Week One in Orleans

Hello all,

So I have now been living in Orleans like a real French person for more than a week. I have really enjoyed it and I definitely think my French is getting better. The course is actually pretty good and I have met some awesome people. I have been enjoying telling Americans about Australian award wages and how its illegal to pay and adult $8 an hour in Australia. Free healthcare also draws gasps as does the revelation that we don't pay thousands and thousands of dollars for our university.

Thursday night was Fete de la Musique, a French national holiday, all about music! It celebrated right across France and in Orleans there were DJ's, bands and dance-floors set up all around the city. As you walked down the main street one type of music merged directly into the next. There was classical, Jazz, dance music and some epic African drumming.

The streets were absolutely jam packed. Here are some happy snaps!

 

You can't really see here, but these people were absolutely rocking out! And yes, that is Joan of Arc in the background!

 

This was a dance floor, but I couldn't really get closer and still take a picture. Hope you can get the jist of it. 

Today we went to the country house of the family I am staying with's Grandma. It was pretty amazing. The house is seriously old, and her husband had been a hunter, so there were boar skins and fox furs and deer heads everywhere. There were some books from the 1400s which were the archives of a lawyer who had been in the family. I was amazed! Not to mention a delicious lunch...the highlight was strawberry icecream (home made) with home made meringues. 

 

This is the house, amazing right?

 

Some wheat!

 

Archery with the French! Tee hee hee! I actually managed to hit the target like an epic winner!

Until next time!