Post-Program Reflection

            I must say that this summer with Abbey Road has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. I absolutely loved every second of the program. Aix-en-Provence has got to be one of the most beautiful places in France because it was truly perfect. It had amazing restaurants, charming people and lots of sites to see! I've also become more independent because I was able to experience the "college life." The people who came with me on this trip are the most cultured, knowledgeable teens that I have met. 
                The classes in Aix-en-Provence were based on level (beginner, intermediate and advanced). I was in an advanced class with the lovely Sophie. Sophie was such a great teacher; she didn't only teach us nitty gritty grammar but she taught us french slang and showed us funny french films. The best film that we watched (out of the thousands) was "Les Choristes." Also, we went out to the streets of Aix for class a lot. We walked around town and Sophie would tell us what the best places to shop and eat were.
                  The elective French Conversation was awesome!! Again, Sophie was our teacher and we went to the local park, sat on the grass and conversed for three hours. Or one time we went to a local cafe and spoke about what we liked to do in our country and how living in different states affects us. The French Conversation class was a great way to get to know each other while at the same time; improve our French.
                    There are so many activities that we did throughout the course of the program. For example, for the Fourth of July; we had an "All-American" party. We ate Domino's pizza and listened to American music. Then we watched Date Night! It was a blast. Another day, we had "Spa Night." The lights were dimmed, the mollifying music was playing, etc. We had yoga mats scattered all over the floor. We also had nail polish and facial masks! It was really fun and our advisor Meg even did a special "relaxation" exercise with us. The last activity we did was a "dancing with natives" thing. It didn't go as planned because the dancers never showed up. BUT, we ended up sitting near La Rotonde in Aix and playing "Wha!", "Signs!", "Duck Duck Goose!", "Ninja!", and my fave; "MAFIA!"
                     The day trips were an excellent way and opportunity to get to know other towns just like Aix-en-Provence. My absolute favorite would have to be when we went to Cassis. It was during our last week in Aix and the beaches were absolutely BREATH-TAKING. The water was warm and crystal blue/green. We went on a cruise to check out the lagoons. It was pretty awesome. My other favorite day trio was when we went to La Ciotat. La Ciotat is another beach where three of us (Sophie, Elizabeth, and I) got to go paddle-surfing!!! It was a blast, to say the least.
                       I remember that I promised myself to never visit a restaurant twice because I wanted to try out as many new restaurants as possible. So here comes the best restaurant in Aix: Le Carrefour. The food was to die for and my favorite was the steak hachee. It was delicious. There is also an amazing gelato place on Cours Mirabeau. BUT IT WILL NEVER BEAT SHAVED ICE!!!
                        I improved my French a lot and I had the time of my life. I will never forget this fabulous adventure of mine and I can assure you that I'll have infinite stories to tell my friends. 
                   

Cooking Groups, Guacamole Night and Fashion Show!

Making omelettes!

Grace making Omelettes!

Perfection

Guacamole Night!

Fashion Show!

Tuna Dress!

Tomato Dress!

Gardening!

Planting fresh plants!

Digging and more digging!

                                                              Planting!

Water fight!

Soaked!

Carrying Hay

                                      
                                                                     Pose for a picture!

After a long day of work..

Arsles Day Trip!

Second Week in Aix-en-Provence 2012!

Bastille Day Celebration Photos!

Getting ready before going out to see the show!

  Standing in front of La Rotonde

   French Flag Colors! Clever, right?

  La Rotonde

       "Gotta love the French."

  Laughing with friends at the concert!

Cooking Groups and Opera. What a joyous mix.

           Bonjour! As some of you may already know, we have French classes every single day at 9:00. There are three classes; beginner, intermediate, & advanced. I am enrolled in advanced and I must say that this class is everything I could have asked for in a French class. We do a perfect amount of grammar, conversation and outdoor learning. Sophie, our teacher, is the most caring and patient teacher I've ever met. She truly wants us to learn how to speak French with natives so after our first hour of class, we go out into the streets of Aix-en-Provence and talk! 
            Aix-en-Provence is a magical place. Every little store or boutique has it's own special aura or story behind it. Each shop owner has their own charm or spark. The streets in Aix and the little alleys are typically European. And the bakeries, OH the sweet sweet bakeries..
You could probably smell the bakery from New York. That's how amazing they smell. After our little outdoor class we all decided to stop by Fraiche Concept and get some aux naturelle smoothies! I opted for framboise and it was pretty spectacular. But anyways, after our French classes we have a lunch break. Usually you can go out to the local supermarket; Monoprix and make your own lunch. Or if you'd rather have a taste of exquisite French cuisine, then you can head over to a restaurant or cafe. Today, my friends and I decided to step away from our lovely kitchens and go to Crepes a GoGo! 
            This is the second time that we've gone to the same creperie. But honestly, this place has the best crepes in the entire world. I decided to get a jambon et fromage crepe as usual. After we had crepes, it was time for our elective classes. Sophie, is also the French conversation teacher and we went to Le Parc Jourdan to sit on the grass and converse. I think it's great to get some fresh air and not be locked inside but sometimes the heat in France can be a bit overwhelming. Good thing we brought refreshments!
             Once we arrived back at our residence, we were put into cooking groups to make crepes! It was funny that I had just eaten crepes for lunch. But anyways, our group failed miserably at making crepes but at least we tried! It was a lot of fun and the cheese was amazing.
             After eating, we went to the a beautiful garden where we saw the Trio Fernandes for the Flamenco Concert. We went to see an outdoor live screening of the opera; David et Jonathas. The opera was a bit difficult to understand since it was subtitled in French but we more or less got the gist of it. The music was phenomenal and I remember one particular line that will stay with me forever. "Vous goutez le deces d'un paix eternelle."
             

Shaved Ice...Flamenco Concert..and More!

            My favorite thing about Aix-en-Provence is that there is a little old Italian man selling shaved ice every single day on Cours Mirabeau. He has a million flavors and what I like about him is that he always lets you know what tastes good and what doesn't. Every single day when we have free time, or temps libre, we run over to the shaved ice corner to get some! I always end up getting cherry and every day he asks me if I want to try it with something else. The first time he said "Un peu citron?" which means "A bit of lemon?" And today he asked me "Un peu cotton candy?" which means "A bit of cotton candy?" I'm always confident that he will give me the best tasting shaved ice because he seems to know what works and what doesn't. I completely trust him when it comes to shaved ice and I eat whatever he suggests. I think he's gotten used to my friends and I frantically running over to him and asking him for shaved ice.
            Two nights ago, we went to a concert in a garden in Aix to see the "Trio Fernandes." They are a flamenco musical group that is absolutely sensational! We were sitting on blankets in the most beautiful and enchanting garden ever created. The musical was phenomenal to say the least. I think I still have one of the songs stuck in my head "Volando voy, volando vengo, por el camino, yo me entretengo." The flamenco dancing was amazing as well. The ladies moved so sensually and still kept it elegant and conservative.
             Then we went to Arsles yesterday for the photography festival. It was very fun and here are some pictures of the trip!

In front of the town center in Arsles

Roman Ruins in Arsles

First Days in Aix-en-Provence 2012 VIDEO!

Somes photos from our trip to Marseille!

The First Days in Aix!

        Bonjour tout le monde! I arrived in Aix-en-Provence on Tuesday, and I think I'm already in love with this town. The airplane ride wasn't pleasant at all, and I even got sick along the way. But besides that, the first two days have been the most thrilling and exciting days of my summer. When we got back from the airport, we were greeted with fresh croissants, fromage, beurre, etc. The food was absolutely amazing and way better than airplane food. After that, we had a group orientation where we went over the trip rules and such. We were given the keys to our new apartments and before I got here, I thought they were going to be small. I mean, really small. But, to my surprise, my apartment had TWO floors with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Oh, and we also have four balconies. It's pretty spectacular, to say the least.

        We had our first dinner at a small restaurant near Cours Mirabeau which is the "main street" in Aix. The food was delicious and I ate salmon lasagna. For dessert, we had tiramisu and it was TO DIE FOR. We took a walking tour before dinner and Aix gives out a sort of nostalgic feeling. You see the old buildings in such a beautiful way that you think to yourself if modernization is actually a  good thing. The outdoor markets and the flower shops are gorgeous. I even stopped by one and said "Les fleurs sont belles!" The owner smiled and said "Merci beaucoup!!" Honestly, the people here are so courteous and willing to help anyone if they're lost, or have a question. 

          Yesterday was the Fourth of July, and we ate pizza and watched "Date Night." We also took our placement tests yesterday which were not difficult at all. We had an oral part and a written part. Our electives took place today and mine is "French Conversation!" It was really fun and we made little sketches to present in French. It was a rewarding experience. 

           Now let's talk about the BEST parts of the first few days. I loved eating "shaved ice" at a local stand on Cours Mirabeau. It is the most amazing shaved ice, I've had in my entire life. Also, there was a man playing the accordion on Cours Mirabeau and the music was just simply beautiful. You will see it in the video! 

         

First video!

Here's the first video that I uploaded on the Abbey Road youtube channel.
Check it out!

Looking forward to Aix-en-Provence!

                 My trip to Aix-en-Provence is less than a month away and I can already envision myself completely immersed in French culture and language. The idea of going to France with a group of people my age for a whole month seems more than surreal. There are endless reasons as to why I chose an Abbey Road summer program over any other program. Abbey Road doesn't only want you to sight see and explore France. They want you to actually practice speaking French with natives while also learning the fine points of French grammar in school. The main reason I signed up for this summer program is to completely immerse myself into a new environment and experience living life just like a French teen would!
                 I’m thrilled to meet the people attending this trip with me because I am 100% positive that these people will remain my friends forever. This trip will undoubtedly create an everlasting bond with my peers. I’m also looking forward to exploring the streets of Aix-en-Provence and becoming familiar with the different stores and restaurants there. I want to look for little idiosyncrasies that this town has. France is worldly renowned for having extravagant and exquisite cuisine; so the food is something that I am eager to try! I’m sure that French food is different than American food but that’s all part of the experience. I see myself ordering des escargots, ratatouille, or even crème brûlée for dessert! Living in a different country for a month is perfect for people who are open-minded and willing to try new things that are different than what they’re normally used to.

                  Personally, I think I’m more enthusiastic about our French classes in the morning than any else. I’m excited to refine my studies of French with the help of experienced professors who are passionate about teaching French. The tri-weekly elective seems delightful as well because we get to take a break from grammar and do something we enjoy! I will be taking the French Conversation elective which is more than perfect for me because my main goal for this trip is to become comfortable speaking French.

                  I think I’m going to spend most of this trip documenting everything so that I’ll never forget my adventures in Aix-en-Provence. I will most likely be remembered as “the girl who filmed everything” or “the girl who stayed up till midnight writing about her day.” My friends in New York also want me to send them postcards from France and I promised them I would but only if they would let me write the postcard in French. Most of my friends agreed to this deal and assured me that they would treasure it forever.
                   To conclude, I’m hoping that this will be the best summer of my life. I hope it’s filled with countless memories that will always remain in my heart. I’ll try new things, admire stunning views, eat authentic French food and create amazing friendships. This will be the trip of a lifetime and the epitome of my high school experience. Stay tuned for photos, videos, and a lot of writing! Here you'll discover my adventure in Aix-en-Provence.