Going on strike is a hobby here in France -- and they're at it again. I think it may have something to do with a lack of interesting television programming. I mean, who really wants to spend all their time watching stuffy new debates, badly dubbed American shows and the occasional historical drama? Certainly not the French -- they have better things to do ... such as going on strike.
This time, it is the transportation workers and the students at the Bron campus of Lyon 2, which is where I attend the majority of my classes. Twice I have made the 45-minute commute only to find chair legs jammed into the handles of the swinging doors and a jumble of desks and filing cabinets piled up in front of every single entrance. The first day, I found a way in by a side entrance only to find the auditorium itself was locked. When I made my way back to go out by the same side door, it too had been barricaded. I don't think I'll even attempt going to my one class at Bron tomorrow -- it isn't worth another hour and a half of my time.
The students are protesting a new law increasing the financial autonomy of universities, a law that will raise the cost for students significantly. I don't have the same investment in the situation as French students, so I haven't undertaken much effort to understand the debate. I get the feeling, however, that such a disruption would hardly be so well-tolerated in the States. In a few hours the police would arrest the protesters and that would be that.
So, as I can't enlighten you much further as to the nuances of the protest, what have I been doing with these spare hours given the fact that attending class is not an option? Well, old habits die hard, and I'm young and self-centered, so I've been musing about the state of my own life, of course. Without a television and only books and my own thoughts at my disposal, I've had a lot of time to myself. Somewhere amid all the reading and writing, budgeting and cooking, I realized that I'm 11 weeks into my French foray and that only nine remain. It seemed like a particularly good time to take stock.
A brief list of pros and cons helps me figure out what I'm happy with and what could be improved. First of all, my French is much better, thanks partially to an all-French weekend in a chateau in the Loire Valley, not to mention spending the past 11 weeks in France. Also, I'm experiencing a whole new food culture, from the etiquette that governs how to eat properly right down to the actual ingredients used. Finally, I'm proving to myself that I can handle a certain level of independence never previously matched in my life.
Sometimes, however, I feel like a bit of a slob. Classes don't take up much of my time, even when everything is running as normal. In France, upper-level education works as follows: a minimal amount of obligatory work plus a more moderate quantity of "optional" assignments. Not surprisingly, I have yet to complete such an assignment. It's not that the work is overly taxing; it's just that at the moment I am faced with the choice. I find I would much rather read Harry Potter or go to the park.
On top of this, I worry: Am I taking advantage of this amazing opportunity to learn as much French as I should? I spend an awful lot of time with my friends from U.Va., and it's just so much easier to speak in English than French. Besides, there are no French friends I can just call up and invite for coffee.
So, at this (slightly more than) halfway point, what can I do to get the most out of my time here? The way I feel, I'm here for school and the cultural experience. I'm working on setting up tandem language exchanges with students from my classes -- we speak English one meeting, French the next. I've made a list of things I can do to improve my efforts in each class, which is at least an inch further in the right direction. And finally, I'm remembering not to neglect my favorite places in Lyon: Parc de la Tête d'Or, Musée des Beaux Arts and the Opéra. If I can get to each of these places three more times, I'll be doing well. I've already experienced so much in Lyon that I know I'd never regret my semester in France, not in a million years. But I also know that I haven't exhausted all Lyon has to offer, and I plan to get a lot out of the city in the time I have left.
Andrenne's column runs biweekly Wednesdays. She can be reached at alsum@cavalierdaily.com.
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