Conclusion

My last week in Angers was great and full of good food and goodbyes from my host family.  My final project went over perfectly.  My last night in Paris concluded with seeing the beautiful Eiffel tower sparkle in front of my very eyes!  I truly had one of the best times of my life this summer.

 Havet Family(From left to right: Jean, Guilham, Valerie, Pierre, Christopher, Charles, Camille)

I learned so much from being in France and from being in this program.  I have made friends not only in France but even from all over the United States.  I can't wait to continue these relationships in the future.

I will say it seems like a dream to be back home.  Driving and seeing familiar faces is still strange to me.  But I am glad to be back home and to continue the rest of my summer surrounded by my friends and family.  

Thank you for following me on my adventures.

-Christopher Whitacre

Act V: Terre De Sel, Nantes And Fete De La Musique

 Crystallization Pond at Terre De Sel.  Guerande, France

Our first destination on Friday was Terre De Sel, a salt coop in Guerande, France.  This company is assigned to my group for a project due on Wednesday.  We were taught that making salt combines earth, wind, water and the sun.  They rely solely on nature and they are proud of it.  Without the use of machinery they do not produce any emissions or use much energy.  The water flows from the channel into a lake where it continues to go into smaller sections until it is very concentrated, then it is pushed up onto clay and dried.  A very interesting process.

 Robotic Elephant.  Nantes, France

After the visit of Terre De Sel, we traveled to the city of Nantes, which is bigger compared to Angers.  We roamed the streets of the city and took a little tour of some landmarks of Nantes.  We even saw a gigantic robotic elephant walk around and spray water from its trunk.  It was very cool!

 French Locals Line Dancing.  Angers, France

The next day was a huge music festival in Angers, Fete De La Musique.  There was musicians all over the streets playing all different genres of music.

 Simawe at Fete De La Musique.  Angers, France

The main square of the city had great musical acts all day, there were venders on the streets selling candies and other specialties.  I ran into some of my friends from the program and spent the evening enjoying drinks, dancing and music.  

The next day I awoke and was greeted with a nice afternoon barbecue.  This was my last weekend in France.  This coming week will consist of preparing for my project and French oral exam on Wednesday.  Back to Paris on Thursday, then the flight home on Friday.

Act IV: Weekend At Normandie

Our first visit of the weekend was Mont St. Michel, an abbey along the English Channel.   Once Mont St. Michel was in view from the countryside, it seemed very distant and surreal, like a picture.

Mont St. Michel: France

Within the walls of St. Michel there are many restaurants and shops.  Inside the walls were magnificent rooms and chapels.  In the main chapel there was a sermon going on, a few monks praying and singing hymns.  Their voices echoed along the stone walls and I was mesmerized.  Mont St. Michel was a very great location to go on this trip.  

After St. Michel we went to the walled city of St. Malo.  Where we took a tour along the wall and could see out into the ocean.  After the tour we unpacked at a hostel near the beach.  

ESA Students Enjoying The Beach: St Malo, France

Needless to say, everyone is having a great time on this trip!

The next day we headed to Normandie.  

 Omaha Beach: Normandie, France

The Omaha landing is a historical beach.  Stepping into the sand and looking out into the ocean, I imagined the American soldiers rushing onto this beach and giving their lives for the future.  This was a very odd feeling.

Caen Cemetery: Normandie, France

Walking back up the beach I took a walk around the Caen Cemetery where all of the American soldiers lay.  It was very emotional to see the amount of marble crosses that were there.  They seemed endless.  Even though I had no family members in the war, it was still great to see the amount of people that sacrificed their lives for us.  

Locally Produced camembert cheese and butter

On the way back to Angers the next day, we visited a local cheese producer Ferme Du Champ Secret, where we took a tour of the farm and had local camembert cheese.

After the cheese producer we went to Ferme Des Grimaux which is a local cider producer.  We took a tour of their operation and even had a tasting session.  Where we tried their apple juice, hard apple cider and even their pear calvados, which is a fortified cider.

 200 Year Old Pear Tree.  Produces 2 Tons Of Pears A Year

Cider Tanks

The weekend was eventful and it was great to be back at my home in Angers for much need rest.  

This past week of classes has also been very eventful, just today a group of us learned how to make a traditional french bread.  I even got to take some home to share with my host family.  The weekend ahead will be very relaxed.  On saturday there is a music festival in Angers that I plan to go to and enjoy.  

Act III: Les Sables d'Olonne

This past weekend we went to the coast of France.  To Les Sables d'Olonne, a town right along the coast of the Atlantic ocean.

 The grandparents place of my host dad: Les Sables d'Olonne

We stayed at a great house right on the shore of the Atlantic.  It was beautiful.  We layed on the beach, rode our bikes and even took a stroll through the town center.  Everyone was enjoying the sun, surfing and having a great time.

Guilham Havet and I at the seashell wall: Les Sables d'Olonne

Walking through the town was great, there were many stores and restaurants.  We walked down a street that had a ton of art made solely out of seashells.  I even caught a glimpse of the artist working on a seashell border around a window.  Most of the buildings were very old and made of sandstone.  Most of the streets were stone and some of them even a European car wouldn't fit through.  

The mother of my host dad was very welcoming.  She made great food that was mostly fish.  Some of which I had in a jello-like form.  She and I got along very well, she knew very little English but we still communicated very well.  

It was so relaxing at the end of the day to sit down with a glass of wine on her front porch and look out into the endless sea and admire the color contrast of the ocean.  This is a very rare thing for me to do and I appreciated it immensely.  I am very thankful to my host family for bring me to such a beautiful location.  

Act II: First Week In Angers, France

My first week in Angers has been a long one.  We started our classes for the program and I have learned a lot.  Halfway through the week we started our french classes.  Talking to one another in the program with simple french phrases sparks joy and laughter.  But when approached by a true french person, all of it goes out the window.  

ESA: Angers, France

I have had amazing dinners and wine with my host family, who have been very nice and accepting of our language barrier.  I have visited a veal farm that has started an agroforestry program.  They are working on growing oak trees to cut branches every year to heat a boiler to boil water.  Saving thousands of euros in gas every year.  

The week ended beautifully.  With a class on the process of wine and then a trip to a local wine cooperation, Les Caves de la Loire.

 Tasting Bar: Les Caves de la Loire, France

After tasting a few of their products we took a tour of their operation.

Fermentation Room: Les Caves de la Loire, France

From the large tanks in the fermentation room to the automatic bottling and boxing machines that they had, this place was incredible.  So far it is safe to say a lot goes into the creation of good french wine.  

Next week will be another full week of classes and company visits, followed by a weekend of a trip to Normandie beach!

I hope all is well back home!  

Christopher

Act I: Arrival and Exploration

After a long sleepless 8 hour flight, I arrive at Charles de Gaulle.  While waiting for my luggage I heard a group of people discussing the same program that I am in.  After introducing myself we became aquanted and took the train together to our hostel.  We got there before our first meeting so we decided to go to our first site, Notre Dame.

Notre Dame: Paris, France

The architecture in Paris is absolutely amazing.  Most of the buildings are very close together, tall and very old.  Seeing Notre Dame for the first time was stunning.  Inside the church was very dark, dank and gloomy.  But each stain-glass window had different designs on it and each one, beautiful.  After walking the interior of the church we took the metro back to meet up with the rest of the students in our program and embark on our next site.  

Arc De Triomphe: Paris, France

Seeing the Arc De Triomphe appear out of the metro stairway was breathtaking.  Facing away from the Arc you will be looking down Rue De Champs-Elysees.  Which was a long boulevard chalk full of different shops and stores.  At the end of the boulevard is Le Louvre.  I was more interested in the building itself than the contents inside.  

 Le Louvre hallway: Paris, France

Mona Lisa: Paris, France

Watching people take pictures of the Mona Lisa was a lot better than the actual thing.  But I saw it and was glad that I did.  I checked out the architecture in further detail after.  And also managed to get a little lost as well.  With ten minutes to spare I found our groups meeting place and everything was A-Ok!

My favorite thing that we did the next day was, of course, seeing and climbing the Eiffel Tower!

Eiffel Tower: Paris, France

Seeing the tower only seemed like a picture.  But it was amazing.  I couldn't wait to get closer.  This experience is nothing that a picture or words can describe.  Its something that you need to do.  From the top of the Eiffel Tower you could point out and see every site that we saw so far this week.  I could point to the Arc De Triomphe and even see the entire length of Le Louvre.  

The next day we had to be up by 3am to get on the bus and leave Paris.  

Rungis Market: France

We went to the largest wholesale market in the world, Rungis!  There are over 12,000 employees working in fruit and vegetable, dairy, fish, meat and horticultural sectors.  Rungis has a yearly earnings of over 8 billion euros.  

Fish Sector at Rungis: France

Even on an off day the market was very busy!  The fish market started at 2am and when we got there at 4 there was hardly any product left.  The floor was slimy and there was fish remnants all over.  The fruit and vegetable sector was still very lively, it had employees juggling pallets full of fresh fruits past each other hardly dropping anything.  

After Rungis we got lunch and headed to our first chateau.  The Chateau De Chenonceau!

 This chateau was amazing.  My favorite part was the long row of sycamore trees leading up to the castle.  I hardly stepped foot into the castle, it was very crowded.  I was more impressed by the size and age of the trees.  The gardens of the chateau were very well kept and if you leaned over the side of the bridge you could even see fish swimming in the moat.

After the chateau we headed to Amboise, France where I would stay the night at a hostel and have a great time with the other students in the program.

On June 1st I attend a Amboise market that sold different cheese, clothes and animals.  It was a treat! We then tasted wine at a chateau and ventured to Angers to meet my host family.

My host family contains 4 younger boys and a mom and dad.  The language barrier is very strong, but so far everyone has been very patient.

I am finishing this entry in my room in Angers.  It is past 10pm and I begin my program tomorrow.  

Au revoir!  

Preface

Hello, my name is Christopher Whitacre, I am 22 years old, I am about to embark on a journey that will influence the rest of my life.  Tomorrow I will be taking an 8 hour flight to Paris, France then travel to Angers, France to start a month long agriculture program.  This program will expand my knowledge in international agriculture and suppliment my progress towards an Agronomy Management degree at Illinois State University.

This will be the first time that I will be in a different country and I am very excited to be in a new environment and be immersed in a different culture.  During the length of my program, I will be staying with a host family.  I can't wait to meet them and be involved in a different culture and way of life.  I am very excited for what lay ahead.

Preface Get Together

Clockwise order Storm Angone, Luc Chamberlain, Veronica Raufer, Me(Christopher Whitacre)

I would very much like to thank my loving parents, my uncle Tim and aunt Nancy, both of my grandparents, my girlfriend, friends, siblings and my soon to be host family for supporting me and helping me prepare for this trip.  I appreciate all that you have done for me and you are truly an influence in my life.