Wednesday, February 11th. 3:47 am. My room.
Today was just one of those beautiful, simple days. It could have easily happened at any time of the year, or any day of the week, but I suddenly realized that I was living here. And that what I was doing wasn't an event that I planned (or didn't). Today, I lived a day in my life, and yesterday, I did too. And tomorrow will be my life. Whether I liked it, or whether I wanted it to turn out this way is not important, because this life is the one I've got and is the one that makes me what I am. Not vice versa. My life's doings don't create me. My life just happens, and I am a principal character in whatever is around me. Which is, to say, the intersection of everyone else's lives with mine. Theirs are worthy and charmed too.
I live here now, and it's a wonderful thing. My life would have happened in Maryville or Brentwood, or at any other French university for that matter. What's even more remarkable is that I have realized this. I think it's good, anyways. I mean, I can only change the future. That's something we've been telling ourselves often- it's a freeing statement. Try saying it outloud sometime. But -- being in this production and living -- is that the same as "changing" your future? Food for thought, definitely.
For now, I will continue to fall deeper in love with being a novelty and everything else being a novelty to me. After nearly three miniscule weeks, I don't think I can ever tire of learning about the new cracks and crevices to being a Reunionnaise. At the same time, I maintain my frienships back home. It's odd how some of them are slightly prodding and poking me all the way over here. It gives a nice dichotemy to my two, seemingly parallel worlds, that, to anyone else, would seem to be 180 degrees apart (yes, try to figure that out in your mind's eye-- that's what I get for writing at 3:52 am). I love it a lot- both the writing and the thinking. Cathartic.
The cyclone is over (the heat is back), the ocean is 34 shades of blue again, and I am living. More to come. There always is.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
Cyclones, Letchis, And More Cultural Lessons
6 February 2009. 3:25 pm. IN the library, for once.
Lots to tell! First things first: Yes, there's a cyclone in Reunion, but I AM FINE, and I anticipate that nothing that exciting will actually happen. Mostly it just makes being outside a THRILL-- at any moment once could be consumed in a 20 second wall of la pluie (rain). For the most part, nothing too exciting has happened. The grocery stores are now offering "Cyclone Specials" where you get an extra two liters of water for free. (Generally, after cyclones, the water isn't safe to drink for a few days). Stephanie and I stocked up in case it becomes unsafe and also bought food we could prepare without electricity. Sadly, it's pretty much useless to stock up on baguettes because they go stale. I can't imagine a day here without a baguette. It could be intense. I'll let you know. Anyways, I think the storm's kind of far off the island, and is only making very strong winds, and crazy sporadic rain spells. It may get worse, but probably not. I'm sort of bitter because I wanted to go hiking and mountain biking this weekend, but I'd rather be alive than caught in the cyclone on a mountain. All of the internationals are somewhat bummed because we wanted to get caught indoors for a few days, have some time off class, and generally have an enormous slumber party. Alas, who knows-- there is more time yet in the cyclone season. You can track it at: http://www.meteo.fr/temps/domtom/La_Reunion/Cmr/SaisonCourante/satellite/animation.html
Next: Letchis. A small, candy-tasting fruit that is like the mascot of La Reunion. They have a hard, red, bumpy outer shell but a soft pink inside. Unfortunately, their season ended in January, so I won't taste a fresh one. So, you may ask, how do I know what it tastes like? Sound question, blog-followers. Two opportunities. Danone (Dannon, for all you yogurt afectionados out there) produces "Creole" flavored yogurts that are all over the place. The french consume a crazy amount of yogurt, by the way. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, swimming pools (what??).. etc. Anyways, the letchi-flavored yogurt is delicious. My other opportunity came just the other night at a party, when a dear friend of mine who hails from this wonderful island, offered me a rum-soaked letchi. For my Tennesseans: think moonshine-flavored fruit. For all others: think of the taste of ethanol alcohol that has the consistency of calamari. It was quite potent, but suprisingly sweet. Needless to say, I'll do my best to adhere to the addage: "try everything at least (and for rum-soaked letchi fruits, only--) once."
More cultural lessons: The most prominent is that I think people take friendship more seriously here. Last week, one our my friends invited me to her birthday celebration. For me, it happened to be a day I had to get a lot of errands done. So, by the time I was back to campus, I couldn't make it for hunger, tiredness, etc. After a day or so of the Cold Shoulder and Awkward Eye Contact Doesn't Mean I Recognize You As A Friend, she patiently explained to a very confused and culturally inept me that when someone invites you to something- a party, to eat at the cafeteria, to get cafe (coffee), and you accept, that basically binds you to going. It's as good as a contract. I had actually hurt her feelings because I didn't go out with the group and didn't tell anyone I wasn't going to make it, and why not, etc. I tried my best to explain that it's SO different in the U.S.-- that everyone gets invited to everything, and you sort of feel it out if 1) you're really actually expected to be there, 2) who's going, and will it be worth it? and 3) if it's something you want to do. It didn't seem to translate, but she isn't mad. I have to say it's so relieving to have the wonderfully patient friends I've been fortunate enough to meet. Lesson learned, and no worse for wear.
Now a paragraph of little things in list form: I am officially enrolled in surfing class, the campus doctor has a picture he DREW of President Obama framed on his office wall, I do my laundry in my shower because it's so expensive for one load (about $3.30 American buckeroos per wash, per dry), discotheques play OLD American pop music that make the club go CRAZY (think: a techno YMCA, techno Chris Brown, a techno Grease montage [as in, John Travolta/Olivia Newton-John Grease], and techno Eurythmics--- do you TECHNO notice a TECHNO pattern??). Perhaps more on the epic discotheque experience to come. This post is too long as it is.
Finally, I'm trying to outsmart the ants that I share my room with by hiding my baguette so they won't find it. Secret Baguette Hide Out Place (SBHOP) #1: My closet, with my t-shirts. Mediocre response; it took them about 3 times as long to find it. Dissatisfied. SBHOP #2: on my chalkboard. Results to be published.
I miss you all immensely. Be well.
Bisoux,
Chelsea
Lots to tell! First things first: Yes, there's a cyclone in Reunion, but I AM FINE, and I anticipate that nothing that exciting will actually happen. Mostly it just makes being outside a THRILL-- at any moment once could be consumed in a 20 second wall of la pluie (rain). For the most part, nothing too exciting has happened. The grocery stores are now offering "Cyclone Specials" where you get an extra two liters of water for free. (Generally, after cyclones, the water isn't safe to drink for a few days). Stephanie and I stocked up in case it becomes unsafe and also bought food we could prepare without electricity. Sadly, it's pretty much useless to stock up on baguettes because they go stale. I can't imagine a day here without a baguette. It could be intense. I'll let you know. Anyways, I think the storm's kind of far off the island, and is only making very strong winds, and crazy sporadic rain spells. It may get worse, but probably not. I'm sort of bitter because I wanted to go hiking and mountain biking this weekend, but I'd rather be alive than caught in the cyclone on a mountain. All of the internationals are somewhat bummed because we wanted to get caught indoors for a few days, have some time off class, and generally have an enormous slumber party. Alas, who knows-- there is more time yet in the cyclone season. You can track it at: http://www.meteo.fr/temps/domtom/La_Reunion/Cmr/SaisonCourante/satellite/animation.html
Next: Letchis. A small, candy-tasting fruit that is like the mascot of La Reunion. They have a hard, red, bumpy outer shell but a soft pink inside. Unfortunately, their season ended in January, so I won't taste a fresh one. So, you may ask, how do I know what it tastes like? Sound question, blog-followers. Two opportunities. Danone (Dannon, for all you yogurt afectionados out there) produces "Creole" flavored yogurts that are all over the place. The french consume a crazy amount of yogurt, by the way. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, swimming pools (what??).. etc. Anyways, the letchi-flavored yogurt is delicious. My other opportunity came just the other night at a party, when a dear friend of mine who hails from this wonderful island, offered me a rum-soaked letchi. For my Tennesseans: think moonshine-flavored fruit. For all others: think of the taste of ethanol alcohol that has the consistency of calamari. It was quite potent, but suprisingly sweet. Needless to say, I'll do my best to adhere to the addage: "try everything at least (and for rum-soaked letchi fruits, only--) once."
More cultural lessons: The most prominent is that I think people take friendship more seriously here. Last week, one our my friends invited me to her birthday celebration. For me, it happened to be a day I had to get a lot of errands done. So, by the time I was back to campus, I couldn't make it for hunger, tiredness, etc. After a day or so of the Cold Shoulder and Awkward Eye Contact Doesn't Mean I Recognize You As A Friend, she patiently explained to a very confused and culturally inept me that when someone invites you to something- a party, to eat at the cafeteria, to get cafe (coffee), and you accept, that basically binds you to going. It's as good as a contract. I had actually hurt her feelings because I didn't go out with the group and didn't tell anyone I wasn't going to make it, and why not, etc. I tried my best to explain that it's SO different in the U.S.-- that everyone gets invited to everything, and you sort of feel it out if 1) you're really actually expected to be there, 2) who's going, and will it be worth it? and 3) if it's something you want to do. It didn't seem to translate, but she isn't mad. I have to say it's so relieving to have the wonderfully patient friends I've been fortunate enough to meet. Lesson learned, and no worse for wear.
Now a paragraph of little things in list form: I am officially enrolled in surfing class, the campus doctor has a picture he DREW of President Obama framed on his office wall, I do my laundry in my shower because it's so expensive for one load (about $3.30 American buckeroos per wash, per dry), discotheques play OLD American pop music that make the club go CRAZY (think: a techno YMCA, techno Chris Brown, a techno Grease montage [as in, John Travolta/Olivia Newton-John Grease], and techno Eurythmics--- do you TECHNO notice a TECHNO pattern??). Perhaps more on the epic discotheque experience to come. This post is too long as it is.
Finally, I'm trying to outsmart the ants that I share my room with by hiding my baguette so they won't find it. Secret Baguette Hide Out Place (SBHOP) #1: My closet, with my t-shirts. Mediocre response; it took them about 3 times as long to find it. Dissatisfied. SBHOP #2: on my chalkboard. Results to be published.
I miss you all immensely. Be well.
Bisoux,
Chelsea
Monday, February 2, 2009
The Colors of Reunion
1 Fevrier 2009. 1:12pm. Steps of the bibliothèque (library).
You may be wondering why I’m on the steps of the library, and not inside. Well, it’s Sunday. The entire island shuts down on Sundays. No markets, school services (including the library), stores, restaurants, even the kitchens on the dorm floors are locked. It definitely takes getting used to. I’m slightly peeved that I can’t do much of anything on Sundays. Moreover, the internet never works consistently, so this is being written in a word document to be uploaded later. Lesson #87523 of Réunion: patience, patience, patience.
Yesterday we went to the beach. I invested in a snorkeling set and explored the coral reefs all afternoon. It was the best 9€ I’ve ever spent. It was so amazing! I saw fish that were straight out of Finding Nemo! The brightest colored beings God ever created, I’m convinced, live in coral reefs. I saw lots of fish, sea cucumbers (I think), an eel, and sea urchins. I can’t wait to go back. The European students go all the time and know the good places to go and what to look for. I’ll try to take some pictures with an underwater camera. I wish you guys could go snorkeling with me.
On the way home, the sun began to set. Our university is on the north side of the island, and mountains block the west side from our view. So, since we were on the beaches on the west side, we had a spectacular view of le couche de soleil (sunset). First, the sun began to sink very slowly in front of us. Its light projected the slightest tinge of melon onto the clouds. Then, it was more intense. Les nuages (the clouds) absorbed it until they were positively tangerine. Their complexion was slightly pink as well. Rose on the edges, and then smoked salmon and a simultaneous hot pink and lobster at the sunset’s zenith. The sky itself reflected that wonderful time of day when it’s both orange and blue- a visual anomaly my brain will just never comprehend. Then, slowly, after its peak, the colors reverse, and the sun finally fades beyond the mountains. All we can see is its echo on the omnipresent, always-perfect clouds. Orange sherbert, then bubblegum pink. Later, the sea and the sky exchange colors, and the sky is painted a soft, cornflower blue. The clouds are a steely gray edged with lavender and infused with ribbons the color of a robin’s egg. The space above grew deeper and deeper blue, as though all the mystery and life of the ocean projected into the endless vista. And then, rather quickly, it was done. The painting was wiped clean, and the colors were packed up for another day. All that remained were the clouds. It is true: they are always present and they are always perfect. Last night, as I watched this evolution of season and color, it seemed as though God had inhaled a giant breath of the island of Réunion-its sounds, people, smells, tropicality- and exhaled them into his hands, molding and prodding and feathering at them until He was satisfied. They stand guard over the island, opposite the great rock cliffs and the yuccas’ tall flower shoots, like sentries facing off. The clouds are perfect. Their whiteness accepts and graciously reflects every color and mood of the island, from the raucous Créole music jams and cookouts in the Cirques to the shouting mango and vanilla bean vendors at the downtown markets to the sinking sun that casts its personality over the enormous and intricate white canvases. This is discovery.
You may be wondering why I’m on the steps of the library, and not inside. Well, it’s Sunday. The entire island shuts down on Sundays. No markets, school services (including the library), stores, restaurants, even the kitchens on the dorm floors are locked. It definitely takes getting used to. I’m slightly peeved that I can’t do much of anything on Sundays. Moreover, the internet never works consistently, so this is being written in a word document to be uploaded later. Lesson #87523 of Réunion: patience, patience, patience.
Yesterday we went to the beach. I invested in a snorkeling set and explored the coral reefs all afternoon. It was the best 9€ I’ve ever spent. It was so amazing! I saw fish that were straight out of Finding Nemo! The brightest colored beings God ever created, I’m convinced, live in coral reefs. I saw lots of fish, sea cucumbers (I think), an eel, and sea urchins. I can’t wait to go back. The European students go all the time and know the good places to go and what to look for. I’ll try to take some pictures with an underwater camera. I wish you guys could go snorkeling with me.
On the way home, the sun began to set. Our university is on the north side of the island, and mountains block the west side from our view. So, since we were on the beaches on the west side, we had a spectacular view of le couche de soleil (sunset). First, the sun began to sink very slowly in front of us. Its light projected the slightest tinge of melon onto the clouds. Then, it was more intense. Les nuages (the clouds) absorbed it until they were positively tangerine. Their complexion was slightly pink as well. Rose on the edges, and then smoked salmon and a simultaneous hot pink and lobster at the sunset’s zenith. The sky itself reflected that wonderful time of day when it’s both orange and blue- a visual anomaly my brain will just never comprehend. Then, slowly, after its peak, the colors reverse, and the sun finally fades beyond the mountains. All we can see is its echo on the omnipresent, always-perfect clouds. Orange sherbert, then bubblegum pink. Later, the sea and the sky exchange colors, and the sky is painted a soft, cornflower blue. The clouds are a steely gray edged with lavender and infused with ribbons the color of a robin’s egg. The space above grew deeper and deeper blue, as though all the mystery and life of the ocean projected into the endless vista. And then, rather quickly, it was done. The painting was wiped clean, and the colors were packed up for another day. All that remained were the clouds. It is true: they are always present and they are always perfect. Last night, as I watched this evolution of season and color, it seemed as though God had inhaled a giant breath of the island of Réunion-its sounds, people, smells, tropicality- and exhaled them into his hands, molding and prodding and feathering at them until He was satisfied. They stand guard over the island, opposite the great rock cliffs and the yuccas’ tall flower shoots, like sentries facing off. The clouds are perfect. Their whiteness accepts and graciously reflects every color and mood of the island, from the raucous Créole music jams and cookouts in the Cirques to the shouting mango and vanilla bean vendors at the downtown markets to the sinking sun that casts its personality over the enormous and intricate white canvases. This is discovery.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
je voudrais.. attends... qu'est-ce que c'est? ou est-ce on se trouve...
Ahh, so many questions.
Yesterday was a bit frustrating. I'm learning what "bureaucracy" means, straight from the textbook example: La Reunion. In short, it took us ALL DAY to collect the paperwork necesary to turn in our bus pass applications, including a mini-application/photocopy/remplissant (fillingout forms) for a paper necessary for the pass application. Exhausting, very. After that, we couldn't find the place to turn it in, because they don't take them at the actual bus station. Logical? Not to us silly Americans.
I would say that yesterday was the most trying day I've had so far. Of course, it would be nice for the University or our ISEP coordinator to organize everything, but I like the challenge. It makes me think for myself, stamp my feet in frustration for not knowing enough vocab, and ultimately enjoying the fruits of my labor when I get what I've been working for. Ah, nothing like a driven, Type A personality in a land where every person, class, and bus runs late and no one blinks twice about it. I have to say, I love it here, regardless of my lack of familiarity with anything. Which, admittedly, can make one feel a little lonesome at times.
Honestly, I still think my body is adjusting, and it's hard to go go go when your body just wants to stay put. The heat really saps energy from you. I think I drink about 4 litres of water a day just to achieve homeostasis, not even feel like I'm caught up. Additionally, if you don't eat regularly (and well), you feel even worse. As a side note, I've had to all but abandon my vegetarian ways. It's really hard to eat vegetarian here. Nearly every dish here has meat in it, and they look at you very skeptically when you proclaim veg-ism. So, in an effort not to pass out every day from lack of protein and assimilate to the culture, je mange du viande (I eat meat). Le sigh. At least there's a lot of fresh poisson (fish) from the ocean. Because I live on the ocean. (!!!)
For my one week aniversaire of being an expatriate, a new adventure: actually turn in the buss pass application and go to the city to buy un ventilateur (a fan) for my stifling room. Allons-y (Let's go)!
Yesterday was a bit frustrating. I'm learning what "bureaucracy" means, straight from the textbook example: La Reunion. In short, it took us ALL DAY to collect the paperwork necesary to turn in our bus pass applications, including a mini-application/photocopy/remplissant (fillingout forms) for a paper necessary for the pass application. Exhausting, very. After that, we couldn't find the place to turn it in, because they don't take them at the actual bus station. Logical? Not to us silly Americans.
I would say that yesterday was the most trying day I've had so far. Of course, it would be nice for the University or our ISEP coordinator to organize everything, but I like the challenge. It makes me think for myself, stamp my feet in frustration for not knowing enough vocab, and ultimately enjoying the fruits of my labor when I get what I've been working for. Ah, nothing like a driven, Type A personality in a land where every person, class, and bus runs late and no one blinks twice about it. I have to say, I love it here, regardless of my lack of familiarity with anything. Which, admittedly, can make one feel a little lonesome at times.
Honestly, I still think my body is adjusting, and it's hard to go go go when your body just wants to stay put. The heat really saps energy from you. I think I drink about 4 litres of water a day just to achieve homeostasis, not even feel like I'm caught up. Additionally, if you don't eat regularly (and well), you feel even worse. As a side note, I've had to all but abandon my vegetarian ways. It's really hard to eat vegetarian here. Nearly every dish here has meat in it, and they look at you very skeptically when you proclaim veg-ism. So, in an effort not to pass out every day from lack of protein and assimilate to the culture, je mange du viande (I eat meat). Le sigh. At least there's a lot of fresh poisson (fish) from the ocean. Because I live on the ocean. (!!!)
For my one week aniversaire of being an expatriate, a new adventure: actually turn in the buss pass application and go to the city to buy un ventilateur (a fan) for my stifling room. Allons-y (Let's go)!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
My Internet Works!
Dimanche, Sunday, 25 Janvier 2009. 6:54 am. My Balcony.
Good morning, dear friends.
I am sorry for the inconsistency in posting. You see, I lack a student ID, which would give me the right stuff to get on the internet in the room. Like I mentioned, the phrase I’m learning is “It’s a tropical island…ananana” (saying “ananana” is like saying “yada yada yada”). I should be all set up tomorrow, but we’ll see.
I’m really enjoying Reunion. I am having trouble adjusting to sleeping here, hence why I’m posting so dang early in the morning. It’s literally too hot to sleep through the night most of the time, even with my balcony door open sleeping on top of the sheets. It’s sort of hard to believe they don’t have air conditioning here- it’s not like they don’t know it’s going to be this hot in summer. Last night in particular I had to rinse off in a cold shower in the middle of the night to keep me cool enough to sleep. Weirdly enough, it doesn’t bother me. I really don’t have too much to complain about. It would be nice to have the internet, but that’s about it. I’m used to having more structure and information upon orientation, but again, that’s just the American in me. It’s sort of nice for life to move at such a slow pace.
For the past two mornings, I’ve been up fairly early. I start my days with a slow walk down the street to the supermarket, Le Jumbo. It’s currently my favorite place on the island. I have such a good time wandering around, buying local produce, comparing American brands and learning about Creole and French foods. I think it’s the best way to get to know a culture. Being France, it has an entire section dedicated to yogurt, another for cheese, five aisles for wine, and a quarter of an aisle for Nutella alone. Nutella is a hazelnut-chocolate spread that is all over the place in France, and also here in Reunion. Here’s my typical breakfast: a chunk of a baguette with La Vache Qui Rie (The Laughing Cow, a spreadable cheese), a mango or a few bananas (local produce!), cane sugar yogurt (also produced on the island) and some tropical juice (includes: pineapple, mango, oranges, guava, etc). I actually think all of that is from the island, perhaps with the exception of the cheese. Going to Jumbo is always an experience. There is always a crowd (about 50 people) outside of Jumbo gathered to be the first customers. It’s lightly air conditioned, so that can’t hurt, but it’s amazing how busy it is no matter what time of day one goes.
So far, I’ve gone over my syllabus with my ISEP (International Student Exchange Program), and I’m taking several French classes and then one on Comparative Creole Culture and one on Ethnologie of Ethnic Minorities. I also think I’ll be picking up a surfing or snorkeling class. Because you can do that here J. Classes don’t start for another week for my department, and you can attend any class you want for about three weeks and then you register for the classes you want. There are so many I want to take, like Volcano Studies, Tropical Botany, Canyoning, and Creole Writing, but we’ll see!
Us Americans have made a few new friends, too! Erasmus is the European version of ISEP, and so there are several students here who are staying for the whole year. Germans, Quebecois (from Quebec), British, Italians, etc. They invited us out to go to a bar with them the other night. It was really fun. A great reggae band was playing and we spoke French the entire night. We had to walk back to campus because the buses and taxis don’t run that late, but it was worth it. It only took about 45 minutes, but I’m told it can often take longer, so that’s not bad. It’s all part of the experience.
Yesterday, Luke, the last American arrived. He’s from Georgia. Who would have imagined four Southerners coming to live in a tropical island on the other side of the world? We could be the butt of so many jokes, but to our credit, I think we’re doing quite well. None of us have gotten homesick yet, which is good. Last night, the four of us made dinner (du riz et grain- rice and beans, creole style) and sat and talked. It was SO weird to speak in English for that long. Us girls have been forcing ourselves to speak only in French, but we indulged ourselves last night and spoke English. It was very weird. I felt guilty- like I was cheating on French. It was even weirder to laugh as much as we did. Since our comprehension is still developing, understanding jokes is really, really hard. I didn’t realize how much I wasn’t laughing until I did last night with Katie, Stephanie, and Luke. We know we can’t do that again, or else we’ll never learn French.
Today, we’re all going down to Le Chaudron to the open market that happens every Sunday to buy fresh fruits and vegetables and other stuff. After that, we’re going to the beach with the Erasmus students. The best beaches are on the west side of the island, and so we must walk to Le Chaudron, take a bus to downtown St. Denis, then use Car Jaune, a service that drives out of the city. The commute could take about 40 minutes by car, but since none of us has a car that could fit 10 people (I doubt a car bigger than a Rav 4 exists on this island, come to think of it), we take public transportation, which may take between 1 and 2 hours. As a result, to get a full beach day, we are leaving at 9:30. I can’t wait! Don’t worry, I’m wearing lots of sunblock, although, it’s ironically really hard to find on the island.
I’ll try to post picture soon, but I fried my camera’s battery charger (apparently my converter didn’t cover that one piece of electronics), so I’ll figure it out eventually.
A short list of things I really miss (note I said “things” because of course, I miss all of you, family and friends): sweet tea, air conditioning, free laundry, Fruit Loops, running (it’s too hot here, honestly it never gets below 80-85 degrees and 75% humidity- but don’t worry, Coach, I’ll get up the gumption to try eventually), cheap pizza (a large costs about 15 Euros here), cracking jokes, country music radio. Things I don’t miss: not being 21 (doesn’t matter here!), having to drive everywhere, cold weather, rigid schedules, Pearsons/Isaac’s.
A bientot,
Chelsea
Good morning, dear friends.
I am sorry for the inconsistency in posting. You see, I lack a student ID, which would give me the right stuff to get on the internet in the room. Like I mentioned, the phrase I’m learning is “It’s a tropical island…ananana” (saying “ananana” is like saying “yada yada yada”). I should be all set up tomorrow, but we’ll see.
I’m really enjoying Reunion. I am having trouble adjusting to sleeping here, hence why I’m posting so dang early in the morning. It’s literally too hot to sleep through the night most of the time, even with my balcony door open sleeping on top of the sheets. It’s sort of hard to believe they don’t have air conditioning here- it’s not like they don’t know it’s going to be this hot in summer. Last night in particular I had to rinse off in a cold shower in the middle of the night to keep me cool enough to sleep. Weirdly enough, it doesn’t bother me. I really don’t have too much to complain about. It would be nice to have the internet, but that’s about it. I’m used to having more structure and information upon orientation, but again, that’s just the American in me. It’s sort of nice for life to move at such a slow pace.
For the past two mornings, I’ve been up fairly early. I start my days with a slow walk down the street to the supermarket, Le Jumbo. It’s currently my favorite place on the island. I have such a good time wandering around, buying local produce, comparing American brands and learning about Creole and French foods. I think it’s the best way to get to know a culture. Being France, it has an entire section dedicated to yogurt, another for cheese, five aisles for wine, and a quarter of an aisle for Nutella alone. Nutella is a hazelnut-chocolate spread that is all over the place in France, and also here in Reunion. Here’s my typical breakfast: a chunk of a baguette with La Vache Qui Rie (The Laughing Cow, a spreadable cheese), a mango or a few bananas (local produce!), cane sugar yogurt (also produced on the island) and some tropical juice (includes: pineapple, mango, oranges, guava, etc). I actually think all of that is from the island, perhaps with the exception of the cheese. Going to Jumbo is always an experience. There is always a crowd (about 50 people) outside of Jumbo gathered to be the first customers. It’s lightly air conditioned, so that can’t hurt, but it’s amazing how busy it is no matter what time of day one goes.
So far, I’ve gone over my syllabus with my ISEP (International Student Exchange Program), and I’m taking several French classes and then one on Comparative Creole Culture and one on Ethnologie of Ethnic Minorities. I also think I’ll be picking up a surfing or snorkeling class. Because you can do that here J. Classes don’t start for another week for my department, and you can attend any class you want for about three weeks and then you register for the classes you want. There are so many I want to take, like Volcano Studies, Tropical Botany, Canyoning, and Creole Writing, but we’ll see!
Us Americans have made a few new friends, too! Erasmus is the European version of ISEP, and so there are several students here who are staying for the whole year. Germans, Quebecois (from Quebec), British, Italians, etc. They invited us out to go to a bar with them the other night. It was really fun. A great reggae band was playing and we spoke French the entire night. We had to walk back to campus because the buses and taxis don’t run that late, but it was worth it. It only took about 45 minutes, but I’m told it can often take longer, so that’s not bad. It’s all part of the experience.
Yesterday, Luke, the last American arrived. He’s from Georgia. Who would have imagined four Southerners coming to live in a tropical island on the other side of the world? We could be the butt of so many jokes, but to our credit, I think we’re doing quite well. None of us have gotten homesick yet, which is good. Last night, the four of us made dinner (du riz et grain- rice and beans, creole style) and sat and talked. It was SO weird to speak in English for that long. Us girls have been forcing ourselves to speak only in French, but we indulged ourselves last night and spoke English. It was very weird. I felt guilty- like I was cheating on French. It was even weirder to laugh as much as we did. Since our comprehension is still developing, understanding jokes is really, really hard. I didn’t realize how much I wasn’t laughing until I did last night with Katie, Stephanie, and Luke. We know we can’t do that again, or else we’ll never learn French.
Today, we’re all going down to Le Chaudron to the open market that happens every Sunday to buy fresh fruits and vegetables and other stuff. After that, we’re going to the beach with the Erasmus students. The best beaches are on the west side of the island, and so we must walk to Le Chaudron, take a bus to downtown St. Denis, then use Car Jaune, a service that drives out of the city. The commute could take about 40 minutes by car, but since none of us has a car that could fit 10 people (I doubt a car bigger than a Rav 4 exists on this island, come to think of it), we take public transportation, which may take between 1 and 2 hours. As a result, to get a full beach day, we are leaving at 9:30. I can’t wait! Don’t worry, I’m wearing lots of sunblock, although, it’s ironically really hard to find on the island.
I’ll try to post picture soon, but I fried my camera’s battery charger (apparently my converter didn’t cover that one piece of electronics), so I’ll figure it out eventually.
A short list of things I really miss (note I said “things” because of course, I miss all of you, family and friends): sweet tea, air conditioning, free laundry, Fruit Loops, running (it’s too hot here, honestly it never gets below 80-85 degrees and 75% humidity- but don’t worry, Coach, I’ll get up the gumption to try eventually), cheap pizza (a large costs about 15 Euros here), cracking jokes, country music radio. Things I don’t miss: not being 21 (doesn’t matter here!), having to drive everywhere, cold weather, rigid schedules, Pearsons/Isaac’s.
A bientot,
Chelsea
First Update!
23 Janvier 2009. 7:44am. My balcony.
Hey everyone!
I have a million things to write about. Currently, it is hotter than anything I think I’ve ever experienced so I am going to try not to fall asleep a mon clavier (my keyboard).
Stephanie and I left Nashville at 2pm on Tuesday. Stephanie and I found each other on Facebook and booked our flights together quite a few months ago. She goes to UT, has the same three concentrations of study (Sociology, Environmental Studies, and French), has the same birthday as I do, we’re both vegetarians, we both live in Brentwood, and our mom’s names are both Mary Elizabeth. Weird, right? Well anyway, we had a great time traveling together. The flights were very, very long, but not bad with the help of some Benadryl. Once we got to Paris at 9 am in Charles de Gaulle airport, we took our time figuring out how to get to Orly airport. We stored our luggage, and found the closest way to get into Paris to see some sights! Our first stop was a little café. I had a croquet madame, which is a French specialtie- like the ubiquitous hamburger in the US, le croquet madame or monsieur is a fried egg on top of buttered and grilled bread with a piece of ham and lots of gruyere (swiss cheese) in the middle. I also ordered my first legal glass of wine! I felt very French. The,n we took the subway to the Eiffel Tower! We couldn’t get over how absolutely enormous it was. It really was neat. Up until then, I didn’t feel like I was in France, but seeing La Tour Eiffel was a great experience. At this point, we didn’t have enough time to go anywhere else, so our jet-lagged selves trooped back to Orly after a quick stop for our first crepe au chocolat and did our best to stay awake as long as possible. Here, we met up with Katie, the other American girl studying in Reunion. After an extremely long flight with two really big meals (including complimentary personal bottles of Merlot with dinner) we finally touched down at 11am, two days after leaving Nashville, in what I can only describe as paradise.
St. Denis is the capital on the very northern tip of the island, and that’s where the University is. The airport is right down on the water, so looking southward, one has a view of the whole city. It covers the flat part near the beach, then rolls up several thousand feet to the beginnings of the mountains. The hills are the lushest green I’ve ever seen and are idyllic with little dots of towns and houses tucked in the valleys and lining the ridges. It seems as though every inch of spare green space is overflowing with all sorts of tropical trees, plants, shrubs, vines, and flowers. The whole island is perfumed with the scent emanating from all of the blooms. At night it smells sort of like gardenia. I’d love to take a botany class on native species.
From my balcony I can see the tops of the hills when they’re not shrouded in fog, and almost the entire campus. It’s about the size of Maryville’s, which surprised me for a school of about 10,000 students. Although, this is typical for European universities, especially French ones. The French are very family centered, so it’s unusual for students to live in dorms when they go to college. Even if they go to school away from home, they usually live in apartments that are not rented through the school. There are three dorms here. Us Americans are all in Cite Internationale. I have a beautiful view of the city and the Indian Ocean beyond it. I’m insanely lucky. My room is a small single, with a desk, small bed, mini-fridge, closet, bathroom, and balcony! For my Maryville friends, it’s about half the size of a regular single in, say, Copeland or Davis. The floors are tiled and the walls are stucco. At first I was sort or repulsed by this and expected carpet, but after about 30 seconds in the room I understood that anything that could trap and keep heat was not something you wanted in your room. Last night at around 10pm it was about 88 degrees. I’m not even kidding. I know it’s been hotter in Tennessee, but there is also about 75% humidity here all the time. When I woke up this morning at 7am it was already 70 degrees and 75% humidity. I drank a liter of water before I even got in the shower. Right now it’s about 80 in the shade with a delightful little breeze ventilating ma petite chambre (my little room).
Back to yesterday. The three of us retrieved our bags. This doesn’t seem too exciting, but it took about 45 minutes after the plane landed. We seemed to be the only ones concerned about the wait; Helene, our coordinator, explained that we need to learn patience (I can hear you laughing, friends and family members, at the prospect of me learning patience) because things operate on “tropical island time” which is generally really slow. They walk slowly, the buses may be 10-20 minutes late (or early), paperwork takes days to process, etc. Me and my Type A personality are going to really enjoy this. The only thing they don’t do is speak slowly. Parlez plus lentement, s’il vous plait! (please speak more slowly!) came out of my mouth more times than I can count in the past 48 hours. After a quick ride up the hills, we arrived on campus and hauled our gear up 6 flights of stairs (no elevator). Soon, we had all showered and changed into sundresses to go to our orientation. We met with two coordinators; one gave us paperwork to get our student IDs (“you can turn it in on Monday, or Tuesday, whichever.”) and the other told us about our work study- teaching 5 year olds English. It pays 10 Euro an hour, and we can work as much as we like. We also are paired with a Reunionaisse (a female island native) for the job, so that will definitely help with our own language development.
We had a tour/orientation of the whole campus, totally in French. My comprehension is pretty good, but it’s taking me a while to recall sentence structure and some verb conjugations. Luckily, people here are very, very patient and are glad to help ignorant foreigners. Soon after we all decided to walk down to Le Chaudron (a little neighborhood within St.-Denis). It translates to “the melting pot” because it’s a very diverse section of town- that’s a serious understatement on this island, though. No two people here look similar- skin and hair colors are so beautiful- every shade you could imagine, from very Caucasian (my pale, American self) to the richest cocoa, and hues of yellow from les Asiens (Asians), too. I can’t tell who is a native (called Reunionais or Creoles) and who is from the other ethnic groups represented here: Indian (both Hindu and Muslim), Chinese, Malagasy (from Madagascar), etc. No one’s fat, either, which is a nice break from America. People still stare because we’re really really pale (and Katie’s a redhead, so we get calls all the time from the men in town: “Russe! Russe!!!!” (redhead!!), but other than that we feel very comfortable walking around.
I have had a few instances of culture shock so far, which have been really cool. Par example: before grocery shopping, we stopped to get some sandwiches. I asked what “un sandwiche American” was. I got a jumbled part-Creole part French explanation of something with gruyere, ham, tomato sauce (ketchup, in Creole), and sauce. I chose Reunionnais sauce. What I received, and no, I couldn’t have made this up if I tried: a baguette with ketchup and ham on the bottom, slathered in tobasco sauce (there’s my sauce Reunionnais), covered with FRENCH FRIES with melted cheese. I was astounded and very grossed out! I wonder if they actually think Americans eat sandwiches with French fries on them. It was really funny. I couldn’t really eat it, but it was worth the story.
We rested the rest of the evening when we weren’t searching for the Internet and finally got to sleep in the stifling heat. Today, the last American student, Luke, arrives and we go over more paperwork with our coordinator. I think there are plans to go to the beaches that tease us from our balconies afterwards.
I am sorry this post was so long, but that was the most exciting and lengthy part of my journey so far. I’ll be hopefully making shorter posts in the coming days.
Finally, for your enjoyment, I have included a few nuances of Ile de la Reunion you may enjoy: most businesses close between 12 and 2, public urination is allowed, plastic bags are ILLEGAL!! (catch up, America), there is no enforced drinking age, they don’t sell sunblock or hair conditioner, air conditioning is virtually non-existent anywhere, and pineapples cost one Euro, because they grow like weeds here. I actually have one in my room right now, but I lack un couteau (a knife). Until I find one, its delicious scent will taunt me.
Au revoir pour maintenant (goodbye for now),
Chelsea
Hey everyone!
I have a million things to write about. Currently, it is hotter than anything I think I’ve ever experienced so I am going to try not to fall asleep a mon clavier (my keyboard).
Stephanie and I left Nashville at 2pm on Tuesday. Stephanie and I found each other on Facebook and booked our flights together quite a few months ago. She goes to UT, has the same three concentrations of study (Sociology, Environmental Studies, and French), has the same birthday as I do, we’re both vegetarians, we both live in Brentwood, and our mom’s names are both Mary Elizabeth. Weird, right? Well anyway, we had a great time traveling together. The flights were very, very long, but not bad with the help of some Benadryl. Once we got to Paris at 9 am in Charles de Gaulle airport, we took our time figuring out how to get to Orly airport. We stored our luggage, and found the closest way to get into Paris to see some sights! Our first stop was a little café. I had a croquet madame, which is a French specialtie- like the ubiquitous hamburger in the US, le croquet madame or monsieur is a fried egg on top of buttered and grilled bread with a piece of ham and lots of gruyere (swiss cheese) in the middle. I also ordered my first legal glass of wine! I felt very French. The,n we took the subway to the Eiffel Tower! We couldn’t get over how absolutely enormous it was. It really was neat. Up until then, I didn’t feel like I was in France, but seeing La Tour Eiffel was a great experience. At this point, we didn’t have enough time to go anywhere else, so our jet-lagged selves trooped back to Orly after a quick stop for our first crepe au chocolat and did our best to stay awake as long as possible. Here, we met up with Katie, the other American girl studying in Reunion. After an extremely long flight with two really big meals (including complimentary personal bottles of Merlot with dinner) we finally touched down at 11am, two days after leaving Nashville, in what I can only describe as paradise.
St. Denis is the capital on the very northern tip of the island, and that’s where the University is. The airport is right down on the water, so looking southward, one has a view of the whole city. It covers the flat part near the beach, then rolls up several thousand feet to the beginnings of the mountains. The hills are the lushest green I’ve ever seen and are idyllic with little dots of towns and houses tucked in the valleys and lining the ridges. It seems as though every inch of spare green space is overflowing with all sorts of tropical trees, plants, shrubs, vines, and flowers. The whole island is perfumed with the scent emanating from all of the blooms. At night it smells sort of like gardenia. I’d love to take a botany class on native species.
From my balcony I can see the tops of the hills when they’re not shrouded in fog, and almost the entire campus. It’s about the size of Maryville’s, which surprised me for a school of about 10,000 students. Although, this is typical for European universities, especially French ones. The French are very family centered, so it’s unusual for students to live in dorms when they go to college. Even if they go to school away from home, they usually live in apartments that are not rented through the school. There are three dorms here. Us Americans are all in Cite Internationale. I have a beautiful view of the city and the Indian Ocean beyond it. I’m insanely lucky. My room is a small single, with a desk, small bed, mini-fridge, closet, bathroom, and balcony! For my Maryville friends, it’s about half the size of a regular single in, say, Copeland or Davis. The floors are tiled and the walls are stucco. At first I was sort or repulsed by this and expected carpet, but after about 30 seconds in the room I understood that anything that could trap and keep heat was not something you wanted in your room. Last night at around 10pm it was about 88 degrees. I’m not even kidding. I know it’s been hotter in Tennessee, but there is also about 75% humidity here all the time. When I woke up this morning at 7am it was already 70 degrees and 75% humidity. I drank a liter of water before I even got in the shower. Right now it’s about 80 in the shade with a delightful little breeze ventilating ma petite chambre (my little room).
Back to yesterday. The three of us retrieved our bags. This doesn’t seem too exciting, but it took about 45 minutes after the plane landed. We seemed to be the only ones concerned about the wait; Helene, our coordinator, explained that we need to learn patience (I can hear you laughing, friends and family members, at the prospect of me learning patience) because things operate on “tropical island time” which is generally really slow. They walk slowly, the buses may be 10-20 minutes late (or early), paperwork takes days to process, etc. Me and my Type A personality are going to really enjoy this. The only thing they don’t do is speak slowly. Parlez plus lentement, s’il vous plait! (please speak more slowly!) came out of my mouth more times than I can count in the past 48 hours. After a quick ride up the hills, we arrived on campus and hauled our gear up 6 flights of stairs (no elevator). Soon, we had all showered and changed into sundresses to go to our orientation. We met with two coordinators; one gave us paperwork to get our student IDs (“you can turn it in on Monday, or Tuesday, whichever.”) and the other told us about our work study- teaching 5 year olds English. It pays 10 Euro an hour, and we can work as much as we like. We also are paired with a Reunionaisse (a female island native) for the job, so that will definitely help with our own language development.
We had a tour/orientation of the whole campus, totally in French. My comprehension is pretty good, but it’s taking me a while to recall sentence structure and some verb conjugations. Luckily, people here are very, very patient and are glad to help ignorant foreigners. Soon after we all decided to walk down to Le Chaudron (a little neighborhood within St.-Denis). It translates to “the melting pot” because it’s a very diverse section of town- that’s a serious understatement on this island, though. No two people here look similar- skin and hair colors are so beautiful- every shade you could imagine, from very Caucasian (my pale, American self) to the richest cocoa, and hues of yellow from les Asiens (Asians), too. I can’t tell who is a native (called Reunionais or Creoles) and who is from the other ethnic groups represented here: Indian (both Hindu and Muslim), Chinese, Malagasy (from Madagascar), etc. No one’s fat, either, which is a nice break from America. People still stare because we’re really really pale (and Katie’s a redhead, so we get calls all the time from the men in town: “Russe! Russe!!!!” (redhead!!), but other than that we feel very comfortable walking around.
I have had a few instances of culture shock so far, which have been really cool. Par example: before grocery shopping, we stopped to get some sandwiches. I asked what “un sandwiche American” was. I got a jumbled part-Creole part French explanation of something with gruyere, ham, tomato sauce (ketchup, in Creole), and sauce. I chose Reunionnais sauce. What I received, and no, I couldn’t have made this up if I tried: a baguette with ketchup and ham on the bottom, slathered in tobasco sauce (there’s my sauce Reunionnais), covered with FRENCH FRIES with melted cheese. I was astounded and very grossed out! I wonder if they actually think Americans eat sandwiches with French fries on them. It was really funny. I couldn’t really eat it, but it was worth the story.
We rested the rest of the evening when we weren’t searching for the Internet and finally got to sleep in the stifling heat. Today, the last American student, Luke, arrives and we go over more paperwork with our coordinator. I think there are plans to go to the beaches that tease us from our balconies afterwards.
I am sorry this post was so long, but that was the most exciting and lengthy part of my journey so far. I’ll be hopefully making shorter posts in the coming days.
Finally, for your enjoyment, I have included a few nuances of Ile de la Reunion you may enjoy: most businesses close between 12 and 2, public urination is allowed, plastic bags are ILLEGAL!! (catch up, America), there is no enforced drinking age, they don’t sell sunblock or hair conditioner, air conditioning is virtually non-existent anywhere, and pineapples cost one Euro, because they grow like weeds here. I actually have one in my room right now, but I lack un couteau (a knife). Until I find one, its delicious scent will taunt me.
Au revoir pour maintenant (goodbye for now),
Chelsea
Monday, January 19, 2009
The Calm Before
9:01 pm. Brentwood, TN, USA. My bedroom floor.
My dear friends, family, Carnegie ex-residents, neighbors, Stars, professors, Maryvillians, Heifer Farm friends, and internet strangers,
Welcome to my blog! I am very excited to have finally started it. For the next 5 months, I'll do my best to document my experience studying abroad at L'Université de la Réunion in St. Denis on the island of La Réunion. For my Google Earth impaired readers, it's a tiny island (duh) about half the size of Rhode Island a few hundred miles east of Madagascar. It is an overseas department of France. It has all of the power that a regular French department has, it's just on the other side of the world. One could compare it to Hawaii- still American, just a slightly different culture. I will be there to study French and take a few classes towards my Sociology and Environmental Studies majors.
I depart tomorrow at 2pm. I fly from Nashville to Miami to Paris. Then, I have a layover in Paris for 12 hours (Eiffel Tower and a bottle of wine, please!). Then, I leave Paris for Réunion and arrive there almost 48 hours after leaving Nashville. I've never left the country, let along flown to another hemisphere, so this should be an experience to say the least. I'll do my best to put up pictures and post as often as necessary. I am so excited to be finally leaving!
I am making my mom delay our trip to the airport until after the Inaugural Speech. I have to admit that I have mixed feelings about leaving the USA at this time in history. I am very happy with whom we've elected to serve as our President. However, I can't help but feel like I'm almost deserting at a time with unprecedented levels of unity and patriotism. At least the last time they were close to this, it was September 11th. I am thankful my generation can experience those same feelings under more joyful pretenses. Anyway, I was watching the inaugural coverage on TV all day as I packed. Hearing the comments of my fellow Americans really made me understand how much is riding on the next four, possibly eight years. I also texted with a few of my friends who are currently in D.C. I am jealous of you all. Remember this time in history, and tell me all about it when I come back. :) I hope that in the next few months, President Obama is blessed with courage to make the hard decisions. I hope he has the grace to face our country and tell us the truth. I hope that he and his beautiful family are kept safe. Most importantly, I will pray that Americans have the patience to endure the hard recovery we have ahead. Neither past mistakes, nor current crises nor future unknowns should be strong enough to shake our belief in our democracy. I look forward to news of newfound American prosperity in the months ahead.
When I get settled, I'll be sure to post an address, although no guarantees on how economical it will be to send me anything. Please don't let that deter you :). My email address will remain the same: chelsea.barker@my.maryvillecollege.edu. I'm on Skype, too. My cell won't be turned on, so don't plan on calling or texting.
A bientôt (until next time),
Chelsea
My dear friends, family, Carnegie ex-residents, neighbors, Stars, professors, Maryvillians, Heifer Farm friends, and internet strangers,
Welcome to my blog! I am very excited to have finally started it. For the next 5 months, I'll do my best to document my experience studying abroad at L'Université de la Réunion in St. Denis on the island of La Réunion. For my Google Earth impaired readers, it's a tiny island (duh) about half the size of Rhode Island a few hundred miles east of Madagascar. It is an overseas department of France. It has all of the power that a regular French department has, it's just on the other side of the world. One could compare it to Hawaii- still American, just a slightly different culture. I will be there to study French and take a few classes towards my Sociology and Environmental Studies majors.
I depart tomorrow at 2pm. I fly from Nashville to Miami to Paris. Then, I have a layover in Paris for 12 hours (Eiffel Tower and a bottle of wine, please!). Then, I leave Paris for Réunion and arrive there almost 48 hours after leaving Nashville. I've never left the country, let along flown to another hemisphere, so this should be an experience to say the least. I'll do my best to put up pictures and post as often as necessary. I am so excited to be finally leaving!
I am making my mom delay our trip to the airport until after the Inaugural Speech. I have to admit that I have mixed feelings about leaving the USA at this time in history. I am very happy with whom we've elected to serve as our President. However, I can't help but feel like I'm almost deserting at a time with unprecedented levels of unity and patriotism. At least the last time they were close to this, it was September 11th. I am thankful my generation can experience those same feelings under more joyful pretenses. Anyway, I was watching the inaugural coverage on TV all day as I packed. Hearing the comments of my fellow Americans really made me understand how much is riding on the next four, possibly eight years. I also texted with a few of my friends who are currently in D.C. I am jealous of you all. Remember this time in history, and tell me all about it when I come back. :) I hope that in the next few months, President Obama is blessed with courage to make the hard decisions. I hope he has the grace to face our country and tell us the truth. I hope that he and his beautiful family are kept safe. Most importantly, I will pray that Americans have the patience to endure the hard recovery we have ahead. Neither past mistakes, nor current crises nor future unknowns should be strong enough to shake our belief in our democracy. I look forward to news of newfound American prosperity in the months ahead.
When I get settled, I'll be sure to post an address, although no guarantees on how economical it will be to send me anything. Please don't let that deter you :). My email address will remain the same: chelsea.barker@my.maryvillecollege.edu. I'm on Skype, too. My cell won't be turned on, so don't plan on calling or texting.
A bientôt (until next time),
Chelsea
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