Month: September 2009

No, life has not entirely become routine yet, but I finally feel like its getting there. A week after knowing what classes I’ll take and where I’ll intern, it feels good to have a sense of repetition in my life. This weekend was certainly similar to weekends at HC: I had much to read. I suppose Poli Sci will be Poli Sci no matter where you study it, and reading becomes as natural and necessary and eating and sleeping.

But, unlike at HC, I look forward to that weekend when I’ll hop on the train and be in a completely different country to experience another European corner if only for two days. So I feel that life will become routine in the sense that I will have classes, an internship, and some work for pocket money, but I’ll be able to do something exciting every few weeks and see more of the world. I love the thought of that: Thursday afternoon at the International Institute of Human Rights and Friday night in Geneva.

On the other hand, writing political science pieces in French is frustrating, I feel like I’m five again and I must learn how to speak properly from scratch. I just keep reminding myself that there is a very good chance that in six months my writing in French will be almost as good as my writing in English. You think? My host parents just say, “ca va arriver”, “it will come.” Well, I hope so.

That is really it for me, since I have a nasty hole on my foot (long story) that disables me from walking anywhere else but the necessary and from going out at night, life right now is about routine. Not the boring kind but the reassuring kind.

Today I feel compelled to write about what has been in my head for past week: classes. Whether it be what classes I take, a class I thought I would love and did not like at all once I took it, a class that I tried randomly and ended up loving…classes in general. The main reason is not just because this was my first week of classes in Strasbourg, but because I admit I came here with the preconceived notion that classes here would never measure up to my classes at HC. I came here convinced that classes would be the one thing I would miss the most from the hill. So for the past week I have been afraid of continuous disappointment, but today, thank God, I see a bright light.

The first few days were awful because the class I was most looking forward to, one that is also part of my self-designed major, was not at all what I expected. Even though the professor is quite amazing, he is an expert in his area and that is well understood by the way he talks, the material itself was not interesting. So I gave up the notion that classes here would not measure up to classes in HC and I tried classes that I did not plan on trying. I searched, and tried, and searched, and today I believe I have my five classes and will even a sixth one.

Do I think classes here are not as amazing as at HC? They are simply entirely different. What I, and probably any student used to liberal arts, do not appreciate is the size of a class. I will never consider a class of 200 to be better than one of 25, even if it’s at Harvard, simply because I don’t have a voice. Luckily for me, the Institute d’Etudes Politiques, which is second best in France, has smaller classes than other disciplines. So yes, I have to sit in one or two classes with 200 other students and will probably never be able to ask a question in class, but I have 2 or 3 other classes with about 40 students and I believe that the size of the class very much affected my preference for that class over another.

What do courses here have that is better? The variety of classes. Naturally, this is a university, not a college, so I can take classes of really specific things like the Human Rights Convention. I thus have the opportunity to learn, dissect, analyze and learn everything about only this convention. That is quite awesome, and it is an advantage to being here.

So I believe that there are ways around the bad things, like class sizes, but it takes an effort. I think when going abroad we will miss the office hours, the student to professor relationship, etc…but it is an experience worth taking because after college I am not sure when I’ll be able to take a class about random, specific and important things like the European Human Rights Convention (mind you that the Court is right here and we can intern in any number of places related to the Convention :P)

This weekend I went to Paris for the first time in my life, so naturally, I have a few things to share. The city is without a doubt beautiful; there is art everywhere. Every building is majestic because it can either be 200 years old or very modern. The people are stylish beyond conception; it really is like a fashion show. Café’s are in every corner and the food is amazing. Not to mention THE things to see in Paris, like the Tour Eiffel, the Arc de Triomphe, Camps Elysees. It is just pleasing to the eye. The Louvre is incredibly BIG, to the point where I spent about seven hours and I only saw half of the museum. And I am not an art critique so I could only stare at a piece in awe. Because I met a friend who goes to another school and is doing a semester in Paris, it was natural to compare between her program and mine.

I am happy to say that I like mine better. Of course, Paris is Paris, it is not Strasbourg, and the Sorbone is no Université de Strasbourg, but Strasbourg is a place that feels like home to me already and I could never see that happening in Paris. Parisians are much too cold for my taste, whereas people in Strasbourg are much more helpful and humble. Paris is ridiculously expensive, to the point where a Café au Lait cost 5 euro. So if I were in Paris, I would be way too worried about money to enjoy my life. Life in Strasbourg is much more relaxed, clean and quiet. Of course, some people adore intense city life, but I did not grow up in New York, and I find that Strasbourg has the perfect mélange of city life and provincial life. So, I am glad that I can escape to Paris every now and then, but it sure is lovely to come back to Strasbourg.

There is a reason why the word ‘bureaucracy’ is of French origin: it is VERY present in French administrative life. Of the many examples, I feel that registering for courses is pertinent here. Over the course of four rendez-vous with Rachel, Holy Cross’ on site academic coordinator, I managed to get my student card, my carte culture (which grants reductions in cultural activities), official registration, and pre-selection of courses. Granted, courses begin on Monday and the class room numbers are yet to be known. It must be highlighted that I managed to get all that done, because I was with Rachel, thanks to Rachel, and in spite of the process. I cannot imagine how many students glanced at us with hatred as we glided in front of them to overcome the loooooong cues and speak directly to the department secretaries. That is to say that I have not experienced the real process of registering for courses in Strasbourg, because I had the privilege of getting all of the above done in the total amount of time that would have taken me to do barely one of the above. God bless the HC online registration process. My narrowing down of courses has also been thanks to Rachel, and her persistent request of course descriptions in the departments. If I were French, I would have none. Granted some leeway is allowed because the separate universities recently became a single university, and massive reorganization has been done. Regardless, the process is inefficient and tedious. Thank God for Rachel.

While the week consisted entirely of administrative affairs, the trips continue on the HC agenda, and, to my personal gain, the bonding with my host family is just incredible. Last weekend we had the privilege – I think so anyway – of going to Struthof, one of the Nazi’s many concentration camps in Europe and the only one in France. It was really something. Many of course think it is a bad experience, a sad experience; but I must admit my love of history was stronger than the sadness I felt. Even more enriching was the trip to the Deportation Museum, which is fabulously designed and which allows you to understand that mentality to the Alsace-French so much better. This is really a special piece of land in the world, because there are not many case studies of bordering countries that harmed each other so much and have overcome the pain so gracefully life Germany and France. My weekend ended with a truly Family Sunday, from going to mass in the morning to a 5 hour promenade and picnic around a French Castle (yes, that is normal in Alsace).

And a month into my year abroad has gone by incredibly fast. So far I can guarantee that the French are NOT big on bureaucratic efficiency.

I can now swear on my soul that France is beautiful, well, Alsace anyway. After being here for about 20 days, the lovely woman in charge of us HC students, Malou, has made it her duty to take us EVERYWHERE. On my very first Saturday in France, when we went on the route du vin (yes, the wine!) AND we went to one of the many castles that belonged to Wilhelm II. Now, for someone who grew up among regular wine drinkers on the pretext that it is “good for the heart,” that was just lovely. My eyes saw thousands and thousands of grapes on both sides of the route for a good 30 minutes. The route led us to a wine cellar, with barrels made with Hungarian wood dating the 1600’s. There was also the famous wine tasting of Alsace’s best wines, blanc and rose.

And the Castle, well, I could only remember Professor Cary’s history classes come alive, especially since he is an expert on German history. For someone who loves history as I do, this is paradise. The Kaiser was there; the Wars threatened its existence. It is truly something. Naturally, the bus stopped in numerous tiny villages in Alsace, such as Ribeauville, with markets selling all sorts of cheeses and breads the size of a bed.

That is just one trip outside of Strasbourg, because the city itself has one charming place after another. If you love baking and chocolate, you need only walk around Centreville and let the smell drown you. It has taken inhuman strength to keep me from spending all my money in these tiny bakeries. If you want to relive Beauty and the Beast, you need only go to La Petite France and find houses identical to Belle’s. And of course, if you want French Couture, go to the tiny streets next to the Cathedral and find Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Co. No, I have not dared to go in. My point is, I find that this city has everything for everyone: the fashionable, the religious, the studious, and the bakers. What more can one want?

Au revoir!