Annecy and Preparation for Adventure.

Well, since last blog I have gone on our surprise field trip. We went to Annecy, I love that town, its really beautiful. Its a really old-fashioned city with beautiful everything. I honestly don't think there is a way to look at it where it isn't absolutely stunning. There are so many old houses and buildings filled with boutiques and pastry shops. There is a chateau on a hill overlooking the city and there is a beautifully blue lake right by the city which on top of all that is of course surrounded by mountains. I liked it so much I already went back and even on a rainy day its still amazing. The second time was on a sunday and there were open air markets set up all throughout the town. I must have tried 10 different types of cheeses I only wish I could have justified buying a massive wheel of tomme. But maybe someday I can find a reason.

Let's see, what else. Honestly besides the random trip to Annecy there isn't a lot of stuff going on here. But there is a reason for that. For the past week most of the IFLE students here are just sitting around waiting and being bored. And the reason for that is that we are leaving for Paris tomorrow! I can't wait to see this place, its hard to think I have been in France for 5 weeks or so and have still not been to Paris. After that we get another vacation for another week too. A few other friends and I will be going to Bruges Belgium, Back to Paris, Dublin Ireland, and then to London England before coming back to school. With lots of activities that will be happening in each country. But that will all be discussed by Future Derek in the next blog.

I fear this blog has been overly brief, but thats because I have a lot of packing to do and by a lot of packing I mean decide which four shirts and three pairs of pants are best for the next two weeks of travelling. But no worries there... I'm here to see the world and the goal is being achieved.

Today's schedule: Français, French, Français, and French

Once again I can only continue to say how much I love it here. Days are filled with endless learning but I don't even care. For me a standard day goes like this: Wake up, go to class and speak french, go to my room and study french/read Tintin (which is the greatest comic ever) in french and of course the occasional trip down to Collonges or Geneva which involves many broken-french conversations, and at night we either play volley-ball or watch a film with french subtitles (last night was Tangled).

Fortunately I think that I am beginning to understand the language thanks to multiple hours of class per day, the help of multiple high schoolers and theology majors here, and hours of reading Tintin. I am pretty sure I still look like a complete fool but not matter.

Weekends are full of good times (and french) too. This weekend included church, where I am still completely lost almost all the time, a hike up the Salève and Laser Game which is just laser tag but awesome nonetheless. There I learned many important phrases such as "je vais te tuer" aka "I am going to kill you" which has its moments where it can be useful. Unfortunately I have no idea how to be angry in french besides yelling nonsense... Classes just don't teach how to say things angrily.

Another reason I love this school... Surprise field trips. This morning I was informed that we would be going to Annecy this afternoon and handed us a map of the city. Does this mean I have to skip my afternoon class... darn (sarcasm). That is one thing I miss I can't be very sarcastic here, which if you know me is sort of what I do all the time. Here everybody just assumes us americans don't know what we are talking about so its pretty hard to joke around, but oh well I guess becoming serious isn't the worst thing that could happen to me this year.

Well thats about it for now. Pretty soon I'll have something to actually talk about once the next break comes up and we all go to Paris, then Ireland and England. Should be exciting. Thanks for the feedback and enjoy.