Euh....Sorry to bother you, but someone's locked in the bathroom! I passed French test #1 my first day in the city when I was in the hotel lobby and I heard someone knocking from somewhere. I ignored it, and ignored it again, until I decided someone must be locked in the bathroom. I don't know why she went in there since there was no handle on the door, but whatever. I saved her from a lifetime in the WC. She asked me to go get help, so I found the concierge and explained to him the situation. Boo yeah.
Oh yeah and it was my birthday yesterday and I totally forgot! My friend Emma reminded me. And then Mme Welch, my director, bought me a delicious tartine aux framboises (raspberry pastry thing). Relatively uneventful, but exciting to be a 20-something in Paris.
I gotta stop mooching off the free wireless......
A bientot!
30 January 2008
J'essai d'etre parisienne...
SAINT VACHE. SO....Diane (my roommate) and I moved into our apartment on Monday night (we stayed in a hotel the first 2 nights) and it is absolutely incredible. We live in the 16th arrondissement, between the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe. the apartment is stunning, built in the early 1900s. And our hostess, Madame Michel, is very rich, very smart, and very intimidating. She's nice and helpful, but i'm afraid of doing anything wrong! Diane and I both have our own rooms, with giant windows that look over a gorgeous garden in the courtyard, and fireplaces. In the salon there is a grand piano but i haven't brought myself to ask Madame if I can play it. I take the metro everyday into Le Marais, the gay quarter of Paris where, so far, I have found the people to be the nicest. And they have free WiFi.... I go to school in Le Marais as well as Church.
So I've only been here for what....3 1/2 days....but I feel like I've been here for quite a while. My French is improving incredibly. Probably because don't have much of a choice. The French respect you so much more if you speak their language or at least try to. I had to buy some pills to help allergy symptoms (i'm allergic to wheat and milk.....wonderful.....that's basically the diet of France) and my conversation with la pharmacienne went perfectly well. There's definitely something to be said for the French language. It makes life in Paris much easier and much more welcoming.
Haha so Diane and I got in trouble for the first time.....so far. We left our bedroom doors open when we were supposed to close them. We locked the front door when we left. Bad. We used the wrong bowl in the microwave. Madame is just anal. And we stayed too long in the kitchen. Apparently an hour for dinner is way too long. Oh well! I'll get used to this. Hopefully. From the sound of my friends' apartments, Diane and I lucked out.
I'm working on blending in with the Parisiens. Don't smile. Don't wear anything but black or brown. Don't eat while walking. Let your small, ugly dog poop on the sidewalk and leave it there. This is fabulous!
Haha, no but really, this has been great. I'm headed to Belgium next week for a few days.
Oh and another thing. My stomach is bound to shrink. Breakfast consists of a piece pain grille avec de la confiture (toast and jam) and hot chocolate. By lunch time I am voracious. Another thing to get used to.
So I've only been here for what....3 1/2 days....but I feel like I've been here for quite a while. My French is improving incredibly. Probably because don't have much of a choice. The French respect you so much more if you speak their language or at least try to. I had to buy some pills to help allergy symptoms (i'm allergic to wheat and milk.....wonderful.....that's basically the diet of France) and my conversation with la pharmacienne went perfectly well. There's definitely something to be said for the French language. It makes life in Paris much easier and much more welcoming.
Haha so Diane and I got in trouble for the first time.....so far. We left our bedroom doors open when we were supposed to close them. We locked the front door when we left. Bad. We used the wrong bowl in the microwave. Madame is just anal. And we stayed too long in the kitchen. Apparently an hour for dinner is way too long. Oh well! I'll get used to this. Hopefully. From the sound of my friends' apartments, Diane and I lucked out.
I'm working on blending in with the Parisiens. Don't smile. Don't wear anything but black or brown. Don't eat while walking. Let your small, ugly dog poop on the sidewalk and leave it there. This is fabulous!
Haha, no but really, this has been great. I'm headed to Belgium next week for a few days.
Oh and another thing. My stomach is bound to shrink. Breakfast consists of a piece pain grille avec de la confiture (toast and jam) and hot chocolate. By lunch time I am voracious. Another thing to get used to.
24 January 2008
16 January 2008
Ticking Away The Moments That Make Up A Dull Day
Since I don't leave until the 25th, this hecka-long Christmas break of mine has been mostly me just tooling around, trying to kill time. I got sucked into the Model-thon on Bravo and TeVo'd all the Passport to Europe episodes on the Travel Channel. That Samantha Brown is one crazy mother. She cracks dumb jokes which the locals never do seem to get.
2008 started out with an uneventful New Year's, but progressed when my best friend from middle school, Traci, got married on the 5th. Well, progress for her I guess, but it sucked for me. I cried. And not with joy. Ok ok ok it wasn't that bad, but after the reception I was taking a nostalgic walk down memory lane and it
saddened me to think that we're growing up way too fast. I'm happy for Traci though. And I was really happy when I was sitting with my friend Susan at her bridal shower and when Traci held up her gift from Susan---black sequined spanky lingerie---in front of a small crowd of modest old ladies, the general comment was, "Oh....that's nice." HAHAHA.
I tried getting a visa for France. Well that was a trip to Hell and back. The day they "sort of" rejected me (they want me to come back to the consulate this week) I boycotted everything French. Luckily the Red Robin's menu said "steak" fries.
2008 started out with an uneventful New Year's, but progressed when my best friend from middle school, Traci, got married on the 5th. Well, progress for her I guess, but it sucked for me. I cried. And not with joy. Ok ok ok it wasn't that bad, but after the reception I was taking a nostalgic walk down memory lane and itsaddened me to think that we're growing up way too fast. I'm happy for Traci though. And I was really happy when I was sitting with my friend Susan at her bridal shower and when Traci held up her gift from Susan---black sequined spanky lingerie---in front of a small crowd of modest old ladies, the general comment was, "Oh....that's nice." HAHAHA.
I just got back from Sandpoint where I stayed with Emma and was enlightened every morning by her mom, who has a book and/or small rock to answer any question on your mind. Emma thinks her mom is off her rocker, but if Diane Miller ever starts a church, I might have to join it.
As is tradition, Emma, Emily, and I dressed up, had a photo shoot, and went to dinner. Then we INFILTRATED Krabs' house and played a rousing game of Scategories. Then had another photo shoot.
As is tradition, Emma, Emily, and I dressed up, had a photo shoot, and went to dinner. Then we INFILTRATED Krabs' house and played a rousing game of Scategories. Then had another photo shoot.
13 January 2008
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