11/30/2011
Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education, University of Oklahoma
Many thanks to Jennifer Robinson and Felicity Cooper for showing Aurélien and Nicky around the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education, University of Oklahoma. May our exchanges continue well into the future!
11/29/2011
Aubane's Thoughts
Hi everybody,
Time flies and I don't realize that we leave on 3 DAYS !!! I discovered here a new culture, a new way of living so different than the French one and now I wish I could stay longer in Oklahoma City because people overhere are so nice ! Americans are much more "approachable" I'll say, while walking on the hallways of Classen so much people will say "Oh I love your shoes" or "You look so pretty" even if they don't know you. That's what I like overhere, in France people aren't so friendly, I mean they won't talk to you if they don't know you, we're much more self-centered and that's too bad..
About my thanksgiving, we had it at Amanda's house with Solenne and Amanda's family. We ate the traditional turkey, pumpkin bread, cranberry sauce.. We had fun during thanksgiving, it was very nice to go on thanksgiving. After it we woke up at 4:30 to go to the black friday, hopefully that was the perfect time because there were no rushes in front of the shops at that time ! So you can imagine that even all my money has been spent on that day, I looked like a shopaholic with all my bags (Actually maybe not just "looked like") ! Nevermind it was good deals and I think that France should really instaure a Black Friday, or a sales day in which all the things will be 50 % off or more !
That's just giving me another reason to come back to the USA !
Aubane Decobert.
Time flies and I don't realize that we leave on 3 DAYS !!! I discovered here a new culture, a new way of living so different than the French one and now I wish I could stay longer in Oklahoma City because people overhere are so nice ! Americans are much more "approachable" I'll say, while walking on the hallways of Classen so much people will say "Oh I love your shoes" or "You look so pretty" even if they don't know you. That's what I like overhere, in France people aren't so friendly, I mean they won't talk to you if they don't know you, we're much more self-centered and that's too bad..
About my thanksgiving, we had it at Amanda's house with Solenne and Amanda's family. We ate the traditional turkey, pumpkin bread, cranberry sauce.. We had fun during thanksgiving, it was very nice to go on thanksgiving. After it we woke up at 4:30 to go to the black friday, hopefully that was the perfect time because there were no rushes in front of the shops at that time ! So you can imagine that even all my money has been spent on that day, I looked like a shopaholic with all my bags (Actually maybe not just "looked like") ! Nevermind it was good deals and I think that France should really instaure a Black Friday, or a sales day in which all the things will be 50 % off or more !
That's just giving me another reason to come back to the USA !
Aubane Decobert.
Claire's visit to the Oklahoma National Memorial
Everything so far is wonderful. I guess it's sort of given me a
taste of life next year. Except for the fact that I got really lucky and
ended up in a family similar to mine. Except for the number of
people... Did I mention how much I love food? Because I do. And that's
why being here is so great. Thanksgiving food was amazing, my host
father's making faux-chinese tonight, and I made apple compote. Plus, I
get to have pink lemonade again (Oh yeah) and Doritos. Yes, I'm sure
Doritos are sold in France, but it's just not as common...
Claire
So, last week, my host mother told me what today's visit would be
about: the visit of the Memorial for the April 1995 bombing. My host
sister mentioned that she nearly cried at the end of the Memorial. She's
not a crier. I am. I cried a whole bunch. I do believe it would be
reasonable to say that this has scarred me for a very long time to come.
The very concept that people in this world would blow buildings up like
that because they're not satisified with the way things are is
crazy, scary, and confusing. But the fact that they believe they are
right is just... unbelievable. I couldn't even talk during the visit. I
just cried and had a very hard time breathing. I have 3 siblings, and
two happily married parents. Now, my Dad has experiences fires before
since the factory he once worked out caught fire. To this day, no one
really knows what happened. And my siblings have had an explosion in
their school. Thank the lord, no one was there at the time, but our
house just shook, and we live about 15min from there. Now, as I was
walking the tears did stop, and I just thought that would be it, no more
tears, what could be more horrible than what I had just seen? The wall
of honor. I can't say it was a bad idea, but I hated it. They displayed
pictures of children and adults, but I personally feel even more
sympathy for children. Sure, they're humans like others, but they
haven't lived yet. They were in a Day Care center, which must
mean they were under the age of 6. They didn't even have a license yet.
They hadn't experienced their first love. All they knew was that they
had parents and a life. The grown ups were trying to save the children
and had - for the most part - already experienced a lot of things:
college, love, their first car, their first paycheck, everything.
As I walked through the Memorial, I began to think "This man
deserves to die and go to hell". But then I realised: no, that was too
easy. This would be one of those situations when I don't support the
death penalty. The man (well, more like a mere living creature, if you
ask me) should have been locked up in a tiny cell, and should have had
to live the rest of his life rotting with what he'd done.
I did get my voice back as we reached the gift shop, though, and I
felt a little bit more free, because all the emotion was finally leaving
me. For the most part, at least. I can't say that wasn't a tough
experience, if my reading about it hurt me that much, I don't want to
imagine what it must have been like for the families involved in this
event.
Coming home to a loving family definitely felt great, and laughing
my worries away was the best. I actually feel like I'll be able to sleep
tonight. Let's not watch scary movies right now...
11/28/2011
How to be a tourist!
Il y a plus de choses a voir a Oklahoma City qu'il n'y parait! Le Dimanche de notre week end the Thanksgiving nous avons tout d'abord ete manger a Pops, un restaurant situe sur la fameuse "route 66" qui est surtout connu pour ses sodas, il y a plus de 500 de toutes formes/coulleurs/gouts differents! Pas tres loin il a y un autre site, c'est "the rounds barn" un grange ronde tres jolie et tres traditionelle.
Ensuite, nous sommes alles a Bricktown au centre ville d'Oklahoma City. C'est tres joli, tout en briques avec un canal qui coule le long du centre. Il y aussi un endroit ou in y a des bronzes extremement realiste depictant l'arrive des premiers colons en Oklahoma, c'est impressionant!
Enfin, mon moment prefere a ete quand nous sommes allees dans le plus Americain de magasins possiblement imaginable: Bass&Pro. C'est un magasin pour les "American guys", les hommes, les vrais! Ils vendent tout pour la chasse, la peche, le camping: que des activites viriles! Avec Michelle nous avons pris des photos avec des fusils de chasse, habilles en tenues de camouflages et aussi a cote des animaux empailles. C'etait tres amusant, c'est le genre de magasin qui n'existe qu'aux USA (et heureusement d'ailleurs ). Mon anecdote favorite etait un panneau avec ecris "the braggin'wall" ou des gens postaient des photos d'eux avec leur plus grosse bete tuee. Un ours, des chevreuils, des sangliers,... Les Americains prennent cela tres au serieux!
Sinon, je sais qu'il y a autre chose a voir a Oklahoma City mais il faisait froid et puis la nuit tombe malheureusement de plus en plus vite!
- Celeste Charbonnier
Great oral presentations by Luzarches students
Well done to all the Luzarches students who worked so hard on their presentations. They were much appreciated by the Classen students.
Louise Phung's sporty Thanksgiving break
I helped my penpals grandfather to cook the turkey. During the afternoon I played football with the cousins, that was very much fun! I really enjoyed it. Then we ate together the Thanksgiving meal and we had so much fun. After, from 10.00pm to 02.30 am I went to Black Friday. That was crazy, people were waiting for hours in front of the doors. They were cold but they did not care.
On Sunday, after going to church, I ate at a very American place, Jimmy's egg, then I went to Pops. That was very nice. Finally I went ice-skating in the evening after visiting the tube garden.
Louise Phung
On Sunday, after going to church, I ate at a very American place, Jimmy's egg, then I went to Pops. That was very nice. Finally I went ice-skating in the evening after visiting the tube garden.
Louise Phung
Adeline's Thanksgiving
For the Thanksgiving break we spent most of our time at Mariel's grandparents' house. On Wednesday, I met her whole family and we ate Chinese food together. At night we went to see the Chickasha Festival of Light and then came back and slept at her grandparents'. Then on Thursday we spent the day with her family and it was a very calm and pleasant day.
At midnight we started our "Black Friday" adventure and we only came back at 6.00 am. On Friday afternoon we went to Amanda's house because she was having a party.
On Saturday Mariel had her musical so I just stayed at home and on Sunday we went to church, and for lunch we ate "pho", which is a Vietnamese dish, and we went to Fabiana's because she organized a party which was also a lot of fun.
Adeline Spriet
At midnight we started our "Black Friday" adventure and we only came back at 6.00 am. On Friday afternoon we went to Amanda's house because she was having a party.
On Saturday Mariel had her musical so I just stayed at home and on Sunday we went to church, and for lunch we ate "pho", which is a Vietnamese dish, and we went to Fabiana's because she organized a party which was also a lot of fun.
Adeline Spriet
My Thanksgiving Day continued ...
Finally, on Sunday afternoon and evening we went to Fabiana's. She's hosting Adele and she lives in a magnificent house. Her mum and her aunt cooked and everything was spicy. I LOVED IT. We, once again, had a good time.
Don't think I've forgotten to speak about Thanksgiving Day because I haven't. I just wanted to keep it until the end because I know it is what you want to learn most about! So, on Thanksgiving we began to cook for the big day. My penpal and I baked the pumpkin pie (so delicious) and then I cooked the cranberry sauce. On Thanksgiving morning I watched the parade on TV. It is on 34th in Broadway, NYC. Then in the afternoon we cooked again and when we were over, around 8.00, we ate! There was food left over and I loved eating it. The dinner was so great. I tried the dressing and I absolutely loved this! And with the leftover turkey we cooked a turkey soup with matzo balls, Jewish bread.
Agnes Rouhier
Don't think I've forgotten to speak about Thanksgiving Day because I haven't. I just wanted to keep it until the end because I know it is what you want to learn most about! So, on Thanksgiving we began to cook for the big day. My penpal and I baked the pumpkin pie (so delicious) and then I cooked the cranberry sauce. On Thanksgiving morning I watched the parade on TV. It is on 34th in Broadway, NYC. Then in the afternoon we cooked again and when we were over, around 8.00, we ate! There was food left over and I loved eating it. The dinner was so great. I tried the dressing and I absolutely loved this! And with the leftover turkey we cooked a turkey soup with matzo balls, Jewish bread.
Agnes Rouhier
My Thanksgiving Weekend by Agnes Rouhier
Waaaah! it was so much fun during this weekend. It wasn't really a weekend rather a break, the Thanksgiving break. I went to the mall three times during this period. In fact, I went to the two malls Oklahoma City offers, once for Black Friday. I woke up at 02.00 am and went until 03.30 am. I was with Adele and Madalina because their penpals know mine. Around 04.30 we found Rizlene and Ophelie. We spent the day together and in the evening we went to Amanda's for a sleep over. That was so much fun. We were numerous and we had a really good time. An American party is absolutely better than a French one! And, as I know you are wondering, there was no alcohol and the mother was there all night long feeding us and doing everything in order for the party to be perfect.
Comprendre le football americain (essayer au moins)
Au cours du long weekend de Thanksgiving, nos eleves ont pu constater que le football americain etait un sport tres populaire aux Etats-Unis. Une fois la dinde avalee, beaucoup d'Americains se deplacent vers le sofa et regardent pendant de tres tres tres longues heures les matchs de football.
De maniere a vous aider a comprendre ce sport, voila un website qui en resume avec moult details les regles. Pour rappel, Amiens possede une tres bonne equipe de football americain si vous voulez passer de la theorie a la pratique!!!
De maniere a vous aider a comprendre ce sport, voila un website qui en resume avec moult details les regles. Pour rappel, Amiens possede une tres bonne equipe de football americain si vous voulez passer de la theorie a la pratique!!!
Enjoy!
Une journee a Classen, Par Louise Leroux
Nous nous reveillons le matin a 6 heures pour pouvoir nous preparer rapidement car nous vivons en dehors d'Oklahoma Cty. Puis ma correspondante nous conduit vers le lycee (elle a 16 ans et elle peut conduire). Le trajet dure a peu pres 20 minutes. Nous commencons les cours a 7h30 et pour chaque matiere, les lecons durent 1h30. Les eleves ne sont pas attribues a une classe specifique comme nous (ex: 1L1, TS2). Ils choisissent en debut d'annee les lecons qu'ils veulent faire. Nous finissons les cours a 14h30 puis les professeurs ayant programme des visites, nous allons dans des musees. A la fin des visites, nous retournons chez nos familles pour manger des plats typiques.
Pour la derniere semaine que nous allons passer en Oklahoma, Madame Randall, Monsieur Chapolard et Madame Borja ont programme pour lundi la visite du Capitol, puis mardi nous allons au "National Memorial Museum", le lendemain nous irons au musee national des cowboys, enfin pour le dernier jour de visite, nous allons au "Harn Homestead and 1889ers."
Tout se passe bien. A dimanche!!! Louise
Pour la derniere semaine que nous allons passer en Oklahoma, Madame Randall, Monsieur Chapolard et Madame Borja ont programme pour lundi la visite du Capitol, puis mardi nous allons au "National Memorial Museum", le lendemain nous irons au musee national des cowboys, enfin pour le dernier jour de visite, nous allons au "Harn Homestead and 1889ers."
Tout se passe bien. A dimanche!!! Louise
Ce week-end par Rachel Rodgers, eleve americaine
Les francais sont ici depuis une semaine, et quelle semaine! Estelle et moi, nous nous sommes amusees bien! Pour le Thanksgiving, on est alle chez ma tante, a Tulsa, avec toute ma famille. On a mange BEAUCOUP...de la dinde, des pommes de terre...et en fait, mon grand-pere a apporte une dinde en chocolat! (C'est pas normale...mais c'etait tres amusant!)
The Friday after Thanksgiving each year is called "Black Friday." If a store is in debt, it is said to be "in the red," and if it has more than enough money, it is said to be "in the black." People shop a lot the day after Thanksgiving, so stores go from red to black. Thus, it's called Black Friday.
On a fait du shopping un peu a Black Friday--on est allee au centre commercial, au libraire, et a Campus Corner (les magasins a cote de l'Universite d'Oklahoma). J'ai achete un livre et des t-shirts, et Estelle a achete un t-shirt et des cadeaux pour sa famille et ses copains. On a dine au restaurant chinois, et on a regarde un film--Crazy, Stupid Love, avec Steve Carrell, Ryan Gosling, et Emma Stone.
The next day, Saturday, we went to an OU football game. I live in Norman, a town very close to Oklahoma City, and the University of Oklahoma (OU) is also in Norman. OU football is very important to the entire state, but especially my town. American football is a bit different than what we call "soccer," and much more complicated! Each year, every team in the nation plays a number of games, and after these matches, two teams play for the National Championship, which determines the best team in the nation. OU has not been the National Champion since 2000, but they have been second place a number of times. Sadly, we will not even play in the Championship this year, but we will possibly be the regional champions! (That game will be played Saturday, December 3.)
Alors, le match. Il faisait tres froid, et il y avait BEAUCOUP du vent! Mais c'etait amusante, et on s'est amusee bien. On y est allee avec une copine, Liz, qui avait deux billets supplementaires. (Quelle chance!) Estelle a vu des pompomgirls...je pense qu'elle les trouvait assez bizarre, mais interressantes. Et, heureusement, OU a gange! :)
Overall, it was a wonderful weekend. I'm so happy to have the chance to see my French friends again. I wish that everyone could stay longer--two weeks seems too short! But this just means that everyone will have to return someday. The Classen-Luzarche exchange is a wonderful program, and I'm very glad to have the chance to be a part of it.
--Rachel Rodgers
The Friday after Thanksgiving each year is called "Black Friday." If a store is in debt, it is said to be "in the red," and if it has more than enough money, it is said to be "in the black." People shop a lot the day after Thanksgiving, so stores go from red to black. Thus, it's called Black Friday.
On a fait du shopping un peu a Black Friday--on est allee au centre commercial, au libraire, et a Campus Corner (les magasins a cote de l'Universite d'Oklahoma). J'ai achete un livre et des t-shirts, et Estelle a achete un t-shirt et des cadeaux pour sa famille et ses copains. On a dine au restaurant chinois, et on a regarde un film--Crazy, Stupid Love, avec Steve Carrell, Ryan Gosling, et Emma Stone.
The next day, Saturday, we went to an OU football game. I live in Norman, a town very close to Oklahoma City, and the University of Oklahoma (OU) is also in Norman. OU football is very important to the entire state, but especially my town. American football is a bit different than what we call "soccer," and much more complicated! Each year, every team in the nation plays a number of games, and after these matches, two teams play for the National Championship, which determines the best team in the nation. OU has not been the National Champion since 2000, but they have been second place a number of times. Sadly, we will not even play in the Championship this year, but we will possibly be the regional champions! (That game will be played Saturday, December 3.)
Alors, le match. Il faisait tres froid, et il y avait BEAUCOUP du vent! Mais c'etait amusante, et on s'est amusee bien. On y est allee avec une copine, Liz, qui avait deux billets supplementaires. (Quelle chance!) Estelle a vu des pompomgirls...je pense qu'elle les trouvait assez bizarre, mais interressantes. Et, heureusement, OU a gange! :)
Overall, it was a wonderful weekend. I'm so happy to have the chance to see my French friends again. I wish that everyone could stay longer--two weeks seems too short! But this just means that everyone will have to return someday. The Classen-Luzarche exchange is a wonderful program, and I'm very glad to have the chance to be a part of it.
--Rachel Rodgers
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