Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Jacquelyne Webb's Report from Angers


Jacquelyne Webb, double major in French and political science, spent the fall of 2010 in Angers, France studying at the University of Angers. Some highlights:

August
- I arrived on August 27th in France. I think I was in shock or maybe overwhelmed by everything. Traveling is very exhausting, even though I didn't really do much except cross 7 time zones! I stayed in a hotel across the street from the Saint-Serge campus of the University of Angers. I was maybe 10 minutes by bus from Belle-Beille, my fac or the building where all of my classes are held. (I didn't learn this little piece of information until about 2 weeks later when I finally got my bearings.) I moved into my dorm room the Monday after I arrived. My room sports its own private shower and toilette and window otherwise I live in a 9 square meter rectangle.

September
- Orientation week, stuff begins to make sense. I toured Angers with the International student body and chose my classes. I ended up with 8 classes all of which only meet once a week. Walking around Angers is fun, the old buildings and streets are great, but I would recommend wearing good walking shoes. I enjoy looking at all of the shops and going through the French and English styled gardens.

October
- The air has started to get cooler, but it is still really nice, especially by Missouri standards. STRIKES!! disruption to public transport but no canceled classes at Belle-Beille, yet. I got a week of vacation for Toussaint, all saints' day, and I traveled to Finland to see my host family and friends from 2004.

November
- The weather is definitely colder and there is frost on the cars at least at night and in the morning. It is hard to believe finals are coming so soon and just when I am starting to understand the French being spoken around me, too. The semester is almost finished, and I kind of wish I could stay for the next. Oh well, I can look forward to Christmas shopping in Centre-Ville, the center of town, with little to no car traffic after my tests are finished.

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