Lilacs

It is becoming gorgeous here in Rennes. Warming up (I'm in denial of the snow promised tomorrow) with flowers blooming everywhere. My walk home from the bus stop each day is perfumed with lilacs, along with the lovely fresh air of spring :)

Classes are becoming more time-consuming, in their own way. It is strange to have class only once a week, with very rare homework. Very different from American "busy work". Also bad because procrastination is so easy to fall into... Our grade is based off a mid-term and a final, or just a final!

So, since I last wrote, Mama came to visit!!

Look who I found in Paris <3


 She came to visit during her winter break from teaching, the week just before mine. It felt kinda like living two lives, with going to classes then to see Mama plus friends plus my host-mom! But it was completely worth the craziness to share all the places I've learned about and introduce a few of my friends. We even went to Eglise Protestante Evangelique together!

We got macarons :)

And moules (mussels) which are delicious and very Breton!

We went out to eat one night with my host mom and Mama, and it was fabulous :) I ordered this dessert with a ridiculous name which turned out to be brownies with crème anglaise and the best frosting ever! Crème Anglaise=my love

My host-mom was also kind enough to offer to drive us to St Malo, a city right on the beach! It was beautiful, albeit chilly, and I found beachglass and shells! It was such a blessing and gift of time and resources from Ghislaine.

Moules

A glimpse of "winter" in France, flowers blooming and blue skies (when its not raining).

This was dinner in Paris after I picked Mama up from the airport. The bowl is "Tartiflette" which translates to "bowl of french cheesy potatoes awesomeness". I had the quiche, equally français!

We also visited the Musée D'Orsay, and saw the 5th floor with the Impressionists. Stunning.

Tuileries Gardens (outside of the Louvre and Musée D'Orsay

We had the opportunity to visit a famous patissier/chocolatier, Jacques Genin!

Tiny delicious fancy chocolates! Praline, Milk Chocolate, and two Dark Chocolate Tea!

We got to go up to the kitchens and speak with M. Genin.

Books!! 15 euro/each books! Of which I bought none.

Notre Dame! The cathédrale is celebrating 850 years. Let that sink in. There were all these deep thoughts on the exhibit,  Why was I created? What is my purpose in life?

Once the week was over, we went to visit an old French friend who briefly lived in Michigan. Mama taught their children at the beginning of her career, and we are still friends! Odile and I have quilting and knitting in common, and it definitely didn't feel like 5 years had passed since we last saw them. She made my week by saying I spoke French "couramment" (fluent). That's my hope for this semester here! Alors, after Mama had to go home, I flew out to Barcelona for Wednesday-Saturday with two friends!

Which I will write about soon, for more picture overload!
<3 Katie May