AixPatriots: Our Semester in Aix en Provence: Perils in France

Written September 19th,

Today has been a struggle filled day. I woke up to check the weather (yesterday was gray and rainy and DEPRESSING) and zut zut zut alors – the internet wasn’t working!!!!! And since my primary mode of communication is the internet, I felt like I was living on a weird, cold, French island. Not good. Luckily I wasn’t in the auberge a lot today – so I didn’t die of boredom. Because when the internet doesn’t work I can’t talk to people, I can’t do my homework, I can’t understand strange French words in my readings (no googletranslate and my dinosaur era dictionary doesn’t cut it most of the time), and I can’t do fun stuff like read blogs. Also I can’t check the news so I feel woefully uninformed. Basically angstville, population Maggie Howell.

Another terrible thing that happened today was the Mistral. For those lucky enough not to have been acquainted (read: assaulted) by the Mistral, it is a forceful/cold/violent/bone chilling gale that blows through Provence in the winter. The locals praise it because it prevents pollution, helps organic farmers (blows the bugs away), and keeps the skies clear and blue. Also it contributes to the famous Provence light that has inspired many a painter (think Cezanne). But this Florida girl hates it!!!! It is unbelievably cold (did I mention that it’s only SEPTEMBER???) and blows giant pieces of leaves into your mouth/eyes/hair – basically it makes tiny things feel like sharp projectiles. Pas bon! So we have that to look forward to for the next few months…

But tonight was delightful. We had dinner with the Betiracs (our dinner family) and they made a special birthday themed dinner for me. Highlights: the raspberry champagne, the turkey (very delicious main course), and the chocolate mousse. Seriously the best chocolate mousse I’ve ever had! Also they had a neighbor girl over for the night. Her name is Lior – and she made me a birthday card. Also French children are more adorable than any other type of children. While you can only understand 50% of what they say (they speak fast and mumbley) they sound so dang adorable!!!!

Some weekend highlights:

- - climbing up up up to the old fortress at Nice – the rest of Nice was not nice (Ha! See what I did there?) Basically I preferred the city from top of the mountain

- - the Chagall museum in Nice. Here are some facts about Chagall – he was Russian, painted during the 2^nd half of the 20^th century, was Jewish and thought the Bible was the best source of inspiration. All the paintings we saw were scenes from Old Testament stories (Noah and the Ark, Moses, Adam and Eve, the 7 days of creation). His amazing use of colors combined with the magnificent content pushed him into my top 5 artist list.

- - the lucky pot – Emily described it pretty well – but it was fun to just hang out with the Vanderbilt students and talk and eat really really good food

- - discovering the 24 hour Boulange (pronounced boo-lahnge) basically now we can get really delicious bread and even more delicious cake at any time – and plus it’s just super duper fun to say

- - JENN ADAM!!!!! Sara’s sister arrived for the week yesterday and she is hilarious! Seeing her and Sara interact is a treat indeed – I highly recommend it

- - A recently cleaned kitchen – Sara and Brittany (one of our Vandy roommates) spent literally FOUR HOURS cleaning our vile/dirty kitchen – now I don’t feel terrified (as if 1 million germs are jumping on me) whenever I enter

Memorable Quotes:

"Si l’internet ne marche pas, je die." – Renaud Margry (if the internet doesn’t work, I die)

"Wow! I should go on two runs a day more often!" – Emily Gall

"If I die just bury me – but quickly before I blow away." – Maggie Howell (said during the run through the Mistral)