The Past Few Days

Yes I semi-failed again with blogging consistently. Heh.

So the last few days and weekend were very nice! The weather cleared up for a few days and it made for a good travel weekend :)

So Friday, Chelsea and I went to the Mediatheque (mini library) and researched where to go the next day. We knew it would be close, and looked at Mont Saint-Michel, or Bayeux. Now having a rail pass that guarantees 25% off all train tickets, and many times it will be 50%+, round trip tickets to Mont St-Michel would be around 25euro and to Bayeux, only 6euro (it was 15 min away). Bayeux it was! We were looking up times when this American guy in the CEFE program approached us. Garrett is his name, most likely spelled wrong...and we talked for a while about the French program and travelling around. He showed us a few good mini towns around Caen to go exploring and we talked about how we were going to Bayeux.

For the rest of Friday, Chelsea and I went into town, did a few errands, ate some delicious ice cream, and at 6:55, realized we had forgotten about the 'Youth' Group happening at the Church at 7! Fail. Next week. So I headed back to a relaxing night.  We invited other friends to go with us the next day but they wanted to wait for the scheduled trip with the CEFE program because it was guided (but also 25euro!). Fair enough!

We planned to leave for Bayeux around 9 and ran into Noelle and Ed at the train station! They were on their way to Mont-Saint-Michel at the same time! Funny coincidence. SO our train ride was super short, we were the first stop, and we hopped off, suddenly realizing we had no clue where we were going, or really what we were going to be doing in this town.

The only thing Chelsea and I had heard to do was go see the "Tapestries" and there were some memorial things to do from D-Day. Whelp. None of that is near the train station. Just a few roads. Haha...awk.

We see a sign that points to a tourism office down the road and so we start walking. It is a BEAUTIFUL day, so we were soaking up the sunshine and just enjoying our mini-adventure. On our way to the tourism office, we saw big buses with old people exiting, tour buses! We knew they would know where they were going, so we started to follow them, and the Tapestries were right there! Perfect.

So the Tapestries are really this really long sewn picture story from William the Conqueror. It tells how he went from Duke of Normandy to King of England with I don't even know how many scenes, 40 something maybe? 70 something? A lot. You walk through a tunnel type thing and it is on the wall lit up. And as you listen through a mini headset, someone recounts and interprets the story to you! Super super interesting because you get an excellent history lesson combined with fun ancient pictures. This happened almost 1000 years ago? or more? I wish I knew my facts haha, but you can just Google it.

After, we circled around Bayeux for a while, and ran into a massive beautiful Cathedral, which we explored, then got to the tourist office. They gave us a map, and circled where a good Memorial museum and cemetery was for us to visit. But it was noon, and the memorial museum closed for lunch, so we had 2 hours to find some food and relax in the sun. As we were walking trying to find food, we looked across the street and who do we see? Garrett! Hahaha, we run over to him and he joins us for lunch. We go to a Pizzeria and just talk for long while. Then the three of us head to the Memorial Museum.

Even though I only absorbed around 10% (maybe) of the information, I feel overloaded. Bayeux (Caen too), are right where the D-Day beach invasions took place during WW2, and this museum was dedicated to remembering all the Ally soldiers who liberated France! Super interesting because you are learning about something that happened right where you were, to the people around you. So much different than learning about it in a textbook in North America, even though Americans were involved.

The Cemetery was so interesting too. Multiple nationalities, but the plot is actually American soil, the French gave it to the US in honor of the liberation. I found 2 Bates names in the directory, and one of them, from England, had a long story of how he saved a battle by charging with a semi-automatic weapon and fending off the enemy for a while, eventually being shot to death during the attack. Crazy.

By this time it was almost 6pm, time to head back. We grabbed some ice cream (a tradition I've decided...) and headed to catch the 6:30 train back. Wonderful day :)

Sunday we headed to church and then the market! I then had a relaxing day in my room napping, doing laundry, and the like.

I still want to speak more French. Being surrounded by it is great. I can understand incredibly more than when I first got here, but the speaking is still the challenge. Class is all French yes, but it is also not challenging enough. No, I am not doing everything perfect and No I do not know EVERY answer, but I have covered the material already. And at the pace we are moving, I don't know when I am going to be learning something new.

To compensate, I am formulating a battle plan. Still in the works, but one includes checking out a grammar book from my level from the library and going through it. Then moving to the next level. Also, I am contemplating asking my writing teacher if there are extra assignments to do. Also, Babel. This program to match you up with a French student would be AWESOME, if it worked. The site has been under construction since I got here. And we asked someone about it, it improved, then the construction has gone stagnant again. Frustrating.

I have started doing more things alone though, and I like it. Before, I was always with someone, and now that life is getting more normal, I can go do errands and the like on my own around Caen (In the daytime always), and expose myself to more French.

Anyway. That is all. I went to MacDo tonight to get Wi-Fi (in French it is pronounced [wee-fee] hahaha) and their coffee is super good. Like Starbucks. Also more expensive, like Starbucks. They are so different here. You have to use a code given to you on your receipt to get into the restrooms; it is 3 stories high, with comfy attractive seating everywhere, and just a cozy environment.

I made dinner that I am eating now. It is potatoes, carrots, and apple pasta. Cooked with olive oil, salt, and pepper. That is my life. And I love eating it every day with a variety of vegetables :) mmmm.