I Need a Pedicure

Last night I recovered from jet lag. I do not think I have ever slept so hard... well maybe the last time I traveled to or from Europe. After the incredible doener experience yesterday, I slept from 4-8pm and accidentally skipped a walking tour of some of Strasbourg's districts (whoopsies!). When we woke up, my roommates and I decided to make our own walking tour around Strasbourg. It was absolutely ridiculous. We walked around from 8pm until midnight and the sun did definitely not start going down till around 10.On our walk we of course stopped to get some ice cream. We had a flavor called crocodile, which is a chocolate ice cream withnutella and cherries. Had I known cherries was an ingredient, I would have ordered something else. But that's okay, it's my fault for not speaking french! After ice cream, we came back to the apartment and cuddled together to watch Glee! Best show ever, (besides for maybe Modern Family and Parenthood) just saying.

Want to guess how long I slept last night after a four hour nap? Still eight hours, and if there had not been church this morning it probably would have been twelve. Maybe tonight is my chance!

Anywho, this morning we got up and went to mass. Well not Courtney, she ignored us and kept sleeping! (Maybe she is the smarter one.) I will say, I did not notice a single difference between the french mass and all of the german masses I went to, with the language being the only exception. They still shook the frankincense everywhere. It was still incredibly traditionally, Roman Catholics for the win! Although the Strasbourg Cathedral is much larger than the small church back in Daxberg (the village I lived in before), so this morning when someone spoke, 5 seconds later you still heard the same word echoing through out. Which was kind of cool at first, but you can imagine got semi-annoying. Like the choir was singing and holding out their final note, the director motioned them to close the note, you see the choirs mouth shut, and you still hear the same note in the air for five seconds longer.

The architecture of the church was however noteworthy. Here is a picture of the Strasbourg Cathedral, which is the third largest in Europe.

Now this is kind of hard to explain in words without using my hands to explain. But hopefully you can follow along. The church was originally built (between the 6 different architechs who designed the church over the 300 years it took to build) and looked more like the Notre Dame in Paris, so without the high tower on the left and the center piece that connects the two towers that would be the highest if the one on the left did not exist. But after realizing the similarity between the two, the last architech decided to add the centerpiece between what then was the highest part of the church as well as adding two additional higher towers. Once construction began, they soon realized the foundation was not strong enough to hold a second tower on the right side. So therefore, the church was completed after finishing the left tower. I thought that was pretty dang cool.

After mass finished, we went on another walking tour around. (I think Dr. Gaspar really enjoys the exercise.) Which was followed two hours later by yet another walking tour that lasted two hours. As you can imagine, my heels were not happy with me since I was wearing just plain sandals. If pedicures in Europe weren't so darn expensive, I would definitely be getting one every two or three days. Time for a pedi egg I guess.

We also went on a boat tour of Strasbourg today. Unfortunately, the boat was weirdly glassed in so a lot of my pictures have a weird glare and therefore not many were taken. I would however like to note the beauty of Strasbourg with german and french architecture literally right next to each other. Well that's not super screaming french, but at least it has the pink sand stone of the region all around the windows and doors!

And last but not least, we were wined and dined tonight! The host at Ecole de Management-Strasbourg took us out to dinner at a restaurant I could of course never afford by myself. The desert was fabulous, consisting of a pie of lemon bread covered in baked apples. It was absolutely delicious. Is there something that is not delicious? Well escargot.

Tomorrow is a tour of a Mercedes-Benz factory and tour of the Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle in Orschwiller. Get pumped ladies and gentlemen.

XOXO

Victoria

Time To Get The Party Started

First things first: I'm safely here with no problems!

My day started 10AM Texas time on Friday when I woke up to finish packing and leave for my 2o'clock flight out of DFW. It was 7AM in Frankfurt, Germany when we landed. And noon by the time we had met the group and boarded the bus to head to Strasbourg, France. I wish I could say I got some sleep during the travel, but unfortunately I cannot.

Nevertheless, Dustin took off work and sent me off with my momma to the airport! A very good start to my trip!

For my flight I was blessed with the center aisle, middle seat in the 34th row right behind the wing. In other words, I most definitely had the very best seat on the whole entire plane, which was supplemented with a very heavy set Middle Eastern/American who apparently does not own deodorant and an ignorant (and arrogant for that matter) young man who just joined the military who thought he deser

ved 100% of the arm rest for the full flight. But that's okay. The plane did not crash, so I'll take it!!

The food on the plane? It was absolutely disgusting. I was given the choice between beef and tortellini. But I figured the tortellini would be dry and cold, so I figured beef and mashed potatoes were a better bet. I think they were both equally disgusting. The one thing that was semi tolerable was the dry and 3000 times over processed chocolate chip bar.

Once we got here, we were given the keys to our apartment for the next month! I feel like such a big girl now, having my own apartment with my own key in the center of Strasbourg, France. HOLLA! This is me and my roomies! Good thing they smell okay, because our apartment is super tiny and I literally sleep a foot and a half from Jessica (center) every night.

And this, ladies and gentleman is where I will live Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday of every week. Is this not gorgeous or what?

I love how there is so much German influence and architecture in Strasbourg, yet it is still a nice blend of French. We passed an outdoor floral shop on the corner. It was so adorable. Things like that make Europe frigging amazing.

And lastly and most importantly, once we got up to our room and semi-settled and ran to find some semi decent food, and boy did we ever! We ate doener-kebab, and I convinced everyone to try it. And better yet,, everyone loved it! It was the perfect start to five weeks abroad! :)

Tomorrow we're taking a boat tour of the city and eating dinner with the french professor heading this whole shabang up. Get excited ladies and gentleman. More for tomorrow!

XOXO

Victoria

My Second Go-Round

In exactly one week, I am departing for Strasbourg, France for a five week study abroad where I will be studying international finance. Sounds fascinating, doesn't it? Well the study abroad part does, the international finance part maybe not quite so much.

Just a little recap on what's going on in my life for my family in Maryland and Michigan (SHOUT OUT!) whom I don't talk near enough to. I'm officially beginning my third year at Texas A&M University as a Senior accounting major beginning work on my Master's of Science in Accountancy with a Specialization in Entrepreneurial Leadership and in Emphasis in Taxation, which is all just a really fancy way of saying I am graduating with my Bachelors and Masters in 4 years with a whole bunch of management and tax coursework under my belt! I'm currently recruiting for a internship for Spring 2012 which will hopefully become full time employment in May 2013. I've been looking at 5 firms: Ernst & Young, KPMG, Grant Thornton, McGladrey, and UHY; and I think I may finally have reached a decision about which company will be graced with my intelligence, vivaciousness, charm and incredible good looks (insert sarcasm here). But that can be a later post.

Now back on track. Over my five weeks abroad, I will be studying at Ecole de Management with all kinds of french accents and tilde-type-things all over all of those letters. Thankfully, the program has been organized for us to only have class Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, with a cultural company visit on Thursdays, leaving me with the weekends to travel to wherever my little heart desires. Needless to say, I am officially just under $10,000 in debt now but am going to a lot of sweet places over my five weekends! (Goodness whichever firm I choose better pay me the big bucks to pay off that loan!) :)

Our cultural company visits will include (and not in this order) going to a Mercedes-Benz factory in Germany, the European Parliament, the European Union Central Bank, the Deutsche-Bank headquarters, and our fifth week I ain't got a clue.

My five weekends will consist of (and in this order) 1) touring Strasbourg and the wine region of Alsace, France, 2) Munich and Aschaffenburg (where I studied abroad last time), 3) Venice, Rome, and Verona, 4) Paris and Brussels, 5) and London! Do you now see why the debt is necessary? I mean technically only $5,000 of the debt is mine because hopefully someday in the semi-distant future Dustin will take on the other $5,000. That's %50/%50 for you, homie! :)

Packing is however my biggest concern. Last time I was abroad, I was gone for 11 months and was allowed 2 suitcases each at 50lbs. This time, I am allowed 1 suitcase for 50lbs to cover my 5 weeks. So you would think that would be manageable, no? Well I am not so sure. Then I could do laundry, this go round I have to pay 7euros per load, which does not sound at all enticing. I should probably pack soon, or at least think about packing, since I leave in less than one week. Oh well!

It is officially time for me to get going, but hopefully my next update will be about my plane ride and how I am safely landed!

XOXO

Victoria

PS- Due to Lissa's observation, I would like to point out how in my past blog entries, one entry spoke about how I loved the cold and snow. And the very next entry 1 month and 4 days later, I complain about how much I hate the cold and precipitation and how we should enjoy Texas weather. Oh, how the tides changed!

Nevertheless, I will say how much I am looking forward to the France summer weather, which will hopefully never head south of 60degrees and north of 90degrees!