Still In 'merica

Well I can't say much so yet about the French way of life, but I am excited beyond words to fly to France.  It seems like a fine idea to have several ideas or preconceived notions about my semester abroad before I go and then check back when I return to home and see if I have any idea what I'm talking about now.

There are so many parts of the French culture that interest me that I'll just choose a couple topics for right now: food, traveling around, and guys with bourrées and red handkerchiefs tied around their necks -- or any other stereotype of french people.

The food will be good.  That's basically all there is to it.  I've heard tales of lavish 3 hour long dinners with families in France; Lunches that last so long that you only get a small break to stretch your legs until dinner is served. Stories have circulated from the other end of the spectrum as well claiming that your stomach will never be full and wallets always empty because of the small delicate portions which lose precedence to artfully prepared dishes.  I look forward to whatever is put on my plate whether a hearty side of beef or a plate of snails or even a bowl full of tasty bone marrow.  Mmm.  No.  No insipid flavors will be served up wherever I may roam.

And since I mentioned roaming, here's a few ideas I have so far about places to experience.

-Already planned a trip to Barcelona with Vanessa for the first weekend in February

-Somewhere on the Southern French Coast

-Brittany

-Bordeaux

-Munich

-Berlin

-Venice

-London

-Prague

-Lyon

-Zadar (in Croatia)

-Brugge

-Amsterdam

This is just a list of ideas.  I don't think I have that many weekends and I won't be heading out every weekend because I could just as easily explore Paris for the entire duration of my trip as I could all of Europe.  So we'll see.  Feel free to list suggestions.

And of the french.  I can really only say that I'm looking forward to talking with them in French.  I've heard all kinds of stories about French people being haughty and annoyed and then probably more seldom stories of gratitude and their kindness.  Right now my idea is that I've got a little in with the French because I can speak their language.  I'm also thinking that they're a culture with a mélange of people with different attitudes and personalities -- just like the mixed salad I come from.  More on this later.

For the rest of my blogs I'm hoping to mostly just say what I've been doing and include some pics.  Enjoy.