Tag: Food

Drag race, midterms, and public transportation

Published on by Abigail HopperLeave a comment

Another week down. How is it already October??

Here in Rennes, fall weather is in full swing, and I’m loving it so much. The leaves turning colors, the start of Christmas decorations popping up in the city, and the warm drinks are all so lovely—it feels like a cozy movie scene every day.

This week, I have hit around the half-way mark in my classes, so a lot of this week I’ve been in and out of various libraries and coffee shops. With an increase in rainy weather, I’ve also started using public transportation a lot more and now am pretty confident navigating the buses and metros, which is a feat I’d say! They’re not complicated, but very different than what I’m used to back home. Sometimes I find myself missing the ease and comfort of a car in the US, but I also really appreciate the prioritization of the environment and not contributing to traffic.

One of the highlights of my week: I went to a show alone and it was amazing. I’ve been obsessed with Drag Race (who isn’t?), and after getting a bit too into Drag Race France, I found out they were touring and coming to my city. I got a ticket and went by myself, and omg—I loved every minute. The energy, the performances, and just being surrounded by people who appreciate drag culture was really special. Queer culture in France hasn’t been something I’ve seen much of yet, so this felt like such an immersive and joyful experience. And going alone was great because I met so many people and had the chance to practice my French (and pick up some new slang :).

Then bright and early the next morning, a few friends and I took a trip to Avranches in Normandy and hiked along the coast. It was a bit cold, but so gorgeous—the coastline here never gets old! It reminded me that every adventure doesn’t have to be some faraway destination; there’s so much beauty close by 🙂

This week I’m also hitting TWO MONTHS of being in France, meaning I’m almost 1/4 of the way through the whole year. I didn’t realize how quickly it truly would pass. But I’m trying to take advantage of every minute of it! Next weekend I’m going to Mont St. Michel, and have some other trips coming up soon that I’m really excited about!

Thank you for reading!!

Great Eats & Better Drinks

Published on by jillianec516Leave a comment

I will admit I was a little scared of what I thought would be a majority of the local food at restaurants, but the food selection in stores and restaurants is honestly super diverse. The desserts and coffee have been my personal favorites to try out. All different region’s cuisines are available around the city, some more authentic than others. The Mexican food I’ve found here is probably the furthest from actual Mexican food, but the Asian, Mediterranean, and Indian food has been the most genuine in taste. Some of the more local Czech food I’ve tried has included dumplings and fried cheese, both very much bringing a comfort food feeling. KFC, Mcdonald’s, Subway, and Starbucks can all be found in the city center, with a slight change in taste and menu items. The sit-down meals I’ve had here in Brno have all been delicious, with fresher ingredients, and better than a lot of the fusion food in the U.S. The amount of Kebab I’ve consumed since being in Europe has been immense. There’s Kebab on every street and most are open late to feed the club and pubgoers.

The Czech Republic is the country that drinks the most beer in the world per capita and is quite literally cheaper than water. The country has a history of brewing beer going back to the 6th century, and the pouring style for the optimal amount of foam has been perfected by many here. Eye contact while toasting “Na Zdravi” or taking shots is done by everyone, if not that means bad luck, or some people claim it’s bad sex for 7 years. Burčák is a “young” fermented fruit wine, which is popular to buy in liter bottles at different stands in the city center. I’ve learned that when you buy a bottle it has to be finished within a day or two or it will go bad quickly, so it is perfect for sharing. Each week there is karaoke and parties to attend at some of the clubs within Brno hosted by the Erasmus Student Network. I’ve gone a couple times but they feel somewhat redundant. Instead, I’ve ventured to other spots with some friends which has helped with exploring Brno after dark. These nights usually end with a nice walk around beautiful architecture, a Kebab from Turkey Kebab, and the N95 Bus back to the dorms.

food n drink collage
Food & Drink Collage from various restaurants and cafes in Brno, Czech Republic. Including a picture of the burčák bottle.

Back in the dorms, every couple of days my roommate and I have our friends come over and we all take turns cooking dishes that belong to each of our countries and watch a movie. It’s interesting that none of us are from the same country so we all have different meals that we can contribute that make us feel closer to home while sharing with others. I enjoy how wholesome it is that we all actually want to cook for each other even though our kitchens are tiny. Food is truly a way we can express how grateful we are for each other while teaching each other about the traditions we have at home.