The coming months abroad are sure to bring several new experiences, with language acquisition and cultural integration at the forefront. However, an already unexpected obstacle has been making this blog and the difficulty of knowing what and how I want to say things. That being said, I've decided to jump into things head first.
Since I still have a few weeks until the semester begins, I've been living with Sebastien's family in beaucaire which is about 30 minutes from Avignon and about one hour south west of Lyon. The area is semi-rual with lots of agriculture with a bit of a downtown area along a canal attached to the rhone, which by the way, is within a ten minute walk from two separate castles. An interesting thing about beaucaire lies within it's name: Caire is old french and roughly translates to "Stone" in English, whereas Beau translates to "beautiful." So, if you put the two together, it obviously means beautiful stone. The reason Beaucaire received this name is because it sits on a bed of unique stone that is strong, but easily cut. The early settlers of beaucaire recognized this and soon began to build most of their structures with it. This durable material has lasted hundreds, if not thousands, of years and will most likely last several more.
Sebastien's home happens to be made of this material. The blocks themselves are about 2 1/2 x 1 x 1 ft. There are three floors, each supported by large timbers, with a fourth floor having been made from the attic. As with most of the homes here, there is no air conditioning, but this is something that I've come to love as the windows are always open to the life beyond them. From my window, I am greeted each morning by the rising sun and a beautiful view of other homes in the area. However, regardless of the old stones, the home itself is decorated in a modern style with a NY influence.
These are just a few details to give an idea where I am staying. As for the trip itself, I will let my photos fill in the blanks and provide some form of chronology.
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| The TGV station in Lyon: One stop from Avignon! |
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| The streets in Beaucaire leading to Seb's home. |
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| His little brothers left me a sign: "Welcome Spencer!" |
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| Overlooking beaucaire down the street from home |
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| On the battlements of Le Château de beaucaire |
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| Inside Sebastien's home, looking from my window. |
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