Fête de la Musique!

Today is the Fête de la Musique, begun in France in 1982 and now celebrated in cities around the world (in 110 countries, per Wikipedia...I know, I know, but this isn't a research paper!).  Several of my friends are enjoying free performances in cities all over France today, and there is even a Fête de la Musique concert at the Summer Stage in Central Park, NYC today featuring the French hip-hop group IAM.  Apparently, according to the e-mail I received from the NY French Embassy, IAM formed in Marseille in 1988, they have a new album coming out this year, and they have a long history of collaborations with the Wu-Tang Clan.  Who knew?  Here's one of their songs, performed live in Egypt: 

I've never been to a  Fête de la Musique concert, so there's one more thing to add to my list of Things To Do Before I Die. Joyeuse fête, crank some tunes in honor of the day!

Vivement les vacances!

C'est magnifique, summer vacation started today!  Now I can officially start to obsess over my travel plans for the summer, most importantly the trip that will begin in 19 days!  Wait....only 19 days?!  I've got a lot to plan (more on that later).  

Today I was browsing Pinterest and noticed that my cousin posted a picture of Stonehenge on her "places travelled" board...and it got me thinking.  So a quick Google search later, not only had I realized that Stonehenge is within manageable day-trip distance of London, but I had also discovered a tour group that offers day trips to Stonehenge (and Windsor and Bath too!).  So now I'm seriously considered squeezing that into an already pretty packed 2.5 weeks. Stay tuned!

Anyway, since the sun is (finally) out here, I'm gonna post a few of my old photos of sunny travel moments.  Here's hoping that I have good weather while I'm gone!  England may pose a problem, so everyone keep your fingers crossed for sunshine....especially for my friend's wedding!

Tower Bridge, London

Petite France, Strasbourg

Chateau de Haut Koenigsbourg

Point du Hoc, Normandy

le Mont-Saint-Michel

Chateau de Chenonceau

Notre Dame de Paris

la Tour Eiffel, au couché du soleil

And the pièce de résistance....one of my favorite places on Earth.  À la prochaine!

Panorama de Strasbourg, vu du Barrage Vauban (seen from the Barrage Vauban)

Secret dinners in Paris, oh my!

I saw this link on facebook last night, check out the article to see where this year's "Diner en Blanc" was held!

http://www.messynessychic.com/2013/06/13/diner-en-blanc-the-film-about-the-worlds-largest-secret-dinner-party/

Off now for our last Friday of school this year, only 2 more days left!  Then it's time to start prepping for my trip!

Bienvenue!

Bonjour!  Ça va?

Welcome to the Adventures of the Traveling French Teacher!  Being a French teacher means that I travel to France whenever I can, and daydream about traveling to France the rest of the time.  Well, most of the rest of the time.  Truth is that traveling is something that I love to do, whether the destination is France or not.  I've been lucky enough so far to travel to 28 different countries, and I'm hoping to be able to make it 30 countries by the time I'm 30.  After that, we'll see! 

So this is the goal for my blog: to show you guys what traveling in France is like, what daydreaming about traveling to France is like, and what traveling is like in general, wherever you're going.  So stay tuned this summer for my trip to England, France, Scotland and Iceland - I'll try to include plenty of stories, photos, and possibly some videos...I will also take your questions and do my best to give you some answers.  Then when I'm not traveling, I would like to continue to use this blog as a way to keep us all caught up on French culture.  Next summer, I also hope to use the blog during our 9-day trip to France with students from Buena and Millville, to show you all what we get up to! 

I hope that you'll all keep checking back this summer, and feel free to write comments, ask questions, and tell me what you'd like to see on the blog. So, until then, à très bientôt!