La Zucca Magica

Today I had to wake up very early for school. Surprisingly, I woke up fine and made it through the entire day without a nap. Completely not like me.

I had my first french class today. I am in level 5 french. The top level is 6 but the students in 6 are pretty much native speakers and have lived in France for a while. Why they need a french class...I don't know, but it makes me feel better about not getting into the highest level french class. I was the only American in my class. Everyone else was from Germany, or Switzerland, or Austria...places where kids grow up learning french. I am probably the only one that has actually studied french! Today was pretty basic, just getting to know you kind of stuff.

Classes are so long here. Each class is 1.5 hours, but usually you have two sessions in a row of a class. So this morning I had french for 1.5 hours, then a 15 minute break, and then another 1.5 hours of french. After another 15 min break I had a double session of International Business Issues. So in total... 6 hours of class time, just for two courses! That's a long day.

International Business Issues seems like it will be a good discussion class. Today we talked about ethics and company responsibility.

Later today I met up with a friend for dinner. We went around 6pm, normal dinner time right? Nope. Most restaurants here don't open up for dinner until about 7pm. French people eat so late. So we went to a little cafe for a cafe au lait while we waited for the other restaurant to open up.

We went to a vegetarian restaurant called "La Zucca Magica." (That's not French, it's Italian) First of all, I had no idea there was a single vegetarian restaurant in France, let alone in Nice. It was quite a nice surprise to find this out. So, we sat down and ordered some wine. Then, out of nowhere the waiter brings us a plate of food. I thought maybe he just liked us and this was a free sample. I can be pretty naive sometimes. This vegetarian restaurant didn't have a menu. You get what they bring you and it ended up being a 5 course meal.

La Zucca Magica

It was amazing. I have no idea what anything was called but here are my horrible explanations of the courses.
1. Some sort of ratatouille
2. Stuffed yellow pepper with some sort of sauce
3. Mushroom pastry & sweet spinach pastry
4. Lemon zested ravioli
5. Fig and Apple pie & strawberry sorbet

I know horrible explanations but they were all their own creations. They only course I was not crazy about was the mushroom one just because I'm not a fan of mushrooms. Yuk! Oh well. There was more than enough food.

This was actually my first time out to eat at a restaurant. I have only eaten at home this whole time and it's already been a week.

After dinner, I took the tram home. Now that I have learned how to use it I am getting lazy. But I think I have a good excuse... It was night and Ma mere probably wouldn't want me to walk that far alone at night! Excuses, excuses...I think I'm just lazy and the tram is kind of fun. It's like the monorail at Disney just on the road, not high up.

I am running out of french goodbye sayings as well. There are only so many. So tonight I will just leave you with this...

Bon Appetit!

First day of Class

Today is the official start of the new semester. It's weird starting so early since I'm used to the quarter system now. A semester is going to feel so long compared to our 10 week quarters at SB. This morning at our second orientation we got our schedules. I have no idea how scheduling works around here but it makes no sense to me whatsoever. You would think you have a class at the same time and day every week right? WRONG! Some weeks I have class 4 days a week. Some weeks I have class 2 days a week. Some weeks I will have a certain class, but not another week. There is no rhyme or reason to this schedule, or at least if there is I cannot see it.

After orientation, on my way home, I stopped at the monoprix. Look at the size of this cucumber I bought. This was one of the smaller ones too!

And surprise surprise! I have been looking for a new web cam since the airport lost mine but I haven't been able to find a Best Buy equivalent. Good thing the monoprix sells them! I found one when I was buying school supplies there. Who would have thought! They only had one to choose from, so not a big selection, but still it's good to have one again.

Later I had to go back to IPAG for a class. All the classrooms at school are names after cities. Today my class was in Paris. During the first orientation they had to make sure we understood this so we didn't hop on the next train to Paris for class. 

I just had one class today. Intercultural Management. I was a little late to class, but it wasn't my fault. I was actually early and went to the room listed on my schedule, Dublin. Turns out they changed the room, to Paris. It didn't matter though. Everyone was just going around and introducing themselves so nothing too important.

My professor was really nice and seemed to take an interest in us and where we were all from. I'm pretty sure he is American, but I guess I missed his introduction. Dad would have liked lecture today. He showed us a bunch of old maps that were not accurate but simply interpretations. For example, the map below is a Japanese map portraying Russia as an octopus. Its tentacles are wrapped around countries that Russia was trying to take control over.

It's great taking an intercultural course with international students. We all add our different points of view on certain topics, like what you would bring a hostess if someone invited you to dinner. Apparently in France you have to be careful when bringing flowers because they all mean something different!

We also discussed how weird English as a language is. If the plural of goose is geese, then why isn't the plural of moose, "meese?" Why doesn't "Buick" rhyme with "quick?" Just strange things like that.

After class, I decided to be adventurous and take the tram home. It doesn't help me that much but I thought I would try it out in case I ever needed a quick ride to school or something.  It only cost 1 euro.

My ticket

I have french class very early tomorrow morning so lets hope I can make it an early night. I wish I could say I'm doing better with my sleeping patterns, but it's still not great. Class is at 8:15! Yikes. That is going to kill me!

A demain.

Antibes

Antibes

New friends!

Port of Antibe

Today was a beach day in Antibes. Yes, there are beaches in Nice, but they are rocky. We figured since it was our last day before classes start that we might as well go check out a different town's beach. One that is sandy. The first picture is the beach we went to. It was a really nice day but the water was freezing. I don't think any of us went in all the way. Perhaps a different time we will be brave enough.

We took the bus to Antibes. It was only 1 Euro each way. It was about an hour with all the stops we made. Antibes is located between Nice and Cannes. I think most of us fell asleep on the bus ride home.

Tomorrow is orientation again, so most likely tonight will be a quiet night in.

Oh and ma mere did some research... There are such things as doggie sunglasses. They are called doggles. Pretty sure this is what the dog I saw the other day was wearing but in blue!

 

Adieu!

Prom' Party

Not much to say for today. I am still getting adjusted to the time difference and slept most of the day away. I did, however, get a french phone finally. This phone is so simple it's difficult to use. And I have completely forgotten how to text on a normal phone. I am so used to the full keypad on my iphone. (I know... poor baby right?!)

Tonight, there was something called Prom' Party. They blocked off the Promenade des Anglais so no cars could drive there. The Promenade des Anglais is the street right next to the beach. It's where all the fancy hotels are located. It's always a really popular spot. Then they had stages that were actually floats that would drive around the Promenade and then stop and have a little concert. We caught the end of a salsa concert. There were fireworks too. Fireworks over the Mediterranean. They were so pretty and sparkly!

Tomorrow we are thinking about going to the beach. Hopefully I don't spend the whole day sleeping again. I am a bad sleeper even when I am in my normal time zone. Throw me 7 hours into the future and I am a total wreck when it comes to sleep patterns. With my luck, will probably get it down by December 17...the day before I come back to the states!

A tout a l'heure

Exploring Nice

Today I went on a hike up the old chateau. There were some really great views of the city and port. At the top there is a park that I walked around. Here are some pictures I took.

Last year, when Ricky and I were in Nice, we took a picture at this monument, but the flag was not there.

Le Chateau

Port of Nice

I keep seeing so many dogs here. It is making me really miss Rosie. While walking back from the port, I saw what must have been a miniature sheltie or something that was sooo cute! I am pretty sure it was wearing goggles though. Perhaps some doggie sunglasses of some sort. I didn't get a very good picture. Its owner was walking very very fast...poor little shnoop!

  
After my long walk, I went to the mall to try and find a computer store. You see, I put my web cam in one the the outside pockets of my suitcase and somehow it opened up and everything fell out of it. So now I am without a web cam and in need of one. No luck finding one at the mall. There were alot of stores I recognized, however, including Sephora and Claires. I can't belive I was here a year ago. When I was here last year, this store called Mango was being built, and now it is now open. So weird.

Tonight, I finally met up with some IPAG students. I have some friends now! We bought some wine and went to the beach. France is apparently like Vegas. You can have open containers anywhere! It's hard to remember everyones name but I'm sure eventually I will learn.  We went to a "disco" (idk why they call them discos if discos are from the 70's) but it was pretty lame, not going to lie...

And to everyone who is wondering about Mocha...she has been very jet lagged and sleeping a lot. She will update about her stay soon!

But now I am back home...tired...and ready for bed. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.

Bon soir!

Orientaion

I know many of you have been asking to see what my studio looks like. So...voila:

Today was orientation. The very first thing we did was go through all the countries represented by the international students. There are students from everywhere! US, UK, Finland, Poland, Netherlands, Germany, China, South Korea, Romania, Ireland, Spain, Brazil, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Mexico, Canada, and of course France. I'm sure I even missed a few. They said we will never have to pay for a hotel anywhere in the future because we will have such an international address book!

Then we had to go through a few administrative things including picking out our classes for the semester. Here are the classes I signed up for:
1.  Principles of Marketing
2. International Business Issues
3. Intercultural Management
4. French Culture and Civilization
5. French

We had to take a french placement test as well, and listen up any french teachers if you are reading... You will be proud! I think I did pretty well! It started off with beginner French with questions like how old are you?, where are you from?, and so on. The test progressively got "harder" (in quotations because using the conditional and pronouns are not that difficult). So let's hope I get into the advanced french group. I would be a little discouraged if I didn't, seeing as I have taking french for over 10 years!

That was pretty much it for orientation. We have a second one on Monday before classes start.

Later today I went exploring a little. I took some pictures around town.  

Someone parasailing off in the distance. Maybe I will get to try something like this

This is a building I pass on my way to school. It lets me know I am headed in the right direction!

Fountains in Nice. Anyone who knows me well, knows I love fountains.

Nice

 

A funny street entertainer

Finally have Nutella, and on to my second baguette already.

I promise I won't keep you updated on every single baguette I buy! So now I am free until Monday. I have three days ahead of me to go exploring around town some more. Most likely there will be some beach time added in there as well. I need to keep my tan up.

Au revoir!

Day 1

After a long flight through Zurich, I finally made it to Nice. I was picked up at the airport by IPAG (my school) and then driven to my studio in Old Nice. The streets in Old Nice are very narrow and full of people. My studio is located on a very popular street, or so I'm told. Apparently it is where all the students hang out at night at the bars. And my building is right next to a dog store :) Lucky me! I am pretty close to the Mediterranean, but I haven't gone to the beach yet. I'm sure I will spend lots of time there though.

Today is my first full day in Nice. Of course, being jet lagged, I slept until 3pm. Once I got up and ready, I walked over to my school. It's only about 10-15 minutes away. Even though it is only 80 degrees, it feels so much hotter. I am sweating like I just worked out. Looks like I will have to take a shower everyday. Bummer.

After visiting IPAG, I did some much needed grocery shopping. Looks like I won't be able to eat any facon or tofu while I'm here. They are very much meat eaters. Good think I know all the important meat words like "jambon," "poulet," "lapin," etc. so I don't accidentally buy something with meat. My diet will most likely be bread, cheese, pasta, and fruit. Oh and of course chocolate.

Wisconsin needs to look out though. We may have our WI cheddar but there are lots of different kinds of cheese in France. At the monoprix (the grocery store) I bought a packet that contains four different kinds of cheese: Provencal style tomato cheese, blue cheese with walnuts, herb and garlic, and goat cheese and rosemary flavor. There are in tiny cubes. Maybe we have this in America too but I've never seen cubed cheese!

Oh and here is my first baguette of many.

Tomorrow is orientation at school, so I will get to meet all of the other international students. Wish me luck!

So that's pretty much it for day one. Maybe I'll go exploring later tonight. And Ricky, if you are reading this, you would know exactly where I am living. We were looking at a hat store at the beginning of my street when we were here last summer.

Ciao!