My host family had been so good to me. I feel apart of the family. We have our little inside jokes, we spend hours after dinner just talking about life, and of course we go out together. My host family always asks me about my Haitian background. I explained and showed them different dishes, our carnival attire, and I had them listen to “Kompa” (our genre of music).

I decided to give them a Lil’ Taste of Haiti. My brother was leaving for vacation in a couple of days, so we planned to have dinner the night before he left.

 What was on the menu?

Spiced Baked Chicken, Banan Pez� (Fried Plantains) and Vegetable Rice. And for dessert: Mango Cr�me.

The day before the dinner I went food shopping with my host mom. We bought all the ingredients. It was extremely hard to find plantains. My host mom hasn’t even heard of them. In our first outing we didn’t find them at the grocery store. But, the next day she surprised me with six plantains. She went a little outside of Besan�on to find them! She told me she was determined to find them because I told her a Haitian dish is not complete if there aren’t any fried plantains!  The night before, I removed the skin from the chicken and seasoned it.

When the rice was almost cooked we started the preparations for the fried plantains. My host mom had never seen or felt a plantain before. She was so fascinated by it’s texture. We peeled the skin off of the plantains and in a bowl to the side we mix cold water, salt, and lime juice.  I then cut the plantains at an angle and had them fry for the first time. After the first fry, we took them out and pressed them with the bottom of a jar. We then dipped them in the water prepared in the bowl and fried them a second time.

 

Location: Besançon, France

I turned 20, Saturday, July 23th, where? In France! I have to say this was one of the best birthdays I have had so far. I already celebrated a little bit last weekend in Barcelona. My birthday weekend was nothing but FANTASTIC! 

Friday July 22th: My friends took me out to dinner. I was craving salmon, so we wanted to go to this restaurant that I had already tasted their salmon and liked it of course. We met up at 9:30P.M at Place de Huit Septembre, which is the typical meeting place in centre ville, and waited until 10PM for the latecomers. Here’s a hint, the restaurant business is not the same as the U.S in France. Apparently, they don’t go out to eat at 11PM like we do. The restaurant was still open, but the kitchen was closed. So, we went searching for other restaurants. One of the restaurants was open, and the waiter seated us. When we got to the table there was only a drink menu on the table. We all looked at each other confused. We figured the waiter would come back with some menus. While waiting, we saw another waiter bring a table nearby what looked like food. After about 5-8 minutes our waiter comes back and asks us what we would like to order. We all look at him confused and ask for “la carte” (the menu). He then tells us that at night the restaurant only functions as a bar, but there are sandwiches already prepared if we would like. It was my birthday, and I wanted salmon. So, we then thanked the waiter, got up and went back to our hunt for restaurants.  Finally we found a place that was open! I had “Pates aux saumon” (Salmon Pasta). It was delicious. For dessert I had “Banan Flamb�e” in a crepe. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. It’s banana smothered in a rum and sugar sauce, then light up (flamb�e).

After dinner, we went to the club. They were having a special “soir�e” (a themed night). It was a “Soir�e Antailles” (a West Indian theme). I am Haitian, so I was excited to feel like I was in the club back home. It was 10 euros to get in plus a free cocktail. The soir�e was so much fun. We danced until 5a.m. 🙂

                                     Saturday, July 23rd: It’s my birthday!!!!  I spent the day out with my host mom and host sister. We went shopping. I then had dinner with my host family. After dinner, I went to my friend, Karrie’s homestay. Her family was throwing a party and let her invite us too and it became sort of my birthday party. I had a great time getting to know her host family and dancing until 6a.m!

Sunday July 24th: Recovery Day. We woke up around 11a.m and took the first bus out. I had lunch with my host family and slept until dinner. 

One the best birthday weekends! France definitely showed me a good time!

Location: Besançon, France

One of the best things about living with a host family is learning their culture. If you really want to experience a culture, you must participate in their daily activities. Don’t be afraid to try something new, and if you don’t like it, well, you will always have the experience. It’s cherry season, here in France. My host family and I went to my host mom’s brother’s house to pick cherries. The main desserts that they make with their cherries are cherry tarts ( tartes de cerise)  and cherry cakes (g�teaux de cerise). My host mom told me that they leave the pit of the cherry because it helps retain the flavor of the cherry in the tarts and cakes.

Location: Besançon, France

      I have to take two buses from my host family’s  house to the CLA. The CLA is in such a great location. It is just past “au centre ville” ( the downtown area). For our two hour lunch break, the students go downtown to eat or shop, etc. Depending on your level in the CLA, classes start at either 8:30 a.m and finish at 3:30p.m or start at 9:30a.m and finish at 4:30p.m (including our two hour lunch break). I start class at 8:30a.m. I have three classes a day and three different professors. At the CLA, you have one of your main professors in the beginning of the week and then your second professor in the end of the week. We were also able to choose an elective class; these classes are our third class on Tuesdays and Thursday. I have regular class from 8:30a.m-10:30a.m. Then, we switch to our second class, which is lab (where we go to the computer lab and do research or exercises online,etc.), until 11:30a.m. I then have a two hour lunch break from 11:30-1:30. My last class starts at 1:30p.m and finishes at 3:30p.m. At the CLA you stay with your same class (same students) all day. I think that by the end of these two months our class will be like a little family.

    My professors are very friendly and make me feel comfortable enough to participate in the classroom. There aren’t really PowerPoint presentations and what not. All of my classes focus on reading different texts and participating (l’expression orale) in class discussions about those texts.

    In the CLA, on the 5th floor, there is a little caf� where you can get little pastries, juice, coffee, you name it. I already have a favorite pastry to have between my first and second class (pain aux raisins). It is a pastry with raisins. It is amazing. I also have a favorite juice. It has like a smoothie texture. It’s strawberry flavored.   

Location: Besançon, France

The day is finally here! The day I get to meet my host family and see a glimpse of Besan�on . Today I got on a train from Orl�ans to Paris with my uncle, sister, and his wife. The train ride was only an hour.We headed to Gare de Lyon to meet up with the rest of the students who were also going to Besan�on . We all met in the “consigne”, which is where the train station stores people’s luggage until their train train arrives, at 9:30a.m. The group toured Paris until 16:30 (4:30p.m). On our tour of Paris we visited the Notre Dame de Paris, La Fountaine de Saint Michel, and we saw a nice view of La Tour Eiffel. We had lunch at a local sandwich shop.

      At 17:28(5:28p.m.) we took the TGV to Besan�on. The train ride was about four hours. After arriving at Besan�on, I gathered my extra heavy luggage and headed out the train to meet my host family. Since my bag was one of the biggest, I was the last off the train. My host family recognized me right away. They greeted me with Salut Joanne! Bienvenue � Besan�on. (Hi Joanne! Welcome to Besan�on.) They greeted me with a handshake. I thought that they would greet me with two kisses like the French usually do, so that was really shocking to me. I waved goodbye to the other students and my professor and headed to their car. My host car carry my huge 50 pounds bag the whole way. I found that so nice.

      In the car they asked me about the trip and if I was too tired. When we arrived at their house they showed me my room and the bathroom that I would be using. They gave me 15 minutes to get settled in while they prepared for dinner. I was really nervous going down the stairs for dinner. I wasn’t sure what to expect and how well they would be able to understand my French. We all sat down at the dinner table: my host mom, host dad, their son, and I. Our dinner conversation was very casual and easy to follow. They introduced me to their son and brought up information about me that I didn’t expect them to remember. They brought up my majors and asked me what are my future plans involving them. They also brought up my birthday (July 23rd) and commented how their son was also born on the 23rd, except in June. They continuously complimented my French and that in turn made me less and less nervous. Their friendliness and openness overpowered my nerves. It was an amazing first night with them.  

Location: Paris, France and Besançon, France

  I arrived in France a little over a week before the program started, (May 20th). My uncle lives in Orl�ans, France. It is an hour by train from Paris and an hour and a half by car. I flew British Airways, so I didn’t have to use French until the airport. But, there was a woman on the plane that only spoke French and one of the flight attendants needed a translator and I assisted her. After being able to be of help, I kind of began to feel like I was going to be okay speaking another language for the next two months. I arrived at Orly airport at 13:35 (1:35PM). I went through customs and the man at the desk was very nice and polite. He didn’t say much. He just checked my passport and sent me on my way. My first cultural shock was the constant French being spoken around me. I don’t know why I thought that everyone in the airport would be a foreigner like me trying to find his or her way. It was tiring and difficult translating the conversation in my head to English. Following the signs to the baggage claim wasn’t difficult.  My uncle was not there waiting for me when I arrived. I later found out there was a lot of traffic. But, meanwhile I was using all the French I know so I could gather information as to where to have a currency exchange to use the payphone. A found a woman who let me use her cell phone to call. I was picked up thirty minutes later.

  During my stay in Orl�ans , I encountered a couple of culture shocks. The first culture shock was the bathroom. The toilet is in a room by itself and they do not have the same flush mechanism. There is a small circular button on top of the toilette and you press it to flush. Another cultural shock for me was breakfast. French people love bread and milk in the morning. I, personally, am not a big breakfast eater unless it is the weekend and have time to make a big meal like an omelet, bacon, and toast. Bread is a very important aspect in ANY french meal. They have bread with everything.

I visited “au center ville” (downtown) many times. The stores have different style of clothes from the U.S, depending on the store. Some of the stores are French but are seen in the U.S, so it doing seem different. In the French culture, the client greets the storekeeper.
 

Location: Orléans, France