Life is art

I’d like to start this entry with a poem that I stumbled upon recently written by Eva Rinaldi:

“I think everything in life is artistic.

What you do, how you dress,

The way you love somebody and how you talk,

Your smile and personality,

What you believe in and all your dreams,

The way you drink your tea,

How you decorate your home or party,

Your grocery list, the food you make

How your writing looks

And the way you feel.

Life is art..”

This poem really struck a chord with me.  Essentially, it seems to be saying that no matter who you are and what you do, the way you live is beautiful and it is your art–it’s just the manner of seeing that makes the difference.  This type of message is equally important for the most exciting, breathtaking days of your life, as well as for the most mundane and rainy mondays.

It makes me realize that each day, and each seemingly infinite detail has meaning.  Sometimes, like this weekend in Marseille, the art is easy to find.  When you wander through winding streets with colorful, ancient homes, live music, and mountains that meet the mediterranean sea, it’s pretty tough to think of something to complain about.

Some days, like those rare rainy days in the South of France when you’re cold and sick and you miss home, it’s hard to think of something not to complain about.  Yet, those days are when you find your true art.  In fact, those days are when I realize that while I don’t always want to do everything on my own, I can.  There’s definitely some beauty in that.

Plus, this journey that I seem to find myself on is all part of creating my story, and the way that I view the things that I’m seeing is where I define it.  Moreover, my life and my art are a product of accumulation; my inherited traits and dispositions, combined with the things that I see and do, have the power to create something awesome.

So, here’s to embracing that amazing cup of coffee saving your outlook on a rainy day:

to soaking up every ray of sun:

to cherishing each moment, and each person who comes into your life, no matter how big or small (in this case a best friend from home and a new friend who came to meet me in Marseille):

and to appreciating what makes you you, all while opening yourself up to new experiences.

All in all, study abroad is allowing me to see so many neat things, and getting away from my comfort zone is helping me to understand who I am and who I want to be.  The flaws and triumphs that I experience in Europe, as well as every day of my life, define me. Hopefully at the end of the end, I’ll at least have accumulated a few stories to tell.

Oh, and here’s one last photo from this weekend: Notre Dame de la Garde in Marseille.

À bientôt,

Claire

“The purpose of…

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” -Eleanor Roosevelt

“Un repas sans fromage c’est comme une journée sans soleil.”

In addition to translating to mean, “a meal without cheese is like a day without sun”, this French proverb truly captures the façon de vivre in Montpellier, France.  In fact, in my two weeks here I can find no way to better demonstrate the French outlook on life.  For starters, I do eat cheese every day at almost every meal, and it is pretty much always sunny here.  The catch is that it’s the middle of winter and few people (myself included before I moved here) realize that the South of France is actually north of New York.  So, it is freezing cold and the wind that kicks up off the Mediterranean is not so charming at the moment.  That said,  I love it here so far.

The lifestyle is slower and more relaxed.  Consequently, I am learning to rejoice in the small things, as well as learning how to enjoy free time.  We Americans tend to commodify each moment of our day and see how many activities we can possibly fit into our scant blocks of free time.  Thus, we end each day a few pennies short, and absolutely drained, yet hopefully invigorated by what we have accomplished.  I personally adore my activities–particularly Mock Trial, exercising, working, Kappa Delta, volunteering and reading way too much English Literature for my major–yet, when I am home I never stop to just enjoy life, with the exception of allowing myself some modicum of sleep and the occasional Netflix binge.

To the contrary, my schedule is very flexible here and I have taken kindly to the French tendency to prioritize sleeping and eating.  This isn’t to suggest that I spend my time sitting on my butt contemplating whether to eat brie, roquefort, or both.  However, I take my time eating so that it is more of a repose and a treat than simply a necessity.  I also give myself time to read “Le Soleil se Leve Aussi” (The Sun Also Rises) over coffee in the window seat of my favorite café, whereas at home I would likely be running to my next meeting.  Side note, Hemingway is one of my favorite authors and his writing was a slight influence over my decision for a blog title.  Perhaps his connection to France, as well as the large portion of his life that he spent as an expat also draws me to this place.  Anyways, here is a photo for your amusement: 

In addition to generally slowing down the pace of my life, I have also been able to dedicate more time to going out with friends.  I have spent a great deal of time with my host family, and I also am loving everyone in my UNC in Montpellier group!  Plus, I have been able to spend more time doing things for myself and being independent.  I don’t want to bore you, but here are a few things that we/I have been able to do:

1) Go to a four euro professional Montpellier v. Lorient soccer match

p.s. Montpellier won 2-0!

2) Officially register as a student at my French university

3) Visit St. Guilhem le Desert, which is supposedly the second most beautiful place in France (however you decide that ranking)

4) Eat delicious crepes, and then hike to the top of this mountain at St. Guilhelm (unfortunately in that order……)

5) Drink FRESH water from a town fountain, which still seems a little sketchy but was awesome nonetheless.  I’ll let you know if I come down with cholera, Mom, but so far so good.

6) Pretend to be studious

7) Then go out for drinks and a little shopping

8) Visit this park in Montpellier several times

And finally, 9) Book a trip to see this girl in Menton, France!!

All in all, I can’t believe how lucky I am.  Again, I will always miss home, my family, and my friends in the US, yet I cannot get over how many exciting days I have ahead of me.  Also, on the trend of small pleasures and victories, I went to see the film “Renoir” with my host family tonight and I understood everything all while managing to actually enjoy myself rather than straining the whole time to grasp the concepts.  I also was complemented by a sweet old lady on the tram!  I’m sure that she would have told me that my French was good even if I could only say two words, but hey, I’ll take it.

À bientôt and xoxox,

Claire

Laissez les bon temps rouler

Bonjour tout le monde! I hope that this blog post is finding you well. Currently, I am sitting in my host family’s home stuffed full of French food and one glass too many of champagne.  As of tomorrow I will have been here for one full week!  The first few days were rough to say the least.  As anticipated, I had a bit of trouble transitioning into being away from my wonderful family and friends (well, most of you are wonderful at least..:)). However, things are looking up tremendously.  In fact, in hindsight I feel a bit silly.  On the bright side, my lack of appetite over those days and the days leading up to my move may justify the vast quantities of food that I ate today.  That’s what I’m telling myself at least.

Today we celebrated l’Epiphanie.  I live on the grounds of a Catholic School, College Saint Roch, of which my host father is the principal.  Therefore, my family is especially enthusiastic in their (our?) celebrations of this religious holiday.  After a night out on the town with my classmates from UNC in Montpellier, I woke up to homemade duck and potatoes in wine sauce, followed by baguette and brie, champagne, and of course the gallette de rois cake.  For those of you who are unaware, this is essentially the same cake that you eat on mardi gras, in which there is a small plastic baby (Jesus).  The youngest in the group chooses the first slice, and from there whoever gets the bebe simultaneously is the winner and loser a.k.a. they win the crown and the honor, but they have to buy the galette for next year.

Unfortunately, this year the dog, a large and friendly lab named Bambou, won the galette.  I’m not sure how much luck he’ll have at the patisserie next year, but I must admit that he looked quite lovely in the crown.  Speaking of Bambou, you all might enjoy that his favorite pastime seems to be sniffing the newcomer’s (my) butt, and begging for attention.  What a life.

You also might enjoy the various struggles and mishaps that I have had this week.  After all, laughter is universal.  For instance, at the end of the meal today when I was attempting to inform them that I did not need anymore food.  Therefore, I directly translated the english colloquialism of “I am full.”  Yet, as my host father explained to me through a series of chuckles, “je suis pleine” in French actually means that you are pregnant, and it is typically used when referring to a pregnant animal.  Umm….what’s the french word for awkward????

Also, the other day I was in the process of saying that I needed to pull something but I was thinking in english so I said that I needed to “pullez/poulet” it, poulet being the french word for chicken. Oh la la, quelle idiote!

With these comedic bumps along the road, I have been simultaneously impressed by the knowledge that I came with, as well as by the vast amount of things that I am learning and need to learn here.  For instance, a mastery of 19th century French literature and poetry, and an understanding of the montage of modern French films isn’t exactly street knowledge.  So, while I understand almost all of what is being said to me and I have been able to communicate effectively, there have been inevitable roadblocks.  For instance, explaining that I stepped in dog shit coming home at 3 a.m., or that water sprayed all over the floor while I was learning how to use the strange French shower required a bit more thought than was due.

Thankfully, my host family is loving and truly wonderful.  They have gone out of their way to make sure that I am comfortable and happy.  For instance, loaning me a warmer jacket since apparently we Carolinians don’t know how to prepare for winter, showing me how to cook awesome French food, and generally being there when I need them and more.  I am truly blessed to have this opportunity.

I was lucky with my host family, and I am lucky to have such giving parents.  Thanks mom and dad for giving me the world (literally) and for helping me begin this journey!  I will surely realize dreams that I never even knew I had.  After getting over the initial anxiety, I can already feel the amazing things happening.  Not only do I find myself thinking in French and learning already, but I will also visit dear friends abroad (cough cough here I come Lynn and Gwo Tzer, the Boggiano’s, Erin, Kim, and many many more)!  I’m sure that there will be plenty more (hopefully also comedic) bumps along the road, and I will always always miss the charms of the South and my loved ones, yet I cannot afford to be anything but incandescently happy here.

Wish me luck as I begin my first day of French classes tomorrow.  À bientôt and laissez les bon temps roulez my friends!

xoxox, Claire

L’arch de triomphe

A French unicorn statue, duh…