Day 23 – July 8, 2019

Grenoble

Waking up for Monday morning classes is proving to be difficult. Today I skipped breakfast and made it to class early. It was my first day in my new grammar class. I think the professor for this group is a lot more prepared. The students seem more passionate about the French language and all speak really well. I think it will be a good chance for me to improve my language skills.

My second class of the day is French Culture and Civilization. I thought this class would be really interesting, but alas, it remains dry as a communion wafer. The professor is sweet, but the class is essentially just two hours of trivia on France. Anything we discuss could be googled instantly. Today we went over French holidays. It was difficult to stay away and attentive.

Class finished at 12:30, so Jillian and I went over to the French Coffee Shop to do some work. On the tram we encountered a man who was very obviously on drugs, so we hopped off a few stops early and walked the rest of the way. I got a vanilla milkshake and cinnamon roll while Jillian got a frozen latte and a muffin. We enjoyed the air conditioning while we finished our work.

I headed across the street to my house around 2pm to get ready for my interview with Michael. We discussed my honors thesis for the History Department newsletter before chatting about our summer experiences. I did homework for the rest of the afternoon and prepared for my quiz the next day.

For dinner we started with a fresh tomato and mozzarella salad. There was drizzle of vinegar and oil on top. For the main plate we had pasta with a white sauce and salmon inside. Our dessert was a simple pear compote. We talked about the differences between the US and France in the education systems. Noting the expenses involved in the American system and the length that both programs required.

After dinner I took a run along the river. The breeze was cool and refreshing. I enjoyed listening to the news while I went. I got to see new neighborhoods up river from me and discovered several new parks I am excited to visit.