Blogs from Pays-de-la-Loire, France, Europe - page 14

La baule I'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 that I was staying in, so I took advantage of it. La baule is a famous beach were Parisians like to take vacation. The first time that I visited La baule it was five of my friends and me. To make it a really cheap trip, which was the point, we left on the first train on ... read more

Hello! So 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 weekend… 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 bloom (and Angers is not at all lacking in the flower department!). And exams were just around the corner. My exams, though assez difficult, seemed to have gone well. So I’m super excited about that. And my defense of the paper I wrote during the semester went incredibly well. I was so surprised. As I was waiting to be called into the room, I seriously thought ... read more

Ok, so my last two posts have had NO vocabulary words/expressions. My apologies! So this post is nothing but a few phrases in informal French. Enjoy! =) 1) le pieu - bed « Demain je reste au pieu jusqu’à midi » = Tomorrow I’m staying in bed until noon. 2) Ne pas avoir un radis - to have no more money « Je n’ai plus un radis » = I don’t have any more money. 3) Être rond(e) - to be drunk « Il est complètement rond » = He is completely drunk. 4) Une tarte - a slap « Toi, si tu continues, tu vas recevoir une tarte ! » = If you keep on, you’re going to get slapped ! 5) Cinoche - movie theater « Si on allait au cinoche ? » How ... read more

Ma famille d’accueille 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 wives’ 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 the moment that I explained to them. The really appreciated that. Not too soon after Easter vacation I went to the store with Christiane and we bought things to make hamburgers. I had offered to make true American hamburgers for my house parents and their family. Everyone really enjoyed it. :D Jean, my house father, hates to get his fingers dirty. ... read more

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 right? I am really ready to come home; I miss my family, my friends, and my theatre. Though I really haven't had much to do with theatre here and only saw a few shows, I've become quite sure that it's what I need to do in life. I can't express myself without it. Actually, I think this blog is partially a temporary replacement for it, ... read more