Reflection

Yesterday marked the ten year anniversary of 9/11, and I have really taken the time to reflect on that event and the decade following it. My memories of that day are fuzzy, and I can't remember my exact reaction. I was eleven years old. It was beyond my understanding of the world that this could happen. In a series of days, I learned that there are people out there who hate, and do things like this. For my generation, we grew up alot in a matter of a day. But that was the extent, I was not developmentally capable of having an empathetic reaction. Last night I read the news stories on the commemorations, and they had a news clip that was from The 9-11. And so I watched what unfolded ten years ago, and it was like seeing it for the first time. There were images that I had never seen; I didn't see the actual collapse and people running out and down the streets as an eleven year old. I didn't see people covered in rubble emerging. And I think that was my parents protecting me, they wanted me exposed to what happened, and understand. But they did not want their child seeing the full extent of suffering. They (or any other parent) could never prevent an attack like this, but I believe all parents did what they could to protect us emotionally that day. But what I did see was my country coming together- I did see the firefighters working endlessly, I saw President Bush continually giving support, I saw my school and community offer up support by wearing red, white, and blue, and sending cards to New York.
As the years have gone by, various aspects of my life have been directly affected by that day. My seventh grade dance recital's theme was "America": each dance level was a branch of the military (mine was Navy) and I remember all of the dances and our songs had an American theme, many of the songs were written as a tribute to 9-11. I visited NYC when I was 16, and my main memory of that is visiting Ground Zero, and the surrounding areas. The most striking is the church (I honestly do not know the name) about a block away that was entirely untouched, and was a shelter to the firefighters and others during the days after. The entire church is filled with cards, stuffed animals, blankets, and many other items that Americans sent to honor or help those affected. The pews are scuffed and scratched from the equipment of firefighters coming in to rest. Cots line one wall with blankets still on them that were sent from all over for the volunteers. Of everywhere I have ever visited, this is probably the most moving and influential, because of the reality of what happened there.
And then there was the day Osama was found and killed. I clearly remember the moment I learned what happened. One of my friends, who is extremely conservative, said on Facebook, "I have never been more proud to be an American" and he said something to the effect of applauding President Obama's speech. Immediately, I went to the news page and saw that Osama's face took over the entire page, and the headline was that he had been captured and killed. My thought: (and pardon the language, but this is one time that no other can explain the emotion) 'damn. we really got him.' It was something that I honestly thought would never happen. In the midst of being in France, I had never been more proud to be an American, and I wish that I had been home to see it unfold.
As fond as I am of some good Mexican food, French pastries and perfume, or Italian shoes and spaghetti; nothing will ever come close to the love and pride I feel every time I see Old Glory waving below a crisp blue sky, honoring those who have given their lives to protect the soil that flag looks over, and celebrating "the truths that we hold to be self evident of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". And there is nothing, no terrorist attack, no stock market crash, economy, or political debate that will ever change the pride of our country. History and personal experience have taught me that yes, America does fall, but it gets back up even stronger than before.

Controversy

~~~~~I love few things more than a good case of controversy, and recently the UNC campus has been flooded with it. A Christian a-capella group asked a member to leave due to his homosexuality. The group's constitution is based off of Biblical teachings;and their mission is to lead lives reflecting a Christian lifestyle, which means adhering to the Bible. The question is, do these guidelines go against the anti-discrimation policy of the University? I have very mixed feelings about the issue, because of my Christian faith and my personal beliefs in a tolerant society. So please, anyone who reads this, don't attack me. I mean for this in no way to be condemning or I am rasing questions about a very specific case that I believe is relevant to our times. I am very open to people's beliefs and life choices. This post will err to the side of conservatism, but that is because my emphasis is on the group, which does have specific rules and guidelines for its members.
~~~~~~Many groups on campus have condemned Psalm 100 (name of a capella group) for practicing discrimination. But where is the line between having standards and expectations, and being tolerant? I believe that this group is perfectly within their right to remove members who are not adhering to Biblical principles if that is in their Constitution. To join this group is a personal choice, and going into it, I am sure that members are well aware of their expectations. My hope is that they are being fair in monitoring their members' behavior. Someone who is caught cheating or stealing should be penalized as well (I would hope in ANY organization this is the case....).
~~~ There are certain organizations I know that I would not join because I will not agree to their doctrine. I know I would not join a church whose message is that I need to stay home and pop out kids forever while never cutting my hair. I know that I do not agree with or accept this, therefore I will not be particpating. Other people can, and that is their choice entirely. I do not expect this theoretical church to change their doctrine because I do not like aspects of it. Another example is that many sororties have a no alchohol policy. Attending sorority sponsored events intoxicated, or being intoxicated while wearing letters can result in dismissal. Women are aware of the standard, and the consequence. If removed, the group is not discriminating her for consuming alchol. She is being dismissed for breaking a rule.
~~~~~But then, the other side to this issue I find fault in is: to what degree of accountablilty are other members being held to? Being that they are a campus organization who recieves University funding, do they have the right to ask members to leave based off of sexual orientation or views that go aganinst their principles? UNC has a strict anti-discrimination policy which I fully support. Every single person should be able to live and thrive in a community without fear of persecution and judgement. This is a very small scale issue for what I believe to be a broad issue for our generation. How do we integrate our beliefs with others? How do uphold these beliefs while still being open to other people's choices? I look forward to seeing the outcome of this situation and the campus reaction. As I stated in the opening paragraph, I meant this post in no way to be judgemental or offensive. I simply wanted to record an issue, and try to give it meaning. I am personally accepting of many different people, and their life choices.

New Beginings

The last time I posted on here, I was preparing to leave France. A whole summer has passed since then, and I really believe that summers have a way of being definitive. My reintegration back into American life came easier than I imagined it would. I was excited to be back home, and Im still happy to be home. I miss France and Europe very much some days, and my experiences there are something I treasure. But my life is here, and after being home a few months,I fully recognize that fact. I could never permanently live abroad, in all honesty,I don't really envision moving out of North Carolina. Too much of what matters to me in life is rooted here in the Tar Heel state for me to move far away. I absolutely want to travel more, and have experiences abroad.
Upon my arrival home, I began working as a camp counselor at a day camp. I think everyone should work with kids for an extended period of time at least once in their lives. It really opened my eyes to how much agony I must have put my parents through. There were crazy days when I was easily frustrated by the kids. But then there were the days when their big brown eyes could melt my heart, and I felt like I was doing something to leave some sort of an impression in the world. The best thing to be around was to see the world through a child's eye again. Sometimes I wished that I could capture their simplistic and innocent outlooks on life. More about camp in another post.
I transferred to UNC Chapel Hill, which is a life long dream come true. I had a Carolina blue TI-84 for Algebra I in high school as motivation. It did not work enough. I am a Communication and French double major, and I have no idea what exactly I will be doing with that diploma. Right now I know that I love the classes I have, though they are more challenging. the Comm major is another reason this blog will live beyond being a public diary of travels. I believe in the power of networking, and having my name out there somewhere.
The first 8 months of this year have been amazing, and I am so happy to have had the experiences that I have. I look forward to my academic future as a Tar Heel, and to my future in general, as Aleigha. I am not 100% positive where I am going, but I know that I have an amazing support system, and that life is full of wonderful surprises.

Closing Time

So my days in Grenoble are coming to an end, and I am left here with some serious mixed emotions. To start off- this semester has been by far one of the best life choices I have made, and while it may have been an expensive life choice, it was worth every last penny. I had to make some sacrifices coming into this experience, and even here. But the value of overlooking Grenoble from the Bastille, or all of Paris from the Eiffle Tower is priceless. I have finally seen places that I have dedicated years to learning about- places that I doubted I would ever see, but only dream about.
However, some of the sweetest, most precious moments of this semester cannot be summarized in pictures, you cannot browse my photos and know the feelings I had. What made this experience so sweet was forming the relationships that I did along the way. The experiences that can't be captured on film or recorded are the days you eat lunch with a friend, and have real talk about everything in life, its having a slightly tipsy heart to heart on the way home, running/walking up the Bastille. Its sitting on a beach in Nice, eating packaged waffles and drinking strawberry water, and talking about everything there is to talk about. Its letting go of your inhibitions and kissing in public, dancing in a park when there is no music, and dancing in the kitchen while pancakes are frying. Its enjoying an ice cream cone on a bench by yourself on a warm afternoon. Its splitting a baguette and nutella with friends in a park on a splendid afternoon. Its reconnecting with Jesus while sitting in a magnifincent cathedral. Seriously- how can you go in a cathedral and not feel moved by some sort of presence? Or for that matter, look at the Swiss Alps that surround you, and not feel insignificant, knowing there has to be something bigger, and higher out there. And it is really hard to the leave the people I have made these memories with. The knowledge that this experience can never be duplicated again is a big pill to swallow.
But, as sad as I am to leave all of this behind- there is a part of me that is happy to be home again. I am so excited to see family and friends again! I very much look forward to having my life again. Having the option to drive, money to spend, and feeling productive, are just a few of the things I look forward to.
There are some personal changes that I will be making thanks to a semester in France: one, I am going to update my wardrobe a bit, adding lots more black and neutrals. I will be phasing out lots of my older clothes, namely sundresses and bright/pastel colors. I have really taken a liking to French fashion, and I would like to incorporate as much as possible into my "real life" wardrobe. Secondly, I have learned how to eat well here, including correct portions. I never really realized how much we do eat at home until I left, and slimmed down a bit. And no more fast food. Ever. No milkshakes, fries, etc. I never ate it that much at home to begin with, and after having gone a semester without, I am perfectly content to never put that stuff in my mouth again.
So, needless to say, I am feeling a little bittersweet at the moment. So for those of you at home, if I seem a little wistful, or I talk about France too much, please don't be offended: it has become a big part of who I am, and the people here have heard quite a bit about you :)

The Horizon

There are certain things I would like to see happen in the future of our world. I would like to see a world where every woman has the ability to make the choices she wants, without any fear of persecution or humiliation. In this vision, "Jessica" from rural Alabama can see the world beyond her small town and its narrow idealogoy, and she can return to loving arms whenever she wants. "Anna" from Somalia will have regular access to birth control, and will not fear her husband's disapproval, and they will not have to bury children who die of starvation or other preventable illnesses. She herself will not die in childbirth, leaving a husband and several small children. Little Maria, in the remote Andes mountains, will always have crayons and coloring books. Emily from Illinois chooses to stay at home and be a mother without criticism from "feminists." On the same token, Katy graduates suma cum laude from Yale, and will go on to be a surgeon. I want to see every Muslim woman make the conscious choice whether or not she wants to wear the veil, or a burqa. If that is her choice, that is completely acceptable. And if she chooses not to, it is equally acceptable. I want to see every child in the world have a healthy and happy childhood, without ever living in fear of bombs, or a parent drinking too much and hitting. I want a world where 13-15 year olds are not committing suicide in atrocious numbers because of bullying or choices in sexuality.
~~~~ I want to see a world full of healthy and clean fruits and vegetables. Not bio-chemically engineered pieces of cells we call "food." Monsanto is quietly destroying the world, and few people even know it. Thanks to this company, and many others like it, we are ingesting the ingredients for cancer on a daily basis.
~~~~~~~ My wishes are very idealogical and common. It is one thing entirely for me to sit and here and name the problems I see in the world. (sarcasm) "Congratulations me! Way to point out the obvious!" We know the problems that exist, we know that evil is in the world, and there will always be suffering. But it just seems to me maybe we could all try a little harder. One of my favorite writers, Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times, inspires every time I read a blog post or article of his. And his writings make realize that I have done virtually nothing to contribute to the world. We all like to think that the little things we do are helpful, but are they? I do not necessarily aspire to achieve the most profound, human changing establishment around. But there has to be a little something I can do, right? I want to be pretty honest in saying that I feel my measly few dollars that go in the offering plate do not really go that far, and even if I were to go somewhere for a month, or even summer, I do not see that as having a lasting impact on someone's life.
~~~ Personally, I find that many of the charities that exist benefit the giver more than the recipient, and that the giver has this nice, warm fuzzy that we did something. But did we?
My friend told me about a sermon at her church where the minister said, "1,000 children died of starvation last night. And guess what? The majority of you don't give a damn; further, that same majority is more shocked that I said 'damn' in church than that many children died". What is sad, is that this is 100% true.

The question that I must ask myself is what I am going to do? I know that at the end of my life, I want to have done something worthwhile. I am tired of being passive, and saying that I will do such and such when I'm older. I have made a very conscious decision that I want a life of substance that benefits other people. I have been extremely blessed in my life; I have never gone without, and I have so, so much. The simple fact that I am a high school graduate who has had regular meals and health care, is so much more than most women in the world can say they have.
I will not change the world, any reader knows that. But maybe I can change the life of just one child. If I can at least do that, then I can go in peace.

Here is a link that got me thinking about all this: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/08/26/magazine/20090826-a-womens-world-reader-photos.html#/0

2011

We only five months into 2011, and I honestly feel like it has been the most eventful year in my life; globally, politically, and personally. On hearing the news of Bin Laden's death, I was shocked, and almost in a state of disbelief. Seeing justice served to the person who brought my nation so much grief and pain was incredible. I choose to see his death more of a symbol rather than actually celebrating someone's death. His death symbolizes the end of an undercover tyranny. It is the end to someone who tried taunting and shrouding Americans in fear, and won for a short while. The unfortunate fact is that there are others who are willing to step up to his plate, but seeing the mastermind behind 9/11 gone is something I will truly never forget. All of the Middle East uprisings, and demands for leaders to step down has been another huge event in 2011. I saw Egypt throw out their leader, same with Cote d'Ivor. I saw people from Cote d'Ivor demonstrating in front of United Nations when I was in Geneva. At the time, I did not know the magnitude of what I was witnessing, but as the events unfolded, Ilearned that I saw something huge. The Royal wedding took place this year. While it may not have been overwhelmingly important, it was still a very historic moment that will go down in text books and be in museums. I have seen enough museums and portraits this year to know that their day will forever be remembered. Even 200 years from now, when school children meander through a museum, they will see the portraits of King William's wedding day. I was in Rome merely days before Pope John Paul II was to be beatified. While I am not Catholic, that was still something very historic that I had the opportunity to witness. On a less positive note, I will also never forget the natural disasters I saw this year. As for my personal life, so many, many wonderful blessings have happend: I have had the extremely wonderful opprotunity to pass the semester in France, which is one of my lifelong dreams finally come true. I have lived with a wonderful host family, and learned to speak a new language. I was accepted to UNC Chapel Hill, and I am enrolled! I met, and have the best guy I could ever imagine, who exceeds my expectations. Yes, 2011 has been quite a year for the world, the US, and myself. I can only imagine what the second half of this year could possibly be...

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes (peter pan)

This past weekend was possibly one of the best I have yet to have in France, and maybe even one of the best of my life. I went to Nice, St. Tropez, and Eze on the French coast touching the Mediterranean, aka, The French Riviera. The buildings, the sea, the land scape, were all so beautiful and breathtaking. St. Tropez is a port in France, famous for its yacht users, and I must say that I saw some pretty impressive boats. We walked around the town for a while, which is built on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean, replete with cobblestoned, winding streets. The buildings are all painted different colors such as yellow and orange, with mismatched shutters. It was absolutely adorable and charming. My resident director, Marie told us that St. Tropez could be the French version of Malibu. Personally, I did not find St. Tropez as glitter stricken as Malibu, but maybe that is because I visited in the off season. After St. Tropez, we made our way to Nice, which is a large city on the sea. The architecture in Nice is gorgeous- big white buildings with intricate crown molding, and the older part of town is similar to the St. Tropez architecture. I got to play on the beach and dip my toes in the Mediterrianen. Quite a few people acutually went swimming, not this chica. I am from the South. I have a physical intolerance to cold water, but most of the people who swam are from Boston, so this water was either equal to, or warmer than what they are used to. I went to Mass Saturday evening, which was very interesting because I have never been to Catholic Mass or church in French. So that was a good experience, and no matter the language, it is always a positive and uplifting place to go! And it was Palm (Saturday, not Sunday). I will be attending Easter Mass this coming Sunday as well. For dinner that evening I had smoked salmon on buttered toast with a salad on the side. As usual, it was delightful. That night my friend Ali and I promenaded along the coast and through town. We returned (exhausted) to our hotel, and shared a few cookies and had girl talk time. On Sunday, we had the chance to see a marathon going through Nice, and after that we went to a parfumerie, which is where perfume is made. I now understand why perfume is soo expensive: it takes a literal Ton of lavender to squeeze out the essential oils that fill a liter bottle. We were free to walk around town for a while, and then we packed up to head back to Grenoble! The weather was fabulous,landscape marvelous, and company delightful. I could not have dreamed up a better weekend. I now have exactly a month left, and I can't believe how quickly it went by. It seems like yesterday that I was at home, and leaving for France in a month. I have been dreaming of being in France for years, planning for months, and enjoying every moment of it for weeks. These last weeks are going to fly, and I intend to make the most of them. I won't go so far as to say that study abroad changed my life, I'm a whole new person, but it opened my eyes to a few things. It gave me the chance to spend some quality time with myself, meet cool people from all over the world, and just have a few carefree months. I will never in a million years regret leaving my home and my family to travel here, nor will I forget the friendships and relationships I have made. I am truly blessed, and I do believe I am the most happy that I have ever been.

Love.

What a word this is. This tiny, four letter word can sum up an infinite amount of emotions, and has more power of our hearts and minds than any other word. Sometimes I think that I have experienced so much love in my life,that I take it for granted. Since the day I was born, I have been coddled and cradled, and spoiled. I have never gone without, all thanks to love. As a tender toddler I learned the words to the songs Jesus Loves Me, and Jesus Loves the Little Child. I learned that not only do my mommy and daddy, and grandparents love me, but so do Jesus! I grew up telling my parents good night I love you, and having it returned. And I as I grew up, I found out how to love my friends. How to celebrate with them when times were good, cry with them, and laugh with them. We give our heart to someone, the most sacred and fragile existence of our being, and sometimes they drop it, and watch it shatter into thousands of pieces. We stand there in pain, looking down at the mess around our selves, unaware of what to do or where to turn, swearing that this heart will never be mended. And then someone picks up a few of the pieces, they sweep up the broken pieces, and give them back to you. Another person, maybe a friend, will help you put a few of the pieces back together. And as the days go on, lots of friends and loved ones have helped pick up the pieces. And one day, without ever realizing the process, you know that all the pieces are back together. Maybe there are some cracks, it is not perfect, but it is mended, all thanks to those who love you. Then there is a blissful, unexpected day when you realize that someone else is worthy of holding this little treasure. We all know there is a risk it will be broken again, but we know that this heart heals, and that other people love us, and will help to pick up the pieces. Never give your whole heart away, but rather, give little pieces at a time. Fall in love without fear, know that nothing lasts forever, but be happy for the moment. Rejoice in the moments that are, and never take love for granted. Say it every chance you get, because we never know when the last time we say it will be. Love other people- donate something you really, really like, so that someone else can experience that happiness. Play with children, learn from their innocent love of life, talk with the elderly and listen, really listen, because they know love. Love humanity, love the Earth, even if you could care less about the polar bears, do something for the Earth. Love God, thank Him every chance you get for the beautiful gift that is life. Love your life, love yourself. Love your nation, be proud of where you are from. Love is the welcome center of our life, it is the first emotion we experience. When a doctor places a new baby in its mother's arms, there is nothing but love in that room. And when that baby grows into a 100 year old woman on her deathbed surrounded by family, once again, love is the only thing in that room.

Its the journey.....

Since I have been in France, I have taken time to evaluate what I want in life. I still have not found a concrete answer, but being abroad has shown me options that I never really considered prior to my voyages. One thing is for certain, and it is that traveling in the future is a top priority for me. Whether I am traveling for a job, or I have a job in which I can afford to travel,it makes no difference to me. That is the bottom line of what I want. I have toyed around with the idea of teaching English in France, or maybe French in England for a couple of years after college. Doing Teach America for 4 years is another possibility. Now I do not want to be a forever teacher, but my reasoning for those two are that they would allow me to go somewhere new and different. Teach America would keep me in the States, but I could be assigned anywhere in the country, and I would love to share my passion of the French language and Culture with students who may not have great exposure to travel and culture. (Teach America places its teachers in needy areas, basically where no one really wants to go teach) These places could be very rural or urban inner city.
However, my ultimate goal in life is to become a history museum curator. My focus is on colonial and early american history. I love, love, love studying this subject, and one day I WILL be preserving historic homes and or artifacts for generations to admire. I have thought about altering this plan and heading towards Louisiana and focus on the French influence on American history. Nothing would complete my life more than being able to be the site manager for a big, old Louisiana plantation founded by French Colonists. Ohhh the possibilities.... In the likely event that I will not be landing my dream job soon, I have also toyed around with the idea of working for a sector of the government that needs historians or at least someone who works with archives. For this to happen, I need to get my masters in Public History, and I would like to work right up to my doctorate. I am looking at being in school for another 10 years, with a little time off to go work and save some money.
I have also decided that I will be doing a HALF MARATHON in November with my mom! We are going to start training together over the summer. I have been seriously running in France, but I do jog. However, once I step off the plane back onto American soil, its time to whip back into shape. I think that doing a marathon in November the same year I studied abroad is a very appropriate way to close the year. I will have accomplished two huge things that I was slightly of doing, and were difficult to prepare for. Granted, the process of studying abroad is a tad more enjoyable than running 13.1 miles, but the satisfaction I would gain from completing a half marathon is priceless. I am doing to less than two months, which is scary. Time has flown by here. I have fallen in love with France and Europe, and I will make every effort to make it back over here in the next few years. I may have not have contributed anything to world by being here, I could have done something like working in Uganda or India, etc, but I think that what I have learned here is valuable on a different level. I have learned how to move out of my comfort zone for extended periods of time (living with host family), I have learned lots of new history and augmented what I did know, and I have learned how to deal. How to deal with language barriers, deal with having a solid, set amount of money, deal with a sparse wardrobe, deal with people who are not my best friends,just to name a few obstacles I have faced. None of those vaccinated a child, or prevented malaria, but they made me a better person, and this stronger woman is now more capable of contributing to the world thanks to these lessons.

The Two Month Marker

I have been in France now for two whole months! That is completely unfathomable to me. It seems like I have been planning this experience for months and months, and is flying right by. But I am truly enjoying every minute of being here. Getting to a French town has been one of the greatest opportunities of my life, and I will always treasure the memories I have made here. I have thoroughly enjoyed making friends with and getting to know the people in my group. We all came from different schools, states, and backgrounds. I'm satisfied to have chosen a program where I would interact with people of different schools rather than choosing to go with my own school. My friends and I enjoy doing things such as going out for coffee, getting drinks, window shopping, or promenading. My friend and I particularly like a cafe called Pain and Cie- its rather large, has hardwood floors, unfinished brick walls, and high ceilings. The tables are thick and wooden with metal chairs. We love this place primarily because of the space, sometimes we tend to feel a little claustrophobic at some other places we have tried. The cafe here is delightful- I usually order either a "cafe" which is an espresso, or a cafe au lait- which is essentially milk and coffee steamed, and it is served in a big bowl rather than a cup. I love to splurge on this drink once a week- its just really yummy! This place also has divine desserts. Im serious on this one. Once my friend Ali and I slpit cheesecake- lovely. I had a cake once which was chocolate layers, with some sort of nutty, praline tasting bottom layer, and the chocolate was light and fluffy, and just melted in my mouth. It was delicious I must say. I have yet to have one, but this place serves waffles "gauffres" and they look wonderful. I really need to try one, the sooner the better! On Fridays, my friends Abbie, Ali, and I (triple A) enjoy going out for lunch. When I say go out, I mean we choose sandwiches or something to-goish. Recently, we have taken to having a picnic in the park with cheese, nutella, and a baguette. Simple as it may be my friends, there are few things as satisfying as this on a crisp, blue sky day.
I am now also fond of going out for drinks on the weekends since the drinking age is 18 here. Its really nice to meet up with friends and grab a pint or glass of wine, and just chat. I will say that I am always responsible with my drinks, and I always know my limit, and respect that limit. In return for this respect, my body happily wakes up on Sunday mornings to go for a run in the Minstral Park, which is a large park in Grenoble by the Stadium. The park is actually dedicated to people who killed and persecuted in WWII and to the Armenian genocide. People are always running, walking dogs, playing with children, or just relaxing on the benches. I love to come here not only for running, but for meditation and to clear my mind. My boyfriend Leo and I also come here and walk around the cirlces for hours, and sometimes sit on a bench and people watch. The Belledonnes mountains are in full view from here, and on claer days one can see the snow and rocks, and they the most gorgeous back drop anyone could want to run in front of.
Speaking of my boyfriend, his name is Leo and he is Brazillian. We met at a social for international students, and we hit it off amazingly well. I have gotten to know some of his Brazillian friends who live with him, and they are all nice and super welcoming. I envisioned making French friends here, but I am happy with what has happened. Im experiening and learning French culture with someone else who is doing the same, I get to learn some Brazillian culture, and I share American culture. I think meeting new people is a great way to learn new things. I have also tried learning a little Portugese (fairly unsuccessful, but Im trying!).
This is a little taste of my life at the moment- Im having a fabulous time, and once again, I am so thankful to have this opprotunity, and thankful for the support I have received at home from my family, friends, and advisors-without, I would not be here in France.

The

London Aleigha Style

This blog post is intended for the enjoyment of those you who truyly know me well. If you fall into this category, you would know that I have a knack for making the wrong decision at the worst possible time, run late when I had the best intentions of being on time, I will inevitably lose something, trip, get lost, or some odd combination of all of the above. We all know it could not have truly been an Aleigha Weekend without one of the above occuring.
Let's commence with Friday. I was supposed to leave my house at 6 am, in order to catch a bus at 7, to get to my plane by 9. No problem- I never oversleep, and I responsibley set my alarm for 5:15 am in order to allow plenty of time for me to drag and my feet and double check my baggage. I woke up to the sound of someone using the bathroom, rolled over to check the time, and GASP. It was 5:54! I leapt out of my bed, threw on my clothes (which had been pre-laid out the night before) and dashed our the door. I made it to my tram stop by 6:06, got to the bus with no problems. I could now breathe, everything was under control. I made it through customs, no worries, got on the plane, safely landed in London, and life was good. I was even smart enough to pre-purchase my train ticket at the airport. I located my platform, and hopped on the train. Unfortunately, when arriving in London,I discovered that I took the wrong train, and was forced to purchase a new ticket. So I shelled out another 20 pounds. Which for me, is a small fortune that could have purchsed quite a bit of food and Brittish treats. But no. That went towards my "train ticket". Located my subway to where i stayed, made it to lodging, no problems at all. The rest of the day was just lovely, and I met up with my friend Ali. We went to dinner at a traditional British restaurant, and I had what is called "hunter's chicken." It was a chicken breast covered in bacon with melted cheese on top. Delicious. Saturday rolled around, and went smoothly for the most part- until I realized that I had misplaced my book. It was gone. Saturday managed to go smoothly, went to the National Galleries, Brittish Museum, Buckingham Palace, and St. James Gardens. Lovely afternoon. And I had a nice lunch of Country Vegetable Soup and a Mustard/Chicken sandwich toasted on Ciabetta bread at a tiny restaurant that specializes in serving seasonal food. I spent the afternoon walking around London, taking in the city I have always dreamt of seeing. The city where so much history has happened. I had to leave that night, and took the train back to the airport around midnight. I then had to spend the night in the airport aka. worst night of my life. I basically got no sleep. Made it back safely to Grenoble around 10 am, missed the 10:30 bus back to the city. Waited around, exhausted and hungry, until 1:45. I ate overpriced, horrible airport food, and attempted sleep. Finally the bus came, and I made it back to home sweet home. And that is how an Aleigha style, whirl-wind trip to London is done.

MADAME! THIS is Versailles.....

This blog really is not about Versailles, its just a quote from the movie Marie Antoinette that I found amusing. Life in Grenoble has been pretty quiet the past few days because we are on spring break and everyone is off exploring Europe! I am leaving for London this Friday, and unfortunately, I will only be there for the weekend. But I am very happy that I am going, even if it is for a short time. Its more London than I had before! The last two days I have gone running in the morning, which I think is a great way to start the day! Yesterday I went to the museum of the Resistance and Deportation of Grenoble during WWII, which I found very interesting. I never really realized how divided France was during WWII- the Vichy government wanted to collaborate with Germany, and there were French Gestapo and secret police, much like the Germans. Anti-semitism was present and alive in France. Thousads of French Jews were also sent to the concentration camps. But there was also a group called the Resistance, and these people (as their name clearly alludes) wanted to resist Germany. Thousands more French died rather fighting in battle for France, or were arrested and executed for being Resistors. Ok kids, thats all the history for today! Don't forget to read Ch.5 tonight in your social studies book! Really- I do apologize for my inner history nerd interrupting my blog. Point being, Grenoble had a significant impact on WWII, and was heavily impacted. There is an Italian district here, and it was formed after WWI when Italians wanted to escape the growing Fascism in Italy, and they continued to emigrate after WWII. As a result, Grenoble has an entire street of pizzarias. My host father's father was Italian, and my host mother's mother came to France from Germany after the war. Neither of their parents ever returned to their homelands. After my historic rendez-vous, I met up with Leo, who I am now dating, whatever that may mean, and we strolled around Grenoble. It was super cold yesterday, with horrible winds, but we I still love the company! He and I met at a social for inernational students, and we have been inseparable ever since. I am cooking him and his friends a traditional American meal tonight. I have no idea what, but I will figure something out!! Until next time, xxxxx

Week-end of Wine and Dine

This weekend I went on an excursion to the Burgundy region, and visited Dijon and Beaune. Many of you are probably familiar with Dijon mustard- the city is known for their mustard, escargots, and beef burgundy. It was a three hour bus ride from Grenoble to Dijon, and we had a tour once we arrived. Dijon is known as the 18th largest city in France, what an accomplishment. The Notre Dame Dijon was horribly vandalized during the French Revolution because during the Reign of Terror, the Sans Coulettes descecrated anything having to do with the Church. They rampaged against churches and cathedrals, chipping away sculptures of religious symbols, and even cutting away Jesus from the Virgin Mary's arms. The entrance way to this cathedral is completely rid of all its religious sculptures, and Mother Mary is missing her arms on the chapel alter. However,the church has devised a cloak/veil to put on her, and one cannot notice that she does not have arms. As a historical loving person, I think it is sad and unfortunate that so much artwork was lost at the hands of a such a bloody ordeal. On another note- there is a tradition on the side of Notre Dame that involves on owl. One of the corners of the church has an owl; rub the owl with your LEFT hand while making a wish, and the wish will come true! Yes, I made a wish, but I'l never say what ;). For dinner that night, we went to a traditional Dijon restaurant offering Boef Burgundie (beef burgundy). I had an amazingly delicious hamburger, the beef here is just so much better! There were caramelized onions on the bottom of the burger, and topped with cheese, tomatos, and pickles. Not that French- but it was pretty darn delicious, and I think that is all that matters. Sunday morning we left Dijon and headed to Beaune, a small French town really known for their wines. Upon our 11 am arrival, we went to a wine tasting. We were led down to the stone and damp cellar, where we learned how taste wines. This was a really interesting experience to partake in because I got to learn a little about different types of wine and how they taste and are grown. After, we were free to do as we pleased, and my friend Ali and I walked around for a bit. Beune is the most picturesque French possible. Imagine: narrow, cobble stonded streets lined with houses made of stucco or the "old European" wooden beams. We visited a hospice which has been around since 1493, and the last patient left in 1984. I think it is really extraordinary becuase this building is in almost perfect condition and has survived the French Revolution and two world wars, among other disasters in Europe. The hospital was intended for the poor, but the nurses and the care were so renowned, that the middle class and even nobles began coming for care. Theses two classes eventually began giving donations to the hospital, which helped presereve it to what we know today. After another 3 hour bus ride home, I returned to Grenoble with fondue for dinner. Score. Cheese(one of my favorite foods) + bread(another favorite)= one very satisfied Aleigha! Not to mention we had white wine along with. This was a great weekend, and I am super glad I had the chance to get out of Grenoble for a bit. It was really interesting to see another region, and have some food and wine to represent that region.

Home is where the heart is

France is wonderful, and I am having the time of my life here. I will absolutely return here one day. But on the other hand, it is not home. There is only one place that will ever be home- and that is my North Carolina. I love traveling, and I definately plan on seeing more of the world, but at the end of the day, my permanent address will always have an NC postal code (or maybe Va, SC, or GA). I don't want to sound ignorant at all, so readers, please don't interpret this as me saying that NC is the greatest place in the world. Il be the first to say that there are far more interesting places to live. But its home, its the place where all my firsts in life have happened, made friends, everything. Home is different for everyone, and some eventually redefine what "home" is for them. I used to think Id move to New England, and spend my "grown up" life there. But after being away for a while, I realized that I really do love the south. Here my top 10 reasons that this will always be home (no matter where my travels may take me) this list is in no particular order
1. Girls like to wear pretty dresses (to church, football games, wherever suits their fancy)
2. Sweet tea. Say what you like about it, but I love it.
3. Manners
4. Hospitality
5. Southern gentleman- yes, I do like my door held open for me. It doesnt mean Im submissive
6. Biscuits
7. Front porches and actually sitting on them
8. Very traditional based universities- everything from Cornhuskin' at my Meredith college, to drinking from the fountain at UNC, and all the others)
9. Big, old houses with lots of history
10. On Sundays we prais Jesus then watch football.
I may be a little nostalgic since Im so far away, but these are some things about home that when I sit down and think about, I really do love. As much as I love the stylish French woman with her chic and effortless layers of gray and beige, I think I prefer my pink sun dress at the end of the day.

Une mois~ One Month

I have been in France for a month now. It is crazy hard to believe how quickly the time flies. It feels like it was just yesterday that I was in 308 Brewer panicking about whether or not I would get accepted, would I have enough money, how am I going to choose what clothes to bring, what if I chicken out at the airport, etc,etc. If I have learned anything from this experience, its that everything, somehow or another, works out in the end, and it was senseless to panic to the extent that I did. Being abroad has really taught me quite a bit in just the past month. I have really evaluated what I want to do in life, at least the next 10 years or so. Which is that I want to return to France after college graduation for a couple years. Then return to the states for grad school, which will be in historic preservation. From there, who knows. I would like to receive my PhD in a more specific field (undecided at the moment) of history and work for museums. If not museums, I would definitely love to be a professor. I would especially like to be able to facilitate study abroad, and maybe even teach abroad. We will see. It really took getting out of the country for me to see how big the world is, and how short life is. Seizing the day, and really making the most out of each one is really important. This doesnt nescecarily mean going out and being crazy and living like that there is no responsibility. I simply mean that I want to make the most out of my days, whether home or abroad.
So today I experienced my first French strike, or protest. The French are notorious for these strikes. For the particular one today, it managed to shut down the tram system. I went into a store and bought a candy bar- by the time I returned outside, there was a giant group of people marching. They took up the entire street. I think that it was teachers protesting, but Im not sure. I have honestly never seen anything like this. And its normal. When I was at the tramstop, they announced that there is a protest in town, and because of it, the trams would not be going into "centre-ville". The annoucement was just like weather- today we have partly cloudy skies, with a chance of rain, oh and a protest. C'est la vie en France!

Je ne regrete rien- I regret nothing

I just came back from a great, much needed run this run. I know that no matter what continent or timezone I may be on, a good run will always be the best way to end the week. Today was absolutely gorgeous- perfect (Carolina) crisp blue skies, and the mountains were in full view today. It has been cloudy and a little on the dreary side this week, so it was refreshing to have a sunny day. I had a lovely afternoon with Abbie and Ali, two of my API friends. We met up for lunch and went to a panini/sandwich place- I swear, the sandwiches are soo filling here. I had a veggie and chees sandwich on baguette, and it was delicious. My favorite sandwich though is called the Parisien and it is ham and butter on a baguette. Healthy choice of the year, I know. After our satisfying sandwiches, we went in search of dessert. We went to a little place Ali and I found a couple weeks ago. Its called Noir Foret, and it is a little shop of just desserts. It is a teeny slice of heaven here on Earth. I had a chocoalte eclaire this time, the last time was a vanilla eclair. Both I must say are far more delicious than any kiss i have ever had. The cream was light and fluffy, and just spilled out of the pastry when I cut into it. It was chocoately without being overly rich,and the lightness of the cream mixed with the crunchy of the pastry made for fireworks in my mouth. I have always been a lover of food, but that love is just deepening to a whole new level here in Europe. Whenever people ask what is the best part of my experience, food is my first choice reply. I love to eat, and luckily so do my friends. Life is too short to not thoroughly enjoy a pastry on Friday afternoon. There are many uncertainties about study abroad- but one of them is that Italy will be the BEST four days of my life. Those days will be spent consuming pasta, bread, gelato, pizza, wine, repeat. Sure, Il probably put on a couple pounds. But you know what? I have my entire life to count calories and watch carbs. I am only a student in Europe once. I was thinking about this fact while on my run today, and I was a little saddened knowing that I will never experience France the same way again. Even if I do return, it will be different. I will have new experiences between now and then that will shape my mentality, I will be with different people, and be here for a different purpose. So what I experience now can never ever be replicated, and there is something sad and beautiful about this.
Last week, I went to Switzerland, and it was gorgeous. I had a great time there. The lakes and rivers are gorgeous, they are a dark turqouise color. The water in the lake was almost perfectly clear. As for Geneva, it was fun, but probably not somewhere I would want to return. Seeing the UN was really awesome, but otherwise, Geneva was just a city where people work. I felt like it was the equivalent of visting Atlanta- big city, a few things to see, but not overall that interesting. However, I am planning a weekend trip to London in March, and I am super pumped about that! England is definately somewhere I have always wanted to visit, and so while I have the chance to do so fairly cheaply, I might as well!
This weekend I plan to keep it chill and have a low profile by climbing the Bastille with Ali and possibly museum visiting in the afternoon. Tomorrow evening and Sunday I would like to catch up on some reading and journaling, and just relax. Hopefully the weather will be nice, and I can sit in the park for a bit.

Travel

Travel is one of my favorite words in the entire English language. And the French word for travel, voyager, is even better. "Travel" for me conjures images of passports, foreign lands, the monuments, post cards, good food and wine, and meeting cool people. But Im sure travel means a little something different to everyone: perhaps to someone in business, travel is another word for work, or for a family constantly on the move, it could mean uprooting yet again. Point being, we can all attach our own meaning to the word.
But back to my meaning of travel. To me, stepping on an airplane is like stepping into a magical space ship that can transplant me to a whole new world. This may sound a little dramatic, and even outright cheesy, but it is the truth for me. I am not well traveled, I am only in my third ever visited country. However, I am slowly but surely changing that fact of my life. Each of my three experiences have been extremely different: everything from the purpose of the trip all the way up to how I passed my time. My first international expedition was to the Bahamas on a day cruise with my two best friends from high school. We were in Florida to celebrate high school graduation, and more importantly- celebrating our upcoming lives as college students. The day at the Bahamas was passed being a total tropics tourist and spending some quality time with mother nature's aqua blue Caribeean. The day was a blast- and I certainly made great memories!
My second international excursion was a mission trip to Jamaica. I went with my home church, First Baptist of Morganton. This trip was right before I departed for college, and it was a wonderful way to align my priorites before heading out on my own. We were not allowed to bring cell phones, ipods, electronics, etc. That week was truly one of the best in my life. There was no air conditioning, I took cold showers, drank syrupy juice, and was under the hot sun all day. Yet these circumstances came together to give me one of the most gratifying experiences I have yet to experience in my short 20 years. It was euphoric to take a week out of my mundane life, and really see and live among another culutre. Looking back on the journal entries from that trip is one of my favorite pass times.
Finally, I am here on my third international trip, studying abroad in France. Which is basically one of my top life dreams. Its really surreal to finally be living one of my life dreams, which I thought would never come true because of money. Travel is not cheap,but it does not have to be catastrophically expensive either. Like anything in life- its a matter of priority. Would I rather go shopping and have stuff, eat good food, have a cafe everyday, or have weekend trips? I would like to check yes to all of the above, but thats an option. I do a little of all, but my emphasis is to be able to travel to other cities and countries. I want to make the most of my time here in Europe, because who knows when I will return? The reality is that if I am fortunate enough to return, it will probably be a. for work or b. with a troop of my own, complaining about their nerd of a mom needing to make every stop. The point of a and b is to point out that I intend to travel during a time in my life where I can be selfish, and indulge in what I want to. If I want to pass the day sitting in a plaza, eating a baguette or gealto, I can do that. If I want to spend the day exploring castles or museums at my own pace, I can do that.
Further, Im not sure how this experience will shape me. It will affect me, because both my other trips have affected me in some form. Next week I am planning on a trip to switzerland, and later in the semster, Greece! I really look forward to seeing these places, smelling the food, and meeting the people. It is my promise to myself to keep traveling and exploring after this semester. I may be a dreamer, but I know that I have to continue my travels. I would really like to go to South America, particularly Brazil, sooner than later :).
But, for right now, I have a fresh salad, glass of wine, trench of bread, and hot dinner to enjoy in Grenoble.

Getting Settled

Im finally getting into a routine with school starting, and in my host family. Each day, I start to feel a little more at home, and a little less like a guest. It is hard merging into a new culture and family at the same time. While it has been a great experience, and I would suggest a home stay to anyone planning to study abroad; it is not the most easy task to walk into a home, knowing you will be living there for an extended period. I really like my host parents alot; they are very laid back, and let me do as I please. They do correct my French, which is good. I never realized how much I did not know until I lived with people! My host mother and I had a difficult time communicating about something as simple as laundry today; last night she hung up my garments to dry, and this morning they were not quite dry. I went out for a run today, and I wanted to express to her that I did not forget my laundry, nor expect her to. I essentially wanted to say that it was still drying, and I would get it when I returned. I did not know how exactly to say this in French, and she did not quite understand my English version. Eventually, with the use of hand gestures, I was able to talk to her. I know that as the semester progresses, I will learn more French, but I have a feeling this was one of the first of many awkward language sitations.

life in Grenoble

I have been living here in Grenoble for not even a week, and I am falling in love with the city. It is very old, it was occupied by the Romans, and has endured since. The French Revolution actually began in Grenoble; Louis xiv sent troops to shut to the sector of Grenoble's parliament, and in revolt, the citizens got on top of their roof tops and threw tiles onto the marching soldiers.
The history dork I may be, I know my followers arent reading for a history lesson. The city has many small shops all over, and I spent this past Saturday strolling about the city looking at all the interesting what nots. I began my day with a raspberry purchase from the outdoor market right outside my host family's house. I walked around the streets for a while, perusing a book store, porcelain shop, and boutiques. I went to Monoprix, which is essentially a French Target, and bought a purse. Then I had a croque monsieur, which is a grilled cheese with egg and cheese toasted on the outside in a little kiosque bar. Then I bought a chocolate pastry, and sat in the Place de Notre Dame and simply people watched for about thirty minutes. There is so much beauty and peace to be found by having a cafe and pastry on a balmy Saturday.
Grenoble is flanked by three mountain ranges, and one of the ranges is snow capped and perfectly fits the description of a French mountain range. My tram ride to school consists of this view. I love Grenoble because it has every element of city life that I love, yet there is hiking, skiing, nature all around me, that is not even twenty minutes away.
Most of the people I have encoutnered here are very nice and welcoming. I enjoy going out to a pub and having a drink with my friends. We also enjoy walking around towm, exploring.
I could write so much more, but words do no justice. THe mountain air is crisp and cold, and the view is maginificent. I am truly one blessed girl, and I am so thankful that I have this opportunity.

First Night with Host Family

I arrived in Grenoble this evening around 5:oo(17heures, in France) after a 3 hour train ride from France. The scenery is gorgeous throughout the French countryside-rolling emerald green hills, old farmhouses made from stucco and stone. As we approached Grenoble, the snow capped French Alps were in full view. So beautiful! However, lets rewind about 4 hours before this train stop. When boarding the train, there was barely enough room on the train to accommodate everyone's luggage! We were all going through the train, baggage and all, trying to find "an inn" that would take our baggage. I do not think I have ever received more glares in life. Of course, everything worked out, and so began the journey to Grenoble.
Once in Grenoble, my host mother, Sabine, greeted me and took me the house. They live right in the center of town, near all the fun places. The metro is easily accesible, and there is a fresh market outside their home every morning! They live in a very old house, which is connected to an apartment building. You go through the building, out a door, and enter a little courtyard. Their house is through this courtyard. Their home is two stories, and very petite, yet large. The rooms are small, but everything is very compact. The shower is the most interesting- they have a mosaic surrounding the bathroom, but no curtain. They have one of those stretchy shower heads that moves, and basically, you have to squat down and manuever the shower head where you need it. Can you say quick shower!
My host parents Joel and Sabine are very nice. Sabine, the mother, speaks English, but Joel does not. Alors, I speak French all the time here. Yes, I will come home fluent. They are artists, Sabine a sculptor, and Joel is a modern artist. Their work is very good, and very pretty.
Tomorrow I will be given a tour of the city, and I will do a little shopping/exploring. Every January and July, France has HUGE sales in ALL of their stores, and I will hit those up. Not too much though :).

Journey Begining

I am leaving for France in 4 days! This is so hard to believe, as I have dreamt of going to France for as long as I can remember. I chose my college in part becaus of their study abroad office! I am so excited for this experience, and I think there are only a couple people who truly understand how elated I am. I can not wait to walk the streets of Paris, and FINALLY see the Eifel Tower in person! I feel like I may cry just a little bit as my plane descends into Paris, and I see the city of dreams from the bird's eye view. But I am so much more excited to begin my journey in Grenoble! It is a charming city nestled in a valley of the French Alps. When I saw this city, I knew that this would be the place for me! It had every aspect of a city one could want, and yet it has the charm of the mountains nearby. I think this is the best of both worlds, a little city and a little country. I am very much so looking forward to meeting my host parents, who are artists living in the city center! They live near the city cathedral and the shops, restaurants, pubs, cafes, boutiques, and museums. I think getting to know my host parents will be one of the very best parts of this experience. I have started my family goodbyes, and that is very difficult for me. Its a little bit sad, but I know that the time will fly. For now, I am going to focus on enjoying my last few days at home!