This week has been a challenge entirely in itself. Halloween has never been so stressful. In America we have a big party and handout candy to trick-or-treaters. I never thought that Halloween was such a big deal in France. For that last two weeks we have been working until at least 11pm every night putting together a ghost train. I have never hated a holiday so much in my life. It was a lot of fun in the beginning and night after night it got worse and worse.
I had to lie underneath a table for two hours at a time grabbing people’s ankles. The ghost train was just the tip of the iceberg. Personal frustrations have also made this week almost unbearable. A person, lets call her RA, has been getting on my nerves a lot this week. I am a very easy-going person. I let things roll off of my back for the most part. This girl is always getting on my case. It is very frustrating to have someone who thinks that just because she is older she automatically knows better. I do not put my nose in other people’s business and I do not want other people putting their nose into mine. Condescending voices telling my things that I already know is the most frustrating thing that I have encountered on this trip. Hopefully next week is a whole lot better than this o
Friday, October 30, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Taking Challeges Head-On
Greg Mortenson’s journey depicted in Three Cups of Tea is the farthest thing from easy. One of the first things that Greg does when trying begin gathering resources was write letters. While writing letters does not seem like a headstrong, difficult approach to his help efforts it truly was. Mortensen did not write just one or two letters, he wrote over five hundred letters. Lacking the personal resources to type even one letter, He had to pay to word process at a local computer lab. It was a long and mostly fruitless process. He spent a great deal of time trying to notify the most prominent figures in the country to help his cause. Though most of the letters were unsuccessful, the few that did bring help made all of his time and effort well worth it.
My effort to learn French, though much less extreme, reminds me of Greg Mortensen. I have been trying to speak French for a little less than two months and it is not going very well. Much like what I said about Greg’s letter writing, it is a long and for the most part fruitless process. I know very little, I can see the words and know the meaning but I cannot speak them at all. It is very hard for me to learn other languages. I took four years of Spanish in high school and didn’t retain hardly any of the speaking skills. It is frustrating to spend time practicing and not being satisfied with the results. Eighty percent of the time I really do not like French, but the twenty percent of the time where I say something and actually get my point across makes it all worth it.
My effort to learn French, though much less extreme, reminds me of Greg Mortensen. I have been trying to speak French for a little less than two months and it is not going very well. Much like what I said about Greg’s letter writing, it is a long and for the most part fruitless process. I know very little, I can see the words and know the meaning but I cannot speak them at all. It is very hard for me to learn other languages. I took four years of Spanish in high school and didn’t retain hardly any of the speaking skills. It is frustrating to spend time practicing and not being satisfied with the results. Eighty percent of the time I really do not like French, but the twenty percent of the time where I say something and actually get my point across makes it all worth it.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Explore the Chateau's grounds in the dead of night in a forest of trees with ears
On Wednesday night Classy, Josie, and I decided to go on a walk at 11 o’clock. Out behind the chateau there are hundreds of acres of trails weaving into the woods. It was dark and cold outside. We bundled up and headed out into the cold. It was the first time that we actually really explored the grounds. It was a brilliant idea to first explore in the darkness of night. We had so much fun.
Every few meters along the roads and the trails there is a streetlamp but in between is dark. Scattered all throughout the grounds are very interesting sculptures. There are bunny rabbits, ladies in long dresses and a forest full of ears. During the day the experience is amazing, but at night it takes on an entire different. It is scary but in a good way.
The wind sounds like creatures running through the woods. It is creepy. We are thinking about making these midnight walks a regular thing. We had so much fun. Walking in the cold, huddling together to keep warm, and scaring each other. It was the most incredible experience that we had this week. The nightlight completely changes the atmosphere of the chateau and its grounds.
Every few meters along the roads and the trails there is a streetlamp but in between is dark. Scattered all throughout the grounds are very interesting sculptures. There are bunny rabbits, ladies in long dresses and a forest full of ears. During the day the experience is amazing, but at night it takes on an entire different. It is scary but in a good way.
The wind sounds like creatures running through the woods. It is creepy. We are thinking about making these midnight walks a regular thing. We had so much fun. Walking in the cold, huddling together to keep warm, and scaring each other. It was the most incredible experience that we had this week. The nightlight completely changes the atmosphere of the chateau and its grounds.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Work Load
This week was an extremely long school week. It started at six o’clock in the morning on Monday and will probably last until past midnight tonight. Everyone had those weeks that feel like they will never end. This week was definitely one of them.
I have five classes this semester, which is quite reasonable. It just so happens that I in every single class, except writing, the teacher assigned me an oral presentation. I had to present my analysis of four poems in my philosophical literature class, I had to teach my pathway class about Greek polytheism, and I had to present the ancient Olympic games to my culture class. I certainly had my hands full.
It was a very hectic week, but it helped my learn something about myself. If I stay organized and keep my focus I have no problem completing an insane amount of work. It took a lot of effort on my part. I actually had to make a chart of the work that had to be done and when I had to do it. My desktop was covered in Stickies reminding me what to do and when. It was crazy. But after a week of very late nights I never had a day where my homework was not done.
I completed my work in a nice and timely manner. I was very stressed out. I was afraid that I would not get everything finished. Time management is definitely a learned skill. I am and have always been a procrastinator. Waiting until the last minute to complete assignments is a very bad habit that I am trying to drop. I am working very hard to become a better time manager. I think that these steps will greatly help improve the way that I spend my time.
I have five classes this semester, which is quite reasonable. It just so happens that I in every single class, except writing, the teacher assigned me an oral presentation. I had to present my analysis of four poems in my philosophical literature class, I had to teach my pathway class about Greek polytheism, and I had to present the ancient Olympic games to my culture class. I certainly had my hands full.
It was a very hectic week, but it helped my learn something about myself. If I stay organized and keep my focus I have no problem completing an insane amount of work. It took a lot of effort on my part. I actually had to make a chart of the work that had to be done and when I had to do it. My desktop was covered in Stickies reminding me what to do and when. It was crazy. But after a week of very late nights I never had a day where my homework was not done.
I completed my work in a nice and timely manner. I was very stressed out. I was afraid that I would not get everything finished. Time management is definitely a learned skill. I am and have always been a procrastinator. Waiting until the last minute to complete assignments is a very bad habit that I am trying to drop. I am working very hard to become a better time manager. I think that these steps will greatly help improve the way that I spend my time.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Challenges With Public Transportation
To get into the town of Strasbourg in less than an hour public transportation is a necessity. Walking it takes an hour to get from the chateau into the city center. That is fine when you do not have a place to be, but when in a hurry taking the bus and the tram is the only was to get there.
It is only a ten minute walk to from our front yard to the bus stop, it is really nice. The French countryside is so beautiful with its trees and cornfields it reminds me of my hometown in New Hampshire. Taking public transportation is normally no problem it is efficient and very helpful in a time crunch. The other day was unbelievable, the bus was like one of those little clown cars at the circus.
In Paris the Metro was always crowded, people would keep getting on at ever stop and the train cars would soon fill up. I thought the Metro was crowded but, that was nothing. The other day we were going to the Aslacian History Museum which is about a 25 to 30 minute bus ride from our stop. The bus was empty as we first boarded and we just all sat down.
At the first bus stop there was a group of about ten people, which was fine the bus could easily house that many. But as we kept stopping at stop after stop, at least ten people got on each time. It was unbelievable how many people squeezed their way into that small city bus. We offered our seats to the older travelers and took standing positions and soon there was not even room to stand. It was the craziest thing I have ever seen and people just assume that you can get out of their way when they want to move. It was shoulder to shoulder, leg to leg for the last 10 to 15 minutes of the commute. I would have much rather walked the hour and saved myself all of that trouble.
It is only a ten minute walk to from our front yard to the bus stop, it is really nice. The French countryside is so beautiful with its trees and cornfields it reminds me of my hometown in New Hampshire. Taking public transportation is normally no problem it is efficient and very helpful in a time crunch. The other day was unbelievable, the bus was like one of those little clown cars at the circus.
In Paris the Metro was always crowded, people would keep getting on at ever stop and the train cars would soon fill up. I thought the Metro was crowded but, that was nothing. The other day we were going to the Aslacian History Museum which is about a 25 to 30 minute bus ride from our stop. The bus was empty as we first boarded and we just all sat down.
At the first bus stop there was a group of about ten people, which was fine the bus could easily house that many. But as we kept stopping at stop after stop, at least ten people got on each time. It was unbelievable how many people squeezed their way into that small city bus. We offered our seats to the older travelers and took standing positions and soon there was not even room to stand. It was the craziest thing I have ever seen and people just assume that you can get out of their way when they want to move. It was shoulder to shoulder, leg to leg for the last 10 to 15 minutes of the commute. I would have much rather walked the hour and saved myself all of that trouble.
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