Holy shit, I'm exhausted. Speaking and listening to French for hours at a time is tiring. My first day of class was Monday. It was okay, but it was too easy. Luckily, today, I was able to change my classes to a more challenging level.
Today's first class was "Compréhension de l'écrit," or in English "Understanding writing." I have a feeling this class will be interesting. I really liked the teacher; she was funny and approachable. She also said that in addition to improving our reading comprehension skills, we will also learn to understand irony and propaganda.
My second class today was "Phonétiques." This class is about the pronunciation and rhythm of French. I think this class will be very useful and I'm excited to get started.
One thing I've really enjoyed about all of my classes so far is that they are very small and intimate. I think that everyone will know everyone else by the end of the semester.
A difference I've noticed about the classes is that they seem more conversational. Students don't raise their hands, and the professors always seem to be talking TO the students instead of AT them. I really like this change, but it'll be hard to get used to. I'm not accustomed to shouting out my opinions whenever I want to.
Overall, classes have been fun, yet challenging. The teachers are great, and so are the students. I'm excited to be here this semester, and can't wait to really delve into learning the language, even though I'm falling asleep as I type.