In the meantime...

Time has been flying by here, at least 2x faster than a semester usually does. Which is both good and bad I suppose. It's been nearly 2 months which is crazy, this is the last week of the stay with my lovely host family as well. It still feels like I still got here sometimes, but it is pretty nice to know where I'm going (most of the time). 4 days till Paris! But here's what I've been up to in the meantime.

Let's start with the gorgeous museum of time just down the road from my apartment, which houses many clocks and watches but also paintings, tapestries and all sorts of curiosities. 

"Math objects"

The exhibit of the watch making school that was in Besancon 

Musee des beaux-arts-only one floor is open unfortunately, in April they start renovations that will last 4 years, I'm glad I got to see some of it though.

Maybe my favorite painting. Literally the title is "The monkey barbers (barbers who are monkeys?) of the cats"

Mosaic roman floor

More roman ruins from this city, the archaeology part of the museum includes ruins, parts of ancient buildings, coins

A stained glass map of Besancon

By Gustave Courbet (I visited his museum in Ornans with my host family)

and also by Gustave Courbet

Also: yes it was 55 this week. When it isn't raining it's pretty nice here

These are all over the city, one points to the museum of time and the other points to the citadel 

My host mom called this "un truc de la renaissance"

Walking up to the citadel it's this narrow little tunnel with a vault ceiling

Where the Lumière brothers were born, Auguste and Louis Lumière, the earliest filmmakers in history. 

So if anything I think from studying abroad you learn to be resilient, because the things you worried about appear to go very smoothly it's the those obstacles that are completely unexpected that are difficult. You learn to just deal with the unexpected and bounce back, a good skill to have. And also because administration/anything/everything here is sometimes more difficult than it needs to be...and you can just deal. Also: it's very important just to keep an open mind.

Oops this is overdue: some other adventures

So I think I'll continue like this with a blog ever week-10 days ish...from now on, probably

The other weekend I went with my host family for a little drive outside Besancon to a very old city, Ornans to go to the musée Courbet, A museum dedicated to Gustave Courbet an artist in the 19th century who is from the Franche-comté region.  My camera wasn't charged so here are some other photos:

Last week we decided to take the bus to the mall, about 30 minutes away. We weren't that all impressed, we are spoiled after all by American malls. It had the same stores that they have downtown really minus the H&M and the giant casino/supermarket. But that's okay since I'm eventually going to Dijon with my host family and it's apparently better there.

I tried subway this week....yes I used to work there, so I think i'd know the difference better than anyone. The bread was crustier-more french, I just thought it was weird there are more choices of cheese in America and only 2 here. However, it smelled exactly the same. Sometime's it's just the little things....

We also climbed up to the citadel which is now open! Though we didn't go inside we'll have to go soon. By way of "acess difficile" yeah they were not kidding, all of those stairs and hills killed me, but the view is so worth it. Also: a bit of history on the Citadel of besancon

Walking towards the citadel

And at the highest we could get

Entrance

Classes also officially started this week, and I couldn't be more pleased with them. For my core classes we're in a group of about ten for written and oral comprehension as well as grammar. And then for the options I chose art history (17th century and onward), literature, francophone cinema (focused in comedies),and English/French translation. 
In 2 days I've officially been here a month, it was a bit slow at first but it's been flying by! This month is also the month that we are going to Paris for winter break! 22nd to the 27th and then staying a few days after to visit Euro Disney/Disneyland Paris!

Things have been going pretty well for the most part, except for a few bumps in the road. It's always smooth sailing until someone didn't tell you something and life is just a bit more difficult. I've especially had a problem with housing for next year at western. You can be prepared for everything and then the unexpected happens, so that's another thing I've learned. The most important thing is just to have an open mind.

 Also note: you can always donated to my rent/traveling fund via paypal on the right. I'd be much appreciated. Also: I promise I'm buying postcards and sending them out very soon, I also need to buy some stamps.

And with that, some random photos:

"American Bluff" aka American Hustle

The doubs

Graffiti like this is everywhere, in particular cat graffiti?

Weather's pretty much like this...I feel like I skipped winter basically