Life in Aix

Classes have begun and with them a new adjustment to the daily routine of an Aixois (person from Aix). My daily routine aux Etats-Unis (US) generally centers around going to class for a bit, studying in the library and getting a good workout. Firstly, classes in France are much different than those in the states. The French believe in long classes (and by long I mean sometimes four hours) and therefore little work outside of class. This means some days I start class at 8am and go until 8pm with a lunch and dinner break in between, bien sur. When I walk to class in the morning the sun is still rising however the city is a-buzz with cafes opening and vendors setting up at the markets. As the French do not believe in coffee on the go they must get up extra early to ensure enough time to sit and enjoy their cafe before they embark on their daily endeavors.

The institute that I attend is for all international students, however the professors are hardly forgiving. In my first class, the professor had us go up to the front of the room one by one as he grilled us with questions about anything from where we come from to what our favorite novel is. Another difference is that personal exam grades are read aloud to the entire class. Grades are all on a scale from 1-20 and getting a 10/20 is considered very good. Getting a 16/20 is nearly unheard of and a 20/20 is non-existant. While professors are encouraging, when announcing grades they often only state their criticisms of your work in an attempt to maximize your improvement. Needless to say, classes are going to be much more challenging than I initially anticipated...I'm required to take the mandatory 12 hours a week of straight French language and grammar courses and then my chosen electives are short stories and France in the news.

The issue of maintaining a good work our regime is still one I'm struggling with. The French do not like anyone to see them sweat and thus they prefer to workout in the comfort of their own homes. As my apartment is a small loft this does not quite work for me so I have been actively exploring my other options. My first attempt was to go jogging in a local park. As the streets are quite crowded I had to walk to the park until I could begin running and even then, I received many stares from the people in the park who were trying to sit and enjoy their cigarettes. Needless to say, it was very evident that I was American...I walk probably at least two miles every day due to my classes and errands and such so I might just have to count of that for exercise but I'm determined to find other outlets. Stay tuned...

Next week we're being paired with French students at the local university and even though I feel like all I do is practice French, I am very excited to have someone to teach me the slang and idioms that you often don't learn in class. Learning mannerisms like to faire les bises (one kiss on each cheek) is something that I'm still trying to remember. The other night, I met someone who I thought was American so I immediately went to shake his hand but he came to faire les bises. Luckily I caught what was going on, but I nearly insulted him...You always shake hands upon meeting someone who is your superior but faire les bises with people your own age. Hugging is almost non-existant here and while it would seem strange in America, even men faire les bises when they see someone they know on the street. French men are very comfortable with their sexualities and when you go out to clubs, men often constitute 80% of the people on the dance floor. French women are very subdued and prefer to ignorez-vous people for as long as possible by flicking their hair and walking away when approached.

While I'm trying really hard not to look like a tourist I managed to snap a few photos of Aix...more to come when the weather improves.


Le Grand Marche, the biggest market in Aix every Tues, Thus and Sat. It stretches through several streets and is a very social event for locals, especially on Saturdays.


My street!


A fountain on the street perpendicular to mine.



A courtyard I pass daily on my walk to school.

Beaucoup des villages

Today we were lucky enough to be escorted around to three small villages in the Provence area: Isle Sur la Sorgue, Rousillion, et Gordes.

The first stop was Isle Sur la Sorgue where they were holding their weekly marketplace. Growing up in California I have seen my share of farmer's markets but this was by far this most expansive and diverse that I have ever seen. Vendors from all over come to sell their soaps, chickens, olives, fabrics, cheeses and even pruning sheers. The town is situated amongst a large river that flows all throughout the town creating a Venice of France feel. The food selection was incredible and we created a small picnic of bread (baguettes and olive foccatia), many different cheeses, herbed sausages, olives, and tangerines. Minus the 0 degree celsius weather, it was a delightful French meal.

After warming up in the bus we drove 30 min up to the mountains to the village of Rousillion. This area is know for it's cliff sides filled with amazing ochre clay/pigments. All of the houses and shops on the hill are all painted the burnt orange color of the ochre so they blend in with the surroundings. An old king killed his wife after he discovered her being unfaithful and the color of the countryside here is supposed to symbolize the blood of infidelity and sorrow. I can't quite say these feelings were evoked for me however it was unlike anything I have ever seen.

Another bus ride down the mountain and through the lavender fields found us at Gordes, a town built almost entirely of piled stones. Walking the town took probably only an hour however there were some more incredible views and picturesque hillside chateaus. You get the idea that these people's way of lives are so much more slow paced and relaxed. It really makes you want to come back and rent a house for the summer and do nothing but read books, drink wine and swim. Oh c'est la vie dans le sud de la France.

La culture de la France

After being in France for only four days I'm already in love. Words can't describe the amount of charm that this country has. Many Americans have the preconceived notions that the French are rude, dislike Americans and won't let you speak French with them, and I have found all of these to be completely false. Everyone who I have come across will automatically speak French with me and if I struggle with vocab they've been more than patient in helping me to understand. I am flattered and also pleasantly surprised that I have not had one Frenchman/woman try to speak English with me.

Living in France does not come without cultural differences however...Not blatantly standing out as Americans is one of the main goals of everyone on my program and last night we were given a lesson on French culture and culture shock. While many of the French customs are easy to adjust to, I'm having trouble toning down the friendliness. The French are much more reserved than Americans and smiling and saying "bonjour" to people you pass by on the street is considered an American faux-pas. However, saying bonjour, bonsoir, etc. is essential when you enter any place of business, even to people at the supermarket.

Food is such a central focus of the French lifestyle and meals are structured much differently than in the states. To-go food is nearly unheard of and to-go coffee is non-existant. You must sit down in a cafe if you want to drink coffee and it is considered a very social event. That being said, there are only certain coffees that you can order at certain times of the day. While a cafe au lait or cafe creme is offered on the menu, it is culturally unaccepted to drink either after lunchtime. If you want a coffee after lunch you must simply order un cafe or un cafe allonge. Un cafe is like a shot of espresso except much stronger and more rich and a cafe allonge is like an americano. Sadly, tea is often twice or three times as expensive as coffee so I'm attempting to steer away from caffeine in general. We'll see how that goes when school comes around next week...

Today we also went on our first group excursion (there are about 40 of us so it's quite a group). We drove about an hour and a half west to a medieval village called Les Baux. The town dates back to the days of Balthazar and has amazing castle ruins and incredible views of Provence. We had our first experience with Le Minstral while up on this mountain village and my nose and ears are still defrosting. Le Minstral is the infamous wind that blows down from the Alps and sweeps across Provence giving you the most chilled to the bone experience ever. Whenever anything goes wrong whether it be a bad business day or bad luck, the locals blame it on Le Minstral and now I see why.

After lunch we had the privilege of dining at Lolo's house, a quintessential Provencial man who lives in a house that's been in his family for 400 years. They still have the deeds that date back to the reign of Louis XIV. The lunch was a typical French affair lasting over two hours with courses of bread and sausages, omelettes, ratatouille, lamb, cheese and then dessert. It was incredible and all cooked on an Van Gogh. We also walked by the mental institution that he checked himself into near the end of his life...

All in all, my time here thus far has been magical. I still can't believe everything I've encountered and can't wait for many new experiences to come.

Bonjour mes amis!

After what feels like months of planning, I'm finally in France! The journey here was quite an adventure. On my first flight from SF to Frankfurt, a guy sitting in my row had a heart attack so the plane had to emergency land in Prestwick, Scotland. We sat on the runway for a good two hours while the medics took away the guy and the plane re-fueled because apparently we were close to running out. The Prestwick airport pretty much consists of one runway and one small warehouse-like terminal so our jumbo jet was big excitement for the locals. There were probably a dozen gathered on a grassy knoll nearby pulled over taking photos of us.

...a 15 hour flight later and I was in Frankfurt where by chance, my future roommate and I met and attempted to navigate the airport knowing not a word of German. Several hours later we found ourselves arriving in Marseille just in time for sunset. The pilot circled this island off the coast before landing and it was the most amazing view of the entire south coast of France. After 24 long hours of traveling I arrived in Aix-en-Provence.

For the first five nights here, we've been put up in a hotel/apartment while the students currently living in our future apartment finish off the semester. Spare time has already been hard to come by as they have our lives so scheduled with city tours, orientations and culture lessons. All very informative and important as I'm definitely rusty on my French. Tomorrow is our language class placement testing which should be interesting. Buying a cell phone was the most difficult task I've faced so far. More language barriers surely to come...

The city Aix where I'm living is very historic and quaint. Aix means "water" in Provencial which is the former spoken language of the Provence region therefore the city is scatted with lots of beautiful ornate fountains. Cobblestone alleyways and outdoor market places are also the main backdrops of Aix. Looking chic is a big concern here and almost everyone can be seen wearing dark jeans, boots, a peacoat and a scarf regardless of the gender. There are 40 kids in my program and a French student population of 40,000 in Aix so I can't wait to go out and meet some locals.

As day two comes to a conclusion my only concern is which internship to go for- assistant to a yoga teacher or wine tasting/dinner pairing intern. Decisions, decisions....c'est la vie :)