Another week into the second semester already and now onto the next month. In lots of ways, it doesn't feel like that long ago I was back home in Canada (in reality it's been about 3 weeks), but it also feels like I've been here in Nice for much longer. Almost like I never left in a way. Regardless, I've been finding lots of ways to keep myself out of trouble! Academically speaking, school has been picking up a bit. A presentation in the next couple of weeks, a couple written compositions and a midterm are all to come. The first half of this semester is much lighter in content compared to our work load after our reading week. Luckily enough, all of our courses (aside from the two Canadian ones) are contrôle continu, which means there are no final exams during the exam period. Instead, it is "continual evaluation" meaning all of our marks come from the work we do in the semester. A really nice perk of being an exchange student! Tandem has been another highlight at the University! From time to time, some of our professors from our translation class offer an evening of conversing with French and English students to practice and improve our language skills. It's been a great way for us to meet some French students at the university and hear about what they do here in Nice to keep themselves occupied. We are always looking for new ways to stay busy. This week, a friend and I decided to go and try some Niçoise cuisine. I had tried some last semester at our professor's house during our welcome soirée, but I had never actually gone out into downtown Nice to discover it for myself. We went to Lou Pilha Leva where I had some socca with olive oil and salt, and she also had some socca with a Niçoise salad, which contains tuna, boiled eggs, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and other vegetables of the sort. I've decided that, this semester, I want to get out into the heart of Nice more often and really experience what this city has to offer. I want to feel immersed into the culture 100% and get to know Nice as well as I can. Service Universitaire des Activités Physiques et Sportives (SUAPS) Another exciting addition to this semester has been attending some of the fitness classes on campus. At the beginning of the school year, a few of us paid to participate in sports at schools. So, we figured it was about time we actually went to check some of them out. Now, we routinely go to yoga, Zumba and fesse, abdo, cuisse classes. (The last one is a butt, abs and leg/thigh work out, and the instructor means business!). We also have been going to Karaoke nights at a local bar in Vieux Nice. The first week we went it was amazing! A group of four of us went and teared it up. The second time was less amazing... the server told us we either had to buy drinks or we had to leave. I guess that's what they were charging instead of a cover fee to participate in Karaoke. So, we decided just to do our own karaoke that night back at someone's apartment. Making the best of every situation! Grasse - Le 4 Février 2018 Saturday's adventure was to Grasse, a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department (more specifically a sub-prefecture), on the French Riviera. It is on the limestone hill of Puy that was built as a medieval village which remains the historical heart. In the late 18th century, Grasse experienced an extraordinary development of perfumerie which is still blooming today. The Provençal town perched on a hill is considered the world capital of perfume. (Special thanks to my free "Best of Côte D'Azur" travel guide I picked up today at the Grasse Tourism Office for providing me with this insightful information!) Although I had already been to a Fragonard Perfumerie in Èze, it was great to go on another guided tour of the facilities. This time round, I learned that there are 7 flowers of the region that they use in their perfumes: rose, jasmine, orange, mimosa, violet, tuberose and broom. Also, the perfumers who work in their labs need to be able to identify over 500 scents. Anyone's senses feeling up to the challenge?! Other notable sights included the Notre Dame Cathedral, which had that same Medieval feel that I read about earlier. The interior of the church was all exposed stone. Absolutely beautiful! There were also some great views to be seen. Mountains in one direction and the sea in another. Grasse was a great end to our week and definitely somewhere I would love to go back to. There are lots of new adventures around the corner for us. Our reading week is quickly approaching at the end of this month. Some of us are even heading to Morocco! A friend and I have opted to do a 10 day tour of Italy. It's been up at the top of my bucket list for a while now, and I can't wait to experience it!
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Well mes amis, I made it back to the sunny south of France and am settled in once again. It has been a great two weeks back, filled with some ups and downs, but that is always to be expected. I've spent some time getting reacquainted with my life abroad: the way of life in Nice, hearing the language 24/7 again, and remembering how everything in France functions at half the pace it does in Canada. (Lol) Although I did struggle with a bit of homesickness this time round, I've managed to stay optimistic and embrace the new semester. So what have I all been up to these past couple weeks? Le début du semestre, a day trip, some more karaoke, and even some new friends made along the way. One of our priorities last week was our inscriptions: planning, choosing (and re-planning) our courses for second semester. Our group of Canadian exchange students have decided to take a couple translation classes along with a course about European Literature (Histoire de la Littérature Européene). Along with those courses, we are continuing to take 2 courses with our Canadian professor/coordinator. This semester it is Written French and Social Linguistics. Should be another good semester... with a bit of a lighter course load I'm hoping! ;) One of the great things about our courses this semester is the unbelievable view from our classroom. Going to class on Tuesdays just got a heck of a lot more enjoyable. I guess studying in the south of France along the French Riviera isn't so bad after all ;) I've also found some spare time to make my way down to the beaches. Although it's still a bit too chilly to take a dip, the afternoon sun is quite warm and makes for a nice break to soak up some vitamin D. I've managed to take some time to self-indulge and continue reading a book en francais I picked up... at the beginning of the school year. The second part isn't really important though... I'm also back to my usual self, eating croissants and pain au chocolat like it's going out of style. We live far too close to a bakery for my own good, and I have zero self control when it comes to French cuisine. L'éxcursion aux petites villes - le 27 janvier 2018On Saturday, we had a wonderful opportunity to stretch our legs and head out on a short day trip to three close by cities. Another UNIA event organized by the school and only ten euros - pas mal! We even made a new friend along the way, a student from Vermont studying at the same faculty as us for the semester. We've also met another Canadian student in a different exchange program than us but has been a pleasure to get to know and spend some more time with. She's actually our new group fitness buddy! Time to get in shape for the not so far away beach season! Menton First up was Menton, another town up the coastline from Nice and not far away from the Italian border. It’s known for beaches and gardens, and the hilly, medieval old town is home to Basilique Saint-Michel. Not far away is the Musée Jean Cocteau which displays works by French poet and filmmaker Jean Cocteau. We had the opportunity to pay the museum a quick visit, and I was glad we did. I knew nothing about M. Cocteau before visiting, but I've now learned that he directed a version of Beauty and the Beast in 1946. Might be worth a watch! Our morning was off to a bit of a dreary start: clouds and light rain. Our promenade through the old town wasn't as bright and cheery as it could have been, but by noon the sun was out and shining. We even got to have lunch on the rocks along the water. WOW! Not many times in my life am I going to be able to say that I had lunch along the water on the French Riviera. In a nutshell, I would sum Menton's architecture up as a little taste of Italy. Colourful, bright, and window shutters beyond compare. Oh! We also got to go and taste Limoncello, an Italian liqueur. It's also produced in Menton, home of the lemon festival! Menton was literally a taste of little Italy! Èze - Encore une fois! It was my second trip to Èze, but this time we ventured to the exotic gardens. We hiked up to the top to find ourselves in front of a captivating 360 degree view of the surrounding area. I was speechless. Èze is one of those little villages you can keep going back to, and you'll still discover something new and exciting each time. VilleFranche-Sur-Mer Our last stop was a short one to Villefranche. Truly only about a 15 minute bus ride out of Nice. Here, we stopped at a few small museums to see La Fondation Volti and La Collection Goetz Boomeester. In summary, today's museum adventures were all about surrealism poetry, art work, and sculptures. Other highlights of the day were the unimaginable views! I still cannot get over how lucky I am to call this area my home. A small part of me never wants to leave... Well, I suppose that's all I have for now. Here's to another great semester filled with more learning curves, exciting adventures, and unforgettable memories. Bon semestre à tous!
I can officially say that my exams are finished for the semester, and I am ready for the Christmas holidays! I fly back to Canada this Saturday, and I could not be more excited to be returning home for a few weeks to see friends and family before coming back to Nice for another semester of adventures. Of course, what better way was there to celebrate the end of a fabulous semester than to travel north for a week to see some Christmas markets and even some snow! Bruxelles, Belgique - Le 14 au 17 Décembre 2017 First stop was Brussels, which was evidently a tad cooler than it is here in Nice. Starting to regret not having brought my winter coat, but I managed to face the cold with multiple layers and a hat. I even caved and bought some mittens... We saw some unique things on our first day here, including a cute little farm: La Ferme du Parc Maximilien. They had chickens, horses, sheep and even alpacas! It was a beautiful natural area in the heart of Brussels. One of their signs said "vivre en harmonie" which translate to "live in harmony". I thought this was super fitting for their farm. They even had a colourful painting of Mother Nature at the entrance, which made it feel very warm and inviting. We also went to do some classic tourist things, like visiting Grand Place and the Manneken Pis. Grand Place was definitely one of my favourite sites in Brussels. The huge Christmas tree in the center of the square really made it feel like Christmas, and it was even more beautiful at night when it and the buildings were all lit up! The Manneken Pis, a famous small bronze statue of a little naked boy peeing into a fountain, was cute but smaller than expected ;) Later that evening, we toured some of the Christmas markets and went skating! Brussels had everything from a merry-go-round to a Ferris Wheel (La Grande Roule). Best part was being able to throw a pair of skates on and take a spin on their outdoor rink. We were all missing Christmas in Canada at this point to say the least. Oh! We even got to have a little taste of Quebec. There was a small store there featuring everything Quebecois, including La tire d'érable (maple taffy/sugar on snow). We all had to try some, needless to say! Our second day there was a little more relaxed. It rained for the majority of the day, so we ended up finding some indoor things to do. We did get to see Notre Dame, the Royal Palace of Brussels and Place Royale before the cold and wet rain got the best of us though. For the afternoon, I checked out the Museum of Musical Instruments (MIM). They had exhibits featuring all kinds of keyboards and claviers, salon musical instruments, instruments from different parts of the world and instruments from the beginning of time. My favourite instruments were the keyboards with the exquisitely detailed art. I think it is so neat how two forms of art can be combined into one beautiful masterpiece! Luxembourg, Luxembourg - Le 18 Décembre 2017After Brussels, I ventured off to Luxembourg, this time riding solo! Being in Luxembourg really helped me get into the Christmas spirit, because there was snow! It was a winter wonderland while I was there! If I had to describe Luxembourg in a sentence, I would say it reminded me of Beauty and the Beast, "little town, it's a quiet village". It even looked like a fairy tale. The two main areas I visited were Vieille Ville (Old Town) and La Corniche, a breathtaking walkway along the walls of Luxembourg. Although Luxembourg was small, I really enjoyed its quaintness. I noticed that its culture, people and languages are highly intertwined with its neighbours, France and Germany. I even learned that Luxembourg has three official languages: Luxembourgish, French, and German. It was a peaceful, beautiful and snow-filled way to end my final "voyage" of the semester... and of 2017! After Luxembourg, I took a train back to Nice, and what a long train ride that was. Delayed 2.5 hours... I am certainly happy to be back in Nice finally! It was truly an incredible semester living abroad here in Nice and having a plethora of opportunities to travel and explore. Big shout out goes to my parents for having been so supportive (in more ways than one) of me. So excited for you guys to come here and visit next semester and see what I've been up to!
I cannot wait to come back for round two, and I am also excited to take a break. Believe it or not, I am feeling a little traveled out... and am looking forward to Christmas cookies and hot chocolate with my family over the holidays! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone! :) Well, these past two weeks have been full of adventures to say the least. We are at the homestretch here at the university with one of our courses already coming to a close for the year. The final class of the semester was November 21st, where we did our final presentation. Reality is setting in... but the best news?! No final exam for that class! Only 1 oral exam and 3 written exams to go before it is the start of Christmas holidays. Next week is our last week at the university... which is also why I'm glad I had a few final chances to go sight-seeing and traveling in these past couple of weeks! Cap d'Ail - Le 23 Novembre 2017 This was another outing organized by our Canadian professor. Cap d'Ail is small city up the coast from Nice, just before Monaco, and it is filled with Villas and more beautiful views of the sea. We spent the majority of the afternoon here, which included a guided tour of the Villa Camellias, currently a museum in the town. The Villa was filled with beautiful artwork! The painting featured below (top row, middle) was a favourite of mine. Pictured in it, there are 7 fishermen meant to represent Spain and France. Unfortunately, I forget which side was France and which side was Spain... but regardless, it was an exquisite piece of art! One of the other highlights was the pneumatic piano. A few of us even had the chance to play it, although it wasn't as difficult of a task as playing an actual piano is - it's self-playing! By using an internal pump mechanism and pre-programmed music recorded on perforated paper, all you need to do is sit down, pump the pedals with your feet and control the speed and volume with the dials below the keys. So cool! We later took an evening walking tour, and what a gorgeous sunset we saw! It was a nice, relaxing and enjoyable way to end another week at school. I swear I've just about walked the entire coastline of southern France though... Monaco - Le 27 Novembre 2017 Our next adventure was to Monaco, a small country not far from Nice. Technically, it is a "sovereign city-state, country and microstate" located on the French Riviera, which really had me confused at first because I had no clue if it was a separate country or not. Either way, Monaco is country number 13 for me! Woot! A high school friend of mine ended up meeting me in Nice during his travels, and we took a day trip to Monaco together. We were happy to have brought our own lunches, as eating out in Monaco is truly a wining and dining experience with an expensive price tag attached. Everywhere we turned, there was a designer store of some sort of a high end hotel or restaurant. Conclusion, Monaco is not a country for poor university students... Aside from that, we had a lovely day. We enjoyed our lunch in the port and had a lovely walk around the country - sunshine and clear skies all day! We ended up walking to see the Casino in Monaco, which was (surprise, surprise) nothing shy of exquisite. What the country lacks in size, the make up for in the fine details. Barcelona - Le 30 Novembre au 4 Décembre This past weekend was an incredible getaway in Barcelona, Spain! My roommate and high school friend embarked on this four day trip together, and we had an amazing time. The hostel we stayed at was phenomenal, and we met so many great friends there! All I can say is that we didn't have nearly enough time to see all that Barcelona had to offer. We did get to see the Old Town and the Gothic Quarter, the Olympic Stadiums (which hosted the 1992 Summer Olympics), Montjuïc Castle, Sagrada Familia and other local areas. My favourite was definitely Sagrada Familia - talk about breathtaking and brilliance combined into one! The Sagrada is a large unfinished Roman Catholic church, which was originally designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. They began construction in 1882 and hope to finish by 2026, one hundred years after Gaudi's death. It is a long way from finished, and still a masterpiece to be seen. Gaudi was both a genius and a madman. I was so blown away by the attention to detail - how could a human being construct something this magnificent all from their mind's eye?! I will definitely have to return once it is fully completed! We also engaged in some night life in Barcelona. Spanish music is my jam!! It was such an exciting weekend all around, and I can officially say I had the best tapas ever... I am obsessed! Take me back already! Unfortunately, as always, our adventures had to come to an end, and it is back to reality. Two more weeks to go, which will be filled with exams and some Christmas socials to celebrate the holidays and the end of the semester. Then, it's off to Belgium and Luxembourg!
Bon courage to us all as we enter the last two weeks of the semester. :) I cannot believe how fast time is flying! It feels like our semester here in Nice just started, and here we are wrapping up with our final projects and assessments. In only a few weeks, we will be writing our final exams. In the meantime, we have been making the most of our time here in the south of France and took a couple day trips to neighbouring cities. Èze - Le 9 novembre 2017 Last week, we went on an afternoon trip to the town of Èze, located east of us and about thirty minutes away by bus and not far from Monaco. Our Canadian professor proposed this excursion to us, and seeing as it was free and just up the coast line from us, a bunch of us decided to take advantage of this opportunity! Èze is a small medieval village with gorgeous panoramic views from the top of the hill. It is perched on a rock 1,400 feet above sea level, and the village surrounds the ruins of a 12th-century castle. This quaint village was built on top of the rocky outcrop for security reasons and its stunning views over the Mediterranean Sea, but in earlier days it was a strategic location for detecting and protecting themselves against intruders. We first took on the challenge of climbing all the way to the top of the hill, which in total took us just under an hour - not bad for amateur hikers! The climb was well worth it, as the views were just as beautiful as our prof promised they would be. We spent the afternoon walking around the village and admiring more of the views and architecture it had to offer. Later that day, we met up with some more Canadian students and headed to the Fragonard Parfumerie. At the parfumerie, we had the chance to go on a guided tour through their facilities, l'usine. We even got to play a little game where we tried to match the scents up to the photos - easier said than done, but a great way to step inside the life of a professional perfumer, parfumeur/parfumeuse. This was the first time I had the chance to take a closer look at the perfume making process, and I learned that if a bottle reads parfum, that means it has the highest concentration of parfum/odeur. Following behind parfum is eau de parfum, eau de toilette and last eau de cologne. We all had a fun time checking out the various scents at the boutique at the end of our visit. A few items may have been purchased... Marseille - Le 18 novembre 2017 Marseille was also another fun day trip for us! It was organized by UNIA (Université de Nice Inter-Ages). I have really enjoyed day trips like these for the simple fact that we get to explore a new city for a day without having to leave the country we are studying in. More ways to interact with the francophone community! Like Nice, Marseille is a port city, so we had the chance to walk around Vieux Port and see the multitude of boats. It is the second-largest city in France after Paris, the capital, not to mention France's largest city on the Mediterranean coast and the largest port for commerce, freight and cruise ships. Marseille is also a very sports-focused city. From football to swimming, canoeing to kayaking, we saw lots of groups of people training for marathons, triathlons, you name it! The museum we visited, Mucem, even had an exhibition "Nous sommes foot" explaining the history of football (soccer), and the impact it has had on various individuals, whether they be from Marseille or another part of the world. It was clear to see how large of an impact sports has on the entire city, and how it has become a part of their identity. There was also a Christmas market (un marché de Noël) set up while we were visiting. We stopped at a few booths of the local vendors, and I ended up picking up a few things in my travels to bring back to Canada with me for the Christmas holidays. We saw lots of booths with soap ornaments and decor - Marseille is famous for their soap creations. The designs were both practical and beautiful! The weather was so beautiful during our time in Marseille, so of course I had to take advantage of the prime lighting for a mini photo shoot! ;) There were so many things we could have done in Marseille, so we may just have to return. Until then, it's back to studying for me!
What an incredible past 10 days it has been! I can hardly believe that our time in four beautiful countries has come to a close and that we are back to the reality of school tomorrow... Budapest, Hongrie - le 26 au 28 Octobre 2017 Our first destination was Budapest, Hungary. Personally, I had no idea what to expect during our trip here, as I had never been this far east in Europe, and I was truly blown away by the beauty of this city! We spent some time just walking around the area, and it seemed like around every corner there was something new - a park, a monument or a cute cafe! Our day started off with a walk down Andrassy street, which made me realize how poor I truly was. Once the rain hit, we sought refuge in an indoor market, which mostly filled with Hungarian cuisine. We ended up staying indoors and went to The House of Terror as the rain wasn't letting up, but I was thankful that we did. I hadn't known much about communism and fascism pre and post WW2, so it was very beneficial and educational for myself to take a tour of the Hungarian Nazi headquarters and later torture chambers in the later half of the 20th century. What an eye-opening experience! I think it is so humbling that this museum exists, as it is also a memorial to the victims of these regimes, including those detained, interrogated, tortured or killed in the building. Chills went through my entire body as I took a step back into history. We also took a walking tour to Heroes Square once the rain let up, and then to one of the outdoor bath houses, Széchenyi. Even though it was around 10 degrees celsius outdoors, the water was nearly 30! It was the perfect way to end a full day of walking in the cold rain. Fun fact: this particular bath house is the oldest one in Budapest and is the largest in Europe! On our last day in Budapest, we took a walking tour of the city to see both sides: Buda and Pest. Our hostel was located on the Pest side, so we were eager to see what was across the Danube river in Buda. In unrelated news, we also got to try Chimney Cakes, which were oh so delicious! Definitely got our sugar fix in Budapest! We started at St. Stephen's Cathedral, named after the first King of Hungary. Then, we made our way to the Budapest Eye (a spin off of the London Eye), the Michael Jackson tree, Chain Bridge, and all the way up the "hill" to Budapest Castle. From here, we got to see an entire view of the city. We could see Parliament in the distance and Gellert Hill. Even though the weather was a bit overcast, and quite chilly, the views and architecture made it completely worth it. It was incredible to see how influenced the buildings' architectures were influenced by communism. Personally, I could see many similarities between Russian architecture and Hungarian architecture. I'm not much of a history buff, so I could be completely out in left field, but after visiting the House of Terror and walking around Budapest, it made me think of how much power Communist Russia had during its reign. Bratislava, Slovaquie - le 29 Octobre 2017 We passed through Bratislava on our way to Vienna, so it was a short stay. During our one day here, we got to see the quaint village centre and the beautiful Bratislava Castle. We battled some pretty intense winds during our walk around the castle, but powered through it all. Bratislava was one of my favourite destinations, because of its quaintness and relaxed atmosphere. It wasn't nearly as overwhelming as the big city of Budapest was, so it was a nice break for us all. We even managed to squeeze in some time for retail therapy, too ;) although, I had to watch what I all bought, as I was running low on space in my luggage... Overall, Bratislava was a great way to see a more rural area of Europe on our way to Vienna. Although it wasn't our favourite hostel, we had a lovely traditional Slovakian meal at a restaurant close to the village centre: potato dumplings and homemade chicken soup! Vienne, Autriche - le 30 au 31 Octobre 2017 Our first day in Vienna was not as smooth as it could have been, to say the least, but we made the best of it! Even though we found ourselves in a hail storm and later a laundromat, we had some great time to bond and make some unconventional memories ;) The evening ended on a high note - literally! I attended the Mozart Orchestra at the Vienna Musikverein. What an evening that was! I've only been taking French courses during my time here on the exchange, so having an evening to soak in some classical music was quite refreshing and well-needed. So glad to have had the opportunity to engage in music with an incredibly talented group of musicians. Our second day was much more positive! We embarked on a bus tour of Vienna, which was a great way to see everything that the city had to offer. We went to the Museum Quarter, Schönbrunn Palace, Belvedere Palace, the Opera House, as well as the outskirts of Vienna. One of the girls on our trip had family ties back in Vienna, so we took some walking tours to find her grandparents' childhood homes and family's business. It was neat to walk around, trace back her ancestry and see the residential areas as well. Although Vienna proved to be one of our most frigid destinations, it is definitely a city I would love to visit again. It is rich in music history and culture, which is something I wish I had more time to engage in and appreciate! I did, however, get to briefly see the building where Mozart's grave was, so that's one more thing checked off the bucket list ;) Prague, République Tchèque - Le 1 au 4 Novembre 2017 Last stop was Prague! An immensely anticipated destination for all. We experienced the best weather of the trip while in Prague. Beautiful clear skies, some sun and temperatures of up to 15 degrees! Best part was, it only rained on us during the night. We started off by heading to the city centre, which they call Old Town Square. There, we saw the Astronomical clock and St. Nicholas' Presbyterian Church. This was the first Presbyterian Church I had ever seen and visited while in Europe. It was another beautiful building with an extraordinary chandelier upon entry. Something else we stumbled upon in Prague was one of their markets, where we found lots of kitschy, unique souvenirs, as well as beautiful flowers and puppets! Later that afternoon, after trying some mulled wine, we headed to Charles Bridge, which proved to be the tourist centre of Prague! Of course, we got right in there and snagged a bunch of touristy pics ourselves. I could not believe how many bridges across the Vltava river there were - each of them so unique and beautiful! After the bridge, we walked through Kampa park. We were told that there were statues of 3 babies here, and that if we kissed and/or slapped their butts, we would be granted good luck. The locals say it is a yearly tradition for them, so of course we had to try it ourselves! Aside from the many laughs we shared here, we also saw more views of the gorgeous river. Fall is truly a beautiful time to visit Prague! We took it easy on our second and third day in Prague. I think many of us were beginning to feel a bit worn out by this point, but we pushed through. There was still so much of the city to see! We embarked on the classic tourist walk of the city, which started in Old Town Square and the Jewish Quarter. We then made our way to Letna park, where we saw a giant metronome statue at the top of the hill. Although we weren't exactly prepared for all of the hiking that this walk entailed, we did end up finding a swing at the top with some great views of Prague. So, we obviously couldn't pass up this photo opportunity! After that, we headed to Prague Castle. We weren't entirely sure what it all entailed, but after going through a security checkpoint and doing some reading, we realized that Prague Castle was still functioning to this day as the seat of the President! It was a beautiful establishment, which included St. George's Basilica. I honestly cannot get enough of all of the churches here in Europe. Their architecture and design is truly incomparable to anything else I have ever seen! I wish we would have gone inside, but we were on a bit of a student budget. Something to add to the bucket list for when I return! Last stop on our walking tour was the Petrin Tower. To get there, we took the funicular to the top. None of us had been on one before, so it was neat to experience it together. Again, so many beautiful views to be seen! The Petrin Tower was also a beauty within itself, which the locals call their own Eiffel Tower. I am so incredibly grateful to have traveled alongside 4 beautiful women! They made my time so much more memorable and enjoyable. None of us can believe that is already November... in just under 2 months, we will be returning to Canada for the Christmas holidays! Until then, lots of final projects and assessments are on the way...
This week, a group of us decided to stay in Nice and see some more of the surrounding area. On Thursday, Octobter 19th, we went to Mont Boron with our Canadian prof to have an afternoon of games and a picnic. We played pétanque, a game similar to boules (or bocce ball) mainly played in Provence. Our team lost unfortunately, but it was a close game. Afterwards, we had a picnic and toured the Fort du Mont Alban. It was a nice afternoon of seeing another local area just outside of the heart of Nice. Yesterday, October 21st, the Université de Nice Inter-Àges (UNIA) group, organized a day trip to 3 towns along La Vallée de la Roya. We traveled to Breil-sur-Roya, Saorge and Tende for the day. It was a great change of scenery - a short getaway from the hustle and bustle of Nice. Breil-Sur-RoyaOur first stop was Breil-sur-Roya, which is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France. We only stopped here momentarily in the morning for a walk around the small village. It was quite exquisite! There was a beautiful river, the Roya, that reminded me a lot of Stratford, Ontario back in Canada. There were even a few swans swimming along the water! It was a cool, crisp morning which truly made it feel like autumn, something we are all still missing dearly about Canada. It wasn't long before we were all playing in the fresh fall leaves. Another highlight of Breil was the small, yet exquisite, church. The chandeliers in this building were gorgeous and incredibly detailed. I know we seem to visit a church everywhere we go in Europe, but they are some of my favourite buildings to tour. I don't think I could ever tire of visiting the many wonderful churches and cathedrals across Europe! SaorgeNext stop was Saorge, where we got to see some incredible views of the mountains. Although the drive was a little scary (talk about winding roads) we lived to tell the tale, despite some minor motion sickness. While we were here, we walked up to the local Franciscan Monastery. What a sight to see! It was filled from head to toe with beautiful Baroque architecture, and an enormous outdoor layered garden area (jardin potager). The view from these gardens was awesome! For a moment, I felt like we were out in western Canada. There were 4 main areas of the Monastery. The cloître, which showcased various sun clocks that are still in use, the Église Notre Dame des Miracles (the church), the Réfectoire, which housed various paintings (les fresques), and also the jardin potager, the beautifully-landscaped outdoor garden area. Fun fact: the Monastery is still in use today! Many writers come to stay here for a few days to inspire their writing. I kind of wish I was a writer, so I could take advantage of these captivating views! TendeOur last visit was to Tende. Here, we visited a local museum and then did some self-guided touring of the town. It was interesting to see such a rural area, as opposed to the big city of Nice that I am so used to now. Tende was far more quaint, with a small town feeling. Not to mention, many more views of the natural mountain sides. A focal point here was the church. (Surprise, surprise!) What made this church different to the others we have seen was that it was far more colourful, inside and out. The ceilings on the interior were painted blue, which really caught me off guard! Aside from this day trip, our week has been fairly relaxed. We are getting closer to preparing for our big 10 day trip across Europe! In 5 days, we will be on a plane to Budapest, Hungary!! I am feeling so fortunate for all of the opportunities I have been afforded this year already to travel and am looking forward to what the future has in store!
This has definitely been an unforgettable weekend, to say the least. On Thursday, my roommate and I embarked on a 5 day trip to Berlin, Germany. It was our first inter-European trip since arriving here in Nice, and we thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it! Berlin is such a historically rich city to visit. You feel like you're experiencing a bit of their past with them during your time there. We stayed with family of my roommate's, who were so kind to host us and be our tour guides for the weekend! Vendredi/Friday - le 13 Octobre 2017 To start our weekend off, we did some sightseeing on our own around the local area. It started off with some delicious cinnamon buns from "Zeit Für Brot". Man were they delicious! We then went to Museum Island, where saw the Berliner Dom, the Protestant Cathedral. It was exquisite from the inside (lots of gold), and the view from the top was breathtaking; a panorama of the entire city! Other sights included Brandenburg Gate, St. Mary's Church, the University, the Opera House and several little cafés. We even had lunch at a stereotypical German restaurant set up to look like a German pub. We had sausage and potatoes salad there, and of course beer! There was even live music playing while we were there. We also went to the Holocaust Memorial and Museum. An incredibly eye-opening, humbling experience. Just being in that Museum, reading journal entries from victims and survivors, and seeing the impact it had on Europe during WW2 was an experience like no other. I truly have no words to describe it other than it is a lesson in perspective and empathy. Later that evening, we took a walking tour of the city - it was the Festival of Lights this weekend. Various buildings, like the Dom, Brandenburg Gate and the University, were lit up with intricate visual projections that fit perfectly to each building. The Dom was actually set up for an international entry competition, where various design companies from across Europe submitted their works to be displayed, and the public could vote online for their favourites. Samedi/Saturday - le 14 Octobre 2017 This was an action-packed day. We rented bikes for the day and did a biking tour of Berlin. We first stopped at the remains of the wall, which has now been turned into a large, compiled work of art. On the other side, you could read excerpts of people's testimonials about their experiences with the wall and the great divide between West and East Berlin. Some deep reads. For lunch, we grabbed burgers at Burgermeister, which is built in a former men's washroom underneath the railway tracks. During the afternoon, we headed off to Tempelhof Field, a former airport used during WW2 under Hitler's command. Now, it is an open area for you to ride your bike, fly a kite or spend the afternoon with your family. What I've loved the most is how open Berlin is about their past. There is no shame or trying to conceal what has happened. Instead, they use it as a lesson in hopes that history won't repeat itself. It's an acknowledgement of their mistakes, so that they can learn from them. An empowering concept! Some of our last stops were Checkpoint Charlier and Hitler's bunker, which is now converted into a parking lot. Lots of parks in Berlin as well! We really came to appreciate the exposure to nature found in the city. It made for an incredibly pleasant bike ride! It really felt like fall back in Canada during our time there this weekend, with the leaves changing colour and the cooler temperatures. We still had lots of sunshine to soak up though! Dimanche/Sunday - le 15 Octobre 2017 Our last full day in Berlin was the icing on the cake! Started off by visiting the Berlin Wall Memorial/Museum area, where we got to see some of the remains of the wall, as well as see where it would have lied during its time from 1961-1989; doesn't seem too long ago when you think about it. The afternoon was an experience like no other. We headed to Mauerpark, which means "Wall Park" in German. Much of the wall would have been in this area, hence the name "Mauer" park. Throughout the spring/summer/fall seasons when weather permits, it is set up as an open area for local artists to perform and get together, as well as the location of a large flea market equipped with food trucks and antiques. There is even Karaoke every Sunday afternoon, and sure enough, my roommate and I had the chance to get up and sing in front of the 1000+ people! It was an adrenaline rush like no other! We even got our thirty seconds of fame when a group of people recognized us as "the girls who sang Mamma Mia at Karaoke" after we had supper later that night. Such a cool experience! We were so thankful for our lovely hosts/touring companions for the weekend, who were also so kind as to record our big karaoke debut! They made our time there so much more meaningful and enjoyable! Unfortunately, our weekend of fun had to come to an end, and we are back in Nice for the next couple weeks. At the end of October, we have our fall reading week, "pause pédagogique", and we have lots of plans in the works!
Stay tuned! :) These past two weeks have been action-packed and full of adventures. To start off, I went parasailing here in Nice for the first time! It was an incredibly thrilling, adrenaline-filled experience. I went with another student from my exchange program, and we were blown away (pun intended) by our seven minutes in the sky. Although the take off was a bit rough (imagine two petite girls holding up a parachute), the views from above made it totally worth it! Things at the University have been great, too. A couple of firsts! First in class exam (devoir sur table) and first written assignment (explication du texte), both of which I feel okay about. Happy to have them checked off the list - lots more firsts to come! I also ended up moving apartments this month. My new location is right along the Promenade, which means it is right along the water. I can't really complain... I wake up every morning to an awesome (the true meaning of the word) view of the Mediterranean Sea! What a great way to start the day. Drinking a cup of tea on the terrace, watching the sun rise. I think I could get used to this lifestyle ;) The cover photo of my blog is actually a photo I took of my view from the terrace. It still feels like summer here! Match de Football! - le 1 Octobre 2017 Going to a soccer game here in Nice was also another adventure we embarked on! Unfortunately, Nice lost 4-2 to Marseille, even though they had a fairly strong lead in the first half. Regardless of the score, the energy in the stadium was addicting, particularly the section directly across from us. We could hardly keep up with all of their cheering! This is definitely something we would all do again. It was a great way to spend our Sunday evening together. A bunch of us purchased the OGC Nice scarves while we were there. A great souvenir! Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat - le 5 Octobre 2017 What an experience this was! Our Canadian professor had told us about the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild in St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and he made the suggestion that we should go as a group to do some touring and sight-seeing of the area together. Best part was, admission to the Villa was free due to an upcoming wedding that weekend. It was a gorgeous mansion with breathtaking gardens! I couldn't imagine how beautiful (and expensive) of a wedding that would have been... My favourite part inside the house was the porcelain collection manufactured by the Royal Manufactory of Sèvres. The dining room was filled with vases and plates made from porcelain, and there was also an entire display room filled with more porcelain. They were truly works of art, in my opinion! The gardens were definitely a highlight of the Villa. There were 9 gardens that overlooked the sea, full of waterfalls, flowerbeds, roses and rare species of trees. The 9 gardens were the Spanish, Florentine, Stone, Japanese, Exotic, Rose, Provençal, French and Sèvres. The rose gardens were at the top of my list! Later that afternoon, we met up with our professor for a walking tour of the local area. We completed a 3km walk/hike called "Le Tour de la Pointe Saint-Hospice", which took us roughly 1 hour to complete. We visited a couple beaches, the Chapelle Saint-Hospice and made our way through the boat port as well. A long, exhausting, but equally exciting, day! Feeling very fortunate to have had so many opportunities for travel already. Next adventure is Germany! See you in 4 days, Berlin :)
It was another week of discovering more and more about this place I get to call home! Ventured into some local areas, Garibaldi & Vielle Ville, where we took some time to snap a few photos and become more acquainted with the city itself. The tram and bus systems are not nearly as daunting anymore. There are so many things to discover here in the heart of Nice. I feel like I have only touched the surface of what this city all has to offer! School wise, we started our translation course this week. I'm really looking forward to this class, as we get to go through both an English and French book, take out excerpts, and translate them to the opposite language. It will be a great way to expand my vocabulary and enrich my writing capabilities. Some highlights from my week included eating a Croque Monsieur for the first time. Mmmm! The best way I can describe it is a grilled cheese with ham on steroids. I've also been indulging in more crêpes, gelato and tartes aux fruits. French cuisine is delicious and addicting! I'm also really learning to appreciate the French humour here. During one of our walks around the city, we stumbled upon this sign over the public washrooms. It's a spin off of "I think, therefore I am", "Je pense, donc je suis" by René Descartes. I'm sure you can fill in the rest of the blanks from there ;) Also excited to share that I have started reading a book en Français. I've had a few afternoons to sit at the beach and unwind, while reading my new book in the French language... in France! How cool is that?! Day trip to italie - Le 22 septembre 2017 As usual, we took another day trip this weekend. This time to Italy! It's crazy that we can just hop on a train and take a 30 minute ride to another country (and at a reasonable price, too!). Our stop this weekend was Ventimiglia, located 7km from the French-Italian border in northern Italy. It was a a beautifully warm day there, filled with lots of sunshine and blue skies! Our main purpose for making this trek was to head to their market. I would compare it to a flea market back in Canada: a little bit of everything at fairly reasonable prices. I got some sandals, pants and shorts for under 20 euros! Not to mention, we all tried Italian cuisine at a local restaurant. Delicious! And that's all I have for this week! I'm going to keep it short, sweet and to the point... I have some homework calling my name and also some laundry ;)
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