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Published: October 8th 2007
I can't believe I was dreading going back to uni! I had so much fun during the summer holidays that I didn't want them to end, but now that I’m back at uni I’m really enjoying myself and am glad to be back. Although it was great spending lazy days wandering around Strasbourg and occasionally popping off to different European cities, having a schedule to follow once again is actually a welcome change. It’s making me feel like I have a purpose in life again!
This semester is a lot more intense than the previous one because this time round, instead of taking mostly classes for foreigners, I’m in with the French students taking real university courses. I took one course for French students last semester but I was so frightened I’d rock up to class and try to camouflage myself against a wall so no one would see me! This semester it’s no big deal, I’m coming along, taking notes, nodding a few “hello’s” and sitting there cool as a cucumber just as though I was in Australia. I’m so much more confident now and it feels really good - but wait for all that bravado to crumble and
fall when I give my first presentation in two weeks!
And just for something completely different this semester I've decided to learn Chinese! Well, Mandarin actually - at least I hope it's Mandarin, it definitely sounds like it. They just call it Chinese and I'm making an assumption! It’s quite a different experience to be learning an Asian language. At least with French and English we use the same alphabet, but Chinese doesn’t even have an alphabet. Every word is a new symbol, and the sounds are really hard to make and even harder to listen to. Ok, I’ve only had two lessons so far! But I really feel like I’ve jumped in the deep end, starting all over again with a brand new language. If I’d taken on Spanish or Italian I think I would’ve done pretty well, but Chinese? I’m in no man’s land! Although, the one really comforting thing about it all is that the class is conducted in French, and when the teacher starts speaking French after saying a few things in Chinese I feel relieved that I can finally understand again. I guess there’s nothing like starting from scratch to give a little perspective
on how far you’ve come.
One of the other major changes this semester is that there has been a significant drop in the amount of alcohol being consumed. Yes, I said it - the party’s over! I turned 28 in the holidays and I’ve lost the will to drink! Who am I trying to kid? That’s never going to happen! But seriously, I’m not going out every night like I was last semester. One reason is that I’m not too keen to get on the waitlist for a new liver next year, and another reason is that I spent all my party money on a gym membership. Last semester I woke up with a hangover most days; this semester I’m going to the gym most days. Drinking and exercising, two very different philosophies that don't exactly go hand in hand but I'm trying to get a good combination of the two!
But the best change of all at the moment is Strasbourg itself. It is more breathtaking now than I’ve ever seen it. I loved it snowy, I loved it through spring blossoms and warm summer days, but seeing Strasbourg right now in the midst of falling Autumn
leaves is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. Laura and I were having a conversation about “what ifs” the other day and she asked, “What if we didn’t get sent to Strasbourg?” I can’t imagine the answer to that. I can’t imagine that I could’ve possibly been as happy anywhere else as I have been here. And I still have a whole three months left!
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Maa
non-member comment
Beautiful
It's lovely to see the photos now to see if I recognise the places!! It makes it much more real - so glad I have been to see you there.