A Week is too Short

A lot has been going on this past week. I've been fitting in a lot of activities while trying to keep up with my homework. So this post might be long.

I finally visited the Champs Elysees! L'Arc de Triomphe is in the center of a big circle with cars zooming by. We didn't go to the top, but the underneath has some really cool architecture. I also liked the grave of the unknown soldier right under the arc. Sure, it has great history and represents so much for France, but when it's 85 degrees outside, its primary purpose is for shade. Overall, not as epic as I thought it would be, but worth it. I'm sure you've seen pics, but here's another:

The Champs Elysees is a huge road with some of the most expensive shops in Paris. Designer brands, overpriced restaurants, and a MacDo:

It's the little things that remind you of home

The next day, we went to a performance of Cyrano de Bergerac at the Comedie-Francaise. My hosts came also, and they said that the acting troupe is the best in France. I believe them. The applause at the end was literally 15 minutes. It's been a while since I've read the play, and they were talking awfully fast, so it was neat to critique their acting based solely on their movements and expressions, without understanding what they were saying. (I know much more goes into acting. I don't want to offend any actors/actresses reading this!) (Before the show, my friend, one of the teachers, and I were running around the neighborhood trying to find a sandwich for dinner. We ran for about 20 minutes to make it in time for the show and ended up grabbing food at a Starbucks. It's a very expensive part of the city, and apparently we walked in the opposite way of all the boulangeries.)

The day after, we went to the catacombs! After waiting for a little over two hours, we descended to the underbelly of Paris. If I know my history (no guarantees), the catacombs stretch almost all over the city. Way way back in the 1700/1800s, graveyards by churches were getting full, and so many dead bodies were posing a health risk to the city, so they turned the quarries underground into an ossuary with thousands of bones. It was really cool and creepy to walk through dripping tunnels and next to piles of bones and skulls. Such an different experience than everything I've done so far in Paris.

Stop! This is the empire of the dead.

Later that night, we all had dinner at a North African restaurant. This meant piles of couscous, bowls of vegetables in broth, and enough lamb and other meats to go around. I never would have thought to go to a restaurant like this in the first place, but I was so glad we got to eat a huge meal together. The best part was the tea at the very end. It was minty and sweet and liquid gold.

Speaking of food, the following day, I had real Indian food for the first time! I'm surprised how many international foods I've eaten here: French (of course), Italian, Thai, Japanese, North African, Indian, and Colombian. And today, I had pâté. Don't tell me what's in it! I don't want to know, but it was rather good.

I figured I should take advantage of the French cinemas. They're quite famous for...well I don't know what for, but they're famous. A group of us saw Frances Ha (it was in English). I don't know if it's in America, but go see it right now! It was a quality movie. Afterwords, we hung out at the canal (sounds very swanky, right?) On a Saturday night, that's where everyone heads to. Young people chill by the water and eat, drink, play music, and just have a good time. Paris is incredible at night, and there was something special about walking around at midnight and seeing couples taking a stroll, hearing live jazz coming from a cafe, and seeing all of the lights give the city a magical glow.

Another adventure that I went on was to the Marches aux Puces (flea market, literally). It spans a few blocks and it's supposed to be the biggest outdoor flea market in the world. Unless we missed a turn, it wasn't as big as I thought it was going to be. Nevertheless, they had antique dealers (my favorite), clothes for sale, music, trinkets, and even African art. I didn't end up getting anything, but afterwords, I had a delicious Italian tarte and went shopping on the main road near me :) Mission accomplished. 

Outdoor art exhibit, by the marches.
It was closed, so the picture is taken through the fence.

The second gas station I've seen in Paris.

We had a picnic today, and after we stuffed ourselves with bread, cheese, pâté, and flan, we went to the Musee de la Musique. I was like a kid in a candy store. We were told that it has the best collection of 17-20th century instruments in the world. I'm fairly confident that's a true statement. I had so much fun following the audio guide and listening to what all of the instruments on all 5 floors sounded like. Some of these instruments are beautiful, and some are just crazy. I took so many pictures and I couldn't stop smiling :)

Orgue positif and Regale

Clavecin

I'd love to learn how to play this.

and these glass piccolos

Can I have all of these? 

Beethoven judging modern music

The marching band could use one of these

Viola arpa, an experimental instrument

didgeridoo!

This is my last week here, and I'm going to have a lot of work to do with school and trying to enjoy all the good food before I leave. Please pray that I can handle all of my homework and make the most of my stay here in this wonderful and lovely city. 

"Fear is useless, what is needed is trust."

Love and blessings,

Octobasse

Anna

La Mode

In the world of fashion, Europe usually starts trends that eventually move west. If that's the case, I can't wait for these styles to head our way.

I'll start with women. French women always look put together. They rarely wear sneakers unless they are actually jogging, and no one wears flip flops unless they're at la piscine. Also, high heels are not restricted for nights out, they are also used as walking shoes. Birkenstocks seem to be in style this summer as comfy walking sandals, and oxfords go with any outfit. 

Moving upwards to the pants- jeans are not a staple. I've seen more dress pants, stylish sweatpants, and skirts than jeans on women. Not to say that they are rarely worn, but it's less common than in America. Lots of women wear tailored pants as casual wear, and not khakis either. I've seen some cute, flow-y bohemian style sweatpants that are super summery. Shorts are pretty similar to what we have in the states. Not really any daisy dukes or soffes...unless they're tourists. The skirts aren't too short--sometimes worn with tights or leggings underneath. I don't think there's a French translation for denim skirts, thus they do not exist here. 

T-shirts are also much less common on women. They wear tops/blouses/chemisiers. Nothing terribly fancy, but they have little accents of studs or lace or a little pattern. In America, I think we over-exaggerate details on our clothes. Think of French tops as H&M clothes, but...less bold and more subtle design. I love it. Blazers and little jackets are popular. I feel very out of place when I wear my sweatshirt under my green denim jacket with the hood sticking out because that's a very American look (Leonard from the Big Bang Theory, for example.) No women would dare wear a sweatshirt out of the house. It's not chic.

Their accessories are smaller and, again, not as bold. I haven't seen too many headbands or chunky necklaces. Definitely no hoop earrings, but scarfs are appropriate for any day, any temperature, any outfit. The purses are so cute. Mostly leather or pleather, they are a refined addition to an ensemble.

I've seen some very cute dresses. Some are shoooort and others are at more respectable lengths. I had this idea that all the French wore vintage clothes, but I think they're moving out of that and into more modern retro clothes. Yes, there are hipsters in Paris. I can't escape from them. They're just more stylish over here ;) 

Now the men.

Gosh I wish all men dressed like French men. Their jeans actually fit them! Their shirts are not baggy! They care about what they look like! 

Shoes with an elongated toe box are the "it" thing. No questions asked. If you are a man and don't own a pair, you are not a true Frenchman. Jeans are not ripped, and you always wear a belt. Polo shirts are a bit less popular, but t-shirts are common. Adidas seems to be everywhere, and men have their Adidas bags, sorry, man purses, on the metro. It's very acceptable, and I wish guys in America had the social liberty to wear them too.

Men's shirts are basically the same as in America. Not as much plaid, but t-shirts, polo shirts, button down shirts, etc, are the norm. They key, again, is that everything fits them.

They wear big watches too, but I haven't seen too many baseball hats, which makes sense. I haven't seen too many people wearing football (soccer) jerseys either. 

The city is very diverse, and there are many women who wear a hijab and a lot of African men and women wearing traditional African clothes. 

The point of French fashion, in my opinion, is that people put effort into their outfits and appearances. Whatever they wear, they wear with confidence. 

I don't have any pictures as I didn't find it appropriate to take pics of people on the metro (I'm assuming you agree with me), but I hope this gives you a basic picture of quotidien fashion in Paris!

"Fear is useless, what is needed is trust."

Love,
Anna

Quand on Prie La Bonne Étoile

DISNEYLAND PARIS

The happiest place in Europe. Where all of the magic comes from. Where you forget about all of your homework and have fun like les petits enfants.










It was really a fun day. The weather was perfect, it wasn't that crowded, and I didn't burn a hole in my wallet. I went with the kids of my host family and one of their friends. The daughter and I broke off and did our own thing, because the boys were going on big scary rides : /

There are two parks: Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park--comparable to Magic Kingdom and MGM/Hollywood Studios. We started in Disneyland Park, with Cinderella's chateau. It's much smaller than the one in Florida, but still impressive. In general, nothing was as grand as Disney World, but that's expected when you compare a "land" to a "world." The daughter and I went on a lot of rides because it was early and the lines were short.  It was great! Then we got lunch at a British place from Frog and Toad--fish and chips, soda, and a yogurt. Those were the first french fries I've had here that tasted like American french fries. It took going to Disneyland to feel like I was eating in America! After that, we hit up a few more rides and then she wanted to go into boutiques. She read my mind :)

Then we went to the Studios Park. We skipped the obvious Tower of Terror and Rock'n' Roller Coaster and saw some of the interactive shows. Not as much to do; it's much smaller than I expected, but we still had a blast. The daughter really liked the Buzz Lightyear ride, so we met up with her brother, went on it again, and they both loved it. I mean really loved it. That was one of my favorite moments of the day, along with the realization that I was using french a lot today and got better at it, I think. I was much more relaxed around the kids and it just seamed easier to speak to them. I also loved seeing all of the little kids dressed up as princesses, or Peter Pan, or pirates. So cute!! There was also a moment when we were walking around and stumbled into an eatery. The son said, "Ce n'est pas un restaurant. C'est fast food." I had to laugh to myself because 'fast food' is now a phrase in the French vocabulary.

We left at about 6:30 or 7pm. There wasn't really anything else we wanted to do. The fireworks didn't start until later, so it wasn't worth it to stay. To get to Disney, we took a bus to the train station and then to Disney. Being on the bus reminded me of Rutgers...I have to get my sea legs back before I venture onto an F bus this fall.

In all, there are basically the same attractions in Paris as there are in Florida. Some things were different, like a roller coaster from Finding Nemo, and a recreation of the town in Aladdin (which we didn't walk through, ah bon). It was a really fun mini-vacation, and I was pleasantly surprised that Disneyland was not another Touristland (well, it was, but much less crowded, and much more friendly).

"Fear is useless, what is needed is trust"
-what I told myself before going on a roller coaster ;)

Love and blessings,
Anna


P.S.
some of my new favorite obsessions:
 

True Beauty

Talk about girl on the go. Friday, I had a quiz (I think it went really well! Except for the fact that there were 5 short answer questions, and I only saw 4), then my next class had a field trip to the Cinematheque. It's a museum about movies and film. C'etait tres chouette, and very different than anything I had seen so far in France. I also saw one of the largest libraries in the city-the BNF (Bibliotheque nationale de France). It's usually compared to the library of Congress. The weather was perfect and the TAs gave me a lot of ideas on what else I should see before we leave in three weeks. Three weeks! 

Huge stadium at Bercy for sports and concerts

Inside the museum

Then I headed over to the Latin Quarter and I got lost (on purpose). I found the neatest little shops and hidden alleyways. There were sales everywhere. In french, a sale is "soldes" so I was very confused at first when I saw large signs on windows that said, "soldes!" As my mother told me today, she was shopping vicariously through me ;) 

Fontaine Saint-Michel
in the Latin Quarter

Next, I met up with some people, and I had a panini. (My second one of the day. I missed them that much!) Then we headed over to a haute couture exhibit at Hotel de Ville. The clothes were mostly from the 70's to 90's. We weren't allowed to take pics, but there were some gorgeous dresses that I wish I could have tried on. Nothing was extremely over the top, nothing avant garde, or something crazy that you can see on Project Runway. I can't really describe the dresses because they were so elegant and unlike anything we can buy in America.

Saturday, I did some homework then met a friend in the late afternoon. On the metro, I was sitting across from a mother with four little girls. I'm going to assume they were quadruplets, maybe 4 or 5 years old. They were so adorable. They were talking in baby french and laughing with each other! It was so cute to see them understanding and interacting with their sisters and having a ball on the metro! In French!

My friend and I went to the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal. In short, this is where Mary appeared to Saint Catherine Laboure and there is a famous medal that says, "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." In 1832 there was a cholera outbreak. The sisters, Daughters of Charity, at the time distributed thousands of medals throughout the city that have been attributed to numerous cures and prevention of the disease, as well as conversions. The chapel, as you might have seen coming, was absolutely beautiful. It was more beautiful than any haute couture dress. I was even about to change my favorite color from orange to blue for Mary. That's how awestruck I was at the chapel. The place was filled with people praying. You could feel the faith, and you knew Mary was listening to all our pleas. This is not as famous as Notre Dame, so there weren't many tourists taking pictures. I didn't take any pics, but here is a great site  to see the inside and for more explanation. http://www.catholiccompany.com/blog/inside-chapel-our-lady-miraculous-medal

We then went to mass at Notre Dame, and afterwords ate dinner at Breakfast In America. It's an American diner in Paris! The waitresses were even American! We were very excited and I ordered French toast (yeah, inception) an "Obama" milkshake--peanut butter and chocolate sauce-- and we all split nachos. My hosts said, "That's not American!" but we know it secretly is ;)

In between running around the city and chasing metros (and other things I haven't even had space to mention), my hosts have had company over for dinner, which they graciously let me stay for. Sometimes, I understand what they're saying and can follow their conversations, and sometimes their words fly by me, and I just smile and laugh when they laugh. These dinners can be an encouragement that I'm learning something, or a discouragement that I'm not catching on as quickly as I should. I know it's the former, and after I write a blog like this, I can't even think the thought that my trip isn't helping. I'm getting so much out of this experience, and even daily life in Paris is something I'll remember forever. 

Ô Marie, conçue sans péché, priez pour nous qui avons recours à vous.

"Fear is useless, what is needed is trust."

Love and blessings,

Anna

It's the American Way

It's 12:35 am, I have a quiz tomorrow, and I haven't posted a blog since Sunday. I'm not tired, (this could be a problem in a few hours) so let's see what I can recount from this week.

On Monday, I saw my first movie in France! It was called Ne Quelque Part, and I wish I could give you a good review of it. I could understand it for the most part, but I think half the movie got lost in translation. The tickets were only 3.50 euros! 

On Wednesday, we took a trip to the Musee du Luxembourg to see an exhibition of Chagall. It was a bit more modern, and not my favorite style or art, but very worth it. On our way from the metro to the museum, we passed so many little shops and boutiques. I know where I'm shopping this weekend! Our professor also provided us with a mini-picnic afterwords: the classic bread and cheese. 

Afterwords, we were on our way to another metro stop, and we passed by L'eglise St. Sulpice. It's a beautiful, beautiful (no exaggeration) church built under the reign of Louis XIV. It was quite inside, hardly anyone there except for two homeless men, one sleeping backpacker, and a dozen people walking around. In the cathedrals I've been in so far, there's the altar in the middle with the pews, etc, and around the altar against the walls are different chapels or statues dedicated to different saints. St. Sulpice contained a relic of St. Faustina! The wall directly behind the altar had a sort of alcove dedicated completely to Mary. It was really beautiful. I would absolutely love to go to mass here. I would argue that this is my favorite church so far, just because the atmosphere was calm and sacred. You can tell it's a respected church. Notre Dame and Sacre Coeur can't be beat, but with everyone walking around, talking, and people selling things on the steps outside, to me, it loses the feeling of being a holy place. I'm not saying these places are not holy, but it feels like it's 50% church and 50% tourist attraction. Although, if it brings people inside God's house, then I should be happy. St. Suplice was definitely 85% church and 15% touristy. I feel very touristy when I take pictures inside of a church, but I had to take these to show how amazing this place is.

The altar with Mary in the background (between the crucifix and the 4th candle)

Departing from another hidden gem of Paris, we made it to the Conciergerie. It was a famous prison...way back in France's history (this shows you how well I'm doing in my history class ;) which housed Marie Antoinette until her beheading. It was huge, and worth a visit. 

After dinner (nothing mouthwatering to describe that night), we found a chocolatiere :D I bought some GOOD chocolate and found my happy place. The milk chocolate wasn't all that great, but I could eat the dark chocolate for days! We then headed through the Latin quarter, where a lot of universities are. It's basically a neighborhood for students. Very hip, very happening. It was exploding with more unique boutiques, cafes, and more stylish people. Our journey ended at a movie theater to watch a movie for my history class. It was called Le Joli Mai, a documentary from 1962 about Paris right after the Algerian War...and it was 145 minutes. No one knew it was over 2 hours. After being out all day, my mind shut down after the first half hour, and I watched people talk in French. My comprehension level went way down along with my attention span. After a few false endings, the last false ending threw me for a loop. It was about two hours in, and there was a scene with a train leaving the station (a very artsy way to end a film), some silence...(fin?)...then another interview started. My mind couldn't take it, and myself and the people next to me started cracking up! It wasn't over! I started crying (tears of confusion, pain, and joy) and whipping out the tissues (you can only imagine). It was so unreal to be sitting there for that long and that confused. If I didn't learn patience from this film and the last, then I might as well fly back to the US right now. 

Today (in Eastern Standard Time) I celebrated the 4th of July by listening to Luke Bryan, eating Subway for lunch, wearing red, white, and blue, and finishing the day with some Colombian food and a crepe. God bless America. Vive la France. 

"Fear is useless, what is needed is trust."

Love,
Anna

Cheeseburger

On Friday night, our professor invited all of us over to her apartment for a cheese tasting. She was so kind to have us and really went all out. She bought a whole board of cheese and then some, bread, fruit and some veggies, and dessert. Needless to say, c'etait delicieux. I know you're probably tired of seeing that word, but it's true. Some people brought wine, and we truly enjoyed the night. (Note: our professor did not provide us with any wine, just for clarity). There are few things better than good company, wine, and cheese...and whatever dessert she bought for us ;) It was a French version of a cannoli, and there was also speculoos cookies! 

To shuffle us out of her apartment, our professor took us on a walk along the Seine, made sure we found the metro if need be, and bid us good night. I went back to skype my mom, and I just have to say that we DO sound alike! It hit me when we first got on skype that I thought I was talking to myself because she sounded like me/I sounded like her! So it's ok if you confuse us two on the phone. There's no other person who I would like to be confused with :)

Saturday was my day to relax. I didn't leave the apartment at all, so I did some laundry (it's a very small machine!), finished a few assignments, and relaxed. For dinner, we ate tomato soup. Normally, I don't like tomato soup, but this was perfect! My diction to describe food is very limited; I apologize! Their version of croutons were toasted slices of a baguette with cheese on top. The soup could have been homemade, but I didn't see the mother prepare it, so I'm not sure. 

Today, Sunday, I went to mass in the morning, then headed off to the Musee du Quai Branly. It was free admission. First I took the metro and found a cafe/restaurant immediately. I sat down outside, ate a little lunch, and sat and read for at least a good hour. The weather was warm with a cool breeze, and I couldn't have asked for anything more on a Sunday: solitude, a good book, and French bread. 

Midway through my croque vegetarien

After getting lost in the book, Anna and the French Kiss, I found my way to the museum. It houses collections of Oceanic, African, Asian, and American art and artifacts. Anthropologists, eat your hearts out ;) The real reason I wanted to go was for their exhibition about hair. HAIR! It was so fascinating to see different cultural styles and fashions over the years. I walked around quite a bit by myself. I was glad that I was alone today because I could walk at my own pace and take my time without worrying where anyone else was or if they're not enjoying it as much as I am. Silly reasons, I know. I love going places with other people because I'm less likely to get lost ;) and it's fun,  but after two weeks of being here and doing so many group activities, I needed a few days for myself. 

It just so happens that the musee is right next to the Tour Eiffel! Who knew? I walked over one block, and I was back in Tourist Central, a suburb of Tourist Kingdom. It was amazing to see it up close though. It's so grand and it's a true icon for France, recognized all over the world! I still haven't been to Ellis Island & the Statue of Liberty (given to the US by France, and the French have a replica of the flame on Lady Liberty's torch next to a bridge, which I also passed today) so this is world monument number two that I've visited, after Mount Rushmore. Pretty cool.

Leaving the crowded underbelly of the tower and overflowing park, I started craving ice cream. Real ice cream. On a cone. It was warm out and I really wanted some Rita's. All the places I passed were too expensive, so I ended up getting a Magnum bar in my quartier and a chocolate and nut muffin. The muffin was alright. Nothing special honestly. Ca marche. 

A couple hours later, my host family came home, with friends, who  I was introduced to and had to kiss on the cheek. It was weird at first because I'm still getting used to it. When you think about it, it's very endearing and much warmer than a formal handshake. It was the mother's best friend and her son who I think is my host brother's best friend. They were so nice to me at dinner! It's hard to believe that there's a stereotype that French people are snobby and hate Americans and whatever else you want to assume. Some French people are uptight, but the families I met are just wonderful. We had a conversation about school, medicine, and how the hamburgers ('ahmbergerr) they were serving were actually cheeseburgers because they had cheddar cheese on it. Apparently cheeseburgers in France have a different kind of cheese. [I promise to elaborate in another post about cultural differences!]

Sometimes I think that I'm not learning the language and culture as quickly as I should, but when I think about it, I am accomplishing a lot. I took the metro by myself to someplace new without getting lost, I can carry conversations completely in French, and I can tell a good baguette from a bad one. Life is good. 

Thank you for your prayers and for reading my repetitive food reviews! Someone please go and get some Rita's for me :)

"Fear is useless, what is needed is trust."

Love,
Anna

Versailles

My day at Versailles: We took the train, easy, out of town and saw French suburbia, very sweet houses and very cute gardens. It's somewhere I'd like to visit more. Once we got the Versailles, we left France and entered Tourist Kingdom. Wednesdays are usually half days for school children and things are very lax, so the chateau and its grounds were very crowded. Since the line to get in was almost out the gate, we went to a park one block over and had a picnic. Our professor brought le fromage et le pain et les desserts pour nous. We sat on a little ledge next to a pond with ducks waiting for our crumbs. The weather was perfect and it was a great way to start the day- relaxing water-side and enjoying a picnic :)

We then headed through l'orangerie. It's a little courtyard with orange trees growing out of large square pots (probably not the best explanation). The trees were shaped and everything was neat and in place and orderly. Very proper, as a chateau should be.

After that, we were left to our own devices. We wanted to see Marie Antoinette's house, so we walked for who knows how long through a maze of tall shrubbery to find her hidden abode. On the way, there were many statues to look at along perfectly manicured lawns. Unfortunately, they were doing construction on the fountain, so that was not running. I must have been tired that day, because all of that walking wore me out fast. I honestly could have sat on the lawns all day, read my book, and been happy. Instead, I didn't want to get separated from the group, so I followed. It was worth it, don't get me wrong. I can now say that I've walked the gardens at Versailles. I just added another week to the end of my life. [Explanation: I learned that sitting is the worst thing you can do because you're not moving/exercising/doing anything. So the more you walk and are active, the healthier you'll be, and theoretically, or at least what I like to think, you'll add time to your life. I am not a scientist. Everything I know I learned from Yahoo ;)]

After I was ready to lay down in the grass, we ventured into the castle. The line was much shorter, so we went right in. This was another glimpse of Tourist Kingdom. There were more people speaking languages other than French than there were French people. The castle is very grand, so just imagine how many foreigners (myself included) can fit inside. This was not a place for the claustrophobic. We walked through numerous rooms, saw lavish pieces of furniture, paintings, and decor, and thought, "How the heck could someone live like this?" It wasn't gaudy, but the whole place was over the top. Yes, I know, that's the point. I also wondered, when did people move out of Versailles and when did it become a tourist attraction? Someone had to be the last person to leave the property, and I wonder why. Everyone raves about the Hall of Mirrors, and I would too, if there weren't so many people in the way. My favorite place in the chateau was one ball room. I can only image the kinds of parties they threw. Everyone dressed up and dancing, just like in Anastasia (I know that doesn't take place in France. Roll with me here). 

When we left, we stood in line for at least 30 mins for a train ticket, and went back to the city. I must say, after a long day,  there's nothing like a crepe et la glace to get me out of a grumpy mood :) We all slept like babies when we got home.

Did I like Versailles? Yes. Would I go back? Yes, but with different intentions. I would lounge in the gardens all day, with some cheese, bread, and a good book. At least now I can check off "go to a castle" from my bucket list. 

Silly tourists ;)

"Fear is useless, what is needed is trust."

Love and blessings,
Anna