Showing posts with label beauty and the beast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beauty and the beast. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

So I've decided to move to Vire, France...

Okay, just kidding. But I am loving life in Vire. Vire is the cutest little, French town that I have ever been to and I have seen quite a few cute, French towns. I came Monday morning with my professor, Dr. Elliott, to research a famous 18th century French writer, Madame Le Prince de Beaumont. She is most famous for her many, many books and pamphlets that focused on educating women. She also wrote a number of novels, one including the famous Beauty and the Beast. Here in Vire at the local library, they house her personal, actual, real, over 300 year old letters. That I touch. With my (properly gloved) hands. Reading, cataloging, and attempting to translate her personal letters has been overwhelming, but so incredibly cool. Reading her personal letters and manuscript notes is definitely hard work (these letters are hundreds of years old and are hard to read - plus they're in French), but unlike any experience I have had thus far. 

And did I mention how cute Vire is? It's a small town in the region of Normandy where it mostly rains (yet it has been sunny for us the past few days), but has the friendliest people. The food here is amazing. So much goat cheese. On all the things. I love it. 

It has also been a great experience to venture out of Strasbourg and into a smaller and more quaint town. I can definitely tell I am a small, French town kind of girl. Now while I've had a blast in Vire, I can't wait to begin my next adventure in Paris on Thursday. Tomorrow is my last day in Vire (don't remind me) and my last day doing my research on Beaumont's letters. Prayers for safe travels Thursday will be much appreciated. 

Bonne Nuit! 

Oh hey beautiful, French country side. NBD. 



Monday, June 23, 2014

I Leave in T-Minus 3 days, 1 hour, 9 minutes...

I can't even believe it! I'm only days away from going on my European adventure! While I am so excited for this amazing opportunity, I am also nervous and a little scared. This isn't my first time to France, but it is my first longterm stay in a foreign country. Yet, I have many exciting goals and opportunities while I am there.

First, I am hoping to be inspired and get some writing done on book three of the Forget Me Not Trilogy (yes, my lovely readers, I have not forgotten you!). With the long plane ride, different train rides, and days where I can sit in a French café  with un café crème, a croissant, and my laptop, I will have time to type away!

Secondly, I get the opportunity to research a famous 18th century French writer and her personal letters in Vire, France with my lovely French professor. Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont was a French author who is best known for penning the original "Beauty and the Beast." And I get to read, translate, and catalog the original, physical, real copies of her personal letters. Like in my hands. I get to hold them. And smell them.

I will be doing better at keeping my blog up to date as much as possible! Please follow me on Instagram, Vine, Twitter, and Facebook for more updates and pictures!

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Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I travel and move throughout Europe for the next four weeks! And thank you to my readers for all your support. It means the world!