…And exams are coming!!! ahhh. My exam “week” starts March 17th, and instead of a week, it will be more like three days of hell. For the Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, I will start my exams at 8:45 am, with one on Wednesday, five on Thursday (!), and two on Friday. Yes, I will have five back to back exams on Thursday, and I do not know how I will survive. How is that normal? Other than that, classes have been going really well. I just finished a final essay for my Negotiations class (best class ever) which was five pages on how the classes impacted me in terms of what I had learnt and in terms of personal growth. The class (4 seminars of 4 hours each on alternating Fridays) is led by a younger version of a Dr. Field look-alike who has written a few books and has been an advisor in some major situations. We spend the class doing simulations of individual and group negotiations and learn tactics and insights that seem to me as the most valuable information I have ever learnt in a class. It’s pretty cool.
Saturday shopping frenzy in Lille
On another note, I have just realized it has been a month since I blogged! I am very sorry about that, I should have been more on the ball. In the mean time, I went to a film festival for short films, one of the biggest in Europe after Cannes, I just came back from Paris again (another amazing trip), and religiously went out to my new favourite club called Network Café (finally a place where dancing nonstop till dawn is both possible and necessary!). Shopping has also been an activity because I have now reached a crisis with all the things I own. Let me explain. Being the savvy packer and world traveller that I am, I packed my best and most favourite things, and I packed light. This means I only brought one pair of jeans, my most coveted, and one pair of black boots that go with everything and a few other statement items. I’ve been walking so much that I rubbed a whole through my jeans, at an unfavourable spot, re-sewn them, and ripped through them again. This week, I broke through the inner lining of my boots and cracked the plastic structure that holds the heel in place (making walking not a pleasure anymore (I have rolled/torn my ankle three times already during the course of this trip). My carry-on suitcase broke, two of my belts split, sweaters have holes in them, tops are coming apart, and passport holder snapped… the list amounts to 24 things already. Each time something breaks I just want to surrender but I can’t do anything else but laugh. Good thing though…Italy is next month and I have no worries that it will all be replaced better, brighter, shinier, (and more durable) than before.
Yummy desserts in a world famous Lille patisserie "Le Meert"
My biggest point to mention, however, is that I came on this exchange for too short of a time. I wish so much that I was staying longer. Exams will soon be over, and then I have a month of travelling before I come back to Canada to start spring semester. The friends that I have made here are incredible, and the opportunities to enjoy oneself are unsurpassed. I feel like I haven’t had enough time here and just when EDHEC started to feel like home, I have to leave. Advice to all, if going abroad, make sure to double check that your trip is not for three months only, or you will have a very hard time leaving. Go at least for six and don’t look back. You will experience things that you in no possible way can by just sitting at home, and doing the regular things a student at home does. The people are amazing, the locations to explore are fascinating, and all the little discoveries you make will stay with you for life.
Student trip to Musée de la Piscine (lit. Pool Museum) in Roubaix. An industrial revolution communal pool that was converted into Roubaix's fine arts palace. Also home to haute couture fashion shows and concerts.
I have one other piece of advice, if you’re a girl and travelling alone for exchange to a metropolitan city, especially in winter, where the sun goes down by 7pm, make sure you get pepper spray right away. Even if everyone tells you it’s safe, and you really feel that it is, there is a big difference when you know you have it on your side. Ladies, travel safe. Nothing is worth the risk.
And on that happy note, I will continue with my studying so I can fit some more partying in before I leave Lille! I will update very soon:).
Having fun at the Rodin Museum in Paris on a Sunday morning
Bisous!
Elena
