So I've been here a week as of Saturday. So far my time here has been challenging as I've been working through the difficulties of dealing with another language and another culture, of trying to make new friends, and of being away from my close friends back home. While trying to embrace every moment I have here, I feel as if I've been on a bit of an emotional roller coaster as one moment I find my time here to be incredible, and another unbearable. I'm sure I will settle down as I develop friendships here, improve my language skills, and begin to find my own place here in the multicultural city of Aix-en-Provence.
My program, Institute for American Universities, hosts students from Universities and Colleges from around the US. While I try to be someone whose nonjudgmental and accepting, I have never been so acutely aware of the distinction between Gordon and other colleges. The drinking culture they share is just not one that I fit and I was really worried at first about whether or not I would be able to make any good friends, or if the next three months would be completely unbearable. But I’m beginning to meet some cool students in the program who I get along with.
My host situation has been incredible. My host mother is an older retired lady whose children have moved out of the house. She’s hosted many students in the past and is already used to many of our odd cultural differences, and as such is very courteous. I’ve been able to communicate with her much better than I thought I would. I’m beginning to realize she understands more English than she let on at first, but thankfully she only resorts to it when there is something important she needs to say, otherwise she sticks to French. She explicitly says that she tries to speak French with me so that I can have practice, which I thank her for profusely. She makes excellent food, and every evening after dinner she always serves some cheese and bread (right now we’re going through a block of camembert and Roquefort).
This weekend my program hosted trips to Nice and Cassis, two beach towns in southern France. Besides exploring these towns a bit, most of our time was spent laying on the beach and swimming. Aix is also a picturesque French town: a few centuries old, cafés on every corner, and bakeries and pastry shops next to them. My program is in the center of town, and I have to walk about half an hour each day to get there – which I typically enjoy.
So, in sum, I am still adjusting to my new (and I keep reminding myself – temporary) home and trying to make sure that I take as much advantage of my time here as possible. I’m beginning to figure out a routine here, and I know that I’ll be able to be on skype Sunday nights around midnight (6pm for most of you). I’ll try to figure out another night of the week that I can do that as well. I love hearing updates from all of you, and promise I will write back (even if it isn’t expediently).
David
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