How could they not love us?

Europeans have a distaste for Americans, this is what we often hear, but why? I think I may have the answer. It's because of MTV.

We don't get very many channels in our apartments, and we get even fewer that are in English. We get EuroNews, which repeats the same news over and over (seriously, same clips and everything) and MTV, so we spend some of our free time watching both channels. The American shows that are chosen for the MTV station are terrible. They include: The Ex Effect, My Super Sweet Sixteen, and Parental Control. Let me give you a brief synopsis on each, and you will get a clue into why we may be viewed the way we are.

The Ex Effect is (aside from one of the stupidest shows ever created) a show that takes a couple that has broken up and puts the in a hotel room together for the weekend. As if that doesn't sound bad enough, both of the ex's are currently in a relationship. So MTV takes the new partners and puts them in a hotel room together to spy on the ex's as the spend the weekend together. The ex's are put into different situations (usually involving a hot tub) as their new partners look on. MTV provides a bunch of "technology" and "spy devices" to help them spy (such as a red light that illuminates each time the ex's touch, or detectors that tell the parters where the ex's are in the room). At the end it is revealed to the ex's that their partners have been looking on the entire weekend and they must decide if they want to get back with their ex or stay with their current partner. So, you can tell that this show is not worth the air time, but it plays over and over here.

Next is My Super Sweet Sixteen. This show follows a soon-to-be sixteen year old as she (or sometimes he) plans out her sixteenth birthday party. Of course, these are not typical sixteen year olds, but are absolutely spoiled rotten ones. Each episode includes at least 2 hissy fits and many tears because something has gone wrong. A shiny new car is always involved (though all of them comment "Now I just have to learn how to drive...") and diamonds are usually presented.

Last, and certainly least, is Parental Control. In this show parents of an always "amazing" child disapprove of their child's current girlfriend/boyfriend, so they set their kid up on a blind date to try to lure them away from their current relationship. It's just a terrible show, and whoever thought of it is probably laughing all the way to the bank.

So, if someone was just exposed to MTV for their impressions of the United States, could you blame them for not thinking too highly of us?

May I take you on a Metro ride?

One of the most interesting experiences of the trip has been our time on the Metro. I've never lived in a big city, and have thus never really experienced public transportation before. I'm surprised to find it is much like I've always imagined, TV actually serves this one up correctly.

I've come across many interesting people on the metro, whether it be the creeper that sat way to close to Emma, or the old lady lost in her book on the way to her stop. The very first day when we took the Metro a few of us were pleasantly surprised to hear music, which we assumed was coming from some sort of radio system they had set up in the rail car. We soon found out that it was actually a gentleman playing the saxophone a little way down the car. We have seen him a couple of times since then, and his music always makes me smile.

When walking to the different Metro stops through the tunnels, one is also up for an experience. Many performers set up in the tunnels to catch people as they rush through, most often we've run across accordion players. They are typically dancing to and fro as they play an upbeat tune. The coolest music we've come by is a group of about 5 people who each play a different instrument and sing as they do so. There's a violin and an upright bass, the others I can't recall. They are very good and I am always cheered up when I hear them playing around the corner. The least favorite performer is a gentleman who plays the accordion who apparently has a thing for Emma. Each time we pass him he either jumps forward and plays a note on his accordion for her or chases her a little bit. She always turns bright red and scurries away as quickly as she can.

I'm slowly learning the rules of the Metro, as there is definitely a way of doing things. First off, you can't be too kind when getting on the Metro or you're bound to be left behind. When the rail car pulls in, you best get moving towards the door. If you hang back too long you'll hear the buzzer and know you should hold back. When the buzzer sounds the doors are soon to close, and those doors stop for no one. I'm quite sure someone has lost a limb due to those things. I think that the conductors can stop their closing, but I wouldn't want a limb dependent on it. Next, if you want a seat, you better be even faster getting on the train. We get on at La Defense, which is the first stop on the line. In the mornings it is pretty crowded, so if you want a seat you best push your way through everyone else trying to get a seat. We have quite a long way (10 minutes) before our next stop, so all of us headed to the school are vying for a spot to sit. But not only do we want seats, everyone else does to. If you don't get a spot right away you can wait to grab one when someone gets up, but realize that everyone around you is waiting for the same thing. Finally, I've realized that the Metro is quiet time for many people. Later in the evening you can be a little louder, but the mornings are typically quite quiet (except for the sound of the Metro lines, of course). Hardly anyone talks and I'm trying hard to get used to that.

The best way to start your day, Is with a beigne!

In the two weeks we've been here I've definitely found my favorite little places to grab a bite to eat.

My first favorite place to eat is this little bakery about 2 blocks from our apartments. It is conveniently located on our way to the Metro, so we often stop there on our way to class. Professor Reardon first told us of its deliciousness, but words do not do this bakery justice, it is so good. I always get something called a "beigne" which is much like a donut, but a thousand times better. It is much fluffier and dense (I know that sounds contradictory!) than a donut from America. I get the "beigne naturalle" which means it doesn't have any filling, it is just covered in delicious sugar (it is that delicious looking thing in the picture). It is so good and I will miss having my morning beigne when I leave.

Another favorite food joint is the Monoprix. While this is not a restaurant, it is a grocery store that has a branch right near our house. It is kind of like a mini-WalMart in the fact that it has clothing and food, but it is much tinier than any WalMart. It has fruit that will knock your socks off and has pretty much what you'd imagine a grocery store would. It is still a little nerve racking going in, because we're figuring out what everything is and where our necessities are located, but it has served us well.

The last of my favorites of the moment is this little cafe we happened to go to yesterday that is right by our apartments. There is a corner where about 5 restaurants are located that we go by every day but never eat at, so yesterday Nicole, Emma and I decided to just chill at one of them and see what they had. After playing "choose a number" to decide which restaurant to go into, we landed in Day's Cafe. It's this ingenious restaurant where they have a cooler full of plan salads, sandwiches with just meat or cheese on them and about 10 different desserts. So, you pick up a salad or sandwich (or their noodle of the day, which we all got and it was amazing) and take it to the counter and tell them what ingredients you want to have added to the salad or sandwich. That way you get exactly what you want without having to tell them what you don't want. You can also get an incredible variety of things, so one could eat there many times without every having the same thing.

I'm sure Paris has many more amazing little places to eat, and we still have 2 weeks to find them!

Adventure (aka being lost)

Many times throughout our two weeks here we have found ourselves lost. Sure, someone leading the group is sure that the Latin Quarter is just around this block, but it usually ends up being about an hour from that point. However, being lost in Paris has lead to some very amazing times. For example:

After finishing our Cultural Outing at the Musee D'Orsay, Claude let us on our own to find some food. A few of us decided that the Latin Quarter was pretty close and we would be able to find some good stuff there. So, we proceeded. I was really hungry for some spaghetti so we decided we should find an Italian place to dine. We walked and walked and walked. After being assured the Latin Quarter was right behind a couple of buildings I began to lose hope. By this point I was extremely hungry (as we'd been walking for over a half hour). However, we came across our first restaurant, and it just happened to be Italian! Not only was it Italian, but it was delicious Italian. Austin got this cheese and noodle dish that was so good. I got a pizza (not spaghetti because someone at a different table had pizza and it looked so good) and it was delicious. Everyone was pleased with their food, even happy for being lost since we'd found such a place by chance.

The other night a few of us decided to go out to the Latin Quarter and grab some dinner and go to a British Pub we had come across the night before. We walked around for a while before finding the Latin Quarter (again), and when we found it could not decide on a place to eat. The Latin Quarter is pretty much the place in Paris where all of the young people hang out. There are alleys full of restaurants and clubs that wind this way and that. After walking around for a while we were approached by a guy to come into his restaurant. He offered us "the best table in the house and a free glass of wine!". We were quite weary, as you are approached all of the time and very rarely does it turn out well. Chase asked for me if they had something vegetarian, and he assured us he did, so we decided to go in. The six of us where treated like royalty! It was a Greek restaurant that is owned by a gentleman from Boston (so he and Chase got along quite well). We did indeed get the best table in the house (it looked right out into the street) and our wine was brought promptly to us (it was the best wine I've had here yet). The chef came out to talk to us and our host explained that I was a vegetarian, so the chef made a plate especially for me, eggplant, which was not on the menu. Everyone's food turned out to be extremely delicious! The chef came out to make sure everything was good and asked us where we were from. When we told him we were from the United States he started quizzing us on our state capitals (good thing we had geography bee champ Keri with us!).

On Friday a bunch of us ended up going out, and we decided to try the Bastille stop instead of the Latin Quarter (we were told the Bastille was more posh). However, immediately after exiting the Metro we could tell we were in trouble. There were a few cafes, but nothing too great. Chase and Austin had been hanging out there for a while and told us there was nothing much to see. So Emma, Austin and I decided we would head over to the Latin Quarter and find a dance club there. We again got lost looking for it (you'd think we'd know where it is by now). We were quite frustrated and time was running out before the Metro closed. However, after asking a few people for directions, we found it! We walked around trying to find a fun dance club, but everything was either full or looked shady. About to give up we came across a random bar and decided to go in. I was so happy we did because the bar had live music. The band was really good and played all American songs so we could sing along.

So being lost can be very frustrating, but in Paris it has always had a good outcome.

Napoleon's Tomb

Today Nicole, Emma and I ventured out to see Napoleon's tomb. It is located in this magnificently beautiful building that has the dome covered in gold. You can see it from many areas of the city and one can't help but be totally enamored by it.

We took a metro line to get there that we hadn't been on before, so that was excitement number one. I'm pretty sure it took us under the Seine so that was an experience. Also the entire interior of the metro was blue, so Nicole mentioned it felt like we were in a submarine, and it really did feel like it.

Anyway, we got to Napoleon's tomb and it was just as beautiful as imagined. I'm still in complete shock every time I see the stone buildings so elegantly carved. Napoleon is buried in this very large, brown casket (though it does not look like a casket). When you enter, his tomb is in a depressed region, you can see it from the floor but have to enter the crypt to be eye level with it. Surrounding his tomb on the first floor are two of his brothers and a few other people. The whole room is amazing, with painted ceilings and gold everywhere. When you go down into the crypt there are carvings on the walls that are beautiful as well.

In the buildings surrounding Napoleon's tomb are different museums, and we went into the WWI & WWII museum, which was really interesting. They had uniforms from nearly every army involved in the wars, all of which were very interesting. They also had a lot of the weapons that were used, (i.e. machine guns, grenades). To see these items in real life was really awesome.

We came across a tiny little holocaust exhibit, which was probably my favorite of the afternoon. They didn't really have much, but the little they did have had a profound effect on me. They had some clothing that the prisoners were forced to wear, some pictures that the prisoners had drawn and a few pictures. The atmosphere around the materials was definitely dreary, more so than any other area of the museum.

After walking around for a while we decided that we needed to sit somewhere, so we proceeded to find a cafe to hang out in for a while, which proved to be quite a task. We wanted to relax and munch on something, but didn't want to get too expensive. We walked for a long while before we found something that would work, which happened to be just a little concession stand a few steps away from the Eiffel Tower. Emma got a crepe and I got some fries (which weren't too tasty) and we sat under the Eiffel while we snacked away. What better place for a picnic?

My Bubble/My Voice Level

The only thing so far I've noticed that I very much differ with the Parisians are space and sound issues, which I'm not surprised about.

First on space. I like my little bubble space around me. I don't like when my knees knock into other people's or when my arm rubs against theirs constantly, it irritates me more than anything. However, I've had to deal with this many a time on the metro and in line at the grocery store. I like to move about in my little bubble, but they like to be as close as possible as to not waste space. I know this is a cultural gap, but it is the biggest one for me. I'm just used to my own space.

Next is the sound issue. As many of you know, I'm quite a loud person. Parisians on the other hand, are typically quiet people. I don't mean to be loud, it just happens. I was told by some of my fellow UNCers that my voice level directly correlates with my emotions and they realize it can't be helped, but I'd really like to think I can. Not only is my voice loud, but my laugh is, too (I'm not sure that can be controlled at all). So I'm sure that always directs attention toward my American-ism, but I suppose I shall have to just deal with that one.

Je ne parle pas francais

Whenever it's said you get the look. I don't blame them, I blame myself. "I don't speak French" is one of the phrases I have used the most in the time i've been here. True, I can tell you how to say "string bean" in French, but such words only get you so far. Today someone was hoping to get directions to somewhere, but I had to respond "Je ne parle pas francais" and felt terrible...not that I probably could have told them where they wanted to go anyway as I am so terrible at directions.

I wish so much I would have studied harder in high school during my three years of French, I could probably be far more adequate at this language if I had. But, what can one do, I'm where I'm at and know what I know. However, being here has really made me realize how valuable a second language would be. I'm not sure how applicable French would be for the rest of my life (unless I do inevitably decide to come back to Paris) so I'm seriously considering trying to learn Spanish sometime. I feel like I understand the difficult divide of language now and know that Spanish would be something very valuable to know for the future.

Pointing is a very valuable trait I've learned to use, well pointing at food and selections I want instead of trying to somehow communicate via spoken word. You also get quite adequate at miming to try to get your point across. However, trying to mime garbage bags proved to be a challenge. However, it makes every day tasks far more interesting and scary, which makes you appreciate everything you've done before so much more. You also feel very triumphant when you get your point across, it's not just that you got a garbage bag, it's that you've made them realize you needed it.

Why I Love Paris (Part I)

My time in Paris so far has been amazing. Waking up each day knowing you are going to experience something new and exciting is invigorating. I wasn't sure how I would take my time abroad, but I now am reassured it will be one of the best experiences of my life.

I have noticed quite a few things that have made me fall in love with this city, but I go over only a few of them now.

1) The kids are abundant and abundantly happy: Someone told me that they read that there are more dogs in Paris than children, but I'm finding that very hard to believe. You see kids at every turn. Not only kids, but extremely happy kids. I believe I've only seen a child crying about 3 times in the week that we have been here, the rest are quite jovial. We have about three parks right by our apartments and they are absolutely brimming with children in the afternoon. The kids are chasing each other (or more often chasing a soccer ball) and giggling, not seeming to have a care in the world. You also see a bunch of kids holding their parents hands walking down the street. They're always chattering away looking at the world with wide eyes. But of all the kid encounters, my favorite are when the children are riding on bicycles. There are little children riding around on bikes with training wheels everywhere, we even saw one in the mall! They just ride alongside their parents zooming in and out of everyone as they ride down the sidewalk.

2) Puppies are part of the populous: Not only are the children seemingly happier here, the puppies seem to be too! There are dogs everywhere and they just sniff about, rarely on leashes. I've only heard a dog bark once, and I've seen lots of dogs. They wait outside buildings for their owners and sit calmly on their owner's laps on the metro. They do not mind those around them, they are seemingly as wide-eyed about the world as the children.

3) Green isn't an option: Here in Paris, and probably the majority of Europe, being "green" isn't something people consider, they just do it. At the Carrafour (a grocery store) they don't give you a bag option, you must bring your own or carry your groceries home without bags. In our apartments all of the hallway lights are sensors, so when you enter the hallway they turn on and when no one moves through them for a while they shut off. Our apartments are super old, but you can tell the system has been in place for a while. The biggest thing I've noticed is packaging. For example, a bag of M&M's is only as big needed (there is no extra space added for just air). Their bags for chips are only as big as needed, not half empty when you open them up.

4) Timing isn't everything: When people comment that America is rushed and fast-paced, they aren't joking. People here aren't slow, but they also aren't rushing to get from place to place. If they are a couple of minutes late, they don't freak out. This has had a huge effect on me, as I am usually huge on planning. If we are a little late getting to the metro, it's no big deal. If we're a couple of minutes late to class, it's rare that someone will notice. Parisians seem to be living for the moment, not trying to catch up to a moment that will never happen.

While there are many more reasons this city has stolen my heart, I will end this now so I can get some shut-eye for class tomorrow. We have been invited to hang out with the EBS students again tomorrow; we will be having a picnic below the Eiffel Tower!

Monday, Monday (dah nah, nah nah nah nah)

Today was a pretty relaxing day, which proved to be very nice since I didn't sleep well last night. I took a nap yesterday afternoon, so I'm thinking that contributed to the restless night. We also didn't really do anything yesterday because of rainy weather, so I wasn't nearly as worn out as I usually am when my head hits the pillow. So I listen to a "This American Life" episode and nearly got through the entire thing before falling asleep.

Today we had class again, it seems like so long ago that we had class (though it was in fact only 3 days ago). We got up a little early today to make sure we could get a pastry before class. Our favorite one around the corner isn't open on Mondays so we went to one we came across on our way to school. My donut-ish thing was delicious, though not as good as the ones I get at our preferred little shop.

Today in class we presented our project ideas (we are to pick an American product to export to 2 countries in Europe). We proposed Inta Juice and it was not very favorably received, but we finally got him to accept it. After about 2 hours of idea presentations we were off to lunch. However, a few of us heard of some great train ticket deals to Barcelona for this weekend, so we raced to the travel agency before getting lunch. The "deal" was not one at all (98 Euro each way) so we nixed that idea and Emma and I went to the Carrafour (pretty much the French version of Wal-Mart) to get lunch. We went with a loaf of bread and cheese (and I of course got Pringles, I've eaten more of those here than I have my entire life). We each also picked out an amazing looking desert and promised to share. She got strawberry tarts that turned out to be superb!

Later we had French class and my three years of Franklin seem to be paying off! I still only know random vocabulary and some phrases but it makes French class bearable.

Then tonight Chase, Tyler, Nicole, Emma, Mon petite chou (David) and I decided to head down to the Latin Quarter to just walk around. I was feeling pretty exhausted so I considered not going, but finally decided to suck it up and head out with them. We stopped by a few random souvenir shops and picked up a couple of things. We also went inside Shakespeare and Company, I could spend days in there. It's like more organized Heddricks! Then we decided that we should chill at a cafe for a while, so we picked one right near Notre Dame. We all ordered drinks and the girls ordered the dessert de jour (dessert of the day) which turned out to be far better than anticipated. It was kind of like apple pie ala mode but made with pineapple instead. The crust was perfectly flaky and it had really good ice cream to top it off. It was a wonderful way to relax and enjoy the company of those around me!

The Louvre (Loovrah)

On Thursday, after a pretty rough morning (we were all very tired and the classroom was stuffy and warm) we had a fantastic lunch. On Wednesday a few of us stumbled upon this restaurant owned by Tunisians who were really really nice to us, so we went back again. I ordered some of their french fries (frites) and they were very delicious!

After lunch our Cultural Outing was to the Louvre, which proved to be more of a problem than fun. When we got there it was pretty busy so Claude took us in the back way. We got in fine, but then Claude told us to stay where we were while she got us tickets and two minutes later a museum worker told us to enter (even though we tried to tell him we were told to wait). Claude caught up with us and seemed disgruntled that we had moved, even though we explained to her what happened. She told us that the museum workers are on strike so we needed to do what she said. This was when the trouble started. We were then trying to go up an escalator to enter one of the galleries, but about 5 of our group were stopped and not allowed up because their bags were too large. Claude didn't realize we had some left behind so she tried to continue on so we were trying to explain to her what happened. She went down to help them get up. When they did finally get up the stairs we went through the ticket line. However, we got separated because of the large majority of people trying to get through and the ticket guy wouldn't let about 4 people through because they were not with the group. Again, Claude didn't realize this and tried to go on and we had to explain to her what happened. Because all of this we really didn't get to see much, but what we did see was quite interesting. There simply isn't enough time to see everything wonderful in the Louvre.

After we left the Louvre we came back the apartments to get ready for the wine tasting that we had been invited to by the Wine Club at EBS Paris. We knew which metros to take to get there, but were quite unsure as to where the actual restaurant was. Thank goodness Desmond was waiting for us at the top of the Metro exit (he's always popping up right when we need him!) and he and one of the Wine Club members led us to the restaurant. We were taken downstairs to a cute little cellar where tables were set up for us. We were still missing a few of our group, so I got to walk back with one of the Wine Club members to pick up anyone who may be waiting by the Metro. We had quite a good talk. I pretty much bombarded him with questions about Paris, but he was kind enough to answer all of them. He knew English amazingly well, but we still ran into a few language barriers.

When we returned to the restaurant we got our first taste of some wine, which was very delicious. One of the club members sat down by us and explained to us where all of the different wines were from that we were drinking. Then we bombarded him with some more questions about Paris and what the French really think of Americans. We pretty much got what we expected-they think we're loud and fat (in general). The club members were all very nice and we got to enjoy many drinking songs that they sang. We tried to think of one that the Americans could sing, but we never did come up with anything. After a few glasses of wine the club members invited us to go to a club with them, and many of us obliged. We walked there, which was probably the most fun part of the evening. The Parisians sang drinking songs the whole way at the top of their lungs and everyone we passed seemed to smile and enjoy it (I was afraid that people would be angry at our noise). We ended up at a club that we had actually passed a couple of days before and had wanted to go into. Their club was far different than what I am used to (though I have only been to Cactus Canyon). It was more of a discotheque than anything, with flashing lights and pounding music. It was so much fun, the Parisians always made sure we were dancing and having a good time.

By the time we got out of the club it was about 3:00, which proved to be a problem because the Metros close here at 12:00 on the weekdays. A few people grabbed taxis, but there were about 6 of us who decided we would walk home, as we were right by the Arc de Triumph, which we can see down the road from where we enter the Metro in the morning. However, the walk proved to be far worse than we thought. We ended up walking for 2 hours solid before getting home. A night of dancing and a full night of walking made my little feet quite angry at me. But we got to see far more of the city than we had thought we would, so it is not regretted.

Notre Dame

For class on Wednesday we took our Cultural Outing to the Notre Dame Cathedral. We took the metro to an area near the Cathedral, but walked around quite a while before actually going in. Claude showed us the Latin Quarter, where there is some amazing history and shopping. Here we saw Shakespeare and Company and a cafe where many intellectuals spent a lot of their time writing and holding discussions.

We spent a little time in a park right across from the Notre Dame. This park holds Paris's oldest tree (according to Claude), it was planted in the early 1600s and is still standing (though it is partially filled with cement to keep it up). Here there were also some beautiful plants, some of the best smelling roses I have ever come across.

Before heading into Notre Dame, Claude took us down to the Crypte, which is a little museum that holds the ruins of the beginning of Paris. They had a bunch of examples of what Paris looked like before, what the ruins previously looked like, and it was pretty incredible what they could build with such little technology.

When we finally entered the Cathedral, I lost my breath for a second. It is so beautiful, I cannot even fully explain. The Cathedral took 200 years to build, but seems to be worth every second of labor. It is so intricate and stunning, I could have sat in there for the entire day. The stained glass work was by far my favorite part, the light it brings in is so wonderful. Though we were not supposed to take pictures, I did sneak a few of the stained glass work. I also saw a nun taking pictures, so I didn't feel too bad about it. The Cathedral also holds a bunch of tombs in it, I'm not sure if they are past Cardinals or what, but even the caskets were incredibly intricate.

After Notre Dame a few of us decided to stay in the Latin Quarter and walk around and shop before heading back home. We spent some time in little touristy shops before taking the Metro to a random stop. We got off to walk the rest of the way home, not realizing how far we actually were from home. About 10 minutes after getting above ground it started to rain. Luckily I had brought my umbrella, but David stole it quite quickly. He meant to hold it and share with me, but his legs are far longer than mine and he was continually leaving me in the dust. We decided to take shelter under a small roofed area until the rain let up. When it finally did we continued walking along the same street, which has some wonderful shopping. We saw Chanel and the Louis Vitton headquarters (so we only did some window shopping).

When we were almost home we all decided that we were quite hungry, so we decided to stop at a pizzeria that we pass every day on our way to the metro. We got a 4-cheese pizza and it was so insanely good. I wish that America used as many cheeses as they do here, they really strike my fancy! We've decide that the pizzeria will become our hang out for the remainder of our time here.

First Day of School (and the Eiffel Tower)

On Tuesday we had our first day of classes at the European Business School. I bought myself a shnazzy little travel alarm clock for the trip, but I apparently didn't set the alarm Monday night before I conked out. So at about 8:45 Tessa and I had a knock on our room, then another knock, then a buzz. I finally got out of bed and Nicole was standing there all prettily dressed. Then I realized that our alarm hadn't gone off. Tessa and I ran around trying to get ready, not exactly how I wanted to start my first day of classes. But we got ready just fine and were not left behind, so it was okay.

We finally got to the school at about 10:00. Their college is much different than ours, it looks far more like an office than a college. All of the business students were dressed up, and we felt quite out of place in our jeans and tops. They could quite obviously tell that we were Americans.

When we got to our classroom, we were introduced to a few of our teachers for the month. We met Katy, our French teacher and Claude, our History teacher. We were also introduced to a consultant that the school had hired to help us out on our first day. He had us do a really cool lesson where we were to write ten things we want to do while we are in Paris for the month, to ensure we do things that we really want to do. So, here is my list:

1) Go to a club

2) Go out exploring on my own

3) Go to Montmarte (a bridge that you bring wine to and sit and drink and meet with locals)

4) Take a Siene boat tour

5) Spend an afternoon alone in a park

6) Go to a fancy dress-up dinner

7) Buy something from a street vendor

8) Spend an afternoon in a cafe

9) Have a meal with a Parisian

10) Go to the catacombs

For the second half of the day, Claude took us on a tour of the area around the schools. There are a bunch of little cafes and restaurants for us to enjoy, so I'm sure many of our meals will come from the surrounding area.

With the rest of our evening a few of us ventured to the Eiffel Tower. It was quite amazing and helped me realize that I am actually in Paris. We first came from the Metro across the street and got some really good pictures. We then went a little further to a small park with a pond that is still across the street from the Tower. We then ventured a little closer and sat by the Seine for a while and took pictures. Then the Tower started to sparkle, which is so beautiful. The way it glimmers made me want to clap my hands with delight (and I'm sure it did). Then Tyler, Nicole, Emma and I decided to walk closer to the Tower. We found a little crepe stand right by the front of the Tower and bought some amazingly delicious crepes. I got a chocolate one and it was amazing. We sat down in a little strip of park that had an amazing view and ate our crepes. I can not think of a better way to spend and evening in Paris.

Bonjour Paris!

After the very long flight, we finally found ourselves in Paris! There was nothing more exciting than first exiting the airport and catching my first glimpses of Paris. While I did not end up singing "Bonjour Paris" due to extreme tiredness, I did think it in my head.

Our drive to our apartments proved to be quite and adventure. I'm not sure our driver knew quite where we were going, and driving here is quite different than in the states. Here people aren't as cautious and whiz back and forth whenever the chance arises. Our driver was trying to keep up with the van ahead of us so we pulled into pretty tight spots. But, we arrived safely to the apartments, which are pretty nice! We're living in the financial district of Paris, so no worries about shoddy apartments. Tessa and I are sharing a room and she has been quite delightful to room with. Our apartments are pretty darn small, the main room being about 10 X 10, which is okay except for two of us are sharing it. But one of the beds folds into a couch so room can be made if needed. We also have a small kitchenette, which will serve us just fine as we will not be cooking too much here. Our bathroom is about half the size of our main room, so it's quite spacious. We are living on the 11th floor, the same as Nicole and Emma, which has proved to be very helpful!

Back to the first day's events. We met up with Desmond (who is kind of our go-to guy at the University) and Professor Reardon (the Professor I had for Global Marketing this past semester) who explained to us the events of the time here and showed us around a little bit. We learned how to use the Metro and took it to see the Arc de Triumph, which is insanely beautiful. The detail put into the carvings are unexplainable, they are so exquisite. While enjoying the Arc we also saw our first car accident! A moped hit a car, which is not surprising because that roundabout is insane. Cars go in and out and here and there with little notice of what is going on around them. It's a surprise that many more accidents do not occur around there.

Later in the evening Reardon showed us around a little more and we ended up at a restaurant. It was one with seating outside, so we all felt quite comfortable. However, I felt bad for the waitress as there were about 10 of us and none of us really speak French and she didn't really know English. It is insane being on the other side of the language barrier. But, we all ended up with food that was pretty delicious. I myself had a salad, being a vegetarian leaves little other options for me. The salad had corn in it, which I have not ever tried in a salad but it proved to be quite amazing!

After dinner we took a walk along the Siene, which was so pretty at night. All of the lights reflect off of the water and sparkle. For being such a huge city the town does not seem that crowded at all. When we walk at night cars drive by but the sidewalks are peaceful. After our walk we returned home and had a slipper party in Mindy, Jordan and Keri's room. They got the three person room, which is far larger than ours. They have an actual living room and a bedroom, so we all fit comfortably.

When we finished in their room I came upstairs to go to bed and slept harder than I have in a long time.

(no)Flight of the Concourse B

I was freaked this morning that I wasn’t going to be able to make it to the flight on time, but now I’ve found that this worry was completely unjustified. I arrived at the airport at about 9:30 and got in the seemingly unending line to check in. However, it went quite quickly and I soon found myself at the check-in kiosk. Having only flown on the small propeller-driven planes to Montana, I was used to the friendly helpful faces of the Great Lakes airline employees. However, I this was not the case and I had no idea what to do. I set my bags on the wrong scale to begin with, but was quickly corrected by a not-so-pleasant employee. Next, I was waiting for someone to check me in, not realizing this was up to me. So, someone came and stole my screen before I realized what I was to do. After many more troubles, I finally received my ticket.

Thankfully Austin found me in line, so I didn’t have to brave the rest of the airport alone. The group of us took the shuttle thing (of which I have never been on before) and found our check-in area. We were quite early, so we just sat down and hung out for a while. The majority of the group came quite quickly, so we all introduced ourselves and made small talk. Nicole got here and we took an “adventure” to the restroom and to McDonalds, where Nicole almost died eating a french fry (as Chase mentioned later, that would be quite ironic).

We returned to find everyone still sitting around in the same chairs and we enjoyed our food and were soon called to board. I missed my call for Section 2, but joined in with the 3’s. However, before we even moved any closer to the door we were told to have a seat, as Chicago was not taking any planes in, due to bad weather. About half of our group was already on the plane when this was called, so they soon returned to our spot. Unrest ensued and people decided they would relax with a drink while we waited to be called again, as they told us they would update us in about an hour. A few of us stayed behind to watch over the luggage and keep the others updated. Not 20 minutes later we were called to reboard the flight. The messengers who stayed behind relayed the message to those who went to enjoy the delay. They had just ordered their drinks and had to do away with them quickly in order to make it to the boarding on time. They rushed back, and that brings us to now.



Now we are sitting on the plane, they have just notified us that they will update us in a hour about the time we will fly out. Groans erupted when they notified us of this, and since then people have been quite antsy. The woman next to me was eating a salad and the smell is lingering terribly; smells like tuna. But 27 Dresses is playing on the television (I’m thinking of you Stephanie!) and I’m so tired I care very little where I am as long as I am seated.

The nearness of Paris still hasn’t hit me, though when sitting around with everyone feeling their energy I’ve begun to pick up on the bug. I think when I take my first step on Parisian ground and break into “Bonjour Paris” from Funny Face it will be real.

What? We were supposed to plan?

So, it has finally started to hit me that Paris is soon (we leave in 5 days!). Chase has pretty much been keeping me on top of the whole planning thing, which is unusual because I am a planner at heart. I think that I just haven't fully realized that I will soon be in a far away country and should be freaking out right now. Even as I type this it doesn't fully hit me.

Chase, as I said, has been keeping me on top of planning, as he and I are traveling for two weeks after the EBS program has ended. Last week we went to CSU to visit STA to buy our EuroRail passes. Sitting there purchasing them, having the girls behind the counter tell us how amazing it is going to be, I felt a sting of excitement. However, the realization of Finals and all I have to do here before leaving quickly overtook what excitement I felt. This weekend, Chase again, took me along to Dick's Sporting Goods to buy some proper footwear for our travels. I've been told by a friend who is currently studying in France that the Europeans do not take kindly to tennis shoes (she claims she has gotten some glares when she's running in her tennies). So, both in fear of getting beat up, we bought some comfy hiking shoes. The little preparation I have done is breaking in the said shoes so they'll be more comfortable when I'm in them over there.

Other than making some purchases aside from these (shampoo, etc.) I have done very little else to prepare. I know I need to pack soon, but finals have been taking center stage. I know by Friday I will be fully freaking out and will stay up late to pack everything into my suitcases (at least I hope so). I pray that I will not be up all Saturday night doing this instead (though that might be a good idea, it would ensure a good sleep on the flight). 

The flight is something I am worried about. I had never flown in an airplane until my Freshman year of college. The only plane I've been a passenger on is a dinky little propeller plane that flies from DIA to Williston, North Dakota when I go home to visit. This flight lasts all of 2 hours, so we'll see how I am on a plane for a much longer period of time. My hope is that I sleep the entire way there (though it is sure not to happen).

Who and Why

So as a high school Senior coming in for a preview day, I sat down in a classroom for a meeting about President's Leadership Program. I had received a few mail pieces from them, and could remember being a little hesitant about joining, but couldn't remember why as I entered the room. They were serving us free pizza and joining the program meant a scholarship, so what was to fear? Then I remembered when the words "STUDY ABROAD" came up. Mr. John Bromley, who is amazingly missed, looked out into the sea of students and said "Ok, now we are going to talk about where each of you plans to study abroad". Then it hit me, to be in the program you had to leave the country, it was a requirement. I was scared enough about leaving home, the thought of leaving the country was overwhelming. I honestly broke out into a little sweat and got nervous. I remember turning to my dad and saying "I forgot we had to study abroad". I was shaking as people around the room knew just where they wanted to go and I hadn't a clue, nor did I have a desire to go abroad.

Today I am a completely different person and I cannot wait to study abroad. I did get into PLP and studying abroad is a requirement, so that is part of the reason I am going. However, I have also gone through quite a few changes in the last year and I think this experience is just what I need. I spent the first two years of my college career planning on interning (as that is also an option with PLP, though going abroad is far favored), as I was in a relationship and didn't want to leave him behind. But, that relationship ended and I am now feeling empowered and ready to experience life. I am ready to see what the world has to offer me and am ready to grow as a person, become who I want to be. I know experiencing Paris and other cultures will help me with this.