I've realized over the past few days that blogging can be a good thing. I realize that it's been a long, long time since I've posted, but, I'm a college student and therefore very busy. One of my friends recently updated their facebook status with a link to their blog. After reading it, I felt not only encouraged, but inspired to return to blogging. And so here it is. My return to blogging.
I was thinking recently about how important this time of my life is. In college you make so many decisions that will effect the rest of your life. And they are not small decisions. Huge decisions are thrown at you every day. There is also so much happening that I know I will never want to forget. Which is another reason for this return to blogging. I want to remember this time of my life and everything that was important in it. So here it goes: Project Scrapbook. I've decided that is what I will name my blog. I have no where near the time that is necessary to make a real scrapbook. So instead this will be my virtual one.
I just finished my fall semester of my junior year in college. Because I will be graduating a little late, that means that I only have 4 semesters left. It also means that I have completed 5 semesters. I realize that means I'm over halfway done but 4 more semesters seems like so long. I just hope they all go like this past semester: super busy and therefore super fast.
A lot of things have been different this semester. I'm on the apartment staff, which I love. I quit band, which I miss. I changed my major, again, to elementary education, which I am excited about. And Lucas and I have become closer than ever, which is frustrating at times because I am even more impatient for marriage. Which brings me to something else. I read someone's blog recently about being patient for God's time. God will make the pieces all fit together eventually and it will definitely be worth the wait. Patience is something that I have always struggled with because I'm always waiting for the next thing. Tying patience to God's time is definitely something that I needed to hear and it's something that I plan on focusing on.
I think that's all that I have for now. I'm positive that I will be back.
-Kristina
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
Changes.
As my time in France is slowly coming to an end, I have begun to think about how this journey has changed me. While some changes I expected, others I would never have even considered. Also, I have not made a lot of changes that I thought I would. I don't feel as though I've matured, or gotten older. I don't feel like my French has really improved too drastically, although, I'm sure it has a lot more than what I think. And, while before I thought I would want to move to France immediately, I'm still content with staying in America.
I have changed in these ways though, most of them having to do with food:
1.) I can successfully eat a full meal with my left hand. In France, it's rude to change hands if you are cutting something, so if you have a knife in your right hand, you are suppose to eat with your left hand. At the beginning, this was very very difficult. I would get so frustrated and sometimes end up just eating with my hands instead. Haha. Now, I've learned the ways. I've studied my family, and my professors while they ate. Prefecting the art of eating. Haha. It really is a lot more difficult than it seems. So, I'm sorry if I look funny while eating when I come home, it's normal here.
2.) I love eating fruit. In the U.S. it would take a good piece of fruit already cut up and ready for me to eat for me to really enjoy it. Here, I go to the supermarket all the time, and then as soon as I leave, start eating my fruit. Without cutting it up, and most of the time without washing it. It's just so delicious. I think that I will come back craving fruit on a fairly regular basis.
3.) I look forward to dinners that involve cucumbers or tomatoes. If I had been given a meal in the U.S. like that I probably would just have walked away. I guess I really just needed a push to try these things. In fact, today at lunch, I ate a handful of cherry tomatoes without giving it a second thought. And they were delicious.
4.) My instincts have started being in French. When I bump into someone I instantly say pardon, or excusez-moi, rather than sorry. I never thought I would do that. It's hard to break old habits, but I have apparently.
5.) I wash a lot of clothes in the sink. At home, doing this would be crazy. But I'm actually okay with it. It only takes a few minutes and then they're ready to wear the next day.
6.) Sleeping without air conditioner to keep me cool was a big change that I had to make. At the beginning, it was difficult, and I would wake up in the night sweating and uncomfortable. Now, more times than not, I sleep through the night even though I'm sweating. I've actually forgotten what it's like to have air conditioner. Use to, I would walk into a building, expecting the coolness to come over me. Now, I walk into a building already anticipating the higher temperatures of being indoors.
I think thats all the really major changes. And that's all I have for you.
Kristina
p.s. I miss my boyfriend more than anything in the world. But I get to come home to him in 7 days.
I have changed in these ways though, most of them having to do with food:
1.) I can successfully eat a full meal with my left hand. In France, it's rude to change hands if you are cutting something, so if you have a knife in your right hand, you are suppose to eat with your left hand. At the beginning, this was very very difficult. I would get so frustrated and sometimes end up just eating with my hands instead. Haha. Now, I've learned the ways. I've studied my family, and my professors while they ate. Prefecting the art of eating. Haha. It really is a lot more difficult than it seems. So, I'm sorry if I look funny while eating when I come home, it's normal here.
2.) I love eating fruit. In the U.S. it would take a good piece of fruit already cut up and ready for me to eat for me to really enjoy it. Here, I go to the supermarket all the time, and then as soon as I leave, start eating my fruit. Without cutting it up, and most of the time without washing it. It's just so delicious. I think that I will come back craving fruit on a fairly regular basis.
3.) I look forward to dinners that involve cucumbers or tomatoes. If I had been given a meal in the U.S. like that I probably would just have walked away. I guess I really just needed a push to try these things. In fact, today at lunch, I ate a handful of cherry tomatoes without giving it a second thought. And they were delicious.
4.) My instincts have started being in French. When I bump into someone I instantly say pardon, or excusez-moi, rather than sorry. I never thought I would do that. It's hard to break old habits, but I have apparently.
5.) I wash a lot of clothes in the sink. At home, doing this would be crazy. But I'm actually okay with it. It only takes a few minutes and then they're ready to wear the next day.
6.) Sleeping without air conditioner to keep me cool was a big change that I had to make. At the beginning, it was difficult, and I would wake up in the night sweating and uncomfortable. Now, more times than not, I sleep through the night even though I'm sweating. I've actually forgotten what it's like to have air conditioner. Use to, I would walk into a building, expecting the coolness to come over me. Now, I walk into a building already anticipating the higher temperatures of being indoors.
I think thats all the really major changes. And that's all I have for you.
Kristina
p.s. I miss my boyfriend more than anything in the world. But I get to come home to him in 7 days.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Annecy, c'est beau.
Once again another week has passed. The good news this time is that there is only one more. Yep, that's right. In 9 days I will be back in the wonderful United States.
Last week went very fast. We only had two days of class so it wasn't really a big deal. And then on Friday we went to St. Remy's de Provence. That's a city that van Gogh spent a lot of time in. It's where the mental hospital that he stayed in is. It was kinda neat to see his room and where he lived. There was also a bunch of roman ruins in this town. They had just recently been dug up, like within the last 100 years. It was really really cool to see because the ruins were still so intact. You could still see the structures of the buildings.
Saturday I went to Lyon with Lexy and Jared. It was fun we just hung out and walked around all day. Lyon is the third largest city in France, but yet, there wasn't a whole lot to see. However, it was a lot more modern than Paris and a lot more relaxed.
Sunday was the best day I've had here I think. Me and Lexy went to Annecy. I'm completely in love with that town. It's so beautiful. It's a small town that is located at the foot of the Alps. It has a beautiful lake at the edge of the town and on the other side of the lake is the Alps. The lake was crystal clear and it looked more like a pool than a lake. Me and Lexy rented paddle boats and went out onto the water. It was so fun.
On Monday IES decided that all of us students should attend the theater festival in Avignon. So we all were brought back to Avignon. It was a really long day. And the plays weren't very exciting. For the most part the plays were monologues, so it was very difficult for us to understand without much action.
Tuesday went by with nothing exciting happening. Once again though, I was glad to be home. It was a nice feeling.
This week is almost over and now I only have 3 days of class left. I'm so anxious to come home. It's all I think about all the time. I miss my boyfriend like crazy.
Well, I think that's all I have for now.
Last week went very fast. We only had two days of class so it wasn't really a big deal. And then on Friday we went to St. Remy's de Provence. That's a city that van Gogh spent a lot of time in. It's where the mental hospital that he stayed in is. It was kinda neat to see his room and where he lived. There was also a bunch of roman ruins in this town. They had just recently been dug up, like within the last 100 years. It was really really cool to see because the ruins were still so intact. You could still see the structures of the buildings.
Saturday I went to Lyon with Lexy and Jared. It was fun we just hung out and walked around all day. Lyon is the third largest city in France, but yet, there wasn't a whole lot to see. However, it was a lot more modern than Paris and a lot more relaxed.
Sunday was the best day I've had here I think. Me and Lexy went to Annecy. I'm completely in love with that town. It's so beautiful. It's a small town that is located at the foot of the Alps. It has a beautiful lake at the edge of the town and on the other side of the lake is the Alps. The lake was crystal clear and it looked more like a pool than a lake. Me and Lexy rented paddle boats and went out onto the water. It was so fun.
On Monday IES decided that all of us students should attend the theater festival in Avignon. So we all were brought back to Avignon. It was a really long day. And the plays weren't very exciting. For the most part the plays were monologues, so it was very difficult for us to understand without much action.
Tuesday went by with nothing exciting happening. Once again though, I was glad to be home. It was a nice feeling.
This week is almost over and now I only have 3 days of class left. I'm so anxious to come home. It's all I think about all the time. I miss my boyfriend like crazy.
Well, I think that's all I have for now.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
J'aime le buerre de cacahuetes.
Another week is nearing an end. And yes, while it feels like I have been here forever. It has gone by quickly. If that makes any sense at all. I spent the week-end in Paris. Therefore. I have a lot to talk about.
It all started Friday morning. At 7 o'clock to be exact. We all walked down to the gare. Ready and excited for the adventure ahead of us. We all love the TGV and it has quickly become our favorite way to travel. The TGV is a big train that goes all through France. It's great because one, it's air conditioned, and two, it's fast. So, we got into Paris around 11:00.
After navigating the subway systems and getting lost in the 14th, we found our hotel. And what a nice hotel it was. The people were so nice. It was kinda funny, because she spoke english to us, and we responded in French without even really realizing it. Good times.
After finding our hotel we decided that finding food would be an awesome idea. So, it was off to a supermarche. We all bought stuff for a picnic and returned to the hotel to have a picnic on a hotel bed. It was great. We then decided to be a little more ambitious. We traveled back into the center of Paris and went to an Andy Warhol exhibit that was at the bottom of the champs elysees. It was really neat and I think we all enjoyed that. By this time, of course, we were hungry again. It's amazing how often we ate. But we ate at a cafe and then we got on a boat called the Bateaux Mauche. It took us on the Seine around Paris. It was very beautiful and a great way to see Paris by night.
Saturday was my favorite day. We went to Versaille and went to the Palace and the gardens. The gardens were my favorite part. We had brought food and so we had a picnic in the gardens and also rented bikes for an hour and rode around. It was so pretty and one of the most relaxing things ever. Saturday night we wanted to chill because we'd been going so much. So we returned to the hotel, for another picnic in the room for dinner, and then we went to see Public Enemies. It was an okay movie, but the part I liked was that it was in English with French subtitles. We all enjoyed reading the subtitles because it was interesting to see how they translated certain things.
Sunday we got up early and went to Musee d'Orsay as well as the Pompidou. I liked both of those museums a lot and hope to someday go back and visit them when I have a little more time. It was my first time to be at a museum with really famous artists. I enjoyed it a lot.
Monday we went up to Sacre Couer. That's a big church on top of a big hill. Not only is the church beautiful, but it gives a beautiful view of Paris. We then were all anxious to get home.
It was so weird to us how we all felt like we were going home. On Friday, when I left, I would never have thought of this place as home, but after having been in Paris all week-end, it was home. I was happy to be home and it was good for me because it gave me new confidence. I only have 15 days left and then I'm leaving. I just have to make the best of it and keep going.
Yesterday was Bastille Day. For those who don't know, it's basically France's independence day. I was really excited to get to see fireworks since I didn't get to on my birthday. They were really pretty because they did them on the far bank of the Rhone river. That way, everyone was on the other side. It was beautiful because you could see the reflections of the fireworks in the water. Also, there was a boat in the middle of the river that had fireworks coming off of it. It was just good.
School is going okay. I only have 7 days of class left. So that's good.
Okay. That's all for now.
It all started Friday morning. At 7 o'clock to be exact. We all walked down to the gare. Ready and excited for the adventure ahead of us. We all love the TGV and it has quickly become our favorite way to travel. The TGV is a big train that goes all through France. It's great because one, it's air conditioned, and two, it's fast. So, we got into Paris around 11:00.
After navigating the subway systems and getting lost in the 14th, we found our hotel. And what a nice hotel it was. The people were so nice. It was kinda funny, because she spoke english to us, and we responded in French without even really realizing it. Good times.
After finding our hotel we decided that finding food would be an awesome idea. So, it was off to a supermarche. We all bought stuff for a picnic and returned to the hotel to have a picnic on a hotel bed. It was great. We then decided to be a little more ambitious. We traveled back into the center of Paris and went to an Andy Warhol exhibit that was at the bottom of the champs elysees. It was really neat and I think we all enjoyed that. By this time, of course, we were hungry again. It's amazing how often we ate. But we ate at a cafe and then we got on a boat called the Bateaux Mauche. It took us on the Seine around Paris. It was very beautiful and a great way to see Paris by night.
Saturday was my favorite day. We went to Versaille and went to the Palace and the gardens. The gardens were my favorite part. We had brought food and so we had a picnic in the gardens and also rented bikes for an hour and rode around. It was so pretty and one of the most relaxing things ever. Saturday night we wanted to chill because we'd been going so much. So we returned to the hotel, for another picnic in the room for dinner, and then we went to see Public Enemies. It was an okay movie, but the part I liked was that it was in English with French subtitles. We all enjoyed reading the subtitles because it was interesting to see how they translated certain things.
Sunday we got up early and went to Musee d'Orsay as well as the Pompidou. I liked both of those museums a lot and hope to someday go back and visit them when I have a little more time. It was my first time to be at a museum with really famous artists. I enjoyed it a lot.
Monday we went up to Sacre Couer. That's a big church on top of a big hill. Not only is the church beautiful, but it gives a beautiful view of Paris. We then were all anxious to get home.
It was so weird to us how we all felt like we were going home. On Friday, when I left, I would never have thought of this place as home, but after having been in Paris all week-end, it was home. I was happy to be home and it was good for me because it gave me new confidence. I only have 15 days left and then I'm leaving. I just have to make the best of it and keep going.
Yesterday was Bastille Day. For those who don't know, it's basically France's independence day. I was really excited to get to see fireworks since I didn't get to on my birthday. They were really pretty because they did them on the far bank of the Rhone river. That way, everyone was on the other side. It was beautiful because you could see the reflections of the fireworks in the water. Also, there was a boat in the middle of the river that had fireworks coming off of it. It was just good.
School is going okay. I only have 7 days of class left. So that's good.
Okay. That's all for now.
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