Bonjour mes amis et la famille!
Well I guess it’s no secret that blogging is not my forte.
My sincerest apologies on not keeping you updated regularly on my life as a
Parisian. One can take it as a good sign, as it means I’m out enjoying the
world and living life to the fullest, instead of typing away on a keyboard.
Where to begin.
France tends to do their spring break a tad bit different
than the states. Not only is their “spring break” in late April/May, but it
lasts for 2 ½ weeks. I found myself thinking “I could get used to this”. I had a glorious time frolicking
around Europe with friends and family, exploring old and new places. And even
though that was a wonderful time, I am going to focus more on telling you what
I have been up to since May 4 until now, and will return to spring break for
another blog!
As for now, life is absolutely amazing. The weather is
shaping up in Paris, although not anything like the states. It rains at least
every other day, and I still wear my peacoat and scarf outside, but when it is
a sunny day—it.is.beautiful. People flood the gardens, student spread out on
the grass, and everyone is a bit happier than they were the dark day before.
Colors are worn, knees come out from hibernating below black pants in the
winter, and flowers are seen to be more vibrant and pure. It’s amazing how much
just a little bit of sunshine can change the attitude of a city.
I have had the amazing opportunity of not attending yet 1,
but 2 ballet’s at the Opéra Garnier in Paris. It is a gorgeous, amazing venue
that was built in 1875 as the main opera house in Paris. It was also used as
the setting for Gaston Leroux’s famous novel, The Phantom of the Opera. It is now not as well used, as most of
the productions/shows have higher technical needs and designs which the antique
Opéra Garnier cannot accommodate. However, they still regularly show beautiful
ballets.
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| Ash and me at the ballet |
I got to go hear a strings concert performing Vivaldi’s
“Quatre Saisons” (“Four Seasons”) performed in La Saint-Chapelle chapel, which
was built in 1240 by King Louis IX of France to house the so-thought Crown of
Thorns worn by Jesus Christ. The music was absolutely stunning, not to mention
the way the chords echoed in the chapel with the gorgeous stained glass
surrounding you-it was breathtaking. I ended up buying tickets for my mom and
pops to go as well when they came to Paris! I think they enjoyed it just as
much as I did.
I have gotten plugged in with an awesome Connect Group
through Hillsong, the church I go to here. Love the people, fellowship, and
discussions we have. One of the guys in our group plays during the year for the
Paris men’s volleyball team, and during the summer plays for Canada’s national
team. He had a game that a bunch of us attended one evening, and this is a
picture from it. It was a really really fun time, at a new venue I had never
been to in a new part of town. I thoroughly enjoyed being back in an arena I
know very well-with sports and competition in the air. Fans being crazy excited
and then holding their head in their hands—like playing emotional tennis
between the two sides of the stands. Needless to say, it was great to be with
friends in such a comfortable, energetic environment that I have grown up in
while watching Josh be in the zone and play passionately for what he loves!
And even though yes, I am absolutely loving Paris, that
doesn’t mean that part of me still doesn’t miss my friends back home. Lucky for
me, I have some of the greatest friends in the world who will come hang out
with me on my balcony! (even if it is via internet…)
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| Lala. |
I think one of the top things I have gotten to experience
while being in Paris, something that I will absolutely never forget, was the
elections and the night Francois Hollande was elected president. It has been
quite interesting to be here during election season. I have learned a great
deal about France’s issues, desires, economy, and electoral process. Truth be
told, I know more about the election here than I do in America right now. Our
teachers were very happy to discuss the elections in class and always keep us
up to date. The second round of elections was between Nicolas Sarcozy, the
incumbent president, and Francois Hollande. Francois Hollande won the election,
as I’m sure you know by now, and the streets erupted with people. Cars were
laying on their horns up and down the entire Champs-Elysees, people were
cramming into metro cards chanting “Francois president!” and “Hollande gagne!”
Realizing this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the roommates and I crammed
onto the metro, packed like sardines, heading down towards the Bastille where Hollande
was having his election party. It.was.awesome. People everywhere-hanging on
street signs-climbing the Bastille, so many flags, so much excitement. I have
honestly never seen the French people so happy. Definitely an experience for
the books.
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| Normal. |
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| Francois Hollande giving his first speech as France's president |
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| Craziness on the Bastille |
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| Best seat in the house |
And yet the second ballet I got to attend at the Opéra
Garnier! I enjoyed it more than the first, as during the first ballet there
were 50 elementary school kids sitting in front of me, and the second ballet
had a storyline and plot. Absolutely loved it and the beauty and grace the
ballerinas are able to dance with still amazes me. What a gorgeous performance.
French flag flying proud at night, hanging from L’Arc de Triomphe
for in honor of May 8-Victory Day, which was the official ending of WWII and
the liberation of France.
Claire Smith, a best friend/roommate of my best friend from
home but who is now actually my friend too (hope you got all that…) came to
visit last weekend! How fun to have another visitor to play with and enjoy
Paris together. We had some solid conversation, lots of good laughs, and a
blast of a birthday celebration for my German friend, Michel. She’s a gem.
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| View from the top of L'Arc de Triomphe. That's the Champs-Elysees on the left, and then the street cutting to the right is my street, avenue Marceau. I live directly across from that red awning. My life is not real. |
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| Claire and me on top of L'Arc |
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| Enjoying a delicious spinach salad for lunch on a sunny day out on our balcony |
These other events are pretty self-explanatory in the
pictures. We celebrated my roommate Ashley’s 21st birthday on Monday
night…what fun! Recently I have gotten to visit the home of Victor Hugo and the
Louis Vuitton & Marc Jacobs exhibition at the Louvre…both very interesting.
Ashley and I crossed drinking the famous hot chocolate at Angelina’s off our
list, huddling inside the magnificent salon during a cold, rainy day. They weren't kidding, they're hot chocolate is almost as thick as chocolate syrup. Also, one
night at dinner we decided to put our French palate opportunities to the test.
So after a relaxing cold beer at a brasserie, while watching people stroll
throughout the Odeon area, we dove straight into Crepe Figue by ordering
escargot and frog legs for our appetizers (or entrées as it’s called here in
France). How exotic and delicious…we felt Parisian! It was a fun night of
speaking in French the whole time with Ash, so as to have a private
conversation separate from the tourist, English speakers sitting quite close to
us. After striking up a conversation with them though, we found out they were
ironically from Houston! Us Texans stick together.
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| Happy 21st Birthday Ash! |
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| Victor Hugo's birth certificate |
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| View from Victor Hugo's house of Place de Vosges |
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| Symmetry. In Place de Vosges |
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| Angelina's delicious hot chocolate |
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| Escargot and wine for dinner |
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| Oh yes, and frog legs too! |
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| Eating my first snail, hopefully more graceful than Lucille Ball |
We
had a day trip to Giverny this past week, which was absolutely GORGEOUS.
Monet’s water gardens still look exactly like they do in his famous paintings,
Les Nymphéas (“Water Lilies”). The bridges, lily
pads, vines, trees, flowers—all of it was stunning. We got to walk through this
world he created for himself through his gardening and the life of nature, one
completely separate from the outside world. Here he lived until his death in
1926.
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| Monet's Water Gardens |
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| Monet's Gardens |
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| Monet's home |
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| Tulips. |
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| Favorite room in the house. Can you guess why? The whole dining area was yellow! |
Just a couple more fun stories to share. Truth be told, if
you’ve read this far, I am VERY impressed and will give you a high-five next
time I see you. If you remind me. So I know you read this far. Anywhozers, the
other day Ash tried to help a lady who got her foot stuck in the metro door. In
doing so, she stuck her hand out to try and hold the door. While the lady got
her foot unstuck, sadly Ashley’s hand did not. The doors closed on her fingers,
painfully crushing them. Moral of the story, you have to lookout for yourself
and solo vous when you’re riding the metro’s here. If you happen to have the
doors close on you, whether it be by accident or on purpose (cough
cough…Natalie….), then the Parisians just all stare at you, giving you a “why
the heck would you do that ?” look, by trying to get on the metro last minute.
The other day when Ash and I were trying to find our way to a
restaurant we wanted to eat at, a kind old man with precious round glasses stopped
and offered to help us find our way. After he pointed us in the right direction,
we had a light chat and continued conversation before we crossed the street. He
ended it by saying “Vous êtes très jolie.” See, not all of the people in Paris
are rude. When you find the good one’s, it makes all the difference.
Had some fun attending a reading by a British author at
Shakespeare & Company last Monday night, followed by a comical Quiz Night
at a local bar with the roomies. Also, got to go to a hilarious stand-up
comedian, one-man show the other week with friends. It was titled “How to Become
Parisian in One Hour”. It was hilarious and entertaining to hear how he
described the French, as well as people of other cultures. Final exams are
approaching swiftly. Had my final in Multiculturalism in France on Friday
afternoon, Architecture and History in France is on Monday, with my big big big
French language final this Saturday at Maison des Examens. This is the big one
which will determine if I technically pass this level of French language in the
country…and it will be followed the next week by an Oral Examen with my
teacher. Lots still to do though! Ash and I are hoping to travel to Bruges for
a day trip this week. I hear it’s beautiful and it’s too close to not make it
over there for a day. It should be fun! Still loving life with weekly trips to
the markets for fresh produce, fruits and flowers, occasional runs, but lots of
time spent outdoors when possible. I have even learned to understand (not quite
master yet…) the bus system! Oh how I love being above ground where it is
beautiful and the people watching is plentiful.
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| Book reading at Shakespeare & Company |
Ants seem to really like our apartment. This has been going on
for awhile now, and the French insect spray does not seem to do much…and by
that, I mean it does nothing. Lots of washings and ant squashings going on at
71 avenue Marceau!
After a lot of hard work, small amounts of worries, and a
world full of waiting, I have officially figured out where I will be residing
this summer. I will be moving to Nashville, TN where I will live with 3
wonderful Clemson grads who I love OH so much and will be doing a practicum in
Child Life at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. It’s a
really big and exciting opportunity, which I am thrilled to have, but just
means being away from home…yet again. I will have 1 week to arrive back in the
states from living abroad for 6 months, unpack, see friends, spend time with
family, take care of business, pack up the car for college, and drive to
Tennessee. PHEW what a whirlwind. But yet another adventure.
WELL. I think that is pretty sufficient of my life for the
past 3 weeks, give or take. It feels like I just arrived, yet home is
approaching quickly. Where did all the time go? Before you know it, I’ll be
home, summer will fly by, and senior year will commence. Not ok. I never said I
wanted to grow up.
Hope all is well in your parts of the world and that you’re
soaking up more sunshine in swimsuits and poolside than I am right now! If you
need to find me in the states, I’ll be the ghost pale one walking through DFW
airport on June 1.
French phrase for the day: “une nuit blanche” which
technically translates to “a white night” but they use in France to convey the
instance of not being able to sleep at night, so therefore you could see the
whites of your eyes. So if you couldn’t sleep last night, you tell them “J’ai
eu une nuit blanche.” And you’re sorry for snoring or drooling in a public
place…
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| Sunset over Pont Neuf |
Paris is wonderful. But nothing beats the beauty of Texas. See you soon y’all.
