Saturday, June 20, 2009
'Have you had YOUR red pleasure today' and other 'private jokes'
Tuesday was Karl day! He'd scheduled us a ride on the Bateaux Mouches Seine River cruise since the weather decided to clear up and be nice. Before that I went to lunch with Julie and the cute South American boys from her class, and we commenced shopping on Rue de Rennes. They had some really awesome stores but everytime I purchase something I dread having to haul my bags around Dublin even more. She needed to go meet one of her family members, Francois, who I think I'd marry if he were about 40 years younger. He's awesome! I caught Nicole online and told her to get off Facebook and go do something since she's in Paris. She invited me to go to the Luxembourg Gardens to read so I headed off to meet her and Laura. We didn't get much reading done but got alot of girl talk done instead which was nice. Laura was a good girl and jogged around the park while we relaxed on benches. Some guy came up to Nicole and asked her to go for a drink and with a completely straight face she grabs my leg and goes, 'Oh no, this is my girlfriend.' He gets all excited and gives us high fives and apologizes that he didn't know. I could barely contain my laughter until after he left. Yick to weird french boys. We finally realized how late it was getting and I had to get to the Monoprix and then home in time for the cruise. I met Ouida on the way so we decided to head over together. We got to the meeting place ontime and then couldn't find Karl and the boys. Apparently we'd walked right past them after wandering on Pont Alexander for much too long. I think they were lying, there was no way we wouldn't have seen them. We always wait when it comes to group activities so wait we did. The meeting time was at 9, so naturally we didn't actually get on the cruise until 10:30pm. It turned out okay though because then all of Paris was lit up. We realized why we hadn't seen the bars packed at nights, every single young person in Paris was on the Seine I swear. There were rotundas on one section with a different of dance in each one. The islands in the middle were packed with people eating cheese and bread, and drinking wine. We seriously wanted off the boat so we could join them. Paris is the most beautiful city in the world without question. We made plans to join them on the banks with our own wine as soon as possible.
Winnie Caca and other things that don't translate.
I know it's been an awfully long time since I've written. Honestly there has just been too much going on. I don't suppose it'd be good use of my time turning down offers for activities here in Paris just so I can blog about the other stuff. I shouldn't have waited quite so long though since now I have to remember all the interesting things that have happened in the last 9 days.
Last weekend I was invited with my friend Julie's family to their country house in Normandie. I know, my life is horribly rough. I finished school on Friday and then went to have wine on the Seine with Emma, Lauren, and their friend. I couldn't stay too long because I had to pack to leave. I headed to Julie's house at 7. They live in a really pretty suburb of Paris called Fountain of the Rose in English. There would be 5 of us in the car with Ramie, the dad. Palmyr and her boyriend Geoffrey would be going as well. The other 2 girls Eloise and Ruffine were already at the house. We drove past Versailles Palace, 2 hours into the Normandie countryside. It doesn't get dark until like 11pm here so we got there right before dark. They have 4 big horses and 2 miniature horses. The house is old and theyre renovating it which is a dream for alot of people back home. There is a second house on the grounds as well, and that sits in the middle of a four square garden complete with cherry tree, raspberries, cassis, roses, and so many other plants. It was wonderfully relaxing. Saturday we woke up to coffee, baguette, and nutella in the garden. Julie was super sick so she went back to bed and I helped the girls put up the big tent they'd bought for the upcoming family reunion. It was surprisingly not awkward with us barely being able to speak to each other. Eloise and Palmyr speak some english and my french is terrible. I can understand it but speaking it is awful for me and anyone required to understand what I'm trying to say. Anyway, I now have an even worse farmers tan than before. I was asked to help Eloise with lunch and she made an amazingly tasty and simple dish with mushrooms, chicken, cream sauce, and pasta. Ramie had purchased a lovely cream cake so we had that for dessert. Oh and cheese and bread after the meal too. Cheese and bread come after EVERY meal. I rested for literally 10 minutes and then we started getting the horses ready for the afternoon ride. It was SO FANTASTIC. I got a quick refresher course and all of the French names for grooming bridleing and saddling. They ride English saddle here and it's nearly the same thing but the saddles are less complicated. The horses were really big and Geoffrey was strong enough to pretty much lift me onto it with ease. I was amazed. Once we were seated and Julie had instructions since this was her first time on a horse, we were on our way. All of us got to go because with the addition of the two ponies that pulled the little carriage Geoffrey drove, we all had a seat. The ride was lovely and the tree-lined country roads almost brought Louis XIV back to life. We rode for what seemed like 4 hours. My butt was incredibly sore but it was just really nice to be back on a horse, breathing in the fresh air, greeting small children and villagers like we were a parade...awesome. I also amused myself by using the word 'villagers' just then. Anyway, it was about 9pm by then so we had dinner at the house. It was salmon and capers with green beans, and then of course, bread and cheese. A few of them needed to be back in Paris the next morning so Eloise, Julie, Ruffine, and myself were left to ourselves. I talked with Eloise for awhile after the other girls went to bed and I found my french much improved when the pressure wasn't so strong. Sunday, Julie still felt terrible so we didn't do much bit sit around and listen to a bunch of french music courtesty of Ruffine including some very funny french rap. We headed back into town and I didn't end up getting home until 8:30. It was Lauren's birthday so we just celebrated with some wine in our apartment and got homework finished for the morning.
Monday we had our usual test in class. Hurray. After class I rushed home to eat and get psyched up for my tattoo appointment that was at 4pm. Rachel offered to go with me so I took her up on it. We got there early and it was done in no time. It looks really great! I was on such a high from the experience that we decided we should all go out that night and stop being so lame. Earlier that day Kathy and Nancy had emailed about having a dinner together since we'd all been doing different things for the most part. We met at Rue de la Huchette and found a restaurant. After dinner it was still raining (rain in Paris sucks) but we trudged back to Buci and got ready to go out. Ruchita, Nicole, Emma, Rachel and I all headed to this little dive Ruchita had heard about. The Sangria was amazing and so cheap. We decided that our plans of an early night were silly so we headed to where Jenn and Chelsea were having dates. The girls ordered B52 shots which the bartender sets on fire. He gave them straws for some odd reason and Ruchita thought it'd be a good idea to put them in the glass before blowing out the flames. Needless to say the straw lit on fire and the grouchy bartender had to put them out. Funny. It was stuffy in there with not much happening so we decided to leave them alone and go to Rue de Princesse again. Getting drenched does nothing for ones hair so we looked stellar by the time we made it to that street. Ruchita yelled something about how soon even her panties would be wet, which made all of us laugh hysterically as she sputtered that she hadn't meant it that way. Nicole scared some old lady by threatening to pee on her dog. I'm not entirely sure what the story was with that but it was amusing. Ruchita's theory that if Rue de Princesse was hopping on the weekends it be moderately busy during the week. She was correct. We ended up at a place where the shots were 20euro for 10 and it was a good good time. We finally decided to call it a night when Nicole comes rushing over and whispers, "We've got to get out of here I just stole the toilet paper out of the bathroom." The lights came on and she started panicking about a possible bag check. Ruchita found out that the guy she'd been talking to had a girlfriend and the night ended rather quickly with us stalking home in the wet...again. Good times.
Last weekend I was invited with my friend Julie's family to their country house in Normandie. I know, my life is horribly rough. I finished school on Friday and then went to have wine on the Seine with Emma, Lauren, and their friend. I couldn't stay too long because I had to pack to leave. I headed to Julie's house at 7. They live in a really pretty suburb of Paris called Fountain of the Rose in English. There would be 5 of us in the car with Ramie, the dad. Palmyr and her boyriend Geoffrey would be going as well. The other 2 girls Eloise and Ruffine were already at the house. We drove past Versailles Palace, 2 hours into the Normandie countryside. It doesn't get dark until like 11pm here so we got there right before dark. They have 4 big horses and 2 miniature horses. The house is old and theyre renovating it which is a dream for alot of people back home. There is a second house on the grounds as well, and that sits in the middle of a four square garden complete with cherry tree, raspberries, cassis, roses, and so many other plants. It was wonderfully relaxing. Saturday we woke up to coffee, baguette, and nutella in the garden. Julie was super sick so she went back to bed and I helped the girls put up the big tent they'd bought for the upcoming family reunion. It was surprisingly not awkward with us barely being able to speak to each other. Eloise and Palmyr speak some english and my french is terrible. I can understand it but speaking it is awful for me and anyone required to understand what I'm trying to say. Anyway, I now have an even worse farmers tan than before. I was asked to help Eloise with lunch and she made an amazingly tasty and simple dish with mushrooms, chicken, cream sauce, and pasta. Ramie had purchased a lovely cream cake so we had that for dessert. Oh and cheese and bread after the meal too. Cheese and bread come after EVERY meal. I rested for literally 10 minutes and then we started getting the horses ready for the afternoon ride. It was SO FANTASTIC. I got a quick refresher course and all of the French names for grooming bridleing and saddling. They ride English saddle here and it's nearly the same thing but the saddles are less complicated. The horses were really big and Geoffrey was strong enough to pretty much lift me onto it with ease. I was amazed. Once we were seated and Julie had instructions since this was her first time on a horse, we were on our way. All of us got to go because with the addition of the two ponies that pulled the little carriage Geoffrey drove, we all had a seat. The ride was lovely and the tree-lined country roads almost brought Louis XIV back to life. We rode for what seemed like 4 hours. My butt was incredibly sore but it was just really nice to be back on a horse, breathing in the fresh air, greeting small children and villagers like we were a parade...awesome. I also amused myself by using the word 'villagers' just then. Anyway, it was about 9pm by then so we had dinner at the house. It was salmon and capers with green beans, and then of course, bread and cheese. A few of them needed to be back in Paris the next morning so Eloise, Julie, Ruffine, and myself were left to ourselves. I talked with Eloise for awhile after the other girls went to bed and I found my french much improved when the pressure wasn't so strong. Sunday, Julie still felt terrible so we didn't do much bit sit around and listen to a bunch of french music courtesty of Ruffine including some very funny french rap. We headed back into town and I didn't end up getting home until 8:30. It was Lauren's birthday so we just celebrated with some wine in our apartment and got homework finished for the morning.
Monday we had our usual test in class. Hurray. After class I rushed home to eat and get psyched up for my tattoo appointment that was at 4pm. Rachel offered to go with me so I took her up on it. We got there early and it was done in no time. It looks really great! I was on such a high from the experience that we decided we should all go out that night and stop being so lame. Earlier that day Kathy and Nancy had emailed about having a dinner together since we'd all been doing different things for the most part. We met at Rue de la Huchette and found a restaurant. After dinner it was still raining (rain in Paris sucks) but we trudged back to Buci and got ready to go out. Ruchita, Nicole, Emma, Rachel and I all headed to this little dive Ruchita had heard about. The Sangria was amazing and so cheap. We decided that our plans of an early night were silly so we headed to where Jenn and Chelsea were having dates. The girls ordered B52 shots which the bartender sets on fire. He gave them straws for some odd reason and Ruchita thought it'd be a good idea to put them in the glass before blowing out the flames. Needless to say the straw lit on fire and the grouchy bartender had to put them out. Funny. It was stuffy in there with not much happening so we decided to leave them alone and go to Rue de Princesse again. Getting drenched does nothing for ones hair so we looked stellar by the time we made it to that street. Ruchita yelled something about how soon even her panties would be wet, which made all of us laugh hysterically as she sputtered that she hadn't meant it that way. Nicole scared some old lady by threatening to pee on her dog. I'm not entirely sure what the story was with that but it was amusing. Ruchita's theory that if Rue de Princesse was hopping on the weekends it be moderately busy during the week. She was correct. We ended up at a place where the shots were 20euro for 10 and it was a good good time. We finally decided to call it a night when Nicole comes rushing over and whispers, "We've got to get out of here I just stole the toilet paper out of the bathroom." The lights came on and she started panicking about a possible bag check. Ruchita found out that the guy she'd been talking to had a girlfriend and the night ended rather quickly with us stalking home in the wet...again. Good times.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Use the phrase Je t'aime with caution
It is an absolutely beautiful day today FINALLY. It's been raining for what seems like years. In reality, only since Monday. Since I've been so whiney you may wonder why I'm not outside. Well, I was. I did my normal 2 hour wander around after school schtick. I get tired and need to come home for a bit. Now I'm waiting for Julie to get here and spending some quality time on the internet since the roomates are all out for a bit. I've spent the last couple of days wandering around in the rain. Monday Karl set up an activity for us at the IMAX Geode theatre. We went to see The Alps in French. It was pretty cool because the screen is in an arc around and above you, which is so much cooler than most IMAXs that I've been to.
Tuesday after school I got lost-ish a few times. It's amazing how long you can walk around without finding a metro if you take the wrong streets. I wasn't really looking for one but by the time I happened across one I was ready to be done.
Yesterday Julie and I decided to brave the rain and go shopping after school. We didn't have too much luck with that but we did stop at this fancy place that sells Macaroons in many flavors. They were expensive at 1.50euro for a cookie the size of an oreo but I'd been instructed to try them by a few different people. We got 4 to share. I can't see the major attraction but they were pretty good. Now that we were on a sugar high I suggested we stop by the American Body Art so I could price out the tattoo I want to get. Sebastian, the guy who runs the shop, was still there and remembered me from last year. I figure its because my friend Tabitha is a wacko...he couldn't help but remember. They translated my phrase for me correctly and one of the girls drew it up for me. Times must be tough because they could have done it right then! I wasn't ready so I set an appt for Saturday at 4pm. The only problem I'm having is with placement. I wanted it by my wrist but after much negotiation I don't think that's going to work for me. First its too big to fit properly. Second, they won't put it up high enough to make me happy, which I understand why, but still. Lastly, if I do have to get a real job sooner or later I might want to be able to cover it up more easily so its been decided that it'll go on the inside of my arm right below my elbow. After completing that little expedition we trekked back home in the rain. About a block and half from the apartment it started really pouring so we got stuck under the awning of Crabtree and Evelyn for about 20 minutes. It sucked. I was dripping with water by the time we trudged into our courtyard. Julie's cousin had called and wanted us to come out to where she was with her friend for a drink or two. I really really didn't want to go because of the rain but it stopped and my pants were dry so I agreed. By this time Emma, and Lauren had arrived home with their friend from Germany who is visiting and they decided to go with us. The plan was to go to Montmartre afterwards but that never happened. It was sort of one miscommunication after another. We ended up at this Brazilian place where we had to pay 6euro to get it. We found out after we had all already eaten that this includes a meal but no drinks. However, in order to get the free meal you had to then buy a beer for 5euro. Lame! It was a pretty interesting place however because they teach you to salsa and then its kind of a free-for-all. I was in even worse 'mom' mode because I ended up holding everyones coats and purses while they went to dance. I just can't explain how little I wanted to deal with creepy guys asking me to dance. I know, I know. At some point on this trip I will lighten up, I swear. It just wasn't going to be last night. We weren't there too long but long enough that it was late and we were all desperately tired by the time we got home. I had been going all day in the cold and wet and I couldn't even keep my eyes open to finish my homework.
This morning we were pleasantly surprised to find sun shining through the window. It's after 6:30 and it's still shining. I was so pleased. I walked home from the building where I have my phonetics classes and found some great shops. On a whim I decided to stop in at St. Sulpice that's famous for The Da Vinci Code, and was pleasently surprised with an antiques market right in front. I stood drooling and coveting a complete set of Jules Verne originals. At 600euro a book I walked away fairly easily but still. I WANT! I sat in the church for awhile as I got some info today that made my head hurt. No better place to talk to your maker I suppose, and no one cares how long you sit, and it's quiet. Hurray for churches. Anyway, I hit the road again and ended up home with some marble loaf for everybody. Now I'm sleepy, and still waiting for everybody to get home.
Tuesday after school I got lost-ish a few times. It's amazing how long you can walk around without finding a metro if you take the wrong streets. I wasn't really looking for one but by the time I happened across one I was ready to be done.
Yesterday Julie and I decided to brave the rain and go shopping after school. We didn't have too much luck with that but we did stop at this fancy place that sells Macaroons in many flavors. They were expensive at 1.50euro for a cookie the size of an oreo but I'd been instructed to try them by a few different people. We got 4 to share. I can't see the major attraction but they were pretty good. Now that we were on a sugar high I suggested we stop by the American Body Art so I could price out the tattoo I want to get. Sebastian, the guy who runs the shop, was still there and remembered me from last year. I figure its because my friend Tabitha is a wacko...he couldn't help but remember. They translated my phrase for me correctly and one of the girls drew it up for me. Times must be tough because they could have done it right then! I wasn't ready so I set an appt for Saturday at 4pm. The only problem I'm having is with placement. I wanted it by my wrist but after much negotiation I don't think that's going to work for me. First its too big to fit properly. Second, they won't put it up high enough to make me happy, which I understand why, but still. Lastly, if I do have to get a real job sooner or later I might want to be able to cover it up more easily so its been decided that it'll go on the inside of my arm right below my elbow. After completing that little expedition we trekked back home in the rain. About a block and half from the apartment it started really pouring so we got stuck under the awning of Crabtree and Evelyn for about 20 minutes. It sucked. I was dripping with water by the time we trudged into our courtyard. Julie's cousin had called and wanted us to come out to where she was with her friend for a drink or two. I really really didn't want to go because of the rain but it stopped and my pants were dry so I agreed. By this time Emma, and Lauren had arrived home with their friend from Germany who is visiting and they decided to go with us. The plan was to go to Montmartre afterwards but that never happened. It was sort of one miscommunication after another. We ended up at this Brazilian place where we had to pay 6euro to get it. We found out after we had all already eaten that this includes a meal but no drinks. However, in order to get the free meal you had to then buy a beer for 5euro. Lame! It was a pretty interesting place however because they teach you to salsa and then its kind of a free-for-all. I was in even worse 'mom' mode because I ended up holding everyones coats and purses while they went to dance. I just can't explain how little I wanted to deal with creepy guys asking me to dance. I know, I know. At some point on this trip I will lighten up, I swear. It just wasn't going to be last night. We weren't there too long but long enough that it was late and we were all desperately tired by the time we got home. I had been going all day in the cold and wet and I couldn't even keep my eyes open to finish my homework.
This morning we were pleasantly surprised to find sun shining through the window. It's after 6:30 and it's still shining. I was so pleased. I walked home from the building where I have my phonetics classes and found some great shops. On a whim I decided to stop in at St. Sulpice that's famous for The Da Vinci Code, and was pleasently surprised with an antiques market right in front. I stood drooling and coveting a complete set of Jules Verne originals. At 600euro a book I walked away fairly easily but still. I WANT! I sat in the church for awhile as I got some info today that made my head hurt. No better place to talk to your maker I suppose, and no one cares how long you sit, and it's quiet. Hurray for churches. Anyway, I hit the road again and ended up home with some marble loaf for everybody. Now I'm sleepy, and still waiting for everybody to get home.
Monday, June 8, 2009
My Milkshake Brings All the Boys to the Yard OR There's nothing classy about drinking out of the bottle
The weekend went by way too quickly. Friday night we all bucked up like the good campers we were and got ready to go out. Emma and I were so tired but after chugging coffee and talking Julie into coming up we got in the mood. We made it to Rue de Buci an hour and a half earlier than last week but still ended up not making it out of the house until 1am. Before that there was a lot of loud jabbering and dancing to Britney. We've decided that the waiting for people is lame because the group dispersed the minute we got out the door. Never again! Pretty much the same group as last time followed Carter to Rue de Princesse and found ourselves at a place called The Frog and Princess. It was insanely crowded and their were weirdo and not-so-weirdo boys everywhere. I have been such the 'mom' or so they tell me, that I haven't had time to relax and just have fun. I'm constantly checking to make sure everyone's stuff is in my purse, that we all have drinks, that no ones wandered off, etc. That's ok, it's my job here. Anyway, because we'd made it out so late everything felt rushed because most bars close at 2am and this one was one of them. We chugged the one drink we'd all gotten and tried to figure out where everyone else had gone off too. Surprise, surprise we found ourselves back at the Dungeon. Maybe before I leave here I'll try to figure out what it's actually called. We were only there long enough to pee when Julie and I decided we needed food. We found a place actually serving late and paid a ridiculous amount for chicken and risotto, which we shared. After chatting up the three boys next to us we bailed. Emma wanted to dance so we found Chelsea and Ruchita at a cafe across the street. They were headed back to the dungeon with some boys they'd met. One of them was SO cute and I found out he's an American from New York...with a girlfriend. Darn. Anyway, Julie was over it and so we left not too long after our arrival...again. We were out until 4am but I have no idea where the time went. It was so much fun just talking to random people, hanging out with the girls, and feeling the energy of the city. Side note - Obama has been in town and Jenn's boyfriend Matt ran into them in a store near our apartments. I was SO JEALOUS. That would have been awesome.
The next morning we'd planned on going to Versailles for the afternoon but it was raining by the time we got up. Curses! We decided to go to the underground mall at Les Halles instead and shop. I got some awesome jeans because the ones I brought are now too big. Um, yay! Julie and I got food at McDonalds. It was tasty! We wandered the streets for a little bit since the rain had stopped because there are so many different shops to catch one's attention. They decided they wanted to see the Pompidou Center, which houses the Museum of Modern Art or something like that. I was grouchy about the whole thing since I had no idea what on earth we'd see there. I was even more grouchy paying 12euro for a mystery museum. I tried not to be too much of a pain until the nastiness wore off. We bought tickets, met Rachel there, and started the tour. The first floor, which is really like the 4th in reality, is filled with depressing, disturbing, and totally wack video, sound, and visual installations all under the title of 'feminism'. People are sick! There was a video of some naked girl with a barbed wire hula hoop on the beach. There were other rooms where there were 5 screens full of naked people doing odd things with chickens that I'd rather not describe. There were interesting parts that weren't so nauseating but modern art is seriously weird. The next floor up went back to somewhat normal and that was where all the Calder, Matisse, and Picasso was situated. Those were pretty cool but I was dehydrated and queasy from the other exhibits so Lauren and I decided to head downstairs. Right after we went to this creperie across the street that had a fixed menu for pretty cheap and ate dinner. We had to be up super early the next morning for the Loire Valley so we hung out at home and got some sleep.
Our meeting time was supposed to be at 7:30. I got up and had to rush around because we hadn't bothered to fix lunch the night before and I was on a slow roll. Julie and I were last on the bus. Whoops. We set off immediately for Chartres Cathedral which is an hour and half outside of Paris. It was SO COLD. We trooped through quietly since mass was going on and then Ruchita, Laura, Ouida, Julie and I parked ourselves at a cafe for breakfast and coffee. The cathedral was nice but its a church, I've seen alot. The only entertaining ones now are the baroque-style ones because they're just hideously over the top. Onward for two hours to the Loire Valley and Chateau Chambord. I slept everytime we set foot on the bus...something about the rocking... The chateau was seriously impressive. Built as a little 'ol hunting lodge for Francois I, it's one of the prettiest castles I have ever seen. The key element is a double helix staircase thats rumored to have been designed by Leonardo Da Vinci. It was pretty awesome, and we could have played on it for hours. Our guide took us on a tour and we ran out of time so we didn't get to explore hardly at all. That was a disappointment but I'll recover I suppose. We ate our lunch on a bridge overlooking the river and that was not at all a disappointment especially as I munched on the raspberry beignet I bought in the market. Rip van Winkled our 20-minute-drive-which-was-actually-an-hour to the winery we were headed to for a tour. When we finally arrived it was once again cold and slightly rainy and even more cold as we headed into the cave that they'd dug out of the mountain for storing the wine. Our guide was SO CUTE! The winery has been in his family for about 500 years or something like that, handed down from father to son and so on. I can't even begin to imagine having a legacy like that. After the tour and explanation we got on with the good part - the tasting. We got to try 11 different kinds. Lauren kindly let me have the remainder of the ones she didn't like. When we got to the sparkling wine our guide popped the cork towards the ceiling and it ended up ricocheting off of Cathy's head. It was hilarious. There were many purchases made and we loaded up to go home. On the way back the only road through was blocked by a bad accident so there were multiple u-turns and detours through fields. We decided to open one of the sparkling wines which managed to explode all over my hoodie that was being used to reign in the cork. Nice. We passed the bottle between the 5 of us and commenced with bus microphone karaoke. Karl, our director, started it off with "Milkshake" which sent us all into hysterics. We sang for hours...a little Backstreet Boys, a little Spice Girls, some Beatles. It was magnificent fun. I even sang out loud, by myself, which is insane for me as most of you know. It was fantastic. After a long time we all shutup and went to sleep. It was super late by the time we got back and most of us had class in the morning and the start of our extra hour of phonetics so we called it a night.
We woke up to dampness but no rain. I headed to class without my hoodie and boy did I regret it. It was raining by the time I got done with our test and also freezing. I trekked all the way to the phonetics class in the rain (not technically, I used the metro, but still) I can't even explain why tape recorders freak me out but they do. I was laughed at one time when friends suggested I get a tape recorder to get down writing ideas that come into my head at random times. I said I couldn't because the moment I hit record my mind goes blank. It still holds true today. My phonetics class might help me get over it, or it could be a total disaster. Hopefully tomorrow goes more smoothly. I stopped at the store on the way home, since I was already wet and passing right by it, to get something for dinner so I wouldn't have to leave again. I've now spent the remainder of the evening being stressed out about the dog situation at home and doing homework and blog. Fantastic. Too much time to think, too little ways to communicate with home...always a bad combo. I really really hope it doesn't rain tomorrow.
The next morning we'd planned on going to Versailles for the afternoon but it was raining by the time we got up. Curses! We decided to go to the underground mall at Les Halles instead and shop. I got some awesome jeans because the ones I brought are now too big. Um, yay! Julie and I got food at McDonalds. It was tasty! We wandered the streets for a little bit since the rain had stopped because there are so many different shops to catch one's attention. They decided they wanted to see the Pompidou Center, which houses the Museum of Modern Art or something like that. I was grouchy about the whole thing since I had no idea what on earth we'd see there. I was even more grouchy paying 12euro for a mystery museum. I tried not to be too much of a pain until the nastiness wore off. We bought tickets, met Rachel there, and started the tour. The first floor, which is really like the 4th in reality, is filled with depressing, disturbing, and totally wack video, sound, and visual installations all under the title of 'feminism'. People are sick! There was a video of some naked girl with a barbed wire hula hoop on the beach. There were other rooms where there were 5 screens full of naked people doing odd things with chickens that I'd rather not describe. There were interesting parts that weren't so nauseating but modern art is seriously weird. The next floor up went back to somewhat normal and that was where all the Calder, Matisse, and Picasso was situated. Those were pretty cool but I was dehydrated and queasy from the other exhibits so Lauren and I decided to head downstairs. Right after we went to this creperie across the street that had a fixed menu for pretty cheap and ate dinner. We had to be up super early the next morning for the Loire Valley so we hung out at home and got some sleep.
Our meeting time was supposed to be at 7:30. I got up and had to rush around because we hadn't bothered to fix lunch the night before and I was on a slow roll. Julie and I were last on the bus. Whoops. We set off immediately for Chartres Cathedral which is an hour and half outside of Paris. It was SO COLD. We trooped through quietly since mass was going on and then Ruchita, Laura, Ouida, Julie and I parked ourselves at a cafe for breakfast and coffee. The cathedral was nice but its a church, I've seen alot. The only entertaining ones now are the baroque-style ones because they're just hideously over the top. Onward for two hours to the Loire Valley and Chateau Chambord. I slept everytime we set foot on the bus...something about the rocking... The chateau was seriously impressive. Built as a little 'ol hunting lodge for Francois I, it's one of the prettiest castles I have ever seen. The key element is a double helix staircase thats rumored to have been designed by Leonardo Da Vinci. It was pretty awesome, and we could have played on it for hours. Our guide took us on a tour and we ran out of time so we didn't get to explore hardly at all. That was a disappointment but I'll recover I suppose. We ate our lunch on a bridge overlooking the river and that was not at all a disappointment especially as I munched on the raspberry beignet I bought in the market. Rip van Winkled our 20-minute-drive-which-was-actually-an-hour to the winery we were headed to for a tour. When we finally arrived it was once again cold and slightly rainy and even more cold as we headed into the cave that they'd dug out of the mountain for storing the wine. Our guide was SO CUTE! The winery has been in his family for about 500 years or something like that, handed down from father to son and so on. I can't even begin to imagine having a legacy like that. After the tour and explanation we got on with the good part - the tasting. We got to try 11 different kinds. Lauren kindly let me have the remainder of the ones she didn't like. When we got to the sparkling wine our guide popped the cork towards the ceiling and it ended up ricocheting off of Cathy's head. It was hilarious. There were many purchases made and we loaded up to go home. On the way back the only road through was blocked by a bad accident so there were multiple u-turns and detours through fields. We decided to open one of the sparkling wines which managed to explode all over my hoodie that was being used to reign in the cork. Nice. We passed the bottle between the 5 of us and commenced with bus microphone karaoke. Karl, our director, started it off with "Milkshake" which sent us all into hysterics. We sang for hours...a little Backstreet Boys, a little Spice Girls, some Beatles. It was magnificent fun. I even sang out loud, by myself, which is insane for me as most of you know. It was fantastic. After a long time we all shutup and went to sleep. It was super late by the time we got back and most of us had class in the morning and the start of our extra hour of phonetics so we called it a night.
We woke up to dampness but no rain. I headed to class without my hoodie and boy did I regret it. It was raining by the time I got done with our test and also freezing. I trekked all the way to the phonetics class in the rain (not technically, I used the metro, but still) I can't even explain why tape recorders freak me out but they do. I was laughed at one time when friends suggested I get a tape recorder to get down writing ideas that come into my head at random times. I said I couldn't because the moment I hit record my mind goes blank. It still holds true today. My phonetics class might help me get over it, or it could be a total disaster. Hopefully tomorrow goes more smoothly. I stopped at the store on the way home, since I was already wet and passing right by it, to get something for dinner so I wouldn't have to leave again. I've now spent the remainder of the evening being stressed out about the dog situation at home and doing homework and blog. Fantastic. Too much time to think, too little ways to communicate with home...always a bad combo. I really really hope it doesn't rain tomorrow.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Feet, feet, feet
Our first week of classes est finir! Yay, and not yay, all at the same time. That means we are one week closer to leaving Paris. Yep, I'm one of THOSE people. Classes are going well and I feel like we are up to where I left off after the first week so it'll be more practice for me on all the stuff I need practice on. I am tres sleepy right now. For some reason I couldn't sleep last night and then I woke up at 6am. We went to the Eiffel Tower last night and I somehow got talked into taking the cheap route and walking up the stairs to the 2nd level. The girls probably would have done the whole thing if that wasn't as far as they let you walk. 710 stairs up. I was very impressed with myself at how hard it wasn't. Not that it didn't suck for the last few flights but there were no ambulances required. I'm not sore today which makes me really afraid for tomorrow, especially since we're all going out tonight. My feet are jacked up. Where they aren't cut up from last weeks heels, there are blisters from my Tevas, and now my toenails are jammed because of the shoes from today. I don't care how ridiculous I look I'm going to rock my flipflops proudly from now on.
We were trying to figure out just what it is about the French that they can make the most ridiculous outfits chic. Seriously, if an American tried to pull off some of the stuff they wear we'd be laughed out of existence. After much pondering I think it's two things...or maybe three...lets see where we end up. First, and most important, is the footwear. There are absolutely no tennis shoes or flipflops of any kind for the most part. The right pair of shoes can dress up the most hideous outfit. Second, they actually wear clothes that fit them. Now granted most of them are thin but there are no muffin tops or back fat on the ladies here, even the older ones. Americans simply do not dress for their body or their size. And I suppose lastly, that thin people can pull of alot of stuff that bigger people can't. All of these things in combination give the French a little something extra no matter what they wear. It's slightly intimidating.
I'll have to admit I've been shopping. I can't help it. There are so many cute things here: cute bags, cute shoes, cute shirts, cute dishes, etc. I've reigned it in for the most part but I did purchase a new dress and a new shirt that I totally love. I don't know why but the clothes I proudly wore last summer in Europe feel almost ridiculous at home. The ones I normally wear at home feel ridiculous here. There shouldn't be a difference...but there is.
I finally got pictures to upload to facebook, it was making me nuts. The connection here is great until it comes to pictures. So the plan is to go out tonight. Get up at some point tomorrow and go to Versailles where we are planning on renting bikes to get around the grounds. Sunday we have our program sanctioned day trip to Chartres and the Loire Valley, and I'm very excited about it.
Everyone is trying to make plans for the free weekends and after much research I've decided I'm staying in Paris. Mont St. Michel is someplace I've always wanted to go but its WAY too much money, as is going to Barcelona or Rome. I'm going to try and talk someone into going to Parc Asterix with me which has roller coasters and so on. Plus everyone wants to go to Disneyland so thats an expense and so on and so on. I do have to draw the line somewhere.
We were trying to figure out just what it is about the French that they can make the most ridiculous outfits chic. Seriously, if an American tried to pull off some of the stuff they wear we'd be laughed out of existence. After much pondering I think it's two things...or maybe three...lets see where we end up. First, and most important, is the footwear. There are absolutely no tennis shoes or flipflops of any kind for the most part. The right pair of shoes can dress up the most hideous outfit. Second, they actually wear clothes that fit them. Now granted most of them are thin but there are no muffin tops or back fat on the ladies here, even the older ones. Americans simply do not dress for their body or their size. And I suppose lastly, that thin people can pull of alot of stuff that bigger people can't. All of these things in combination give the French a little something extra no matter what they wear. It's slightly intimidating.
I'll have to admit I've been shopping. I can't help it. There are so many cute things here: cute bags, cute shoes, cute shirts, cute dishes, etc. I've reigned it in for the most part but I did purchase a new dress and a new shirt that I totally love. I don't know why but the clothes I proudly wore last summer in Europe feel almost ridiculous at home. The ones I normally wear at home feel ridiculous here. There shouldn't be a difference...but there is.
I finally got pictures to upload to facebook, it was making me nuts. The connection here is great until it comes to pictures. So the plan is to go out tonight. Get up at some point tomorrow and go to Versailles where we are planning on renting bikes to get around the grounds. Sunday we have our program sanctioned day trip to Chartres and the Loire Valley, and I'm very excited about it.
Everyone is trying to make plans for the free weekends and after much research I've decided I'm staying in Paris. Mont St. Michel is someplace I've always wanted to go but its WAY too much money, as is going to Barcelona or Rome. I'm going to try and talk someone into going to Parc Asterix with me which has roller coasters and so on. Plus everyone wants to go to Disneyland so thats an expense and so on and so on. I do have to draw the line somewhere.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Picnic at the Eiffel
Today was one of those days that is so subtly beautiful and fragile that you really have to cup it in your hands if you want to look at it so that it doesn't crumble under pressure. It started out in another rush of me trying to finish my blog and respond to emails while gulping down coffee and dodging roomates. My class isn't until 11 but you wouldn't know it the way we rush around. I had to get textbooks today and you never know how long anything is going to take so I had to be out an hour before class just in case I had to ask six times where they were in the bookstore. (I only had to ask twice...fyi) I also was completely out of minutes for my France Telecom phone so I needed to stop at the Orange store for a recharge. I made it to class 20 minutes early so I enjoyed the beautiful little park in the back of some church next to my building. Class wasn't nearly so stressful but 2 hours does wear on the attention span. I was hurrying home so we could maybe go get train tickets to Mont St. Michel before our outing at 3:30. We didn't end up going so Julie came here and we all headed up to Opera Garnier for 'Paris Story' a film, and a tour of the Fragonard Perfumerie. The film was very similar in feel to the one they have at the France pavilion at Disney World. I just don't see how everyone isn't completely in love with this city. The perfume factory was right across the street and Karl jaywalked our group into traffic and across. I hope they return my money if I die because this happens frequently. The woman at the perfume factory was hilarious and let us sample all the right kinds of perfume we'd need if we wanted a new boyfriend to replace our old one, get a promotion at work, and so on. I ended up purchasing two medium bottles of two different scents. I keep sniffing my wrist as I type. There was a special if you bought 5 bottles so I went in with Julie and Chelsea. My bottle at home of Ferragamo is nearly bad and there is NO better place to buy perfume than Paris, directly from a factory. PS. If your grandpappy has a distillery in his basement or garage you too can make perfume...same process apparently.
After we were finished bathing in the delicious smells we were free to do whatever. Julie, Nancy, Emma, Rachel, Lauren, and I decided to go down to Rue Cler near the Eiffel Tower. The street is nothing but fruit shops, cheese shops, bread shops, meat shops, etc. With a stop at each store we assembled a picnic and found a prime spot on the lawn in shadow of the Tower. We were surrounded by Parisians who were also enjoying a beautiful, perfect day. It took awhile for the tiny thought of 'wake up, dodo! You're having a picnic of the most delectable foods in plain view of your most favorite structure in the world, with people you really enjoy.' The nudge kept on poking me in the back of the brain until I realized that these were the exact moments that I wanted this trip to be all about. Life is so rich here. I live a fairly hearty one at home but there is just something about Paris. Maybe the age of the city itself gives it a firmer foundation, roots it more closely to the earth. Things feel more permanent here, more valuable. Up until now I grasped onto Paris like having a crush on someone. You want them but they're not really yours. Now I have a hold on the city and I part of my history is here.
Life is so hard to look at sometimes. Most of it is like trying to focus on something out a train window when the train is going 150 miles an hour. Trying to pick things out gives you a headache. I want to focus on those moments, like today, while I'm having them, so I can savor them on my tongue like really good chocolate. You can only taste it when its in your mouth, and you can only feel the texture of the moment when youre hands and body are swimming around in it.
A month can go by so fast at home. Hours and days made up of a thin, watery soup. We have been here 4 days and each one feels thick and full. Alright it's late...again...
After we were finished bathing in the delicious smells we were free to do whatever. Julie, Nancy, Emma, Rachel, Lauren, and I decided to go down to Rue Cler near the Eiffel Tower. The street is nothing but fruit shops, cheese shops, bread shops, meat shops, etc. With a stop at each store we assembled a picnic and found a prime spot on the lawn in shadow of the Tower. We were surrounded by Parisians who were also enjoying a beautiful, perfect day. It took awhile for the tiny thought of 'wake up, dodo! You're having a picnic of the most delectable foods in plain view of your most favorite structure in the world, with people you really enjoy.' The nudge kept on poking me in the back of the brain until I realized that these were the exact moments that I wanted this trip to be all about. Life is so rich here. I live a fairly hearty one at home but there is just something about Paris. Maybe the age of the city itself gives it a firmer foundation, roots it more closely to the earth. Things feel more permanent here, more valuable. Up until now I grasped onto Paris like having a crush on someone. You want them but they're not really yours. Now I have a hold on the city and I part of my history is here.
Life is so hard to look at sometimes. Most of it is like trying to focus on something out a train window when the train is going 150 miles an hour. Trying to pick things out gives you a headache. I want to focus on those moments, like today, while I'm having them, so I can savor them on my tongue like really good chocolate. You can only taste it when its in your mouth, and you can only feel the texture of the moment when youre hands and body are swimming around in it.
A month can go by so fast at home. Hours and days made up of a thin, watery soup. We have been here 4 days and each one feels thick and full. Alright it's late...again...
Monday, June 1, 2009
Paris: The Beginning
It's only been about 3 days since I arrived in Paris but it feels like a month already. I met two of my flatmates, Lauren and Emma, at Gare du Nord train station and we took a taxi to our apartment in St. Germain-des-pres. our director karl was late so we had plenty of time to get to know each other. He finally arrived withour last roomate Ouida about an hour later. We have a door the size of a cadillac to push through once we enter a code and that takes us into this huge columned indoor/outdoor atrium. Another key works the panel on our titanic-style staircase entryway and up we go to the very top to our apartment. It's fantastic and we decided at 5:30 Sunday morning after an all-nighter that we'd try climbing through it to see what we could see. There's a 6 inch culvert thing and a balustrade so we have an unofficial balcony onto the city of Paris.
We got to meet the other people in the program Friday morning as we all met at St. Michel Fountain for placement test day. There are 19 of us in all and only 3 of them are boys. Our first stop was at the Sorbonne offices to get our IDs and pictures taken. Then onto testing. The placement tests went rather dismally for everyone or so we thought. I sat there and stared at the woman like a mute when it was time for the oral section. I managed to eek out one decent answer. After that we had a tortuous info session with Karl and then our welcome dinner. What was funny is that we had our dinner at the same exact place Shannon, Tabitha, and I had dinner at last year across from the hotel I normally stay at. The food was quite delicious and as is requisite in France it lasted for over 3 hours. It was my new friend Julie's b-day and we were going to go out but decided to leave it for Saturday night since we hadn't had time to change and it was already nearly 11pm.
Saturday we got up to do some grocery shopping at the Monoprix before our meeting with the group at 1:30. We had gotten the essentials and breakfast stuff the first night but we want to do alot of eating at home so it was back to the grocery store. We all have similar likes so its been working great to get some collective stuff and some personal stuff. We were scheduled to do a quick walking tour on the way to France Telecom so everyone could get cellphones. It's so expensive to call home but they're mostly for texting and calling each other here anyway. It took FOREVER. I really mean that. It was 3 hours after the estimate before we were released to go home. We were technically supposed to meet the Buci girls (we are all referred to by our apartment's street name) and the Rue de Four girls at the Buci apartment at 9. We didn't get there until midnight as we were waiting for Julie, whos living with her family, to get here after a Metro mishap. We played the loudest game of Never Have I Ever and then out we went at 1am. There are 14 strong personalitied girls so it's a serious battle in - a. getting a word in edge-wise and b. being heard even if you manage to speak. Heels-clacking we headed out. There is a really cool club that doesn't get going until about 2am and stays open until 6am that we stopped at first. There weren't too many people so a group of us left to go up Rue de la Huchette to a couple of places that I knew of from last time. After a quick stop at the scandalous Latin Corner we left the rude French bartender boys and headed to my favorite place Le Who's Bar. Julie and Rachel were immediately accosted by two French guys so we sat for an hour or so until we could escape gracefully. Back to the other club to see what the rest of the girls were doing and I could barely walk at this point as my new heels were NOT my friend. All-in-all it was a very fun night and we watched the sunrise from our secret balcony until we were too tired to do anything but go to sleep.
Sunday was SO much fun after we hydrated and got showered. We met the group at a metro stop in the Marais for our bicycle tour of the city. I haven't been on a bicycle since before I left Alaska and I was VERY SCARED the first 15 minutes or so. I was way too wobbly to be let loose in Paris. After a time though I was a serious pro and all was well considering we hit heavier traffic in central Paris than is normal for a Sunday. I don't even remember what the stops were, it was the fantasticness of whizzing through small streets by little brasseries and markets that was the most fun part. We did stop for the BEST ice cream EVER at this place near the Seine. There was a line about a block long but it was so worth it. After socializing and resting our sore behinds we rode the 15 minutes back and the rest of the afternoon was free. I have approximately 15 bruises, no exaggeration, including one the size of a softball on my leg from little disagreements with the peddles.
We decided to get to bed decently early as school was in the morning and we were all a little nervous about what to expect. I left a little later than intended from the house because one of hte girls called and wasn't sure about her class assignment. I used my brand new NAVIGO card and hopped on the Metro to go up the lame two stops. My classroom is right across from Notre Dame but I had a hard time finding the specific street. I made it with 5 minutes to spare. Our professor Mme Gautier is crazy and fun and I spent most of the class scared out of my mind but that's what I need or I won't pay attention. I placed higher than expected and am at the top of the elementary class, which sounds lame but there are 4 Debutante levels, and 3 elementary under me, which means I'll be intermediate when I'm done. There are only 3 intermediates on this trip anyway. I was pleased and relieved when class was done. It's only 2 hours but its a teensy bit stressful. I meandered home for some lunch and then took a much needed nap. When I woke up everyone was gone so I decided to see if the Telecom place was open. I ended up wandering around for a couple of hours through the streets below our apartment. My feet look like they've been in a blender due to the new heels so the only shoes I can wear are my Tevas which are getting grosser by the day. Luckily there is no shortage of fun shops here. It's all been very big-brothery since we got here just in that everyone got really familiar with each other really fast. It's been an amazing time so far. I just don't want the month to go too fast!
We got to meet the other people in the program Friday morning as we all met at St. Michel Fountain for placement test day. There are 19 of us in all and only 3 of them are boys. Our first stop was at the Sorbonne offices to get our IDs and pictures taken. Then onto testing. The placement tests went rather dismally for everyone or so we thought. I sat there and stared at the woman like a mute when it was time for the oral section. I managed to eek out one decent answer. After that we had a tortuous info session with Karl and then our welcome dinner. What was funny is that we had our dinner at the same exact place Shannon, Tabitha, and I had dinner at last year across from the hotel I normally stay at. The food was quite delicious and as is requisite in France it lasted for over 3 hours. It was my new friend Julie's b-day and we were going to go out but decided to leave it for Saturday night since we hadn't had time to change and it was already nearly 11pm.
Saturday we got up to do some grocery shopping at the Monoprix before our meeting with the group at 1:30. We had gotten the essentials and breakfast stuff the first night but we want to do alot of eating at home so it was back to the grocery store. We all have similar likes so its been working great to get some collective stuff and some personal stuff. We were scheduled to do a quick walking tour on the way to France Telecom so everyone could get cellphones. It's so expensive to call home but they're mostly for texting and calling each other here anyway. It took FOREVER. I really mean that. It was 3 hours after the estimate before we were released to go home. We were technically supposed to meet the Buci girls (we are all referred to by our apartment's street name) and the Rue de Four girls at the Buci apartment at 9. We didn't get there until midnight as we were waiting for Julie, whos living with her family, to get here after a Metro mishap. We played the loudest game of Never Have I Ever and then out we went at 1am. There are 14 strong personalitied girls so it's a serious battle in - a. getting a word in edge-wise and b. being heard even if you manage to speak. Heels-clacking we headed out. There is a really cool club that doesn't get going until about 2am and stays open until 6am that we stopped at first. There weren't too many people so a group of us left to go up Rue de la Huchette to a couple of places that I knew of from last time. After a quick stop at the scandalous Latin Corner we left the rude French bartender boys and headed to my favorite place Le Who's Bar. Julie and Rachel were immediately accosted by two French guys so we sat for an hour or so until we could escape gracefully. Back to the other club to see what the rest of the girls were doing and I could barely walk at this point as my new heels were NOT my friend. All-in-all it was a very fun night and we watched the sunrise from our secret balcony until we were too tired to do anything but go to sleep.
Sunday was SO much fun after we hydrated and got showered. We met the group at a metro stop in the Marais for our bicycle tour of the city. I haven't been on a bicycle since before I left Alaska and I was VERY SCARED the first 15 minutes or so. I was way too wobbly to be let loose in Paris. After a time though I was a serious pro and all was well considering we hit heavier traffic in central Paris than is normal for a Sunday. I don't even remember what the stops were, it was the fantasticness of whizzing through small streets by little brasseries and markets that was the most fun part. We did stop for the BEST ice cream EVER at this place near the Seine. There was a line about a block long but it was so worth it. After socializing and resting our sore behinds we rode the 15 minutes back and the rest of the afternoon was free. I have approximately 15 bruises, no exaggeration, including one the size of a softball on my leg from little disagreements with the peddles.
We decided to get to bed decently early as school was in the morning and we were all a little nervous about what to expect. I left a little later than intended from the house because one of hte girls called and wasn't sure about her class assignment. I used my brand new NAVIGO card and hopped on the Metro to go up the lame two stops. My classroom is right across from Notre Dame but I had a hard time finding the specific street. I made it with 5 minutes to spare. Our professor Mme Gautier is crazy and fun and I spent most of the class scared out of my mind but that's what I need or I won't pay attention. I placed higher than expected and am at the top of the elementary class, which sounds lame but there are 4 Debutante levels, and 3 elementary under me, which means I'll be intermediate when I'm done. There are only 3 intermediates on this trip anyway. I was pleased and relieved when class was done. It's only 2 hours but its a teensy bit stressful. I meandered home for some lunch and then took a much needed nap. When I woke up everyone was gone so I decided to see if the Telecom place was open. I ended up wandering around for a couple of hours through the streets below our apartment. My feet look like they've been in a blender due to the new heels so the only shoes I can wear are my Tevas which are getting grosser by the day. Luckily there is no shortage of fun shops here. It's all been very big-brothery since we got here just in that everyone got really familiar with each other really fast. It's been an amazing time so far. I just don't want the month to go too fast!
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