Advertisement
study aborad 6
Me and mom in Florence Hello Everyone!
Well my time in Grenoble is coming to a close, and I’m using the time that rests to say goodbye to all the friends I met as well as the beautiful city that I have come to think of as my own.
Since the last time I wrote, a couple months have passed so I will briefly explain what has been going on during that time.
During the month of April, I went on a weekend trip to Montpellier which is in the south of France. It was a beautiful city and it was great seeing the ocean after such a long time. I was there with two good friends of mine, one from China and the other from Belgium. It is amazing how many people from around the world you meet on a Study abroad exchange! Anyways we had fun discovering the city and looking at the sights.
At the end of April, my parents came to Grenoble to visit me. I was excited to show them around the city I love and to introduce them to my gang of friends. They stayed at the center of the city where the buildings are the
study aborad 7
Me and my Dad at Venice oldest. We visited the old parts of the roman wall that surrounded the city of Grenopolis and also went up the Bastille that is a fortress built over the city that protected it from the Italians over the border. We also went to a restaurant that served typical food of the region that included tartilflette and raclette. My parents were extremely impressed by the raclette which consisted of a huge hunk of cheese that is slowly melted, eaten with potatoes and dried meat. After a five day visit I go on the train with them to Italy to visit Venice and Florence before going back to Grenoble to write my exams.
Venice was incredible. I loved the canals and all the flowers hanging from windows and rooftops. It was very touristy however, but we managed to get away from the crowds by going to an island off the city called Moreno to look at the famous glass blowers there. It was so beautiful with little bridges connecting parts of the island, and the boats that people used for taxies because it is impossible to drive cars. The food was good too; pasta, pizza and gelato ice cream; you can’t
satudy aborad 4
Me and Adeline at the Bastille get any better than that! We visited the Palace of the Dodge which is where an elected aristocrat ruled the city with the help of his councils. Another aspect of Venice that I was impressed about was the fish markets. Our hotel room was just above one of them, and you could not imagine all the fresh fish and seafood that the Venetians have access to each day! I guess it makes up for all the tourists they have to deal with in their everyday life.
After two days in Venice, we headed for the city of Florence. Florence was also infested by tourists all with cameras and maps just like us. In Florence there were tons of art galleries and museums. We visited Michelangelo’s David and Botticelli’s the birth of Venus. We also visited the Museum of Galileo which was very interesting to learn about all the discoveries in science that he made. We then visited the Palace of the Medici family that ruled the city for many years. Before I knew it I had to take a train home to begin studying for my exams in May. My parents continued their trip in Italy for three more
snowbunny
In the Alpes weeks before going home to Canada.
In May I celebrated my birthday. My friend from Belgium Adeline came down to see me and to visit the city. My friends put on a surprise party at the Park where we had a great picnic and after we went out on the town. It was one of the best birthdays I have ever had. The rest of the month was for exams which so far I have gotten marks back for two courses and passed both. After my exams were over I went to the city of Avignon with my boyfriend which in the region called La Provence. Avignon is a beautiful city, home for the Roman Popes for more than a century. The buildings were beautiful, very old and often covered with vines or flowerboxes with gardens in the back. We visited some castles and fortresses and even an old roman aqueduct that they constructed to move water around. I really enjoyed visiting the city and would consider it one of the prettiest places I have visited so far in France.
So far this month in June, I have been having fun enjoying my last few weeks in Grenoble.
studay aborad 9
Me, Tingting and Cornelia at Montpeiller I went on a hike to Saint Pierre de Chartreuse with some friends to see where the monks that make a famous alcohol of the region live. I also spent a day on a lake not too far from Grenoble to enjoy the sun and the water. This weekend is my last in Grenoble and it will be a very busy one for me. I plan to make pancakes for all my friends as a parting gift and go out for my last Karaoke night with friends (I’ve gone out at least 5 times already during the year for Karaoke so it is somewhat of a tradition). For my goodbye party I am co-hosting it with also two other international friends that are also leaving. We organised another picnic in the park so I will be sure to bring allot of Kleenex because I think it will be a very sad day for all of this.
I leave Grenoble on June 14, and I am very mixed with emotions. I think it will be nice to be back home, but it is also so hard to leave my life that I have constructed in Grenoble. I will miss the
study aborad5
At my Birthday dinner beautiful mountains looming over the city, the old ville full of restaurants, shopping and entertainment, my campus so green and alive with students. It will also by hard to say goodbye to my friends that I have grown so close to over the year. I know we will keep in contact and there is a chance that I will see some of them again, but it will never again be as it was all together in Grenoble.
To conclude, I am so happy to have taken the decision to go on a Study Abroad Exchange. It was an amazing and priceless experience. I want to thank the Study Abroad team at TRU for making this year possible. I urge other students to take the opportunity to go on an exchange because it really opens your eyes to the rest of the world and because you see and experience so many things that you wouldn’t have otherwise. Most importantly, being an exchange student is FUN! It has its hard times and you have to work hard too but meeting so many incredible people and being in a new and exciting place with a different culture and language to
study aborad 3
Me and Adeline in front of thePrefecture at Grenoble your own makes it worth all the little difficulties. I have found that I have grown more as a person, and that I am now ready for the next chapter of my life.
La vie est belle!
SAS : Study Abroad Student
-Rebecca
Advertisement
Tot: 0.092s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 11; qc: 48; dbt: 0.0415s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
Patricia Purdy (Grammie)
non-member comment
Your Blog
Thank you for filling us in on your life over the last weeks. You give us such a good description that I feel we were with you on your journey. Stay safe and well and happy in your last weeks away from Canada. Love you darling Grand daughter - Go Go Grammie/Patricia