January 20, 2015

Fixing computer problems, working on off campus housing for next fall, and buying more minutes for my French phone has been a lot to do. Plus I've been in the process of observing classes at the University of Nantes. I would like to take at least one as an elective, like a history, or Spanish class (though the latter depends if it works for my level). I've forgotten a lot of my Spanish unfortunately, but I know if I hear it a lot it may come back. Otherwise I can continue to practice for going to Spain. At this point I'm going with all my credit courses at IES, which have already been approved by my university. Way less of an ordeal.

When you see a car like this in Europe :) 

I really like this new group of students as well. They have had time to have more language preparation and are motivated to speak it all the time due to feeling more comfortable with it. I've gone from speaking 65% of French last semester on a daily basis to about 99% and I can feel the difference when I forget words in English, or spell things wrong in my native language.

I get along well with my new host family. I enjoy conversation over tea in the morning, or evening with Maylis. Her husband, Noel is funny and I know he wants to speak English with me, but can't because that wouldn't help me with French. So sometimes he helps translate for me if I don't understand something. I lent him one of my English books and he's lent me some French books. Not to mention Maylis is also a Downtown Abbey fan, so I look forward to watching some episodes with her, in French, bien sûr. 

I will have the chance to spend the weekend with them in their vacation home. I'm very grateful that they're genuinely interested about my presence in their home and my French is always getting better whenever I speak with them. They're good, patient teachers.