Category: France

Storms and Fall Colors

Published on by mayamccrumLeave a comment

When I first got to Ireland, I noticed that it does not rain as often as portrayed in media, I also noticed that is was not as cloudy as often as I expected from the stories I had heard. I did wonder how ever it that had to do with the seasons and time of year. It seems that might be the case. As we get further into fall, there have been more cloudy days where the sun does not show at all. Personally, I do not mind this, I love fall days where the air is cool, and when the sun is not incredibly hot.

I had expected there to be a lot more rain than there has been. I thought maybe it might rain every single day, but this is not the case. With that said, something I did not expect were storms. Storm Amy passed over Ireland, Scotland, England and Whales this past weekend. I have experience blizzard conditions in Colorado and Wyoming in the US, but I cannot recall a moment where a rainstorm acts as if it was a blizzard. This storm had such strong winds that there were moments where the rain fell sideways.

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Since the storm though, it has felt more like autumn. There are leaves all over the ground from the storm and they continue to fall. The trees continue to change color, a little faster now. The weather is cooler. I do not know if the storm had something to do with the trees changing color and dropping their leaves, or if it was just timing. Before the storm it seemed to me that the trees were taking a little while to change color but now, they are starting to rapidly change and drop their leaves. There are trees that are still green and others that are red, orange, and yellow. It is beautiful.

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Airplane Airborne Illnesses

Published on by Catherine BakerLeave a comment

To be completely honest, I did not think that I would get sick while here. How I was so very wrong (and naive). Just like at the University of Denver, students in Rennes have the privilege of experiencing a mysterious cold that comes, seemingly, out of nowhere and will probably last until everyone goes home for the holidays.

Now, am I surprised that I got sick? A little. Am I happy that my parents suggested that I bring some medication from home? Very much so. I have never appreciated NyQuil and DayQuil as much as I have in the past few days. During the day, I can go about my business as though nothing is happening to me, and, at night, I can go to sleep at 9 pm and wake up at 8 am without a problem.

Now, I know that I could go around blaming the fact that it was probably the combination of the university, being in a new country, and the fact that I haven’t been sleeping well, however, it wouldn’t be fair of me to rule out the likely possibility of my illness coming from travelling.

At the time that my last post was uploaded, I was in Copenhagen visiting my friend. This time allowed for me to cherish how easy it was for me to get from one place to another without have to spend a fortune on airplane tickets. However, clearly, it came at a cost.

Despite the illness I contracted while I was 35,000 feet in the air, I very much appreciated the simplicity and accessibility of budget airlines such as EasyJet and NorwegianAir that can take me from one country to another for only around 100 euros. I think that this is one culture shock that I will continue to appreciate. The easy access to other places lets people explore cities and countries they would not have access to otherwise. I think that this ability leads to more understanding and a more open world where people can appreciate beauty in different cultures, histories, and adventures that are unconventional or overlooked.

Despite the ongoing, overly persistent cough, I think that being able to take these adventures is an honor and privilege that are, at times, overlooked and taken for granted. And if you’re planning on going abroad next semester, or year, pack some medicine, it will help.