Finally in Grenoble!

I made it to Grenoble last Thursday and I finally have internet! I wasn't able to access internet until I got my student card about an hour ago. A lot has happened since I left Paris and made the transition from a tourist back into a student.

First of all, the region Grenoble is in is very beautiful! The TGV train ride from Paris was about three hours and I was able to see a little bit of the French countryside with all of its white cows and bright green fields. The country was pretty flat until the train started to reach Lyon which is about an hour north of Grenoble.

France

French countryside just before getting to Grenoble

Getting to Grenoble was a little stressful at first, especially since resorting to English is less of an option when fewer people speak it here. I didn't come to France to practice English though!

So far people have been very nice and will try to help me understand what they are saying. It has been very difficult to try to understand French because most people speak it very fast, but i can tell I have already started to improve my understanding of the language. I am still very glad to be in Grenoble even though the school doesn't have Frisbee. I might try to buy a bike to use for the year because lots of people have them and I really miss mine. There are a TON of students here, but a French waiter I talked to said he thought it was a city for old people. I am happy to be here though!

View of the Basille in Grenoble

Graffiti on an old door...there is lots of graffiti here when all of the doors close

Store selling absinthe!

Historic square in downtown Grenoble
Can you see the dolphin? They used to be sacred to the people of the area a few hundred years ago so they are on lots of old fountains and other places throughout the city

I don't always know what I am ordering at restaurants and the first night in Grenoble I ordered thin strips of raw salmon with some vegetables. As far as I can tell, the quality of food seems to be better in France opposed to the U.S. For example, I bought a few cheap pots of yogurt and they are super good, not to mention the cheap wine, cheese, and bread I bought. Oh, there is one lesson I learned the hard way this week: almost everything is closed on Sunday's including grocery stores.

The Alps are beautiful!

Sculpture

Typical French scene with a busy cafe.
People are a lot more social here and less concerned with their cell phones and computers.
There aren't really any coffee shops where people are on their computers or talking because cafes sell coffee, drinks, and usually food

I checking into my room and I found out that I am actually living on campus, which is contrary to what I initially thought. My room has its own bathroom and there is a very limited cooking area on my floor. The toilette seat unfortunately doesn't have a seat, so I will probably go buy one sometime soon. My Aunt Debbie and I went to IKEA and got a bunch of stuff like pots, pans, bedding and such. I had never been to IKEA before but I discovered its wonders.

First glimpse of my room minus the bathroom (before)

After going to IKEA and unpacking (after)

PREVIA IN FRANCE at the train station