Toujours

As promised, pictures of the Tour lit up.























































Karen, this one goes out to you. I am glad that you are okay. I mourn the Jeep, but goodness I'm just really glad you're okay.


































While at the Tour, Carm and I sat a distance away waiting for it to sparkle at midnight (every hour it sparkles for five minutes). While we were sitting a man and his huuge English Sheepdog walked by. When I said "hi puppy!" the dog ran over to me and I had my first pupper interaction for two and a half weeks. The dog's name was Guzel, which means 'beautiful' in Turkish. The man was very sweet for letting me hug his dog.
















Alors, my placement exam was today. It was not that long at all, but I think I was mentally prepared for a test like the SATs or the Praxis exams where there are 50 questions for 4 or 5 sections. I am not sure I did that well by my standards, but I evaluated things. Intermediate by the Sorbonne level does not necessarily match intermediate for Salve. If I need to be in an elementary class to help me communicate better, so be it. I realize my writing needs a buttload of help (where did that expression ever arise from?!) so if that's what needs to be done, cool! Either way, I am in Paris. I get to ride the metro every day, which I love. I have fresh baguette and St. Moret cheese at my disposal. I can see the Eiffel Tower from my window!! I can legally drink wine!! I really really love my life right now, and I'm not going to let this silly exam get me down! Phew, it felt good to get that out.







Anyway, this is the Eiffel Tower. Again.

Poking the Eiffel Tower!














Dear Mommy, hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.



















Sparkling at midnight :)



















Oh, if anyone wants to write to me, ask for my address! I finally got it, so I'll send it to you!













C'est moi. Merci, Carmen! Anyway, it's wicked cold here today. Picture the classic overcast, chilly, gray drizzly Parisian day. That's today. Don't get me wrong, fall is my FAVORITE season but I'm quite content with sitting in bed today watching Blades of Glory. I don't start classes until the 9th (wtf France) so I have plenty of time to explore. Going to go continue my movie. Pictures of l'apparetement will be up soon mama smudge, I promise. Tout le monde: BISOUS!

Flashback

As I sit in my room, I can hear the metro leaving for it's next destination. I see the Eiffel Tower sparkling away. Will this eventually become routine for me? Will my breath still catch at the size and splendor of the Tour when I walk by it? Mon Dieu, I hope so. I believe that the magic of this city will hold for me. ANYWAY. Before I start posting pictures of the Tour au nuit, or mon appartement I have to finish up with Cannes. The picture of "en greve" is the French doing what they do best: going on strike. As long as the metro doesn't go on strike while I'm here, carry on!


Thursday night before we left Carmen, Hayden and I got spiffed up and went into town for some fine dessert and wine. Since it was evening and France has this thing about not working late and closing early, we brought everything back to the dorm and classily drank and dined in Carma's room. It was fun to walk around in my dress though!














Wine and chocolate, mes amis. Wine and chocolate. What a wonderful night.

















After two baby bottles of wine I proceeded to spend a good portion of the night in the crack of Carmen's bed (hey, it was comfortable). I was sad because I was holding some crumbs that I had flung onto Carma's computer.






So yes, that concludes pictures from Cannes. However, I have to go study for my placement exam tomorrow (ughhh). Donc! I will update when possible. Bisous!! **

The last time I saw Paris...

Leaving Cannes, Evan pulled out his French/English dictionary and started reading, starting with "a", then "abraisser", followed by "abandonner" (why do I remember this??)

We had a 5 hour train ride on the high speed TGV (Note: G in French is pronounced J. J is pronounced as G. So it's really the "Tay Jay Vay"). I read a bit of my book (I'm up to page 100 already!) and listened to... oh goodness... Paramore?! Yes, that is Misery Business shown in the picture on the right. (Dear readers, unless your name is Ben, please continue on to the next paragraph and do not worry about your confusion.)

It feels so good to finally be in Paris. I have literally been counting down since I got back from France in June. Being in Cannes was like a giant sieste (nap) with a beach and palm trees. But Paris, oh my goodness. The lights! The people! The architecture! The museums! The FOOD! Maybe I won't come back in December... kidding !!!

I'm living in the 15eme arrondisement in an apartment practically under le Tour Eiffel. Well, I may as well. I do have a view of the incredible structure from my bedroom window. AM I DREAMING?!?! I will write all about the family and living situation tomorrow.

Today Carmen and I woke up, ate breakfast of Frosties (Frosted Flakes, der) and then went to the market across the street. There were vendors with fresh baguette, vegetables, flowers. The smells were overwhelming. It was like living in a story. A delightful story.

Afterwards, we took a short promenade (walk) over to the Eiffel Tower. May I emphasize short? Because, I do live right there. HAHAH. I let Carma lead the way since this is her first time in Paris and I am teaching her to orient herself around. How cool is that?!

We took goofy pictures and had fun running around the giant map of Europe. If you notice on the one picture of la Tour there are stars, at night the whole tower is lit up blue (which I will soon be visiting after finishing writing!!) It looks like the European Union flag. You'll see it soon. PROMISE!

Yet again, for Ben: I went to Germany!! Thumbs up.

Proof Carmen is real! She and I are going to go be toursists again. Tomorrow we have a meeting and get our suitcases (Friday we handed out suitcases to AIFS people so they could drive them up to Paris. I had to bring a duffel with all my stuff up here, and I would like fresh clothes!!). I will update with pictures of the apartment soon! With love, from the 15eme <3

Ma Residence

Bienvenue a ma residence! Since it's really chilly today and nothing is open (c'est dimanche... Sunday... everything's closed) I figured I'd post more pictures.

















So this is my college. Palm trees all around. We have a pleasant little court yard inside. A cafeteria which serves meals 3 times a day. I've heard a lot of complaints about the food, but honestly, it's not as awful as Miley so I will not say a THING. And weekends they serve brunch, which today I missed due to a rude roommate, but I'm over it.







Plus, I can see the Mediterranean Sea from my window. I don't really have a problem with this school.


















Another view from my window. It is beautiful, no? I am stoked to see Paris though. (5 days!)












This is my bed. I actually ditched the horrible feeling bedspread and just use my Salve blanket. Remember those funky long pillows I mentioned that they had in the dorms in Angers? Guess what, they have them here too. I suppose it's a French thing.








My desk!














My closet.



















I LOVE this hallway up to my room... how great are all those handprints? The elementary school that I worked at last year had it too, and I absolutely love it. It made me really want to paint, but I don't have anything with me.










I wonder if I'd be allowed to this in my apartment? ...hmm...

I FOUND NEMO!

This entry goes out to Devan... because I love her more than all the fishies in the sea PLUS the Monoco Aquarium.






















Yes, second part of Monaco consisted of visiting an aquarium, which was strangely more relaxing and awesome than I thought it would be.






















I got to see some totally awesome fish swimming around. Goldfish depress me because they can only swim in circles in a little bowl, but these fish get to interact with each other and have a pretty good life, as far as fish go.




















So, daddy, I think we should stick this awesome one in the tank.






















FISHY... WHY ARE YOU SLEEPING? I'm a pirannah! (Disney references, bien sur)

MY BUBBLESSSSSSS... yes it's the Bubbles fish from Finding Nemo!!!
































This dude was just really cool looking.

JACQUES!





























Oh my goodness... and the NEMOS!!! There were so many of them, it made me very happy.

























Carmen and I just stood and quoted Finding Nemo for quite some time. Some foreign guy walked up to the tank, pointed and said "Nay-mo!" (Knee-mo, you fool)





















Then I decided that I had to watch Nemo when I got back to the dorm, which is exactly what I have done.

On our way back we stopped at a town called Eze known for it's perfume making. The woman gave half the tour in French and I understood more than I thought I would.



























It also started to POUR which made me unhappy because we had to run down the street back to the dorm. I hope this rain gets out of Cannes' system because I hope to enjoy this last week on the beach.
























DORY!!!




































This fish was actually pretty funny; while all the other fish kept swimming around he was watching Carmen and I while making faces. Is it possible for a fish to flirt?



























Devaloo, I tried to get a picture of the seahorses for you but they were being camera shy -- so I took this instead!!














I don't know this man. But he spent a while checking out the fish in this stellar tank.


















Jellyfish and octopus.. GROSS!!! I think those are the only two problems I have with the ocean, other than pollution (which I can blame on society) and decaying bodies in the water (which I can blame on CSI for putting that idea in my head.... THANKS).















There was a genocide of mussels.














Don't be surprised.