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Published: September 30th 2009
On Thursday I had class until 12 and then I wanted to go to a swim class for triathletes at 12:30. I looked up the pool address in a trip planner type thing on the transit website and followed those directions. Two trams and a bus later, I could not see a pool anywhere around. I stopped and asked a man on the street where the pool was and he told me that it was on the exact opposite side of town. By this time I was already late, so I decided just to go back to the school (which wasn’t easy to find either now that I was in the middle of nowhere!) When I got back to the school I stopped by the sports office to ask the students who run it if they knew how to get to the pool. They said it was really far away and they wouldn’t recommend going to it. Somebody suggested joining the school’s swim team, and I told them that I’m not a very experienced swimmer and that I’m not fast enough. They laughed at me and said that sports at the school are more just for fun and not anywhere
near as competitive as in North America. So I’m joining the swim club! I spoke to the swim coach (another student) and I’m really looking forward to starting swimming.
Thursday night Taryn and I went to Gallia, one of the university restaurants, and I ran into someone who I had met at school earlier that day. He invited us to sit with a huge group of students from my school. When we sat with them we were given a package of papers with chant/song lyrics about Strasbourg and our school. They sing them at school events and whenever they feel like it I guess. It was so strange for me because something like that would never go over at my university at home! Also, now that I’m making more French friends, I definitely have to get used to the kissing on the cheeks thing because everyone does it!
Friday and Saturday I went to Kehl, Germany with a group of the exchange students. It only takes about 20 minutes to get there by tram and a bus. On the second day, instead of taking the bus, we walked over the Rhine river on a pedestrian bridge. Since German
and France are part of a European Union agreement, there are no guarded borders between the countries. It was cool to see Germay on one side of the river and France on the other, and to be able to walk from one country to another. Kehl is quite small but has a few blocks of stores and a small shopping centre. Everything in Germany is cheaper! I bought a scarf for only 3 euros! For lunch on the first day I had a crêpe with yougurt and fruit and the second day I had potato and ham soup. The menu was in German so one of the girls we were with who spoke German had to translate it for us. The food was delicious and a lot better priced than in France. Everyone in the town spoke German, even though it’s only minutes away from France. When I was in one of the stores, a customer was arguing with one of the sales ladies; however, one lady only spoke German and the other lady only spoke French and English. It was interesting trying to see them figure out what to do when neither of them spoke the same language.
This weekend a bunch of people on my floor and I are going to make breakfast together. Taryn and I are making pancakes and bringing maple syrup. On Saturday, a few of us are going to go for a hike in the Vosges. It takes about an hour to get there by train. Hopefully the weather will still be nice!
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Michelle Adams
non-member comment
So Interesting!
Hi Jean, I am coming to look forward to your blog updates! In fact, I have been telling Greg and the kids about your adventures, too. You really have a gift for communicating your experiences, so please keep it up :). Kehl sounds great; maybe you will get the chance to go there often during your stay. Take care! Michelle