Stuck

As many of you know, France just didn't want to let go of me, but we'll get to that.

My friend Yves picked me up from the train station in Paris. I was very grateful to have someone help me get to my hostel since I wasn't too excited about taking my 50 pound suitcase on the metro by myself. We stopped at a Christmas market to get some sausage and then headed out towards the Louvre since my hostel was in that district. Once we dropped off my stuff we walked around the area and did some shopping since DeeDee and Shaylee wouldn't be meeting me until later.

Once they arrived we went out to eat and then headed out to see the Champs Elysees in its Christmas glory. The Champs Elysees is long street of shops that ends at the Arc de Triomphe. At Christmastime, it is supposed to be the most beautifully decorated road and they even put up a ferris wheel at the other end.

The next day, bright and early and with some help and directions from DeeDee I headed out towards Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport. First I had to take the metro and then the RER (all with lots of luggage) because CDG is actually a half an hour by train outside of Paris. Once I got there, I found out that my flight was cancelled, but there was another one through my company AerLingus at the same time. So I went to that gate and found a rather large line. I came to learn that since CDG was closed on Sunday, there were people who had been stuck at the airport since then (My flight was supposed to be on a Tuesday) so they had cancelled ours for them. I wasn't too worried since I figured AerLingus would get us on another flight shortly. There was supposed to be two other flights that day and they told us they were sending bigger planes so we hoped we could get on if we waited long enough. 

AerLingus is an Irish airline so most of the planes come from Dublin and have connections in Dublin. Unfortunately for us it was at this time that Dublin closed due to a huge snowstorm. Now they had over three flights worth of people waiting for seats. There were many empty promises and miscommunications along the way since there were no AerLingus employees in CDG as it was sub-run by another company. We were being told to rebook our flights online. We were told that once we got to Dublin, they'd take good care of us since that's where AerLingus headquarters are located. I was lucky enough to find one on the 24th, but for most everything was booked until after Christmas. Even then I was worried that Dublin would close again or they'd cancel the flight. Plus that would be three nights in CDG. 

I quickly made friends with a group of college students. Most of us were study abroad students trying to get home for the holidays who were too poor to go stay in a hotel and had too much stuff with them to want to take the train again. They didn't offer us hotels, they said that we could send in receipts later, which didn't really help when we didn't have to money to buy it then. Knowing that no flights were leaving until the next day, we got $10 food vouchers and took turns watching each others stuff. The airport didn't like us all sleeping there and queuing so they blocked off a section for us and gave us what I call my little survival kit and what were basically yoga mats for the night.

It included a blanket, toothpaste/ toothbrush, eyemask, earplugs, water, facewips and socks!

After a poor nights sleep we woke up at four in the morning to start a line, which turned out to be pointless because when the next flight came, they only took people who had tickets. They had cancelled our flight for others, but they wouldn't do the same for us! They had to have security guards come and then they started making a waiting list. Priority was to families and everything was by how long you had been waiting. Basically, I was at the end of the list and there were hundreds of people waiting.

It was then that I learned of an escape plan. One of the people I had been waiting with had gone up to AirFrance who is partnered with AerLingus and found a seat on a flight. He explained to me what to do. First I had to find open flights online. We searched and found a few (All of them were about $6000 to buy that day, but since it would transferring the ticket, we wouldn't have to pay that) Then when we went up to the AirFrance ticket office the women at the desk said they really needed to help their customers and couldn't be finding tickets for the four hundred people waiting downstairs, BUT since we were there she said she would help. I was sooo grateful! Then she found me a flight, for that day, three hours from that time. I took the reservations, then I had to run down to AerLingus and get it confirmed that they would switch me over. Luckily the line was composed of my newly made friends and they let me cut them knowing that I didn't have much time.

By the time I had my tickets I had two hours until my flight which was in a different terminal. I took the tram and once I was there I was searching for the place to check my baggage and found myself looking at a huge line. I walked close to the front and asked a french father and daughter what the line was for. They said all flights for AirFrance check their baggage from that line. I was getting a little panicky that I wouldn't make it through the line on time, but they assured me their flight was even earlier than mine and told me to stay with them in line. I was so grateful to them. It turns out they were going to New York City for the holidays and here all I wanted was to get home.

Once through the long line, next was security and then to find my gate. I made it just in time for what was supposed to be the boarding time. It was a little delayed for which I was actually relieved. I immediately got on my computer and told my mom, "Get in the car, I have a flight!" since they had to drive to Chicago to pick me up.

Once on the plane (I didn't get my hopes up or relax until we had actually taken off, since it was looking pretty foggy outside), I learned just how good of luck I had. The AirFrance lady had booked me the last seat on the flight and it was business class! They hung up my coat, gave me an even nicer care kit (with more socks!), had a spot for me to put my shoes and the chairs were the most comfortable thing ever with foot rests and a remote control to adjust the settings. I was sooo happy and everyone noticed too, a woman told me, "Someone's happy" and I explained my situation to her. The hostesses overheard and started flocking to me in disbelief and sympathy. They told me, "We are going to take such good care of you, we'll get you some food and you'll sleep well..." It was AWESOME! I talked to my neighbor who was an Austrian man who now lives in Florida. When it was mealtime I couldn't believe that I had a whole menu and I could get anything, for FREE!!! So I decided to have a bordeaux wine to say goodbye to Pau. I also ate fois gras and caviar, and other delicious things. The dessert was amazing and when I told the hostess this, she offered me more! haha Before and after the meals we received hot towels to wipe our hands and face. Then for breakfast we had oranges with cinnamon on them, which was surprisingly good and some kind of fish. I traded my fish for my neighbor's cookie. :] 

After all of the food, I was getting tired so I decided to watch planet earth and then take a snooze. It felt so good to sleep on something so comfortable! I even used the eyemask. I also played a lot of hangman and solitaire on the computers. They had a cool function called Your Flight where you could see your trajectory or you could view the camera they had on the bottom of the plane to see the clouds below.

After we landed in Detriot I had 2 hours to get to my connection to Chicago. I had to pick up my baggage and declare it then recheck it, go through customs and then through security again. I made it with time to spare only to find out that my plane was having mechanical problems. My parents were already in Chicago and it was the last flight out to Chicago for the day. Luckily, they found us another plane and we took off two hours late, so neither I nor my parents had to spend another night in the airport. All my luggage arrived in tact, I got some Starbucks and we drove to Green Bay that night to stay at my Aunts. Then finally in the morning we drove to Marquette and I made it home at last!

Goodbyes

Soon enough the last days of classes were upon us.

One of our professors Mary Christine invited us to her apartment for a soup luncheon and to watch a movie for our last day of class with her. It was a delicious soup with duck in it that had had to cook over a day. 

With our other class had a celebration. In the morning we watched Les Choristes and then in the afternoon we all brought in food and drink. In the typical French style we had champagne, wine and alcoholic cider, all in class! We also had many different types of cake: Kings cake, Christmas cake, Basque cake, cookies and more! 

Kings cake is traditionally the cake for the Epiphany, however they eat it a month or so before as well. The way it works is that there is a plastic baby hidden inside the cake and whoever receives the piece with the baby, is King or Queen for the day. To decide who gets which pieces the youngest person must go underneath the table and call out the names of everyone in the order that the pieces are then given. Our King for the day was Yin who chose Nadya as his Queen.

We gave our wonderful professor Mary Paul some flowers and a class photo in thanks for all she taught us. The class had prepared a surprise for the four USAC students. (Everyone else was staying for the whole year) We received place mates with photos of the region on which all the other students had written us notes. We also celebrated Andys birthday early since we would be gone in January. We ended with one last game of Pictionary. I really love my class and wouldn't have wanted to be placed in any other :]

That night USAC threw us a goodbye dinner. Everyone dressed up and headed out to the restaurant. I ordered a steak forgetting that the French eat theirs quite bloody. My steak was sooo red, but I ate it anyways keeping with my goal of trying everything once! Greg made a big toast (although no one cried :P) and we even had a visit from Santa Claus. By Santa, I mean Ryan (our program assistant director) dressed in a Santa suit which was missing the beard, so his beard consisted of a bunch of cotton taped to his face. He came in passing out chocolate covered raisons from the chocolate factory we had visited as a group.

Wednesday was my first day without class, but I went onto campus anyways to meet Gabby, my conversation partner for our last meal together. Of course "le Vague" the cafeteria was serving kangaroo like they did on my first day there. On that first day I had told myself that I would try kangaroo another time and I took this as a sign and tried it. It was kind of like slimy beef. When we were finished eating, we had a photo shoot.

I miss her already!

Then it was time to teach my last day of English to my cute little girls. We had an hour of class where we played sales vendor and the girls got to buy candy canes and drawings. We also played duck, duck, goose, hot and cold and practiced some other basic conversations as well. Then all of the families came and we had a little Christmas party. The Moms of the girls gave me two French cookbooks (one of desserts and one of actual meals) all of traditional foods of the region. It was sad when all of the little girls asked me when I would be coming back and I had to say I don't know.

Angelina, Melina, Selma, Ambre, Kiara and Anna

My cute class minus Margo

I think this picture shows their attention span well

Thursday was our big exam the TCF which is a standardized test that places our language level. Afterword Summer, Courtney, Danielle and I all decided to treat ourselves to a trip to the Spa. We went to a Spa called Caliceo (It was actually a Best Western). It was pretty awesome. There were two indoor pools and two outdoor pools. There were jets and spouts all around which gave the perfect water massage. They also had a sauna which was at 90 degrees Celcius and an aromatherapy room. Needless to say by the time we left, I felt pretty relaxed.

Then it came to be my last night with Evonne, my apartment mate. We had champagne with my host parents. It was funny because at the end of the night when we would normally drink tisanne, everyone was too full and my host dad joked that champagne was Evonnes tisanne. (Tisane is an herbal drink that helps one to sleep)

My host parents

On my last day with my host family I spent the day with the kids. We did a lot of coloring. It was super cute because they kept mimicking my drawings and they even gave me some to remember them by. We watched Scooby Doo in French and Juliette dressed up as a princess of course!

As a goodbye present I made my host family chocolate chip cookies and I printed off some family photos I had taken of them and even framed one. Felix was eating the cookies for breakfast. haha My host parents have a notebook where all of their students write them a goodbye note, so I wrote mine as well. It was a little intimidating because my host parents have had students for seven years, that thing was pretty full! In the morning it was bisous and hugs all around. Again the kids kept asking me when I would be back. My host Dad dropped me off at the train station and I watched as the Pyrenees Mountains looked smaller and smaller.

Biarritz

Biarritz was my last road trip.

First we took the train to Bayonne since Courtney had rented a cello there and we had to return it. Then we took the bus to Biarritz. Biarritz is a town on the ocean where lots of people move when they retire. We didn't have the best weather since it was rather windy and rainy, but it was beautiful there all the same. (I'll let the pictures speak for themselves on that) We escaped the weather for a little by trying Galettes at a restaurant. Galettes are a type of salty crepe with eggs and meat inside and are a traditional plate of the southwest.

Then we walked down to the beach and saw the palace that was built by Empress Eugenie the wife of Napoleon III. It was a modern looking palace and is now a hotel, so we could only see the outside. The waves were large on the ocean, but that didn't stop a couple of surfers from trying. 

the palace is on the left

We walked along the shoreline until we reached the famous statue of Mary which is on a rock that sticks out into the ocean. It was pretty amidst the crashing waves, although walking out there was a little more nerve-wracking. 

She's the tiny white statue in the distance

Next to her there was a small ruin, I'm not sure what it was but there were little steps carved into rocks which led into a small chamber. 

Our next stop was a chocolate shop to pick up some chocolates as a gift for Courtney's host Dad. Of course once we were there we couldn't resist getting some sort of dessert, I got a chocolate mousse thing. It had three different layers of chocolate,  needless to say it was delicious. Courtney got a raspberry and rum dessert.

We spent the rest of the day shopping at Christmas markets and then it was time to take the train back to Pau.

Fondu

Our prof had recommended a really good fondu restaurant downtown so some of us decided to check it out one night. I was a little skeptical since I'm not always a huge cheese fan, BUT much to my surprise I absolutely adored it! We ordered a big variety and shared it all. We had two different cheese sauces, red and white wine, duck and beef and then afterwards a fruit and chocolate fondu. It's a neat experience because they put the pots over heated candles. For the sauces they give you chunks of break and little skewers so you stab the bread and dip it in. For the meat you skewer it and leave it in the boiling oil to cook.

CHEEEESE!

CHOCOLATE!

The Christmas Season

The Christmas Season in Pau found the town decked out in decorations. The town center had lights strung everywhere! They had a Christmas playground for the children and Christmas markets for the shoppers with warm wine and cider. Also, since it only snowed twice in Pau while I was there, they set up a false sledding hill so that the kids could still go sledding!

My host family took me shopping downtown with the kids and they enjoyed playing in the Christmas scene. Note: There is sand instead of snow! There is also a little house with a mailbox where the kids can put their letters to Santa!

The playground

Enjoying the lights before going out to dinner

The university put on Christmas meal, mostly for foreign exchange students, but really for anyone who wanted. It was the first time I tried fois gras (duck liver) and I really enjoyed it! All the food was delicious!

Sitting with my class

Even included Orangina :]

After the meal there was a mini talent show. There were dancers and Christmas carols in multiple languages. A group of USACers sang Happy Christmas and I sang a medley of Christmas carols in French (Vive le Vent, Mon Beau Sapin et Petit Papa Noël) and I'll Be Home For Christmas while playing my ukulele. After that they had a raffle, the prizes were wine and Santa hats. We won a bottle of wine for our class (Which we drank on the last day) and my teacher won a Santa hat, claiming it looked prettier on my head, she gave it to me. 

"So this is Christmas..."

Courtney and I went to a Christmas concert at her church. It was really convenient because I knew almost all the songs that they sang (although I knew the English words and not the French words of course) but still, I knew the meaning, so it was very enjoyable. The cutest part were all of the little kids who played angels and sheep :]

 

My host family put up a real Christmas tree and one night we walked around some neighborhoods looking at all of the decorations! It was weird to see Christmas lights on palm trees without snow, but it's normal there.

Castles, Shopping and Tea

Finally, at the very end of my stay in Pau, I went on a tour of the famous castle of Pau. The biggest tower is 33 meters tall. It's most famous occupant was King Henri IV. We went on a guided tour of the rooms such as the dining room, bedrooms, welcoming rooms, etc. 

There were chandeliers inside that were commissioned for Versailles, very ornate and beautiful. Also, the rooms all had the old fashioned style of beds that were often short. This was because they feared sleeping horizontally since it was considered a position for the dead, so they would sleep sitting angled slightly up. There were also many old tapestries, paintings and statues. One thing that was really cool was this huge, golden jewelry box that was made in Spain, but has secrets compartments.

On Saturday I spent the afternoon in downtown Pau, a day of shopping and eating with my wonderful language partner. It was a fun day of learning french style, trying on clothes and buying Christmas presents. I did get the biggest, softest, warmest, fluffiest scarf ever to keep me warm when I return to Tech 

Gabby and I

This weekend in all of France was the Telethon which is where everyone raises money for scientific research for diseases for children. It was a huge deal and in Pau, they set up a stage next to the castle where they had performers including singers and a band that was playing basque music. There were lots of people dressed in costumes and I also saw an 18 person bicycle. 

In the evening I went with my host family to a family mass where there were tons and tons of kids and the church was full. They had an electric guitar and good music! This is the first time that I've been to a mass like that in France! I was so happy :] Plus, since it was a children's mass, he spoke slower and I could understand a lot more. The mass was celebrating the journey that Felix, Juliette and others are starting as they prepare for their first communion. Unfortunately, the church was still cold as they only heating was the electric chandeliers like is common practice in France.

The other day in class, one of the Japanese students did her presentation on the Japanese ceremony called the Tea Ceremony. All the actions are very precise and everything is done in a very particular way as tradition requires. At the end of her presentation, they performed the ceremony for us in their traditional garb. It was so cool to see it! Everything they did had purpose and meaning, it was so interesting to watch and of course to admire the robes as well :] And of course the best part is that afterwards she made us all the traditional food and tea for us to try. When you drink the tea, you do it in three drinks. Also, the food that accompanies it, is very sugary. I love that I am learning so much about so many different cultures, not just France!

Lourdes

This morning was another early one. We woke up at six in the morning in order to take a taxi to the train station and catch the early train to Lourdes. Unfortunately, we missed the first train, so we walked to a cafe. It ended up being great because we drank some coffee/ hot chocolate and ate crescents while watching the sunrise over the Pyrenees. A guy came up to us after hearing us speak English and asked if we wanted to take his graduate level Thanksgiving quiz. It was amusing and we did pretty well on it. (Especially the ones about modern day Thanksgiving customs :P)

After that we caught our train and upon entering found out that it had compartments, just like in Harry Potter. I liked having the privacy of it; we could be our loud American selves without shame. haha

When we arrived, the first thing we did was buy some bottles into which we could put the healing water. Then we walked to the basilica which was built over the spot where Saint Bernadette saw Mary and dug the spring. It is huge and beautiful. At the front there is a spot which contains the many crosses that pilgrims have brought from all over the world.

The church is like three churches built on top of each other. Inside the first there are beautiful mosaics of all the stations of the cross. The second story has the crypt/ chapel and the third is another church. Also, the walls on all the floors are covered in bricks that have inscriptions on them, all thanking Marie and Bernadette for the blessings of Lourdes.

Next we walked to the area where they have prayer candles. They have HUGE wax candles and smaller ones as well. I bought one to light for some prayer requests.

Then to the best part! The cave where Mary appeared to Bernadette and the spot where the spring originated.

This is where Mary appeared!

The original spot where she dug is now covered by glass, but the springs have been tapped into faucets so that more people can access it more efficiently. You can bath in the very cold mountain water as well for healing, but in the summer months you will wait on average of four hours to do it.

Next we went to the underground church where they hold the international masses. The building is just plain cement, but it can fit 15,000 people in it! It kind of reminds me of a large parking garage, only a church... As we headed back to the train station we stopped at a Boulangerie so that Sheridan could try a baguette while she was in France and then we stopped in to see the church where Bernadette was baptized. It was pretty, but they had a mass or service of some type going on, so we didn't wander around.