Day Trip to Albi!

Hello blog followers!

This entry will have pictures so don't you worry :)

This week was our "spring break." The school just calls it a break so I can't really use that term. (My mind is blown) I spent most of the time just catching up with my friends and family at home and beginning to get my affairs in order for my return home. I can't believe that I am leaving in a few short weeks... It feels like yesterday I was crying like a little baby and wanting to leave France. I didn't do much traveling while being here which I somewhat regret. However, I've forged friendships with some amazing people and learned Toulouse like the back of my hand.

Anyways, back to the main point of this entry:

I went on a little day trip with some of the friends that I've made while being here. Tamás from Hungary, Olivia from Canada, Christina and her boyfriend Marko from Austria and I. It was the best day that I've had while abroad. The day was absolutely PERFECT. The sun was shining, there wasn't a cloud in the sky and it was about 50°F. Unfortunately, there wasn't much to do in Albi but it wasn't all about the place. It was about the company of my new friends. We took the train at 7:29am, I was dying.

It was the perfect time for a selfie. I look halfway decent for 7:29am.

Albi is about one hour away so it wasn't a horrible ride in. I purchased my ticket online because I didn't want to risk not having a seat with the others. THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAD AN ISSUE WITH MY CARD. Let me explain. You purchase your ticket online from the Voyages SNCF website and then you show up and print your ticket from an automated machine. However, my card doesn't have the little chip inside as the European cards do. The machine rejected my card and after trying about 10 more times, I realized that I needed to actually deal with customer service. At this point in time, it was about 7:10am and I needed to be making my way to the train. After getting yelled at by a few SNCF workers, I finally got my ticket printed at 7:23am. I met with Tamás at 7:00am and he was like like, "COME ON HANNAH, OH MY GOSH." (I can't really do it justice in writing because Tamás' Hungarian accent makes it hilarious.) Poor Tamás, I forced him to stay with me and run to the train about 3 minutes before we actually left. We had horrible "seats." They were little hinged benches from the walls of the train and Tamás was none too pleased. I just laughed it off but he wasn't going to have any positive anything before 9:00am.

We got there around 8:30am and then had to walk for about an hour and a half before finding the city central. Before getting there, we walked alongside Le Tran which is the river going through Albi. I took some pictures of it.

This is the bridge that we crossed about 10 times.
(Thank you Tamás for the picture!)

ME! I'm standing on this little nook on the Pont du 22 Août 1944.

Funny story though, I asked Christina to take a picture of me and pointed to the little nook. However, she thought I meant standing on the edge of the wall. Her face was priceless. BTW, there was a like 20-30 foot drop onto pavement so it is a good thing I didn't because knowing me, I would have fallen.

This is a terrible picture of everyone but from left to right: Tamás, Olivia, Marko and Christina. 

We stopped at a little cafe to get coffee (obviously) and collect ourselves because it was about 9:30am. I took closeups of everyone. Except Marco because he was using the restroom. (In German, "lulu" is like a childish way of saying "pee pee." So all the Germans/Austrians laughed when I told them the name of my dog).

PEANUT BUTTER SELFIE TIME!

Olivia!

Tamás!

Christina!

After that, we decided to just continue a nice little walk through the city where we stumbled upon the most gorgeous cathedral I've ever seen. Its beauty was truly remarkable.

Here is some more of the walk :)

This is the outside:

Outside the Cathedral. All of that is brick. Can you even imagine?!?!

Notice the people walking by... Just to show you how LARGE this place actually was.

This is me in front of the steps. I don't know how well you can tell but there is the most beautiful and intricate stone sculpting in the archway.

Just a lol moment: I was wearing heart-shaped sunglasses the whole day and I think that Tamás wasn't completely comfortable with his sunglasses until he saw how ridiculous mine were. I just wanted a picture of Tamás and I in the awesome sunglasses action. So we look hipster as ever in front of this gorgeous structure. 

Ignore the construction work. Notice the BEAUTY.

Aaaaaaaaaand Tamás photobombed.

Finally, after taking about 10000 pictures between the five of us, we dared to go inside. At this point, my camera was dead to many of these will be with my phone. The camera on my phone does NOT do justice to the beauty of this cathedral.

I don't know all the Catholic terminology or if that is even a thing.. So bear with me. This is the view from the congregation's point of view.

(Again, thank you Tamás)

LOOK AT THIS. I walked in the cathedral and I'm certain that I swore about 10 times and used the Lord's name in vain twice as a response to the beauty that my eyes were unworthy of seeing. (Sorry mom).

Tamás took these pictures and let me use them. I just wanted to have some closeups of the detail in the stonework. It was breathtaking!
(Again, thank you Tamás)

This is the view from the pulpit (I don't know if that is the correct term!!! Or if there even as a 'correct' term)

I laughed a little because Marko (Christina's boyfriend) got scolded for wearing a hat in the cathedral. I felt bad because he was a little embarrassed but it was nice that the staff approached him and altered him to the issue.

At this point... We all had to use the restroom. We left the cathedral and went to the tourist office to gather some maps and things. We all hoped that there was a restroom that we could use. Christina asked the person working at the office and he told us that it was attached but we had to access it from outside the building. So, we walked around and found it.... It was a hole in the ground with two places to put your feet. Christina's reaction was hilarious: "what the f***, I would rather pee in their garden in front of everyone than use that hole in the ground." I was at the point of peeing my pants and if I laughed any harder, I would have.

So, we found a supermarket nearby and used their restrooms. It was one room for both men and women. The restroom didn't have toilet paper, hand soap, or paper towels. However, there was an actual toilet so we can't complain too much. We had hand sanitizer so no worries people.

The toilet situation wasn't ideal there.

ANYWAYS!

We walked to a little park where we just sat and talked for a while and soaked up the sun!

I didn't take many pictures of the park itself but there was a section of bamboo that I decided to walk through. I felt like I was in Jurassic Park. It was horrible and I nearly fell about 10000 times. It wasn't cute.

After my encounter with Jurassic Park, I had a little photo session with a daffodil that I picked :)

This is me being happy with a flower in my hair! BOOM!

Marko and Christina :)

I was over the flower after about 5 minutes so it went to Olivia's head.

She wasn't noticing me, obviously.

So after leaving the park, we noticed a sign that said, "DO NOT PICK THE FLOWERS." Well, it didn't say that but it was sign with a person leaning over and picking a flower with a giant red "X" through it. So... Whoops!

I'm certain that Tamás doesn't read my blog... But if you are reading this Tamás, I don't know why you trusted me with this photo. We all took turns with the flower in the hair and then we just forced him to put it on his head. He was NOT happy about it if you can't tell from his face but we laughed hysterically.

After that, we walked back into the town and there was a CARNIVAL! I don't know why I was so excited but I think that my internal age is 6... There was this giant and probably super dangerous ride but I HAD TO RIDE IT.

This no-doubt death trap was called the Pulsion. It was about 140 meters in the air and it just spun around. I screamed like a child and I had a grin on my face the rest of the day. It made the trip. Nobody else wanted to ride it. It was just Olivia and I :)

Here is Olivia and I about to ride the deathtrap!

On said deathtrap. We didn't die. So best 5 euros I've spent :)

After the amazing ride, we stopped at a bar for the wifi... And a beer, I guess. It was an Irish pub so I clearly needed a Guinness.

And there was beer foam art :) Check out that clover. I was so happy.

Tamás snapped this awesome one of me... Trust me, I haven't lost any bit of my personality while being here.

I had an awesome day with some of my awesome friends! Stay tuned. Maybe I will update it before I leave... Stay tuned!

TBS Tips :)

Hello blog readers,

In a few weeks a group of students are coming in from University of Cincinnati. I AM SO EXCITED! I don't exactly know the people who are coming very well but I am nonetheless ecstatic for their arrival. I think that it will be really nice to be able to speak English freely and not have to worry if what I said made sense. I am not complaining about the English levels of those around me. English is their second language and they are AWESOME. However, it will be exciting to use idioms again... :P

I comprised a list of things that I've found after living here for a month. I thought that maybe people at home would like to see the things that I've discovered and learned about France/Toulouse in the short 6 weeks that I've lived here.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

• Call your bank and the numbers listed on the back of your card(s) and notify them of your traveling plans. It will take 10 minutes of your life before your departure but it is better than being in a foreign country with a useless card and no way of contacting the necessary people to fix it.
• On that note, make sure to ask a teller/consultant at your bank about their policy on withdrawing cash internationally because it may end up being easier/ less costly than you think.
• You will have the conversion rate, probably some type of international transaction fee, and an ATM fee. Those can add up. So when you draw out cash, draw out a lot. The international fee is probably based on the percentage of money you withdraw, that being said, just take out a bunch at once.
• I find it easier to deal in cash. Pretty much every place will be able to take your card. I've never had a problem with any of my cards so it is a viable option.
• Be mindful of the exchange rate. $1 = .70€
• There are a billion coins, you will have a pocket full of change. There is 1¢ 2¢ 5¢ 10¢ 20¢ 50¢ 1€ and 2€. Those are all coins... Annoying and superfluous but it is what it is.
• For the love of all things holy DO NOT exchange your money at the airport. They will gouge you with fees. There is this sketchy shop that literally changes money, very very very small fee if there is a fee at all. I can show you if you arrive with USD. I think you may still have time to ask your bank to order euros for your trip. If you take that route, do it soon because it will take about 4 weeks to get the euros to you. Just food for thought.

SAFETY:

• Toulouse is pretty safe. People are generally nice. Cincinnati is much more dangerous so use the same common sense but I wouldn't be overly worried.
• I've found that pick-pocketing is not a problem in Toulouse. Be aware of your surroundings and don't fling your purse just anywhere. Make sure that it is close to your body. Cross body, totes, handbags, etc. If it can go on your shoulder and under your armpit, that is the most ideal. Eat with your purse on your lap, between your legs, or secured to your chair/table. It is a crime of opportunity so don't give them the opportunity and you won't have any problems.
• The bums/homeless people are RELENTLESS. They are easy to spot out so just ignore them and if you must speak, "No merci monsieur! Au revoir!" AND KEEP WALKING. They will follow you if you lead them on. I was literally pushed around by one but they are pretty harmless. They just want some money or cigarettes.
• If it looks like a sketchy dark alley, don't walk down it.
• CARS WILL NOT STOP FOR YOU IF YOU ARE JAY WALKING. Watch and follow the traffic signs.
• Try your best to blend in as much as possible. It makes you less susceptible to harassment.
   Also, if you must speak on the metro in English try to speak in you "indoor" voice. As childish as that sounds, people can pinpoint that you are from the US and more likely than not it will lead to unwanted confrontations with weirdos and uncomfortable situations in a confined space.
   

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE:

• The French take their dogs everywhere. Stores, subways, buses, restaurants,
  anywhere. That being said, they do not pick up after their dogs. Be on the lookout for dog crap because it is all over the place.
• If you go out to eat... It will take 2 hours. The waiters don't like bothering you if you are eating or chatting with the people you are dining with. Also, you do not tip the waiters/waitresses, gratuity is included in the price.
• THE FRENCH ARE SOOOOOOO SLOW. Just be patient and learn how to sloooooow down.
• I drink bottled water so it is up to you as far as your water consumption method.
• Everyone smokes cigarettes.
• There will be accordions playing in major areas.
• JUST BECAUSE YOUR PLUG FITS DOESN'T MEAN IT WILL WORK. Check the labels on all your electronics because you need it to say "Input: 100V-240V" If it says that then all you need is the little converter to let you plug it in. If it is anything outside the 100V-240V then you need the adapter to change the voltage.
• The French military/ police will show up randomly with assault rifles and ride the metros around or hang out in the stops. Do not be alarmed. There isn't a bomb or anything. They just show up every so often to make sure the general public know they are present and in charge.
• THERE ISN'T A STARBUCKS ANYWHERE NEAR TOULOUSE
• The "faire la bise" or the cheek kissing is a little weird at first but don't let it freak you out. It means, "I recognize you" or "we know each other." Lean your head to the right to touch the other person's cheek with YOUR left cheek. Two kisses, one on each side and sometimes people do three. If you mess it up you may end up kissing someone on the mouth. I don't think that it will really be an issue for you because I started doing it about 4 weeks in.
• We consider the first floor of a building to be "Floor 1." However, here is is "Etage 0."
• The showers may not be as the showers are in the United States. It will likely be a hose with a shower head that is NOT attached to the wall and above your head. 
   So a shower head on a rope that you have to hold over yourself when you want to rinse off. (I hate it).
• The French firmly believe on not working on Sunday. Be prepared for anything and everything to be closed on Sundays or just at any random time. Grocery stores, convenient stores, restaurants, shops, etc. So make sure you have anything you'd ever need for Sunday's on Saturday night before 8:00pm
• There isn't anything that is 24/7 so just let that one go.
• The WiFi is ridiculously substandard when you compare it to that of the US... Your host family SHOULD have a much better connection than people living in student residences or other shared WiFi connections. The key word is SHOULD. I really hope that they do because I know how difficult the change will be and I went through it literally alone. However, try to not get super angry with it. I was livid for about 3 weeks straight but after you let it go, it is really freeing. 
• FREE WIFI ISN'T A THING IN EUROPE. Except at McDonald's. 

PACKING:

• The French dress very well and I urge you to do the same. I suggest not wearing t-shirts, sweatshirts or sweatpants out in public. There is a high chance that you will be socially ostracized. However, nice sneakers are completely acceptable.
• Bring black and a lot of it.
• Boots with short heels (2-4 inches) super cute and I promise you won't be mad if you bring them.
• As far as clothing goes... If you haven't worn it in the past month in the US then don't bring it. If you don't wear it at home, you will not wear it here.
• Converters converters converters. Bring at least 3 or 4. It will be the "Northern Europe" ones. The fat, two-pronged ones. It is silly but I only brought two and I've bought 3 more since I've been here.
• Get an international hairdryer. The required input is ridiculously high on hairdryers and it will blow up if you have the wrong voltage.
• This sounds stupid but bring your own toiletries. The toiletries that are sold here are grossly overpriced and ridiculously small. Bring whatever you will need for the amount of time. You have 50lbs for your suitcase. Use it wisely.
• Put all your bottles liquid soap/makeup/toiletries in ziplocked bags. And it wouldn't kill  you to tape the lids shut. One of mine exploded and it was really annoying.
• I don't know how the host family situation will be but bring a towel for your shower.
• Backpacks are OKAY but very rare with girls. I'd bring a large tote bag for your school supplies.
• Bring a notebook or two because simple lined paper (as we use) isn't available here. The paper available here either doesn't have lines, is graphing paper or paper with like 100000 lines.
• Netflix doesn't work in Europe. So entertainment for your downtime is a must. There is a way to make it work but my internet is too slow for youtube... So there's that
• Bring an umbrella or a raincoat.
• BRING MEDICINE. If you have or get allergies/headaches/heartburn/sinuses often bring whatever you need for that. Medicine is not as available as it is in the US. Bring your Allegra, Advil, Pepto Bismal, Zertec etc.
• Just word to the wise. Don't waltz around with your passport out in the open. Hide it because someone can/will take it from you. Bring copies of your passport/visa/isics card.
• Side note, the only reason I've ever used a money belt was to transport my passport. Bring one if it makes you feel better but honestly, I've only used it twice in Toulouse.
• Keep your receipts for anything you will return with. Clothing/souvenirs/gifts/what have you. You will be taxed twice if you don't show your proof of purchase at customs.
• When dealing with customs, you are a student, you are here to study. Use short phrases. Act normal. You have nothing to hide. Just don't yammer on and on.
     

SCHOOLING:

• The French schooling system is extremely different. Be open and accepting.
   Pretty much everyone hates it so just know you are not alone in your feelings towards it.
• The French kids are the worst group members ever... That is not an exaggeration. 
• The classes are 3 hours or 4 hours long. They will begin at either 8:30am or 9:00am and end at either 5:00pm or 5:30pm. You have two hour lunch breaks so that is nice :)
• The cafeteria ladies only speak French. They are kind of bitchy if you try English with them so just ask someone standing next to you in line. They will help you out. Lunch will be 3€-5€ so carry cash if you want to buy lunch at the school.
• The campus is out in the middle of nowhere and there is only one building. It will probably take about 30-45 minutes to get there each morning. You will probably have to take a subway and a bus to get there. The buses are the annoying part because they leave every 20 minutes to 30 minutes. So don't miss the bus. Schedules are provided so that shouldn't be a problem.
• English is probably the professors' second language so be patient with them as well. They really don't like when you correct them so just have some tact.
• The keyboards are non-qwerty. They have a different set-up so be sure to look before you type.
• There will be tons of students from all over the world in your classes and most of them have great English skills.

Nothing will go according to plan... So just roll with it.

 

One Month Update!

Hello blog followers!

I'm so sorry for not updating more often! I've been busy with school, apartment, social life and just living in a foreign country. I'm so glad that anyone is willing to read this blog at all. I hope that nobody is disappointed with my lack of posting.

Anyways, I'm going to go back to my last update and try to update everyone from that point until now :)
So, January 11th was my last post. At that point in time, Toulouse was becoming my home away from home. I had made an excellent group of friends who have come from all over the world to study at TBS. My apartment was finally coming together (dishes, linens, grocery shopping, etc.). However, the last thing that wasn't quite fitting in was the schooling.

I was seriously questioning whether or not I should stay. I had a ridiculously HORRIBLE week and pretty much everything fell apart. I was having apartment problems, problems at home, banking problems and school problems. The conglomeration of problems were too much for one person. I was on the brink of returning because I wasn't too far into the semester at UC. Cincinnati was having a particularly bad winter causing a lot of school closings and all that jazz. Considering the weather situation in Cincinnati, I would have ample time to make up the work. I had my bag packed and was ready to go at a moment's notice. I was at the point where all I needed was the word of one professor and I was on the next flight out of Toulouse. However, I had my, "come to Jesus moment." I was sitting down in my apartment, had just made dinner, was drinking a fantastic glass of wine from Bordeaux... I decided that I needed to just roll with it. Studying abroad isn't just 100% about school. It is about 25% schooling and 75% dealing with ambiguous situations. My international experience broke me. I was in tears more times than I had been in years. I was frustrated beyond any other times I've been frustrated in my life. I was dealing with situations that I've never been faced with. I was broken down to the bare minimum of my psyche and this was when I needed to prove myself.

Since that moment in time, everything has gotten better. I mean everything. I've found how to deal with the schooling and take comfort in the fact that everyone hates it just as much or more than I. I've also figured out how to deal with laundry without spending 25€. I've mastered the art of grocery shopping. People at home may laugh a little at me when I say this but grocery shopping is an art. You can only buy as much as you can carry and as much as you can transport on public transportation. Also, I'm sure that my body is well-adjusted to the water... But I am not going to drink it. Imagine carrying around 6 1.5L bottles of water along with your groceries in a huge bag over your shoulder for 30 minutes... IT IS HEAVY! Anyways, I've figured out how to deal with my landlady. That was the most challenging. I've figured out how to navigate Toulouse, day or night, sober or not, on foot, on metro, on bus, on tram. I KNOW WHERE TO GO. That's one thing that I am really happy about. It is another way of feeling independent. My French skills are coming along but I don't feel good enough to use them fluently. I know that, "à gauche" and "à droite" is left and right. So if I am really lost, I can ask a stranger. I can ask questions properly so that is good!

Well, I am finally getting somewhat settled in in Toulouse and it has been about 6 weeks and I am almost halfway there... It is crazy how quickly this is flying by!!

xoxoxoxoxo,
Hannah

First week of classes.

Hello all,

WARNING: This post has a lot of pro-Cincinnati stuff in it and may be perceived as drinking Haterade at TBS. It is not. I am just comparing UC to TBS. Please proceed with caution.

After touring Toulouse and being slowly introduced into the European system, classes have begun. Toulouse Business School has the weirdest/WORST schedules of all time. The classes are from 9:00am-5:00pm. The classes are also scheduled FOR you. You have zero say in what your schedule will be. Also, the classes change weekly and you have to check every single day. My OCD cannot handle this mayhem and foolishness. It makes me feel like my brain will actually explode.

The best way that I can describe it (in University of Cincinnati lingo) is that it is a nightclass that you have during the day. The class is scheduled once a week for 3 hours per week. Instead of three 1-hour classes or two 1.5-hour classes. On a positive note, it is nice that you only have it once per week. However, it makes the day DRAG ON. I had this Budgeting class and a Purchasing class on Wednesday. I ended up not needing the Budgeting class which I realized about 15 minutes into the lecture. I figured that I should stay in the case of an unfortunate scheduling snafu and needing to complete the course. I came to the realization when he said: This is an accounting course. I was like NO, WHO PUT THIS CRAP ON MY SCHEDULE I AM DONE WITH MONEY-RELATED COURSES. The second part of the first day I had a Purchasing class. I really liked my professor. She is this really enthusiastic British woman It was quite enjoyable to listen to her.Thursday, I had a Business to Business Negotiation class. It was awesome. My professor is extremely interactive and also British. I did enjoy my classes but I did not enjoy the time spent in class. I much prefer the scheduling at UC but I guess I'm just going to have to get over it (and myself).

Another issue with the study abroad program is that UC doesn't allow courses taken at other universities compute into your UC GPA. Meaning, a "C" is equal to an "A." This is good news for me because I can just get a C and still get my credits. I do not plan for shooting for mediocrity buuuuuut I'm not going to kill myself for an A when it sincerely doesn't matter.

I just have to take a moment to give some mad props to University of Cincinnati Lindner College of Business. HEAR ME OUT: I am extremely prideful to be a student of the Lindner College of Business(LCB). I felt that I was adequately prepared for the courses that I am taking now at Toulouse Business School (TBS). I'm not meaning that the information being taught at TBS is a repeat of material that I've already learned. I feel like I can effectively contribute in lecture from drawing on my knowledge from LCB. Also, I clearly have taken for granted the amazing lecture halls that the Lindner College of Business has. It feels almost prehistoric sometimes in the lectures at TBS. There are very old desks and chairs (looking like it belongs to a 90's high school). I was a little shocked by this because the TBS bachelor program building is very modern and gorgeous! The Lindner College of Business has an awesome facility that is conducive to the technology that has become necessary in the education field. TBS doesn't have the same classroom set-up and it is difficult for me adjust to that. For example: my new alarm clock has a USB port so I can charge my phone while I sleep. OR SO I THOUGHT. As it turns out, it doesn't work :( I found this out about 10 minutes before leaving for my classes. Phone battery meter read 8%. This is one of those really small but infuriating problems. My next thought was: Oh, well I'm CERTAIN that in my lecture hall, there will be chargers all over the place. (Because hey, at UC... They are EVERYWHERE) FALSE. I had to sit next to the wall, in a corner, BY MYSELF to charge my phone.

I miss it.

I'm done complaining about school because that was mainly for me to vent. I don't mean to offend the TBS but UC takes the cake as it comes to classroom facilities.

Anyways,

Last night a bunch of the international students went out for a night on the town. I must admit that our group has been very shy and awkward with one another up until last night. I mean, this is a huge life change... Most people are not going to adapt perfectly to a brand new environment and people right away. I've been very shy and awkward myself because I feel as if I am hated because I am an American and I know NOTHING about other cultures. But last night we all met up at one of the international students' apartment. Charlotte, she is from Belgium and definitely a cool girl. Maybe one day, I will be as cool as her. (Seriously) The group is no longer awkward. It was great to get to see everyone let loose and have a good time. Toulouse's night life isn't very different from UC. Bars close at 2:00am. You go home. I would rate UC better though only because SKYLINE IS OPEN UNTIL 4:00am. And there is a Skyline. So Cincinnati wins on late-night food options.

I miss skyline.

Last day of adventuring before classes begin.

Hello all!

Today was another day of adventure and new things in Toulouse. The group of international students that I met yesterday all went on a walking tour of Toulouse. It was a sunny, windy and just slightly chilly day. It was gorgeous. I know those reading in Cincinnati are thinking, SHUT UP, IT IS SNOWMAGEDDON OVER HERE. On a side note, whenever I tell people I'm from the United States, the first thing they ask is, Ohhh lot of snow at home?! I reply oui but not here! I swear, that snowstorm must be pretty terrible. I should probably keep up with my home life but I can't live two lives at once!

Anyways, our overly-positive and extremely patriotic tour guide proudly led us through all the important monuments surrounding the Capitole of Toulouse. There is an incredible amount of history surrounding Toulouse. I wasn't aware that it was so complex. I also didn't realize that Toulouse dates back to the 8th century! Everything is just incredible. I took some pictures but I didn't want to seem over tourist-y... I have months to adventure and take all the pictures I want. The tour went on for about 3 hours. It feels nice to have time to be able to enjoy the city BEFORE we begin our courses. After the tour we I had lunch with Olivia on the Capitole square. Holy moley. The food was FANTASTIC.

The woman in the blue coat pointing was our tour guide. She was incredibly knowledgeable!

These were all significant but I can't remember what exactly each were... We saw a TON of buildings... I need to do a bit of research on this :)

A few lunch pictures:

The menu of Les Tenors (all in French). This took a while for Olivia and I to figure out completely...

Wine at lunch? We are in France, right?

(Yes, I did get a burger. Best burger I've ever had btw)

Olivia and the Capitole building behind her.

And of course, we couldn't leave without some caffeine :)

Classes actually begin tomorrow... So wish me luck :)

First day of school, sort of!

Hello all,

Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures today, so another day of writing... Sorry!

I want to inform everyone in Cincinnati that I am capable of navigating the French public transportation system. Today I had to ride two subways/"metros"/"Linges" (sorry for this incessant clarification, I just know that it can be easily confused) and take a bus to the Bachelor Programme building. It lies outside of the city Toulouse but it really isn't too far. I had to take 3 stops on subway/"metro" Linge B to Linge A until the end of the line of Linge A (5 stops) and then take bus #83 to Entiore. The time for riding both subways/"metros" was about 15 minutes and the time for the bus was about 10-12 minutes. I missed the first bus but they arrive in 15-17 minute intervals. So today it was about 45 minutes total. I am feeling better with my French because I asked people on the bus, "Est-ce l'arrêt Entiore ?" - Is this the Entiore stop? She replied in full-blown French and I said, "L'anglais est ma langue maternelle, je parle très peu le français." She just smiled and nodded then held up two fingers and said, "Deux arrêts." - Two stops. "Merci beacoup !" - Thank you very much!

I ended up getting there (early I might add) and following the crowd of people walking towards the building. I wasn't sure if it was the right building until I was standing right in front of the sign. Thank goodness it was the correct building. There was an International Student meet & greet along with breakfast. I met all the other students and none were from America! There was a student from Canada, North Korea, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Puerto Rico, and a few others that I can't remember. All of them had pretty good English. It was amazing to me! Everyone was so nice and welcoming! Everyone (all the international students) hit it off right away. Everyone was connecting and conversing effortlessly. We all shared our stories of moving in, the troubles we faced with Toulouse and our small amount of knowledge of the French language. We were all in the same boat and it was nice to be able to talk about it with everyone.

Olivia, the Canadian girl was really pleasant because not only was she nice but English is her first language. It was nice to have a conversation where I didn't have to phrase the same sentence 5 ways. I don't blame anyone whose second language is English when they do not understand an English word, phrase or idiom, etc. I cannot imagine being even halfway competent with French. Also, I couldn't imagine learning English either... I mean seriously, it makes zero sense. But who knows what my experience level with the French language will be in 3 months time? ;)

After the meet & greet, breakfast, administrative presentation, our student ID photographs taken, and a tour, we had an ENORMOUS lunch. Let me just elaborate on this lunch: a pint of pasta salad, a 8-inch sub, hazelnut and cocoa (nutella) candy bar, miniature citrus pie, a huge chunk of bread and an orange. That is a lot of food for one sitting. I ate like two things and put the rest in my purse. It was funny to me because the French I guess take their time with lunch... We got in the cafeteria around noon and everyone was pretty much done about 40 minutes later. Then everyone sat and talked until about 1:00pm. At that point one of the welcome team leaders told us that in about 20 minutes we would go to their cars to take on our next ask of French phones and subway/"metro" passes. An hour and a half...? WHAT?!

We went to the Capitole to purchase subway/"metro" passes and French cell phones. The welcome team is AWESOME, tres kudos to them because they are dedicated to us International students. They drove us to the closest subway/"metro" station and then paid for everyone's rides to the next (if they needed a one-displacement pass). Then, we all went to the largest station (where subway/"metro" A & B intersect) "Jean Jaurès" and bought the passes. The people who work in the office of the Tisseu station speak ZERO English, so the welcome team acted as translators for us. It was inexpensive to get a subway/"metro" pass. It lasts for 31 days after purchase and was 18€. The card itself was 10€ so to reload at the end of 31 days it should be about 8€. The public transportation was extremely intimidating to me because I've never used it in my life (aside from grade school buses). However, after today, I feel completely competent. The French cell phones were 16€ for the cell phone and 10€ worth of minutes.

My welcome team leader, Maryne took me to this little exchange shop to change my USD for Euros. I was grateful that she took the time to walk me there. Also, Maryne shared with me that the particular shop had the best exchange rates. It was true. I did the math before the exchange and it was about 1€ = $1.39. This is a pretty good rate. I was very happy with that. Also, I now have euros! Yay! I had just spent my last 40€ on the subway/"metro" pass and French cell phone. So I'm no longer a bum (at the moment, that is). One of the students overheard that I hadn't exchanged my money quite yet and offered to pay the difference of what I had because getting the phone and subway/"metro" pass was extremely important . It was so awesome that although I had just met these people that they would offer that. It is definitely a good sign!!

I've learned so much in a short amount of time. Everything is new and exciting. As my study abroad advisor said, this phase will last for approximately a month. I'm okay with being this excited, engaged and happy for a month.I've done a complete 180 from where I was just three days ago. I'm so happy that today was successful. I'm settled in socially and beginning to have the accommodations of a normal European person (cell phone, euros, network/contacts etc.)

Each day gets better and better. Tonight there may be a get-together for the international students... I can't wait!! :)

Au revoir!

Hannah

A Rainy Sunday...

Hello all!

Thanks for all those who read my previous post, it was really encouraging to see the positive feedback from family and friends who read. It is so encouraging to know that people are cheering for me on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean :)

Also, for those who want to know a little about my apartment. I have an apartment on the first floor. However the first floor is not on ground level. It is more like a 3rd floor height above the street. What a HUGE RELIEF! Here are some pictures :)

This is the view from the front door. You can see my kitchenette to the left, a desk to the right, a dining table in front of the ladder, and a small "couch" up against the back wall on the right.

(Yes, I went to a French McDonald's... I was not in a good place about 48 hours ago...)

This is a view from the back wall of the front door. The front door is on the right. I haven't exactly unpacked so excuse the mess...

My apartment is lofted so the lofted portion has a ladder as an access point (not pleased) to get up to my bedroom/ chambre à coucher and bathroom/ salle de bain. This ladder is approximately 9-10 feet tall.

Whenever you get to the top of the ladder. My bed is immediately to the left and the bathroom is straight ahead.

This is a view of my bed from the bathroom.

This is a view of my apartment from the ladder down into the living room area. I really hope I don't fall. I'm pretty clumsy and I foresee a major injury in my future from falling off this ladder...

My bathroom vanity with all my toiletries... I'm almost ashamed but not really because I've embraced my high maintenance lifestyle. :)

So this is the shower. I have a huge complaint about this. It doesn't have an attachment on the wall so I can just stand there... I have to place it in the holder on the faucet while I clean myself. I am getting used to it but it is so annoying! Also, the hot water runs out in about... 7 minutes. I am taking the shortest showers I've ever taken. NO WONDER THE FRENCH DON'T SHAVE! SHOWERING IS ANNOYING! 

Today, I adventured the city a bit. I am becoming more and more comfortable with the subway/ "metro" system in Toulouse. I can find where I need to go, and get on the correct "linge". Tomorrow it will be put to the test because I need to take the subway/"metro" and a bus to school. Unfortunately, the bachelor program is outside of the Toulouse city. It doesn't seem too far because it is only about 5 subway/"metro" stops and 5 bus stops. When I checked the website that handles the public transportation information, it said a total trip time of 25 minutes. So, I can deal with that. It isn't as convenient as one could want but it isn't exactly fighting traffic on 75 Southbound on Monday morning with UC in session. I guess I will find out tomorrow.

Anyway, back to the adventures. Lara met with her Italian friend, Jean. He speaks French, Italian and a little English. His English wasn't as bad as he said it was... It is funny because I asked him to help me with French and he responded with NO! I need to practice my English! We ate lunch together at the only shop open. Apparently the French do not believe in working on Sunday, so many many many places were closed. We found a few but this was a nice little bakery and couldn't resist. I ordered this little salad because I couldn't pronounce the sandwiches' names correctly. "Je prends la salade, s'il vous plaît. Merci beacoup !" - I'll take the salad please. Thank you very much! I think I exude American all over the place and most French people giggle or try some English with me. It is comforting that as long as I lead with French that they aren't mean. Just a lot of "please's" and "thank you's." As I was eating the salad there was some American cheese, Swiss cheese and this French cheese that I'm not sure what type. I tried the French cheese and BOY WAS IT PUNGENT. I kind of choked and my eyes got all watery. Lara and Jon asked what was the matter?!? I just told them that the cheese was really strong and had a very full flavor. Jon's reply was, "oh, in America your cheese is plastic!! THIS is how cheese really is!" I got a good laugh out of that. The bread is unbelievable. It is so good. Even the cheap bread is delicious. 

Here is my delicious salad! Guess which cheese is plastic?!

We went to the Capitole of Toulouse and walked around for awhile. On a side note, I will have some killer legs when I return to America. We walked for about 2-3 hours. I took some pictures, please enjoy!

This is the Capitole building. It was built in the 18th century and it is not just a place for the councillors/officials to meet but a place utilized by the people of Toulouse!

This is Lara and I in front of the Capitole building.

Here are some pictures from around the town. It was a huge shopping area but nearly all the stores were closed because it was Sunday.

Gorgeous!

People basically walk where ever they want and the cars just kind of honk at you to get out of the way.

This is a photo of the Pont Neuf bridge. It crosses the Garonne river.

This is a photo of the Pont Saint Pierre bridge. It also crosses the Garonne river.

Today was another extremely successful day in Toulouse! It was so great to meet up with Lara and her friend Jean. Jean was so nice and pleasant. He speaks three languages. (WOW) It was so funny because he would get mixed up and begin speaking to me in Italian or French. I would let him finish his sentence because I didn't want to be rude... But Lara wouldn't, she'd bust out laughing at him and say, she speaks English!

I had the first encounter of the the "faire la bise," or  "to kiss." It is like goodbye but it was just funny to me because I've never done it seriously before. No biggie, just some more culture for me.

This is a happy Hannah! Not dead and not crying!

This experience gets better each day! I don't feel defeated or upset. Yes, I am homesick but I'm definitely no longer miserable here. Well, at the moment. 

That's all for today. Tomorrow I will begin to be more busy because school starts. Hopefully, I can make it to my school on time and figure out the bus system. I'm sure everything will be just fine!

Au revoir!

Hannah