Je m'appelle Carolyn...

Je m'appelle Carolyn, je suis intelligent.

J'aime jouer au Playstation Deux, je suis aussi amusante.

J'ai deux chats, maio maio, Cerebella et Tapestry,

et l'ocelot est mon animal favori.

Perhaps some of you reading this remember those words, first sung in Mr. B's French class in my ninth grade year. Like anything I've written a song for, the subject of French excites me. When asked to choose a language to study at the end of seventh grade, my choice was simple. Yes, learning Spanish would be useful in everyday life, and Italian would help me understand terms and tempo markings on sheet music (not to mention connect me to my own heritage), but French...okay, maybe there was no rational reason to study French. However, I had my own reasons, and those were rational enough to make my decision.

Reason #1: The Olympics

As far back as I can remember, I have been fascinated by the Olympic Games. There is something extraordinary about watching athletes from all over the world compete in (fairly) friendly competition. Swimming, gymnastics, speed skating, luge...winter or summer, I spend more hours in front of the TV during the Olympics than I do in an average month (or longer).

So what do the Olympics have to do with me learning French? French, as you may or may not know, is the official language of the Olympic Games. What better way to really appreciate the Olympics than to know what is being said before it is translated?

Reason #2: Canada!

There are two places on this planet I've always wanted to explore. One is Australia and the other...is Canada. In elementary school, some of my favorite authors were Canadian. Their stories were captivating and their writing made places like Vancouver seem so inviting; how could I not want to visit?

The Choice Is Made

So...the Olympics and Canada. Maybe not the most logical reasons to study French, but good enough for me! I have yet to regret my decision. Learning French has been a great experience full of friendship, frustration, and fond memories. I could go on and on about the crazy times I've had in French classes, but we'd be here all night. So...on to Canada!

Studying Abroad

It is my belief that every human being should explore the world at some point in life. This is a huge planet, and adventure is out there! For many, college is a perfect time to branch out and expand horizons. I always pictured myself spending a semester abroad while in college. However, being a music major taught me otherwise. Spending a semester abroad would mean most likely staying in school an extra year. That was simply not something I could afford, therefore studying abroad was out of the question. Or was it?

Study Tours: The Solution

While making gingerbread men at a friend's apartment a few months ago, a good friend of mine shared her experiences studying abroad in Argentina. The places she went, the foods she ate, the people she encountered...it was the experience of a lifetime. Knowing I too wanted to study abroad, she suggested study tours, three- and five-week sessions in foreign countries. Could it be? Were these the kinds of opportunities I could afford to experience? I had to find out.

That night, I sat down at my laptop and looked up "study tours" on the school website. Not knowing what to search for, I typed in "French" and "music". I wasn't expecting anything to come of my search, but oh was I wrong! The first link to appear on the page was entitled "French and Music". The description summarized a study tour...for music majors...who wanted to improve their French...in Canada!

Oh Canada!

I am so grateful to my friend for informing me of study tours, which I did not know existed. Because of her, in 32 hours I will be embarking on a five-week tour to Canada. I will travel to Chicoutimi, Quebec, the most francophone region of North America. I will sign a contract pledging to speak only French during my stay, live with a French-speaking family, and study French at a nearby university. I will meet music majors from all over the country who, like me, probably can't spend a whole semester studying abroad. We'll perform in ensembles, explore nearby cities, and expand our horizons in ways we can't imagine. It will be the adventure of a lifetime, and I will embrace it wholeheartedly.

Oh Blog!

While abroad, I will write a blog to inform you of my adventures. I've never written a blog before, so this will be a learning experience. I hope you will excuse any errors and become a part of my trip through my entries. Hopefully I will be posting pictures, stories, songs, and whatever else I encounter that might be of interest. My entries probably won't all be long or in English, and some of them might be as cheesy as this one, but no matter what, I'll try to keep them interesting and up-to-date.

The journey is about to begin...are you ready?