My Life in Besançon

Busy

2010-03-08T12:52:00.001-08:00

I'm not writing as many blog entries as I used to lately. The truth is I'm just too busy.

After coming back from Egypt I have finally come to terms with all of the work I have to do before the end of the semester, and how slowly I work when it comes to writing and studying in French. After adding it all up I have discovered that I have at least five important papers to do, one 10-minute presentation and four exams before finals in about two months. Crazy crazy crazy.

So on top of all these unfinished projects looming in my over-stimulated brain, finding and writing articles to fill this blog may not be my top priority.

Sorry, school comes first.

Egypt Part 2

2010-03-03T12:36:00.000-08:00

The number two biggest thing I noticed while in Egypt was how friendly and welcoming everyone was to us "westerners."

Not that I assumed they would hate us because we are, but I was just more or less taken by surprise by the number of people shouting "welcome! welcome!" to us as we walked down the street.

It came from little children in cars passing by, it came from old men and women sitting on the street corners, and from every unimaginable person you could think of. I had one little group of girls come up to me and shyly ask me questions in English, and another group who spoke to me in French. It was especially the little kids who we attracted, but as I said everybody wanted to make sure we felt comfortable and accepted.

I know Egypt's economy depends highly on tourism profits, but I don't think that was always the case as to why people were so kind. I really can't pinpoint what else it was, though, so I'm not going to analyze it. I'll just always remember how cool it was.

Egypt Part 1

2010-02-27T09:00:00.000-08:00

I spent about 6 days in Egypt two weeks ago, and the number one difference I noticed was, besides the desert heat, the fact that I was now in a majority Muslim country. And what a difference that makes.

I was stared at everywhere I went, mostly by men, due not because of the fact that I was a tourist but because of the fact that I was a grown white woman not wearing a concealing headscarf. Almost every woman was wearing one, and there were a huge number of women wearing something even more concealing: the hijab, a full-body covering of black cloth that leaves only the woman's eyes uncovered for the public. Sometimes not even their eyes were showing, and the women had to be led around by their husbands due to their lack of available eyesight.

Not only did my and my friend Lisa's absence of a headscarf bring us unwanted stares, but it also brought some unwanted touching. Luckily for me, it was Lisa who got all of those problems, with a teenage boy touching her hair as she walked away and another young girl jumping on her back to touch it as well.

In a developing country like Egypt there is a huge population of poor people who will never leave their country to see other worlds and cultures, so while quite unaccustomed to the attention I was at the same time not surprised to experience it. It really made me reflect on how they view us as westerners and what they take from seeing us there in Cairo. Whatever they truly think, I felt welcomed and accepted by their actions.

Other differences:
1) I never saw a woman walking completely by herself
2) All of the billboard signs feature male models and male-targeted products
3) Everybody kept asking me and Lisa if we were married, or if one of us was married to Terry
4) Five times a day, including once at sunrise, there is a singing sound that bellows from all the minarets and rings throughout the city (there are over 1,000 minarets in Cairo alone) : this is the Muslim call to prayer, or religious gathering in the mosques.
5) Almost all necessities, from what I saw, are purchased in open markets and not in stores
6) Little children do about as much labor work as some adults
7) The pollution is staggering

Vacation

2010-02-22T09:25:00.001-08:00

I try to write a blog post every several days, but as is obvious I have not written one now for almost two weeks. The reason for my failure to update: vacation.

Vacation in Europe for an exchange student is not the time to lay around and do nothing the way it is back home. It is instead the time to travel as much as possible and wear yourself out, which is what I did, again, all last week.

This past week was the third official school break I have had this year, and this time I had the lucky chance to travel outside the European continent and go somewhere more exotic: Egypt.

I met my brother and his friend Lisa in Amsterdam the afternoon of two Fridays ago and we flew that night to Cairo. We spent six days in the city not only seeing the important sites but also enjoying the ambiance of a completely different setting in an African Muslim country.

With its pyramids and temples and mosques and bazaars and all the people that surrounded them, it was an amazing experience. I wish I could describe all the different dynamics of this developing country but it would take way too long and make this blog entry seem a little too unfocused.

But I do plan to highlight a couple of the more interesting aspects of my trip in the following entries.

Notebooks

2010-02-09T09:56:00.000-08:00

I've obviously never really given a lot of thought to notebooks or to their design, but when I came to France and had to buy school supplies I noticed that something was a little different. All the notebooks here were filled with this weird graphic/grid paper, the kind that back home is only associated with mathematics calculations and designs. The term "college ruled" was nowhere to be seen, and as I went to class I noticed that everybody was using these special yet strange-looking pads.

Of course after 7 months here I've gotten accustomed to the grids, but I still don't see any logical reason as to why that design is better served for note-taking than just plain lines. It's only a cultural difference, but I will always prefer the less busy-looking styles of back home.

Oh and they are much more expensive here as well, a fact that further contributes to my bias.

Team Practice Treats

2010-02-05T08:55:00.000-08:00

When I was on sports teams back in high school, I remember that sometimes after practice the coaches would bring treats for all the athletes, treats like gatorade or popsicles or other healthy snacks. It was always a nice gesture and I always looked forward to those practices.

Here in France the gestures of sports coaches and teammates are just as generous, as I have witnessed for almost a month now at my ultimate frisbee practice every Thursday. However the kinds of treats offered are a little different and a little less healthy: last night the after-practice snack was beer, pop and cookies. Oh and cake too.

Of course I enjoyed them just as much, but still couldn't help comparing them to similar situations back home. I don't think most sports coaches in the U.S. even think of beer and cake as a reward for hard athletic work. At least not logically I assume.

Groundhog Day

2010-02-02T04:35:00.000-08:00

I had forgotten all about Groundhog Day today until I saw in the newspaper today that the little guy saw his shadow this morning.

I have yet to hear of any similar holiday in France, which makes me a little sad due to the current weather situation here. It snows almost every single day and I really want to know when Spring is coming. But if predictions back home prove correct here as well, I'll be waiting for a while longer.

La Porte Noire

2010-01-29T08:55:00.000-08:00

La Porte Noire is another roman vestige situated here in Besançon, and that I am absolutely fascinated with.

This ruin is actually a characteristic of many Gallo-Roman cities, who after the Roman conquest in 52 B.C. were heavily Romanized through an array of monuments and other administrative changes. It is a triumphal arc, erected in the 2nd century A.D. under the emperor Marcus Aurelius, serving as the old entry way into the city. It corresponds with Aurelius' military victories over the Parthes (a germanic people I believe) in 165-166.

Although many other cities have similar monuments, apparently the arc in Besançon is distinguished for its style and mythological decorations. It was originally covered with images of the divinities and mythological combat scenes featuring gods and heros that reflected representations of the roman army (propaganda like this was obviously pretty rampant). Unfortunately however a lot of these scenes are unrecognizable today due to corrosion over time and other environmental damages.

Since I came here to Besançon the facade of the porte has been covered with construction equipment trying to restore some of what has been lost. Just recently I read in the newspaper though that it shall now be uncovered for a couple of months before work begins again. Unfortunately it has been snowing and I haven't been able to make it into centre ville to see it, but pictures of this cool place shall be posted as soon as I do.

Update 2/4: so apparently this arc is still covered, and I don't know when it shall be revealed. Here are some photos of it now, if I happen upon it at a time when it looks nicer I'll replace them with better ones.

Brioche Dorée

2010-01-24T10:25:00.001-08:00

Brioche Dorée is a chain café/sandwich shop in Europe and particularly in France. I don't go there very often because I find that Besançon has better food to offer, but every time I see it downtown I can't help but laugh.

I just like it because the translation of the name is The Golden Brioche, and for some reason I find that funny.

English Tourism

2010-01-22T01:46:00.000-08:00

Besançon doesn't get a lot of tourists, but the few tourists it does get are all French. As a result, there aren't too many people living here who know a whole lot of English or really care to learn it.

On Wednesday however I did get the chance to meet an English speaking guide for the Office of Tourism, a rare instance indeed. She had contacted me earlier and asked if she could give me several tours of the city, in English and for free, in exchange for me correcting her mistakes and helping her learn the language better.

It was a first of several tours, and lasted much longer than I had anticipated: two and a half hours. I was impressed with the woman's knowledge of architecture, our first chosen tour theme, as well as her rather unpracticed skills in English (again due to the fact of so-few English speakers). I learned about the evolution of architectural styles and materials and how the revolution affected Besançon, I learned a little bit of history concerning certain paintings and sculptures downtown, and I learned about the influence of really rich families here, something I never really thought about in comparison to cities like Rome or Florence or Paris. She really did not have any major faults and I remained captivated the entire time, something I have to admit does not usually happen on these kinds of occasions.

We have not officially set a date for our next tour, dealing with a particularly famous historic neighborhood and certain historic remains, but I am really looking forward to it. Although I don't necessarily have the memory to retain her immense wealth of information, I still enjoy the opportunities to learn more about this little city.

Ultimate Frisbee

2010-01-17T11:44:00.000-08:00

I first got into ultimate frisbee last year when I made friends with a group of people who played it every Saturday. I had never played it before then, but as I learned more about the sport I came to love it and all the saturdays I got to play it. When I came to France last fall, I truly missed the routine.

Luckily for me, the Université de Franche-Comté has its very own ultimate frisbee team open to all interested students. How excited I was when a friend of mine mentioned their advertisement that she had seen on a billboard in the sports center.

My first practice was last Thursday from 8-10 p.m., a practice held at that time every week. It reminded me a lot of playing back home except for the fact that it was inside a gym and not outside in the ice and snow. We practiced throwing frisbees for about half an hour, divided into teams and scrimmaged for about an hour and then stretched. Along with the stretching came enjoying the food brought weekly by a team member, this week being yummy chocolate cake.

At the beginning of the practice the coach of the team introduced my friend and I to the team, and we were quickly and warmly welcomed. Everyone is extremely nice and friendly and it was great to meet new people who enjoy ultimate frisbee as much as I do.

The team isn't just about practicing, however. There are also real competitions against other teams in France. I know my coach mentioned at least two tournaments coming up in the following month, one in Lyon and one in Besançon. I am anxiously awaiting them.

Lost and Found

2010-01-14T14:07:00.000-08:00

I have a horrible tendency to lose things and not remember where I last saw them, something that has always posed a big problem for me.

But for some reason I also happen to be extremely lucky, and today in Besançon was just one more reminder of that.

Two days ago as I was leaving the movie theater with a friend of mine, I put my hands into the pockets of my winter coat and noticed that something was missing: my cellphone. I swore I had brought it with me, but of course I had no recollection of the last time I knew for sure it was there. I walked back into the theater and looked all over where I had been sitting, but it was dark and I found nothing.

Then I thought about the possibility of me losing it on the bus ride into town. That was more difficult because I didn't know which one of the many buses I had been on, and lost and found was just a random telephone number only available in the afternoons.

I called my phone at least 5 times through skype, but no one ever answered. After one day the ringing started getting more faint, which left me worrying that my phone was slowly dying while sitting in some water puddle on the bus floor or something.

After no luck I resolved today to go and see if by any random chance the cinema had found my phone while cleaning out the rooms. The man at first said he had no knowledge of a found mobile- but I continued to wait anxiously as he went into his office and opened a little wooden box. He pulled out a cellphone and it was mine! I couldn't believe it.

I have had such unbelievable luck here in Besançon with losing things and finding them, even more so than back home. Whenever I lose something I never hurry to replace it, because chances are I will either find it myself or someone will return it to me- as was the case the two times I lost my bus pass and the one time I lost two student organization cards downtown. All returned to me!

And each time I am filled with joy.

The British Museum

2010-01-10T13:40:00.000-08:00

Of all the different things I went to see in England, one of them stood out more than the rest: The British Museum.

Apparently renowned around the world for its collection, I had the lucky chance to spend an entire afternoon there while on my vacation. I looked at amazing artifact compilations from the Mayans, Egyptians, Romans, and other major civilizations throughout history. I saw the world-famous rosetta stone, a statue from the mysterious easter island, complete mummified corpses (humans and animals) and the earliest known Christian mosaic, among many other things of course.

Although museum visiting can sometimes be a bit of a drudge, I really didn't feel that way at all this time. In fact I wish that I had spent more time there and done some even better exploring than what I got the chance to.

Due to transportation problems in December however, I am expecting a free eurostar train ticket between Paris and London for my troubles. Maybe I will get to do some more exploring :)

England

2010-01-08T13:49:00.001-08:00

Over Christmas and New Years this past year I had the opportunity to spend two weeks in Leicester and London, England with a friend from school. I had never been to England before, so I'm now proud to say that it has been added to my list of travels.

I had always imagined England in the winter as being full of snow and wind and cold, but the entire time that I was there I saw almost no snow, little wind and temperatures that were nothing compared to the midwest right now.

In all the vacation was quite nice and relaxing, despite the fact that I have now come back in time for finals. No studying involved though, just relaxing, sight seeing, shopping and baking. We stayed at the apartment of some friends, a situation better and more comfortable than any hostel would have been.

Unfortunately the vacation ended too quickly, as it always does, and my days of all those aforementioned activities have passed. I returned to a snowstorm all day today and continue to work hard on my studies, thinking enviously of that nice apartment with a kitchen I left back in London.

Back to Besançon

2010-01-03T15:44:00.001-08:00

After spending about a week and a half in England, I am now back in my resident town of Besançon. After finally getting used to speaking English to everyone around me, I must now accustom myself back to French. Just in time for my final exam next week.

News of my visits while in London to come.

Boxing Day

2009-12-27T16:39:00.001-08:00

Boxing Day is the name for the day after Christmas here in England. It is like Black Friday in the U.S. but five times worse.

Yesterday was my first Boxing Day and it was quite an experience. Seven hours of shopping in streets so crowded you couldn't walk, stores so crowded you couldn't move, and security guards literally forming human chains to control the number of people in certain small areas.

Almost every store had a major 50-70 percent off sale, and the ones that didn't were dead. Designer makeup and perfume were at honestly affordable prices and people were going crazy on them.

Although I did profit from the sales, I still don't quite understand the appeal of going on a spending spree the day after Christmas, a holiday where most people go on sprees anyway. Black Friday, though a day I tend to stay away from, still seems more logical to me than this later equivalent.

English

2009-12-24T04:06:00.000-08:00

After a long week I have finally traversed the channel and finished the journey I started last thursday from Paris to London. And it's quite a bit weirder than I thought.

I am spending Christmas break here until January 2nd, a trip I have waited for since the end of the last break in October. Although it is rather relaxing being able to speak English to everyone I encounter, it is an experience that finds me feeling rather strange.

I haven't been able to speak English freely in public for the past 5 months, and I've gotten quite used to my French surroundings. But now that I'm in England I find it hard to remember that I'm not in France anymore, and that I need to say "excuse me" when I bump into somebody as opposed to "pardon." It's funny how your automatic reactions are slow to adjust after language and cultural changes.

Good thing I'm only going to be here for another week, because otherwise I fear I would adjust to English a little too much again.

Snow

2009-12-17T14:55:00.000-08:00

It may be cold and yucky and a pain when you have to shovel it, but I still love snow every year when it first comes. Yesterday was Besancon's lucky first day.

And from what I've heard there won't be too many. After waiting impatiently to see Besancon's first little falling snowflakes, I was informed that the pretty dust coating on the grass was about as much as they get at their low altitude.

At least I don't have to worry about walking safely to class this winter.

Christmas Party

2009-12-14T12:39:00.000-08:00

It's Christmas season and with that comes parties, farewells, and lots of work (hence the fewer blog entries this month). Of course the parties are the best of all these things, and last week I had the pleasure of attending my first one of the year, hosted by my French teachers and attended by all my classmates.

We each brought a traditional dish from our home country to share with each other- giving me the opportunity to make that apple pie I had missed during Thanksgiving. Other dishes included sushi, cucumber slices with miso, some feta cheese and parsley deep-fried dough rolls, cinnamon rolls, cake, and some chinese sea-food cuisine I didn't look at too closely.

We each took turns explaining what we had brought, and then enjoyed trying a little bit of everything (except for me obviously, because some of the dishes had meat in them). All the food I did try however was delicious, and I thoroughly enjoyed eating some new ethnic foods.

I think our whole class enjoyed themselves, and our teachers. I've already had several recipe requests for that apple pie recipe.

Marché de Noël

2009-12-10T11:18:00.000-08:00

Another big part of the Christmas season here in Besançon is the Marché de Noël, or Christmas market. It's just like a special Christmas farmers market, but very rich in cuisine, homemade presents and some commercial items.

Although rather small, contained within the Place de la Revolution, it offers a lot of really good quality food and products- like homemade wine and cheese, macaroons, dried fruit and bread, wooden children's toys, wool clothing and home decorations. Everybody has their own wooden booth from which they do their selling, and even Santa Clause gets his own little booth/house to welcome kids for a visit.

The market started the last week in November and should be around until Christmas. It is busy every day with people looking to be finished with their holiday shopping, or others just enjoying the atmosphere with its good food and wine.

I've taken the time to look around on several occasions and have already picked something up for my nephew there, but I've yet to buy anything else. The problems of being a college student are that you really have to ration your spending money during these types of opportunities.

Unfortunately for me however, I just can't stop thinking about those beautiful, expensive macaroons (note photo :) ).

Lights

2009-12-05T11:59:00.000-08:00

If you walk around in Centre Ville at this time of the year, there's just one thing you can't take your eyes off: the lights.

It's Christmastime here in Besançon and the city clearly likes to make that known. Every street is draped in lights and every store has something Christmas-y displayed in the little windows. The streets are packed with shoppers illuminated beneath the sparkling beam, and the wind is always blowing that smell of hot spiced wine through the air.

Of all the little touches, the lights are the most magnificent, however. They are not animated or colorful like the displays in Murphy Park, but they really show off the beauty of downtown Besançon in that bitter cold weather.

Now if only it would snow, everything would be perfect.

Capitalism

2009-11-30T12:58:00.000-08:00

Michael Moore's new movie Capitalism: A Love Story was in the local movie theaters this week. Last thursday night a friend and I decided to go and see it, and ended up stumbling on what was actually a movie night+ debate held by a local Bisontin association.

The movie lasted for about two hours and was in English with French subtitles, a rarity for American movies which are usually dubbed over. It focused on the financial crisis in the U.S., how it happened, how it has been dealt with and how the American people are suffering from it. Obviously Michael Moore is really controversial, but I found the film to be pretty real and disheartening overall.

After the viewing I figured that the debate would consist of much down-with-capitalism rhetoric. In reality I couldn't understand much of it, but there was at least one comment to the effect that France is no better than what was revealed about the U.S. I have to say I was surprised.

Some of the stereotypes of French people are that they are arrogant and they don't like Americans. But that's really not true for the most part, the French are willing to admit to their own faults, or their country's, and they're not as pessimistic about us as some might think.

But that doesn't necessarily mean they are sympathetic to our economic system. Those socialists!

Thanksgiving in France

2009-11-27T15:31:00.000-08:00

No France does not celebrate Thanksgiving, and everybody should know that. But even though far away from the traditional festivities back home, I was still able to celebrate with a little meal given by the foreign student center.

I dreamed of this 3 euro Thanksgiving dinner all week long, and even though I was really only able to eat the mashed potatoes and dinner rolls, it still left me happy and with a full stomach.

The lunch was served in a big reception room on the CLA's 5th floor, and I was surprised to see how many non-Americans decided to partake in the celebration with us. The room was full, everybody seemed satisfied and generally everybody was speaking (or trying to speak) English. The story of the first Thanksgiving was shared and traditional recipes were handed out while we enjoyed everybody's favorite pumpkin pie.

The CLA began the dinner with a statement of their efforts to recognize and celebrate the holidays of all cultures represented there. Although this was their first Thanksgiving, I'm betting based on its success that Thanksgiving will become a new tradition for future language-learning generations.

In photo: French-ified pumpkin pie and apple tart

Micropolis

2009-11-23T08:15:00.000-08:00

The Micropolis is a building complex just a little ways outside of Centre Ville. It hosts expositions, spectacles and concerts, and this weekend it was the scene of a large regional craft fair I had the opportunity to attend.

Four rooms divided into four categories: handmade crafts such as woodwork, jewelry and needlework, books on all subjects concerning Franche-Comté featured with their authors, food and cuisine, and farm animals.

I spent about an hour and a half looking at, and tasting, all the things that my region of France has to offer. The colors and the smells and the music really set the atmosphere and I felt like I had stepped into a slideshow of traditional Franche-Comté culture.

Although the fair was overall designed to showcase gifts for the upcoming Christmas season, I didn't buy anything. I just drank it all in for free.

Schroeder, the American

2009-11-20T10:40:00.000-08:00

People here in Besançon, the natives, tend to judge me on one of two things: my accent or my name.

The accent is the most obvious of the two, because it is noticeable every time I open my mouth. Generally people realize right away that I'm either English or American.

Except, however, when they see that my name is Schroeder before actually speaking to me. Then they assume that I am German and do not take notice of my anglophone speech.

Whatever the issue, I just can't seem to escape that "foreigner" label that appears to be so evident.

Les Musées de Besançon

2009-11-15T07:21:00.000-08:00

As far as I know the city of Besançon has only two museums: Le Musée de Beaux Arts et Archéologie and Le Musée du Temps (Museum of Fine Arts/Archeology and the Museum of Time). These museums reflect Besançon's history as a center for Roman archeology as well as watchmaking, and this afternoon I finally got to see them both .

Le Musée de Beaux Arts et Archéologie was my favorite, obviously because of the archeology part. There was a large section devoted to Ancient Egypt, displaying mummies, jewelry, papyrus scrolls and other artifacts. My favorite exhibit however was two rooms devoted entirely to archeological discoveries here in Besançon, which was a major center of commerce during the time of the Roman Empire. I saw a huge floor and two large panels of Roman mosaic that rivaled what I saw in Rome, many little artifacts like oil lamps and other bottles, and some very large jars used for transporting wine and olive oil. It was amazing to think all that had been found in this little city.

Le Musée du Temps was also a great site to see however, with its large display of ancient clocks and watches. It explained how time was influenced by people like Galileo and Copernicus as well as how our vision of time has transformed through the years with their help and that of other scientists. There were several giant pendulums and a really cool view of Besançon from a viewing tower.

I spent about an hour equally at each museum, and thought it was an afternoon well-spent. I learned some new things about Besançon that I never knew before, and found some new things to show people who plan to visit me in the future. Always a plus.

Armistice Day

2009-11-13T11:55:00.000-08:00

This past wednesday, the United States celebrated a holiday known as Veteran's Day in which men and women in the armed services were honored for their service to our country.

Here in France, that same day is called something different: Armistice Day, celebrating the end of World War I on its Western Front in 1918. As I figure most national holidays here to be like, all schools and almost all businesses were closed for the day.

There were also ceremonies paying tribute to the event all over town, which seemed pretty similar to back home.

I never knew about Armistice Day before coming here, but it is interesting to know how many other countries have the same cultural commemorations. Now if only that were the case for Thanksgiving too!

Leaves

2009-11-10T17:52:00.000-08:00

Before leaving for Prague the last week in October, I had been enjoying the Autumn weather here in Besançon by marveling at the colored trees and taking advantage of the non-rainy days. However for some reason it did not completely feel like Autumn the way it always felt back home, and I could never quite pinpoint why.

It wasn't until after I got back that I figured out what was missing: the leaves.

I got back on a Sunday night and noticed the difference immediately- the ground was absolutely covered throughout the whole city with fallen leaves. Before I left it had all been bare.

And that was what I realized I had been lacking in the season, that feeling of leaves crunching underneath my feet, that sound of their shuffling as I waded through the piles, and that vision of their colors blowing along the sidewalk.

It's a little bit late, but I feel like Besançon has finally achieved that last sentimental touch I had been looking for in my favorite time of year.

Studying in a Café

2009-11-08T07:20:00.000-08:00

Coffee and homework. To me, they go hand in hand. I remember heading to the café during finals week freshman year of college and taking advantage of their bottomless cups of coffee until 2 am. And when I got my own coffee maker sophomore year, I remember enjoying the same advantages from the comfort of my dorm room.

Unfortunately making coffee isn't quite as convenient as filling up and turning on the machine, and the nearest café isn't just a ten-minute walk away.

Being as I prefer cafés, I have broken down and acknowledged that if I ever want to enjoy spending time there while getting some homework done, it will have to be during the day, and on either Friday or Saturday.

Yes the coffeehouses generally close by about 7 here, and they're never open on Sundays- even during finals week. A tragedy of Sophoclean proportions.

An exaggeration, but something that does make me a little unhappy. Doing homework in the daytime, when it is light out and I can see everything that passes by the window, makes me a little too distracted to get much work done. But I love the atmosphere so I generally go anyway.

At least my love, and its limitations, could (hopefully) have a positive effect in the end: I have yet to experience that panicked feeling when a project or a paper must still be started- the night before it's due.

Prague Part 2: The City

2009-11-06T13:13:00.000-08:00

I spent five days in Prague last week. In those five days I saw two castles, one medieval cathedral, several art museums, a museum on Communism and another on medieval torture instruments, among other things. I drank hot spiced wine, had real American bagels and some delicious fire-roasted sweet bread rolled in sugar and spices and crushed almonds. I walked about eight hours a day, yet still relaxed and enjoyed the scenery without rushing around.

Prague is a wonderful city that I encourage anyone traveling in Europe to go see. It has all the major, and very convenient, resources of a big city without necessarily the overwhelming size. Staying within and around the downtown area enveloped by the Vltava river (just like the Doubs in Besançon), you can really walk everywhere you need to go. I loved being able to take everything in while not having to pay for the public transportation.

The scenery is really what captured me the most. The city, although it has become somewhat of a tourist trap, still has a lot of parts that maintain its old world Eastern European character. So while when it was cold and there was nothing else to do we could just hop into a Starbucks for a little while, we could also walk around the rather ethereal-seeming old Jewish ghetto, or explore our hostel's neighborhood with its slow traffic, degraded city walls and brick factories puffing smoke into the autumn air.

Prague really has come a long way since the fall of Communism just 20 years ago, but the remnants can still be seen there. I could have spent a lot more time there than I did, and I'm hoping to go back again someday. Luckily I took plenty of photos to remind me of the experience.

Prague Part 1: The Hostel and Santa Clause

2009-11-02T12:13:00.000-08:00

My five-day trip to Prague this past week involved my very first hostel experience, which will probably be my best.

For only 10 euros a night and free breakfast in the morning, plus clean/warm rooms, bathrooms and showers, this hostel did just about everything perfectly. The only setback was its selection of occupants, something that really wasn't their fault.

When I say occupants I'm referring to one in particular: Santa Clause. I call him that because that's who he looked like and I don't know his real name.

The hostel was divided into separate rooms with about 7 beds in each room, and Santa Clause was a man staying in our assigned room. I would say he was in his 60s, but really have no idea. He had been living at this hostel for the past two months.

Santa Clause was a man who had a lot to say and a lot of bad habits. He was always talking about how his wife was from Prague and his two kids lived in Japan with their amazingly talented children and how he knew like 5 languages. He also slept half the day most days, in his underwear, and didn't close the door when he got up to go to the bathroom. He had half eaten sandwiches lying on his bed or on the floor for several days, and I don't think I ever saw him take a shower.

My friends and I had the habit of walking in on him while he was sleeping and indisposed, it was not pleasant. But luckily for us we happened to have met him right at the end of his sejour, for whatever reasons he was on one. Thursday morning he, and I, were awoken with his human alarm clock walking in at about 5 am, followed by his attempt to get ready by turning on the overhead light to tie his tie. He was wearing a suit for his flight home to Toronto. I wouldn't have even guessed he owned one.

Santa Clause left and my two final days in Prague were left with a feeling of relief/ emptiness. Relief that I would not have to see him sprawled out among the trash that was his bed and surrounding floor, yet emptiness in the character and funny/terrible stories he brought my life. I do have to say he made for a very interesting first hostel memory.

Autumn Break

2009-10-29T15:30:00.000-07:00

Prague, Czech Republic is where I have been spending the last three days, and where I will be staying until Sunday. It is fall break already and I am profiting from my time off by doing a little traveling in this former Communist state.

Now a republic, meaning more open to visitors, this capital has become a little bit of a tourist trap, yet still maintains enough of its architecture and old world characteristics for me to love it. This really is an Eastern European city, and you can still see a lot of remnants of the wars on its walls and streets. I didn't bring my computer with me, but some awesome pictures of these scenes will be posted shortly.

In three days I have seen two medieval castles, one medieval monastery and plenty of churches, art, and culture. I am getting good use out of my walking legs and enjoying every minute of the day-long exercise and scenery.

It's already half-way over though, reminding me that vacations go way too fast.

Vestiges Romains

2009-10-25T09:32:00.000-07:00

The Square Castan is a little section of land nestled at the end of one of Besançon's busiest streets. It is the site of ancient Roman archeological discoveries, a recently developed (19th century) gated garden, and is one of my favorite places in the entire city.

The square is enclosed within an old iron fence with two gates at either end. There are a total of eight corinthian columns and an aqueduct distribution basin for a nearby town. The exact age is not known but they are believed to date to the second century. There was also an ancient church on this land but it was destroyed during the revolution.

The patch of land surrounding the ruins was cultivated into a garden in 1870 and the new square was named after Auguste Castan, the original archeologist to excavate the area.

I love this place because I love history and I absolutely love ruins, but there's more to it than just that. It is within the city, so I can still see the architecture and traffic of Besançon passing by, but while there I am still separated in a space that has a character all its own. It is very peaceful and quiet in the confines of the square, especially on a cloudy autumn day, and that makes for the best outdoor relaxation around. I love just sitting on a bench and taking out a book to read, my only company being the pigeons who call the place home.

Although Besançon has many other beautiful sites, I think this one tops them all.

Food From Home

2009-10-22T13:53:00.000-07:00

I am a big fan of snack food, as everybody knows. But while living here in France for the past three months, I've really forgotten about all the things I miss back home because they don't exist here.
Luckily, I have my family to remind me.

Last Friday, after much anticipation, I finally received a package from my sister that I had been waiting for. In it were exactly these things that I had forgotten about: fritos, pop-tarts, fruit snacks, trail mix, macaroni and cheese and goldfish crackers. No, none of these things can be found here in France, including much more.

Although humbly grateful for the gesture, given the pricey shipping rates, it kind of sucks in the end to remember all the things I miss. Once started on the track of unavailable snack food, I veer to the unavailable vegetarian food as well. That situation is even worse due to the difficulty to find quality food that can keep me healthy on my diet.

This is the second package I have received, and the contents are always emptied way too quickly. After my little binge, now I have to start making grocery lists again.

Strike 2

2009-10-17T06:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon was the second strike in Besançon I had the privilege to see. It was not by the bus drivers however, and it was not because the workers wanted a day off. In fact I'm not completely positive what it was about, but I think it had something to do with the increasing prices of milk.

This time it was the farmers who were angry. The farmers and their families and their neighbors and all their friends, unified with white hats and white flags. They blocked off one of the main driving streets downtown with what the newspaper said were 400-500 giant tractors. One of them (the tractors) had this thing on top that perpetually propelled this noise that sounded like giant canons going off, it was so loud it almost blew your eardrums out if you got too close.

In all there were about a thousand people there. They packed the entire street with their tractors, displayed signs of their disagreements and anger, and made at least one fire in the middle of the street (I had left by the time this part happened). As far as I know they were protesting about the prices of milk, which have been going up at an alarming rate, but beyond that I haven't picked up the details. They wrapped big sheets of gauze-looking substances around the bus stations and two trees together, writing things like "Sarkozy is a traitor." Protests like this occurred all over France yesterday.

It didn't get rowdy at all here in Besançon while I was there, but that would have been an interesting site to see. I really can't imagine middle-aged farmers doing anything too crazy, but you never know with French protests. I'm banking on seeing at least one before I leave here next year.

The Dorms

2009-10-14T12:27:00.000-07:00

I realized the other day that I've been here for more than two months and I have yet to describe exactly where I am living. I was always bad at putting things in logical order, because this entry should have been about #2.

I live in single-occupancy dorm rooms here on campus, or what they refer to as campus. In fact however I live about a 20 minute bus ride away from all my classes, because there really is no collective campus like in the U.S. Every department of studies is independent and situated in a different part of town, which is a story in itself I will discuss later.

Here in the "dorms" are co-ed hallways with shared bathrooms, showers, and a kitchenette with usable stovetops. I believe anybody who is a student can live here, so the population ranges from first-year bachelors degree students (license) to masters and doctorate students, as well as single students to couples to entire families. I happen to be lucky enough to have two young children living right above me, children who just love to run around and throw temper tantrums early in the morning.

I enjoy living here however because it is nice to know that I have a place to retreat to when I feel like it, without anyone disturbing me. The room is a little small and it would be nice to have my own bathroom, but as I can better say in French, il me suffit.

The only big problem is, as always, I can never keep it clean for more than about an hour. Hence the delay in photos for the moment.

Strike

2009-10-08T12:04:00.000-07:00

As most people know, there is nothing the French like to do better than to go on strike.
You're not happy with a decision someone made? Go on strike.
You think your workplace needs some improvement? Go on strike.
You want the day off? Go on strike.

I'm pretty sure that's what happened yesterday with the local bus drivers, they wanted the day off. Therefore, they went on strike. Lucky for us, it was only about three bus lines that were not operating, and those operators were kind enough to inform us beforehand of the upcoming grève. I noticed tuesday that they had put up little posters inside each bus stop box informing the public which buses would be working and which wouldn't.

They gave no allusion to any real dissatisfaction, but rather stated in very plain terms: we will be going on strike tomorrow, just wanted to let you know. According to a friend of mine, this happens rather frequently.

I was excited at the idea of actually seeing some strikers, but to my disappointment the day was rather calm and normal, except for the fact that all the working buses were packed like sardines. I think the other drivers really did just take the day off.

The "strike" on wednesday was really the first time I took notice of that culture here in Besançon, but now I'm starting to see it more and more. Apparently the teachers at a local middle school are also now on strike, because the school year started off disorganized and improperly managed, and now they're frustrated.

As I start to see more and more of the French strike culture here, it truly seems like they are the all-issues solutions, and people take them very seriously. But honestly, I just can't help but laugh.

Baking

2009-10-04T12:42:00.000-07:00

One of the things I miss the most about home, and always have, is baking. I love baking, whether it is bread or cake or cinnamon rolls or whatever, I love it all. And it drives me absolutely insane when I can't do it, due to my lack of any kind of baking device.

Apparently though, and to my advantage, I was not the only one with these feelings. I met up with my friend Mas on Friday afternoon, who had just returned from her home in Brunei, and we had lunch at a nice Libyan restaurant downtown. I was discussing this well-missed love of mine, when she told me she was in fact planning on buying an oven very shortly, and that I am free to use it whenever I want.

I jumped on the invitation, and Mas as well when I described to her all the things I have been wanting to make. My mention of cupcakes and cookies and bread and everything else made her just as anxious as I was, and we agreed to set out right away finding a good purchase.

Saturday afternoon, at the local indoor mall just outside of town, we found the perfect match: a large, countertop oven for 30 euros. 30 euros! I'm regretting not getting one for myself at that price. We took it home to her apartment, set it up, and cooked frozen pizza that was the yummiest I've had in a long time. Caught up in the excitement of our find we had also boughten some cookie and cake mixes, but were too full after the pizza to cook them that same night.

I'm sure we will get to them quickly, however. I've already made a long list of things I want to make and the lacking ingredients I need to buy. It is Mas' birthday Tuesday, and we have decided to bake my vegan mocha chocolate raspberry cake for the occasion. Next up is banana tea bread and brownies, and I have an inkling that some vegan cupcakes will shortly follow.

L'Est Republicain

2009-09-30T12:04:00.000-07:00

L'Est Republicain is the local daily newspaper here in Besançon, delivering news from inside the city and around the world. It is kindof like a bigger version of the TH.

For the past two months I've been trying to get my daily dose of French news by reading this newspaper in the school café, profiting from a little caffeine and free access to the paper there. If I don't have time to make it to the café however I usually just go without reading it, because in order to do so I would have to go buy it at the store.

This past week however I received a very delightful surprise in the mail, as opposed to the usual mass junk. In my box was a flier announcing that the University de Franche-Comté had just struck a deal with L'Est, giving students the opportunity to receive a daily edition of the paper in their mailbox, for FREE. The flier was a card for interested students, who were to fill out their information and slip it into the box that had been set out for them.

A free newspaper every day! How lucky am I that the deal was struck this year? Now I don't have to waste money buying coffee every day, when all I really want is the café's journal.

Fanta

2009-09-25T13:39:00.000-07:00

Fanta is that orange soda with a little bit of real juice in it, which I think used to be popular in the U.S. at some point.

Well even if it's not around anymore back home, it is everywhere here. Seriously, it is about the only soda reliably carried by all food outlets. And everybody drinks it.

I've never really been a big soda drinker, but I must say there is something different about Fanta. Maybe it's the pick-me-up orange flavor. Maybe it's the fact that I don't feel the necessity of brushing my teeth immediately after indulging. Maybe it's just the popularity, and I really am a sucker for peer pressure.

Whatever the case is, I love this stuff and I don't feel bad saying it.

Les Journées du Patrimoine

2009-09-22T10:58:00.000-07:00

Translated to the best of my abilities, "les journées du patrimoine" means "heritage days". It is a national event held one weekend a year where most monuments and other regular tourist attractions are open free to the public, sometimes offering tours and other special offers.

This past weekend was the designated celebration, and Besançon had plenty to offer.
Ancient churches, historic manors and their gardens, libraries with book collections from the 10th century, theaters with old costume sales, and old war hospitals are just a couple of the things that were available.

I, along with my friend Yuki, took advantage of the library and the theater. La Bibliothèque Municipale is still a public library open to people living in Besançon. They carry books exclusively on history, art, culture, or anything dealing with the Franche-Comté region of France. Lucky for us, Yuki and I arrived just as a tour was beginning, which took us through the old archived section that is still in use today, but handled very carefully.

As mentioned before, this library carries a large abundance of ancient books dating as far back as the 10th century. They also have every single edition of the daily local newspaper, dating to its first print in the 1800s. Several selections of these were on display for us to see.

In addition to the library we also went to see the Theatre Musicale, or basically the theater where people go to see musicals. The entire theater was open to walk around, and on the stage was a huge sale of old costumes they didn't need anymore. I'm pretty sure this was one of the most popular places, because there was about a 10 minute entrance line going out the door. I remember seeing people walking down the streets with their arms full of clothing, leaning backwards under the weight.

All in all the weekend was relaxing but productive. Besançon was once again crowded with visitors coming into the city, and I had the chance to see two sites I probably wouldn't have even known about had they not been advertised.

After this weekend, I feel like I have a little heads up for future vacation schedule planning. At least in France.

Tarot Cards

2009-09-19T10:58:00.000-07:00

When I saw the little ad in the newspaper about a tarot card presentation Friday night, I made sure to write it down in my agenda. I've taken to the habit lately of reading the local newspaper and scanning for interesting things to do, and this one caught my eye right away.

I wrote it down for my remembrance, but at the time I was still a little hesitant about going or not by myself. I didn't want to stand out as a foreigner in a crowd of fluent French speakers, just in case the presentation involved lots of participation as well.

But I did decide to go in the end, my curiosity getting the better of me along with my desire for greater cultural interaction, whether I look like an idiot or not.

What I forgot is that Besançon is a small city, and that from my experience tarot cards are not the hottest item.

Upon my arrival to the address of the presentation, 10 minutes late, I realized that this was not going to be a very lively experience. The hosts were an old eccentric couple in their 60s or 70s, the presentation was set up in the old, manor-like parlor room of their apartment, and there was only one other person there.

I wish I had brought my camera, but alas I forgot it at home. In the middle of the room was a big square table with a black cloth draped over it and about 21 tarot cards laid around in a circle on it. There was a similar circle inside that of semi-precious stones, each one corresponding to a different card. An eye of the tiger was in the middle, representing protection.

The cards were also displayed in larger view on a wall hanging, where they were arranged into their proper row order. A powerpoint flashed on a screen above the old and decrepit fireplace, and the room was a little drafty.

The woman, who gave the two-hour exposition by basically reading off slides, was in a long skirt with a short-sleeved shirt and a vintage coat draped over her shoulders. She wore scholarly looking glasses, like a librarian. Her husband sat off to the side the whole time, slouched in his chair so that I could only see his gray hair, not his face. He only interrupted about twice, for clarification purposes, and the rest of the time he appeared to be in solemn contemplation.

The presentation was essentially an explanation of the meanings and significances of each card, and how they progress in their specified sequence. It was clear that the couple consults these cards the way that other people pray to God, and that they take them to be a very serious part of their lives. I never realized that tarot could be used in such a heavy way before, but find the idea rather fascinating in an educational-study kind of way.

After two hours of sifting through the slides, I have to say however that I was a little tired. I have always wanted to learn about tarot cards and how to use my set at home, but I always fail to remember that I actually get bored a little easily with them. Despite this, I am still glad I made the decision to attend. I got the chance to meet some new and interesting people and at least gain a little better understanding of the tarot's use.

And there's one more thing I learned after two hours of participant observation: the number of French and English words that are exactly the same, will never cease to amaze me.

Laundry Without a Washer

2009-09-15T10:20:00.000-07:00

I am a procrastinator, I always have been and I always will be. Sometimes it works in my favor, and other times it does not.
This past week it did not.

So I'm not a big fan of doing laundry around here, given that there are only three washers available for the over 1,000 students living on my side of campus. Until about two weeks ago I was only allowed to use one of these washers, because the other two are reserved exclusively for students with EU debit cards.

Due to this gross inconvenience, I don't do laundry unless it is absolutely necessary. I've been especially lazy these past two weeks of vacation, and this weekend my laziness finally did catch up with me.

Completely out of clean clothing and a little desperate, I broke down Sunday and did what I had been meaning to do for over a week: I dragged my shopping bag of laundry to the washing room up the hill, about five minutes away.

It was closed indefinitely due to a technical malfunction. I freaked out. Was I going to have to resort to febreze?
No, thank God. After moping around and being grumpy over my misfortune for a while, I remembered a very important gift a friend had given me before leaving at the end of the summer.

It was liquid laundry soap, good for use in washing machines, or in bedroom sinks. Granted the idea would have never come to me had I not seen Yimo doing this last year, but with that laundry soap I realized something very important: I don't need those damn washers. I can do it myself.

And I did. Two hours of physical labor later, every hanging ledge available in my room was covered with drying laundry. The stress of not knowing what the hell I was going to wear the next day had left, and I was feeling much better about myself.

In the end I guess my procrastination didn't entirely get the better of me. I never had to use the febreze, and I did in fact learn something new: you don't need machines and appliances for everything.

International Music Festival

2009-09-12T13:02:00.000-07:00

The billboards advertising the 62nd annual International Music Festival have been up for the past couple of weeks, but I never paid much attention to them. I guess I didn't realize it was such a big deal.

Last night, with my friend Yuki and her host family, I attended the opening performance of this festival at La Place de la Revolution here in Besançon. It was cold and windy, but the stage was big, the lights were bright, the plaza was packed, and the orchestra was great. The grandeur was much larger than I expected, but it made the experience all the better.

I met up with Yuki and her family at about 8:30, a little after dark. The performance had not yet begun but there was already a massive crowd in front of the stage. Old people, young people, parents, children, neighbors, friends, everybody was there. Many were in the crowd, but many more were seated around the area at neighboring cafés or against other local buildings. It was clear very quickly that this festival is a long-standing Bisontin tradition, frequented by music lovers of all kinds.

As the performance began and everyone listened to and applauded the internationally formed orchestra, I really started to feel the quaint and home-y feel this town gives. It reminded me of simple little traditions in Dubuque I enjoy, like the Labor Day parade or that thing with Santa Claus coming down the 4th Street Elevator the day after Thanksgiving. Events like that not only bring character to small towns like Dubuque and Besançon, but they also make me feel more personally connected there.

As the town came together to enjoy this important presentation, I have to say I'm glad I was with them. If only I had gotten better pictures though.

Vegetarianism in France

2009-09-08T13:56:00.000-07:00

Before leaving for France, one of my biggest concerns was my ability to maintain my vegetarian diet. Not only was I worried about the access to my normal list of vegetarian-friendly food, but I was also worried about how well my new culture accepted the lifestyle.

While I am faring better than I originally thought, I have yet to be dissuaded from my opinion that the U.S. is much better in its catering to vegetarian taste buds.

My first success was in my ability to find soy milk. It is carried at my local grocery store in several brands and versions, which are satisfactory but unfortunately not comparable to the Silk brand I buy from home. I tend to mix half and half with the chocolate and regular to help the taste, but the adaptation is still coming along.

My second success I would say came just last week when, after much searching, I discovered that Besançon is home to what the French call a "bio co-op," or a vegetarian and eco-friendly grocery store. La Canopée has the best selection of food I have found so far, with fake meat and tofu and a decent selection of vegan options for its size. Again however, being the spoiled American that I am, none of their products truly compare in taste or quality to the products offered in the U.S. I am forced to make a list of all the non-perishable food I want my parents to send me from home, hoping that someday in the near future they actually will.

Throughout my trials and searches I have also come to learn a little bit about the vegetarian connotation here in France. The French tend to characterize vegetarians as either 1) if you're a foreigner, as either American or English or 2) if you're French, as a Bobo, which is a social class here of young Bourgeois hippies. I don't really know what to make of these generalizations, whether it is ok to feel a little shocked or whether I should have expected the fact that vegetarianism is not as widely accepted here as it is back home. I must say I am getting a little tired of the woman at the school restaurant announcing each time the "vegetarian" has arrived.

Despite my cravings for the luxuries of the U.S., I do have one thing to be grateful for when it comes to my eating habits: everything is much much cheaper, and I can't complain about that.

School Year Beginnings

2009-09-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

This past week, Besançon and the Université de Franche-Comté made a transition that I wasn't quite expecting: from summer time to the regular university year.

At the end of my first month here in August, on campus and in the city, I had grown quite accustomed to the dullness of human traffic and the solid foreign student population density. Then, rapidly, September 1st came and it dawned on me that this was not the norm around here.

Within the span of about two days, Besançon was overtaken. By actual French students. I woke up one morning to have my hallway filled with kids and their parents moving boxes into previously empty rooms, to see a massively long line coming out of the secretary's office, and to notice that everyone around me was actually speaking with a French accent. The population of the town seems to have about tripled within the past five days.

As this change and new adjustment came upon me, I couldn't help but think how much it felt like I was back in Iowa City again. The parking lot outside my dorm room filled with new cars and new furniture and new people, kids giving their parents hugs goodbye and newbies asking for directions. It was like déjà vu, another year in Iowa.

But I'm not in Iowa anymore, I'm in a different country with a language and culture far from the traditional habits of the midwest. Although Besançon and the university at times remind me of home, there is plenty more to remind me of the distance. In more ways than one.

Grocery Shopping, Eco-Friendly Required

2009-09-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

Back home in the United States, I always thought the whole "buy our eco-friendly grocery bags and reuse them to reduce waste" was a great idea in our nation's grocery stores. Unfortunately for me in France however, it is the only idea.

I have to say I've done my fair share of grocery store hunting while living here in Besançon, and if there is one big difference I can remark on it is that grocery bags are not a freely given item. If you forget your reusable bag, which I always seem to do, you have to either buy a new one or try and stuff everything into your already over-packed messenger bag.

Although one would think that time would be the cure to my forgetfulness, my habit of impulsive and impatient shopping always gets the better of me. I currently have three reusable bags from various stores throughout town, and let's pray I don't collect any more.

Origami

2009-08-30T11:44:00.000-07:00

Origami is the Japanese art of creating objects out of ornately folded pieces of paper.
This past week I've had the opportunity to see the creation of this art, over and over again.

It all started in class, with I believe a paper crane. My friend Yuki Mitsuishi, a Japanese native, taught Youssef how to make one during the daily 20 minute café break. Cranes were created, followed shortly thereafter by flowers and hopping frogs.

The origami craze took off. Beginning in the middle of the week with a single crane, a single flower, and a single frog, everybody wanted to make them. Especially Youssef. Friday at the fifth floor café of the CLA, Youssef, I and about four other students spent the usual coffee break in utter concentration on our little white sheets. Everybody had at least one origami creation by the end of the day.

The general process of origami is not that difficult, as the initial steps are always the same, but as the paper starts to take form it is a little more complicated. Personally I still couldn't make the flower or the frog alone, despite seeing Youssef make about 20 of each. One for at least half the people in class, and I believe one for about every one of his friends leaving Besançon yesterday for the end of summer.

While origami is a great way to break the ice, make someone smile or just pass the time, among many other uses, I'm not sure I will ever quite have the memory, or the attention span, to make it a hobby like others seem to have. Despite my inability to master the very interesting technique, I can't say I'm a total failure at the end of this week-long charade: I can still make a paper crane.

Ted Kennedy in France

2009-08-27T10:16:00.000-07:00

I love reading French newspapers, and I love reading about American politics. For that reason, I consider it to my advantage that stories on American politics are such a front-page topic around the world, including here in France.

With the death of Ted Kennedy yesterday, I've gotten a chance to realize just how much attention everybody else pays to the important events in our country's history. Kennedy's death blotted the front page of every major newspaper I saw, and overshadowed other more localized stories that would have been favored in American newspapers.

I don't really think Kennedy's death will have much of a direct global impact, but it is still interesting to see how other countries react to this obviously big event at home. Although Kennedy was very important and highly influential, I have to say that his story is a little more positively eulogized at home than it is here in France. For example there was more emphasis in the article I read today on his past presidential hopes, and the dashing of those hopes by a scandal involving the drowning of a young woman, than there was emphasis on his greatness and his prowess in the current American political arena. It focused more on his being a member of the Kennedy family, and it was more objective, less grandiose, in its reflection on his life.

I've actually come to enjoy reading the french articles better, because they allow me to have a different look and perspective on our country than I've been able to before. As France and the rest of the world continues to follow this story, so will I, drinking my cup of coffee and practicing my literary comprehension.

Pre-Ramadhan Picnic

2009-08-22T09:42:00.000-07:00

I have always loved the idea of picnics, to me they are relaxing, fun, elegant, and a little bit romantic. It is a chance for friends to get together and enjoy themselves in a very beautiful and comfortable setting and just pass the time away.

That is exactly what my friends and I did last night, and it was the best night I have had here in Besançon so far.

As has already been established, a lot of my friends here are Muslim, and every year Muslims celebrate a one-month holiday of fasting known as Ramadhan. The beginning date of the holiday is determined by the lunar pattern, so every year is different. This year it started today, and since it was a weekend my friends and I decided to have one last feast to celebrate.

A collective group of eight nationalities, we all pitched in for the meal of fresh baguette sandwiches, salad, chips, fruit, lemonade and wine (for the non-muslims). We listened to music and talked about our lives, homelands, cultures, and futures. We enjoyed the fresh air and the breeze and the open field on our blankets, and as the evening turned to night we took turns singing songs in our native languages. Like I said before, it was the best night I've had yet.

There is really something great about spending time with people who are so different from you, so far away from home. While I may love picnics just about anywhere, I have to say this one was probably the most memorable, and the one closest to my ideals.

Musée de la Deportation

2009-08-20T07:31:00.000-07:00

Here in Europe everybody understands when someone makes a reference to "the war." No need to explain further, it was the period in history that influenced, and continues to influence, a huge part of daily life and cultural thought here.

I could go on and on about the crazy governmental policies inspired by a fear of those events' repetition, but that's not exactly why I'm writing this entry, so I'll save that for a later date.

Yesterday I had my first opportunity to visit what is called the Musée de la Deportation, or, easily enough, the Museum of the Deportation. It is about World War II, it's effects around Europe, and its effects here in Besançon. The citadel, an ancient fortress in the heart of the city, was occupied by the Nazis during the war, and from 1940 to 1944 some 100 French resistance fighters were executed here.

The museum is comprised mostly of posters and photos and quotes on the wall, but there are also personal artifacts like clothing, letters, identity cards and things of similar fashion. As I walked through, I couldn't help but be affected by how much closer it all seemed to me. In the United States, we were truly removed from all of the things that the war brought to civilians in little towns like Besançon, and the imagination of living through one of the darkest eras in human history is unbelievably frightening.

Everyone knows Hitler was evil, but the fear and the reality never quite sunk in to me until I took the time to read some of his, and his followers' quotes that the museum posted. It really made me reflect on how grateful I am for everything I have had in my life, and as a matter of fact on everything I have not had as well.

Despite the sadness of feeling so close to it all, there is still something that always makes me smile a little when I think about that phrase, "the war." I feel a little bit like I'm in a Harry Potter novel.

Translations (last 3 photos):
1) This is just a prelude. There where we burn books, we will finish by burning men.
2) Everything we have today in the advancement of human civilization, art, science, technology, is almost exclusively the product of the Aryan race.
3) The Jew is the derision of man, he is the anti-man.

Les Boulangeries

2009-08-17T06:12:00.000-07:00

The French are known for their baking skills, and there is nothing better than homemade French bread from a Boulangerie.

The one featured in these photos is the bakery I go to almost every day for a fresh baguette. If the exchange rate were equal, an entire loaf would only be about 65 cents.

Unfortunately the exchange rate is not equal, and everything I buy is actually about 1.5x the amount I pay for it in euros. But that doesn't deter me from the baguettes, because they are too good to not take advantage of while I am here. Lightly browned and a little crispy on the outside, nice and soft on the inside, it is virtually impossible to find bread this well-made in the United States.

The bread is freshly made every day, and by the end of the evening there are usually very few baguettes left to choose from. Once purchased, they are wrapped up in a pretty little piece of tissue paper and tied around the middle, like a Christmas package.

As I carry it down the street at the end of each day, I can't help but feel a little more French.

Dinner Parties

2009-08-15T11:55:00.000-07:00

The Muslim population in France is like the Mexican population in America, and if I have learned anything about Muslims it's that they like to have dinner parties.

Tonight I was honored to be a guest at my very first international and (mostly) Islamic dinner party, hosted by my friend Youssef (the same friend who pointed out my hand-writing habit).

Youssef loves to cook food for other people, and I must say that I was amazed by the results he procured from our cheap dormitory cuisinette. I can't describe it to a t, but it was some stir-fry dish with spiral noodles, peas, onions, carrots, and a whole bunch of really good, Middle Eastern spices. It was much better than anything I could make at this point.

While enjoying the meal, I was able to listen and learn a little more about Muslim culture and about the upcoming holy month of Ramadan, beginning in late August. Being able to eat only after dark for an entire month, among many other things, is not something I would look forward to.

All in all, the party reminded me a little bit of a dinner party I attended at the Hariri's house over 10 years ago. The Hariris were a Malaysian family who lived in the duplex just behind our old house on Custer Street, and who I became very close friends with over their 2-year stay in the U.S.

Then as now, the party consisted of a mostly Islamic population where everyone helped with the preparation, cooking, and clean-up, not just the host. It was a collective effort of friends enjoying themselves and enjoying the delicious food prepared, and I had a great time. That's one of the best things about studying abroad, the interactions with other people. That and the awesome dinner parties.

Cultural Realizations

2009-08-13T08:56:00.000-07:00

Writing on my hand. It's been a habit of mine since before high school, and to me it is quite logical. Whenever I have something important I need to remember, I write it on my hand so that I won't forget about it. Perhaps it isn't the prettiest way of remembering things, but it has the highest success rate of any other method.

I never really thought about this habit before, never gave it much reflection, until a comment from a fellow student caught my attention. Yesterday while eating lunch with other classmates, I was interrupted by Youssef, a native Egyptian. He said 'look! you are another American who writes on their hand!"

Apparently, to my complete obliviousness, note-writing on your hands is an exclusively American trait. Youssef has four other American friends who he claims are exactly the same way, and to his confusion he has never seen anything like it before. Who would have known? I certainly never picked up on the exclusivity.

All cultures have their own habits, attitudes and behaviors. When I think about this, the idea of something so (in my opinion) trivial does not come to mind. To think that I can be identified as an American solely by the ink smears on my hand is an entirely new concept to my ideas of cultural diversity.

As my friend Maasitaa said to me this afternoon, I have very pretty hands, excluding the black and blue blotches.

Lessons

2009-08-11T08:58:00.001-07:00

Studying abroad always has its lessons, and yesterday I learned two very important ones: 1) Never assume you can find your way home by mere intuition, and 2) All of the streets in Besançon look exactly the same.

It was my first night out in Centre Ville, my friend Khaled from Algeria had invited me to a free concert at the local theatre. After the show, we decided to get some coffee and hang out in the city a little longer before returning to our university housing.

What we failed to do is make sure we knew the times of the only bus that could take us home, a 10-15 minute ride. We missed it by 5 minutes, and the next one would not be coming for another 45, at 12:15 a.m. Being the impatient person that I am, I insisted that we walk home instead, assuming I could find the way.

An hour after our departure from Centre Ville, I finally acknowledged that I had no idea where we were. Until that time I had continued to tell myself that I recognized the scenery from the daily bus ride I take to and from downtown. But alas, after an hour of continuous walking, I saw no billboards, no intersections, no stores that I was convinced I had seen before.

Deserted, lost, and a little cold, Khaled and I did the unthinkable: we flailed down the first car that passed and asked for a ride. The driver, a kid not much older than us, laughed at our predicament and proceeded to take us home safely.

Never again will I try to guess my way home in the middle of the night, and never again will I use scenery to identify my location. There's just not enough creative variation in this damn town.

Introduction

2009-08-09T09:37:00.001-07:00

My name is Karina Schroeder and I am a year-long foreign exchange student at the Université de Franche-Comté in Besançon, France. I arrived in Besançon last sunday, making today my official one week anniversary of being a French university student.

Back home in the United States, I study journalism, anthropology, and french at the University of Iowa. Here in France however I will be studying archeology and art history, which will to my advantage transfer as credit to my anthropology degree.

For my first blog entry, I am going to give a little background and description of my new surroundings. Besançon is located about two and a half hours east of Paris, and about an hour from the Switzerland border. It is basically divided into two sections: Centre-Ville (downtown) and everything else. The Doubs River surrounds the centre-ville in an oxbow-like form.

The area was originally settled in 1500 b.c. by Gallic Tribes. Today much of its architecture is from the 16th or 17th century, including several medieval cathedrals and a citadel. It is a small city with about 220,000 inhabitants and one museum. It was also the birthplace of Victor Hugo, apparently.

It is a very quaint city and I am excited to continue exploring it. I continue to rarely know where I am going, but with time the city's plan will become much easier and the often-confused expression on my face will go away. Keep in touch for stories and reflections on my life here in France.