Whenever I have to explain what a Foyer is to English people I seem to use a different translation, but none ever seems to be apt. I've described it as a sort of student halls (probably the best attempt), a dormitory, and a boarding house (which makes it sound like a Victorian jail).
Basically, it's a building with about sixty students divided into floors of about ten to twelve. Some girls share rooms, others have one all to themselves. Each floor has a shared kitchen, shared showers, shared toilets, etc. It usually has a religious focus, or is attached to a religious group. Mine is Catholic, but the majority of the girls, including me, are not Catholics, and there's never any discrimination, bias, or attempts at conversion, thank goodness! I don't think anyone wants to have someone try and convert them over their coffee and toast in the morning.
My university hasn't got any halls, and my other options were getting a flat on my own or with people from uni. I know that I'd hate living alone, and no way was I organised enough to sort out a flat, especially one overseas. So a Foyer was my only option...not to mention the cheapest.
When I told my friends back home that this is where I'd chosen to live, there were mixed reactions- mostly horror, to be honest! Everyone, including me, to be honest, had visions of nuns and 10pm curfews. It seemed as far away from the 'British university experience' as you can get.
In actual fact, I think it's the closest thing that you can get to the British university experience when you're living abroad, and by British university experience, I mean getting to meet tons of different people doing totally different subjects to you, bonding over silly amounts of pasta, and going out together. I've ended up with friends both from France and places all over the world.
Ridiculous things have happened, including a certain person accidentally setting fire to a bag of popcorn in the microwave and causing mass panic (shoutout to my gal Salma) and somebody else locking themselves out of their room at 1am and having to do some seriously impressive stuff with a potato masher to get it open (Clara, I'm still impressed and sorry that I was useless). This is Foyer life!
Most of the time, however, our Foyer is a disaster free zone, although admittedly the limescale in the kettle is getting to a toxic level. We have a library, a launderette (by that, I mean a washing machine, a dryer and loads of clothes horses in an underground cave) and a lovely lady who comes and cleans our kitchen and bathroom. I don't think I'll have this at any other stage in my life!
Of course, there are always downsides. I have approximately half a shelf in the fridge, and sometimes the WiFi just stops working for NO REASON and the whole Foyer doesn't know what to do with itself. People come wandering into the kitchen looking lost and confused.
In short, life in a studio flat can suit people perfectly, and I can completely see why. But living in a Foyer is totally my thing. It's great to get home to a kitchen full of people or a movie night. It sounds cheesy but it really does feel more like a family, something that's very important to me as I don't go home that often. Plus, my French has definitely improved, one of the main reasons that I chose a Foyer in the first place. Living alongside French people, you definitely pick up things without realising...even if it is colloquial insults. Thanks a lot, people!
I'm staying on next year, and I think I'm going to ask for a shared room again. It is a little sad because most of my group are going back to uni in their countries or are going to do university exchanges and go abroad. Some are staying, though, and knowing the amazing people I've met this year makes me excited for next.
It's highly unlikely that future first years are reading this, but if by any chance you are, check out some Foyers. They're great.
K x
Thursday, 28 April 2016
Paris vs Exams
This time of year feels so strange because it feels like the academic year is over already. Lectures are finished and the only thing left is exams. It does feel weird having exam stress in a foreign city because to be honest I've never stopped feeling like I'm on an extended holiday. Don't get me wrong, I have actually worked hard this year (well, mostly...), but it's so hard to get into the study zone when you can see the Eiffel Tower from your uni library!
The issue with having to do revision in a foreign capital city is that there are so many ways to procrastinate! Back in the UK I would get distracted by the internet like everyone else, but here I wake up and think, 'Oh, today's a lovely day, imagine the view from the Sacré Coeur!' And then I just jump on the métro and spend a couple of hours wandering around Montmartre.
The upside is that I can bribe myself to do revision by promising a trip to a cool gallery or a walk along the Seine with one of my friends who is equally as bored by revision as me. I feel like anyone who studies abroad, or in a cool city in the UK, can relate- even though we've been away for a couple of terms now, there's still a novelty about it and so many places that we want to see that we haven't got to yet.
I ticket one of these places off my mental list today, and that is La Butte aux Cailles. Think beautiful cobbled winding streets with old lamps and flowers peeping over the whitewashed walls. I heard nothing but birdsong for probably the first time since I've been in Paris. Perfect for an evening walk, or you can Vélib it.
I have a confession, and that is that for about 80% of the time I carry a Paris guidebook that my grandma gave me in my bag. Not very Parisian, I know! The thing is that it has so many great recommendations (at one point it was full of strips of paper to mark the places I wanted to go to) and sometimes I'm coming back from somewhere or on a boring errand and just fancy taking off somewhere for an hour or so. That's how I found out about La Butte aux Cailles. It also has some pretty great maps that I use when cycling because my phone always seems to die.
For students in big cities, small cities or just anywhere really, I totally recommend getting a guidebook. Yes, it makes you look stupid, especially when you're looking at a map on a street corner and the real locals (I count myself as a fake local, or shall we say fokal) are giving you disapproving looks as if to say, 'How can that silly tourist get so lost?'. At this point I always want to jump up and down shouting, 'Lies and slander! I live here, kindly inspect my Navigo pass and library card!'. But of course that would be ridiculous and embarrassing, and oh-so-not Parisian.
Anyway, I'm off topic- the message here is basically that guidebooks look lame but can be useful. You don't have to consult it in the middle of the street blocking everyone else (seriously, don't), but I've discovered so many great places thanks to it. Thanks, Grandma!
Exam period is dragging on, but in a week or so I'll be free and enjoying my last weeks in Paris before the summer. (Argh, 'last weeks'! Where has this year gone to?!) But before I start reminiscing on what has been the best year of my life so far (here we go already), I must stop and go to bed because my sleep schedule is ridiculous. It doesn't matter what country you're in, the student life is still the same!
Gros bisous,
K x
The issue with having to do revision in a foreign capital city is that there are so many ways to procrastinate! Back in the UK I would get distracted by the internet like everyone else, but here I wake up and think, 'Oh, today's a lovely day, imagine the view from the Sacré Coeur!' And then I just jump on the métro and spend a couple of hours wandering around Montmartre.
The upside is that I can bribe myself to do revision by promising a trip to a cool gallery or a walk along the Seine with one of my friends who is equally as bored by revision as me. I feel like anyone who studies abroad, or in a cool city in the UK, can relate- even though we've been away for a couple of terms now, there's still a novelty about it and so many places that we want to see that we haven't got to yet.
I ticket one of these places off my mental list today, and that is La Butte aux Cailles. Think beautiful cobbled winding streets with old lamps and flowers peeping over the whitewashed walls. I heard nothing but birdsong for probably the first time since I've been in Paris. Perfect for an evening walk, or you can Vélib it.
I have a confession, and that is that for about 80% of the time I carry a Paris guidebook that my grandma gave me in my bag. Not very Parisian, I know! The thing is that it has so many great recommendations (at one point it was full of strips of paper to mark the places I wanted to go to) and sometimes I'm coming back from somewhere or on a boring errand and just fancy taking off somewhere for an hour or so. That's how I found out about La Butte aux Cailles. It also has some pretty great maps that I use when cycling because my phone always seems to die.
For students in big cities, small cities or just anywhere really, I totally recommend getting a guidebook. Yes, it makes you look stupid, especially when you're looking at a map on a street corner and the real locals (I count myself as a fake local, or shall we say fokal) are giving you disapproving looks as if to say, 'How can that silly tourist get so lost?'. At this point I always want to jump up and down shouting, 'Lies and slander! I live here, kindly inspect my Navigo pass and library card!'. But of course that would be ridiculous and embarrassing, and oh-so-not Parisian.
Anyway, I'm off topic- the message here is basically that guidebooks look lame but can be useful. You don't have to consult it in the middle of the street blocking everyone else (seriously, don't), but I've discovered so many great places thanks to it. Thanks, Grandma!
Exam period is dragging on, but in a week or so I'll be free and enjoying my last weeks in Paris before the summer. (Argh, 'last weeks'! Where has this year gone to?!) But before I start reminiscing on what has been the best year of my life so far (here we go already), I must stop and go to bed because my sleep schedule is ridiculous. It doesn't matter what country you're in, the student life is still the same!
Gros bisous,
K x
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)