Catch up

I was incredibly busy during the final weeks of my stay in France, so I didn't have a chance to post updates. Here's a quick run down of some of the stuff I was up to!

• Tour of the Jean Vilar Theater in Saint-Quentin
• Assistant roast dinner
• French Passover Seder
• Last French conversation club
• Going away party with one of my classes
• Trip to Bordeaux with Haidee and Sarah
• Family vacation to London, Rome, Pompeii, and Florence
• Kate visiting Saint-Quentin
• Saying goodbye to teachers and friends in Saint-Quentin

Here are a few photos that skim the surface of my April and May abroad:

~ Ceiling of Jean Vilar Theater ~

~ Roast dinner with Haidee, Sarah, and Katie ~

~ Day trip from Bordeaux to the Dune du Pilat ~

~ Miroir d'eau, Bordeaux ~

~ At Buckingham Palace with the fam ~

~ With Kate and Harry at Pompeii ~

~ Florence ~

Food!

Food is one of the first things that comes up when I talk to people about living in France. I have been eating quite well this year, as I've taken the "I'm only in France for seven months" perspective when it comes to French cuisine. Plus, I've travelled to some places outside of France with great food as well. I photographed some of my best food experiences, from Normandy to London to Istanbul and even Saint-Quentin.

Savory foods:

~ Omelette, fries, and salad from a Saint-Quentin restaurant ~

~ Coffee, bread, and cheese in a Saint-Quentin cafe ~
~Salmon, sauerkraut (choucroute), and potatoes, New Year's Eve dinner in Strasbourg~

Desserts:

~ Chocolate lava cake with cream sauce in Bayeux, Normandy ~

~ Blueberry tart, Strasbourg ~

~ Waffle with nutella, Pierrefonds ~

From Other Countries:

~ Turkish delight and cake display, Istanbul ~

~ Tea and scones from the Muffin Man Teashop in London ~

~ Pies from the Borough Market, London ~

My Own Cooking Successes: (the tart mold opened up a lot of doors for me...)

~ Tomato and cheese tart ~

~ Apple tart; Broccoli, mushroom, and cheese quiche ~

Vacation: London!

The “main event” of my vacation was my trip to London.  I liked the city a lot—it seems to have the size and diversity of NYC, with the personality and ambiance of DC (the best of both worlds).

With Lily for the first half of my trip and on my own for the second, I checked off a standard list of historical and touristy sites. It was neat to see places like Parliament, Buckingham Palace, and the London Eye (I have a new thing for ferris wheels, apparently. My favorite spot was definitely the Tower of London – maybe I read too many biographies of various Tudors during high school, but it was really fun and interesting to be there in person.

I explored a few museums and different neighborhoods during my stay as well.  The Victoria & Albert Museum was my favorite; it’s an absorbing place full of art and cultural history.  I stumbled upon a temporary exhibit there that details the evolution of London fashion from 1700 – 2012, and I thoroughly enjoyed examining the array of clothes on display.

Of course, I also have to mention the food. Not exactly what you go to England for, but Lily and I did have a fantastic fish and chips dinner one night. Eating fish and chips was on my “must-do” list for my trip, and the restaurant where we ate in London’s Soho did not disappoint. I made sure to try all the traditional side dishes (including homemade tartar sauce, mushy peas, and pickled eggs).

~ Tower Bridge ~

~ Tower of London ~

~ At the London Eye and Tower of London ~

~ London Eye at night ~

~ Fashion exhibit at the Victoria & Albert Museum ~

~ Egyptian artifacts at the British Museum ~

 

~ Big Ben and Parliament, day and night ~

Vacances de Toussaint

This Saturday is the start of the first vacation of the school year (after only two weeks of teaching and three weeks since I got here). It’s the Vacances de Toussaint, which culminates in All Saints' Day on November 1^st.

I have two trips planned over the next two weeks. The first is to Normandy, where I’ll spend a few days with a group of Saint-Quentin assistants. I’ve always wanted to visit the WWII sites there, and I expect it will be very interesting to see the landing beaches and learn more about D-Day.

For my second trip, I’m planning a weeklong visit to see a high school friend who’s getting her master's degree in England. I’ve never been to the UK before, and it’s on the top of my list of places to visit this year. We’ll start in Norwich and then make our way to London, which I’m especially excited about!

I’ll be sure to put up some posts from my trips when my vacation ends in November. In the meantime, I’ll wish everyone an early Happy Halloween, which is most unfortunately not celebrated in France.

~ My travel plans (Saint-Quentin in lower right) ~

(image credit: http://underbellylive.com/sure-spend-halloween-us/)
*map from Google