Weird Things of Montpellier

So, weird bits of Montpellier. Well to start I found this plant. I call it a stone plant but it feels more like rubber. It's gray and has perfectly cut, thick leaves. Anybody know what it is? I really like it.
Some stuff about the people. The popular hairstyle here is to not brush your hair. For the Irish this means to tease it up to look like you've just survived a bear attack and for the French it means dreadlocks. Lots of dreadlocks. guys, girls, they're everywhere. The youth looks like they're straight out of a Bob Marley/ woodstock concert and even my teacher just lets her hair hang and kind of frizzy. I have day dreams about brushing her hair.

Besides the hair I've noticed that when any European talks about America they will reference the Simpsons or Friends. "Do you all say 'D'oh' like Homer?" "You know that time when Phoebe was trying to teach Joey French? Is that real?" These shows play all the time here like they do at home too.

And then there is footbag. It's hackey sack but a sport played like tennis. Here are some videos of some amazing people.

Jakob. The only other American I know here whom I detest but talk to anyway because he's the only other American I know. He's from San Fransisco. Friends at a goodbye party for Tom and Beans. The guy in the middle is the magician as I call him. A stereotypical, sleazy frenchman. His name is even Pierre.
More friends, another goodbye party. I'm in the mirror.
me in front of the orchards. This farm produced olives, apricots, pears, apples, tomatoes and rasberries. And made jams out of all of them. And yes I mean all. Including the olives. and olive jam, though weird, is actually very tasty and sweet.
olive grove
This is the Valle L'enfer (Valley of Hell) it supposedly inspired Dante's version of hell and was named for that later.
Me inside the fortress.

The trebuchet and a guide. He demonstrated how it worked and I post a video of the presentation below.
This is one of many pictures of the troglodyte fortress in Les Baux de Provence. I was really thrilled by it.
I went to St. Triomphe, a large church in Arles to escape the sun and found that is was a part of the pilgramage to Santiago. But what I found most interesting was it also housed the relics (bones) of about 30 saints. Some local some as big as St. Sebastian or St. Anne. Never have I seen relics so prominently displayed, in guilded glass boxes, and I've been to Italy.
The leg bones of St. Roche- a local saint. (I tried for a picture of the skull of St. Triomphe but the lighting was bad)

The colosseum of Arles- an exact minature of the one in Rome. Seats 2 million.



I would have liked to get this for Bert but have not the space nor the money. This is also the begining of the gift giving/ souvenir buying that I can't do in real life so I'm going to do it virtually. Oh, and everybody would have gotten a jar of olive jam.
the artist caught me taking a picture and so I had to take one with him. His wife I don't think understood the camera very well. we weren't ready.
The launching of the Trebuchet

Social Life

This post is about what I do with my spare time. So, basically I read alot, go to the local museum, see french movies, play with this guy (Thomas) or go out with friends.
At night I hang out with a bunch of Irish guys. Here we have one of the students I live with Tom O'Malley (in pink) and Doyler
This is Donel who is really not as sleazy as he looks in this picture.
Mic and Beans on the tram to Aussie Bar.

So, let's see Friday night I went to a concert of "African Music." It turned out to a bunch of French people trying to sing American gospel music in English. They're weren't bad but I did giggle through most of it because of the unexpectedness of the situation.

Saturday I went to Aigulles Mortes and St. Marie de la Mer, towns about an hour away from Montpellier on the Mediterranean.

There was a St. Anthony in one the churches we went to. I lit an offering to him.


These are one group of friends I go out with. From the left is Theresa (German), me, Rob (Belgium), Jacob (San Francisco), Rosie (Irish), Siobhan (Irish)
In St. Marie de la Mer we got to climb to the roof of the local church where three women saw the virgin Mary , so here is Siobhan and I high above the city on the pinnical of the local church. Not only is it much cooler up there but also a view of the city and the sea. And of course the Mediterranean. I went to the beach on Sunday but have no pictures so this will do. The water is flat and shallow for about 100 yards out with a high salt content so floating is really easy. The area we went to was not very crowded but it was topless. Which I think is a brilliant idea.


Here I am outside the city walls of Aigulle Mortes. It's obviously a fort city. And this city had a big rivalry so the tower behind me was used to store bodies until they could be properly buried because people were dying so fast. the moat
So, the area of Camarage is famous for several things.

First, bull fighting.
Second, salt. These are salt mountains. Salt is the reason the area is so rich.
Olives. I didn't know olives came is so many colors. They also grow rice.
And finally, they have a special brand of white horses that are only from the area. But what I was most excited about was the flamingos. Yes, that's right, flamingos live wild in the South of France. I couldn't get any pictures but we saw flocks of flamingos all along the road in the marshes.

Ａｒｏｕｎｄ ｔｈｅ ｃｉｔｙ

Ｓｏ　Ｉ’ｖｅ　ｄｅｃｉｄｅｄ　ｎｏｔ　ｔｏ　ｐｕｔ　ｕｐ　ｒａｎｄｏｍ　ｐｉｃｔｕｒｅｓ　ｂｕｔ　ｒａｔｈｅｒ　ｏｎｌｙ　ｕｐｌｏａｄ　ｓｔｕｆｆ　ｒｅｌｅｖａｎｔ　ｔｏ　ｍｅ．　ｓｏ　ｔｈａｔ　ｂｅｉｎｇ　ｓａｉｄ　ｈｅｒｅ　ｉｓ　ｍｙ　ｍｏｒｎｉｎｇ　ｗａｌｋ　ｔｏ　ｓｃｈｏｏｌ．　

Ｍｙ　ｆｒｏｎｔ　ｄｏｏｒ

Ｔｈｅ　ｓｔｒｅｅｔ　Ｉ　ｌｉｖｅ　（ａｎｄ　ｌａｄｙ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｂａｇｕｅｔｔｅｓ）
Ｔｈｅ　Ｃｏｍｅｄｉｅ－　ｂｉｇｇｅｓｔ　ｓｔｒｅｅｔ　ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ　ｔｈｅ　ｃｅｎｔｅｒ　ｏｆ　ｔｏｗｎ．　Ｎｏ　ｃａｒｓ　ｔｈｏｕｇｈ．　


Ｔｈｉｓ　ｆｏｕｎｔａｉｎ　ａｎｄ　Ｏｐｅｒａ　Ｈｏｕｓｅ　ａｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｅｎｄ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　Ｃｏｍｅｄｉｅ　ｒｅｍｉｎｄ　ｍｅ　ｖｅｒｙ　ｍｕｃｈ　ｏｆ　Ｒｏｍｅ．　Ｍｏｓｔ　ｏｆ　Ｍｏｎｔｐｅｌｌｉｅｒ　ｒｅｍｉｎｄｓ　ｍｅ　ｏｆ　ｓｏｍｅｗｈｅｒｅ　ｗｅ　ｓｔａｙｅｄ　ｉｎ　Ｉｔａｌｙ．　Ｌｉｋｅ　ａ　ｃｏｍｂｉｎａｔｉｏｎ　ｏｆ　Ｒｏｍｅ　ａｎｄ　Ｔｕｓｃａｎｙ．　Ｔｈｅ　Ｃｏｍｅｄｉｅ　ｂｙ　ｄａｙ　ｉｓ　ｎｉｃｅ　ｗｉｔｈ　ａ　ｐａｒｃ　ａｎｄ　ｃｈｅｓｓ　ａｎｄ　ｍａｒｋｅｔｓ　ｂｕｔ　ｂｙ　ｎｉｇｈｔ　ｙｏｕ　ｎｅｅｄ　ｔｏ　ｂｅｗａｒｅ　ｏｆ　ｄｒｕｇ　ｄｅａｌｅｒｓ　ａｎｄ　ｐｉｍｐｓ．　Ｐｒｅｔｔｙ　ｍｕｃｈ　ａ　ｔｙｐｉｃａｌ　ｃｉｔｙ．

Ｈｅｒｅ　ｉｓ　ｔｈｅ　Ｒｕｅ　ｄｅ　Ｊｅａｎ　Ｍｏｕｌｉｎ．　Ｔｈｅ　ｓｔｒｅｅｔ　ｗｈｅｒｅ　ＩＬＡ　（ｔｈｅ　ｓｃｈｏｏｌ） ｉｓ　ａｎｄ　ａｌｏｔ　ｏｆ　ｏｔｈｅｒ　ｓｈｏｐｓ．　

Ａｎｄ　ｆｉｎａｌｌｙ　ＩＬＡ　ｅｎｔｒａｎｃｅ．　Ｍｙ　ｃｌａｓｓｒｏｏｍ　ｉｓ　ａｃｔｕａｌｌｙ　ｉｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ　ｎｅｘｔ　ｄｏｏｒ　ｂｕｔ　ｉｔ’ｓ　ｎｏｔ　ａｓ　ｐｉｃｔｕｒｅｓｑｕｅ．　
Ｓｏ，　ｙｏｕ　ｇｏ　ｆｒｏｍ　ｔｈｅ　ｏｌｄ　ｃｉｔｙ　（ｏｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｌｅｆｔ）　ｔｏ　ｔｈｅ　ｎｅｗ　ｃｉｔｙ　（ｏｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｒｉｇｈｔ）　ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ　ａ　ｍａｌｌ　ｃａｌｌｅｄ　ｔｈｅ　Ａｎｔｉｇｏｎｅ．　ＩＴ　ｒｅａｌｌｙ　ｉｓ　ａ　ｄｒａｓｔｉｃ　ｃｈａｎｇｅ　ａｓ　ｔｈｅ　ｐｉｃｔｕｒｅ　ｓｈｏｗｓ．　Ｔｈｉｓ　ｉｓ　ｔａｋｅｎ　ｆｒｏｍ　ａ　ｒａｉｌｗａｙ　ｔｈａｔ　ｓｏｒｔ　ｏｆ　ｍａｋｅｓ　ａ　ｂｏｒｄｅｒ　ｂｅｔｗｅｅｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｔｗｏ　ｗｏｒｌｄｓ．　　



Ｔｈｉｓ　ｉｓ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｌｕｍｓ　ｏｆ　Ｍｏｎｔｐｅｌｌｉｅｒ．　Ｗｅｌｌ　ｉｔ’ｓ　Ｆｒａｎｃｅｓ　ａｎｓｗｅｒ　ｔｏ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｌｕｍｙ　ｎｅｉｇｈｂｏｒｈｏｏｄｓ．　ｔｈｉｓ　ｉｓ　ａ　ｃｉｒｃｕｌａｒ　ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｓｍａｌｌ　ａｐａｒｔｍｅｎｔｓ　ｓｕｒｒｏｕｎｄｉｎｇ　ａ　ｃｏｕｒｔｙａｒｄ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｆｏｕｎｔａｉｎｓ，　ｔｒｅｅｓ　ａｎｄ　ｒｅｓｔａｕｒａｎｔｓ．　Ｔｈｅ　ａｐａｒｔｍｅｎｔｓ　ｃａｎ　ｏｎｌｙ　ｂｅ　ｂｏｕｇｈｔ　ｂｙ　ｌｏｗ　ｉｎｃｏｍｅ　ｆａｍｉｌｉｅｓ．　Ｉ　ｈｅａｒｄ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｆｒｏｍ　ａ　ｔｏｕｒ　ｇｏｉｎｇ　ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ　ｔｈｅ　ａｒｅａ．　Ａｎｄ　ｙｅｓ　ｔｈｅ　ｔｏｕｒ　ｗａｓ　ｉｎ　Ｆｒｅｎｃｈ　ａｎｄ　ｙｅｓ　Ｉ　ｕｎｄｅｒｓｔｏｏｄ．　

Ｏｈ　ａｎｄ　ｌａｓｔ　ｎｉｇｈｔ　Ｉ　ｗａｔｃｈｅｄ　ｅｕｒｏ　ｃｕｐ　ｓｅｍｉ－ｆｉｎａｌｓ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｓｏｍｅ　ｐｅｏｐｌｅ　ｔｈｅｎ　ｗｅｎｔ　ｔｏ　ａ　ｂａｒ　ｔｏ　ｓｅｅ　ａ　ｌｏｃａｌ　ｆｒｅｎｃｈ　ｂａｎｄ　ｐｌａｙ．　（Ｔｈｉｎｋ　Ｒｅｅｌ　Ｂｉｇ　Ｆｉｓｈ　ｓｏｕｎｄ　ａｔ　ｔｈｅ　Ｃａｔ’ｓ　ｃｒａｄｌｅ）　Ｉｔ　ｗａｓ　ｃｏｏｌ．　

Oh yeah!

ok, so Dora the Explorer exists over here except that she speaks french and teaches english. So, everything is the same. it's amusing. and also, everyone wheres flip-flops. well not everyone but many students do. and they're from all over europe. so I'm walking proud in my rainbows.

Montpellier-I have arrived

So, it was a long journey but I am here. I left saturday mornign at 9:00am and arrived Monday morning at 1:00pm. so I was very tired. But all the flights went well, though I didn't sleep and I met some nice people on the planes. By the way fly Air Berlin it is so cute and cheap and they give you nice things like this. -->
A travel bag with a tooth brush and toothpaste, a eye cover things, ear plugs and socks. yay!

So, anyway I'm here now. My host family is nice, well the mom might be a problem, everyone says she is a bitch but so far I've not had issues. They have two boys who already like me and I live with two other students. A crazy woman from Croatia and an Irish boy who is such a stereotype I try not to laugh (that is when I can understand his accent).

View out my window
View out my window.
looking down

This is my room. Yeah I know it's messy and I almost didn't post this but whatever. It's got a bed, a dresser, and a closet.
So, all is going well. Classes are not to difficult and I already know many faces. I'm going out tonight with some people from class. So, whoo! I have friends.