Education Abroad Student Blog

Mid-semester exams are finished - finally! This past month has probably been the most hectic/stressful so far I guess having a fair bit of pressure on us over the exam period and all the project work piling up, but it certainly doesn't detract from the AWESOMENESS of being here!! There's still so much to do and not enough time in the day to do it, so time keeps flying by - before I know it I'll be reading blog entries from students going on exchange next semester...

So I just recently came back from a fantastic road trip around the Northwest coast of France. Ten friends and I hired two cars and just drove! We started here in Troyes, drove to Versailles for a picnic lunch and a free listening to the music jazz concert that happened to be being held at the same time in the gardens of Versailles. Next stop was 'Caen' (right up on the North West coast) where we stayed for a bit to check it out, and then headed back inland to 'Bayeux', the town that we camped in that night. We were lucky because we rented tents and camping gear from the uni for free so that was another expense saved!!

Of course we didn't let the night end without a much needed Aussie BBQ fix - we managed to find a BBQ for 10 Euro and it worked perfectly so that was a huge success. The campsite was also really great, hot showers and lush green grass - all you need. The following day we visited 'Mont St. Michel' - incredible! It's actually the second most visited tourist destination in France next to the Eiffel Tower so that was beautiful. For those who haven't heard of Mont St Michel it a famous island that becomes unreachable when the tide comes in, i.e. when the tide comes in water surrounds the island so no one can enter or leave the island at this time. It only has 42 inhabitants who are basically stranded there each night. So there is a 'curfew' to leave the island by 10pm if you want to make it back to the mainland in time… very cool! Unfortunately there weren't any camping grounds available on the island so we spent the night in St Brieuc that night after going to this awesome music art rock festival that was being held there that night. There was English speaking bands playing so at least I could sing along ;)

We also visited this great American cemetery in Rennes and actually heard the Australian anthem being played which was quite touching and gave me goose bumps... it's been too long since I've heard that! LOL. The views from the car were awesome when we drove from town to town as well, views you couldn’t get from a train or plane, so driving was definitely the best way to go. We visited Nantes and this great beach town called 'La Baule' so finally had the chance to feel the cool Atlantic water on our beach-deprived selves. On our way back to Troyes we drove through the Loire Valley and stopped off at 'Chambord', which is a beautiful castle in a town called 'Blois' - took a boat cruise around the castle's moat and had a delicious French picnic! What a life! It worked out perfectly, the weather held out and the best thing was that it was a ridiculously cheap trip considering all the expenses were always split into 10 so everyone could get by paying a lot less.

Tonight is the university 'GALA' which is like the French version of a massive Engineering Ball so I can't wait for that! It's being held at the uni; all the classrooms turn into bars with a different theme, there's different types of music playing of each level, restaurants set up everywhere, fireworks shows, dance performances, guest bands and more than 3000 people expected! Should be a night to remember! Otherwise the sun has finally shown its face here in Troyes after 3 months of rain and cloud so that's definitely given everyone another reason to smile. It's sure is going to be hard leaving this place; life as an exchange student is unbeatable!