Barcelona!!!

(Day 46, Grenoble)

Hello there. One fabulous perk of this semester is that we revert to our pre-college days of a week off in February and a week off in April, which, like the good old days, occurs on my birthday. This next week we have off and some friends and I are going to Barcelona! We're leaving later today because we don't have classes on Thursday (school, what's that?). Next Friday I'm meeting up with my friend from William & Mary in Paris until the Tuesday, and then we're headed back to Grenoble. Pretty much, I'm not going to be anywhere where I'm able to write up my weekly blog post. Don't fret, or think that I've been taken. I'm just living la vida loca... or however you say that in Catalan.

Au ciné

(Day 42, Grenoble)

One of my absolute favorite things in life, regardless of my location, is watching movies. On my computer, on TV, at the theater, DVDs, VHS, BlueRay, I love movies. I'm no expert in the art of cinema or anything, I never feel as if I could personally take over for my history of French cinema professor should he take ill. My taste in movies isn't even all that great. I love superhero movies, Disney, and romantic comedies, but I love watching movies. When we were younger my friends and other family members used to make fun of the fact that my family went to the movies so often, and that's not something that has died down in France. I've gone to the theater quite often. While, unfortunately, only one of the movies I watched was in France, it's tons of fun. I saw Django Unchained (with French subtitles), Le monde de nemo (Finding Nemo, in French), The Master (with French subtitles), Happiness Therapy (Silver Linings Playbook, with French subtitles), and Les Misérables (with French subtitles). I also had French Disney movie night with my friends yesterday where we watched Les indestructibles (The Incredibles, in French with French subtitles). It was tons of fun, but it was ridiculous. Usually when we watch movies with French subtitles we read along and critique the inaccurate translations. Les indestructibles was unacceptable. At this point we know enough French to sort of figure it out, but the characters were saying different things than the subtitles which was driving us nuts. Given they were speaking fast and the subtitles were a solid summary of what was being said, but it was psycho. It was totally messing with my head which was awful. Eventually we were just quoting the movie in English ("I am your wife! I am the greatest good you will ever have!). I definitely am going to be watching more movies in French. It makes me feel wicked snooty when I can argue with the translations.

In other news,  my friends and I leave for Barcelona in 4 days! It better be as warm as the Inferno as well. I just want to thaw out, that's all. I'm not asking for too much, I think. I've missed feeling my toes. Also midterms are this week. They don't count for a grade and are just offered to American students to see where we are knowledge-wise, but it's going to be helpful. The only grade that counts for these classes is the final exams, so, for the first time, I want to take my midterms.

Don't tell anyone though.

EXERCISE!!

(Day 35, Grenoble)

Apologies for the silence. Not much has been happening over here. Yesterday my program went on an excursion to Lyon. It probably would have been wonderful had it not been cold and snowing, but it ended up just being a normal Saturday with a different backdrop. We took a bus from Grenoble to Lyon right into the center of the city to Place Bellecour. It's the center square of the city with a gigantic Ferris wheel and lots of shopping near by. We went on a tour of the city from there. Now maybe it's just my years of tour guiding experience, or maybe it was the awful weather, but it was a rather awful tour. We saw lots of small things and walked into allies and courtyards. At one point our guide brought us into a medieval store down an ally through a courtyard. It was the weirdest thing ever to see on a tour of the city. We ended up at the Cathédrale Saint-Jean in the city and then a few of us were dying of hunger and the need for  bathroom so we peaced out. Lyon is apparently the gastronomical capital of France, and the pizza I had for lunch absolutely backed that up. I was so full for the rest of the day that dinner ended up being applesauce! We then hiked up to the Basilica in Lyon. The Basilica itself was closed, but we were able to go into the crypts and see a mass being held and a few very cool chapels.

Wait, I just remembered some earth shattering stuff that happened this week. On Tuesday it was surprisingly warm, so after classes ended at 3:30 my friend Nicole and I decided (honestly, I was coerced) to go up to the Bastille in Grenoble. It's across the river from my apartment and up a gigantic mountain, but Richard directed us to a 'faster' path up to the Bastille that included four billion stairs. It was a ton of fun walking up there and it took us a while because we stopped at every little platform to go adventuring. We did finally get to the top and decided we deserved a crêpe for our hard work. We decided to go back down the path we had used to come up when two thirds of the way down we encountered a locked door. We ended up having to go back up to the top of the mountain and then down the significantly longer path that lead out to the other side of the mountain. At this point it was also starting to get dark and by the time we got back to the river it had started to slightly rain. Nicole made me run to the nearest tram stop and then we went our separate ways. The point of this story, though, is that I did physical activity! And not just a once in a lifetime thing either, because I then climbed up to the Basilica 4 days later. Look at me, being all sportive. You guys probably wouldn't recognize me at this point!

Well one week until midterms, 11 days until Barcelona, and 20 days until Erin comes to visit in Paris!! Looking forward to what's to come!

I now have holes in my body.

(Day 27, Grenoble)

Alright, so I have no big social commentary for today or crazy thought that has been eating at my insides for months on end. I'm sure I can pull one out if you'd prefer! The big thing that happened this week...

... I finally got my ears pierced! I know this may not be exciting for some of you, but it should be known that I'm rather terrified of needles and I have an unacceptably low threshold for pain (like, I see something drop on the floor and cry out in pain). This has been a multi-year process but very worth it. How many people do you know who can say they got their ears pierced in France? It was quite the experience, let me tell you. I went with a couple of my friends to a Claire's on la Grande Rue in Grenoble. I figured tons of small children get their ears pierced at Claire's stores in the US, it must be acceptable to get them pierced at one in France. (And it was either that or a rather sketchy Body Piercing place on some side street. Seemed safer.) 

So I'm sitting in the chair with my friends next to me trying to describe that it's fine and what will happen. NO. I need to never know what is going to happen to me. If it's a shot, surgery, or anything DON'T TELL ME. I'll just over think it, blow it up to unrealistically terrifying proportions, and die on the spot. While they're trying to 'calm me down', the very nice young woman is speaking to me in French while simultaneously training someone on how to do the ear piercing. I've pierced enough doll ears at work to know that trainees aren't always comfortable piercing. Now I'm adding the possibility that some unexperienced French woman is going to pierce my ears on to the pile of other things freaking me out. I sign my life away (in French) and then sit silently, simultaneously clutching the arm of the chair I'm sitting in and the Euro coins in my pocket. Honestly, the whole piercing thing wasn't so bad. It mostly just felt someone was stapling me. A beautiful wave of nausea kicked in immediately after however and didn't wear off until we were on the tram towards campus. Over all, everyone that knows how long this has taken is giving me nasty 'I told you so' looks through the computer, and everyone else should feel no regret skipping that whole paragraph. It was fine; it all happened in French; I'm still not 100% sure what I signed away to; and my ears are very sparkly.

I also haven't spoken much about the food here recently. From what I gather from my experiences, France loves food and gastronomy so much that they have a different food for each month. Januarys are for Galettes de Rois, these magical, beautiful pastries with this almond thing inside. I don't know, but it's great. There is a prize hidden inside and who ever gets the little token is the King and gets a precious gold crown. I won the one time we had one with my host family, which was wicked exciting!!

February, or at least February 6th is the month of crêpes, which is fine by me! Both of these foods are connected to assorted religious holidays: the galettes go with the Epiphany and the crêpes go with la Chandeleur/the presentation of Jesus at the temple. Therefore, I'm eating these foods for the rest of my life on religious grounds and so should everyone else. Even if it's not your religion, just eat the foods anyway. They are absolutely delicious!

Stereotypes

(Day 21, Grenoble)

I think it's safe to say that I have been very lucky in my life. Days before I left for France my parents were counting out all of the countries I've been to at the ripe old age of 20. (Including France, nine) Having taken my love of other cultures and traveling and focused it into an International Relations major, I'm think we can say that it's a fact that I love this big crazy world and figuring out how all of these puzzle pieces connect to make a global community. One thing that has bothered me for years, however, are the stereotypes that pop up everywhere.

I have never been one to believe stereotypes when it comes to other nations and cultures, I am the New England liberal that chose to go to school in the South. I firmly believe that everyone deserves to define themselves based on who they are, not on who they should be. So when I was leaving for France, all of my family members and friends were giving me their 'advice' on what I should 'watch out for', 'be wary of', and 'expect' once I got to France. This advice ranged from what types of toilets to expect to how to handle myself around French men to the inevitable fact that my French would be made fun of. Even before I left and have had a chance to spend time immersed in the French way, I was angry at people for believing and reporting these stereotypes to me. While advice is always appreciated, I wanted the opportunity to make up my own mind about what the French may or may not be like. I am also very aware of the American stereotype abroad and how not many in America are what the rest of the world thinks we are. Maybe it's the traveling or maybe it's the international students that I have gotten to share a living space with during my time at Montrose, but I had had enough of these stereotypes and I refuse to let them add a different lens to how I approach France and the French people.

First things first, I guess we should narrow down what stereotypes we are talking about. I've written enough papers and lab reports (I don't want to dwell on that last one for too long...) in my time to know that you  always want to define your terms first so that the audience is on the same page as the author. So French stereotypes, watch this video and we'll get on the same page with that one.

You better have watched the whole video, because it's ridiculously accurate. Every piece of advice someone gave me re:France, was based on this video. Also, a lot of the French people I have met have asked me about what stereotypes I have of French people, and they always describe everything in this video.

But there are stereotypes of Americans too. There are the obvious ones, such as we're all obese, loud, dumb, rude, and all we eat tons of hamburgers a day. Everyone in America drives American made trucks and SUVs, and everyone is extremely selfish. Despite being the home of crazy rednecks and celebrities alike, we are a very conservative nation that doesn't swear, is uncomfortable with nudity, and also gets squeamish when discussing anything sexual. Then there are some I didn't realize, such as you can 'spot an American student' by their Sperrys, North Face backpacks, and water bottles they will inevitably have with them. Also we all wear jeans and college t-shirts or sweatshirts everyday....

...To be fair, I've only worn this twice including today and it's because it's Skype Sunday. I don't leave the house so I don't feel the need to get all fancy and put on a nice shirt. Also, it's really cold, as I may have mentioned once or twice and my sweatshirt is warm. It also creates a wonderful topic of conversation. Every exchange student my family has hosted has also expressed their concern within the first week in America that they are worried about getting fat while there. I think by understanding how we as a people are perceived abroad really displays how silly stereotypes can be. 

I was part way through this post earlier today, when I stopped for lunch. It was Martine, Richard, Clémentine, myself, and a friend of Martine's. I don't remember how we got on the topic, but suddenly Martine was asking me to confirm her statement that America has a lot of obese people. I gave a very shaky head nod; I'm under no illusions that obesity is not present in the US, but 'a lot' is pushing it, in my un-researched opinion. This sent Martine off about a story of a woman she met in Boston (which I believe she went to Boston when she was a kid. She told me about how the water on the Cape is dangerous because once she was caught in a rip tide. My vocabulary nor want of dispute at the dinner table was up to the challenge of saying that I summered on the Cape for 12 years before my grandparents sold their house, and the first time I got caught in a rip-tide was when I was about 16 and on Nantucket. I have been in that water plenty enough to know that saying the water on the Cape is dangerous is not even close to an accurate statement. Although the sharks this past summer may wish to change my mind....) who was so obese it was sort of a monstrosity. That sincerely bothered me. I may not go around shoving my nationality down the international community's throats, but I am a proud American. To assume that we are all fat when you simultaneously complain that I never eat enough food is quite hypocritical of you. Just because you saw one very obese woman in America, or you encountered a French artist wearing a beret, or a Mexican wearing a poncho does not mean you can create a blanket statement for an entire community.

Sometimes, stereotypes are true. The French love eating their baguettes. I have been blatantly checked out here more times than you would ever see in the US. The French do discuss the finer qualities of cheeses and wine. They are significantly less embarrassed about the human body than Americans are (Martine often asks me questions as I'm walking from the sale de bain to ma chambre and am only wearing a towel). They also love their coffee and tea. Their showers are weird, and they conserve everything from water to electricity. However some stereotypes are very wrong. Not once has my family laughed at my French. Once or twice the occasional waiter or cashier will switch to very broken English after I say something in French, but, for the most part, they are happy to explain and are glad you are willing to try and speak their language. Most 'customer service centered' workers are very accommodating and are curious about where I'm from and what I'm doing in Grenoble. The young Frenchmen I have met are absolutely no different from American men except for the language they speak in and what they wear. Also, I have seen one beret while in French. I think it's quite similar to wearing a 'Newsies' type hat, and generally reserved for the older generation and steadily being phased out.

I guess the whole point of this post is just that I want people to stop relying on stereotypes as viable information. If you want to know what the French, the Spanish, the Indians, or the Russians are like, go there and find out. Don't rely on second hand information that isn't necessarily based on fact. Go learn about other cultures! Don't even take stereotypes on different parts of America as fact! Go see your own country, meet the people, eat their food, participate in their favorite past times and then figure it out. Mostly, I think what we need to remember most, is that everyone is different and one person does not define an entire community.

STOP RELYING ON STEREOTYPES!!!!

Short Update Before the Big One

(Day 21, Grenoble)

Hey team. So I've been working on a blog post all day that I've been wanting to write for a while, but it's taking a while so give me time. As some of you may know Sunday is Skype day, so should you ever want to chat, I'm on all day!

And a shout out to Erin, because she asked for one, and she's going to be here in 34 days! WOOOOT!!!!

FON-DUE

(Day 17, Grenoble)

I know this has been quite a bit of writing for me recently, but I needed to update everyone on this new/old/ridiculously cool technology France has got a hold of. Tonight's meal was cold cuts, pretty much of different types of ham and potatoes with cheese. But this wasn't any normal potatoes and cheese us Irish folk have lived by for centuries. This was potatoes with fondue cheese. This post is mostly a notice for all of us with fondue pots as part of our kitchen ensemble. WE'VE BEEN DOING IT WRONG! I walked into the kitchen chez Mondin and there was this magical contraption. It was like a round of cheese that was being melted by this heat lamp but it was attached to something. I obviously am having difficulties explaining it, but it was the coolest thing ever. Fresh fondue, well, as fresh as cheese can get at least. (And then there was strawberry yogurt for dessert.)

This has been an update from your friend across the pond. Ciao.