Belgian passage through France

Time for some updating on Rennes itself, because I’m sure you all enjoy my posts, but the true reason you come out here is probably to read my stories and experiences. Before I forget, I just want to make sure you people get it: the words in bold are links to pictures, websites, etc. that I want to share with you as well. So be sure to check them out!

Some experiences I had the past couple of weeks since I got back from Belgium:

The 31^st of October, Halloween, we had a small, but nonetheless intense reunion at my place before going out to a way too expensive bar (Pyms) – 9euros for a beer is really inacceptable sorry French economy… It was great opportunity to see everyone again, after two weeks of Belgium/vacation/travelling/… and to hear the travelling/hitchhiking/… stories of the others..

The week after I came back from Belgium, was a holiday week for all schools 

and colleges in Belgium. That was a reason for some of my friends to come over. I had the honor to receive some awesome visitors! My friends from Generation! (mark the exclamation mark! and their groupie Liesbeth, came all the way from Belgium, after some days of intensive recording for their first EP to appear in December 2011. As they were recording until late on Tuesday, they only arrived on at about four in the morning on Wednesday. When they finally got up and after I’d gone to my French Culture class, we went for a walk through the city. I think they liked Rennes a lot, but then again, we only did a small walkabout as it was not so warm and everybody just wanted to get a beer at Rue de la Soif.

After having that beer we want back to my apartment and after some delicious cooking by our private kitchen master, we received delegations from Spain, Ireland, Poland etc to celebrate Stefan’s bday! We even made cake, which everybody enjoyed a lot!

After that we went out in the city and the whole bunch of us did several bars and we all had some intercultural experiences in one way or another before ending safely in our bed. The next day everybody slept long and after some breakfast at one pm, the guys left again. A fast and intense trip it was! Liesbeth stayed one more day until Friday as she was going to take her plane to the UK that day. Be sure to check out The Nights In Rennes.

What else happened? Ow yeah! That same week I had my last(!) intensive course Thursday 13-18, Friday 8-18 & Saterday 8-13hr of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management. We had to write a business plan for this course and it ended up being a B (68%), which is one of the highest grades I’ve heard of people getting here so yes we are pretty proud of ourselves, but an A (70%) would’ve been even nicer! Haha College Stuff. 

On Thursday 10th of November it was the 'International Day'. All the international students were asked to cook something special from their home country and then everybody could come and taste it that day. Belgium made chocolate mouse, 'queens' chocolate cake and speculos mouse  and I can tell you that it was delicious. The girls did a good job! There were other dishes from Egypt, Spain, Mexico, USA (chicken nuggets!), Canada, Palestina, Poland, Russia, Estland, Norway, France, Germany, Sweden (Ikea swedish meat balls!), and for sure I forgot some. Let's state it that we ate a lot..
In the afternoon all the international students got together in an aula and every country could present something typical. We had singers, dancers, artists, etc. Belgium, well actually just me and one Masterstudent, whom I met the day before, made an unusual presentation about Belgium, which you can find her: Belgian Input International Day 2011 . Yes, I'm still ashamed for it. yes there's videos and pictures. No, I'm not going to share them with you. and yes we got an applause, although we were the first ones to perform, so the crowd wasn't that active yet when we started, but after that, they went crazy! That was a great day of meeting and experiencing cultures from all around the world! 

On the 11^th of November, Truce 11.11.11, there was a big parade at the Hotel de Ville square. More than 200 soldiers, police men, etc. from France had a parade. They had to stand for almost two hours, without moving, listening to the mayor, some general, etc. Well, it seemed French army isn’t that strong.. Several (as in 5-10 out of 170 = ) of the soldiers actually fainted during these two hours and had to be replaced by spare soldiers. And no, this is not a joke. Vive la grande Armée!

The weekend of the 12^th my mom and aunt came by! Normally my mom was going to come with a friend, but she got sick so my aunt decided to come along.

On saterday we went to the Marché des Lices (French), the third nicest market in France (quote French Culture teacher – R. L. dit Arsène). After that we jumped into the car, not to take literally, and drove to Mont Saint-Michel. A beautiful antique chateau in Normandy! We walked all the way up to the top, where you have a beautiful sight of the whole region, sea etc.

Ow wait, maybe it is..

We did some sightseeing and it’s definitely worth going, but be sure not to go on a Saterday as it was extremely crowded with tourists. I hate tourists .

it's not that big..

After a nice crèpe, we took the car and went to Granville. But when we got there it was already getting dark, so we only had a small stroll along the harbor before having dinner and driving back to Rennes.

The next day, I had do get some serious schoolwork and internship stuff (because I have to start my search etc. all over!!) done, so my visitors went to Saint-Malo and Dinan on their own and we met up for dinner in the evening. 

That afternoon, after my work for school, I had the opportunity to enjoy the delightful Spanish dishes my roommate and her friends made for us: tortilla, paella, toasts and much more! It was such a nice day that after that we even sat outside for about two hours. And it was the 13^th of November!

Wow, this is becoming a really long post. But we're almost to then end of it. only a couple more things and then you can go back to work!

Last Wednesday I got an inbox message from a journalist, working for Het Laatste Nieuws (a flemish newspaper). She was going to write an article about 'Youth going out seeks for experiences' and she had seen my blog, this one, and was interested in doing an interview with me. But as I am in France at the moment (d'oh!) I wasn't able to talk to her in person. She asked me for my Skype (yes sir, a women asked for MY number!) and we ended up talking for  27mins. Probably longest phone call of my life. She asked me about all kinds of things, going out, dress style, experiences, Erasmus, AFS, etc. So in the weekend edition of Het Laatste Nieuws (19-20 November 2011) there's an interview of me. Be sure to check it out, I'll try to upload a better version than the one stated beneath this post, but I haven't been able to properly read it myself neither. So 'mediageil' you say? It gets even better.
Yesterday, Monday, I get a private message from a guy working for Jim TV (belgian MTV). He told me he had read the article and that JIM was going to do a tv-show about it this Wednesday in Leuven, where I study, and that he would've liked me to come and talk about it. But I ask myself, if you read the article properly, you would've read that I'm on an Erasmus right now.. Was he trollin' me, or just ...? So yes, I was asked to be on TV, after the couple of times this summer (Dour Festival 2011, Maanrock 2011, Oude Markt, Leuven 2011), I'm awkwardly getting used to it. But not possible!


This Saterday, after many requests for a sequel, I organized another Grand Tour de la Rue de la Soif. A lot of people said they were going to come, but because of that a lot of these same people didn't want to come early as they thought we were going to be too many. So we ended up starting with only six. Sense? This makes none! But after a while and some more beers, more and more people showed up and in the end we were, just like the first time, more than 20, filling up a whole bar (Bars are small here). Again, none of the other bars in the Rue de la Soif were really partying so all the French people came to party at our bar as well, making the place packed and making it quasi impossible to dance.
After being refused to enter another bar, because the Icelandic fellow, Atli, was wearing shorts (in November, fo real?!), we ended up wandering around next to that last bar, with people from Cyprus, Iceland, Canada, Spain and Russia. Those Russians.. too easy to mess with their minds!

I think that's about if folks, next update will be about a trip to a place I've never been and I already know it'll be awesomely epic because it's going to be with two irish ladies, another belgian and two Canadians!

So yes, I can say that the last few weeks were pretty intense and that my intercultural Erasmus is coming along pretty great, thanks to all the people I've met here.. As of next week: studying big time for the exams coming up in December! But apart from that Vive La France !

PS: it is allowed to leave a comment from time to time, at least I know someone is actually reading this..