A.2: Ce Que Je M'attendre

Sur mon première journée en France, je m’attends à noter est la différence dans le langues. Je me attends à noter le francais le plus. Ce sera différent parce que je ne vais savoir pas ce que le gens parlent. Je vais comprendre un peu, mais ne trop pas. Je veux s’améliorer mon français, mais il vas prendre le temps.

         Une autre chose que je m’attends à noter est le grand population de Paris. En Clemson, il n’y a pas beaucoup personnes. Paris est une grande ville, n’est pas le petit ville de Clemson. Myrtle Beach n’est pas trop grand, non plus. Mais Paris est énorme avec beaucoup personnes. Pour ca, il est similaire à autre grandes villes comme New York, mais je n’ai jamais habité dans un grande ville avant, si il vas être different. Je sais je m’attends l’attitude de les gents de Paris et les differences culturelle, aussi.

Je ne sais pas que me attends à noter le moins. Il sera difficile à noter ce qui n’a pas mon attention. Peut-être il sera le trafic parce que nous l’avons en Clemson. Ou peut-être il sera le nourriture. Je ne sais pas. Nous devons attendre et voir pour mon première journée en France!

         

A2. Laissez les Bons Temps Roulez!

Je partirai demain, et je suis très excite. C’est mon première temp en France. Il y a deux ans, jusqu’a j’ai visité l’Italie, et la Grêce. Le voyage a dix jour. Ma journée à Paris est trente-cinq jours. J’espère que mon première jour est bien. Pendant trois jours, nous sommes visiter deux villes. (Tours, et Rennes.) Aussi, nous sommes visiter Mont St. Michel. Mais, je choisis parler en mes temps en Paris. Pour moi, la plus difficile est le Metro. J’ai regardé “Les Lignes” sur l’internet, est ils sont très complexes. Paris est une grande ville, est le Metro est la même. Aprés j’apprends la systeme, j’espère que nous mangeons beaucoup de la norriture. La cuisine de France est legendaire. Un part de m’experiénce est la cuisine. J’espère que je m’amuse avec l’ambience de la culture. Touts la difference sont les temps. En France, le dîner est deux heures. En les Ètats-Unis, le dîner est trente minutes. C’est un difference en culture. Pendant le première jour, il est importante de moi que nous partageons avec les français notre culture. Il est plus importante que nous apprendons la culture de la France. Aussi, il est possible que mon camera est mon mains sont connecté. Je prendrai beaucoups des photos. (Exactement qu’une touriste!) Il y a quarante-huit heures que maintenant! Au revoir Les Etats-Unis. Bonjour France!

A.2 Mon premier journee en France!

Je pense que mon premièr journée en France sera tres interessante et excitante.  Je pense que Je preterai attention de la vieille architecture et les batiments.  Peut-etre la odeur de la cite ferai un impression sur moi, parce que J'ai trouve que chaque cite a un odeur propre a cet endroit.  Les gens seront different que les gens dans L'Etats Unis.   Je pense les gens en France seront  moins gros que les gens dans L'Etats Unis.  La langue francais ira une grande presence et impact sur moi, parce que Je ne ecoute pas la langue francais souvent. Aussi, Je pense que les vetements seront plus a la mode.  Je croie que la mode de vie sera different et moins rapide que l'Etats Unis.  Je pense Je serai regarder a tout les choses dans ma point de vue et captivante tout Je vois.  Je ne preterai attention pas de les affiches americain.  Je voudrais regarder a les choses francais pendant Je suis dans La Fance! : )  Je voudrais mon premiere repas en France sera une crepe avec nutella : ).  C'est tres francais non? Je croie que Je serai tres fatigue sur ma premier journee en France, mais Je serai tres excitee aussi!  

A.2: Hmm...qu'est-ce que je remarquerai?

Chaque fois j’arrive à l’aéroport Charles de Gaulle, je remarque que les salariés ne sont pas très gentils. J’ai entendu une fois qu’ils ne peuvent pas être renvoyés, alors ils peuvent se comporter comme ils veulent. Je ne sais pas si c’est correct. De toute façon, je pense que je remarquerai les temps, l’affairement des gens, et le paysage ou la ligne des toits. Je vois, toujours, plus sur la ville que sur les gens parce que j’adore les grandes villes. Je remarquerai les couleurs de Paris : les gris et marrons des bâtiments, les rouges des bannes des cafés, les blancs et jaunes des lumières. Et les gens ! Ils ont touts si différents !

Je ne suis pas sûr des choses que je remarquerai les moins. Après habiter dans l’Azerbaïdjan un été, je devenais très observatrice. Bien que je remarquerai des renseignements sur Paris, c’est parce que j’aime les villes et pas parce que je serai débordée.

Je suis angoissée que je ne pourrai pas comprendre les signes et les panneaux d’affichages que je verrai. Peut-être, si je ne les comprenne pas, je arrêterai les remarquer. J’espère que je remarquerai tout que je voir ; je voudrais m’imprégner dans la culture des gens français cette fois.

Journal A.2: Expectations

As soon as I step off the plane into the Charles de Gualle Airport my eyes would go crazy trying to take in everything. The obvious thing I would notice first is that mostly everyone will be speaking French. I’ve never been to a place before where English wasn’t the official language. My ears would have to get adjusted to hearing French all the time! I would also notice how people interact with each other; their mannerisms, tone of voice, and speaking volume. One important thing (well at least to me) I would take note of is the way French people dress. France is the fashion capital of the world so I’m interested to see what they will be wearing and how different it will be from American fashion!

Even outside the airport my eyes would still be going back in forth trying to absorb everything in this new culture I’m in. I would take in the architecture of the buildings and the actual streets of Paris (I was told France has a lot of cobblestone streets). I know I would definitely notice how much smaller the vehicles are compared to ours, and how French people drive. I imagine Paris is much like New York City, so I expect to hear lots of honking of horns and traffic on the streets. I would have to get used to how the French drive on the other side of the road too! Another thing I would take note of is the different diversities in the city of Paris. I expect to see lots of different types of people, from Africans to Muslims to other Europeans, similar to New York. There are so many things I would notice that’s its pretty difficult to think of something I wouldn’t notice. Usually the things I don’t notice are also the most obvious. I probably wouldn’t notice the weather. I also wouldn’t notice the time change. I might slip up and call my family and forget that France is six hours ahead. I have some idea of what to expect on my first day in France but I’m anxious to get there and see for myself!

-Jevelle Britton

A.2: My (pretend) first day in Paris!

As I imagine what my first day will be like in preparation for my impending journey to France to better prepare myself mentally, I feel as though I will the things I will notice the most are the signs; street signs, notices, shop names, etc… Especially in the airport, if the signs are both in English and French as Madam Clay had stated. I have a habit of reading everything and anything sometimes to get a better grip on my surroundings sometimes so this will most likely be the first thing I take notice to. I also have a bad habit of listening in on people’s conversations if I’m bored with nothing else to occupy me, so with everyone (most likely) speaking a different language that will also be a BIG thing I’m going to notice since this will hinder my eavesdropping activities. Not being able to quietly listen in on people and understand what they are saying will definitely be a big thing I’m going to notice since it is pretty rare for that to happen to me in my hometown of Hilton Head Island. I will probably just end up still listening to people in my surroundings to try and pick out words or phrases to see what I know and do not know. To be honest, I cannot think of something that I think I am NOT going to notice. I know it’s not a third world country or anything, but there are so many things that are different, from signs to foods, cars, clothing, manners, language, etc. I feel as though I’m going to be taking notice of anything and everything since this will be my first time in Europe and in my dream location of Paris. I’ve been dreaming about traveling to Paris for many years, I am going to do my best to stop and smell the roses every chance I get.

A.1: C'est si bon!

The other day, I received the most wonderful package from my friend, Julie, who lived in France for a year as an exchange student. In the package was a Paris travel book (en francais!) and a copy of Le Petit Prince en francais aussi! It is one of my most favorite books, and I’d been planning on getting a copy in French while in Paris, but Julie beat me to it! With it was a note that said that when her host mom, who was from Germany, first moved to France, her would-be host dad gave her French copy of Le Petit Prince, along with a train ticket to visit Paris for the first time. When Julie first visited Paris, her host mom also presented her with a copy of Exupery’s beloved novel. Now, Julie has kept the tradition alive, and so, not only do I have a ticket to Paris, but I have my very own copy of Le Petit Prince! Needless to say, I absolutely adore it and Julie :)

         I’ve spent some time looking through the travel book she gave to me, in addition to a few others, and I’ve found a few more places to add to my must-see list, after Cupid and Psyche, of course.

         One spot I’m dying to see is Monet’s house. Elle est très charmante! It appears to be the cutest little cottage covered in vines, surrounded by a quintessential French garden. It literally looks like it’s straight out of one of Monet’s paintings! All it needs now is a white picket fence!

         Another spot I want to go visit is the Cimetière du Père-Lachaise. It is where Chopin is buried, as well as Jim Morrison, and numerous other famous people. Also, according to the pictures I’ve seen, there are really pretty avenues going throughout the cemetery. I’m not sure a cemetery is somewhere I’d want to eat lunch everyday, but still. It’s a must-see!

Journal A.1 Independence

I have been to Paris once before with my mom when I was 13. Yet, seeing Paris as a 13 year old and seeing Paris as a 23 year old are two entirely different things. Especially when traveling alone and spending time with people I’ve only met for several hours at a time. I would guess what I’m fairly worried about is my independence, or lack thereof. I have insecurities like everyone does and I’m worried that one weekend everyone will want to go visit another country and I’d rather stay in. I want to be able to go on my own (safely, of course) to places even if no one else does. I’m not saying I want to be a loner; I am actively looking forward to getting to know everyone better and potentially ending up with some great friends along the way. Paris is big enough that I have no real desire to travel outside, except maybe to go to Giverny or another town nearby. I’m also apprehensive about learning a new form of transportation, as my sense of direction is pretty much non-existent if you ask my family or friends and Miami’s public transit system is kind of sad. Ultimately, what I’m most worried about is my worries, which I sometimes let get the best of me. I’m naturally an anxious person and right now I feel those butterflies forming in my stomach. All I can do is keep up with my work and make the most out of the time I have there. I don’t doubt that it will be amazing nor do I think my anxiety will get in the way of my enjoyment; it’s just something that is always in the back of my mind. As of now, none of it feels very real and I know it won’t until I’m at the airport Tuesday evening, boarding my flight to Charles De Gaulle.

A.1 Excited For Paris!!!

T minus 5 days until I will be in Paris, France!  I am so excited and ready to embark on this opportunity of a lifetime.  I've looked up my home-stay and most of the prominent places in Paris through google maps.  Its amazing what technology can do nowadays.  I feel that what I've seen through google maps does not do the city or the sites I've seen justice.  I can't wait to see these places for myself in just a few days.  While I am very excited to be living in Paris for 5 1/2 weeks, I am also nervous.  I find myself wondering what my host family will be like and if we will get along. (Hopefully so!)  I am nervous about the Sorbonne class and I hope it will not be too hard for me and that I place in the correct level for my ability.  I am also worried about being safe while I am in Paris and Europe in general.  I feel that I live in a bubble here in the US, and I'm not completely aware of life outside of the US.  I know it will be different, I just hope to adapt and try to blend in with my surroundings so I don't completely stick out as an American.  On a more positive note, I can't wait to experience the french culture and way of life.  I've been studying the french language for 12 years and I am so excited to finally see everything I've learned and studied over the years.  I have my camera, french dictionary and walking shoes ready.  I'm looking forward to the trip of a life time! 

Preparing for Paris

This past week I have been attempting to prepare myself for the inevitable culture shock I will experience in trying to adjust to a new culture. The hardest part in imagining how culture shock will affect a person is trying to imagine the culture itself. I haven't had a lot of experience with the European culture, and so it often seems like preparing for culture shock is futile. How can I prepare for something I haven't even experienced?

I expect that our trip to France will be exactly how we think it will be, but completely different than we could imagine. Obviously, this seems like a paradox. I think our time in France will be glorious, and so in that sense it will be exactly how I imagine it will be. I just don't know how it will be glorious.

I have slipped into a routine the past few days of summer vacation, and I know in a few short days, I will be adjusting to a new routine and new culture. In doing so, I would like to appear as Parisian as possible. This includes dressing like a Parisian, and adopting the mannerisms and cultures of a Parisian. Overall, I think this will be a hard experience, but enjoyable. So in preparing to adjust for culture shock, I found that I must prepare for the culture first.

Madame Clay has done a wonderful job of reminding us that we must also adjust to a big city, as well as a different culture. I spent my entire childhood in the Clemson/Anderson area, which is obviously a lot smaller than Paris. I expect my culture shock will come from the fact we are living in a larger city, rather than the fact we are in a different country altogether.

While adjusting to a new country and culture will inevitably be difficult, I expect it to be interesting and an experience to last a lifetime.

A.1: Avant de partir!

J’ai hâte d’arriver en France! J’étais correspondre à ma famille et elle est magnifique. Je habitera avec une femme est sa fille qui a vingt-quatre ans. La femme fait des bandes annonces – c’est fantastique, non !? Elsa, la fille, a étudié des Sciences Politiques. Apparemment, il y a une fille cadette, et elle habite avec son père. J’ai pensé que le divorce était moins fréquent en France, mais peut-être pas.

J’ai arrivé chez moi à Océan City, Maryland le Lundi dernier, et j’ai commencé travailler le Mardi dernier. Depuis que j’étais ici, j’étais travaillé près de soixante heures par semaine pour gagner de l’argent pour apporter avec moi ! Demain c’est mon jour final. Ce weekend sera très occupé parce que les « Cruisers », un spectacle des vielles voitures, seront dans la ville. J’espère gagner beaucoup ! J’etais lis Hemingway peu à peu chaque nuit quand j’arrive chez moi ; je le finira ce weekend ! Je m’enthousiasme de voir tout le monde ! Au revoir pour maintenant.

Hemingway's Descriptiveness

Journal A.1 May 18, 2011

I started reading Hemingway on my flight to Atlanta. I like it. Hemingway describes well the setting and details of a given situation. I can almost taste the oysters he’s eating in the café and picture the pretty woman he is watching from across the room. He gives the sort of details that I need in order to properly visualize his environment and have a feel for the overall mood. I hope to be pleasantly surprised when I encounter a similar café or restaurant and feel somewhat acquainted with it even before experiencing it for myself thanks to the reading. The thoughtful descriptions end up only making me very jealous of his life and conquests. It pushes me to pursue fun and adventurous journeys of a similar, if not higher, caliber. I think his writing style and detail strikes me as special because I think I would write in a somewhat similar fashion, although I know my writing would not be nearly as talented or entertaining. His writing includes “the little things” that should not be overlooked or unappreciated, like the particular hair cut of the pretty woman and the flavor that remains in his mouth after drinking some white wine after his oysters. This maybe a brash inference considering I have so far read only a handful of pages, but maybe I especially admire his writing style because it is from the male perspective. A female writer would not linger on the appearance of an attractive female or go into great detail about her look simply because the writer is not a man. I say this largely because of Hemingway’s quote at the beginning of the book, “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a movable feast.”

Practiquer le francais

Le Lac autour de Louvain le Neuve

Maintenant, je suis en Belgique avec mon amie Kate. Elle était une participante avec le programme Clemson à Paris l’été dernier. La vie en Belgique est magnifique. Je pratique mon français beaucoup. Elle habite dans un appartement (en Belgique, le mot pour un appartement est « un kot ») avec 7 autres étudiants. Il y a 5 garçons et 3 filles est Kate est la seule étudiante étrangère, alors, ils parlent seulement en français, et ils me forcent parler en français aussi. Kate et moi, nous sommes allées au Bruxelles hier, et pour le premier 3 heures, nous avons parlé en français. Je suis fier de nous. J Je veux beaucoup parler seulement en français quand je suis à Paris, mais le français en Belgique est bon pour commencer parce qu’ils parlent moins rapide que les Français.

Journal A.1: My Distraction

As I was sitting on the computer, trying to brainstorm an idea to blog about, I noticed that my thoughts kept getting interrupted by this insistent urge to check my Facebook. I kept going back and forth between Facebook and my phone, making me totally lose my train of thought. This got me tinking, networking sites are real distractions – especially to college students. Many college students are not aware of the time they actually spend using these websites instead of being productive with schoolwork. This is especially a serious issue on college campuses because students seem to spend half of their time in class or in the library, distracted. Hopefully we won’t have this problem in France because we’ll be too busy exploring, but I think it’s an important to discuss.

I think I speak for most college students when I say Facebook is probably one of the biggest distractions in college. As everyone knows, there is a lot to do on Facebook. Stalking is probably where most of my time is spent whether it’s stalking my high school friends, my college friends, or even complete strangers I'm not even friends with, if their profile's not on private. Whenever I'm bored and want to take a break from the torturous five whole minutes of studying I've done, I check my Facebook. Of course, checking my Facebook for a quick second usually ends up with me Facebook stalking for thirty minutes, at the very least. I think Facebook is such a distraction for me because it’s a perfect gateway when I’m bored. But between trying to find my way through Paris, meeting new people, schoolwork, and learning the language I think we’ll all be pretty occupied!

-Jevelle Britton

Journal A.1: Anxiously Awaiting my Arrival

As the date of my journey is rapidly closing in, I am trying to imagine how life will be once in Paris and all settled in and trying to figure out a way to calm my nerves about my impending travels. While I am of course excited, my response to people who ask “Aren’t you just SO excited?” has been yes, but I’m almost more nervous than excited at the moment. People hear the word Paris and immediately all these idyllic images of romantic vacations come to mind and then assume I’m crazy for being so nervous, so I must then remind them that this is not that sort of trip. Some don’t remember, as much as I tell them, that this trip will be filled with classes, numerous tours, many walking trips, homework, living in a country where I hardly speak the language, and living with complete strangers, all sans boyfriend. It’s basically not the romantic vacation that most imagine when envisioning a 5 week long Parisian visit. Then, not to come of completely negatively, I must then back-step and go on to tell them that this will be an adventure, probably one of the biggest adventures of my adult life; an adventure that I have been dreaming about for more than half of my life and an adventure that I’ve been planning and researching for about a year. I know these feelings are not completely uncommon but it is nerve wrecking to think that in exactly one week from today I will be on a flight on my way to a new, unfamiliar country meeting up with a group of people who will (hopefully) very rapidly becoming my new close group of friends of whom I’ve only met a few times prior. Maybe I am just thinking too much into things, as I normally do before a big event, but I’d rather be mentally prepared for these things than just going into it thinking everything will be sunshine and rainbows.

Lynzee Byers