I%26#39;m a Texan going to visit Grenoble France in a few weeks. I hate to travel but having to make this trip for work. Last time I travelled, it was only for a week and I was homesick from the second I left home.
Any advice out there for me?
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During my college years, I lived and studied at the university there in Grenoble for quite a few months...quite a different place than my native Indiana! Grenoble is a wonderful place there in the French Alps. You can drive around and see some nice forests and parks with waterfalls and all. The old fortress overlooking the city%26#39;s a nice quiet place to where you can hike and relax in relative quiet.
When you get to your work destination, get a calling card. Phone home. Or get into an internet cafe and stay in touch. If you get homesick, that could help. Drag family and friends out to visit. I%26#39;m sure they won%26#39;t mind too much to be dragged into such a gorgeous part of the world. Maybe there might be a sportsbar or two to catch some satellite television.
Sorry. I don%26#39;t remember any Tex-Mex food in Grenoble. There%26#39;s quite a variety otherwise. There are some really really weird traffic patterns. If you%26#39;re a pedestrian, be careful.
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Bring a Bible. God is the same everywhere you go.
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Homesick? What is that? I love to travel. You know what living in Texas is like -- and you know you will return there.
Traveling for me is always a great adventure - exploring other cultures, foods, etc. There is so much to learn in every country. Just think of it as a learning experience and try to take in as much as you can. If you are busy with work and sightseeing you will fill up your days and be home before you know it. I can understand longing for the comforts of home and your friends. But you will be amassing lots of stories to tell them when you get back.
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Sharmy, work travel can be quite a bore if you%26#39;re not familiar with where you%26#39;re going. And you often don%26#39;t get much warning. You focus on your work. You get off shift and you realize that you have no idea where you are. You work work work and then you want to go home. Chances are that your work location is actually in some strange suburb. Grenoble%26#39;s not exactly the most widely known place on the planet. It%26#39;s very much off the beaten path. And I%26#39;d bet that very very few people on this forum have actually been anywhere near it.
It would be almost as drastic as some of these European exchange students dreaming about California, Florida or New York only to get put somewhere like Wichita for a whole year!
highwayman, since you%26#39;ll be on business, I bet that your clients or colleagues will be gracious guests. The people of Grenoble are friendly. Bring them something from Texas! Rib them a bit. Have handy a cowboy hat, boots and the biggest belt buckle you can find for after hours. Perhaps they will show you some of the places that my professors took me. I should have taken notes! One of these restaurants had the finest French dessert buffets that I%26#39;ve ever had. Many of the Paris visitors in this forum would die for such a chance. What an exploration!
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DarthAnonymous -
Thank you so much for your replies. Especially the one about God... he definitely is the same here in Texas, France, wherever. Sometimes I forget that he rules over ALL of the world, not just my city, neighborhood, and home. That post was very comforting to me. I am gathering some scripture to take with me. That will keep me grounded.
You are right about work.. it is just work work work which is exactly like my routine over here... only problem is after work when I would normally come home and play with my 2 small kids until they go to bed, I only come home to an empty and very quiet hotel room. I setup some after hour get togethers with my team over in Grenoble. Hopefully if I fill every evening with at least a dinner, I should be good to go. Especially in France where the dinners can last for hours and hours.
I am just telling myself that I am coming home safely and God will take care of my family while I am away. I can find peace in that for sure.
Thanks again for your advice. I will ask my team if they know of any Tex Mex restaurants in Grenoble... doubt they have one, but it would be interesting to try it out. Heck, I would settle for a good burger place if they had that... :)
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