Continuez!

Ok bloggy,

Flags starting from the top: France, Bretagne, European Union

Just thought I'd start by pointing out that I currently am holding four different cheeses in my fridge right now. I'm sure some may be shaking their heads like, what a baffoun! But just remember, baffoun is a french word so settle down! To those whom are curious, I'm guessing there are many out there :) but they are swiss cheese, stinky cheeses, and a goat cheese that I bought wrapped in a leaf. Very pretty and I'm gonna be sure to take a picture next time. I also have a basket full of vegetables from the jardin of Elodie's parents. Potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, grapes, etc. So cool. I hope one day to have my own garden and my own cows to milk and make cheese from (ok im cool with just the garden).

Other notables I currently have that are french and will become staples in my kitchen include but are not limited to: Muscadet (a dry white wine made around Nantes), red wine (usually from Bordeaux), rosette (salted pork, thank you Gimli), baguettes (duh), music from Yannick Noah in the air (yes, father of Joakim), perrier, cocacola (for those who know the joke!). But that basically sums it up. Im sure the chicken I buy is from a poulet francais but lets not go into unnecessary details...

Attempting to do 'planche a voile' 

On the right you can see the talented me, trying to sail board (?) its called the planche a voile so you can translate it if you care. But we all had fun. its Alain, Elodie's dad, on the left, with me, Elodie, Kevin, her brother, and Jean Michel, her uncle. We all tried really hard! haha. Elodie was the second best to the veteran Jean Michel. But it was a great weekend in Sarzeau and the Atlantic Ocean!

Alessandrini's free kick

The Frenchman, Romain Alessandrini, on the left is taking a free kick against FC Nantes in what was coined as a derby between Stade Rennais (where Elodie is from) and FC Nantes (Where I go to school, 1 hour away). I had a first row seat to the game at a discounted price since Im a student. Super cheap, so take that Chicago Bears! It was a great game and I was cheering for Rennes, but wasnt terribly upset at the Nantes victory 3-1. 

All in all, the french life is pretty exciting and new still. Six weeks into this 'aventure' and I'm surprised at how the time continues to fly. I am taking 18 hours of french courses and I'm seeing a real progress and it only makes me more eager to do more, read more, and talk more. My classmates are from all over the world and I've met only one other American. People from China, Ghana, South America, Eastern Europe, and more. I have to remind myself where I am and whom I am talking to sometimes because it truly is unimaginable from having grown up in the Iowan countryside. 

I often think about the time when I had studied in Belfast all those years ago and the comparisons to today. For example, when I went to Northern Ireland, it was the first time I had ever flown. I was 20 years old and never really left Iowa and although they speak english there, it seemed so foreign. Now, I might consider myself somewhat seasoned of a traveller but once again in a very foreign land. In fact, they dont speak much english here at all. Its all french, hard to believe I know! But I have my girl here and also her family, who goes out of their way to take care of me, something for which I will be forever grateful. All in all, Im so excited to continue my stories, to find new things to learn, and also to dive deeper into what I've already begun. I hope you all are willing to be in on this adventure too!