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

I have homework?

This week, it hit me that I'm studying abroad. Thus, I have homework. I can't complain, because I'm in Paris :) It has taken up a good part of my time though. Sunday and Monday I've been working hard to read all the articles and write papers, or at least I've been trying to. I'm taking two 300 level classes,and I just have to budget my time wisely to finish and understand everything. In Europe, people like to enjoy their food and take their time, so by the time class ends at 1pm and we eat lunch and jump on the metro, I don't get home until a little before 4pm. Factor in another hour, more or less, for eating and talking with my host family. Again, I'm not complaining, just trying to get back into school mode and focus. It's really easy to say, "I'll go to Musee d'Orsay after class" instead of preparing a presentation. Since I am transitioning back into school mode, my sleep is being cut down ever so slightly, and I'm starting to drink coffee. I know, I never saw it coming either. The vending machine at school (I posted a pic of it in a previous entry) gives you a little dixie cup of coffee for 50 cents. I've been getting cafe noisette, because its not too foamy or too coffee-tasting. It's only 10 sips of coffee and is not that effective after the first hour, so I might need to factor in one euro a day into by budget for the rest of my stay. In France, there is no place where I can grab a hot tea and go, like Starbucks. It just goes to show how fast paced we are in America.  Sometimes we just need to sit down and drink our coffee!

Besides being lost in my french history class and dozing off from sleepiness and confusion and being freezing in class, things are going well! Sunday, we went to a classical music concert at Sainte Chapelle! Three violinists, a cellist, and a harpsichord player (I'm pretty sure it was a harpsichord). The music was amazing. The solo violinist was shredding the music apart and he could have powered the city with the intensity of his playing. Not only was I in awe of the beautiful stained glass, but the music was fantastic :)

On Monday, I was tired and came straight home after lunch. I powered through a 2 page paper (hey, two pages is tough in another language) and got some stuff done. During dinner, my host family talked about their favorite music, 90% of which is American. They asked me if I knew who The Beatles were, and after the daughter thought they were an American band, she asked, "What's the difference between Britain and America anyway?" :O After dinner, we played a game! We actually had a mini family game night! It was this big board with different tiny drawings of objects, like a baloon, flowers, a birthday cake, etc. maybe around 100 pictures, and one person picked a tile out of the box, and the first person to find it gets the tile. The person with the most...ok you get it. With all five of us, it got competitive! It helped me though because someone would say the word of whatever object was picked and I learned a few new words. Or at least I knew them during the game and forget them now :/

Today, after lunch, we went to Sacre Coeur. It's actually on my way home from school, and very easy to get to, so I think I'll go there more often! They have constant adoration, so I went to spend some time praying and my friends walked around. I really appreciate how they let me do my thing and didn't rush me to leave. I also appreciate how there are employees who keep everyone quiet and don't let you take pics out of respect. 

My friend and I ventured out to in our neighborhood to find dinner tonight, and we found this nifty little place down the road. It's a creperie, and we both had a crepe with capers, olives, tomato sauce, and mozzarella. It was the perfect thing for dinner. We had to splurge on ice cream, and it was so worth it. Did you know banana ice cream is gray?! I love the fact that I can walk down the street and find a tiny cafe or store with something special inside. Paying about 12 euros for it all isn't bad either ;)

Starting my second week here, the metro has been more forgiving, I'm picking up more French language, and I'm noticing more cultural differences. I'd love to expand on that in my next post because now I have homework to do! Versailles tomorrow :D

Praying that this cold spring weather moves to the US! You can use it more than me!

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

<3 Love,
Anna

Au nom du Pere, du Fils, et du Saint Esprit

Today, I was truly blessed to spend the day with my friend Sean from Rutgers. He happened to be in the neighborhood on vacation, so we hit up the city Catholic style!

After I woke up from some much needed sleep, I met Sean at his metro station (btw, wasn't there a band called Metro Station?) and we went to Sacre Coeur! It's a beautiful basilica on top of a hill that overlooks all of Paris. We could have climbed to the top, but that was another 300 steps, and my legs needed a break. We went inside, and to our surprise, we were just in time for daily mass! and then liturgy of the hours! and then adoration!  It was everything we could have asked for in a gorgeous church. Having so many people come to see the beauty of this place and celebrate the mass, whether Catholic or not, was a unifying experience. "Catholic" means universal, and there are people of faith everywhere in the world. Even those who weren't Catholic came and sat down during mass because they knew something special was happening. There were a few girls sitting behind us, and when we shook their hands for peace, they clearly did not know what was happening. They had a surprised smile on their faces which made me feel really happy and that even the smallest kind gesture can mean a lot to a person and welcome them to our faith. After spending a good amount of time in Sacre Coeur, complete with beautiful murals and a choir of nuns, we headed out for the next part of our day.

Polish church we found with JPII

On our way, we grabbed the French version of a hoagie/sub. I had veggies and mozzarella cheese on a baguette and a Coke. For under ten euros, it hit the spot. It was a bit gloomy outside and misty, but we ate in the Jardin de Tuileries. We were very lucky that it didn't rain at all today!

Following this was a visit to Musee de L'Orangerie. It's an impressionist museum. Not only did we get in for 5 euros, but we saw a gallery of Monet's 'Water Lilies.'The paintings were as long as the walls and were of reflections of different things on the water. We could have stayed in that gallery for a long time. His work was truly brilliant and lovely. The museum also included Renoir, Matisse, Picasso, and I ended up finding an interest in Derain. It was the first time I really appreciated art, like those fancy art students or critics do. I love impressionism and so glad this place was recommended to me. (And yes, I could not have passed up the chance to go somewhere with the word 'orange' in it.)

Renoir

Next we walked along the Seine to find this gelato place that Sean was raving about-- Berthillon. Oh. My. Goodness. It was delicious. I know you're probably tired of hearing me say that everything I've been eating is delicious, but you HAVE to try this gelato. They have an insane amount of flavors, and nothing could possibly disappoint you. The chocolate was so rich, and the framboise tasted exactly like raspberries. So yummy. 

After we got our blood sugar back up, we headed to Notre Dame. The vigil mass started at 6:30, so we went in through the line for mass and avoided the longer line waiting to get in for general admission. Immediately, I could smell the incense and feel the grandeur of the cathedral. From the stained glass, to the statues, to the architecture, Notre Dame is a beautiful and magnificent church. I wish I could have explored the areas that were roped off and go upstairs to the hidden parts. Did I mention there was an organist who was going crazy on the organ? I loved every minute that I spend inside.

Dinner was another story. I think we fell into a tourist trap and ate at a restaurant that was sub par  Neither of us cared too much for our dishes, but we did order some nice wine! To make up for dinner, we had dessert part 2. Sean got more gelato, and I had a fresh crepe with nutella and bananas. I'm pretty sure God hand made every dessert I've had so far here. If I could choose, which I sort of can, every day I would have a my cereal for breakfast, a croissant for a mid morning snack to last me until a late lunch. Then a slice of quiche and a plate of cheese with bread for lunch, a macaroon on my way back to my apartment, then a surprise dinner with my host family with more cheese and fruit afterwords. I can only imagine the other things I'm going to enjoy in the next five weeks! 

All in all, today was a wonderful day. Sean and I had a great time exploring the city, I successfully managed the metro on my own, and I checked a lot of things off my bucket list. My list of "must see" things in France consists largely of religious sites, and I'm so happy that I know how to get to some of the major ones! 

Around 9 or 10pm

Friends and family, you are always in my prayers <3

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

Love,
Anna

Go with the flow

Today was full of surprises. Cliche, yes, but accurate. My friend and I got to the metro at 8am to avoid le cauchemar, and it was empty! 15 mins earlier and the metro was basically empty. To reward ourselves for our speedy arrival at school, (1/2 hr early) we walked across the street and got croissants. I learned a new word for can (une canette) when I tried to ask the lady for the can of Lipton iced tea. A nice man behind me helped.

During my first class, we had a quiz. Let's just say that I came in to class, I saw the questions, but I did not conquer the quiz :/ I fully accept whatever grade I deserve. In my second class, we talked about the war on religion way way back in France, and she gave us more croissants! I really do enjoy my conversation class. The professor is really helpful and has a very engaging teaching method.

After class, my friend and I walked a different way to get lunch, and we ended up in a little cafe, of course, where I ordered quiche aux legumes. French quiche, real quiche, is NOTHING like we eat in America. This quiche came from the secret garden, because I have no idea how it tasted that good.

Then we noticed a really big entrance to what we thought was a park. So we walked in, and it was the famous Pere Lachaise cemetery! This is the one with Moliere, Chopin, Jim Morrison, and many other famous people are buried  We just stumbled upon it! It was a cloudy day, but that made everything look really beautiful in the cemetery. There were huge mausoleums and statues all around that were really cool. The grounds are so big that you can get lost walking around. It was so pleasant though to just casually stroll through this place with overhanging trees, moss growing on the statues, and cobblestone streets. It was oddly peaceful.

Chopin's grave

We then had the idea to go to the Musee d'Orsay--a museum with impressionistic work. One metro ride later and we're back on l'Ile. A little lost, we walked and walked and walked along the riverbank until we finally found the museum at 5:15. They clost at 6pm and sell the last tickets at 5pm. Tired and defeated, we sat down on some steps nearby where a man was playing the clarinet. It was nice. Then there was this older man a few paces away from him who was trying to be a street performer. He looked homeless. At first he was awkwardly dancing to the music, expecting people to put money in his tin box, but nothing was working, no matter how funny we thought he was. Then he got the idea to mock people as they walked by. He used whatever little props he had in his bag to mimic passersby, sometimes without them knowing it. We cracked up, and I started crying like crazy. Sometimes he would scare them, sometimes he would try to interact with the kids and parents, and other times he would just awkwardly walk next to people and get in their way. It was absolutely hilarious. A third man set out colored cups in front of the rather large crowd that gathered on the steps and did some rollerskating tricks. He was working with the musician. It was quite a show!

Since today is the first day of summer and the longest day of the year, Paris has a fete de la musique. They have musicians everywhere in the city playing on the river, on the corner, and in parks for free! We sat down and listened to a couple, and it was fun! We saw a Spanish group that had one couple dancing the salsa, a group of teens playing instruments, and African music while walking home. It was a party on every street! 

We then decided to treat ourselves and find an Italian restaurant for dinner. It was so comforting to eat pizza. Even the cheese on the pizza is better in France! The pizza is very thin so their personal pies are rather large. We stuck out as Americans in the restaurant because we cut ours into triangular slices and used our hands. Newsflash: the french eat everything but bread with a fork! We ended the night with dessert from heaven. A slice of chocolate mousse cake. I could have stopped after the first bite and have died happy. I may have added a week and half to the end of my life from all the walking I did, but I also may have added it back with all my eating :) I think I've been eating very healthy, walking a lot, and not snacking as much as I do at home, so today, I think I deserved a little reward. At the Italian restaurant, a family next to us was American and trying to order drinks. They didn't know the french word for "lime," so my friend leaned over and said to the waiter, "un citron vert" to help, and he leaned over and said something along the lines of, "I know what they're saying. I just want them to figure it out in French." Moral of the story, the French dislike the Americans who don't make an attempt to speak the language.

Focaccia and margarita pizza

Sent from God's kitchen

Now I get to sleep with a full stomach!!

Thank God that it didn't rain today. Love to all my family and friends back home who are reading this! 

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

Love,
Anna

Room for one more

On Wednesdays, we have no class. There's usually something planned for us through our program, and this Wednesday was L'Ile de la Cite. On the Seine, Paris has two islands. L'Ile de la Cite is the one that everyone thinks of when they think of Paris. It's very touristy, but it does have a lot of history. Some huge landmarks are the Tour Eiffel, Notre Dame, the Louvre, La Conciergerie, etc. 

After trying to squeeze on the metro (my friend has taught me that there's always room for one more person on the metro), we first went to Notre Dame. They had an ugly exhibit in front of it that was distracting from it's beauty, but it was celebrating it's 850th anniversary. We didn't go inside the chapel area, but we did climb the hundreds of stairs to the top of the towers. It was so amazing to feel the dips in each stair where millions of people have walked, and even more, of the original Parisians who lived there or rang the bells over 800 years ago.  The view from up top is gorgeous. You can see the whole city, and get face to face with a gargoyle! Yes, the Disney movie contributed a lot to my excitement. I was so excited when I first saw it that I sort of ran through the street to get up close ;) You can see why: 

Next thing after Notre Dame was a boat tour on the Seine. This was about 3:30 in the afternoon, and we didn't stop for lunch, so most of us were hot, tired, and hungry. Luckily, it's cooler on the water, and very relaxing. We all took pictures in the beginning, but by the end, there were too many things to photograph and it was much better to just enjoy the scenery:

Finally, around 4pm, we got lunch/dinner in the Latin Quarter. It's called that because way way back, the university students lived in this neighborhood and only spoke Latin. It was a touristy restaurant, but food was food. We were fancy and ordered a cheese plate!... et puis une omelette du fromage (et jambon)! Then it started to rain, so we jumped on the metro and headed home.

I'd like to pause here and describe the metro. It's like the subway, but the seats don't go against the wall, its like a bus, 2 by 2, so there isn't a lot of room to stand, and not many people feel like moving over. There's three bars in the middle to hold on to, and that's about it. It's hot and smelly. We have literally come out of a metro sweaty because we were squished like sardines. It's worse than a Rutgers bus, I promise. Sometimes it's not that bad, but during rush hour, it's a nightmare. 

I was too full to eat dinner at 7ish, but my family was also making omelettes! Third night in a row that I (would have) had the same thing for lunch and dinner! It they make chicken salad tonight, that'll be four. Yes, I am eating a little bit of meat here, and I'll admit, it's good.

At night, I could see the Eiffel Tower sparkle from my window. It was lovely.Here's the view from my room at night:

 Then, right before I was getting ready for bed, there was a HUGE spider in my room! I found the parents to kill it, after I fumbled to find the world for spider (araignee). The mother saw it and said, "merde!" The father just hit it with his sandal and said it must have come from Texas (that was a joke) and they said that's the first spider they've ever had in the apartment. The French leave their windows open a lot without any screens, and I literally have never see any bugs here except for last night.

This morning, the metro was crowded as ever. We waited for 5 trains until we could fit, and even then, my friend got on but there wasn't room for me! We got separated, and I waited for 3 more trains until I could get on. It was not ideal for 8:30am. I was 10 mins late to class too, but I think I made really good time besides that!

On my way home from class, we stopped in a bakery and I bought a large chocolate macaron. I can't even comprehend how good it tastes. I've had it out for an hour and half and only taken 6 bites. I'm afraid the next bite is not going to be as good as the last. It is so delicious :)

Other pictures I wanted to share were examples of French apartments, the famous bridge with the locks (When a couple first goes to Paris and walks across this bridge, they put a lock on it and throw the key in the river to symbolize their eternal love), and their coffee vending machines: 

God is definitely teaching me patience with the metro and with everyone's slow pace of eating. Thank you for your prayers!

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

Love,
Anna