La fin du premier semestre

I'm not sure whether time has passed quickly or slowly. Four months is a long time to be out of the country but, because it's often felt like the term was never-ending, it's somewhat of a surprise to find myself suddenly at home now.

The exams were all hideous and each one I'm praying to pass, but there's no way I've passed everything. But aside from exam stress it's been quite a nice end to the semester. On Saturday I went for crêpes with my Canadian friend Tavleen (she likes apples and woofing) and then drinks with some other Erasmus/french students, and then on Sunday I went to see La Reine des neiges (Frozen) with Pauline and the we bought chichis (churros?) at the Christmas market, which were a delicious discovery. On Tuesday some people on my floor organised a big meal/party where everyone brought food, I was dead after my four hour history exam that afternoon but I stayed for a while and it was really nice to get to know people on my floor better. Some of them I had literally never seen before, including a German Erasmus student who I then ran into twice in the next two days!

Then finally on Wednesday a group of us went out for one last meal together before a lot of the Erasmus students leave for good :( It was a lovely meal, followed by a quick trip to the Canadian Cafe, but it's sad to think of next term without them. Also, I think by the end of first semester you've often only just really got to know some people, and it's sad to have to abandon that. I'm so appreciative of all the different people you get to meet through studying abroad though. I've met so many genuinely lovely people from around the world who are open to new experiences and opportunities, and of course you can't stay friends with everyone but I've enjoyed meeting them all nonetheless.

The last evening of term

Me with my third crêpe of the week

A TOURSist weekend

I've managed to half revive my laptop- it works but it's painfully slow as I have to use an on-screen mouse-operated keyboard.
It's been quite a stressful couple of weeks, I don't remember the end of the winter term being this stressful at Rhul but maybe I'm remembering it through rose-tinted glasses. Either way this term is lonnnnnng.

So it was a welcome break/procrastination excuse having Jess to stay this weekend. I went to see her a few weeks ago in Meung-sur-Loire and this was her visit to Tours and my luxurious 5 star student residence. She arrived on Sunday, which at any other time of year would be very limiting in France, but because it's nearly Christmas there was a Christmas market and some of the shops were even open *gasp*. So on top of seeing the main touristy sites (Cathedral, Old Tours, Loire) we were able to get in a bit of shopping and a mooch around the markets aswell. We also had a little Rhul reunion with Lucy over lunch, and compared year abroad experiences. Then in the evening we went to see some more of the Christmas lights, bought some mulled wine (I managed to spill half of mine) and walked back to mine, stopping to go on the ferris wheel next to the Loire which was so worth it as we got a view of the city all lit up.

We had a pretty standard/British evening watching Love Actually and eating Spag Bol, but sometimes it's just nice to have some home comforts. Then on Monday we got up late, wandered into town, and had a look round the Musée des Beaux Arts before Jess got her train back. I'd been meaning to go back at a less busy time so it was nice. I think you're reminded of the things that are great about your town when you have visitors :)

And I'm just writing about that day because the others are a blur of stress and exams and not understanding anything.

I forgot my camera but here are some of Jess's pictures from the weekend:

Obligatory lunch picture...delicious!

Christmas lights in Tours

Christmas lights in Tours

Christmas lights in Tours

The wheel!

On the wheel

Jess and me on the wheel

Musée des Beaux Arts + Cathedral

Musée du Compagnonnage

I didn't get up to that much last week so I'll keep it short. I'm trying to write once a week so I'll have a sort of record to look back on but obviously some weeks are more eventful than others!

Apart from an Erasmus night out on Thursday and the tragic death of my laptop, life's been feeling fairly uneventful (we've all got exams to revise for etc.). But I think it only feels that way because I've got so used to taking trips at the weekend and spontaneous touristy/cultural days out. I don't want to miss anything while I'm here but equally I'm trying to balance that with catching up on sleep and attempting to actually pass my exams.

This week I've got to make a presentation for my french language class on either a work of art or a cultural visit, so I decided I could justify a trip to the Musée du Compagnonnage on Monday with Eilish. I've been meaning to go for ages as it always comes up near the top of lists of things to see in Tours, and it's on the main high street in Tours, Rue Nationale, so I see it most days. It's in a really impressive building which is tucked back slightly from the high street, as you enter through the gift shop. The museum's attatched to Église Saint-Julien de Tours (which is currently undergoing restoration and was apparently turned into a stables during the Revolution(!) ), and has all kinds of displays of tools, commerative objects, and pieces of work made by the various Unions and Freemasons etc. from the area. It was suprisingly interesting and taught me a lot about the history of the area, but also the french attitude to craftsmanship and artisanry. My favourites were probably the Boulangers (bien sûr), the various masons, and the unexplained ''Bourgeois turkey'' cigarette holder.

The 'Bourgeois turkey'

This is a cake!

'Temple du devoir' made of pasta