I have started all of my classes now. Grammar class is every day for 2 hours and I'm enjoying it. It's good to review lots of things that I have learned before and continue to understand them better. I've had two Phonetics classes, which should be interesting. Half of the class we sit and repeat phrases or words after the prof, write them down, and break up the syllables. French syllables are very different from English syllables. I've definitely learned that. The second half of class we go to the lab, sit with big headphones on our heads, repeat the phrases that she says, listen to what we have said (each person individually) and do it again, trying to correct our pronunciation. And then I have three lecture courses. This basically means that for 2 hours of my week (for each class, so 6 in total) I sit in a lecture hall and listen to the prof speak. So far the profs have been giving us a summary of what they're saying, or the exact essay-type lecture that they are using for the day, and we follow along. I don't have to take notes, apparently. I will need to write a 1-page "essay" on a piece of art for my History of Art course and write a multiple choice exam for each course. And that's about it. Read: much easier than my course load would be if I were at Redeemer right now. However, it's up to me to make sure that I do more learning, and I need to work on finding a French person to speak French with more often during the week so that they can correct me and help me come back home a fluent French-speaker. Not quite as confusing as it seems when I try to write it down.
We continue to dislike cooking here. It seems like a chore more than anything else. Hopefully it'll get better, or we'll accept it more as time goes on.
Exciting news: I'm going to Annecy and Geneva next weekend (Oct. 30/31). I'm excited for that, but I won't say much more about it now; there's not much to say, except that I'll update you on that after I've been there!
I've really been enjoying attending the church here. One very noticeable difference so far has been that we have Communion every week, and they most definitely do use wine, whereas at home the churches that I attend have moved away from using wine. I'm enjoying the worshiping in French and as long as I'm paying attention, I don't often find it too difficult to follow the service. I'm learning some new songs and loving singing songs that I already know in English, but doing so in French instead. Sometimes the difference in the words used gives a slightly different feel to the song and it's very interesting. For example, this past week we sang Great is Thy Faithfulness and Once Again. Both songs that I love, both somewhat different because of the translation, but both still fantastic. So I'm really enjoying that.
Life is becoming more normal. I'm getting more settled in. Time is passing more quickly; yesterday I looked at my agenda to see what my homework was and I was taken aback that it was already October 21. When time started moving more quickly, I don't know. Currently I'm thankful for it, but I know it will start moving at too quick of a rate and I'll want it to slow down. Such difficult creatures we are, eh? It's hard to be content. I'll work on that, though.
What else is there to tell you? Oh right. There's a strike going on. There is talk of changing the retirement age, from 60 to 63 or something like that. I'm not completely sure, but people are apparently quite upset about it. Thankfully it hasn't really interrupted my life and getting to class and whatnot, so I haven't been too bothered about it. I still miss smiling at people in the street. I find myself almost doing it sometimes, especially when I'm happy, but then I tend to remember and check myself and keep my "grim face" on.
It's getting much cooler, but the trees don't change like Canadian trees do. This is what we see if we see a tree here: green, yellow/brown, or winter-dead. There really isn't any other option for them. Poor trees. ;)
Welcome to the Jardin de Luxembourg in the fall.
I could keep rambling, but that's not quite necessary. So until next time, stay well, enjoy Autumn (its smells, sounds, and atmosphere), and send me mail (if you feel so inclined). :D
Blessings,
~Lynette
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