Upon returning from spring break, I finally met with the Program Coordinator for Caen. She helped me apply online to the university along with figure out which courses I will take while I'm there. We decided on the following: grammaire, composition et expression orale, littérature et histoire, presse spécialisée, France contemporaine, et langue et société. It may sound like a lot, but I have to take at least six classes there in order to be considered a full-time student. In France, university is a little bit different; one spends much more time in the classroom but isn't assigned nearly as much homework. So while I may be in the classroom for over twenty hours a week, I won't be spending as much time studying there as I do here. I'll come back from Caen with eighteen hours of upper-level French to add to my major requirements, which is awesome. Now that I've finished all of the application process for Baylor, I need to work on making it legal for me to study in France... aka renewing my passport and obtaining a visa at some point this summer.
I also received an email today informing me that I was awarded the scholarship that I applied for in February in the amount of $2,000. Any amount helps, so I'm extremely grateful for that. Now, if I could just get back into the habit of saving money with every paycheck that I receive... I plan on working a LOT this summer, plus I'll be living back at home. 150 days until my first day in Caen, and I cannot wait!
1.13.2010
Connections
Here at Baylor, I work for the Office of Campus & Communitiy Involvement at the Center for International Education. With the arrival of awesome new exchange students last week, it became known that there were FIVE students from France! Four of those five are from l'Université de Caen. How cool is that.
I immediately introduced myself and let them know that I will be there next semester. I can't wait to hear about all of the differences between Baylor/American culture and Caen/French culture. I definitely need to work harder on trying to speak with them in French - they all speak English so well, it's hard to try to get them to speak French with me instead! Maybe this is because my American accent is horrible? Or because of my lack of knowledge of French vocabulary? Hopefully by the end of this semester, I will have improved. Listening to them speak to each other is a little overwhelming. They speak extremely quickly and, shall I say, "non-textbook." Of course. This will be good practice for me for next semester, when I will hopefully meet lots of French students and be able to keep up with the conversations.
This semester I am taking two French courses: Conversation & Composition, and Civilization. Both are taught by the same professor, and both have some of the same students in them. One of the girls in my classes is the other student who is planning on studying in Caen next semester also. It will be good to know her so that we both have a fellow Baylor Bear during our time there!
After meeting the French students, I feel that much closer to getting to Caen. It's only seven months away! Already, half of a year has gone by since I've decided that I want to study abroad. It's so exciting!
I immediately introduced myself and let them know that I will be there next semester. I can't wait to hear about all of the differences between Baylor/American culture and Caen/French culture. I definitely need to work harder on trying to speak with them in French - they all speak English so well, it's hard to try to get them to speak French with me instead! Maybe this is because my American accent is horrible? Or because of my lack of knowledge of French vocabulary? Hopefully by the end of this semester, I will have improved. Listening to them speak to each other is a little overwhelming. They speak extremely quickly and, shall I say, "non-textbook." Of course. This will be good practice for me for next semester, when I will hopefully meet lots of French students and be able to keep up with the conversations.
This semester I am taking two French courses: Conversation & Composition, and Civilization. Both are taught by the same professor, and both have some of the same students in them. One of the girls in my classes is the other student who is planning on studying in Caen next semester also. It will be good to know her so that we both have a fellow Baylor Bear during our time there!
After meeting the French students, I feel that much closer to getting to Caen. It's only seven months away! Already, half of a year has gone by since I've decided that I want to study abroad. It's so exciting!
10.19.2009
Lists
I am, and have always been, obsessed with crossing things off of lists. I keep a ridiculously detailed planner for school and a wall calendar for other events at home. If I don't write it down, I write it down just so I can cross it off after I complete whatever task is at hand. It makes me feel that good.
The past two paychecks, I've crossed off depositing a rather large amount of money into my savings account for next fall. (So far it's still there!)
This past week, I've been able to cross off two tasks on my list of things to do before studying abroad: meet with the study abroad adviser, get a letter of recommendation. Upon meeting with the study abroad adviser, I picked up the course equivalency form that I will need in order to determine which classes I take in Caen will correspond with the classes offered here at Baylor. Today, I met with one of my favorite professors to ask him to write a letter of recommendation for me. He was more than happy to, and even more pleased that the deadline wasn't until April of 2010!
What can I say? I love getting things done (and crossing them off of my to-do list!).
The past two paychecks, I've crossed off depositing a rather large amount of money into my savings account for next fall. (So far it's still there!)
This past week, I've been able to cross off two tasks on my list of things to do before studying abroad: meet with the study abroad adviser, get a letter of recommendation. Upon meeting with the study abroad adviser, I picked up the course equivalency form that I will need in order to determine which classes I take in Caen will correspond with the classes offered here at Baylor. Today, I met with one of my favorite professors to ask him to write a letter of recommendation for me. He was more than happy to, and even more pleased that the deadline wasn't until April of 2010!
What can I say? I love getting things done (and crossing them off of my to-do list!).
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