Delayed...

08/27/08

Hey all,

Recovering from a looong time without internet access is tough. Like withdrawl, just without the help of detox hahahah.

Got very lost Tuesday morning looking for a bank, and stumbled upon a beautiful fountain at sunrise - am still trying to get the pictures up on the slideshow.

Until then, take a look at my photobucket album, "Bordeaux". http://photobucket.com/greenisgood85

Moved into my small dorm room at the Study Center on Tuesday afternoon, meeting many a jetlagged UC student. The Study Center is a ways away from the city, which is hard for me and my attachment to creature comforts (see above), but fortunately, it's not too isolated. The tram system here is great.

Will start a language program later this week, which will endure for two weeks following that. Once I've finished with that, I'll take the DEFLE (Department of French as a Foreign Language) on September 8th and begin my courses at the University on the 17th of September!!! Yay!

After the DEFLE, they'll place me at first, second or third level - this will determine the level of French courses I'll take. Let's hope I test into the highest, 3rd level!

Am still waiting to receive my boxes and lost luggage - will hopefully get them later today, but will go shopping for minimal provisions until then.

Bread and cheese sure is cheap out here.

Until next time,

Ben


08/28/08


Not having internet is taking its toll. I'm afraid to check my email for fear of getting a million worried emails asking where I've vanished to... The lack of internet access in Europe surprises me!

Yesterday I went to Leader Price, a grocery store about 5 minutes away, to get a towel. My lost luggage has yet to arrive from Dublin, and my bath towel is in there. All I could find, however, were mop rags :(. So, that's been my towel for the past two days - will rejoice when my luggage arrives!

Also ran out of clean clothes yesterday, which to a certain extent is also a result of my luggage being lost - I only packed about 3 changes of clothes, and completely ran out yesterday. Unfortunately, the washing machine situation isn't the best (didn't find out until I had tried getting it to work for a few hours), and ended up washing my clothes by hand. Gonna take a while to dry in my small window! Will be sure to do smaller loads next time.

All of which to say that I ended up attending a program-wide meeting with the director of EAP Bordeaux in pyjamas and sandals. And of course, she asked me to get up in front of the other 70 or so students to read something aloud. Not every day I get to stand up in front of 70-odd people in my pyjamas! Pretty funny.

Yesterday, I got two boxes I had shipped myself before leaving! Yay for clean clothes! hahaha. Now I can get dressed when I go out! Although, the belts lost along with my luggage would sure be nice...

My friends and I went out last night, because it was one of the girls' birthday. The restaurant we ended up in was a Franco-American restaurant, much to our dismay. Obama's face was everywhere, including on the menu, along with a huge vintage poster of John F Kennedy and Michael Jordan. The moment we walked in, they immediately started playing Katy Perry and Fergie. I requested Brassens, but alas, there was none to be had. :)

Afterwards we went to an enormous fountain - the same place I had gone at daybreak on Tuesday. Check out some pictures of the area here!

Will hopefully get internet access by next week - until then, it's internet cafes, I suppose. Just know that I'm well and safe, as postings will be rare!

Ben

PS: A quick note for those shipping boxes to me:

I made a mistake in the address - the study center is at building E, not D.

Ben Hair #314 (my room number)
Centre D'Etudes de L'Universite de Californie
Universite de Bordeaux III
Batiment E, Domaine Universitaire
33607, Pessac Cedex FRANCE

Also - be sure to write "NO COMMERCIAL VALUE" on whatever boxes you send. Apparently, not doing so can result in extra fees, along with searching at customs.


08/31/08 9:50am

Hey all,

Sorry I haven't posted in a while - internet access is hard to come by. Classes for the Language Program start tomorrow and will continue for two weeks before I move into my homestay and start enrolling in classes at Bordeaux University. Hopefully I placed high on the placement exam on Friday! Am currently reading "La Guerre de Troie n'aura pas lieu" by Jean Giradoux. I have also picked up some Camus and Anouilh and may get to them by the end of the week.

I'm still having trouble with the slideshow, and can't seem to get the photos to appear. If you'd like to see some pictures, check out the "Bordeaux" album on my photobucket page.

Until next time,
Ben