Author Archives: kvr5086

Excursion #2

Bonjour � tous!
Yesterday we had our second free excursion with the program. And of course, by “free” I mean they included it in the price of our program, but we technically don’t have to pay for anything out of pocket.


We met at 8:15 am (yikes!) downtown (meaning I had to leave my homestay at 7:30 am). We took the bus to our first destination about 45 minutes to an hour away; Le Temple de Lierab Ling. Here are some (roughly translated) facts!

-one of the principle European centres for the traditional study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism

-founded in 1991 by Sogyal Rinpoch�
-opened in 1992-has been visited by a number of grand masters of the Buddhist tradition, notably His Saint the Dalai-Lama twice (2000 and 2008)

We spent a little too long there due to our guide, so we made a group decision to skip the town of Saint-Affrique where we were going to get lunch to make a stop at a grocery store on the way to our next destination. For lunch I split a baguette and a wheel of Camembert cheese with my friend Maureen, as well as some shredded carrots with dressing and lemonade. Yum!

Before eating our picnic lunches, we first had to cross over our next destination – that’s right…a BRIDGE. Now, if you know me well you know that I do NOT like bridges. Not just because I’m wary of heights…I just don’t trust that the bridge won’t fall at any second. Structural problems, unexpected natural phenomena, etc. can come out of nowhere!

And this wasn’t just any bridge; it’s the HIGHEST BRIDGE IN EUROPE. As in the Eiffel Tower can fit underneath it. UNDERNEATH IT. I hope I am making myself clear here. Regardless, I survived driving over it to our picnic destination that included a great view of the bridge and the valley under it. We were there for about an hour then had to drive back over the bridge to our next destination.

After some driving, we arrived to the “caves” of Roquefort. Yes, I mean like the cheese. We went on a very interesting tour, with a diorama of how the caves we formed complete with moving pieces and flashing lights and thunder. We watched a video on the aging process of the cheese, how the cheese master checks the smell of the cheese and the moisture of the caves and where they get the (sheep!) milk for the cheese. Finally, a light show of sorts described to us the background of how the cheese was first created.

The final room smelled like…cheese. Strong, strong Roquefort. It was honestly a bit overwhelming, but it was really cool to the the rows upon rows of cheese wheels aging. Our guide showed us this awesome aluminum foil that doesn’t tear when you pull on it (I need some of that for life!) and how they wrapped the cheese to stop the molding before it is shipped out.

And of course, the tour finished with taste tests of the three different types of cheese that is made in the caves – the original, Soci�t�, a very strong one, Cave des Templiers, and a much more mild one, Caves de Baragnaudes. They served it with this fantastic honey-spice bread, which I bought a loaf of as a little “cadeau” (gift) for my host family!

After the caves we headed back to Montpellier, and I went straight home to make it just in time for dinner!

Location: Montpellier, France

Becoming Part of the Family

Ahh, Sunday afternoons. In the United States we reserve them for relaxation, football and forgotten homework. It might be similar for French natives, but today it was stressful for me!

My host family consists of two parents, Dominique (dad) and Fran�oise (mom) and their 19-year-old daughter L�a. This is the family that I live with on a daily basis, but it is not their full family! They also have four sons, all of which are older than L�a. One of them lives in Ireland and another is engaged and lives pretty far away. However, two of them live close enough to come for lunch on the weekends and the occasional dinner.
Usually it isn’t a problem to have an extra face at the table, but today both of the closer sons came for a big lunch of raclette cheese and potatoes! I was so nervous…
…and now it’s over. And I did it!
We started with “apertifs”, which are drinks like wine, whisky, etc. that you drink before a meal. Then we moved on to the table and ate the raclette. Luckily, my real family has raclette for dinner so I was familiar with what to do. There were a few times when questions were directed towards me that I had trouble comprehending because my host brothers speak so quickly, but I was able to eventually figure them out and respond.
After that was a dessert of apple tart, which was absolutely amazing! My host family started arguing about French politics, which I first of all don’t know much about and second of all couldn’t understand when more than one person was talking at once! At one point, one of my host brothers leaned over and asked me if I knew about the political system. I responded no, and he said “c’est nul,” which means “it sucks.” Luckily, my host sister wasn’t big on discussing politics either and the conversation eventually ended.
At that point I thought that we were done, but my host sister suggested playing a board game. They had “Destins,” which is the same as the American game of “Life!” So I played that with my host sister and one of my host brothers. And guess what – I understood everything! Even though I knew most of the rules of the game already, the board was entirely in French and I still had to maintain conversation with my host siblings as we played.
Finally, when that was over I grabbed my laptop and showed my host family the Google Map images of Penn State, my lake house, and my permanent house. It was nice to give them a perspective as to how large PSU really is; they still can’t believe it’s a town of 45,000 students!
So, despite my initial fear about not being able to talk or understand 5 French people talking at the same time I did it!
I consider it an accomplishment, and I’m giving myself a pat on the back 🙂

Location: Saint Jean-de-Védas, France

Snow! And some French too…

I can’t believe it! It actually snowed in Montpellier today!

It came down lightly at first, but then got heavier right as I sat down to take my first exam in my grammar class! (It went well, thanks for asking.) We tried to get the teacher to excuse us, but alas she would not listen.
I still can’t believe I’ve been here for a month…I feel like it’s been forever and no time at all. Crazy how the time goes by when you start getting into a routine!
I have to say that I feel like my French has greatly improved since my arrival on January 1st. Am I close to fluent? Definitely not. But I am so much more comfortable speaking and my comprehension has improved drastically. I now speak much more often at the dinner table, and although I might not be able to phrase everything correctly, I am able to get my point across.
During lunch the other day, my host mom was telling me about their previous host student. She mentioned that he was shy and wouldn’t talk much, and she was happy that I spoke to them and I went out to see friends on the weekends and was having fun. She also mentioned that she was happy that I was speaking more, which made me feel awesome!
I finally purchased a French-English dictionary (super late, I know!) but that has also helped with casual lunch and dinner discussions. I’ve learned that there is no word in French for “marshmallow,” which is literally IMPOSSIBLE to try to explain to someone in a different language. I have yet to figure out how to tell them what I was talking about…
But all in all, I am very happy with the improvements that I’ve seen in my French skills over the past month. I hope that this continues for the next three and a half months during my stay in Montpellier so I can come home almost fluent! I still find myself translating everything in my head during the day, even songs that I’m listening to on my iPod on the tram to school. Some of them make for pretty funny French songs!
So cheers to improvements 🙂
Bonne soir�e,
Kelsey

Location: Saint Jean-de-Védas, France

A Day in my Life!

Hey everyone!

So I thought the best way to get across my daily routine would be through pictures, so attached is an album with a bunch of pictures I took during an “average” day here in Montpellier, France!
I was talking to another American student the other day about the culture shock that we will experience upon our return to the United States. Although we are still in what can be called our first “wave” of culture shock in regard to the French, I feel that I have already begun to pick up ways to blend in more.
From the choice of shoes to the way I put my hair, I’ve found that I am almost beginning to resent anything typically “American” about me. Freckles = foreign, and I’ve got plenty of those. Brown hair doesn’t stand out here, but my blue eyes do to a certain extent. The concept of “jeans and a t-shirt” just does not exist here. For school, girls wear heels and dress to the nines, while guys also wear nice pants, shoes, and jackets. Wearing sneakers is a huge no-no if you’re trying to blend in here.
Also, the interaction between people is much different. In fact, it barely exists. Nobody makes eye contact, and if you do you NEVER smile. You just look away. Although I have found that far fewer people are walking and texting, the lack of eye contact is almost the same. Casual conversations between people around you on the tram is unacceptable unless you are elderly, and even then people usually ignore you or just smile and look away. I’ve found this one of the hardest things to get used to, as I enjoy sparking conversations with people and always smile at others.
I am definitely looking forward to being able to converse with strangers upon my return to the United States, but I’m sure by then it will be weird to have someone look at me and smile!
Until then, I’ll try to keep my gazing to a minimum and maintain my personal bubble that everyone here seems to have!
Hope you enjoy the pictures of my “Day in the Life!” 🙂
Bonne journ�e!
Kelsey

Location: Saint Jean-de-Védas, France

Getting into the Routine!

It’s hard to believe I’ve already been here for 3 weeks! They fly by, especially without Friday classes.

Yesterday we rented bikes and took a ride to the Mediterranean! It was so much fun, but a lot longer than I thought it would take! The bikes were very heavy and there was a lot of wind, but we made it both ways just fine. I even picked up some baguettes and cheese before we left so we could have a mini picnic once we got there!
The scenery around here is just so amazing, I have to remind myself sometimes that I’m actually living in FRANCE!
I’m starting to pick up on the culture that surrounds me here. The French live in a very different way than we do in America, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. There is no sense of urgency here, and there seems to be an aura of leisure that surrounds everything. Stores are required to be closed for at least one day a week, and many close for 2 hours during lunch. I wouldn’t say that it is just because the French are lazy, but I’m starting to get the feeling that people just don’t like to work as much here. It certainly isn’t as prominent as the work force in the United States, where people work more than 40 hours a week. I just don’t see that happening here.
To the French, Americans always seem to have to go “big.” Whether it be our cars, our homes, or our personalities, we enjoy being excessive. I know that when I am speaking English to my friends on the tram or downtown, we often get looks from people around us. Perhaps it is the English, perhaps it is the noise level, but it is pretty evident that the French don’t like either.
It also surprises me how much the French know about American politics! My host family was talking to me about the Republican candidates and they knew even more than I did. The newspapers here have the United States on the front page, sometimes even in longer articles than I think they would have in the US. It just makes me feel like we are a self-centered nation, which is not entirely untrue.
I’ve found myself beginning to think in French almost all the time, and even when I speak to my family or friends I begin to translate my words as I go. I don’t even give a thought to saying “excusez-moi” on the trams, it just comes out. It’s a good feeling!
I have some homework to do (yuck!) that that’s all for this post.
Bon soir,
Kelsey

Location: Saint Jean-de-Védas, France

Arles!

Today my program took a mini-excursion to Arles!

We went to a museum to check out some ancient Roman artifacts, then took a guided tour around the city. We visited the hospital garden where Van Gogh was housed (and painted!) as well as the amphitheatre and the gladiator arena.
At the end is an album with some pictures from today.
Enjoy!
Kelsey

Location: Arles, France

School!

Bonjour!

Classes at Paul-Val�ry started yesterday! I was very intimidated at first, but I have had 2 classes already and my teachers are very nice in each class. However, I’ve also had 2 classes cancelled! Both the main lecture and recitation of my “histoire de cin�ma” were cancelled, 1 today and 1 yesterday. Oh well!
I’ve been here for 10 days now, and I’m definitely starting to get in the swing of things. I know my way around the different trams, and have gotten much better at speaking! I am able to order food at the patisseries downtown as well as converse with my family during dinner. They picked up on it as well, and they told me how happy they were that I was talking more! I still get flustered and stuck on words at time (sometimes even resorting into English, yikes!) but overall I am much more confident with my French speaking skills.
My limit to one bag certainly eliminated a lot of clothes from my piles to bring here, but I plan on replenishing some of those clothes during the sale tomorrow. The entire country of France participates in a huge sale twice a year; once in July and once in January. And I’m here for it! Stores closed early today to prepare for it, and all the “SOLDE” (sale) tags are visible through the windows. I can’t wait!
I have settled into my homestay very nicely so far, and my family has been incredibly willing to help me maintain my pescetarian diet. The food here is AMAZING! Tonight for dinner we had spinach and fromage chevre (goat cheese) in pastry crust. Yum! And there is always a cheese plate after dinner. Everything is always fresh (especially the bread and vegetables!) I can’t wait to take a mini trip a little closer to the Mediterranean to have some super fresh seafood.
I’ll put up some pictures in the next post!
Salut,
Kelsey

Location: Saint Jean-de-Védas, France

Overwhelming, but awesome!

I haven’t had solid internet until now, so I have a lot to cover from my flight out of Boston until now!

From the beginning…
My first flight from Boston to Paris was delayed, which I found out upon my arrival to the airport. That was okay, because I got to spend an extra hour with my family. However, that delay meant that my flight from Paris to Montpellier had to be pushed back 4 hours, resulting in a 5 and a half hour layover in Paris. Now, I consider myself adventurous, but always safely and securely. But I figured that I needed to step outside my comfort zone while abroad, and I decided to start that same day!
After my plane arrived at the Charles de Gaulle airport, I went through a mini customs and took the train into the city. I arrived at 8am on January 1st…needless to say, there weren’t many people out! I was able to snap some shots of the sun rising behind the Notre Dame cathedral!
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I walked around for a while then stopped into an adorable patisserie for a croissant and espresso. I felt so French!
After a couple of hours I took the train back to Charles de Gaulle for my flight to Montpellier. I got there early and sat down at my terminal, thinking I only had an hour. Oh no was I wrong! My flight kept being delayed in twenty minute increments, but after waiting an extra hour I finally got on the plane. After a quick 55 minute flight I landed in my home for the next five months – Montpellier!
I took a taxi and checked into my hotel, which I booked because I got in a day early. The taxi driver and the hotel clerk did not speak English, so I was forced to communicate in French almost immediately. After a lot of hand gestures, I was able to lug my 60 lb suitcase up a few flights of stairs (no elevator in the old buildings!) and take a deeeeep breath. I had arrived!
To prevent this from becoming a small novel, I’ll try and sum up the past few days as concise as possible!
Monday:
I met up with another Penn State student who had arrived before me to get his take on the city. He has been here since December 30th, so he had plenty of time to walk around and really get to know everything. We picked up some delicious (and so fresh!) lunch, and walked until our feet couldn’t handle it anymore. I got a good feel for the city though, it was nice to be able to do my own tour before any official ones.
Tuesday:
We had our group orientation, where we met other members of our program and had a quick tour of the city. Then we went to our program headquarters, where we went over the dates of the program and what trips were included. We lucked out this semester! We have 3 free excursions with the program: to Arles, Viaduc de Milhau & les Caves de Roquefort, and Saint Guilhem Le D�sert & les Grottes des Demoiselles. Definitely going on all of those! We also have two vacations that are two weeks each…FUN! Can’t wait to travel 🙂
Wednesday (Today):
We met at our university for a brief tour then a placement test (yikes!) After, we ate lunch at the cafeteria (not many options for vegetarians!) and had some free time to walk around. Next we had an informative meeting on class registration, etc. We all went back to downtown Montpellier after, where we purchased our tram cards for the next 31 days. I have to take two trams to get to school, which takes about an hour each way. Definitely not the same as living in downtown State College!
Tomorrow we are meeting up with our program again for a full guided tour of the city followed by academic orientation. Tomorrow night our group is meeting up with our social assistants, two students from nearby colleges. They are going to show us Montpellier by night! Can’t wait!
Bonne nuit,
Kelsey

Location: Saint Jean de Védas, France

Let the countdown begin!

The countdown began months ago when I first applied to this program, and now there’s only two days left. Insanity!

My packing has begun, but nothing is in the suitcase yet. I’m trying to get an idea of what I’ll actually need, and then see if I have room for a few little extras. How am I supposed to fit four and half months of clothes into one suitcase?! Not to mention, it has to be under 50 lbs. Guess it’s a good thing I don’t live in the times of metal armor and chain mail shirts! I don’t think I’d be allowed through an airport in this getup:
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To be honest, I have no idea what the people of Montpellier wear, so this could potentially be � la mode there! (Let’s hope it isn’t.)
Goodbyes have been the hardest, and I have to say I’m not getting any better at them. But as I always say, it’s not a “goodbye” it’s a “see you later.” Saying goodbye to my family will be particularly hard because I am so close to them. Here’s a picture of us before Joe Paterno’s 400th win!
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So with my less than 48 hours remaining in the country, I am probably going to procrastinate packing a little more!
A bient�t,
Kelsey

Location: Wayland, MA

Introduction

Ahh, December. That time of the year when students start thinking about finals and then getting to go home and relax for a few weeks.

Oh wait, it’s December already? I have less than a month left in the United States! Well, for the next few months, that is.
It’s hard to believe that this semester is coming to a close, but as the saying goes “with every ending there is a new beginning.” It just so happens that my new beginning will be in Montpellier, France!
A brief introduction of myself: My name is Kelsey Robb, and I grew up in a small town outside of Boston, MA. I am currently a junior majoring in Advertising, with minors in French, Business, and International Studies. I am an avid fan of the Patriots, despite much backlash from the general community of football fans at Penn State. I enjoy running, football, and cooking.
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As I mentioned before, I’m flying out of Boston on December 31st to spend New Year’s Eve on a plane (FYI, I HATE flying!) to my home for the next five and a half months. Am I nervous? Absolutely. Am I excited? You bet!
I can only imagine what adventures lie within the next few months of my semester abroad. If I could count the number of times I’ve been told how lucky I am to be studying overseas, I would be at a very high number. (Clearly, I’m not the most creative at comparisons.) I can’t wait to let the times roll and have the experience of a lifetime!
Jusqu’� la prochaine fois,
Kelsey

Location: State College, PA