Dead People and Terrifying Heights

Hello loyal followers! Sorry for not posting yesterday, but I finally have some time to catch up on the blog. Yesterday, I had the chance to sleep in late (11am) before lunch and one afternoon language class. After class, we went to the Pantheon in the Latin Quarter. The Pantheon is a giant building modeled after the structure of the same name in Rome. The main corridor and floor are breathtaking, and the designs remind one of a large Church. Luckily with a student discount, the trip only cost 5 euro. Can't find enough ways to save money in Paris.


Dozens of France's most famous citizens are buried in the Pantheon in the crypt below the main level. The likes of Emile Zola, Alexandre Dumas, Louis Braille, Marie Curie, Victor Hugo, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau find their final resting places in the cold and calm crypt. Pictured below is the tomb of Voltaire.


Today, we had a veryyy long 2 classes in a row from 10am-4:30pm with a lunch break in between. The Parisian heat has become unbearable, reaching into the high 80s. The worst part is that few-to-none of the buildings in the city have air conditioning, including our school. It is difficult to pay attention in the heat, let alone all in French. Our politics professor gave us a short quiz. It was not too bad, but I am not sure I did very well. It's hard to remember we actually have work to do while we are here in the City of Lights.


After class, Melissa, Kate, and I ventured to the Eiffel Tower. We promised ourselves that we would make the most out of our last two weeks in Paris by seeing as many tourist sights as possible. A 30 minute line and a 6.50 euro ticket later, we were up on the second floor of the Tower, which is about 2/3 way to the top. The sights were absolutely phenomenal, and the summer heat and sunshine made for a clear view. Scaling the elevators (or stairs) up and down is certainly worth the effort and time.


I am really going to have to start focusing the next two weeks on my work. Two presentations are fast approaching next week. Today, my professor outlined the details of the proficiency exam, which is a week from next Monday. I am incredibly nervous, but it is difficult to find the time to prepare for it separate from all the other work. Luckily, it is after our last weekend in Paris when all our other work has concluded. It is certainly be a challenge to focus of the exam and celebrating the end of the program!

If I were a 12th-century castle, where would I hide?

So after a very long day of traveling, I have finally made it back to good ole Paris. Lisbon was an incredible city, and it was more fun and interesting than I could have imagined! Although we were only there for a few short days, it was the opportunity of a lifetime, and Melissa and I were very sad to leave.


We started our trip Friday afternoon right after our class was dismissed. We rushed to Charles de Gaulle airport, only to be 2 hours ahead of schedule. European airports are similar to those in the United States, but they also have their differences. People arrive much less promptly, and the security is much more relaxed. I have certainly enjoyed my 3 jet-setting weekends it a row, but I am looking forward to spending the next two weekends here in the city of lights, Paris.


Our hostel was very clean and friendly. We had our own private room and bathroom, which makes it seem more like a hotel than a hostel. A basic breakfast was included in addition to free access to the internet just in case we needed a Facebook fix. We have not been getting the full hostel experience during our weekends because we have been staying in them for such short periods of times. Normally, hostel goers tend to get to know one another, if the time permits. On Friday evening, we went to the Hard Rock Cafe, as I mentioned in my previous post. It was great to just relax in an authentic American restaurant and to get away from the bustle of European culture. After dinner, we explored the Bairro Alto neighborhood. It is full of nightlife and restaurants, and we even tried a traditional Portugese/Brazilian cocktail called a Caipirinha (which tastes like lime, tequila, and sugar water). The basic Portuguese language is relatively easy to understand in written form with a knowledge of English and French; however, the spoken language is very different and difficult. At times, the accents and oral Portuguese could be very overwhelming in Lisbon.


After getting a pretty good night of sleep on Friday, we set out to see one of Lisbon's most popular tourist attractions: Castelo de São Jorge. This 12th-century castle was originally constructed by the Moors during the conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, but the Portuguese royals made it their own during the following few centuries. To get to the castle on the hill, we took an 19th-century tram, which was very similar to New Orleans Street Cars. After getting off at the wrong stop (where we stumbled upon a beautiful church and the National Pantheon), we finally reached the top of the hill. However, we could not find the castle, a GIGANTIC structure, for the longest time. After sitting down for a Sagres (delicious Portugese beer), we finally started our trek around the hill before finally finding São Jorge. The ticket only cost 3.50 euros, and the views were absolutely spectacular. Other than observing the architecture of the castle, the location on top of the city's largest hill provided a lookout over the whole city, including the Cristo Rei statue (like the famous one in Brazil) and the 25 de Abril Bridge (which is the twin of the Golden Gate Bridge).


After a long day in the hot Portuguese sun, we took a break in the hostel before heading out to dinner. We went to a traditional Portuguese restaurant where I had beef with cream sauce and peppers. The food was delicious and inexpensive but very greasy and heavy. The prices in Lisbon where phenomenally reasonable, especially when compared to Paris. An entire 24-hour period on the metro costs only 4 euro, and beers were only 2 euro (you would be lucky to find the same in Paris for under 5 euro). Before calling it a night, we went on a pub crawl with some other hostel guests in the Bairro Alto neighborhood. Portuguese nightlife is crazy, like what many people think of the Spanish going out scene, and the Lisboners sure know how to go out for a long night.

Sunday was a bit of a struggle for us, as we were tired from the previous day in the sun and the long night in the night district. We spent most of the day traveling back to Paris via metro/bus/trains/planes, and I am very glad to be back in Paris for a breather. Unfortunately, it is incredibly hot in Paris also. Can someone on this continent please invest in an air conditioner? Anyways, back to class tomorrow and beginning to buckle down on work for the final two week stretch.

LISBOA!

So we just got to Lisbon a few short hours ago, but it has been amazing so far! The city is absolutely beautiful, as is the weather. Melissa and I are pretty exhausted from a long day of class and traveling, so we are calling it a night pretty early for the Portuguese. This evening, we walked around the city to see just a few of the sights, including the fun and hip neighborhood of Bairro Alto. One sin so far: we went to the Hard Rock Cafe for dinner. We did feel a little guilty for being so American, but it was GREAT to have a real American cheeseburger and French fries! Plus, we did watch the entire Spain-Chile futbol game while we ate. Our hostel is great and friendly, and we will be getting up pretty early tomorrow morning to have breakfast (for free at the hostel) and to see as many sights as possible! So excited, and I will check in soon!

BNP-Paribas and l'Assemblée Nationale

First, my apologies to my loyal readers for not posting yesterday. I am sure all 6 of you were missing a special little piece of your day.

Yesterday, we visited the headquarters of BNP-Paribas. It is one of the largest banks in all of France, with over 2200 locations and even more branches in Europe and the rest of the world. We took a tour of some of the offices and saw where hundreds of employees do nothing all day but monitor the various world stock and currency markets. It was quite an operation, like what you would imagine the headquarters of large banks like Chase or Bank of America look like in the United States.


The headquarters is in a historical building in the center of the city near the Louvre and the Opéra. During the French Revolution, the building served as the mayor's office in Paris. During this era, Napoleon Bonaparte was married to his first wife Josephine in this very building. The room is ornate and open to visitors, and below I have uploaded a picture of the original marriage certificate on display in the room.


Last night, some friends and I went out of the streets near the Seine River to see the large festivities. The high school students of Paris finished the Bac (final exit) exams yesterday, and the streets were packed with teenagers celebrating the end of this very stressful time in a French student's life. With the strike of the metro beginning at midnight, it was difficult to get home. After wandering through the streets trying to find the correct stop, I found the Noctilien (night bus) line that lead to my house. It was quite the trek between finding the correction street station, waiting 30 minutes for a bus, and walking 15 minutes from the nearest stop to my apartment. Needless to say, I won't want to do that again, but at least now I am prepared.

Today, with the strike of the metro that I mentioned in my last post, it was a transportation challenge to get the 5.7 kilometers from my house to school. I considered walking, but I realized I was far too exhausted to make it all that way before spending 2.5 hours in class. I found the nearest bus, transfered once, and finally arrived near school after an hour commute in traffic. We started the first class with our second government teacher, who specializes in the European Union. He seems a little more serious and intense than our last professor, and we have two tests and an oral presentation during the final 5 sessions of the class remaining.


After class and lunch, we visited the Assemblée Nationale, which is the French government equivalent of the House of Representatives. This house is much more powerful than the Senate in France, and it is located in a separate building across town called the Palais Bourbon.


We took a tour of the building and learned some interesting things about how the Assemblée works. We also sat in on a session of debate, which is very similar to sitting in the Chamber of the House of Reps. in Washington, DC...except they speak in French. It was great to be able to see part of the heart of the French political system today, and it put what we have been learning into reality. We also got to see the Minister of Finance Christine Lagarde speak on the floor, she's a big deal.

Tonight, I had dinner with just my host mother. It was a delicious steak haché (hamburger) and grilled Mediterranean veggies (tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, onions, and peppers). I can definitely feel my french improving, as I understand all that my host mother says to me and as I am able to converse with her more and more on my own. Since she is gone some nights working for Air France, she told me that I can have a friend or two over for dinner in July when she is home for the duration of my last two weeks.

I'm off to Lisboa tomorrow! We are catching our flight directly from class, so it may be a tight schedule. Not sure if I will bring my computer, but this may be the last post until I return on Sunday evening. It's looking to be a great weekend in Portugal!

Buses and Baguettes

Today, I finally got the chance to sleep in late and catch up on some Z's. Before heading to our 2pm language class, we went to cash in on our free daily lunch at the school cafeteria. Unfortunately, showing up at 1pm was too late to get all the good food. Never making that mistake again. Another interesting insight into French culture: there will be a general strike on Thursday. French workers are big into striking, and they do it often and with purpose. This Thursday, the metro and bus systems will be running at half frequency, and the Musée d'Orsay (where we were scheduled to visit that afternoon) will be closed. C'est la vie.

In class today, we presented our general ideas for our final presentation for the program. Ideas varied from the problem of cigarette smoking in France to the popularity of soccer in France for women to the relations between France and the Congo. My topic will cover the francophone (french-speaking world) and its relationship to France itself. I hope to cover the topics of language and culture (music, food, architecture, etc.) in various places like Quebec, Belgium, and, of course, Louisiana/New Orleans.


After class, today I decided to take the bus home instead of the metro. The metro can get very crowded at rush hour, not to mention the lack of air conditioning and the lack of French people who wear deodorant. The bus ride took about 45 minutes, and I only had to change lines once. The buses are clean, fast, frequent, and, most importantly, included on my metro pass for free. It was nice to see a different side of the city via the streets, and my route took me past several landmarks including the Louvre.


On my way from the bus stop to my apartment, I decided to stop by the bakery around the corner to buy a baguette. It only cost 80 cent[ime]s, and it was such a good mid-afternoon snack. I took my baguette with some nutella, butter, and cheese (separately). Baguettes that are fresh and inexpensive are a natural right for the French, and I will be sure to take part in this tradition while I am living here in Paris.

Many of my friends are going to see Les Miserables tonight, but I decided to stay in to relax and save the 25 euros. I may meet up with them later, but who knows. Tomorrow, the class is off to visit BNP-Paribas, one of the largest banks in all of France. It looks to be an interesting visit, and I will update you on that trip tomorrow after classes!

Back from the Beach, Back to Reality

This weekend was filled with sun and fun on the French Riviera. Some friends and I had to amazing chance to vacation for the weekend in the south of France on the Côte d'Azur, including the cities of Nice and Villefrance-sur-Mer and the principality city-state of Monaco. Although the weather was not always perfect during the trip, the warm winds and burst of sun made for quite a nice change from the hustle-and-bustle of the big city of Paris.


We stayed in a small hotel in the center of the city of Nice, the fourth largest metropolitan area in France. It was not the greatest of accommodations, but it was certainly sufficient for 4 college students to set up base during our beach weekend. Since the weather was overcast and sporadic the first two days of the trip, we spent a lot of time indoors to enjoy the break from school work. We are starting work on our big final projects, so it was great to get this relaxing weekend in our schedule. We spent a lot of time at two local hangout spots, Check Point Charlie's Pub (where we could take advantage of late happy hours and Coupe de Monde soccer games) and Wayne's (where plenty of English-speakers hang out in Nice).


On Sunday, we took a 5 euro round-trip train to Monte Carlo, Monaco. It was just a short 20-minute ride. It was really nice to just hop over to another country for a few hours to see the sights and experience the lifestyle. Everything about Monaco was lavish and over-the-top. We even went into the world-famous Monte Carlo Casino for just a few quick gambles. I lost my 5 euro I started with, unfortunately. However, I couldn't resist playing more. I put another 5 euro in, and I quickly left the slot machine after I won my original 5 euros back (plus an extra 1.60)! Monaco is ultra-exclusive, but there was a good mix of American, British, and Italian tourists roaming the streets with us.


On the train ride back from Monaco, we spotted the small village and free public beaches of Villefranche-sur-Mer, France. On Monday, we took a 2.50 euro round-trip train to this coastal town to spend the day at the beach. After a few hours in the sun and sun and a host-full of melted cheese and chocolate snacks, we decided to call it a day. We got the perfect views and waters of the Mediterranean Sea today at this hotspot before heading to catch our flight back to Paris. Overall, it was a fun and peaceful weekend in the south of France, and it will certainly be difficult to get back into the school groove come tomorrow. Looking forward to Lisbon, Portugal next weekend, though!


PS - My Paris program is officially halfway over today come Tuesday! Guess I need to actually learn some French!

A Break for the Weekend

So, unfortunately today's visit to UNESCO was not quite as exciting as I had hoped. It was nice to hear about the organization and to conduct the seminar in French, but it was not very interesting for a group of students to sit in a conference room for 2 hours to listen to a few low level administrative officers speak.

But, fortunately I am off to Nice, France on the French Riviera tomorrow. It is located on the Côte d'Azur close to other cities like Marseilles and Aix-en-Provence and the small country of Monaco (home to Grace Kelly and Monte Carlo). I am not taking my laptop with my so that I can escape for the beach weekend to relax. If our hostel has internet, I will do my best to update there. If not, I will return on Monday evening to Paris. It should be a great weekend considering 12 of the 19 Georgetown students are headed there as well.

Peace, love, and the Riviera.

Jardins et Dîners

No class today! Sort of. Lots of rain today. No Tour Eiffel or roof of Notre Dame.

The weather did not cooperate today, and we had to postpone our trips to the heights of Paris for another day with sun. Instead, we took a walking tour of the Latin Quarter. We saw such famous sights at the hotel where Oscar Wilde died, the former home of Richard Wagner, the composer, and the Jardin du Luxembourg. The Jardin is one of the largest gardens in all of Paris, and it is located adjacent to the Palais du Luxembourg, the home of the French Senat.


After a relaxing day with a little bit of clouds and rain, we prepared ourselves for a grand French feast. The class had a 3 hour lecture of French cuisine and table arts, and we learned about the foods of the different regions of France and the customs at the dinner table. We were then taken to a restaurant that is housed in the school for a 4 hour, 8 course meal. The servers and chefs are students of the culinary division of the Parisian school, and this restaurant is a way for them to learn and practice their service skills. Although I did not like everything I ate, it was quite an experience. Some of the courses included: (1) aperitif (starting drink), (2) amuse bouche (small starter appetizer), (3) crab or escargot appetizer, (4) fish, (5) steak or lamb, (6) 4 types of cheese, (7) desert of mocha or strawberries, (8) coffee and sweets, and last but not least (9) red and white wines during different courses. It was certainly an experience, but we were all very tired by the end of the 4 hour eating extravaganza.


Tomorrow, we have one more language class before we visit the international headquarters of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. According to Wikipedia: "The organization is based in Paris, with over 50 field offices and many specialized institutes and centres throughout the world. Most of the field offices are "cluster" offices covering three or more countries; there are also national and regional offices. UNESCO pursues its objectives through five major programs: education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture, and communication and information."

I will be sure to update on our visit to UNESCO tomorrow. Then it's off to Nice and the French Riveria for the weekend with at least 10 other Georgetown students!



PS - If you have anything to add or say, please leave a comment on one (or more) of my posts! I would love to get feedback/know if anyone besides my mother is out there reading my blog.

Versailles & The Royals

So what can I say about our full day trip to Versailles? There were lots of palaces, gardens, and 24-karat gold-plated objects. That about sums it up.

No, really. You've always heard about the grandeur of the Palais Versailles, but it is difficult to describe once you've seen it in person. We started the day by taking a 45-minute train ride to the far-out suburb of Versailles. Luckily, the sun was shining the entire day, which made for plenty of great photos; however, the wind was biting and chilly on the hill on which the palace was built. We had to pack our own lunch today to picnic on the Grand Canal, but I barely made it to the train on time thanks to the rush hour traffic and problems on the metro. Fortunately, there was a small café in the middle of one of the grand gardens, and I was able to purchase a jambon sandwich (ham and butter on a fresh baguette).


We spent over 6 hours visiting the gardens and adjacent properties before we even stepped foot in the actual Palace. After taking a guided tour with our professor of the main gardens, we made our way to the Grand and Petite Trianon. The Grand Trianon is where the wives and queens spent their time outside of the palace and out of the way of the King. Many mistresses of various 18th-century French kings also stayed here. The Petite Trianon is the separate property for Queen Marie Antoinette. This area has its own mini-palace, a farm, and a hamlet (small village) that were all created to make Marie Antoinette feel more comfortable in the stuffy royal environment. On the farm, I was stung by some strange European leaf. My luck! It wasn't too painful, but it did strange things to the nerves in my left index finger.


Finally, we made our way into the grand Versailles palace. The chapel and the 6+ different drawing rooms were a sight to behold with all the gold decorations and many paintings, however the Galerie de Glace (Hall of Mirrors) was truly the most spectacular sight. It is a work of art to see the room full of ornate mirrors, and it is where such famous events took place as the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1918 to end World War I.


Beyond the physical sights and awesome views, today was really nice because we all got to spend the day together as a group. It's been great to get to know the other students on my trip, but today really helped a lot of us to bond outside of the classroom environment. We shared plenty of insider moments, and there was rarely a minute without laughter. After our long day at Versailles, our teacher (courtesy of the Office of International Programs at Georgetown and part of our program tuition fees) took us out to a dinner at a café in Versailles, France. I had an excellent steak, although the French waiter was not pleased when I ordered it cooked. Most French people eat their meat at medium or basically still bleeding. A bottle of red and white wine and some chocolate mousse wrapped up a real French meal.


Before heading home, a group of us went to a bar in the Latin Quarter for an end-of-a-long-day drink. Again, it was nice to chat with our classmates in a relaxed environment. Tomorrow, we do not have to report to school until 4:30pm when we will have a seminar on French cuisine and a fancy dinner. We're planning on scaling Notre Dame and the Tour Eiffel tomorrow with our free time. Wish us look with the long lines of tourists (scoff)!

Rien de nouveau

Although it's hard to say that there's nothing new in Paris, today was a pretty basic day. We had class from 10am-5pm, and it was excruciatingly long. I had a presentation for my language class with two other students, and we did not realize the depth of the assignment. Luckily, we winged the whole thing in front of the class and on the spot, and it turned out as good as possible. Today, we finished the first half of our politics class on French government, and we will be moving on to European politics next week.

I had a wonderful dinner with some friends tonight. They cooked pasta (with Tony Chachere's) with a taste of Louisiana, and it was great to relax with them. Also, they're the only people who don't know French, so they are easily impressed by my poor language skills.

Tomorrow, the class is off to Palais Versailles! It should be an amazing experience, and I will be sure to update with lots of thoughts and pictures tomorrow night! À demain!

Catholicism Everywhere

Even though the French are not a very religious people, the Catholic heritage of Paris is undeniable. Today, we only had a half day of classes, and we decided to be tourists for the afternoon. This first half of the school day did not come without stress, but my presentation on a French newspaper went as well as could be expected.


We visited the Sainte-Chapelle, one of the oldest and most beautiful chapels in all of Paris. It is a perfect example of medieval Catholic architecture, and it is truly a sight to behold. Unfortunately, like many of the other famous sights in Paris, Sainte-Chapelle was in the process of being renovated. The awesomeness of the structure was hurt slightly by the large scaffolding and renovation signs (in progress from 2008-2013!), but I am glad that I got the chance to visit.


Right next to Sainte-Chapelle is La Conciergerie. This structure is part of the larger Palais du Justice complex on the Île de la Cité. This part of the island in the middle of the Seine River was occupied as far back at Roman antiquity, and the Conciergerie has been in place for hundreds of years. This structure once functioned as a large French Revolution prison. There are many recreations of the prison life in the building today. The most famous resident, perhaps, is the infamous Queen Marie Antoinette. She spent the last few months of her life in this prison in Paris before being sentenced to the guillotine; and there is a full scale recreation of her cell, including a wax figure of her.


Finally, we walked through the inside of Notre-Dame Cathedral. The awesomeness and the grand scale of the building is impossible to portray in photos, but I will post one just to try to do it justice. After walking a lap around the medieval cathedral, we tried to climb the 400+ steps to the top to see the view of Paris (and the Gargoyles). However, the line was very long, and we were tired from a long day of class and presentations. We do not have class until 4pm on Thursday, so we are going to try to climb to the top of Notre-Dame and the Eiffel Tower during that morning.


After a long day, I got to spend some time with my friends in town from Louisiana. It has been great to hang out with people from home, and it has been even better to experience the city of Paris from a more touristy perspective with them. Luckily, they have their own apartment near the Louvre, so I am able to escape the homestay life there for just a few hours. A full day of class tomorrow (2.5 hour classes back-to-back), but no very stressful presentations. Expect another update tomorrow!

Well, I'll be Amsterdam[ed]

I just arrived back in Paris to my house, and I am thoroughly exhausted from an incredible weekend in Amsterdam. Melissa and I traveled via the Thalys high-speed train from Paris to Amsterdam on Friday-Sunday. It was a leisurely 3 hour train ride each way, and the train was 10 times nicer than any Amtrak. We arrived in Amsterdam at 6pm on Friday, and immediately had a mini culture shock. There were fast moving trams and bicycles all through the streets, and we couldn't read any of the signs in Dutch! However, after about 10 minutes, we figured out the awesome public transportation system and realized that everyone in The Netherlands speaks English! We eventually made it to our hostel before heading out for a night on the town.

Hostels are certainly a new and weird experience. The atmosphere is young and vibrant because all of the other guests are college-age travelers. However, it is strange to share a room with strangers and to trust them not to take your belongings while you're gone. Luckily, I felt much more comfortable since my friend Melissa was in the room with me. The facilities aren't that great, but it is certainly an easy and affordable way to travel Europe.


Heineken is the proud national beverage of the Netherlands. It is available at every restaurant or bar, and it is always the least expensive beer available. Quite a change from our American import beer standards. Other than the plethora of restaurants and bars, there are also "coffeeshops" on every corner. Although it is not legal in Amsterdam, marijuana has been decriminalized and is sold (and regulated strictly by the government) in the over 200+ coffeeshops of the city. It is certainly an interesting experience to walk through the streets of Amsterdam and to constantly smell the scent of weed. However, only 5% of Dutch smoke or consume weed regularly, so this phenomenon is a largely tourist experience.

Although you may not know much about the Dutch, Amsterdam is an incredible city. It is very small for a European city in size, and it is easy to walk from one end to the other in half an hour. The size of the city, along with the hundreds of canals and bridges that run throughout the city, make it a very charming place. The people are very friendly, and they are willing to help you out in any way possible. The only real danger of the city is the bicyclists. Almost every local owns a bike to get around the city, but they are not happy when tourists get in their way.

After seeing the Van Gogh Museum (a native Dutchman), we went for a 3-hour walking tour of the city. This great organization called New Europe gives walking tours of major European cities for free, and we had an amazing guide from Alaska on our walk. We saw many of the famous sites of the city including the Red Light District (prostitution is legal and taxed/regulated by the government), the Royal Palace, and the Anne Frank house. Amsterdam is a very tolerant city, and thus it has a largely diverse and interesting population.


We also saw the Heineken Experience on our final day of the weekend trip. 15 euros got you a 2 hour walking museum and experience of the world of making and living Heineken beer. Also, it got you two beers at the end of the tour to enjoy before you go on your way.

Overall, Amsterdam was an amazing experience and worth all the money/time. Unfortunately, it's back to reality here in Paris, and I have to [start] work on my French newspaper article presentation tomorrow for my government class. Can't wait for next weekend on the French Riviera!

AMSTERDAM

Melissa and I have been in Amsterdam for almost a day now. It's been crazy, but we don't have internet access for very long. We're seeing plenty of sights and taking plenty of pictures, so I will be sure to update the blog further tomorrow when we return to Paris!

Spacecakes, Peace, and Love.

- Eric in The Netherlands

It's like I'm a Parisien.

You know something really strange has happened when you sit on the steps of Sacre-Coeur and realize that you're in Paris...and it all feels normal. I've only been here for 10 days, but I've already become used to the idea that I am living in FRANCE for the summer. How amazing is that?

Today started off as another dreary and grey day full of rain, but luckily it got better. It is nearly impossible to stay awake in classrooms that do not have air conditioning, ventilation, or interesting subjects. During our 15 minute break in the middle of my politics class, my Georgetown teacher asked me if I was okay. Luckily, it was only the heat and lack of new material (she taught us the same thing last semester) that was putting me to sleep. Thankfully, the coffee machine at the university only charges 40 centime (euro cents) for a cup of coffee. In our French language class today, our teacher taught us lots of slang and curse words. Although it might not seem like the most appropriate subject for class, it is important to immerse yourself in the local culture and language tradition to understand the people of Paris.

Last night, my host mother made ratatouille. Delicious. Period.


Tonight, some of us headed out to Montmartre to eat dinner, see the tourist sights, and climb to the tippy-top of the Church. Even though I am afraid of heights, it is a view that can simply not be missed. It was only 5 euros to enter the viewing tower at the top, but I wish the 300+ stairs each way up and down were as simple. I can't say it enough, but money goes so fast in Europe. Fortunately, I am able to travel to the Netherlands tomorrow without changing currency from the Euro!

I am headed to Amsterdam tomorrow, and hopefully I will be able to update my anxious readers from there! I can't wait to visit places like the Van Gogh museum and the Heineken headquarters. A special shout out to all my readers who are students in the Paris program as well. Hopefully, I have been telling the truth (without smack talking y'all to much)!

When it rains, it pours

I woke up to grey skies and rain, and they never let up for a single moment, figuratively and literally. Depending on public transportation is never easy, and today was just one of those days. The beginning line of my daily metro trip to school started off with a bang today. [In the daily French newspaper that I read on the train, they mentioned my Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA), who I interned with in DC last fall!] I only had to travel 4 stations before I make my line change to school, but it took me almost 20 minute to complete this leg due to a problem "technique." Luckily, I arrived at my school stop 2 minutes before class began, and I was able to run in the rain to be on time. Unluckily, my professor was 30 minutes late because of the metro problems as well. Even more less exciting news, we were given our first major assignment for our politics class. We each must prepare a 10 minute exposé (oral presentation) on a given news article for next week. Fun!


Today, our program director gave us an outline as to how our final oral project for the semester will work. We must give a 15 minute presentation in front of a board of our teachers and instructors. There is also an additional 5 minute question-and-answer time for the professors to test our comprehension skills. We are allowed to pick a topic or our choice, but it must be related to France and given entirely in French. Naturally, I am very nervous for this part of my study abroad experience, but luckily we will have plenty of time and help to prepare the "problematique" (or central question) for our presentation.


After class today we paid a visit to a French TV channel, ARTE. This was certainly at the list of most boring events in the history of mankind. After a long, delicious 5 course lunch at the school cafeteria, we were put into a conference room to listen to a network executive drone about Franco-German relationships and how this TV channel will fix them. As if the boring speaker wasn't bad enough, the room was not air conditioned, so it soon became a sweltering nightmare. Very few things in France are air conditioned, so I am starting to get used to it; but the experience is unpleasant nonetheless. It's supposed to rain for the next few days in Paris, but hopefully all days aren't as grey as today. I do have Amsterdam and then the French Riviera to look forward to soon! Also, I had a wonderful two boules (scoops) of coconut ice cream and 2 pints of 1664 (the French version of Bud Light) with my Louisiana friends tonight. It was nice to have a taste of home all the way here in France.


PS - I had McDonald's french fries last night at "McDo" as they call it, and they just weren't the same. You could tell they were cooked in some type of "healthier" oil, and I didn't get the taste of America I have so long craved here in Europe.

Parlez-vous français? Who cares?

One of the biggest problems in Paris is that the French people often refuse to speak to Americans in French. Even if you speak only in French to them, they will still respond to you in English. It's very annoying when you're doing your best to immerse into the French language and culture, but no one ever said that the Parisians were the friendliest people on earth.

Today after class, some of us went to the Arc de Triomphe on a beautiful and sunny day to take pictures, but unfortunately it was closed for repairs. Lots of the great buildings and monuments in Paris are under construction or cleaning, yet this is necessary to keep the beautiful architecture and history like it is. We ended up at the Musée Rodin, which houses some of the most famous works of Auguste Rodin, the French sculptor. The woman at the ticket counter was a prime example of French rudeness. She asked me for my passport to verify my age as if I was trying to cheat her, because people under 26 are allowed discounted tickets. Luckily, the man at the Bureau de Poste (Post Office) was much nicer, and he helped me mail several cartes postales (post cards) to the United States. It only cost .85 euro or 85 centimes en français.


I am SUPER exciting for my upcoming weekend trips. I am officially booked to Amsterdam this weekend, Nice on the French Riviera next weekend, and Lisbon, Portugal, the weekend after that. It is relatively cheap to travel from country to country in Western Europe, but the prices do add up. Luckily, I have a little birthday money saved up and the Euro is constantly decreasing in value ($1.19 today!). On the note of money, ATMs and money in France are not the same as in the US. The billets (paper money) are all different sizes by denomination, with 1 or 2 euros in coins only and the 20, 50, or 100 euro bills being too large to fit in an American wallet! The ATMs also have no set bill amount to distribute (like only increments $20 in the US at a time). Its is always a guessing game to see what denominations of bills will pop out of the ATM, and many small stores or restaurants will not accept 50 euro bills.

Tomorrow, the class is visiting ARTE, which is a television channel aired in both France and Germany. It is a joint-venture that is meant to further integrate the cultures of Europe. Off to a café (cafe) with my friends for café (coffee) after dinner. Hopefully they will try speaking French with us this time. Au revoir.

Le deuxième semaine à Paris

On Sunday afternoon, some friends from Georgetown and I went through the streets of Paris. Even though the museums were very crowded, we did stop by L'Hôtel des Invalides, where Napoleon is bured. We stopped for a dessert at a café, and it was a prime example of how French waiters act. First, they do not work on tips (as they are included in the bill in France), and, therefore, many of the servers are extra rude and extra French. It is an adjustment from the American style of restaurant expectations to say the least. We also went shopping later in the day in La Marais, one of the few districts with shopping and stores open on Sundays in Paris. It has been hard to keep track of money because it goes very fast in Paris, especially when you figure in the conversion to Euros. Luckily, the tax is almost always included in the price of items/food you buy and tipping is almost never necessary in Paris (included as well).

Today was the first day of my politics class, and our teacher for the first two weeks is focusing on French politics and institutions. Today and tomorrow are only morning days of class, so it will be nice to have the afternoons to relax. In other big news, my friend Melissa and I have booked train tickets (and a hostel) to Amsterdam this coming weekend! It will be nice to explore Europe a little and leave the world of French behind. Some of us are also looking at booking trips to Nice, France (Côte d'Azur) and Lisbon, Portugal for the following weekends. For now, i'm off to eat dinner with my host family before heading out for coffee avec mes amis later in the evening.