Le Début

Arriving in Nantes was very easy but only thanks to the help of 15 other IES students (we all took the same train). Finding my host family at the train station, however, was a little more difficult.

We agreed to meet at the North Exit of the train station, and so I wandered away from the rest of the students who were taking taxis. However, when I searched the main level of the train station (you had to go up stairs or elevators to get there from the train) I could not find the Doucet family for nearly a half hour. In fact, I asked a few women if they were "Madame Doucet" and explained I was a student looking for my host family.

When I finally met up with some students and IES staff at a taxi station, they gasped "MONICA?! Oh no! Your family JUST left within the past minute! They've been looking for you for 30 minutes downstairs with the rest of the students!"

Turns out, we had both been looking for each other in different places. Also, they had taken the stairs, and because of my heavy suitcase, I had taken the elevators.

But one staff member called the family and they came back for me within 10 minutes (all is well that ends well, but sheesh it frazzled me).

That night (the first night) was fairly rough for me as I felt like an extreme outsider in my host family's house and especially at meals when I understood about 5% of the conversation. I'd say that now I can understand at least 25% of their dinner conversation (they do directly talk to me and then I can understand it). They've learned to speak more clearly to me and use phrases that I can more easily understand. My family is incredibly nice -- I could not wish for nicer or more comfortable accommodations.

The first night, my host mother showed me the way to the school (we had to sign in and pick up some packets of information) and she even bought me my first few tram tickets (I have a 20 minute commute: 5 minute walk to the tram, 10 minute tram ride, 5 minute walk to the school). Instead of taking the tram back home, we walked around the two "centres villes" (main parts/centers in the city) and asked several questions of each others' homes, climates, cultures, and lives. It was really a nice conversation.

The program started the next day--orientation. We traveled 3 hours east of Nantes to visit famous castles near the city of Tours for the first of our nearly 2 week long orientation. We stayed in Tours Thursday through Sunday.






After socializing on the 3 hour bus ride and finding a roommate -- Kate, a Junior at Bates College in Maine (who plays Rugby and could kick anyone's butt) -- all the students got settled into hotel rooms. Then we enjoyed our first of several delicious meals that consisted, at the very least, of 3 courses. Varieties of red and white wine ("vin") were served with each dinner.

Then, our social coordinator, Nicola (this is a male name in France), an older French student who works at IES Abroad and who coordinates student activities each semester, led us on a tour through the city of Tours (he did this all 3 nights). There were many stores, restaurants, and bars, and students tried several types of wine, beer, shooters, crapes, and French martinis and smoothies (everyone was exceptionally tired most of the days and generally came back around midnight).

The second and third days we visited several castles ("châteaux"). It was unbearably cold on Friday and especially through the first tour (unfortunately I do not remember the name of the first castle, but I do remember that it was the oldest).

After eating a delicious cheesy seafood pastry appetizer, countless rolls of bread, a beautifully presented entree, and a delectable and fancy apple turnover, we arrived at our second castle, Chenonceau.



We also explored the gardens (there were 2: a smaller one built by the King's mistress who had a house on the King and Queen's property, and a larger one built shortly after by the Queen as a form of rebellion against the situation).



We walked all the way to the back of the castle, across the river to the other side. Although it was a dreary day, the grounds were absolutely magnificent. There was also a labyrinth in which all the students frolicked.


Saturday we visited two more castles, Blois and Chambord.

Blois was perhaps my favorite because of the incredibly interesting history. It is a castle which forms an incomplete square with a large courtyard in the middle.



It is when you stand inside the courtyard that you can observe the vastly varying styles of architecture that each side of the castle flaunts. The components of the castle vary because the entire structure was built over the course of several hundred years, starting with primitive Gothic influences, then flamboyant Gothic influences, later Renaissance architectural style, and finally a Classically styled wing which was built and then never used.



My favorite part of the castle was the ornate and magnificent staircase (on the left). It was constructed in the Renaissance period.




The fourth and last castle we visited was Chambord, a castle that rendered me speechless. Everyone's thoughts were the same: it looked like a Disney castle.



There were exactly 365 fireplaces/chimneys and over 400 rooms. The Mona Lisa and many other paintings and sculptures were briefly kept there when Le Louvre was evacuated (when word of an attack on important cultural artifacts was reported to the government).

The main staircase was a double helix (2 staircases intertwined into 1).  It took me a long time to figure out how this works (and I must admit I'm still not 100% sure). There are windows cut out so that you can see people on the "other" staircase.





When you enter the castle and approach the stairs, you can go under them and inside their very core. The view was very cool when you looked straight up.










When we returned to the hotel, we enjoyed another delicious meal, went out on the town for the last time (for now!) and then went to sleep in preparation for grammar, listening, and reading comprehension tests the next day (Sunday).

The tests took 2.5 hours and were somewhat challenging. They were solely for determining which students needed more or less review in the second week of orientation in which we prepare to register for classes and truly fall into our weekly routines.

I am now back in my bed in Nantes, this is all for tonight.

Love you all. Ask questions when curious.
Monica