All of our luggage + Alex and Jackie
It was at the airport in Paris that I realized how rude people can be...probably because I'm an American lol
After 3 different plane rides...we finally reached our destination - this is where I'll be living for the next 6 weeks - MIU, Clermont-Ferrand, France
The rooms are definitely not too shabby...really comfy
The cute little modern lobby
---I've only been in France for a little over a day, and it's amazing how you realize how "American" you are. I've been conscious of being an only black in a room full of whites, or the only female in a room full of men, but one of few Americans in a country full of French--totally different feeling. They glare at us because we stand out...and of course we can barely speak French--so that's a double negative.
The most awkward experience thus far...is our experience at the super market...but of course we got lost first. Here are some pics of the sights we saw on the way.
The houses and apartments are so cute and quaint
My life saver...Daniella
This is the view from the bridge we couldn't seem to get under...because of course that's where the market ended up being
After we tackled some monstrous hills in the chilly weather...we finally made it to the market...where I just wished more than anything that I spoke French
Soooo....they do not use plastic bags. They use the reusable bags that we have in the U.S. Not a problem, I'm all for going green. We ended up borrowing some from another colleague. To make a long story short--they thought we were trying to steal them--made the cashier angry--she started going off in French---we didn't know what was going on. Of course I started laughing. (More so because I was confused and not trying to be rude--I need to work on that) Fortunately somebody in the line knew a little English and translated for us --WHEW lol
Found a spot to eat and watch the rugby game--it is a HUGE deal in France
The square at night is beautiful, people just walk around. There are restaurants and bars surrounding it.
What I learned about French restaurants:
- Don't tip (a relief considering the dollar sucks right now)
-Splitting the check is considered rude (sucks for them because we travel in large groups)
But that was just one day...there is plenty more to come
This is the volcano I plan on hiking tomorrow...stay tuned for that story
P.S. For all of you that told me to bring back a cute French guy...I'm still looking lol ;-)
Great pictures. They make France look so much better than places in America. It's always fun seeing how people react to you in different places. When I went to China, they thought I was either a rich guy from Africa or a basketball player (as short as I am), and they were mesmerized by my hair style and wanted to take pictures with me. We couldn't communicate with each other but they could say "take photo."
ReplyDeleteI like the way your blog is set up. It's educational. I learned they have reusable bags, don't tip, don't split checks, and watch rugby.
Study hard and have fun. :)
Oh, and they have little yellow pulley shopping karts!