The Trip of a Lifetime

I have only been back from France for a few days and I already miss it so much. Taking this trip to Nice was the best decision I've ever made! Right from day one, before we even left the States, I had already formed friendships that I know will last a lifetime.
Staying in the residence was an experience that I'm glad I had before going to college. The residence allowed us to have our own rooms, buy our own groceries, and sometimes even make our own dinners; we were pretty independent. It was definitely an insight into what dorm living will be like in college.
As for French class, I always looked forward to it. My teacher is from Nice, so she gave us a special look into the Niçois way of living. She was always very eager to help us learn as much as we could in four weeks, both grammar as well as culture. Also, she conducted most of the class in French and helped us find other ways to express what we were trying to say if we couldn't find the right words. My class always had so much fun walking around Vieux Nice and taking in as much information as we possibly could.
I absolutely loved living in Nice. They city itself is so beautiful, and the people are so nice and relaxed all of the time. It was so nice being so close to many other cities such as Monte-Carlo, Antibes, and Cannes; we got to spend a lot of time in the entire French (and part of the Italian) Rivieras.
I would recommend this trip for anyone who wants to spend a month in the most beautiful city in France. All of the Abbey Road staff members are so sweet and accommodating, and they have the students best interests at heart. This truly was the trip of a lifetime, and I loved everything and everyone so much that I cried on the plane home.

Days 24 & 25

Yesterday started out like any normal day; in French class we went to le musée Terra Amata, which focused on the prehistoric life found specifically in Nice. It was very interesting, but the skulls that were mounted on the wall were a little bit creepy! In the afternoon, the group went to the beach so that we could go parasailing. It was so much fun; the views from the middle of the Baie des Anges were spectacular. Every student went, and each loved every second of it! On Thursday night, everyone walked up to the chateau to have a picnic overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Ouais! 
Today was our last day of both French class and the electives. For our last French lesson, we took a quiz to test what we learned during month, and then joined one of the other classes at the beach. For our last photography class, we also spent time at the beach while browsing through our pictures from the month. What a great way to end both classes! Since the opening ceremony of the Olympics was tonight, we all went to watch them together and shared nachos and quesadillas (not traditional French food!) Très chouette!

 Parasailing

Last French Class

Days 21, 22, & 23

Our last week has officially started, but none of us want it to end! On Monday we had French class in the morning, but instead of having our electives later in the day, everyone had the afternoon free. Most people did some gift shopping for family, and a few spent a few hours on the beach. The relaxing afternoon gave everyone a chance to gear up for the busy week ahead. Monday evening was the last Zumba class of the trip. Everyone had so much fun that they weren't ready to leave! As soon as we returned to the residence, multiple girls searched the internet for Zumba classes in their respective cities because they loved it so much.

Tuesday was similar to Monday, with French class in the morning and another free afternoon. However, on Tuesday night, fourteen students and counselors walked to the beach to play a series of three beach volleyball games. Unfortunately, my team lost, but we all had a blast anyway!

For photography class on Wednesday, we traveled to Villefranche (located right next to Nice) to take pictures of the architecture found in the old city. Wednesday night was so much fun! The entire group took the train to Antibes Land, which is an amusement park close to Nice. Bumper Cars, Adrenaline, and Wilde Maus were just some of the most popular attractions. C'était une nuit très bonne!

 Beach Volleyball

Villefranche

Antibes Land

Days 18, 19, & 20

On Friday, my French class went back to the photography museum that showcased the works of Stephane Couturier. This time around, though, we had a guided tour who described the photos to us (in French), which was très intéressant. Most of Couturier's work was of urban buildings and factories, so before going to the muesum, we talked about urbanisme and the elements that make up a city.
Friday night consisted of a trip to the next town over, St-Laurent-du-Var, where the other Abbey Road program is located. We joined groups and had dinner together right next to the beach. A live band played for a few hours, but eventually our very own teacher began to sing and stole the show. Cyril Cinélu won season 6 of Star Academie, which is the French version of American Idol. He eventually succumbed to the encouragement of our entire group and sang songs by Adele, Nicki Minaj, and his personal favorite, Beyoncé. We all had so much fun singing and dancing along with Cyril; he is very talented and we are lucky to have him.


Our day on Saturday started off very early; we woke up at 8am to catch the bus for the two and a half hour ride up to Isola, which is a ski resort just north of Nice in the Alps. For lunch, we had a picnic in a meadow with spectacular views of the mountains. After our picnic, some students did a parkour-like obstacle course through the trees, while others spent the afternoon lounging by the pool. It was definitely a great day!


Today, we got to sleep in after our early morning yesterday. Everyone was very excited to catch up on some much-needed sleep! We had a nice brunch of various croissants and other viennoiseries, and then took the bus to St-Paul-de-Vence later in the afternoon. Upon arriving, we went to the Fragonard store and bought more perfumes and soaps before continuing on to a late lunch of croque monsieurs and crêpes. We had the afternoon free to walk around the tiny village and admire the views and the beautiful artwork. It had been raining on and off for most of the day, so when we got back to the residence, we all watched movies and played cards in our pyjamas for most of the night. Now, je suis fatiguée!

 Alps

 Pool in Isola

Streets of St-Paul-de-Vence

Days 16 & 17

Yesterday the group traveled to St. Tropez for a lovely day at the beach. Before we hit the sand, though, we explored the small town of St. Tropez by participating in a Marathon Photo, where we were given a list of things to photograph such as un pêcheur (a fisherman). The group who completed the list first won the prize (we don't know what it is yet, but it's supposed to be très chouette). After that, we all headed to the beach for a picnic of pizza and fruit. The water was absolutely freezing but so beautiful. Some students formed a makeshift game of volleyball that went on for about an hour. Volleyball is definitely not my forté but it was still so much fun.
 During French class today, the whole group toured the Henri Matisse museum, which was incredible. Everyone really enjoyed seeing Matisse's famous works. After the tour we spent time in the gardens surrounding the museum, which included a picnic brought to us by Pearla, our wonderful chef. With no afternoon activities planned, many students took advantage of their free time and went shopping around Nice. The most popular stores were Zara, Galeries Lafayette, and H&M, as well as countless boutiques unique to Nice. For dinner, we had a "burger party" and cooked burgers and fries together in the kitchen. As delicious as French food is, it's nice to have a good burger once in a while!

St. Tropez

La Plage de Salins

Musée Matisse

Cooking hamburgers

Days 13, 14, & 15

The group took the bus to Monaco on Sunday where we toured the palace of Prince Albert II. We were given headsets that spoke to us (in French, of course) about the history of each room that we saw. After the tour, we all had lunch and made our way over to the Musée Océanographique, which is composed of a museum of natural history as well as an aquarium. They also have an African Spurred Tortoise habitat on the rooftop terrace. The tortoises were given to Prince Albert II by the president of the Republic of Mali in an effort to raise awareness about the endangerment of tortoises. 
On our way back from Monaco, we stopped in Eze to tour the Fragonard perfume factory. As soon as we got out of the bus, we were overtaken with the smell of violet, lavender and jasmine. After a tour of the factory, we were taken to the boutique where we all got to sample different kinds of perfumes. My favorite was Juste un baiser, which was composed of mandarin, pear, violet, blackberry, wild strawberry, vanilla, amber, and musk. Très fruité!
Monday started off with our French class, during which we talked about the plethora of vibrant colors found in Nice. Our task was to walk around the area close to our residence, point out colors, and relate them to colors that everyone knows, such as "ketchup red" or "granny-apple green." After lunch, we had our electives. During photography, we walked around Vieux Nice and took photos in black and white, while changing the ISO speed to make the photos more or less grainy. Monday night consisted of an optional Zumba class on the beach. It was so much fun! Our class took place in a beach club right next to the ocean. Our teacher was very full of energy and made the workout enjoyable. 

Tuesday morning, our French class went to the Musée MAMAC, which is known for their collection of American Pop Art. We also saw exhibitions of Yves Klein, James Lee Byars, and Anish Kapoor. Klein's exhibition was mostly composed of the color blue that he trademarked; Byars' was very detailed marble work; and Kapoor's was an installation of planets. My personal favorite was the permanent collection of Ben; he's an artist from Nice who paints words instead of "traditional" art. Chouette!

Aquarium

Parfumerie Fragonard

Les Parfums

L'art de Ben

La Fête Nationale

Joyeux Quatorze, tout le monde! On July 14, 1789, the people of Paris stormed the Bastille fortress/prison in a rebellion against the French monarchy. "Bastille Day" is one of the major events that eventually led to the French Revolution. The way that the French people celebrate La Fête Nationale is similar to the way Americans celebrate the 4th of July; there are lots of fêtes going on at all times of the day, and the celebrations are finished off with a beautiful display of fireworks come night.

Our group celebrated le Quatorze Juillet by spending the day at the beach. In the afternoon, our teachers planned a scavenger hunt for us. There were four teams, and they gave us all clues (in French!) that led us around the city of Nice to find the next clue. Our French skills were definitely put to the test; we frequently had to ask people where certain places were, or what various words meant that we didn’t understand. Eventually, our clues led us to the beach where we rejoined the group and waited for the fireworks to begin. The fireworks display over the Mediterranean was breathtaking! Très joli.

Days 8 & 9

A couple days ago we took the bus to Villefranche, which is located right next to the city of Nice. We had a picnic of a Mediterranean rice salad on the beach, and then played a game of keep-away with a soccer ball. A little shop next to the beach made gaufres (waffles) with Nutella, so of course we had to try them. They were so delicious. Anything with Nutella is delicious! We then made our way up the hill to the ruins of an old castle, which has been converted into an outdoor movie theater. We saw Rock of Ages (Rock Forever in French) starring Tom Cruise. The dialogue of the movie was dubbed in French, but the music was kept in English. The music was the best part of the whole movie...."I love rock and roll!"

Yesterday was our weekly trip to the beach at St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, but it was a little different since it was a student's birthday! After we spent a great deal of time basking in the Mediterranean, we all helped cook a special dinner for her: salad, zucchini gratin, and a delicious chocolate cake. The cake was outfitted with trick candles so she had a tough time blowing them all out! Our program director drew a lovely card for her, which we all signed with warm wishes for her special day. Joyeux anniversaire! 

Days 6 & 7

My photography class started our first full week off right by returning to Monaco to experiment with movement. What better place to do that than in front of the famous Casino de Monte-Carlo? Between the cars, the people, and the many fountains, we did not have any trouble finding subjects for our photos. When we arrived back in Nice, our wonderful chef, Pearla, had a zucchini gratin waiting for us. Très délicieux! 


The following day commenced with our regular French class, and after that, we had an atelier poterie and an atelier crêpe, or pottery and crêpe workshops. For the pottery class, we were instructed by a skilled craftsman who showed us the perfect way to mold our clay. As for the crêpe workshop, we were shown the   important steps of making delicious crêpes. We were supplied with all kinds of things to put in our crêpes, such as Nutella, ham, cheese, and tomatoes. Nutella is by far the best. Yum!!

 Fountain in Monaco

Nutella crêpe

Days 3, 4, & 5

Our French classes have officially started! The first two days of class consisted of an hour in the classroom going over vocabulary, and the following two hours out in Nice practicing the words we just learned. For instance, we learned about different types of fabric used to make clothes, so we walked around Vieux Nice looking for examples of le lin (linen) et la soie (silk). For photography class, we took the train to Monaco and walked to the castle of Prince Albert and his wife, Charlene. The city of Monte-Carlo is so breathtakingly beautiful; everything from the buildings to the ocean to the cars is absolutely amazing. I could definitely live there.


We spent our first weekend in Cannes and Antibes. In Cannes, we visited the place where the Cannes Film Festival is held, and each took our turns taking pictures on the famous tapis rouge. We had most of the day free to do whatever we wanted, so some people went shopping while others went to the beautiful beaches of Cannes. For dinner, we enjoyed a lovely picnic on the beach (le pizza) with the other Abbey Road group from Saint Laurent du Var. 
As soon as we arrived in Antibes, we went straight to the Marché Provençal to purchase delicious fresh fruit and macarons from the vendors. After lunch, we headed to the Pablo Picasso museum to enjoy some of Picasso's most famous paintings and sketches. We then had the afternoon free, just like in Cannes. One group of people took a boat ride around the bays of Antibes while others walked (or took le Petit Train) to Juan-les-Pins, where the both the shopping and beaches were fantastic. After a relaxing afternoon, we went to a typical French restaurant and dined on le pizza et les pâtes, as well as some delicious ice cream. J'adore la France!

Monaco

Monaco

Cannes

Antibes

Picasso Museum

Juan-les-Pins

Days 1 & 2

Bonjour tout le monde! After a long two days we are all finally settled in to the beautiful city of Nice! We arrived at our residential building to a wonderful lunch of taboulé and fruit made with love by our chef, Pearla. Thankfully, after lunch, we had a few hours free to unpack and sleep off our jet lag. That afternoon our program director, Kathy, showed us around Nice and took us to a park for our initial orientation. We played little games to get to know each other better, which helped break the ice and make everyone feel more comfortable. Shortly after orientation, we went to dinner at a delicious, yet tiny French restaurant. Some students ordered salade, others bruschetta on bread as big as the plate, and a few people ordered pizzas. Dinner was finished with the most delicious tiramisu and salade de fruits. Ooh là là!

Our second day started off with pain au chocolat and oral placement tests to put us in groups for our French classes. We then went to buy little French cell phones to call the United States for a lesser price. Lunch was on our own today, so I went with a few other students to a restaurant in Garibaldi Square, which is the main square of Old Nice. Our electives began after lunch. Students could choose from activities like Riviera Sports and Games, Photography, Conversation, and Drawing. For photography today, we learned about famous French photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson, and saw an exhibition on Stephane Couturier, who is a modern French photographer. We were then given time on our own to explore the beautiful city of Nice and take our own photographs. In order to celebrate the Fourth of July, we planned to have a picnic on the beach for dinner. We made sandwiches with tomates et concombres with the help of Pearla. Once we got to the beach, we had potato chips and Capri-Sun to drink while watching the sun set; it was a great homage to the USA. 

Pre-Departure Reflection

I am counting down the days until my trip to Nice! As of today, June 7, we embark on our adventure in just under a month. I chose to travel with Abbey Road to France this summer because I wanted to increase my knowledge of the French language. I have been taking French since kindergarten, but felt that I could only further my knowledge by immersing myself into French culture. What better way to do that than spending three weeks in Nice?! I traveled to Nice with my family last summer and absolutely fell in love with the city. Before I even left I already could not wait to get back! I knew right then that I would have to spend a considerable amount of time in Nice. The architecture in Nice is incredible, which, along with the views of the Baie des Anges, is one of the reasons that I fell in love with the city. The yellow and orange buildings are so historic and remind me of the old pastel buildings in Charleston, SC. Also, the food is amazing! It has an obvious Italian influence since Nice is so close to Italy. One can still get the quintessential French crepes and baguettes with Nutella, but for dinner one can have the classic pasta with olive oil, garlic, and tomatoes, which is quite common in Italy. As for life itself in Nice, the residential aspect of this trip really appealed me because it will allow me and my roommates to really dive headfirst into life in Nice; we will be able to go to the market and buy fresh groceries to make our own dinner. I am really looking forward to getting to know all of the other kids in my group. I think we will have a blast living together in Nice and I cannot wait to begin our trip!