"Inception"

After school, I went to theater. Maybe I missed of judgment when I decided to see "Inception "! Hehe. After some recommendations, this movie intrigued me! Ouf... Although I understood "a little part of" the story's complexity (and the end), I'm going to see him again, but in French!!! It must be also complex?! During my second week of lessons, I believe that I overestimated my capacities.

I really appreciate learning by applications, but I sometimes find that we miss a little seriousness in my group lessons (restaurant, games, movie, etc.). I always want to change group as soon as possible... Fortunately, I'm particularly satisfied to have made the investment of private lessons, Maybe my impression is amplifed by fact that my teacher gives me a ton of documents to study at each lessons! One counterbalance other.
 
Near half of my classmates will leave before end of next week. It will be really weird for continuation. Although I think that lessons miss seriousness, my class is really nice.

First discouragement

Yesterday, the private lessons were very difficult for me. Although I have the best intentions of the world, my pronunciation remains typically "Quebecois" and I don't seem able of any improving at the moment. I am discouraged by the situation. The proof, I walked in front of several stores, without any taste to stop! I suddenly realized all the necessary efforts that I need to do for any advancement during my stay. 7 weeks is not so long.

First discouragement since 1 week, I believe that I had to expect it.

This morning I walked about 5 miles until Bervely Hill by Pico Blvd. I crossed a lot of kosher's persons. I believe that my camisole and my shorts were not suited if I trust the glaces of the persons which I crossed. I didn't stay for a long time! I decided to return in the shopping center that I crossed earlier. That's official, it's really difficult to manage the budget while I want to spoil me and to resist at the temptation to spend all my money for this trip! Arghh!

"May I give you a lift ?"

Since the accident, I have been a particularly early riser and this morning I discovered "Whole Foods Market". Wow! Sister, it's like " Avril " but incredibly bigger! Maybe that you already know it? My stereotypes about American's food have just fallen. In Los Angeles, all type of foods are there for all tastes!

On my return walking, a type in his car, mentioning me that he had seen me walking since the store and that he offered me to lift me until my final destination. Hehe. I must be absolutely irresistible with my black pairs of shorts, my runnings and my grey cotton fleece jumper! Let me think... "No thanks"! Hihi...
 

My private lessons will be this afternoon (but this time, I will take the bus!), I need to go.

Reactivation of comments

Small note : I had accidentally deactivated the possibility of leaving comments on my blog, but now the things are ok! :)

At school tomorrow afternoon

An other quiet day at school which allowed me to realize that the persons of my class are young for the great majority and probably that their parents paid their stay. The majority of them return soon to the fold... Maybe their stay look like a perfect holidays, not a serious lesson. After their departure, who will join us (me and the teacher)? I just hope to rise of level quickly. I read that generally people rise of a level of English understanding/expression in 4 weeks…

I had my first private lesson this afternoon. A great two hours to discuss, to practise and to be correct by the teacher. The professor was very patient and discouraged on some occasions. My pronunciation is typically Quebecois on some words and expression! Well, I managed to make him laugh on some occasions. Normally, I had vacation tomorrow (I know the life is not easy, hihi) but I'm going to take back my two missing lessons of yesterday.

I wanted to read again all my notes of English of my studies before the beginning of the courses to Santa Monica, but the time passed so fast that I can't enough revise. I realize that to make profitable the additional amount that require the private lessons, I absolutely have to revise all my notes.

Nota : As you can guess, the internet connection is back!

How shopping can change everything...

August 25, 2010

Day of walking today! I believe to have walked approximately 8 miles divided into three parts; to go at school, the walks to the California's courtyard and finally the return. I have feet and back in "compote" (stewed?). The morning was well. We spent a short moment to make some grammar and spent the rest of the morning to the California's courtyard. We were not dressed in a suitable way for some judges, we attended a financial proceeding. A story of partnership and disagreement on the proportions paid by the defendant and the accused. They spoke about many, many thousand dollars. There was a story of "increase in value" on the value of the business which he had bought and I seemed the best qualified to understand the case. The teacher asked me to explain the notion of profit in English to the others!

I had to have my private lessons in the afternoon and I hurried to gobble up my dinner, when I learnt that I had to wait after the afternoon break to have my teacher. I thus made a small walk to the farmer's market and I took advantage of the internet of the school! Oops, the teacher left at the break. The director was confused and informed me that I would have a new professor tomorrow. My private lessons can be put back on Friday morning (where I was in vacancy). I have to admit that the bad organization of things, desappointed me. I paid a mattering amount to have these lessons.

I thus decided to walk easily towards the residence by saying to me that I shall take the bus returned on Ocean Park Avenue. Precisely at this moment, I discovered the TJ-MAXX's store. Oh yes! The American version of "Winners". I spent three hours on the first floor (the 2nd will be for the next time!). Mouhaha. No such thing to make life better. I said to myself : that I was in Los Angeles for more than a week without real shopping, that I had not brought enough linen and that I had to feast the rediscovery of my purse. A shirt with short sleeve, 2 pairs of shoes, a wallet, an ultra-chic pants, a pair of jeans, 2 jumpers, the dress of my dreams and 211, 74 USD less in my pockets later, my day became perfect! 

I wonder how everything will fit in my suitcase when I get back? Bah! I have more than 7 weeks to think about that.

Real beginning of school

August 24, 2010

The real beginning of the lessons! After a very bad night (probably caused by the anxiety of my first real day) and an exit of the bed very in advance on my dial + an incredible backache, I thought that a small walk to the school would be more suitable. We speak here about a walking of 3,5 miles (approximately 1:15 hours)!

I have to mention that yesterday evening the internet connection broke up and I can't plan her return. Furthermore, the television of my room didn't work, I had to resign to play the Sudoku on my iPod until bedtime. Real torture! I believe that can explain in some part why I also badly slept (without internet) .

Back on the main point of my blog, as I thought yesterday, I was coupled with people who were not really good in English. I only had a morning of lessons for the first real day and it was for best, I wasn't psychologically ready for my individual lessons. We were 9 in class, among which 6 left-handed persons (including me) and 1 ambidextrous! I had never seen that, left-handed persons who dominate! Hehe. The day was brief and after the break we even played a game who required to discuss to find who was the celebrity registered on our paper. All people of the group are between 21 and 35 years old. When I say " all people " that includes my teacher who is a 22-year-old artist : http://www.katelynclampett.com

On a informative way, my stay will be constituted by 16 lessons of group + 4 individual lessons of 50 minutes, 4 days a week for 8 weeks. My schedule is from 8:40 am until 12:20  for two courses / two days a week and from 8:40 until 3:00 pm, the two other days. I believe that will be near a perfect schedule! Lot of time to visit, go shopping, spend money, etc...

For return in the residence, I opted for the bus, which costs an exaggerated 0,75 USD! Hihi. The bus passes close to the residence in approximately 20 minutes of road. I didn't feel the courage to walk for return to the sun filling in jeans (especially that I am still burned by the sun and that I suffer!). At the exit, faithful to myself, I forgot my purse in the bus … Grrr! In fact, I had her in my backpack all the morning and I bring some change for the ride. I thus spent a little more than one hour without purse, without money, without digital camera, without keys, without iPod and without identity. The kind of situation which requires to manage in English! On the panic mode, I waited patiently for return road of my bus (approximately 1 hour). During this waiting time, I had time to imagine a lot of scenarios and I began quietly my mourning. Upon the arrival of the long-awaited bus, I explained the situation (a little bit frantic) and she asked me how was my purse. "Hum... black with embroidery…" When the driver gave me my purse, I had immediately tears in my eyes and I thanked her for it. I believed to have offered a performance deserving of Hollywood because some passengers applauded the scene. I had several lessons from this : to keep preciously my purse with me AND to never leave 400 USD cash in my wallet. Although it is really difficult to believe in it, everything is there! Thank you my god. The remainder of the stay would have been very difficult without money and without credit card.

It looks like I created adventures to fill my blog, but no! I am someone where this situation always arrived in the past. I appreciate the honesty of the person which found my purse and I thank him for it of the bottom of my heart.

The internet connection isn't still back, but at least I was able to arrange the television, that makes diversion. With all the feelings today, I hope that the other days will be more easy.

First day of class

August 23, 2010


And also, the first day to put all my life / events / feelings in english! I am going to try, but don't hesitate to correct me.

This morning I went to the school in approximately twenty five minutes of roller! Since I bought my appartment in Longueuil, I do not have many opportunities to practise. In California, roads and drivers are perfected for! I'm so impressed by the drivers and their courtesy! The road to go to the school was really pleasant... but the return was not so easy (particularly the coasts between the 4th and the 16th street!). Hehe. I'd planned that I would be a little bit rusty and that an accident is so fast arrival, that I wore a pair of jeans with a long jumper for the morning. Futhermore, my skin was not enough prepared for all the sun of California and I am burned (roasted!) by the sun. I think that my fast walk of six hours of yesterday can be a reason, also the fact as I wasn't able to apply very well my sunscreen AND also the fact that I put only once the sunscreen, could be reasons of my burns... I saw a SPF 85 sunscreen in pharmacy and I understand why...

Six new students were there this morning. Me, a Japanese guy, a Republican Czech girl (looking like a younger mixture between Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie with the accent of Peneloppe Cruz), two Italian and a medical student of Switzerland. I crossed approximately thirty young adult coming from all around the world with each their accent.

As I planned yesterday, the tests began at 8:40 a.m. A test on the oral comprehension and the other on the grammar. Yissh! The test began with a cassette where we heard several persons speaking about various subjects followed by some questions with answer choices. After the 25 minutes of listening, a lot of grammatical questions... also with answer choices. The grammatical part was about some syntax errors in the sentence. With the result, tomorrow we will be set in different classes. With all the confidence that I had after the test, I believe that the school will have to create a new classes for the "really novice beginner"!

The visiting tour of the place finished at 11:41 a.m. And my day too! For my return, I continued my shopping for the residency (Viva the great "99¢ only" store! Much better than the dollorama of Quebec) and a bought a big bottle of aloes at pharmacy!!! No sun for me until my skin won't be ready! 

It's weird. Tomorrow will be the real beginning of all this adventure! Me, back on the school's bench... I was thinking that all that will be done with the CMA title at my twenty six years old...

Problem with my internet connetion...

I only wanted to mention that I don t have internet connection since monday night, thus as soon as she will be back I promise to publish my beginning...

Fin de la semaine de vacances à L.A.

Dernière journée afin de profiter de la langue française! Je suis toujours en vacances après tout! Hehe. Demain sera le début des huit semaines de cours et d'immersion à Santa Monica... et le restant des blogues en anglais!

En fait, la mention "de semaine" dans le titre pourrait induire en erreur puisque le vol était mardi matin de l'aéroport Trudeau à Montréal et que nous sommes présentement dimanche au soir (avec - 3 heures à L.A. par rapport au Québec)... Ce fut un vol d'un peu moins de six heures qui nous a permis de cottoyer Stephie Shock (qui d'ailleurs se promène en classe économique?!) et la très jolie et naturelle Caroline Dhavernas, et ce, tout en ayant l'opportunité de visionner des films et épisodes en primeur!

Ces quelques jours à L.A., accompagné de mon copain, n'ont pas été de tout repos! Amarrer à Venice Beach et visiter les alentours, faire un tour à Santa Monica pour me familiariser un peu avec les lieux d'étude, petit tour dans Chinatown, visite d'Hollywood Blvd, passer une journée à Universal Studio, passer voir Long Beach, etc. Est-ce que Jean-Pierre avait raison en me disant que Los Angeles était très grand? Je dirais même plus, il avait tout à fait raison. L.A. est immense!

 

Afin de pouvoir faciliter ces visites, la location d'un magnifique Jeep TJ nous a été particulièrement utile. Il nous a permis de nous déplacer plus aisément au travers les quatre coins de L.A. tout en pouvant escalader les collines des maisons des riches vedettes d'Hollywood au besoin. Le concept d'un véhicule décapotable est vraiment intéressant afin de pouvoir "looker" un peu dans L.A. (mais faisons abstraction ici des quelques minutes qu'exigent l'enlèvement et la remise du toit... mais on prenait de la vitesse vers la fin! hihi).

À mon arrivée à L.A., je me suis dit une chose... encore 8 semaines ici.... WOW! Ma visite des lieux m'a permis de réaliser que Venice Beach, Santa Monica et Hollywood, c'est un peu comme le Québec, mais : il fait une température idéale été comme hiver, il y a une végétation avec de jolis palmiers, cactus et de plantes tropicales, l'architecture est à couper le souffle, les voitures coûtent nettement moins chers (aucun bazou ne roule dans les rues de Los Angeles, on voit seulement des Mercedez, des Audi, des Land Rover...!), il a seulement deux-trois nuages dans le ciel, il y a des kilomètres de plage étalés sur le long de la côte du Pacifique, etc. Bref, à quelques détails du Québec, Hihi!

Les nombreuses visites réalisées ont été fascinantes. Il est tout à fait incroyable de réaliser que ce genre de vie nous est accessible moyennant quelques milliers de dollars! (Petit trou dans le porte-feuille ici). 

Je suis maintenant à quelques heures du début des cours et je dois confesser que je suis un peu stressée. À mon arrivée à l'école, ce sera le classement. Après le départ de Jean-Pierre, j'ai marché des millions de kilomètres (oups "miles") et je me suis arrangée comme une grande (au sens figuré on s'entend)... et je me suis trouvée particulièrement mauvaise dans mon anglais! Ma soeur avait raison, le premier coup dur a été le retour au bercail de mon copain. Pour quand les autres?

Et maintenant, voici la chambre de la résidence (chambre que j'ai réussi à obtenir, que sur le ben tard (après six heures de marche au travers Santa Monica en attendant qu'elle se libère et que le ménage soit fait)).

That's it. The holidays are finished.. Tomorrow will be the official beginning of quite a different world...