If I procrastinate on my homework, but the procrastination is in French, does it really count as procrastination? Does it make a difference if the homework I am procrastinating on is in English?
Important questions to ponder while studying Napoleon's coup d'état for a test tomorrow...
The Alps in the early morning light as we waited for the bus. It was very cold which explained the snow on a good portion of the mountain.
On Sunday the 11th, as was the case throughout the country, there was a march in Rennes in response to the terrorist attacks against Charlie Hebdo. In Rennes, 115,000 people joined together and marched in near silence, sometimes with bursts of applause, sometimes in singing the national anthem and in total over three million people took to the streets through France. I wished I could have been there, but on that same day, along with eleven classmates and our politics teacher, I departed for a Model United Nations conference in Geneva, Switzerland. Model United Nations (MUN) is when students model the real United Nations by debating in committees, representing a country, and try to find a solution to real world problems. For however long the conference is, they act as real delegates and work to compromise, while keeping true to their country's beliefs and policies. I was representing Lithuania at this conference while debating the independence of Kosovo and Palestine. I got the chance to attend the conference because I participate in after school politics club, who is this year focusing on the subject of illegal immigration in Europe. However, there is not the chance to go to a conference every year, as it depends on the students, standardized testing dates and the feasibility of the trip. This conference was especially unique because it was bilingual- French and English. It meant that knowing both languages gave us a huge advantage in understanding what was going on at any given moment, seeing as the other students spoke in either of the two languages. The conference lasted three days. The first day included an opening ceremony, the same at all conferences, but this one had the unique factor that it was inside the actual United Nations headquarters in Geneva. As I put in the caption under the first picture, we were in the Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Room, a hall that is really used for UN debates. We sat in the real chairs of the delegates and listened to simultaneous translations of the conference in either French or English. Throughout the ceremony tour groups were observing us, appearing for a few minutes at a time on the glass enclosed hall above the room. It really made one feel like an important delegate, especially when they took pictures.
All the flags in front of the UN
Our opening ceremony. The ceiling of the room was so cool.
Asking a question about a resolution concerning the independence of Kosovo.
Over the three days, a good portion of our time was spent in committee, debating, drafting resolutions and talking with the other students, who came from all over the world. Just a few of the countries... Ivory Coast, Morocco, France, Spain, Italy, England, United States, and Hungary. I definitely used my language skills jumping back and forth between French and English to work with all the delegates. Not all of our time was spent working, although it was the majority. There was also a delegate dance. Those who know me can correctly assume that I did not dance much. In fact, I danced once, but had a good time talking with some British students and watching the crowd surfers and teachers who joined in the fun. We also walked around Geneva at night, seeing a little bit of the city and spent a total of twelve hours together in the train there and back, which left plenty of time for sleeping, reading and watching the Princess Bride. Oh, and homework. I did that too. Considering the violence that shocked the country almost two weeks ago, it was fitting that instead of violence, 500 students worked together peacefully by using our voices and speeches to find solutions to real problems.
The first of the Geneva pictures. Myself and K.T. in the Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Room in the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva, where our opening ceremony was held. We worked together on the Special Council for Politics and Decolonization.
Like everyone else in France right now, there is a sense of shock at the events of this morning. While we are all safe in Rennes and far away from where the attacks took place, that does not mean that we are not affected by them. When you live in a country, you do not just experience the beautiful moments like Christmas or the holidays because unfortunately we live in a world where we also have to witness the country united in the face of a tragedy that has resulted in the loss of at least twelve of their fellow citizens, while practicing what is their right to freedom of speech. This is an event that has happened suddenly and brutally and I know I am not alone when I say that my thoughts are with the victims and their families tonight.
Tomorrow will be back to school after two weeks of vacation. However, I have no right to complain seeing as i will be off to Geneva next Sunday for a three day Model United Nations conference. My achomplishment of this vacation: reading a 400 page book in French and almost only speaking the language. I consider that to a good way to begin the year. This also brings me to a piece of advice for future SYA students. Get a library card at the Champs Libre. It's free and they have books, movies, newspapers and you can access the other libraries all over the city. It's nice to be able to read books that you enjoy and that are not for school in French and it is necessary to build langauge skills.
Every year Rennes puts on a free light show at Place de la Marie, on the town hall building. I went during the break to see it one night and was impressed. The story was a little bizarre- it followed the search for the missing letter "E" but the lights were really well done and it was all timed to music. Very pretty and festive for the holidays.
Happy New Year everyone! I cannot believe it is already 2015, which means it is the year in which I turn 18 and graduate high school. Not possible, but at this time last year it had not entered my thoughts that I would be celebrating the New Year in France in 2015. My resolutions: 1. Speak more French. 2. Stop procrastinating. So in order to follow my second resolution, my post on what it was like spending the holiday season in France.
In order to write this post, I have had to work my way out of the food induced coma I have been in after participating in at least five big family meals in the past two weeks. Essentially, what I am saying, is that my host mother can cook very well. It is a talent I have spent a lot of time observing in hopes of absorbing some of it. Christmas was a huge family celebration with around fourteen people for le réveillon Christmas Eve and lunch Christmas day. All my host siblings came home for Christmas, including my host sister who lives in Hong Kong and I couldn't believe just how much I felt like part of the family. I am getting to know everyone enough now that we can joke around with each other and the fact that I can follow what is being said at the table allows me to actively participate instead of just listening. With the two little grandchildren running around, the constant chatter in the house and the album of Christmas music playing, it was impossible to feel lonely. Instead, I felt like I was in a second family. Since my host family is not religious, they did not attend midnight mass, but just like practically every other family in France, we had a large réveillon. The réveillon is a large dinner, traditionally served after returning from midnight mass and in total took about five hours and four courses. Our menu included foie gras, farse, turkey, a cheese platter and two bouche de noël.
A properly set French table. They are giving me lessons on how to place the glasses and fold the napkins. There were jokes about bringing out rulers to measure where everything was placed.
The bouche de noel are log cakes, an old French tradition. We had two for dinner, one chocolate and the other mango passion fruit, and an ice cream one for lunch the next day. See pictures below. As the French take their pastries very seriously, these were ordered well in advance from one of the best pastieries in Rennes. And of course there was champagne and wine. Both were excellent as well. After the two children were put to bed and sound asleep, all the presents were placed under the tree, artfully arranged and then everyone lingered, talking and laughing before we went to bed around 1h30... only to bed waken by the same two little children jumping up and down in excitement at 7h30 in the morning. Everyone went downstairs together and we opened presents. I was touched that my host family got me a few gifts, and then we ate breakfast before getting dressed and setting the table for lunch. Lunch included canard à l'orange, one of my favorite dishes that my host mom makes. It takes six oranges to make, amongst other ingredients. The days after Christmas were similar to those back in New Jersey; eating leftovers, taking naps and just spending time with each other, while mentally preparing for New Year's.
One of my presents, a cup like container made of dark chocolate. I think my host family has caught on to my love of dark chocolate.
New Year's Eve was a lot less calm than Christmas. My youngest host brother got to take over the house and with his girlfriend, threw a party with seventeen people. We danced, ate, danced some more and toasted with champagne at midnight. It was amazing to celebrate the New Year in France and it was well celebrated, considering that when I went to bed at 3am, the party was still going strong. I will be posting other little things too about the holidays in Rennes, but figured that a posting covering Christmas and New Year's was appropriate. With that, I would like to wish everyone best wishes for a wonderful 2015.
A student who is spending a lot of time overseas in the coming year and decided that she might as well write about it. She has a bright yellow raincoat.
Just a note, italicized words can be found in the glossary. Just in case they're confusing. I thought I might as well throw some Dutch and French words.
If anyone reading this blog has questions about SYA, or is interested in the program and would like to know more about life in Rennes, feel free to post a comment. I read all of them and will happily respond.