Hostelling International: Auberge de Jeunesse in Dinan, France

Auberge de Jeunesse
2 Rue de Quatre Moulins
Dinan, France

Cleanliness: 10/10

Cost: 9/10

Location: 9/10

Benefits: 9/10

Dani's overall rating: 9.25/10

An adorable structure that used to be an old water mill, this hostel was located about a five minutes' walk from the river Rance and set back into the forest surrounding Dinan. 

I was quickly greeted by one of the employees of the hostel, who gave me a key to my very own room (it wasn't very busy, so even though there were two beds in the room, I got it all to myself! SCORE!). 

The room is pictured below. 

The hostel was incredibly clean, and there was an option to purchase breakfast at the hostel for 4 euro -- not bad at all! 

Speaking of cost, I paid 14 euro for a night. So... this place is really quite the awesome deal. 

Picturesque and charming, I would recommend this hostel to anyone staying in Dinan looking for a cheap place to stay. Be warned, however -- the hostel is NOT in center city and is a bit cumbersome to find. Go down the hill from downtown Dinan on the Rue de Jerzual and follow the river left to a yellow Bar/Brasserie. From there, follow the fork in the road left (you'll see a tiny sign that says "Rue de Quatre Moulins") and keep walking for almost ten minutes until you come across the hostel to your left. 

With that, I hope you enjoy your stay and fall in love with Dinan as much as I did!!

Cheers,

D

A Dani in Dinan: Playing Tourist in Bretagne

Last week, I was hit very suddenly by that pesky ailment called the Travel Bug. In order to cure said disease, I made the spontaneous decision to purchase a bus ticket headed north to a city in Bretagne called Dinan, and from Dinan take another bus to St. Malo on the coast. While Dinan does not belong to my beloved département of Île-et-Vilaine, it looked really, really pretty on the tourist website, and my friend-down-the-hall Antoine is from the area and told me it was quite lovely. 

Dinan is north and west of Rennes, whereas St Malo is north and east of Dinan!

Also... St. Malo = ocean. And oceans are awesome because they have lots of cool fish in them. 

So.... why the heck not???

My bus left the main gare at 11 am Friday morning, so around 10 o'clock I left my university residence hall by myself with a tiny REI daypack stuffed with two days' worth of snacks, my transit tickets and a copy of Des Fleurs Pour Algernon (translated from the English original and just as beautiful a story). I also treated myself to the biggest coffee I have had in Europe since landing in Ireland in August. 

Woah!! Who would have guessed that you could find a tall-sized drink in this country?!?!

I arrived in Dinan around 12 pm after spending the ride reading Des Fleurs Pour Algernon and watching endless fields of corn pass by outside the window. The afternoon sun casted orange tones on the sleepy, fairytale-like town that I could not believe was real. Everywhere I looked, I found beauty -- Dinan is a city that is timeless, and yet, at the same time, heavily influenced by a rich historical past.

 

Looking out over the Rance. 

Slowly, I made my way up the hill into the center city, where I first explored the Chateau of Dinan, a magnificent structure that was first built in the fourteenth century and since then has become a museum and historical monument.

A damp, eerie tomb built into the batiments of the Chateau. 

I spent much time in Dinan climbing tight, winding staircases such as this one. 

View from the top of the Chateau.

After leaving the Chateau, I spent hours walking through the cobblestone streets of the city. 

My new friend, the model.

At the top of the infamous Rue de Jerzual. 

A conglomerate of crêperies and restaurants in center city. 

 After a while, I decided to stop in a local café to eat this magnificent creation: 

Tarte au caramel beurre salé avec des noix. Yum. 

Eventually, I decided to climb up the clocktower in the center of town to see the view. 

Tour de l'Horloge. 

Climbing up the stairs to the clock... 

The tower, unsurprisingly, did not fail to give me the view I was looking for. But great views don't seem to be in short supply here, anyway.  

The rest of the day was spent exploring the two main churches in the city, walking along the Promenade de la Duchesse Anne, people-watching in the English Garden, and taking a quick jaunt in the neighboring hills. As it was getting to be later in the evening and I had to find my hostel before the night fell, I slowly made my way back down the Rue de Jerzual, through the main archway, and followed the river to my hostel situated a fair distance into the woods. 

I spent the evening swapping travel stories for hours with Eddie the Irishman, an incredible 65-year old man who has basically traveled the entire world and who was staying at the same hostel for the night. This week was the end of his six-month tour of Europe, and Tuesday he was headed back home to Dublin. 

After saying good night to Eddie the Irishman, I fell asleep under a massive pile of blankets (four, to be exact) with jeans and a jacket on... and I was still freezing. I guess that comes as no surprise, considering the hostel used to be an old water mill and hardly has what we would consider modern insulation!!

Saturday, September 27th

I left the hostel bright and early to catch my bus to Dinan, the morning mist still clinging to the trees and the river as still as glass.

 

Just as I emerged from the top of the Rue de Jerzual, the sun climbed its way over the hills and shone down on the rooftops of the city. The only semblance of human life in the road was the sound of the local inhabitants unlocking their windows to let in the fresh morning air and the soft smell of freshly baked bread drifting from the nearby bakery. 

In our modern, industrial lives, I find that it is very rare to happen upon those places where your soul feels utterly at peace, as if you could stay in that one place and simply be content forever. Unattached from the noise and bustle of contemporary life, Dinan was a little piece of infinity in a world that always seems to have a schedule, a place to be, a chore to do. It is poetry in a landscape of "how-to" guidebooks and technical manuals, a city of tranquility, inspiration and romantic notions.

(When I returned home late Saturday evening, I told my friend, Antoine, how beautiful I thought his hometown was. He laughed, shrugged, and told me, "I spent my whole life there. I'm used to it!"

I shook my head and responded, "That's impossible.")

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By 10 in the morning I had made it to St. Malo, a lovely tourist trap situated on the English channel chalk-full of..... the English!

Charles Trenet's song La Mer immediately comes to mind. 

Aww thanks, I love you too, old stone wall!

While I was not as taken with St. Malo as I was with Dinan -- like I said, tourist-y -- it was still a beautiful city. Home to celebrated navigator/pirate Jacques Cartier, St. Malo played an important part as naval base and trading center in the past. 

A massive seagull attacking Fort National... oh wait. 

After exploring the city, walking along the battlements, eating a fabulous gateau de Breton and looking at seashells in the Monde du Coquillage, I decided to leave city center and kick back at the Grand Aquarium. 

Surrounded by screaming children, I took my time looking at all of the bizarr-o creatures and learning the different names of fish in French. 

Sting rays are awesome. 

Un requin!

Méduse!!

After an hour and a half at the aquarium, I hopped on the train back to Rennes.... and voilà!! Happy for me, I survived my very first weekend of traveling alone in Bretagne.

It was so nice to be able to get away for a while. Since arriving in Rennes, I've had little time by myself, and my trip to Dinan and St. Malo gave me the opportunity to check back in with myself and do a bit of soul-searching (hooray for travel clichés!!). Plus, my ability to just say "screw it" and get out of town on the weekends is about to go away... I was just assigned a 20-minute exposé (presentation) on the year 1848 in France and its historical relevance that I have to give in three weeks. In French. 

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. 

I haven't even had to do a 20-minute presentation in ENGLISH, let alone French. 

And the anxiety begins.

No matter, I am planning on taking as many weekend trips as possible during my time here to explore all the major locations in Bretagne and the rest of France, so stay tuned for other travel posts and future updates on my life abroad!

With that, I say bonne soirée to you all! Have a great week. <3

D

First Week of Classes: Dani's Comparison Between the French and American Education System

Last week marked an exponential increase in the levels of cortisol in my blood stream. Consequently, it also marked an exponential increase in the amount of delicious, fatty foods I ate. 

CHEESE AND COOKIES, I AM YOUR DOOMMMMMMMM.

The goodies at Le Fournil Vasselot, a bakery near the Place de la Mairie famous for its decadent cookies. 

Speaking of decadent cookies, here's a photo of me indulging with my buds Kevin and Antoine!

As I'm sure you all figured out by the incredibly explicit title of this post, last week was the official beginning of my education at Sciences Po in Rennes. Basically, the last 168 hours of my life have been witness to some pretty intense culture shock and language headaches. So, I figured I would take some time out of my Sunday fun-day (which will be spent reading about private law and preparing for a twenty-five minute exposé I have on Tuesday comparing the separation of Church and State in America and France) to illustrate my experience with the French university education system thus far, and how it differs from that of the States. 

(Preliminary note: the comparisons listed below are those I have gained from personal experience at the Institute of Sciences Po in Rennes and the University of Denver in Colorado. They are certainly not true of all higher education institutions in both countries, so take what I say with a grain of salt and remember that I am not omnipotent!)

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Class selections and schedules 

America: You are given a list of courses that will be available the next semester (or, for DU students, the quarter) months in advance, not only with class descriptions and professors listed, but set times and dates as well. These classes normally do not change time or date at the last minute before classes are set to begin, and they take place at the same time every week. Students are generally given the freedom to choose the courses they take from a variety of different options to complete their majors, particularly in liberal arts universities like mine.

France: You are given a list of potential classes about a month before classes start. The classes that will definitely be offered, however, are posted a mere week before they are set to begin. Some classes change time every single week, and thus a new schedule is required each week. If a class is cancelled, no email is sent to students warning them that there will be no class on a given day - you simply arrive and see a piece of paper on the quad board with a scribbled note saying that class was cancelled. French students complete a very rigid curriculum, with little room to create a personalized schedule. Because classes are only, on average, once a week for two hours, French students commonly take between six and ten. I know a student taking twelve!

Classes themselves

America: Many first year classes are incredibly large and take place in lecture halls. In my university, however, classes are capped around 50 to 60 students, resulting in a much more intimate relationship with the professor and a more personalized learning experience in a smaller classroom. Many classrooms are spread out all over campus, requiring a brisk walk between classes to gt to the next one on time. Class times are to be respected, and professors rarely, if ever, go over the listed time that class is supposed to end.

France: Basically all of the classes are enormous, except for smaller seminars in the fourth year of higher education. Campuses are hardly campuses at all in the American sense of sprawling lawns and thirty different buildings, but typically just one overly large building with a courtyard. Classrooms are very close by to each other, and thus it takes little to no time to get to your next course. It is rare that class finishes on time; fifteen minutes after the posted end time seems to be the norm. 

My university! Small, but cute!

A view of the cloître, or the quad. 

Professors 

America: Professors maintain close contact with their students via email and university websites, and often do their best to know individual students by name. Office hours - or specific times set aside in which you can visit the professor if you need help - are a constant. Many professors become sub-mentors to students, particularly if a student shows specific interest in the professor's field of work. Learning activities commonly take place during class, and PowerPoints and videos are essential tools that accompany every lesson. 

France: Professors will not try to know your name, nor will they hardly see you outside of classtime. Dedicated office hours to help students are rare. I have seen exactly one PowerPoint in class thus far... and that's not much, considering I sat in on ten classes last week. The preferred form of teaching seems to be sitting in a chair and talking nonstop for two hours, perhaps writing a few words on the board somewhere in the middle. A more personal relationship with a professor in France is out of the question. 

Student Life

America: Residential life, sororities, fraternities, campus teams, clubs, organizations, and school pride are an ENORMOUS part of the university experience. In fact, college "culture" is often a bigger part of the college experience than the actual classes are. Everyone wears shirts and sweaters declaring their allegiance to the university itself or a particular extracurricular activity - at DU, Greek life is very, very prominent. 

France: Residential life does not exist. Fraternities and sororities do not exist. Sweatshirts with your university name emblazoned on the front (almost) do not exist. University-sponsored sports teams do not exist. School pride may exist, but it exists in the sense of accomplishment an individual may have at being accepted to a grand école, the most prestigious universities in the country, and not in the sense of rivalry like in the States. University is ALL about the classes - that's it. Clubs and organizations do exist, but they are ran completely by students and have little to no partnership with the university itself. 

Homework and Grading

America: Weekly check-in assignments or assignments spread out throughout the semester/quarter are common. Homework is an everyday occurrence. Midterms are dreaded constants in every class, as are the final exams. It is possible, although rare, to get perfect scores on essays, worksheets, and exams, and most students strive to get a near-perfect score. 

France: Homework is not common, and almost all classes have exactly one grade: the final exam. If that's not the most stressful thing you've ever heard, I don't know what is! However, some classes have an essay or presentation due in the middle of the semester, so it is possible that you will have two grades in the grade book instead of  just one. It is not possible to get a perfect score in France. In fact, it is considered passing if you get 10/20, with a 16/20 indicating that you are an incredible student. 20/20 is reserved for God, 19/20 is only achievable by Jesus, and 18/20 is the score of a professor. If studying in France, never expect to get above a 16, and be proud to get above a 14. 

Cost of Higher Education 

America: The average annual cost for university is $28,500 per year. As a DU student, my total cost is no lower than $55,000 per year. Luckily for me, I receive an enormous amount of scholarships that allows me to even go to university. 

France: The cost of university fluctuates between dirt cheap and nothing, with the exception being Business school, which costs around 8,000 to 10,000 euro per year. A semester at the Sorbonne in Paris costs an average of 200 euro, and my friend Antoine - a fellow student in Rennes pictured above - is paying a whopping 5 euro for a semester of university. FIVE EURO. WHAT IS THIS MADNESS!?!? 

Studying 

America: Yes, there are both very dedicated and very un-dedicated students in America. But, the average American student is not one who puts her studies at the forefront of absolutely everything else in their life. She usually has a fair balance between her social life, studying, dating, class, involvement in clubs and organizations, and her family. In other words, the demeanor of an American student is usually far more relaxed towards schoolwork than that of a French student.

France: I have never seen so many serious students in one place in my entire life. Sitting in a French lecture hall is what I imagine being in a tin barn during a seriously scary hailstorm would feel like. As soon as the professor makes a statement, French students clack furiously away at their keyboards so as to write down exactly what the professor says. French students copy, literally almost word for word, what the professor dictates, and their ability to type so fast is astounding to me. What's even more astounding, though, is the incredible importance French students give to their studies, often putting it before anything else. However, even though they seem to care a lot more about university than the average American, they still manage to party it up on the weekends or grab coffee out with friends often, and they spend less time doing homework outside of class.

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So there you have it, my first thoughts on the French university education system! As the first semester of my studies carries on, I am sure I will be confronted with even more cultural differences in education and in ever facet of life, but this is what I could come up with for now.

For those of you who are curious as to what classes I am taking this semester, I have decided upon...

1. Introduction aux Relations Internationaux (Introduction to International Relations)
2. Droit Privé (Private Law)
3. Droit International Public (International Public Law)
4. French language lecture
5. French language seminar 
6. Histoire et Civilisation Française (French history and civilization) 

For a total of 12 hours of class a week!

I will try to write another blog post within the week, unless I end up suffocating under a massive pile of reading so I can keep up with my fellow French students in class. Hugs to all my faithful followers, and à bientôt!

D

Where everyone is beautiful, scarves are not an option, and the night life is kickin'

Ten days into my study abroad experience, and all I can is....

I feel like Chris Pratt in the LEGO Movie. 

Because LITERALLY. EVERYTHING. IS. AWESOME.

For those of you who have not seen the LEGO Movie -- first of all, your life is very, very sad. Secondly... your life is very, very sad. Thirdly, you should stop everything and go see that movie.

For those of you who HAVE seen the LEGO Movie, the picture below is a fair representation of the facial expression I make every second of my waking life. 

Don't believe me? 

Proof. 

...God, do I EVER stop eating?!?!

More proof. 

Far-away proof. 

Anyways.

My first ten days in Rennes have been an absolutely fabulous blur. Between our French courses, discovering the city, all of the events the international student group has planned for us every night, and spending time with new friends, I have barely stopped to breathe! 

But, as promised, I have taken a brief break from being a Chris Pratt to write a post detailing my first impressions of my new turf and the culture thriving here.

1. As the title of this post suggests, everyone here is beautiful. Literally everyone. I have never seen such fashionably dressed, sassy, and chic people during my life ever (oh, and side note to the ladies: the men of Rennes get an A+ in my book. Or is an A++ possible?)
2. The population of Rennes hovers slightly above 200,000 inhabitants, with roughly 60,000 students. 
3. As a result of the abundant number of young people in the city, there is always something going on in city center, particularly around the rue de la soif, a road made up solely of bars and clubs that are packed basically every night of the week. 
4. Rennes has a temperate climate, as it is near the ocean, but not too far north. Thus, there are never temperature extremes or sporadic snow showers in the middle of May like there is in Colorado. 
5. Bretagne (Brittany to English speakers) actually has a song dedicated to its food. This food is no less than the galette-saucisse, basically a savory crêpe wrapped around sausage. You can listen to this beautiful piece of art in the video following.
6. In accordance with number 1, scarves are not optional. They are must. And it is required that they be as colorful/fluffy/eye-catching as possible. 
7. Also, sweaters. 
8. French women do not wear an extraordinary amount of make-up. Indeed, French men like their women to be as naturally beautiful as possible. Red lipstick is basically not a thing here.
9. We do not talk about Normandie here. If asked whether you are from Normandie, it's probably safer that you lie. 
10. Lunch time and after-work hours are to be respected. You know the stereotype that the French love their vacation time? Well, all stereotypes are founded in at least a little bit of truth!! ;)
11. Administrative work in France is a hot mess. I don't even know how many hours I have spent waiting in line to get something done for school or the bank to just have to do it all over again the next day. 
12. The traditional alcoholic beverage in Bretagne, unlike the wine we associate with France as a whole, is cider!
13. Whenever you run into a French friend in town, never forget to faire les bises, or exchange light kisses on each side of their face. In some regions of France, one kiss or even six can be exchanged at one time. In Rennes, two to four are the most common amount. 
14. Every Saturday morning, Rennes has an absolutely massive marché, or Farmer's market, in the Place des Lices. See some pictures below!

Seafood, of course. It's Bretagne! 

Mmmm pastries. 

Mmmm cheese. Don't ask me how much I bought. 

Farmers' market on steroids. 

I could go on forever and ever about all the fun things I have learned since being here, but my blog post would probably turn into book and, before you knew it, I'd be 80 and would have forgotten what I was writing about anyway. 

My classes start next week, and I am a mixture of excitement and nervousness! Tonight, I am going with my wonderful friends to the ciné en plein air, or, in other words, a movie on the lawn. Afterwards, we may sortir and see what adventures await us on the rue de la soif! :)

Love to you all!! Bises!

D

P.S. I have attached a little map of the Bretagne region for those of you who still aren't quite sure where I am located in France. Rennes is in the light blue region to the far east of the picture! :) 

SAPMS, or "Study Abroad Pre-Menstrual Syndrome"

Whhhhheeewwww.... It’s been four days since I officially moved to Rennes. This is the first time I have actually had the opportunity to just sit, eat lunch, live in the world of Facebook for a half hour, and write a new blog post.

In other words, my life has been one hundred percent nuts-o.

The first day was spent primarily waiting: waiting to get social security coverage, waiting to get insurance coverage, waiting for our room keys. As all of my faithful followers know, I was a hot mess the day I got to Rennes because I was so overwhelmed leaving Jessica and going out into the world on my own.

So, when I got into my very own room after hours and hours and hours of waiting that first day, I was exuberant. Then, naturally, I burst into tears.

Anyone who has studied abroad is very familiar with the really bizarre, bipolar, mixed emotions that come with the experience of leaving home. At one moment, you’re ecstatic and spouting off compliments about your new beautiful city and how nice everyone is. The next second, you hate everyone and just want to eat dark chocolate and drink a whole bottle of wine alone in the darkness of your room. You're alive and excited, the next moment dead tired; sick one day, healthy the other. 

It's basically foreign- induced PMS... hence the blunt title of this blog! ;)

While I think the worst of it is in the past for me -- I adapt very quickly to change -- I am sure these wild ups-and-downs will continue for a while. But, nonetheless... ONE MUST CARRY ON!! 

In navigating the torrential waves of my newfound emotional bipolarity, I have met so, so many people from all over the world. I have made friends with two girls named Mikayla and Lauren from my own university in the States, as well as with Italians, Brazilians, Spaniards, a fellow Dani from England, and -- of course -- les Français! Besides meeting people and going out with them to experience the life in Rennes, I have spent the rest of my free time exploring the city and making my room a home. 

Some buildings influenced by Germanic architecture near the infamous rue de la soif. 

A typical road in center city Rennes. 

A beautiful alleyway my friend Joseph showed me!

Speaking of my room, here are some pictures!!

The cute little hallway leading to my bed. 

My kitchen :)

Alfred likes hanging out on my new pillow. 

My desk, complete with IKEA table runner.

It has been SO nice having my own bathroom after a month of sharing one with fellow nasty 20-year old world travellers. 

Lastly, the view from my window.

On Monday, I also took a french placement exam to see what level of proficiency I am and to determine what class I should take next semester. I am happy to report that I was placed into le niveau D, the highest level one can be placed in at this point. The other levels are A-C, divided into A1 and A2 (no to little french education, beginner), B1 and B2 (familiarity with the French language, beginner-intermediate), and C1 and C2 (conversational, intermediate-advanced). 

It is certainly going to be a challenge during my stay here, but I am determined to do my very best and return to the States bilingual!

Today, I went with some fellow students to the bank to open a French account. In two weeks, I will have my very own French credit card. A few years ago, I would never have imagined that I would have a French bank account, nonetheless live here for a whole year. 

Life is crazy, isn't it?

Stay posted on a blog discussing everything about Rennes in the next week or so! :)

Bises, tout le monde!!

D