with my class, I need to start thinking of what to pack (what do I bring for a whole year? What do I leave behind?). As well as mentally preparing myself to say goodbye to all of my friends and family and leaving behind my life in the states to create a new one in France.
Before I go (I know, this is a long-a** post!!), I would like to thank one of the people in my life who has been there for me constantly through the rough times and always encouraged me to keep going with my French, Lisa Rodgers! Without Lisa, I would certainly not speak French as well as I do today and would not be preparing myself to go spend a year in France! Thank you so much Lisa for always being there for me! I will miss you terribly and I can't wait to share my experience in France with you!
Ok, well I hope you all follow my blog and I promise, the next ones won't always be so long-winded and will be better written!
Paix,
Doug
Days til departure: 35
I thought I would post once now before I leave so I could talk about my plans, feelings, and apprehensions I have about leaving (and excitement too!). It's so hard for me to believe that this is actually happening right now, especially since I am in class for the summer and have so many other things going through my mind. If you had asked me two years ago, I would have been very doubtful about my going abroad or ever actually making it to Europe. It was always the same things: plane tickets are too expensive, I don't want to travel alone, I wouldn't know where to stay/what to do, etc, etc... But now my dream is coming true and Im leaving in 4 and a half weeks! I must say how unbelievably grateful I am to my family for supporting me and helping this dream of mine become a reality! I am going to miss them terribly next year and I know it's going to be very difficult, but I think it's something I've just got suck it up and do.
Before I make it all the way over to La France Métropolitaine (the French mainland), I will be heading to the overseas French département of Guadeloupe, which is a small island in the Caribbean, to visit my good friend Ingrid and her family! I am so excited and can't wait to meet her family! They have been unbelievably kind to me already (we've met over skype haha) and I can't wait to explore the Caribbean. I have been working out all summer in preparation to climb the volcano on the island, which Ingrid tells me is quite difficult, but I am setting a personal goal to make it to the top! (and hopefully back down!) From Guadeloupe, I will be leaving straight to Paris, where I will spend 3 days with Ingrid in her apartment. I just couldn't go straight to France without stopping in Paris first and seeing the Eiffel Tower! I am also excited for Ingrid to show me her school, Sciences Po, which is an extremely famous school of political science in Paris.
After Paris, I will be heading to the town which I will call my home for the next year, Aix-en-Provence. (Aix pronounced like "ex"). Aix-en-Provence is a small town of about 150,000 people in the south of France about 30 minutes from the big city of Marseille on the Mediterranean. It is known for it's famous outdoor music and opera festivals, as well as once being the capital of the kingdom of Provence, before it was taken by the Romans. It is also the hometown of Paul Cézanne and where many of the scenes of his paintings come from. I can't wait to see some of the lavender fields that Paul Cézanne painted and go hiking up in the mountains in the north!
While in Aix, I will also be doing a program called Classroom Connections. I have been paired up with Mrs. Christen's advanced French Language class at Memorial High School in Madison! I will be connecting with the students throughout the year and talking about my experiences in France via letters and skype! I am kind of nervous about skyping with them, but I am sure I will find plenty of things to talk about and hopefully encourage the students to continue their studies in French and look at the world with an open mind.
But while this all sounds lovely, I still have so much to do before I go, it's overwhelming! Besides finishing with my class, I need to start thinking of what to pack (what do I bring for a whole year? What do I leave behind?). As well as mentally preparing myself to say goodbye to all of my friends and family and leaving behind my life in the states to create a new one in France.
Before I go (I know, this is a long-a** post!!), I would like to thank one of the people in my life who has been there for me constantly through the rough times and always encouraged me to keep going with my French, Lisa Rodgers! Without Lisa, I would certainly not speak French as well as I do today and would not be preparing myself to go spend a year in France! Thank you so much Lisa for always being there for me! I will miss you terribly and I can't wait to share my experience in France with you!
Ok, well I hope you all follow my blog and I promise, the next ones won't always be so long-winded and will be better written!
Paix,
Doug
Days til departure: 35
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