View from l'Hotel Europe of Place GrennetteWith the smell of an eleven-hour flight and another one-hour bus ride on me, I arrived at l’Hotel Europe with my overweight luggage. I was sweaty and my tail-bone was killing me from the old
Lufthansa seats (I was unlucky enough to get one of the old airplanes). I had been listening to my French
podcast during the last week or two so with all my confidence I went up to the desk at the hotel and asked, “c’est ici pour le Boston University?” The man responded, "oui" and then proceeded to say two or three fast sentences of which I understood nothing. I stared back at him for a second, then out came a giggle and a “quoi?” The confident French-speaking woman was gone and I was just a blushing
petite rousse.
For days following, I and the other 5 of the group, strained our ears, our concentration, our heads, our hearts, our bodies, our souls to be able to understand the quick and effortless French of the “Grenoblois.” Jet-lag still haunting us, we were physically drained at the end of each day. My bed
seemed to be cozy perfection, but instead, I found out it was a place for my head to rush through all that happened and that will happen. I went over new vocab, new phrases and tried to practice new sentences. Suddenly, the fatigue was gone and the blood rush was rushing, the heart beat faster and concentration lost. The next morning I woke up stiff and tired to gladly start it all over again.
This is the first time in a long time I’ve been excited for classes to begin. Now I understand why toddlers love to learn and to ask questions, they need to communicate and comprehend the world around them. I am a toddler and although I want to rush it, there’s only so much I can accomplish at a time.
Photos and story by Marion Geiger
La bastille et Grenoble du mémorial des Troupes Alpines/The bastille and Grenoble from the Alpine Troups Memorial
Les couleurs d'automne et les Beldonnes/Fall colors and the Beldonnes
Vue de Grenoble en montent à la Bastille/View of Grenoble on the way up to the Bastille 
Marché au centre ville, dimanche, Place St. Claire/downtown market on a Sunday at Place St. Claire
Reflets du coucher du soleil sur les Beldonnes/reflection of the sunset on the Beldonnes 
*Sur la photo: Mon challenge quotidien: prendre une douche en France.
People have called 
Annecy the Venice of France. However an exaggeration that may be, one can imagine a gondola slowly making its way down the narrow canals. Yet, the first thing I pictured in the provincial Alpine town, was Belle, from Beauty and the Beast, skipping and singing as people yelled “bonjour”!
purses jewelry and cheese. The stands line the streets and wrap around a few blocks. You can hardly walk through the crowd it’s so dense. Vendors yell across the street to each other and people ponder on whether the plums will still be good this time of year. Even dogs will participate, either on leashes or free, hoping for a taste of the amazing smells around them.
boat tours of the long lac. Once the market closes and the streets are washed, a cup of coffee or some black current sorbet is always enjoyable at a cozy café.
