To Estonia!!

Well, today's the day I finally leave for Estonia. It's all feeling a little deja vu-ish as not that long ago, I was on my way to study abroad in France. However, I'll only be in Estonia for 3 weeks which is hardly any time at all. It kind of seems like no big deal after what I've already done. So I guess it kind of takes the excitement out of it. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited, just not as excited as I feel like I should be for such an event.

The thing that's most exciting for me is the fact that I'll be getting 6 credits for spending 3 weeks in a beautiful European country. Yay! It's allowed me to have the rest of my summer free for working, and hanging out with family and friends instead of taking classes from May to August. 

So some of you may be wondering, where the hell is Estonia? Well, Estonia is a small country located far north, just south Finland, and just west of Russia (quite near St. Petersburg). It's also bordered by Latvia to the South, and across the water to the west, there's Stockholm, Sweden. They have a low density population of about 1.3 million people who speak Estonian, a language closely related to Finnish. They're a country which has been occupied by many different people such as the Soviet Union and the Nazis. 

Ok, that's enough history for you. I'll be updating this thing everyday (as mandated by my program), so you'll get to hear about all my misadventures. So let's see, I should probably write about some of my expectations. I expect that Estonia will be much like the rest of Europe; picturesque cobblestone streets with historic buildings from centuries past, great bakeries and cafés around every corner, dimly lit nightclubs exuding electronica and techno, well dressed 60 year old women with oddly colored hair. Yes, I know it's far from the influence of Western Europe but they are a part of the E.U. and I think Eastern Europe is still quite similar, just with less money. However, it will be interesting to see how previous occupations by the USSR have contributed to cultural practices and ideologies. I imagine this influence will create a different atmosphere than the other European countries I've visited since their independence from the USSR was gained less than 20 years ago.

That's all the writing I'm in the mood for right now. I suppose I'd better get ready for my flight today. Miss you all!!!

p.s. I REALLY miss my Bolivian :(  

Waste of Internet Space

Well, I've decided that I should probably utilize this blog space that I've ignored so well for the past year. I suppose an update is in order as well.

I'll start at the beginningish: My sejour in France was absolutely perfect. I stayed from January through to the end of July and loved every single moment of it. A part of me (a very large part of me actually) would love to go back and live/work there someday but...leaving the people I love behind in such a seemingly permanent fashion is a bit frightening. And I can't lie, Camilo may play a role in that particular decision making process. But France will always have a piece of my heart. Words cannot begin to describe how much I miss my little village of Aix. Actually, words can describe it...I'd almost forgotten I made this list...

Things I'll miss about France:
street vendor crêpes, the abundance of Nutella, amazing fresh fruits and vegetables, small children speaking French, the boulangeries and pattiseries (tartalettes framboises!), the flower market, people saying "oo la la", everyone wearing boots, my huge window in the apartment, the way people greet each other, walking through narrow streets dodging mopeds, good Moroccan food, sitting at cafes, cheapness of wine, eXpresso, the market on Tuesdays, the blueness of the sky, the Mediterranean, real functioning shutters, people actually dancing at bars, looking nice everyday without people asking "why are you so dressed up today?", being able to walk everywhere in the city, being able to get to other cities with cheap public transportation, the centre ville, freshly rinsed cobblestone streets, the fountains, not smelling like an ashtray after a night out at the bar, tiled roofs, courtyards, Paris, the Metro, art museums, the French language, the cost of medical care without insurance, spring in Provence, sunny days and rainy nights, Les Calanques, smoking Hookah with the Frenchies, the boys of ENSAM, le bisous, Remy's place on the Corniche, 365+ different kinds of fromage (real Camembert!), Jérôme Belloche

As it turns out, the last item of that list turned out to be, at the time, the most painful thing to leave behind. But I guess time heals everything and can even make you forget. So, as hard as I tried to hold onto the beautiful memories we had together, it wasn't enough to keep us together in the long run. It was a nice dream but nothing more than that I guess. These days I'm dating my Bolivian Camilo instead, and it's nice to finally have someone who doesn't seem imaginary.

Study Abroad Program in France: $10,000
Plane ticket: $800
Side trip to Italy: $400
6 pairs of French shoes: €200

Realizing that long-distance relationships don't work out: ....$700

Lesson learned.

Pictures are up!

I started my classes this week. They're pretty good and my listening comprehension of the language is improving everyday. Hopefully my speaking skills will start improving as well. We had an excursion to the Luberon district last Sunday which was fantastic. We went to three villages; Isle sur La Sorgue, Fountaine de Vaucluse, and Roussillon (my favorite). So anyway, I've posted some pictures of that outing along with some pictures of Aix. My roommate is actually the one who took them though. I keep forgetting to buy batteries for my camera.

Je suis ici!

Well most of you have probably realized by now that I'm in France...finally! I've been waiting for this for way too long. The flight to Germany was long and I was unable to sleep despite the fact that no one was sitting next to me. The flight to Marseille was absolutely beautiful. I don't think there's anything quite like flying through the orange and pink clouds of sunrise over the snowy Alps...wish I'd thought of taking some pictures. Once I arrived, I was taken to my apartment. It's small but adorable and perfectly functional.

The first day was a bit rough since I hadn't slept at all but everything turned out great. My roommate, Alysia, is a nice girl who is turning out to be a great shopping partner (I've already bought two pairs of the most wonderful boots). We get along really well and have discovered that we both like being friends with strange people so at least we have that in common.

As far as the city goes, I am totally in love. Aix-en-Provence is full of beautiful 17th century architecture, fountains everywhere (it's known as "the city of water"), and a million trendy shops and cafés on every twisty, narrow street. The weather is also beautiful. It's been in the 50's and sunny everyday. What a fantastic way to spend winter!

I don't have any pictures for you yet but I will very soon.