So, after leaving Montpellier on Sunday the 23rd, I went to Chantilly to begin my internship at the Musée Condé! Getting there was a little interesting, though... So, I took the train to Paris Gare de Lyon, then spent about 45 minutes wandering around trying to figure out how to get another train to Chantilly. Finally, I bought myself an RER ticket, and hopped on the next train that was going in the right direction (although getting through the turnstile with a giant suitcase was a, er, painful experience... Those doors Hurt!). However, the terminus of the train was (of course) one stop before Chantilly! So, I got to spend some quality time with my luggage on the platform before the next train came along. Eventually, I got to Chantilly and did some eyelash-batting to get a man to help me haul my suitcase up the stairs. Once there, I called my host, and Mme Cantesse came to pick me up! So, everything worked out just fine :) Mme Cantesse is very sweet (although she talks a lot and very fast, so I never know what she's saying), and I have a nice little room and bathroom.

The train ride from Montpellier to Chantilly--very sad, but at least very pretty.












On my way to the chateau in the morning... Chateau from afar.












Wandering down the path towards the "Grands Ecuries" (aka the horse palace).












Grands Ecuries from the front.













The right side of the Ecuries, with the show ring and a ceremonial arch.












... Getting closer!













After passing through the gate and walking up yet another cobblestone path... Chateau!












The gardens "à la française" behind the chateau.













(Pictures of the inside forthcoming!)

The town of Chantilly which is super cute, and about Northampton-sized.












So, I just finished my first week at the museum! It was pretty weird at first because everything was very disorganized, and I wasn't really given any sort of direction except "well, you'll probably be doing tours of the apartments at some point." Seriously. I didn't even figure out what days I have off until this evening. Anyways, after one week I've sort of gotten the hang of it--I get there at 9:45 am (although it's nearly a half hour walk), and spend my day either following tours, just wandering around (yelling at people for using flash, if I feel like it), and giving tours of the apartments when there are anglophones to be found. Around 1:00 I break for lunch, and then stay until 6:15. I've given two tours so far, and they're actually a lot of fun--I even got tipped today!! I was pretty pleased. Hopefully I'll continue to figure out how things work, and stop being so bored! It is super good for my French though, as I'm totally immersed for the first time. So, one week down, 5 to go!

My last week in Montpellier... It was quite the mixture between awesome, busy, crazy and just really sad.

So, on Monday, the day that we returned to Montpellier from Corsica... I promptly left again, to go camping at the Lac du Salagou with Manuel. It's a beautiful lake, and the ground it is bright red! (Kinda like Prince Edward Island)









What's a camping trip without bottles of wine?













We got back to Montpellier on Tuesday evening after having a bit of an adventure concerning the car springing a leak and thus loosing coolant and then the oil overheating and smoking... Anyways, so we spent a while hanging out on the side of the highway, until the police came to say hello and call us a towtruck. So, it ended up being a long afternoon, and the car ended up not being worth repairing which was too bad. It was a good car :( R.I.P. and thank you for the many adventures we've had with you.

Wednesday was my last baleti! It was a fun dance, and Sealia took a few pictures, but seeing as it was dark out...
















... You'll just have to imagine just how sexy our mazurka was.

















And then, onto the last party of the semester! ...What we lack in photogenic-ness we make up for with awesome-ness.









Thursday and Friday were spent taking care of a million little things that needed doing: a final visit to the Musée Fabre, finding an Occitan cross pendant, selling books, spending as much time with my friends and Manuel as possible, shipping things home, cleaning, and last but not least... PACKING. Have I ever mentioned just how thoroughly I hate packing?

Saturday was the day of stomach-gymnastics, with the epic BAFL, (Big Ass Fucking Lunch) with my favorite girls. The sheer amount of good food still boggles my mind.










And then on Sunday morning, it was off to Paris for me... :( :( :( Manuel left me a very cute message on the window, though, which was sweet.










Now, onto my next adventure: Chantilly!

So, I know that I always say this at the beginning of my posts, but this past month has probably been the most intense... Ever. A lot of it has been wonderful, some less-than-wonderful, as I wrapped up my year in Montpellier... and I have a whole lot of catching up to do, seeing as my last post was at the end of April.

So, about a week of May was taken up with exam craziness which wasn't fun. I had an exposé due for my literature class (but it was on Symbolism, so it was fun), then an exam for the contemporary art class (how exactly does one take an exam when one hasn't learned a single thing in the class?), an exam for French Civ and then another for (real) art history. So, it was a tough week, but all's well that ends well, I suppose. I just got my grades back for two of my classes, which I passed, so I'm pretty pleased :)

Then, the day after I finished exams, I headed off to Corsica! Sealia's "uncle" Geno lives there, so the 6 of us decided to pay him a visit!
After heading up to Nice on Wednesday evening, at the crack of dawn on Thursday we found ourselves walking to the port...











Where, surprise, surprise, we found a boat. Who'd a thunk?












5 hours, 1 torrential rainstorm later, we found ourselves driving through the mountains of Corsica... And fearing for our lives at every turn. No, seriously, the Corsicans are crazy drivers.










The next day we went to the beach in Porticcio, about 10 minutes from Geno's house. Hello, ladies!











I don't know what possessed them, but they all went swimming...












While I stayed nice and warm and dry (Interesting fact--they all grew up near large bodies of water. Clearly, I did not).






























The next day, off to Ajaccio!













Obligatory "I was there" photo, like usual.













Group photo...











The cover photo for our new band. Duh.











A surprisingly chipper bunch, considering the fact that it was 7:30 am... Waiting to catch to train to Bastia!











Pretty much the more beautiful train ride possibly imaginable.


























I can has... The Shire?













... Mordor?













The port in Bastia.













Waiting to get on the boat back to Nice.













All in all, a great trip!!!