Today was my first rainy day in Paris.
Today is Sunday.
Ive realized that Sundays in Paris are a small gift to us Americans. Most everything is closed and there is not much to do except relax and enjoy people and this city. I wandered around Rue Mouffetard, a darling street right by my house, and people watched. Everyone here seems to enjoy the day, the simple things. For example, two musicians serenaded a random group of couples that began dancing spontaneously. For me, it was a rare moment of impulsive joy that I was lucky to have witnessed. For them, it was a typical Sunday affair. As I continued up my cobble stoned route, past the farmer's markets, cheese shops, boulangeries, bakeries and the decayed and overgrown church, I could not help but feel overwhelmed with luck. To be a part of a culture so old, yet so vibrant, is truly a gift that I would never have fully understood had I not taken this opportunity to live in the thick of it.
I have also learned that the best way to see and know this city is to run through it. I have never enjoyed running as much as I do here. Every street is unique, every building an art piece. I do not think I will ever get used to running out of my apartment and passing the Notre Dame cathedral or the Pantheon or the Luxembourg gardens, or seeing the Eiffel Tower looming in the distance. My favorite part about running is getting lost. Picking a random direction and taking any turn I choose, just to see where I end up. I learn my city by running through people, dodging children, and lingering in front of stores and beloved pastry shops. As cliche as it is, each day here is extraordinary. I cannot help but be permanently happy and content.
dimanche 24 janvier 2010
mardi 19 janvier 2010
school school
So I have reached the hump day of my first week of university in Paris. I am taking 4 classes:
French Advanced
Creative Writing and Poetry
Films and their Meanings
American Fiction
I am in love with my French professor. I have always been shy when speaking french and have had a few intimidating professors, but she makes me feel so comfortable and has one of the greatest smiles I have encountered. French is my most intensive course, I have it four times a week for an hour and 2o minutes and for two hours and forty minutes on Tuesdays. She wants to take us to a play in April, a fromagerie (cheese shop), museum, etc., so that is really exciting.
My film professor is such a character. He resembles Snape from harry potter in his mannerisms, dress, voice, and face, except he is not as menacing. On our first day he was seated in front of the class dressed in all black, his long fingers crossed on his cocked knee, and surveyed us as we walked in from hooded, bushy eyebrows. We sat in silence for a few minutes until he addressed us with a voice just like Snape. I almost died. The film course should be interesting as I have never taken one before and he is very knowledgeable. All of my classes are fairly small, ranging from 10-20 kids. It was weird at first to start school here, since I kept forgetting that that is what I am here for, but after the first day I got into the groove.
I signed up for Yoga (Yoga in Paris, pretty amazing), and am going to try and run with the running club.
It has started to warm up (into the 40s) which makes walking around so much more enjoyable. I am trying to find a good group of friends; its like I am a freshman all over again, scrambling to find a group to be a part of. I met 2 kids from LA who are so nice and coincidentally know some friends from school and home. I have not started running yet since I am afraid of doing it at dark and getting lost, so hopefully during the day I can fit it in.
I am still totally overwhelmed by all that I want to do here and have the anxious feeling that I will not be able to do it all, but then I remember I am living here for 5 months and that this is only the first week :).
Write more later.
Love Bri
French Advanced
Creative Writing and Poetry
Films and their Meanings
American Fiction
I am in love with my French professor. I have always been shy when speaking french and have had a few intimidating professors, but she makes me feel so comfortable and has one of the greatest smiles I have encountered. French is my most intensive course, I have it four times a week for an hour and 2o minutes and for two hours and forty minutes on Tuesdays. She wants to take us to a play in April, a fromagerie (cheese shop), museum, etc., so that is really exciting.
My film professor is such a character. He resembles Snape from harry potter in his mannerisms, dress, voice, and face, except he is not as menacing. On our first day he was seated in front of the class dressed in all black, his long fingers crossed on his cocked knee, and surveyed us as we walked in from hooded, bushy eyebrows. We sat in silence for a few minutes until he addressed us with a voice just like Snape. I almost died. The film course should be interesting as I have never taken one before and he is very knowledgeable. All of my classes are fairly small, ranging from 10-20 kids. It was weird at first to start school here, since I kept forgetting that that is what I am here for, but after the first day I got into the groove.
I signed up for Yoga (Yoga in Paris, pretty amazing), and am going to try and run with the running club.
It has started to warm up (into the 40s) which makes walking around so much more enjoyable. I am trying to find a good group of friends; its like I am a freshman all over again, scrambling to find a group to be a part of. I met 2 kids from LA who are so nice and coincidentally know some friends from school and home. I have not started running yet since I am afraid of doing it at dark and getting lost, so hopefully during the day I can fit it in.
I am still totally overwhelmed by all that I want to do here and have the anxious feeling that I will not be able to do it all, but then I remember I am living here for 5 months and that this is only the first week :).
Write more later.
Love Bri
samedi 16 janvier 2010
Paris Apartment
Our little dresser (overflowing always) and fireplace
Ari's bed
Both sides and our desk
Bathroom counter
Washer/Dryer, toilet, shower and towel heating rack
Hallway, purse and scarf stand and my sweet new running shoes
Living room
Kitchen and counter
First Week in Paris!
Hello all,
It is hard to describe my first week in Paris. If I had to narrow it down to one word, it would be, "overwhelming". After one of the longest and most hectic travel days ever, I landed in a snow covered Paris at 6:35 am and was met by two peppy student advisers from the American University of Paris (my school). We then trekked across the airport and after getting stuck on the moving walk way in between all of my bags I fell face first into a surprised french man's shoes. Hello Paris.
The city is so striking; from the elaborate, old buildings to the cobble stone streets littered with little boulangeries and patisseries, it is hard to take everything in at once. The only downside to these adorable pastry and sandwich shops is that tea here costs around 4 euros, which adds up to almost 6 dollars. We live in an awesome area and our apartment is right across the street from a preschool and a little park. Hence, my new favorite past time is now stalking little french children to hear them speak. There is an amazing patisserie right on the corner of my street and a relatively good priced grocery store. I literally want to eat everywhere. Every restaurant looks so delicious...until you see the prices. I was lucky to find my rice cakes, special yogurt and almond milk here (some things never change).
Our school is literally right under the Eiffel tower and is next to a famous cobblestone street, Rue Cler, which is where most students grab lunch and coffee on their way to class. We are also located near a famous chocolate shop. HOLLA!
The school is tiny, there are 4 buildings and a library spread throughout 4 streets in the seventh arondissement. It takes about 35-45 minutes to commute, which is the only downfall of living in our area. The student body is roughly 1,000, but is comprised of over 100 nationalities, making AUP the second most diverse university in the world. Pretty bad ass.
My french is improving already, but it will take time to carry on a full time conversation without giving them a blank stare for a minute while I try and figure out what the hell they just said.
I went to the Notre Dame today and it was awe inspiring. The arched ceilings, artwork and stained glass windows transport you back in time and make you forget what century you are actually living in; until you walk outside and are hassled by french sales people peddling umbrellas and Notre Dame statues.
It is so fun going to bars and conversing with french people. They love all of our shows and want to know a lot about our movies and what America is really like. Plus they have the most amazing vodka caramel shots that I am actually obsessed with and drink like candy. He he :)
I got to go on a Paris by Night tour, which was basically a drunk student adviser holding a microphone at the front of the bus and rattling off french history and jokes while the rest of us drank wine and socialized. Surprisingly it was still pretty educational.
Last night we went on a pub crawl and got acquainted with popular bars in the 3rd arondissement.
Overall it has been, again, overwhelming. I have finally settled into my apartment and learned how quickly you can shower before the hot water shuts off, what times are ok to flush the toilet so your neighbors dont hate you, and that the space heater was the best invention of all time. I am posting pics of my apartment so take a look!
More to come!
Bri
It is hard to describe my first week in Paris. If I had to narrow it down to one word, it would be, "overwhelming". After one of the longest and most hectic travel days ever, I landed in a snow covered Paris at 6:35 am and was met by two peppy student advisers from the American University of Paris (my school). We then trekked across the airport and after getting stuck on the moving walk way in between all of my bags I fell face first into a surprised french man's shoes. Hello Paris.
The city is so striking; from the elaborate, old buildings to the cobble stone streets littered with little boulangeries and patisseries, it is hard to take everything in at once. The only downside to these adorable pastry and sandwich shops is that tea here costs around 4 euros, which adds up to almost 6 dollars. We live in an awesome area and our apartment is right across the street from a preschool and a little park. Hence, my new favorite past time is now stalking little french children to hear them speak. There is an amazing patisserie right on the corner of my street and a relatively good priced grocery store. I literally want to eat everywhere. Every restaurant looks so delicious...until you see the prices. I was lucky to find my rice cakes, special yogurt and almond milk here (some things never change).
Our school is literally right under the Eiffel tower and is next to a famous cobblestone street, Rue Cler, which is where most students grab lunch and coffee on their way to class. We are also located near a famous chocolate shop. HOLLA!
The school is tiny, there are 4 buildings and a library spread throughout 4 streets in the seventh arondissement. It takes about 35-45 minutes to commute, which is the only downfall of living in our area. The student body is roughly 1,000, but is comprised of over 100 nationalities, making AUP the second most diverse university in the world. Pretty bad ass.
My french is improving already, but it will take time to carry on a full time conversation without giving them a blank stare for a minute while I try and figure out what the hell they just said.
I went to the Notre Dame today and it was awe inspiring. The arched ceilings, artwork and stained glass windows transport you back in time and make you forget what century you are actually living in; until you walk outside and are hassled by french sales people peddling umbrellas and Notre Dame statues.
It is so fun going to bars and conversing with french people. They love all of our shows and want to know a lot about our movies and what America is really like. Plus they have the most amazing vodka caramel shots that I am actually obsessed with and drink like candy. He he :)
I got to go on a Paris by Night tour, which was basically a drunk student adviser holding a microphone at the front of the bus and rattling off french history and jokes while the rest of us drank wine and socialized. Surprisingly it was still pretty educational.
Last night we went on a pub crawl and got acquainted with popular bars in the 3rd arondissement.
Overall it has been, again, overwhelming. I have finally settled into my apartment and learned how quickly you can shower before the hot water shuts off, what times are ok to flush the toilet so your neighbors dont hate you, and that the space heater was the best invention of all time. I am posting pics of my apartment so take a look!
More to come!
Bri
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