Happy New Year! I can’t think of a better way to start off the new year than to write a new update on where I’ve been lately, particularly since 1. It’s been a while, and 2. I’ve done nothing else productive today. And it has definitely been a long time! Doubtless there are many things that would have been enthralling and interesting to hear, but I have forgotten about them. Let’s just hope that what is worth sharing I am able to remember! As the holiday period is coming to a close, I am realizing that I will have to take up
Christmas lights in Dijon
my classes again. This 2 week hiatus was a much needed break on my part; before the break I was feeling burned out, stressed, and rather lonely. I think it was a combination of many things: I didn’t feel that I was improving in my classes as much as I wanted, I missed being around people I knew and being able to communicate in a manner that was normal to me, and I was being very stressed from trying to plan several details of the coming months. The break has been a breath of fresh air in a time when I’m not sure if I’m getting good breaths or not! One of the most difficult things about being in a culture with a different language is, for me at least, not being able to express myself adequately. It’s not just that you can’t communicate an idea clearly or discuss ideas, it’s that I can’t express certain core parts of my personality. Sarcasm and wittiness are hard to come by when you aren’t fluent. And without them, my personality just feels flat and lifeless when with native speakers. Sometimes I can crack a joke, but sometimes it just gets taken seriously or is misunderstood, and then everyone is left feeling awkward. Other foreigners are usually the easiest to joke with because they understand. It’s like a hidden language which we are all attuned to. Of course, the other option is to simply speak in one’s native language, though this isn’t ideal. However, over Christmas break I was with Jana, my German ‘sister’, where I had no choice but to speak in English. It was sooo disappointing. <———-heavy sarcasm
Yes, I'm in a Lego sleigh. It was epic.
Christmas in Germany. Yes, it was awesome. Even the fact that I was in a country where I didn’t understand any of the language was less stressful, since it meant that I didn’t have to try and understand; I wasn’t going to comprehend anyway. I got to see Christmas markets, all the highlights of Berlin, Jana’s hometown and area, Jana’s friends and family, and other tidbits of Germany. We did lots of stuff, but one of the things I really really enjoyed was when we did nothing. That was when it was a true vacation for me! Nothingness is how my introverted self unwinds. I did have an awesome time exploring Berlin with Jana. It was interesting to see another major European city, since Paris was really my only basis of comprehension for them, and they are so different from each other. It threw me for a loop every time we just walked into the subway station and onto the train without having to scan our ticket every time (like Paris) or how the buildings are all newer. I felt like it was good to gain a new perspective on what the idea of “Europe” encompasses. In the city, we went to two museums, the Neues Museum (which had the bust of Nefertiti, which we were unfortunately not allowed to take pictures of) and the Pergamon
Rawr. A lion on an ancient Babylonian gate.
Museum (which had really big ancient structures). Both were geared towards ancient history, which meant it was perfect for me! We also got to see the Brandenburger Tor (I worked really really hard to learn how to say that correctly), Checkpoint Charlie (an american checkpoint for West Berlin), Alexanderplatz, the Red City Hall (can’t remember the German name…), and the Reichstag (capitol building). We went up the Reichstag to the dome, and got a panoramic tour of the city. There was intense security to get into the building; for example, after passing through metal detectors and being escorted up to the building, you had to enter the Reichstag through a set of double doors, of which only one could be open at a time.
The dome on the Reichstag. You can see the winding path which leads up to the top of the dome.
But, the whole thing was free, and is was a gorgeous view. Jana and I both got the audio guides. Hers was in German and mine English. This made it interesting because even though they were different, they started automatically at certain points along the pathway, allowing us to discuss interesting points during the tour. Even if it was rather frigid and we couldn’t see all the sites since it was dark out, it was still a lovely way to see the city. One of the most restorative aspects of Christmas break was the ability to be with family again. I couldn’t go all the way home, and be with my parents and sisters, but I was able to stay with my German sister, and nothing could be more perfect. I got to tease someone again. I got to chat and share things that it takes a close friend to understand. I got to be able to not care about what I would say or how to act or anything. Essentially, I got to relax. It was glorious. 🙂 Of course, now that I’m back in Dijon, I’m away from the family aspect again. However, there are some changes happening which I am really looking forward to. First off, classes are starting up again in a few days. While I’m not terribly excited about them specifically, it does mean that I will be taking finals soon, which means that they’ll be done! And then after that, people I know will be coming! I can’t say no to that! Secondly, the day I got back to Dijon Josianne told me that I’d likely be moving in the next few days. While not wholly unexpected, it was kind of sudden. However, I have been looking forward to this for several months and can’t wait! I will be moving across the courtyard to an apartment, which I will share with someone else. For me it means more freedom and less stress, since I’ve always felt like I’m tip-toeing around the family here. Plus, there’s a kitchen! I’ll still be having supper with Josianne part of the time, so that I keep practicing conversational French, but it’ll be nice to have my own space. Thirdly, the other day I bought tickets to go to Greece! It feels so weird to plan a spontaneous trip (for me, anyways) and set it in stone. I will be going with a american friend, and we will be exploring Athens! I’m just hoping that I can find food for dirt cheap there. But in spite of the amount of money, I am very excited, since Greek/Roman history is something I have always loved studying, and now I will get to see it! Another highlight of the trip will be that I get to see the Mediterranean sea! I will be going between the two semesters at the end of January. I also met some new friends yesterday, which made New Year’s Eve a bit more fun. It was rather uneventful by midnight, but I went out to eat with a couple girls to a Thai restaurant, which reminded me how rarely I go out and how enjoyable it can be. Then Allison and I watched a movie to pass the time, and after that we wondered around the streets of Dijon until midnight. And then I went to sleep. 🙂
And so now, here I am, ushering in the New Year by getting ready to move into a new room, meeting new people, and hopefully having a new-found enthusiasm for finishing my classes this semester. And, if I’m lucky, new weaving projects (I am bound and determined to find a way to make it work!).
