Hello!

I have my computer back, so I can take my time with this entry. I think I will start by posting some photos. I will go chronologically...



The Lille Braderie took place the first weekend the ISEP kids were here. It's basically a huge famous flea market that swallows up the entire city. There were so many people- I had never seen an actual "people jam" before. It was perfect for us, because we had the opportunity to buy some of the stuff we really needed. We also tried a regional specialty for lunch - moules frites (mussels and fries)!



Here is my room- it's rather small, but it's my own, and I get my own tiny tiny bathroom too, for which I am very grateful.



And some random pictures from around Lille...










Triolo- notre quartier :)




Me in Brussels! I went with some girls for a weekend trip to see one of my favorite musicians, Patrick Wolf.





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I think that will do for now, I don't want to overload anyone's computers.

Classes are going fairly well, as far as I know. This is because for most of my classes I will only have one grade, and I haven't gotten it yet. I sit in my literature classes and pretend I can keep up with what the teachers are saying. Other courses aren't quite as stressful, for translation I have at least as much as an advantage as the French kids do. It's hard to compare, though, because each class I have over here is really only worth one half or one third of a class back home.

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When I first arrived I was slightly disappointed that so many of the international kids I met were into the clubbing scene. It's expensive, I don't get it, I don't like the music, and personally, I would hardly call that dancing, if you know what I mean. But I discovered that I'm not the only one! Every weekend there are multiple local bands playing in Lille, all different genres. I've seen a ska band, a shoegaze band and a punk band in the past month. I found some venues I really like, and it is so great to support local music.

I am getting used to the accent here - people calling me what sounds like Saro, and when my next door neighbor told me about her pet "ro" it took me forever to figure out she was talking about a rat. I think I lucked out having her as my voisine. We have a lot in common, and she really challenges my communication skills. When I first met her I had NO idea what she was saying. Now I can understand at least half of it. Her boyfriend is in a band and they've invited me to come along to one of their répétitions, it should be fun.

There is a series of postcards I came across in the bookstore, le Furet du Nord, about Nord-Pas-de-Calais, this particular region of France. They poke fun at the ch'ti accent, the weather, etc. Very cute, I think. My favorite is this one
http://www.adelchicon.fr/images/112A-04.jpg
And the rest can be found here
http://www.adelchicon.fr/cartes.html

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Last week was Fall break and I went with some girls to Ireland. We saw Tralee, Limerick, Galway and Dublin. It was fun but I was kind of glad to return to home sweet Triolo. The next couple of weeks are going to be fairly busy, as this is not only when all of my projects seem to be due at the same time, but a friend is coming to visit next week and we are going to see Morrissey at the Lille Aeronef! It always seems to work that way though.

Time for bed, I would like to be somewhat productive tomorrow, I still have some paperwork to finalize. But I can't end this entry without mentioning the GREAT beers that can be found here! Merci, Belgique. ;)



A la prochaine!

Excuses, excuses

So. Funny story. The night before I left, I discovered my computer's cable had become so hot that it melted through the rubber covering, exposing the metal part. Not wanting to die, I took it in to be fixed a few hours before my plane took off. At this point I do not know when I will get it back, and I don't really feel like I can give an adequate first update until I do. There is nothing available at the residence and there is always someone else waiting for these ancient computers Lille 3 has designated for Erasmus/ISEP student use.

Other than this slight frustration, things are going wonderfully here. Our residence (Triolo) is situated in Villeneuve D'Ascq, which is a commune right outside of Lille. The residence is about a 20 minute walk to campus, 5-7 from the nearest Metro stop, and about 10 from the Centre Commerciale where we do our shopping. It's so insanely liveable, especially coming straight here from North Carolina. I already have a favorite pizza place, friterie, and bakery, all in between campus and home.

As for classes, my schedule is as follows:

Monday:

10-12 : Intensive French
13-14h30 : Medieval Lit (Le Chevalier de la Charette)
16 : Translation (French to English)

Wednesday:

No courses, but I meet with my tandem partner.

Thursday:

10h30-12 : Translation (English to French)
13-14h30 : Lit Française (Gil Blas)

Friday:

10-12 : Danish

It's hard to believe but somehow this adds up to 24 ECTS, which is 12 credits for me, the exact number I need.

I am going to stop here because I think this building is actually closing soon... but hopefully by the next entry I will be able to post not only what I am up to these days, but pictures as well.

Ciao!

..maybe next time I will also have a more clever way to end the entry, huh?

preparation.

Last ten days before departure.

I feel ready to leave.

Acquired visa.
Bought (and re-bought) plane ticket.
Finished work.
Saw best friend.
Received lovely mix from a friend with impeccable taste entitled "Music for France (and her times in between)".
Have a clear idea of the classes I need to take and a vague idea of the classes I am going to take.
Looked up bands that will be in Lille during the next couple of months (Morrissey!, Placebo and Massive Attack, and Gérald Genty will be touring l'hexagone throughout the Fall so I am sure I could catch him somewhere).
Connected to the réseau social for Lille 3 and sent messages to several other exchange kids who will be there.
Scoured the internet (unfruitfully) for pictures of my dorm, Résidence Triolo, because I am REALLY excited to move in.
Looked into buying a secondhand bike when I get there and came across http://www.marche.fr, wonder if it's reliable?
Notified two different coordinators of my arrival in Lille and hope that the lack of response isn't as bad as it seems. They are on vacation...right?

Official date of arrival: September 2, Charles de Gaulle, bright-and-early AM. On the third we have a language test and registration for classes followed by a week of intensive language courses. Thank god for that. As departure is sneaking up on me I am getting more and more nervous about my French. Whenever I talk to an ISEP student who will be arriving on the ninth as opposed to the first or second, I can't help but think "Oh no, is this person's French really so good that they just don't even want the free intensive language classes?" However it is also possible they made the same mistake I did and bought their tickets according to the dates that were originally given to us back in May (and were revised in mid July) and didn't want to pay to get them changed (it's not cheap).

More immediately I have to start focusing on packing, which seems a daunting task but also a fun challenge... to prepare myself for an entire (academic) year! I think it's laundry time...