Specialties from Normandie

samedi, avril 15

Reprise des cours!

Alas! We are finally starting classes next tuesday! Why not monday? It's a national holiday because of Easter. So what happens after four (three for me) days of classes? Two weeks of vacation! Isn't France great?

jeudi, avril 6

Natalie's first tear gas experience


This sounds worse than it is. Really. No worries, I am not in any danger. Aurore and I just wanted to be part of the action. At about 7:00 today, I (for real this time) hear people screaming out my window. I lean my head outside and see people racing down the street, knocking over trash cans, throwing stuff around. So i yell to Aurore, "Come look, they're going crazy!" The protesters were at the train station blocking the trains (poor shannons mom couldnt catch her train to go to Paris to go home the next day) and the police came to push them out. So they're all running down the street towards the university. So we decided to be part of the fun.


We followed the police for about a half hour as they were chasing the houligans who were causing trouble, and a few times, in order to get them to come our from where they were hiding, they threw gas bombs. THAT was an experience. It was so strong we couldnt even breathe and had to back away from the crime scene.

Then we followed them to the uni where nothing else exciting happend.

Tomarrow we have a meeting to discuss what will happen with classes, exams, etc. BUT, before that, the police are supposed to come to kick the blockers out of the university. Its official, they are FINALLY supposed to do it. The key word here is "supposed to." No one knows if they will even come or if they do be able to get them to leave. On verra bien demain...

so i found this article on the internet. the author is a bit harsh, but he's got a point.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2006/04/06/do0601.xml&sSheet=/opinion/2006/04/06/ixopinion.html