Poulmarvezen.

Here's a quick rundown of what we have been up to in France.
After we arrived at Poulmarvezen, the farm in Brittany, we settled into a quick routine. Every morning we have our first class, Foundations of French Liberalism, from 9 to 11, with breakfast - fresh baked baguettes, fruit, yogurt, and French press - beforehand. From 11 to 1 p.m. we have a break, during which we eat lunch and relax. The second class, Social Darwinism, is from 1 to 3 p.m., and after class we have free time. At the farm, we were mostly relegated to chilling and sunbathing by the pool. However, I spent a good amount of time reading :)
On that note, my ultimate disappointment is that I can't download any books to my eReader while I'm here, because Barnes and Noble won't let me download them outside of the United States. I knew I couldn't use the wireless feature, but I thought I could still download an eBook to my computer and connect to my Nook from the laptop. I guess not. Apparently I'll be making a few books last for several weeks...
Unlike most people, I've actually enjoyed what we've been learning here. I thought I would fall asleep during class, but I love the philosophy behind the writers. In Foundations, we're working through Pascal's Pensees, and what he says about happiness (rather, the pursuit of it) has really struck me. I've been thinking and reflecting about it a lot. In Social Darwinism, we're reading Nietzsche, which is a little unnerving. Nietzsche's philosophy has frightening implications, as it turns out.
Basically, the last week has been really laid-back and relaxing for everyone as we've bonded and gotten to know one another. It's been interesting, but worthwhile.

More to come later, friends. Au revoir pour maintenant!