Where is Your Mustache, Good Sir?

Hongh Hongh Oui Oui

Yeah...you've probably already seen that guy in the picture above this sentence. That would be the epitome of the French stereotype. Just to let you know, it's not all that true. I haven't seen a lot of berets, but I still regret not bringing mine haha. People here don't wear that many stripes. They do like scarves though...but so do Americans. It's true that they drink wine a lot, but every country has that one alcoholic beverage they always seem to drink. No French person just walks around with a glass of wine like that. You will see them carry bottles of wine, but the glasses come out at the table and whatnot. The guys here don't all have mustaches. There is one thing that is pretty damn true in this photograph...dat bread doe. Yeah, people here carry bread in different ways here. Sticking out of their backpacks, under their arms, in their reusable bags, and in other creative ways you can think of. The French are also very fashionable. After living in a town where flip flops, sweat pants, and Uggs are the style, it's refreshing to see someone try. ACTUALLY TRY.

My first weeks in Aix were so frustrating and incredible. I met the other Americans in my program besides Alli. I met Lauren from California, Hunter from Tennessee, Halee from Tennessee, Preston from Georgia (I was stoked that we were from the same state), and Israel from Indiana. I think I'll start with the fond memories. After we all got acquainted with each other, we had a few occasions where we watched Disney movies. Alli brought her movies and there we were...a bunch of American, college students watching Disney flicks in France. Alli and Israel have both become great friends of mine.

This is Alli!

This is Israel!

Since the internet wasn't working in our dorms, we had to find way to get internet. What does a person with no internet do in Aix? Go to the Office of Tourism and you will not be disappointed. I would usually go with Alli and end up seeing another fellow ISEP student there...and then everyone else would just show up. Looking back at it, it makes me laugh. We would be completely silent for about an hour...just feeding our eyes with internet. After we had our fix, we would either all split up or go somewhere to eat or shop. Sometimes, we would split up in groups of two or three. Good times...but the not so good times came with a little thing called culture shock.

This is the Culture Shock U-Curve

This U-Curve is very accurate! My first week or two in Aix was the honeymoon phase for sure. Everything amazed me. Seeing people going shopping, seeing people eating, seeing people driving...you name it! I was curious about everything. Have you ever watched "The Nightmare Before Christmas?" I felt like Jack asking "what's this?" Except I am not a skeleton dude, I didn't live in a town dedicated to one holiday, and I didn't actually ask it out loud and sing in the middle of Aix. To be honest, I actually really dislike that movie, so here is a better example...I was like Tarzan when he was learning to be more "civilized." (Disney). That Phil Collins song was always playing in my head. I'm being dead serious!

Strangers Like Me by Phil Collins is my study abroad anthem. Click if you wanna jam out!

I felt like being as French as possible! I wanted to dress like them, eat what they ate, talk the way they talked and everything. I was so excited about everything. I spent days just exploring town and getting lost, but I was always able to find my way back home this time. People told me that I spoke French well and I was like "hell yeah I got this!"

The famous Cours Mirabeau at night without people.

Le Festival is a well-known café next to the fountain.

LITTLE DID I KNOW...

The honeymoon phase is temporary. It was especially temporary for me because I'd never been away from home before. My other friends have been independent in the States and they were used to being on their own. I am sure it was hard for them too because of the language difference, but for me...being independent...really alone for the first time, was the most shocking thing of all. I am used to eating Vietnamese food cooked for me at home, so when I looked at my pots and pans, I was like, what the hell did I get myself into? The diet was the hardest thing to deal with. Did you know that a ton of Asians are lactose intolerant? Dairy doesn't affect me as badly, but I still prefer not to have too much of it. The problem with that is that the French LOVE dairy. Cheese and yogurt are part of their routines. I don't like cheese much and yogurt is tasty, but I can't eat too much of it. They have a lot of flavors here...even prune flavor! Also, when I came here...I realized that I am allowed to drink. At first, I didn't really touch alcohol. I was like blehhhh and then I started drinking more and figured out that I like beer and long islands and Baileys and that I have a really high tolerance. Also, when I get drunk, I don't act a fool and I can still remember everything with a logical mind. That all sounds nice, but there is one problem...I don't like wine. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?! I don't like wine and cheese...two of the most French things to consume. I wanted to like these things, but they didn't click with me. I love the culture and the language, but how could I not like wine and cheese? I don't even get it. 

Cheese being sold in Carrefour. 

It wasn't just the diet that hit me hard...it was also the administration. The bank took almost a month to get my PIN number to me by mail. I don't know if it was my bank or my place of residence, but I was still unable to use my debit card to use my stipend for that duration of time. I also thought it was really unusual that the bank closed on Monday. A couple of people I spoke to told me about their mail getting lost. Yikes! A friend of mine from Czech Republic told me about how her family sent her a laptop. She got a slip notifying her that her package was at the post, but when she went to retrieve her package, it was somehow lost. One time, I was waiting in line for over an hour in order to turn in a few things for enrollment in my school because I think the lady was just late and taking her time. If you ever come here, please learn patience. Thank goodness I have some thanks to my mom, but if I didn't, I would have thrown fits. I am luckier than most though, I haven't had nightmare stories. 

The crisis phase didn't come with just a diet issue and administration issue...everything about where I was annoyed me. My thoughts were just complaints and "woe is me."

"Why does my dorm not have AC?"

"Why are there so many stray cats here?"

"There is dog shit everywhere here!" (This is unfortunately very true about Aix).

"Why does everyone walk so slowly here?"

"I wish I had my car still!"

"Why is everything so expensive?!"

You get the point. I was just pissed about little things. When school started up, I was ecstatic to be spending my time learning. I had a four month summer vacation and I was ready to start doing something with my life. Before starting classes, all future students of IEFEE have to take a placement exam. They gathered us in a big room, split us all up to take a long exam having to do with French grammar, writing, and listening comprehension. By the time the exam was over, we were all tired. We returned to the school to receive our results. I think we returned the next day or the day after that. I can't remember. I was aiming for level two or three. I was surprised to have gotten into level three! I was ecstatic and happily followed the professors to our orientation. I was place in 3A with an excellent professor and with my friend Lauren from California, while my friend Hunter from Tennessee was placed in 3B. We weren't starting classes that day, but they gave us our schedules and went over the rules, so it felt like the first day of high school, except entirely in French. I noticed how diverse the school was. Students came from all over the world to IEFEE to learn French. I couldn't wait to start my classes.