So I'm back in Chicagi safe and sound, actually had a fantastic flight home all 8 hours went well, I slept for 6 of them which helped a lot and no usual ear problems.
I went through customs no problem found my parents no problem and then found out my dog died so it's been a little bit sour at home for the past two days...I miss him. Also I'm jetlagged a bit crabby and tired and in culture shock a little but it will all get better. I'm home, officially have been in 5 countries in my life and accomplished a huge amount of dreams so life is good. Pau, amazing, Paris, amazing.
Now on to more adventures in the United States...but ones I will not blog about. Thanks for keeping up with my blog though, hope you enjoyed being on my adventures with me!!! Have a great day!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Bon voyage à moi!
Thursday: Had super long and boring classes but I got my written class test back and I got a bien which means good yay meeee!
During my two hour break my roommate and I decided to finally eat like the French and splurge on a meal deal for 15 bucks, my 1st fancy one in Paris even though Parisiens define fancy as like…100 bucks a plate. Either way, we went to this mussels place my friend from my class recommended and I had mussels in wine sauce, French fries, a pineapple juice and a coffee all for 15 bucks, a good deal and the mussels were yummy, though I still prefer the Catch 35 mussels I ate the 1st time I ate mussels. I did love them though and we had fun. Got to my 2nd class a bit late b/c of it but oh well my teacher doesn’t care.
Had my written class, learned some latin words?? Then I went to the Eiffel to some last minute SHOPPING and to say hi to my favorite monument in Paris, got emotional. Went home, changed clothes and got ready and went to the ISA Farewell dinner…okay salad not so good meat, good rice and a swell dessert with live music and sentimentality everywhere.
After dinner, a bunch of us went back to the dorms where the dorm kids live and drank some wine then we all hopped a metro to this boat…no idea what it was called but it was free for foreigners before 12 30 for women so we got in FREE!! I bought myself two shots no big deal and then we all danced the night away…literally…we left the club at 5 30am, got home about 6 30am but on our way to the 1st metro we saw the Eiffel right before sunrise sooo beautiful. Had a BLAST.
Yet…I only got 2 hours of sleep before I had to get up, haul ass in the shower and get to class. Class was pointless relative pronoun stuff I already knew and one girl got to leave early b/c she was hungover but I didn’t get to when I was- UNFAIR. Anyway, my teacher kissed me. HAHA. Its true, I got a picture of our class, then one w/ him alone and he shouted GROS BISOUS and gave me a smack sound kiss on the cheek, there’s a photo. I loved him so, he was so animated and awesome.
Got a fruits rouge tarts, a jambon fromage and beurre sandwich and a pistachio and chocolate bread and a pistachio macaroon and an orangina for lunch. Best lunch EVER. I shopped all the boulangeries and then I went back to my house to eat whereafter I commenced packing. Packed for about 2 hours and was supposed to meet up w/ friends at Les Halles but couldn’t find them so I just shopped by myself, it was fun! I did wind up meeting up w/ one friend though later at Le Louvre after a quick ice cream fruit mix thing and we did all the French paintings and Venus de Milo again, so fun but she was with me at the club so we were and still are dead tired.
Got some energy, went to the Eiffel, bought half of a baguette for 45 centimes and took pictures w/ it and the Eiffel, so classique. Stayed at the Eiffel for probably an hour or so, then cried, said goodbye to my friend and cried more on the metro and then walked home pensively and being sad. I get home and pack more then my host mom announced that we are all drinking tonight aperitifs…where was this on my bday? I had one shot to be polite then water and then I politely excused myself to pack more. I really did want to get wasted with them though but here’s the other thing besides even the fact that I have a plane to catch EARLY tomorrow: I am running on 2 hours of sleep and am waking up at 5 30 so I will only get 3 tonight. Hope I get to sleep on the plane b/c I definitely need to catch up in general much less deal with jetlag.
Going to NOT miss:
Smokers
Homeless aggressive people and sad, desperately sad ones holding dogs or babies
People w/ body odor
Aggressive men
Going to MISS:
Everything, everything, everything. People, places, things, food like WOWZA and the music of Paris life.
Well anyway, I’m almost all packed, I will finish in the morning…hopefully write a conclusion blog tomorrow or whenever but all in all, bon voyage à moi!!
During my two hour break my roommate and I decided to finally eat like the French and splurge on a meal deal for 15 bucks, my 1st fancy one in Paris even though Parisiens define fancy as like…100 bucks a plate. Either way, we went to this mussels place my friend from my class recommended and I had mussels in wine sauce, French fries, a pineapple juice and a coffee all for 15 bucks, a good deal and the mussels were yummy, though I still prefer the Catch 35 mussels I ate the 1st time I ate mussels. I did love them though and we had fun. Got to my 2nd class a bit late b/c of it but oh well my teacher doesn’t care.
Had my written class, learned some latin words?? Then I went to the Eiffel to some last minute SHOPPING and to say hi to my favorite monument in Paris, got emotional. Went home, changed clothes and got ready and went to the ISA Farewell dinner…okay salad not so good meat, good rice and a swell dessert with live music and sentimentality everywhere.
After dinner, a bunch of us went back to the dorms where the dorm kids live and drank some wine then we all hopped a metro to this boat…no idea what it was called but it was free for foreigners before 12 30 for women so we got in FREE!! I bought myself two shots no big deal and then we all danced the night away…literally…we left the club at 5 30am, got home about 6 30am but on our way to the 1st metro we saw the Eiffel right before sunrise sooo beautiful. Had a BLAST.
Yet…I only got 2 hours of sleep before I had to get up, haul ass in the shower and get to class. Class was pointless relative pronoun stuff I already knew and one girl got to leave early b/c she was hungover but I didn’t get to when I was- UNFAIR. Anyway, my teacher kissed me. HAHA. Its true, I got a picture of our class, then one w/ him alone and he shouted GROS BISOUS and gave me a smack sound kiss on the cheek, there’s a photo. I loved him so, he was so animated and awesome.
Got a fruits rouge tarts, a jambon fromage and beurre sandwich and a pistachio and chocolate bread and a pistachio macaroon and an orangina for lunch. Best lunch EVER. I shopped all the boulangeries and then I went back to my house to eat whereafter I commenced packing. Packed for about 2 hours and was supposed to meet up w/ friends at Les Halles but couldn’t find them so I just shopped by myself, it was fun! I did wind up meeting up w/ one friend though later at Le Louvre after a quick ice cream fruit mix thing and we did all the French paintings and Venus de Milo again, so fun but she was with me at the club so we were and still are dead tired.
Got some energy, went to the Eiffel, bought half of a baguette for 45 centimes and took pictures w/ it and the Eiffel, so classique. Stayed at the Eiffel for probably an hour or so, then cried, said goodbye to my friend and cried more on the metro and then walked home pensively and being sad. I get home and pack more then my host mom announced that we are all drinking tonight aperitifs…where was this on my bday? I had one shot to be polite then water and then I politely excused myself to pack more. I really did want to get wasted with them though but here’s the other thing besides even the fact that I have a plane to catch EARLY tomorrow: I am running on 2 hours of sleep and am waking up at 5 30 so I will only get 3 tonight. Hope I get to sleep on the plane b/c I definitely need to catch up in general much less deal with jetlag.
Going to NOT miss:
Smokers
Homeless aggressive people and sad, desperately sad ones holding dogs or babies
People w/ body odor
Aggressive men
Going to MISS:
Everything, everything, everything. People, places, things, food like WOWZA and the music of Paris life.
Well anyway, I’m almost all packed, I will finish in the morning…hopefully write a conclusion blog tomorrow or whenever but all in all, bon voyage à moi!!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
My grand love affair…
I’m in love, it’s been 10 weeks so it’s a little fast but je suis amoureuse avec Paris. But at the same time, I daydreamed today about seeing my parents and how delightfully excited my mom will squeal when she sees me, my dad will just smile and open his arms and my brother will give me a friendly hug too and it will be sooo nice. I really am excited to come home, but I’m officially in love with Paris.
Class was stupid and I was hungover like woah, I really should have skipped but am too good of a student go figure. Ate lunch in Jardin de Luxembourg for the last time, had some thoughtful moments there, stopped at McDonalds for a à emporter cappuccino then Carley, a friend of mine, and I shopped the TOWN!! I spent a decent amount on myself for the first time which felt a little spoiling but I am so pleased and I love everything I bought. I now own a red and pink beret and two black ones, one is knit. I am in LOVE.
We souvenir shopped till about 5pm then Carley felt pooped so we went to her dorm and I napped while she facebooked and then we met up with another friend and went to CHINA TOWN in Paris, what a riot. We ironically ate Vietnamese but I had chicken and noodles and sauce and veggies and an orange presse, oh yes I loveeee orange juice here don’tcha know?
After dinner, stopped home and picked up my roommate Debbie, went to la Tour Eiffel for a few pictures b/c I essentially have none to take anymore errg but we had a blast and had some pistachio ice cream.
Here’s something I will need to realize: not every man I pass will go “wow,wow, wowww” at me googling at me and not every store vendor will ask me for my number and say How can you speak French if you’re from Chicago to which I respond I’m studying it and he says You are so beautiful bahaha. Men here amuse me as much as creep me out but I’m BEING SAFE it’s just funny/awesome/creepy how often I get hit on and googley-eyed.
Packing and organizing a little bit tonight getting ready for my BIGG packing EXTRAVAGANZAHH which will be Friday afternoon. I feel good, I’m throwing a lot of unnecessary things away.
I miss home, I love Paris, I had a blast today, minus the hangover haha.
Class was stupid and I was hungover like woah, I really should have skipped but am too good of a student go figure. Ate lunch in Jardin de Luxembourg for the last time, had some thoughtful moments there, stopped at McDonalds for a à emporter cappuccino then Carley, a friend of mine, and I shopped the TOWN!! I spent a decent amount on myself for the first time which felt a little spoiling but I am so pleased and I love everything I bought. I now own a red and pink beret and two black ones, one is knit. I am in LOVE.
We souvenir shopped till about 5pm then Carley felt pooped so we went to her dorm and I napped while she facebooked and then we met up with another friend and went to CHINA TOWN in Paris, what a riot. We ironically ate Vietnamese but I had chicken and noodles and sauce and veggies and an orange presse, oh yes I loveeee orange juice here don’tcha know?
After dinner, stopped home and picked up my roommate Debbie, went to la Tour Eiffel for a few pictures b/c I essentially have none to take anymore errg but we had a blast and had some pistachio ice cream.
Here’s something I will need to realize: not every man I pass will go “wow,wow, wowww” at me googling at me and not every store vendor will ask me for my number and say How can you speak French if you’re from Chicago to which I respond I’m studying it and he says You are so beautiful bahaha. Men here amuse me as much as creep me out but I’m BEING SAFE it’s just funny/awesome/creepy how often I get hit on and googley-eyed.
Packing and organizing a little bit tonight getting ready for my BIGG packing EXTRAVAGANZAHH which will be Friday afternoon. I feel good, I’m throwing a lot of unnecessary things away.
I miss home, I love Paris, I had a blast today, minus the hangover haha.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Wine at eiffel tonight, beginnning of the end
A little drunk as I write this:
Had a scanvenger hint for class today saw the oldest confiserie or candy shop in pars and bought mints, ate at angelinas hot chocolate and a croissant instead of getting more lost and had a good day lol.
Wound up in les halles, famous for shopping, FINALLY found a leather jacket for only 40 euro that fitttt me and a beret that makes me smile, saw st eustache where moliere was baptized HOW COOL, went to my oral for the theatre class and acted like a thief and then came home. Ran to butte des cambones or something like that, famous garden with Debbie my roommate and came home to eat then went to Eiffel to have fun, buy Eiffel towers and drink a bottle of wine each,im having a good time tonight ;) ; love paris don’t want to leave….
Had a scanvenger hint for class today saw the oldest confiserie or candy shop in pars and bought mints, ate at angelinas hot chocolate and a croissant instead of getting more lost and had a good day lol.
Wound up in les halles, famous for shopping, FINALLY found a leather jacket for only 40 euro that fitttt me and a beret that makes me smile, saw st eustache where moliere was baptized HOW COOL, went to my oral for the theatre class and acted like a thief and then came home. Ran to butte des cambones or something like that, famous garden with Debbie my roommate and came home to eat then went to Eiffel to have fun, buy Eiffel towers and drink a bottle of wine each,im having a good time tonight ;) ; love paris don’t want to leave….
Monday, July 26, 2010
T-minus 5 days now...
Morning class! We received our tests and discussed a film we watched which was essentially a woman talking with her husband about what to make for dinner, her buying lobster and struggling to muster up the courage to knife them dead and then ultimately murdering the lobsters one in a blender and one by electrocution in a bathtub with a hairdryer. Good film, really funny ;)
Anyway, I got a Presque tres bien on my final! French grading is WEIRD it goes mauvais, assez bon bon, bien, tres bien, and I was just in b/w bien and tres bien so its like an A- or B I guess I am not sure how the grades will transfer but im happy. Tomorrow in class we’re doing a scavenger hunt!
After class, we were worried it would rain but we talked it out over quiche and water bottles and decided to still go to la bois de bologne, a famous HUGEEE park in France bigger than Central Park in NYC! We trekked out there, it took us a good 20 minutes through the foresty part to get to a lac or lake but we found one and I chose us a good hill and we laid under a tree and I fell asleep for about 30 minutes maybe just relaxing with the wind it was perfect weather. Woke up, two of my friends decided to leave to go elsewhere other things yada so they left and then me and my two friends Jenna and Carley hung about a bit more. We posed for pictures then when I told my friend Carley to pose by a bench we discovered it was a sex bench. Bois de Bologne is famous for being a hooker heaven at night and we found a zillion condoms and red lipstick it was sooo funny. Then as we started walking toward the metro, THERE WAS A GUY IN THE WOODS we just passed by him across the street and he was MASTERBATING. Hilarious, creepy, only in Paris. We then passed two HOOKERS just chatting up a storm on a bench and then we found a metro. Hilarious, hilarious, hilarious.
We then went to la Mosque de Paris, where I have been before, to let them try and cakes and tea and I had three cakes again and then I spilled my tea like a BUFFOOON so Carley let me have most of hers cuz she doesn’t love tea. After tea time, jenna and I went INSIDE the mosque for only 2 euros cuz we are students, beautttifulll pictures, carley went home to rest.
After that, I went home to change b/c at le bois I got maybe a little poop on my jeans (figures), though it could’ve been mud. Changed, tried French Nesquick b/c my German roommate wanted me to have some, then I headed out to Montparnesse where I met up w/ Jenna and Carley again.
We went up Tour Montparnesse, I had a croque monsieur and chips and a fanta and half of Jenna’s beer and we just talked about life, love, boys, school, everything. It was sooo relaxing and Tour Montparnesse is like a trendy Sears (I mean Willis) Tower with more of a café atmosphere but just as much of a view. We waited till dark, took another look around then separated and now I’m home happy and sad and loving Paris and missing Paris and missing home and loving Paris and missing my family and friends and everyone and I love the moments I shared w/ these two superbly awesome girls tonight I don’t know. Emotions, blah.
ce n'est pas que je ne veuille pas retourner aux amis ou à ma famille, c'est parce que je suis amoureuse avec gai Parieee et mes amis-ici. Je déteste aussi les au revoirs et la France gardera une grande partie de mon coeur quand j'y quitte. Zut alors, l'amour est fort et je suis faible et mon coeur sera divisé par les mers dans cinq jours...
Anyway, I got a Presque tres bien on my final! French grading is WEIRD it goes mauvais, assez bon bon, bien, tres bien, and I was just in b/w bien and tres bien so its like an A- or B I guess I am not sure how the grades will transfer but im happy. Tomorrow in class we’re doing a scavenger hunt!
After class, we were worried it would rain but we talked it out over quiche and water bottles and decided to still go to la bois de bologne, a famous HUGEEE park in France bigger than Central Park in NYC! We trekked out there, it took us a good 20 minutes through the foresty part to get to a lac or lake but we found one and I chose us a good hill and we laid under a tree and I fell asleep for about 30 minutes maybe just relaxing with the wind it was perfect weather. Woke up, two of my friends decided to leave to go elsewhere other things yada so they left and then me and my two friends Jenna and Carley hung about a bit more. We posed for pictures then when I told my friend Carley to pose by a bench we discovered it was a sex bench. Bois de Bologne is famous for being a hooker heaven at night and we found a zillion condoms and red lipstick it was sooo funny. Then as we started walking toward the metro, THERE WAS A GUY IN THE WOODS we just passed by him across the street and he was MASTERBATING. Hilarious, creepy, only in Paris. We then passed two HOOKERS just chatting up a storm on a bench and then we found a metro. Hilarious, hilarious, hilarious.
We then went to la Mosque de Paris, where I have been before, to let them try and cakes and tea and I had three cakes again and then I spilled my tea like a BUFFOOON so Carley let me have most of hers cuz she doesn’t love tea. After tea time, jenna and I went INSIDE the mosque for only 2 euros cuz we are students, beautttifulll pictures, carley went home to rest.
After that, I went home to change b/c at le bois I got maybe a little poop on my jeans (figures), though it could’ve been mud. Changed, tried French Nesquick b/c my German roommate wanted me to have some, then I headed out to Montparnesse where I met up w/ Jenna and Carley again.
We went up Tour Montparnesse, I had a croque monsieur and chips and a fanta and half of Jenna’s beer and we just talked about life, love, boys, school, everything. It was sooo relaxing and Tour Montparnesse is like a trendy Sears (I mean Willis) Tower with more of a café atmosphere but just as much of a view. We waited till dark, took another look around then separated and now I’m home happy and sad and loving Paris and missing Paris and missing home and loving Paris and missing my family and friends and everyone and I love the moments I shared w/ these two superbly awesome girls tonight I don’t know. Emotions, blah.
ce n'est pas que je ne veuille pas retourner aux amis ou à ma famille, c'est parce que je suis amoureuse avec gai Parieee et mes amis-ici. Je déteste aussi les au revoirs et la France gardera une grande partie de mon coeur quand j'y quitte. Zut alors, l'amour est fort et je suis faible et mon coeur sera divisé par les mers dans cinq jours...
Sunday, July 25, 2010
~Bliss~
What a fabbbulous last weekend in France, I truly had fun!! Versailles Saturday morning was a thrill, saw everything including Le Petit Trianon, Marie Antoinette’s separate playhouse/garden/separate city really it was hugeeee. I loved every minute of it. Had pesto pasta there and ice cream too and simply was delighted though exhausted by the trip.
Went to Gare de L’Est, bought Cassandra, my friend from Pau who is studying in Strasbourg, a mini snowglobe of Paris and a card as a thank-you for keeping me at your apartment and hosting me gift then jetted off to Strasbourg on a TGV!! Arrived about 9, went right away with Cassandra to dinner right on the river with her two friends there and had Flammenkuch? I think that is how you spell it. Its cream, onions and ham on a pizza crust like WOWZA YUM, had about 3 glasses of wine too a delicious Riesling and since I drink Riesling in Chicago so often it tasted like home. Across from us on the other side of the river a chorus was singing Joyful Joyful, it was so fun! They had to be like..junior high/high school aged chorus. After dinner we went to la cathedrale de Strasbourg and watched a BEAUTTTIFULLL light show, I have a video of it soo stunning. We even laid down on the street below to watch it.
Walked to a salsa club on the river, met a guy from NORWAY and told him I loveee the Norway ride at Epcot haha, he was so funny and I loved his accent so! He told me to come visit him in Norway so I’m skipping Chicago and jetting off to Norway next week, JUST KIDDING MOM AND DAD!!
Danced some, had mojitos, walked to a club and danced and was going to go back to Cassandra’s apartment and drop of my bag and go out again but we were so tired, it was 3amish and I wanted an early start Sunday so we just passed out.
Early start? BAHAH, we woke up at 10 30, it was fine though. Had a mini hangover and so did Cassandra but we drank coffee, she had REALLL coffee not espresso and she had petit madeleines which I ADORE and it was a delightful breakfast. Took an adventurous shower in her interesting only hot hot water shower and then we left to buy tickets for a boat tour! Bought tickets for only 4 euro cuz I’m a student and then I had gelato shaped like a flower…HOW COOL IS THAT? Hazenut, tirimasu and nutella flavors together like a flower. I have a picture it was so neat! Walked through la cathedrale de Strasbourg soo beautiful. Then got a biscuit from a little cute biscuit shop for free!
Hopped on the boat tour and saw Strasbourg and had headphones with a guy talking history! Saw Parliament building, beautiful buildings mixed German and French origin b/c of Strasbourg’s back and forth history with being Germanys and Frances city. I loved the tour, so relaxing, Strasbourg is freaking stunning.
After the tour, we went to Vieux Strasbourg, a restaurant and had chocroute!! MOMMA I HAD SAUERKRAUT AND LOVED IT!! It was sauerkraut, two ham things and a sausage and some potatoes and it was traditional Strasbourg history so I had to have some and it was a delight! Had a cappuccino b/c I was wornnn out and then we walked about and shopped a bit. Cassandra bought this baby onesie for her sister that said ca commence avec un baiser mais ca finit avec un bebe!! SO HILARIOUS I loved it.
Walked around and then at 5 15 went back to Cathedrale de Strasbourg and listened to an organ concert! It was sooo neat and it truly filled the cathedrale up with beautiful sounds.
Walked to train station, got a picture with a bachelor who was on his bachelor party and was wearing a chef costume and then we headed to la gare and at la gare I had a bretzel and an orangina, we said goodbye and that was that. Its sad to leave Cassandra, shes from TX so I don’t know how easy it will be for me to see her sooner rather than later :( Either way, it was a crazy fun relaxing weekend that I loved and it was good to have an old friend to make me feel better about everything and then some. Shes so incredible really.
Anyway, its 1 39 cuz Im a procrastinator and Im off to bed Now! MY LAST WEEK IN PARIS STARTS TOMORROW AHHH!!!
Went to Gare de L’Est, bought Cassandra, my friend from Pau who is studying in Strasbourg, a mini snowglobe of Paris and a card as a thank-you for keeping me at your apartment and hosting me gift then jetted off to Strasbourg on a TGV!! Arrived about 9, went right away with Cassandra to dinner right on the river with her two friends there and had Flammenkuch? I think that is how you spell it. Its cream, onions and ham on a pizza crust like WOWZA YUM, had about 3 glasses of wine too a delicious Riesling and since I drink Riesling in Chicago so often it tasted like home. Across from us on the other side of the river a chorus was singing Joyful Joyful, it was so fun! They had to be like..junior high/high school aged chorus. After dinner we went to la cathedrale de Strasbourg and watched a BEAUTTTIFULLL light show, I have a video of it soo stunning. We even laid down on the street below to watch it.
Walked to a salsa club on the river, met a guy from NORWAY and told him I loveee the Norway ride at Epcot haha, he was so funny and I loved his accent so! He told me to come visit him in Norway so I’m skipping Chicago and jetting off to Norway next week, JUST KIDDING MOM AND DAD!!
Danced some, had mojitos, walked to a club and danced and was going to go back to Cassandra’s apartment and drop of my bag and go out again but we were so tired, it was 3amish and I wanted an early start Sunday so we just passed out.
Early start? BAHAH, we woke up at 10 30, it was fine though. Had a mini hangover and so did Cassandra but we drank coffee, she had REALLL coffee not espresso and she had petit madeleines which I ADORE and it was a delightful breakfast. Took an adventurous shower in her interesting only hot hot water shower and then we left to buy tickets for a boat tour! Bought tickets for only 4 euro cuz I’m a student and then I had gelato shaped like a flower…HOW COOL IS THAT? Hazenut, tirimasu and nutella flavors together like a flower. I have a picture it was so neat! Walked through la cathedrale de Strasbourg soo beautiful. Then got a biscuit from a little cute biscuit shop for free!
Hopped on the boat tour and saw Strasbourg and had headphones with a guy talking history! Saw Parliament building, beautiful buildings mixed German and French origin b/c of Strasbourg’s back and forth history with being Germanys and Frances city. I loved the tour, so relaxing, Strasbourg is freaking stunning.
After the tour, we went to Vieux Strasbourg, a restaurant and had chocroute!! MOMMA I HAD SAUERKRAUT AND LOVED IT!! It was sauerkraut, two ham things and a sausage and some potatoes and it was traditional Strasbourg history so I had to have some and it was a delight! Had a cappuccino b/c I was wornnn out and then we walked about and shopped a bit. Cassandra bought this baby onesie for her sister that said ca commence avec un baiser mais ca finit avec un bebe!! SO HILARIOUS I loved it.
Walked around and then at 5 15 went back to Cathedrale de Strasbourg and listened to an organ concert! It was sooo neat and it truly filled the cathedrale up with beautiful sounds.
Walked to train station, got a picture with a bachelor who was on his bachelor party and was wearing a chef costume and then we headed to la gare and at la gare I had a bretzel and an orangina, we said goodbye and that was that. Its sad to leave Cassandra, shes from TX so I don’t know how easy it will be for me to see her sooner rather than later :( Either way, it was a crazy fun relaxing weekend that I loved and it was good to have an old friend to make me feel better about everything and then some. Shes so incredible really.
Anyway, its 1 39 cuz Im a procrastinator and Im off to bed Now! MY LAST WEEK IN PARIS STARTS TOMORROW AHHH!!!
Friday, July 23, 2010
Paris, Je t'aime
TEST DAYYYY!!! 3 hours of grammar exercises, oral comprehension, written comprehension and essay quelle horreur!! Oh well, we’ll see the result when the result is in. I did my best and that’s all that counts!!
After class, we all were going to go to this fashion show at Galeries Lafayette but we didn’t get an email back from them confirming our reservation free seats, so we voted to not go, instead we went to THE PANTHEON!! It was so beautiful and they had pistachio gelato near the beautiful building, YAY!
Before there, I stopped by a Boulangerie for a pizza and a macaroon, SO YUMMY
Anyways, at the Pantheon we saw the crypt and payed homage to Victor Hugo’s tomb and Zola and Rousseau and then just saw the beautiful architecture and it was swell. Then we caught a metro to Champs Elysees for gazing at the street, wandering the rue and just being Parisien. We stopped in a café to rest our feet, I bought a fruit pressee or a special orange juice haha and it was grand and we people-watched. Then we grabbed some to-go food at a Monoprix, aka a supermarket, and then caught a metro to Jardin des Tuileries and munched on our food which for me included brebis and chicken Caesar wrap thingys, a beignet of hazelnut chocolate filling and some of Jenna’s pistachios.
After Tuileries and good conversation, we walked to la Louvre, which is free for students on Friday nights and it started to sprinkle a little rain so it was perfect. We walked around the Egyptian area, saw a Kingston? I don’t remember his name but he made collages of paper and used charcoal and it made a sphinx with a moving tale, sooo neat. Saw beautiful art, including la bainoire I think it’s called? The one with the two naked ladies in a bath? Its super famous and we saw it, and the art portrait of Richelieu and the rape in the sabines, etc. I love it. And I got my picture taken with La Jaconde today, MONA LISA I adore her.
After 3ish hours in the Louvre, we sat outside until 10pm to see the pyramid glow and took some more pictures. Had a blast, walked back to Les Tuilerieis, got a crepe with banana and nutella and walked around the carnival that is there for a short bit. Took a metro and came home for packing for STRASBOURG THIS WEEKEND!! I go to Versailles with my ISA group tomorrow and leave early for Gare de L’Est and take a 7pm train to Strasbourg where my friend Cassandra will meet me and show me a great time, SO EXCITED! I need to pack. What an INCREDIBLE day.
Countdown at number 8 today...so weird, starting to get melancholy missing Paris
After class, we all were going to go to this fashion show at Galeries Lafayette but we didn’t get an email back from them confirming our reservation free seats, so we voted to not go, instead we went to THE PANTHEON!! It was so beautiful and they had pistachio gelato near the beautiful building, YAY!
Before there, I stopped by a Boulangerie for a pizza and a macaroon, SO YUMMY
Anyways, at the Pantheon we saw the crypt and payed homage to Victor Hugo’s tomb and Zola and Rousseau and then just saw the beautiful architecture and it was swell. Then we caught a metro to Champs Elysees for gazing at the street, wandering the rue and just being Parisien. We stopped in a café to rest our feet, I bought a fruit pressee or a special orange juice haha and it was grand and we people-watched. Then we grabbed some to-go food at a Monoprix, aka a supermarket, and then caught a metro to Jardin des Tuileries and munched on our food which for me included brebis and chicken Caesar wrap thingys, a beignet of hazelnut chocolate filling and some of Jenna’s pistachios.
After Tuileries and good conversation, we walked to la Louvre, which is free for students on Friday nights and it started to sprinkle a little rain so it was perfect. We walked around the Egyptian area, saw a Kingston? I don’t remember his name but he made collages of paper and used charcoal and it made a sphinx with a moving tale, sooo neat. Saw beautiful art, including la bainoire I think it’s called? The one with the two naked ladies in a bath? Its super famous and we saw it, and the art portrait of Richelieu and the rape in the sabines, etc. I love it. And I got my picture taken with La Jaconde today, MONA LISA I adore her.
After 3ish hours in the Louvre, we sat outside until 10pm to see the pyramid glow and took some more pictures. Had a blast, walked back to Les Tuilerieis, got a crepe with banana and nutella and walked around the carnival that is there for a short bit. Took a metro and came home for packing for STRASBOURG THIS WEEKEND!! I go to Versailles with my ISA group tomorrow and leave early for Gare de L’Est and take a 7pm train to Strasbourg where my friend Cassandra will meet me and show me a great time, SO EXCITED! I need to pack. What an INCREDIBLE day.
Countdown at number 8 today...so weird, starting to get melancholy missing Paris
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Additionally...
Should add that during my 2 hour break for lunch, I fell asleep IN THE COMPUTER LAB, I told my friend Liz to wake me for my class so she did and but I slept in a computer lab. Awesome.
Also, met a lady and her daughter who were from COLOMBUS OHIO tonight at the top of the eiffel tower, they were so nice. The girl was like...11? And she is there on vacation and then going to a humanist summer camp in London where they wade in creeks, thats all I know. But they were nice!
Also, ate my 1st macaroon today, framboise aka rasberry aka Janet's idea of heaven. I had no idea they would be THAT amazing. Cool, France, you have the best pastries ever and I am leaving you in T minus 8 days...
Also, met a lady and her daughter who were from COLOMBUS OHIO tonight at the top of the eiffel tower, they were so nice. The girl was like...11? And she is there on vacation and then going to a humanist summer camp in London where they wade in creeks, thats all I know. But they were nice!
Also, ate my 1st macaroon today, framboise aka rasberry aka Janet's idea of heaven. I had no idea they would be THAT amazing. Cool, France, you have the best pastries ever and I am leaving you in T minus 8 days...
Sweetly in love
6 hours of class including a 20 minute longgg essay I was exhausted. Tried a chocolate eclair for the 1st time though during lunch, I think I blacked out with glee for at least 2 minutes. It was perfect.
Hit an H & M with a friend to look at sales with no success, I'm getting frustrated with clothes shopping bleh, I dont even need them I just like buying clothes for under 5 euro that will last me forever but those dont exist.
Went home, hung out, grabbed a quiche at la boulangerie across the street and went to la Tour Eiffel to see Jessica one last time before she leaves Saturday. She waited with me in line and I thought she mighttttt go up with me but her and her friend decided not to, so I went up it alone, my roommates that had previously said they would go changed plans but oh well it was amazingly sweet and i was up there at NIGHT seeing Paris in lights and cutting people in line like a true Frenchie and having my breath taken several times and happy, happy.
Home now, study maybe for 1/2 hour, HUGE 3 HOUR EXAM TOMORROW, after tomorrow I will be sooo less stressed about life.
Meanwhile, I am so sweetly and innocently and devotedly in love with La Tour Eiffel. <3
Hit an H & M with a friend to look at sales with no success, I'm getting frustrated with clothes shopping bleh, I dont even need them I just like buying clothes for under 5 euro that will last me forever but those dont exist.
Went home, hung out, grabbed a quiche at la boulangerie across the street and went to la Tour Eiffel to see Jessica one last time before she leaves Saturday. She waited with me in line and I thought she mighttttt go up with me but her and her friend decided not to, so I went up it alone, my roommates that had previously said they would go changed plans but oh well it was amazingly sweet and i was up there at NIGHT seeing Paris in lights and cutting people in line like a true Frenchie and having my breath taken several times and happy, happy.
Home now, study maybe for 1/2 hour, HUGE 3 HOUR EXAM TOMORROW, after tomorrow I will be sooo less stressed about life.
Meanwhile, I am so sweetly and innocently and devotedly in love with La Tour Eiffel. <3
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Half-brained duck puckers and swaying of the hips!
Woke up, had breakfast I dooo love the jam here its one thing I already miss and my dear sweet baguettes, I STARTED MY COUNTDOWN TODAY at 10!! Holy weirdness.
Class full of grammar and I’m soo apprehensive about Friday’s test OIY VAY but we’ll see. After class, grabbed my friend and we walked to the metro. Went to her apartment where she live w/ her parents who live in Paris and she changed her shoes and I got a sandwich and a viennoise I think it’s called? It’s like brioche and chocolate and it looks like a baguette. I am starting to eat better b/c I am missing the food here already too, even though I cannot wait for my mom’s cooking again!
Hopped the metro, went to THE LOUVRE the one and the only…until 2013 when one gets built in Morocco but…THE ONE AND ONLY IN PARIS!! It was amazing, and we hit all the big things, The Winged Victory, The Mona Lisa, The Venus de Milo, les Esclaves, Napoleon the third’s throne and apartment, the painting of Napoleon the emperor’s coronation, some other Da Vinci works and Fragonard and Delacroix, the gardens where Catherine Medici roamed, heard fabulous history b/c my friend studied art history and it was all beautiful beautiful beautiful. I was thrilled. We did about 3 hours there and we hit ¾ parts of the Louvre and went to almost every room possible. The fourth part is mostly Egyptian and middle ages stuff so I was fine to miss it. We left, had a quick sandwich in La Jardin de Tuileries overlooking the Louvre and an ice cream and then I rushed home on the metro, changed in less than 5 minutes, hopped on the metro and went to la Theatre de la Main D’Or, our packet thing said we had to be at the theatre at 6 45 and I got there at 7, but ISA sent out an email saying we didn’t neeed to be there till 7 30 but I didn’t check my email that day so there was confusion but oh well.
Then, half hour later, I watched How to become Parisien in one hour, a one-man show, the only one man show in Paris and it was in English with all of ISA and HILARIOUS, he made fun of all backgrounds especially American vs. Parisien and he of course asked for volunteers and I of course did so I got up and learned how to dance in a nightclub like a Parisien in front of about 200 people, awesome. You pucker your lips like a half-brained duck, sway your hips seductively and then smile at a man a little to say come near haha, sooo funny. It was a blast.
After that, another friend and I went to a small café, had croque monsieurs and salads that were amazing and each a glass of wine, it was the perfect night. And, like true Parisiens, we talked about everything everything everything. It was so fun, except for now I have an itchy throat sorta b/c we sat next to chain smokers of course we are in Paris.
Took a metro home and am off to do hmwk now! Had a great day!
Class full of grammar and I’m soo apprehensive about Friday’s test OIY VAY but we’ll see. After class, grabbed my friend and we walked to the metro. Went to her apartment where she live w/ her parents who live in Paris and she changed her shoes and I got a sandwich and a viennoise I think it’s called? It’s like brioche and chocolate and it looks like a baguette. I am starting to eat better b/c I am missing the food here already too, even though I cannot wait for my mom’s cooking again!
Hopped the metro, went to THE LOUVRE the one and the only…until 2013 when one gets built in Morocco but…THE ONE AND ONLY IN PARIS!! It was amazing, and we hit all the big things, The Winged Victory, The Mona Lisa, The Venus de Milo, les Esclaves, Napoleon the third’s throne and apartment, the painting of Napoleon the emperor’s coronation, some other Da Vinci works and Fragonard and Delacroix, the gardens where Catherine Medici roamed, heard fabulous history b/c my friend studied art history and it was all beautiful beautiful beautiful. I was thrilled. We did about 3 hours there and we hit ¾ parts of the Louvre and went to almost every room possible. The fourth part is mostly Egyptian and middle ages stuff so I was fine to miss it. We left, had a quick sandwich in La Jardin de Tuileries overlooking the Louvre and an ice cream and then I rushed home on the metro, changed in less than 5 minutes, hopped on the metro and went to la Theatre de la Main D’Or, our packet thing said we had to be at the theatre at 6 45 and I got there at 7, but ISA sent out an email saying we didn’t neeed to be there till 7 30 but I didn’t check my email that day so there was confusion but oh well.
Then, half hour later, I watched How to become Parisien in one hour, a one-man show, the only one man show in Paris and it was in English with all of ISA and HILARIOUS, he made fun of all backgrounds especially American vs. Parisien and he of course asked for volunteers and I of course did so I got up and learned how to dance in a nightclub like a Parisien in front of about 200 people, awesome. You pucker your lips like a half-brained duck, sway your hips seductively and then smile at a man a little to say come near haha, sooo funny. It was a blast.
After that, another friend and I went to a small café, had croque monsieurs and salads that were amazing and each a glass of wine, it was the perfect night. And, like true Parisiens, we talked about everything everything everything. It was so fun, except for now I have an itchy throat sorta b/c we sat next to chain smokers of course we are in Paris.
Took a metro home and am off to do hmwk now! Had a great day!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
I love Vivaldi and sushi and Paris :)
This will be a quick blog- I’m starting to reallyyy tire out, I don’t think I’m getting the proper sleeping time …meaning I should be sleeping instead of in class.
Anyways, class was fine, my friend told our teacher we went to an erotic museum and he laughed but the nun in our class did not..oopsie? Oh well, practiced things and learned things. Hugeeee 3 hour test Friday I’m in pre-panic now.
I don’t think I wrote this earlier but my friend read my palm and said I would have a good life but have no kids, which was really upsetting, this happened this weekend. I don’t know if I believe in palm-reading…after we discussed that we talked horoscopes and I am seriously a Cancer, like it describes me to a “T” so that was more interesting than upsetting, I don’t know, maybe I’ll get into horoscopes!! Haha, probably not but it’s cool to read descriptions of me that are accurate.
Anyways, after class I had a 2 hour break, checked Facebook, ate a mini pizza and a Fruits Rouge Tarte which almost made me cry-it had cherries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries on the top of it and was sort of like jelly on the top, creamy stuff in the middle and nummy pie crust on the bottom, I forgot how much I love French pastries!
Had my theatre class, acted in it, was a star essentially, one guy told me I’m one of the main reasons he enjoys the class so that was nice. Grabbed an orangina and went walking home. On my way stopped in a shoe store, found out no one has my size so I cannot buy cheetah converse for only 10 euro and gee whizz I’m not a size small so I cannot get a leather jacket for only 40 euro. I don’t need either but I’d like the option.
Anyway, got home, napped for maybe 15 minutes, got dressed and headed to Sainte Chapelle with my roommate, Debbie, for Les Quatre Saisons, a mixture of Vivaldi pieces presented by a 5 person orchestra called the Eiffel orchestra. It was beautiful, stunning and inspiring, I almost cried when they played Ave Maria. Sainte Chapelle is over 800 years old don’t cha know? Fun fact.
After Sainte Chapelle, my roommate and I chatted, took metros to random places looking for cheap food, etc. We wound up going back to our metro stop b/c I wanted to try a sushi place I saw so WE HAD SUSHI tonight, it was soooo good and we had 3 cariffs d’eau or pitcher things of water I was sooo thirsty. Dehydration may play into my fatigue. It was fabulous and so was the conversation and I really am lucky to have her as my roommate.
Got home, had an ice cream bar for fun and have goofed off for the past hour. I need to do hmwk, I hate it so. LOUVRE TOMORROW!!! I’ll be sooo elated.
I love Vivaldi and sushi and Paris <3 Goodnight
Anyways, class was fine, my friend told our teacher we went to an erotic museum and he laughed but the nun in our class did not..oopsie? Oh well, practiced things and learned things. Hugeeee 3 hour test Friday I’m in pre-panic now.
I don’t think I wrote this earlier but my friend read my palm and said I would have a good life but have no kids, which was really upsetting, this happened this weekend. I don’t know if I believe in palm-reading…after we discussed that we talked horoscopes and I am seriously a Cancer, like it describes me to a “T” so that was more interesting than upsetting, I don’t know, maybe I’ll get into horoscopes!! Haha, probably not but it’s cool to read descriptions of me that are accurate.
Anyways, after class I had a 2 hour break, checked Facebook, ate a mini pizza and a Fruits Rouge Tarte which almost made me cry-it had cherries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries on the top of it and was sort of like jelly on the top, creamy stuff in the middle and nummy pie crust on the bottom, I forgot how much I love French pastries!
Had my theatre class, acted in it, was a star essentially, one guy told me I’m one of the main reasons he enjoys the class so that was nice. Grabbed an orangina and went walking home. On my way stopped in a shoe store, found out no one has my size so I cannot buy cheetah converse for only 10 euro and gee whizz I’m not a size small so I cannot get a leather jacket for only 40 euro. I don’t need either but I’d like the option.
Anyway, got home, napped for maybe 15 minutes, got dressed and headed to Sainte Chapelle with my roommate, Debbie, for Les Quatre Saisons, a mixture of Vivaldi pieces presented by a 5 person orchestra called the Eiffel orchestra. It was beautiful, stunning and inspiring, I almost cried when they played Ave Maria. Sainte Chapelle is over 800 years old don’t cha know? Fun fact.
After Sainte Chapelle, my roommate and I chatted, took metros to random places looking for cheap food, etc. We wound up going back to our metro stop b/c I wanted to try a sushi place I saw so WE HAD SUSHI tonight, it was soooo good and we had 3 cariffs d’eau or pitcher things of water I was sooo thirsty. Dehydration may play into my fatigue. It was fabulous and so was the conversation and I really am lucky to have her as my roommate.
Got home, had an ice cream bar for fun and have goofed off for the past hour. I need to do hmwk, I hate it so. LOUVRE TOMORROW!!! I’ll be sooo elated.
I love Vivaldi and sushi and Paris <3 Goodnight
Monday, July 19, 2010
Le nez est grand!!
Woke up w/ absolutely nooo sound coming out my mouth so that was a delight I knew I wouldn’t have to try in class today haha, turns out though it was frustrating b/c when you have questions you cant ask them and when you have better answers than people you cant share them. Oh well.
After a quick bite of lunch, this good friend of mine (who coincidentally has an apartment with her parents that was in the movie inception cooool) and I went to the museum of eroticism!!! It was on my to-do list and it was hilarious, creepy, gross and RAUNCHY. There was some creeper in there watching the movies too haha, it was just funny to see the perverted art that doesn’t make it into other museums but is just as old and historical lol.
After that, we strolled the street of clichy? I think that is what it was, famous for porn shops and stripper shows lol, it all made me laugh. It was fun though we passed and I took photos of the Moulin rouge and the Follies Bergere theater so that was really cool.
Hopped on a metro and my friend showed me the famous Galleries LaFayette aka Macys but bigger, more expensive, more designer-oriented, and with a huge glass ceiling that takes your breath away. After there and buying nothing we walked through an H & M with no shopping success. I bought a Agrum Shwepps though, I LOVE Schwepps! Shweeps? I don’t even know haha.
Went home, had some time to just lounge around, ate a sandwich I bought for myself and then got dressed. Decided, hey I’m in paris going to see a show I need heels so I did it…I WORE REAL HEELS IN PARIS…anyways, got to tuleries garden and splurged on a smoothie while waiting on my Austrian friends then walked to La Comedie Francaise. Okay…so you know those boxes they have to the side of the balconies for special guests or w/e that are super duper close to the stage…CHECK! I WAS IN THAT! Succhhh an amazing seat suchhhhh an amazing show. Worth every penny, Cyrano de Bergerac is an amazinggg love story and comedie and Cyrano the actor in this one was beyond fantastic and inspiring.
Hopped a metro home, got cat called whatever it’s normal and then if you ignore men you are a whore and they tell you which I think is stupid. But everything is swell and im off to bed!
After a quick bite of lunch, this good friend of mine (who coincidentally has an apartment with her parents that was in the movie inception cooool) and I went to the museum of eroticism!!! It was on my to-do list and it was hilarious, creepy, gross and RAUNCHY. There was some creeper in there watching the movies too haha, it was just funny to see the perverted art that doesn’t make it into other museums but is just as old and historical lol.
After that, we strolled the street of clichy? I think that is what it was, famous for porn shops and stripper shows lol, it all made me laugh. It was fun though we passed and I took photos of the Moulin rouge and the Follies Bergere theater so that was really cool.
Hopped on a metro and my friend showed me the famous Galleries LaFayette aka Macys but bigger, more expensive, more designer-oriented, and with a huge glass ceiling that takes your breath away. After there and buying nothing we walked through an H & M with no shopping success. I bought a Agrum Shwepps though, I LOVE Schwepps! Shweeps? I don’t even know haha.
Went home, had some time to just lounge around, ate a sandwich I bought for myself and then got dressed. Decided, hey I’m in paris going to see a show I need heels so I did it…I WORE REAL HEELS IN PARIS…anyways, got to tuleries garden and splurged on a smoothie while waiting on my Austrian friends then walked to La Comedie Francaise. Okay…so you know those boxes they have to the side of the balconies for special guests or w/e that are super duper close to the stage…CHECK! I WAS IN THAT! Succhhh an amazing seat suchhhhh an amazing show. Worth every penny, Cyrano de Bergerac is an amazinggg love story and comedie and Cyrano the actor in this one was beyond fantastic and inspiring.
Hopped a metro home, got cat called whatever it’s normal and then if you ignore men you are a whore and they tell you which I think is stupid. But everything is swell and im off to bed!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
It's not an alley, it's the Loire Valley!!
SATURDAY
Woke up super early and took a tram over to porte d’orleans to meet up with isa group, got on the bus and slept for 2 hours an AWESOME nap, woke up and I was at chateau de chenonceau a BEAUTIFUL renaissance castle built for diane de poiters by her lover/boy she governed starting from when he was 7 aka Henri II and after Henri’s death Catherine Medici aka his wife took it over, 2 beautiful gardens one by each woman, old stuff, history, beautiful. Had a beyond strange veggie burger for lunch made with carrots and broccoli and maybe lettuce and fries and then hopped on the bus to Clos Luce or Da Vinci’s house umm WHAT it was Francois Ier’s house first btw holy coolness. There were crazy genius inventions, drawings, weird writing everywhere, his quotes everywhere and a beautiful foresty garden area that went on for miles.
After that we got our 1st group surprise from ISA A WINE TASTING aka a wine party, we tasted a rose, 2 whites, 2 reds and champagne and I may or may not have tasted them all more than once and we were all a bit fun after the tasting.
Went to our hotel, checked in and then found a nearby pizza place and then walked around the town a bit, found an ice cream place to try and then had some fun just relaxing and talking about deep subjects in our hotel room and then I passed out very quickly…I had a lot of wine but was happy.
Woke up Sunday, my voice is GONE-ZO absolutely gone. I slept w/ the window open Thursday, had a small tickle Friday, soreness Saturday and now no voice, it’ll heal though soon I hope haha. My friends hate it but I can still make jokes with no voice so its good. Had continental breakfast deliciousness, lots of bread, even a HARD BOILED EGG just like all of my spring quarter diet breakfast haha but it was good and we had amazing jam, I had raspberry.
Left on the bus, another nap I may or may not have been hungover…yeah so I napped then woke up at chateau de Chambord which is the biggest hunting lodge in france but it’s a castle built around middle ages time with a re-designed moat and beautiful architecture. I petted donkeys, touched a knight’s thigh accidentally while posing for a picture w/ him and his horse, went up to the top of a castle, took amazing pictures, saw my future bedroom whatup my husband get me a castle-I vote yes, walked around, had a chocolate ice cream and then took a row boat out on the moat! So fun and relaxing, then we had a brief cookie tasting and tasted Chambord liqueur aka crown royal in usa and it was okay and then I had a croquet monsieur for lunch and a fanta and I bought a fleur de lys keychain to make later into a necklace so I was happy with that. It was fantastic.
I am really pumped for this week, comedie francaise TOMORROW I am sooo excited and my internet is WORKING I MEAN WHAT? I am thrilled so I hope it stays this way for the rest of my trip.
Meanwhile, I have no voice but am feeling happy, excited about this week and nervous for my hmwk tonight lol. I will have dinner w/ my homestay in ½ hour or so and then hmwk and then bed. Really good weekend, lots of history, makes me think about my mom aka history-buff a lotttt.
Woke up super early and took a tram over to porte d’orleans to meet up with isa group, got on the bus and slept for 2 hours an AWESOME nap, woke up and I was at chateau de chenonceau a BEAUTIFUL renaissance castle built for diane de poiters by her lover/boy she governed starting from when he was 7 aka Henri II and after Henri’s death Catherine Medici aka his wife took it over, 2 beautiful gardens one by each woman, old stuff, history, beautiful. Had a beyond strange veggie burger for lunch made with carrots and broccoli and maybe lettuce and fries and then hopped on the bus to Clos Luce or Da Vinci’s house umm WHAT it was Francois Ier’s house first btw holy coolness. There were crazy genius inventions, drawings, weird writing everywhere, his quotes everywhere and a beautiful foresty garden area that went on for miles.
After that we got our 1st group surprise from ISA A WINE TASTING aka a wine party, we tasted a rose, 2 whites, 2 reds and champagne and I may or may not have tasted them all more than once and we were all a bit fun after the tasting.
Went to our hotel, checked in and then found a nearby pizza place and then walked around the town a bit, found an ice cream place to try and then had some fun just relaxing and talking about deep subjects in our hotel room and then I passed out very quickly…I had a lot of wine but was happy.
Woke up Sunday, my voice is GONE-ZO absolutely gone. I slept w/ the window open Thursday, had a small tickle Friday, soreness Saturday and now no voice, it’ll heal though soon I hope haha. My friends hate it but I can still make jokes with no voice so its good. Had continental breakfast deliciousness, lots of bread, even a HARD BOILED EGG just like all of my spring quarter diet breakfast haha but it was good and we had amazing jam, I had raspberry.
Left on the bus, another nap I may or may not have been hungover…yeah so I napped then woke up at chateau de Chambord which is the biggest hunting lodge in france but it’s a castle built around middle ages time with a re-designed moat and beautiful architecture. I petted donkeys, touched a knight’s thigh accidentally while posing for a picture w/ him and his horse, went up to the top of a castle, took amazing pictures, saw my future bedroom whatup my husband get me a castle-I vote yes, walked around, had a chocolate ice cream and then took a row boat out on the moat! So fun and relaxing, then we had a brief cookie tasting and tasted Chambord liqueur aka crown royal in usa and it was okay and then I had a croquet monsieur for lunch and a fanta and I bought a fleur de lys keychain to make later into a necklace so I was happy with that. It was fantastic.
I am really pumped for this week, comedie francaise TOMORROW I am sooo excited and my internet is WORKING I MEAN WHAT? I am thrilled so I hope it stays this way for the rest of my trip.
Meanwhile, I have no voice but am feeling happy, excited about this week and nervous for my hmwk tonight lol. I will have dinner w/ my homestay in ½ hour or so and then hmwk and then bed. Really good weekend, lots of history, makes me think about my mom aka history-buff a lotttt.
Friday, July 16, 2010
SNEAKYYY
Am going to pack shortlybut here are some super awesome details of my day:
Test: I got a B
After class: Went and BOUGHT Comedie Francaise tickets with two Austrian girls that are sooo nice and we'll see Cryano de Bergeac MONDAY
Ate Libanese food for lunch this means FALAFEL and chicken w/ cool fruity vegetable pink things and potatoes and goodness.
Went to Paris Mosque saw the beautiful garden even though it was closed to visitors i snuck a peak and then had tea and 3 small baby cakes, one of them being pistachio and birds flew in and sat at my table.
saw jardin des plantes, didnt go in their zoo though b/c i have my owwwn zoo at home, cannot WAIT to see brookfields new exhibit when i get back to naperville.
WENT INSIDE LA SORBONNE even though students that are not sorbonne students usually dont go in but i was persuasive w/ the guards and then i took prohibited pictures b/c I'm a bad awesome person and got yelled at by security but i was thrillleeddd, toured it randomly w/ two students from indiana in france on vacation together.
had dinner which was yum and did hmwk and finished a book and am packing. leave tomorrow for la loire valley, earrrlyyy morning so i didnt go out tonight. am excited though worried for my knee/health/asthma but itll be a blast i hope and am optimistic.
my roommate lent me her computer again, she is AWESOME, all for now ta-ta!
Test: I got a B
After class: Went and BOUGHT Comedie Francaise tickets with two Austrian girls that are sooo nice and we'll see Cryano de Bergeac MONDAY
Ate Libanese food for lunch this means FALAFEL and chicken w/ cool fruity vegetable pink things and potatoes and goodness.
Went to Paris Mosque saw the beautiful garden even though it was closed to visitors i snuck a peak and then had tea and 3 small baby cakes, one of them being pistachio and birds flew in and sat at my table.
saw jardin des plantes, didnt go in their zoo though b/c i have my owwwn zoo at home, cannot WAIT to see brookfields new exhibit when i get back to naperville.
WENT INSIDE LA SORBONNE even though students that are not sorbonne students usually dont go in but i was persuasive w/ the guards and then i took prohibited pictures b/c I'm a bad awesome person and got yelled at by security but i was thrillleeddd, toured it randomly w/ two students from indiana in france on vacation together.
had dinner which was yum and did hmwk and finished a book and am packing. leave tomorrow for la loire valley, earrrlyyy morning so i didnt go out tonight. am excited though worried for my knee/health/asthma but itll be a blast i hope and am optimistic.
my roommate lent me her computer again, she is AWESOME, all for now ta-ta!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Week afterthoughts...
So yes, some things have gotten me down the past couple days. My whole class voted to have a test the day after my birthday after I raised my hand to ask that they nottt so I could have a bday nott studying. Then my teacher insulted America and said our separation of church and state gives us no liberty at all and I didn’t speak up b/c I was mad and I was in shock and no one debated it, then my class decided they WANTED hmwk and my teacher gave us a hugeee essay to read and answer questions over, then my internet completely disconnected b/c my computer is being stupid like I said earlier b/c it doesnt recognize french private home internet connections, then I had a semi-mostly-disappointing-hurtful birthday.
Here’s what I did today: had boring class blah stupid test I have succcch bad test anxiety now I really should drink whisky before my tests, then I had a croissant and cheese for lunch and then worked in the computer lab-blogged about my bday checked fbook etc. and then I had more class till 5, almost slept in class, then a friend and I ran into each other, this reallyyy chill girl I met the 1st day and she needed a sweater so I offered to go with her to h & m and I finally found my horizontal stripe shirt ive been longing for, I look sooo parisienne!! It made me happy. Had dinner with my host family tonight, cordon bleu and salad and leftover brownie cake thing, my roommates bought it for me for my birthday b/c they are amazing. Laughed sooo much at dinner, am feeling good even though I wish I had the internet right now haha. Am maybe planning on trying to get tickets for a show tomorrow at comedie francaise, hopefully that works out since all the ballets and operas are over now, im sort of bummed I didn’t get to see one but what can u do? im having a better mood or at least pushing through my bad one till i get better. its like stepping in gum and scraping the gum off your shoe? yes, that is EXACTLY what it is like.
but i have 2 more weeks left ahhh!!!
Here’s what I did today: had boring class blah stupid test I have succcch bad test anxiety now I really should drink whisky before my tests, then I had a croissant and cheese for lunch and then worked in the computer lab-blogged about my bday checked fbook etc. and then I had more class till 5, almost slept in class, then a friend and I ran into each other, this reallyyy chill girl I met the 1st day and she needed a sweater so I offered to go with her to h & m and I finally found my horizontal stripe shirt ive been longing for, I look sooo parisienne!! It made me happy. Had dinner with my host family tonight, cordon bleu and salad and leftover brownie cake thing, my roommates bought it for me for my birthday b/c they are amazing. Laughed sooo much at dinner, am feeling good even though I wish I had the internet right now haha. Am maybe planning on trying to get tickets for a show tomorrow at comedie francaise, hopefully that works out since all the ballets and operas are over now, im sort of bummed I didn’t get to see one but what can u do? im having a better mood or at least pushing through my bad one till i get better. its like stepping in gum and scraping the gum off your shoe? yes, that is EXACTLY what it is like.
but i have 2 more weeks left ahhh!!!
London Post!
My roommate let me use her laptop to post this so here is the london story;
Date of blogspot: 11/07/2010
BACK IN PARIEEE TODAY!!!
Synopsis of my AMAZING trip to Londres, L’Angleterre aka LONDON ENGLAND, oh yes, I didddd go.
Left class at 12, it was a good class. My teacher used me in an example to explain the French word for emanate and said janet emanates sunshine bahahaha awesome he loves me.
After class I grabbed some food to munch on and ate with my buddies in the courtyard. Then I asked them to watch my backpack and travel gear while I visited les toilettes and of courseeee they hid behind a truck with my things so that when I came out I got a surprise. I totally knew they would do that lol, it was funny b/c this French guy was CRACKING upppp watching it all go down.
Then I traveled over to the opera metro stop and just sat in a shady spot and talked with Montana, the girl we were to stay with in London and one of my sorority sisters, and we figured out how we were meeting up and she told me she would come to the train station and all was well.
I hit up the currency exchange and used my visa for 30 pounds…I later got 60 out with the use of my debit though b/c 30 pounds goes not too far.
Jessica came a bit later, I was super early. We hit the metro and then went to gare du nord, the biggest train station in paris. It was enorme and sooo complex but we asked for directions. It was swelllltering hot and we were too early for our line so we stopped in a restaurant and got a carrif d’eau or water pitcher and we had ruby..cool or fresh? Drinks? They were orange juice pamplemousse juice and lemonade, yum but I chugged mine I was so hot and thirsty!
Soon we had to get in line and waited for probably ½ hour in line for customs. Lucky I had written down some information about where Montana was staying b/c we needed a sort-of-address which was inconvenient but we made it through and security didn’t say anything to me when I had 2 bottles of wine in my bag haha!! I got them as thanks to Montana for letting us stay with her.
Both jess and I then got gourmands which is a long croissant essentially with chocolate and then we sat and waited some more!! Finally, we were able to get on our train and I slept through the chunnel coolness of course but oh well, it was a fantastic nap and I woke up to see England countryside, beautiful and sort of like ohio hilly.
Arrived, my phone worked so we were able to coordinate with Montana where to specifically meet and while we were waiting I had the Londoner sandwich at a deli place which was sausage, bacon and egg mayo stuff, sooo good. Then we met up w/ Montana and her friends and went walking with her and her friends to a train then to a place called odeon which is like a big multi-leveled mall. We sat down and had unlimited re-fill fantas and some people had chicken and we all relaxed. Then, at 9 45 england time, I went into the theatre with popcorn and water in towe and I SAWWW twilight eclipse. Fantastic, I’m such a nerd. It was awesome though.
After the movie, it was around 12am so we went back to montana’s place to crash on a DOUBLE DECKER BUS yayyyy. She had an extra room for jess and I shared montana’s bed, super COZYYYY lol her room is petite but I had fun. That was DAY one, a total of like…5 trains and 1 bus? Lotsss of travel but so much fun.
Early morning on Saturday about 8am, jess and I took showers and had montana’s eggs and coffee and an apple for me for breakfast, it was swell :) then we took a metro with her friends to buckinham palace and when we arrived it was the changing of the guards!!! Probably one of the coolest things ive ever seen. I took a video or two lol it was awesome. Then after that we split from her friends and just went us three to westminister abbey, big ben, the London eye and just saw everything. We didn’t go up the eye it looked to be about a 3 hour line and not for 20 lb.
We walked along le thames, saw a show by city hall of young dancers that was really fun and outside so freeee, saw both the tower bridge and London bridge (yes I did sing the song), toured asia essentially at an outdoor festival and ate Japanese ice cream which is like..creamy little balls of jelly and ice cream inside so interesting, we walked by the tower of London (it was expensive and we would’ve only had an hour inside so we opted out) and went into a smelly red telephone box. The day was packed full!! For lunch in the middle of it we stopped by a nicer place and I had sausage, mashed potatoes and onion gravy AHHHHH delicious. Whoever said London food sucked was lying, it was yummyyy.
After it all was done, about 5ish, we decided to go home, bought some kit kat bars with carmel and fantas and were headed into the underground but our eyes were caught by a spooky sign for a JACK THE RIPPER TOUR, 5 lb for students so WE TOTALLY WENT!!! I lied down on the exact spot one of the victims had been laid covered in a tarp. Awesome. It was us three and RANDOMLY a girl from Chicago that had been studying in berlin and was now on holiday. The man that took us was adorable, a genius, random and sooo chatty we all barely talked and the tour went over 2 hours b/c he was chatting about everything and making jokes we didn’t understand with a cockney accent but we loved him soooo. It was a blast, mildly terrifying and I feel sooo much closer to my grandma and I know she was watching over me and loving that I was on a tour of a serial killer’s murders. How perfect.
After the tour, we did go home by underground aka London metro and we stopped at local fast food places, jess and Montana got kfc chicken and IIIIII got FAMOUS FISH AND CHIPS, soooooo deliciously bad for me but fantastic. We ate in montana’s room, had a little wine and just had fun. Her internet connection is amazing so I played on facebook a bit too. I miss internet!!!
After we hung out for a bit we went to a place called oceania? I think that was it’s name, it’s a famous dance bar with like…7 huge rooms w/ different themes. My favorite room was the huge ballroom dance floor w/ chandelier and 2 levels. Highlight of the night-singing halfway there by bon jovi with Montana and Englishmen for karaoke and hearing don’t stop believing at least 58720 times.
Headed home about 2 45ish, took a taxi for only 10 lb and then met up with montana’s friends and teacherrrr drinking outside her dorm. We sat with them for a while. One guy from Michigan called ohio the genital wart of Michigan and montana’s teacher told me to slap him so I gave his face a pat, but that means I have slapped a man, what an achievement! I wouldn’t have down it if he didn’t say I could and the teacher told me to. Montana was pleased I think lol.
After that, we hit the hay. Woke up about 8am again this morning, packed, took some undergrounds, said goodbye to Montana IMISSYOUUUU and ate a KRISPY kreme for breakfast umm yumm and then starbucks at the station. Walked around a bit with jess and then made it through customs no problem, bought the new twilight book for 5 remaining pounds and had a muffin. Slept the wholeeee ride home, sooo tired. Am home now, im going to take a shower and then hopefully go see the game somewhere tonight and do hmwk. Glad to be back but what an adventure!!! I splurged and bought a 25 lb zip-up for 16 lb b/c I haggled with the guy. I dooo love it. I also bought a mini magnet of a guard, I love them so.
then on the 11th at night i wrote another blog:
---sooo tonighttt was the big night for L’ESPAGNE!! After taking a shower, I met up with two friends at the Eiffel tower to see the CRAZINESS that is world cup games. Literally thousands of people sitting there it was stuffy and uncomfortable and one of our other friends got completely blocked by rude people standing in front of him. I let my one friend have my seat so he could see the game and then me and my two friends walked a bit and found a bar where we could sit right in front of the screen instead of miles away and crowded haha. We ate pizza, ice cream and crème brulee while watching the fantastic game, I feel bad my friend was rooting for Holland…I said go spain because my brother loves spain but really I was like..GO TEAM! It was an intense game. Sooo glad I got to see it. Im bummed my internet isn’t working right now. But I’m off to bed!!
Date of blogspot: 11/07/2010
BACK IN PARIEEE TODAY!!!
Synopsis of my AMAZING trip to Londres, L’Angleterre aka LONDON ENGLAND, oh yes, I didddd go.
Left class at 12, it was a good class. My teacher used me in an example to explain the French word for emanate and said janet emanates sunshine bahahaha awesome he loves me.
After class I grabbed some food to munch on and ate with my buddies in the courtyard. Then I asked them to watch my backpack and travel gear while I visited les toilettes and of courseeee they hid behind a truck with my things so that when I came out I got a surprise. I totally knew they would do that lol, it was funny b/c this French guy was CRACKING upppp watching it all go down.
Then I traveled over to the opera metro stop and just sat in a shady spot and talked with Montana, the girl we were to stay with in London and one of my sorority sisters, and we figured out how we were meeting up and she told me she would come to the train station and all was well.
I hit up the currency exchange and used my visa for 30 pounds…I later got 60 out with the use of my debit though b/c 30 pounds goes not too far.
Jessica came a bit later, I was super early. We hit the metro and then went to gare du nord, the biggest train station in paris. It was enorme and sooo complex but we asked for directions. It was swelllltering hot and we were too early for our line so we stopped in a restaurant and got a carrif d’eau or water pitcher and we had ruby..cool or fresh? Drinks? They were orange juice pamplemousse juice and lemonade, yum but I chugged mine I was so hot and thirsty!
Soon we had to get in line and waited for probably ½ hour in line for customs. Lucky I had written down some information about where Montana was staying b/c we needed a sort-of-address which was inconvenient but we made it through and security didn’t say anything to me when I had 2 bottles of wine in my bag haha!! I got them as thanks to Montana for letting us stay with her.
Both jess and I then got gourmands which is a long croissant essentially with chocolate and then we sat and waited some more!! Finally, we were able to get on our train and I slept through the chunnel coolness of course but oh well, it was a fantastic nap and I woke up to see England countryside, beautiful and sort of like ohio hilly.
Arrived, my phone worked so we were able to coordinate with Montana where to specifically meet and while we were waiting I had the Londoner sandwich at a deli place which was sausage, bacon and egg mayo stuff, sooo good. Then we met up w/ Montana and her friends and went walking with her and her friends to a train then to a place called odeon which is like a big multi-leveled mall. We sat down and had unlimited re-fill fantas and some people had chicken and we all relaxed. Then, at 9 45 england time, I went into the theatre with popcorn and water in towe and I SAWWW twilight eclipse. Fantastic, I’m such a nerd. It was awesome though.
After the movie, it was around 12am so we went back to montana’s place to crash on a DOUBLE DECKER BUS yayyyy. She had an extra room for jess and I shared montana’s bed, super COZYYYY lol her room is petite but I had fun. That was DAY one, a total of like…5 trains and 1 bus? Lotsss of travel but so much fun.
Early morning on Saturday about 8am, jess and I took showers and had montana’s eggs and coffee and an apple for me for breakfast, it was swell :) then we took a metro with her friends to buckinham palace and when we arrived it was the changing of the guards!!! Probably one of the coolest things ive ever seen. I took a video or two lol it was awesome. Then after that we split from her friends and just went us three to westminister abbey, big ben, the London eye and just saw everything. We didn’t go up the eye it looked to be about a 3 hour line and not for 20 lb.
We walked along le thames, saw a show by city hall of young dancers that was really fun and outside so freeee, saw both the tower bridge and London bridge (yes I did sing the song), toured asia essentially at an outdoor festival and ate Japanese ice cream which is like..creamy little balls of jelly and ice cream inside so interesting, we walked by the tower of London (it was expensive and we would’ve only had an hour inside so we opted out) and went into a smelly red telephone box. The day was packed full!! For lunch in the middle of it we stopped by a nicer place and I had sausage, mashed potatoes and onion gravy AHHHHH delicious. Whoever said London food sucked was lying, it was yummyyy.
After it all was done, about 5ish, we decided to go home, bought some kit kat bars with carmel and fantas and were headed into the underground but our eyes were caught by a spooky sign for a JACK THE RIPPER TOUR, 5 lb for students so WE TOTALLY WENT!!! I lied down on the exact spot one of the victims had been laid covered in a tarp. Awesome. It was us three and RANDOMLY a girl from Chicago that had been studying in berlin and was now on holiday. The man that took us was adorable, a genius, random and sooo chatty we all barely talked and the tour went over 2 hours b/c he was chatting about everything and making jokes we didn’t understand with a cockney accent but we loved him soooo. It was a blast, mildly terrifying and I feel sooo much closer to my grandma and I know she was watching over me and loving that I was on a tour of a serial killer’s murders. How perfect.
After the tour, we did go home by underground aka London metro and we stopped at local fast food places, jess and Montana got kfc chicken and IIIIII got FAMOUS FISH AND CHIPS, soooooo deliciously bad for me but fantastic. We ate in montana’s room, had a little wine and just had fun. Her internet connection is amazing so I played on facebook a bit too. I miss internet!!!
After we hung out for a bit we went to a place called oceania? I think that was it’s name, it’s a famous dance bar with like…7 huge rooms w/ different themes. My favorite room was the huge ballroom dance floor w/ chandelier and 2 levels. Highlight of the night-singing halfway there by bon jovi with Montana and Englishmen for karaoke and hearing don’t stop believing at least 58720 times.
Headed home about 2 45ish, took a taxi for only 10 lb and then met up with montana’s friends and teacherrrr drinking outside her dorm. We sat with them for a while. One guy from Michigan called ohio the genital wart of Michigan and montana’s teacher told me to slap him so I gave his face a pat, but that means I have slapped a man, what an achievement! I wouldn’t have down it if he didn’t say I could and the teacher told me to. Montana was pleased I think lol.
After that, we hit the hay. Woke up about 8am again this morning, packed, took some undergrounds, said goodbye to Montana IMISSYOUUUU and ate a KRISPY kreme for breakfast umm yumm and then starbucks at the station. Walked around a bit with jess and then made it through customs no problem, bought the new twilight book for 5 remaining pounds and had a muffin. Slept the wholeeee ride home, sooo tired. Am home now, im going to take a shower and then hopefully go see the game somewhere tonight and do hmwk. Glad to be back but what an adventure!!! I splurged and bought a 25 lb zip-up for 16 lb b/c I haggled with the guy. I dooo love it. I also bought a mini magnet of a guard, I love them so.
then on the 11th at night i wrote another blog:
---sooo tonighttt was the big night for L’ESPAGNE!! After taking a shower, I met up with two friends at the Eiffel tower to see the CRAZINESS that is world cup games. Literally thousands of people sitting there it was stuffy and uncomfortable and one of our other friends got completely blocked by rude people standing in front of him. I let my one friend have my seat so he could see the game and then me and my two friends walked a bit and found a bar where we could sit right in front of the screen instead of miles away and crowded haha. We ate pizza, ice cream and crème brulee while watching the fantastic game, I feel bad my friend was rooting for Holland…I said go spain because my brother loves spain but really I was like..GO TEAM! It was an intense game. Sooo glad I got to see it. Im bummed my internet isn’t working right now. But I’m off to bed!!
Its my birthday and ill cry if i want to
updates more to come my roomate might help me post my london blog so i dont have to retype it up and another one too. For now i will just share that okay so my birthday was a huge letdown if we are being honest. The only reason i chose to have paris as my 2nd program and not pau was to have my birthday here and everything went sour.
Tuesday night no one called me to go out and my roommate took me to the eiffel tower to see fireworks but they werent scheduled till wednesday night. I got some cheap cidre for myself and then i finally got a call about 11, so my roommate and i went, honestly thank goodness for her b/c i was so upset that no one had called me and i had wanted to experience the fun of bastille day and i wasnt so anyways we went to where my friends were but we couldnt
get in at alll so no naked firemen for janet at all. And one girl in front of me basically told me that me having my birthday was stupid and she was going to get in before me b/c she was there first and i was less important. I tried to call my friends and tell them how hurt i was by not getting in and they didnt come out and so debbie, my roommate, just took me to a bar. These three tunisian men sat at a table with us and sang to me but then tried to stick debbie and i with their drink bill so that was drama and stupid. Anyways i danced a little but this one guy picked me straight off the ground and i didnt particularly enjoy being picked up so we left no problem it all was okay i was just really disappointed by my other friends but had an okay fun time
wednesday my roommate and i went to the parade people were super rude and pushing to get to the
front but i saw some things military but not really the planes were pretty cool i guess but we left early and went walking and bumped into my friends who had stayed out all night so that was disappointing and then it started to pour rain
and we hid under a canopy until i found trash bags attached to a nearby garbage can and i put one over my head to male a poncho and other people did too all these tourists took my picture haha so that was amusing. Then we walked to the metro, we were going to go to le louvre but we were soaked through and i was in a dress and flats. So we went home grabbed some bread and cheese, i got myself ossau iraty aka my favorite brebis cheese and a chocolate bar to have some positivity. But after we ate i was just kind of worn out and sad so i took a longgg nap. When i woke up, i ate with my housemates and host mom spinach and chicken and we didnt finish till 10 b/c it takes a long time to get through each course, and at dinner they kept mentioning grandmothers tamking about random things and it hit me that this would be my first year without my date with mine so i got upset at the table and tried not to cry but i refused wine and didnt eat very much. then we tried to get to the fireworks but most of what i saw was trees and my friend txted me with a shirt for my bday but i didnt get it until we got home, oh and it poured rain as we walked home. I was soaking again and my bday kind of was a stinkbomb.
I miss everyone a lot and wish it would have been a better exciting bastille day like everyone told me it would be but it wasnt. But oh well right? I have 2 more weeks and i am going to do my best to have fun again, my test today kind of stunk and im not feeling my best but lets stay positive...or try. Maybe if i act positive i will become it!
Tuesday night no one called me to go out and my roommate took me to the eiffel tower to see fireworks but they werent scheduled till wednesday night. I got some cheap cidre for myself and then i finally got a call about 11, so my roommate and i went, honestly thank goodness for her b/c i was so upset that no one had called me and i had wanted to experience the fun of bastille day and i wasnt so anyways we went to where my friends were but we couldnt
get in at alll so no naked firemen for janet at all. And one girl in front of me basically told me that me having my birthday was stupid and she was going to get in before me b/c she was there first and i was less important. I tried to call my friends and tell them how hurt i was by not getting in and they didnt come out and so debbie, my roommate, just took me to a bar. These three tunisian men sat at a table with us and sang to me but then tried to stick debbie and i with their drink bill so that was drama and stupid. Anyways i danced a little but this one guy picked me straight off the ground and i didnt particularly enjoy being picked up so we left no problem it all was okay i was just really disappointed by my other friends but had an okay fun time
wednesday my roommate and i went to the parade people were super rude and pushing to get to the
front but i saw some things military but not really the planes were pretty cool i guess but we left early and went walking and bumped into my friends who had stayed out all night so that was disappointing and then it started to pour rain
and we hid under a canopy until i found trash bags attached to a nearby garbage can and i put one over my head to male a poncho and other people did too all these tourists took my picture haha so that was amusing. Then we walked to the metro, we were going to go to le louvre but we were soaked through and i was in a dress and flats. So we went home grabbed some bread and cheese, i got myself ossau iraty aka my favorite brebis cheese and a chocolate bar to have some positivity. But after we ate i was just kind of worn out and sad so i took a longgg nap. When i woke up, i ate with my housemates and host mom spinach and chicken and we didnt finish till 10 b/c it takes a long time to get through each course, and at dinner they kept mentioning grandmothers tamking about random things and it hit me that this would be my first year without my date with mine so i got upset at the table and tried not to cry but i refused wine and didnt eat very much. then we tried to get to the fireworks but most of what i saw was trees and my friend txted me with a shirt for my bday but i didnt get it until we got home, oh and it poured rain as we walked home. I was soaking again and my bday kind of was a stinkbomb.
I miss everyone a lot and wish it would have been a better exciting bastille day like everyone told me it would be but it wasnt. But oh well right? I have 2 more weeks and i am going to do my best to have fun again, my test today kind of stunk and im not feeling my best but lets stay positive...or try. Maybe if i act positive i will become it!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Ughhh technology
My internet code isnt working at my house so until that time i will not be posting many blogs. im on a computer at school right now to write this. i have written blogs and will post them when my internet works london was fantastic!! having fun in paris except for today was no good my class voted to have our test thursday after my birthday so i have to study on my birthday im actually super upset with them b/c i said out loud it was my birthday anddd its a national holiday so im a little upset and then my teacher asked if we wanted hmwk people said yesss so we have an essay to read tonight and 14 questions to qnswer. not the best day. also it rained allll day like poured. im half full girl though so ill be trying to pick up my day from here!! hope everyone is doing swell only 3 more weeks till chicago!!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Jeudi
CLASSSS with Guillaume for 6 hours today, he is truly a great teacher and hilarious. I also think he is good with explaining things and I am learning grammar stuff I never knew before and understanding it!! Everyone in my classes is really nice!
Lunch break was brebis cheese and chocolate on a baguette separately, we ate in Luxembourg as usual.
After class, I met my Big, Tricia, and Drew her bf at le jardin des Tulieries and we just wandered, I showed them la comedie francaise, drank orangina and water and then we hopped on a metro and saw sacre Coeur together b/c they wanted to see that, did some shopping, we ate crepes and had fun trying to work out a French bathroom with a coin opening thing and just hung out. I wont see tricia again for a really long time probably, she stays in Europe for a while and then heads to Baltimore for her new job…there were definite tears in the metro as we parted ways. Drew, I will see him a lot next year so no worries there :)
Got home, ate a peach I think..is that the fuzzy fruit? I had a delicious one and then some vanilla pecan pie ice cream to cheer me up with my host “family”. Found out ANOTHER girl is coming after one of the girls is leaving so there will always be at least 4 people here, it is complex and multicultural. Me, USA, Debbie, Nicaragua, Maria, Venezeula, and the new girl, Germany.
Am now just packing for London I leave TOMORROW!!! I’m also icing my knee which is currently not pleased with me, but oh well. I’m excited for LONDONNNN!!! PS France is a sauna.
Lunch break was brebis cheese and chocolate on a baguette separately, we ate in Luxembourg as usual.
After class, I met my Big, Tricia, and Drew her bf at le jardin des Tulieries and we just wandered, I showed them la comedie francaise, drank orangina and water and then we hopped on a metro and saw sacre Coeur together b/c they wanted to see that, did some shopping, we ate crepes and had fun trying to work out a French bathroom with a coin opening thing and just hung out. I wont see tricia again for a really long time probably, she stays in Europe for a while and then heads to Baltimore for her new job…there were definite tears in the metro as we parted ways. Drew, I will see him a lot next year so no worries there :)
Got home, ate a peach I think..is that the fuzzy fruit? I had a delicious one and then some vanilla pecan pie ice cream to cheer me up with my host “family”. Found out ANOTHER girl is coming after one of the girls is leaving so there will always be at least 4 people here, it is complex and multicultural. Me, USA, Debbie, Nicaragua, Maria, Venezeula, and the new girl, Germany.
Am now just packing for London I leave TOMORROW!!! I’m also icing my knee which is currently not pleased with me, but oh well. I’m excited for LONDONNNN!!! PS France is a sauna.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
NEWS
ALSO- the big purchase of the day??? An ice pack for my knee. 10 euro, oiyyy, but it will be worth it tomorrow morning when I ice it, yay!!!
THE Ordeal
Morning class went well, my teacher told us not to be afraid to make mistakes!!! I do, so he must like me lol.
Had lunch w/ a friend from onu and a friend from the Catho, baguette, brebis cheese, chocolate with the baguette and a schwepps pamplemousse flavor I think. Greattt time.
Went to the ISA office for a brief catch-up meeting, have to fill out some forms for them for getting a shuttle for going to the airport but it should all work fine. Told them I love Paris except for aggressive men and homeless people with babies.
Hustled home, did hmwk, took a 20 minute nap, got dressed, I WORE HEELS IN PARIS I officially fit in. Went to meet with ISA kids near the flame aka Statue of Liberty replica near the tunnel where princess di died, soo eerie. Anyway, we got on le bateaux mouche tour de la seine, it was pretty…and fine. It was good, I had fun, was obnoxious and touristy on the boat, sang the lion sleeps tonight and told jokes a lot with isa kids. It was fun. I ate popcorn and an evian. Upon leaving, a man in the metro mooned us.
THEN, the ordeal, I was supposed to meet tricia at 9pm on the left side of the champ de mars. I get there, she is nowhere to be found, I walk up and down IN HEELS the gravel of the paths, getting hit on, creeped on and even smelled by one guy. I sat, I walked, I exhausted myself and almost cried I was so exhausted. I FINALLY got through to tricia’s phone and she was on her way to me then, so I got myself a beer to calm myself and be happy. I haggled the price down to 1.50 euro and then opened it…but it sprayed all over me. so I am covered in beer, but I got to see my BIGGG!!! AND DREWWWW, her boyfriend!!! Then, they had to leave…literally 5 minutes…so I walked them to the metro, the spain vs. germany game had ended it was so crowded I couldn’t breathe. I even skipped the 1st metro to have more space but the 2nd was just as bad, the pushing made me nervous near the edge too. Oh well, congrats Spain!
Got home, grabbed a kabab aka grec complet, I think this means I ate greek food? I don’t know. So tired, off to sleep!
Had lunch w/ a friend from onu and a friend from the Catho, baguette, brebis cheese, chocolate with the baguette and a schwepps pamplemousse flavor I think. Greattt time.
Went to the ISA office for a brief catch-up meeting, have to fill out some forms for them for getting a shuttle for going to the airport but it should all work fine. Told them I love Paris except for aggressive men and homeless people with babies.
Hustled home, did hmwk, took a 20 minute nap, got dressed, I WORE HEELS IN PARIS I officially fit in. Went to meet with ISA kids near the flame aka Statue of Liberty replica near the tunnel where princess di died, soo eerie. Anyway, we got on le bateaux mouche tour de la seine, it was pretty…and fine. It was good, I had fun, was obnoxious and touristy on the boat, sang the lion sleeps tonight and told jokes a lot with isa kids. It was fun. I ate popcorn and an evian. Upon leaving, a man in the metro mooned us.
THEN, the ordeal, I was supposed to meet tricia at 9pm on the left side of the champ de mars. I get there, she is nowhere to be found, I walk up and down IN HEELS the gravel of the paths, getting hit on, creeped on and even smelled by one guy. I sat, I walked, I exhausted myself and almost cried I was so exhausted. I FINALLY got through to tricia’s phone and she was on her way to me then, so I got myself a beer to calm myself and be happy. I haggled the price down to 1.50 euro and then opened it…but it sprayed all over me. so I am covered in beer, but I got to see my BIGGG!!! AND DREWWWW, her boyfriend!!! Then, they had to leave…literally 5 minutes…so I walked them to the metro, the spain vs. germany game had ended it was so crowded I couldn’t breathe. I even skipped the 1st metro to have more space but the 2nd was just as bad, the pushing made me nervous near the edge too. Oh well, congrats Spain!
Got home, grabbed a kabab aka grec complet, I think this means I ate greek food? I don’t know. So tired, off to sleep!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Officiellement je suis une étudiante de Paris!!
6:15 beep, beep beeeep. I snooze-buttoned until 6:30.
Woke up, dressed, etc., got to The Catho about 8, checked my class I did officially make Intermediare 2 avec Guillaume and I hopped and skipped off to class about 8 50 after a quick banana. Have I mentioned how much I love French bananas? I do. The freshest EVERR, so yuumm.
Class was fast-paced but not fast-moving. We covered subjontif, imperative stuff and new stuff QUICKKKly but I think I really like the class and teacher a lot. We toured around campus a bit and it was good, just fine. I mean it was 3 hours long so it wasn’t the BESTEVER lol but it was okay. My class has only 4 Americans and only 1 of them is in ISA with me so its good. I made a good friend in a Suisse girl and a girl from the States who finished school and is at the Catho for French so she can be a nurse for infants in African French-speaking nations. I like the people, should be good.
Had a break at 12, met up with some other friends. Had a baguette, schwepps, camembert cheese and some pretzel chip things for lunch split w/ a friend and we ate in Le Jardin du Luxembourg, sooo pretty. Went back to le catho and finished la baguette avec a bueno bar aka best chocolate evaaaaarrrr.
Back to class, oral language for the theatre. We played never have I ever, did quick mini stories, talked a lot, mini exercises, quick pause I bought another banana, then we did a volunteer game and I of course did, Carole, le prof, gave us roles and I was the kid w/ a mom and dad and we talked about school w/e I was supposed to be 5 years old, then Carole gave me a card to read aloud within the scenario and I said Je deale le cocaine a l’école depuis 2 ans, or I deal cocaine at my school since two years ago. UMMM I’M FIVE, it was a blast to perform that and make my class laugh. My class has about 7 Americans but a lot of variety, one of the girls is already a professor, most of the people don’t like theatre but need intermediate oral classes and that is what theatre oral is so there is shyness but it should be good. I will only have 4 classes of these, my Thursday class will be written French, oddly enough with Guillaume, my language professor. So I will have hi for 6 hours Thursday, cool.
After class, I went with Jessica to the ISA office and we FINALLY PURCHASED OUR TICKETS TO LONDON AHHHH WE ARE LEAVING PARIS AT 4PM FRIDAYYYY!!!! I am sooo excited, it should be amazing I hope it’s worth the cost.
Then, I rushed back to Jardin de Luxembourg to meet Laura and her bf!! We walked around a bit, looked at some bookstores w/e then RANDOMMMLYYY I ran into Monica, a friend from ONU who is in Paris for 3 days and we were supposed to do lunch tomorrow but I found her early! Her friends she couldn’t find so she hung out w/ us. We ate kabobs again for dinner then I had a crepe with nutella and bananas, BANANA DAYYY and monica had crepe w/ just nutella and laura and her bf split a waffle with nutella. We walked around, hit souvenir shops. I bought some neat stuff I realllyyy like like a sort of charm bracelet for 5 euro of paris monuments, it makes me smile.
Then we took a metro to la tour Eiffel, laura and I did simultaneous cartwheels right by it, soo fun! Had some champagne, Laura’s bf I haggled some keychains for him and we relaxed. Time flew and I said goodbye to laura at the metro and there were les petites larmes…
Got home, am SOOO tired, start early tomorrow again! Hmwk now, then bed!
Woke up, dressed, etc., got to The Catho about 8, checked my class I did officially make Intermediare 2 avec Guillaume and I hopped and skipped off to class about 8 50 after a quick banana. Have I mentioned how much I love French bananas? I do. The freshest EVERR, so yuumm.
Class was fast-paced but not fast-moving. We covered subjontif, imperative stuff and new stuff QUICKKKly but I think I really like the class and teacher a lot. We toured around campus a bit and it was good, just fine. I mean it was 3 hours long so it wasn’t the BESTEVER lol but it was okay. My class has only 4 Americans and only 1 of them is in ISA with me so its good. I made a good friend in a Suisse girl and a girl from the States who finished school and is at the Catho for French so she can be a nurse for infants in African French-speaking nations. I like the people, should be good.
Had a break at 12, met up with some other friends. Had a baguette, schwepps, camembert cheese and some pretzel chip things for lunch split w/ a friend and we ate in Le Jardin du Luxembourg, sooo pretty. Went back to le catho and finished la baguette avec a bueno bar aka best chocolate evaaaaarrrr.
Back to class, oral language for the theatre. We played never have I ever, did quick mini stories, talked a lot, mini exercises, quick pause I bought another banana, then we did a volunteer game and I of course did, Carole, le prof, gave us roles and I was the kid w/ a mom and dad and we talked about school w/e I was supposed to be 5 years old, then Carole gave me a card to read aloud within the scenario and I said Je deale le cocaine a l’école depuis 2 ans, or I deal cocaine at my school since two years ago. UMMM I’M FIVE, it was a blast to perform that and make my class laugh. My class has about 7 Americans but a lot of variety, one of the girls is already a professor, most of the people don’t like theatre but need intermediate oral classes and that is what theatre oral is so there is shyness but it should be good. I will only have 4 classes of these, my Thursday class will be written French, oddly enough with Guillaume, my language professor. So I will have hi for 6 hours Thursday, cool.
After class, I went with Jessica to the ISA office and we FINALLY PURCHASED OUR TICKETS TO LONDON AHHHH WE ARE LEAVING PARIS AT 4PM FRIDAYYYY!!!! I am sooo excited, it should be amazing I hope it’s worth the cost.
Then, I rushed back to Jardin de Luxembourg to meet Laura and her bf!! We walked around a bit, looked at some bookstores w/e then RANDOMMMLYYY I ran into Monica, a friend from ONU who is in Paris for 3 days and we were supposed to do lunch tomorrow but I found her early! Her friends she couldn’t find so she hung out w/ us. We ate kabobs again for dinner then I had a crepe with nutella and bananas, BANANA DAYYY and monica had crepe w/ just nutella and laura and her bf split a waffle with nutella. We walked around, hit souvenir shops. I bought some neat stuff I realllyyy like like a sort of charm bracelet for 5 euro of paris monuments, it makes me smile.
Then we took a metro to la tour Eiffel, laura and I did simultaneous cartwheels right by it, soo fun! Had some champagne, Laura’s bf I haggled some keychains for him and we relaxed. Time flew and I said goodbye to laura at the metro and there were les petites larmes…
Got home, am SOOO tired, start early tomorrow again! Hmwk now, then bed!
Monday, July 5, 2010
MO-GELATO
Forgot to add, on our way to the metro before leaving, we saw sacre couer at NIGHT glowing and ate creme brulee gelato. Yum. That is all, goodnight!!
MO-MONET MO-LAURA MO-GELATO MO-PARISSSSS,
Woke up slept IN today, very happy about it and rushed off to The Catho, aka L’Institut Catholique de Paris, and waited through a longgg meeting, a tour of the university and a line to take the oral placement exam. My guy who talked to me bumped me up to intermediate 2 aka 1 + so I was happy and he was like…you speak with such fluidité!! I liked him. There is a oral language for the theatre class I might take for fun!!!
After the exam, I rushed to the metro and after a bit of confusion I met up with LAURAAAA and her bf!!! SO SO SOOOOOOOO THRILLED TO SEE HER, she was one of my closest friends in Pau and I had missed her SO! Anyways, we went to Gare St. Lazare and bought tickets and off we went to Vernon!! Upon arrival we took a bus to Giverny and WE. WERE.THERE. where Monet lived, breathed and made majestic art pieces that make Janet cry. We walked around his garden for about two hours, toured his house and then ate at a small restaurant that was a ripoff but gave me a delicious omelette and fresh water. Caught the bus, caught an earlier train, then took a metro to dun dun DUNNNNNNN the red light district aka Montmartre!!! It was 8pm, sparkling sunlight and brilliant. We had kabobs for dinner and stuffed ourselves full!!!
After dinner, we walked around a bit, found a 24 hour all-day every-day open PATISSERIE aka pastry shop. I bought a pistachio grand cornet or big cone and an almond cake for 3 euro, and Andrew and laura got a strawberry cake and mousse chocolate cake/coffee/mocha-flavored thing for 4 euro and we all shared and were glee-FULL in the middle of the shop :)
THEN, we walked up 8 zillion stairs and found where the party was REALLY at, live music, couples making out ON THE stairs, food everywhere Montmartre, twas a blast. We wandered, then found one thing I’ve been YEARNING to see, Sacre Coeur, it’s a super old catholic church and it took my breath away outside and then inside as well. There was a mass going on and we got to see and hear the echoing of the hymns in the huggeee church. Andrew took a photo even though we weren’t allowed so I will be stealing that for my albums haha.
Wandered a bit more, souvenir shops, yada yada. Said goodbyes, took a metro home. I’m doing dinner with them again tomorrow then they leaveeee and my Big gets here!! It is a week of visitors and I am THRILLED and happy.
My 1st classes start tomorrow bright and EARLYYYY at 8: 30 ew ew ewwww. Why did I sign up for class, I’m here for vacation. Just kidding, I’m here to learn!!!
After the exam, I rushed to the metro and after a bit of confusion I met up with LAURAAAA and her bf!!! SO SO SOOOOOOOO THRILLED TO SEE HER, she was one of my closest friends in Pau and I had missed her SO! Anyways, we went to Gare St. Lazare and bought tickets and off we went to Vernon!! Upon arrival we took a bus to Giverny and WE. WERE.THERE. where Monet lived, breathed and made majestic art pieces that make Janet cry. We walked around his garden for about two hours, toured his house and then ate at a small restaurant that was a ripoff but gave me a delicious omelette and fresh water. Caught the bus, caught an earlier train, then took a metro to dun dun DUNNNNNNN the red light district aka Montmartre!!! It was 8pm, sparkling sunlight and brilliant. We had kabobs for dinner and stuffed ourselves full!!!
After dinner, we walked around a bit, found a 24 hour all-day every-day open PATISSERIE aka pastry shop. I bought a pistachio grand cornet or big cone and an almond cake for 3 euro, and Andrew and laura got a strawberry cake and mousse chocolate cake/coffee/mocha-flavored thing for 4 euro and we all shared and were glee-FULL in the middle of the shop :)
THEN, we walked up 8 zillion stairs and found where the party was REALLY at, live music, couples making out ON THE stairs, food everywhere Montmartre, twas a blast. We wandered, then found one thing I’ve been YEARNING to see, Sacre Coeur, it’s a super old catholic church and it took my breath away outside and then inside as well. There was a mass going on and we got to see and hear the echoing of the hymns in the huggeee church. Andrew took a photo even though we weren’t allowed so I will be stealing that for my albums haha.
Wandered a bit more, souvenir shops, yada yada. Said goodbyes, took a metro home. I’m doing dinner with them again tomorrow then they leaveeee and my Big gets here!! It is a week of visitors and I am THRILLED and happy.
My 1st classes start tomorrow bright and EARLYYYY at 8: 30 ew ew ewwww. Why did I sign up for class, I’m here for vacation. Just kidding, I’m here to learn!!!
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Les Roses
The Monet Roses piece I am literally OBSESSED with. I don't know, I love roses and it says France to me and beauty and art and I love it and Monet and France and roses YAY!
St Malo/ Mont St Michel Excursion Weekend EXTRAVAGANZAAAA
It is 12:34 and I am EXHAUSTED tired like wowza so these will be summaries not journal entries :)
Saturday: woke up at 5 45am and got ready, finished packing and then met ISA across town at 7 15 for our buses. Slept on the bus, five of us got the BOB or Back-of-Bus seats and were obviously the cool ones. Arrived to st malo about 2ish, had time for a quick jambon/fromage baguette and fanta and then went on a tour of the city. Apparently it almost got destroyed during the 100 years war but the English bombing ship blew up before it got to st malo and the only one killed was a cat so there is a street called the cat who dances…yeah. There is a castle that is called Chateaubriad and is famous because the people paid a duchess taxes in order to build it and it’s beautiful overlooking the English channel. Walked around the city more, then shopped around a bit, bought 3 bottles of French cider and a baguette for later and then shopped a bit more. Pistachio/chocolate ice cream was a bonus and then we all went back to the hotel, changed and hit la plage or beach. Watched a bunch of French men play soccer next to us and drank one bottle of cider and ate my baguette on the beach then we walked around the shore and picked up sea shells and turned down invitations by the French soccer players for numbers/coffee/etc, haha. Ate dinner later at a pizza place, I had just onions/cheese on mine, still good. Then a bunch of us girls bought chocolates at this AHHHHMAZING chocolate shop, I had a decent bag-full b/c when else will I be able to taste-test different French specialty chocolates? No idea. The shop was precious and they make like…chocolate into shapes and stuff with dye, there was even a chocolate TURTLEEEEE for 32 euro but I was excited to see it. I just bought some of the mini chocolates and truffles and stuff, amazing with our cider :) headed back to the hotel, got to know some awesome girls and drank some more cider.
Sunday: EARLY MORNING, hence the lack of bar-crawling Saturday night, woke up and had the best breakfast I’ve had since being in france b/c it was a buffet and we got fresh croissants, French bread, butter/jam, cereal, hard-boiled eggs (I didn’t have one), and coffee and hot chocolate, it was alllll there. It felt ‘Merican and it was the 4th!! Skipped out of st malo to a 2 hour bus ride on which I slept and then we got to the middle of nowhere, I had to pee and there was no place to pee. Should NOT have had coffee. We started out with our guide to mont st Michel, which is one of 4 main pilgrimages for catholics in the middle ages and still a little today. It features an old abbey that overlooks the tide. The tide travels fast but we crossed 4 miles of sand/mud and yes QUICKSAND (oh yes I walked on it, as did we all, we jumped on it, sunk in and got pulled out, a BLAST), and then we hit the tide which we waded through for another 2 miles all barefoot to mont st Michel. It was nice, beautiful, there were sheep for the first mile we got to look at and the view was breathtaking. My knee was a killer though, I should ice it sometime, and I had to tinkle like woah. Oh well, we got there, washed off our feet, used the potties, felt better, and ate at a creperie, I had salmon and lettuce and sauce on mine and then a butter and sugar one for dessert that was to die for. Then we met up with our isa group at the abbey’s top and wandered around the gorgeous abbey for about an hour. Shopped a bit, I got postcards, and then headed back on the longggg 5 hour trip home. I’m exhausted, still a little muddy but happy. It was breathtaking.
I was in the Normandy area but no Dday stuff, sorry Mom. I would have loved to have made you jealous :) I know I would love to go back one day and see those beaches.
Happy 4th!! I miss America lots and especially the fourth of July family/friend fun!! Hope everyone celebrated with great fireworks and hot dogs! I ate pork stew tonight…so it’s like the same thing!
Tomorrow I go to take my oral exam then on to GIVERNY, Monet’s house with Laura, a friend from Pau and her boyfriend.
A super busy week ahead, Laura’s here and Tricia, my big, gets here the 6th. I leave hopefully (booking tickets Tuesday) to London on Friday with Jessica to visit Montana, a sorority sister who is studying there now, so EXCITED!! Busy, busy, busy, and only 27 days left in France!!!
Saturday: woke up at 5 45am and got ready, finished packing and then met ISA across town at 7 15 for our buses. Slept on the bus, five of us got the BOB or Back-of-Bus seats and were obviously the cool ones. Arrived to st malo about 2ish, had time for a quick jambon/fromage baguette and fanta and then went on a tour of the city. Apparently it almost got destroyed during the 100 years war but the English bombing ship blew up before it got to st malo and the only one killed was a cat so there is a street called the cat who dances…yeah. There is a castle that is called Chateaubriad and is famous because the people paid a duchess taxes in order to build it and it’s beautiful overlooking the English channel. Walked around the city more, then shopped around a bit, bought 3 bottles of French cider and a baguette for later and then shopped a bit more. Pistachio/chocolate ice cream was a bonus and then we all went back to the hotel, changed and hit la plage or beach. Watched a bunch of French men play soccer next to us and drank one bottle of cider and ate my baguette on the beach then we walked around the shore and picked up sea shells and turned down invitations by the French soccer players for numbers/coffee/etc, haha. Ate dinner later at a pizza place, I had just onions/cheese on mine, still good. Then a bunch of us girls bought chocolates at this AHHHHMAZING chocolate shop, I had a decent bag-full b/c when else will I be able to taste-test different French specialty chocolates? No idea. The shop was precious and they make like…chocolate into shapes and stuff with dye, there was even a chocolate TURTLEEEEE for 32 euro but I was excited to see it. I just bought some of the mini chocolates and truffles and stuff, amazing with our cider :) headed back to the hotel, got to know some awesome girls and drank some more cider.
Sunday: EARLY MORNING, hence the lack of bar-crawling Saturday night, woke up and had the best breakfast I’ve had since being in france b/c it was a buffet and we got fresh croissants, French bread, butter/jam, cereal, hard-boiled eggs (I didn’t have one), and coffee and hot chocolate, it was alllll there. It felt ‘Merican and it was the 4th!! Skipped out of st malo to a 2 hour bus ride on which I slept and then we got to the middle of nowhere, I had to pee and there was no place to pee. Should NOT have had coffee. We started out with our guide to mont st Michel, which is one of 4 main pilgrimages for catholics in the middle ages and still a little today. It features an old abbey that overlooks the tide. The tide travels fast but we crossed 4 miles of sand/mud and yes QUICKSAND (oh yes I walked on it, as did we all, we jumped on it, sunk in and got pulled out, a BLAST), and then we hit the tide which we waded through for another 2 miles all barefoot to mont st Michel. It was nice, beautiful, there were sheep for the first mile we got to look at and the view was breathtaking. My knee was a killer though, I should ice it sometime, and I had to tinkle like woah. Oh well, we got there, washed off our feet, used the potties, felt better, and ate at a creperie, I had salmon and lettuce and sauce on mine and then a butter and sugar one for dessert that was to die for. Then we met up with our isa group at the abbey’s top and wandered around the gorgeous abbey for about an hour. Shopped a bit, I got postcards, and then headed back on the longggg 5 hour trip home. I’m exhausted, still a little muddy but happy. It was breathtaking.
I was in the Normandy area but no Dday stuff, sorry Mom. I would have loved to have made you jealous :) I know I would love to go back one day and see those beaches.
Happy 4th!! I miss America lots and especially the fourth of July family/friend fun!! Hope everyone celebrated with great fireworks and hot dogs! I ate pork stew tonight…so it’s like the same thing!
Tomorrow I go to take my oral exam then on to GIVERNY, Monet’s house with Laura, a friend from Pau and her boyfriend.
A super busy week ahead, Laura’s here and Tricia, my big, gets here the 6th. I leave hopefully (booking tickets Tuesday) to London on Friday with Jessica to visit Montana, a sorority sister who is studying there now, so EXCITED!! Busy, busy, busy, and only 27 days left in France!!!
Friday, July 2, 2010
Hello World, are you getting warmer? Science says you are and so do I!
It’s hot as a rotisserie chicken in my room right now, I am in a SAUNA. The windows are open the door is open I am a hot messss. It’s gross.
Anyway though I had a good day. Started out early and went to Musee Marmottan which has a abstract impressionism exhibit for a limited time and it’s MONET so I went. I am in LOVEEEEE with The Roses a painting by him…bought it as a poster and a cardboard thing, it was on sale!
Then we ate at a nice restaurant, I had a croquet monsieur, I LOVE THEM they are melted emmental cheese on bread with ham in the bread and they are a dream and I will melt cheese and burn bread when I return I bet haha. How does one MAKE them? I have no idea how to melt cheese on bread w/o getting the bread stiff. But twas delicious.
Then I haggled a little with some vendors for some stuff then we, me and 2 other girls, to musee l’orangerie which is in the middle of le jardin de tulieries which was stunningggg. And we got student discounts so we got into the museum for 1.50 euro! So excited to not pay 8 euro haha. L’Orangerie is famous for storing Monet’s Nympheas or Waterlilies. I almost cried if not for this small little woman standing in my way haha. But what was really cool was you were allowed to take pictures!!! I took a zilllllion. I love monet A LOT.
After that we wandered a bit in the garden then headed home early. I took a nap in my sauna and read the book my friend Claire loaned me for my trip. I like reading and just relaxing sometimes and the book is a good one! I’ll probably finish it tonight lol. I will have Hamlet to read on the plane ride home to chicago haha.
Had basically a slice of lunchmeat turkey for dinner while everyone else had blooodddy beef, gross-looking, and some cherries for dessert with cheese/bread. I do like my host mom’s cooking though. I met my newest roommate and she is super nice I’m really happy about it! We’ll get along great I think!
Tomorrow I leave at 6 40 for Mont St Michel aka Normandy. I’m not sure if I get to see the Dday stuff but hopefully so I can make my mom oooober jealous :)
Miss and love everyone!! I took a couple videos in L’Orangerie so I can have you all right there with me in awe so look for those later!! Not on my blog but maybe facebook or somewhere haha, I’ll upload my pictures one day!
Anyway though I had a good day. Started out early and went to Musee Marmottan which has a abstract impressionism exhibit for a limited time and it’s MONET so I went. I am in LOVEEEEE with The Roses a painting by him…bought it as a poster and a cardboard thing, it was on sale!
Then we ate at a nice restaurant, I had a croquet monsieur, I LOVE THEM they are melted emmental cheese on bread with ham in the bread and they are a dream and I will melt cheese and burn bread when I return I bet haha. How does one MAKE them? I have no idea how to melt cheese on bread w/o getting the bread stiff. But twas delicious.
Then I haggled a little with some vendors for some stuff then we, me and 2 other girls, to musee l’orangerie which is in the middle of le jardin de tulieries which was stunningggg. And we got student discounts so we got into the museum for 1.50 euro! So excited to not pay 8 euro haha. L’Orangerie is famous for storing Monet’s Nympheas or Waterlilies. I almost cried if not for this small little woman standing in my way haha. But what was really cool was you were allowed to take pictures!!! I took a zilllllion. I love monet A LOT.
After that we wandered a bit in the garden then headed home early. I took a nap in my sauna and read the book my friend Claire loaned me for my trip. I like reading and just relaxing sometimes and the book is a good one! I’ll probably finish it tonight lol. I will have Hamlet to read on the plane ride home to chicago haha.
Had basically a slice of lunchmeat turkey for dinner while everyone else had blooodddy beef, gross-looking, and some cherries for dessert with cheese/bread. I do like my host mom’s cooking though. I met my newest roommate and she is super nice I’m really happy about it! We’ll get along great I think!
Tomorrow I leave at 6 40 for Mont St Michel aka Normandy. I’m not sure if I get to see the Dday stuff but hopefully so I can make my mom oooober jealous :)
Miss and love everyone!! I took a couple videos in L’Orangerie so I can have you all right there with me in awe so look for those later!! Not on my blog but maybe facebook or somewhere haha, I’ll upload my pictures one day!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
SHOP TILL MY FRIENDS DROPPED…from jet lag…
Woke up at NINE o’clock today, what a restful night. Everyone else had jetlag and wanted to sleep in so I slept in too!! Got dressed, had BRIOCHE this morning aka to-die-for breakfast nummy yummy bread and blackberry jam. Goofed off on facebook a bit, read, and then started my day.
Got dressed, strolled out to the Eiffel tower with a chicken and fromage Panini and orangina in tow. Got harassed by vendors and gypsies for money and waited for my 2 new friends from ISA. Met up with them about 1pm then we took a metro to find la rue de rennes….eventually. got lost in the town not being able to find the street haha but had a chocolate croissant to pass the time so it’s all good…and fanta. Janet is addicted to orangina and French fanta, not NOT American fanta.
Finally found our street and hit the sales at H & M, the store here is much classier than those in usa. The sales for france started today so that’s why it was a day to SHOP…too bad my friends dropped after about an hour haha. They were jetlagged as hell so I hurried through H & M, wound up buying an ADORABLE flowery overshirt for 10 euro that looks Paris and then left.
we found a monoprix aka smaller target and not as trendy, my friends bought their essentials they needed like shampoo and then we sat within the monoprix for about an hour and a half sipping fantas and munching on croissants and I had a pastry thing that was pistachio BREAD with blackberries on top…I died a little SHO GOOD.
Talked about life, men and France for a long time. None of us want to marry a Frenchman at the current time so we had that in common as well as a neck phobia haha.
Then went to zara, a famous chain here in france. I found a floral skirt that is SO PARIS for 10 euro also, I’m such a find-finder!!! I love sales. Maybe shopping another time too, it was time for dinner. I had this lasagna type dish, some corn (not as fresh as back home!), some cheese/bread of course and CRÈME BRULEE ICE CREAM OH MON DIEU YUM!!
Now I’m just sitting in my room, maybe reading, going to bed EARLY. I am meeting the same friends tomorrow for two of my most-desired museums I neeeeed to see: Musee Marmottan and Musee L’Orangerie, the 1st is all Monet and the 2nd has the REAL waterlilies of Monet. I am SOOO EXCITEDDDD!!
Bad news kids, my knee is like…sore. Like I can walk with a limp and be comfortable. I am my dad’s daughter with knee problems. It’s probably from walking for seven straight days…holy poo….i’ve been here for a full week!!! As of today I have gotten through an entire week in paris!!! Woweee!!!
In other news, I’m on vacation until Monday. Also, I will not blog Saturday but Sunday I will blog about our st.michel excursion, we’re staying in a hotel Saturday night not in Paris.
In other news, I love Paris, I’m getting to know some really nice people. They keep saying I belong on All That or on commercials or animated films and I love them for it. I don’t know where my life is going but I know Paris is the place for me!!! (right now ;) I am excited to see everyone soon!!!)
Also, please don’t anyone try to send me anything here for my birthday, it’s far and I’d rather just get things when I get back. Who knows if I would even receive it before I leave, shipping is poo. But facebook wishes and love sent over the ocean are welcome :)
Got dressed, strolled out to the Eiffel tower with a chicken and fromage Panini and orangina in tow. Got harassed by vendors and gypsies for money and waited for my 2 new friends from ISA. Met up with them about 1pm then we took a metro to find la rue de rennes….eventually. got lost in the town not being able to find the street haha but had a chocolate croissant to pass the time so it’s all good…and fanta. Janet is addicted to orangina and French fanta, not NOT American fanta.
Finally found our street and hit the sales at H & M, the store here is much classier than those in usa. The sales for france started today so that’s why it was a day to SHOP…too bad my friends dropped after about an hour haha. They were jetlagged as hell so I hurried through H & M, wound up buying an ADORABLE flowery overshirt for 10 euro that looks Paris and then left.
we found a monoprix aka smaller target and not as trendy, my friends bought their essentials they needed like shampoo and then we sat within the monoprix for about an hour and a half sipping fantas and munching on croissants and I had a pastry thing that was pistachio BREAD with blackberries on top…I died a little SHO GOOD.
Talked about life, men and France for a long time. None of us want to marry a Frenchman at the current time so we had that in common as well as a neck phobia haha.
Then went to zara, a famous chain here in france. I found a floral skirt that is SO PARIS for 10 euro also, I’m such a find-finder!!! I love sales. Maybe shopping another time too, it was time for dinner. I had this lasagna type dish, some corn (not as fresh as back home!), some cheese/bread of course and CRÈME BRULEE ICE CREAM OH MON DIEU YUM!!
Now I’m just sitting in my room, maybe reading, going to bed EARLY. I am meeting the same friends tomorrow for two of my most-desired museums I neeeeed to see: Musee Marmottan and Musee L’Orangerie, the 1st is all Monet and the 2nd has the REAL waterlilies of Monet. I am SOOO EXCITEDDDD!!
Bad news kids, my knee is like…sore. Like I can walk with a limp and be comfortable. I am my dad’s daughter with knee problems. It’s probably from walking for seven straight days…holy poo….i’ve been here for a full week!!! As of today I have gotten through an entire week in paris!!! Woweee!!!
In other news, I’m on vacation until Monday. Also, I will not blog Saturday but Sunday I will blog about our st.michel excursion, we’re staying in a hotel Saturday night not in Paris.
In other news, I love Paris, I’m getting to know some really nice people. They keep saying I belong on All That or on commercials or animated films and I love them for it. I don’t know where my life is going but I know Paris is the place for me!!! (right now ;) I am excited to see everyone soon!!!)
Also, please don’t anyone try to send me anything here for my birthday, it’s far and I’d rather just get things when I get back. Who knows if I would even receive it before I leave, shipping is poo. But facebook wishes and love sent over the ocean are welcome :)
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Institut Catholique!!
TIRED= me.
Woke up about 6 50 just in case and got ready and to the school metro stop about 8 10ish and then got lost of course haha but found the school at 9 and waited around for half hour for the meeting to start. I chatted with some isa-ers as they arrived, seem nice! They’re not usac-cool yet ;)
Had a meeting about our program then wandered with a few people to grab BREBIS cheese a baguette and water then ate lunch in le jardin de Luxembourg which is a hop and skip from our school :) I perceive myself spending lots of time there, sooo pretty.
Went back to school, had meetings about pickpockets, homestay stuff, yada yada. I don’t do anything class-related until MONDAY YAYYY!!! I’m not taking an art class so I get two more days vacation!!
Skipped out of the meetings and walked around le quartier latin with a group of six people, just meandered. Used my visa and bought a 60 buck pass card for the metro which means no more flimsy paper tickets! I have an ID and everything…I’m becoming more parisien by the DAY yayyyy
Walked around, saw notre dame again, took pictures. Got more berthillon famous ice cream, pistachio for me!! happyyy!!!
Walked and chilled for about 3 hours doing nothing specific, no one likes tourist shops and book shops but me I guess so we didn’t stop many places. Had a small pineapple juice, strawberry juice and coco milk drink to be refreshed at happy hour and then we walked to our restaurant. SO NICE, ISA organized a welcome dinner! It was at this nice restaurant, for my appetizer I had my own crepe, then salmon with noodles then chocolate mousse and a lotttt of fanta to drink haha. It was good, French, yumm. I was a riot at dinner, everyone says I remind them of like…Amanda bynes and characters from all that lol.
Took my new buds to the Eiffel tower after dinner…along the way on the metro some big man came up to my friend, he had been staring at us, he said do you speak English, said something quickly about English speaking Americans being whores or something then left. No harm done but im buying pepper spray tomorrow. My friend hates being yelled at so she cried a little! sooo sad. I cheered her up by taking her to la tour Eiffel. We only stayed for a little then split up on metros to go home.
So yeah. A good day, people overall seem nice! Two girls and I are going shopping all day at the sales tomorrow so im EXCITED for that!! Oh also, I told my whole program I came to paris to have fireworks on my birthday haha.
So no classes yet but friends are a-formin!!!
Woke up about 6 50 just in case and got ready and to the school metro stop about 8 10ish and then got lost of course haha but found the school at 9 and waited around for half hour for the meeting to start. I chatted with some isa-ers as they arrived, seem nice! They’re not usac-cool yet ;)
Had a meeting about our program then wandered with a few people to grab BREBIS cheese a baguette and water then ate lunch in le jardin de Luxembourg which is a hop and skip from our school :) I perceive myself spending lots of time there, sooo pretty.
Went back to school, had meetings about pickpockets, homestay stuff, yada yada. I don’t do anything class-related until MONDAY YAYYY!!! I’m not taking an art class so I get two more days vacation!!
Skipped out of the meetings and walked around le quartier latin with a group of six people, just meandered. Used my visa and bought a 60 buck pass card for the metro which means no more flimsy paper tickets! I have an ID and everything…I’m becoming more parisien by the DAY yayyyy
Walked around, saw notre dame again, took pictures. Got more berthillon famous ice cream, pistachio for me!! happyyy!!!
Walked and chilled for about 3 hours doing nothing specific, no one likes tourist shops and book shops but me I guess so we didn’t stop many places. Had a small pineapple juice, strawberry juice and coco milk drink to be refreshed at happy hour and then we walked to our restaurant. SO NICE, ISA organized a welcome dinner! It was at this nice restaurant, for my appetizer I had my own crepe, then salmon with noodles then chocolate mousse and a lotttt of fanta to drink haha. It was good, French, yumm. I was a riot at dinner, everyone says I remind them of like…Amanda bynes and characters from all that lol.
Took my new buds to the Eiffel tower after dinner…along the way on the metro some big man came up to my friend, he had been staring at us, he said do you speak English, said something quickly about English speaking Americans being whores or something then left. No harm done but im buying pepper spray tomorrow. My friend hates being yelled at so she cried a little! sooo sad. I cheered her up by taking her to la tour Eiffel. We only stayed for a little then split up on metros to go home.
So yeah. A good day, people overall seem nice! Two girls and I are going shopping all day at the sales tomorrow so im EXCITED for that!! Oh also, I told my whole program I came to paris to have fireworks on my birthday haha.
So no classes yet but friends are a-formin!!!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Cordially Invited!!
MORNING….slept in till 9am, I’m on vacation don’t you know? It was my last opportunity to sleep in before diving into school, excursions and real Parisien life, so I did!!
Had breakfast with my Venezuelan roommate and host mom, realized I have not seen any movies…like they talked about all these international films from around the world and im like…I’ve seen the American harry potter films? I’m SO lame. I need to be more cultured
Went to buy an adaptor with my roommate, my converter I worry will die so my roommate and I split the cost of an adapter I will use it only for charging my camera. But yay now I have one for my camera!
After that I hopped a metro to le jardin de Luxembourg…got a little lost but was happy cuz im in paris. Stopped at a SUBWAY haha it WAS SO GOOD, had a wrap, vinegar AMAZINGGG chips and a coca light, yummmyy. Total tourist trap but I didn’t care lol
Found my school for tomorrow, it looks pretty from the outside, then found the nearest metro stop. I have to be at school at 9 30, I’ll probably leave here about 7 45 ughhh. I don’t want to be late is all!
Hopped a metro and met up with JESSICA B, an old friend who is from Naperville and is here till June 24th. We then saw her school, bought oranginas and went to l’ile de st Louis for berthillon ice cream, the most famous in france. I WILLLLL be wanting more of that stuff, I got raspberry sorbet and was happy. We lounged a bit next to la seine and then wandered to find some food. We wound up drinking virgin (for me) and alcohol-induced pina coladas and tAPASSS from a small quaint restaurant. They weren’t as good as in spain but I diddd love them. Then I took her to notre dame to see it in all its glory. Shopped a little, got some gooood stuff :)
Soon we were hungry, so I found a small crepe place near notre dame and Jessica tried her 1st crepe, ham and cheese for both of us and we sat and drank fantas and ate crepes in front of notre dame. What an unbelievable thought…notre dame, crepes and fanta. Perfection.
After crepes, we metro-ed over to la tour Eiffel for Jessica to see it and me to visit my favorite batiment of all time <3 I love it so. Finally bought some keychains and a scarf thing I wanted and these two vendors kissed my cheeks when Jessica took my picture by the Eiffel tower haha. It was in good fun they were a blast. We then wandered a bit aways from la tour Eiffel to see the score of the spain game…oh yeah did I mention that right in front of la tour Eiffel, not by le champ de mars but by the aquarium there is a big screen for the game and literally thousands of people sit and watch it together every time there is a game? SOOO cool.
Anyways, metro-ed back to my house b/c oh yeah…even though I’ve been walking hours on end for the past 5 days and today was my relaxing today? I got a blister today. It’s ENORMOUS and bloody and gross and I hate it and want it to leave.
I’m home now, happy, exhausted, nervous for my 1st day and sore still from never ending my walking lol. Maybe it willll be good to have class cuz then I have to sit….and work hard meh. We’ll see about the last thing :)
Started to paris with 300 euro…down to about 100, lunch/dinner yeah…expensive stuff here. I’m hoping there is a nearby lunch place to me at my school so I can spend less on food.
MISSSS my family and friends oooooodles today. Randomly saw a girl from usac who is staying an extra two days in paris with her MOM. HER MOM CAME, I WANT MYYYY MOM TO COMEEEE. Jealous. My other roommate, not Venezuelan, her mom, aunt, cousin and sister are all coming. DEAR PACK FAMILY, YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO FRANCE TO VISIT JANET, COME NOW I MISS YOU ALLLL!!!
I’m not homesick, just miss you guys!!
Okay, so off to bed and then to school in the morning (bah humbug a little, excitement too to meet new people and nervous too, eMOTIONS everywhereeee haha!!)
Had breakfast with my Venezuelan roommate and host mom, realized I have not seen any movies…like they talked about all these international films from around the world and im like…I’ve seen the American harry potter films? I’m SO lame. I need to be more cultured
Went to buy an adaptor with my roommate, my converter I worry will die so my roommate and I split the cost of an adapter I will use it only for charging my camera. But yay now I have one for my camera!
After that I hopped a metro to le jardin de Luxembourg…got a little lost but was happy cuz im in paris. Stopped at a SUBWAY haha it WAS SO GOOD, had a wrap, vinegar AMAZINGGG chips and a coca light, yummmyy. Total tourist trap but I didn’t care lol
Found my school for tomorrow, it looks pretty from the outside, then found the nearest metro stop. I have to be at school at 9 30, I’ll probably leave here about 7 45 ughhh. I don’t want to be late is all!
Hopped a metro and met up with JESSICA B, an old friend who is from Naperville and is here till June 24th. We then saw her school, bought oranginas and went to l’ile de st Louis for berthillon ice cream, the most famous in france. I WILLLLL be wanting more of that stuff, I got raspberry sorbet and was happy. We lounged a bit next to la seine and then wandered to find some food. We wound up drinking virgin (for me) and alcohol-induced pina coladas and tAPASSS from a small quaint restaurant. They weren’t as good as in spain but I diddd love them. Then I took her to notre dame to see it in all its glory. Shopped a little, got some gooood stuff :)
Soon we were hungry, so I found a small crepe place near notre dame and Jessica tried her 1st crepe, ham and cheese for both of us and we sat and drank fantas and ate crepes in front of notre dame. What an unbelievable thought…notre dame, crepes and fanta. Perfection.
After crepes, we metro-ed over to la tour Eiffel for Jessica to see it and me to visit my favorite batiment of all time <3 I love it so. Finally bought some keychains and a scarf thing I wanted and these two vendors kissed my cheeks when Jessica took my picture by the Eiffel tower haha. It was in good fun they were a blast. We then wandered a bit aways from la tour Eiffel to see the score of the spain game…oh yeah did I mention that right in front of la tour Eiffel, not by le champ de mars but by the aquarium there is a big screen for the game and literally thousands of people sit and watch it together every time there is a game? SOOO cool.
Anyways, metro-ed back to my house b/c oh yeah…even though I’ve been walking hours on end for the past 5 days and today was my relaxing today? I got a blister today. It’s ENORMOUS and bloody and gross and I hate it and want it to leave.
I’m home now, happy, exhausted, nervous for my 1st day and sore still from never ending my walking lol. Maybe it willll be good to have class cuz then I have to sit….and work hard meh. We’ll see about the last thing :)
Started to paris with 300 euro…down to about 100, lunch/dinner yeah…expensive stuff here. I’m hoping there is a nearby lunch place to me at my school so I can spend less on food.
MISSSS my family and friends oooooodles today. Randomly saw a girl from usac who is staying an extra two days in paris with her MOM. HER MOM CAME, I WANT MYYYY MOM TO COMEEEE. Jealous. My other roommate, not Venezuelan, her mom, aunt, cousin and sister are all coming. DEAR PACK FAMILY, YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO FRANCE TO VISIT JANET, COME NOW I MISS YOU ALLLL!!!
I’m not homesick, just miss you guys!!
Okay, so off to bed and then to school in the morning (bah humbug a little, excitement too to meet new people and nervous too, eMOTIONS everywhereeee haha!!)
Monday, June 28, 2010
PARISIENNE!!
HELLO WORLD, It’s Janet aka Parisienne Lady :)
I’m thrilled here. THRILLED a lot of the time. Even when I’m lost it’s like..magical. I know there will be a metro or I can ask and everyone is so friendly!
Things I don’t like about Paris
1. My family/friends are not here
2. The gypsies…if someone comes up to you and asks if you speak English you say no b/c they will try to get your money. Sometimes they act very pitiful or hold puppies and I even saw one holding a baby and begging on the streets. I hate that.
3. My family/friends aren’t here.
Okay…that’s all really. I loveee Paris. I LOVE the Metro.
Today, slept in until 8am again, that’s annoying. Met the USAC kids at the Eiffel Tower by walking…I have every intention of haggling some mini Eiffel towers for my friends someday haha there are soooo many venders there walking around being aggressive it makes me laugh. If you scowl and say no they go away. One guy came up to me and said I will draw you nice girl for you it is free, I said no but he was right I am nice lol.
After the Eiffel Tower we metro-ed over to L’Arc de Triomhe, I took a mini video of it sooo beautiful Speaking of videos, I fully finished my first memory card of France today!! IT’S FULL, I have over 1233 pictures of Paris so far…it’s been 5 days…lol
I didn’t go up the arc b/c my museum pass expired yesterday but the view from below was perfect for me. I just relaxed, didn’t go up 300 stairs lol. I’m soreee from notre dame stairs yesterday
Atfer the Arc we hitched a metro to le Marais, one of the oldest parts of Paris and one of the most beautiful. It was fantastic. There, we went to the Jewish section and ate at an Israelian lunch place…YUP FALAFELS and onions and pitas and fries soooooo good. 13 euro for a plate of goodies, I left happy.
A few of us tried to go to the Catacombs after that but it was closed cuz it’s Monday. So I went to la Place Concorde while everyone went to Notre Dame. Sadly, Place de Concorde was blocked off b/c they are doing something in preparation for bastille day…aka my birthday. So, I forgave them. Sat in a nearby grassy area overlooking la place, didn’t go into Jardin des tuileries b/c I want to save that lol. Sooo I walked down rue de rivoli, theres a gazillion souvenir shops there I had to hold back! Got myelf and my brother these like…vinyl scarf things for our rooms, mine is France his Spain, hope he likes it!!
Then, I walked to le louvre. OH.MY.GOODNESSBEAUTIFUL. I loved it, teared up a bit of course. I went inside the big Pyramid cuz it was free and just stood. Then I left b/c I knew id be comng back a lot lol. So then I walked to la comedie francaise for a photo of that and look at the dates of shows there, then I walked to the moliere fountain to pay homage to one of my favorite playwrights…then I strolled, got a fanta (they TASTE SO GOOD HERE it isn’t like usa fanta at ALL) and headed home. Had some delicious chicken for dinner and couscous and an ice cream. There is no brebis cheese here, it makes me sad, I miss brebis a LOTT. I am managing with eating chevre though, that’s goat. It doesn’t taste as bad as it used to, maybe im becoming more and more French!!
Anyways, no big plans tomorrow except im meeting up with Jessica, she is from my hometown of Naperville and we are buds from way back and im excited to see a friendly face. The usac kids leave tomorrow :( tomorrow, I’ll stroll…maybe go check out where my school is and do le jardin du Luxembourg tomorrow I don’t know or maybe tulieries cuz I loved the outside of it haha. We’ll see. The world is at my feet still! But it isss my last day of freedom before classes start ugh. Oh well. When in Paris…learn?
LOVE AND MISS YOU ALLLL
PS Paris is HOT.
I’m thrilled here. THRILLED a lot of the time. Even when I’m lost it’s like..magical. I know there will be a metro or I can ask and everyone is so friendly!
Things I don’t like about Paris
1. My family/friends are not here
2. The gypsies…if someone comes up to you and asks if you speak English you say no b/c they will try to get your money. Sometimes they act very pitiful or hold puppies and I even saw one holding a baby and begging on the streets. I hate that.
3. My family/friends aren’t here.
Okay…that’s all really. I loveee Paris. I LOVE the Metro.
Today, slept in until 8am again, that’s annoying. Met the USAC kids at the Eiffel Tower by walking…I have every intention of haggling some mini Eiffel towers for my friends someday haha there are soooo many venders there walking around being aggressive it makes me laugh. If you scowl and say no they go away. One guy came up to me and said I will draw you nice girl for you it is free, I said no but he was right I am nice lol.
After the Eiffel Tower we metro-ed over to L’Arc de Triomhe, I took a mini video of it sooo beautiful Speaking of videos, I fully finished my first memory card of France today!! IT’S FULL, I have over 1233 pictures of Paris so far…it’s been 5 days…lol
I didn’t go up the arc b/c my museum pass expired yesterday but the view from below was perfect for me. I just relaxed, didn’t go up 300 stairs lol. I’m soreee from notre dame stairs yesterday
Atfer the Arc we hitched a metro to le Marais, one of the oldest parts of Paris and one of the most beautiful. It was fantastic. There, we went to the Jewish section and ate at an Israelian lunch place…YUP FALAFELS and onions and pitas and fries soooooo good. 13 euro for a plate of goodies, I left happy.
A few of us tried to go to the Catacombs after that but it was closed cuz it’s Monday. So I went to la Place Concorde while everyone went to Notre Dame. Sadly, Place de Concorde was blocked off b/c they are doing something in preparation for bastille day…aka my birthday. So, I forgave them. Sat in a nearby grassy area overlooking la place, didn’t go into Jardin des tuileries b/c I want to save that lol. Sooo I walked down rue de rivoli, theres a gazillion souvenir shops there I had to hold back! Got myelf and my brother these like…vinyl scarf things for our rooms, mine is France his Spain, hope he likes it!!
Then, I walked to le louvre. OH.MY.GOODNESSBEAUTIFUL. I loved it, teared up a bit of course. I went inside the big Pyramid cuz it was free and just stood. Then I left b/c I knew id be comng back a lot lol. So then I walked to la comedie francaise for a photo of that and look at the dates of shows there, then I walked to the moliere fountain to pay homage to one of my favorite playwrights…then I strolled, got a fanta (they TASTE SO GOOD HERE it isn’t like usa fanta at ALL) and headed home. Had some delicious chicken for dinner and couscous and an ice cream. There is no brebis cheese here, it makes me sad, I miss brebis a LOTT. I am managing with eating chevre though, that’s goat. It doesn’t taste as bad as it used to, maybe im becoming more and more French!!
Anyways, no big plans tomorrow except im meeting up with Jessica, she is from my hometown of Naperville and we are buds from way back and im excited to see a friendly face. The usac kids leave tomorrow :( tomorrow, I’ll stroll…maybe go check out where my school is and do le jardin du Luxembourg tomorrow I don’t know or maybe tulieries cuz I loved the outside of it haha. We’ll see. The world is at my feet still! But it isss my last day of freedom before classes start ugh. Oh well. When in Paris…learn?
LOVE AND MISS YOU ALLLL
PS Paris is HOT.
PARISIENNE!!
HELLO WORLD, It’s Janet aka Parisienne Lady :)
I’m thrilled here. THRILLED a lot of the time. Even when I’m lost it’s like..magical. I know there will be a metro or I can ask and everyone is so friendly!
Things I don’t like about Paris
1. My family/friends are not here
2. The gypsies…if someone comes up to you and asks if you speak English you say no b/c they will try to get your money. Sometimes they act very pitiful or hold puppies and I even saw one holding a baby and begging on the streets. I hate that.
3. My family/friends aren’t here.
Okay…that’s all really. I loveee Paris. I LOVE the Metro.
Today, slept in until 8am again, that’s annoying. Met the USAC kids at the Eiffel Tower by walking…I have every intention of haggling some mini Eiffel towers for my friends someday haha there are soooo many venders there walking around being aggressive it makes me laugh. If you scowl and say no they go away. One guy came up to me and said I will draw you nice girl for you it is free, I said no but he was right I am nice lol.
After the Eiffel Tower we metro-ed over to L’Arc de Triomhe, I took a mini video of it sooo beautiful Speaking of videos, I fully finished my first memory card of France today!! IT’S FULL, I have over 1233 pictures of Paris so far…it’s been 5 days…lol
I didn’t go up the arc b/c my museum pass expired yesterday but the view from below was perfect for me. I just relaxed, didn’t go up 300 stairs lol. I’m soreee from notre dame stairs yesterday
Atfer the Arc we hitched a metro to le Marais, one of the oldest parts of Paris and one of the most beautiful. It was fantastic. There, we went to the Jewish section and ate at an Israelian lunch place…YUP FALAFELS and onions and pitas and fries soooooo good. 13 euro for a plate of goodies, I left happy.
A few of us tried to go to the Catacombs after that but it was closed cuz it’s Monday. So I went to la Place Concorde while everyone went to Notre Dame. Sadly, Place de Concorde was blocked off b/c they are doing something in preparation for bastille day…aka my birthday. So, I forgave them. Sat in a nearby grassy area overlooking la place, didn’t go into Jardin des tuileries b/c I want to save that lol. Sooo I walked down rue de rivoli, theres a gazillion souvenir shops there I had to hold back! Got myelf and my brother these like…vinyl scarf things for our rooms, mine is France his Spain, hope he likes it!!
Then, I walked to le louvre. OH.MY.GOODNESSBEAUTIFUL. I loved it, teared up a bit of course. I went inside the big Pyramid cuz it was free and just stood. Then I left b/c I knew id be comng back a lot lol. So then I walked to la comedie francaise for a photo of that and look at the dates of shows there, then I walked to the moliere fountain to pay homage to one of my favorite playwrights…then I strolled, got a fanta (they TASTE SO GOOD HERE it isn’t like usa fanta at ALL) and headed home. Had some delicious chicken for dinner and couscous and an ice cream. There is no brebis cheese here, it makes me sad, I miss brebis a LOTT. I am managing with eating chevre though, that’s goat. It doesn’t taste as bad as it used to, maybe im becoming more and more French!!
Anyways, no big plans tomorrow except im meeting up with Jessica, she is from my hometown of Naperville and we are buds from way back and im excited to see a friendly face. The usac kids leave tomorrow :( tomorrow, I’ll stroll…maybe go check out where my school is and do le jardin du Luxembourg tomorrow I don’t know or maybe tulieries cuz I loved the outside of it haha. We’ll see. The world is at my feet still! But it isss my last day of freedom before classes start ugh. Oh well. When in Paris…learn?
LOVE AND MISS YOU ALLLL
PS Paris is HOT.
I’m thrilled here. THRILLED a lot of the time. Even when I’m lost it’s like..magical. I know there will be a metro or I can ask and everyone is so friendly!
Things I don’t like about Paris
1. My family/friends are not here
2. The gypsies…if someone comes up to you and asks if you speak English you say no b/c they will try to get your money. Sometimes they act very pitiful or hold puppies and I even saw one holding a baby and begging on the streets. I hate that.
3. My family/friends aren’t here.
Okay…that’s all really. I loveee Paris. I LOVE the Metro.
Today, slept in until 8am again, that’s annoying. Met the USAC kids at the Eiffel Tower by walking…I have every intention of haggling some mini Eiffel towers for my friends someday haha there are soooo many venders there walking around being aggressive it makes me laugh. If you scowl and say no they go away. One guy came up to me and said I will draw you nice girl for you it is free, I said no but he was right I am nice lol.
After the Eiffel Tower we metro-ed over to L’Arc de Triomhe, I took a mini video of it sooo beautiful Speaking of videos, I fully finished my first memory card of France today!! IT’S FULL, I have over 1233 pictures of Paris so far…it’s been 5 days…lol
I didn’t go up the arc b/c my museum pass expired yesterday but the view from below was perfect for me. I just relaxed, didn’t go up 300 stairs lol. I’m soreee from notre dame stairs yesterday
Atfer the Arc we hitched a metro to le Marais, one of the oldest parts of Paris and one of the most beautiful. It was fantastic. There, we went to the Jewish section and ate at an Israelian lunch place…YUP FALAFELS and onions and pitas and fries soooooo good. 13 euro for a plate of goodies, I left happy.
A few of us tried to go to the Catacombs after that but it was closed cuz it’s Monday. So I went to la Place Concorde while everyone went to Notre Dame. Sadly, Place de Concorde was blocked off b/c they are doing something in preparation for bastille day…aka my birthday. So, I forgave them. Sat in a nearby grassy area overlooking la place, didn’t go into Jardin des tuileries b/c I want to save that lol. Sooo I walked down rue de rivoli, theres a gazillion souvenir shops there I had to hold back! Got myelf and my brother these like…vinyl scarf things for our rooms, mine is France his Spain, hope he likes it!!
Then, I walked to le louvre. OH.MY.GOODNESSBEAUTIFUL. I loved it, teared up a bit of course. I went inside the big Pyramid cuz it was free and just stood. Then I left b/c I knew id be comng back a lot lol. So then I walked to la comedie francaise for a photo of that and look at the dates of shows there, then I walked to the moliere fountain to pay homage to one of my favorite playwrights…then I strolled, got a fanta (they TASTE SO GOOD HERE it isn’t like usa fanta at ALL) and headed home. Had some delicious chicken for dinner and couscous and an ice cream. There is no brebis cheese here, it makes me sad, I miss brebis a LOTT. I am managing with eating chevre though, that’s goat. It doesn’t taste as bad as it used to, maybe im becoming more and more French!!
Anyways, no big plans tomorrow except im meeting up with Jessica, she is from my hometown of Naperville and we are buds from way back and im excited to see a friendly face. The usac kids leave tomorrow :( tomorrow, I’ll stroll…maybe go check out where my school is and do le jardin du Luxembourg tomorrow I don’t know or maybe tulieries cuz I loved the outside of it haha. We’ll see. The world is at my feet still! But it isss my last day of freedom before classes start ugh. Oh well. When in Paris…learn?
LOVE AND MISS YOU ALLLL
PS Paris is HOT.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Janet...HATES stairs, loves Paris!!!
WHAT a day and it is only 7:30pm. Okay, so I rolled out of my bed at 8am like a SLACKER I was upset with myself haha, anyways I showered up had some coffee and blackberry jam on baguette bread UM YUM and took the metro out to musee d’orsay…let me just say…I’ve been to several art museums but I don’t usually tear up and I don’t usually stay in one room for 20 minutes…Mr. Monet has my heart, it’s official. I’m going to go to le musee l’orangerie by le jardin de tulieries to see the full water lilies painting but seeing even a part of it and my breath was gone…and the bridge was there. I bought a book, 9 dollars of Monet pieces it was on sale so of course I bought it. Forgot to say, I bought two books yesterday, Le Petit Prince and a Baudelaire Book altogether 16 euro on sale, such a deallll.
In terms of souvenirs, I need to start buying some now? I waited too long in Pau might as well get what I want when I want it haha. This will be my motto for tomorrow, all I bought today was oranginas and my lunch was (at le musee d’orsay) a baguette with ham and cheese and butter, my new fav sandwich.
Anyways, after spending two hours wandering, seeing Monet, Manet, Cezanne, sculptures, Van Gogh…some symbolist pieces, Degas with his beautiful ballet scenes…you know..the most admired paintings ever in the history of LIFE, I jetted off on another metro to le centre pompidou museum…soooo different haha.
I went up the famous escalators and just it was soo freeing and artsy and scary and offensive and there was some REALLY abstract stuff and crazy eccentric presentations on film. like I watched a naked woman on a tv hold a chicken that just got its head cut off upside down until it died….it was her connecting to nature really artsy. Lots and LOTS of nude women, feminist stuff, crazy films and sculptures and just sooo neat. I felt sooo cultured!! My parents might not have, it’s very fresh and naked…literally haha. Then I went to the top of centre pompidou for pictures and strolled around the building a bit, had another orangina of course. I will live on them I’ve decided.
After centre pompidou I saw a sign for notre dame and since it was closed yesterday I figured I could see how long the line was and hop on in! Well, the line to get inside was long but it went fast and the inside was breathtaking, I feel sort of strange not being catholic though not in a bad way but I can’t imagine how spiritual it must be for those of the catholic faith to see it, I saw one man weeping.
After the inside, I found the big one, the bigggg line to the top top of notre dame 400 stairs to the top. Did I wait? Yesss of course! One hour and forty minutes I waited! While in line, I was terrified by this guy in a gargoyle mask who scares people on the street in front of the line and he just like…touches their shoulder and they turn or he walks up to them and they yell. Soo entertaining. The gargoyle guy even grabbed this one guy on the street’s hand and the street guy thought it was his wife and they walked along for a bit and then the guy realized it was a gargoyle haha sooo funny to watch. Got a picture with him.
Also in line I met Beatrice, she is from Brazil studied in Spain (not Aliciente (sp?), somewhere small I’d never heard of) for 5 months and was on holidy. It was her birthday! I also met two people from Florida, a mom and son BONDING together on holiday also and we had fun in line. Beatrice and I got along great and I helped her with English haha. FINALLY, after the long wait and another orangina haha, we started up…100 stairs and then we had to wait 5 minutes in the gift shop lobby place then 250 some stairs and we were in wonderrr, I saw gargoyles, I posed with the big bell, I saw the view of a lifetime. Thennn, we walked up another 150 stairs to the tippppytop and the view there was beyond words. Then we walked all the way down the 400 stairs, I got dizzy but asthma didn’t flare up at all so that was good. Beatrice was patient walking behind me haha and we sang we are the champions by queen on the way to the exit soo happy to be done with stairs!
Beatrice and I walked to a café for a drink and more pictures by notre dame, we both acted as each others photographers it was great! Then we hopped a metro down and up and down and up more stairs haha we hate stairs now! I will be sore for SURE tomorrow!!
Got back to my metro stop, bought an orangina and am sitting here at my computer relaxing. I won’t have a museum pass anymore so I will have to start waiting in actual lines :/ That’s dumb. Oh well, each museum costs like 8 bucks and I spent 32 bucks on a pass…I hit 6 of them so that means I got to see 2 of them for free!!! I planned it out well. I want to relax now, just chill. Eat dinner here at my homestay and maybe skype some people if my internet works haha.
SUCH an incredible day, I’m pinching myself every second in awe. I cannot believe im here but I do in part b/c I don’t worry about being lost I know I will find my way AND im in paris so who cares? Soooo happy. and sweaty, from all those damn stairs!
In terms of souvenirs, I need to start buying some now? I waited too long in Pau might as well get what I want when I want it haha. This will be my motto for tomorrow, all I bought today was oranginas and my lunch was (at le musee d’orsay) a baguette with ham and cheese and butter, my new fav sandwich.
Anyways, after spending two hours wandering, seeing Monet, Manet, Cezanne, sculptures, Van Gogh…some symbolist pieces, Degas with his beautiful ballet scenes…you know..the most admired paintings ever in the history of LIFE, I jetted off on another metro to le centre pompidou museum…soooo different haha.
I went up the famous escalators and just it was soo freeing and artsy and scary and offensive and there was some REALLY abstract stuff and crazy eccentric presentations on film. like I watched a naked woman on a tv hold a chicken that just got its head cut off upside down until it died….it was her connecting to nature really artsy. Lots and LOTS of nude women, feminist stuff, crazy films and sculptures and just sooo neat. I felt sooo cultured!! My parents might not have, it’s very fresh and naked…literally haha. Then I went to the top of centre pompidou for pictures and strolled around the building a bit, had another orangina of course. I will live on them I’ve decided.
After centre pompidou I saw a sign for notre dame and since it was closed yesterday I figured I could see how long the line was and hop on in! Well, the line to get inside was long but it went fast and the inside was breathtaking, I feel sort of strange not being catholic though not in a bad way but I can’t imagine how spiritual it must be for those of the catholic faith to see it, I saw one man weeping.
After the inside, I found the big one, the bigggg line to the top top of notre dame 400 stairs to the top. Did I wait? Yesss of course! One hour and forty minutes I waited! While in line, I was terrified by this guy in a gargoyle mask who scares people on the street in front of the line and he just like…touches their shoulder and they turn or he walks up to them and they yell. Soo entertaining. The gargoyle guy even grabbed this one guy on the street’s hand and the street guy thought it was his wife and they walked along for a bit and then the guy realized it was a gargoyle haha sooo funny to watch. Got a picture with him.
Also in line I met Beatrice, she is from Brazil studied in Spain (not Aliciente (sp?), somewhere small I’d never heard of) for 5 months and was on holidy. It was her birthday! I also met two people from Florida, a mom and son BONDING together on holiday also and we had fun in line. Beatrice and I got along great and I helped her with English haha. FINALLY, after the long wait and another orangina haha, we started up…100 stairs and then we had to wait 5 minutes in the gift shop lobby place then 250 some stairs and we were in wonderrr, I saw gargoyles, I posed with the big bell, I saw the view of a lifetime. Thennn, we walked up another 150 stairs to the tippppytop and the view there was beyond words. Then we walked all the way down the 400 stairs, I got dizzy but asthma didn’t flare up at all so that was good. Beatrice was patient walking behind me haha and we sang we are the champions by queen on the way to the exit soo happy to be done with stairs!
Beatrice and I walked to a café for a drink and more pictures by notre dame, we both acted as each others photographers it was great! Then we hopped a metro down and up and down and up more stairs haha we hate stairs now! I will be sore for SURE tomorrow!!
Got back to my metro stop, bought an orangina and am sitting here at my computer relaxing. I won’t have a museum pass anymore so I will have to start waiting in actual lines :/ That’s dumb. Oh well, each museum costs like 8 bucks and I spent 32 bucks on a pass…I hit 6 of them so that means I got to see 2 of them for free!!! I planned it out well. I want to relax now, just chill. Eat dinner here at my homestay and maybe skype some people if my internet works haha.
SUCH an incredible day, I’m pinching myself every second in awe. I cannot believe im here but I do in part b/c I don’t worry about being lost I know I will find my way AND im in paris so who cares? Soooo happy. and sweaty, from all those damn stairs!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Paris, Paris, Paris, what do you have in store for me?
Hello blog, it’s JANET, it’s almost 2am and I am feeling happy on champagne, cider and wine that me and three others from USAC drank at THE EIFFEL TOWER watching theglitter show, it was magic and soooo surreal.
Today. I woke up at 7am, got dressed and showered up and went BY METRO to La t Chapelle, god I love how things have signs and are marked clearly!! I loveee the metro, it’s so fast and took me everywhere today!!
Bought a museum pass for 32 bucks and each museum is about 8 bucks and I saw 5 of them today: St Chapelle, Le Concergerie (sp?), L’Opera National (de Garnier), Les Invalides, Le Musee Rodin.
St Chapelle was first, I couldn’t re-attach my jaw the whole time I was there <3 sooo thrilled…even though there were a lot of renovations going on so I couldn’t see it as it originally was, but amazing still.
Walked around l’ile de la cite, found notre dame, took pictures…there were at least 2000 people sitting in front of notre dame listening to a cardinal, I think it was a priest graduation of sorts, the police man I asked had no idea lol but he knew it wasn’t the pope like I originally thought. Either way, I couldn’t go into the cathedral.
Shopped a bit, bought my aunt her scarf I was casually deciding if I should go to the c conciergerie and then I decided I should. Ran into the usac kids from pau outside it, sooo thrilled to see them. I had forgotten my phone at home like an idiot so I didn’t know if id see any of them today! But I did, and then they went to st chapelle while I saw le conciergerie…where people were held before being guillotined. Soooooo cool.
After that we walked down le pont neuf, or the new bridge (not nine) which is the longest and oldest bridge of paris made in part by henri iv. So neat! Then bre and I went to lunch for 8.50 euro I got a croquet monsieur (ham on a sandwich with melted cheese atop the sandwich), fries, a salad and chocolate ice cream with a little whipped cream. YUM.
Shopped around a bit with bre, saw a puppy store and of COURSE went in and looked at their cuteness, saw statues of crocodiles (weird), saw it all. Then, THENNNN I bought a mocha frappacino light tall from STARBUCKS!!! Soooo happy. Almost bought my mom a mug there but it looked strange sort of like le champ de mars was blood by la tour Eiffel, weird. I still am in search of the perfect gifty for my mom. It was her birthday two days ago you know
After that, I took someone’s ticket from USAC who was off to see L’Ecole Militaire instead of the Opera and I sawwwww l’opera garnier and the interieur. It was the opera that inspired phantom and it was beyonddddd amazing. I saw a real ballet practicing in a window and took a million pictures. You cannot go down to the lake unfortunately but it does exist!
After that, we went to Les Invalides, or Napoleon’s Tomb. So cool, my mom would’VE loveeee all the history there.
From there, we walked to le musee rodin where the thinker, other sculptures and the gates of hell by rodin are and also the kiss. I love the kiss, I think it’s the most romantic sculpture I have ever seen. There was a French couple taking a picture of themselves kissing in front it, sooo romance.
Then I walked by myself for a bit and separated from the usac group and sat in a garden overlooking les invalides and just watched. Then I went home, took a power nap. Then I bought a baguette with ham and cheese and mayo at a boulangerie across my street and caught a metro to go to le quartier latin where the usac kids have their hotel. Chilled there for a bit, ate nutella gelato at a stand then walked to a bar with some people and watched the Ghana vs usa game at a bar sadddd usa lost. But I had two glasses of wine for 7 euro and that made me happy.
Then four of us took a metro to la tour Eiffel and I saw it again, it still is surreal. I had champagne, cider and wine. We swindled!!! We got the price of the cider from 25 euro to 10 euro and the price of the champagne down from 20 euro to 5!! It was great, the wine Bre had bought earlier. It was sooo relaxing, surreal. Two of the girls I had never met before and were super nice to talk to.
Took a metro home and am off to bed now! More museums tomorrow for me but I will spend the whole day by myself!!
Today. I woke up at 7am, got dressed and showered up and went BY METRO to La t Chapelle, god I love how things have signs and are marked clearly!! I loveee the metro, it’s so fast and took me everywhere today!!
Bought a museum pass for 32 bucks and each museum is about 8 bucks and I saw 5 of them today: St Chapelle, Le Concergerie (sp?), L’Opera National (de Garnier), Les Invalides, Le Musee Rodin.
St Chapelle was first, I couldn’t re-attach my jaw the whole time I was there <3 sooo thrilled…even though there were a lot of renovations going on so I couldn’t see it as it originally was, but amazing still.
Walked around l’ile de la cite, found notre dame, took pictures…there were at least 2000 people sitting in front of notre dame listening to a cardinal, I think it was a priest graduation of sorts, the police man I asked had no idea lol but he knew it wasn’t the pope like I originally thought. Either way, I couldn’t go into the cathedral.
Shopped a bit, bought my aunt her scarf I was casually deciding if I should go to the c conciergerie and then I decided I should. Ran into the usac kids from pau outside it, sooo thrilled to see them. I had forgotten my phone at home like an idiot so I didn’t know if id see any of them today! But I did, and then they went to st chapelle while I saw le conciergerie…where people were held before being guillotined. Soooooo cool.
After that we walked down le pont neuf, or the new bridge (not nine) which is the longest and oldest bridge of paris made in part by henri iv. So neat! Then bre and I went to lunch for 8.50 euro I got a croquet monsieur (ham on a sandwich with melted cheese atop the sandwich), fries, a salad and chocolate ice cream with a little whipped cream. YUM.
Shopped around a bit with bre, saw a puppy store and of COURSE went in and looked at their cuteness, saw statues of crocodiles (weird), saw it all. Then, THENNNN I bought a mocha frappacino light tall from STARBUCKS!!! Soooo happy. Almost bought my mom a mug there but it looked strange sort of like le champ de mars was blood by la tour Eiffel, weird. I still am in search of the perfect gifty for my mom. It was her birthday two days ago you know
After that, I took someone’s ticket from USAC who was off to see L’Ecole Militaire instead of the Opera and I sawwwww l’opera garnier and the interieur. It was the opera that inspired phantom and it was beyonddddd amazing. I saw a real ballet practicing in a window and took a million pictures. You cannot go down to the lake unfortunately but it does exist!
After that, we went to Les Invalides, or Napoleon’s Tomb. So cool, my mom would’VE loveeee all the history there.
From there, we walked to le musee rodin where the thinker, other sculptures and the gates of hell by rodin are and also the kiss. I love the kiss, I think it’s the most romantic sculpture I have ever seen. There was a French couple taking a picture of themselves kissing in front it, sooo romance.
Then I walked by myself for a bit and separated from the usac group and sat in a garden overlooking les invalides and just watched. Then I went home, took a power nap. Then I bought a baguette with ham and cheese and mayo at a boulangerie across my street and caught a metro to go to le quartier latin where the usac kids have their hotel. Chilled there for a bit, ate nutella gelato at a stand then walked to a bar with some people and watched the Ghana vs usa game at a bar sadddd usa lost. But I had two glasses of wine for 7 euro and that made me happy.
Then four of us took a metro to la tour Eiffel and I saw it again, it still is surreal. I had champagne, cider and wine. We swindled!!! We got the price of the cider from 25 euro to 10 euro and the price of the champagne down from 20 euro to 5!! It was great, the wine Bre had bought earlier. It was sooo relaxing, surreal. Two of the girls I had never met before and were super nice to talk to.
Took a metro home and am off to bed now! More museums tomorrow for me but I will spend the whole day by myself!!
Friday, June 25, 2010
Goodnight, Paris
My internet here...not the best? It may not be often that I can skype my friends/parents/etc. and it makes me sad. Keep me updated with facebook messages, emails...even though my email isnt loading now either..dommage.
Had dinner with my host mom, noodles, tomato-y sauce and cheese and ratatouille and baguette with bleu cheese for dessert :)
Walked to the eiffel tower (yes WALKED) it's 15 minutes away, it's beautiful. Tomorrow will be an adventure the city of dreams is at my feet!
I don't like the internet, but I love everything else. On my walk I found a creperie, a pizza place and a sushi restaurant...so much for walking off my France weight here haha.
Off to bed!
Had dinner with my host mom, noodles, tomato-y sauce and cheese and ratatouille and baguette with bleu cheese for dessert :)
Walked to the eiffel tower (yes WALKED) it's 15 minutes away, it's beautiful. Tomorrow will be an adventure the city of dreams is at my feet!
I don't like the internet, but I love everything else. On my walk I found a creperie, a pizza place and a sushi restaurant...so much for walking off my France weight here haha.
Off to bed!
Technology
I already wrote one post and it didnt load so here's a shorter version:
Airport-good flight. Some USAC kids were on it going back to the States but I am staying in Paris WEE!!
Waited around for my bus shuttle for 4 hours cuz they were stuck in traffic and then took a two hour drive to my apartment. Ate poulet and mayo sandwich and flan for lunch. Lifting my bags gives me arm muscles. My host mom is super nice. I'm nervous to go outside I'm going to see Paris...it exists outside my window. I have a roommate from Glen Ellyn she's lovely. My other roommate gets here Monday. My internet cuts in and out but works.
SUMMARY DONE...AHHHH PARIS!!! I'M HEREEEE
Airport-good flight. Some USAC kids were on it going back to the States but I am staying in Paris WEE!!
Waited around for my bus shuttle for 4 hours cuz they were stuck in traffic and then took a two hour drive to my apartment. Ate poulet and mayo sandwich and flan for lunch. Lifting my bags gives me arm muscles. My host mom is super nice. I'm nervous to go outside I'm going to see Paris...it exists outside my window. I have a roommate from Glen Ellyn she's lovely. My other roommate gets here Monday. My internet cuts in and out but works.
SUMMARY DONE...AHHHH PARIS!!! I'M HEREEEE
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Pau No Mau...As in No More...
Sad, I'm leaving Pau tomorrow! It was an interesting last day, a test and sad movie in class (it was about like...a invite-your-idiot party but i don't find those necessarily funny and the guy's wife left him and was crying...i was like...why is this funny to anyone? i don't know. i wanted to watch asterix in egypt and we didnt so i was bummed)
after class we went to a restaurant called magestic and had AMAZINGGG food, i had an avocado and smoked salmon salad, fish with veggies in a creamy sauce for an entree and a rasberry mousse with lemon ice cream dessert yummmm. i miss pau food already!
shopping for a bit, of course one last georgios stop, i had hazelnut oh soooo good. then we sat at a cafe for a bit and lounged around. walked home, started packing at 6 40pm, took a break at 8 for dinner...am still packing and its almost midnight. oh well, i knew it would happen. i get easily distracted and i dont like endings, only beginnings. i only have a few more things to go through though.
I LEAVE FOR PARIS FRANCE TOMORROW AND WILL BE THERE FOR 5 WEEKS. Unbelievable. A part of me really misses home and wishes I could see my mom on her BIRTHDAY today and see my friends from home for a bit, but I do realize that my whole life I've dreamed of Paris and it is happening tomorrow.
The USAC kids will be there for a weekend so I will have friends for 3 days before I have to start over completely with new people. Oh well, it will work out. I just want to see a lottt of things, I made a list of 30 things..basically I want to see EVERYTHING. Hope it happens that way haha. I don't know...it will be amazing I'm sure.
This may be my last post for a while, I hope my homestay has wifi also. Missing everyone, happy birthday mom and gee whizz I'm a jet-setter, here I go!
after class we went to a restaurant called magestic and had AMAZINGGG food, i had an avocado and smoked salmon salad, fish with veggies in a creamy sauce for an entree and a rasberry mousse with lemon ice cream dessert yummmm. i miss pau food already!
shopping for a bit, of course one last georgios stop, i had hazelnut oh soooo good. then we sat at a cafe for a bit and lounged around. walked home, started packing at 6 40pm, took a break at 8 for dinner...am still packing and its almost midnight. oh well, i knew it would happen. i get easily distracted and i dont like endings, only beginnings. i only have a few more things to go through though.
I LEAVE FOR PARIS FRANCE TOMORROW AND WILL BE THERE FOR 5 WEEKS. Unbelievable. A part of me really misses home and wishes I could see my mom on her BIRTHDAY today and see my friends from home for a bit, but I do realize that my whole life I've dreamed of Paris and it is happening tomorrow.
The USAC kids will be there for a weekend so I will have friends for 3 days before I have to start over completely with new people. Oh well, it will work out. I just want to see a lottt of things, I made a list of 30 things..basically I want to see EVERYTHING. Hope it happens that way haha. I don't know...it will be amazing I'm sure.
This may be my last post for a while, I hope my homestay has wifi also. Missing everyone, happy birthday mom and gee whizz I'm a jet-setter, here I go!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Piscine, piscine, piscine
Woke up today, had class. Did you know they have like vending machines for coffee and some breakfast stuff like waffles that have chocolate on one side? W/e, I'm spoiled ROTTEN.
after class i had some fish and carrots and blackberry yogurt at le vague and then we bought some stuff at leclerc food-wise, i used my visa for it, and then headed over to a friend's house to hang at her pool. her host family is her real life best friend from usa's family so they were kind enough to let her invite us over and we lounged by the pool alll afternoon, i'm mildly burnt but pleased about it.
then we made them PUPPY CHOW french-style in thanks. i made it, being the girl scout camp counselor that i am, with chocolate, pb, butter and rice krispies b/c leclerc had no chex. it was delicious, we taste-tested it.
after lounging all day, i hit up a cyber cafe to print off some isa stuff for paris which i leave for in ONE DAY. i was just having issues w/ printing a document and i got the lady to help me and i found out she is trying to learn english and she basically gave me her email and wants to be penpals!she's algerian and belge. i think i may email her but when i get back to the states.
did some laundry, dinner with my family was salmon again and this stuff they call cereal that i love and salad. for dessert i FINAllyyy tried goat yogurt and honey...not my favorite. but i needed to taste it before i left pau!
skype is being funky tonight and so is me, i miss my friends in pau already and am nervous for paris.
well, my last day is tomorrow! hopefully in paris i will have internet as well and can continue to blog, but i will blog tomorrow for sure, even though i will be burying myself in clothes and packing for hours which will feel like years ;)
A demain!
after class i had some fish and carrots and blackberry yogurt at le vague and then we bought some stuff at leclerc food-wise, i used my visa for it, and then headed over to a friend's house to hang at her pool. her host family is her real life best friend from usa's family so they were kind enough to let her invite us over and we lounged by the pool alll afternoon, i'm mildly burnt but pleased about it.
then we made them PUPPY CHOW french-style in thanks. i made it, being the girl scout camp counselor that i am, with chocolate, pb, butter and rice krispies b/c leclerc had no chex. it was delicious, we taste-tested it.
after lounging all day, i hit up a cyber cafe to print off some isa stuff for paris which i leave for in ONE DAY. i was just having issues w/ printing a document and i got the lady to help me and i found out she is trying to learn english and she basically gave me her email and wants to be penpals!she's algerian and belge. i think i may email her but when i get back to the states.
did some laundry, dinner with my family was salmon again and this stuff they call cereal that i love and salad. for dessert i FINAllyyy tried goat yogurt and honey...not my favorite. but i needed to taste it before i left pau!
skype is being funky tonight and so is me, i miss my friends in pau already and am nervous for paris.
well, my last day is tomorrow! hopefully in paris i will have internet as well and can continue to blog, but i will blog tomorrow for sure, even though i will be burying myself in clothes and packing for hours which will feel like years ;)
A demain!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Quel Jour!
Monday was la fete de la musique so we bought wine, cheese, fresh baguettes and chocolate bars downtown and had a merry little time downtown. Not much to add about Monday....I had a case of the Mondays on Monday.
Today-Class. I don't know what we talked about really...grammar, yada yada. We have a test on Thursday I'm dreading for our final. Did some work on phonetics, I have trouble with the words Lulu and LouLou...can you hear the difference? I cannottt.
after class, we had a quick dessert with the rest of the usac group, i miss everyone. watched a quick slideshow and ate cake.
Anyways, today was the shopping day I've been waiting for...it wasnt as eventful as I'd hoped. We ate a quick fish stew (with mussels...you know...at the university cafeteria what up mac attack!), at le vague and scooted downtown. We went to a couple clothing shops and a grocery store and some other small shops. Overall, I bought more minutes for my phone, shampoo/conditioner, a wine opener (it's necessary), scotch tape so I can tape things when I pack them, a pair of French shorts like...they're big but comfy and I need one more bottom for myself b/c a pair of pants ripped anyway cool, two things I cant say cuz my mom reads this and they are the same and one is for herrrr, and then a ring. my mom said i should buy things that remind me of france and when i think of pau again, i will think of roses on the streets and palm trees so my ring has a rose on it :)
ate georgios- pistache and tiramisu, i'm allowed b/c it's one of my last days in pau and ill miss him! here's a subject to discuss: ice cream. I've tried real Italian gelato, georgios and I will probably try some at la place des vosges...how will i return to coldstone and dq? i must find a way...
not much other shopping luck, paris will be better and there will be nationwide clearance time from june 30th to august 2nd i think while im in paris soooo SALESSSS.
went then w/ bre to VIETNAMESE food, good lordy. my 1st time with this cuisine but i'm in loveee. we had crab/asparagus-flavored soup that had crab and shrimp in it, for my main course i had duck in a sauce of pineapple with onions and yellow noodles with some spices on them and dessert was a carmalized banana and a mango scoop of ice cream. we died, it was fantastic! i loveddd it. so glad we went! we also spoke to a french family/friends group next to us who laughed at my jokes and thought we were french for a while before they talked to us haha. they liked my accent, so that was nice to hear.
then i went home and took the isa placement exam which seriously was harder than any other french test ive taken...and it wasnt stressful during it...things could be multiple answers and grammar was gross and i understood the oral stuff but messed up a thing or two it just was so incredibly, incredibly discouraging when i know i am skilled in french. i don't suck, i do nottttt. meh. i skyped with some friends from home for a while after to cheer up but am still a bit down, b/c i know im getting the most out of my experience in france and spoken french is different from written but i am doing well and learning in class and etc. etc. i am trying.
anyway, tomorrow we wanted to go to a beach but plans fell through so we are going to a friends pool for the day, i hope it is sunnyyyy. her host family is actually her best friend from the usa's family so they're more easygoing. i am excited, i just need to relax, not worry. i need to remember that i am going to paris for my dreams to come true and see the things i could only hope to see, i'm not going for a grade i'm going for the experience, the immersion in the culture and to better develop my skills. indeed, i'm determined!
meanwhile, i got an email saying my host mom in paris cant meet me when i get to paris so i am going to the isa office for an hour or so before i can go to my homestay. buzzkill. bad news after bad news a little bit after an amazing, amazing day.
Today-Class. I don't know what we talked about really...grammar, yada yada. We have a test on Thursday I'm dreading for our final. Did some work on phonetics, I have trouble with the words Lulu and LouLou...can you hear the difference? I cannottt.
after class, we had a quick dessert with the rest of the usac group, i miss everyone. watched a quick slideshow and ate cake.
Anyways, today was the shopping day I've been waiting for...it wasnt as eventful as I'd hoped. We ate a quick fish stew (with mussels...you know...at the university cafeteria what up mac attack!), at le vague and scooted downtown. We went to a couple clothing shops and a grocery store and some other small shops. Overall, I bought more minutes for my phone, shampoo/conditioner, a wine opener (it's necessary), scotch tape so I can tape things when I pack them, a pair of French shorts like...they're big but comfy and I need one more bottom for myself b/c a pair of pants ripped anyway cool, two things I cant say cuz my mom reads this and they are the same and one is for herrrr, and then a ring. my mom said i should buy things that remind me of france and when i think of pau again, i will think of roses on the streets and palm trees so my ring has a rose on it :)
ate georgios- pistache and tiramisu, i'm allowed b/c it's one of my last days in pau and ill miss him! here's a subject to discuss: ice cream. I've tried real Italian gelato, georgios and I will probably try some at la place des vosges...how will i return to coldstone and dq? i must find a way...
not much other shopping luck, paris will be better and there will be nationwide clearance time from june 30th to august 2nd i think while im in paris soooo SALESSSS.
went then w/ bre to VIETNAMESE food, good lordy. my 1st time with this cuisine but i'm in loveee. we had crab/asparagus-flavored soup that had crab and shrimp in it, for my main course i had duck in a sauce of pineapple with onions and yellow noodles with some spices on them and dessert was a carmalized banana and a mango scoop of ice cream. we died, it was fantastic! i loveddd it. so glad we went! we also spoke to a french family/friends group next to us who laughed at my jokes and thought we were french for a while before they talked to us haha. they liked my accent, so that was nice to hear.
then i went home and took the isa placement exam which seriously was harder than any other french test ive taken...and it wasnt stressful during it...things could be multiple answers and grammar was gross and i understood the oral stuff but messed up a thing or two it just was so incredibly, incredibly discouraging when i know i am skilled in french. i don't suck, i do nottttt. meh. i skyped with some friends from home for a while after to cheer up but am still a bit down, b/c i know im getting the most out of my experience in france and spoken french is different from written but i am doing well and learning in class and etc. etc. i am trying.
anyway, tomorrow we wanted to go to a beach but plans fell through so we are going to a friends pool for the day, i hope it is sunnyyyy. her host family is actually her best friend from the usa's family so they're more easygoing. i am excited, i just need to relax, not worry. i need to remember that i am going to paris for my dreams to come true and see the things i could only hope to see, i'm not going for a grade i'm going for the experience, the immersion in the culture and to better develop my skills. indeed, i'm determined!
meanwhile, i got an email saying my host mom in paris cant meet me when i get to paris so i am going to the isa office for an hour or so before i can go to my homestay. buzzkill. bad news after bad news a little bit after an amazing, amazing day.
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