Devon Parsons.com

Viva la France. It has been quite an exciting past few days.You’ll have to forgive me; internet access has been few and far between. Our apartment does not have wireless internet, and to get a USB-internet-stick froma France provider we had to open a bank account which Katie and I are in the process of doing. Speaking of the apartment, it is definitely nice even if farout of the way. It’s a 30 minute walk from town (10 minute bus ride when theyare running). See the video below!

First impressions of school were good. It is about an hour commute via the bus. The school is in an industrial park literally in the woodson the side of a mountain. It’s crazy! Our classroom building isminiscule—maybe a dozen classrooms or so. The internet availability is great,and the cafeteria in the main building offers delicious, full French meals for 3 Euros. (Cheapest meal yet!) Orientation was information-packed, and class wasby-the-book Corporate Finance. The classes are taught at an easier pace,keeping in mind that English is a second language for many students. So excited for an “easier” semester… looks like I’ll wind up with Accounting, CorporateFinance, Management, and Marketing, knocking out nearly all my classes for my business minor. Score.

Last week was all about getting settled in. Got a bus pass,figured out the system, met some of the other exchange students, and went to the Carrefour market on the bus—only to find out there is a market downtown only one bus ride away, not two. Saturday we toured Old Town Antibes with the other students, saw the rich mega-yachts, the Picasso Museum for which the cityis known, and had a great dinner of mussels and French fries at our first foreign restaurant experience with some friends. On Sunday, Katie and I voyaged on our first out of town trip to Cannes fifteen minutes down the tracks. It wasa disaster; we left at 9am and were back in the room by noon. First off it was FREEZING  and secondly, everything isclosed here on Sunday and I mean EVERY-EVERY-THING.  Good to note for future weekends. I think next weekend we’ll go explore Nice and its nightlife.

It's here. One more full, as of this writing, day in the United States of America. Feelings are rushing through me, that's for sure. I'm on the edge of an exhilerating adventure, something entirely different from anything I've done thus far in my life.

As John Denver put it, "My bags are packed, and I'm ready to go." I'm shocked I got it all to fit into a large suitcase, a carry-on-sized roll on that will be checked, a small duffell, and a backpack. I mean, 5 months out of these few bags! Haha I'll let you know how it works out.

I think some good quality family time is in the works for tomorrow. Trying to pick a nice place for dinner was a full day debate amongst my family. I have no doubts I will miss it though.

I hope everyone had a fabulous New Year's. 2010 is shaping up to be a fantastic one already.

It's fast approching, departure date. Closer than ever. This semester flew by. I didn't update the blog much, but I figured school this semester was boring. Just more class, more work, more things to do that were just routine.

But that's ALL about to change.

January 4th is not only a new year, but the start an epic adventure.Study Abroad in Sophia Annapolis, France (30 minutes outside Nice on the Riveria) at SKEMA Business School. My coursework in engineering will continue, along with some business classes, and trips on the weekends to the many opportunities Europe has to offer.

To give a taste, and while it may be ambitious, the weekend traveling, spring break, and two weeks at the end of the semester include (but are not limited to!):

That's the list for now. I will be keeping an extensive journal with me, and will update my blog much much much more periodically to keep in touch and share my travels when I return to my trusty laptop at are cozy apartment in Antibes, France, pictured below.

More to come, especially as Katie and I near departure. Katie is my best friend slash study abroad partner slash traveling companion, and I would be lost without her. You can follow her experiences on her blog: http://www.kolormekatie.blogspot.com/

I look forward to hearing from you all, and please get Skype as I would love to communicate while I am out of the States. I return May 19th, 2010, and then it's off to Erie, Pennsylvania for my internship with General Electric, Transportation.

It's shaping up to be a wonderful year. Happy Holidays!