Posts

France | Orientation

/in /by

BY EILEEN KIM

At Sciences Po, there is an orientation program available for exchange students (both undergraduate and Master’s) that is almost an equivalent of UCLA New Student Orientation. 

Welcome Programme at Main Auditaurium: Class on French Political System

Welcome Programme at Main Auditaurium: 

Class on French Political System 

It was a great way to get to know people, get into all necessary contacts, find friends, get adjusted to culture, be warned of French academic style, and in general have fun. 

Here are some highlights: 

I.                     Methodology Class 

Sciences Po by tradition puts great emphasis on oral presentation. Here, it is not about what you know and learn, but what you can present. Can you captivate people? Can you get people to participate in your dialogue? Can you stir up passionate debates? 

Due to such emphasis, most of classes at Sciences Po are not exam based. They focus more on group projects and presentations. Often, a grade for a class is determined solely based on one or two presentations. Yes, there may be midterms, depending on classes, but even those are to be written in the style of oral presentation. 

These were all from mouths of its current and past students as well as faculty members. When I heard all these, I was scared. Oral presentations and group projects were exactly what I tried to avoid at all cost during college. 

Thus, for me personally, a week-long methodology class came down as a blessing. In a group of 20 students, we were taught of the French “problématique” style by a Sciences Po professor who once used to be an undergraduate student at the institution herself.  

First two days were spent learning about the format and the structure of the French style. The second half of classes were practice rounds, getting into a group of two and presenting in front of the class an assigned topic. 

 Other than getting accustomed to the new academic style, the best part of the class was that it sometimes took its place outside. Not just outside as in the school’s courtyard, but outside as in the French National Library and the Louvre. 

Bibliothèque nationale de France

Imagine, hundreds of people passing by, maybe glancing at and listening to you as you give a 5-minute presentation at a corner of Louvre courtyard. 

View of Louvre Pyramid from where we had class at

It was such a surreal experience, forcing me out of my comfort zone but in the most awesome way. After this, I doubt I will ever grow as shy as I did at UCLA. 

Just a week of the methodology class has already changed me for better. I cannot wait to see what the actual classes at Sciences Po will do for me! 

II.                   Campus Tour 

Sciences Po, Paris, does not have a campus like that of UCLA. Its classrooms are scattered in 3 different buildings, each about 5-minute walking distance from another. And each building has its own specific name and references that only students know of. 

 I am the absolute worst when it comes to directions, and my first year at UCLA I could not walk from one class to another without GPS. Had had I not been introduced to the Sciences Po campus through a tour during the Welcome Programme….. I would leave that dark imagination for Eileen in alternate universe. 

Our group leader during French Speaking Class

Our group leader, a current student at Sciences Po, gave us a campus tour of all three buildings. She taught us how each building was referred to, and which classrooms were to be found where. Also walking in between the buildings, she pointed out many other useful things around the campus. One was a police station where all lost and found ends up at.  The relocated office of Student Health Center (like Ashe Center, but everything is free) was pointed out, and also were mentioned medical services we can receive at a medical school nearby. Other information included great restaurants and food stands nearby. 

Near by pizza place with great student price

Though it was not on the same day as the campus tour, we were also given a library tour. Sciences Po’s library is one of the best in its nation, with great accessibility to hard copy resources as well as e-resources even for students. Through a very entertaining game, we learned how to utilize all different services of the library, including how to print with student ID and requesting a book for research. 

Props used for Library Tour game

Please continue onto Part II! 

Eileen Kim studied abroad in Paris, France in 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/france/Pages/political_science_sciences_po.aspx

France | Paris. The City of Light! The City of Love!

/in /by

BY EILEEN KIM

Paris. The City of Light! The City of Love! Fashion! Food! La vie en rose!

Planning to go study abroad is exciting, and even dull preparations become sources of joy in anticipation. During the process, my number one goal was to find a home I can call home in Paris. I was in fact a bit scared to hear about difficulties in finding housings, but counselors and friends repeatedly ensured me, and they turned out to be right, for I have indeed found a place just for me.

A picture taken at an exhibition at Centre Georges Pompidou in July 2016.

Before I start talking about my dorm, I will have to point out this fact: you are not alone in your search. While the search for housing is indeed an individual responsibility, UCEAP does its best to help us. There was a brief meet-up session for Sciences Po, Paris, study-abroad session for UCLA students, and there our wonderful counselor Mauricio invited former students to give insights on what it’s like to be living in Paris – including housing.

There is also an UCEAP team in Paris to help and guide us as well on site. UCEAP has an extensive list of housing accommodation websites and organizations and has shared it with me with an input of which were most appreciated by former students. There are even more extra housing services one can get connected through Sciences Po as well. Add on Facebook, there are numerous options and opportunities out there.

And I have found mine in Fondation des États-Unis at Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris.

A view after entering through the main gate; front entrance of Maison Internationale, the main house.

Located in 14th arrondisement, Cité Universitaire, or Cité for short, at the most southern end of Paris, is a one big town for international students studying in the city. Cité was originally built in aftermath of World War I to create a peaceful hub of international intelligence for students, professionals, intellectuals, and researchers.

There are about 40 “houses” in this gigantic park, and each “house” is a dorm ran by its own government or its affiliate(s). Each house provides cheap housings for students of its nationality mostly, but keeping sacred the original intent of founders of Cité, each house provides 30-50% of its accommodations to students of different nationalities. Which school those students attend do not matter either so long as they all study in Paris. Though there are differences between each building, they all provide a single studio at a very low cost. For example, my room is only 500 euros, about a half the price of other apartments I was looking at.

Cité’s amazingness does not end in housing only. It is where students can truly immerse themselves in one another’s culture. People from everywhere picnic together and play sports together at an open grass area in the back of Cité, and almost every day there is at least an event organized: sports class, art classes, cultural events, tournaments, concerts, and parties. Some people even told me that Cité by the end of the year becomes a one big family. I cannot wait for it to happen to me as well.

Main Entrance of Fondation; access from Boulevard Jourdan

As I have said, there are various houses of different countries in Cité, and I happen to live at Fondation des États-Unis, the US Foundation.

Though it is one of the oldest buildings in the town of Cité, it is conveniently located at the very front, dominating over all other houses with its grandeur. At Fondation, kitchens, restrooms, and showers are shared among small group of people, and a student’ room is a single studio for everyone. My only complaint would be an absence of a mini-fridges in each room, but it is not such a big deal as well, given that a kitchen (which has a big fridge) is right around the corner of my hall.

And as I have pointed out, the Foundation is situated at the most convenient location. Cité is bigger than what many people imagine it to be, and it takes about 20-25 minutes to walk from one side of Cité to another. For security purposes, the gates to outside are limited and often locked, causing extra inconveniences during morning rushes. Yet the US Foundation is the only building at Cité with its own doors leading directly to the street, and even better, it is right across Tram 3 and RER B (both are forms of public transportations: trolley and local train respectively). For bikers, city’s public bicycle system called Vélib has its station right outside as well.

12

Cheap, safe, friendly and family-like, AND most know English. What better could I have hoped for?

To me Cité was the perfect fit and I knew it right away. Perhaps, and I hope, it can be so for others too. The application I believe was accepted in rolling basis, so early the better. I myself applied in February and only heard back in May. Many of students who were rejected from Cité often applied too late in their time and missed their opportunities.

Yet it’s not like Cité is the only good housing for students. There are many beautiful apartments around the city, some situated closer to school at the heart of Paris, some located high up near skies, etc. etc. Yes, there were still some students who were panicking about not securing a permanent housing, but the number (as far as I could tell from Facebook frenzy) has gone down drastically in last few days, and I am sure the remaining few will soon find places for them as well.

Well, honestly though, all I am saying is, I am super happy with my housing accommodation, and, yes, I am bragging .

If this sounds like a housing you would want to live in, check this link out for an application: https://bienvenue.ciup.fr/questionnaire/?lang=en. Remember, it’s earlier the better. I applied in February and got admitted in May; many of rejected students applied too late in the process, around May or June. Good luck! Or as French say, Merde!

I will see you next with a post on Welcome Programme!

Good bye until then!

26.8.17

Eileen

Eileen Kim studied abroad in Paris, France in 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/france/Pages/political_science_sciences_po.aspx

France | Bonjour Tout Le Monde!

/in /by

BY EILEEN KIM

Hello! Or should I say, Bonjour now that I have just landed in Paris.

My name is Eileen Kim, and welcome to my blog!

Picture of Eiffel Tower from Summer 2016

This blog will be a record of my time abroad at …. drum roll please…. Sciences Po, Paris, for the academic year of 2017-2018. As a part of Global Blogger Scholarship, I had received from UCLA IEO Office, I will be blogging throughout my first half of French year on this blog. (Yay! Get to brag, AND get paid to do so; what can be better than that?)

As a student majoring in Sciences Po and Global Studies, Sciences Po, Paris, has been a school of my dreams ever since I knew about it. Though this school’s name may be unfamiliar to many of you, it is one of the most recognized and celebrated college in France with the most impressive list of alumni (7 out of 8 most recent French presidents once studied here, including newly elected President Macron!!!).

To study abroad in and out itself was such a dream to me, but to study abroad at THE Sciences Po? Shut Up (Shout out to all my fellow Princess Diary fans <3) Just for this I chose to go 5th year and postponed my graduation by a year. And I do not regret this decision even a bit.

My blog will not be about how to start on UCEAP application and prep what when, etc. etc. We the Bruins already have access to the most considerate and informative staff at study abroad office, so I highly doubt I will ever be more helpful than those amazing people who helped me get here in Paris today. Instead, my blog will be more about my time at Sciences Po and at Paris in general.

Welcome Programme Catalogue from Sciences Po

Please stick through as I complete my journey in France, and I hope this blog finds you entertaining as well as informative. If you have any questions or concerns about going to/living in Paris feel free to hit me up! I will get back to you ASAP

I will be uploading my first real post in few minutes about Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris, so please stick around!

Until I see you next, Au Revoir!

25.8.17

Eileen

Eileen Kim studied abroad in Paris, France in 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/france/Pages/political_science_sciences_po.aspx

France | Back Home!

/in /by

BY NATASHA SZOMBATHY

I’m now back in California, and the past few days have passed so quickly between family Christmas celebrations, seeing old friends, going to doctor appointments, shopping for my new apartment in Los Angeles, and experiencing the strange sensation of reverse culture shock.  Through all the busyness and jet lag, Bordeaux has been one thing I cannot stop thinking about.

12

On my final evening in Bordeaux, my host family invited my Californian friend Tracie over for dinner one last time.  That final week was so difficult because I felt like each daily activity involved with life in France was the “last time.”  “The last ride on the tram C,” the “last coffee date with friends,” the “last breakfast with my host dad.”  Even though I was sad because all of those things felt so final, I know now that it only felt that way because they were part of a new life I had established in a foreign country.  When I consider this fact now, I feel so happy!  Going abroad and being able to feel at home in France was such a personally transformative experience.  I have gained a sort of self-awareness and confidence in new situations that I didn’t have before, and for me that was a truly valuable adjustment.

123

Best of all, I now speak French, which was my ultimate goal with this program.  Over the past few days I have been calling French friends and speaking on the phone with them!  It feels like such an accomplishment to be able to do that now, especially when I think back to when I first arrived in France and struggled to get out a proper sentence.  It is weird not to be speaking primarily in French anymore, and I am trying to take every opportunity I possibly can to keep in practice with it.

12

Reflecting on the UCEAP program, yes there were a few flaws, but in general I found it to be a really phenomenal program.  All of us California students took for granted the fact that we knew where we would be living before we arrived in Bordeaux (there was a housing crisis in Bordeaux this year, as there were so many students in the city and not enough rooms to house them!).  I can attest to the fact that Anaïs worked so hard to place all of the home stay students with families who truly matched well with them.  I love my family in Bordeaux, and having a small personal support system there was so nice.  Joelle and Anaïs also prepared many pamphlets of information on the city, and the ILP, even though sometimes filled with what many thought was busy work, was a good transition into university life in France before school officially started. Joelle was so helpful during the truthfully very stressful class registration period at the university, but everyone eventually found a class schedule that suited them well.  Most complaints by students from California stemmed from differences in French university classes and those of the UCs.  Yes, lectures can run two hours without pause. Yes, many professors don’t have PowerPoints to accompany their lectures.  Yes, grading can seem very arbitrary on oral examinations.  Yes, the class website system is very outdated in comparison to CCLE.  But, these are simply trivial problems when one accepts the fact that they are no longer home, and once you look past them university in France is much more enjoyable. I can certainly guarantee that you will feel accomplished by the time you get through an entire semester abroad! It is uncomfortable, confusing, and stressful at times, but you will learn so much about another country and yourself!

123

I thought I’d just end this post with a few of my favorite things about Bordeaux that I will miss:  chocolatines, the Marché des Capucins, Saint Michel, biking or strolling the quays of the Garonne, soccer matches, my host family’s cat, shopping on Rue Sainte Catherine, visiting la Tour Pey Berland, the Cathédrale Saint-André, simply getting lost by strolling aimlessly, and, most of all, my host family and dear friends.  I could go on with this list forever, there is just so much I love about Bordeaux.  Merci, France, I know I will be back.

Natasha Szombathy studied abroad in Bordeaux, France in 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/france/Pages/univ_of_bordeaux_coursework_french.aspx

France | Saying Goodbye!

/in /by

BY NATASHA SZOMBATHY

Wow, I cannot believe my time in Bordeaux is coming to an end in just a few days.  I have just completed my final oral exam for my medieval art history course, and I have to say that it was my hardest final.  The professor gave each California student in the course an image of an edifice studied in class, and we had to analyze it individually before him.  As I mentioned, it is just important to keep your cool in this type of exam, as it makes it much easier to find your words in French!  Since this was an art history course, we were given about 300 edifices throughout the semester to study, and the professor expected us to know the name and location of all of these pieces for the final exam, as all of our pieces we had to analyze for the final were from this bank.  So, just know this for future reference if you decide to take an art history course at Bordeaux Montaigne!  

Yesterday was not only the last day of my finals, but also my last day with all of the UCEAP students in the program.  We had a small cocktail evening at the university, with all of those involved in our program, even the host families.  We sadly said our goodbyes to each other and also to Joelle and Anaïs.  Our lovely methodology professor, Melanie, was also there, so it was really nice to speak with everyone who made our program special for the last time.   

I am leaving France on Christmas eve (warning: don’t be like me and purchase your return flight to California in October because it will be even more expensive than it already is!).  Now, as I wait out my final four days in Bordeaux, I will have some time to reflect on my time here.  I started that today, with my good friend Adam, from UC Riverside.  Every week we took one afternoon to go try a new patisserie in the city, and we had our final outing today.  We actually went to what was ranked in 2017 as the greatest boulangerie in France, Maison Lamour (157 Rue Judaïque, 33000 Bordeaux).  They are very well known in Bordeaux for their chocolatines, so you must try one.  I also had a royale, which is like a chocolate cream cake.   

Later in the afternoon, Adam and I joined our friends Amy and Tracie for a final coffee date all together.  This was another almost daily tradition for the four of us, and we all were definitely sad that we had to have our last one.  Everything now feels so bittersweet, but I suppose with all of the difficult goodbyes I am having to make I am realizing how many truly incredible friendships I made thanks to this program.   

Beyond friends, I feel like I have my own little family in Bordeaux.  I have absolutely loved my time with my host family, and I cannot recommend the experience enough.  The other evening, we enjoyed raclette, a popular dish in the wintertime here, composed of melted Swiss raclette cheese served with potatoes and cured meats.  My host parents invited my good friend from California, Tracie, and my host brother also invited his best friend.  It was such a wonderful time.  My goodness, how I will miss them and my little community I’ve gained here in Bordeaux.   

Natasha Szombathy studied abroad in Bordeaux, France in 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/france/Pages/univ_of_bordeaux_coursework_french.aspx

France | Choosing Classes

/in /by
[av_textblock size='' font_color='' color='' av-medium-font-size='' av-small-font-size='' av-mini-font-size='' admin_preview_bg=''] BY NATASHA SZOMBATHY School is in full swing now that we are in week four of the semester!! After three weeks of trying out many, many classes, I feel like I have finally solidified a schedule for myself.  As I mentioned before, it is so important to attend a section for any class you just might be interested in taking while you are here.  It can be really difficult to find a professor you feel comfortable understanding and communicating with.  And, of course, you should try to take advantage of the course offerings available in France that would be hard to find back at UCLA!  All students at Bordeaux Montaigne (the humanities campus) had to enroll in classes by the Friday of the second week of school.  Because I was not at all confident in my class choices by that date, Joëlle from the California office recommended that I just enroll in all of the classes I am potentially interested in taking.  So, with her guidance I enrolled in the four classes I was sure I wanted to take: gastronomy, methodology (the required course for French track students here with UCEAP), French journalism, and medieval art history.  In addition, I enrolled in antique history, history of modern France, and earth systems, a course in the geography department.   I had no problem enrolling in these seven courses, as they didn’t enforce any type of unit cap for the international students.  Throughout weeks three and four, I attended each of the three classes I was interested in potentially taking, and eventually I chose to take the course on earth systems.  I was finding, as a biology major, that I was missing the courses on the environment that I was used to taking back home at UCLA, and so the earth systems class ended up being a perfect fit for me.  As an added bonus, I’m hoping to be able to use this course for my major back home.  I have found that the professors in the geography department tend to teach by drawing diagrams and flowcharts on the blackboard, instead of using traditional PowerPoints or simply talking at the class (which unfortunately many of the history professors here tend to do).  This has made learning the material actually much easier for me, so if you’re more of a visual learner I would highly recommend checking out some classes in the geography department!   In order to drop the other two history classes I was trying out, all I had to do was go to the international student office and notify them of which classes I no longer wanted to take.  It only took five minutes, so if you find yourself unsure of what you want to take at Bordeaux Montaigne by the end of the second week of school, I would just recommend enrolling in a few courses you still want to try and just dropping a few later.   As far am my other courses go, I am loving them!  Our gastronomy class is going to go on a fieldtrip to an outdoor market and a winery together in November, and in just a few weeks our professor is going to host a cooking session for us where she will teach us to cook some French classics!    My class on French journalism is also wonderful, and its giving me a great reason to go pick up a French newspaper in the mornings.  Since the journalism class is instructed at the DEFLE (the department for French for foreigners), there are students from all over the world in it.  I’ve been really liking getting to know the other students, and discussing the news with such diverse perspectives is so interesting.   My medieval art course is a full immersion class with only French students, so that one has probably been the most difficult at this point.  I have learned that just writing down anything I think I hear the professor say has been the best way to take notes, even if my spelling is a little off.  I’ve been going back and retyping my notes on my computer after every class, and I just research the parts that I had trouble understanding.  This has actually been a great way for me to prepare for all of the upcoming lectures, as it reinforces the vocabulary.    My first exams are coming up in week six, so for now I am just trying to stay on top of all of the information! I have some fun day trips coming up, so I cannot wait to share those with you!  À bientôt!  [/av_textblock] [av_hr class='default' height='50' shadow='no-shadow' position='center' custom_border='av-border-thin' custom_width='50px' custom_border_color='' custom_margin_top='30px' custom_margin_bottom='30px' icon_select='yes' custom_icon_color='' icon='ue808' av-desktop-hide='' av-medium-hide='' av-small-hide='' av-mini-hide=''] [av_textblock size='' font_color='' color='' av-medium-font-size='' av-small-font-size='' av-mini-font-size='' admin_preview_bg=''] Natasha Szombathy studied abroad in Bordeaux, France in 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/france/Pages/univ_of_bordeaux_coursework_french.aspx [/av_textblock]

BY NATASHA SZOMBATHY

School is in full swing now that we are in week four of the semester!! After three weeks of trying out many, many classes, I feel like I have finally solidified a schedule for myself.  As I mentioned before, it is so important to attend a section for any class you just might be interested in taking while you are here.  It can be really difficult to find a professor you feel comfortable understanding and communicating with.  And, of course, you should try to take advantage of the course offerings available in France that would be hard to find back at UCLA! 

All students at Bordeaux Montaigne (the humanities campus) had to enroll in classes by the Friday of the second week of school.  Because I was not at all confident in my class choices by that date, Joëlle from the California office recommended that I just enroll in all of the classes I am potentially interested in taking.  So, with her guidance I enrolled in the four classes I was sure I wanted to take: gastronomy, methodology (the required course for French track students here with UCEAP), French journalism, and medieval art history.  In addition, I enrolled in antique history, history of modern France, and earth systems, a course in the geography department.  

I had no problem enrolling in these seven courses, as they didn’t enforce any type of unit cap for the international students.  Throughout weeks three and four, I attended each of the three classes I was interested in potentially taking, and eventually I chose to take the course on earth systems.  I was finding, as a biology major, that I was missing the courses on the environment that I was used to taking back home at UCLA, and so the earth systems class ended up being a perfect fit for me.  As an added bonus, I’m hoping to be able to use this course for my major back home.  I have found that the professors in the geography department tend to teach by drawing diagrams and flowcharts on the blackboard, instead of using traditional PowerPoints or simply talking at the class (which unfortunately many of the history professors here tend to do).  This has made learning the material actually much easier for me, so if you’re more of a visual learner I would highly recommend checking out some classes in the geography department!  

In order to drop the other two history classes I was trying out, all I had to do was go to the international student office and notify them of which classes I no longer wanted to take.  It only took five minutes, so if you find yourself unsure of what you want to take at Bordeaux Montaigne by the end of the second week of school, I would just recommend enrolling in a few courses you still want to try and just dropping a few later.  

As far am my other courses go, I am loving them!  Our gastronomy class is going to go on a fieldtrip to an outdoor market and a winery together in November, and in just a few weeks our professor is going to host a cooking session for us where she will teach us to cook some French classics!   

My class on French journalism is also wonderful, and its giving me a great reason to go pick up a French newspaper in the mornings.  Since the journalism class is instructed at the DEFLE (the department for French for foreigners), there are students from all over the world in it.  I’ve been really liking getting to know the other students, and discussing the news with such diverse perspectives is so interesting.  

My medieval art course is a full immersion class with only French students, so that one has probably been the most difficult at this point.  I have learned that just writing down anything I think I hear the professor say has been the best way to take notes, even if my spelling is a little off.  I’ve been going back and retyping my notes on my computer after every class, and I just research the parts that I had trouble understanding.  This has actually been a great way for me to prepare for all of the upcoming lectures, as it reinforces the vocabulary.   

My first exams are coming up in week six, so for now I am just trying to stay on top of all of the information! I have some fun day trips coming up, so I cannot wait to share those with you!  À bientôt! 

Natasha Szombathy studied abroad in Bordeaux, France in 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/france/Pages/univ_of_bordeaux_coursework_french.aspx

France | Finals Week!

/in /by

BY NATASHA SZOMBATHY

Finals season is in full swing!  This past week I had my first two finals.  For the majority of courses here in Bordeaux, your final grade will be based only upon a final exam, and from time to time a midterm and final exam.  For others, you will be graded based on what is called “contrôle continu,” which essentially means that your final grade is composed of multiple assignments or exams administered throughout the entire semester.  This is a little similar to what happens in most UC courses, except the final graded exam doesn’t have any significantly higher weight on your final grade than the previously administered assignments. 

12

For me, the obligatory methodology course was graded as a “contrôle continu,” so on Monday I had my final in-class essay exam.  It went really well, and I am very satisfied with my score!  My other exam this week was for my Système Terre class in the geography department, for which my entire grade depended only on the final exam.  Lots of pressure!  I was sooo extremely nervous because this was an oral exam, meaning I was to meet with the professor in her office and she would give me one question on any subject discussed in the course and I would have 15 minutes to basically teach her everything I knew about it.  Most of the immersion courses with French students will be graded this way for you.  I studied so much because I had never had an exam like that in my life, and it ended up also going very well!  My advice is just to try to stay calm in that test setting, like any other!  

123

All of my remaining finals are next week and the week after, so for now I will just be studying and taking in my last few weeks in Bordeaux.  As I mentioned in my previous post, I went to Strasbourg last weekend for the Christmas markets!  I went with three other girls from UCEAP, and we had such a wonderful time exploring this city which serves both as the capital of Christmas but also of the EU!  It is certainly interesting to see the differences between France and America during Christmas time, and Strasbourg was definitely a winter wonderland.  Strasbourg is located very close to the German border in the French region of Alsace, so the local cuisine is quite influenced by German tradition.  We tried local specialties like choucroute, a sauerkraut dish served with sausages, cured meats, and potatoes, as well as jambonneau, a huge pork leg covered in Munster cheese!  It was a good thing we had all of that hearty food because it was freezing cold!! All of us California girls were bundled up in layers upon layers of thermal T-shirts beneath our coats, but it was so worth it!  The local craftsman ship put into all of the gifts being sold at the markets was beautiful and something like I had never seen before back in America.  The dusting of snow over the city on our final day was definitely the icing on the cake for such a Christmas-y little trip!  

Natasha Szombathy studied abroad in Bordeaux, France in 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/france/Pages/univ_of_bordeaux_coursework_french.aspx

France | Bordeaux in the Winter!

/in /by

BY NATASHA SZOMBATHY

Before I came to Bordeaux, I talked with some students who had previously studied here, and “bring warm clothes” was in each of their top three pieces of advice.  I always thought “bone chill cold” was a bit of a dramatic over exaggeration of the fall weather here…but let me tell you, it is not a joke.  It is usually below freezing when I leave for school in the morning, and my trench coat and Patagonia fleece unfortunately do not suffice.  All of the California students have become frequent shoppers at UNIQLO near Rue Sainte Catherine, stocking up on all of their thermal shirts and leggings. 

12

I was really reminded of this cold when I met the students and professors of our gastronomy class early last Saturday morning, as we headed out in an icy-windowed mini bus to a honey farm about an hour outside of Bordeaux.  All of the dewy fields along the way were so pretty, and the couple which runs the farm showed us all of the processes they use to produce honey.  Even better, we got to taste at least eight different varieties of honey, as well as many different types of candies made out of the honey!  It was so delicious. 

12

We then hopped back in the bus which had fortunately thawed out during the visit, and we went to the old little village of La Réole, to visit the Saturday market and have a few hours to explore the quant and quiet streets.  A couple of students and I got quiches and éclairs, and we enjoyed them on the sunny riverbank.  

After that, we went on to an organic vineyard.  Once again owned by a small family, we walked through the vines and learned all about the techniques they use to make their wine.  I had a little “aha I’m in France moment” when we, twenty American college students and our two professors, were invited into the family’s home to have some snacks!  They were so incredibly hospitable and welcoming; they even let people use the bathroom in the master bedroom.  It was just something I could never imagine happening in the US, and it was truly just such a nice amicable environment.   

123

I’m happy to say I feel that sense of friendliness a lot here in Bordeaux, and it was something evident again last night at the Bordeaux-USA Club’s Thanksgiving dinner.  Prepared at Le Chaudron, a small restaurant in the center of the city, all of the students from California and all of the members of the club had a Thanksgiving away from home together.  It was definitely interesting to taste a French version of thanksgiving, but it was great…. especially the mashed potatoes full of French butter.  Can’t get much better than that.  

In other news, final exams are coming up in a few weeks, so I’m starting to prepare for those now.  Oooh!  And the Christmas markets have opened up in Bordeaux!!  I cannot wait to explore the little chalets selling gifts, and walk through all the streets of the city decorated with lights!  I will be going to Strasboug, the so called Capitale de Noël, in two weeks, so prepare for some Christmas-y posts!  

12

Natasha Szombathy studied abroad in Bordeaux, France in 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/france/Pages/univ_of_bordeaux_coursework_french.aspx

France | Fall Break!

/in /by

BY NATASHA SZOMBATHY

Fall break is upon us!  Unlike getting a short break from school at Thanksgiving as we have at UCLA, the Université de Bordeaux has a one week vacation from Saturday October 28 to Sunday November 5.  Since I don’t have classes on Fridays, I was lucky enough to get to start my vacation on Thursday evening, October 26!  

123

Leaving after school on Thursday, I took a combination of the tram and a bus and got to the airport with all the transit fees included in my TBM card!  Don’t forget you can always take the Bus 1 from Gare Saint-Jean straight to the Bordeaux airport with your card as well, and it only takes about one hour!  EasyJet and RyanAir offer many inexpensive flights to destinations all around Europe from Bordeaux, and for the first leg of my trip I decided to go to London.  Since I was taking EasyJet, the flight was leaving from what is called the “Bili” terminal at the Bordeaux airport.  A word of advice: when flying out of here (all flights on EasyJet and RyanAir), arrive a little extra early.  There are border police that check all passenger’s passports before boarding all planes, so waiting in line can take quite a long time.  Also if you plan on going to London, I would recommend not flying into Luton if you are in a rush.  It is the only airport without a train direct from the airport to the city, and I ended up sitting on a bus for two hours just to get into town).   

123

Anyways, one of the incredible gifts studying abroad has given me is new friends from other countries. Chris, a friend I made while traveling in Switzerland before coming to Bordeaux, met me in London!  Even though we were in an English-speaking country, which admittedly felt a little strange after a few months in France, Chris also speaks French so I got to keep in practice.  We had a packed three days of visiting the Harry Potter Studios, the London Eye, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the Tower of London, the Tower Bridge, Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, and so much more!   

123

For only 17 Euros, we travelled from London to Nice for the remainder of the week.  There, Chris and I met my friend Tracie from Bordeaux!  I would highly recommend taking a trip here during your stay in France!  Nice was a great home base to visit all the highlights in the south of France, including Cannes, Monaco, and Èze.  We never paid more than 5 euros for train tickets, as France offers reduced train fares for all people under 26 years of age.   

12

Even though we were having a very fun week of travelling, we still had a little schoolwork to do!  Tracie and I are both in the same méthodologie class required for all California students, and we each had a presentation scheduled for the Monday back to school after break.  A great thing about this course is that it prompts us California students to always learn more about Bordeaux.  We were simply tasked with creating a ten-minute exposé in the French style on a place that can be visited in Bordeaux, and to expand on the history of the location and its role in the city today.  Because I spend almost every Sunday morning going to the market with my host mother, I decided to do my project on the Marché des Capucins.  It was Bordeaux’s first open-air market, and the largest still to this day.  Full of local producers and small restaurant counters, the market is truly the stomach of Bordeaux and also something you must visit during your time here.  

123

All in all, I had a fantastic week of traveling during the break.  My presentation went very well at the return to school, and now I am getting ready for some more midterm examinations and projects.  Many interesting things are coming up that I cannot wait to tell you about, such as a visit with my gastronomy class to a honey farm, wine producer, and another outdoor market outside of Bordeaux! 

123

Natasha Szombathy studied abroad in Bordeaux, France in 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/france/Pages/univ_of_bordeaux_coursework_french.aspx

France | Pain au Chocolat? Boulangeries in Bordeaux!

/in /by

BY NATASHA SZOMBATHY

It’s a rainy Sunday in Bordeaux, so my friends Adam, Tracie, and Amy and I decided we would spend the morning in a cozy café in the city center.  Little did we realize, brunch is a huge thing in Bordeaux.  Originally trying to eat at the British restaurant The Breakfast Club, which was raved about by other students, we met an hour and a half waiting time to be seated.  So, we walked around in the pouring rain looking for somewhere else where we might be able to eat.  After trying four other cafés and meeting the same fate, we realized we got up a little too late for Bordeaux brunch, as most restaurants don’t take reservations.  

We ended up at Le Parlement, a tea house at la Place du Parlement, right in the center of town.  We each ordered the “petit dejuener gourmand,” which consisted of viennoiseries, baguettes, fresh squeezed orange juice, coffee, and cake.  It was just delicious, and it inspired me to do a little post about some of my favorite boulangeries in the city!  

 

First of all, there is a very important bit of local slang you must know when you go to a boulangerie in Bordeaux! While in the rest of France, a chocolate croissant is called a “pain au chocolat,” be sure to refer to these little delicacies as “chocolatines” in Bordeaux. People will give you funny looks if you don’t, guaranteed 😉  They will probably follow up with asking if you if you’d like “une poche” for your chocolatines, which is the bordelaise version of “un sac” (or a bag).  Get these words right, and they will know you’re a local!  

One of my favorite boulangeries here is “Le Boulanger de L’Hôtel de Ville” (76 Rue des Trois-Conils, 33000 Bordeaux).  Also great is “La Boulangerie” in the quarter of Saint Michel (51 Rue des Faures, 33000 Bordeaux), and Anaïs from the California office will tell you to check out the boulangerie right across the street from the tram line A station at Hôtel de Ville. 

If you are in the area of Université Bordeaux Montaigne, the closest, and tastiest boulangerie in my opinion is Bernils (92 Avenue du Dr Albert Schweitzer, 33600 Pessac), which specializes in Basque treats!  They also have really great quiches and sandwiches for lunch, which you can combine with a pastry and a drink for about 6 euros.  The only downside is that this boulangerie does not have any seating, but there are nice grassy areas to sit right across the street on sunny days! Another quite good boulangerie close to the university is at the tram B stop at Forum (285 Cours de la Libération, 33400 Talence).  Here there are a lot of tables, so it is a great study spot (and the wifi usually works)! 

Hope you’ll enjoy these recommendations if you find yourself in Bordeaux!  The boulangerie is truly an integral part of French culture, and it is a strange day if I do not find myself in one!  You’ll quickly learn, especially if you are staying in a host family, that bread with confiture and butter is something French people can’t live without for breakfast!  Even if you’re not at one every morning for breakfast, most boulangeries, such as the ones I mentioned, offer very inexpensive lunch formulas, which is great for students!  Bonne dégustation ! 

Natasha Szombathy studied abroad in Bordeaux, France in 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/france/Pages/univ_of_bordeaux_coursework_french.aspx