Stateside

As predicted, my blogging has slowed to a pitiful rate upon my return to the States.  I've had a very busy week⎯Monday met my new OB preceptor; Wednesday had class, met urgent care preceptor, then back to campus for class; Thursday worked 8-6pm followed by French class.  Today I got stuck on 94 and arrived nearly half an hour late to my primary care class.  I hate walking into the room late. Still, I'm glad I didn't miss class completely because we had an awesome lecture on PVD.  The speaker was a cardiologist (with a sub-specialty in vascular medicine) whose presentation was sprinkled with very liberal leaning comments about the disastrous state of our health care system. Very refreshing, absolutely made my day.  

After lunch with Syndal, I headed home and started packing.  Tomorrow I'm moving in with one of my friends who owns a house in South Minneapolis.  I'm very excited to get back to the city and relinquish my 45-minute commute.  Unfortunately, I have an uncanny ability to pick the worst days of the year to subject myself and my loved ones to the stresses of moving.  High tomorrow: 4℉.  At least I'm not moving that much stuff.  Fortunately, I have wonderful friends who have volunteered to help.  Thank you.  

Well, I know this post isn't as interesting as my French adventures.  I will try to find something insightful to share next week.  Hope everyone has a great weekend. Stay warm!  Caro

Operation Basic French: Success!!

Well friends, this is the last blog I will write from France :(  Hard to believe that my two week adventure has come to an end.  Sorry I've been absent the past few days, I've been busy trying to squeeze everything in!  Brief summary: Wednesday after class I went to a cool Jean-Paul Bouche indoor market with countless tempting goodies, Thursday I visited the fine arts museum, and then Friday I went to the main park/lake in Lyon.  

Today I didn't do much, just walked around a bit and finished packing.  My train trip back to Paris was interesting.  The train slowed and came to a stop in the middle of the countryside.  The conductor made an announcement both in French and incomprehensible English, but I still didn't understand what was going on.  What happened next is truly exciting.  I asked the woman sitting next to me what was happening, and I actually understood!  The train had broken down and we had to wait.  I had to laugh to myself--isn't this supposed to happen in Ecuador, not France?  A short 20 minutes passed and we were on our way again. 


At the hotel, I was able to check in and pay completely in French!  Hooray!  It was at this very hotel that I first arrived and had to speak English.  Now remember, I'm taking basic, survival French skills.  But still, I can't help but be pleased with the progress I've made in the short time I've been here.  I'd really like to come back, hopefully next time with Jimmy :)


I'm not looking forward to my flight tomorrow, or returning to the ho-hum routine that has become my life.  I'll soon be busy with two clinical days, a primary care course, a complimentary healing course, finishing my incomplete from last semester, and to top it off (just because I'm cheap and want to take advantage of the U as much as I can), third semester French and a fabulous public health course entitled, Global Health Relief, Development, and Religious and Non-Religious NGOs.  I'm particularly excited for the last class, as I continue to have a strong interest in international public health.  We'll see how it goes...


Thanks for all of your encouraging words of your support these last few weeks.  I've had many ups and downs, but I must say I'm really proud of myself.  Hope you all have a great weekend!  Love,  Caro

 Park.  Although I must say, Minnesota does lakes much better :)

 Watched the sun set as we waited for the train to be fixed

 It would have been better without the power lines.  Oh well. 

French Fashion

It's almost 7pm on Wednesday night. As usual I'm exhausted and would love to start winding down for bed.  However, I must find the willpower to stay awake for 8pm dinner.  It just kills me!  Those of you who know me well are aware that I love to sleep.  But learning a foreign language is very draining!  By the end of class my mind is mush.  

Anyways...

I've been wanting to write about French fashion since I arrived.  Today being the first day of sales (on a national level), I thought it was only appropriate to take up the subject.  Simply put:  the French are fashionable.  Most of the time I feel extremely under-dressed in my jeans, Danskos, and rain jacket.  The majority of women wear some type of boot or high heel, even the older women!  Men dressed for work typically sport slick pants, cool leather shoes, and a sleek pea coat. Don't get me started on the youth...let's just say they are way better dressers than I ever was, or ever will be for that matter.

I live in a very affluent area of Lyon, filled with expensive clothing shops and boutiques.  I can't help but laugh to myself as I pass by the windows, gawking at prices.  500€ for a pair of heels, 200€ for leather boots, 50€ for a shirt, 300€ for a purse.  Granted this is an expensive area of town, I'm still amazed at the number of people who can afford these prices (or choose to spend their money on designer clothes).   

The most important part of the outfit (apart from the shoes) is the scarf.  Do not leave home without one.  Fortunately I brought three with me, one plain cream and two handmade Ecuadorian ones.  If it weren't for my scarves, I'd probably be taken into the alley and taught a lesson from the fashion police!  Hope you all have a great day!!  Love,  Carolyn

High-fashion store right by my flat

 These will only cost you 500€ to 600€

Leather only!

 

Beautiful Morning

Hello everyone!  Hope this finds you well.  This morning I saw the sunrise for the first time in Lyon.  I guess the other mornings were cloudy and rainy, but today was just gorgeous.  I wish I knew how to use my camera better because I think this could have been a post card shot!

Although my amateur skills aren't too bad...

It was a great way to start the day.  Every time I see a rainbow I feel like God is smiling down on us.  Cheesy, I know, but comforting in a strange way.  Class was good, and later I hope to make it to another market.  PS: my hostess was not happy when she saw I had bought the cheese.  She made me wrap it up and put it in a plastic container.  Still can't get over the fact that she's French and doesn't like cheese!  But I sure enjoyed it for lunch today.  Love,  Caro

Feeling better, found le fromage

Yes, it's true.  This is the cheese section at the supermarket.  I was actually able to converse a bit with the woman working at this cheese-dispensing section (you can't see, but it was roped off to prevent overly excited foreigners like me from crazily tasting their way through the seemingly hundreds of varieties from chevre, to Roquefort, to St. Marcellin).  She was kind enough to help me pick out some cheeses from the Rhone Valley region.  

I also bought a cheese sandwich for lunch from a local boulangerie.  Yum.  

On a more serious note, I had two hours of private instruction to learn French medical vocabulary.  It was awesome.  I learned a ton, and realized that knowing Spanish is a definite advantage while learning medical French.  My teacher was very animated and knew a great deal about the medical field.  I'm looking forward to another day of class tomorrow focusing on grammar.  Yes, it's true.  I'm a grammar nerd.  But it helps me understand the language and how to form sentences.  


Hope your week is off to a great start and you are staying warm!  Love,  Caro

The farmers market and other funny French things...

Good morning!  So, I know I promised no more negative posts, but I'm feeling particularly defeated this rainy Sunday afternoon. For those of you who prefer not to join in my pity party, I advise you stop reading now.  

There are many things that I don't understand about French culture.  My hostess told me several times about a farmer's market that is held every morning along the Saone river.  Cool.  Even though I'm a little tired of walking around by myself, I decided to go exploring in the rain.  The market itself was amazing.  Fruits, veggies, bread, cheese, olives, meat, flowers, spices galore.  Walking through the small street, however, proved to be quite a challenge.  You see, in France people don't walk on one side of the sidewalk.  That is to say, they don't stay to the right, or to the left to let others pass.  They just walk straight into your path.  Needless to say, I had to dodge several pointy umbrellas as they plowed right through. 

As I was walking home, I met my hostess on the street.  She was on her way to the market to buy some peaches. Now I feel like the overly-sensitive JD on Scrubs with a constant dialogue in my head, telling myself not to be offended.  But man!  Would it have been so awful for her to ask me to go with her?  I really don't get it.  Maybe she just likes to do everything on her own.  Hard not to feel disheartened, and I'm starting to really miss my friends and family.  

Last night I went to dinner with my two Australian friends and two other Americans I met at school.  We were talking about the French way of life and beliefs, and certain things are starting to make sense.  For example, Mary (American) said that the French feel they have a right to everything--to walk on the sidewalk wherever and however they want.  It's not their obligation to make way for you.  Similarly, one can sit at a restaurant for as long as they wish.  They have a right to the table.  The same goes for most things in life--the right to healthcare, the right to a job, the right to housing, the right to vacation, etc.  

Now I understand why the French and the Americans clash and so frequently disagree.  While in France the basic things in life are a right, people in the States are expected to work  and earn these necessities.  Don't have a job and can't pay for your house in the States? Too bad, so sad, the bank will take your house away (ie: recent foreclosure crisis).  You're sick but don't have insurance?  Sure we'll treat you, then send you a bill for $160,000 that you will never be able to pay. Two very different ways of governing, and it makes me wonder why the US is so determined to continue its policies that promote injustice, making the rich more wealthy and the poor, well, poorer. 

Lastly, everything closes on Sunday.  I need some basic things and was very frustrated to find the supermarket closed.  Guess I should have known better, but I figured at least the store would be open for people to buy food.  Okay, I'm done now.  Sorry for the rant, guess I'm past the honeymoon stage of culture shock and am moving onto the frustration.  On a more positive note, I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the weekend.  Love,  Caro

La Raclette

Last night I thought I'd died and gone to cheese heaven.  

 Cool electric grill for melting the Raclette.  Note the specially sized/shaped mini-pans

My hostess made a dish called la Raclette, named after the cheese.  You basically use the little grill above to melt the cheese, then pour it over potatoes and ham.  How could you go wrong?  It was delicious.  My hostess said she doesn't like cheese, but she does like this particular dish.  Strange, but I didn't complain.  She said the top of the grill can also be used for making crepes.  Yum! 

Raclette cheese and ham

Hope you all have a good weekend.  Love,  Caro

My First French Outing

Hello everyone!  Happy Friday :)  Thanks for all your comments and kind words of encouragement.  I'm slowly adjusting, and will probably figure things out just in time to leave.  

I had a great time last night!  For the first time I felt overly full, and it was wonderful.  My Australian friends were lovely, and even treated me to some wine.  The first course was a salad with a mustard-based dressing, topped with a piece of bread with melted chevre (goat's cheese). 

Extremely excited to eat my salad!

The second course was beef with a rich, creamy cheese sauce and pasta. Finally, dessert was chocolate mouse.  Wine was from Crozes-Hermitage, an eastern region of the Rhone valley.  It was excellent.  This afternoon my friends have generously offered to let me tag along with them to visit the basilica.  Should be good.  Then Saturday night I'm dining with some Americans I met at school.  Wishing you all a great weekend!!  Love,  Caro

My friends Frankie and Steve

La salle de bains et les toilettes

I'm feeling better today.  Maybe it's because I took a nap yesterday afternoon and watched two episodes of Scrubs.  Truthfully I think it's mainly thanks to my new friends, a lovely Australian couple who live just around the corner from me.  We are going out for dinner tonight (!!), and I am so excited to finally try a French restaurant.  They are very kind, and it is a relief to be able to speak a bit of English.  I know, I know, I shouldn't be speaking any English...but sometimes you just need some human contact and communication!

Le salle de bains (laundry drying above)

 As promised, I'm going to explain my unique bathroom/shower situation here at my flat.  Until today I thought maybe it was completely normal, but my Australian buddies assured me that it's not.  In French homes what we call the bathroom is split into two separate rooms: one with a tub, shower, and sink, and another with a toilet.  This is standard.  However, my house doesn't have a shower.  There is only a bathtub with a shower hose.  This makes for a very strange bathing experience.  At first I wasn't exactly sure what to do. Standing would be quite messy due to the absence of a shower curtain.  But a sitting shower??  I'll spare you the details but let's just say its not my preferred way of bathing.  I had a similar experience when I was in Romania, but didn't expect it here in France.  Now I understand where the word water closet  comes from.  The toilet is just that--a tiny room with a toilet. 

Another part of my French adventure :)  Who knew Europe could be so exciting?!  Something new everyday.  Love,  Carolyn

I can't think in French today. No creative title.

Man, I really need to write today!  So many things going through my mind that I can't say...I've only been here a few days and I'm already super frustrated with my limited French.  I have a new respect for people at home learning English, it is quite intimidating to learn a new language!  

This afternoon I was trying to psych myself up to go eat at a restaurant.  I did manage to leave the house, walk around, and look at several menus, but couldn't find the courage to actually enter anywhere.  Why am I so terrified?  Maybe if I had a friend with me it wouldn't be so intimidating. As of now I'm stuck eating Trader Joe's trail mix and starving until I can finally eat dinner at 8pm.  They eat very late here, another apparently normal part of French life.  

My home situation is only fair.  My hostess is nice enough, but somehow not as warm and welcoming as the Latin hospitality I'm accustomed to.  For example, in Ecuador I am always served more food than I could possibly eat!  My host families always took me everywhere with them and made me feel part of their lives.  Here it's more like I'm renting a room and eat dinner with a stranger.  It's hard for me not to compare everything to Ecuador, but its something I find myself doing constantly.  

It is freezing in my apartment.  I talked with some other students who say their houses are all headed very well.  Today it's about 40 degrees outside, and I feel warm for the first time.  My hostess just entered my room and said, It's so hot in here!!  Maybe she has a thyroid problem. 


Today in class we were talking about the differences between France and our home countries.  Eventually the subject of government, health care, and social security came up.  How embarrassing.  The German girls said they saw a Republican protest against the health care bill on TV and couldn't understand why anyone would want to deny such a basic right to their fellow countrymen.  The Russian woman said she thinks health care should be a basic right for everyone.  I didn't have an answer.   

Anyways...

The walking tour of Lyon was quite nice.  A woman from my school spent about an hour showing us important parts of the city.  I couldn't take any pictures because it was already dark, but enjoyed it nonetheless.  Tomorrow I may go see a French movie at school, and will then dine with a nice Australian couple who are my fellow students.  I can't wait to actually eat at a restaurant!!  

 It was finally clear enough to take some pictures of the city. 

 There's a lovely walkway along the river, le Rhone

This is the square by my apartment

 

Tomorrow I will tell you about the unique bathroom/shower situation.  Stay tuned!  Miss you all and love you lots!  Caro 

Comment dit-on 'Jetlag'?

Good morning everyone! I hope this posting finds you all doing well. 

My French classes started on Monday morning and are going well.  For some reason they put me in the intermediate level, which is very challenging to say the least.  Many of the students in my class have already been in France for weeks, months, or years, and can speak quite proficiently.  My vocabulary is very limited, but I can understand a lot.  Still, it's unbearably frustrating not being able to express myself.  Hence the therapeutic value of blogging :)

My hostess is nice, albeit strange.  A retired woman of 64, she has a charming little apartment on the 4th floor of an old building in the center of Lyon with a room she regularly rents to students.  She's quite busy; I haven't really spent much time talking with her.  Although we did briefly talk about food (she's feeding me two meals a day), at which time she informed me that she doesn't like cheese.  Or butter.  Or garlic. Please tell me why my school put me with the only woman in the entire country that doesn't eat cheese?!?!  Crazy!  So I went out and bought my own chevere at the local market and ate it for dinner.  And then again for breakfast this morning, which my hostess found quite amusing (she did actually giggle at me).  Oh well, I don't really care, I think she's the crazy one for not eating cheese.  


I finally slept last night, but am still waking quite early in the morning (4 or 5 am).  I'm not used to having to adjust to a new time.  This afternoon I'll go on a walking tour of Lyon with my school, should be good.  In the meantime I continue my studies while listening to French radio.  Wishing you all a very happy Tuesday!  Much love,  Caro

 Le pain au chocolat.

This stuff is awesome.  However, my hostess quickly corrected me and said I need to buy it only at bakeries (I bought this at a corner marker). I tried to explain that I'm working up my courage to go into stores, but I don't think she understood.  Maybe tomorrow :)

 Les endives au jambon

(I think that's what she said, not 100% sure)

The cheese, cream, and ham were delicious, but endives quite strong! 

Je ne comprends pas.

This is my new phrase.  I use it almost all the time these days.  For those non-French speaking, it means I don't understand.  Yes, I've been greatly humbled by starting to learn a new language.  Never again will I laugh at beginning Spanish-speakers as they struggle to form a sentence.  It's been nearly 10 years since I started learning and speaking Spanish, long enough to truly forget the challenge a foreign language presents. 

The good news is I had a blast riding the train.  Like at the airport, the whole process was very self-sufficient.  Passengers go to the platform, carry and stow their luggage, and find their seats independently.  It wasn't until a stinky uniformed man came along that I actually had to show someone I'd paid for my passage.  The young man next to me knew I wasn't French. Apparently everyone does.  I tried to stay behind and let everyone pass so I could take my sweet time lugging my heavy suitcase down the stairs.  But alas, this man was so kind and politely motioned for me to pass.  So there I was, huge suitcase in hand, and the man utters something to me.  Blank stare.  He repeats.  Insert my favorite phrase, Je ne comprends pas.  Remember we're holding up the line of passengers waiting to get off the train.  Wow, I feel lame.  Finally, a woman nearby said would you like some help? Oui, oui, merci.  The gentleman and I descended, suitcase in hand.  The French aren't exactly living up to their so-called rude reputation.  

I found my hostess waiting for me at the Lyon train station, and am now settling into my new home.  I can understand about 50% of what she says, enough to get the basic idea but far from all the details.  Definitely struggling to express myself.  Though I can form the thought perfectly in Spanish, the French just isn't coming.  Tomorrow I have my first day at school, which I'm looking forward to.  I'm a bit nervous because I'm to walk there by myself, as my hostess has to leave town for a funeral.  The adventure continues (please realize I'm being sarcastic, things have gone very smoothly).

Most of you return to work and/or school tomorrow, many blessings as you officially start the new year!  Love,  Caro

My room

 

View out my window

Cool, huh?

le 1 janvier, 2011

The year is off to a good start.  Juan Luis Guerra plays as I stare out the steamy window of my European-sized hotel room in the airport.  The shower felt heavenly but was uncontrollably scalding hot! Now begins the impossible task of staying awake.  My eyelids suddenly are made of wrought iron as my body yearns for rest--it is 4:11am in Minnesota, after all.  Still, it's worth the effort to remain upright and alert until it's really time to sleep (French bedtime). 

My journey went surprisingly smoothly.  Having heard predictions of sleet, ice pellets, and snow forecasted for the exact time of my departure, I had anticipated a rough pond-crossing.  As Murphy's Law would have its way, it started sleeting the minute we were aboard and excited to beat the weather.  Not to worry, we only sat for about an hour, eagerly awaiting the deicing that would be our ticket to ride.  A smooth connection later, I found myself sitting next to the two most deeply-in-love birds on the entire plane.  After kissing a bisquillion times, they finally cooled off about halfway to Paris.  Rub it in why don't you?!?!

Waiting in line to clear immigration, I was, as always, uber-excited to get a stamp in my passport (yes, lame but true).  To my disappointment, the official offered no greeting, no conversation, and worst of all, no stamp.  One look at my picture and he sent me on my way.  At the baggage claim, I took my sweet time and let my bag pass so I wouldn't have to squeeze through all the anxiously waiting passengers.  The second time round I had mustered the courage to actually take the bag off the conveyer belt and, to my surprise, didn't have to talk to a single customs officer.  Huh.  Weird.  Maybe the French just trust.  

I found a kind, English-speaking man at the information counter who informed me how to reach my hotel.  Walking for what seemed like miles, I couldn't help but smile as I struggled to walk against the flow of traffic--a fish out of water and swimming upstream.  At the hotel desk I stood at a polite distance as I waited for the two attendants to finish their conversation.  Not so fast, Madame Minnesota nice!!  A Frenchman walked right in front of me and interrupted the conversation with a pleasant, "bonjour!"  Oh yeah, I forgot.  I'm not in Minnesota anymore.  Ha.  


And that brings me to this lovely, modern, clean, and most importantly, cheap ibis hotel room literally in the Charles De Gaulle airport.  Thankfully 24hrs of internet access is included in my rate, and I once again feel connected to the world (yes, pun intended).  Tomorrow I embark on another adventure--high speed train!  Yep, no clue how that works but I will figure it out and tell you all about it tomorrow.  


Oh, one more thing.  As I'll be here in France for the next two weeks attempting to learn a bit of le francais, I will undoubtedly have both more to say and more time to write.  I am very much looking forward to continuing my solo venture to Lyon.  Bonne anne a tout le monde!!


Much love,  Caro