Running for the Tram

A typical day for me in Nantes consists of me running for the tram(I mean sprinting, and no, it's not very romantic), being confused or amused(usually both) in class, and then dinner and sleep. It's not as glorious as one would imagine France to be, but it's interesting in it's own way. I confess that I imagined my time here to be very different than it turned out to be. I over-imagine, over-romanticize, and over- analyze quite a bit. France did not end up fitting into my preconceived notions, but it actually ended up being better than I could have imagined. I have surprised myself with my ability to adjust, even to the point of comfort. Each day here poses a new challenge, but it's different than the challenges I face at home. There is a lot of self-discovery going on lately. I have actual time to reflect here. At home, my pace of life is much faster, and I don't have to be as aware. I have to think about what goes out of my mouth and into my ear, twice as hard as I do at home.
I am surrounded by so many different cultures, religions, languages. It is exhausting at times just because everyone comes from so many different places. But I LOVE it!

Even going to the grocery store poses a challenge. I don't have a car, so I have to fit everything in a small bag, which means I have to make several trips to the grocery throughout the week. I haven't had ice since August, there is no such thing as real iced tea here, no clean restrooms, etc. Convenience-wise, the U.S. wins out. However, France has some unique and lovely qualities that my country does not. Almost every store is closed on Sunday; everyone takes off for lunch; I have not had one single bad cup of coffee(and I drink a lot of coffee); public transportation is cheap and absolutely convenient(not to mention environmentally friendly!). Life moves at a much slower pace here. You would be hard pressed to find food to go, unless you want a Kebab. You sit and enjoy. It's all about pleasure here. And I cannot fail to mention the ART! Oh my, the wealth of art here is just enough to make someone want to spend decades in a place like this.

A Korean friend of mine, Ju A, brought a photo to show in our art class a few days ago. She had fabricated a shot of a cactus on the street in Nantes. She set her little plant on the ground and took a picture of some French people walking alongside it. I laughed a little and then our professor said, "does this symbolize that the French are a bit prickly?"(except it was in French). We all laughed. No, I honestly find all of the French friends and teachers, cafe owners and shopkeepers to be very friendly and open. My favorite cafe here is St. Nicholas. They have the best coffee and hot chocolate in the world. I love taking advantage of the gorgeous autumn weather by either walking around the hippodrome or sitting outside at a cafe all bundled up in a scarf and jacket, coffee in hand and favorite book.

A favorite activity here in Nantes is going to dance clubs or disco-teques. I had fun going but it isn't my favorite thing. Mainly because a lot of the people there cannot dance at all, but it was at least entertaining and safe. The night-life is very big here. You can go out late for crepes, or dp the club thing. I prefer the crepes and conversation. That's just me!

I realize that I will probably never have an experience like this one again. I have so much free time to explore. I have to really take advantage. I am going to Milan, Verona, and Venice for the Toussaint holiday next week. On week-ends following, I am off to Dublin, Paris( a few times), Belgium, South France, Barcelona, Lux. I am so blessed and I know I will have many more good stories to tell! So until then...