Study Abroad 2008

Learning to Roll with the Punches

Jenna Coker and Ryan Kirwan

Flight Over Let the “Fun” Begin

While many members of our group had traveled before, for most this was the longest flight we had ever taken. Five and a half hours on a plane from Dulles to Heathrow Airport in London can take a toll on anyone’s body. However, the anticipation was mounting as we set off on our adventure to the French Riviera.

Overnight flights across the Atlantic are long…very long. However, we could hardly wait to get the excitement rolling.  Prior to landing in Heathrow Airport, two study abroad participants fell ill.  After medical help from fellow passengers, a little turbulence, and four meals we finally landed.  The time difference was beginning to kick in but we landed in rainy London around 7:30 in the morning. After security confiscated expensive “duty free” items from travelers and figuring out the maze they call Heathrow Airport (make sure to read all the signs, no matter how groggy you might be!), we arrived at the terminal to catch our connecting flight. After yet another bump in the road, i.e. a two hour delay, we were finally up and flying to Nice. Some of us were able to catch a nap on the plane while others remained a little cranky from sleep deprivation.

We finally arrived in France!  Our group of 25 tattered American college students trudged off the plane in beautiful Nice (palm trees everywhere!), only to discover that British Airways lost poor Maria Kia’s luggage.  However, Maria did not let this get her down as she was smart enough to pack quite a few extra clothes, both in her carry-on and Rebecca’s suitcase as well. An hour or so later, we finally climbed on a bus to travel the two hours to Port Grimaud. After a quick burst of excitement and a few pictures taken of the sights, the majority of us fell asleep on the bus.

Next stop, Port Grimaud and the start of our adventures in France.

Port Grimaud and Pierre et Vacances

After our exhausting travels across the Atlantic, we were ready to settle into our home for the next nine days in Port Grimaud. We hopped off the bus and were greeted by Mikel’s smiling face. Mikel, a long time friend of Pierre and France, would become our tour guide, teacher, and friend for the first part of our journey.

Our first groggy impressions of Pierre et Vacances included taking in the streaks of sunshine peaking through the tips of the trees and the quaint buildings with open balconies. Every room seemed to also scream that showers were awaiting, which for most of us was the only thing we wanted to do.

The layout of the Pierre et Vacances resort is comprised of several apartments set apart amongst hills. Once again, we would encourage people to pack light. It was not always easy to lug several large rolling suitcases up several flights of concrete stairs.

 

Once showered and somewhat settled in, we hunkered down into what would become our usual routine for our stay here, group dinner. This was one of the best parts of staying in Port Grimaud. Our group ate all of our meals together, which were provided by the wonderful staff at the resort-affiliated restaurant. Ending each day with a leisurely meal, and getting to know people who may have been strangers a few days earlier was a new experience for many of us. However, do plan to eat a lot of food! The French may be skinny but they sure can eat.

The “Olde Towne” of Port Grimaud is reminiscent of a “little” Venice. The quaint town sits upon canals, spotted with cobblestone bridges and lined with sailboats. It is a great place to walk around, window-shop and eat plenty of gelato. Although it is probably not big enough to spend more than one day, it definitely made for a great afternoon outing.

The beaches of Port Grimaud are fabulous. Many of us spent much of our free time during this week relaxing and letting our skin adjust to the Riviera’s UV waves. There are also plenty of beach shops, snack stands, and a grocery store in which we made frequent stops. The beach was about a one mile walk from our apartments, a perfect stroll and a nice way to get in some exercise before lounging on the sand.

The week we spent in Port Grimaud just happened to be the same week as the European Harley Davidson festival. The resort soon filled up with choppers, leather attire, and an eclectic group of people. Many of us enjoyed taking advantage of the parties and celebrations that came along with the festival being held in Port Grimaud. Each night there were bars, dance floors, and “discothèques” set up along the beach. For all the stories one may have heard about European partying to all hours of the night, it was definitely an experience one should try at least once.

However, the festival brought us more than just a slue of parties for the week. We had the opportunity to meet and talk with people we probably never would have met in our lives. It was interesting and exciting to realize that despite our vast differences, the values of traveling-adventure, food, culture, and a chance to experience everyday life from a different perspective-are able to break any language or culture barrier.

St. Tropez and La Bravade: A Culture Beyond the Glitz and Glam

There is no denying that our group was excited to have the opportunity to spend several days in the town of St. Tropez. Any time we told a family member or friend that this is where we would be participating in study abroad activities; their faces stared back at us as if to say, “Right, I’m sure you’ll be doing a lot of studying as you lay on your beach chair watching celebrities stroll by”. I think most of us were pleasantly surprised to find that there was much more to St. Tropezian culture. Much of our realizations came about during La Bravade festival.

A short ferry ride away from our home in Port Grimaud, St. Tropez sat as the picturesque French Riviera town, complete with brightly colored water front buildings and a harbor lined with massive yachts. Our first full days in France were spent exploring the alleys, hills, and open air markets St. Tropez had to offer because La Bravade was taking place this weekend. Mikel began our day with a tour of the town and its markets, as well as bringing us to old battle sites and the town square. We soon discovered there was much more to this tiny town than Brigitte Bardot’s claim to fame and a plethora of high-end designer boutiques.

La Bravade was a beautiful festival which celebrated the St. Tropez culture and its people. La Bravade takes a look at the history of St. Tropez and the coming together of the privateers as well as the religious pioneers to the area. All the store fronts decorated their windows with the St. Tropez colors of red and white. Perhaps the most exciting part of this festival was the parades throughout the streets. In order to participate in the processions, you had to be a St. Tropez native. For two days, the streets were clad with locals in traditional garments, we felt as though we had stepped into a French Williamsburg. There were fife and drums, children throwing flowers, and a procession for the St. Tropez statue into the square. Having found this presentation on accident as we wandered the streets, we got to see a firing procession, a very exciting and slightly scary encounter! Cover your ears if you are going to be anywhere near this!

St. Tropez’s La Bravade was a great introduction into their culture. This festival is not advertised to the surrounding areas in any way; it truly is a celebration for the people of St. Tropez. Unless you happen to be there during this weekend, you probably would not even know that the festival was taking place. However, there was an influx of yachts which came into the harbor to watch the parades. It was a great way to immerse ourselves into some traditions and practices of the town that we never would have known existed otherwise.

 

St. Tropez is also a great place to explore the nature and beauty of the French Riviera. With Mikel as our trusty guide, the group partook in a hike along the coast line where we were introduced to several native plants and had a chance to relax on a dock in the middle of the ocean. We also had the opportunity to visit the Musee de l’Annonciade during one of our visits.  This church-turned-museum houses an extensive art collection with an emphasis on Impressionism.  Several of the pieces in this museum were created in St. Tropez and are not even rotating pieces for other museums. It was an incredible experience to walk through the different rooms to experience the progression in time through the painting techniques.  Matisse, Maurice de Vlaminck, Bonnard and Paul Signac were a few of the artists featured.  

All in all, St. Tropez is an incredibly beautiful place. La Bravade was a great introduction to the history and culture that comes with French festivals. It was a great event for us to participate in and gave us a great comparison for our event management class. We definitely were able to pick apart the differences from our next event participation, the world-renowned Cannes Film Festival.

Cannes Film Festival: Le Festival de Cannes

For many of us, the Cannes Film Festival held a great amount of excitement and anticipation. We had all of course heard about the festival and the influx of celebrities and stars that flocked the city of Cannes for those two weeks every May. Perhaps we had visions of our favorite Entourage episodes, or were just hopeful to catch a glimpse of “Br-angelina”, but we were excited none the less!

On Tuesday May 20, we set out early from Port Grimaud, dolled up to the nines, and boarded our own private bus to St. Raphael where we then took the train to Cannes. Once we arrived in the city, we were left to our own devices to explore and experience the festival. The streets of Cannes were already packed when we arrived around ten in the morning. However, we did soon realize that it would be much harder to live out our movie-star fantasies!

We made our way down to the shoreline where the Cannes Harbor was completely transformed into a vast array of white tents, movie advertisements, red carpets, and people, people, people. After our initial star-struck facades wore off, we were able to walk the along the Promenade to the main red carpet where all the stars would flock later that evening. We were even able to take several pictures on the steps!

A note to the wise however, it was not easy to gain access to anything within the festival; in fact we were not really able to see much of anything. It was exciting and fun to be among the festival itself, but we were not able to get tickets to any premieres or even walk past many of the velvet ropes. We soon came to realize that the festival is truly for the movie industry; if you didn’t have that lucky badge, you would not be setting foot beyond the big men in the black suits.

Our experience during the festival did allow us to observe several things about an event this size, which helped tremendously for our events management class. For example, we did notice just how organized the security was and how important it is to have tight security in this age and time for an event of this caliber.

Cannes is also a great city to explore without all the hype of the film festival. After walking along the Promenade and staring wide-eyed into the windows of Dior and Channel, many of us opted to head deeper into the city and walk the smaller streets. This is where we had the most fun! There are affordable shops and boutiques (and PLENTY of gelato) in Cannes; you just have to let yourself wander a bit to find them. Many of us were ecstatic to find pashminas for five euro, as well as an excess of handbags, jewelry, and even clothes.

We had the option to stay as late as we wanted in Cannes as long as we could catch the last train and bus back to Port Grimaud. While many of us opted for the earlier train and bus, a few girls stayed later into the evening…and were able to catch a glimpse of Gwyneth Paltrow arriving for a premier! Persistence does pay off!

Cannes is still very much filled with the old ‘Riviera charm’. The architecture of the city is incredible, complete with the old brownstone and iron work. It is easy to picture yourself as a member of the aristocracy coming for a holiday back in the 1930s or 40s; traveling is a great time to expand one’s imagination-no matter how silly it may seem! Cannes is also complete with luscious flowers on every street and hilltop, making every turn a pleasant experience. There were several of us who voted Cannes the top place we visited and most traveled back to Cannes several times while we were staying in Antibes, as it was only a short bus or train ride away.

In truth, I loved Cannes even more once the white tents left and my previous visions of celebrity sightings and expensive boutiques vanished as well. I could wander the quiet streets as the sun peered through the buildings. I might run into men playing Bocce in the square or simply enjoy getting lost among the cobble-stoned streets.

Ramatuelle, Gassin, Winery Tour Day: A True Provencal Outing

On one of our day trips away from Port Grimaud, we boarded a bus in search of the True Provence.  The bus tour day was rated as a “favorite” among many students on the trip.  We started the day on a chartered bus tour of Ramatuelle, France.  We stopped at the local market in the city which sold all of the traditional Provencal items: i.e. cheeses, meats, jewelry, spices, flowers, soaps, lavender, tapestries and much more.  While in Ramatuelle, some students walked around the cobblestone streets on a tour with Mikel as others checked out the beautiful views offered by the charming mountainous town. 

 

Fifteen Minutes of Fame:  After boarding the bus from the market in Ramatuelle we headed toward the road dedication ceremony for U.S. Army General Patch.  Due to our guide Mikel’s connections, we were asked to attend the ceremony to represent the United States and Virginia Tech.  Decked out in our VT gear, we held the U.S. flag for the French television cameras.  “Big Whigs”, such as the governor of Ramatuelle, were present and gave a speech (in French) about the accomplishments of General Patch.  After the conclusion of the ceremony we snacked on authentic Provencal Hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and of course, wine before boarding the bus toward another Ramatuelle beach for lunch.  While some swam and brown-bagged their lunch, others feasted on a traditional Provencal lunch at a chic beach-side restaurant, to include escargots. 

 

After lunch we stopped by a winery, Les Celliers de Ramatuelle, for a quick wine tasting and a little wine shopping before our weekend excursion to Port Cros Island.  While tasting, we couldn’t help but notice the local women carting their 5 gallon glass jugs into the winery to be filled by the “gas-pump” style nozzles protruding from the wall.  This must be a weekly fill-up event for the locals.  If they had those in the states, we would all be in trouble!

 

Gassin, France was the final stop on the bus tour day.  We were told that this little mountain-top town had the best views on the coast but we had to hike up a few “measly” stairs to get to the top.  After a long day of traveling, food and wine, this was the last thing that any of us wanted to do.  After reaching the top of Gassin we followed Mikel, our infamous guide, around the small city and through the “smallest street” (literally about two feet wide which we shimmied our way through, just for fun!). 

After a short tour we reached the edge of the city with a beautiful view that went on for miles.  The beautiful, lush greens of the trees and the bright blue of the ocean appeared together like a painting.  The views from the top of Gassin were well worth the steps it took to get there.  

Port Cros: An Experience of a Lifetime

We boarded the bus to Lavandou bright and early Friday morning to catch the 20 minute ferry ride to the exotic island.  We were staying in an old fort for the weekend  (Not just old …Old as in Napoleon’s days…old as in there is limited electricity on this island).

The Island of Port Cros is the smallest of three islands which make up the “iles d’Or” in the golf of Hyeres.  The quaint island is only 4 km long and 3 km wide.  The island has 5 forts but only 2 open to the public.  Less than 25 people live on the island.  Since 1963 the island has been a National Park surrounded by crystal clear water and beautiful flora. 

 

 

Upon arrival at the island we unloaded our luggage onto a truck bed and began our hike up the mountain to our fort.  It was HOT and ENTIRELY uphill!  Once we got to the top, none of us wanted to go back down!  We crossed the draw bridge, over the moat to our fort.  Our fort, Fort de l’Eminence was once inhabited by Napoleon and the German troops.  You could see the damage from the canons in the sides of the fort.   

 

We all settled into our rooms.  (Two rooms for 22 girls and 1 room for 3 guys)  It was tight quarters!  It was almost time for lunch!

 

 

Lunch was provided by the fort and we shared the buffet style lunch with some young school children visiting the island for a field trip, where they had been staying for a week.  (I wish I could go on field trips like this when I was 6!)   After lunch we all hiked down 20 minutes to the beautiful, crystal clear beach for a little sunbathing and swimming. 

The next day we were up early for a day full of scenic hiking.  Some of us hiked around the entire island while others decided to go cliff diving into the Mediterranean Sea.  Regardless of what we chose we all experienced some breath-takings views of the island.  

Although we hiked the entire day, we were still ready for the party at the fort that night.  It was Pierre’s birthday and we were prepared to celebrate!  After dinner, the chefs cooked up a massive chocolate cake and we sang “Bon Anniversaire” or Happy Birthday to Pierre, our professor.  After he recovered from the surprise, the corks started to pop.  We danced and celebrated our last night in Port Cros, Pierre’s birthday and Mikel’s last night with us.  He would be greatly missed!

Bright and early the next day we said goodbye to the beautiful island of Port Cros and boarded the ferry.  It was a once in a lifetime opportunity but we were ready to settle down in Antibes for the last leg of the trip.    

Antibes: The City Life!

Pierre et Vacances was a nice change of pace for many of us.  The hotel/resort is nestled in the city of Antibes, France across from the Antibes harbor and surrounded by plenty of shopping, cafes, public transportation and nightlife. 

Each apartment was shared by four students, usually two per room.  Most of the apartments were very nicely accommodated.  Each had a kitchen, dining and living area, TV, at least one bathroom with a shower, two rooms and a balcony.  In an effort to minimize the costs of the trip, the meal plan was only for the first nine days of the trip.  This meant that we were cooking for ourselves in Antibes!  Although the idea seemed a little daunting, it was very manageable and often fun to do!  The open-air market was a short walk away from the hotel.  Each morning we walked to the market to get our fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs, meats, cheeses, dried fruits, wines and anything else we wanted to cook or eat for the next few days. 

However, if we didn’t feel like cooking there were abundance of side walk cafes, restaurants and foods to choose from, including the in-famous gelato (dangerously delicious!) 

Nightlife in Antibes is a lot of fun.  From the hotel/resort you could walk less than five minutes to a row of pubs and bars in Old Antibes.  If you “just want to DANCE” you could head up the street (15 minutes) to Juan Les Pins.  This is where the clubs and REAL parties happened.  Some students danced and partied all hours of the night, even up until our 4am departure to the airport! 

While in the city we attended CERAM Business School for seminars and speakers a few mornings per week.  After class sessions we were free to do as we pleased.  Some chose to lay by the pool or beach, others chose shopping and many went on day trips.  Some of the day trips included Grasse, the perfume capitol of the world, Nice, Cannes, Biot and Tende. 

During the stay in Antibes we were given two extended weekends free for travel.  Students traveled to Switzerland, Barcelona, Avignon, and Paris.  In an effort to save money some students stayed local and went by train to Italy or local cities for the day.  Public transportation was great in Europe!  You can get anywhere you want to travel.  The only problem is when the trains decide to go on STRIKE at random times and stop running.  You are then forced to pile onto the LAST crowded bus of the night and fight your way home–good times! We speak from experience. On a more serious note, don’t be alarmed if this does happen during some point in your trip. It’s actually very common and really not the end of the world. We would recommend just not traveling alone, and try to brush up on a little French so that you will feel comfortable asking someone for help or directions.   

All in all, Antibes was a nice change of pace from the other places we stayed in France.  There was always somewhere to go, something to do and something to eat. 

Vive la France!!!

As cliché as it may sound, you really do learn a lot about yourself when you travel. It’s almost a metaphor for life in general; you begin to realize that there are always going to be glitches or bumps in the road but it is how you handle yourself in those types of situations that creates your character. For instance, we all had to adjust to a new culture, a different outlook on life that we were not used to. Some people thrived in this atmosphere- they loved the free time and the chance to explore in their own ways. Others did not adjust to the environment as easily, and that’s okay too.

All in all, we were given the opportunity of a lifetime (with much appreciated help from parents and other relatives), and not only in the sense that we were able to go to Europe. We were given a break from the routine, mundane schedules we all fall into and a chance to live life differently for awhile. Our best advice? Don’t be afraid to take some chances! Go out for a walk by yourself, give yourself time to wander. Start a conversation with the stranger next to you at the bar in a café. Make the most of your time abroad because before you know it, it’ll be time to come back home!

Don’t Forget: