http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Pays-de-la-Loire/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Europe , France , Pays de la Loire en-us Fri, 27 Nov 09 00:27:36 +0000 Fri, 27 Nov 09 00:27:36 +0000 Oct. 28th 2009I started my new job one week ago and during the first five minutes I met my new boss he told me he had to go to a meeting in Angers France this week and that it would be a good opportunity for me to land from Florida. Of course he did not have to convince me and a couple of days ago we did a nice 9hour trip by car crossing half of France to Angers. It is fall and all the http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Pays-de-la-Loire/Angers/blog-448964.html September 21st 2009 Today the weather was very good here in Paris. The sun was shining and the birds were singing. My friends and I then decided to go visit a famous place and we chose the Louvr Museum. That place is amazing you wouldn't believe how many art objects are there We spent a lot of time there and when we left it was very late over 4 p.m Later on we decided to visit the Eiffel T http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Pays-de-la-Loire/Nantes/blog-438567.html Ma famille drsquoaccueille I have absolutely fallen in love with my host family. I regard them as a true family. I also tried my best to share facets of the American culture with them. I explained one day that it was a wivesrsquo tale that when the sun is shining and it is raining that we say that the devil is beating his wife. There are many other expressions that I cannot think of that t http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Pays-de-la-Loire/Angers/blog-424829.html BBQs and Parks I have become really close friends with a guy who comes from Ohio David. He is my neighbor and we tend to walk or take the bus everywhere together. We are also friends with another guy from Iowa Chris. I have a friend Kat from my previous study abroad adventure. We all three like to walk around the city. One day we decided to have a BBQ at lacdemaine. We each boughtprepa http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Pays-de-la-Loire/Angers/blog-424813.html We left Paris drove around the Arch of Triumph Lori says she was living the movie European Vacation. We finally made it to the other side and continued up the road toward Versailles along with 20 plus other tour buses. Once we arrived at the Versailles Chateau we parked and walked up to the chateau as we came through the gate Lori was ready. She asked where the entrance is and then I pointed http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Pays-de-la-Loire/blog-423603.html La bauleI'm not sure for other regions but for my region this year there was a special with train tickets from May until September. For 35 Euros you could purchase a ticket for up to five people that was valid for two days for our regional trains the TER. The TER is a slower train and it makes many more stops than the famous TGV. This reduced ticket is a great way to see more of the region tha http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Pays-de-la-Loire/Angers/blog-417127.html We arrive into Tours where we did a bit of sight seeing there was not much here except kabab shops elephant legs where prevalent and could compete with London's Leicester Square. Tours was a transport hub kind of town and our entrance to the Loire Valley. We where heading straight to Chenonceaux this is a stunning area made famous for its formidable chateau Chateau Chenonceaux.We had alrea http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Pays-de-la-Loire/blog-409779.html So I've started my last week in France before I go back to the States and I must admit that I am not at all excited. Sure the US is a fine country with lots of really cool places and landscapes. But I have never in my life felt so at home as I have this semester in Angers. At one point during the semester I had set my mind on staying in France...going to school here and starting my life over http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Pays-de-la-Loire/Angers/blog-408896.html HelloSo the semester has ended people have gone back to their respective countries and alas the world continues to turn. Most people went back home this past weekendhellip it was so sad to see my really good friends off at the train station Saturday and Sunday. Needless to say tears were shed.The last few weeks of school were absolutely amazing. The weather was gorgeous. Flowers were in full http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Pays-de-la-Loire/Angers/blog-406862.html Ok so my last two posts have had NO vocabulary wordsexpressions. My apologies So this post is nothing but a few phrases in informal French. Enjoy 1 le pieu bed Demain je reste au pieu jusqursquo midi Tomorrow Irsquom staying in bed until noon.2 Ne pas avoir un radis to have no more money Je nrsquoai plus un radis I donrsquot have any more money.3 tre ronde to b http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Pays-de-la-Loire/Angers/blog-401103.html Hello friendsI hope yoursquore doing well and that yoursquore enjoying this late spring weather. I surely amhellipas I am not a fan of the dead of summer in the South. Too hot for me.So last week I turned in my mmoire a really important paper which made me so incredibly happy. Though I was not a fan of the mmoire during the semester I was so proud of it when I finished. And I think I http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Pays-de-la-Loire/Angers/blog-400028.html So itrsquos been a while. My bad We had a two week vacation of which I took advantage to see my family and some friends that I hadnrsquot seen if far too long. And quite honestlyhellipI took about a week and a half hiatus of all things school related. I needed a break. Badly.The first week back to school was however amazing. I was so glad to see my friends here in Angers and to be able http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Pays-de-la-Loire/Angers/blog-395625.html And now I'm back in Nantes currently working on cleaning out my apartment and getting ready to say Au Revoir to the land of cheese and Edith Piaf. I'm about to have my last week of work which I have to admit is going to consist of me not preparing lessons and just playing games with my students. But I think they actually learn more from my games so that's ok rightI am really ready to come ho http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Pays-de-la-Loire/Nantes/blog-394014.html Hello againI was just sitting here in my apartment Lauren and I just dabbling on the computers and thought I would write you all once again. The main thing that's happened since the last real entry was Margaret's and Andy's visit. It was really great to have the three of us together in Paris after being separated for so long with all sorts of new aspects to our lives. We went all around Pari http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Pays-de-la-Loire/Nantes/blog-385901.html So many things have been happening and my time is passing so fast. It is happy and sad that is happening. It is good because I've been a little homesick but it is bad because I've been making so many new friends and experiencing so many new things of which I wish to continue.Sunday DriveAs you should already know I adore my new family. CC pays for me to have breakfast and dinner with them Monda http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Pays-de-la-Loire/Angers/blog-384527.html So spring is quickly approaching flowers are blooming the temperature is rising and spring break is a mere two weeks from grasp. Couldn't be happierA lot has happened these past two weeks though not all of it is really blog worthy... more so just the daytoday wonderful experiences in France. So here are the highlightsSchool has been going really well. I've had SOOOOO many tests the past http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Pays-de-la-Loire/Angers/blog-382894.html Hey Hope everyone is doing well So Margaret and Andy are here and we've been doing all kinds of fun stuff that I've written about before so I won't repeat myself. However I did want to show you a video my students made for my class. So I put my class into groups and gave them a type of business. Then I said that they needed to design a philanthropic program for their company and design an http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Pays-de-la-Loire/Nantes/blog-382861.html So I'm really sorry that I haven't updated in a whileDoctor DoctorSo one Saturday I started to have a dry cough. I lasted until Monday and then I decided to go to the pharmacy to buy some cough syrup. Everything was going well with the cough syrup but it started to get more and more difficult to sleep because of the cough. Then it started to get really hard to breathe even to just take t http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Pays-de-la-Loire/Angers/blog-380223.html Hello everyone it has been quite awhile. I've obviously not been good about keeping you updated but I've been away from my computer the majority of the time keeping busy traveling etc with Nick. Many exciting things have happened over the past few weeks and this entry is going to be a long one so I suggest getting a nice cup of coffee perhaps some mixed nuts or just plain cashews to help you http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Pays-de-la-Loire/Nantes/blog-379025.html Well I think this is week three that is drawing itself to a close this weekend. It's kind of sad...that's it's passing by so quickly. This week was definitely a study week. In other words not much playing around outside of school. That is of course attributable to the fact that I had a lot of homework but more so to the fact that I wasn't feeling too well this week. Always tired though co http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Pays-de-la-Loire/Angers/blog-375562.html