There are more pictures up- and more to come. All i do really is take pictures. That and sit in the Centre Madeleine. We've had three days of orientation- but i feel like i've been here a lifetime. That's probably not a good attitude to take on things... owell. I really like Paris- it so city-like without being city-like. Next to the Middlebury center is a street full of these really upscale clothing stores (Gucci, Hermes, Chanel, etc.) so i get to walk past these each day and observe as the over-chic attendants from these stores stand outside smoking before their day begins. And my metro stop for school is at Place de la Concorde- so on my way to class each day i see the obelisk and the ferris wheel and the Tour Eiffel in the distance. I tried to think about how strange it would be to have things like this so close to me in Vermont- If the Arch de Triumph was at the bottom of my road- and instead of my church i'd find Notre Dame - it's sort of a game i play with myself to try to remind myself that i'm in Paris.. i'm not sure if it's working. I'm actually just happiest when i'm at school- in a building where the only evidence that we're in Paris is the French all about you and i suppose the Monet paintings on the walls.
That being said we haven't really started "school" yet- that doesn't start until october. Right now we just have this combination of courses on language and culture that will count for a credit- it's sort of like j-term i guess.
I've started trying to think in French- actually i'm not really trying it's just that my head tries without consulting me. The only problem with this is that i form very repetitive thoughts.. they get better but they're entirely directed by a much more limited vocabulary- sort of a problem. Sometimes they just ramble onto any subject or phrases that i know really well. I find my self saying alot "i don't know" because this is very easy to say in french.. but it's not really connected with the fact that i don't know something at the time.. it's just easier than thinking whatever i really want to think which would probably involve some sort of conditional conjugation.
Oh and during orientation we were forced to look at the culture shock chart- again- i actually volunteered to explain it when the question was posed to the class what this blank chart was on the wall- i really hate this chart. More than one should hate an inanimate object i think.
4 comments:
Man, I know exactly what you mean about the inanity of thought in other languages. I think it's sort of effecting my overall though process, no matter the language.
Has your host family returned? Do you hang out with them? Have you met the rowing people?
That's so fun! It's like in French class in high school...we'd all say very repetitive things because we lacked the vocabulary to say anything else!!! Except you're the only one who has to hear.
Just so you know I am now up on the happenings of your French experiences, so....that class sounds boring. but I hope the rest of it is fun, tell me did you adjust your sleep schedual yet?
I just read up on the past entries and the photos, !!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm sure everyone saying how excited they are for you might have worn thin...but it's so cool that you're in Paris. How is the television?
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