On a typical day on this dialogue, I have French language classes from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (with an hour lunch), and culture classes with Madame Ziane from Northeastern at 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. But because I’ve learned that the French enjoy the smaller things in life and like to take their time, I’ve gradually started showing up later and later to my morning class. Often times the professor would be the latest of us all, and class wouldn’t start until 9:30 AM. Today I thought I’d mix things up a bit and show up early to class, coincidentally on the same day my teacher decided to be on time. He made it a point to act extremely taken aback by my punctuality.
“Ah, the American is on time today! Voila!”
Needless to say, my arrivals will no longer be a minute past 9:00 AM. Although my teacher’s comment was meant as a joke, I’ve now taken it upon myself to prove to all French people that Americans can indeed be on time and attentive at early hours of the day.
I suppose that the faculty must’ve felt bad for giving us so much work, because on Wednesday’s we have a free day without language or culture classes. Instead, this time is reserved for excursions planned by our host university, Université Catholique Lyon. Although we still have to wake up at 6:30 AM to catch our tour buses for the day, this time off is an absolute godsend and a nice break from formal learning. This Wednesday, we are going to the Grotte Chauvet (Chauvet Cave) at Pont D’arc, which is about a couple hours away from Lyon. This UNESCO World Heritage Site was only discovered in 1994, and is considered one of the most significant sites for prehistoric art and other evidence of Upper Paleolithic life. In addition to well-preserved paintings on the walls of the cave, fossils from a variety of now extinct animals can be also found in the museum.
Because Lyon is the gastronomic capital of the world, I’ve have been spending most of my dinners and money at local restaurants. If you go on this dialogue, be prepared to spend the majority of your euros on eating out and trying delicious new foods. My classmates and I like to justify this by saying we are only in France for a month or so…what’s the worst damage we could do? On the off chance that I decide to cook one night, grocery shopping requires some planning ahead. Most stores close at 7:00 PM around here, and almost nothing is open on Sunday’s.
The weather in Lyon is absolutely beautiful— sunny and in the mid 70’s on most days. And because it’s the summer, the sun only goes down around 8:00 PM, meaning we have that much more time in the day to walk the cobblestones of Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon), bike in the park, or picnic with friends. Our days here are filled with a combination of good food, friends, and memories…regardless of our 8 hours a day in the classroom. Now that’s looking at the wine glass half-full.
