A Trip to Nancy!

Yesterday the group had our first excursion!  We met at the train station early to go to Nancy, a city in the Lorraine region.  The train ride wasn't too long - about an hour and a half.  When we got there, we were given a brief walking tour of the city before going to the Lorraine Region Museum.  The city definitely looked different from Strasbourg and it was a lot smaller.

For example:

On the streets of Nancy

On the streets of Strasbourg

A street across the river in Strasbourg

It's a pretty big difference in architecture and city life.  At least that was the impression that I had from my short stay in Nancy!

Our tour ended in the Place Stanislas.  It was beautiful; surrounded by gates that had gilded decorations and then a statue of Stanislas in the middle, it definitely looked artistic (Nancy is known for being a city associated with the arts).

Statue of Stanislas

Hotel de Ville

Decorations Rococo

Gilded gate in the Place Stanislas

Arc de Triomphe in Nancy

 I also saw the main church (I'm not sure if it's a cathedral or not) in Nancy.  It was reallllly pretty but I prefer the cathedral in Strasbourg.

Church in Nancy

Cathedral in Strasbourg

Protestant church near my host family's apartment in Strasbourg
      

   

Again

River that runs through Strasbourg

Again

Strasbourg looks really different from Nancy.  In a good way, I think.  Strasbourg is so beautiful in it's own way!  It was nice to see the differences in Nancy, though.

So anyway, after looking around the Lorraine Museum we finally went to lunch!  It was delicious.  We went to a restaurant called Le Vivier.  My menu du jour:

Entree: smoked ham over potatoes with a yellowish cheese sauce and a small salad

Plat principal: steamed salmon in a citrus sauce with a zucchini/carrot pasta.

Dessert: Fromage blanc (it was like a plain yogurt) with a raspberry sauce and of course a coffee

Lunch in Nancy was sooo good!  I could get used to eating like this.  I'm taking mental notes (and sometimes tangible ones, too) of the things that I eat and how to make them so that I can continue to eat such delicious food when I get back home.  :)

After lunch, we went to the Musee des Beaux Arts de Nancy (an art museum).  It was really cool.  We had a guided tour that was supposed to be an hour but since we weren't pressed for time he ended up talking for an hour and forty minutes.  A lot of the art was really beautiful! I especially liked the Collection Daum in the basement of the museum.  It's a collection of glass made by a company that has been around for a long, long time.  

Collection Daum

By the way, my host family is one of the principal donors to the Musee des Beaux Arts de Nancy.  Their name is engraved in the wall by the main stairs.  How cool is that??  

de Crevoisier

The complete list of donors to the musuem

After the Musee des Beaux Arts, there wasn't much time left before our train to go back to Strasbourg had to leave, so we headed towards the train station.  It was a very long day and when we got back to Strasbourg, I couldn't go directly home.  I had to go to the university to check the results of my test and find out the time of my first class!

After my French language placement test on Monday, I finally found out on Friday that I placed into the top level classes.  I'll be taking classes at the Diplome Superieur des Etudes Francaises (DSEF) at the university.  My first class is Monday at 10:00.  The director of the American program gave us each a list of the option courses that we can take, so besides my language block next week, I'll be visiting and choosing option courses to take as well as courses at the Faculte.  Starting Monday I will FINALLY be busy!  I can't wait.

This whole week was pretty low-key.  It actually got really boring, to be honest.  I had a meeting almost every day but it was only for an hour or two so I had a LOT of free time.  It was enough to prevent me from traveling but not enough to keep me busy.  I explored the city and that was fun but I feel pretty familiar with it now so by Wednesday/Thursday, I was BORED.  It's nice to not have any stress and be able to do what you want, but I couldn't go anywhere and everyone else is working/in school so I didn't have anything to do.  I prefer to be busy; when I have something to keep me occupied and  busy, I find that time goes by much faster and I don't have time to get homesick.  I'm really looking forward to classes starting next week and being in class for 7-8 hours every day.  It will be good for me to have a routine.

Until Monday, though, I will be pretty bored.  I was too tired to do anything last night after coming back from Nancy and I still feel pretty tired today.  Plus it is FREEZING in Strasbourg.  Literally.  It hasn't gotten above 32 F all day.  It's also windy so it feels even colder.  I don't want to go outside if I can help it.  I really don't want to get sick right before classes start and there are already a few other Americans in my program who are sick!  My immune system can only last so long but I'm trying to stay healthy for as long as possible.