Hi all!

My exams are finally over and I’m back on the grind! In addition to my 5 language package classes I have to take I am taking four other courses, which include; philosophie politique et morale, a French literature class entitled “parler d’amour,” and two English classes. Hopefully one semester in France will make reading french philosophy a bit easier…

In any case, I wanted to share with you guys one of the tips that I kept receiving before leaving to go abroad. Many people to me to get to know where I would be living and studying for a year before jetting off to new and (potentially) more-exciting places. Though I feel like Dijon has become my home, I’m beginning to realize that there are corners of it that I’ve never explored and thus it has become my personal mission to make sure that I get off of every stop of the tram at least once before the semester ends to see what I can find. Even this past weekend I found a café right downtown that has the perfect atmosphere for reading, which the hard seats and fluorescent lighting of the university library don’t provide. I love finding hidden treasures throughout the city and now that I have established a real friend base, I hope that these next few months will provide endless opportunities to explore.

That said, I can’t believe that I’m more than half-way done with my abroad experience and I plan on making sure that I visit as many bucket-list places as I possibly can before I pack up and head home in may. These places include: Barcelona, Venice, Rome, Amsterdam, and Berlin, among others. As my budget and my time left slowly dwindle, I’m expecting a very busy semester 2.

The reason I wanted to share these plans with you all in this blog post stems primarily from a conversation I had with my host-mom over dinner last night; she asked me how it felt to be back and if I missed the United States yet. After about 30 seconds of trying to squeeze the innumerable moments of longing for home I’ve experienced while also expressing how grateful I am for every moment I have to explore this beautiful place into one grammatically correct phrase, all I could manage was a hand-motion and a simple “moyen.” She smiled and told me; “Ça ne va pas durer longtemps; c’est une expérience.” 

I’m off to make the most of this experience, one café at a time!

À la prochaine! 

Thomas

Hopefully at the end of the semester I won’t look like my friend, Buddha

Hi all!

I am finally back and Dijon and have a free minute to talk to you all about the amazing two weeks I spent in London and St. Andrews seeing some of my closest friends.

After 17 hours of traveling yesterday, I’m rested and ready to take on my exams which last until the week of the 17th. However, those hours spent on a train bunched up next to my backpack and sweating in my winter coat because it didn’t fit in my luggage were 100% worth the hassle, seeing as I had a fantastic time on my UK excursion. All in all, I was in London for about a week, yet I still found myself scrambling to get to everything there is to see–it is impossible to see all of London in one vacation, but what I did manage to see blew me away. London is clean, easy to navigate and amazingly beautiful. I am also a huge Harry Potter fan, so I was so happy to see some of the sights mentioned in the books and films (my dignity slowly dwindled standing in line for the platform 9 3/4 picture). I also got the chance to visit my good friend Katrina, who is studying at Oxford this year. In addition to seeing the beautiful city and the dreamy spires of all the individual colleges, her family was kind enough to take me out for a day trip in their rental car to Stratford-upon-Avon and the surrounding English countryside, both of which were beautiful.

After London, I shipped up to Edinburgh to visit St. Andrew’s for a second time–the town and cathedral are still as beautiful as ever and more adventures were to be had with some of my Holy Cross friends who made the voyage over to celebrate New Year’s with us! A few amazing hikes and more than a few amazing meals later, I was sadly shoving my suitcase full of dirty laundry and setting an alarm to head back to France. It was difficult to leave my friends, but the fact that our relationship stays strong despite 3,000 miles, 6 hours in time difference and our different struggles make me very excited to spend senior year celebrating every moment I have left with them.

As for my return to France, my feelings are mixed. Coming off of such a wonderful time with friends, it’s hard to reassume my daily routine, and I wish more than ever that my friends would come to visit and see what my life actually looks like. Yet, at the same time, I am so happy that Dijon really does feel like home; the sound of the tram bells, the taste of a ham and cheese sandwich on a baguette, the constant chatter of hushed French as people walk by (and knowing what people are whispering about)–all these sights, sounds and tastes are familiar to me and, now more than ever, comfortable to me. It really is an amazing feeling to have adopted some of the French culture as my own. Going into my second semester, I am really looking forward to appreciating these small moments of comfort and pleasure in the knowledge that they were not easily gained, but rather that they came as a result of many months of adjustment and trial.

À la prochaine,

Thomas

Hey ben

Hieroglyphs at the British Museum or French in the passé simple, idk

More than a little bit embarrassed

Oxford!

Hi all!

Sorry for the last couple of weeks, I didn’t have time to blog while running around trying to tie up all the loose ends at the end of my first semester in France! Though I am done with classes, I still have to take my exams during the first weeks of January; that’s why I’m not going to reflect on my first semester quite yet (my impressions might change after taking my 4 hour exams in french…).

Two weeks of break really isn’t enough to fly home, so I decided to head up to the UK for my vacation, and I’m currently blogging from my youth hostel in London! Spending christmas without frantically cooking and opening presents is definitely different, but being in the shadow of St. Paul’s Cathedral is not too shabby either.  This city is amazing and though I’m far from my family today, the christmas spirit is alive and well in the carols and lights that fill the streets here. In addition to seeing London, I’ve been lucky enough to have friends welcome me to both Oxford and St. Andrew’s, giving me a great opportunity to see a little bit of the United Kingdom, and I’ve loved what I’ve seen so far (I’m also loving the nice break from constantly having to translate and live my life in a different language).

That’s it for now, I’m off to eat some chocolate digestives and watch a christmas movie to celebrate!

Merry Christmas,

Thomas

Harrods does Christmas right

London bridge is still standing tall

Hi all!

This weekend I took a short two-hour train to visit the Capitale de Noël, Strasbourg! Not only did I get to see the amazing cathedral and many warm, colorful stalls perfumed by the scent of mulled wine, but I also got to see my fellow Holy Cross students as they study abroad at the University of Strasbourg! My short weekend trip was filled with comforting sights and sounds as christmas music played in the decorated, cobblestoned streets and I caught up with (and sometimes commiserated with) my friends from back home. Strasbourg is definitely a must-see around christmas time!

Leading up to this fun weekend trip, I had my first week of an internship I found through the University of Burgundy as an English language assistant in a Dijon high school. French high schools are differ drastically from the stereotypically locker-lined hallways of those in the United States, so I really had no idea what I was signing up for when I responded the email from the pôle internationale’s email. After weeks of emailing back and forth and mountains of paperwork, I was ready to start, yet I had little idea of what to expect of the student’s level of english or of their attention spans. After spending about an hour gathering pictures of my family, friends and home to present them an accurate snapshot of my life in the United States, I was disappointed to realize that this powerpoint only lasted about five minutes and invigorated no rousing questions or debate topics (though they were very impressed with the pictures of Holy Cross). Haven’t having prepared anything else, I did an impromptu discussion on the Pledge of Allegiance and talked about some of the court cases that have been brought up recently focused on the fact that ‘under God’ is recited in public schools. Though some classes were engaged in the debates, others provided a very awkward opportunity for me to struggle to explain what the word ‘pledge’ means or to explain (to some of the more lost students) that the United States is not, in fact, a theocracy.

After a week of testing the waters, I’m pretty sure that next week I’ll have to prepare a more basic topic (and after the many complaints about my American accent I guess I really need to slow down so they can understand me). So despite a bit of a turbulent start, I am excited to teach these students about my language and my culture. Though it may sound silly, it’s still strange to think that the United States is a foreign country for these students, and that they don’t understand the profound divisions between New York and Boston sports teams, or those between people who have a preference for Starbucks vs Dunkin’ Donuts. Hopefully, I’ll be able to steer them in the Dunkin’ direction and I’m hoping that they’ll also be able to teach me a bit about the nuances of French culture as well (and judging from their reactions when I asked them if France should adopt a pledge of allegiance, I think they will!).

À la prochaine!

Thomas

Capitale de Noël!

Vin chaud in front of Notre Dame is never a bad idea

Hi all!

In a desperate search for a taste of home, this week I embarked on what I would soon find to be an exhausting mission to find the ingredients for cranberry sauce. Three supermarkets and three miles later, I finally found cranberry jam in the organic section of the massive Carrefour located on the outskirts of town (after seeing most of the employees scooting around the massive complex in roller-blades).

Though I am far from home this Thanksgiving, I am blessed to have some of the study abroad liaisons here organize a proper American feast this Thursday. When this idea was first proposed, I made an extensive list of classic Thanksgiving food, eager to make more than enough to have a weekend of pilgrim sandwiches. However, I’ve been told that doggy-bags and leftovers are not an option, so I guess I’m just going to have to each as much pecan pie and turkey as I can in one night (which might be a shock to the French–I mean, it is Thanksgiving after all).

Though I can’t believe how quickly it came upon me, Thanksgiving this year will be unique–I am certainly thankful to be in France, yet I can’t help but feel the tug of nostalgia when I think of Thanksgivings spent in Rhode Island with my grandparents and the ridiculous image of four adult “kids” shoved in the back seat made for three, each holding a casserole of potentially staining food that quivers precariously on their laps with each bump of the two-hour ride. It is strange to think about how around this time three years ago I found out I got into Holy Cross and by this time next year, I will be a finishing up my penultimate semester. With that mind-boggling statement, I leave you all to celebrate Thanksgiving fully (no matter where you are) and remember to be thankful not just for your fond memories of yore but those you are creating presently as well.

Imagine these four people squished into the backseat of a wagon after two hours of standstill Mass pike traffic–there’s a lot less smiling than this

Happy Turkey-Day!

Thomas

As many of you know, France was the target of one of the worst terrorist attacks in recent European history this past weekend. The iconic cafés and theaters of Paris were seen transformed into places of fear and confusion, and the heart of France was deeply wounded. Watching the horrors unfold on television, we saw a story of barbarism and complete disregard for the sacredness of life. The hatred in the aggressors was palpable.

Yet there is something stronger and more profound than the hatred of these people.

This something is the amazing depth of compassion extending beyond the French borders and touching the hearts of all those who believe in the fundamental values of France. Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity take on new meaning as we realize that Paris is much more than the Eiffel tower; it is the seat of a nation founded upon the rights of Man and it represents all the beautiful things that have flourished from a constant pursuit of liberty. Nicknamed the City of Light, it serves as a beacon to all those who seek to escape from oppression.

Though dwindled this past weekend, the light of Paris will never be extinguished. It will continue attracting millions, and inspiring all with its grandeur and genuine beauty. May we continue the incredible outpouring of love that we have been witness to over the last two days and may we never forget that love will always be stronger than hatred.

Bien qu’elle soit affaiblie, la ville de lumière ne sera jamais éteinte. Souvenons-nous surtout que l’amour sera toujours plus fort que la haine. 

N’oublions jamais

Hi all,

Recently, Dijon has slowly been gearing up for Christmas, and the lights and garland that now peek out from storefronts have been accompanied with some unseasonably warm weather. The mid sixty degree temperature and full sunshine offered a nice surprise compared to the usual chill and gray skies. In order to make the most of this amazing weather a couple of my Erasmus friends and I decided to climb the 46 meter high Tour Philippe le Bon, part of the original ducal palace that now constitutes the center of Dijon. Our timing couldn’t have been more perfect; as we ascended the 300 steps, the sun was slowly sinking, creating an amazing view of Dijon and its surroundings bathed in pink light. Far on the horizon we could even see the rosy, snow-covered façade of Europe’s highest peak, Mont Blanc, straddling the French-Italian border.

The tour of the tower ended with the first place I have been to in France where you can get coffee to go. Feeling thankful for the amazing view and pictures, I couldn’t help but feel a bit of nostalgia for a large Pumpkin Swirl coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts, which makes any situation better (especially studying). You win some, you lose some.

Overall, I am actually pretty happy to say that this week felt very normal. As many study abroad students can affirm, everyday seems like combination of the highest of highs (I can see the summit of Europe illuminated by a sunset!), and the lowest of lows (thinking about how many times a trip to Dunkin’ Donuts with my dog and my siblings constituted the perfect start to a day). Though I don’t think that this roller-coaster-like feeling will ever end, I’m sure that the disparity between the peaks and troughs will balance out the more that France begins to feel like home. That’s why I’m happy that I have no crises or revelations to tell you about this week; I feel as if I’m finally settling in, finding people who I enjoy being around and who motivate me to learn more, navigating the complexities of french and the French people, all while learning a lot about myself and who I am. Though there are no Dunkin’ Donuts’ to be found, I’m managing to survive!

À la prochaine,

Thomas

Gargoyles keep away evil spirits and pumpkin flavored coffee

Hi all!

Some of my more loyal readers may have noticed that I didn’t blog last week, yet I’m hoping that this post makes up for the little break in my tradition. The last week in October is Toussaint, a countrywide holiday in France, and the week long vacation meant I could finally get some more stamps in my passport! After some far-fetched ideas about flying to Greece or the South of Italy for a little warmth, my bank account quickly extinguished my dreams of a mediterranean resort. However, my gracious and amazing friends at St. Andrews were willing to tour me around Scotland for the week, and, since they live in dorms, it would be easy to crash on their floor. So I bought a guide book of Écosse at the local bookshop, gathered as many sweaters as I could fit into my carry-on luggage, took a train to Geneva, and jetted off towards Edinburgh.

Waiting for JK

Scones are always a good idea

Arthur’s Seat looming over the city

After a whole day of travelling and an arrival time in Edinburgh of 2 a.m., my morale was low, but I was greeted by friendly people, ENGLISH, and a clear starry night over a beautiful city. After a day touring Edinburgh and secretly wishing to run into JK Rowling on the street, I was off to St. Andrews to see my friends. Welcomed with a burger and a swapping of stories from our abroad experiences thus far, I felt more at home than I had in months. St. Andrews is probably one of the coolest towns I have ever been to, teeming with an energetic student population, but distinctively Scottish with its medieval ruins and battered coastline. Walking around the three main streets that divide St. Andrews, I was astonished at the number of cafés, restaurants and boutiques they managed to cram into such a small space. Making a mental note each time I passed a café with delicious-looking scones, or a shop with Barbour jackets and lambs-wool scarves, my list of must-hit places grew rapidly. Sitting here writing this in my new Tartan scarf, I can happily say that I made the pilgrimage to most of the places I wanted.

I was lucky enough to have friends willing to let me sleep in their rooms, so accommodation was a breeze, and I got to see how they live their lives at St. Andrews, which is drastically different than what I experience every day. I didn’t realize how much I missed the convivial and energetic life in a dorm, and seeing my friends say ‘hi’ to people as they walked home made me realize why dorm life is such a crucial element in making Holy Cross what it is. All the students at St. Andrews seemed to be extremely friendly, and the other Holy Cross students were surprised (and I hope happy?) to see another familiar face so far from Worcester.

Old Course sunset

The ruins of St. Andrews Cathedral

During the week, we went on a couple of local excursions to places like Anstruther, a coastal town famous for its fish and chips, and Tentsmuir forest, a national park with a supposedly active grey seal population. In trekking across the Scottish landscape, I was awed by the natural beauty of such a rugged and rural country. Rolling hills, empty fields and mist, combined with horses coming to greet us made the walk to Tentsmuir forest both mysterious and breath-taking (mostly because the walk was a little longer than my out-of-shape body was ready for). Once in the park itself, we were impressed by the way the enchanted-looking forest ends abruptly and gives way to a wide, sandy beach with steep dunes and blue waters (though I was not impressed by the lack of seals). Ansrtuther was also gorgeous, with a stormy, windy morning ending in a sun-soaked and mild afternoon and a taste of the best fish and chips in the UK, according to a recent vote (the flag of Scotland lodged into a rocky cliff also provided a great stock of Instagram photos).

Initially,  I was blown away by the friendliness and stunning scenery that greeted me in Scotland, and I couldn’t help but wish that I had chosen to come to St. Andrews. As they say, the grass is always greener on the other side, and I often find myself comparing my year abroad to other’s. Though my experience in Dijon has presented its fair share of challenges, I constantly remind myself of how truly blessed I am to be able to call France my home. Complain as I might about miscommunications and administration, I cherish the opportunity to define my own life à la française (which started three months ago today!–it’s crazy how quickly time is going by). Overall, Scotland provided me with a renewed energy and reinvigorated my positive outlook. I’m sure the grass is greener in France for people studying elsewhere (debatable for Scotlanders because the grass is literally so green in Scotland) .

Huge shoutout to my friends from Holy Cross who made this week possible and without whom I would never have had the chance to see this beautiful country!

HC reunion!

À la prochaine,

Thoma(s)*

*don’t pronounce the ‘s’ to sound extra french

Hi all!

Although I am from New England and I have braved some insane winter storms on the Hill, I can say this this past week has been COLD in Dijon. I didn’t have to trek through a foot of snow to get to classes (which is normal in Worcester) but the early onset of rain and colder temperatures made for a unpleasant surprise and a sad burial of my shorts in the back of my closet. RIP.

This week I want to talk about a phenomenon that I’m sure other students studying abroad in foreign language speaking countries have experienced. It is the strange way in which years of vocabulary and grammar can suddenly slip away from you, leaving you looking down at the ground, darting your eyes back and forth as your hand grasps your head, as if searching for the word you know that you’ve learned (and leaving the poor person who asked for directions standing in front of you uncomfortably). This search is usually fruitless and you’re often left stitching together words and motions that might convey the correct meaning, creating a sad game of charades between you and your poor questionner. Once meaning is conveyed or one of the people caves (accepting that there is no acceptable hand motion to denote the town hall) and you separate, the word you were searching for comes clearly into your mind, along with several sophisticated ways to vary your sentences.

Though these experiences are annoying (and sometimes traumatizing), they point out two integrally related things: that stress and expression in a foreign language do not go together AND that if you just chilled out a little, speaking in a different language is so much easier. The worst case scenario is that your hand motions fail, and you have to apologize and say you can’t help, while the best case is that you get to show off your new vocabulary and fancy syntax. In any case, you will learn from experiences using and failing to use a language, and freaking out over having a perfect accent and impeccable grammar is not worth the stress. Sometimes you just have to go for it, whether or not you feel like you’re capable.

Another little piece of wisdom: The 365 days of zen page-a-day calendar I bought here tells me that if I like birdsongs, I should look into getting a CD of nature noises. Deep.

À la prochaine! 

Tom

8 euros well spent

Hi all,

I can’t believe that we’re already in the depths of autumn; it seems like last week that I arrived sweating and sunburnt to Tours. Though I’m shocked by its sudden arrival, fall here in the côte d’or is beautiful–the mornings are a little brisk, but it makes a hot cup of coffee all the more welcome. What really makes this region beautiful this time of year is the foliage (côte d’or means ‘golden coast’) in all the vineyards, transforming the landscape into a mosaic of earthy hues. My host parents broke out their vintage car and we spent the afternoon driving through the vines, admiring the scenery and visiting the beautiful Hôtel de Dieu hospices in Beaune, a small town about 20 minutes away from Dijon. Even from a New Englander’s perspective, the scenery was amazing and made for a thoroughly enjoyable Sunday afternoon.

In addition to my weekend adventures in Beaune, this past Friday I took a solo trip to Lyon– France’s third largest city. After my 6:00am train arrived around 8, I spent about two hours walking around, not realizing that shops in France (even in major cities) do not open before 10. Despite the waiting, the city offered breathtaking sights–from the waterfronts of its two rivers to panoramic views from the top of the Croix Rousse hill and the spectacular basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, I was struck by how quaint the booming city felt. Located next to the basilica, the ancient Roman amphitheaters made the modern city center seem miles away and allowed for a closer glimpse into gallo-roman history. Known as the epicenter of French gastronomy, Lyon offers many small, traditional restaurants called bouchons, and the many classical lyonnais recipes do not disappoint. Despite the many many pit stops to admire the grand views over Lyon and indulge in some delicious food, 20 miles of walking made me ready to return to Dijon!

You can see why it’s called the côte d’or!

Beautiful Beaune

These occasional trips away from Dijon help to mitigate the stress that accumulates throughout the week. Knowing that so many places are left to explore and discover makes me invigorated to learn, see, and do more! Overall this week has been a great opportunity to explore some areas of France, whether alone or with my host family, and I’m happy to take every chance I get to see more of this beautiful county!

À la prochaine,

Tom