I have been in France for 4 days. It is amazing to look back and realize how much I have accomplished.
I arrived on June 22nd at night. I was really reluctant to leave my parents. Even if I'm an international student at Rice, which means I have faced plenty of saying goodbyes, it's still hard for me, because I only get to see them two months in a year. However, my experience here so far has been so great that sometimes I stop thinking how much I miss my parents, my cats and my city.
La Port de Carry-de-Rouet I arrived on June 22nd at night. I was really reluctant to leave my parents. Even if I'm an international student at Rice, which means I have faced plenty of saying goodbyes, it's still hard for me, because I only get to see them two months in a year. However, my experience here so far has been so great that sometimes I stop thinking how much I miss my parents, my cats and my city.
The first day here at Aix-en Provence, my host mom took me and my housemate Katie to la Port de Carry-de-Rouet. It was like a small version of Cassis, according to Katie. We went to a pretty big market there and I bought a set of bikini for only 15 Euros. I don't see much markets in the States but they are just like those in China. You have no idea how much I enjoy walking between those little booths.
At night, my host mom took me to the Saint-Jean Festival and I met a pair of sisters, Megan and Ashley, with whom I hung out a lot later. It was my first time to Centre Ville and Cour Mirabeau. There was a spectacle for Amish songs and dance, and at the very last they lit a pile of dry plant on fire. The wind was strong and the fire was burning vigorously. And people were saying --
"Vive la Saint-Jean"
over and over.
At night, my host mom took me to the Saint-Jean Festival and I met a pair of sisters, Megan and Ashley, with whom I hung out a lot later. It was my first time to Centre Ville and Cour Mirabeau. There was a spectacle for Amish songs and dance, and at the very last they lit a pile of dry plant on fire. The wind was strong and the fire was burning vigorously. And people were saying --
"Vive la Saint-Jean"
over and over.
After the first day of class, I finally began to recognize all the roads and buildings and bought stuffs at Monoprix and macarons at a shop called Meresse.
The macarons! I'd never been a big fan of macarons when I was in the States, and now I would eat them for the rest of my life! I couldn't even believe how tasty they are, especially the caramel one.
The macarons! I'd never been a big fan of macarons when I was in the States, and now I would eat them for the rest of my life! I couldn't even believe how tasty they are, especially the caramel one.
This morning, Megan, Ashley, Meghan and I headed Cassis before class. We took Bus72 to Aubagne and transferred to Bus 68 to Cassis. Other students keep telling us that there's a 2 euro direct bus to Cassis but until now I still have no idea how to get on it. But whatever, our experience to Cassis was just bittersweet.
We successfully got to Cassis, spent around an hour twenty minutes on the road. The sun was nice and the water was even cleaner than that in Hawaii. I really want to swim in the water like a wet dog but it was icy cold, probably around 14 degrees. I was a little dizzy for having woken up too early, and the whole thing felt like a paradise, except the last part.
We walked back to the bus station without much difficulty. But then the bus driver told us to find the station for the opposite direction, which sounded so easy but turned out to be a complete disaster. We walked for almost half an hour and wasn't able to find the 68 bus station on the other side of the road. Eventually we just sat at a bus station we found and prayed for good luck. I was almost desperate because if I missed the bus I would definitely be late for my class. And then suddenly we saw a bus coming from the right direction saying 68. It was like "Run? RUN!" and we ran like crazy, and I was like "if I die I die with the bus!". The bus started moving and we were yelling for it to stop. And nous avons de la chance! The bus driver was nice enough to stop for us and we made it to be back on time.
We successfully got to Cassis, spent around an hour twenty minutes on the road. The sun was nice and the water was even cleaner than that in Hawaii. I really want to swim in the water like a wet dog but it was icy cold, probably around 14 degrees. I was a little dizzy for having woken up too early, and the whole thing felt like a paradise, except the last part.
We walked back to the bus station without much difficulty. But then the bus driver told us to find the station for the opposite direction, which sounded so easy but turned out to be a complete disaster. We walked for almost half an hour and wasn't able to find the 68 bus station on the other side of the road. Eventually we just sat at a bus station we found and prayed for good luck. I was almost desperate because if I missed the bus I would definitely be late for my class. And then suddenly we saw a bus coming from the right direction saying 68. It was like "Run? RUN!" and we ran like crazy, and I was like "if I die I die with the bus!". The bus started moving and we were yelling for it to stop. And nous avons de la chance! The bus driver was nice enough to stop for us and we made it to be back on time.
On my way walking to IAU, I bought a cake at the said best patisserie in Aix -- Béchard. It was not so pretty, but it was literally SO GOOD, SOOOO GOOD. It was definitely the best cake I've had in my entire life. I couldn't even resist but ate it even the French class started. And my French teacher told me it was a beignet à la crème.
I also saw a street singer on my way to the class and she was singing "Somebody I Used to Know". Her voice is beautiful and it was subtly different from the original version. It made me tremble a little and I stayed to take a short video.
I also saw a street singer on my way to the class and she was singing "Somebody I Used to Know". Her voice is beautiful and it was subtly different from the original version. It made me tremble a little and I stayed to take a short video.
I've booked my train to Paris and a bed in a hostel next to the Louvre for this weekend. I'm so excited and had a busy plan. So -- Bonjour Paris!