Weekend in Tours

I’ve been in France for less than a week, but I already feel like I’ve done so much! As I left off in the last post, my host mom picked me up from the IES Center this past Wednesday evening. I was really nervous to interact with my family at first for fear that my French would be incomprehensible or they would speak too quickly for me, but my host mother put me at ease right away. She helped me carry my backpack to the elevator, which is so tiny it could barely fit two people standing, but we managed to squeeze my three pieces of luggage inside with us and still shut the door. Believe me when I say it was quite an accomplishment! Luckily Mme Le Roux is a very petite woman. The two of us talked a bit in the car about my full day of traveling to get to France and while she was driving, she pointed out some interesting buildings (cathedrals, museums, shops). Apparently French stores only have sales twice a year (winter and summer) and luckily the day I arrived was the first day of a month-long period of sales, or les soldes. Once it ends in February, there won’t be store-wide discounts until after I return to the United States. So, I’m looking forward to checking out all that Nantes has to offer and purchasing some discounted souvenirs and clothes! Whether or not I’ll have space in my suitcase for the return trip is another story…

                When I got to my host families house, or la maison de ma famille d’accueil, I met my host father and chatted with him for a few minutes before they showed me to my room and let me unpack a bit. While I was undoing my suitcase, my host sister Adélaïde knocked on my door and introduced herself. She then led me around the house for the grand tour. They live in a very nice home with two stories, three bathrooms, and four bedrooms. It works out really nicely that I have my own bedroom with an attached bathroom (shower and sink), but I have to walk down the hall a bit to use my toilet. Here are a few pictures of my room!

                After the tour and unpacking, I had dinner with the family. They served some sort of pasta dish with meat or vegetables on top—it was hard to tell exactly what I was eating, but it was delicious. The Le Rouxs were all very patient with me during conversation and I was able to participate more than I thought I would. When the three of them are talking amongst themselves, they talk much quicker than when they’re speaking to me, but I’m sure I’ll pick up the speed of my comprehension soon enough. My host parents let me go to bed soon after dinner because I was quite exhausted from the long day of traveling behind me.

The next morning (Thursday) my host father drove me to the IES center, where all the program participants met so we could take the bus together to our 3.5 day off-site orientation in Tours. During the trip Madame Rouchet, our program director, talked us through the expectations and goals of the weekend and the semester as a whole. During our time in Tours, she hoped we would get to know each other and the program staff, learn about the history of France, and enjoy authentic French cuisine. We did plenty of all three. The first day there, we visited two chateaux, Loches and Chenonceau. Both were quite beautiful and interesting in their own way.

Loches

Chenonceau

                On Saturday, we went to two more chateaux de la Loire, Blois and Chambord. I’ve given it some thought and I’ve decided Chambord is my favorite of the four castles. It’s so big and majestic and there’s a fabulous view from the top!

Blois

Chambord

                Throughout the trip we had lunch and dinner at various restaurants and at the hotel in which we stayed. The meals were all very large and filling with several courses. Every lunch and dinner included at minimum a starter course, the main meal, and a dessert. Lunch on Saturday consisted of FIVE courses! There was so much food there was no way anyone could finish it. When the servers brought out the dessert for that meal, they came out one short and I turned out to be the person that didn’t get one. I told them that it was okay as I was already quite full, but they told me to wait anyway so I could get my dessert. By the time it came, almost everyone from the program had gotten back on the bus to head to Chambord and the rest of the group circled around me to watch me eat. It was a strange position to be in because I wanted to eat enough so I didn’t insult the kitchen, but I didn’t want to sit there forever and finish the dessert and keep everyone waiting for me. Quite the predicament, but I survived. Now I just have to figure out how to enjoy French cuisine without doubling in size!

                After our day trips on Friday and Saturday, a group of us explored the town of Tours and found a cute little bar to hang out in. We ended up meeting a cute French/Romanian couple who enjoyed speaking with us in French and English. They knew the bartender, so we became buddies with him and he gave us a drink on the house. It was fun to meet and talk real live French people (who aren’t being paid to spend time with us)!

New friends!

On Sunday, we took placement exams to see what level of French we are at and which classes we should take. There were four sections: dictation, grammar, auditory comprehension, and reading comprehension. I thought the test was pretty difficult, but so did everyone else. I guess I’ll find out soon enough what my results are.

                Today (Monday) was a great day. I feel like I took some great strides towards independence and confidence in Nantes. At IES we met to discuss important details: emergency information, social opportunities, cultural differences, safety, etc. It was helpful to learn little tidbits like different ways to tell your family if you like or don’t like a meal, who to contact with various questions or issues, and where to purchase important items. After the meeting, we split off into groups and took walking tours of Nantes. There are so many interesting stores and beautiful architecture; I can’t believe this is my home for the next 4+ months. When the tour was over, I met up with Sam, another student in my program who also goes to IWU, and we headed to the bus stop together. We’ve decided to take the bus to and from school together whenever possible because we only live a street apart. On the way to the bus stop, I bought post cards, international stamps, and a 10-pack of bus tickets in a small boutique. It’s nice to know my debit card works in France, so I don’t have to continuously exchange for Euro. We took the bus several stops and got off at St. Donatien, a beautiful cathedral close to our homes. From there I found my house all by myself, I was so proud! I had a great conversation with my host family during dinner (their dog used to be shown in competitions and he was an international champion!) and even helped with the dishes afterwards. I’m trying to be less timid and talk more even if I’m not exactly sure how to articulate my thoughts all the time. The family is great about helping me; I can see that I’ll improve immensely over the course of the semester.

                Thanks for reading! I love and miss you.