A Different Kind of French Open

Today was tennis day! I can honestly admit to the fact that I am not the most athletically inclined person on the planet, whatsoever, but I can declare my undying love for the sport, tennis.
I thoroughly enjoy that quality hour and a half where we smack any form of emotion into a tiny green ball. It's therapeutic, I dare say.
As time progresses, so does the progression in my playing capabilities. I do find it a bit awkward when we accidentally send zooming balls toward the unfortunate placement of the rock climbing apparatus near our court. Those poor climbers have an extra challenge at hand by avoiding super-sonic flying objects whilst maintaining balance at great heights on a wall. At least they have that cord, I say.
Following my tennis lesson, I had some random bits of conversation with some French folks. Two tennis players in a higher level than I asked where I live. I told them that I come from a town that isn't very far from New Orleans, or, La Nouvelle Orléans, if you will. Naturally, I still get the unending question, "Is everything okay? You know...*(cue the whispers) from the storm?" Yes. Yes. Yes. All is fine. What more can I say on that subject? Of course, there are many people without their homes, grieving loved ones, and destroyed businesses, but New Orleans is not a ghost town. If anything, thanks to the amazing *(and bizarrely rare, I may add) win from the American football team, the New Orleans Saints, I believe that this Crescent City has scored an excellent promotion, along with various incentives of an increasing population rate and an expansion in commercialization.
Next, my awesome, and very patient, tennis coach attempted to tell me bye in English. He began, "See you next..." Then, cue the awkward pause. I could tell that he was searching for a word, and for the first time, it was nice to be able to stand on the other side of the fence. I knew exactly how he felt; desperately searching and clawing in the air for that solitary word that will solidify the thought being presented in what seems to be a very small, simple phrase. Just one word. Please, someone, help. Well, I did just that, and it was great. Although, I didn't initially give him the word he was searching for, and I laughed. I replied with, "time." With great confusion came his utterance of, "Quoi?" *("What?") Then, it dawned on me. "Week!" His eyes went aglow, and we reached the level of communication. Moments like these make me excited to be on the road to multilingualism. It gives you that many more opportunities to effectively communicate and reach out to others around the world. Also, just know that I am ecstatic to have just dedicated an entire paragraph to what may seem as the most minute of details in my day. It shows how much of a nerd I am for liking this goopy language business, huh? ;)
That was my day folks. Class, tennis, teaching a coach English, eating, and off to bed to start my next day in the life of an American student living French style.
À la prochaine fois! *(Until next time!)

The Sun Will Come Out...Tomorrow?

Well, the morning greeted the world with a heaping spoonful of sunshine, and following writing class, when I actually had the opportunity to stroll outside, it said, "non, merci" and decided to hide. When this happens, it causes the entire town to have an eerie atmosphere of a monochromatic scheme of gray. How dreary. But, don't let the weather get you down.
I managed to finish a writing assignment in the library, and one of my dear friends fetched me to head into "centre-ville," which, as you can probably guess, is the center of town where the main shops and restaurants reside.
Lucky for us, one of our other good friends was already heading in that direction. Our little brigade of cool-ness hopped on the tram and made way to handle those streets like no other before us. I can't wait to head back; for, I was shown possibly one of the coolest hang-outs ever. There is an actual café almost stowed away in a quiet corner near the most beautiful cathedral, where Joan of Arc, herself, attended Mass. Not to shabby, eh?
Okay, so, back to the café. It actually caters to book lovers and sets a cool, shaded atmosphere of neatly placed warm lighting and wooden shelves of various novels. Tea seems to actually be preferable here. If you're wondering whether or not I have the option to read "Around the World in Eighty Days" whilst sipping steaming Dragon Eye Oolong in a cedar-stained chair...you'd be correct. Excitement; right here.
Eventually, the crowd made our way over to the bureau for the town's local orchestra that another one of our pals shall be singing for its upcoming symphony this Sunday. Lucky for us, and thanks to Europe's kindness to youngsters, we were able to get a reduced rate for the tickets. It shall take place at the L'église du Martroi, which is a small church built prior to 1000 AD. Go ahead, and let that simmer. Don't worry. I'll wait.
*(Small, but Nifty Note: If you happen to be a college student studying abroad, be sure and show places that sell any type of ticket, whether it be theatrical, cinematic, or transportation, your student card from your chosen university or an International Student Card obtained prior to your country's departure. 9 out of 10 times, there will be a reduced rate for students. Madame Fate just smiled your way).
So, after about a billion o'clock, I finally managed to sit down and actually eat something for the day. In the Italian spirit, I suppose, I found myself eating pasta primavera with a cream sauce accompanied by a delectable tiramisu, which I learned to mean, "pick-me-up" in Italian. I'm pretty sure the reason for this, is that there is a nice shot of espresso within the dessert, in which, will indeed, put some pep in your step.
Across the street, we actually located a pretty great shop with basic, but fashion-forward clothing. Managing to fit in something in France is also a pretty rare find. Way to go, team!
Today, I was called to go to the local grocery store, Auchan. I'm going to go ahead and compare this to America's Wal-Mart, although, really, there isn't any store that really can. Thanks, Mr. Walton; we love you.
In grocery stores, here, pushing around a grocery cart is not free. You must insert a euro into the cart's coin slot near the handle to do so, but, you do get it back at the end. So, if you remember the coin is there, I suppose that it can be free. On the brighter side, there are some smaller hand baskets, which is certainly sufficient for college students, such as myself. Furthermore, and most importantly, you must be sure to bring/buy your own recyclable shopping bags. This was certainly a grand shock for me during my first outing to the grocery store, here. France, alongside a majority of Europe, is going "green" for the welfare of the environment; it's certainly commendable, but quite a task to carry groceries all the way back to one's residence. I think I see an arm muscle being produced here. Whoa now.
Well, I've finally made it back, gotten into my pj's, put away the groceries, and plan on relaxing to a nice movie, perhaps, until I fall asleep. While it may sound somewhat dull and listless, it sounds like heaven to me. I'm a simple kid, I guess.
The question that remains is: What should I watch? Anyone have any good movie suggestions? Is anyone out there? Anyone? Well, maybe, someday...
Au revoir, et bonne nuit! *(goodbye, and goodnight!)

Le Chocolat Makes the World Go Round

I am proud to present my successful blog #3 on the 3rd consecutive day following its creation. I am unbelievably proud of myself for maintaining this, thus far.
Today was certainly an unexpected whirlwind of sudden exhaustion. Because of this unfortunate occurrence, I was forced to miss my writing class early this morning. Fortunately, my friends came to save me from my dark cave of a room to have an outing to a local frequented Thai restaurant. It was a ridiculously beautiful day, and it was certainly well needed.
With a warm greeting from the familiar waiter, comforting friends, and a delectable lunch, my mood was certainly softened. My meal, as usual, consisted of an appetizer of 'nems,' which are similar to spring rolls found in most Asian restaurants, meant to be wrapped in a lettuce leaf, mint leaves, and carrots and dipped in a sweet, ginger sauce. The main plate was the restaurant's special rice, which is cooked in special herbs and seasoning and mixed with grilled shrimp and chicken. I am certain to add mounds of the table's spicy curry sauce to give it that extra kick.
Afterward, we all went our separate ways, and I tried to think of which step to take next. In the course of a bit of pondering, I thought, when in doubt, travel to the bookstore. So, I did just that. A few hours of this day was spent up and down aisles of language resources and the travel section. If you remember correctly, as posted earlier, I have an Italian get-away to plan for April! Each books' pages led me to be engulfed by the most beautiful pictures of art, museums, castles, vineyards, and coastal scenery imaginable. I can't even begin to perceive what it shall look like in front of my very eyes. I imagine bliss; just calm, peaceful, serene bliss.
To seal the day, as I waited for the tram, which is this town's version of an above-ground "Meet the Jetsons"-like metro, I purchased, from a nearby deli-vendor, a piece of "pain au chocolat," which is, in simpler terms, a flaky croissant stuffed with melted chocolate on the inside. It is too fantastic for words, and it, without question, truly made the day complete. I'm so unbelievably ecstatic to be a member of a society where one follows the philosophy, "A choc-full of sugar makes the medicine go down in the most delightful way."
Agreed.
Au revoir, tout le monde! :)

Une Longue Pause

The title that I have used for this post is a French translation for, "A Long Break," which is exactly what I have right now until my next class, French History. Grammar was canceled today on account that my professor has a prior obligation to the incoming Japanese foreign exchange students for the month. In the meantime, I'm going to recount what I've learned today and possibilities for the future. Maybe, someone out there, if anyone just happens to come across this blog by a mere twist of fate, can help me with some future travel plans!
My morning started off well, I suppose. I woke up, got dressed, popped the iPod in my ears, and made it to Geography around 9:00am. Today, our discussion revolved around the agricultural aspect of French countryside.
Whenever you look from a plane down to the earth below, do you ever see those patches of land that seem to resemble a quilt made of various tones of green and brown? Well, it just so happens that you, my friend, are looking at a systematic structure of farm fields and pastures. In France, when such agricultural land is surrounded by roads (les chemins) it is called "un quartier." It's geometrically shaped like a rectangle or square. Within "un quartier" there remains other various divided squares.
Afterward, I took an exam for the following Oral Comprehension class. I can certainly see my French improving just by my capability to comprehend larger bits of information from the super-sonic rate of conversation being thrown our way from the recorded audio tapes. I hope that I did well. We shall see.
Lunch time had finally come at this point, and we wandered over to our normal "sandwicherie," where they sell...surprise, surprise: Sandwiches galore! In France, the sandwich is the ultimate on-the-go meal, and can be found practically on every corner of every street. Bread is the ultimate sustenance of life here; more so than water, I imagine! However, on average, the ratio of French body size is incredibly thin compared to the inclining obesity rate in America. One would think that with all of these carbohydrates ingested at a constant rate due to large consumption of baguettes, croissants, and various, delicate pastries, everyone would be somewhat hefty, however, it is quite the contrary. I am still investigating this phenomenon...
Regarding "future plans," as stated earlier, my friends and I are planning a trip to Italy for our next school vacation in April. As you can see in the accompanying photo to the side, I've had the fantastic opportunity to visit Pisa last semester. I'll be sure to tell you all about it, as well as my London, "New Moon," get-a-away *(Be nice; don't judge) in an upcoming post!
This time, however, we would very much like to visit Venice, as well as Rome. Does anyone out there have any possible suggestions as to what prominent sites to see, restaurants to eat, places to stay, etc.? I would absolutely love your input, as much as I'd love to provide cultural output based on my own experiences and findings! Because I was in the Italian mood, I actually bought a large slice of delectable French-ified pizza, which was comprised of brie (a delightfully smooth, subtle cheese), thyme, and pieces of smoked "jambon" (ham). C'était tellement délicieux! *(In translation: It was soooooo good!)
Well, that's all for now folks! I'm going to try and keep you posted on my French everyday occurrences and habits. I realize, while it feels almost habitual by now, it is, in fact, a cultural experience and very much different to my own culture back home!
Hopefully, I will gain more readers in the future, but, in the meantime, I shall post a poll on what cities in Italy you prefer or believe to be the most essential and rewarding to visit.
Merci beaucoup, tout le monde, et à la prochaine!
*(Thanks a lot, everyone, and until the next time!)

Sudden Realization

So, here I am: a college student with a quirky passion for the most eclectic of things. Presently, I'm sitting here in my incredibly uncomfortable dormitory bed located in Orléans, France. It is here that I have set out on my journey to study abroad, finishing out my senior year as a major of the beautiful, romantic French language. My whole life, as I can remember, has been primarily dedicated to the intense love for the spoken and written word in all forms. I can remember the first multi-syllabic word that I had attained as a child being, "enormous." I had tried to utilize it in a sentence obnoxiously every other day with various failing efforts in using it correctly.
Such is life: to be fearless in trying something new, but feeling complete and utter bliss knowing that you, yourself, have accomplished what was once just a mere possibility.
So, once again, here I am: a college student who has decided to embark on this Blogging mission to tell my tales. While blogging has always been a feasible option archived in the back of my mind, should I share that it was eventually to be committed to by the provocation of a film, Julie & Julia *(A very good movie, by the by)? Probably not, because then, you'd see how, in my life, motivation can be found in the most ridiculously random of things. Then again, such is life, or, in the better sense of words, "C'est la vie," as the French say. Perhaps, it is a bit cliché, but then again, isn't life nothing but a big, whopping mass of cliché? Despite what anyone says, it is simply unavoidable, no matter your current social status in life. We are walking, talking, living, and breathing clichés just by being our human selves.

I suppose, my blog shall be composed entirely of just that; a juxtaposition and bizarre collection of clichéed randomness: music of the moment, a word of the day, a catchy novel, accomplished French recipes, bizarre moments and life happenings, etc.

Where I shall start or what will be, I'm not quite certain, but it's something I feel the need to be done.