My Last Post from Strasbourg

Well, dear friends and family, the end is near. My parents will be here tomorrow evening, and come Monday, it’s time to part with Strasbourg.

As of this morning, my all my percussion lessons are finished. They were spread out over a week, which was nice. It allowed me to gradually say bye to the Conservatoire, where I’ve spent LOTS of time this semester (and especially this last month). Throughout this past week, I’ve done my best to visit the last places of Strasbourg I wanted to see before I left. Monday, I went to the Cathedral to see the astronomical clock do its fancy show at 12:30 (somehow, it’s 30 minutes off the Prime Meridian time, so the “show” is at 12:30 instead of noon). Tuesday wasn’t very Strasbourg-y, but I did help a friend with his project (I was videotaped talking, in French, about the differences between the French and American university systems), and it was fun. Wednesday, I tried to go to the Modern Art Museum, but couldn’t find the entrance. Instead, I saw that the dam for the river was open (it has a passage through it), and so wandered through the dam. I think the city houses parts of the cathedral that need repair or are otherwise not working in the dam, because there were lots of old-looking statues behind bars all along the passageway. It was kind of cool. Also, during the day you can climb a staircase to the top of the dam, and you get a pretty nice view of Petite France - the part of Strasbourg where the buildings have been maintained in traditional Alsacien style. I ended up wandering by the cathedral, and in general just walking around. Wednesday afternoon, I saw Pirates 3 with a few friends (two days before it came out in the States – hee hee). I was glad I saw it (it was in English, which is always good when Jack Sparrow is concerned), but it was much darker than the first two movies, and I wasn’t such a fan of the ending. Different, definitely. Yesterday, I closed my French bank account, rode the B tram line (which I live on) to its end, way out in the suburbs of Strasbourg, and walked through the Botanical Garden in the afternoon. Now, all my curiosities are fulfilled (what does the end of the B line look like?), and I’ve done everything that I wanted to do before leaving. I had two consecutive picnics in Orangerie last weekend, and discovered a new part of the park last Friday that I didn’t know was there. That, along with my find on the dam, made me realize that there is always something to learn about a city, no matter how well you think you know it. It makes a little part of me wish that I could stay in Strasbourg longer, and keep discovering short-cut streets and other fun things of that nature, but I know all good things must come to an end.

Here at the end of the semester, I find myself thinking about the overall picture of life in Strasbourg, and a semester away. This whole semester, I’ve been making a mental pro and con list, which I will try to replicate now.

Pros about Strasbourg:
Cheese
Pastries
Easy and efficient public transportation
City life in general – I never have to go very far to find what I’m looking for
My favorite farmer’s market in Place Broglie
The Cathedral, and being able to see it from my house and from the Conservatoire (on opposite sides of the city)
Orangerie
My host family
Studying at the Conservatoire – as hard as it was, it was an amazing opportunity, and my professors were amazing
Speaking French, and doing my best to adapt to the culture – hard at times, but always a new and rewarding experience


Cons about Strasbourg:
Sitting to take my showers (though I must confess, I’ll have to get used to standing again…)
Almost everything being closed on Sundays
Not always feeling confident in my French, and not being properly understood by the people I attempt to speak to
General awkwardness – whether it’s at home with my host family, and not knowing what to do, or out in general and I just don’t know the proper customs

However, all these are just part of living in a different country, so they’re not cons, so much as learning about this different country I’ve landed in. The hardest part about this semester, without question, would be missing my grandmothers’ funerals and my sisters’ graduations. Though I was on the other side of the Atlantic, I know my family knew I had them in my thoughts, and that was the best I could do. There of course were other hard days, when I would really miss my friends or Wellesley or Austin, but I was never down for too long.

In the end, I have found another place that I would move to in a heartbeat. Ask me to move to Japan – I’m there. Inquire if I’d like to live in Strasbourg – no need, I’ve already packed my bags and I’m on the next flight to France. I would love to come back someday, I just don’t know when. It would be nice to come in December, when the Christmas market is up, and I’d like to see Place Kleber and the train station no longer under construction (as they both have been all semester).

It has been a wonderful semester. Truly, a great experience. I’m not sure I know how much I’ll appreciate it, and how it will feel to return to the States after all this. I do know that I would like to see more performances in Boston, and maybe even travel around the States. After all, I’ve been to Rome, London, and Berlin, but I haven’t even been to Vermont, 3 hours from where I go to school. It feels very strange that it is all coming to an end, but end it must, at some point.

I will try to send at least one more blog post, maybe once I’m back in Austin, about my upcoming two-week trip with my parents. Other than that, au revoir, mon blog!