Okay seriously, it’s only been three weeks since I
left Texas and already I feel like I am living a completely different life and
slowing changing into this Texopean. Yeah I went there! We are starting to come
up on our first break, which I am going to assume is much like our spring break
back in the States, only a few weeks after starting classes. No complaints here
though! As we begin to throw around ideas about where we want to go during that
week, it has finally hit me. I AM IN EUROPE! Rome, London, Paris, all these
cities I have only dreamed of going are all highly possible options at any time
I want. I really feel like I am living someone else’s life. This truly is an
amazing experience. But we can save those details for later, on to my latest
adventures!
This past week, we finally started classes. What an
eye opening experience that has been! I have already made a promise to myself
that when I come across a foreign student or even just a tourist, I will be so
much nicer! This is hard, possibly the hardest challenge I have come across in
school. I sit in classes and have to have pictures to even get an idea about
what is going on. Val and I have “joked” that we are back in kindergarten, but
unfortunately it is so true. We are learning the French alphabet, numbers,
months, everything! It is so much harder than I ever expected. With that being
sad, it is also so rewarding when I can go up to someone and know I am saying
the correct thing in French, which is usually just ordering my own drink or
understanding what my bill is. Baby steps really are key in situations like
this!
To add to our French immersion
, we decided to go check out Musée de la Resistance Limoges. The museum takes you through the entire Resistance part of history or as we know it WWII. It was so interesting to see a different side of the history. Obviously that was a time where the entire world felt the effects, but seeing and reading the things that France and other countries that were occupied by German soldiers went through really opened my eyes to a completely different side. I couldn’t imagine living through the fear of the enemy coming in and taking over my house or even my town. The world that all of them once knew was gone in an instant. There was live footage of events that took place. We even got to watch Philippe Pétain give a speech in Limoges! It was amazing to see the city back then. I could even point out buildings that I walk by every day. As you moved through the museum, it takes you through times of the holocaust. There was an entire wall dedicated to pictures taken, I’m going to assume when they were liberated, at the concentration camps. This was one of the most touching moments I have ever come across. Seeing people like that is truly heartbreaking! It is simple to see it in a text book while learning, but standing there listening to what they went through and seeing names of people who died really put things in prospective. I firmly believe everyone should go see anything from this time period. It really is such a humbling experience.
, we decided to go check out Musée de la Resistance Limoges. The museum takes you through the entire Resistance part of history or as we know it WWII. It was so interesting to see a different side of the history. Obviously that was a time where the entire world felt the effects, but seeing and reading the things that France and other countries that were occupied by German soldiers went through really opened my eyes to a completely different side. I couldn’t imagine living through the fear of the enemy coming in and taking over my house or even my town. The world that all of them once knew was gone in an instant. There was live footage of events that took place. We even got to watch Philippe Pétain give a speech in Limoges! It was amazing to see the city back then. I could even point out buildings that I walk by every day. As you moved through the museum, it takes you through times of the holocaust. There was an entire wall dedicated to pictures taken, I’m going to assume when they were liberated, at the concentration camps. This was one of the most touching moments I have ever come across. Seeing people like that is truly heartbreaking! It is simple to see it in a text book while learning, but standing there listening to what they went through and seeing names of people who died really put things in prospective. I firmly believe everyone should go see anything from this time period. It really is such a humbling experience.
On to happier things now! I haven’t really had a
chance to really brag on Limoges until now. First things first, the shopping is
actually pretty great! They only have sales in France twice and year and lucky
me, the winter sale is right now! Needless to say I am enjoying it! I did
actually find out this last week that the first café I went to was actually the
best in town. I so believe it! I now have my favorite place for coffee and my
favorite place for tea downtown. I could seriously get use to this lifestyle! It
really is fabulous! I think my absolute favorite part of the town is La Vienne.
It is the river in town where a lot of people go to work out or feed the ducks.
I swear it is impossible to be anything but happy there! It is beautiful! I put
pictures up on my Facebook, but they really don’t do it justice. As much as I
have complained about Limoges, it really does have so much to offer and I am so
excited to continue falling in love with it.
I have finally hit the point in my program where I can’t
imagine missing out on this opportunity. I am frustrated every single day at
some point, whether it be because I can’t seem to remember how to say a certain
word or I really just hate my professor, which is the case in a few classes, but
at the end of the day none of that matters. I have embarked on this journey and
I am in France living the life! I turned twenty one day and I really expected
to be more homesick because I wasn’t getting to spend it back home with my
friends, but what I failed to realize is I am spending it with my friend, just
not the friends I ever imagined! People have gone out of their way to wish me a
happy birthday and everyone wants to join in and celebrate with me. As cliché as
it sounds, I am so blessed to have met so many wonderful people! So here’s to a
great year and the most wonderful 5 months abroad!
La Vienne River 
La Vienne River where the ducks normally are
Propagranda in the museum 
Holocaust photos (sorry it's so hard to see)
Best place to get tea!!!