Last night after I posted, I was summoned to dinner with the family. My host dad loves to cook (yay for me) and he made soufflé au fromage, cheese soufflé. It was amazing, pretty much like all the food that I've had in France so far. A soufflé, for those who don't know, is a very light, frothy mixture that is cooked like a cake, but it rises to resemble a large cupcake.
There are various flavors, cheese and chocolate are the most common, and you just scoop a heap onto a plate and gobble it up. It was very rich, so I ate it with baguette bread, and it really pulled the different cheese flavors out of the scoop. There is no need to chew, because it has the consistence of runny eggs mixed with ice cream-just the texture, definitely NOT the flavors :)
This morning I had planned to get up relatively early, around 9ish, to get ready and go downtown for some patisserie goodies, but my bed was warm and comfy. I didn't budge. I finally pulled myself out of bed for class. Oh class. My level has two teachers this week, who alternate days teaching us.
We had an older gentleman today, who is in charge of teaching us oral comprehension and production. Wow, so that test we took yesterday, I did horribly on the oral comprehension, no surprise there. Guess what? We took ANOTHER one today, after he told us about the DELF. This test is one of two I will take at the end of the semester (if they don't kick me out of this level, that is). It is recognized by the French government as a fluency test, so in order to be accepted by French Universities, or work in certain sectors, I have to pass this test.
After explaining the details of the test, he gave us a practice oral comprehension exam from a previous DELF. I thought that I did terribly, but I actually did fairly well. It was a bit reassuring, but still terrifying. You have to keep in mind that there is NO English spoken in these classes, majority of the students are Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, or Korean. I feel really badly for them, because they are learning a new alphabet and new concepts of writing and grammar. Toward the end of class, my head hurt so badly, trying to keep up and do my work.
We had to read a newspaper snip-it and create an argument, questions, and solutions for the problem theme. The story was about a girl who had been beaten up at school and ended up dying from a heart deformity. Bullying in the US is a hot-button topic also, but we had to create an argument. It is incredibly frustrating to not be able to express yourself properly. I am used to being able to argue points with elevated vocabulary and have excellent rebuttals to criticism. This does not happen in French yet.
After class, a new friend and I took the tram to Carrefour, which is the name of the crazy half-mall, half-Wal-Mart thing. I needed shampoo and toothpaste, thank goodness they had some Colgate and Garnier Fructis (althought the latter is French, it is still sold in the US). While we were paying, I noticed that the store provides chairs for the cashiers.
Interesting, I would have walked over glass for a work chair when I worked retail! I looked for some bacon gringnettes in a boulangerie on the way out, but they only had chocolate. Puis-je vous aider? (Can I help you?) A young woman asked me from behind the counter, catching me off-guard, I responded, that I would like an apple turnover-looking thing. It's really yummy, it tastes like croissant bread that has had apple pie filling stuck in the middle and then glazed with the juices and baked.
I shoved the two 2 euro coins back into my bag, and we headed back to the tram. It was drizzling again. This morning was nice and sunny, above freezing, minimal wind, il fait beau. By the end of class, I was really missing my rain boots and wishing I hadn't worn boot-cut jeans and tennis shoes today. The tram stop by Carrefour is practically on the other side of the city from my house, so I said au revoir to my new friend and hung onto the rail in the tram. At one point, the car was so packed that if the car's centripetal force would have normally thrown you around, you didn't move because other bodies were holding you up. It gave new meaning to sardine can.
Once home, I used my new keys to get into the door :) Isn't the garden gate key charming? My host dad was picking up my host brother from school, so I got to work on my homework. Ugh, my brain hurts so much. It needs to catch up already, I hate being slow to understand conversations and my teachers!
Regardless of my frustrations, I can feel some improvement in my abilities and I am learning new words and expressions every hour. We had fish and vegetables cooked in a mixture of coconut milk, butter, cinnamon, ginger, and a bit of honey, which sounds awful, but it was amazing! I couldn't believe the ingredients as he was naming them off to me.
Anyway, I am utterly exhausted and am heading to the shower.
Bonne nuit a tous!
There are various flavors, cheese and chocolate are the most common, and you just scoop a heap onto a plate and gobble it up. It was very rich, so I ate it with baguette bread, and it really pulled the different cheese flavors out of the scoop. There is no need to chew, because it has the consistence of runny eggs mixed with ice cream-just the texture, definitely NOT the flavors :)
This morning I had planned to get up relatively early, around 9ish, to get ready and go downtown for some patisserie goodies, but my bed was warm and comfy. I didn't budge. I finally pulled myself out of bed for class. Oh class. My level has two teachers this week, who alternate days teaching us.
We had an older gentleman today, who is in charge of teaching us oral comprehension and production. Wow, so that test we took yesterday, I did horribly on the oral comprehension, no surprise there. Guess what? We took ANOTHER one today, after he told us about the DELF. This test is one of two I will take at the end of the semester (if they don't kick me out of this level, that is). It is recognized by the French government as a fluency test, so in order to be accepted by French Universities, or work in certain sectors, I have to pass this test.
After explaining the details of the test, he gave us a practice oral comprehension exam from a previous DELF. I thought that I did terribly, but I actually did fairly well. It was a bit reassuring, but still terrifying. You have to keep in mind that there is NO English spoken in these classes, majority of the students are Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, or Korean. I feel really badly for them, because they are learning a new alphabet and new concepts of writing and grammar. Toward the end of class, my head hurt so badly, trying to keep up and do my work.
We had to read a newspaper snip-it and create an argument, questions, and solutions for the problem theme. The story was about a girl who had been beaten up at school and ended up dying from a heart deformity. Bullying in the US is a hot-button topic also, but we had to create an argument. It is incredibly frustrating to not be able to express yourself properly. I am used to being able to argue points with elevated vocabulary and have excellent rebuttals to criticism. This does not happen in French yet.
After class, a new friend and I took the tram to Carrefour, which is the name of the crazy half-mall, half-Wal-Mart thing. I needed shampoo and toothpaste, thank goodness they had some Colgate and Garnier Fructis (althought the latter is French, it is still sold in the US). While we were paying, I noticed that the store provides chairs for the cashiers.
Interesting, I would have walked over glass for a work chair when I worked retail! I looked for some bacon gringnettes in a boulangerie on the way out, but they only had chocolate. Puis-je vous aider? (Can I help you?) A young woman asked me from behind the counter, catching me off-guard, I responded, that I would like an apple turnover-looking thing. It's really yummy, it tastes like croissant bread that has had apple pie filling stuck in the middle and then glazed with the juices and baked.
I shoved the two 2 euro coins back into my bag, and we headed back to the tram. It was drizzling again. This morning was nice and sunny, above freezing, minimal wind, il fait beau. By the end of class, I was really missing my rain boots and wishing I hadn't worn boot-cut jeans and tennis shoes today. The tram stop by Carrefour is practically on the other side of the city from my house, so I said au revoir to my new friend and hung onto the rail in the tram. At one point, the car was so packed that if the car's centripetal force would have normally thrown you around, you didn't move because other bodies were holding you up. It gave new meaning to sardine can.
Once home, I used my new keys to get into the door :) Isn't the garden gate key charming? My host dad was picking up my host brother from school, so I got to work on my homework. Ugh, my brain hurts so much. It needs to catch up already, I hate being slow to understand conversations and my teachers!
Regardless of my frustrations, I can feel some improvement in my abilities and I am learning new words and expressions every hour. We had fish and vegetables cooked in a mixture of coconut milk, butter, cinnamon, ginger, and a bit of honey, which sounds awful, but it was amazing! I couldn't believe the ingredients as he was naming them off to me.
Anyway, I am utterly exhausted and am heading to the shower.
Bonne nuit a tous!
I love that key! It reminds me of "The Secret Garden" Did you watch how to make the soufflé or did it magically appear? Sounds like you are getting settled in on your classes and the teachers. Just remember what I have told about the first day of your school from 1st grade, "the first week is always difficult in school getting to know the other students and the teachers and how they operate" but getting to know new students from other parts of the world as well as instructors is no easy task. Give yourself time and you will do fine. My prayers continue for you to do well in school, stay healthy and have a BLAST!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Don't forget to take us some food fotos.
Love you sweetheart, mom
Ashley, I am so glad you are learning new words and phrases. When we go to eat at La Madeleine, I won't be able to keep up with you! I can't believe it was above freezing in Caen, but 16 degrees and covered in snow here in Denton.
ReplyDeleteSoufflé au fromage is something we'll have to cook when you get back. We have a lot of food to cook when you get back, so keep a recipe log!
I just love how much you are enjoying yourself! Yayyy!
ReplyDeleteBABY!!! You made me laugh so hard when you wrote the words "gobble it up" when talking about the cheese soufflé. For some reason the words gobble it up and the way you eat do not mix! I pictured you with madly obsessive, slightly crossed eyes, augmented to resemble the color of pinkish blood saturating the cornea as you dove ferociously into a giant frothy pile of cheese. I laughed :).
ReplyDeleteThe key looks SOOO cool, like a video game key to some ancient secret place with treasure.
Anyway, about this DELF test! You're gonna destroy it, and I'm sure you are doing just fine in class. You are so critical of yourself, and that is why you have come so far. Remember your accomplishments if you become overly critical to the point of depression or frustration.
You've made it to college and have nothing less than a 3.9 GPA, you're in France because your hardwork and determination. There are countless others, but my fingers are tired (or lazy) you pick! I love you sweetie!
-hubby-to-be-