NOVEMBER

Sacré-Cœur, Paris November, 2012

After almost two months I've been here, I'm a bit settled now. Regarding to my art school, its still proving difficult... It's all about language problems I guess. I don't speak much French and the other students doesn't liked to speak in English (that's what I assume anyways!).

The art school is very small compared to my university, I guess its a specialised school, that's why there's only around 200 students and maybe 20 staffs or so. It is situated in the centre of the city, next to the cathedral, so I always walk by all these stores and window shopping. To be honest, there are not many shops that interest me at all.

I've been put into second years with the other French students, in the first term I do every subject with all the different pathways students. My subjects are Philosophy, Art, Photography, Graphics, 3D, Colour and Material, Architecture, Design and one optional subject to chose from Design culinaire, Design vegetal, Sound Design, Video and Life Drawing; I chose life drawing as I'm in group B, I cannot do video until next term. I have to say when I've received my timetable I was quite shocked, the normal hours are 9AM-18PM! And I have to go in almost all day everyday, totally different from my last 4 years of sixth form and university timetable, it almost feels like n I'm back in school all over again. And the subjects, are totally out of my comfort zone, I avoid anything that's three dimensional as I've never been very good at it, and there's Architecture.. My biggest nightmare. I believe that I didn't do that well at my second year with the environmental graphics.. But I'm glad that I did get help from my brotherly-like friend Boris :).

Apart from doing all these subjects and long hours of studying, I also got enrolled into another school just for French language lessons. I'm so glad I have this lessons as I know that some other Erasmus students do not have it. I go to this American-French business school to learn French with these other students from that school, its compulsory for them because its part of their degree. People in there are really nice, and most of them are international students! Its nice to find someone that shares the same boat as you. The best thing about it, is that I can speak English freely! The down side is that, when I enrolled, they have already started the course for almost 6 weeks! I'm lucky that I've studied French for four weeks in summer, so it would be easier to catch up, its would be another story for those who haven't learnt French at all...

Me and Michael went to Paris for a weekend. We went to the main attractions and we met up with Izzy and Ben for a meal.

Louvre Museum, Notre Dame Paris, Centre Pompidou, Sacre Coeur, Eiffel Tower, Pont D'arts

That's it for now, Keep carry on.

OCTOBER

Notre-Dame de Reims, October 2012

Here I am. Reims is a city situated in east-northeast of France, it's about 45 minutes away if taken TGV (High speed train) to Paris - well you can figure it out what I mean! When first arrived, the weather wasn't so bad. Then it started to rain often, it feels like England! The weather is here is very - erm, strange. It can be very sunny, then pouring rain in minutes. I find it more strange and unstable than England to be honest, I wish I'd brought my wellies here. 

I have arrived a week before my semester starts, so I get get a good look of the city, and know my way around. Which is hard, because I never remember where I walk - effect of spending most of your life having a twin brother to help you out! I'm so glad there's a tram that goes across the whole city, as I do live quite far off the city centre. What I think about this city? Personally think it is a bit small (really?) and there's not much activities you can do... I know that I would be visiting Paris a lot! Train tickets are still quite expensive after I've bought a discount card though...

I will be writing about my art school and my language progress. 

That's it for now. Keep carry on.

SEPTEMBER

Brother's Birthday Party, July 2012

After returning to UK from Macau, I have spent the rest of my September spending times with friends and people that I would consider my 'other' family. Since I don't live with my family while I'm over here, I consider my friends as a family too. They're all I have.
Summer is amazing though. It's all about holidays, spending time with family and being outdoors. Even though Macau is super hot and humid, and I do complain a lot about it - but I just love spending time with family. I get to spend celebrate my younger brother's birthday and my dad's every summer, and sometimes my mum too, their birthday all fall in the summer time, only me and brother's are in winter. That's another reason that I love about summer. Here's a photo of my younger brother's birthday party. Me and my dad cooked and a few families cooked some stuff too. It was a nice gathering :) I love everything about being at home, spending time with family around the dinner table, having home cooked meals. That's a symbolism for me. (watch out for home cooked meal blog post!)

Skegness , September 2012

So, when I returned to UK, my good friend Nathan and Amy finally had a good chance to 'take' me to seaside to have a mini 'weekend' break. Haha! You might not believe it, yes, I've never been to a seaside in the UK! Seriously, what I've been doing all these years? Anyways, it was a very nice short break, us five went to Skegness for 2 days and 1 night. It was nice to spend my remaining time in the UK with my friends, as I have to go to France for an erasmus year there. I went to London meet up with few of my Close university friends, and also travelled to North to meet up with a few fellow yellow ;) Me and Michelle finally met GAGA! Her show, was amazing. Words can't describe it. I can finally say I'm a verified little monster. Paws up (|||) !

Last Few days

It's hard writing back how I feel back in September, because it feels totally different now. But I will say it anyway. Before I left, it was actually a mixture of excitement and a bit scary. There's my love for language that motivates me, and there's also the lack of communication problem that I'd be facing when I get there. Considering that my accommodation only gave me a place, when I arrived there few days!

That's it for now, keep carry on.

HERE WE GO AGAIN

Salut! Here we go again. Another blog from me! 

I have been wanting to start a new blog to record my erasmus exchange year out in France since I've been here...thinking about it, it has already been almost 4 months (?) that I've been living in France :o

Rather than start talking about the present, I think I am going to write my blog backwards (YES!) - then start it off normally. 

LET'S DO IT.