Day 0/1: January 5-6, departure day and arrival day
We left my house around 1 so we would have plenty of time to make it to DIA and go through security and check in and all that fun stuff. My flight was scheduled for 5:35 so we figured getting up there around 3 would be plenty of time. We ended up parking at 2:30 lol, so I definitely was way early (but better than late!) My bag was sadly 7 kg overweight (about 15 pounds) and there was a hefty fine and rather annoying Lufthansa lady who didn't help at all. Such is life I suppose. So, since I was checked in, DIA was dead (there were maybe 20 people in the security lines when they were busiest) and I don't know when the next time I'll get the chance to have mexican food will be, my family and I got burritos (yummy) to wait a bit. Then we said goodbye (that sucked - I hate saying goodbye.).
My flight from DIA to Frankfurt left at 5:50 and there really isn't much to tell about that aspect of the trip since I promptly passed out thanks to some Ambien from Dad. I fell asleep in the US and woke up somewhere over Scotland!
Then I took a bus from Frankfurt to Strasbourg where my "mother," Marie-Claude, picked me up. This was around 4:00 French time and I had to meet with the other BC exchange students at 7:00 for dinner. So I basically showered, threw on clean clothes and sort of unpacked then ran out to go on my first adventure: finding the restaurant by myself in the dark. I made it, though. I was late but still one of the first ones there and the food was delicious... after airplane food anything is, but I got pesto spaghetti and it was wonderful.
Then I went home and passed out.
Day 2: January 7
We had a meeting set up with Susan, our on-site coordinator, at 2:30, so I met up with Caitlin and Rebecca, the two BC girls who live near me for lunch. We got some delicious sandwiches at this cute weird little cafe. It was called BarToons and the walls were covered in Loony Tunes (sp?) but the guy there was really nice and helpful and it was fun.
Our meeting was sort of helpful... figuring out classes will be interesting though because the system for classes is different. Most of the classes at BC are 3 credit classes, so the majors and minors are set up to accept a certain number of 3 credit classes. However, in France, most of the classes only convert to 2 credits so not only do we have to take about 7 classes, but we also have to check and make sure that the ones we take will work even if they're only 2 credits. Ugh, complicated. But it'll get figured out. I hope.
Tonight I had dinner with my family for the first time. It was interesting but awkward because conversing is so difficult for me right now. I understand some of what they say, but it's also easy for me to zone out because I get so tired trying to think in French all the time! The food was really good though, we had soup, some kind of pizza type thing that's called Flammekueche (which I just found out is Tarte flambée). And then cheese and some gallette (because it's the epiphany season) and of course, bread :)
Their family habit is to watch the news every night at 8, so I did that with them and learned about a French politician dying from a heart attack and massive amounts of snow in the Normandie region. I was surprised at how much I understood, actually. I also looked over their whatchacallit... the thing that tells you when shows run. TV guide! that's it. I looked over their TV guide and over half the movies on TV are American movies and quite a few shows are American shows (mostly reruns, but still), so if i need my Monk or House fix, I can get it in French!
Then I went to bed and read a bit.
Then I passed out again. lol
day 3 and 4 to follow....
No comments:
Post a Comment