A Student Abroad

Feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme!

2013-08-19T14:17:00.003+01:00

I have arrived home in England but was too busy to do my blog out there so I thought I'd do it now - before I get busy again!

Week 2 of my time in Latvia began in a way any summer school would: lectures. Interactive lectures given by interesting people across the Baltics. For example, we had the pleasure of meeting with the Managing Director of Association of Hotels and Restuarants of Latvia, a hotel manager-cum-professor for Klaipeda University in Lithuania, the manager of a local active tourism centre in Valmiera and the founder of a tourist agency based in Riga. Most of the lecturers, professors and guests who came in to talk to the students were actually alumni of Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (the university which hosts the annual summer school) which made their successes even more inspiring.

Human resources in events management:
choose a postcard and describe how it relates to HR

It wasn't all work though. Social events were scheduled into the programme, including drama night, music night, movie night and sports night. What more could you ask for? Drama night was hilarious! The most memorable event of the night was reenacting Cinderella as a thriller. I was Cinderella. I was meant to be dancing with Prince Charming, pushed down the stairs by the evil step-sisters before being stabbed by the step-mother. Then Prince Charming kills the step-mother. It was a great plan but the actual performance didn't really turn out that way. I ended falling down the stairs myself...

The International Tourism and Event Management (ITEM) students had to give their final presentations in the middle of the week. As a reward/break, they were given a tour of Valmiermuizas beer brewery, where I've been two or three times already. I was lucky enough to meet with a good friend I made last year who was in fact the brewery's tour guide.

I should be an expert by now.

Thursday was one of the best days for me. First, we went to an secret underground Soviet bunker in a town called Ligatne. It's cover name was "Vacation Hotel" for the political elite of the 1980s in case of a nuclear war. After being put in pairs, we were given a mission to find "Object X" by a Soviet General (in character, obviously). We were each given a small basic map of how to enter the bunker and a torch. It was pitch black down there. Every now and then, a man in a gas mask would appear in the light of our torches or waited right behind us. After spending about 45 minutes finding the object (radioactive liquid in a test tube), we had to report back to the General to record our time. Somehow, and I'm not sure how, my partner and I won first place in finding Object X.

My prize: a certificate (yay), a gas mask and a Soviet water canteen!

Afterwards, we drove to the town of Sigulda, where I also visited last year. Sigulda is known for its sports, with over 200 sports events each year. The Sigulda Luge and Bobsleigh Track is a training venue for Latvia's Olympic team, and hosts international and national scale competitions every season.

A tour of the track.

So you can guess what we did...

Courtesy of Azlee Ashraf.

Yes, that was me screaming. I couldn't help but think of one film: Cool Runnings!

The Latvian national team's bobsleigh.

By this point, the end of the week was nearing. One of the last activities we had the chance to do was a 2.4km Barefoot Nature Trail. I've never felt anything like it before. Unfortunately, I finished with two huge mosquito bites on my right leg. Just when I thought I'd escaped the mosquitoes!

Doing my PR duties.

It's impossible to write everything I did during my two weeks in Latvia as there was so much done, seen and said. It was great to be back in Valmiera and I'm sure I'll be back again. I will miss my new friends, my old friends, the fresh air and nature, the amazing intercultural conversations and, without a doubt, the delicious Latvian food! And, as always, I will treasure every memory made!

So many countries to visit!

Visu labu (all the best),

A Student Abroad

"When we are aware that each moment of each day, each gesture and step we take, is truly mystical and full of wonder, we will live our lives with greater thought and care." - Daisaku Ikeda

Work hard, play hard

2013-08-13T18:24:00.001+01:00

Saturday was the first and only day I took part in the 3-day city festival here in Valmiera. As I mentioned in my last post, my friend and I agreed to perform a Celtic dance together. An international dance for an international pair. When I woke up in the morning, I felt fairly confident about doing it. As the morning slowly passed, I felt slightly nervous. As I stood around the stage floor waiting for our turn to dance, my mind went blank and my legs turned to jelly. Being 14th in the line-up really didn't help. I had one strategy and one strategy only: just keep smiling.

Poster for Valmiera City Festival

Before the song and dance performance, the students had some time to work on their group projects and explore some of the festival events. I managed to see some of a youth fashion show, which looked as if it had an eco-friendly and/or recycled theme.

My favourite: Nescafe dress

Afterwards, my friends and I briefly walked into the shopping centre. I saw that a stall was selling homemade gingerbread cookies. I'm a sucker for any biscuit, cookie or cake. We didn't have much time to stop, so I had to resist my cravings. To distract me from my biscuit-hunger, my friends and I decided to take a photo at one of the stalls.

Modelling traditional countryside wear

It was time to dance. While people were putting on their Uzbek costumes or changing into their Italian football shirts, I simply tied my Union Jack scarf around my waist. It was more of a practical decision than a fashion choice. After all, I didn't want to keep fiddling with it when I shimmied or skipped!

Germany, Malaysia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Italy all in one photo.

I made a few mistakes here and there, and had to surpress my laughter every now and then but I think we did a pretty good job! Considering I'd only practised it three times, I'm rather proud. A cold, post-traumatic Latvian beer and two gingerbread cookies topped it off! Yes, I went back to buy them. I couldn't resist...

Voila!

Sunday was our day off. The day most of us were looking forward to. The day we could travel, relax and enjoy Latvia without any time constraints or pressure. Most of the students, including myself, travelled to Riga. This was my third time in Riga and, like the second time, everyone split into smaller groups. From then on, it was me, my Azerbaijani friend, my Uzbek friend and my Belarussian friend. I don't think you can get more international than that! The first thing we did - which was a first for me - was climb to the top of the Latvian Academy of Sciences building for a panoramic view of the city.

We went to the 17th floor.

Then our self-led tour continued. After a week of brilliant sunshine in Valmiera, dark clouds started to form over Riga. And you know what that means - rain! Luckily, we happened to be standing under a tree or in a shop whenever it started to pour.

I'll let the photos speak for themselves:

TV Tower (the tallest structure in the Baltic States)

Old Riga

Riga Central Market (one of the largest European city markets)

The Sun Stone (office building,
second highest structure in the Baltic States)

National Library of Latvia (founded in 1919)

I just had to...

Cat House

Look at that sky!

My beautiful friends.

My new furry friend.

The rain began to ease off and we had an idea to go to Jurmala, a resort town just 25km west of Riga. It was my first time getting a train in Latvia - a very different experience to trains in England. First of all, you can walk on the track. Secondly, you have to climb quite high to get on to the train itself (I don't know how elderly Latvians do it!) and thirdly, it seems much cheaper!

I love the beach!

My first cartwheel in 4 years.

Oh happy days.

After spending the afternoon at the beach, I can really understand why Latvians love nature.

"A smile is not a sign of happiness but the cause of happiness" - Daisaku Ikeda

Learning about lovely Latvia

2013-08-09T19:58:00.002+01:00

As the Baltic International Summer School continues, I'm learning more and more about this wonderful country that I have the pleasure to stay in once again.

My new facts about Latvia:

During Easter time, swinging on a large wooden swing apparently reduces the chance of mosquito bites in the summer (I wish I knew this last year!)
Girls and women wear crowns during Midsummer's Night celebrations to signify (and for married women, pretend) that they are not married.
Before Christianisation, Latvians believed in several gods. Now, Latvia is predominantly Lutheran, Catholic or Orthodox.
Latvians believe that the closer you are to nature, the closer you are to the universe.

Interesting, huh?

On Wednesday, I joined one of the programmes on their first trip to a nearby town called Cēsis. I went there twice last year, but I really wanted to go again. From Valmiera to Cēsis, we crossed one railway line a total or 7 times!

The students first met with the Vice-Mayor of Cēsis, Martins Malcenieks, to discuss the town's development and its tourism.

BISS students in action.

Afterwards, the content manager of this summer programme gave us a small tour - Cēsis is actually her hometown so we were lucky to have an insider's view. We walked towards the centre and came to Rose Square. Although there currently aren't any roses, the square was filled with roses before the Second World War, hence the name.

"Rose Square"

Lutheran church, built in approx. 1286.

The lantern has been the symbol of Cesis since 2004.

A gravestone in memory of those deported from Cesis by Stalin.

We then entered the medieval Livonian castle grounds to begin our organised tour of the ruins.

Magical!

Before starting, one of the organisers of a famous historical film festival held in the castle itself gave us a small talk on the ins and out of the event. Then, the castle tour began... Some people, including myself, were given lanterns to take into the ruins later on in the tour.

You can see the excitement!

Dressed in traditional servant clothing of the time, our guide gave us a very thorough and vivid tour of the castle, describing the typical scenery, which rooms were where and who lived here. Our first impressions were that royalty lived here, a king and queen perhaps. But instead, friar monks and knights lived here. She described their living conditions in such detail, from their dietary limits to their prayer timings.

Our wonderful tour guide.

At this point, I was engrossed in everything she was saying... Until I felt the sudden urge to be sick. Out of nowhere, I felt like I was going to faint. I couldn't see anything; everything around me was glaring white. I'm not one to usually fuss. Normally I would have just let this moment of sickness pass and carry on with the tour but something really didn't feel right. I stumbled towards the content manager and whispered "I don't feel very well". I handed my lantern to one of the students out of fear that I would drop it. She sat me down as I mumbled different things. I just remember saying "I'm sorry" a lot! Eventually, she went to fetch for the castle's receptionist and they took me into a cool room where I sat while the tour went on. I really wanted to see more of the ruins but, over the years, I've come to realise that health is very important. After all, I'm 20 now. I have to take these things more seriously!

After pulling myself together, I joined the group again and we headed to a nearby lake for a quick swim. I wasn't sure whether to swim or not (I'd brought my bikini) but after having that strange heatstroke attack, I didn't think it was wise.

Latvian lakes are a thing of beauty.

So that was Cēsis. It was definitely a different experience to last year! In the evening, in traditional BISS style, we had the International Snack Party. People had piles of food on their allotted tables, particularly the Italians (yum!) Some of my friends may remember me worrying about which food to take - perhaps scones, shortbread, curry... Only joking! In the end, I brought some angel cake slices with me. Simple, delicious and English.

It was all gone by the end of the night.

There's one more bit of UK 'repping' I have to do here in Latvia. Valmiera City Festival started yesterday, 3 days of celebration and unity. BISS students are required to participate in the song and dance performances. I've been racking my brain about what to do. Sing the national anthem? An Irish dance? Sing an Adele song? Just when I thought I was out of ideas (sensible ones), my friend from Denmark said that she was performing a Celtic dance alone. Celts... Ireland... UK - sorted! The summer school staff wanted to see what each country had prepared the same evening. I learned the dance in 10 minutes and performed with all my heart (and with inevitable laughter). I'll wear my Union Jack scarf to top it all off.

I was asked to join the other programme's first field trip yesterday for Facebook coverage. With plenty of water in my bag and a promised lake swim, I couldn't refuse. I was also able to get to know the other group a bit better.

We had three different stops:

I would live there.

1) Ametciems village - a beautiful village consisting of eco-friendly and naturally-made houses. The original swampland was bought by a successful entrepreneur years ago. He dug up the swamps to build his home, and soon asked his friends to join him on the land. He now sells land to people to build their homes. There are no fences so wild animals can roam freely and one part of each house must contain logs.

As the village's representative said, "This is an example of how one person's dreams can come true."

2) Vestiena parish, the main trip location

Vestiena, meaning Latvia's hat, is the highest place in the Vidzeme region.

After exploring the protected landscape, the students had to split into groups and present ways in which the place could develop activities to increase tourism. The food and Kala Lake (the largest lake of Vestiena) was enough for me! I even went on a peddle boat and sailed out into the serene lake with some Polish friends.

Sunset over Kala Lake.

3) A small animal sanctuary

As we left Vestiena, we weren't really told where we were going. Only that we weren't going home yet. Driving along a narrow path, we saw a white billy goat in the distance. The coach stopped and when we got off, it was as if we had entered another world. There were hens, chickens, geese, ducks, a dog, a cat and 400 different types of flowers in one garden. It was an eco-friendly animal sanctuary.

After exploring the garden, we were taken to a hill top where we made our own candle over a cup of tea and cake. We said three wishes - one for the world, one for our country and a personal wish - and then folded bee's wax into a small candle.

Don't worry, there was a rope holding it back.

As you can probably guess, I'm very tired but I'm enjoying every single experience. There is one good thing about this heat: the mosquitoes don't like it!

It feels like déjà vu

2013-08-06T20:24:00.002+01:00

Labvakar (or good evening in English)

You're probably wondering why I'm writing in Latvian (well, those of you who know Latvian) and why I'm writing my blog after such a long time. Since leaving Latvia last summer, and telling my Latvian friends "I'll be back", little did I know how soon that would be. Yes, I'm back. I keep my promises! I'm working for the same university in the same town and with some of the same people.

This year, I'm working as the PR Assistant for the Baltic International Summer School, which - if you remember - I took part in and filmed last summer. It is the 15th summer school hosted by the university, with 64 students for 17 different countries taking part this time.

I actually departed from England and arrived in Latvia on my 20th birthday. Yet another birthday in Latvia! With two fully-packed suitcases, I had to leave my house at 4.45am to get to the airport. Luckily, I was excited enough about it being my birthday that my brain woke up quite quickly! After boarding my plane at Luton Airport, it eventually sunk in that I was going to Latvia again. As soon as I arrived in Riga, the capital city of Latvia, it really started to feel like déjà vu. Arriving in Valmiera, the same small town I stayed in last year, it felt like I'd never left! Apart from staying in a different student hostel, the town's new bridge and different BISS participants, everything else is the same!

The new bridge.

One thing though: I did briefly forget that the cars in Latvia drive on the other side of the road to England. When I was on the BISS coach from Riga to Valmiera, I looked down at the car driving beside me and didn't see anyone! For a split second, I thought no one was driving the car. I think it's good to have those moments of madness at the beginning of your adventure. Perhaps it was the heat. The weather is amazing here in Latvia!

As well as doing all things PR - social media, press releases etc. - I have the chance to participate in the summer school's lectures. There are two programmes happening simultaneously, but I've been joining the "International Tourism and Event Management" classes. It's only been two days but I've learned so much more about Latvian heritage, culture and a bit more of the language, and have made a few good friends. I've realised I know the town of Valmiera like the back of my hand, including all the shortcuts and random trivia to amuse my new BISS friends.

Trying to learn each other's name with a name game.

It has felt so lovely to see my old friends! I still have a few more to see, but Valmiera is a small enough town that I should probably see them before my two weeks in Latvia come to an end. Here's to another summer in the Baltics - hooray!

"It is important to keep the promises made to friends. This is the true meaning of friendship. To become people who can do so, however, we must first learn to keep the promises we have made to ourselves." - Daisaku Ikeda

Et voilà - the end of my French fantasy

2012-12-21T13:18:00.001+00:00

A new beginning or the beginning of the end?

My time in France is slowly coming to an end with just three days until I board the plane to go back home. For good this time. Well, until next time anyway. That indescribable feeling of finishing the last exam - and the dread of last minute packing - has urged me to write another post.

Over the past four months, I've:

Made the most amazing new friends, including some fellow French classmates, members of the university's newspaper association and not forgetting "the Americans"...

The original family.

SkemaNews - my second family.

My France best friend.

Gotten used to a whole new school system - mainly the exams...

I tried my best!

Eaten new food - snails to be more precise...

And made new memories, memories that will stay with me forever and forever.

So there you have it, my successful second time abroad and the end of my Erasmus adventure. I'll try not to cry on the plane, but I cannot guarantee anything. The thought of snuggling up in a blanket, watching old-school Christmas films and cuddling with the cat is keeping me going though. I haven't stayed in England for more than 2 weeks in nearly 7 months. Hopefully nothing has changed too much and I won't experience reverse culture shock - and yes, I did Google it.

Where to next? I hope for my next adventure to be in Egypt, but you never know what might happen. I could end up in New York, Tokyo or even the south of France again. I will go wherever my heart takes me (without sounding too cheesy).

Note to self: buy a bigger suitcase or pack less clothes!

Like I said in my last speech, if you ever get the opportunity to go to a country that you've never heard of or know little about, I encourage you to go. You will come back richer in friendship, knowledge and, above all, in culture. That's all from me. Time to pack (or, more accurately, squeeze everything into my suitcase).

Over and out,

A Student Abroad.

"Everything passes. Both soaring joys and crushing sorrows fade away like a dream. However, the knowledge of having lived one’s life to the fullest never disappears" - Daisaku Ikeda

Time to start saying goodbye (or au revoir)

2012-12-15T12:23:00.000+00:00

Wow, haven't these past 4 months flown by? I remember when I'd just moved into my apartment and panicking because the wi-fi wasn't working. But since then, the wi-fi has served me well - apart from a few glitches when Skyping - successfully accompanying me through 4 months of studying [and procrastinating - but we won't dwell on that one].

As well as few projects and presentations, I have completed two out of five "finals", one being for Speech where I delivered an informative speech about how amaaaazing Latvia is for a holiday destination, delving into its rich history, the language and the traditions. And yes, I mentioned being the only non-white person in my town of residence. I just had to. A few minutes before giving my speech, I did start to imagine how the class would react from me saying that. Would they look at me in complete horror? Would they see the humour in the idea? Are they actually going to be listening to me?

Luckily, some people giggled. I did say it with some sentiment though: to not be afraid to explore, embrace cultures and share your own. I decided not to mention the one black man I saw though. Goodbye Speech, it's been a pleasure.

I took my second final exam for Business and Professional Writing yesterday. I spent all day before memorising three case studies. It's all well and good doing that, but I always find that two minutes before the exam, you get a sudden wave of stress. Hardcore stress. While the clock is counting down until you must enter the exam room, the following scenario vividly plays out in your head: you sit down in your allocated seat, desperately trying to hold on to each and every word memorised and then your trusted mind goes entirely blank. Luckily, this didn't happen and the exam went well. Goodbye "BPW", as it's most commonly known.

Among the great friends I have made in France are not only the other international students but also the Buddhists I met too.

Our last Buddhist meeting/party together.

I may not have understood every French word they said in the Buddhist meetings... but they never failed to make me laugh.

Definitely one to remember.

I'm trying to keep this experience alive by soaking up as much sun as possible (I've heard so many horror stories about the weather in England) and eating as many French breakfasts as possible, consisting of a few croissants, coffee and pain au raisin. Yes, you read that right: coffee. I never drank coffee before coming to France. I'm undoubtedly an English tea girl. I never knew how one sip of sweet coffee would be so addicting. Last month, I went through a phase of drinking coffee every day. I was neglecting my tea bags.

As the days went by, I became well aware of this developing coffee habit and knew I had to do something about it before it got serious. I started to slowly wean myself off the coffee and go cold turkey. It was hard, I'm not going to lie, but tea is my true hot drink. Now I'm just drinking coffee every now and then until I leave.

I suppose one good thing has come out of it: I have plenty of tea bags left over for my last week in France!

"The differences between people need not act as barriers that wound, harm and drive us apart. Rather, these very differences among cultures and civilisations should be valued as manifestations of the richness of our shared creativity" - Daisaku Ikeda

Feeling the Christmas spirit in France

2012-12-09T10:31:00.000+00:00

Yesterday was the first Saturday in a long time that I haven't stayed in my room all day studying - and it felt so good to be out again. Okay, I'm making it sound like I've been imprisoned in my room for 3 months. It's not that bad, honest. It just felt good giving myself a break away from the stress of university work and to enjoy the south of France once again! On a bitterly cold (but sunny) Saturday afternoon, my friends and I decided to check out Noël à Nice - the Christmas market. This was not procrastination, by the way.

And so we arrive: Nice by day.

I've never seen Nice so busy before: it was heaving with people! My friend and I decided to have a quick look at the market stalls, while we waited for our friend (who had an exam) to come and join us. We kept to a policy of "just looking, not buying" until our friend came - but it was so hard. Everywhere I looked I saw something adorable. Hand-decorated mosaic mirrors, jewellery of all kinds, homemade gingerbread and even different flavours of tea! How I resisted buying the chocolate orange tea, I'll never know.

Preeeetty.

Our main plan was to go ice-skating on the outdoor rink, but time just flew as we were being dazzled by little Christmas goodies. About an hour later, our friend had arrived in Nice so we left the market for a brief moment to meet her near the train station. It was time to do some shopping. On our way back to the market, it had already gotten dark. You know what that means... Christmas lights!

Nice by night.

Lovely Christmas decorations!

Trying to be sensible, I only brought a little bit of cash out with me, otherwise I would have bought everything in sight. The great thing about market stalls is that you can "haggle" you way to a good deal and our precious student Euros can go a long way. We saw a crowd of people so, like people do, we went to have a look. A man, a very talented man, was making clay pots - a different one each time - and giving them to people.

My pot in the making.

My best part of the evening was getting a free clay pot. The worst part was trying to get a freshly-made clay pot home without someone bumping into me. Guess what? Someone bumped into me. Luckily, it had already started drying so there wasn't too much damage done. From that point on, I held on to it for dear life. Well, as much as I could with two shivering hands. With that said, I nearly dropping it on the train ride home when trying to save my friend's pot from falling... But it survived:

"Mum, I made this for you!"

The pot looks quite big in the photo above, but it's actually smaller than my hand. I might paint it... but then I don't want to ruin it, especially after all the trauma it went through just to stay in one piece! I'm not sure how it's going to be transported home safely, but if it can survive being knocked over twice, I'm sure it can survive a 2-hour plane journey.

And so to my best photo of the night:

I want this in my house. Now.

I am definitely in the Christmas mood now. We plan to return to the market, with more friends and slightly more money, and ice-skate! And maybe get another pot:

"Could I have another, I mean, a beautiful clay pot? Oh no, you've never seen me before Monsieur."

These next two weeks are going to be hectic for me. 5 final exams, 2 assignments and 1 presentation later, I shall be packing up my room, saying my goodbyes and catching a flight home. Oh gosh, the packing - *sad face*

"The important thing is to firmly fix our gaze on our own weaknesses, not run away from them, but to battle them head-on and establish a solid self that nothing can sway" - Daisaku Ikeda

Three weeks...

2012-11-30T21:54:00.002+00:00

A strange pattern has emerged. This is the third time I am writing my blog after three weeks. You're slacking, Gabrielle. Clearly, this means that a lot has happened in the meantime so I will try to give you a brief but interesting overview of "the latest" in my life.

As most of you know, all the classes I do at my French university centre on the subject of Communication, but there's one that I have warmed to the most: Writing for Multi-Media. Not only is it taught by a professional freelance journalist (who works for the New York Times) but it also focuses on what I want to do in life - write. As our teacher is "in the know", she managed to get one of her professional friends named Jeanne Oliver to come in and talk about her travel website, a website with all the information you need to know about Croatia. She took us through the ins and outs of setting a website up, looking for inspiration, facing competition and keeping up-to-date with the time. But this got me thinking... maybe I could create a website one day. But, of course, there's no rush.

Talking of travelling, I've made another crazy life decision. I want to do an internship in Egypt. And yes, I've already applied and had a Skype interview for it. I told you a lot can happen in three weeks! I know what you're probably thinking: why Egypt? Well, I'll tell you. After announcing to my housemate about wanting to do an internship in Egypt, his initial reaction was "don't go there, it's dangerous", and that got me thinking. My response to him was "I want to see what we see in the media for myself". A typical Gabrielle response, but it's true. Of course, I see his point. There has been a major uprising and revolution, but if everyone had that sort of preconception about certain cultures, no-one would travel! I've always been fascinated with the ancient history of the country and I want to see how the culture is now, in this day and age.

Blame it on The Mummy.

Because I'm in France, I'm unable to do a face-to-face interview in England (obviously) so I managed to arrange a Skype interview - my first Skype interview. I was quite nervous at first. What do I wear? I should make my bed. What if the internet randomly cuts off? Who calls who? I am happy to say that despite my initial nerves, the interview went very well. I think I may have kept looking at myself on-screen, but nevertheless I said everything I wanted to say, I was honest and, most importantly, I didn't panic. A few days later, I received an email saying they were impressed with my responses and were sending my interview transcript to the national office for final acceptance. That's good enough for me!

I have also completed my second and last set of midterms for the semester. I think they went well, especially my speech. We were assigned to write and perform a persuasive speech. The first thing that came to mind was the abolition of nuclear weapons, so I did it. It's something I feel quite strongly about and I wanted that to come across in my speech. My speech began with a hypothetical situation, asking the audience to imagine they were the President of the most powerful country in the world and they had just been attacked by a neighbouring country - do you press the "red button" on your desk (which would instantly fire a nuclear missile) or not? After telling a few anecdotes and shocking facts, my speech was over. My teacher came to the front and said to the class, "we should be throwing flowers at Gabrielle, she had total conviction". The best [unexpected] compliment I could have wished for! It truly made my day.

What next? Ah, yes. Thanksgiving. I have celebrated my first Thanksgiving with my amazing American friends in France. That's a story for the grandchildren. The food was delicious: turkey, sweet potato pie, stuffing, the lot! And because we were hosting it at our house, my housemates and I were able to enjoy the leftovers.

Nom nom nom.

Well, I for one think that this is a successful summary of my life over the last three weeks. I am currently bombarded with project upon project, leading up to "finals" - like midterms, only these are at the end of the semester. I'll try to write another blog post soon, but if three weeks pass again, I'll be writing it in England!

I'd better make the most of my time left then, i.e. eat as many fresh croissants as humanly possible. Au revoir!

Paris: the city of romance and crêpes

2012-11-09T18:56:00.000+00:00

I was doing my early morning browsing of the internet for the latest news and gossip (like ya do) and something suddenly sparked. I remembered my blog has gone three whole weeks without word nourishment!

Where to start, where to start. Ah yes, midterms. Who could ever forget midterms? Despite having a terrible cold, I managed to complete all of my midterms to the best of my ability. The easy part was over... the hardest part for me is waiting for the results. Every lecturer (or teacher) is different. Some like to be organised and mark them all in time for next week's class. Some are the complete opposite and have to prioritise which exam papers to mark when. And there are some who literally mark them in class a week after the exam. This happened for my 5th midterm. I was astonished... And I got 100%! Admittedly, there was a little party of Gabrielle's dancing around in my head.

During the days of having a cold, I had to give a 5-minute informative speech about Daisaku Ikeda, President of SGI (the Buddhist organisation I belong to and the author of most quotes on my blog). It took me about a day to write, including gathering research. It was quite hard to condense one amazing man's life down to 5 minutes, but I think I did a pretty damn good job considering! I received a better grade than the last one. I just need to work on slowing down when I speak. It can't be that hard, can it?

While preparing to go to Paris, which includes packing, unpacking and then packing again, it was announced that the Halloween party that my university was hosting had to be postponed, leaving it up to the international students to find an alternative. I was told at the last minute that my house was being used for the emergency venue. I wasn't planning on going to the original party. I had no costume. I did what any girl would do and smothered red lip gloss all over my chin and chest (I don't own red lipstick) - how to be a vampire in 10 seconds. I would just like to advise anyone going on holiday to never ever have a party the night before. Ever. Just for the sake of being full conscious when you reach your destination. It was fun though!

I was an innocent vampire.

So I managed to wake up in time, finish my packing (I'm getting better at it) and meet my friends on the bus to the airport with my housemate. As I got on the bus, I noticed that one of our friends was not there - hence my prior advice. That was the first thing that went wrong. The second was even worse. We'd found a brilliant apartment to stay in through a very reliable website. Us being us, we waited until the last possible moment to collect our money together and book one... sitting on the bus, our booking was rejected. So we were packed, on the bus to the airport and HOMELESS. Despite freaking out inside, we couldn't help but laugh at the situation. No matter what was going to happen, we were going to Paris. We sent quite a few emails to some apartment landlords and eventually got a response! We were happy again.

She made it to the airport!

As soon as we landed in Paris, the cold and rain hit us. Thank goodness I brought my big coat with me. We eventually made it to the apartment, after asking the local residents and trailing our suitcases behind us a few miles. We met the landlord, were given a quick tour of the apartment, dumped our bags and went hunting for food. The boys did some heavy-duty grocery shopping. The girls, on the other hand, decided that since we were in Paris, we'll go out to eat every night. We were on holiday after all! Plus, we were living on a great road for food. It was lined with cinemas so there were crêpe stands everywhere!

My first photo in Paris.

Guess what my first meal in Paris was? Can't guess? It was Chinese. We really should have eaten something French but we vowed that we eat something French before we left Paris.

It was an amazing 4 days and 5 nights...

My first sight of the Eiffel Tower.

Tourist pose #1: Place de la Concorde.

The Pharaoh and I.

One of the most famous streets in the world.

Tourist pose #2: Arc de Triomphe.

Tourist pose #3: Eiffel Tower.

Inner thoughts: "I'm so excited!"

My best experience of Paris was going to the top of the Eiffel Tower. It was freezing cold, we had to queue for just over an hour but we met some interesting people and saw some beautiful sights of the city.

Going up...

Watching the sun set from the Eiffel Tower.

Red nose!

The lights came on afterwards.

Eiffel Tower aglow!

Dinner #2: Italian (we are naughty tourists!)

After seeing the main sights in the centre of Paris, we took a trip to the Palace of Versailles. The sun came out just for us!

There it is!

Le chateau.

The famous Hall of Mirrors.

One of many gardens.

In awe at art and the garden landscapes, we hopped on a train (we paid, of course). Some were more eager than others:

A photo had to be taken.

The next day, the touristic spree continued - the Louvre Museum. The queue was horrendously long. My friend and I and two of the boys decided to have a race. First one to the Mona Lisa wins. My friend had been before so she knew a quicker way to get in. After pushing through the crowds and taking pictures to prove we had seen the Mona Lisa, we made our way out with glee written all over our faces.

The largest Louvre pyramid.

We beat you boys!

We entered the main hallway, looked up and the boys were standing in front of us. I felt like screaming "noooooooooooooo!" but I just smiled sweetly and said "have fun in there!" instead.

Notre Dame Cathedral.

After sightseeing, we decided to play a game. We got on the Metro, said a number (8, for example) and we would get off at the 8th stop. We ended up in Vincennes, a town in the suburbs of Paris.

But then the game got a bit more serious. We got on the RER (the overground train in Paris) and, without saying a number, ended up going to Disneyland "by accident". We didn't actually pay to go in the park but did have a nice little wander around the store.

Proof!

Just kidding.

As I said before, one of my main goals for Paris was to try some real French cuisine, not just croissants and baguettes, but the hardcore stuff!

Either escargot or cuisses de grenouille - or in English, snails or frog's legs. We were roaming the streets, looking at the menus in every restaurant window to find the suitable meal. Eventually, we found one. It was 11pm. We were the only customers left. My entrée was escargot. My friend grabbed my camera and documented every move I made.

Snails covered in garlic.

Gradually realising that I was about to eat snails.

Now I've done all the touristic stuff, I will return to Paris to experience the true Paris. The Midnight in Paris experience.

Voilà! Midterm madness, Halloween hangovers and Parisian paradise. What else could possibly happen in my last month and a half here? We shall have to wait and see...

In the words of Audrey Hepburn, "Paris is always a good idea".

Mixed veg, midterms and mountains

2012-10-20T16:42:00.000+01:00

As I was sitting in my room, highlighter pen in hand ready to attack the lecture notes surrounding me, I suddenly realised that I have neglected my blog for over 2 weeks now. Obviously, with being in France time is going very fast and consequently a lot of different things happen everyday. I think it might be quite boring telling you everything, so I'll just capture and condense it all down for you. And no, this isn't an excuse to procrastinate...

To begin, my housemate and I decided to cook a traditional Sunday roast dinner for our group of international friends. Little did we know how much time it would take to cook using a microwave oven. 4 whole hours to cook roast pork, roast potatoes, mixed vegetables and homemade Yorkshire puddings.

Yum!

I've sat 4 midterms so far. Luckily for me, the modules I have chosen each entail all that I am most interested in: film and journalism. I'm one of those people that prefer to study alone, in solitude and isolation, revising in my own time and being able to gather my own thoughts. But seeing as I'm in France, I thought it would be best to change it up a bit - to find a "study buddy". My friend offered for me to come to his home not far from Antibes to study for our film midterm (my second midterm). I hopped on the train for the first time (buying my ticket speaking in French only), met my friend and then we drove to his house.

When he said he lived on the mountains, I thought he was joking... He was serious.

Welcome to Saint Jeannet

I thought he was joking.

I must admit that I was in awe at the idyllic village and views for the most part of our study session.

A week after my first midterm for Business and Professional Writing, we were sitting in the lecture and the teacher said those words that no student ever wants to hear: "I have marked your tests..." Whilst squinting my eyes, my exam paper was put in front of me. With one eye open, I looked at the percentage written at the top of the front page... 98%! Both eyes were wide open at this point. Speechless.

A few exams ticked off the list, my friend and I decided to visit the legendary Monaco, less than an hour away from Antibes by train. We already knew the shopping prices in Monaco wouldn't fit our student budgets so we spent most of the time sightseeing and window shopping.

Monaco train station - a bit too excited?

A small chapel.

Paradise...

Mountains!

For our viewing pleasures ONLY.

My car.

Creative photography right here.

An "underground" nightclub.

Buddha Bar!

Just for the Union Jack.

My Monaco masterpiece.

There is so much more to be seen in Monaco, but the party in Cannes the night before made my friend and I exhausted by the time we had finished walking around the shopping mall. I'll definitely be back though.

I'm currently getting over my second flu whilst being here, which isn't easy to do when you have lectures almost everyday, a compulsory fitness class, the pressure of exams and weekly French lessons (which are going rather well by the way). Ginger tea, despite its gag-inducing taste, is my current lifesaver. I'm halfway through getting rid of my husky voice before my fifth and final midterm on Monday, a 5-minute informative speech.

So I've given you a very quick overview of a fortnight in Gabrielle's French life. Oh and before I forget, we've finally booked our tickets to Paris! 5 days of pondering the Parisian panorama and trying not to spend too much money - yeah, right!

Bringing out the American in me...

2012-10-05T17:12:00.003+01:00

I've been in France for just over a month now and it feels like I've been here at least a year. I got the same feeling when I was in Latvia. I can't help but think how strange it's going to feel when I'm back in England - for good this time.

Sunday was a very big day for me. As I've mentioned before, I'm a Buddhist and belong to Soka Gakkai International (SGI), an international Buddhist network. SGI has cultural centres all over Europe and it just so happens that there is one in the south of France, in a small town called Trets to be more specific. There was a meeting for all the Buddhists in the local area, where we studied the writings of Nichiren Daishonin. It was all in French but was thankfully translated into English for me and an American woman.

I made it!

The butsudan (to protect the Gohonzon inside)

Just behind Trets: La Montagne de Saint Victoire.

My mum has often raved about "Trets" (this centre) and the atmosphere surrounding it, but I think it's one of those things that you have to experience for yourself to truly understand. Now, I understand...

I'm really starting to see the difference between American and British English when in conversation with other international students.

Here is a list of my observations so far:

bathroom - toilet

class - lecture

course - module

store - shop

study - revise

schedule - timetable

I've found myself starting to use American English in some situations, just for ease of conversation. After all, one has to adapt to one's environment, correct?

"Do you have a lec... class tomorrow?"

I had my first midterm on Wednesday. I think it went well; I tried my best anyway! That was just one of 5 exams, with two more coming up next week. I'd better get on with this "studying" then...

1 down, 4 to go.

"The discovery of commonalities bridges the distance between people’s hearts" - Daisaku Ikeda

Tropic thunder

2012-09-29T08:50:00.000+01:00

I woke up on Monday morning, fresh and ready to begin a long day of two 3-hour lectures... until I looked out of my balcony window and saw this:

The "sunny" south of France.

It was like I'd just entered a parallel world. The blue skies of Antibes were no more. Heavy clouds formed and rain almost instantly started to beat down. It was worse than any rain I've experienced in England (I've had my fair share of rain experiences), and that's saying something! I was dressed for a average hot day in the South - shorts and a simple top - so I took necessary precautions before I left: I took off my flip-flops and put on some leather boots. As long as I had my umbrella, I was fine.

But I wasn't fine. Something wasn't right. My throat started to tingle and I knew this was the onslaught of, and I hesitate to say this, a cold! Sitting in my lectures, I tried to ignore the symptoms. But I had to accept my fate eventually. I wasn't the only one with a cold; I think the sudden change in temperature got to everybody. My friends recommended I drink ginger tea so, instead of buying a couple of tea bags, I bought some root ginger to make it myself. The tea I made was very, very strong, so strong that it had to have some effect on me in one way or another. There's nothing worse than sitting in a lecture and constantly being distracted by a runny nose or itchy throat or, even worse, the fear to talk with a hoarse voice (especially in my Speech class).

I was quite worried to go to my fitness class on Wednesday because 1) it was my third day of having a cold, the peak of the symptoms if you will and 2) I had been moved to the late evening class and it would take me at least an hour to get home. But I'm a fighter you see. I went, accompanied by a friend who was also sick. We had to do cardiovascular endurance tests which completely took my mind off my cold. I was sweating it out of me (excuse the imagery). I'd say this was Day 1 of recovery.

We had our first family meal in a while on Thursday, a homely casserole, cooked by my dear Filipino friends. This made me feel a whole lot better!

The master at work.

As a consequence of my poor immune system, most of my weekend will be spent studying. I was meant to do my homework during the week but the comfort of stuffing my face with piles of biscuits took priority. C'est la vie.

"It is precisely because we battle with sickness that we are able to experience firsthand the best and worst in life, allowing us to forge the strength within ourselves that will never succumb. That time of struggle enables one to empathise with the suffering of the sick" - Daisaku Ikeda

My first...

2012-09-23T15:04:00.001+01:00

This week has been pretty hectic on the university front - hectic but full of fruitful first-time experiences, of course.

I had to deliver my first assessed speech on Monday. I had the whole 3-minute talk typed out in large font. I'd planned when to put emphasis certain words, when to slow down particular sentences. I'd even planned where to look during the speech. As soon as I got up to the podium, I actually thought I was going to melt. I felt like a best man at a wedding who forgets to prepare a speech but decides to make the most of his time in the spotlight anyway.

I know how you feel, bud.

I could just tell I was talking a bit too fast. I'm a native English speaker (it's in my nature!) and I was nervous! This isn't my first time doing public speaking. I've even danced in front of a thousand people before. This was different. I was being judged, I mean graded, and this grade will go on my transcript sent back to my home university. The deed was done and I eventually stopped shaking after about 10 minutes. It can only get better from here, right?

I'm sure I was better than this guy though:

I had my first fitness class on Wednesday evening. It wasn't until I got into my gym gear that I realised everyone around me was speaking in French - including the instructor! I was just going to wing it, but it got to the point where I had to say something. I couldn't just constantly nod in agreement at everything she was saying. Luckily, she told me she would just explain the structure of the class in French but then instruct the actual moves in English - phew!

Beautiful sunset from my bedroom window

in the midst of trying to do homework.

The rest of my week - lectures, lectures and more lectures to be exact - went swimmingly well. Talking of swimming, I went to the beach in Juan-les-Pins on Saturday and swam (well, floated) for the first time since being here in France. I'll definitely be returning...

Today, my friend and I went to the flea market in Antibes. It only happens twice a year, so we thought we'd go along and see what was happening. Little did we know how many amazing bargains and antiques there would be.

This was just part of it.

Luckily I only took a small amount of cash, otherwise I would have bought everything in sight. We used some leftover cash to treat ourselves to one of the best French meals (in my opinion, that is).

Not my first Croque Madame.

“The important thing is to take that first step. Bravely overcoming one small fear gives you the courage to take on the next” - Daisaku Ikeda

Come on girls!

2012-09-16T21:41:00.000+01:00

I have lectures everyday apart from Thursdays, so Thursday has become my best day of the week. A day to have a break from learning (academic stuff anyway) and time to explore my surroundings! My housemate, my friend and I took the bus to Juan-les-Pins, a town in the west of Antibes.

Juan-les-Pins: sun, sea and shopping central!

Before heading to the beach, we took a stroll around the town. My American housemate (who speaks French) arrived in France a week before I did and stayed at a hotel in Juan-les-Pins, so he knows the area quite well.

Visiting the hotel: my friend's new best friend!

A beautiful park in the shade.

Even though I didn't have a bikini, I was still tempted to get in the water. I've never seen the ocean so blue before...

Fight the temptation, Gabrielle!

Wow, what a view!

A model in the making.

I'm trying so hard not to be jealous.

Luckily, the crave for food dragged me away.

Galette with cheese.

La Mikado: cream, white chocolate ice cream,

hot chocolate cause and Mikado sticks (oh, and a crêpe).

Complimentary cider (or cidre).

After a 3-hour lecture on Friday, I arranged to meet some family friends in Antibes for dinner who moved from England to the south of France last year. Little did I know how surreal it would feel... And I had the biggest crème brûlée ever.

And, of course, a photo to commemorate the moment.

As the boys had gone to Spain for the weekend, it was up to the girls to go on their own adventure to Nice once again! Our plan for Saturday was to go to Cap 3000, the largest shopping mall in the region. The only problem was we didn't know exactly where it was. We got off the bus, intending to walk and occasionally ask for directions until we found it.

It's like I haven't left England!

But as per usual, We got a bit sidetracked:

Bacon, steak and cheese baguette with homemade chips.

My future yacht.

Three hours later, we arrived at Cap 3000. We must have walked the whole length of Nice. We seriously wanted to kiss the floor when we arrived. My legs were killing me; I went to the toilet just to sit down!

Our final destination - Cap 3000 shopping mall.

It was worth it though:

"Muuuuum, I want this in my bedroom"

With our full tourist looks (camera in hand, gazing at the sights), we were firmly told "no photography allowed". My bad...

Living life the French way!

And so to Sunday, the supposed day of rest... not for us international students. We travel at every chance we get! To celebrate my housemate's birthday, the girls decided to visit "Marineland", an animal exhibition park in Antibes.

An interesting breakfast: homemade doughnuts, a good attempt

at making crêpes and microwave-cooked bacon.

My friend's birthday cake (and our second breakfast).

Humboldt penguin.

South American sea lion.

And pose!

Baryonyx.

Apatosaure.

Coelophysis.

Omnisaure.

Triceratops.

Allosaure.

Triceratops.

It looks like it's singing!

The one and only T-Rex.

Dimetrodon.

Dilophosaure (or the chicken dinosaur to my friends and I)

It was so hot that even the T-Rex was sweating!

The famous Jurassic Park eye.

Our "scared" looks.

Poseidon, king of the ocean.

Titanic!

"I'm flying Jack, I'm flying"

Pingu!

Waddle waddle:

Mum and her pup!

"I can see you..."

The sea lion show (and yep, I got splashed):

Sea lion tricks!

And to my favourite part of the day:

Bottlenose dolphins!

Flips!

They lifted him into the air!

Then they pushed him back to the ledge.

Picture perfect!

My childhood is now complete.

I don't usually like coffee but this is something special!

I'm a turtle!

The real deal.

Dun dun, dun dun

Rrraaaawwrrrr!

A great way to end a great birthday and weekend!

The birthday girl in the middle!

An eventful week indeed!

2012-09-13T00:34:00.000+01:00

I'm only halfway through my first week of lectures and I am officially knackered.

The only annoying thing about the university I'm studying at in France is that the necessary buildings are not all in the same location. The main building (SKEMA 1) is at the heart of the campus if you like, and then where all the undergraduate lectures are held in is up on a hill! That's no exaggeration... My friend and I had lectures at the same time on Monday. We were running slightly late (those darn sandwiches) so we decided to take a shortcut. But this wasn't a normal shortcut. Oh, no. Far from it. Both in flip-flops, we literally walked into the surrounding forest and hiked up a hill, tripping over fallen branches, avoiding falling down holes and getting eaten by mosquitoes. I thought I'd left those behind in Latvia! As some of you know, when I do something crazy like this I start laughing hysterically, and I mean hysterically, which slowed me down. Eventually we made it out of the other end relatively safe and sound. Thinking back, I don't think it actually saved us any time but it was definitely an interesting experience. One that I will NEVER do again.

The scene of the crime.

I've found many interesting things walking around Antibes (including random condom machines - sorry kids) but this has to be the strangest so far:

Uh oh...

You don't even need to speak French

to understand what this says!

Curious, my friends and I walked in... and then walked straight back out! We needed something to take our minds off what we saw: a bit of Chinese should do it. We were served by a very friendly Cambodian man, who gave us his best recommendations of what to eat.

All of this for 13 euros!

I've been eating very well since being here. Cooking and eating as a group of friends definitely makes things easier in terms of time and money. Plus, it's great to have company and laughter to take your mind away from assignments. It's only been 4 days! The more lectures I have, the more I'm noticing the differences between English and French schooling systems. I'm so used to just writing essays in England. I'll only have one to write this semester and many exams instead. I'm trying my best to adapt to new ways, honest!

Looking out of my window calms me right down...

Gallons of tea also helps.

My kettle - okay, it's a coffee maker but it does the job!

Sadly, my friends and I aren't going to Spain this weekend. We need to save up for a weekend trip to Paris in October. It's my housemate's birthday on Sunday so we'll find something fun to do... students always do!

A weekend in the Riviera

2012-09-09T17:52:00.000+01:00

McDonalds is so yesterday! It's all about Quick, a French chain of hamburger fast food restaurants.

I'm not making it up!

The thing that makes this restaurant so different from any other is that they don't salt the fries behind the counter. They leave it up to diners to do it themselves: strategic and healthy[ish]. I think McDonalds could learn a lesson or two from them.

I've just had my first weekend in France, full of sightseeing, shopping (mostly window shopping) and last but certainly not least, food. The weather is just too good here to stay inside so the gang decided to go to Nice, the fifth largest city in France, a 30 minute bus ride from Antibes for only €1...

Train on the grass.

Beautiful Baroque-inspired architecture.

A bit cheeky!

"Conversation à Nice”: one of seven statues in the
Massena Square, representing communication between the seven continents.

The mountains in the distance.

I am SO getting in one of those next time.

Not really sure what that is... but it looks cool!

Rolex: wishful thinking...

Breakfast at Tiffany's.

There's no harm in looking.

Nestling in the mountains.

So many restaurants to choose from!

Ice cream for lunch?

The shopping mall.

Look at that design!

We definitely have to go back to Nice a couple more times during our stay. There is so much more to see, including the beach and shops waiting to be blessed by our tourist money. Restraining myself from the clothes shops, I did buy a French phrasebook and dictionary. From now on, I'll be able to speak French with the locals and not just smile, politely nod and say "oui" all the time. Parfait!

There's no better feeling than waking up to an American breakfast: plain pancakes, banana pancakes, bacon and banana syrup. My friend also cooked grilled cheese for us - delicious!

I felt so American this morning!

My first full week of lectures starts tomorrow, pen and paper at the ready...

The first lecture

2012-09-07T18:06:00.000+01:00

You can spend as much time on the beach, sit in the warm sunshine and eat as many croissants as you want but the reality of the situation always hits. I'm in France to have fun (a lot of fun) and to STUDY.

I have lectures everyday, except Thursdays. Today was my first lecture of the semester. The first day I would become an official international student, experience another university's teaching methods and [hopefully] learn something new and sit in a 3-hour lecture (they are only 2 hours in my university): exciting, but nerve-racking too. I usually can't sleep if I'm nervous about something I'm doing the next day, but I slept like a baby last night! Off to a good start...

My housemate has the same class as me so we made our way to the university campus together, quite early because I had some paperwork to fill in for my home university. With at least an hour to spare, we went to the canteen for lunch and managed to beat the massive rush hour queue. Spaghetti bolognese. A very good day so far...

When we stepped into the classroom, my housemate and I were trying to figure out if our lecturer was French or English, but he kept saying "hello" in both languages! In fact, he wasn't French or English. He was Dutch. And he was quite, erm, eccentric, shall we say. He spent the first half of the lecture taking the register, asking us where we were from and, if he didn't know the country well, to draw a map of it on the whiteboard.

My turn:

Lecturer: Gabriella Westhead?

Me: It's Gabrielle... *so tempted to say Sir*

Lecturer: Wasn't there an angel called Gabrielle?

Me: That was Gabriel.

Lecturer: Are you an angel?

Me: Of course *cheeky smile*

Lecturer: No, you're not.

Me: *shocked face* Why not?!

Lecturer: Angels do not have a gender.

End of conversation

It was actually a great "lecture", if I can call it that. The content of the course really hit the nail on the head in terms of my interests in the field of Media, the other students (who are mostly international) were really friendly and we have midterms. I've never done a midterm before! I've only heard about them in American films.

Great metaphor.

I can't wait to see what happens in next Friday's lecture. Oh wait, I probably won't be in the next lecture. I'm likely to be in Spain, along with the rest of the other undergraduates for an integration weekend trip! I just have to find the money to pay for it...

Small world...

2012-09-06T20:11:00.001+01:00

It's been a while since I've written on my blog. I didn't think I would be so busy! I've finally got the chance to sit down for half an hour now and update you on my adventures in the French Riviera.

A lot has happened in 4 days...

As I mentioned in my previous post, my housemates and I had to attend our orientation (kind of like an induction day) at the university on Monday, our first time travelling to the campus by bus. We had to be there by 9am so we woke up at 6am and left our apartment at 7.30am, just to be on the safe side. Getting the bus took a bit of guesswork. We had three buses to choose from. As a French speaker, my housemate asked the locals which bus was best to catch, a very wise thing to do when in a foreign country. All buses in this region only cost €1!

Proof that I made it.

After having morning coffee, orange juice and pastries, we were given a few speeches by the Dean of the University, wishing us a great stay in France. We then received our student cards and, to save printing costs, a USB key with all the necessary academic and practical information. Next was a basic French test to determine our competency level if we want to study a French language course. I attempted a few of the questions but it was advised that if you knew little French (or barely any, like me) to just write "BEGINNER" at the top of the page - so I did!

The tour of the main building was about to begin. I was speaking to one other student from England who told me that he had just spoken to someone from my hometown! I couldn't believe my ears... Of all places, my hometown?! I had to meet this person to verify and, yep, it was true. Our minds were blown for the rest of the day. I must admit that it felt great conversing in our colloquial language. If I tried that in Latvia, I think I would have been ostracised for sure.

As this guy and I are both from English universities and doing an Erasmus exchange, and most other students are from America, when it came to discussing our chosen modules and units with the relevant member of staff we were in the same situation. We have to take back a certain number of credits to our home universities and it seemed that we didn't have enough. We spent the next 30 minutes freaking out, thinking we would have to have two 3 hour lectures every day. We asked if the credit number for each module was European (the type we need). And guess what - they are American, meaning that they are doubled in order to convert into European credits. Very, very good news! Once my academic things were sorted out, it was time to choose my sports. I have quite a packed schedule, so I've decided to just do fitness every week to battle with my consumption of croissants.

On the same day as the orientation, a group of the exchange students went into town to find out about bus cards (we are on a student budget) and French SIM cards. The bus card that we each eventually bought covers all local buses, which must be renewed every month. I would strongly advise all international students to carry their passport with them for the first couple of weeks upon your arrival; it will definitely come in handy when organising the basics. Luckily, I bought my "beautiful" Nokia in Latvia so all I had to do was buy a SIM card, a much more complicated and expensive system than in England, but it's worth it.

You don't see these in England!

I've formed a great circle of friends, including my two housemates, the guy from my hometown and a girl studying the same subject as me. We are half American and half British and are always educating each other about our cultures, including funny slang words.

The gang.

We have begun shopping as a group (which helps!) and a routine of eating meals together, including:

Our first meal as a group (omelette au jambon fromage, frites et salade).

Our first home-cooked meal, prepared by my hometown buddy (Spanish-inspired pasta)

Our first brunch (scrambled eggs, beans and bread)

The wifi wasn't working in our apartment for the first 4 days. I tried to convince myself that it was somehow a blessing in disguise, but it is not easy when Facebook is the easiest way of communicating with family and friends back home and you can't access it! It's all fixed now!

With a couple of days to spare before lectures begin, it was time to hit the beach! Pictures tell a thousand words, right?

Cookie, mint chocolate chip and white chocolate ice cream - the best mix!

I loves me some ice cream!

The "Gabby Giggle"

No more ice cream?

Salis Beach, Cap d'Antibes.

The mountains on the horizon.

Model behaviour.

Sand, the natural exfoliant.

His dream woman.

My beach trend.

A walk along the beach - heaven.

The girlies.

A classic baywatch pose.

Edging closer to the yachts.

We found them!

Walking towards Cap d'Antibes - I see you Madonna.

Our next mission: walk to the lighthouse on top of the mountain
(when not wearing sandals).

The old town from afar.

The sea at dusk, such beauty.

The first time I've seen a red moon!

And finally:

Our best picture yet!

I have my first lecture of the semester tomorrow - wish me luck!

Some photos courtesy of Alain Joseph

Ah, bonjour!

2012-09-02T22:26:00.003+01:00

Hello, this is your blogger speaking... Yep, she's at it again!

I have been in France, or the south of France to be more specific, for 2 days now.

My parents and I arrived at the airport massively early so we decided to get the check-in out of the way. I was obviously going to France with a different airline to Latvia and sadly did not get away with my excess baggage this time, all 26kg to be precise *shakes head*. To brush off the shame, my dad treated me to my last meal in England for 4 whole months.

A traditional full English for Dad.

A ham and cheese toastie and a bucket of chips for moi.

Shortly after taking these photos, my camera died. Oops. I remembered to pack my charger but didn't actually charge my camera before I left! Whilst finishing my toastie, I thought it would be wise to ask my mum for a few French stock phrases - a bit late don't ya think?! I remember two phrases: "je suis fatigee" and "parle-vous anglais?" They have definitely come in handy so far. I must admit that leaving England was more emotional this time round. A tear nearly fell when waving goodbye to my parents at customs, but I stayed strong. Once I start crying, I can't stop. My 19th birthday is a perfect example of this.

I had a great seat on the plane, a window seat (of course) over the front of the left wing. The complimentary chicken mayo roll and can of sprite topped it off! Even though I was fatigee I couldn't sleep on the plane. It was probably the mixture of anxiety, excitement and sadness bubbling up inside me. Suddenly, we were hovering over the Mediterranean Sea, rich blue in colour, overlooking Nice. Yachts, swimming pools in every back garden and rocky mountains... paradise in my eyes.

Nice Cote d'Azur Airport (photo courtesy of my new
American housemate since my camera died!)

After hauling my suitcase off the carousel, I went to the front entrance of the airport and used my first French line with a taxi driver: "Parle-vous anglais?" I showed him my apartment's address on my phone and we were soon on our way, with a small tour of the town thrown in there too. After a tour of the apartment, I was taken through the contracts and keys by the letting agents before my American housemate arrived. Our other housemate was arriving the next day.

After an hour of unpacking and bed-making...

My housemate and I, each unpacked and relaxed, found a cosy restaurant for our first meal together in France - parfait!

With my camera all charged up, taking photos of my apartment's view was the first thing I did this morning.

Fort Carré, a 16th century fort.

Mountain climbing anybody?

After our third housemate from London arrived, we went for a walk into the town and came across many interesting things along the way...

A huge vending machine!

My first breakfast in France:

So much choice!

I had to go for a croissant - can you get any more French than that?!

Enjoying our petit dejeuner.

Full of energy, we took a lovely stroll into the old town of Antibes, which very much reminded me of Old Riga.

This is so French.

Get your fresh fruit and veg!

Beautiful.

I was so tempted.

Antibes bus station.

My apartment in 20 years' time.

My first tourist pose.

Every supermarket was closed apart from one, Monoprix, which not only had groceries but clothes too. I think the prices of everything had me in shock for a while, until we decided we would buy something for dinner tonight and write a shopping list instead. Guess what aisle I went to first:

Les biscuits.

At least we knew what kind of products were available. Organisation is key, particularly when you have a very (and I mean very) tight student budget.

Pre-dinner snack.

My aims for this week are:

To attend my Orientation Day (tomorrow) at the university campus
Explore the local town (museums/guided tours)
Purchase home insurance - French law apparently
Contact family friends living in the south
Buy a French SIM card
Find local SGI members
House and food shopping
Visit the beach - number one priority
Get some sleep!

"Gabe" is now my nickname, kindly given to me by my American housemate. I still can't believe I'm in France...

"No matter what our personal circumstances may be, if we ourselves become a source of light, then there will be no darkness in the world" - Daisaku Ikeda

Day 79: Home sweet home

2012-08-18T21:36:00.000+01:00

I woke up at 5am this morning, two and a half hours before I was due to leave for the airport, for many reasons: 1) I hadn't actually finished packing, 2) I couldn't stop thinking (and dreaming) about how heavy my suitcases were going to be and 3) if my alarm sounded any later, I would have had an automatic lie-in and missed my flights. 5am it was then.

In the midst of packing, my boss came to the dorms to see how I was getting on. I made sure I was wearing the heaviest clothes I own (including the leather boots my mum sent to Latvia) and finished packing not long after. A bit of moral support goes a long way! I knew I was going to pack right up until the last moment. I did some spring cleaning, left the keys for the dorms manager to collect and dragged my suitcases outside, certain that they were both over the limit. The driver came and even he struggled to carry my suitcase - what hope did I have?! Before we set off, my boss remembered that I left my USB stick in her office and now had it in her apartment. I would have actually flown back to Latvia just to get it... At least I got to say goodbye to her twice!

With my USB in my pocket and my friend now in the car, we were officially Riga-bound. And what did I do? Yep, I fell asleep, still dreaming about those darned baggage fees! Two hours later, we eventually arrived at the airport. Oh and before I forget, my friend gave me two Latvian chocolate bars as presents so we shoved them in my large suitcase before joining the queue to check-in my luggage. The atmosphere seemed very different to London Gatwick, much calmer and less chaotic. Soon enough, it was time to weigh my bag and I instantly whipped out my purse. I couldn't believe my eyes. 21.5kg! I thought it was going to be at least 30kg. For some reason, I didn't have to pay any fees. I think the beads of sweat forming on my forehead must have evoked some sympathy from the airline worker.

I had at least an hour until I had to go through customs so my friend and I spoke about our dreams and goals in life. I vowed that I will visit Latvia again and she promised to come to London one day. I said my final goodbye...

A precious friendship.

I kept noticing minor differences between my journey to Latvia and back to England. Firstly, going through customs was a breeze; having to take off my boots made me chuckle. Secondly, I didn't have to run to my gate like a maniac as I had at least 45 minutes before boarding. I somehow managed to resist buying anything in duty-free. I decided that the chocolate was my Latvian souvenir and stayed strong. Thirdly, we didn't walk through a "Jetway" to get on the plane. Instead, we had to walk across the car park (or plane-park) and up the plane's steps. I feel I have a well-rounded experience of planes now. I just need to fly in business class and I'm sorted. Fourthly, I ate on the plane. Okay, not a full-blown meal - just a Twix and a packet of Pringles - but it's something! And lastly, I fell asleep for at least half of the flight. You can tell how tired I was this morning, right?

My final final goodbye - bye Latvia!

But I wasn't too tired to notice this beauty:

SAFTEY? Proofreading must be in my nature...

I was sitting near the wing and became so excited that I had to take a photo to remember the moment:

I want to sit there!

I landed in London Gatwick safe and sound. I must admit that tears began to well up as soon as the wheels touched the runway but I didn't cry like I'd expected! There was one thing I didn't expect though: the boiling heat as soon as I left the airport to meet my dad, brother and his best friend (my mum was waiting at home). A very, very bad decision to wear boots and a leather jacket during a spontaneous heatwave.

I'm already adjusting to cars driving on the other side of the road, plenty of motorway traffic and seeing signs for London 2012 everywhere I go. As I sat in McDonalds for my fix of junk food, I looked out of the window and smiled. Home sweet home.

Reunited once again.

I hope you have enjoyed following the adventures of my first time abroad. Paldies to all of you for reading. Remember, there's more to come in two weeks...

Until next time,

A Student Abroad (au revoir, hehe!)

Day 78: 1...

2012-08-17T19:25:00.000+01:00

I have finally recorded the voiceover for the university's promotional film! Not only is that another tick on my "to-do list" but also officially the end of my film-making internship here in Latvia. The deed is done. It's definitely time for a victory dance... or six.

On another note, I have nearly finished packing! I think it might be a good idea to check my bank balance before I leave for the airport, just to see if I actually have enough to pay the baggage fees waiting to attack me.

After saying my final goodbyes, seeing clothes that I didn't even know I had packed and eating far too much jam, reality has just hit. I'm leaving Latvia tomorrow (not next week, or next month, but tomorrow!), my place of stay for the past 3 months. I have created some of the best summer memories of my 19 years of living and none of this would have been possible without my family, my home university, the Latvian university (my second university as I like to say) and my new fabulous international friends. That's my future Oscars speech prepared!

Unlike Vegas, what happens in Latvia... goes straight on my blog.

Well, most things anyway.

Wouldn't it be great if I saw the black man at the airport?

"Our lives and existence are supported by others in seen and unseen ways, be it by parents, mentors or society at large. To be aware of these connections, to feel appreciation for them, and to strive to give something back to society in a spirit of gratitude is the proper way for human beings to live" - Daisaku Ikeda

Day 77: 2...

2012-08-16T18:19:00.000+01:00

After throwing myself into the air at what was probably 100mph yesterday, I feel as if I have achieved everything I possibly can here in Valmiera. I'll look at that video in 50 years time and either laugh until I can laugh no more or wonder what the hell was going through my mind to make me want to do that to myself. It's more than likely to be both.

Happy birthday to me!

2 days and counting... I've managed to whittle down my "to-do" list as much as possible:

Meet with my friends, say goodbye to each of them - started...

Give things back to my friends that I have borrowed - tomorrow!

Record a voiceover for the previous promotional film - tomorrow!

Add any finishing touches to the summer school film - started...

Go on the bungee jumping trampoline! - done.

Fill in any necessary paperwork - done.

Confirm transport to the airport - done.

PACK! (try not to procrastinate, go shopping or keep unnecessary items) - haven't even made an attempt to yet

I've been working on the voiceover script for the university's promotional film. It's pretty good, even if I do say so myself! Well, it's easy when you're the one who will be recording it. If an English accent doesn't entice you to come to Latvia, I don't know what will!

Tomorrow will be a very busy day for me. I plan to:

Check-in online
Print my boarding pass at the university (there's no harm in being organised)
Say some goodbyes there
Record the voiceover in my friend's studio
Pack *wipes tears of frustration*
Give back people's belongings!
Say some more goodbyes in the evening

Time to crack on with some of this packing then... Can't say I'm looking forward to it. I do have some good news though - my friend can come with me to the airport! I feel a bit more at ease now.

All the birthday presents waiting to be packed.

Scrolling through Facebook, I couldn't help but be reminded that A-Level results were released today. I find it crazy to think that just this time last year, I was in the same position as all these students. A few letters on a piece of paper felt like the most important thing in the world to me, what my future was balancing on.

My, oh my - so much can change in a year!

My food is slowly disappearing. Luckily I'm a student and can create the strangest concoctions of food as long as it involves some remnants of pasta or rice.

"Everything passes. Both soaring joys and crushing sorrows fade away like a dream. However, the knowledge of having lived one’s life to the fullest never disappears" - Daisaku Ikeda

Day 76: 3...

2012-08-15T19:27:00.000+01:00

I didn't eat all day... A very clever subconscious decision to have made considering what I was about to do in the evening: a jump on the Katapulta as a birthday gift from BISS. I had no idea what to expect. My good friend, her boyfriend and I drove into the holiday complex and the first thing I saw was a small green bungee jumping frame. "Ha! Is that it?", I asked myself, almost laughing at the size of it.

Easy!

We parked the car and met with another friend (a volunteer from BISS). I went to take a better look at the frame and realised that there were actually two and the big one was mine. My heart sunk to my stomach.

I spent a while watching the BMX riders practising - where Olympic gold medallist Maris Strombergs trains - trying to stall walking to my death for as long as possible.

Can't I just BMX instead?

Finally, it was time to face reality. We slowly walked over, my heart beating more and more frequently with every step. But then one vital question came to mind - can the guy operating the thing actually speak English?!

As he was strapping me in, I managed to strike some light-hearted conversation with him (well, me freaking out basically) just to check he understood. He did *phew*. I remember him asking if this was my first time. "Yes, my first and last" was my response.

My "please don't let me die" face.

He told me to hold the cords very tight, put my legs back and...

Before I knew it, I was flying, flipping and screaming a very bad "f" word. Oh, you want proof? Here you go:

There's nothing like a bit of junk food and duck-feeding to calm the nerves after thrown being 20 metres high into the air, hovering in zero gravity and doing a free back fall. I bought the biggest burger I could get.

Another goodbye done.

Day 75: 4...

2012-08-14T19:35:00.000+01:00

I think we've already established that I am absolutely terrible when it comes to packing. You would think that simply packing up one bedroom of belongings is easy, right? Wrong. Not when you've constantly collected things for three months and suddenly realise the amount of "stuff" you have piled up when you have to leave. Oh my gosh - I'm a holiday hoarder! I'm ashamed. I can just see the whole town with pitchforks and fire torches chanting "holiday hoarder, holiday hoarder" outside of the dorms now...

I've got into a bad habit of collecting leaflets and random pieces of paper from events I've been to. It's fine to do that at home, but not when you have to transport it all overseas. Like the programme from the jazz festival - do I need that? And the menu from the hotel I visited in my first week - do I really need that?

The little devil sitting on my shoulder tries to convince me that I need these pointless things:

"C'mon Gabrielle, Gabby, Gab! You never know, you'll be talking someone about Latvia one day and might need to remember the starter you had at that hotel - it's a keeper!"

"Ah, Gabrielle, it doesn't matter if it's all written in Latvian and you don't understand a word of it - that's what makes it special! Definitely a keeper!"

I know how you feel, Homer.

The mind is a very powerful force, too powerful sometimes. The little angel sitting on the opposite shoulder tries to talk some sense into me:

"Gabby, surely the memories are enough to take back to England with you - throw it!"

*slaps Gabrielle* "Snap out of it, girl! Think of the baggage fees"

Never trust a devil donut!

I've decided to look through each item and weigh up if I really need it or not. This will be fun... Talking of weight, I went to collect another birthday parcel from my best friend in England! I'm having to accept that my luggage will be way over the limit - and I am prepared to take the consequences.

This evening I met my boss for dinner at the jazz restaurant I've mentioned many a time - the first of my goodbyes. The night went on to see roars of laughter, delicious food and nostalgic reflections of my time in Latvia. She then presented me with the perfect gift from the university: a tea pot and cup with the university's logo on it. They know me so well!

Now every time I drink my favourite English tea, I'll think of Latvia - how very ironic indeed!

"The seed of happiness only blooms when one stays strong and never gives up" - Daisaku Ikeda

Day 74: 5...

2012-08-13T20:17:00.003+01:00

The first day of my last week (and my first day of relaxing since the Baltic International Summer School ended) has officially begun.

After attending couple of meetings in the morning (okay, I had some work to do), I couldn't help but read my "memory book" signed by all the BISS participants. Flipping through the pages, I started to get vivid flashbacks of the past two weeks - good times indeed! You know when someone is reading a letter in a film and you can hear the voice of the person who wrote it? That's exactly what I experienced when reading each message. A Greek voice is something you can never quite forget!

The best farmers in the world.

There has been some progress with my "to-do list":

I've started nibbling on all of my food (including a full jar of jam I have to finish by Saturday)
I will have dinner with my boss tomorrow
Final editing of our second film will be completed by Wednesday (and then I'll write the voiceover script)
The voiceover will be recorded on Thursday
Some items (bike, blankets, maps, frying pans etc.) will be collected by my boss's boss on Friday

Just chillin'...

I've also been informed that I will be picked up from the dorms on Saturday at 7.30am by the university's driver. Thoughts of becoming clueless in the airport slowly crept up on me again so I texted my very good friend (the one I went sunbathing with) and asked if she would like to come with me to the airport. She said yes! I just need to get confirmation that the driver is willing to wait a while to take her back to Valmiera.I'm glad the early start hasn't put her off the idea! I'm sure it will be a very special last memory for both of us.

"The more happiness we bring to others, the happier we ourselves become" - Daisaku Ikeda