Bonjour! So I've been up to lots of fun stuff lately, but I thought I'd add a post on the everyday stuff, too.
First, classes: they haven't really started yet. I've had a few
lectures, but for each lecture there are also a few smaller discussion
components, so the big lecture group is broken into smaller groups for
more in-depth work--I think. These haven't started at all yet (they
start this week) so I'll give more info on those later this week or next
weekend, when I've actually experienced them. (They're called
travaux
dirigés, which literally translates to guided or directed work.)
I'm taking two history classes (French history of the 1800s and European
of the early 1900s) and two art history classes (one about chinoiserie
and allegories in French art of the 1700s, I think, and the other about
European landscape paintings of the late 1700s and early 1800s). I'm
also taking two translation classes: one English to French (hard) and
one French to English (easier), but those haven't started yet (they
start this week). Unfortunately, I don't have any classes actually
inside the Sorbonne building itself. Art history classes are held at 3,
rue michelet and the history and translation classes will be at the
Centre Clignancourt. I've put in photos of michelet and the Sorbonne,
because those buildings are pretty, but I think Clignancourt is one of
the ugliest buildings I've seen lately, although it was just completed
this summer, so I didn't even bother taking any photos. (It's got this
very modern sort of feel, lots of squares and lines, and this weird
cement-gray and schoolbus-yellow color scheme. Also, the toilets in the
building don't have seats. Unfortunately, this is rather common in
more public restrooms in France, but it's one cultural difference that I
really have trouble appreciating. I mean, it's one thing for airport
toilets or free city toilets, but don't tell me the Sorbonne can't
afford toilet seats.) Anyway, classes are just starting, but what I've
had so far seems good, although if it's too much work, I might drop one
of the art history classes. I'm also taking two athletic classes:
"Ju-jitsu self-defense" and "Qi-gong" (which is sort of like a
yoga/tai-chi combo, I think). Those start on Friday, so again, more on
those later this week or next weekend.
 |
| The Sorbonne itself! Sadly, I don't have classes in this building. |
 |
| 3, rue michelet: art history building... very near le Jardin du Luxembourg (see below) |
Second, food: this seems to be everyone's favorite part! (By the way:
Please feel free to leave comments on the blog; you don't have to email
me or tell me on Skype or Facebook that you like the blog or something I
put on it. That's what the comment box is here for!) Anyway, I
continue to eat lots of yummy food! On a daily basis!! Obviously the
pastries and baguettes are great, but my two favorite things are
actually
chèvre (goat cheese) and
fromage blanc
(literally, "
white
cheese" but it's actually more like Greek yogurt and you eat it
like yogurt, with a spoon). I like to eat the former for lunch and the
latter after dinner, almost as a desert, although it's not sweet. We
really don't have anything like it in the U.S., but Greek yogurt is sort
of similar, but
fromage blanc is more creamy, less tangy, and
not as heavy. I didn't take a photo of the food itself (but you can see
it at the link) because it's not much to look at (it looks like sour
cream or plain yogurt) but I did take one of the package, so you can see
that it's packaged like yogurt. I've included some of the other yummy
things I eat fairly regularly as well.
 |
| FROMAGE BLANC: YUM! |
 |
| normal lunch: baguette with chèvre (the golden raspberries were a treat) |
 |
| the Jardin du Luxembourg, near rue michelet, where I like to eat lunch |
 |
| the French version of a chocolate chip cookie: dark chocolate, more of a bread than a cookie, far less sweet, far more delicious |
No comments:
Post a Comment