Un de plus.

I only have one more week in Clermont-Ferrand, France. Next Tuesday Jenny and I head to Paris for a few days and I fly back to the states on August 6th. I cannot believe that my 6 weeks in Europe is coming to an end. Yes I have 12 days left, but I thought I would give a re-cap of my time spent here.

Oxford, England -

I have a million pictures of this and each one is more beautiful than the first.

Punting down the Thames

The Thames River

Afternoon tea at The Grand Cafe.

Cardiff, Wales -

The Welsh Flag

Cardiff Castle

Manchester, England - 

Manchester Ferris Wheel ( a mini London Eye) 

Berlin, Germany - 

Fat Tire Bike Tour (6 hours in the rain)

The Berlin Wall.

Dresden, Germany - 

Canada vs. Nigeria FIFA World Cup Game. 

Great Experience!

Munich, Germany - 

Sculpture at Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial

Entrance to Dachau. 

Clermont-Ferrand, France - 

Clermont-Ferrand sits on top of an old Volcano and this cathedral is made out of lava!

Royat, the out skirts of Clermont. 

View of Cathedral from the top of Royat. 

See earlier post about my time spent in Calvi, Corsica.

Each one of these cities will more than likely each have their own post, but this is a quick over view of what I did/saw! 

It has been an incredible trip! 

Joyeux Anniversaire!

Joyeux Anniversaire is Happy Birthday in French! And today is my Dad's 50th Birthday!!! 


In case you haven't heard me mention this already I have the best Dad, ever! Seriously! He is my best friend and I love him very much. Unfortunately I am on a whole different continent today, but don't you worry I will wish him Happy Birthday via skype. (Who doesn't love skype?)

My Dad and I at graduation! 

My Dad and I freshman year!

Happy Birthday Dad!!!

Calvi!

We started Bastille Day (France's Independence Day) in Paris where we shopped at Bobbi Brown (great make-up), ate, and had the best hot chocolate I have ever had. EVER! Seriously!

First you add the hot melted chocolate. 

Then you add the hot milk :)

And enjoy! Oh la la! 

Then we flew to Calvi, Corsica! It was wonderful - we ate dinner and after dinner they had a fire work show! It was great!!! I celebrated Bastille day and not 4th of July, but hey I celebrated independence none-the-less.

View from our hotel

So pretty out in the bay

Happy Independence Day France!

Then the second day we laid out on the beach and shopped! I could spend every day laying out.

First day walking to the beach. 

Where we grabbed lunch everyday on the pier. 

My hat I bought while shopping! 

View from the the top of the Fort. I got really close to the edge. 

Paradise.

I had to lean for this picture, but totally worth it!

The view wasn't bad, ha-ha. (Some French Legion soldiers on the beach...)

Jenny and I 

And we spent the third and fourth day on the beach as well!

How could you ever get tired of this?! Beautiful

I'm telling you it was even prettier in person. 

Jealous? 

I want to go back to Calvi, but I do not suggest you go if you do not speak French. I am pretty sure we were the only Americans on the island and I was the only person who couldn't speak French. But I loved the entire weekend! I am sure I will post more about it when I get to the states! 

Reconnaissant.

Reconnaissant means thankful in French and today I am very thankful! Before I go on my weekend excursion to an island in the Mediterranean Sea I keep thinking to myself is this real life? (Yes in the David goes to the dentist voice.)


I woke up this morning to the windows open and it raining. Oh how peaceful. Of course that meant I had to stay in bed a little while longer while I listened to John Mayer and drank my english breakfast tea! I mean you can only get this stuff in books and movies right? Wrong this is very much part of my everyday life so far. 


For the past three days I have woke up, drank a cup of tea, journaled or read my books, gone for walks, and sat in picturesque parks. I seriously have to pinch myself sometimes. Yesterday while I sat in the park I couldn't help but smile. It is this constant smile I have had the whole time I have been in France. Everything is so new and refreshing. I am learning so much, especially about myself. I don't really have a phone here and obviously I don't have internet while I am out and about, so I have time to myself. In fact, since Jenny is at work that is all I have - plenty of time to myself. And I could not be more thankful. It is nice to slow down and enjoy everything around you. 


Some things you might not know about France (because I didn't when I got here):

• It is rude to put your bread on your plate. Like you don't do it. at all. Leave it on the table.
• You have to say Bon appetit before you can eat.
• And you kiss everyone you meet twice. When saying hello and goodbye.  

I am blessed beyond measure and so thankful to be able to spend my summer in Europe. 

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." 
-James 1:17 


"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
-John 14:27

Bon jour!

So I have finished my backpacking around Europe and I now reside in a small town in the south of France called Clermont-Ferrand for the next 4 weeks. I promise to blog every single thing when I get back to the states and have my own computer.

But to keep you updated my trip started out in Oxford, England where Cara and I stayed with some of her family friends, Lauren and Tyler. They have to have the coolest life in the ENTIRE world. Yes! Tyler is finishing his MBA at Said School of Business - Oxford University and Lauren works for Harding's Study Abroad Program. Lauren has an amazing blog called Aspiring Kennedy , but I will warn you; if you read her blog you may get depressed and feel as though your life is inadequate. I wasn't joking when I said they have the coolest life.

We then took a train to Cardiff, Wales for two days. Next we took another train to Manchester, England and from there we went to London. Now in London we stayed at the airport for the night - not our best choice and then flew to Berlin, Germany. We stayed in Berlin two nights, Dresden, Germany one night, and then Munich for two nights. After that we flew back to London so Cara could fly back to the states and so I could go back to Oxford where I left my suitcase for France. I then flew to France to meet Jenny Dodd where I am living with her for a month!

Oh my gosh - the past two and a half weeks have been insane. And guess what??!! I get to go to Corsica a French island in the Mediterranean sea for three days this weekend! I could live this life forever, but my checkbook probably couldn't :(

Calvi, Corsica where I will be staying

This is where you will find me all three days! Beach side! 

In case you don't know where Corsica is... Because I didn't until now.