La culture de la France

La culture de la France... or, the culture of France.

This is a comment that was posted by a fellow classmate from my university back home on my blog with the leadership program I am in there. I have included her question as well as my response:

Hope- "Hey Bethany! It is so great to here about all of your traveling. In class we have been discussing the Lewis model and how different cultures effect the leadership styles that are used within the country. Thinking about America, it seems that categorizing an entire country by outstanding cultural tendencies does not always fit all aspects of the nation. I am curious to know if you noticed cultural differences between the places you traveled."

Me- Hope,

First of all, thanks for your great comment. Second, sorry to everyone to whose comments I have not yet responded! However, I have so enjoyed hearing about what you all are learning in class because it is exciting to relate the topics to real-life in my experience here in Grenoble. Although I feel like I cannot even begin to put into words my experiences as the authors of your books have so eloquently done, I will attempt to try and explain my ideas in response to your questions. Please bear with me, as it may seem a bit scattered as I attempt to put my thoughts on paper (or screen, I suppose :) )…

First of all, yes, there are insane amounts of cultural differences between the different countries in Europe, but I've also found a lot of differences even just between different parts of France. It's interesting because in traveling for a short period of time, it is difficult to recognize some of these things. But with the incredible opportunity I have to live here and truly interact with the people as well as personally engage in the culture of the area, it's incredible to notice the differences... between here and home, between different areas of the country and also between different parts of Europe that I've had the chance to visit.

Mostly, however, I have been intrigued by the differences between regions in France. I know that we, as Americans, generally have a tendency to think of France as all the same. Perhaps we picture a little man with a handlebar mustache wearing a beret, carrying a baguette and standing in front of the Eiffel Tower!  But whatever the stereotype may be or even just what the image that we have looks like, I'm finding that it is absolutely impossible to classify the French culture in one single idea.

I am currently taking a course on French Culture and Society, and it is really interesting to learn about the history of the country as it relates to the development of its culture. Because France was formerly divided into very distinct provinces, the current regions still possess a lot of the old characteristics, traditions and prides. Despite efforts to create a national unity and culture for the country, there remain certain things that are unique to every region. For instance, Alsace-Lorrain has a rough history of being fought over and existing as both a part of Germany and a part of France, as it is now. This is to say that the people of that region have not always been able to identify themselves with a specific national culture and have therefore clung tightly to their regional ideals and pride. So, in visiting the Alsace region, one can clearly see influences of both the French and the Germans, but also a culture that is truly unique to the area. In fact, the people there don't even refer to themselves as French but as Alsacian.

In the same respect, my region is the Dauphinois region. It, of course, has its own history and its own story as well. For example, the people in this area take great pride in their heavy involvement in the Resistance movement during WWII, they have their own specialties in the area of cuisine such as Gratin Dauphinois and certain cheeses, they are proud to be home to the Bastille which marked the beginning of the French Revolution, etc. And the people of the region are the Dauphinois, not simply the French.

Because the history of the United States is so short in comparison to that of France (and many other places for that matter), it is oftentimes difficult for us to truly understand this concept of culture and tradition, as it is not as innate for us or perhaps as important for us as it is for the people here. But with the history of France with its monarchies, republics, empires, and regimes that have changed the geography and politics of the country, the culture itself has also been drastically influenced, creating the France that we know today.

I also just went on another excursion this weekend with my program to Dijon and Beaune, which were both absolutely beautiful, by the way. Anyways, we went on a walking tour of Dijon, learning all about its development into the city that it is now. It was fascinating to learn about the rich history of such a tiny place (relatively speaking, of course). There are things as simple as the structure and design of roof tiles that make the houses in Dijon to be uniquely those of Dijon. A specialty for you all will be the mustard that is fabricated there, which is unique to the area as well. And Beaune, being a part of the Burgundy region, is, of course, famous for its wine all over the world. Anyways, these two cities each have their own idea of “France” and their own traditions and ideas, just as each individual city of France also does.

So, I guess my point is, yes, there are lots of cultural differences, and like you said, it is impossible to classify France by certain cultural tendencies in the same way we cannot do it for America. Study abroad has been truly eye-opening in this respect. It allows me to see “France” for France, not some idea or thought I have learned in a classroom or gained from movies, television, etc. of a specific idea or culture. It is a beautiful country rich in history and tradition, but it is also so much more. It is a culture of cultures, a togetherness and unity of individual parts. It is a people who are of Alsace, Pays Basque or Dauphinois, but also of the whole, of France itself. My image of this people and this nation has been radically changed in unimaginable and exciting ways, influencing for good the way I look at other parts of the world. And although interesting to study cultural tendencies that may ring very true for the majority of the time, it is also important to recognize that no system of classification or generality of a people can ever truly encapsulate the entire reality of any of those places. As it is for each of us in the States with the state, city or town we call home where each place has its own idea of what we think of as the USA, each region and area of France has a unique view of what they see as truly “French”.

I hope this somewhat addresses the basis of your question/comment, Hope. Let me know if there is anything you’d like to know! And again, thanks for following my blog and for joining me, in part, in this wonderful and exciting experience I am so grateful to have!

<3 Bethany

Au sud de la France...

Au sud de la France... or, in the South of France!

I know that it is has been far too long since the last time I wrote, but I have been gone traveling a lot in the past few weeks. I recently had a week off of classes for February break during which I visited the South of France and Belgium, and I also went on a mini-excursion with my program last weekend to Voiron. This coming weekend we will be taking off for two days on an excursion to Dijon and Beaune and the following I will be traveling to London with my friend Julia. All that to say, it's been difficult to find time to write, but I have been eager to catch everyone up on my recent adventures.

February break in this region of France is typically spent skiing. All primary, middle and high schools as well as most universities have two full weeks off during which they travel to different mountain chains to surf the slopes. My host family was gone for a full week skiing with their family in the north during the week that I was gone traveling, and then they spent their second week skiing in Grenoble while I returned to classes. Being an international school with a shorter semester, we unfortunately only had one week off as opposed to two. Anyways, skiing is the number one thing to do around here, as I have quickly come to find out. All of the families that live here go for weeks at a time and practically every weekend, and people come from all over France as well as different parts of Europe to ski in Grenoble, which is well-known for its mountains and stations. In fact, real estate is extremely high in this area because of the close proximity to the nearby slopes. Unfortunately, I have not yet taken the opportunity to try it out. Honestly, I think I'm just too much of a chicken to go as it probably wouldn't be too great to break a leg while off in another country! :) My host brother keeps inviting me along, but I think I'll stick with snow-shoeing... another (far less dangerous) popular activity in the area. To the left, I've included a picture from a museum that I visited in Grenoble with an exposition on the history of the ski and, in this photo, the snowshoe.

Anyways, my break began on Thursday, February 11th, as I typically don't have classes on Thursdays and had decided to skip Friday morning to travel. I left my house in plenty of time to take the bus to the train station, but, of course, with my luck, the bus never came! I called my host mom in a panic explaining what had happened, and she immediately told me to come back home where she was waiting, already in her car, to drive me to the station. Thank goodness for her! I got to the station just on time where I met Julia, Jahan and Galia, three of the other Americans in my program.

Our first stop was Avignon, a beautiful city in the south situated on the Rhône River and the capital of Christianity for a short while in the Middle Ages. We visited the Palais des Papes, or Popes' Palace, which housed six popes during a time of schism in the Catholic church in the 1300s. We also saw Pont d'Avignon, a bridge that extends out across the river and suddenly drops off about halfway out. You can see it in the background of the picture to the right that was taken from up above near the palace. There is a nursery rhyme about this particular bridge that all of the French children sing when they are little, and now it is tradition to go out on the bridge and sing it. Unfortunately, we were unable to go up onto the bridge as we weren't wanting to pay to do so, but luckily I am going to be returning to Avignon in May with my university, and I will definitely do so then! Anyways, the city was absolutely beautiful! We spent a lot of time just walking around and visiting shops. It's a very old area with a lot of history, so it was fun to explore without a particular agenda. We had lunch at a great little café and some delicious café au lait, one of my favorite drinks here consisting of espresso and warm milk. It was also extremely COLD while we were there though. The tramontane, or North Wind, is bitter cold during the winter in certain areas of France, and Avignon is certainly one of them. However, we enjoyed every second of being there, even if we we had to be bundled up the whole time. I am eager to go back in May when it is sunny and beautiful!

Friday morning, the 12th, we departed for Marseilles further south on the coast. Marseilles is one of the largest cities in France and is a port city, so, as a result, it is extremely international. There is a lot of Arabic and North African influence in the area as many people have immigrated to the region. The city was at a much different pace than others I have so far been to in France. It is interesting to see how much culture can change all within one single country that is only roughly the size of Texas! Every region has particularities unique to the area... food, traditions, dialects, etc. It makes traveling to different parts of France that much more wonderful and exciting!

While in Marseilles, we walked all over, we spent a lot of time in the Vieux Port, or Old Port, area which was full of fish vendors and fresh markets, we went to Notre Dame de Marseilles cathedral situated up on a hill overlooking the city from the highest point, we shopped a bit, we went to the beach and we ate some delicious food! Marseilles is also home to the small island If where Chateau d'If of Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo is set. I was extremely excited because there are boats that take people out to the island to explore the old prison and see it up close. Unfortunately, however, it was too windy and cold while we were there for the boats to operate. Although a bit of a disappointment, luckily we were able to see it from Notre Dame. It was just a bit further away than we had hoped. Later on, we also ventured out to the outskirts of town on my last afternoon where we went to a huge outdoor Arabic market where they sold everything from scarves and clothing to fresh vegetables and fruits. It was interesting to interact with the people of the area and to experience the atmosphere of such a culturally rich group of people. Marseilles was a great experience and very interesting to see. Although not my favorite place I have been, as it has less of the "beauty" factor that I so love in so many places here in Europe, I am so glad I had the opportunity to see something so different and unique. To the left, you can see a picture of the harbor in Marseilles.

I left the others on Sunday to return back to Grenoble while they stayed to finish their travels throughout the South of France. I was only able to spend the first four days with them, as I had already made plans to go to Brussels on Monday to visit an old friend. However, my time in the South of France was incredible! I am eager to return later in the spring with my university to Avignon and then later with my program to St. Tropez, Nice and Eze on the Azur Coast. It is such a beautiful area rich in culture and history, and I am again so thankful to the people who have made this trip possible. I am making memories this semester that I will never, ever forget and I am loving every second of being in the beautiful country of France!

That's all for now as I have examens blanches, or midterms, this week and lots of studying to do. I will write more about my adventures in Belgium soon. Until then, I hope this post finds each and every one of you well! I miss and love you like crazy!

A la prochaine fois ...or, until next time!

Ma famille d'accueil!

Ma famille d'accueil... or my host family.

So much has happened since the last time I wrote that I don't even quite know where to begin. I have been busy every second with family life, school, friends and travels and have absolutely been having the time of my life! I have decided to use this post to talk about my host family here and will write about other things later.

It's already been almost a month now since being in Grenoble... I can't believe it! Time truly does fly when you're having fun. I arrived on January 14th to the Grenoble train station where my host mom, Marie-Pierre, picked me up. She greeted me with two quick kisses on the cheeks, the traditional French way of introducing oneself (rather than a handshake as we do at home). On the ride home, she immediately began telling me all about what it would be like for me here... and this was when I first realized that our resident directors had not been speaking real French to us, but our French. Yikes! I was able to pick up on key words and, for the most part, the general sense of what she was saying, but my ears were in shock! Dinner that evening with the family was a bit intimidating, as they all spoke so much and so fast... but already I am learning so much and although it is still my greatest challenge, it has gotten much better and I know it will only continue to get better the longer I am here.

As far as my family, I feel so blessed! Speaking with the other students on my trip, I know that I am in the family that is absolutely perfect just for me. My host mom, Marie-Pierre, is wonderful. Whenever I don't understand something, she is the first to slow down and rephrase/repeat it for me so that I know what is going on. She has helped me a lot with the practical things... bus schedules, shopping, where to find certain things, etc. She is also a wonderful cook! She makes dinner for all of us every night, and dinnertime with the whole family has become one of my favorite times of the day! She has made me feel so welcome and so at home. She goes out of her way to make sure I am comfortable and that I have everything I need and has been more than hospitable in making sure I have an easy adjustment.

My host dad, Thierry, is also very nice. However, he speaks SO quickly! It is just now that I am beginning to be able to converse with him although there are still many, many times a day when I must ask him to repeat what he has said. It is definitely slowly getting better though because at first, even the simplest of questions from him I wouldn't understand and Marie-Pierre would have to repeat them. However, the longer I am here, the easier it is becoming to talk with him. It was funny because last night we were all playing a game in the family room and he said something about his Jeep in the basement/garage. I couldn't believe he had a real one down there! Then he went on to tell me that he had told me that one of the first days I had been here... oops! :) We both laughed as we knew I hadn't understood a word he said when I first arrived. Anyways, I have learned in the past month that he loves American films (especially westerns) and American actors (such as Clint Eastwood and George Clooney), that he has a huge collection of comic books about American sheriffs and cowboys and that he also has collections of toy Jeeps and tons of books about them as well.

I also have six host siblings. The eldest, Sophie, is currently living at home for awhile. She is in her mid-late twenties and has been very helpful to me as she speaks English very well after studying in Finland during her time in university. However, at home we stick to French... it is usually just to help me understand or for a vocabulary word that she addresses me in English. The second oldest, Marie, lives in Lyon about an hour from Grenoble. I met her briefly last Sunday, but I have not spent a lot of time with her. Of the next two daughters, Caroline is currently studying in Australia and Alix is in India. Both are away as exchange students learning English, as most everyone here learns it/speaks it to some degree.

Then there is Louis-Marie, the only boy of the family. He is fourteen and lives here at home. He has been great to talk to and always is very helpful explaining things to me, giving me new vocabulary words, etc. He's my tv buddy! It's funny because television here is almost all American shows and movies that have been dubbed from their original versions into French. I have seen Harry Potter, Star Wars, Friends, Lost, Bones, The Breakup, etc... all in French! Anyways, although I can't understand a lot of what is going on, it is a great way for me to practice and a good way to interact with the family a little more.

And finally, Solenn. She is the youngest and is eleven years old... and has become my greatest help since being here. She is blond and ornery and loves to spend time with me in my room teasing me, in the family room playing games with me and trying to scare me by hiding behind corners and jumping out to say, "Boo!". I have a blast teasing her and having tickle wars... and I have learned more from her in my speaking than from anyone else. We also help each other with our homework... I help her with English and she helps me with French. It works out perfectly! It's just so much easier to talk to her because my fear of speaking seems to just disappear when we're chatting, and I know I can ask her any question without her thinking I'm stupid. In the past week or so, I've really seemed to connect with her... children are the BEST for learning another language! :)

And, of course, there is Carla, the other exchange student from Mexico who is here studying at the high school. She is great! She grew up going to bilingual school in Mexico, so her English is fantastic and very helpful for me (especially when I first got here!). She has French grandparents as well, so she speaks French practically fluently. She is such a sweetheart and has helped me adjust, answered my questions about Grenoble and about the family and has helped with everything else I have needed. She even invited me to go out with her friends the first weekend I was here because she knew I didn't know anyone yet. Anyways, it's been great getting to know her, and I'm so thankful to have someone who is here to help me learn the ropes of what it means to be living in someone's home for such a long time.

The d'Oléon family is Catholic and very à droite politically, meaning very conservative. They are what the French call Sarkozists, as the president of the Republic, Nicolas Sarkozy, is quite conservative himself. We have had lots of discussions about the world and current political issues. I recently had to write a paper for class on the issue of burqas, and I was able to talk to them about how they felt about it. Apparently whether or not a law should be created banning the wearing of the burqa by Muslim women has been a big debate in France for some time now. It is interesting to hear their opinions on subjects such as these, as their outlook on these issues is so contextually different. Thierry has also asked me who I voted for in the last election, what I think about President Bush and the war in Iraq and other difficult questions like that. Although seemingly interesting conversation topics, it was actually quite intimidating as I was not able to fully express myself as to the why and the reasoning behind my choices with the language barrier. Needless to say, it has been interesting speaking with them, and I am learning so, so much about France, about the French people as a whole and about how culture and tradition affects one's opinions and outlook on life.

Dinnertime is one of the best times of the day! I learn more in that hour than in four hours of class. We all sit down together, and just observing how the family interacts, their conversations, etc. is so neat. It is still scary for me, because table French is very FAST and very colloquial. However, I get the chance to hear and talk about things you could never learn in the classroom. As far as food, it is always delicious! It always comes in courses as well. First, we start with a salad that is typically dark leafy lettuce and a vinaigrette, or soup that Marie-Pierre makes homemade in her soup machine with fresh vegetables and cream. Then, the main course is usually some sort of tart or souffle, with lots of vegetables. Meat is typically only served on the weekends, or if it is during the week, it is part of a stew or something of the sort. We, of course, have fresh baguette with every meal which has become one of my favorite things! And then dessert. There is always lots of fresh fruit and plain yogurt for dessert. On certain days, we have baguette and fresh cheese (there are always different yummy ones!). And sometimes, of course, we have something sweet such as chocolate mousse, chocolate cake, etc.

I spend a lot of time doing my homework in my room, but when I'm not doing that I am in the tv room watching French television for practice or talking with someone downstairs. Many evenings we play games together... a favorite of theirs is Yahtzee (or yams here)! We also watch the news together which is always interesting both for the actual news and for the language. Spending time hanging out with the d'Oléons has been one of my favorite parts of being here.

I have already learned to LOVE this family. One of their past exchange students, David, is here visiting this week, and he told me that they are truly unlike any other family he has met here in France. I am already learning this myself. They have been so hospitable, so helpful and so wonderful in making this experience great for me. I can't wait to get to know them even more over the next few months that I am here! I am so blessed to have been placed in such a wonderful home with a family who loves one another so much and who loves reaching out to students like me. It's been an incredible experience so far, and I know that it will only get better!

As for now, I must go because I leave today for southern France and Brussels for my February vacation from school. I promise to write again soon upon my return.

Thinking of and praying for my friends and family at home daily! Love you all...

Au revoir!

Je l'aime ici!

Je l'aime ici... or, I love it here!

It's been about a week and a half now since departing from the United States, and I am already in love with this country. So many things are different, but so many things are so wonderful... and it is absolutely beautiful here!

I began my trip with a typical McFarland adventure. As many of you may have heard, the Sunday that I was scheduled to fly out, a transformer went down in Cleveland, causing all power to be out in that part of the city which just so happened to include the airport. The radio broadcasts indicated that no flights would be leaving, and we were near positive that I would have to leave the following day, putting me in Paris a day late. We decided to drive to the airport just to be sure, and upon arrival we found that they were using generators to operate three terminals. Only three flights would be leaving that evening... and MINE was one of them! What a relief for us all!

I took off without any other problems and was on time for my connection in New Jersey and for my arrival in Paris. Upon landing at 10am Monday morning, I met up with the API group in the Charles de Gaulle Airport where our Resident Directors immediately began speaking to us in French alone. How exciting!

We were taken to our hotel in the Latin Quarter where we stayed for three nights. It was absolutely gorgeous and exactly as you would imagine Paris to be! I was placed in a room with a girl named Galia from Pittsburgh. We later found out that our roommates in Paris were the people who would be living nearest us in Grenoble as we live just down the street from one another. She has become one of my good friends here as we spend a lot of time with one another.

Above you can see the view from the front door of L'hotel Minerve where we stayed.

Our first day in Paris, we spent a lot of time just getting to know the area well and getting to know the other students with our program. We went to a little supermarket where we bought baguette and Nutella and a few clementines for lunch... very typical and delicious French food! Later in the evening, we met with the RDs and were taken on a boat tour of the Seine River where we saw all the most beautiful places in the city. Paris is surprisingly quite small, but it has MUCH to see! After our boat tour, we made our way by métro to a little restaurant called Restaurante Perraudin where we had our first truly French meal. This was a traditional three-hour French dinner consisting of three separate courses for each of us. My meal included an appetizer of flaky bread puffs filled with warm goat cheese, a stew of steak, potatoes, leeks, carrots and other veggies and a delicious warm apple tart with vanilla ice cream on top. I have to say, French cuisine is by far the best I have ever had! I have not yet tried something I do not absolutely love! Below you can see the first of the three yummy courses!


The next morning we awoke and had breakfast at the hotel which consisted of baguette and croissants with preserves and Nutella, soft boiled eggs, yogurt, fruit and lots of cheese. They served us coffee and tea in our own little pots and offered orange juice and water as well. After breakfast, we took the train to the Palace of Versailles which was absolutely incredible. It was even bigger than I could have ever possible imagined. Although very cold and snowy, we were also able to walk around the gardens a bit as well, although it would take several days to see all of them. For lunch we stopped at a little café where we had delicious sandwiches on baguette... these have become one of my favorites since being here! After eating, we took the train to the Musée d'Orsay where we saw many famous pieces including lots of paintings by my favorite, Monet, among others. We had the rest of the evening to do whatever we wanted, so a group of us decided to go to the Montmartre area. This was by far my most favorite place that we visited in all of Paris. A little area situated at the top of a huge hill, it consisted of lots of cute little shops and restaurants. It was absolutely wonderful at night with white Christmas lights lining the streets and music playing. At the very peak of the hill rests the cathedral Sacre Coeur, or Sacred Heart, which was stunning at night. From the front steps of the church, there is an incredible view of the city! After Montmartre, we visited l'Arc de Triomphe where we climbed the spiral staircase all the way to the top. Then, a few people in the group were tired and went back to the hotel for the night, but some of us were dying to see the Eiffel Tower at night to see it light up as it does once every hour during the evenings. We made it just in time to see it as we were getting off the métro... and it was absolutely wonderful!

The following day, Wednesday, we visited Notre Dame and Sainte Chapelle, my favorite cathedral of all. It is the only church in Paris with the original stained glass windows as they are the only ones that were not destroyed in the war. During the war, they were taken out, placed in boxes and stored outside the city walls to protect them. Today, they have been replaced and make the second floor inside the church one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen! After this, we went to the Louvre. Although incredible, I wish so badly that I would have had more time to take my time and see so much more of it. With it being so expansive, it would take someone four months to see every item on display. However, I did get to see much of the French sculpture and paintings as well as a few Italian paintings including, of course, la Jaconde, or the Mona Lisa, and she's actually MUCH smaller than one would imagine her to be. After the Louvre, several of us went out to les catacombes where the bones of 600,000 graves have been moved. During a time in France when a great sickness broke out, they ran out of room in the cemeteries and began moving the bones of the dead to the old mining tunnels underneath the city. Today, you can venture down where there is tunnel after tunnel of skulls and bones arranged in various shapes and fashions. Although a bit disgusting, it was actually very cool to see! That evening we had dinner in the Latin Quarter at a little Algerian restaurant and then went for drinks at a little café on the way home. The wine and the hot chocolate in France are so delicious! :)

Our last morning in Paris, Thursday, we went on our last touristy adventure to the Eiffel Tower where we climbed on foot the stairs to the second platform (unfortunately the top is closed in January due to the weather). It was absolutely wonderful! It was the most perfect view of the city and we took lots and lots of pictures. It was also the first day that we saw the sun, so it was even more perfect!

After the Eiffel Tower, we went to the train station to catch the TGV to our new home, Grenoble, where we would be meeting our host families at the airport for the first time!

Paris is one of the most wonderful things I have ever experienced. I heard many things about the French being rude or stand-offish, but I have found exactly the opposite to be true. I have encountered so many friendly people here, and it is almost refreshing in comparison to the United States. People ALWAYS say bonjour and au revoir, as it is rude not to, people love to help us practice our French and are careful to take it slow so that we can understand and people seem to enjoy the little things in life much more without the constant hustle and bustle of everything. It has been wonderful experiencing this culture, and I am already learning to love so much about it!

Although I have class soon and must go for now, I will be sure to write about my first week in Grenoble and my family very soon. All is wonderful and well, and I feel like the luckiest girl alive to be experiencing such wonderful things!

But until later, à toute à l'heure, mes amis!

Aujourd'hui, c'est le jour!

Aujourd'hui, c'est le jour! ...or, today is the day!

It feels like forever ago that my dreams of studying abroad began. I would hear family and friends speak of the young people that they knew who were off in different countries studying and experiencing the culture of a new and exciting place. And I always knew that someday, somehow, I would do the same. With my love of the French language throughout middle and high school, it was obvious to me that I would choose a francophone, or French-speaking, country for my semester abroad. After lots of research and meetings in the international programs office at Marietta College, I knew I had found the perfect place when I found API's program in Grenoble, France, a small city in the south-eastern portion of the country in the Alps region. It was perfect... the school, the housing arrangements, the classes, the location.

After a lot of prayer, a long application process and lots of meetings and paperwork, I was not only accepted into the program but also awarded a scholarship through API. I knew upon receipt of the news that this was it... what I had been awaiting for so long. My opportunity to follow my dreams. I am finally on my way... to the city of lights!

I leave in less than an hour for the Cleveland airport where I will be flying out at 4:45pm this afternoon. After about ten hours of flights, I land in Paris at 10am tomorrow morning (Paris time) where I will meet my resident directors and the rest of the students in my program, both those in the Paris section and the Grenoble section. We will be touring the city, sightseeing and undergoing our "orientation" process for about four days. After our time there, we will depart by train on Thursday afternoon for Grenoble. My host family will be awaiting my arrival at the train station to take me to my new home about twenty minutes outside of the city center in Meylan.

I received information about my family about two weeks ago, and could not be more excited to meet them and get to know them during my time there. They are la famille d'Oléon, consisting of a father, Thierry, who is an architect, a mother, Marie-Pierre, who stays at home and their six children, three of which still live at home. They are also currently hosting another exchange student from Mexico, Carla, who is seventeen and there for the entire year. I look forward to spending time with her, as I know it will be helpful for my language skills to speak with someone who is also learning French for their first time. I was also able to googlemaps the family's home, and it is beautiful. The Alps paint the perfect backdrop of the very Euorpean-looking home. I cannot wait to finally see it in person and to meet the people with which I will be spending the next four and a half months.

As for now, I am not so much nervous as I am excited and eager with anticipation more than anything else. I have waited so long and am anxious to finally be there. I will be so relieved when I am done traveling and settled in so I can begin learning all there is to learn and seeing all there is to see. I get butterflies every time I remember to myself that in less than 24 hours, I will be stepping foot onto European soil for the first time in my life... what an incredible opportunity He has given me! Praise God for His goodness, always.

At this point, I am not so much scared but realistically recognizing the difficulties with which the language barrier will present me. Although I have studied French for about eight years now, I know that it will be an entirely new experience speaking with natives. However, I am confident that if I am able to overcome my apprehension enough to try, without fear of failure or perhaps messing up, my language skills will increase tremendously. I've been told that total immersion is the best way to go if language proficiency is the goal, so I have to trust that as hard as it may be, this will be the absolute best possible thing for me. Living with a French family and taking all of my courses in French, I look very much forward to seeing my skills progress and learning to express myself more fluently and efficiently.

Perhaps my biggest anxiety about my time there will be finding a "faith" community. During my time at Urbana 09 in St. Louis, I attended a session on the francophone world and I was absolutely shocked at some of the statistics I was hearing. The man speaking was the IFES director of the Caribbean where he said only about 10% of people are believers. I was startled by this number, but he went on to say that this was, in fact, quite high in comparison to France where it is an estimated 0.4%. In the past century, France has undergone Laïcité. This is a widespread secularization movement that has banned anything "religion" from public facilities. It is not like here in the United States where, for instance, a school is perhaps just not affiliated with a particular religion, but any sort of religious discussion, symbols and clothing is absolutely prohibited. In fact, I will not even be allowed to wear my cross to school, as it is a public university, unless I tuck it away underneath my shirt.

After the session, I was actually able to speak with a young girl about my age who had studied in France last summer, and I was able to ask her some questions about what it will be like as a believer in their country. The first thing that she said was, "Your faith will certainly be tested, Bethany. BUT you will leave there so much stronger than when you went." She said that it is very difficult living in a place where discussion of religion, faith and beliefs is absolutely unheard of. However, she was also very encouraging because she said that people there are so curious. She said that when you approach them without any agenda and simply get to know them as friends, it is then that THEY begin to ask questions, and it is then that you have the opportunity to share your beliefs. So, although I was shocked and a bit taken aback by some of the things I was hearing, I was relieved to finally be able to talk to someone who knew, who had experienced it firsthand and who could better prepare me for what it will be like.

God never ceases to amaze me because as all of this was unfolding and my thoughts on this topic became more frequent, I was speaking with my cousin in California, Donna, who mentioned her friends living in France. She gave me their information, and, upon contacting them, I found out that they too are believers and have been doing ministry in France for many, many years now. Although they do not refer to themselves as "missionaries", as that is forbidden in France, they serve in the areas of pastoral care, discipleship training in French churches, etc. How incredible and encouraging! I have been in contact with them via email and I look forward to the possibility of maybe even meeting them while I am there.

Overall, I look forward to this trip as an adventure. An adventure to travel, to learn, to meet new people and see new places, but also an adventure in my walk with our Lord. I know that at times it will be difficult, but I also know the He is faithful, all the time. Throughout all of this, I am constantly reminded of Psalm 37:4 that says, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." I am so thankful to Him for providing the way for this trip and the blessing that I know it is going to be. I am eager to see how He will use it to grow me and make me into the person that He desires for me to be.

I am anxious to share with you all at least a small piece of my experience and my time there. Please be praying for safe travels and for His hand of protection during my time in France. I am eager to learn about all that He has in store for me, and I am excited to be able to share that with the people that I love most... you all, my friends and family.

Au revoir, mes amis!