Traveling is so exhausting, and frequently when I get home I'm too worn out to do much at all, and so I've been a bit remiss in updating my blog.
Zut!
Thursday, October 8, woke up incredibly early (5:30am - yuck!) with the help of three alarms and a phone call from my parents. Laughed to/at myself as I made my way to the tram station, for the following reason: It is abnormal for the French to be up so early, so whenever I passed someone walking, I eyed them suspiciously and thought, "They are so weird. What could they possibly be doing up this early?" and they in turn viewed me suspiciously, thinking, "What's this girl doing up so early? She must be a delinquent or crazy." It was very funny and very noticeable.
I love trams and wish Nashville had them. They are crazy convenient.
In the train station I continued to be overly cautious, as I always am, sitting sleepy and hunched over on a bench with my foot wrapped through the strap of my backpack to keep it from being stolen - despite the fact that Nantes does not really have a problem with such things. I'm sure I look stupid but I can't help being too careful: I'm my father's daughter.
It took me FIVE trains to get to San Sebastian. Or it would have, if things had gone well, but I'm getting ahead of myself. I adored all my trains this go around. I sat and watched people, business commuters, sleepy and unamused or sometimes talking with their customary traveling companions, teenagers, nervous traveling by themselves, their mother's waving goodbye to them from outside the train, children being adorable, couples snuggling. Everyone rides trains.
When I got to Hendaye, there was a 25 minute delay, which meant I missed my next train. I got my ticket refunded and attempted to buy another ticket while in France,where I spoke the language, but was informed at the desk that I should wait till getting in Irun.
Boarded the train to Irun, only to find that it didn't actually go to Irun, but stopped instead in the town just before Irun. Everyone exited the train, following directions given in Spanish. I talked to a conductor who pointed to a bus - I got on the bus, not too sure I was doing what was correct but trying to verify as best I could.
There had been a strike at some point, I believe in Bordeaux, and so we had to take a bus the rest of the way to Irun.
The minute I got on the bus - I noticed a difference in the passengers. They were talking to one another, loudly, friendly, jovially. They were speaking French, but with a strange accent. I was thinking how odd it was to see French people being so chatty, which is when on cue all the women switched to Spanish, which was obviously their native tongue. So from the instant I arrived in Spain, I noted a marked difference between the Spanish and the French and that difference can be summed up by a general friendliness towards others, especially strangers, that the French seem to lack.
In Irun, I still needed to buy a ticket to San Sebastian. No one in Irun, which is just over the French/Spanish boarder, spoke French. It was unbelievable. I finally sort of kind of got the feeling that I was supposed to buy a tram ticket that would take me to San Sebastian, confirmed this vague notion with an Australian family who said they were under the same impression, and bought the tram ticket to take me into San Sebastian.
So that was my all day, 10 hour train journey adventure, completed mostly peacefully, and entirely by myself. I am proud.
And then I was in San Sebastian! Which is currently my favorite city in the world!
Jonathan had had a similar misadventure getting there, and he was set to arrive via bus an hour or so after I arrived. So. I walked around the city a bit by myself. It was so beautiful! Just stepping out of the train station the city presented itself so romantically and beautifully: the river, lined with a promenade and rows of trees, just starting to turn their autumnal gold. I was in heaven.
When Jonathan got there, he called and I hurried my way back to the train station, just in time to catch him looking around for me, while an orchestral version of "A Whole New World" from Aladdin played and we greeted each other with a kiss while the music crescendoed. C'etait parfait.
The next three days were passed so wonderfully - walking around casually, not trying to do or see too much, just trying to relax and enjoy getting to be together in the most beautiful city on earth. We walked along the beach and the ramparts and along the river, went to get tapas and beers, walked up one of the mountains to a castle and chapel on the top with a fantastic view of the city, took an old tram ride up to the top of the other mountain and walked down both, ate lots of gelatto, pastries, etc, went shopping for some clothes for Jonathan at H&M, went swimming!!! (and the water wasn't even too cold) ate lots of picnic lunches on benches with good views, etc. It was one of the best weekends of my life, spent perfectly, seeing neither too much nor too little.
I love Spain. It feels very different from France - less reserved, a bit more like a party. The people all seem just a bit friendlier - even the architecture is more flamboyant than the reserved style of French buildings. So I'm excited to go back so soon!
Heading home again, I cried at the train station, just like last time, and even stupider than last time because I'm driving down to visit Jonathan with my family in a week.
Nantes is starting to feel more and more like home. Not as good as a real home, but I'm growing accustomed to everything. I walk around the city and feel like a true Nantaise, and that is a wonderful feeling. My French is improving, I believe - I now can understand almost everything my family or professors say, though of course sometimes I still get lost. I know where to get good coffee cheaply, good pain au chocolate, good gelatto, good pizza, and do so when I need a pick me up. I say things like, "Let's meet in the Place Royale," and then in the Place Royale, I wind up in lots of tourists' pictures, sitting on the fountain steps with Hanna eating a sandwich on a large baguette, our scarves thrown over our shoulders, and I'm sure those tourists think, "Oh! And we got these French girls in our picture. Look at how typically French!" But really its just two Americans getting really good at pretending.
I am still having a very difficult time with school work. I anticipated spending all of my 15 hours or so in trains this past weekend studying, but in reality spent closer to 15 minutes. It is a real problem, but I think it is one most of the students here are experiencing. So hopefully it will be fine.
It is difficult though because the French teachers here are trying to emulate the American University system but failing miserably. I feel it would be better for them to either just do things the French way, but trying to pretend that this is the way American schools work is stupid. For instance, Hanna has two mid-terms planned for one of her classes. So they obviously don't get what a midterm is. And we have a "Devoir" deadline, which is when our homework is due. But its just one assignment. They don't seem to grasp that homework is actually a recurring, three or four times a semester deal. Its mostly funny, but also confusing.
Mostly though, I have decided that this is the last Autumn and Winter I ever want to spend away from home. I love traveling, and I plan on doing it for the rest of my life, but in the future I plan on doing it between January and September. October-December seems so suited to being home, to being snuggly, walking around in long john pjs, or footy pajamas, sipping tea all hours of the day, etc. And it is just impossible to do these things living with a family you're not actually a part of, or living in hotels.
So. Caitlin Gilliam better appreciate that I chose (and Hanna and Jonathan chose) to study abroad in the Fall almost specifically so that we could be there for her graduation in the Spring.
In other news, my parents get here tomorrow! I'm taking an 8 o'clock train to meet them in Paris, where we will spend two nights. I am so excited! I have missed them so badly, and cannot wait to show off my European/French skills and hangouts.
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