Hello!
It has been a busy school year already! We're three weeks in, and it's been good so far. After this next week, we'll be 1/4th finished with the semester! (It's all about milestones.)
That being said, the classes I'm taking are going really well-- I can't complain about any of them. I'm taking Human Resource Management, Entrepreneurship, Strategic Management, and Business, Government, and Ethics. Only four classes, but they each require quite a bit for each meeting. I have two major projects and a lot of little assignments. (But I just keep reminding myself that this is my last semester, and I can do anything I put my mind to.)
My birthday was a few weeks ago, and my mom came down to Cedar to see me. It was so much fun to have her here. Saturday morning we went hiking at Cedar Breaks and it was so, so beautiful. It was good to get out of Cedar and into nature.
I've been busy with church stuff and generally getting into the hang of things here. It's nice to get into a routine and have that to lean on. The first week back, I was really bummed that I had to go to class every day of the week, but now I'm appreciating the structure of it. It's comforting having a syllabus and knowing exactly what we're going to be doing in class two months from now. I just like knowing and being able to fill out my planner.
My new roommates are pretty great. All four of us are seniors, so we've been doing the school thing for a while now. We get along nicely and have had a few nights where we're all lazing on the couch watching Disney movies. Nobody is terrible messy, so the house stays clean, and we're all pretty easy going, so I imagine we'll have a good year together.
Anyway, that's what I've been up to. I hope you're well and having a beautiful September!
Until next time,
Sarah
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Moving Again
Hello!
Goodness, it's been so long! Honestly, I've had nothing to write about. My summer wasn't boring, but it definitely wasn't blog worthy. (I'm happy to report there were no more major incidents with birds.) I had a friend visit us in Idaho last week and that was a blast, but other than that I worked at the farm and around the house.
This week I moved back down to Cedar City, Utah. You'd think after all of the times I've moved too and from Cedar, I'd have it down pretty well. False. I'd don't have it down. I'm already compiling a list of things I want my mom to bring me when she comes to visit.
The place I'm living this year is pretty nice. I'm living with a friend and two other girls that I hadn't met until a few days ago. Everyone is nice and I think we'll get along well.
We moved all of my stuff in Saturday and it mostly sat in boxes until Monday. That morning I woke up with a drive to get everything unpacked and in its place. All I have left to do is organize the bathroom. (Quite honestly I'm tired of Walmart, so I'll save it for tomorrow.)
While I say I'm not good at the physical moving part, I'm also not the greatest at saying goodbye. I hate leaving my family. I cry every time. I don't like leaving home, but I know it's something I really have to do. (I am almost 22 now.)
So, here I am adjusting to being on my own, yet again.
I have some good news, though! This morning, I met with my academic advisor and got the OK to graduate this December instead of May like I thought I would!! This is such a relief to me, and I'm so, so, so excited.
Before I found this out, I was really not looking forward to starting another school year, but now that I know this will be my last semester, it doesn't seem so bad! I finished choosing my classes this morning and, aside from grabbing my books from the bookstore, I'm all ready for school to start!
Until next time,
Sarah
Goodness, it's been so long! Honestly, I've had nothing to write about. My summer wasn't boring, but it definitely wasn't blog worthy. (I'm happy to report there were no more major incidents with birds.) I had a friend visit us in Idaho last week and that was a blast, but other than that I worked at the farm and around the house.
This week I moved back down to Cedar City, Utah. You'd think after all of the times I've moved too and from Cedar, I'd have it down pretty well. False. I'd don't have it down. I'm already compiling a list of things I want my mom to bring me when she comes to visit.
The place I'm living this year is pretty nice. I'm living with a friend and two other girls that I hadn't met until a few days ago. Everyone is nice and I think we'll get along well.
We moved all of my stuff in Saturday and it mostly sat in boxes until Monday. That morning I woke up with a drive to get everything unpacked and in its place. All I have left to do is organize the bathroom. (Quite honestly I'm tired of Walmart, so I'll save it for tomorrow.)
While I say I'm not good at the physical moving part, I'm also not the greatest at saying goodbye. I hate leaving my family. I cry every time. I don't like leaving home, but I know it's something I really have to do. (I am almost 22 now.)
So, here I am adjusting to being on my own, yet again.
I have some good news, though! This morning, I met with my academic advisor and got the OK to graduate this December instead of May like I thought I would!! This is such a relief to me, and I'm so, so, so excited.
Before I found this out, I was really not looking forward to starting another school year, but now that I know this will be my last semester, it doesn't seem so bad! I finished choosing my classes this morning and, aside from grabbing my books from the bookstore, I'm all ready for school to start!
Until next time,
Sarah
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Birds
Hello!
I know I said that I would probably only post about once a month, but this week I've got a story to tell!
Perhaps you saw my post on social media about advice on how not to be attacked by birds? Well, here's the story behind that! The week before I started researching bird safety, I was out on the farm, like I am nearly everyday, doing things that needed to be done. On that particular day, I had to walk through one of the fields to get to the center where the controls are for the sprinkler. Usually, we would just drive to the pivot, but that day, the road was muddy, so I was going in on foot.
On my way, I looked up and noticed that there was a hawk flying right above and beside me. He was so close I could look into his eyes. My first thought was, Wow, this is so cool! He started squawking and making all kinds of noise, and I just thought it was the best thing ever that I was getting to witness this up close. After a few seconds of this, he turned and flew the other direction, and I kept walking, thinking nothing more of it. Suddenly, I felt a swoosh of air directly behind me and I turned around quickly to see what had just happened.
I saw the hawk flying over head, but I thought, surely not. Surely that hawk did not just fly that close to me. So, I watched him. I was a little more than freaked out at this point because I was alone in the field and I wasn't entirely sure what had just happened. Then, as I was watching him, the hawk dove at me again! I ducked down and covered my head as he swooped over me. The terror set in.
I had no clue what to do at this point. Do I run? Do I try to swat at him? How can I tell him that I mean him and his family no harm? He dove at me again and again, each time sweeping close enough to scare me, but not so close as to touch me. I got out my phone to call my brother, who was a field over and he told me to punch the bird if he tried it again. (Stellar advice.) Fortunately, the hawk left me alone after this.
After that episode, I was a little shaken, but mostly, just glad I had a cool story to tell. I thought it was a one time thing, but it happened again!!
Monday, I had to walk to another pivot (on a different field, nearly 4 miles away from the first field) for the same reason. As I was walking in, I noticed a bird above me (not a hawk this time, but still a big, threatening bird) making a terrible ruckus. I got a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach as I watched the bird holler at me and fly overhead. (Scenes from the movie, Birds, were playing in my head. My heart was already pounding.)
This time, being a little wiser, I kept a good eye on the bird so I would be ready if he tried anything funny. I watched as he flew away from me, and for a second, I thought I was safe. I continued to watch, and the bird turned, flew down to maybe 3 or 4 feet above the ground, and came straight towards me. As he got close, I jumped out of the way and he flew out across the field, turned and did the same thing. Instead of dive-bombing me, this one flew straight at my face.
This happened several times as I tried to get to the pivot, and as I was on the verge of tears, I decided to just turn around and walk (run) back out of the field. The bird left me alone as I got further away from his territory.
Since the incidents, I have done a bit of research about birds and their habits, but quite honestly, I don't feel any better about it! These stories, while scary in the moment, make me laugh after the fact. I'm hoping it doesn't happen again, but if it does, I have a feeling that these small terrors will form into real fears. In the moment, I'm so frustratingly helpless and that's not a good feeling at all.
Just yesterday, Zane and I were driving down the road and in less than a mile, we saw 13 hawks. 13. That's way more than I'm comfortable with. This year there are mice everywhere. EVERYWHERE. The hawks are eating well-- they're healthy and quite large.
Maybe I really was getting too close to their nests. Maybe they felt threatened by my presence. Or maybe birds just don't like me very much.
Until next time,
Sarah
I know I said that I would probably only post about once a month, but this week I've got a story to tell!
Perhaps you saw my post on social media about advice on how not to be attacked by birds? Well, here's the story behind that! The week before I started researching bird safety, I was out on the farm, like I am nearly everyday, doing things that needed to be done. On that particular day, I had to walk through one of the fields to get to the center where the controls are for the sprinkler. Usually, we would just drive to the pivot, but that day, the road was muddy, so I was going in on foot.
On my way, I looked up and noticed that there was a hawk flying right above and beside me. He was so close I could look into his eyes. My first thought was, Wow, this is so cool! He started squawking and making all kinds of noise, and I just thought it was the best thing ever that I was getting to witness this up close. After a few seconds of this, he turned and flew the other direction, and I kept walking, thinking nothing more of it. Suddenly, I felt a swoosh of air directly behind me and I turned around quickly to see what had just happened.
I saw the hawk flying over head, but I thought, surely not. Surely that hawk did not just fly that close to me. So, I watched him. I was a little more than freaked out at this point because I was alone in the field and I wasn't entirely sure what had just happened. Then, as I was watching him, the hawk dove at me again! I ducked down and covered my head as he swooped over me. The terror set in.
I had no clue what to do at this point. Do I run? Do I try to swat at him? How can I tell him that I mean him and his family no harm? He dove at me again and again, each time sweeping close enough to scare me, but not so close as to touch me. I got out my phone to call my brother, who was a field over and he told me to punch the bird if he tried it again. (Stellar advice.) Fortunately, the hawk left me alone after this.
After that episode, I was a little shaken, but mostly, just glad I had a cool story to tell. I thought it was a one time thing, but it happened again!!
Monday, I had to walk to another pivot (on a different field, nearly 4 miles away from the first field) for the same reason. As I was walking in, I noticed a bird above me (not a hawk this time, but still a big, threatening bird) making a terrible ruckus. I got a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach as I watched the bird holler at me and fly overhead. (Scenes from the movie, Birds, were playing in my head. My heart was already pounding.)
This time, being a little wiser, I kept a good eye on the bird so I would be ready if he tried anything funny. I watched as he flew away from me, and for a second, I thought I was safe. I continued to watch, and the bird turned, flew down to maybe 3 or 4 feet above the ground, and came straight towards me. As he got close, I jumped out of the way and he flew out across the field, turned and did the same thing. Instead of dive-bombing me, this one flew straight at my face.
This happened several times as I tried to get to the pivot, and as I was on the verge of tears, I decided to just turn around and walk (run) back out of the field. The bird left me alone as I got further away from his territory.
Since the incidents, I have done a bit of research about birds and their habits, but quite honestly, I don't feel any better about it! These stories, while scary in the moment, make me laugh after the fact. I'm hoping it doesn't happen again, but if it does, I have a feeling that these small terrors will form into real fears. In the moment, I'm so frustratingly helpless and that's not a good feeling at all.
These guys. Hawk on top, Curlew below. (Not my photos, thank you Google.)
Just yesterday, Zane and I were driving down the road and in less than a mile, we saw 13 hawks. 13. That's way more than I'm comfortable with. This year there are mice everywhere. EVERYWHERE. The hawks are eating well-- they're healthy and quite large.
Maybe I really was getting too close to their nests. Maybe they felt threatened by my presence. Or maybe birds just don't like me very much.
Until next time,
Sarah
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Back at Home
Hello!
It's a little bit strange to greet you with that instead of Bonjour :) (Sometimes I still get the urge to call out "au revoir" as I'm leaving the store, but I resist.)
Life back in America has been nice. The milk, the make-up aisles, the wide open spaces-- these are the things I've been loving since I've been back.
The jet lag was pretty bad the first few days, but I think I adjusted fairly quickly. I spent a few very early mornings on Netflix, but I was finally able to truly sleep in the next weekend.
I am genuinely happy to be back here in Idaho. I needed some familiarity, some normal. I loved the adventured of Europe, but I needed to get back to the boring for a while. That sounds awful, I know, but it was getting to the point where I was just worn out from it all, and now I'm recuperating.
I've noticed, however, that many things that I loved before I left have lost their sparkle for me. Many things are dull. The word that keeps running through my mind is "lackluster." And I think that's understandable. Compared to what I've been doing for the past 9 months, things here are noticeably more boring, and that's ok.
I feel like I'm in a stage of rediscovery. I don't know what I like anymore. I don't know who I am. I can't decide what my style is, and I'm not sure what I want to do. I may have said this before, but I thought I would figure some things out over there, but instead, I've returned feeling even more lost than I did when I left.
A few days ago I started cleaning out my closet. When I left for France, I left behind about half of my wardrobe, so it was in sore need of cleaning. As I started sorting through my clothes, I realized that most of the things I had left behind I didn't even like anymore. Even some of the clothes I took with my I didn't like. I ended up with about a third of the clothes that I started with because I knew I simply wouldn't wear the other two thirds if I had kept them. That's just one example of the changes I felt since I've been home.
It's been really hard adjusting to the people around me too. Even though I talked to my friends and family a bunch when I was gone, I still came home having missed out on 9 months of their lives. I felt like many of them had moved on without me. I don't blame them, of course, because I did the same thing, but it kind of sucks.
I traveled down to Cedar City, Utah last weekend to see my friends and family there and I can't even tell you how good it was to be around my people again. I'm so thankful that I ended up going to school there because I have truly fallen in love with the area. I love the people and I love my church family there-- it's what keeps me going back year after year.
I got to spend the weekend with my nephews and spent some quality time with my girlfriends. I got to hug all of my youth kids and that made my heart happy. I'm so anxious to move back in August so that I can get to know everyone again. I keep telling myself that 9 months isn't that long, but right now, it feels like it was. I missed so much.
All of that being said, I don't regret for one second going to France, and I never will. I grew in ways that I probably couldn't have grown here, and learned so much about the world and myself. To me, that is priceless.
I don't mean for this to sound gloomy, I'm just trying to be honest, and quite honestly, writing this down has been therapeutic for me.
It hasn't been all hard of course. I've fallen back into the rhythm of things at the farm. I look forward to going out there every day because I love to be in the fields working on stuff. Sometimes it's hot and awful, but it's very fulfilling to me. I never would have guessed that this would be something I enjoyed so much!
I'm sorry it took me so long to get this up, but I had a few things to figure out before I could write it all down. From here on, I'm planning on updating the blog about once a month. (If you're interested, please continue reading, but I warn you, it might not be as interesting as it has been!)
That's all I've got for now!
Until next time,
Sarah
It's a little bit strange to greet you with that instead of Bonjour :) (Sometimes I still get the urge to call out "au revoir" as I'm leaving the store, but I resist.)
Life back in America has been nice. The milk, the make-up aisles, the wide open spaces-- these are the things I've been loving since I've been back.
The jet lag was pretty bad the first few days, but I think I adjusted fairly quickly. I spent a few very early mornings on Netflix, but I was finally able to truly sleep in the next weekend.
I am genuinely happy to be back here in Idaho. I needed some familiarity, some normal. I loved the adventured of Europe, but I needed to get back to the boring for a while. That sounds awful, I know, but it was getting to the point where I was just worn out from it all, and now I'm recuperating.
I've noticed, however, that many things that I loved before I left have lost their sparkle for me. Many things are dull. The word that keeps running through my mind is "lackluster." And I think that's understandable. Compared to what I've been doing for the past 9 months, things here are noticeably more boring, and that's ok.
I feel like I'm in a stage of rediscovery. I don't know what I like anymore. I don't know who I am. I can't decide what my style is, and I'm not sure what I want to do. I may have said this before, but I thought I would figure some things out over there, but instead, I've returned feeling even more lost than I did when I left.
A few days ago I started cleaning out my closet. When I left for France, I left behind about half of my wardrobe, so it was in sore need of cleaning. As I started sorting through my clothes, I realized that most of the things I had left behind I didn't even like anymore. Even some of the clothes I took with my I didn't like. I ended up with about a third of the clothes that I started with because I knew I simply wouldn't wear the other two thirds if I had kept them. That's just one example of the changes I felt since I've been home.
It's been really hard adjusting to the people around me too. Even though I talked to my friends and family a bunch when I was gone, I still came home having missed out on 9 months of their lives. I felt like many of them had moved on without me. I don't blame them, of course, because I did the same thing, but it kind of sucks.
I traveled down to Cedar City, Utah last weekend to see my friends and family there and I can't even tell you how good it was to be around my people again. I'm so thankful that I ended up going to school there because I have truly fallen in love with the area. I love the people and I love my church family there-- it's what keeps me going back year after year.
I got to spend the weekend with my nephews and spent some quality time with my girlfriends. I got to hug all of my youth kids and that made my heart happy. I'm so anxious to move back in August so that I can get to know everyone again. I keep telling myself that 9 months isn't that long, but right now, it feels like it was. I missed so much.
All of that being said, I don't regret for one second going to France, and I never will. I grew in ways that I probably couldn't have grown here, and learned so much about the world and myself. To me, that is priceless.
I don't mean for this to sound gloomy, I'm just trying to be honest, and quite honestly, writing this down has been therapeutic for me.
It hasn't been all hard of course. I've fallen back into the rhythm of things at the farm. I look forward to going out there every day because I love to be in the fields working on stuff. Sometimes it's hot and awful, but it's very fulfilling to me. I never would have guessed that this would be something I enjoyed so much!
I'm sorry it took me so long to get this up, but I had a few things to figure out before I could write it all down. From here on, I'm planning on updating the blog about once a month. (If you're interested, please continue reading, but I warn you, it might not be as interesting as it has been!)
That's all I've got for now!
Until next time,
Sarah
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Au Revoir, Poitiers
Bonjour!
I didn't realize until last Saturday that I had forgotten to post anything the previous Wednesday. That's ok, though; I hadn't done anything worth mentioning.
Come to think of it, I haven't really done anything since then that's interesting at all.
I've been super busy with school work. I finally finished my International Experience Report and got that turned in. Now, these past two weeks, I was assigned two more reports, two more projects, and two more exams to study for. I guess that's what I get for signing up for the last two classes of the semester!
So far, I've only finished about half of my school work, but I'm determined to get the rest done today, because quite honestly, today is my last chance to do it.
I've also been packing up everything. I can't tell you how many times I've packed, unpacked, and repacked because I forgot something or needed something I'd already packed. You'd think, with all the practice I've had over the past 9 months, that I'd be pretty good at packing things by now. This is not the case. I thought I was good, but I realized this week that I still don't know which way is best. I can roll my clothes and cram stuff into my shoes, but I'm still going to have to sit on the suitcase just to get it zipped.
This morning I was looking around before class, and I think I'm nearly finished. I've got clothes set out for the next two days and only have small things left to put away.
The rest of this week, for me, will be pretty awful. I have class all day. I've got to finish packing and move out of my apartment tonight and then go back early tomorrow morning for checkout. Then, I've got a presentation tomorrow morning and an exam tomorrow afternoon. Right after class, I've got to get all of my luggage to the train station and take the train to the airport, where I will be until Friday afternoon when my flight leaves.
When I land in SLC, I expect to be sleep deprived, yet happy to be home!
Lately, (when I'm taking a break from all of this school work) I've been walking the streets of Poitiers. I am going to miss this place. I'm not ready to leave this life I've been living here. As much as I'm looking forward to driving again, I'm going to miss walking to school. As much as I'm looking forward to seeing the mountains on the horizon, I'm going to miss the view from my window.
I'm so ready to be home, but I'm not ready to leave here. I'll miss this lifestyle. And surprisingly, I'm nearly as scared to go back home as I was to leave it. Of course, I'm excited about it. I'm ready for something new, but my goodness, I'm nervous. Change is hard.
I cannot believe it's been 9 months since I left the US. It has flown and dragged and been wonderful and crazy and one of the best things I've ever done. I've grown up a lot. I've learned a lot. It's been amazing.
Au revoir,
Sarah
I didn't realize until last Saturday that I had forgotten to post anything the previous Wednesday. That's ok, though; I hadn't done anything worth mentioning.
Come to think of it, I haven't really done anything since then that's interesting at all.
I've been super busy with school work. I finally finished my International Experience Report and got that turned in. Now, these past two weeks, I was assigned two more reports, two more projects, and two more exams to study for. I guess that's what I get for signing up for the last two classes of the semester!
So far, I've only finished about half of my school work, but I'm determined to get the rest done today, because quite honestly, today is my last chance to do it.
I've also been packing up everything. I can't tell you how many times I've packed, unpacked, and repacked because I forgot something or needed something I'd already packed. You'd think, with all the practice I've had over the past 9 months, that I'd be pretty good at packing things by now. This is not the case. I thought I was good, but I realized this week that I still don't know which way is best. I can roll my clothes and cram stuff into my shoes, but I'm still going to have to sit on the suitcase just to get it zipped.
This morning I was looking around before class, and I think I'm nearly finished. I've got clothes set out for the next two days and only have small things left to put away.
The rest of this week, for me, will be pretty awful. I have class all day. I've got to finish packing and move out of my apartment tonight and then go back early tomorrow morning for checkout. Then, I've got a presentation tomorrow morning and an exam tomorrow afternoon. Right after class, I've got to get all of my luggage to the train station and take the train to the airport, where I will be until Friday afternoon when my flight leaves.
When I land in SLC, I expect to be sleep deprived, yet happy to be home!
Lately, (when I'm taking a break from all of this school work) I've been walking the streets of Poitiers. I am going to miss this place. I'm not ready to leave this life I've been living here. As much as I'm looking forward to driving again, I'm going to miss walking to school. As much as I'm looking forward to seeing the mountains on the horizon, I'm going to miss the view from my window.
I'm so ready to be home, but I'm not ready to leave here. I'll miss this lifestyle. And surprisingly, I'm nearly as scared to go back home as I was to leave it. Of course, I'm excited about it. I'm ready for something new, but my goodness, I'm nervous. Change is hard.
I cannot believe it's been 9 months since I left the US. It has flown and dragged and been wonderful and crazy and one of the best things I've ever done. I've grown up a lot. I've learned a lot. It's been amazing.
Au revoir,
Sarah
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
So Close
Bonjour!
I am in absolute awe of how quickly May is passing. How is it nearly half way over? I'm not complaining, but, oh my goodness, time is flying.
This week has been... not really busy, but I've had enough to do. Last week I finished my Supply Chain Management class, so that's nice. I don't think I ever mentioned how much I liked the class. I really did. We had to do calculations of how much space we need or when to order new products, and it was fun to get to learn something that's not just theory. We were doing actual math and I was loving it.
Today I'm finishing up another class. This morning my group went in to present our project to the professor and he said we had a half-way decent presentation that was above average. I'm not sure if that's good, but I think it might be. Our professor really likes the people in my group, so we had a good time presenting and talking to him about our findings.
This afternoon I have to go back in and take the final, but it shouldn't be too difficult. Then I'll be finished with this class too!
From here, I have two more courses to start and finish. Of the 16 days I have left here, I'll be in class for 8 of them. That's the first time that's ever happened! So much school is such a little time.
These last two classes are being taught by a professor who's coming over from Southern Utah University (my home university). I've never taken a class from him before, but Joe and Lizette have and say he's a nice guy, so that'll be fun.
Last night I took my final french test. (And that's all I care to say about that.)
I've also got this huge paper to finish writing for the school. When the students leave, the school requires a report on the experience in the school and in France. It has some serious guidelines, so I've been perfecting that.
Aside from school, I've been spending some time at the park. The days are so beautiful lately. I've been breaking out the tank tops, hoping to get some sun on my shoulders before I return home and start working on my farmer's tan. (It's inevitable.) It's going well so far!
I've also been walking over to Sainte-Radegonde and spending time there. If you remember back to a post in September (maybe), Radegonde is my favorite church in Poitiers. It's so calming to sit and think in the nave. It's even better when I catch the organist when he's practicing. I could sit and listen to the music all day.
I've not yet begun packing although I'm itching to get started. I think it's a bit too early still, although I may need to start soon since my last two weeks are packed with classes every day. I did schedule a check-out with the residence, so I know when I have to be out and everything.
The next 16 days should be interesting.
Have a wonderful day!
Je t'embrasse,
Sarah
I am in absolute awe of how quickly May is passing. How is it nearly half way over? I'm not complaining, but, oh my goodness, time is flying.
This week has been... not really busy, but I've had enough to do. Last week I finished my Supply Chain Management class, so that's nice. I don't think I ever mentioned how much I liked the class. I really did. We had to do calculations of how much space we need or when to order new products, and it was fun to get to learn something that's not just theory. We were doing actual math and I was loving it.
Today I'm finishing up another class. This morning my group went in to present our project to the professor and he said we had a half-way decent presentation that was above average. I'm not sure if that's good, but I think it might be. Our professor really likes the people in my group, so we had a good time presenting and talking to him about our findings.
This afternoon I have to go back in and take the final, but it shouldn't be too difficult. Then I'll be finished with this class too!
From here, I have two more courses to start and finish. Of the 16 days I have left here, I'll be in class for 8 of them. That's the first time that's ever happened! So much school is such a little time.
These last two classes are being taught by a professor who's coming over from Southern Utah University (my home university). I've never taken a class from him before, but Joe and Lizette have and say he's a nice guy, so that'll be fun.
Last night I took my final french test. (And that's all I care to say about that.)
I've also got this huge paper to finish writing for the school. When the students leave, the school requires a report on the experience in the school and in France. It has some serious guidelines, so I've been perfecting that.
Aside from school, I've been spending some time at the park. The days are so beautiful lately. I've been breaking out the tank tops, hoping to get some sun on my shoulders before I return home and start working on my farmer's tan. (It's inevitable.) It's going well so far!
I've also been walking over to Sainte-Radegonde and spending time there. If you remember back to a post in September (maybe), Radegonde is my favorite church in Poitiers. It's so calming to sit and think in the nave. It's even better when I catch the organist when he's practicing. I could sit and listen to the music all day.
I've not yet begun packing although I'm itching to get started. I think it's a bit too early still, although I may need to start soon since my last two weeks are packed with classes every day. I did schedule a check-out with the residence, so I know when I have to be out and everything.
The next 16 days should be interesting.
Have a wonderful day!
Je t'embrasse,
Sarah
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Coming to a Close
Bonjour!
My days in France are quickly coming to an end. As I was looking through my planner earlier, I was surprised anew at just how little time I have left here.
I'm beyond ready to go home. I've reached the point in the school year where I have zero motivation to do anything at all. And since I'm at that point, I'm having trouble making myself get anything done and I'd really just appreciate it if I didn't have to do the things and I could just go now.
By this time next week, I'll have finished two classes and will only have two left, plus another French test, and a paper to write. It doesn't seem like that much. It's too much.
This past weekend, I took my final trip to Paris with Joe and Lizette. We had an amazing time! Thursday, we went to Disneyland Paris! It was so much fun (except that it never stopped raining). We had a really incredible time in the park. Despite the rain, we went on several rides and walked around the park all day. We never had to stand in line for more than 45 minutes, so really, it wasn't too bad. And it wasn't crowded at all!
I think my favorite ride was the Rock'n'Roller Coaster. We rode it near the end of the day when the line wasn't long, so we went twice. My second favorite would have to be the Indiana Jones Temple of Doom (or the Temple of Peril, when translated from French), we rode this three times.
Overall, it was a great day. At the end of it, all three of us were exhausted and more than happy to go back to the apartment and go to bed.
Friday, I ventured out by myself and explored the neighborhood of Le Marias. It's one of the more famous areas of Paris and I had never spent much time there. Unfortunately, Friday was International Workers Day, so most everything was closed, but I still got to see a lot. I stopped by a Starbucks for a mid afternoon drink and wandered over to the Latin Quarter across the river before I decided to head back to the apartment.
Saturday, the three of us set out to buy artwork along the river. There are booths all along the Seine near Île de la Cité, so we spent several hours wandering among them, searching for the perfect souvenirs. We ended up back in the Latin Quarter and had lunch at a small restaurant. Any guesses as to what we ordered??
That's right, Escargot! I was very nervous to try it because, well, it's a snail. Zane and I used to play with snails behind the bushes at First Baptist Church, and I just couldn't imagine eating one of them. Eventually I forced it down and was pleasantly surprised with how it tasted. The green stuff is really garlic-y and the texture wasn't nearly as rubbery as I imagined it would be. (I was expecting balloon consistency.) I ate two of them and I think it's probably something I would eat again.
Sunday, we left Paris to see Château de Fountainebleau. It's very similar to Versailles except not nearly as busy. (It was even free because it was the first Sunday of the month and it wasn't very busy.) As far as the rooms go, I found them to be just as good as the rooms at Versailles. The gardens, however, were nothing compared to those at Versailles. Still very pretty, but not as grand.
We returned to Paris in late afternoon and I left the apartment to visit Sacre-Coeur just up the hill. Every time I'm up there, I'm blown away by the view. It's magnificent. I went inside the chapel and sat through the last half of a mass, then walked the perimeter and wandered back outside and watched a street musician on the steps.
I had heard that there were some interesting goings-on behind the Cathedral, so I went back there and was greeted with a lively art market. I had already bought my art, but I meandered anyway and ended up finding a piece that I fell in love with. (The one that I actually wanted was very expensive, so I didn't buy it Saturday, but I found one similar to it today at a much cheaper price!!) With canvas in hand, I walked through the streets of Montmartre and got lost in the neighborhood.
Monday was our last day in Paris, so that morning, I got up and went to Galeries Lafayette to have breakfast above the city. I grabbed my Starbucks on the 3rd floor and headed on up to the roof to enjoy the morning. It was perfect. The skies were clear and the breeze was warm. I felt a little sad at the thought of leaving the city, but I'm glad I got to see that view again.
I walked around a bit and did a little shopping. Joe and Lizette had somehow lived in France for nearly 9 months and had never tried a macaroon, so I picked up a few of those to take back to the apartment.
I made it back to the apartment by noon and helped clean the place up before we left. Our train wasn't until 4pm, so I hit the streets again because it was too beautiful to be stuck inside. There was a small park a block or so away, so I went there and sat for a while with pen and journal, enjoying the day. I wasn't the only person with such an idea. Nearly ever bench was taken by people eating their lunch or mothers with their children.
After this trip, I'm convinced that Paris really is magic.
We made it back to Poitiers that evening and went our separate ways. That night, there was a thunderstorm! I've always loved watching the storms roll in. The lightning is exciting and the rumble of the thunder makes my heart pound. I'm in such awe of God's creation when I get to watch that kind of spectacle.
I treated Tuesday kind of like I would a Sunday-- I didn't leave my apartment at all. I really should have because I had things to do, but it was windy and cold and rainy and I just didn't want to deal with it.
Today, though, I made up for it and am getting things done! (Kind of. I'm writing this as I avoid my homework. This is more fun anyway.)
23 days and counting.
Je t'embrasse,
Sarah
My days in France are quickly coming to an end. As I was looking through my planner earlier, I was surprised anew at just how little time I have left here.
I'm beyond ready to go home. I've reached the point in the school year where I have zero motivation to do anything at all. And since I'm at that point, I'm having trouble making myself get anything done and I'd really just appreciate it if I didn't have to do the things and I could just go now.
By this time next week, I'll have finished two classes and will only have two left, plus another French test, and a paper to write. It doesn't seem like that much. It's too much.
This past weekend, I took my final trip to Paris with Joe and Lizette. We had an amazing time! Thursday, we went to Disneyland Paris! It was so much fun (except that it never stopped raining). We had a really incredible time in the park. Despite the rain, we went on several rides and walked around the park all day. We never had to stand in line for more than 45 minutes, so really, it wasn't too bad. And it wasn't crowded at all!
I think my favorite ride was the Rock'n'Roller Coaster. We rode it near the end of the day when the line wasn't long, so we went twice. My second favorite would have to be the Indiana Jones Temple of Doom (or the Temple of Peril, when translated from French), we rode this three times.
Overall, it was a great day. At the end of it, all three of us were exhausted and more than happy to go back to the apartment and go to bed.
Friday, I ventured out by myself and explored the neighborhood of Le Marias. It's one of the more famous areas of Paris and I had never spent much time there. Unfortunately, Friday was International Workers Day, so most everything was closed, but I still got to see a lot. I stopped by a Starbucks for a mid afternoon drink and wandered over to the Latin Quarter across the river before I decided to head back to the apartment.
Saturday, the three of us set out to buy artwork along the river. There are booths all along the Seine near Île de la Cité, so we spent several hours wandering among them, searching for the perfect souvenirs. We ended up back in the Latin Quarter and had lunch at a small restaurant. Any guesses as to what we ordered??
That's right, Escargot! I was very nervous to try it because, well, it's a snail. Zane and I used to play with snails behind the bushes at First Baptist Church, and I just couldn't imagine eating one of them. Eventually I forced it down and was pleasantly surprised with how it tasted. The green stuff is really garlic-y and the texture wasn't nearly as rubbery as I imagined it would be. (I was expecting balloon consistency.) I ate two of them and I think it's probably something I would eat again.
Sunday, we left Paris to see Château de Fountainebleau. It's very similar to Versailles except not nearly as busy. (It was even free because it was the first Sunday of the month and it wasn't very busy.) As far as the rooms go, I found them to be just as good as the rooms at Versailles. The gardens, however, were nothing compared to those at Versailles. Still very pretty, but not as grand.
We returned to Paris in late afternoon and I left the apartment to visit Sacre-Coeur just up the hill. Every time I'm up there, I'm blown away by the view. It's magnificent. I went inside the chapel and sat through the last half of a mass, then walked the perimeter and wandered back outside and watched a street musician on the steps.
I had heard that there were some interesting goings-on behind the Cathedral, so I went back there and was greeted with a lively art market. I had already bought my art, but I meandered anyway and ended up finding a piece that I fell in love with. (The one that I actually wanted was very expensive, so I didn't buy it Saturday, but I found one similar to it today at a much cheaper price!!) With canvas in hand, I walked through the streets of Montmartre and got lost in the neighborhood.
Monday was our last day in Paris, so that morning, I got up and went to Galeries Lafayette to have breakfast above the city. I grabbed my Starbucks on the 3rd floor and headed on up to the roof to enjoy the morning. It was perfect. The skies were clear and the breeze was warm. I felt a little sad at the thought of leaving the city, but I'm glad I got to see that view again.
I walked around a bit and did a little shopping. Joe and Lizette had somehow lived in France for nearly 9 months and had never tried a macaroon, so I picked up a few of those to take back to the apartment.
I made it back to the apartment by noon and helped clean the place up before we left. Our train wasn't until 4pm, so I hit the streets again because it was too beautiful to be stuck inside. There was a small park a block or so away, so I went there and sat for a while with pen and journal, enjoying the day. I wasn't the only person with such an idea. Nearly ever bench was taken by people eating their lunch or mothers with their children.
After this trip, I'm convinced that Paris really is magic.
We made it back to Poitiers that evening and went our separate ways. That night, there was a thunderstorm! I've always loved watching the storms roll in. The lightning is exciting and the rumble of the thunder makes my heart pound. I'm in such awe of God's creation when I get to watch that kind of spectacle.
I treated Tuesday kind of like I would a Sunday-- I didn't leave my apartment at all. I really should have because I had things to do, but it was windy and cold and rainy and I just didn't want to deal with it.
Today, though, I made up for it and am getting things done! (Kind of. I'm writing this as I avoid my homework. This is more fun anyway.)
23 days and counting.
Je t'embrasse,
Sarah
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