Clover in Paris

Clover in Paris! Except I don’t have my own Netflix show….yet😉. After living in France for more than 3 months, I finally visited the capital of France, and the city of my dreams. Needless to say, I LOVE PARIS. Here are some of my favorite memories from my first (and definitely not last) visit.

Bien sûr since it was my first visit to Paris I had to take a trip to the Eiffel Tower. Yes it’s touristy, but it was a magical experience to finally see the tower in real life! I’ve been learning French since I was eight years old, always seeing the iconic Tour Eiffel in videos, books, and the classroom. Seeing this world-renowned monument in person made my younger-self dreams of one day visiting Paris come true! I took two trips to the Eiffel Tower: one in the day and one at night. I 100% recommend waiting to watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle, that’s how you learn to love Paris. The tower sparkles for the first 5 minutes of every hour.

Paris on New Year’s Eve is not showcased much online, possibly to gatekeep it’s splendour from the rest of the world. The firework show along the Champs-Élysées and over the Arc de Triomphe was a sight I will never forget. This firework show was spectacular; the whole night sky was lit up in all the colors of the rainbow. Just when you thought that firework was an incredible one, 15 more fireworks would light up the sky and take it’s place. The fireworks at the Arc de Triomphe were the perfect sight to ring in the new year. With an incredible start like that, I have high hopes and excitement for what this year will bring!

Next was a classic breakfast at Les Deux Magots. One of the most historic cafes in Paris, I made a reservation a month in advance to beat the lengthy wait! Not only did I want to visit this iconic cafe for the aesthetics, but it was a favorite cafe of Earnest Hemingway. In the beginning of the school year I read Hemingway’s book, A Moveable Feast, a memoir of the writer’s life as an expat in Paris. Since he frequently wrote about Les Deux Magots, the cafe must have a special charm, and it sure did! The cafe transports you out of modern times, and places you into the classic Paris of drinking an espresso and reading the daily paper. Les Deux Magots is an experience for any cafe lover!

A visit to the Louvre was also a highlight of the trip. The museum is gigantic so whether it’s your first time or 50th time, there’s always something to see! Did I wait in line to see the Mona Lisa? yes. Did I almost pass out after? yes. The wait was 30 minutes long in a packed line that’s similar to standing in the pit of a concert. If you decide on waiting to see the Mona Lisa up front, bring water! But now do I have a great photo of the Mona Lisa on my phone? yes.

And to finish off this post with a bang, steak frites at the famous and legendary Le Relais de l’Entrecôte! This is an institution which knows business. You sit down, receive a starter salad and bread, choose your meat temperature, then the steak and fries arrive. Nothing else on the menu, sorry vegetarians! Every night there is a line down the street for this restaurant. To secure my spot I arrived 45 minutes before opening. So does the steak frites live up to the hype? absolutely. The au poivre sauce is what’s to die for, and the fries are crisped to perfection. The women who run this place know what to do, so don’t bother to try to change their system. Their system is genius, the food is delectable. I recommend every steak lover to try Entrecôte at least once in their lifetime.

This is just a minuscule piece of the beauty of Paris. There’s so much to unpack from this beautiful city, I’m going to need many more trips back! While I end up loving every city I travel to, Paris has a special place in my heart because I’ve spent so long learning French culture, actually experiencing French culture in person is the icing on the cake. One day I would like to live in Paris. There’s no way to explore all the charm Paris has to offer as just a tourist, but living in a Parisian apartment for a period of time will! A bientôt Paris, but not for long…

A Narrative about Afternoon Tea

Who knew that clotted cream, baking powder, all purpose flour, and whole milk could change my perspective on heaven? Over winter break I traveled to London with my Mom and experienced a traditional afternoon tea. I’d always wanted to try this long-established ritual that the English appreciate through my own eyes and taste buds. When planning our trip to London, I continuously searched for an elega​​nt, refined, and classic afternoon tea to fulfill this experience that is rich in England’s history. Stepping into the Corinthia London, the grand beaming chandelier, piano playing in the background, and table of champagne signified that I had found the perfect tea room. 

Our graceful attendant in all pink guided us through the three course “light” meal. Biting into my first magnificent tea sandwich unleashed my inner daintiness and acknowledgement for the little things in life that we usually skip over because of busy lifestyles, constant working, and overthinking the world. The second course, the scone course, opened my eyes to one of my favorite new delicacies, British scones, jams, and cream. Where was this English deliciousness my whole life? Lastly was the pastry course of delectable mini cakes, which I almost didn’t want to taste in order to not demolish the flawless plate. Throughout the hour and forty-five minutes I tried multiple teas from black tea, green tea, and oolong infusions, appreciating the savour in detail for the first time. 

Luxurious and relaxing are two words to describe my afternoon tea experience. I’m inspired by the affluence of the British tea-goers and have made it a goal that this experience will one day become a ritual in my future. Relaxation filled my mind because afternoon tea is all about leisure, enjoying the moment with company or yourself, and directing your mind to attend to the present moment, your surroundings, and the experience. Afternoon tea was not only pleasurable for my stomach, but it was sweet for the soul. 

Just Touched Down In London Town!

Just touched down in London Town! I spent four days in London with my Mom and it was a fantastic trip. Here are some of my trip highlights, recommendations, and meaningful memories:

Where to stay: Middle Eight

The Middle Eight Hotel was one of the BEST hotels I’ve ever stayed in! Modern, sophisticated, upscale, and classy are a few words that come to mind when describing this phenomenal hotel. Also the attention to detail in hospitality from my name on the tv screen to a welcome cake upon arrival. The service was absolutely incredible and the room was so clean and top-notch, I felt like I could live in there forever!

Most memorable experience: Afternoon Tea

It wouldn’t be a trip to the UK without experiencing a traditional afternoon tea. Afternoon tea is my #1 must do activity if you are visiting London! The elegance, royalty, and delicacy transforms an hour and a half into pure relaxation and bliss. While afternoon teas can be very pricey, your stomach will be satisfied at the end! Even if you’ve had an afternoon tea experience somewhere else in the world, a classic British tea is the og! I visited the Corinthia London for Afternoon Tea and every moment was beautiful from the decor, the sandwiches, and the ambiance with light classical music in the background.

Best Photo Spot: Sketch

In the life of a lifestyle blogger, you’re always scouting the world for the best photo spots. One of the most instagrammable places in the world can be found at Sketch in Mayfair, London. You might’ve heard about Sketch for their iconic egg bathroom. It’s an Instagram influencer’s heaven. Sketch’s bathroom is always in the spotlight, but the the whole restaurant is really an aesthetic itself. The restaurant has multiple dining rooms each with a different aesthetic. I dined in The Glade room and the scene transported me into a secret magic garden. The bathroom will transport you into an intergalactic space world. Warning: you might spend more time in the bathroom than your actual meal, perfect pose reasons obviously.

Favorite Meal: Colonel Saab

I was not expecting the food scene in London to be so DELICOUS! There was so much diversity in food and all of my meals during my stay were superb. The meal that sticks out the most was my last meal in London, dinner at Colonel Saab. Colonel Saab is an authentic Indian restaurant in Covent Garden. While the hype is all on Dishoom, our hotel recommended Colonel Saab, just a block away. What I tasted was the most authentic, flavorful butter chicken, cauliflower curry, and naan I’ve ever tried. I’ve never had more authentic Indian food than this! Our server was also a standout from his kind heart and enthusiasm to make conversation with guests. Give this new Indian restaurant the hype it deserves! The service, food, and ambiance, makes me want to travel to India next!

London is an amazing city which I definitely need to return to soon. It reminded me of New York City at times, with spices of royalty mixed in. It was also so interesting to hear English accents spoken as REAL English accents, not just Americans who practice English accents when they’re bored lol. London is a great city to visit during winter because the holiday cheer is so prominent, plus tourism was very promoted during my stay. Nothing but love for you, London, cheers!🥂

Kimchi & Baguette? Sharing My Korean Culture in France!

Kimchi is the staple in a Korean meal. Baguette is the staple in a French meal. When you add the two together, what do you get? The meal my mom and I cooked for my host family! Here’s the process and result of cooking a Korean meal for a house of only French people:

Since the beginning of the year when I told my host family that my mom would be flying to France over the holidays, the topic of making a Korean meal was always on the table. A couple weeks before my mom’s arrival in France, my mom and I decided on what we would make for my host family. We decided on mandu (Korean dumplings), kimchi fried rice, and bulgogi (thinly-sliced marinated beef).

Before my mom arrived I went shopping with my host parents at the Asian market and purchased the rice, kimchi, and frozen mandu. When my mom arrived in Rennes, we shopped for the beef and sauces together. In my mind, I felt some pressure making sure this meal was fantastic and delicious. I wanted it to be tasty and something different that my host family would try for the first time and love.

The cooking process was not limited to my mom and I, but my whole family chimed in to help! While we were out shopping for the ingredients, my host brother attempted to make rice in the rice cooker that my host family kindly bought for the event. Once we came home, the rice was not really ricing…the rice was a bit too soft and mushy. So we tried round two by cooking new rice on the stove. Then my mom and I marinated the beef. While the beef wasn’t the exact beef of bulgogi, it smelled amazing how bulgogi should smell; all the spices and sauces were on point. Then we started on the fried rice. The rice on the stove was also not ricing, too soft and mushy once again. Time was running out, so there was no time to try again in a third rice. That’s when we started getting creative. My mom, resourceful and never letting any minor problem get in her way, had my host sister put one of the rice batches in the freezer and the other rice batch rice outside to make the rices harden before getting fried. So yes the rice was outside in front of our front doorstep.😅 While that was happening my mom cooked the mandu on the stove and cooked some of the kimchi for the rice, leaving the other have to eat cold as a banchan, or side dish. To lend a helping hand, my host parents boiled the broccoli on a food processor thing that can boil food.🧐 When it was time to cook the rice, the rice was still a bit mushy but it was better than before. Scared nothing would come together, everything did! We first served the mandu as an appetizer while we cooked everything else, then we served the bulgogi, the kimchi fried rice, and the broccoli all at once.

The first bite of our homemade Korean meal wasn’t exactly how I remembered the meal tasting when my mom would make it in the US. The beef was not the correct beef, and the rice was not the same consistency as I remembered it. Even though the ingredients were a little flawed, the flavor was prominent and accurate! Since this was my host family’s first time having this Korean meal, they found it magnificent and fantastic! Korean food brings a kick of flavor into your mouth compared to French food, and they really enjoyed this change of taste. They especially liked the kimchi and the spiciness of the dish overall. Their positive response to the Korean food made me encouraged to want to share my Korean culture more in the future.

Usually after eating Korean food, my mom and I don’t have any dessert; we just finish off the meal. But in France there’s always cheese and bread after the main plate, and it doesn’t change with the Korean food! My host family partook in cheese and baguette, also using the baguette to soak the bulgogi juices left on their plates. This was a unique combination, Korean sauce and flavor all on a baguette…honestly sounds good! This unusual food paring was actually just a representation of our two cultures blending astoundingly and naturally in our now French-Korean household!

Whenever I eat bulgogi and kimchi fried rice from now on, I will always think of the adventure of creating and eating this meal with my mom and my host family. My family enjoyed the food so much that my host mom has started to buy mandu at the supermarket, incorporating it into our dinners! From this experience I’ve learned that it’s not degrading to share your culture, but it’s cool! Even though I’m on the other side of the world, I can still incorporate pieces of my identity to my life in France, not only learning new culture but contributing my own!🇰🇷🇫🇷

Families Collide!

It’s Christmas evening, my host dad and I patiently wait by the baggage claim of the tiny Rennes airport. I have emotions and questions running through my mind of what will happen in the next 48 hours…. She comes through the automatic doors with four bags for a weeklong trip, that’s so my mom. My anticipation and nerves stream away as I hug my favorite person in the world again after three months.

My Mom made it to Rennes! She flew in on Christmas evening and my host parents and I picked her up from the airport. Thoughts and scenarios ran through my head about how this whole interaction of “meeting the parents” would go about. My host family knows the Clover who’s been living in France while my mom knows the Clover before living in France, two different people. The first interactions between my host family and my mom are something I will never forget. My mom was so enthusiastic to finally meet the people I have been living with for the past 3 months, I could see the gratitude gleaming out of her eyes. My host family was equally excited to meet my mom, they have never met a previous study abroad student’s family so it was a new experience for them as well.

Once arriving to my house, my mom met my host siblings, hugging each of them with no hesitation. The first thing we did after arriving home was all sit at the dining room table and talk for two hours. Each person in my family went around saying a few facts about themselves. Then my mom and I surprised my host family with Christmas presents! While my mom was still in the US and I was here in France, we worked together to choose Christmas gifts for my family, specifically things that may be harder to find in France. Of course we also gifted them with some traditional American pop tarts because my family once mentioned that they don’t exist in France! They were all amazed and appreciative of the gifts which made me blush in joy because I was able to express a little thank you to them after all they’ve done for me since September. After conversing more for another hour, my heart was content from all of the happiness and positive energy around the table. At the same time, I was cringing in embarrassment when my mom would talk about me…but I guess it was bound to happen at some point😅.

The next day my host mom prepared a fabulous brunch for the whole family, along with bakery breads for my mom to try! My family and my mom instantly got along so well. Although they’d only known each other for less than 24 hours, she already created a special bond and relationship based on gratitude, thankfulness, and joy.

Since my mom was in Rennes, of course I had to show her the city! We hopped on the bus and metro that I take everyday, and I toured her around the city I now know by heart. We visited the outside of my school, place St. Anne where friends and I go after school, and we even stopped by the Parliament with the Christmas market still happening. I was proud to have the ability to show my mom Rennes since it’s a city she’d never visited before, and I had come so accustomed to it in just a few short months.

After visiting the city, my mom and I started to cook dinner, the main show of her stay! We cooked Korean food for my host family (a whole separate blog post!). Our last final meal as one big family was the best way to end my mom’s stay. It was a meal that I will never forget because it was an impacting way I exchanged my culture to the people who have shared their culture and lifestyle to me! Spoiler alert: my host family loved the Korean food!

It was sadder than expected to watch my mom say goodbye to my host family. They created a bond in just a few 48 hours that meant much more than my mom meeting the family that’s hosting her daughter. Having the two days with my mom in town really changed the relationship between myself and my host family as well. With my mom present, they can see who I came from with a different perspective of me similar to before I arrived in France. I feel much closer with them after my mom visited, and I’m grateful that the opportunity for them to meet was exceptionally successful!

It’s not a Christmas in California…but a Christmas in France!

This Christmas looked a little bit different for me because it wasn’t a Christmas in California, but a Christmas in France!

I spent Christmas with my host family in Rennes, it was the most unforgettable Christmas of my life! I LOVE FRENCH CHRISTMAS! Here was my experience!

Let’s start on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve evening I attended Christmas mass with my family. This was a new experience for me because I am not religious, but I was very excited to attend and take part in their Christmas tradition. The mass was very gratifying and joyful, putting us all in the Christmas spirit! Once we got home, I was expecting to eat a normal dinner, but my host mom prepared a special and very elaborate Christmas Eve meal! The dining room table was beautifully decorated with candles, Christmas decorations, and glitter. We had mini apero snacks, a main course of roasted chicken, then cheese and salad, and lastly a traditional buche de noel cake for dessert.

On Christmas Day, I woke up with apprehension and no idea what to expect for the day; spending Christmas outside your own home is not something a book or person can explain. I nervously walked downstairs to joyful faces, all of my ease quickly went away. Underneath the Christmas tree was each family member’s shoe with a little pile of gifts! One of my host family’s traditions is that they open gifts from youngest to oldest, so we started off with my youngest host brother, watching him smile and enjoy his presents. Next it was my turn, and I was not expecting the load of gifts I received! It was really kind and thoughtful of my family to buy me gifts, them hosting me for Christmas and accepting me into their traditions is already a gift to me! Not only were my gifts unforeseen, but they were also gifts that I LOVE and have so much value to me because they all relate to my year abroad in France. My favorite gift is a blank color-in map of Rennes where I will color in all of the places I’ve visited throughout this year, so sweet!🥺Then my host sister opened her gifts, following my two older host brothers, then my host mom and dad!

After we all opened gifts, it was my turn to share some Christmas cheer. I gave each of my family members a gift from the Strasbourg Christmas Market! Even though my gifts were small, they were all so appreciative and shared their gratitude through a bisous. What’s a bisous? An affectionate way the French people greet or thank each other. You press cheeks on each side while making a kiss noise, but you don’t actually kiss😉. First my host dad bisoused me following the rest of my family. This surprised me because I’d never experienced a bisous before, let alone six bisous from my whole family! But I enjoyed the affectionate gesture and it really made me feel apart of the family.

For Christmas lunch, we drove 30 minutes away to my host mom’s parents’ house, or my host grandparents’ house!☺️ This was also a new experience for me because I’d never had a large homemade Christmas meal before, and if I do see my extended family for Christmas, it’s a total of around 6-8 people. In total there were 17 people at this extravagant Christmas lunch, including two tables, a kids table and an adults table. Now the meal…this was the most ENORMOUS meal I’ve ever eaten, also the longest lunch I’ve ever eaten in my life.😅6 hours, yes you read that right, s-i-x, a 6 hour lunch!😱 It just keeps getting better. We started with an apero snack with nuts, crackers, chips, mini tartines, a very yummy introduction. Then we moved on to the appetizer which I thought was the main course. I was flabbergasted when the full baked salmon meal was only an appetizer🤭, will my stomach be able to handle all this food? Onto the actual main plate now, roasted chicken with figs and stuffing, mhmmm. Just when you thought dessert was coming, another two hours of food! Next we had a simple but tasty vinaigrette salad, then the cheese! Cheese is special on Christmas because when there are usually 3 cheeses on a normal night, on Christmas there are 8! Hard cheese, soft cheese, creamy cheese, you got it all! Five hours later we made it to what everyone was waiting for…dessert! There were three types of cakes, a raspberry macaroon cake, a classic Christmas Buche de Noel, and a biscuit cake. Expecting to get a piece of one cake, my French family loved my reaction to getting a taste from all three cakes. For the finale there was coffee and tea at the end, but I did not partake in the drinks because my stomach would burst!

We did take lots of pauses after each course which made the eating experience enjoyable giving my stomach a break to comprehend this phenomenal meal. We did not get up though…so by body was not comfortable adhered to my chair for 6 hours straight. At the end of the meal, my host grandma, Mami, passed out little cards to all her grandkids with a proverb for each person. I felt really special and appreciated because she even included me😭❤️. We all read our proverbs out loud in order from youngest to oldest in age. Before the end of the Christmas luncheon, we took a group grandkids photo, where they also included and encouraged me into the photo. I’d never felt so warm, happy and acknowledged in a family; this is what I’d always longed for as an only child my whole life, this sense of bond and Christmas cheer.

By the time we finished the Christmas lunch it was already 6:30pm, Christmas evening. I bisoused every extended family member goodbye before my family I headed back home, stuffed and satisfied. This Christmas dinner was an experience I will never forget. I’m most grateful to my family for including me in their holiday traditions without leaving me out for any second of the day. Spending Christmas with my host family didn’t make me miss Christmas in California. It made me think about next year and how I will miss spending Christmas with my host family. Home really felt like France this Christmas and nowhere else. I celebrated Christmas with my family. They may not be my biological family I’ve spent Christmas with for the past 17 years of my life, but they are my host family in France who mean just as much to me. Joyeux Noel!🎄

A Reflection On My First Semester In France

It’s the end of Semester 1 already which is crazy! We said goodbye to Semester 1 students and the Semester 2 kids will be arriving in January. I can’t believe that half of my time in France has already flown by. It’s been three months of challenges, accomplishments, adventures, and experiences. Here are some memorable memories and changes I have noticed about myself in these past few months:

I don’t think I’ve had such an eventful past three months in my whole life until moving to France. There’s always something happening in my life here, whether it’s a simple joy of drinking a latte after school or taking the wrong train to another city. France is filled with so many opportunities that come up everyday, so I’ve learned to become more spontaneous in enjoying the moment and loving every minute of it! Some of my favorite planned and impromptu memories from this semester were celebrating my birthday with my host family, swimming in the Marseille Calanque in my clothes, an unplanned karaoke night at an awesome burger joint, seeing the Strasbourg Christmas Markets, and learning how to do a backflip at a trampoline park on the last day of Semester 1.

Before moving to France, I was in boarding school for two years, so I knew what it was like to live away from home. Even though I’d lived away from my home, I was still sheltered with boundaries and wasn’t as independent as I am now. Living in France has given me the freedom most high schoolers don’t have until college and beyond; I go out when I choose, travel on my own itinerary, eat where I want to eat, and am responsible for myself. Through having my own independence without a parent or teacher looking over my shoulder, I make my own decisions and choose how I want to plan out my day, everyday. With this freedom, you can take it and run with it too far, or just the right amount. I’ve learned how to take advantage of this given freedom by grasping every experience possible while also managing my time wisely in what’s important to me.

Throughout these three months I’ve gained more confidence in myself. I’ve learned how to embrace my true self through blogging and making my Youtube videos. Before coming to France I’d always wanted to create videos, but I was too scared about what people at my school might think of me. Here in France, I’ve accomplished letting loose and not caring about what others may think of me. This is one of the best things that has happened to me in France, because it will take me far for the rest of my life. When you think of judgement too much, it will hold you back from your dreams. Now, I’ve learned how to live for myself, not for others and their perception of me, and it’s made me become a happier person who is on the path to achieving her goals!

Lastly, I have developed my social skills. Before these past three months, I was very shy and had a difficult time starting and keeping conversation, and making my voice heard in a group of people. Going into my study abroad program I knew no one, so I had to step into making new friends all from scratch. I couldn’t keep my old ways of being the quiet girl in the room, hoping someone would approach me. Instead, I put myself out there, started conversations, spoke up in class, and took any opportunity to meet new people. I even started conversations with French students which is something I could have never seen myself doing a year ago. I’ve developed a new mindset about making friends, creating new relationships, and being social: if you never tried you would never know what might’ve happened. As well as if your attempt goes awkwardly or embarrassing (has happened a numerous amount of times with my host family), there’s always tomorrow, and they won’t be replaying the moment in their heads in 24 hours.

I’ve had an unforgettable first 3 months in France, and I can’t wait to live up my next five months in France. Time flies so fast; this experience is something I will never take for granted because before I know it I’ll be on my flight back to the United States. But for now, I’m going to take every experience and every moment possible! From getting lost on my bus route home my first week to completing an 8 minute oral presentation only in French, I’ve come a long way, and it won’t stop here. Let’s see it Semester 2!🌟

Strasbourg Christmas Markets🎄

I took an independent travel trip to Strasbourg, France to see the Christmas Markets, it made all my Christmas dreams come true!

I’ve always wanted to visit a European Christmas Market, so I made it a mission to see one in France this year! Back in October I planned a trip to Strasbourg, the Capital of Christmas, with my friend, and the time finally came! Strasbourg is located in the region of Alsace, which is close to Germany. Ranked as one of the best Christmas markets in the world, I knew I needed to experience this Christmas town for myself this winter. The trip made me feel the most Christmasy I have ever felt, the Christmas spirit in Strasbourg is real!🎄❄️

My friend and I left Rennes at 7:45am on a Saturday for our first train to Paris. Then from Paris we took a train straight to Strasbourg. The commute was quite long because we travelled to the opposite end of France, but it was so worth it! Once we arrived in Strasbourg we went straight to the markets! Seeing the wooden box houses filled with products of joy made my heart so happy for Christmas time. Every kind of Christmas trinket you can think of was displayed so beautifully in these stands. There were nutcrackers, ornaments, nativity scenes, snow globes, angels, lights, anything and everything Christmas! And I can’t begin with the sweet carts🤤. From freshly baked gingerbread loafs to Christmas cookies, I wanted to buy everything, and I mean EVERYTHING. I’m usually not a big spender when it comes to trinkets but everything at this market was so charming, I wanted it all! I didn’t buy anything for myself because 1. I don’t have a way to bring it back to the US and 2. I have nowhere to store anything when it’s not Christmas. So instead, I bought lots of gifts for other people who can admire these amazing things from Strasbourg! I bought my Christmas gifts for my host family here because I wanted to find something special for them that could not only be found in Rennes. There was a stand with handmade wood gifts along with personalization by engraving names. I instantly knew that these would be the perfect gifts for my host siblings, so I got them each a different and personalized wood gift from this stand. For my host mom, I found some specialized Strasbourg tea, and I bought my host dad a nativity scene decoration along with some vin chaud jam. Of course I had to buy some sweet treats for my family too, so I brought home a gingerbread loaf, some cookies, and a Kugelhopf cake!

Now for the food I ate in Strasbourg: I wanted to try all of the Christmas market food, and I can say that most was conquered! For lunch I tried Flàmmeküeche or Tarte Flambée. It’s a thin crust pizza with sour cream, onions, bacon bits, and mushrooms. Soooo good😋. And along with that I had some hot apple cider to keep warm outside, delicious! As a snack I tried a bretzel, it just tasted like a normal pretzel🤭. For dinner I ate authentic Alsatian sausage with sauerkraut, yummy but not astonishing, I think it would taste really yummy at a restaurant in Strasbourg though! Of course I had to try vin chaud, the drink of Strasbourg! You can find vin chaud at every food stand in the market. Here’s my unpopular opinion: I did not like the vin chaud….but I’m glad I tried it and now I know that I’ll stick to the cider! As far as desserts in Strasbourg, I got myself a hot chocolate to feel the Christmas vibes and I had a bit of my friend’s waffle. Oh! can’t forget about the gingerbread samples as well☺️. On Sunday we had brunch at an adorable cafe called Madame Julia with superb Christmas decorations. I ordered a truffle egg scramble which was delicious but also so needed since I haven’t gone out for brunch since I’ve been in the US.

Our rental was a little studio apartment very close to the center of the city which was very convenient. And the best part of this room, there were iconic French windows! You could see lights out of the window and I was obsessed, you already know I had a photoshoot there😏.

We walked around three different Christmas markets in Strasbourg plus the retail shops. One thing to note is that the markets close at 8pm as well as most of the retail stores, so start your shopping early! We left Strasbourg at around 2pm on Sunday. While we had a little more than 24 hours in Strasbourg, it was plenty of time to see all of the Christmas markets and enjoy what the city has to offer! If you have the opportunity to visit Strasbourg or any Christmas market it is incredible and changes the Christmas game! I especially loved it when it got dark because all of the lights are lit up and it’s so stunning! This trip to Strasbourg made Christmas feel like a true Christmas out of a movie! Strasbourg trip in the books!🎅🏼

A Day in the French High School System

For another fieldwork Thursday, we spent the day at Lycée Jean Macé, a French public high school! This high school is a street away from my school’s campus and we eat lunch at this school everyday. This fieldwork was my first time out of the cafeteria and into the actual school! Here’s my experience went as a real French high schooler for the day:

Each American was paired with a French student at Jean Macé. I was paired with a student in “2nde” the equivlaent of a Freshman in the American school system. She also brought along three of her friends so the five of us headed to the first class which started bright and early at 8am. The first class was Italian History and Geography; they were taking a test so I just read my book. Since Italian was a special class the students had to apply for, it was a small group of around 14 students. The second class was math class at 9am. The teacher prepared a special class for this immersion day, so we played math games in French and English. This class had 32 people! After math class, the girls usually have French class but the teacher was not there that day, so we had free time. We went to the school library where I got to know the girls, they were super sweet and we instantly became friends. Then at 11:30am, it was lunch time! I was used to this part of the day because this is where I usually eat lunch on school days, but it was my first time not eating with fellow Americans. I enjoyed eating with my new French friends because I felt like a real student of the school, and we beat the long lunch line!

Our first class of the afternoon was Italian Language and Literature at 1pm, with the same small group of Italian learners. This class was two hours long with only a five minute break in between😱. Then we had English at 3pm, my specialty out of all of the day’s classes😏. With the same group of the math class with 32 students, we watched and analyzed an English video, but even in the language I fluently speak it was hard😭. From 4-5pm we had another free period and went back to the library. Then at 5pm was our last class of the day, politics! We compared and contrasted the French and American political parties, same people as the math and English class. At 6pm, the school day was over. 10 HOURS OF SCHOOL😩. I commend all of the French students for doing this five days a week for 10+ years😤.

I loved this fieldwork because it was SO different from your average day in an American school. Here are my observations from the day as well as some outside knowledge I learned about the French school system:

The school system is very rigorous for everyone, whether you are academically inclined or not; everyone goes through the same classes and process, all public schools have the same curriculum.

French schools are much more strict than American schools; no eating, drinking water, using phones in class, not even having them on the desks.

No technology! French students always use notebooks and are given homework and handouts on paper. There is no school site for online homework and no need to type anything, everything is handed to the teachers in person.

It’s not very common to have school sports teams/school clubs. The students have a required P.E. class but there is not much time for athletic teams after school since they finish so late.

There are very large class sizes; there are desks in every part of the classroom, from directly in front of the teacher to the very back of the room almost covering the door.

French students must choose their profession they would like to focus on for their career and future, then they take specific classes based on this profession along with their normal high school classes. This is one I find crazy because it’s like choosing your life path at 16 years old!

Le Bac. This could be it’s whole own post but to sum it up, Le Bac is an exam and qualification to attend university in France. It’s required for everyone and you will also be tested in the career path you chose in the beginning of high school.

The school hours! French students can have school for 10 hours! But there are free periods and a long lunch. But with the long days, every Wednesday is a half day where the students finish school at noon. Also, the French school system goes six weeks on with school, then always have a two week break.

What a day at Lycée Jean Macé. I found the day to be so fascinating shadowing the French student’s classes. I also gained new French friends who I’ve stayed in contact with! When comparing the French school system and the American school system, both have their benefits and their contrasts, but in my personal opinion, I think the French have it it harder, I still can’t get over finishing school when it’s dark out😮. This day was an experience I will never forget because it was so unique and so divergent from any school day I’ve experienced in my entire life. Now I have a new insight in education and how the education systems in different countries differ. For now, I will stick to the US system because wow the French system is hardcore!

A Thanksgiving Feast for My Host Family

This Thanksgiving was different from all of my past Thanskgivings because 1. I’m in France (obviously) and 2. They don’t celebrate thanksgiving in France😜. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t celebrate the holiday, in fact, it was actually my grandest Thanksgiving yet. This is a common occurrence throughout my experience in France so far; moments ending up being much morememorable in France versus in the US. Perhaps it’s the country, perhaps having no expectation going into the experience, a bit of both maybe.

I decided that I wanted to give my host family the full experience of an American Thanksgiving by cooking them the whole shabang! It sounded like an easy idea going into it, but here was my little secret: I’d never cooked a Thanksgiving meal in my entire life. Actually, I’d never cooked any dish remotely close to Thanksgiving food. I really don’t cook much at all in general; frozen food, sandwiches, and maybe some pasta is the most you’ll get out of me. I’d also never cooked anything for my host family or cooked anything at all since arriving in France. Was I worried? No, how hard could it be?

The week before Thanksgiving I researched recipes online then copied and pasted the ingredients list to show my host mom. She only wrote a few things on her grocery list and said we had the rest at home, I trusted her that she already had the ingredients to make this meal great.😅👊🏽

The day before Thanksgiving I started the meal prep with the most important part of a Thanksgiving meal, the pumpkin pie. My French friend came over to my house to help me make the pie. She knew more than I did about baking which was a great help and everything started off smoothly. But when we mixed all of our ingredients together, something was a little off. The mixture was way to watery😵‍💫….we didn’t have enough ingredients or the time to restart so we did what any admirable baker would do, just add flour. So maybe it would become a pie/cake but that still works😅. We finished the pie, baked it in the oven, and it looked pretty decent actually. After my friend went home, I started on the cranberry sauce. I followed a trusty recipe online but the cranberry sauce would not sauce. The boiled cranberries tasted great but they were not forming anything compote…Boiled cranberries work right? I was cooking for French people who did not know what was right or wrong in a Thanksgiving dinner, as long as everything tastes good, all is well??😌. That was enough meal prep for one day, so I left the kitchen and returned the next day, the real deal day of the meal, no mistakes, no crumbs left.

At 4pm the next day, I started cooking for our Thanksgiving feast at 8pm. Thankfully my host sister was there to help me cook, I’m not sure if I could have done it without her. Because I have to be extra in everything I do, as a first time Thanksgiving chef I cooked ten Thanksgiving plates, and I was very proud of myself😊. Since it’s difficult to find turkey in France, we had a rotisserie chicken, which really didn’t make much of a difference to the Thanksgiving tradition, still a bird we could share together. Going into the cooking with no plan, I kind of just cooked things when I cooked things without thinking about timing. Also, all of the recipes I found online were in English and all the measurements and baking times were different, so everything just turned into eyeballing and taking things out of the oven when they looked done. Four hours later, the meal was complete! Here’s a list of what I cooked for 8 people:

Brussel sprouts

Green beans

Salad

Rotisserie Chicken

Stuffing

Mac and cheese

Cranberry sauce

Mashed potatoes

Sweet potato casserole

Pumpkin pie

My host family and two of my French friends from my weekly dance class attended my feast. Everything turned out fantastic and I could not have asked for a better meal! The biggest hits of the table: the Mac and cheese and stuffing. I think the stuffing turned out so tasty because I used baguette, this why everything tastes better in France🥖. The ambience of the meal was fantastic, it was a fun way to incorporate and teach my host family and friends about American culture and Thanksgiving. Like any Thanksgiving meal, of course we had leftovers! There was only leftovers of everything for the day after our dinner, but we had extra cranberries for two weeks! My host mom ended up using them in multiple pies for dessert.

My apprehensions that formed the day before about cooking my first large meal were all repealed after the outcome of an amazing feast. Once again, France does it again, making American-specific experiences better than they are in America! This was my Thanksgiving in France! After the meal I considered, “Should I do this again and cook a Thanksgiving meal in America for my family?” Part of me says yes to do it again, but part of me will stick to just eating the Thanksgiving food😏. Props to my host mom who cooks dinner for 6 people, everyday. After cooking Thanksgiving food for my French family and friends, I definitely want to cook again for them this year! What should I make next?😋

Celebrating Thanksgiving in France!

On the day of Thanksgiving, my school and I visited Lycée d’Hotelier Dinard, a French high school which specializes in hotel and restaurant management!

Quick French school system lesson😉: For high school in France, you can choose different paths depending on what profession you want to take on in your future. Once path is a Lycée Professional, which is what the Lycée d’Hotelier Dinard is! A professional high school is meant for students who want to quickly start working directly after high school. Similar to a trade school, you prepare and learn a profession that involves working with your hands. The students still have their normal high school classes, but learn their intended profession in the curriculum as well.

The specific high school we visited focuses on hotel and restaurant management through cuisine, serving, and learning hospitality. When we first arrived the students greeted us, and we were split into small groups with French and American students. They planned a sweet Thanksgiving quiz for us and we toured around the school. Then we had the opportunity to make crêpes and pastries! The culinary students taught us how to make crêpes and roll pastries. It was so fun because I’ve wanted to try a baking class in France, and now I can say I have! Imagine being graded on how tasty your crêpe is or your cake design, how cool!

After cooking it was almost lunch time! But before the feast, we learned how to set the table with the students learning how to become servers. Then we all seated for the Thanksgiving lunch in the dining room. The culinary students prepared this special Thanksgiving meal for just for us which was so kind, and it was delicious! We started off with a first course of butternut squash soup and bread. The main meal consisted of chicken because it is very difficult to find turkey in France, plus this Thanksgiving meal was for over 70 students! With the chicken we had a French rendition of mac and cheese, sweet potato puree, and raspberry sauce. For dessert we had the tastiest pumpkin pie with a raspberry filling which made the pie absolutely exquisite. I really enjoyed this Thanksgiving meal because 1. The food was delicious, but 2. the tables were mixed with American and French students for ✨immersion✨. There were four French students at my table all focusing on different professions in the hotel/restaurant business. Talking one on one with these students gave me the experience of meeting French teenagers in an authentic setting, this is the real French immersion which you cannot only find in a classroom. I loved hearing about their lives and interests while they also enjoyed hearing the perspective of an American! Even though we’re from two different countries with two very different cultures, we still found similarities in each other and became friends🙃.

After our Thanksgiving meal, we played two group games of Kahoot with our groups from the beginning of the day. It was another point in the day where I met more French teens who were fun to talk to😁. Before we departed on our way back to Rennes, we ate our snacks we made in the morning, the crêpes and pastries. They turned out so yummy and were the perfect treat before our bus ride home.

Our day at Lycée d’Hotelier Dinard was definitely on of my favorite field trips so far! Visiting a hotelier high school was a day I could never experience in the US and it was so different from any schooling experience I’ve ever seen. Activities like these give me knew insights of the world, allow me to meet new people, and expand my horizons in interesting ways. In the spring, these students will be coming to my school campus in Rennes; it will be an exciting day which I’m looking forward to in semester 2😎.

I Hopped on the Wrong Train and Ended Up in a Random City…

Yes you read that title correctly…happy Independent Travel!😊We’ll get to that part of the story shortly. Here’s the craziness from the core memory of my first independent travel trip:

My friend and I planned our first independent travel trip a few weeks before the actual dates to Vannes, a town in the South of Brittany. We purchased our train tickets and were all ready to go, not expecting the events that unfolded throughout the day. We got on our train at 9am from Rennes, everything going smoothly so far. We took the correct train and made it to Vannes an hour and a half later. We didn’t plan any itinerary, so we started off our time by window shopping in a few stores. In the first 30 minutes after stepping foot in Vannes, we have our first slight road block. In the Harry Potter store, my friend’s phone decided to magically turn off and not turn back on again…No it wasn’t a battery problem, just an iPhone glitch that happens from time to time. I’m pretty positive that the magic from the Wizarding World did this to my friend’s phone, what are the odds that this would happen when we weren’t in our home city?

Not to fret, we had a solution. We walked thirty minutes away from the small town of Vannes to the nearest mall where there was a phone repair store. Thankfully, the tech man fixed my friend’s phone in two minutes, free of charge! All jokes aside we were really grateful because it would have been such a hassle if she needed a new phone. Having no phone is always stressful enough, especially when we weren’t even close to home.

Mission accomplished and we moved past the first catch of the day. Everything went smoothly after our little turn of events. For lunch we had Korean kimbap from a street vendor then we walked around the little shops of Vannes. Vannes also has a port, and we admired all of the boats and the nice bay views. Our train was around 7pm so we had an early dinner of galettes before heading home.

Or so we thought we were heading home…

Just when we thought our trip was finished, the biggest phenomenon was thrown at us. We arrived at the train station 30 minutes before our train all ready to go, and even stood in front of our coach number. When it was close to the time our train was supposed to arrive, others were also crowed around the stop. The train came, so bien sûr, we hopped on. The train was supposed to arrive in Rennes at around 8:30pm, but it was around 8:25 and there was no alert from the conductor that we would be arriving soon, so we looked at our location on our phone. We were not close to Rennes whatsoever, but we were approaching Nantes! That’s when we asked the kind lady behind us what train we were on and she said the train to Nantes. WE WERE ON THE WRONG TRAIN…Nantes is another hour and a half away from Rennes. My first instinct: book a train from Nantes to Rennes. Since it was nearing 8:45pm there were no more trains to Rennes for the night. Second and only other option: uber back to Rennes. So that’s what we did😅. Was it exceptionally pricey? yes. Have I learned my lesson? yes🥰.

So here's what I think happened and how we got into this mess: Our train to Rennes was around 7:15pm, and so was the train to Nantes (but a few minutes earlier than the train to Rennes). When a group of people started to board the next train, we assumed it was to Rennes but it was actually to Nantes. We also did not know that on the front of the trains there is a tiny, minuscule screen which says what train you are on. Siince this was a train coming from a small train station, there was no scanner for our tickets before entering, and they didn’t even scan us inside the train (although that wouldn’t have helped in the end since we would have been on the wrong train anyway). So without thinking, without even knowing, we hopped on the wrong train because we assumed we knew what we were doing. The lesson I’ve learned from this experience: ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS! Whether you are confident or confused, it doesn’t hurt to ask! What hurts is the aftermath if you didn’t ask👊🏽.

I wasn't scared or panicked when we were on a train to the wrong city, it was more funny and so unrealsitic in the moment. I really was “that American”. It felt like a scene that could only happen in a comedic drama, not in a foreign country you’ve been in for two months. I’ve definitely learned so much from this experience, and it is a core memory I will never forget from France. I got home safe in sound, all in one piece, around 10pm. I’m grateful that our train was originally planned for 7pm, because if this happened later we would have possibly had to find a hotel in Nantes which would be a lot more trouble we didn’t need for one night. So this was my first independent travel trip to Vannes…and Nantes! My big takeaway: asking never hurts!

Family Trip to Quiberon!

For the second week of Toussaint break, my host family and I spent four days in the beach town, Quiberon! Quiberon is a little beach commune on the south side of Brittany, about two hours away from Rennes. We stayed in a little air bnb close to the sea, and enjoyed spending time together along with the change of scenery. This was the first trip I’ve been on with my whole entire family. It was a relaxing and enjoyable few days spending time with my host parents and siblings. One of my host brothers is in university and occasionally comes home on the weekends, and my host siblings who live at home have different schedules, so we had not had many opportunities to bond as a whole family until this trip.

Altogether as a family, we explored many beaches and viewpoints of Quiberon throughout the four days. The weather was not in our favor due to lots of rain and wind, but our last day was a beautiful and sunny day. Not only did we explore Quiberon, but we visited some neighboring towns as well. We walked around the shops of the town, Auray, and admired the boats at Port de la Trinite-Sur-Mer. Carnac is another close beach town where we visited the Alignements de Carnac and the beach!

We also spent downtime resting and relaxing in the air bnb which were some of my favorite moments of the trip. We watched Harry Potter together and I played a board game with all of my host siblings which was a fun way to connect with them. My host mom cooked all of our meals in the air bnb kitchen which I admire because I would not have the diligence to cook for seven people for every meal when on vacation😵‍💫. Since it was vacation, we had lots of junk food and snacks we usually do not have in the house which I found interesting because it’s a bit of the same culture in America when you’re on vacation. While we were only a couple hours from home, our air bnb felt like home because we would eat meals altogether, hang out in the living room, and spend time together. It sort of reminded me of quarantine (in a good way😉) because our tiny air bnb held seven people on the couches, and I hadn’t been in a setting with my whole entire host family for so long before!

I enjoyed our family Quiberon trip. It was a trip of relaxation, bonding, and seeing a new part of Brittany. But at the same time, It’s nice to be back in our own home in Rennes. To a great Toussaint!

Concluding Marseille with some Karaoke

Day 5, last day of the Marseille trip☹️. I already miss this trip when writing about it a couple weeks later, but our last day ended with a bang and concluded this trip in such a memorable way. Here’s what happened:

I started off the day with delicious hotel breakfast per usual, and today was a day spent in Marseille without any excursions outside the city. Our first group activity of the day was visiting the cathedral, La Cathedrale Saint-Marie-Majeure. This cathedral’s architecture was similar to the Basilique from the first day in Marseille because they were both built by the same architect! After admiring the cathedral we visited the le Mucem, or the Museum of Civilizations of Europe and the Mediterranean. This museum had interesting exhibits and a rooftop looking over the harbor of Marseille. After the museum we had lunch in this part of Marseille, which was a nice change of scenery and shops because it was on the opposite side of where our hotel was. For lunch I had a burrata salad and for dessert my friends and I discovered a cookie dough shop. We couldn’t miss the opportunity to try the cookie dough just in case we wouldn’t be back in that part of Marseille😉. After lunch we took the public Marseille bus to la Friche de la Baille de Mai. La Friche de la Baille de Mai is an urban cultural site which was once a factory. It’s now used as a community center, art gallery, workspace, playground, and a place to gather. We took a guided tour around La Friche. It was a light day for group activities since it was our last full day in Marseille.

A couple friends and I headed to the beach to watch the sunset for our last night in Marseille. I took a sunset swim in the Mediterranean and it was so dreamy: there was a crescent moon out that night with skies of dark blue and pink. After the sunset we walked to TopBun, the burger joint we loved from day 3! This time I got a veggie burger that was just as tasty as my smash burger from the first time we tried TopBun. While my friends and I were only expecting to eat dinner then get back to our hotel early, we were in for a real surprise and change of plans for the night. Our waiter asked us if we wanted to participate in Karaoke Night! We said absolutely, but only expecting to sing a couple songs then head out. My friends and I were the singers of the night, and basically the only participates in karaoke night. “Fancy” by Iggy Azalea, “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk, and some Adele with the TopBun staff were just a few of the songs we sang. We were the only ones hyped up in the restaurant though…no one else was cheering or singing, just us😬but hyping ourselves up made it much more fun😜. I usually don’t like to sing in front of people, but doing karaoke like this for the first time helped me let go. I felt so free, singing at the top of my lungs and purely having so much fun. The staff loved us because we were the Americans with so much energy; they said that French people usually don’t like to let loose and stay reserved most of the time. We had so much fun singing, dancing, jumping up and down to our hype music (which no one else got hyped up from), it was such a blast to end this trip on. We were in the moment for the whole karaoke experience that we lost track of time and had to sprint back to our hotel to make it for curfew😅. Wow, what an unexpected way to wrap up the Marseille trip. I wouldn’t have it any other way😎.

My final remarks on the Marseille trip are nothing but good vibes. I loved all of the excursions and group activities and it was a great way to bond with new people I didn’t previously know too well. My favorite activities from the week were swimming in the Calanque, swimming at sunset, and karaoke with friends on the last night. Everyday was a cheat day in Marseille with all the amazing food. My top favorites: Splendido truffle pasta and TopBun burgers! I will also miss the hotel breakfast and the unlimited mini chocolate croissants. Our first school trip was a success and one for the books. Thank you Marseille for the unforgettable memories!

Arles and a Splendid(o) Time

Here’s day 4 of Marseille! Today was an excursion day outside of the city. I started off the morning with some hotel breakfast (always bomb with the mini viennoiseries), then we hopped on the bus and drove to the city of Arles. Arles is about an hour away from Marseille, and the city is famous for inspiring many of Van Gogh’s paintings.

Our first visit of the day was to the Antique Museum of Arles, where we had some fieldwork! This fieldwork assignment was to find a painting or sculpture that you admired, discover its time period and artist, and to write a brief description of the art piece. I chose a sculpture of Hercules because the sculpture related to ancient Roman religion and Arles has a big Roman influence!

After the museum we had some free time for lunch and discovering the city of Arles. My friend and I had bruschetta for lunch, then we walked around the shops. Once free time ended, we gathered back as a group to visit a few sites in Arles. We visited the Abbaye de Montmajour, the Arles amphitheater, and the Roman Theatre of Arles. While I’ve never been to Rome, it felt like I was transported to Italy at these sights! We also toured the Cryptoportiques, or the underground tunnels. The once underground part of the city reminded me of the Chamber of Secrets in Harry Potter if that helps for a visual😅.

We got back to Marseille in the late afternoon, with free time for the rest of the night. Tonight my friends and I went to one of my favorite restaurants I have ever dined at called Splendido! On night 3 of the trip, we went to a fabulous burger joint called TopBun with fantastic burgers and a very unique interior. Splendido is the same chain as TopBun so I knew I had to try it. I made a reservation and oh how glad I am that we got to experience this place while we were in Marseille. Like TopBun, Splendido has a crazy cool interior; the designer of these restaurants needs to be hired to do hotels because it would be top-tier🤩. The interior was a cross of circus and elegance. The decor was so beautiful and the ambience was somewhat like a 20’s jazz club. The inside of the restaurant sort of reminded me of Main Street at Disneyland as well. It was an Italian restaurant and the vibe transported me into the 1920s. Off the bat I already liked the restaurant based off its ambiance, but the food brought the experience to a whole other level. What to order at Splendido? THE TRUFFLE PASTA. If you have the opportunity to try multiple plates, please do🤤, but if you had to choose one thing on their large menu, do not skip this truffle pasta! Oh my gosh was this pasta heaven, and when it comes to reviewing food, I will give you my honest opinion. There was perfect ratio of truffle to the cream sauce and the pasta shape was malfadine, the unique pasta shapes instantly made me enjoy the dish even more. After each of my friends tried my pasta, they al declared that this truffle pasta was the best dish of the night. Everything was delicious though, but I just need to emphasize again that you must taste the truffle pasta if you come to Splendido. Some other delectable plates I tried were the Cacio e Pepe, the truffle pizza, and La Flemme pizza. And I couldn’t not partake in dessert here, try the tiramisu!

Now what really drew me to this restaurant were a couple photos of the bathroom, but those few photos online did not represent the magnificence one bit. After walking through a lion’s mouth and down a spiral staircase, you enter the bathroom, where the real party happens. First, there’s a vintage photo booth! You already know that my friends and I took some fliks in there😏. Then, the sinks. The sink area had circus-striped wallpaper and individual princess mirrors for each sink. This bathroom was already my instagram dream. Like TopBun, the individual bathroom stalls had a surprise as well. Each stall was covered in mirrors on the walls and on the ceiling, an infinity room of mirrors! Did I have a photoshoot in all three of these locations in the bathroom, absolutely yes. The Splendido bathroom is a whole separate experience in itself, a bloggers’ dream come true! We need more restaurants like Splendido in the US; I miss that truffle pasta so much already😩. The restaurant group which created Splendido and TopBun is called BigMamma, and they have other restaurants all around Europe including in France, London, and Spain. I need to contact BigMamma to seriously open up locations in America, starting LA!

My dining experience at Splendido was THE restaurant to remember. Superb food and dazzling instagram pictures, I can ask for nothing more. If you visit Marseille, Paris, London, or a location with a BigMamma restaurant nearby, I HIGHLY recommend dining at their restaurant! No sponsorship, I just loved my dining experience so much. Let’s Collab BigMama! When I visit Paris with my Mom we will definitely be trying another BigMamma restaurant☺️.

That was Day 4 of the Marseille trip: transported to Rome by day, and the 20’s by night😏.

Boats and Burgers in Marseille

Here’s Day 3 of the Marseille Trip! I started off the morning getting up early to watch the sunrise. My friends and I woke up when it was still dark, took some hotel breakfast to-go, and walked up to the viewpoint from the first day of the trip, the Balade a Notre Dame de la Garde. What an incline to start off my morning, but wow the sunrise was amazing. Once again, another activity I do not regret doing on this trip.

Our group activities did not start until afternoon so it was nice to have a breather of rest from all the action we’d been having on the trip so far. Our first activity of the day was visiting the History Museum of Marseille, where we analyzed and explored the exhibits at our own pace. After that, we walked to the Vieux-Port to hop on a boat! We took a boat to Chateau d’If, a fortress on an island not too far from the main city of Marseille. Feeling the sea breeze and wind in my hair, the boat ride was spectacular. And it couldn't be a trip to the South of France without going on a boat, so I’m happy I can add it too the list of things I’ve experienced in Marseille. Once we got on the island we explored the fortress at our own pace until it was time to head back to the not so far mainland. Those were all the group activites we had for the day. While I enjoy our group activities, I love how our school put free time in consideration for us to be independent during the trip.

For dinner, my friends and I went to a burger joint called TopBun, a place I discovered after the history museum and on our way to the boat. Ah I miss TopBun when writing this😩. The place was SO COOL with one of the coolest interiors I’ve ever seen in a restaurant. All of the walls were covered with CDs and mirrors, and the ceiling was completely covered in string lights. There was also a wall of neon signs and the music was American pop so we felt at home. The burgers were delicious and the vibe was so relaxing. They also had a very captivating but trippy bathroom. The hallway leading into the bathroom was covered in circular mirrors great for pictures, but the actual bathrooms were something else. They had one way windows where you could see right into the kitchen! I don’t think the kitchen could see you though…lets hope not. Anyway, TopBun was a bit hit among my friends and I, even the name is cool, TopGun? nah…TopBun😎.

After dinner we went to the main beach of Marseille. We went night swimming in the ocean. It was definitely a different experience from the Calanques because we were actually prepared to swim, and it was dark so we couldn’t see the water, but I do think the water was still clearer than water in California. We didn’t stay too long at the beach because we went to get dessert at a crêperie afterwards.

And that was Day 3 of Marseille! From an early morning sunrise to a night swim, there’s always something happening in Marseille. I love it!

Swimming in the Mediterranean Sea in my Clothes…

Day two of Marseille, my favorite day of the trip! Here are the core memories from the day:

After breakfast at our hotel, we got on a bus and headed to Aix-en-Provence, which is a city about an hour away from Marseille. Aix-en-Provence perfectly matches the vision in my head when I think of the most charming and Pinterest-pleasing French town in the South of France. There are the small cobblestone streets, aesthetic houses and buildings, beautiful boutiques, but most importantly, a big marche! Aix-en-Provence had the best farmer’s and flea market that is so worth visiting in France! The vendors at this marche sold unique items that were unlike things I’ve seen at other flea markets such as painted Van Gogh tapestries and vintage film cameras. The market spread around the whole city and each stand had something different to offer from clothing, soaps, art, haircare, etc! I bought a small blue quilted bag from a vendor, not something I could find at any clothing store in Rennes or the US. I also bought some olive oil soap and truffle honey for my host family. Truffle honey was one of the delicious items I tried at the farmer’s market; the fruit, jams, breads were all so fresh and ready to serve! While the local shopping was my take away from Aix-en-Provence, there are also designer and big brands in the city, such as Hermes and an Apple Store! We only had a couple hours to explore Aix, but I would totally want to go back and spend a night in this charming city!

Then we hopped back on the bus and drove to a town called Cassis to visit the Calanques. We were dropped off at the beginning of a hiking trail, everyone clueless of what was happening. Our teachers did not tell us we were going hiking and did not tell us where we were actually going. After hiking an hour uphill on steep rocks overlooking high cliff views of the beautiful Mediterranean Sea, we made it to the Calanques, the beautiful crystal clear beaches only accessible through this hike. The specific Calanque we went to was called Calanque de Port-Pin. It was absolutely stunning and I felt like I was transported into summer from how clear the water was. But there was just one little problem: none of us wore bathing suits because we didn’t know we would be going to such an amazing beach…No bathing suit, no problem! A few of my classmates started swimming in the ocean with their clothes on! The water was so tempting to jump into but I resisted for a while since I didn’t want to be wet for the rest of the day. I took some amazing photos of the Calanque, then I couldn’t resist. I jumped into the water and swam in my clothes! By this time more than half of our class was swimming in their clothes, and nothing mattered in those moments. Everything was pure joy. We were all swimming and enjoying the water together and not only with specific friend groups. It was a core memory I will never forget because it was a time our class was very unified and we were all just living in the moment and enjoying it! Even our math teacher joined in on the fun and swam with us🥰.

The hike back up to the bus was not even bad in wet clothes because of how unforgettable the experience was. I have absolutely no regrets of jumping in that water and I am so glad I did because it is a memory I will always remember from my time in France. It’s also such a fun story I now have to tell: a treacherous hike to an unexpected, crystal clear beach, and an unplanned swim in my clothes. What a day!

The bus ride back to Marseille was also memorable. In the back of the bus, my classmates and I had a carpool karaoke moment. We started singing nostalgic 2010s songs and it was such a blast. From old Taylor Swift to singing Mama Mia songs, we were singing at the top of our lungs with no care in the world. It was another moment where we were all just being our authentic selves, happy to be together, enjoying the moment and this trip. Even the French bus driver would join in on his bus microphone from time to time. Karaoke in the bus was a priceless activity, but it had just as much significance as the rest of the amazing activities from the Marseille trip.

That was Day 2 in Marseille, a day of unexpected activities which led to cherished memories I will always remember from this trip. Now I can say I’ve swam in my clothes and sang carpool karaoke in the back of a bus in the South of France😊.

School Trip to Marseille: Day 1

After six weeks of hard work at school, we had our first school trip to the South of France! The Marseille Trip was a week long and with half of my grade, the other half of the grade went to the city, Montpellier, and in the spring we will switch trips!

We left from La Gare in Rennes at 7:45am, and made the four hour train ride over to the South! This was my first time on the train in France and I had a comfortable ride that exceeded my expectations. There was high speed wifi and a charging outlet, so everything was all good in my book:). We arrived in Marseille at around 1pm and walked twenty minutes to our hotel. The first instant change from Rennes: the heat! It was starting to get chilly in Rennes so this trip was much needed for some weather change, and it did not disappoint. It was 75 degrees out and sunny! Once we got to the hotel I instantly changed into shorts to soak up as much summer sun as I could in the fall. Our first activity in Marseille was visiting the Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde. This basilica was quite the uphill hike to get to, but it was so worth the views and the beautiful interior. It’s one of the most visited sights in Marseille, plus a historical and religious landmark.

Next we had some fieldwork! Fieldwork is the work we do in a class called Experiential French. Fieldwork tasks are place-based assignments which can’t be done in the classroom. How it works is we receive a paper with questions or tasks to complete in the city based on the theme of the Fieldwork. Some examples are interviewing locals, finding a specific monument, or describing a painting you enjoyed at a museum. For this Fieldwork in Marseille, our job was to find the listed monuments, and to take a selfie in front of each one. So my friends and I went off on our journey to find the monuments and explore the city of Marseille. The monuments were l’Opera, l’Ombriere, le Musee d’Histoire de Marseille, and a place of our choice. We chose Amorino Gelato as our last monument and a gelato pit stop. After we finished and submitted our fieldwork, we spent some time walking around the touristy shops and admiring the boats at the Vieux-Port, the main marina of Marseille and where our hotel was conveniently located.

There are many very significant differences from Rennes and Marseille. First, the size. I didn’t know this until the first day of the trip, but Marseille is the second biggest city of France, with the first being Paris of course! Second, the ambiance. Rennes is a city of many families and students, while Marseille is a city of tourism and the sea. I loved being close to the water for the week for a change of scenery, Rennes has lots of farmland and forests. The people in Marseille were also different. Since Rennes is a small city, you become very familiar with it’s people and surroundings. But in Marseille, we had to be aware because pick-pocketing is very common and people will be out to get you in the sea of sightseers. Also, the drivers in Marseille do not stop for you or anyone! That was marked very clear on the very first day😅.

We had dinner at a restaurant called La Galiote on the Vieux-Port, 100% recommended this place! I had moules frites, or mussels and fries, for the first time in my life! I thought, “When else will I be 17 in the South of France with the chance to eat fresh mussels, might as well take the opportunity to try!” I was a big fan, definitely ordering again. Once I got home and told my family I tried moules frites, they told me that the dish is actually a specialty in our home region Bretagne, not Marseille…guess I need to try them again to have authentic mussels! I also tried my friend’s truffle pasta. It was to die for🤤…rigatoni + truffle, I need nothing more. So if you’re in Marseille, visit La Galiote!

That was the end of day 1, just the beginning of this crazy fun trip!

Day Trip to Saint-Malo!

Last weekend I went on a little day trip to Saint-Malo, a beach town on the coast of Brittany, France. Saint-Malo is only an hour from Rennes by car, an easy getaway when the weather is nice! I went with my host parents and it was a fantastic Saturday!

We started off the afternoon by visiting The Sculptured Rocks, a beautiful ocean viewpoint. On this cliff viewpoint there are rocks sculpted into faces and animals. It’s a remarkable viewpoint of the water and the intricately carved rocks make the sight very Instagrammable, there’s also a natural ocean pool! The view really reminded me of my old home of Palos Verdes, California. Even in the middle of October the water was green and light blue, I totally need to come back in the spring to jump into this water!

After the viewpoint we walked the Saint-Malo Boardwalk. Walking the boardwalk also reminded me of California, walking down the Manhattan Beach Boardwalk. The boardwalk was nice and wide, about 15 feet higher than the sand, looking over the flat sands of the Saint-Malo beach. Saint-Malo gets some of the biggest swells in Europe, the waves can reach up to 40 feet! We walked all the way to the end of the boardwalk to the Saint-Malo Walls, a little village in the walls of a fortress. Once you walk through the entrance, which sort of looks like the Hogsmeade village from Harry Potter, you are greeted into a bustling village with shops, restaurants, and lots of creperies! Since everything is contained only in the walls of this fortress, you would never know it’s there from the outside! We wandered around the town admiring the cobblestone streets, the beautiful church, plus the fortress walls with views of the sea. Saint-Malo is known for it’s historic pirates and as well as a sailing race called La Route du Rhum every four years. You will also find all the seafood your heart desires here!

Around sunset, we walked the boardwalk back to our car, then headed to dinner in another beach town nearby called Cancale. In Cancale we saw the most beautiful sunset of orange, red, and pink skies right before we sat down for dinner. We ate at a creperie called Breizh Cafe where I got an artichoke galette for dinner. And of course you can’t forget about dessert, so I tried a caramel crepe. When in France you can eat a galette for any meal, any time of day, and it is still so satisfying.

After dinner we made our way back to Rennes, it was such a lovely day to bond with my host parents and see a new part of Brittany. I totally recommend visiting Saint-Malo on a day trip if you are looking for a close beach getaway from Paris or Rennes! Beautiful views, yummy restaurants, and the Saint-Malo walls for some shopping, a perfect day by the sea!

A Very French Birthday

On October 12th it was my birthday! I’m 17 and I’m going to take this opportunity to call myself the dancing queen😏It was the most memorable birthday I’ve had to date and the best birthday I’ve had throughout my seventeen years of life. Here’s a recap of the special day:

My birthday fell on a Wednesday this year which was nice because Wednesdays are half days at school, but there was a catch to this Wednesday….it was PSAT day. If you don’t know what the PSAT is, it’s a standardized test similar to the SAT. Some schools make their students take it every year, and this year it fell on my birthday. But that’s okay, at least we still got out early😄.

I woke up, ate my usual baguette and butter breakfast, and went to catch the bus. Holy Moly was there a sunrise! The perfect orange-pink sunrise filled the sky as I listened to Dancing Queen on my bus ride, literally a dream. Then I took the four hour long PSAT at school. I honestly wasn’t mad about having the PSAT on my birthday because once it was done it was done, and the rest of my day was free!

My one wish for my birthday was to have a nice crepe for lunch so after school a few friends and I headed to a creperie to do exactly that. My friend and I split a vegetarian galette for lunch, and then I got my own dessert crepe because no rules on your birthday! This chocolate crepe had ice cream, whipped cream, and some popcorn on top; I think It’s been the best crepe I’ve had in Rennes so far, thanks OEuf Creperie! After the yummy lunch, we looked around two vintage stores on the same street, then I strolled around Rennes on my way to my bus stop. I went to my Wednesday night dance class per usual, then headed home.

I wasn’t expecting my host family to do anything for my birthday; maybe just a candle added to whatever dessert we were having for that day, but they went all out for me!🥺😭 As I walked to the dining room table, I saw a pink balloon that said “Joyeux Anniversaire Clover!” on my plate at my spot at the table. I told them that my favorite color was pink so everything was pink: the balloons, the grapefruit juice, the napkins, even pink glitter on the table! My birthday meal reminded me of my first meal in France, which was specially done for both occasions. We had an array of different bite sized foods from mozzarella sticks, scallop shells, little hummus toasts, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, and more! We also had escargot (which I love) and a pizza to go along with it. On a normal night we usually just share one entree with a salad so my host mom specially prepared this meal just for me, and it was so delicious and special. The night was a turning point in my relationship with my host family. I felt like I was a real member of the family, laughing, easily joining in the conversation, and I had so much love and support just for me. I explained birthday traditions in the US like golden birthdays, and the whole table was filled with smiles and pure joy.

After the meal we cleared the table, then my host dad turned the lights off. Next thing I knew my youngest host brother was carrying a cake lit with so many candles, and my whole family was singing Happy Birthday to me in French. This is a moment I’ll never forget because it’s the first time I’ve truly felt family. The past two years I’ve celebrated my birthday at boarding school, which were not bad experiences, but the day never felt any special. When I did live at home I would have birthday parties or go out to dinner with my mom, but I never had a birthday with a large group of family surrounding me, which was always one of my birthday wishes growing up as a kid. This year that wish came true, and my smile was through the roof with pure happiness. Previous birthdays, I awkwardly sat and didn’t know where to look when people sang Happy Birthday to me. This year I captured the moment of “Joyeux Anniversaire” and loved every second of the song. My cake was the cutest chocolate cake I’ve ever seen which my host mom baked and decorated for me❤️.

After we ate cake, I got gifts!😩so sweet and unexpected🥺. They were also the most wholesome and thoughtful gifts I could ever ask for. First, a heating device that looks like a water bottle. It looks like a water bottle for camping, but you put hot water in it and keep it in your bed to stay warm during winter. It took me at least ten minutes to understand what the gift was, but it added on to the laughs and funny birthday memories from the meal. My family gave me a journal because they know I love to write, and magnetic bookmarks because they know I love to read. I also got a mug with my name written on it which was so notable to me because my whole family has matching cups with their names handwritten in pen as well. Lastly, a popular French comic book which my host brother explained to me, another joyful moment of family bonding. The gifts were so thoughtful and so personal to me, my heart was melted with love by the end of the night. After dinner when I was about to head upstairs to go to bed, my host mom and I heard popping outside, there were fireworks!😮The day could not get any better. No one in my family was doing them, just people in the city, but we saw them right from our backyard. Throughout my whole time in France I haven’t heard or seen fireworks, so the fact that they appeared on my birthday was crazy exceptional!

From the glowing sunrise to the unexpected fireworks to end my night, everything about my day made it the best birthday I could have ever asked for. Crepes in the afternoon with friends was a fun piece of the day, and my host family’s generosity topped the cake🎂 I am so forever grateful for them and their above and beyond kindness. This was my French 17th Birthday🥳 A birthday I’ll never forget, and the best birthday in my 17 years!