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Adventures in Deustchland

DEAREST READER,

In March, my friend German friend Sybilla and I were in talks about a visit to her hometown of Frankfurt, Germany. At the time, I thought that by April, I would be…

1. Tired of traveling for the moment (especially after the go-go-go pace of spring break)
2. Needing to stick to a stricter budget since the extra 6 weeks of traveling after the semester will be rather costly.
3. And most importantly, longing to see a familiar face in person.

I couldn’t have been more correct about all the above.

Although I’ve done a number of weekend rendezvouses to here and there in Europe, the visit to Frankfurt was remarkably different. Not only did I get welcomed in by a friend, but by a family who could not have been more gracious.

The adventures in Deustchland, better known as Germany, started on a rather cloudy afternoon in Cannes. After the usual airport business in Nice (to which I successfully used a mobile boarding pass for the first time!), one stereotype that I heard about Germans proved its validity when I landed at Frankfurt Airport 15 minutes earlier than our scheduled landing.

Apparently, Germans are very timely.

This is the first of many cultural revelations that were discovered to be true over the course of the weekend. I couldn’t help but laugh at each instance and neither could Sybilla when I would ask her if it was so.

Before we got to all those types of conversations, we simply enjoyed the fact that we were reunited so much earlier than expected. The last time I had seen her was in December which was when she finished her semester abroad at my school (Cal State University Long Beach). After introducing her to my family in San Diego around Christmas time, it appears that it was time to do a role reversal. I would be the tourist this weekend and she would be the guide.

We soon headed to the Fey house (her parents’ home) in central Frankfurt where I was introduced first to the neighborhood before the family. The city was finally different than something I’ve seen before. It wasn’t primarily gray with hints of color like London or Parisian suburbs. Instead, there seemed to be greens, maroons, pinks, and other colors that you wouldn’t necessarily think could work together, but the German’s pull them off quite nicely.

To my surprise, we entered a building similar to the ones above, where Sybilla and her family have lived in since before she was born. She even showed me her family’s crest which is cemented into the building itself!

The night was dedicated to introductions mainly. To her parents whose kindness was immediately given to me. To the city whose small-town feel I picked up on right away. To her grandmother who proceeded to take my hand and give me the warmest welcome I could of ever received from someone . It didn’t even matter that it was completely in German. I could get what she was saying even though I had no idea what she was saying exactly. The only phrase I knew in German was how to say “my name is…” and even then, I couldn’t say it correctly!

Oh and let’s not forget, my introduction to the food! German food turned out to be quite the cuisine. Hearty, rich, and delicious. See below!

Sybilla’s parents helped me navigate the many options and I settled on the above. Not a bad choice at all and apparently, it was a very traditional German plate. An absolute food coma had yet to hit until after dinner however when we were treated to some traditional Belgian waffles courtesy of Glen, the Belgian exchange student who currently lives with Sybilla’s parents.

It is now clear to me that food is one of the gateways to getting to know a culture. And let me say, I certainly enjoyed German food right off the bat! It was a good precursor to what good times were to come.

Saturday morning started at 10am. Promptly at 10am, mind you. And it was then that I finally understood why Sybilla would talk to me about how much she missed German bread when she was in CA. It’s comparable to French bread in terms of variety and deliciousness. I already miss it myself!

The day of touristy things then began after a lovely walk from the suburb to the downtown. It took no less than 20 minutes and again, I then understood why Sybilla preferred to walk everywhere or take public transportation while in CA. Revelation number three now, is it?

Along with Stephanie, another German friend of Sybilla’s who had just moved to Frankfurt a couple months ago, we headed off on a girls day out to play tourists.

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We walked pretty much all over Frankfurt and I soon discovered that although the city is adorned with large modern buildings that give the impression of a “big metropolitan city”, it really did have small town charm. No need for a car. No need to take the metro everywhere. Frankfurt is completely walkable. Turn one corner and you’ll end up in a park. Turn another, and you’ll end up at some cute shop. This, in addition to all my other first impressions of Germany, made for some great table talk at dinner that night.

I must say, Germany seems like it is very hip with it and I’m told that Frankfurt is a pretty modern city for the country. There is no lederhosen to be found here! I’ll have to wait until Munich or Vienna to see that.

The final day in Frankfurt was complete with a morning of bike-riding/walking/deep conversation in the forest close to the Fey’s house. Our morning out in nature meant that I had a chance to see another side of Frankfurt. The greener side.

 

Upon leaving back to Cannes, I couldn’t have been more happy that I had the opportunity to see my jet-setting, adventure-seeking, direct as can be, and smiley friend Sybilla who helped me throughout all the stages of my application process to study abroad. I was even more delighted to me the her parents, Ute and Achim, who extended such kindness and generosity towards me. Thus far, Germany has been a joy.

I must say, if you’ve got friends in the right places, it’s best you take a trip to see them.

IN OTHER NEWS:

• I’ve got my internship for Le Festival de Cannes! I will be working alongside another AIFS student for filmfestivals.com as a blogger. Neat, eh? More news to come about that once I receive more news myself. 
• The last AIFS overnight trip is this weekend to Provence. We will be heading to Arles, Avignon, and some other small towns in the area.
• Summer plans are all laid out!
  

  London –> Paris –> Strasbourg –> Munich –> Vienna –> Prague –> Berlin
  –> Stockholm –> London –> Nice –> Los Angeles.

  It’s going to be a whirlwind in June! Full calendar to come in the next post and please pray for me as I’m in the midst of getting this all set up.

• Last, but not least, here is the line-up for who is coming to the festival. http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-04-18/ryan-gosling-and-emma-watson-movies-to-debut-at-cannes-film-festival

J’espere que tout va bien mes amis. Je vous manque beaucoup. 

LOVE,

ELISE

 

Why Cannes had me at “Bonjour!”

This week, I got my first couple of glimpses into what summer entails here in the French Riviera:

Sun. Sand. Crêpe stands. Gelato. And Bikinis (minus the tops).

Voila! Cannes is essentially French California–a fact which I will elaborate on in this post.

The town is absolutely beaming with life now that the sun has finally decided to come out from behind the clouds that hid it away in winter and early spring.

I think, at this point, reflections have arisen naturally since we technically only have a month and a half of school left. Though it is a sad thought to have to leave this lovely place, the consistent sunny days that we have been having has distracted me from thinking of anything other than enjoying the simplicity of things here.

I’m sure that many people still think that I’ve been studying in Paris all this time just because I am in France. Upon telling friends, family, and acquaintances that I was going to study abroad in France, I can’t tell you how many times many I was met with the question, “Oh Paris right?”

2 and half months later and after visiting Paris for 4 days in March, I can say that I truly feel like I made the right decision to study french here. This is where one truly gets the best of both worlds (a semi-vacation and a learning experience).

So why Cannes? Why AIFS Cannes? Why not Paris? 

I can only explain in so many words since this whole experience has been indescribable at times, but here are a couple of key reasons…

1. Though we’ve had our fair share of rainy days, the weather is what makes this place amazing. Indeed, February and March were not ideal for breaking out the sundresses and bathing suits that many students decided to bring more than enough of, but it was never terribly cold. Or rainy. Or snowing for that matter! “Bad weather” for the Cannoises is just what Californians like myself define bad weather as–anything below 50 degrees Farenheit. Most of the time, colder temperatures are bearable and are certainly nothing serious compared to Paris. Now that hotter days have hit, we can retire the coats and leather jackets. 
2. What comes with warmer weather are warmer people. The locals in Cannes are still French at their core. They prefer you speak in French whether you feel confident or not. They like their cheese and their baguettes. The young ones may say “ooh la la” here and there. However, they are truly kind. They are patient as well if you at least try to speak in French. Being that Cannes consists of primarily an older crowd (50 and over), they seem to much more relaxed. If you want to start up a conversation with the French person beside you while waiting at the same bus stop, you can. If you want to go out at night with friends, you’ll most likely meet younger locals that are willing to talk with you if you want. And since the Collège International de Cannes is the main place within Cannes for non-french speakers to learn french, most people will understand that you are still in the process of learning the language. The atmosphere in Cannes allows you to ease into French culture rather than being dropped in and told “Sink or swim.” The atmosphere in Paris leans more toward the latter since people have got places to go and people to see.
3. Le Collège International de Cannes gives you the opportunity to make friends with other international students trying to get their “bonjours” right as well. In the time I’ve spent as a student at the collège, I’ve been able to meet people from all over the world–Japan, Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, England, Mexico, Spain, Russia, and so on–who came bearing the same goal: learn French. Conversations in class were always great because the dialogue usually involved applying whatever the lesson of the day was to comparing what something is like in another person’s country (love, work, food, etc.) You soon realize that you’re learning more than just French and will usually end up with a new friend as well! 
4. The AIFS staff goes above and beyond to ensure that you are truly enjoying yourself while you are here. Sandrine, the AIFS resident director, and Aude, her assistant, have been absolutely incredible when it came to planning out excursions, picking classes, applying for an internship for the Cannes Film Festival, and any other concern someone had. They are so attentive to each AIFS student and are approachable as well. Not only do they make great mentors as we are all trying to comprehend the language and the culture, they are genuinely great people to sit and talk about normal things with. They embody the type of people that are needed to make a study abroad experience memorable for all the right reasons.
5. The city, though much significantly smaller and than Paris, will continually keep you surprised. Cannes has been a great “home base” after weekend travels to here and there throughout Europe. It has a small town feel and you will become very familiar with the popular student spots quickly (i.e. Leader Price, Monoprix, Zara) , but at the same time, I still have yet to explore everything. Although I’ve been here 2 and half months already, there are still shops to go into, restaurants to eat in, Saturday markets to browse around in and hikes to do around the city. In that sense, I find it charming. And if you’re really looking for a day out for a bigger city adventure, Nice is only a 15 minute train ride away. But most of the time, staying in Cannes for the sandy beaches rather than the rocky beaches of Nice is the better option.

If a day of 3 hours of French class in the morning and then heading to the beach with friends or for a run on the boardwalk with the constant sparkles of the Mediterranean sea in your view doesn’t sell you, I don’t know what else to say other than:

Paris may be calling you, which isn’t a problem if you want what I would say is truly France. Baguettes, berets, fashion, museums, and cafés galore. In addition to a whole different type of French people. Parisians are basically the epitome of all French stereotypes. See my blog about our trip to Paris here.

Got more questions about the AIFS Cannes program? Feel free to tweet me (@ElisePrado), Facebook me, or comment below. I will be more than happy to tell you about life during springtime on the French Riviera!

Au revoir!

-ELISE

                

 

Spring Break: For the love of London sights, Scottish bagpipes, and Irish accents.

DEAREST READER,

I am glad to report that I did indeed survive spring break. It was an incredibly thrilling/wonderful/strenuous weeklong holiday up in the north. Although, I did come out alive, I didn’t get away without a little bit of a cold.

So this post comes to you from 90% functioning Elise as I write this on my new bed in my new apartment with my new homestay family. Thus far, things are going splendidly as not only have we been given more storage space, an extra desk, and a more welcoming host mom, we are also feeling as if a new chapter has begun. A fresh start. 

Spring break truly marked the end of the first chapter of this semester abroad. The night before my vacation began was a bit mad since I had to pack up everything, not just the things I’d be taking with me for spring break. Nevertheless, I was able to make it to my Friday afternoon flight to London without having to fret too much about getting my belongings to the new homestay. This was all thanks to Sandrine, the AIFS coordinator, and my roommate, Meghan.

After a 1 hour bus ride, a 1 hour flight, 30 minutes on the “tube”, and a dance around the hostel building since I wasn’t sure where the entrance was, spring break had commenced!

LONDON

This place keeps drawing me back for more. From the get-go, I knew that this time around would be better since…

1. I was not walking around like a zombie due to jet lag like the first time
2. I already had an idea of what I wanted to see and do (Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, see a play, go to Camden market, go to Easter service)
3. I actually know how to use the tube now (the metro system)
4. It now takes me 5 less seconds than it did before to figure out how to pay in pences and pounds

Voila! Those 4 facts alone made London so much more enjoyable. 

Another girl from the AIFS Cannes program and I stayed at Clink78 Hostel in London. It was good to have a companion for this first leg of the vacation although we had different itineraries for ourselves.

Together, over the course of 3 days, we went to…

Leicester Square, where there is an array of restaurants, theaters, and tickets booths to buy cheap tickets to a play or musical in London

Trafalgar Square, where the National Gallery is and houses some works by Monet and Titian

Camden Town, which is a massive flea market where we learned the trick to bartering.

And Holy Trinity Brompton for a delightful Easter morning service

On my own, I made it a point to go to Shakespeare’s Globe Theater. Though I wasn’t sure if it was the real Globe theater, after doing walking around the exhibition and a guided tour, I realized that the real one stands no more! No one even knows what it looks like exactly, but this is the best model they could make with what little info can be found…

It was great to learn more about the man who has come to define the theater. The exhibition and the tour did an excellent job of explaining how things worked back in the days of Shakespeare–the music, the dress, the preparation for the play of the night. The most astounding of facts was that, rain or shine, the actors would perform on the stage in a theater where there is no roof!

Thankfully, in the play I saw that same night, there was a roof. I treated myself out to Once which was first a small Irish film that has now been turned into a play. A cute storyline and some great music was exactly the night out I needed.

After wrapping up all the touristy things I could accomplish for this time in London, I already began to make a to-do list for myself for next time. There is so much to see.

Thankfully, an Easter dinner with my cousin who lives 15 minutes outside London city by train solidified that I’ll be back again in the beginning of June. This will be a quick stop before I head off for 4 more weeks of traveling throughout Europe on my own. Then, I’ll be back in July until I officially end my European adventures. It’s great to have family in the right places!

It’s like I said earlier. This place keeps me coming back for more!

EDINBURGH

The 4 hour train ride from London to Edinburgh got me more and more excited as we passed through the English countryside. Slowly but surely, I was falling in love as we were nearing the second destination on my spring break. 

Edinburgh truly had me at hello. The people are friendly. The city is clean and has shops, cafés, and restaurants with their own character. It all feels medieval in a sense with the castle up on a hill above the hostel I stayed at (Castle Rock Hostel)!

Upon the first hour of being in Edinburgh, I was greeted with the sound and the sight of this…

He, along with two other pleasant conversations that I had with a Scot and an Australian, made me realize that traveling solo would not be a problem at all in this city.

Apart from a 3-hour city tour and 2 trips to the National Museum of Scotland, I didn’t hit too many of the things my TripAdvisor App advised me to see. Instead, I wandered a bit and thankfully, you don’t need to wander too far to figure out that Edinburgh is pretty easy to get around.

There is Old Town. And there is New Town. And they are exactly what their names are. Old Town is where I stayed and where all the historical and touristy things are to see in Edinburgh.

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Hanging out at my hostel, going on the tour, and wandering about town, allowed me to meet so many people from all over the world. At times, I think I thrive off of such encounters. To hear everyone’s story and in turn, have the opportunity to tell mine. There are many things I learned in my first solo trip that set the tone for what I will most likely hear for the rest of my independent travels…

1. There is such a thing as good Americans and bad Americans. (To be explained in a much needed “Featured Post”)
2. Traveling abroad is financially doable and very common among internationals.
3. If you say you’re from California, you automatically are greeted with a “woah…” (in a good way)
4. If you say you’re traveling alone, people will always invite you to come with them to dinner, to a pub, to a tour, etc.
5. People always want to know my ethnic background and it always makes for great conversation. Ha!

Although #5 was pretty unexpected, it paved the way for what was to come in Ireland. Dublin was the last destination for this holiday but I can’t help but admit that Edinburgh was hard to leave…

DUBLIN

Dublin was quite the sight. Ireland was quite the experience. In the span of 4 days, I learned that like the French, the Irish are true to their stereotypes. The #1 stereotype that I was glad to find to be true was that the Irish are genuinely nice.

The capital city of Ireland is not too big and my hostel, Barnacles Hostel Dublin, was conveniently located next to the main party area of Dublin for tourists and Irish people alike. Though I wasn’t looking to throw caution to the wind, something about Ireland makes you a bit more daring. The first night I got there, I signed up for a traditional Irish music pub crawl and was delighted to be treated to free drinks from some fellow Americans who were visiting Dublin and the sounds of the acoustic guitar and banjo!

I would say that the first of two big nights out on the town was a success.

The mornings and the afternoons were full of meeting new people at my hostel, going to an Irish breakfast, taking a hop on and off tour, and stopping by the Dublin Writer’s Museum.

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No major sights for me really. I wanted to save all that for the next time I’d be in Ireland. I kept thinking how much my family would enjoy Dublin and so I’ll have to convince them to go so I can come back!

Some revelations/highlights from my stay in Dublin…

• American media, politics, and music is more far-reaching than I thought. Every international person I talked to made a reference to at least one of those three.
• Irish is actually a spoken language and is written all over Dublin.
• Leprechauns are real. I met two. They taught me Irish and told me I was very pretty. Ha!
• Irish breakfast is the most hearty breakfast I’ve had yet in Europe!
• Guinness stew pretty much is the best thing since sliced bread.
• Hearing traditional Irish music makes my heart full.
• You are way more approachable in an Irish pub or bar if you are by yourself. Exercise caution of course, but most of the time, you will have pleasant conversations and be treated to free drinks.
• If I ever need an ego boost, I will come back to Dublin. Compliments galore!

All in all, it was a spring break for the books. In one week, I learned so much about myself in terms of how I travel, how I prioritize, and how I relate to others. It was a good experience to have before embarking for a whole month of solo travel but before I head into the preparations of that, I have to remember that the festival is nearing. I am back in Cannes. I’ve got French to catch up on. And an internship in the works. 

Goodness. Two months in. Two months more in Cannes. And then, c’est tout pour ce semestre!

Time to take a breather.

Til next week!

LOVE,

ELISE