She's A Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas

Hey, tout le monde. It's Noel Eve and I just wanted to wish everyone a cheery and healthy holiday!!
♥Haggertys&Co

Such Sweet Sorrow

So here it is, the last time I write from France on this blog. How is it already here? I cannot believe my bags are (mostly) packed and ready for the haul back to Long Island. It is time to go home, no matter how much it hurts me to leave here. Time to go home.


























Home is where the heart is. Problem is, part of my heart belongs to Paris. It'll be an adjustment once I get back, but I need to be with my family. I need to be with my friends. I need to be with my puppers. That's where my real home is.





























I've made a home for myself here, but I'll be content to live with my memories of it until the next time I return. It won't be the same, of course. I won't have Carmen there, and I won't be picking out the pastry of the day to eat in class, but it'll be wonderful all the same. It's Paris. How can it not be?











I've had some pretty rough days here. But all the same, a bad day in Paris is better than no day in Paris at all. I've grown and learned.





























The little clarinet player who lives above me is playing Jingle Bells. Squeaking Jingle Bells. Same difference. (Ugh, maybe it's bagpipes??) Well, my dears, this is it. I am going to go zip up my suitcase and get ready for sleep, because tomorrow is going to be a wicked long day. It's been a pleasure sharing my travels and experiences with everyone.






















And so, unless you are the fam, (in which case I will be seeing you in a little over twenty-four hours) happy holidays, be healthy, be happy, say hello once I'm home, et...

















AU REVOIR!!! ♥

Déchirais en deux

Please


















don't













make













me













leave.

Histoire de Paris

In honor of finishing and handing in my Histoire de Paris dossier, I thought I would write about the course. It was hands down my favorite class this semester. We would walk around Paris and learn about different architectural styles and the history of that building. For my dossier, I wrote about Gothic architecture. Namely, Notre-Dame. Because it's awesome.






Sun or ran, cold or freezing, we would trek around. We learned about Pont Neuf, which is actually the oldest bridge in Paris.

SO. COLD.

Sometimes we goofed off. But it was the only way to keep our brains from freezing....

We learned about Fontaine St. Michel, and architecture during the Haussman/Napoleon area.

We went to Place Vendome...

Place des Vosges, where Victor Hugo once lived.

Hotel Soubise...

Les Invalides...

Entertainment on my part was provided by taking tons of pictures of Carmen whenever I darn well pleased.

We had such a great teacher. She was very knowledgable as well as generous. We would stop in cafes when it was cold, and she would recognize certain people, including one time some French actor.

I can now describe architecture to you. Well, in French. But I think that's even cooler. I love being able to identify different styles and elements in the city where I live. Too bad I won't be able to apply any of it to architecture on Long Island.

One class down. One dossier down.
Five days until home. Five pages until I'm finished with my other dossier.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Everything Is Beautiful At The Ballet

So I've been pretty stressed lately. I'm not good with exams. Even if I study, I panic when it comes to test taking, so I get discouraged and just don't bother studying at all which leads to bad grades all around. So getting bad mark after bad mark back is very frustraing.

Then there's the dossiers. I finished my dossier on Gothic Architectuer, thanks to a lot of pictures. Now rumor has it my Civ dossier on the 100 Years War is 15-20 pages which is NOT what I was expecting. How many times can I write "The French lost the battle"?? Yes people, I just made a deragatory remark about France. Get over it.

I'm sick of feeling so torn between two places that I love. I know I'm going home, so at this point I just want to be home. And I know as happy as I'll be there, part of me is going to miss the crap out of this place.

As a result of all this stress, I haven't been sleeping well. My body just doesn't let me sleep. It's cruel.

So tired, cranky and frustrated I went to the ballet at the Opera Garnier. How can you not be cheered up at a ballet? Especially when you're at the opera house where Phantom of the Opera takes place?

A lot of the people from AIFS who went left before the show was over, including Carmen. I stayed through the 3 1/2 hour spectacle, and loved every moment of it despite the uncomfortable seats. The story was romantic, the ballerinas restored my hope in a world of good things, and I left feeling pretty good.

Well, couldn't end there, could it? No. I was in the metro on the way home and this skeezy drunk guy starts on the "Bonsoir, mademoiselle" and trying to hide the huge 1664 bottle in his hand and following me. I figured if the creep tried anything I'd stab him with my apartment keys. I go into my clutch to get my keys and... oh that's right... Carmen brought the keys since we went together... Carmen who's already upstairs in bed on the 6th floor of the apartment... merde. I did get into the apartment but oh my goodness I had the biggest panic attack in the world.

Today was moderate, and moderate is good. I'll take moderate over a day like yesterday any day. But I am going to go and work on my papers a little bit, and I'll update again soon.

Bon Anniversaire, Rocky!!

Happy Birthday, Rocky! <3

Oh, Champs-Élysees

Je m'baladais sur l'avenue
Le coeur ouvert à l'inconnu
J'avais envie de dire bonjour
À n'importe qui
N'importe qui ce fut toi
Je t'ai dit n'importe quoi
Il suffisait de te parler
Pour t'apprivoiser
Aux Champs-Élysées
Aux Champs-Élysées
Au soleil, sous la pluie
À midi ou à minuit
Il y a tout ce que vous voulez
Aux Champs-Élysées
- Joe Dessin




This is a picture Carmen and I like to call "ONCOMING DEATH" which happens when you stand in the middle of the Champ.











After our classical concert, Carmen and I went for a walk up the holiday-spirited Champs-Élysees. Everything was decorated so nicely, and everyone strolled les troittors (sidewalks) avec their recent purchases.









Being surrounded by the lights made me miss home. But the good thing is I will be home for Christmas, as I mentioned.











As it was, being freezing and everything, we did hurry along our nice moment so that we didn't have to lose any extremities.

As it is, this is going to be a hellish week. I promise to write when I can, beacuse I do have pictures I would like to share, but I have to finish my Histoire de Paris dossier by Friday. Therefore, check regularly, but I promise nothing. I cannot wait until these papers, quizzes and exams are OVER.

Until then, gros bisous to all. Can't wait to see you in 13 days :)

Inconnu

Last night I ate rice for dinner since Carmen wasn't there to light my fire (I'll miss saying that). I took butter from the kitchen, and after the hosts went to sleep I went into the kitchen to return the butter. Little did I know, there was a dog in the kitchen which scared the bejeesus out of me. This morning I walked in... and it was still there. So I made my tea and played with the mystery dog.





Granted, it's not the cutest dog in the world. It's eyes kinda creep me out... but Muffin (as I call her and every other dog I come across) just wants a friend and a belly rub. Well, I can do that. She's a loving French lady-pup who I really want to go back into the kitchen and play with.

Carmen walked into the kitchen and said "I can hear you talking to the dog from my room!" I guess puppy voice got out of control. In two weeks, I get to see my puppies. Two. Weeks.

Anddd on that note, I am going to continue with my dossier which was 301 words and is nearly half a page, not double spaced. After I put the butter back and say hello to Muffin.

Concert classique

One of the cool things that AIFS has is they provide tickets for a classical concert, a ballet and a theatre performance. I missed my theatre performance, but my family was here so whatev. The ballet is next week, but last night was the classical concert. It was at the Theatre Champs-Élysées and performed by the National Orchestra of France. We sat all the way at the top in these little cottages.

Carmen and I in our cottage. Wow Becca, way to be so pale you glow.

It was really a great experience. Afterward, Carmen and I walked up the Champs-Élysées for a bit then went home. I'll post pictures from that another time, but now I think I'm going to start writing my dossiers. Oh, joy.

Miam Miam !

Oh France, you spoil me. You allow me to eat like a glutton and show no sign of pity. After eating the most delicious vanilla eclair today, I had to write about food. Plus I'm hungry, so why not reflect on the wonder that is French nom noms? This piece of chocolate tart as pictured is from the same place where I got the eclair. May I mention how much I am going to miss getting incredible pastries on a daily basis??











And ice cream... but not like Friendly's or Carvel ice cream. I'm talking REAL ICE CREAM. Carmen showed me this Italian ice cream place where if you get your ice cream in a cone they make it into a flower. My family was fortunate enough to be able to have this experience as well.














Junk food, mmm. Even when eating junk food it's not that junky (especially since the American stuff is waaay overpriced and I can spend less that 5$ to get a bag of M&Ms once I'm home... and don't judge.... it was one time). This picture of these chips, only they're like fries, but they're chips... and I can't think of how to explain them except that they're chip fries. Ohhh goodness and their candy. Kinder makes incredible chocolate products, but I just recently tried a candly by Harbo which satisfies my fruity desires.










Cheese.... I wouldn't be in France if I wasn't in love with cheese. Camambert is excellent, but my heart lies with St. Moret. Rumor has it that there is St. Moret in the states which is good news indeed. I've always been a very picky eater, but I have become more open to trying new things. I used to hate tomatoes. Now... LOVE THEM. And tortellini has become a regular dinner meal for me. I just picked some up from Monoprix and plan on having it for dinner tonight.

Last but not least, I leave you with Nutella. Nutella in and of itself is delightful, but Nutella in CEREAL??? Sometimes I need a reminder of why I'm leaving France. There is Nutella in my Bueno Bars too, which I didn't realize until I actually tried Nutella. Anyway, I don't have a picture of Nutella to put up here, but I do have an add for the cereal that I have been eating. I saw this when I was in Lyon and thought it was the funniest thing ever. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWtpHJynBmU

17

Soo I haven't updated recently, sorry. I've been a winner with procrastinating, which isn't really something to be proud of. I am going to be buckling down and getting work done, because I was up until about 3 am freaking out about my dossiers. I will be updating, so keep checking in with me, but for today I plan on surging ahead and getting some things done in advance. Catching up on missed work AND getting ahead? It will happen. And I plan on having a rested night sleep, followed by TEAAAA in the morning. Talk to you all from my American phone number in 17 days.... gros bisous <3

Musee Cluny

Family and I went to the Cluny museum which has things from the Middle Ages. This is part of a pillar from Norway, it had stuff to do with the Vikings.

The following books are from the 9th and 10th century. WHEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!

I mean, monks wrote this stuff out by hand.

I wanted to look at them forever.

How many people have handled these books?

Ugh, so cool.

Un chapiteau from St. Etienne du Mont before it was St. Etienne. Which means it's really really old.

Okay so funny story. During the French Revolution in 1789 people went a bit crazy. Anything that resembled the monarchy went against their ideas, therefore it had to go (this form of thinknig was fueled by Rousseau). Relics from churches were removed, and these were statues that were at Notre Dame.

The statues were beheaded because the revolutionaries thought they were kings. Yes, they were kings, but they were religious kings as well as saints. They were in no way their historical French kings. Umm, oops.

One of the tapestries of the Lady and the Unicorn. There are five other tapestries which represent the five senses.

Ceiling somewhere in the Cluny. Looks like the ceiling at St. Severin!

This was on the wall outside the Cluny. Cool.