Tests and Tours

Today was another momentous occasion. Why? Because today was the day that I took my placement test at the university to find out which classes I will be taking for this semester. I was very nervous going into this test because there are really two aspects that could go seriously wrong. One, I could be placed in a class that is too difficult and far beyond my ability to pass or two, (even worse) I could be placed in a class that is not only too easy but where the credits are proven to be useless and repetitive. Most of all, I'm worried that the classes that I take here will not end up counting towards fulfilling my major. After all, that is one of the main reasons why I chose France as the country in which I am studying abroad.

With these things on my mind, is it any wonder that I did not get much sleep last night?

On a positive note, another exchange student has moved into the room next door to mine. Her name is Yuka and she arrived last night. She's from Japan, near Tokyo. Though she is very nice and I like her a lot, it is also very difficult for us to communicate, as she doesn't know English and I don't know Japanese. Therefore, we are forced to speak to each other in French--which is both a good thing and a bad thing. Practice makes perfect, after all, but it is still harder to understand each other when our accents are completely different. Needless to say, the walk to the university this morning was, for the most part, rather quiet.

Which brings me back to the test. The only other test that I have taken that compares to the one that I took today was the ACT. Though it was not nearly as long (thank God!), the same scoring system was used, where points are subtracted from the score for incorrect answers. Now, I did reasonably well on the ACT--call it a talent for guessing. But with this test, guessing on a question was almost impossible.

For me, oral comprehension and communication have always been the hardest parts of learning French. When the test started with a 20-question listening portion, I started to panic a little. The other sections--writing comprehenion and grammar--were not nearly as difficult. In fact, these sections made me feel both smart and stupid. They would begin with easy questions, and then get progressively harder until I went from feeling like Einstein to a dunce. This flipflop happened four seperate times, one for each section. You'd think a girl would learn!

After the test was (finally) over, we were all excused for lunch at the Restaurant Universitaire. Imagine my surprise when, in showing us the way, they led us out the doors of the university and about two miles down the road to a building next to the Musee des Beaux Arts. Despite the trek, the food (and the prices) were such that I think that I will that I will visit the restaurant quite often.

The afternoon was meant for a tour of downtown Angers. We saw some amazing landmarks, including the Chateau D'Angers and the Cathedrale. Our guides also pointed out favorite little cafes and creperies along the way. Unfortunately, we took routes that were rather complicated, and I honestly doubt whether I will be able to remember how to reach some of the places that we saw. The tour lasted over two hours, in which we walked at least ten miles. At the end of the tour, my feet were aching-- and I was wearing my most comfortable shoes. I can't imagine how other people felt; many of the other girls were wearing heels!

According to the schedule that we were given, we are supposed to visit the university again tomorrow to get a full tour of UCO itself. Our test scores are not supposed to be given back until Monday. In the meantime, we are told to "profit from the free time and familiarize ourselves with our new environment". Of course, that is just what I plan on doing! I have a feeling that Echo and I will be getting to know Angers very well.