Projet Blog en France

1. The tide
- When we arrived at Mont St. Michel on Saturday it was low tide and surrounded by (quick)sand, but that night when I took a walk the tide had come it. I couldn’t see it that well, but the next day when I could see it from the top of the church it was like I was in a different place being surrounded almost completely by water, when less than 24 hours before it was all sand.

2. Quicksand
- Speaking of sand, as I was exploring Saturday afternoon/evening, I was at the part of the island that faces the road. I was looking down with Ben, and we both see a man starting to walk onto the ‘sand.’ Apparently he didn’t realize the consequences of this, and about 2 or 3 steps in he sinks up to his knees. We got a good chuckle watching him get out and see that he was mud from his knees down.

3. Looking up at St. Michael at nighttime
- Absolutely mesmerizing. There was something about standing below the church and seeing both the steeple and St. Michael, but the Milky Way as well. Ethan, Jordan, and I had a 15 minute conversation with our necks craned towards the sky.

4. Tourist alley
- A little overwhelming, a little frustrating, pretty expensive, but you can’t help but stop or at least look into every gift shop. Thinking back on it now it’s pretty ridiculous because they all pretty much carried the same stuff, but it was fun just to walk up and down the streets without much of a purpose at all.

5. Has somebody ever counted all the stairs there?
- I would be curious to find that out. Luckily I had the hills of Rouen to prepare for this journey, because otherwise my calves would not be very happy with my right now. It was interesting though to see a little bit of a different perspective of the island with each level you went up.

- Ashley Benedict

1. The Prison at Mont St. Michel – After the French Revolution, Mont Saint Michel was turned into a prison. Previously a Benedictine monastery, this popular pilgrimage site was transformed from a beautiful, rich religious building into a cold, dark prison. Before the conversion, there were many great tapestries and tile floors. However with the arrival of the prisoners, these treasures disappeared.

2. Tides – A small tidal island off the Normandy Coast, Mont Saint Michel is surrounded completely by water flowing from Cousenon River out to the Atlantic. The tides that occur around the monastery change the scene dramatically. Twice a month there are tides that cause a water level difference of 43 feet. It has been remarked, by Victor Hugo, that the speed of the water’s return is “as swiftly as a galloping horse.” However as our guide said, “it is probably more like the swift walk of a man.”

3. MSM during WWII – During the Invasion of Normandy by the Allied forces, there was an important decisions for the Germans to make concerning Mont Saint Michel. Being obvious that they would be defeated, the senior officer had to decide whether to hold tight, and risk damaging the important site, or to surrender, and thus preserving the historical buildings of the island. Fortunately for us, the officer chose the latter and the island was saved from destruction.

4. Stonecutters marks - In front of the chapel, there is a veranda of sorts overlooking the water. While the view is remarkable, one cannot help but notice the strange symbols on the stones on the ground. Thinking it had some fantastic story behind it I was intrigued. However, as it turns out, the markings are simply that of the stonecutter, which would normally be hidden face down. When the buildings were being restored those in charge decided to leave some stones turned upward.

5. The Mont’s Population – This tiny island has a dwindling population of 15, five of which are the remaining Benedictine monks. Considering the size of the island, 15 inhabitants is not a small number. However considering that there are about 3 million visitors each year, it seems strange that there could be so few who actually live there.

- Laura Garry

1)    Sarkozy the Beloved

Many people in France are unhappy with the Presidency of Nicolas Sarkozy, and recently this unhappiness spawned a nation-wide general strike. People I have spoken to feel that Sarkozy is an ineffectual President. He does not invade countries willy-nilly like our George Bush did, but the French still have a problem with their President’s lack of relief for French citizens during the economic crises. It is tradition here; if something in the government happens that no one likes, citizens stop working.

2)    The Nature of the Strike

Most public offices were closed on the day of the strike in France. Buses ran on and off, students cut class, and union members marched in the streets. Still, even after the day of the strike has passed, students are organizing more protests about the nature of their education. The general strike was not violent, it did not completely shut everything down, but many people took to the streets to demonstrate their displeasure with the French government.

3)    Hey Guys, Let’s Take the Day Off Tomorrow

Many people turned out for the demonstration in Rouen. A line as wide as the street marched through the city. There were banners displaying union acronyms, people setting off smoke, chanting slogans, and putting union stickers of every lamppost and sign they could get their hands on. It can be very useful for workers to come together to express their grievances collectively, but this situation included every union in the whole of France striking over general displeasure with the government.

4)    Perhaps it is Something More

One Frenchman I spoke with explained the strike to me in the context of French history. He believed that the people do not strike for money or for any exact reason, but that the French are driven to strike as a means of progression. If enough people express their displeasure, real change can happen in the government (which in France can mean a total rewriting of the constitution). People feel inside themselves that something is rotten in the state of France, and they take to the streets.

5)    Thanks to France, I am Now 15%  Less Socialist in My Political Ideals

One would think that if a college education only cost about $1,000 per year, students would be very happy with their standing in life. Their strikes say otherwise. They do not know how good they have it, to not have to work their way through school, or worry about loans and scholarships. I suppose they pay for it in taxes later, but their lives are free now, they can travel or do whatever they wish. I have more of an appreciation now for the American university system that rewards hard work.

- Ethan Avallone

1.    pureed/pressure cooked
When I think of vegetable soup, I think of a beef or vegetable broth with whole pieces of green beans, potatoes, tomatoes, corn, peas, etc. Though in France, vegetable soup is pressure cooked to a pureed texture. What I find most odd about this is that although the soup contains the same vegetables (minus tomato) as the soups from home, the taste is completely different.
2.    vegetable-based
Every soup that I’ve had since I’ve been here, and I’ve had quite a few, has been vegetable-based. Or so I think. Many a mealtime I have sat slowly slurping up my soup searching for a hint of chicken or beef taste, but it is nowhere to be found.
3.    no meat
There’s no Beef Barley, Chicken Noodle, Vegetable Beef, or Split-pea ham—all of my favorites! To my knowledge and experience, most soups have no meat in them and are as a result, much less filling. To me, soups are very often a meal in and of themselves, though French soups seem to be only a small part of the meal. Perhaps this is because it would mean mixing courses—and well that’s just not the French way.

4.    no cream

Soups are creamy because they’re in pureed form, not because they’re prepared with cream which again makes them less filling and less of meal in itself. This sadly means no Creamy Potato or Creamy Chicken and Vegetable.

5.    no seasonings

Soups aren’t exactly wonderfully flavored. They taste the way that they are prepared—without salt, pepper, basil, thyme, celery salt, and other flavorful spices. Strange this is, salt is almost always asked for when the soup is being eaten. I wonder: does that prove that they know the soup is bland? Or is the taste purposely made so to make the next course taste even better? Je ne sais pas, je ne sais pas.

- Clara Metzler

1.    What’s on the menu

“Oui, je vais gouter” is a phrase I have gotten used to saying quite often when getting offered new foods. However, when trying new foods, I have found I need to ask if it’s been cooked. In France, eating raw meat is ok, as long as it is expensive and has a clever name, such as “carpaccio” or “steak tartar”. If there wasn’t enough food to fill you up at dinner, there’s the last, “emergency” course of the French meal, cheese, to keep you from going to bed hungry.

2.    Salad

Every night, salad is served with dinner. However, this term is misleading, for in reality, your salad is one kind of lettuce on a plait. There is one option to compliment the salad, oil. Be sure not to cut the salad with a knife, for this is considered to be poor manners. Instead, using your fingers is appropriate at the dinner table to tear the salad.

3.    Silver wear

At each place, there are 2 knives, 2 forks, and one spoon. Each silver wear utensil is to be used for a different food item that comes one at a time. Spoons are to be used for desert, regardless of what the desert may be. The same knife may not be used to cut two different cheese types. When it comes to cutting you lettuce, the bread is to be used to stabilize the lettuce, while cutting the lettuce with your fork (for this is another acceptable way to resize your salad).

4.    Lunch money

In order to appeal to the customer seeking value, “formulas” are offered at restaurants and sandwich stations. For the diners who want to stay at school to eat, the cafeteria is available, as long as you don’t mind paying extra for condiments. While noting the bill for the meal at a restaurant, there is no need to judge the waiter’s performance, because the cost of the meal includes the tip.

5.    Nutrition facts

I don’t think the FDA would approve of scaled drawing of a gain next to a scaled drawing of sugar in order to depict proportion of nutrition. However, I suppose this is better then the mystery nutrition you get by buying unpackaged food from sandwich stations. I ponder the nutrition in a Kabob sandwich, which includes old, daily-reheated meat, which is covered with fries. If you ask for old fries, you can get twice as many.

- Ben Burds

1. Stepping out of the airport and feeling a 60 degree difference

- After being in -20F weather for 2 weeks, walking out of the airport in Paris was almost like stepping into a sauna. I was hit with ‘warm’ air that nearly took my breath away because I was not expecting it at all.

2. Handshakes at the bar for being American

- I was talking to Ethan’s host sister in English and this French couple passing by stopped and asked if I’m American. I said yes, they both shook my hand and walked away. I was left there contemplating what just happened.

3. First Discotheque

- A little bit of techno, a little bit of American music, some strobe lights and watching Jordan dance. Now that’s a recipe for a good time…

4. Is that Johnny?!? It’s 3 A.M.!

- Walking home from the discotheque with 4 other people Saturday night, there was absolutely no one else around. We walk around a corner and there’s Johnny coming down the street. Either the biggest coincidence ever or Rouen really isn’t a big city.

5. Wearing color can be a good thing

- A couple of days into classes a dense fog settled over Rouen and Mont Saint Aignan during the morning. Apparently as I was walking into the building that morning Jordan spotted me through the fog because I was wearing a bright scarf, instead of just black. Black may be classic and easy to match, but color makes one easier to spot in a crowd.

- Ashley Benedict

Monsieur le Président—Barak Obama :

The first conversation between a francophone and American can go no further than names introduced until the French speaker inevitably cries out “ Barak Obama!” with a wide grin. If the American wishes to forge an immediate relationship with the Frenchman, all he or she must do is smile and repeat with equal fervor, “Barak Obama!”

· The Weather:

Is the forecast rainy and cold or warm and sunny today? Both is the simple reply. Although heavy clouds predominate, the sun may at given moment tear through the gloomy, depressed sky and grace the Normandy region with warm rays. Its presence is brief, but a single glance towards one’s shadow in the water puddles is enough to incite a contented smile.

· Bread:

Although Normandy is known for its cheeses, bread has proved the most staple of all foods. It’s breakfast with jam and tea, it’s a filler between mealtimes, and it’s used after every meal to clean the plate. Use it and love it.

· Fashion:

Black boots + dark skinny jeans + black pea coat/trench coat = the most efficient way to fit in to a crowd in France. As standard in a Frenchman AND Frenchwoman’s closet as a pair of Sperry’s, a Lacoste polo, and a Northface jacket in an American’s closet, these three items are paired together for a fashion that never goes out of style.

· Public Codes of Conduct:

The most ineffective way to blend with a crowd in France is to use an American voice. English isn’t the downfall, it’s the voice level. To truly play the part, walk and eat in near silence—especially when you’re part of a group.

- Clara Metzler

1) Ordinary Pavement

We are off to an exciting start with ordinary pavement, which covers the streets just as in the United States and the rest of the developed world. The streets seem to be in good repair, and seem smaller than American city streets. I like this because it discourages large cars which waste gas.

2) Stone Walkways

It feels like a trip through time when one steps onto the stone walkways of the old market. Roman and English invaders, along with the Normans themselves have walked these streets over the centuries, or at least the streets underneath these streets. I will think well of these old walkways for the rest of my life, so long as I don’t break my ankle on them before the trip is through.

3) Sidewalks

The sidewalks in the old part of Rouen vary from extremely narrow, to about a meter wide. Stone piers sometimes guard the sidewalks from being parked on. Lots of old gum is flattened into these sidewalks, and one must watch out for canine fecal matter because the dogs know no shame. They are good sidewalks though, they get they provide the public with a safe place to walk.

4) Buying Stuff

It seems like there is a pharmacy on every corner, identified by a green cross. The tobacco stores also dot the walkways with their characteristic red “Tabac” sign. There are a number of small grocery stores and places to eat as one walks on by. Countless other stores cater to a never ending need for clothing and shoes that is held by most members of our society.

5) People

Workers fix city structures, men and women shop, musicians play for cash, mopeds and cars speed by, adolescents meet in groups, and shopkeepers mind their wares. And all of this is done in French. The same transactions occur here that occur an ocean away in the United States, but with slight cultural differences and in a location that has stood for centuries.

6) Narrow alleys

Some of the narrow walkways between the houses are barely big enough for one person to squeeze through. I suppose to some this would bring worry due to claustrophobia, but it is inspiring to be immersed and surrounded by old buildings.

- Ethan Avallone

Je m’assois devant la télé. Un publicité commence avec une femme attaché à une table dans une laboratoire, sans les vêtements, sa corps est couvert seulement par les sangles. Il y a les scientistes par tout d’elle, et il se lave ses cheveux avec un shampooing. Puis, elle se redresse ! Elle fait quelques gestes avec ses bras et ses mains, qui faire les scientistes dansent ensemble. Les gardes de sécurité arrivent, et elle les fait danser ensemble aussi. Les hommes dansent ensemble, et se saisint des cravates des autres. Et la femme, elle est pratiquement nu, sauf les petits sables, et elle est souriant.

Toujours dans le publicité, il y a les femmes pratiquement nus ! Avant un film, il y avait un publicité pour un parfum pour homme, avec un femme nu qui roule sur la terre ! C’est pas rare, et c’est pas grave ! Le corps est libre ! (Bien sûr, c’est plus souvent les femmes.)

A la foire, il y avait un grand peinture sur un ménage d’un femme en sortant de la mer, avec des grands seins nu ! J’ai vu un spectacle de danse avec les femmes dans les petits vêtements, qui aussi, n’avait pas des chemises de temps en temps. Dans les films et les émissions quand nous sommes arrivés, un femme a fait pipi dans la rue (oui, c’est un peu autre choses, aussi). Quand une femme se couche avec un homme, et elle sort du lit, elle ne cachent pas sa corps ! C’est la corps ! C’est beau, c’est naturel, et c’est par tout en France ! La France adore le corps !

La Deuxième Guerre Mondiale est finie depuis presque 80 ans, mais la France s’occupe encore toujours de tout ce qui s’est passé. La plupart des films que j’ai vu à la télé, depuis que je suis arrivée en Franc, sont les films des guerres mondiales. Il y a les films des camps de concentration, et les films des soldats, et tous les thèmes qu’on utilise aux Etats-Unis. Mais il y a aussi les films comme un que j’ai vu d’une femme qui se cache dans une grande maison abandonnée avec ses deux enfants et un autre jeune homme. Tout le film était juste comment ils ont survécu trois mois dans la maison sans voir d’autres personnes.

La mère de ma mère d’accueille (que j’appelle « Mamie ») se souvient bien de la Deuxième Guerre Mondiale, et comment elle s’est cachée avec sa famille . Aux Etats-Unis, on n’a pas des gens comme ça, qui peuvent parler des changements dans leurs vies normales. Nous avons les vétérans, mais il n’y a pas d’Américains qui se souviennent des amis qui étaient envoyés aux camps, ni la peur pour les vies de leurs enfants.

Les bâtiments qui étaient touchés par les guerres restent comme ça. La France veut que les endroits blessés par les guerres soient les souvenirs de tout ce qui s’est passé pour leur citoyens, leur soldats, et les soldats des autres payes qui ont défendu la France. Partout il y a les monuments pour les enfants perdu, les soldats perdus, et les bâtiments détruits. A Etretat, j’ai vu un endroit avec un panneau qui a dit que la place des boutiques des souvenirs était pendant la Deuxième Guerre, un petit hôpital pour les Français et les Anglais. Il y a les rues nommés après les présidents des Etats-Unis pendant la guerre, aussi un arrêt de métro pour Franklin Roosevelt. Pas loin de chez moi, il y a un rue nommé le 11, novembre, 1918, la fin de la Première Guerre Mondiale. Nous venons du passer le 11 novembre, et pendant la semaine il y avait que des émissions de la Première Guerre Mondiale à la télé. A la radio il y avait des émissions de la guerre. Nous avons visités les plages du débarquement, il y reste encore les grands bateaux en métal et les fortifications des Allemands au Pont du Hoc (la grand falaise que les soldats américains ont gagné). Tous les souvenirs possible restent.

Aux Etats-Unis c’est finis. Il y a de moins en moins de vétérans, et les garçons ou les fils des vétérans qui s’intéresse aux guerres encore. Mais, c’est fini pour nous. Nous avions des guerres plus récentes. C’est parce que les guerres n’ont pas touchés les Etats-Unis. Nous sommes toujours un pays sans ce danger. Nous voyons pas les terreurs du guerre chez nous. Peut-être que c’est une des raisons que nous hésitons pas d’attaquer ? De commençons un guerre ? Quand le 11 septembre est arrivé, c’était affreux. Le monde a vu comment les Etats-Unis réagissent quand c’est chez nous. Nous étions tous choqué par un événement avec un seul lieu et un deux milliens de morts. C’était terrible, oui, mais la France a enduré ça pendant des années et des années. La France n’a pas pu l’échapper, ni rebeller comme nous après le 11 septembre.