I never want to leave. If it wasn't for my family, money, softball and school, I would just stay here. But I guess all things have to end some time. So I have one more day in Paris. Thinking about it is almost making me cry. Tomorrow I plan on getting up early, handing in my last finals (yay!!), and then doing some last minute christmas shopping. I will also visit some places (i.e Sacre Coeur, the Marais, a museum of France, and places in my quarter), take lots of last minute pictures, and attempt to find a small "truc" (familiar word for thing) to bring back with me to the U.S. that will always remind me of Paris. I am going to spend it with the friends that I'll actually miss when I leave, so that'll make my day even better. I also plan on giving my family their gift, which will be some flowers, my favorite book (Jane Eyre...in french of course) and maybe a pastry. Then, I'll finish packing and prepare to leave Paris for good to go the airport at 6am Saturday morning. I am going to miss the city terribly. But, I think that I have profited well from being here, and that I was able to have a completely different experience than anything before. Next time I come here (and there WILL be a next time) Everyone's coming with me. I guess this is my last post before I return to the U.S. I hope you all had fun reading it, and who knows, maybe I'll keep it up during school, but those posts will be far less exciting.
Grandes bises!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
A short blurb about Normandy
I tend to be long winded, and since I have several finals to finish I will make this post short:
fyi: We were in the city of Caen.
I went to Normandy yesterday with a friend of mine in the hope of seeing Juno Beach and the Memorial. Well, things unfortunately didn't go as planned.
-We got there around 11am, but didn't know where to go from there due to poor planning on out part.
-We wanted to figure out the bus system to get to the Memorial or the Beaches, BUT alas, it was a Sunday, so the bus system does not run like it does during the week. Bad thing numero 2.
-Got lunch - CHEAP because it's not Paris
-Finally figured out the bus system after asking various people and after seeing the Museum of Normandie which had absolutely nothing about WWII.
-Got on a bus to Deauville at 3:10.
-arrived at a beach at 4:00pm. Sadly, not Juno beach, that bus was leaving too late for us to see it and then come back to catch our train home.
-took pictures, got sand in my shoe, felt the really cold ocean, got some rocks, then proceeded to catch our train back.
-on the way, we saw a little monument to the british soldiers who landed there.
-I'm sorry, dad, that I didn't plan it better so that I could see the beaches. I know you wanted me to do that I feel really bad that I didn't get to do it. You should take me there on a C-130.
That's all for now. I have to finish a final and pack. Holy crap time is going by fast.
A bientot...
fyi: We were in the city of Caen.
I went to Normandy yesterday with a friend of mine in the hope of seeing Juno Beach and the Memorial. Well, things unfortunately didn't go as planned.
-We got there around 11am, but didn't know where to go from there due to poor planning on out part.
-We wanted to figure out the bus system to get to the Memorial or the Beaches, BUT alas, it was a Sunday, so the bus system does not run like it does during the week. Bad thing numero 2.
-Got lunch - CHEAP because it's not Paris
-Finally figured out the bus system after asking various people and after seeing the Museum of Normandie which had absolutely nothing about WWII.
-Got on a bus to Deauville at 3:10.
-arrived at a beach at 4:00pm. Sadly, not Juno beach, that bus was leaving too late for us to see it and then come back to catch our train home.
-took pictures, got sand in my shoe, felt the really cold ocean, got some rocks, then proceeded to catch our train back.
-on the way, we saw a little monument to the british soldiers who landed there.
-I'm sorry, dad, that I didn't plan it better so that I could see the beaches. I know you wanted me to do that I feel really bad that I didn't get to do it. You should take me there on a C-130.
That's all for now. I have to finish a final and pack. Holy crap time is going by fast.
A bientot...
Friday, December 14, 2007
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Christmas time in Paris
Mmm...Happy December. I've had a pretty good past few days here in Paris, despite the rainy and cold weather. Somehow, I've managed to not get too wet when walking outside. My "parapluie" (umbrella) is taking quite a beating, though, and I am beginning to wonder how many umbrellas Paris kills in a year. Anyway, after class Friday, my friend Kathryn and I decided to get together to try and work out a french presentation that we have on Tuesday. I went to her house and met her host "lady" Armelle (i think that's how it's spelled) and we did some work. Then Armelle was very adamant that we be out of the house at 7:30, so we left and went to the Monoprix to pick up some things because we were going to cook dinner at my house. We also bought some really good pastries and cider. We made pasta with sauce and mozzarella cheese and carrots with onions and garlic. It was really good. Then, because we didn't want to be losers and go to bed early on a friday night we headed to the Champs Elysees to check out the christmas decorations. It was all really beautiful. Then we hopped into the FNAC (a book/music/movie/video game store..like a huge barnes and noble) to check it out and ended up splitting the cost of a french CD, because to leave paris without at least one french artist would be a shame. I have actually become addicted to the cd and am happy with our decision. I also took a picture with Johnny Depp. Haha. Kidding. It was a life-size figure of him in Pirates of the Caribbean. I also wanted to get a picture with Shrek, but the security guard looked intimidating. After that, we went home. The next day got started early because we wanted to go to some christmas markets to do some christmas shopping. The first half of it went alright, and I bought some presents and got some ideas for other people's presents. We also bought roasted chestnuts, which neither of us had ever had, and if the vender (a jovial french man) hadn't have been singing, I don't think we would've bought them. They were really good and I recommend that we roast them for christmas this year! I think you all are going to really like the things that I have bought/am going to buy for you for christmas. If you have any idea (within reason..) of what you'd like, let me know! I am going for presents that are hard to find in the US and that are unique. Today, I am studying with my friend at her house because she made latkas and eggnog. That's all for now! Miss you all!
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Hot chocolat
This is new, another post right after I just made one! I just thought that I would fill you all in on something I forgot that I did last week, and something that I did today. First, last wednesday I was walking around the 1st district with my friend Kathryn when she pointed out a really famous (therefore expensive) place to buy hot chocolate. We both felt like being tourists, so we headed on over and let me tell you, that place is one swanky joint to buy hot chocolate! if you're at all curious, the cost of a cup of hot chocolate was 6.80 euros. Don't jump to conclusions! I will explain why it was worth that much. First, since we both ordered, they brought up our cups, two glass with a carafe of water, real whipped cream, and then a good sized carafe of hot chocolate. When you think of this pot of hot chocolate (a.k.a paradise) don't picture Swiss Miss or Nestle or anything like that. It was really thick, so thick, that if you stuck your spoon into the hot chocolate it would coat the spoon in a layer of dark chocolaty heaven. I was also able to have at least 2 full glasses of it, so it was really like I paid 3.40 for one glass. So, that was my French hot chocolate extravaganza.
Next, I visited the Musee d'Orsay for free today. It was pretty amazing and I will have to go again. I saw Delacroix, Gauguin, Monet, Manet, Pissaro, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Renoir as well as many others that I am sure I am forgetting. I took some pictures and then when it closed I walked around my district for a little while before heading home. Now I am doing homework before dinner. That's all for now, but I will try to update more frequently since my time here is presque fini! (almost finished.) A bientot...
Next, I visited the Musee d'Orsay for free today. It was pretty amazing and I will have to go again. I saw Delacroix, Gauguin, Monet, Manet, Pissaro, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Renoir as well as many others that I am sure I am forgetting. I took some pictures and then when it closed I walked around my district for a little while before heading home. Now I am doing homework before dinner. That's all for now, but I will try to update more frequently since my time here is presque fini! (almost finished.) A bientot...
Monday, December 3, 2007
Thanksgiving, trains, Amsterdam and cold weather
Hi! It's been much too long since my last post, especially because it is already the 3rd of December! My time here is going by too fast, but luckily I've had a number of things to do to occupy my time. I guess I should fill you all in on what I've been doing since my last post!
Classes at the center are going pretty well. Nothing too exciting there; just doing homework, taking some tests and getting ready to start finals. Our center did have a potluck thanksgiving for us on Thanksgiving and I decided to make sweet potatoes. I asked mom for the recipe, bought the stuff and told my host mom what I was going to make and she said that I MUST make some for her family to try. So I made a little bit for them at dinner and I have to say, I must not be that terrible of a cook because they loved them! Especially the mother. She asked for 2 helpings and the leftovers. I think they liked the marshmallow topping the best. I mean, who wouldn't? The next day(t-giving) I cooked a larger batch while my friend cooked green bean casserole. That was also very delicious. Note that this happened during the greve (strike), so we had to find a way to get to the center by 7pm and we did NOT want to walk an hour from my house. We decided to take line 9, which was working a little better than line 8 (my normal line to school). We waited in the station for about 10 minutes when the train arrived completely full of people. Even if we weren't carrying hot pans with food we still wouldn't have been able to fit inside of the train. Sadly, we waited by the very front of the train when the conductor happened to walk out. Miraculously he motioned to us to board the train with him. So....we got to ride with the conductor! It was pretty awesome and is probably one of my more memorable experiences in France, just because I love the metro and to be able to ride with the conductor is like a dream come true. Anyway, we made it unscathed to the center with our dishes and the night commenced. There was a lot of good food, Ferrero Rocher's (chocolate of the gods) wine, and dessert. I had a great time with my friends and professors and (no offense to my family) but it was one of my more fun thanksgivings. Ok...onto the next event.
This past weekend I had the pleasure of visiting my friend Ruth who is studying in Amsterdam. I took the train very early (it left at 6:55am, which meant i woke up at 4:30am) to Amsterdam, and on the way the train stopped in Brussels, the Hague, Rotterdam, and a few other cities. I think the train was the first place that I heard Dutch spoken, and I have to say, I really like it. Anyway, when I got there I met her at the train station and we walked to her dorm. There really are a ton of canals in Amsterdam, as well as bikes. it was such a nice contrast to Paris and I definitely want to go back and spend more time there one day. Plus, it's way cheaper than Paris! We got lunch at this restaurant which served Pannokoeken (i think that's how it's spelled), which is like a mixture between a crepe and a pancake, only better. After that we visited an open market called the Albert Cuyp market and saw lots of stands and I also saw some of the Zwarte pietes (I think that's how it's spelled...it means black pete's...I think). Anyway, it was for the Sinterklaas holiday coming up and these people are santa's "helpers," and are really dutch people dressed as black people. They go around handing out candy to the little kids and to most it's seen as perfectly normal, but it was shocking for me to see because it seems a bit racist to have a white santa with black helpers. After that she made me buy Stroppen waffel for only 1 euro, which is a heavenly dutch pastry made of two thin waffely things with a thick syrup in the middle. I wanted to take it back to France with me it was so good. Then we headed to the Van Gogh museum, which was amazing, and after that we hung out in her room for a while before we made dinner. Later that night I got to meet some of her friends and we hung out with them for a while before we headed to an australian bar in town. The next day, since it was raining and really freaking cold, we woke up around 10:30am, sat around, made breakfast, watched an episode of the Office and headed to the Troppen Museum, which has exhibits about Africa, the Caribbean, the Rainforest, South America and parts of Asia. It was huge and unfortunately we couldn't make it through the whole thing, but we saw a good portion of it. Then we went back to her room because it was still cold and rainy. We hung out for a little more until I had to get on my train. it was a short weekend but I enjoyed seeing Amsterdam and spending some time with Ruth and her friends. I definitely want to go back some day. I have to add that when I was on the train ride back, there was a little dutch boy who was very much at home walking around the train car that I was in. He would mumble dutch things and occasionally run into some seats, lay on the ground and smile at me. Sometimes he cried, but I just listened to my ipod when that happened. Then, the woman who was sitting next to me had some bags in the compartment above me. I guess it wasn't very secure because as I was minding my own business the bag has the nerve to fall on my head! I didn't really care, it was just kind of a shock. She seemed really sorry about it, but I assured her that I was indeed alright. I really do love taking trains much more than planes. I wish the US had a better train system.
Other than those two major events, I have been hanging out with my friends, watching some movies in the center, doing homework and exploring Paris. I hope this was a sufficient update!
Classes at the center are going pretty well. Nothing too exciting there; just doing homework, taking some tests and getting ready to start finals. Our center did have a potluck thanksgiving for us on Thanksgiving and I decided to make sweet potatoes. I asked mom for the recipe, bought the stuff and told my host mom what I was going to make and she said that I MUST make some for her family to try. So I made a little bit for them at dinner and I have to say, I must not be that terrible of a cook because they loved them! Especially the mother. She asked for 2 helpings and the leftovers. I think they liked the marshmallow topping the best. I mean, who wouldn't? The next day(t-giving) I cooked a larger batch while my friend cooked green bean casserole. That was also very delicious. Note that this happened during the greve (strike), so we had to find a way to get to the center by 7pm and we did NOT want to walk an hour from my house. We decided to take line 9, which was working a little better than line 8 (my normal line to school). We waited in the station for about 10 minutes when the train arrived completely full of people. Even if we weren't carrying hot pans with food we still wouldn't have been able to fit inside of the train. Sadly, we waited by the very front of the train when the conductor happened to walk out. Miraculously he motioned to us to board the train with him. So....we got to ride with the conductor! It was pretty awesome and is probably one of my more memorable experiences in France, just because I love the metro and to be able to ride with the conductor is like a dream come true. Anyway, we made it unscathed to the center with our dishes and the night commenced. There was a lot of good food, Ferrero Rocher's (chocolate of the gods) wine, and dessert. I had a great time with my friends and professors and (no offense to my family) but it was one of my more fun thanksgivings. Ok...onto the next event.
This past weekend I had the pleasure of visiting my friend Ruth who is studying in Amsterdam. I took the train very early (it left at 6:55am, which meant i woke up at 4:30am) to Amsterdam, and on the way the train stopped in Brussels, the Hague, Rotterdam, and a few other cities. I think the train was the first place that I heard Dutch spoken, and I have to say, I really like it. Anyway, when I got there I met her at the train station and we walked to her dorm. There really are a ton of canals in Amsterdam, as well as bikes. it was such a nice contrast to Paris and I definitely want to go back and spend more time there one day. Plus, it's way cheaper than Paris! We got lunch at this restaurant which served Pannokoeken (i think that's how it's spelled), which is like a mixture between a crepe and a pancake, only better. After that we visited an open market called the Albert Cuyp market and saw lots of stands and I also saw some of the Zwarte pietes (I think that's how it's spelled...it means black pete's...I think). Anyway, it was for the Sinterklaas holiday coming up and these people are santa's "helpers," and are really dutch people dressed as black people. They go around handing out candy to the little kids and to most it's seen as perfectly normal, but it was shocking for me to see because it seems a bit racist to have a white santa with black helpers. After that she made me buy Stroppen waffel for only 1 euro, which is a heavenly dutch pastry made of two thin waffely things with a thick syrup in the middle. I wanted to take it back to France with me it was so good. Then we headed to the Van Gogh museum, which was amazing, and after that we hung out in her room for a while before we made dinner. Later that night I got to meet some of her friends and we hung out with them for a while before we headed to an australian bar in town. The next day, since it was raining and really freaking cold, we woke up around 10:30am, sat around, made breakfast, watched an episode of the Office and headed to the Troppen Museum, which has exhibits about Africa, the Caribbean, the Rainforest, South America and parts of Asia. It was huge and unfortunately we couldn't make it through the whole thing, but we saw a good portion of it. Then we went back to her room because it was still cold and rainy. We hung out for a little more until I had to get on my train. it was a short weekend but I enjoyed seeing Amsterdam and spending some time with Ruth and her friends. I definitely want to go back some day. I have to add that when I was on the train ride back, there was a little dutch boy who was very much at home walking around the train car that I was in. He would mumble dutch things and occasionally run into some seats, lay on the ground and smile at me. Sometimes he cried, but I just listened to my ipod when that happened. Then, the woman who was sitting next to me had some bags in the compartment above me. I guess it wasn't very secure because as I was minding my own business the bag has the nerve to fall on my head! I didn't really care, it was just kind of a shock. She seemed really sorry about it, but I assured her that I was indeed alright. I really do love taking trains much more than planes. I wish the US had a better train system.
Other than those two major events, I have been hanging out with my friends, watching some movies in the center, doing homework and exploring Paris. I hope this was a sufficient update!
Friday, November 16, 2007
Eiffel Tower!
I climbed the Eiffel Tower today!! It was really sunny outside, and despite it being about 40 degrees, it was wonderful out!! I honestly need to get this camera thing fixed so that I can show you the pictures that I took. You can see the entire city from up there. I wish it were free because then I would do it at least once a week. I also saw a bunch of funny tourists up there. The Americans made me laugh the most. I wish you were all here with me.
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