Full Day of Walking

Friday night I watched my first French film, Lola. LOVED IT. I stayed home with my host family and decided to watch it even though I wouldn’t understand half of it. The movie was very appropriate for my age and although I didn’t know what was going on at times, I enjoyed it!

Today…let me just start by saying that we walked EVERYWHERE!

First, me, Michele, Alex, and Uko met at the Catacombs at noon. Well Uko was late, but he somehow managed to find us after we got out of the Catacombs. The Catacombs is like an underground cemetery without coffins and there are bones and skulls stacked everywhere. It felt like the tunnels of bones were endless. And it wasn’t like they were just thrown in piles, the bones were stacked extremely neat. We couldn’t use flash when we took photos so we did our best to get some good pictures. After climbing 83 stairs to get out of the Catacombs we exited in a place far away from the entrance. We didn’t expect to exit on some random street, but we found a metro and went back to a really good Boulanger that was near the Catacombs. After Uko found us we went off to explore another part of Paris. We decided to go to the cemetery in Montparnasse. It was beautiful. There were extremely old tombs dating back to the early 1800s and there were some from just the early 2000s.

After being around so much death, we decided we should go to the Jardin du Luxembourg for some colorful scenery and to see a happier place. The park was beautiful and so was the Palace. The sun was out and it made the day not as cold. It was wonderful sitting outside the Palace by the pond and having the sun on my face. I could have slept there all day. Uko then left us to go see a movie and me and Michele then went to go to the Eiffel tower. Another fantastic idea! We stopped and took a picture of the Sorbonne along the way. Sitting on the bench in front of the Ecole Militaire and watching the kids play soccer with the Eiffel tower in the back was relaxing and peaceful. We sat and talked for a while and then we took a few pictures with the tower and then we left and tried to find Rue Cler but we instead ran into the place where Napoleon is buried. We had to pay to get into that so we instead walked around the Musee de l’Armee. After we walked through that we walked all the way to the Arc de Triompe. Along the way we saw a bride and groom taking pictures on the most beautiful bridge in Paris with the Eiffel tower and sunset in the background! Later on our walk we saw a motorcyclist slide and hit another scooter. Both of the people were ok but I have never seen so many people run to help another person. It was weird to see the accident coming and knowing that I couldn’t stop it. But he wasn’t going too fast and he got up on his own.

As we walked to the Arc de Triompe, it was very crowded and it seemed like it took us 45 minutes to get there from the time that I had spotted it at the end of the street and said “Let’s walk there!” ha! They had the Arc de Triompe closed for a special ceremony which looked like for war veterans. It was very interesting and stayed to watch some of it then we left. It felt soooo good to sit down on the ride home in the metro. It was a long day but we saw A LOT of Paris and I enjoyed this beautiful day in Paris. J

Breath of fresh air

Today was a good day. I woke up and got dressed and I went and bought my tickets to the France vs Spain soccer game on March 3 at Stade de France. This game is going to be epic and amazing I can feel it already. I have been waiting for this game since Decemeber when I heard about it. I'm STOKED. The thing is...I have an extra ticket and hopefully Jenn will go with me. For some reason I can't trust anyone anymore. People will tell me one thing but do the opposite and not a lot of people here care. Anyways the game is going to be awesome and I can't wait! My tickets are right near the corner of the field and about 12 rows back.

After getting my tickets I came home and then went to the job fair up at school. I didn't have my business suit or even my resumes printed out but I just wanted to check it out and see how the job fairs go in France. Basically, it's an interview on the spot. They examine your resume, ask you questions, and if they don't like you, you're done. Their resumes are very different than in the US. Their pictures are on their resume and some resumes have color and decorative pictures. Most of the employers only spoke French so again I would have never been able to try for an interview, but it was very informative and I learned a lot from observing. It was like a cultural learning experience for the business world in France. I felt accomplished just being there for some reason.

At the job fair I met some new people and they are hilarious. After having a horrible night they certainly made me laugh. One of the guys (Alex) said "God there are so many gorgeous girls here." I asked him, "Why don't you go talk to some of them?" and he answered "I have a girlfriend!" Haha! He made me laugh a lot during the rest of our day and hopefully I will be hanging out with him more during my time in Paris.

After the job fair a bunch of us went to Flunch which is like a buffet. I had a 7up while everyone else ate because I wasn't hungry. I never thought a Parisian could eat so much as Alex did...plate after plate after plate. I also met 2 girls who are from Mexico City and it was nice being around people who are close to home and at the same time with Parisians. We talked about San Antonio and Mexico City and Cancun and floating the river in San Marcos. I have a feeling I will be hanging out with these people more often! I had a lot of fun and they seem very down to earth.

Hanging out with the group was fun and then we dispersed after lunch. Dipesh (he's from Nepal and he's in one of my classes) and I walked around the eiffel tower because it was a beautiful day with clear skies. I can't wait until we can lay out on the lawn in front of the tower with some wine and baguettes and just hangout all afternoon. The clouds started to roll in so we walked and he showed me an American library and I grabbed a flyer so if I ever needed to do research i could get a day pass or week pass and study there. He also showed me his hotel that he works at on Rue Cler. It's beautiful and so is the street! It's a beautiful area and I will be going back soon! There are wine shops, fruit and vegetable markets, cafes, boulangeries and patissaries, etc. It kind of reminded me of Bordeaux because only pedestrians walk along this street.

I think today was a good day and I enjoyed it.

Sick in Paris

Let me start off with Valentine's Day...it was good. At first I didn't know what I was going to do until Uko called me and we went out to just walk around and see some more sites of Paris. It was an absolute beautiful day, but it was cold. Clear skies with the sun, but cold. We walked around a park that was on top of multiple buildings and then we walked around the Bastille and saw that there was a small carnival going on...nothing close to the Texas state fair. We got some crepes...mine just Nutella, and he also got bananas in his for his "potassium for the day." lol! I think next time I will get bananas in mine because it looked DELICIOUS! The Nutella crepe was absolute heaven in my mouth and for some reason I had never felt so satisfied in my life after eating it. I didn't even want another one...I just wanted to sit there on that park bench and smile.

Anyways the day after V-day.....

Me = one word.....SICK. I had never felt so gross since I had mono. I didn't even feel like getting out of bed. All I wanted was my mom and a freaking walmart full of drugs right next door. Preferably Nyquil....which Paris does not have. I should have brought medicine with me, but I did not even think of how sick I would get. I literally laid in bed all day and barely drank or ate anything. When my host mom got home I told her I was sick and after dinner she game be an ibprofen and some mint tea. It helped A LOT. But I still wanted medicine for my nose.

Today I woke up feeling MUCH better and I got dressed and ventured off to find a pharmacy. I walked too far, but I eventually found one and on my way home I passed one that was closer to my apartment...o well. I then felt like I needed some sprite or 7up because that's what my mom always gave me when I had a cold. Plus it made me burp :) But I didn't see any in the Pastry shop so I just went with the good ol Minute Maid orange juice! I also got a baguette to eat with my jam I got for lunch and maybe a small snack later on in the afternoon and with my medicine. I took another ibprofen and used my nose spray, but the bottle does not say how many squirts to do. So that was my Valentine's day and the day after. I have put off lots of my homework because of how ill I was and now because I'm somewhat healthier I think I have to get some work done.

Baby it's COLD outside

The past few days has been horribly cold in Paris. It's been snowing off and on and I just wish it would stop and start warming up! Because it has been cold, Michele and I decided to spend part of the day inside so we went to the Louvre! The Louvre is not just a one day trip. It's enormous and we only saw probably 1/4 of it. Plus because it was Saturday, it was pretty busy and the Mona Lisa was of course surrounded by hundreds of tourists! We managed to push our way through and get a decent shot of it and then after our struggle I was getting worn out from walking around. We saw one more exposition and then we left to go see the Sacre-Coeur. I live by the Sacre-Coeur so I had already seen it but Michele hadn't. As we walked up the road to see the Sacre-Coeur, I bought a few scarves and they are absolutely beautiful!! Anyways, after we walked through the Sacre-Coeur we met up with another friend and we went and found the Moulin Rouge and the Monoprix to get my hot chocolate mix. Surprisingly I couldn't find my swiss miss mix so I settled for Nesquick. I sure hope its good to make hot chocolate with! And I also bought some chocolate..mmmmm so good...and I got some berry jam for my baguette in the mornings :)

I know this is late but HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDPA M!!!!! Love and miss you and I hope you had a great birthday!! Can't wait to see you over the summer! I want to dedicate my high five picture to you!! :) (the one of me high fiving the kid) haha! When I was taking it I thought of you!

Paris....The Way I see It

Today I woke up to a white Paris. The past few days it has been snowing…ew. Please go away snow. Let the sun shine through and warm this city up!

First...most of the pictures above are from the Chateau de Versailles...and then the snow when I woke up this morning :)

I’ve been in Paris for almost 3 weeks now and Valentine’s day is coming up. Let me just say…love is in the air. In Paris, love is always in the air. This is the most romantic city ever. Love is on the metro, at school, in the streets, in the parks, it’s everywhere. Lovebirds are constantly holding hands and making out. I was on the metro the other day and it was kind of crammed and the couple was still going at it. I didn’t know if they felt more awkward with my face 6 inches away from their kissing or if I felt more awkward being that close to people I don’t even know having a tongue war.

I have certainly become more independent with the little time I have spent here. I love going into Patisserie’s and ordering in French. Although my French isn’t that great, I feel confident and it’s not really a challenge anymore. I was looking out our window today and watching people walk by and go on with their daily lives, and I thought to myself, I’m living in Paris. The first week seemed like vacation, but now this is a way of life. I could totally see myself living here, but I would miss my family and friends way too much. I was asked today if I miss Texas and I thought about it, and I actually don’t really miss it. Yes Paris has its positives and negatives, but this is a truly beautiful city and I enjoy the endless activities I can do here. There is always something to go see or somewhere to go and I don’t know if I will be able to see everything that I want to see while I’m here. Learning and exploring Paris is what I am in love with and before I leave I will know Paris like the back of my hand.

For me, the night life is not that important to me because it seems the same as it is in America except the beer is way more expensive and the music is mostly techno (ugh). I’ve been to a few clubs and I wasn’t that impressed. Maybe it’s because I’m not with my best friends from TEXAS J so it’s just not that exciting. Also, once we go out at night, I have to figure out how I’m going to get home. Taxis are expensive so we try to avoid taking those. The metro is closed so the only option left are the night buses. I’m usually not with my roommate so I end up staying the night with a friend, who is just my luck the farthest away from me. Getting home is the tricky/difficult part and I wish the metro was open all night so night life would be easier.

Living here has made me financially and emotionally different. Financially, because I watch what I spend because the exchange rate is $1 to 1.51Euros and I write EVERYTHING down of what I buy. Shoutout to Rhiannon ;) I want to make sure that I have enough money to travel and buy gifts so I’m buying only necessities. My eyes are doing the shopping by seeing as much as possible. I’m just taking everything in and learning from every little experience. Emotionally, in many ways…I realized how much the US is an amazing country and I miss AMERICANS. Parisians are great, but there are a lot out there who hate Americans and would much rather us leave their country. Plus there are many that will not leave you alone on the streets. Mainly the men are dogs and personally I just want to be left alone while I’m walking home from school in the evening. I’m sure there are men around the world like this, but they are very outspoken here.

I absolutely LOVE my host family. I have been teaching my little brother gangsta phrases… J And we have this thing where whenever I leave or he leaves we say “peace” and give each other the peace sign. I think he thinks he’s pretty cool now! Lol! He’s a super cool kid and I love him! We were watching Exposed on MTV the other day and I was making comments about all the guys on the show and when a blonde girl in a bikini came on he goes, “OOOOOOO.” And I said, “Yea, you like that?!” and he said, “It’s my turn now!” I almost died laughing. The language barrier is diminishing now and we are understanding each other a lot better. Although there are still some confusion and we don’t understand each other sometimes, we still find a way to get around the barrier.

I hoping for the snow to go away soon so I can get out more and not be freezing! This weekend I have plans to go to the Louvre and a few other places to site-see and maybe shop a little for some gifts!

Beautiful day in Paris

Today has been the MOST BEAUTIFUL day yet in Paris. The sun was shining all day and very little cloud cover. (The last two pictures are from today looking out our windows). After class I went home and ate lunch and read a little for my class. I then took a break and went out for a nice jog in the park and it was wonderful! I put my legs through a test and after climbing a big hill my whole body was in pain. The park I run through has waterfalls and a large pond in the middle. The scenery is nothing like the parks in the US and I will soon go take pictures of our park and post them. Hopefully sometime next week I will go do that.

Yesterday, I went to the Musee d'Orsay with the ISA group and even though the tour guide missed TONS of the most amazing art, I wandered off by myself and took a glimpse of the ones I wanted to see. The guide dragged on our museum experience and I probably would not want a tour guide next time I go to a museum here. My favorite was the Monet...his work is amazing and his are so unique I know exactly which paintings are his. The museum used to be an old train station and then it was transformed into a museum. It was absolutely beautiful inside and I will probably go back before I leave so I can look at the new exhibit that will be open soon. It was closed off when we were there but will open in March I believe.

This week of school was a good week. In french class we met and talked with French students who are learning to speak English. They were hilarious and so outgoing! I enjoyed the experience and hopefully I will become friends with more Parisians down the road. My 3 hour classes are long and tiring. On Wednesdays I have two 3 hour classes and I burn out somewhere between the 4th and 5th hour. The last hour of class for the day I usually zone out and I stare at my watch. Although I zone out in my favorite class my brain just shuts down and it's hard to focus and keep taking notes. The class is Economics of Global Climate Change and I absolutely LOVE it. This is certainly a topic that I am interested in and I enjoy studying and learning about this subject. I am also taking International Economics, Economics of the World Trade System, and Intermediate French.

For Texans: Today I was talking with a Parisian girl and I told her I was from Texas. She asked me if that was the state with "big trucks and full of mexicans." I thought that was hilarious and I was even shocked that she knew about this. She said she had a friend who lived in Texas for a year and he talked about this when he returned to France.

Tonight I'm going out with the girls and some other people from ISA and ABS to a boat party that my school is hosting. A boat will be docked on the Seine river and it is for French and International students. I'm really excited about going! The next morning we will be getting up early to go to Versailles so I don't think I will be getting much sleep. Hopefully it will not rain tomorrow so we can have a nice day in Versailles and walk through all the gardens without our umbrellas!

So far with the time that I have lived in Paris, I think that I have only experienced culture shock at the airport when I officially got here. Other than that, I've been completely open-minded and I don't expect anything. It's hard living in another country where English is not the primary language and I understand better when they speak slowly, but if they speak fast then I'm lost. A few times I have been followed by men, but nothing too serious and I ignore them and they will finally say bonsoir or au revoir. They can be annoying and I would love it if they all just minded their own business and stayed away. The only day so far that I have wanted to go home is last Tuesday, February 2...when my dog died (Lucy). She would have turned 16 on February 17. It's going to be weird coming home and not seeing her there. Other than that day, I love Paris. I love walking and taking the metro. I'm really going to miss the metro. I wish that I could take the metro to UT Arlington back in Texas. I think I should propose some kind of metro-like transportation for the DFW area. On the metro, there are poor people, average, and rich. It's a mix of everyone and learning how to use the metro is easy...it just takes about a week to get used to.

My host mom is an amazing cook and I never want to eat dinner out because I would miss eating what she has made. She has made everything from quiche to curry chicken with rice to mashed potatoes and carrots to pasta with cream to green beans with potatoes and carrots. A baguette is always at the dinner table and dessert is usually some kind of chocolate or cheese.

5 more weeks until Spring Break and I'm thinking of going to Greece so hopefully I can find a travel buddy!