So I was fortunate enough to be able to stay for an extra few days in Aix after most of the other IAU students had left. I was even more fortunate that my host mom was willing to let me stay for two extra nights while she was on vacation, especially because every single hotel in Aix was booked for the July 14th weekend! On the Friday before I left, I went to the reception at the new building to get a tour, give some tours, and see all of the US IAU staff members that I haven't seen in a few months which was really great. That Saturday, I headed to Cassis with the two teachers that were in Aix to do some research, and we did a boat tour of the Calanques (which I highly recommend, it was absolutely beautiful). We went to a very nice dinner that evening at a restaurant called Pasta Cosi. The following day I spent the day walking around Aix and soaking up the city because it was my last day before I had to go home. I went to the market, and I also bought some wine to take back with me, overall it was very productive! That night was 14 julliet (Bastille Day), so Aix had music and different things set up all over the city. I started at my friend Haley's apartment celebrating the evening, and we eventually moved to the city and the Cours Mirabeau to hear the live music and dance and fully enjoy everything that Aix offered. When the night ended, I headed to my favorite crepe stand near La Rotonde, got my last crepe, and headed back home. The next day was an exhausting day of travel, but I'm finally home and have had time to think about my experiences. Going back to study in Aix for a second time was easily one of the best decisions that I've made in my collegiate career. I was able to jump into the city with a limited amount of culture shock issues, and really focus on language learning and awareness of the cultural beauty and differences surrounding me. I was so happy that Aix didn't seem to have changed hardly at all in the two years that I was away, and it made me appreciate the lifestyle that I had grown to love so much even more. I'm already scheming ways to get back to Aix after I finish my Master's degree next year, and I absolutely cannot wait to return. I made
This week is just about over, and so unfortunately my time in Aix is almost over as well. This past week has been one of the best so far. I went to Cassis on Sunday with a group of friends, went to the market with a friend and we ate fresh raspberries and walked around the market buying some gifts for people at home. On Wednesday, my French class took a field trip to Marseille, and we visited Île du Frioul. Having class out on the beach and just spending time conversing was the absolutely best way for this trip to end. I've enjoyed being in Margaux's class immensely, I think that spending time with her has allowed me to look at the culture here so much differently and with a new and fresh perspective; it feels truly refreshing!
Today I was fortunate enough to be able to go on the wine tasting excursion with the wine class, and it was AMAZING! We went to Château La Coste, had a tour where the processes were explained and then did a very comprehensive tasting. The class then sat and had lunch and drinks at the restaurant at the vineyard, it was absolutely spectacular. I've been so sad just thinking that I have to leave soon, but the next few days should also be really fun! Tomorrow night IAU is opening their new building, so I'll be going to that reception. Saturday morning, JP and I (and maybe other people?) are making a celebratory hike up Mt. St. Victoire which I'm SUPER excited about! Sunday is Bastille Day, so I'm hoping that some of my French friends will be around and up for doing something, and then Monday I head home. I'm already thinking about different ways I could potentially come back here more permanently in the future, though... it has to happen! This is the most mesmerizing and enchanting place I've ever experienced This past week has been absolutely insane, but it has also been absolutely fantastic. July 4th was the day that the 100th Tour de France passed through Aix. I was told that I should be standing along the route around 11h30, so I was, and the cyclists finally came around 1:30 pm… it was pretty exhilarating. Everyone in the crowd was super hyped and excited though, so it’ll be interesting to see the Bastille Day festivities when there are actually things going on!
After the Tour de France on Thursday, I hung out with some new French friends that I’ve made and then headed off to class. Because of everything in town being so disrupted by the Tour de France, Margaux decided that we would spend time speaking with local Aixoise and other international students, and what better way to do this than play a rousing game of Pétanque (or boules). The game is similar to bocci (kind of), and we played in a park against each other at first and then against a whole bunch of people from around the world who are also here to learn French. It was really nice to learn a local game, though, and it was nice to be able to freely converse in French, I think I’m actually getting better! On Friday, IAU College had an excursion that went to Moustiers and the Gorges du Verdon. Both were absolutely incredible, I’m so happy that I was given the opportunity to go to these places. Moustiers is a little village which is hundreds and hundreds of years old. We were there on market day, so we strolled around the market and then hiked up to the cathedral which sits at the top of a mountain. The hike was a little more than I expected or was prepared for, but it was so worth it; the views from the top were absolutely spectacular. Next, we headed to the Gorges du Verdon, which is a man-made lake near Moustiers. The lake is used to provide water to the nearby villages, but also for watersports and swimming. The water is turquoise because of the local algae, so it was truly beautiful. The surrounding cliffs and such only added to how magnificent this place was. Mike, Amber and I rented a canoe, and we canoed around the lake for a while before laying out on the beach to relax. On our way home back to Aix, we also stopped at the most beautiful lavender field. I’m SO happy that I finally got a chance to see the lavender in bloom, it was just as spectacular as I thought it would be. The bees roaming all over the field weren’t ideal, but besides that, I was in Provençal heaven! On Saturday night, I went to a really cool music festival in Marseille. I've also been spending a lot of time with a group of local French students which has been kind of amazing- I've really improved my comprehension skills and and working on conversing more with them casually. It's great to be spending time with French students because I feel so much more immersed in the culture and language. Today I went to Cassis with four other IAU students, and it was nice to just be able to relax on the beach for the afternoon, I love that I have places and opportunities like that so close to me! I’m so sad that I’m already at a week from my departure, but I’m trying my best not to think about it. I truly consider this city to be my second home, and I’m going to miss it. Aix-en-Provence has a spirit about it that is completely indescribable and is something that you can only feel by being within it. It’s really hard to explain. I just feel more alive when I’m here, and it’ll be sad to leave it behind. I have some really amazing adventures coming up for me in the future though (read I’M MOVING TO EUROPE IN 2 MONTHS, WHATTT??), and I know that I’ll be able to come back and visit. That’s been one of the great things about this trip, almost everything is exactly where I left it, and that leads me to believe it’ll be here whenever I want to visit it again in the future. This week has been my first week back in Aix since I studied abroad here two years ago (Spring 2011). I am absolutely overjoyed to be back in this city again, and my experiences this summer thus far have not disappointed. My first day here, my host mom (the same one I lived with the last time) picked me up from the airport, and it was great to have a familiar face waiting for me on the other side of the baggage claim doors! That night, I met a couple students that are also IAU students as well as some French students and we went out for drinks. It was so nice to be able to meet new and local people so quickly, I felt so welcomed by the 6-week students as well as the French students despite the language barrier! The next day, my third housemate had finally arrived and my host mom took us to an adorable little beach about an hour outside of Aix. First, we went to the market in this little town, and then we laid on the beach for a few hours to enjoy the Mediterranean sun, it was absolutely beautiful! The other best and most interesting part about this beach was that it had sand instead of the stones and pebbles that I’ve found everywhere else I’ve been on the French Riviera.
My class so far has been really great; I have the same professor that I had the last time (Margaux), so it was nice to have that familiar face on the first day as well. All of the staff that I had met before while I was studying at IAU the first time has been so welcoming, it’s been so great. We’ve been doing some grammar lessons in French class, and it hasn’t been going so well for me. I realized rather quickly that my French is sufficient to get me around a city and have small conversations with people, but after taking a year and a half hiatus, I do have problems with some of the grammatical skills. I’m sure I’ll get there though, and what better place to learn, right? Today for class we took a field trip to Marseille to visit the Mediterranean Culture museum that just opened three weeks ago as part of the Marseille Provence Capital of Culture 2013 festival. The building was outrageously beautiful, and it was right in and on the old port, so we spent some time outside conversing and enjoying the views and the weather. Inside held a lot of interesting artifacts and art, so I’m really glad that I got a chance to go. I think (if I understood the French correctly!) that next week we’re going to take a trip to an island off the coast of Marseille for class, I’m VERY excited about this! This weekend, I’m taking a trip to Paris with my friend Mike, and we’ll be meeting up with some other IAU students while we’re there to see the Louvre and other sites in the city. The last time I went to Paris was in February and I was only there for 1 ½ very cold days, so I’m excited to see the city in the summertime! I can’t believe that I’m finishing up my first week here already and I only have 2 weeks left, it’s crazy how time flies when you’re living in paradise <3 |