Oops

I haven't updated in a while. If you've noticed and cared, sorry. If not, I don't blame you.

Since returning from France in late August, I have been busy with school, work, and friends. Yes, it all sounds super unique, but there is more to each of those parts.

School - beginning of the end. I just completed my penultimate semester of undergrad. Thoughts? How could five classes that only amounted to 15 credits be so difficult? I'd fall asleep drooling still with my eyes open to pages about women's rights and collective actions problems in international relations. My roommate Katie can witness how I'm one of those college students that gets back from work at 7 and is in bed by 11 "reading", which actually means getting in bed with a book and falling asleep once I hit the second line of the preface (all stories are true). However, I could not have asked for more rewarding classes this semester. Yes, I am such a nerd using the words "rewarding" and "classes" together, but I guess that's when you know you like your major? At least for me it is.

Work - I got a job tutoring high school kids in French. It's a pretty sweet deal, and even though the kids are sometimes unmotivated to do their really hard homework like conjugate "avoir" in the present tense, it's great to tutor this language and get off campus for a couple hours a week.

Friends - My roommate Katie and I hibernate in the best of apartments. We enjoy our good earth tea, espresso machine, buy-one-get-one sushi coupons, ranting about gender roles, politics, Bono songs, the amount of homework we have, boys, and the people that yell outside on State Street while we're working. We had a really great fishbowl once from Wando's and have neighbors that serenade us on Monday nights. We even had a holiday party, complete with too much food and leftover wine. It's really the place to be.

Besides studying for amazing classes, enjoying our apartment, drinking lattes, and working, I've been able to have a couple of adventures. Laurent took a long vacation to travel West. While he was visiting his brother in Montreal, I was able to go see him during my Thanksgiving break. Since the Canadians celebrate that day much earlier, we didn't have the traditional turkey-stuffing (your face) type of holiday, but instead had sushi and visited this amazing international city. I was also able to make a weekend trip to New York, another city I had never really visited. It was Halloween weekend, and definitely the place to be.

After Canada, Laurent was able to visit me in Madison before then coming home with me for Christmas time... and yes, meet the whole family. I think he passed. I have enjoyed seeing my family and spending time with them - finally!!! Although I was home in between France and going back to school in August, I am glad that I have a month rather than just a week to have sleepovers with Katya and make jokes with my parents. For "winter" break, I will be making some sunny road trips to San Francisco, LA, Santa Barbara, and Napa with Laurent and my family.

As far as next year, we'll see. I am applying to come things, but keeping my options open....

In not too long, hopefully!

Tatiana

Everything's in English...

Tomorrow I will have been back for about three weeks from my over-one-year abroad, but today it is finally sinking in. I'm not sure if it is because of the people I miss from my internship, the laid-back experience I had in Portugal, or the best time of my life in Paris, but I have to admit that I feel a little out of place in this country, my country. I won't be dramatic about it, but as my fall semester begins, I am wondering how I will handle it. In choosing classes and going to job interviews (I am unemployed once again), I am realizing only now that my Euro-adventure is over.

Of course I will go back, and even now I am now sure if I could go back right away. I miss my family and my home, but I miss the new life I created là-bas. I'm just in the weird in between stage for the moment.

After spending a week at home, I came out to Madison to move once again. I had a beautiful apartment waiting for me and the best of roommates, Katie. After going to garage sales and making target trips, our apartment is pretty much furnished (except for a coffee table, so if you have one and want to give it away - call me!).

Since I did not update my last few weeks in Europe, I'm going to list some of the top moments:

1. Visiting Rouen with my sister, Katya. Katya traveled out to France to spend the last month of her summer vacation in France. I was so glad to see this wonderful face after to long, to travel with her, and of course, to make the inside jokes that I couldn't have made with anyone else. We were able to visit Rouen, the city where Laurent lives, and so Katya was able to see this medieval city as well as give her approval for the boy of my choice ;)

2. Amsterdam! Katya, Gauthier and I decided to make a quick, three day trip to Amsterdam. We stayed in an Italian's apartment where we had our own space. Spending three days with Katya and Gauthier was hilarious more than anything - picture of the Italian (JoJo, as Gauthier called him) in our room, microwave pasta, getting free drinks before trying to find the night bus. We visited the Red Light District (crazy. that is all.), and of course Anne Frank's House. Amsterdam is a gorgeous city, and I was happy that the public transportation we took ended up being a tram. We could see the city when traveling from JoJo's place to the city center.

3. The best first internship I could have asked for. There were some tears, and although I do miss working at the tourist office, I was glad to be able to travel home to see the rest of my family. I was offered a position for next summer, so who knows? Maybe I'll go back.

4. Seeing my brother in Paris. My older brother Gary was spending a couple of weeks in August in Portugal on vacation. He decided to fly out to Paris with his cousin, Julian, to visit Katya and I before we headed back home. I have trouble describing how it felt to take pictures or even sit at the dinner table with my brother, sister, cousins (Julian and my other cousin Trey who is living in Paris now - small worlds I tell you), boyfriend, and friends. It was like all of my "lives" were meshing together. It was a great feeling, but one that I really did not anticipate.

5. Saying au revoir was not a top moment, but an important one. I do feel like many times good-byes are overemphasized. However, my goodbye was nothing more than a "bientot" (see you soon). The only problem is that I just don't know when the "soon" will be. Jean-Claude and Claudie are like grandparents to me, as I have mentioned, and of course Laurent is much-missed chéri. Luckily, I will hopefully seeing him within the next month... ;)

I had some pictures developed so I could put them in an album and write about all my adventures like I did here in this blog. When I looked through them, at the end I said to myself "Wait, that's all?". I did not spend a ton of money to get all of my pictures developed, but I did make sure to develop a good amount to document and present my "best moments". These pictures do do a great job of that, but they are nothing compared to my I experienced: happiness, difficulties, life-changing activities, connections, friendships, love, and the opportunity to change how I think about the world and other cultures for the rest of my time. More importantly, I now have a better idea of the way I want to live in the world and within these cultures. I'm so thankful for my experiences, and I have to give a shout-out to my parents who really supported me through all of this. Thank you!

I haven't decided if this is my last post for this blog. Pretty sure it's not since I have other adventures coming up. So for now... à bientot tout le monde!

Bisous,
Tatiana

Summer Internship: Part 3

For my internship course I was required to write a final paper explaining the importance of my experience. It is long, but hopefully you will enjoy reading it. It sums up well my tasks, interactions, and reflections regarding this summer. 

The following paper reads as more of a reflection on my entire year abroad than anything else. Through my inimitable experiences and immersion into a different world, I have learned the true value of communication and language; I have come to realize that conversation is a gift, speaking an art. In August 2010, I left the United States to study in Paris for a semester; and from there, I spent my spring semester studying abroad in Coimbra, Portugal. Before leaving for Europe, I had hoped for a summer internship, either in France or Portugal. I sent my resume to different tourist offices and mayors’ offices in France, and I was thrilled when I received an offer/acceptance from the tourist office in Fort-Mahon-Plage, France.

            Though I must admit that the tiny beach town of Fort-Mahon was not my first choice when it came to ideal locations for a summer internship, it is infinitesimal compared to the other places I have lived. I was born in San Jose, a big city in its own right; while during the school year, I study in Madison, a state capital. Also, I had just spent a semester in Paris; as well as a semester in Coimbra, a lively university town. Visiting a quaint little town is enjoyable for a short visit, but living in one is entirely different. I had already visited Fort-Mahon a few times before, and it had not proven to be the most exciting of places. Plus, what worried me most about interning in Fort-Mahon was my possible inability to adjust to the laid-back pace of this tiny beach town in the north of France.

            However, these worries quickly vanished when I comfortably fit into the rhythm of Fort-Mahon within the first week of my internship.  I brought in pastries my first day and, as if it were meant to be, by the end of my first week I was easily conversing with my colleagues, and even exchanging jokes with them. While during the month of June I lived mostly by myself in our family friend’s house, things became more difficult after one of the couple’s grandsons moved in. This was also one of the reasons I was anxious about working for the summer in Fort-Mahon. Adaptability and flexibility were key this year; if I had not embraced the new culture in which I was immersed, I would not have garnered as much as I have out of this year abroad.

            When my coworkers found out about the difficulties of my living situation, they were very supportive and understanding. Being able to talk about the situation helped me immensely. This was one aspect of my work environment that surprised me. During my previous trips to France, I had observed and noted that the majority of French people are reserved and avoid discussing personal matters as openly as most Americans. I accepted this as merely a cultural difference, and thus I was pleasantly surprised when  my colleagues were so open to talking about my troubles. Furthermore, each time someone made a rude comment about my accent or my “inability to speak French,” my colleagues were there to stand up for me. This aspect of my internship was invaluable to me.  

            One skill  I learned from previous work experience and classes at the University of Paris III was the necessity of hard work in the process of proving oneself.. A common phenomenon that arises in school is the desire to take classes that require no effort and guarantee a good grade. At Paris III, we had to work. My brain was throbbing after every class and homework assignment.  Yet through this grueling and challenging process, I learned how to truly apply myself in a class, since I was being pushed to the limit in the effort to succeed in a foreign university. This mentality has remained with me, and I have been able to succeed in my internship because of it. To me, my internship was about learning the tourism field and improving my communication in French. This experience was also my way of seeing if tourism was “for me.”

For the tourist office, I spoke three languages and and was able to communicate effectively. My colleagues confessed to me later that before meeting me they had been worried about hiring a foreigner because of any possible language barrier. However, since the beginning of my internship, my colleagues have complimented my language proficiency, as well as my work ethic. A few of them even said that their stereotypically negative view of Americans has altered because of how I have acted around the workspace. Just as Early and Mosakowski write in their article “Cultural Intelligence,” through my internship, I was able to show my colleagues my ability to “understand their culture” and “prove that [I] [had] entered their world” (146).

            In looking over my notes from previous assignments and readings, I often noticed connections with what I have read and the interactions I have both with my French and employees and the tourists. Another part of Early and Mosakowski’s “Cultural Intelligence” that struck me was their commentary on foreigners who can morph and blend into the new culture in which they find themselves. When I was “detached from [my] own culture,” I was able to “adopt the moves and even the body language” of the world around me as my own; and in my eagerness to imbibe European culture, I made “a conscious effort to fit in” (140).

            As an International Studies major with the Global Security concentration, the articles about globalization and its effects were very interesting to read and analyze. My internship did not directly relate to certain questions raised concerning the influence of globalization and standardization on the Third World. However, I did make observations concerning the effect of globalization on language and more specifically the transition of English as an “international” language. In his article “Standardization,” Eriksen writes that “English as a second language is making inroads not chiefly among the small peoples speaking languages with no literature and no public sphere but among speakers of national languages like Dutch and Polish… We have entered a period of linguistic standardization that is not a result of nationalism or imperialism, but of transitional networking” (58-59). Although I mostly spoke French at the tourist office, I did use English at least once a day. I spoke not only with people from the UK but several Dutch, German and Flemish tourists. Each tourist office must report statistics on their clientele and questions, and it is difficult to know the tourist’s nationality because most speak English fairly well. In traveling I have noticed this too. There are some places, such as Portugal, France, and other French-speaking countries that I visited where I used the national language. However, in traveling to Spain and Holland, I used English and got along very well. In restaurants, tourist offices, trains and shops, it almost seems as if employees are required to know how to speak English. As a lover of languages, I find this slightly disappointing. I relish the existence of different languages, and I enjoy both hearing and speaking them. Though after learning about international communication difficulties, such as those within the European Union, I have to agree in part that an “international language” would be helpful. Almost all of the employees at the tourist office speak a bit of English and only one speaks German. The employees have learned that English is often more useful than other languages when communicating with foreigners.

            Overall I have enjoyed my internship experience. It was my first, and although I was nervous about my first internship being abroad, I do not regret my choice. I learned valuable communication skills and the interworking of the tourism business; but more importantly I was able to experience French culture in a working environment. My internship creates possibilities: in a future career abroad or even future traveling and foreign cultural interactions. However, the ability to easily adapt and interact in new environments is a requirement in reaching those possibilities. 

Summer Internship: Part 2

Social Relationships within the Office

Today an administrator came and critiqued the other intern quite harshly in front of me and another full-time employee. He gave Aymeric a “percentage” of how motivated he seemed and compared him to me and other workers. He also said that he preferred to be frank in order to help Aymeric to better in his presentation when talking with visitors. Audrey, my boss and a paid employee, was there the entire time and afterwards we discussed that his frankness was just a lot of critique without any positive instruction. I felt bad for him after, as did Audrey, even though that it is agreed amongst everyone in the office that Aymeric needs to work on some things.

There is an age difference between the paid employees and the older administrators/volunteers, as well as a view on the events, organization and people hired in the office. Unfortunately there have been tense moments due to projects and planning. Many administrators desire the authority and I think that is why they seem so aggressive or demanding at times. I am only here for the summer, but it must be frustrating for those who work all year round. The more I observe both groups, the more I realize how frustrating it must be. There are some administrators that do not even know how to send an email for the office, yet they always seem to be criticizing those who do so much more. I have been told by the other paid employees that I work well and they have told my host family that they are happy I am there, which is encouraging. However, it is hard sometimes to know how to react to the president and other administrators (and even the other intern who sometimes seems critical in the same way). I stay polite and say hello and try to, as I mentioned in my field notes, “stay neutral”. However, it’s not always easy when I feel as if I too am being criticized by those who do not do the same type or amount of work. For example, instead of saying hello today the president came in an tapped me on the head rather hard and ordered Audrey to open a file on the computer for him. This was just after Aymeric corrected me on the spelling of a word for a file that I had to save for him (because we were shutting down and he had left his poster unsaved the entire day) and then proceeded to tell me in a rather conceded manner that his education of language and literature made him much more conscientious of errors compared to other people. I reminded him that I study two languages and literature in those languages in addition to International Studies, and that he and I studied at the same institution in Paris. I explained to him that the way he corrected me was similar to the way the administrator had spoken to him earlier that same day – more of a “put-down” than a helpful correction. 

Summer Internship: Part 1

So everyone has been asking me when I am coming home. It's true that I have been gone for a while, but when the time arrived in Portugal for me to decide whether or not I would stay for summer, I couldn't imagine the idea of leaving so soon. However, I didn't just want to stay for vacation, I wanted to work or intern. I had started looking here and there for internships as well as jobs. The choices ranged from nanny and teaching English to working in the mayor's or a tourist office. I originally thought I would have the opportunity of working at the Portuguese Embassy in Lisbon, Portugal, but that idea didn't play out and I was offered a position at a tourist office in Fort-Mahon, France.

For those of you who are not familiar with the town, Fort-Mahon-Plage is a small beach town in Northern France on the English Channel. I have visited many times before with family friends, and it has it's charm, but it was not until I began my internship that I realized how much I really enjoy this small town. I also had the opportunity of having my internship count for credit at my university back in Madison. I just have to do a ton of reading, weekly reports, and a final project to turn in, but I'll receive academic credit which is nice.

I decided to post my weekly reports here on my blog. Even though I am about halfway finished with the internship, I will already post what happened the first couple of weeks and hopefully keep this up regularly. I do not have as many pictures yet, but I plan on filling my blog up both with pictures of around the office as well as some upcoming trips I have planned with my sister Katya (who comes in officially 9 days!!!)

Week of June 6

Fort-Mahon-Plage is a small beach town located in northern France, on the Picard coast. Surrounded by other beaches like Le Toquet and Quend, Fort-Mahon is family beach. Water sports like wind-surfing and activities like biking and horseback riding are available for children and parents. There are apartments to rent as well as hotels and RV sites where people can come for the weekend or for several weeks, especially during the summer. During the winter Fort-Mahon is almost completely closed because of the weather (the north of France is a lot colder than the south in general), so spring and summer are the seasons in which there is the most movement and activity. “Avenue de la plage” is the main avenue where most restaurants and vendors bring in customers. The size of Fort-Mahon makes is simple to get around and find activities, hotels and basic things like parking locations or a certain restaurant.

My internship at the Tourist Office of Fort-Mahon-Plage, France began Friday June 10. I was surprisingly not too nervous, and it helped that the other employees were super friendly and helpful. I received my work hours for the first part of the summer and was trained on how to handle some basic tasks of the tourist office. Some of these tasks include responding to phone calls, entering data into the computer, and of course the best methods to use to respond to visitors’ questions. I have only been working for two days, but have already noticed a pattern in the types of questions asked: the events for the weekend/month in Fort-Mahon, the “Quankokoi” (a monthly guide that is published every month of the activities in the area, Fort-Mahon and surrounding beaches and bays), activities for children, as well as information regarding available hotels, inns and camping sites.

There are specific weekend events in the town and throughout the month that are not difficult to discuss with visitors who come to the office. However, when people ask about surrounding towns, their activities and directions on how to arrive at these places, I seem to have more trouble. I have been to Fort-Mahon before with family friends in the past when I have made trips to France, but a lot of the time I either don’t remember specific information or have not yet experienced the activities of which I am expected to inform visitors. A little bit every day – either when things are slow at work or after I’ve finished for the day – I look in detail at the brochures in the office. Details regarding times, prices of activities and distance from Fort-Mahon are important factors that many people consider.

Since the majority of the people that come in the tourist office speak French and some slang of the “Picardie” region, I have been speaking French as well. There have been some visitors from Belgium (the Flemish part), the Netherlands and England who prefer to speak English, but for the most part I am expected to understand visitors in French as well as respond. There are obviously still some problems of miscommunication and misunderstandings, especially in this region where there are a lot of slang words. For example, yesterday a woman came in asking if we had any information on the “Réderies” in Fort-Mahon. I responded that I wasn’t sure and then went to ask my collegues. In fact, “réderie” means “brocante” or “vide-grenier” in “real” French, meaning garage or yard sale. Of course, these upcoming weeks there are yard sales everywhere as well as information so it must have seemed unnecessary for the woman that I had to ask for details.

So far I have enjoyed getting to know the people of Fort-Mahon, the employees and what there is to offer. I find myself repeating a lot of the same information, but at the same time I understand that I am also practicing my French, how to adequately inform visitors’ inquiries, and any fear I might have had in speaking in a foreign language.

Week of June 13

I had my “weekend” during the week because I am required to most work weekends and holidays. Although it was strange to me coming back to work on a Thursday, I think I will like this system. It will make going to doctor’s appointments or travelling much easier because there will not be the rush and masses of people there usually are during the weekend. It also provides a good system for the employees with children, as they can have time with them during the week. This week was a lot of repetition of last week, except that I have been able to answer emails and mail by myself. I know the morning routine: coffee, change posters and documents displayed on the windows, and the other basic tasks. Answering the phone and understanding the French has become a bit easier. Every since I got an address wrong and the director from the radio station at Amiens criticized me for not knowing more details about a certain upcoming event, I have been a lot more careful and have just had to ask people to repeat things. It must be a bit annoying for those who call, but people are usually patient, including my boss who stood up for me on the phone when the director from the radio station called.

Other than responding to phone calls and emails, I have been helping with projects using Publisher and Excel, laminating posters as well as creating them. Since I am used to Mac, I’ve had to ask my boss for some help for Publisher, but in general I am enjoying the creative side of the job. Responding to mail is the same process: address the envelope, place the documents, weigh and stamp, mark as “Répondu” and file the address into the computer. However, the various events and planning are less structured and therefore provide for some change in my responsibilities.

I have been noticing many more differences between the paid employees and the administrators. Although there are several administrators, or bénévoles, that invest a lot of time into their jobs, it seems that the regular employees are the ones who put the most work and time in. For example, my boss Audrey has been at the Tourist Office for 10 years. For the past two days it has just been her and I working in the office, minus the occasional visits from the bénévoles. Many come in to ask Audrey to do ‘this’ or ‘that’, and while they might be little things, it hinders her from doing her main job. After ten years, she is used to it, but it must have taken some time. The bénévoles are my bosses too, so I am polite, offer them coffee and ask how they are doing (even when they have stolen my chair and desk to chat with another bénévole while I am working).

I speak English at least once a day, which is interesting because Fort-Mahon-Plage is so small. It is encouraging to know that tourism is growing in the area and that the town is attracting people from England, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and even the Czech Republic. 

The Last of Portugal… for now.

Sé de Lisboa

My exams went smoothly and I passed all of them (since I’m writing this post so late, I can write that for sure), but the last week was a bit strange. In visiting Lisbon and Porto with Laurent, I started to realize how much I really do like Portugal. Despite the rants about termites and cold water, it really is a beautiful country. Yes, it might be in an economical crisis, and I’m not saying that is not a problem that should be fixed, but I do think we have something to learn from Portugal. In Lisbon, we ran into some French people who were searching for their campsite. We were at the Castelo de São Jorge when we met them and so after playing translator between them and the bus driver, they told us “You know, it’s crazy trying to find out where we are supposed to go, but at the same time, everyone is so nice here… We (speaking to Laurent) really have something to learn from the Portuguese”. It’s true. In general, every Portuguese person has been very hospitable to me during my time abroad. I’m not only speaking of my dad’s friends Mario and Rosa, or Alex’s family, but the waiters, the professors, and even the train controllers.

As we visited Lisbon and Belem, I was reminded of my time there in February with my dad and Mario. It was strange to make it back full circle like that, but in a way good. We ate at the same well-known restaurant, O rei dos frangos, and the same waiter who served us in February, served the Frenchie and me. When the waiter noticed us speaking French, he directed us to the French page. It was hard to directly switch from French to Portuguese…I often either found myself speaking French to someone or Portuguese to Laurent (just ask him). However, I smiled at the fact that the waiter said to me “Oh…portuguesa?” and moved to the Portuguese part of the menu. Yes! Success! A big difference from when I first arrived in Lisbon after a dramatic flight from Paris and my dad said that I had to ask the waiter for water. I was terrified then but now it was a pleasure.

Tram in Lisbon looking out to the river

Laurent walking to his Castelo de São João

Random cute boy

We spent the next day relaxing in Coimbra, resting from the long bus ride back from Lisbon. To save money we decided to take the longest train possible to Porto – 4 euro per person. It took two hours instead of one with a stop in Aveiro – just enough time to take a picture and drink a coffee. In Porto we visited a bit and walked to Ribeira right by the river and bridges. After our franschina full of grease (enough to get on Laurent’s white shorts), we walked along the river and took pictures in front of the Ponte Luís I and searched for jet skis (there were none to rent). Laurent bought some kiwi jam (which he gave after to his grandmother) and we spent the rest of the day on the beach.

Porto

Portugal was seriously an amazing experience. My time abroad was nothing compared to Northern Europe. The climate. The food. Cost of living. People. The lifestyle. The last few days spent with Laurent also include saying goodbye to cobblestone streets leading to my apartment. My American, Spanish and Portuguese roommates. The internet that gave out every three hours. Summer nights in the middle of April. I am finishing this blog post in July, and I can tell you – I DO miss Portugal. I still speak with my Dad every now and then, and I will continue because I don’t want to loose the improvements I’ve made in the language. Portugal, despite some frustrations that I have mentioned in previous posts, was a beautiful experience, and without being cheesy I will guard the memories and friendships I have made for a very long time.

Belém

The best part of the flight to France? I was 11 kg overweight and the attendant did not mention a word. Obrigada, TAP. 

Leiria, Fátima and Batalha

One of my American roommates, Alex, or lovingly known as ‘Alesshandra’, has family in Leiria. Leiria is located in between Coimbra and Lisbon and is close to Fátima and Nazaré, a well-known beach town. When we arrived at the bus station in Leiria, Alex’s aunts and uncles warmly greeted us and took us out to dinner in Nazaré. We enjoyed fresh shrimp from the area, cooked cod and wonderful conversation. Alex’s tia welcomed us into her home, complete with full bath and hot water and super comfy beds. It’s the simple things that I remember from this trip.

Fátima

After a great breakfast, complete with a homemade galão, we visited Fátima. Fátima is a major religious site in Portugal. As we visited and read the history of the church and area, memories of cartoons about the story came into memory. The story includes three children that each received a secret from the Virgin Mary in the 20^th century. In the film, two out of the three secrets were revealed. The secrets included events that would occur in the future, and according to the story, all three occurred. It was interesting to make this connection with films and stories that I saw and heard when I was younger. After Fátima, we ate (of course) and then visited the ‘grutas’.

The last part of the trip included a trip to Batalha, a small town where another part of Alex’s family lives. There was a medieval fair that day that surrounded the cathedral of the town. For the last three months Alex mentioned here and there how much she loved Renaissance fairs, and although nothing sounded more boring, I have to admit that if they are anything like what we saw I Batalha, I can see the charm. The monastery is decorated with intricate handiwork on the walls, ceiling and floor, as well as elaborate tombs (including the tomb of King D. Duarte).

At the Monastery of Batalha

We ended the day with gelato and coffee before heading back to Leiria to drop me off. Alex was going to spend another day with her other family, but I headed back to Coimbra. While waiting for the bus to arrive, there was a small type of garage sale nearby. We looked around at old books and movies. I noticed a Portuguese cookbook that was the same as the one displayed in my kitchen back home. Made me miss my mom a bit more. There was also a plate with a cat’s face on it…Just it’s face. Yes I DID consider buying it for my apartment next year, knowing my future roommate Katie would love it. However, when the woman told me it was five euros, I almost laughed out loud… Oh, just kidding, I did laugh out loud, told her it was for a joke and I wasn’t looking to spend that much on it, and so she tried to convince me, telling me her opinion of how “cool” it was and brought the price down to 4.50. Yeah.

That's Alesshandra!
So needless to say I left Leiria without a cat plate, but with a full stomach and some great memories with Alex and her family. 

36 Hours of Barcelona

Since I never made it to Barcelona, Spain in October because of a cancelled flight, I had to make it over while in Portugal. I arrived Friday night and left Sunday morning solo. Although the language of Barcelona is Catalan and not Spanish, people were pretty nice when I used English, French or Portuguese or a mixture of the three.

I booked a nice hostel near Las Ramblas and so was pretty close to the main tourist attractions. I started with Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia. Although still in construction, the cathedral of the Sagrada Familia was amazing to observe. I was most impressed with the interior and the reflection of colors present throughout the cathedral because of the light shining in.

Las Ramblas was packed with tourists, and despite the fact that I hate being a tourist, I definitely was one. I had my taste of tapas and sangria in a restaurant on Las Ramblas and visited the famous St Josep Boqueria. Filled with all kinds of fruits, vegetables, candy and foods, yes I did grab a mini pizza and some more sangria…

In the afternoon I visited the oceanfront and Barceloneta, as well as the corner where the Picasso Museum is. I took some photos and visited before enjoying a café leche near the port. Before returning to my hostel I went grocery shopping for breakfast the next morning and to find some dinner. Since my hostel was cheap and centrally located, there had to be some problem. While well located, it was on a small road unknown to most taxi drivers. It took my about an hour and a half to find it Saturday late afternoon, since obviously my map was no help from the beginning. When I finally found it, I was ready to take a shower and sleep. I had walked all day in my Coimbra sandals, but my feet were still sore. However, the view and the sites were well worth it. I was inspired to pick up Catalan because of this trip, and who knows, maybe one day I will. 

May 11, 2011: 10 Months, 6 days

The amount of time I've been away from home. I have a really hard time believing that that number is true. In my posts last semester I wrote about how yes, I did miss my family, but how at the same time I was happy about what I was doing.

This is still true, but as my friends and I were walking back from McDonald's one day and through the university to our apartment, it kind of just hit me: I really have been gone for so long.

Maybe it's just the having no classes this week because of Queima das Fitas, a week long celebration filled with traditions, concerts and all the alcohol you could want, that I've had a moment to sit down with my thoughts about this almost year I've been away from home. Maybe it was the recent Mother's Day, or maybe just simply the desire to be home spending quality time with the family rather than with the termites ;) in my apartment.

I have learned a lot while being away. In so many ways, I have grown up. I haven't had the luxury of a car for a while, so I have had to learned how to handle public transportation...often with my luggage in hand. Paris was enough - with my bags and getting to the train station, but since I don't live in a city with an airport here in Portugal it is a bit more tricky. Traveling requires the bus to the train station, the train, the metro and then and only then, the plane to go to another country in which I probably have to do the same this but in reverse.

Grocery shopping and bringing it back to my place is a workout. The walk is uphill and with cobble stoned streets. I sweat every time, sorry to inform you, but I do have a better understanding of how the Europeans stay fit ;)

It's hard to know how much I've missed at home while studying here in Europe. I have seen so many things and been so many places, but there are some things at home that I would have liked to see as well.  Apparently my younger sister, Katya, is taller than my Mom now. She was a bit taller than me when I left back in August, but now this really means that I'm the short one in the family. How did that happen?

I would have liked to help her get ready for her first dance. Even though I would have probably been away from home because I go to school out-of-state, it still just seems that I'm farther away than normal. She looked beautiful in her pictures.

I am glad I got to see my dad in February. It was so god to have someone here to help me with the transition, and in a lot of ways, made us closer. We got to talk and he helped me get along with my Portuguese in general but especially when we went to deal with my visa problems. To this day I still have that acquaintance at the Foreigner's Office and it has saved me quite a bit of problems and euros.

Since I've been gone my cousin graduated from her Master's and my brother got a new job. I would have enjoyed celebrating with them after all of their hard work.

And my Mom. Well, she is my mom and my friend. I think I would have liked to travel with her, so in a way I wanted her to come here. Of course I'd like to see all of my family, whether in my old environment or my new one here in Europe. My mom and I are very similar - physically in looks (everyone I meet calls me Pam Jr.) and in the way we speak, act and think. Sometimes I feel like I am living her life a bit - traveling around Europe, studying, speaking languages. I have been feeling pulled towards focusing on education in foreign countries or in foreign languages in the States. Some of you might know that my Mom used to be a language teacher. She speaks five languages (English - she's pretty good at that one, French, Portuguese, German, and Spanish). Don't mess with her ;). I hope that we will be able to get a good cup of coffee when I get home, or maybe even if she's able to visit me during the summer in Europe a café olé or a galão.

I spoke with my friend Katie yesterday about our apartment in Madison next year. Katie spent her year studying abroad in Kenya and, like I've mentioned before, we saw each other over Christmas in France. It is weird to think that I only have only year left of my undergrad. This summer I will be staying in France (not in Paris, but the north at a beach on the English channel) interning in a tourist office. After that I WILL be going home to California, stay about a week and then off to Madison to move into our sweet apart which we have yet to see (photos or in person ;)) and start my last year. I remember my 8th grade graduation, my high school graduation, and I cannot even believe that soon - this time next year - my college graduation will transform into a memory. How did this happen?

A little view into my thoughts on my experience overall rather than a trip somewhere. Sorry for the change in style ;). Up next: Last month in Portugal; Barcelona, Spain; and beginning of a new adventure in France!

Quinta das Lágrimas

Bamboo in Quinta das Lágrimas

Near my apartment

Stairs I take every day to get to the university

Check out Facebook to see more of my pictures of Quinta das Lágrimas

Pâques, Pascoa, Easter 2011

I decided that instead of writing in the usual format I do, I'd make a list of the top moments from Easter 2011. Just to introduce, I spent this year's Easter in France with our good friends Jean-Claude and Claudie and their family. I did not really know what to anticipate, but I can assur you that I did in fact have a traditional French Easter. Instead of spending it with them in their house in Moreuil close to Amiens, we celebrated at their beach house in Fort-Mahon, France (where I will be living this summer while interning at the local tourist office).

1. Food and Drink
Let's just say it was like Christmas in April. Seafood: crab, shrimp and homemade mayonnaise; Appetizers of all sorts; Amazing chicken with moroccan spices; Steak (need I describe more?); CHEESE (including camembert, roquefort, chèvre, maroille, brebis, and comté); Desserts: four different types of cake and all the Easter chocolate you could dream of. Champagne. And champagne. And oh, champagne.

2. Location
Beach in Northern France. I have been here before during the summer, and let me tell you, it can be cold, so I was wondering what it would be like in April. However, I can honestly say that it was perfect weather. Sun, not too windy (except for the last day), and I even got a tan...in my opinion anyway. This beach town, Fort-Mahon, is located on the English Channel. Jean-Claude and Claudie's beach house is literally a two-minute walk to the beach.

3. People
Everyone from Christmas minus my good friend Katie and plus my good boyfriend Laurent. This included JC and Claudie, their daughter and her family and their family friends from Rouen and Amiens.  I had actually seen one of them in Rouen when I went in March, but couldn't put a name to her face. Small world. We laughed, conversed and had fun spending time together. JC and Claudie's four grandsons were there and have friends in Fort-Mahon so afternoons were spent with young people ;).

4. Activities
Beach. Promenade around town and in the Channel. Bike pedaling (those four-wheeled bike type vehicles you can rent) around town with Laurent and Paul, the youngest of the grandsons. Eating - yes, it is an activity. Uno. Visiting my future employer. I was not able to attend an Easter service - kind of a bummer and made me miss my family traditions and family, but at least I was with people who cared about me. This made missing out on activities back home a bit easier.

Last activity: documenting the trip with pictures, even though Laurent enjoyed my camera more than I did :) (The photos below were taken by him)

Riding around Fort-Mahon

Champagne. 

French boys: Ben, Romain, Gauthier

Yum. 

Fort-Mahon

:)

Enjoy!

3 Countries, 1 Weekend: France, Luxembourg, Germany

It took me a while to figure out what I was going to do with my spring break. Wonderful places like Venice, Barcelona and Athens that I have not yet been to were possibilities for a while, but I wanted to spend some time in France as well so it came out to be sort of complicated to travel to countries that weren’t exactly right by each other. Right now I am in Paris (in a Starbucks – oops) just coming back from a weekend trip that I took with Laurent. Since he Works full time he couldn’t take off a whole week like us students can, but we managed to take a semi-random but incredible trip to...wait for it... Luxembourg! When I told people that I would be spending part of my spring break on a beach in France and the other parti n Luxembourg, people seemed to understand the appeal of a French beach but definitely not the appeal of ‘Luxembourg’. “Why are you going there?? There’s NOTHING to do there!” were the kind of comments I received.

I admit that I had no particular reason in choosing Luxembourg other than the fact that it was another country I had never visited and the TGV train tickets from Paris to Luxembourg were cheap and lasted only two hours. I was happy to not have to be in another airport, worrying about baggage limits. However, I am very happy with this choice.

When we arrived in Luxembourg we had nothing – no map, no directions, list of places to visit. We left Paris at 7 AM and arrived at 9 AM. The tourist information of the train station was closed but we found a larger map on the wall and located the Hotel Delta where we were going to stay. Although we couldn’t check-in until the afternoon, we left our things so we wouldn’t have to carry them around while visiting the city. Once we got our map with the ‘hot-spots’ of Luxembourg to visit, we set out on the path they lined out for tourists. Some of the interesting and beautiful places we saw included: Notre Dame Cathedral, Pont Adolphe, Gëlle Fra, a monument commemorating volunteers in the armed forces of the Allies in WWII. We ended this part of our tour with lunch in the incredible Vallée de la Petrusse, and even got a little bit of sun because of the perfect weather. We had some friend fish, a panini, calamari and a delicious Luxembourgish specialty – I forget the name but it is a type of flat potato pancake – in the open market that Saturday, right after looking at the rows of flowers and passing through the crowds of people.

Gëlle Fra

Behind the Cathedral

Flowers for sale!

Fried...fish, calamari and potato pancake

in the Vallée de la Petrusse; Photo Credit: Laurent Box

Vallée de la Petrusse

Aqueduct

We ended the day with a late dinner. We were worried for a moment because nothing seemed to be open around, but once we got into the center of town we found a reasonable priced Mexican restaurant. Yes, a Mexican restaurant in Luxembourg. Mounds of great food for 10 euros, delicious sangria and an old man signing and playing guitar made the day. And to think just that morning we had been in Paris!

The next morning we hopped on a bus to Saarbrücken, Germany. I originally got the idea to try to see Germany while in Luxembourg from my mom who studying abroad there in college. I have already seen and met the places and people my mom discovered and met while in France, but never Germany so this was a pretty cool part of the trip for me. The ride took one hour and when we first arrived we did not know where to go. There was the train station, and then even though we walked a while (following a map we got from the station), we weren’t seeing anything. There were two churches, St. John’s Basilica and St. Johann’s Cathedral… and then closed stores and no restaurants. We were afraid for a minute, since according to a local this was the “center of town”. However, after walking a bit more in search of a brewery we saw gins of life. Cute shops located in tiny roads. Restaurants. A fountain. After having a wonderful lunch, me picking off of Laurent’s plate more than my own, we walked a bit more and to our joy found a park by the river! Right before sitting down to get some sun we spotted a sign “Saarbrücken”. There was another couple trying to get pictures of each other so we went up and offered to photograph for them. They, in exchange, took our photo and we discussed a bit about our lives after. They enjoyed the fact the Laurent was French, that I was American, had studied in France but now lived in Portugal. Complicated, really. The best part though was finding out that this couple was from Portugal. Coimbra, in fact! She, Inês, was finishing her PhD in Saarbrücken and he, don’t remember his name, was visiting her from Coimbra.

St Johann's

The real center of town

Walking to the park

After we “tanned” in the sun and bought some ice cream despite the language barrier, we returned to the train station to go back to Luxembourg. Our train the next morning to Paris was at 6 am so we thought it best not to stay out late. However, this did not stop us from getting Mexican food (at a different restaurant – we wanted to mix it up) and some amazing cocktails. First and best piña colada I’ve had.

Everything about this trip was wonderful: the sunny and warm weather, my friend and boyfriend, beautiful sites and getting to know another part of the world. I just felt extremely lucky despite becoming a bit sick. So, for those who say there is nothing to do there in Luxembourg I reply that you have to find the right sites, the right food and of course, travel with the right person to experience the luxe of the country.

Up next, Easter in France!