still a tourist

I apologize for not managing to write before this time, but in all honestly, I haven't stopped running from one tourist attraction to the other since the plane has touched down. It's down right infuriating, but the week is finally over and our orientation with the program is finished. Now I'm free to discover Paris at my own pace and in a manner much more fitting to my personality - no running through the métro, no scarfing down lunch to catch the next attraction - strolling, living.

As anyone might have guessed, Paris is an expensive city. I mean, really expensive. Break-the-bank expensive. I nearly died when the cheapest coffee I could find was 6,50€ - that's roughly 8$!! I think I'm going to have to get used to espresso. I've also had a ton of other expenses to deal with including buying a métro pass and a cellphone, but I hope all of the initial requirements are taken care of and I can start spending my money on art exhibits and clothes; got to have clothes. In fact, I almost feel like I need a whole new wardrobe. Me, who always thought I wore way too much black, can't even compete with the Parisians - it's ridiculous!!! All my colorful coats make me stick out like a sore thumb (not to mention my American accent).

I moved into my dormitory earlier this week and find that I really like it. It's very impersonal, so most of the American girls in the program (including myself) have banded together since the french girls in the building seem to want nothing to do with us whatsoever. I really don't mind for the moment as all of us are in the same boat and it's nice to get lost in the métro with somebody else who understands your frustrations. Besides, my classes start on Monday and then I'll be forced to start speaking French much more regularly. As it is, I'm already fairly confident in my speaking abilities, though my ear needs to be trained to keep up with the speed of the language, and of course that will only come with time.

Somehow I managed to be placed in a single dormitory and as soon as I figure out a good way to get my photographs online I'll post a picture of my room. It's very bare and tiny with a small sink and a closest. I share a bathroom with 9 other girls on my floor and for the most part everything is very clean and neat. However, most of the girls living in the Foyer aren't students, but business women with nine to five jobs, and I don't feel like they really have the time (or give a damn) about talking to me.

I went grocery shopping the other day and I cannot even begin to describe to you what an experience that was. The fresh produce!!! The chees AISLE!!! The wine selection!! The tiny little convience store across the street from me puts every market in America to shame. All the vegetables looked like they had been grown in a back yard garden and smelled delicious and ripe, the cheese makes your mouth water upon sight and the fresh baked bread is to die for. Naturally, I can hardly afford those things, but I savored my tomato and cheese on Baguette just the same.

Tourist wise, I've taken a boat ride of the Seine (and I hate to admit it, but since I had already taken a similar if not exactly the same tour four years ago, I let my jetlag get the better of me and slept through most of it), toured the Louvre with one of the program,s art professors, went to the Centre Pompidou and visited Versailles. The Louvre was very nice because we stayed away from the typical tourist attractions (we didn't even pass by the Mona Lisa or the Venus de Milo) and instead talked about works by french artists. This is just fine by me, because the Louvre is free on Friday nights to all persons under 26, so I know that I'll find ample time to roam the halls.

Yesterday we visited the Centre Pompidou, which I wasn't fortunate enough to see the last time I was in Paris. It was astounding. Not only is the building itself an architectural wonder, but its collection of modern art spans so many movements including Fauvism, Surealism and Cubism. I saw works by Picasso, Salvador Dali, Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko - just to name a few. We didn't spend nearly enough time there so I'm certainly going back. P.S. to anyone planning a trip to Paris: The Effiel Tower may be "the tourist attraction," but the views from the top floor of the Centre Pompidou put it to shame - you can see Notre Dame, the Eiffle Tower and Sacre Coeur in one landscape and it's simply beautiful. My advice - skip the tower. I haven't even gone yet as I'm sure I'll be taking just about everybody that comes to visit me.

Today we visited Versailles, which I've also already seen, but I decided not to tour the castle and instead went into the gardens to find Petit Trianon, the private home of Marie Antoinette. The building itself is currently being resorted, but her gardens are far more impressive than anything you could find in the French style of Versailles. I know, you think I'm joking, but the architect, Richard Mique, created an entire world for the queen with english style gardens, a grotto and faux natural rock formations, and a little hamlet built just like an Austrian village. It was incredibly gorgeous and I can't believe I missed it the first time.

Now that orientation week is over, I'll finally be able to start LIVING like a parisienne, as opposed to posing as one. I promies pictures are coming, and I'll be more diligent about day to day writing so that the next post won't be such a long one. Au revoir!!

bienvenue!

I haven't left the country yet, but I've been dragging my feet for far, far too long concerning this site. However, it's finally done and within the next two days (TWO!) I'll finally be writing from Paris. I can't believe I've actually spent the last two months of my life doing absolutely nothing. At times it seemed like I would never leave Taylorville. What a nightmare.

Though I'll have limited internet access in my dormitory, I promise to do my best and post as frequently as possible. With any luck, I'll be able to upload pictures and links to all the interesting places I'll go and the things that I'll see. In two days I get to start my adventure (finally) and I'm excited to share it with all of you!



L'asteroide B 612 is the home of Le Petit Prince, the title character of Antoine de Saint-Exupery's celebrated childrens story and the inspiration behind my first tattoo. For anyone that hasn't read it, I strongly suggest that you do as it completly changed my life, the way I see the world around me and the people I share it with.