The best things in life always happen on a summer night. I don't know about you, but for me it has always been like that, especially now; almost every night here in Aix-en-Provence is amazing! Tuesday night, though, was more than that. I don't know how to describe it... I guess I could simply say it was surreal! We have all been to picnics ...
Coucou! As we officially pass the halfway mark of our trip in Aix-en-Provence, it is amazing how well we have already acquainted ourselves with the French culture and language. As I sit in a book cafe, writing this blog and sipping espresso, I could not feel more at home. Even though it has only been two weeks, we are already seeing familiar ...
Monday morning, we were all really tired from the night before, but Sophie and Jen surprised us with a fun class at a cafe. That afternoon, we had our elective classes, and for dinner we made chicken cordon bleu in our cooking groups. We had a fun night doing "speed date painting," and most people got their faces painted! Tuesday, after our ...
Wednesday is now over, and we are moving into the second half of this week. In the days since Bastille Day, we have surely been keeping busy. Waking up and going to class on Monday morning was a bit of a struggle considering we had a late night of Bastille Day festivities, but if that is the worst I can say for my week, I would say it's been a ...
It has been a simple, but fun week. We started off our class on Monday with a cafe debate about marriage in France. We learned that it is becoming less common for young people to get married; they prefer to just live together like a more modern family. Then we had our elective class and later a painting activity. Some of decided to make ...
The sea has always been a mystery for people; they've always been fascinated by the sea. Through history, the sea has been associated with depth, with gods, with impossible love, with mythological creatures, with tremendous adventures that terrify and amaze at the same time. For me the sea is an old friend who makes me believe in magic over and ...
Yesterday, after French class, we went to visit the Calissons d' Aix factory, where a sweet almond candy famous to Aix is manufactured. We discovered its history and the process by which it is made today. We could even taste, with enthusiasm, all the douceurs they were making in the confiserie. In the afternoon, everybody participated in ...
It was our second weekend in Aix, and again it was an excellent one! On Saturday, we traveled to Quison, a small village in Verdon surrounded by vineyards, hills, and rivers. After visiting the Musée de la Préhistoire, we got ready to kayak on the river. Very refreshing water, a warm sun, and cheerfulness were the perfect combination for ...
The last few days have been so much fun. From learning a traditional French dance to watching Bastille Day fireworks, we are definitely making memories that will last a lifetime! Thursday night, we learned the traditional dance of Provence. We danced in the street to fiddle, accordion, and guitar music. Friday after our morning French class, ...
Thursday was a pretty typical day. In the afternoon after our lunch break, we went to the swimming pool again and had a stipend dinner. Later that night though we had balleti dance, which is Provence's traditional dance. It was really fun, but hard to do, because you are constantly spinning in circles and having to switch places with people and ...