Today was better. Much better. I went shopping, explored the city some more, found some really cheap clothes at H&M thanks to the sales and got the last book I need for my classes at IES (only 5 books total for all my classes and no more than 50 Euro--cheapest semester for books ever, and that's expensive for French classes apparently...I'm not in the States anymore).
I'm really feeling this song right now for some reason (Thanks to John, my music guru, for introducing me to the artist!):
Mika's new (French) song is pretty catchy too. I can't wait for the rest of the album to come out later sometime this year. It's kinda a cute song-listen! =D
Friday, January 27, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
What an "Epic Fail" of a Day
Today was supposed to be a good day. It's Thursday, which means I have one class at 10:45. I'm done at 12:15, and since I don' t have classes on Fridays, today is basically my Friday. Hence, when I woke up this morning, I was in a great mood, ready for another weekend full of exploring the city. Well, that excitement quickly turned to frustration and embarrassment, and to be honest, a bit of anger.
My friends who have studied away in the past have told me that there is a cyclic nature to studying in another country. First, you get anxious before you leave; check. Next, you arrive and are on a high because you're actually IN the country/place you've been trying to get to and for which you've been filling out scads and scads of paperwork for what seems like years; check. After that, you come down off of cloud nine as your faith in your ability to navigate a new culture and to speak the language (if it is different) begins to wane; check. No, more like circled in bright red pen with stars and fireworks shooting off of the page. I knew I was full on in this stage of my journey abroad when I was on my hands and knees on the rain-soaked, filth-covered, Parisian sidewalk with tomato sauce splattered all across my hands and my jeans, watching as person after person walked by and didn't ask if I needed help cleaning up the mess I had just made. I'm just glad no one stole my yogurt laying three feet in front of me--heaven knows it's almost impossible to find normal yogurt in this country lol!
Let's go back a few hours. It's 10:45 am. I'm in class. It's a translations class and today is the first day we will actually be discussing translation and not just French grammar (good thing too--I needed a break from trying to cram back into my brain everything I had ever learned about French grammar in the past seven years during the past week and a half). I'm usually really good with French grammar and have no problems following along. That was not the case today. I felt so lost and so behind and couldn't form a coherent sentence in French when my professor looked at me. That was a weird feeling for me, and I didn't like it. I don't mind being challenged, that wasn't the problem. The problem was that I was failing at something I know I'm good at. Why?, I kept asking myself. I still don't know the answer to that question, but I'm hoping that I start to become more at ease with the class because I know I can learn a lot from it. I just hope it doesn't kick me too hard.
After class, I wasn't in the best mood, but I was looking forward to grabbing something nice to eat at the local bakery and then doing some grocery shopping (pasta for dinner is getting a bit old, and I'm totally already out of Nutella hahaha). First, I needed to print a few things for class on Monday. I didn't want to have to go back to the IES Center tomorrow (since I don't have class) to print my readings (it is the only place I can print things here). Well, my quick "printing pit-stop" turned into a "Sarah, j'arrive pas a croire comment t'as fait se casser l'imprimente...encore" (basically, for those of you who don't speak French, it became a shouting match where I was on the receiving end of lots of angry French people shouting at me for "breaking" the printer...again). Funsies! It could have happened to anyone. This printer is very touchy. It just decides to freeze and stop working at any moment. It just so happens that two of these most recent moments have been when I was using it. Well, that's what I call bad luck. Oh well, I'm trying not to take it personally.
It's about 1pm by now and I just want to go get my groceries, go home, and maybe go for a run in the park next to my house. I get to the supermarche and find everything I need but a few items, so I decide to go down the street to the other grocery store which has more stuff (but which is more expensive) to get those last few items. Bad idea. By the time I got out of there, I had been accused of stealing by a very irate French man (the security cop got involved--ugg). I tried in very broken French (my French doesn't flow very well when I'm nervous, scared, or accused of stealing apparently...) to tell both the angry French man and the security guard that I had NO IDEA what they were talking about. I just wanted to buy my pretzels and dried pineapple pieces and get the heck out of there. Finally, they understood and believed me and let me go after apologizing and helping me get all of my groceries resettled into plastic bags. I booked it out of there trying not to cry. (Mom, why is it that I always have the gut reaction to cry in moments where I'm uncomfortable but in which that is the last thing I want to do cause it will only make it worse? lol!)
I was only a couple 10 minute walks and a short metro ride from being home. I just wanted to get there and curl up on my bed with a good book and be done with this day. That was not going to happen. After getting off the metro (during which someone almost stole me wallet), one of the plastic bags decided to give way and my groceries spilled all over the sidewalk. This is the moment I knew I had hit rock bottom. The jar of tomato sauce I bought fell to the ground and shattered, making a sound like a gun shot had just gone off (so, basically everyone in a three block vicinity probably heard it--great...). Haha, my first thought (after screaming a few expletives in my head) was "well, there goes 3 Euro". I didn't even feel embarrassed; I didn't even feel sad; I just felt angry. I tried to do damage control, but the best I could do was throw what was left of the jar and about half of the sauce contained within those glass fragments into the nearest public trashcan. That left about half the sauce on me and the sidewalk. Whoopsies. Sadly, I didn't even care that there was a big pile of red goo on the side walk. Dogs here poop all over the sidewalk and no one ever cleans it up--what is a little (ok, a lot!) of tomato sauce then? I felt bad leaving it, but I had no way of cleaning it up. That's not even what made me mad. It was the fact that EVERY single person who walked by me (there must have been at least a dozen in that few minute window) didn't even stop to ask if I needed help. If this had happened in the States, even in a place like NYC, I'm sure at least one person would have stopped to try to help.
I'm getting a bit fed up with the "mean" facade the Parisians put on most of the time when they are walking outside or on the metro. Would it be such a crime to smile at those you see or make small talk, or for heaven sakes ask the girl walking in front of you whose groceries just spilled all over the ground if she needs a hand? No, I really don't think so. But, I can't think like that. This isn't my world. I know that and I understand that, but it doesn't mean it doesn't frustrate me. I'm allowed to not like it, but I can't let it make me angry. All of these little inconsequential things don't seem to be a big deal when I look back at what I have written. In fact, they look like I'm just venting or complaining. However, these events, today, has taught me that I'm still me. I'm still American, and that's okay. It just means there might be some hard times and some bad days. But bad days are going to be the exception and not the rule. I'm sure things could have been much worse, and they might even get more challenging (here's to hoping they really don't), but I'll survive. I'll be just fine. I'm in Paris after all! Plus, each down is an opportunity to learn how to get back up, right? After all, what goes down has to go back up???? That's it....right??? ;D
My friends who have studied away in the past have told me that there is a cyclic nature to studying in another country. First, you get anxious before you leave; check. Next, you arrive and are on a high because you're actually IN the country/place you've been trying to get to and for which you've been filling out scads and scads of paperwork for what seems like years; check. After that, you come down off of cloud nine as your faith in your ability to navigate a new culture and to speak the language (if it is different) begins to wane; check. No, more like circled in bright red pen with stars and fireworks shooting off of the page. I knew I was full on in this stage of my journey abroad when I was on my hands and knees on the rain-soaked, filth-covered, Parisian sidewalk with tomato sauce splattered all across my hands and my jeans, watching as person after person walked by and didn't ask if I needed help cleaning up the mess I had just made. I'm just glad no one stole my yogurt laying three feet in front of me--heaven knows it's almost impossible to find normal yogurt in this country lol!
Let's go back a few hours. It's 10:45 am. I'm in class. It's a translations class and today is the first day we will actually be discussing translation and not just French grammar (good thing too--I needed a break from trying to cram back into my brain everything I had ever learned about French grammar in the past seven years during the past week and a half). I'm usually really good with French grammar and have no problems following along. That was not the case today. I felt so lost and so behind and couldn't form a coherent sentence in French when my professor looked at me. That was a weird feeling for me, and I didn't like it. I don't mind being challenged, that wasn't the problem. The problem was that I was failing at something I know I'm good at. Why?, I kept asking myself. I still don't know the answer to that question, but I'm hoping that I start to become more at ease with the class because I know I can learn a lot from it. I just hope it doesn't kick me too hard.
After class, I wasn't in the best mood, but I was looking forward to grabbing something nice to eat at the local bakery and then doing some grocery shopping (pasta for dinner is getting a bit old, and I'm totally already out of Nutella hahaha). First, I needed to print a few things for class on Monday. I didn't want to have to go back to the IES Center tomorrow (since I don't have class) to print my readings (it is the only place I can print things here). Well, my quick "printing pit-stop" turned into a "Sarah, j'arrive pas a croire comment t'as fait se casser l'imprimente...encore" (basically, for those of you who don't speak French, it became a shouting match where I was on the receiving end of lots of angry French people shouting at me for "breaking" the printer...again). Funsies! It could have happened to anyone. This printer is very touchy. It just decides to freeze and stop working at any moment. It just so happens that two of these most recent moments have been when I was using it. Well, that's what I call bad luck. Oh well, I'm trying not to take it personally.
It's about 1pm by now and I just want to go get my groceries, go home, and maybe go for a run in the park next to my house. I get to the supermarche and find everything I need but a few items, so I decide to go down the street to the other grocery store which has more stuff (but which is more expensive) to get those last few items. Bad idea. By the time I got out of there, I had been accused of stealing by a very irate French man (the security cop got involved--ugg). I tried in very broken French (my French doesn't flow very well when I'm nervous, scared, or accused of stealing apparently...) to tell both the angry French man and the security guard that I had NO IDEA what they were talking about. I just wanted to buy my pretzels and dried pineapple pieces and get the heck out of there. Finally, they understood and believed me and let me go after apologizing and helping me get all of my groceries resettled into plastic bags. I booked it out of there trying not to cry. (Mom, why is it that I always have the gut reaction to cry in moments where I'm uncomfortable but in which that is the last thing I want to do cause it will only make it worse? lol!)
I was only a couple 10 minute walks and a short metro ride from being home. I just wanted to get there and curl up on my bed with a good book and be done with this day. That was not going to happen. After getting off the metro (during which someone almost stole me wallet), one of the plastic bags decided to give way and my groceries spilled all over the sidewalk. This is the moment I knew I had hit rock bottom. The jar of tomato sauce I bought fell to the ground and shattered, making a sound like a gun shot had just gone off (so, basically everyone in a three block vicinity probably heard it--great...). Haha, my first thought (after screaming a few expletives in my head) was "well, there goes 3 Euro". I didn't even feel embarrassed; I didn't even feel sad; I just felt angry. I tried to do damage control, but the best I could do was throw what was left of the jar and about half of the sauce contained within those glass fragments into the nearest public trashcan. That left about half the sauce on me and the sidewalk. Whoopsies. Sadly, I didn't even care that there was a big pile of red goo on the side walk. Dogs here poop all over the sidewalk and no one ever cleans it up--what is a little (ok, a lot!) of tomato sauce then? I felt bad leaving it, but I had no way of cleaning it up. That's not even what made me mad. It was the fact that EVERY single person who walked by me (there must have been at least a dozen in that few minute window) didn't even stop to ask if I needed help. If this had happened in the States, even in a place like NYC, I'm sure at least one person would have stopped to try to help.
I'm getting a bit fed up with the "mean" facade the Parisians put on most of the time when they are walking outside or on the metro. Would it be such a crime to smile at those you see or make small talk, or for heaven sakes ask the girl walking in front of you whose groceries just spilled all over the ground if she needs a hand? No, I really don't think so. But, I can't think like that. This isn't my world. I know that and I understand that, but it doesn't mean it doesn't frustrate me. I'm allowed to not like it, but I can't let it make me angry. All of these little inconsequential things don't seem to be a big deal when I look back at what I have written. In fact, they look like I'm just venting or complaining. However, these events, today, has taught me that I'm still me. I'm still American, and that's okay. It just means there might be some hard times and some bad days. But bad days are going to be the exception and not the rule. I'm sure things could have been much worse, and they might even get more challenging (here's to hoping they really don't), but I'll survive. I'll be just fine. I'm in Paris after all! Plus, each down is an opportunity to learn how to get back up, right? After all, what goes down has to go back up???? That's it....right??? ;D
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
And We're Off!
Today marked the second day of classes for this semester. Things are thus officially in full swing. I'm taking four classes right now at the IES center and will be adding another class soon once I can sign up for my university class at L'Institut Catholique de Paris (which is only about a 20 minute commute from where I am living--I'm finding more and more that I really do live in an ideal spot in the city). I am taking a literature class (one of only two classes I have left before I am done with my French major, whoot!), a political science class on the European Union, a French language class (it's been drilled into my brain that it is NOT a grammar class by IES) on translation, and a service learning class where I will be learning about French social policy as well as volunteering somewhere in the city (probably with organizations like OXFAM and Goodwill-like places) for 4-6 hours a week. I should have my placement sometime in the next few weeks. I'm really excited that I'm going to have the chance to interact with French people in a context that I would not have otherwise had the opportunity to work in if I wasn't currently studying abroad. It should also be a great way to meet French people and test my French speaking skills. There are only four of us in the class, so that should be kind of fun (we're all girls and we all speak French well and seem to get along great--plus our professors for that class are super funny and really helpful).
I've started to tone down the tourist-y activities as of late. I've kind of exhausted myself a bit with playing the tourist. Don't get me wrong, I've loved every moment of it, but I'm ready to start having a bit more routine in my life. I'm sure I'll be doing lots more tourist-y stuff in the future (even revisiting some of the places I've already been probably). I've seen the Eiffel Tower, been to the Musee d'Orsay, explored a small part of the Louvre, have seen the Arc de Triomph and the Champs Elysees, walked along the Seine, seen a few castles in the Loire Valley, and fully mastered the subway system (or so I like to think lol) as well as some of the cultural norms. Even though I'm living in a very western country, the cultural differences between France and the U.S still manifest themselves everyday. For example, today I had to go to Office Depot to buy a mini stapler (IES seems to not have any staplers and it's kind of an organization nightmare for me lol) and I some how managed to make one of the sales people angry just by saying I didn't need any help since I was just looking for a few small things when he asked if he could help me. This would have been fine in the States, but apparently smiling and politely refusing help is kind of offensive here--whoopsies! I'm slowly learning that I'm going to make mistakes, and most often, they're going to be when I think I'm doing nothing wrong or when I'm being perfectly nice. Oh well, you live and learn, and I'm sure learning a lot. I have a feeling I'm going to be learning a lot more outside of the classroom than in it this semester.
Other than a few crazy adventures with the metro this past weekend and a trip to the Louvre, live has slowed down a lot and I'm starting to feel more at ease. It'll be even nicer when my schedule is completely set sometime in the next two weeks, but for now I'm just learning to take things a few days at a time. And, before I know it, I'll be back in the States (I can tell I'm already going to be sad to leave this amazing city).
Love from Paris,
Sarah
I've started to tone down the tourist-y activities as of late. I've kind of exhausted myself a bit with playing the tourist. Don't get me wrong, I've loved every moment of it, but I'm ready to start having a bit more routine in my life. I'm sure I'll be doing lots more tourist-y stuff in the future (even revisiting some of the places I've already been probably). I've seen the Eiffel Tower, been to the Musee d'Orsay, explored a small part of the Louvre, have seen the Arc de Triomph and the Champs Elysees, walked along the Seine, seen a few castles in the Loire Valley, and fully mastered the subway system (or so I like to think lol) as well as some of the cultural norms. Even though I'm living in a very western country, the cultural differences between France and the U.S still manifest themselves everyday. For example, today I had to go to Office Depot to buy a mini stapler (IES seems to not have any staplers and it's kind of an organization nightmare for me lol) and I some how managed to make one of the sales people angry just by saying I didn't need any help since I was just looking for a few small things when he asked if he could help me. This would have been fine in the States, but apparently smiling and politely refusing help is kind of offensive here--whoopsies! I'm slowly learning that I'm going to make mistakes, and most often, they're going to be when I think I'm doing nothing wrong or when I'm being perfectly nice. Oh well, you live and learn, and I'm sure learning a lot. I have a feeling I'm going to be learning a lot more outside of the classroom than in it this semester.
Other than a few crazy adventures with the metro this past weekend and a trip to the Louvre, live has slowed down a lot and I'm starting to feel more at ease. It'll be even nicer when my schedule is completely set sometime in the next two weeks, but for now I'm just learning to take things a few days at a time. And, before I know it, I'll be back in the States (I can tell I'm already going to be sad to leave this amazing city).
Love from Paris,
Sarah
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Some Photos
I thought you all might want to see some photos of my adventures as of late, so I have uploaded several dozen photos (I'm taking a study break, not procrastinating, I promise) for your viewing pleasure:
On the way to the Loire Valley:
Eating in a Cave! So cool!!!:
 |
| This picture is for you, Mom! They had little mustard packets! You'll fit in just fine here! ;D |
Amboise:
 |
| My new home??? Yes please! |
Chateau Chambord:
 |
| This staircase was designed by DaVinci! |
 |
| It is in the shape of a double helix. |
 |
| They would hang large tapestries like this one on the walls to add color and to keep the heat from escaping. |
 |
| Francois 1er's bed/bedroom. |
 |
| Francois 1er (un roi de France/A French King) |
 |
| Marie d'Autriche's bed/room. |
 |
| Louis XIV's room! Soooo much gold--I have a feeling it resembles Versailles... |
 |
| More of Louis XIV's room. |
Le Centre Pompidou:
 |
| PICASO! |
 |
| DUCHAMP! I studied this piece in my art history class last year! So surreal to see it in person! |
 |
| Kandinsky! |
 |
| Gotta love Warhol! |
 |
| View from the museum! Just gorgeous! |
 |
| The tower lit up while we were looking out over the city from the top of the museum after our tour. |
The Eiffel Tower Take 2:
 |
| My very first view of the tower...ever! |
 |
| I saw this while we were walking to the tower from the metro stop--it says Pullman! But I don't know why lol! |
 |
| Since the tower was closed (for "exceptional circumstances") that afternoon, we decided to just walk along the Seine as the sun set. |
Miscellaneous
 |
| The view from the plane--the clouds look just like cotton candy to me hehehe. |
 |
| Interesting effect with the blades when I take a picture of them. They can't be seen with the naked eye because they are moving too fast, but when I took a picture of them, they would show up in weird ways... |
 |
| Somewhere over Western Washington. |
 |
| The cafe machine at the IES center. This picture is for Nicole. Is it the same magical machine, Nicole? Everyone here thinks it has to be some form of magic that makes it work lol! |
Le Parc Montsouris (which is right by my homestay):
More of Amboise, just because I love it soooo much!:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)