Bonjour again from Aix-en-Provence!
The first week of classes is quickly coming to a close. With French classes every morning and either art or French conversation in the afternoon, students are constantly being immersed Aix‘s culture.
On Tuesday, many of us chose to take a hike to Mont Sainte-Victoire, which is known for being the subject material for many famous paintings.
Yesterday, the afternoon art class practiced sketching techniques by drawing the passing pedestrians and lighting techniques by sketching a statue of Cezanne with charcoal.
Today after the morning French class, some friends and I made a salad and baguette sandwiches in our apartment. We then went shopping at the local clothing market, and later the group of us went to an art exhibit at the Aix museum. Tonight we had free time for dinner during which students have the time to walk around Aix on their own, eat dinner at local cafés, and buy plenty of crepes and gelato.
Throughout this entire week, many students have been speaking nothing but French. Other students are already finding themselves speaking French when they meant to speak English. I think as students feel the freedom of being able to live on their own in a different country, they start to feel at home with the culture and language.
-Kristen