Yes, it's true. Amsterdam might just be one of the most relaxed, picturesque cities in Europe. I traveled with two of my closest friends on the trip, Sophie and Courtney. Days prior to hopping on the Thalys train for a 3.5 hour trip to Amsterdam Centraal station, the weight of realizing how minimal our time left in Europe is started setting in. We started wondering if leaving France for one of our last few weekends was really a good idea. Maybe we should have seen Provence, or Marseilles, or Lyon. We had no idea what to expect from the city other than lots of tourists excited about being able to experience the forbidden fruit: a.k.a. weed and prostitutes. My friends and I, however, were looking for a bit of a more traditional weekend experience of sightseeing, sampling food, and checking out the local bar scenes. And that is just what we did. In the end, we couldn't have been happier to have chosen to spend the weekend walking along the charming canal houses and snow-covered streets.
Our train left Gare du Nord in Paris around 5 p.m., passed through Brussels, and eventually pulled in to Amsterdam Centraal at around 9 p.m. We walked out of the station and realized that all the advice we had been getting about bringing tons of warm layers was really going to pay off. The city is definitely colder than Paris, so bringing those extra pairs of ski socks really came in handy. We took the tram to our hotel in Rembrandtplein, a lively little square in the northern area of the city. We were pleasantly surprised to find a holiday market right outside of our hotel in the middle of the square, complete with ice rink, sausage and hot wine stands, Christmas lights, and Santa statues on every corner. We checked in to our lovely, cozy little room and set right back out for a night on the town. We grabbed a sandwich at the Christmas market and went into the first bar that looked lively. The bar was chalk full of people, and interestingly enough, some people that definitely looked to be not a day older than 17...welcome to Europe, I guess! We had a great night of dancing, meeting locals, and attempting to speak Dutch. Needless to say, we failed. But we did get to listen to some hilarious Dutch house music. (If at all interested, YouTube "Shenkie" or "Le Le, Breakfast." You're sure to enjoy.)
The next day we met up with my friend, Sari, who has been spending her fall semester in Rome, and her friend, Heather, from the program. We were lucky enough to be able to find an available weekend to schedule a trip to a European city together. We were also lucky enough to be able to meet up with Zoé, our friend from our high school swim team who now studies in Amsterdam. We grabbed some food to brace ourselves for the cold, and set out for the afternoon. We strolled along the many canals, snapped pictures, stopped in Europe's largest H&M in Dam Square, and had a nice (?) visit to the Sex Museum. We weren't expecting it to be PG by any means, but I think all of us were expecting a more educational, less vulgar experience. Really the only thing I can say about it is is that it was interesting. We parted ways from Sari and Heather, and Courtney, Sophie and I went out to check out a little more of the night life.
The next day, Saturday, was my favorite day in Amsterdam. It was snowing like crazy all day and we decided to devote it to seeing the Anne Frank house. But first, we thought it imperative that we try pancakes for breakfast, seeing as they're famous in Amsterdam. We were starving so we slid (literally, on the ice) into the first place we saw served them. I tried the pancake with raisins, currants, and apple compote. Delicious! We bundled back up and braved the blizzard to trek to the Anne Frank house.
We arrived with frozen toes but we were determined to see such a historical milestone, so we waited in line and were glad we did.
The house was actually much bigger than I imagined. Otto Frank, Anne's father and the only surviving member of the family, devoted his life to telling Anne's story, preserving the house, and fighting all forms of discrimination and hatred in the world. Pretty inspiring story. It made me shudder to think of being in his position; losing all his children, wife, friends, and having to live with the memory of the terrible phenomenon of the Holocaust each and every day. Sometimes, I suppose, the best way to deal with loss is to do what you can to honor what is left and remember the love and important role that person played in your life. It amazes me he was able to do such a thing with not just one person, but his entire family.
We then stopped in a coffee (yes, REAL coffee shop) next door to thaw and grab a hot drink. We had been wanting to buy tickets to do a canal cruise since we arrived, and the café had an offer for an 1.5 hour cruise for 8.50€. Done! We purchased our "Lover's Cruise" tickets and huddled by the water awaiting our boat. It finally arrived and we hopped on board and soaked in the city for about the next two hours, still a little frozen from our day spent trudging through the snow.
The city is breathtaking at night. The canal houses are built at an acute angle to the street to avoid flooding in the basements. The architecture is so beautiful; the houses are all different colors, narrow, with tons of windows. Old-fashioned lampposts adorn each corner and the area between each house and warmly lit the frozen night. Christmas lights were strung along the bridges and the trees hanging over the water, twinkling in the reflections on the water. It really was a winter wonderland, and each of us were reminded of how glad we were that we had made time to see Amsterdam, especially in the snow around Christmastime.
We got back on dry land and went back to the hotel to warm up a bit and of course, nap, before heading out again, and Sari and Heather did the same at their hostel. We met back up them and grabbed a great dinner of Thai food then headed out, once again, to enjoy the nightlife for the last time. We had a great time and met up with other girls from our Delaware program who were in town for the weekend at an Australian bar near our hotel. It was a great last night in town. Lots of dancing!
The next morning we woke up (later than I'd like to admit) and headed out for a meal. We met back up with Sari and Heather and spent the afternoon walking around the Red Light district. It really was a sad experience, to be honest. The women were for the most part, not attractive in the least. The majority were actually very overweight. I was also surprised to see a girl make a suggestive motion to me. Very strange. Just kept onnnn walkin'
We then walked down the street where Sari and Heather's hostel was, which happens to be right off the famous street in the Red Light District. It also houses the majority of the "coffee shops." There had to be at least 100 cafés where you can smoke marijuana and about 50 other stores where you can buy smoking paraphernalia.
Sari and Heather headed to the airport and Sophie, Courtney and I went to Sophie's family friends' canal house in town. That girl honestly has family friends all over the world. Prior to meeting Jan and Anne in Amsterdam, we stayed with Bruce and Dixon in London, met her friend Craig in London, and met her friend Barbara in Vienna. Having natives to talk to in each of those cities really made us not only feel more comfortable there, but feel that we had a better understanding of what it's like to live there 365 days out of the year, not just three. They were the most adorable couple with one of the most beautiful apartments I've ever seen. They've lived there for about five years, and they rebuilt it from the floor up when they first moved in. Jan spends every week in Moscow for work, while Anne returns home to NYC almost every week for her work. They make it work and spend the weekends together in their lovely canal house in Amsterdam, or take trips together to their flat in London or their cabin in Maine. What a life!
After tea time, we grabbed dinner and had to sadly gather our things and head to the train station. Our train arrived in Paris around midnight on Sunday. It was back to the immediate reality of three papers looming ominously in the next three days, but not having done ANY work in Amsterdam all weekend was 100% worth it.
Having traveled to a handful of European cities, I decided that the ones I absolutely need to come back to are Berlin, Amsterdam, Prague, London, and of course, la ville lumière, good 'ol Paris.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
The Ulizio's do Paris!
My brother visited Paris the weekend of November 5 to Monday, November 8th. He was able to stay with me at my host mother's apartment for the weekend, which was so wonderful. It would have been difficult to get in touch with him to meet up for the day had he stayed at a hotel or hostel. We spent Friday afternoon in Montmartre and had a great lunch then, then had a little walk through the Luxembourg Gardens before he had to turn in for a pre-dinner/going out nap. It was a lovely, warm fall day, and it was great catching up after so long. Saturday we met up with his friends from his semester in Munich to see a very strange modern art exhibit at the Palais de Tokyo. We then went out on Rue Mouffetard at a great pub called the Mayflower for Belgian beer (usually anywhere from 9% to 12% alcohol...good stuff!) We grabbed falafel sandwiches across the street then went to an apartment party with his Parisian friends for a bit. I got to practice my French a good amount, and it was the FIRST time I was at a Parisian's apartment of someone close to my age. We had been drinking since about 5 pm, so it was nice to turn in a bit earlier that night (1 am to be exact.) Sunday we walked to the Eiffel Tower after having lunch with Cathy and Courtney in the 7eme arrondissement, then we dined at home with Béatrix. She was taken aback by how much we look alike and how handsome he was. She couldn't stop commenting about his smile and how he looked like he had just flown in from Milan.
This past week my mom, dad, and sister Sarah were in Paris. We met up everyday after my classes, walked around and toured the city, then had dinner out on the town and drank quite a bit of white wine. It was so wonderful to be surrounded by people I feel totally comfortable with, showing them a place I have grown to be so fond of. They seemed to really like Paris, although I think the city living was really throwing them for a loop, as it did for me the first month or so that I was here. The first few days in such a busy city are truly exhausting, and being a tour guide also takes its toll on you, so by the end of the day, we were all beat and ready to turn in for a nice relaxing meal with a bottle of wine, great conversation, and delectable cuisine. My parents and sister, being the foodies that I can identify very much with, were astounded by the food here. It's an art form all its own, and being able to experience it was something I know they are very thankful for.
It was interesting to have them visit because I realized with them here just how comfortable I am in Paris. I know my way around, I speak the language, and I know how to get just about everywhere (after a quick consultation of metro map or city map, of course.) I realized that I could definitely see myself returning to Paris to work or study again.
I stayed with my parents and sister in the Latin Quarter about two minutes away from the St. Michel metro stop, at 37 Rue St. Andre des Arts. It was nice to get away for a while from my routine and to live in a different arrondissement of Paris. We got fresh croissants and coffee from a boulangerie down the street every morning for breakfast and there were tons of great restaurants literally right next door to the apartment. The location could not have been more perfect to give my family a taste of what Paris is all about.
They saw all the major attractions...Versailles, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, the Panthéon, the Marais, Invalides, the Champs Elysées, the Arc de Triomphe...and a whole lot more. On Sunday I took my mom and my sister to the Marais to eat falafel and walk around. Monday we walked from St. Michel, through St. Germain des Prés, had a pitstop at LaDurée to sample Paris' finest patisseries, then continued to Invalides, then to the Eiffel Tower, then to the Champs Elysées! Phew! Quelle journée! We walked from about 1 pm until 8 pm, and I was BEAT! We grabbed falafel sandwiches and shwarma sandwiches right next door for dinner then turned in to watch Amélie and Billy Elliot back at the apartment. We had probably walked at least 4 miles that day, so we needed a nice relaxing evening.
I left the apartment around 10:30 Tuesday morning for class just as they were about to catch a taxi to the airport for their flight back home at 2 pm. It was sad having to part with them after having spent an amazing nine days with them in Paris. They got in safely last night and are now preparing for Thanksgiving dinner (tomorrow!)
I'm planning on getting up semi-early tomorrow morning to go grocery shopping and start preparing the cornbread for tomorrow night's Thanksgiving dinner chez Viviane (my language professor) in Montparnasse. I was falling asleep in Science Po today, so I think I need to call it an early night. Also went for a run for about an hour this morning to the Jardin du Luxembourg. It was so tranquil there early in the morning, usually its full of people but it was quiet and empty save for early-morning runners. Great way to start the day!
Definitely looking forward to the Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow night with all the girls and my professors!
This past week my mom, dad, and sister Sarah were in Paris. We met up everyday after my classes, walked around and toured the city, then had dinner out on the town and drank quite a bit of white wine. It was so wonderful to be surrounded by people I feel totally comfortable with, showing them a place I have grown to be so fond of. They seemed to really like Paris, although I think the city living was really throwing them for a loop, as it did for me the first month or so that I was here. The first few days in such a busy city are truly exhausting, and being a tour guide also takes its toll on you, so by the end of the day, we were all beat and ready to turn in for a nice relaxing meal with a bottle of wine, great conversation, and delectable cuisine. My parents and sister, being the foodies that I can identify very much with, were astounded by the food here. It's an art form all its own, and being able to experience it was something I know they are very thankful for.
It was interesting to have them visit because I realized with them here just how comfortable I am in Paris. I know my way around, I speak the language, and I know how to get just about everywhere (after a quick consultation of metro map or city map, of course.) I realized that I could definitely see myself returning to Paris to work or study again.
I stayed with my parents and sister in the Latin Quarter about two minutes away from the St. Michel metro stop, at 37 Rue St. Andre des Arts. It was nice to get away for a while from my routine and to live in a different arrondissement of Paris. We got fresh croissants and coffee from a boulangerie down the street every morning for breakfast and there were tons of great restaurants literally right next door to the apartment. The location could not have been more perfect to give my family a taste of what Paris is all about.
They saw all the major attractions...Versailles, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, the Panthéon, the Marais, Invalides, the Champs Elysées, the Arc de Triomphe...and a whole lot more. On Sunday I took my mom and my sister to the Marais to eat falafel and walk around. Monday we walked from St. Michel, through St. Germain des Prés, had a pitstop at LaDurée to sample Paris' finest patisseries, then continued to Invalides, then to the Eiffel Tower, then to the Champs Elysées! Phew! Quelle journée! We walked from about 1 pm until 8 pm, and I was BEAT! We grabbed falafel sandwiches and shwarma sandwiches right next door for dinner then turned in to watch Amélie and Billy Elliot back at the apartment. We had probably walked at least 4 miles that day, so we needed a nice relaxing evening.
I left the apartment around 10:30 Tuesday morning for class just as they were about to catch a taxi to the airport for their flight back home at 2 pm. It was sad having to part with them after having spent an amazing nine days with them in Paris. They got in safely last night and are now preparing for Thanksgiving dinner (tomorrow!)
I'm planning on getting up semi-early tomorrow morning to go grocery shopping and start preparing the cornbread for tomorrow night's Thanksgiving dinner chez Viviane (my language professor) in Montparnasse. I was falling asleep in Science Po today, so I think I need to call it an early night. Also went for a run for about an hour this morning to the Jardin du Luxembourg. It was so tranquil there early in the morning, usually its full of people but it was quiet and empty save for early-morning runners. Great way to start the day!
Definitely looking forward to the Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow night with all the girls and my professors!
Better late than never. ONE MONTH LEFT?!?!
Today marks the four-week countdown until I sadly have to return back to the US. Each day I spend here in Paris is different, more stimulating, more exciting than the day before. I came here thinking that four months was a long time to be away from my comfort zone, which rendered me terribly anxious before departing and also terribly excited. But four months is flying by. It feels like just yesterday I was SHOCKED that the month of September, my first month in Paris, was over. It is now November 23, 2010, two days before all my family and friends back home in the states will be celebrating Thanksgiving. And it is just four weeks until I’ll be finding my way to the Charles de Gaulle airport to head back to Pittsburgh.
This experience has definitely, thus far, been the best four months of my life. I have made some of the closest girl friends on this trip that I have found in the past five years of my life. I have seen the most extraordinary, remarkable, breathtaking buildings, monuments, neighborhoods, paintings, cathedrales, vineyards, châteaux, streets, alleys, shops, clothing, people…I have tasted the most decadent cake at LaDurée (yesterday, in fact, with my mom and my sister for their last day in Paris; I ordered the Saint-Honoré Rose-Framboise cake, which is puff pastry with rose whipped cream, rose frosting, and raspberry filling. Truly the most extravagant and mouth-watering dessert I’ve ever bitten into. I felt as if I had bitten into a delicate, just-blossomed pink rose!), the most delicious white wine (Sancerre), the BEST dark beer in Berlin and Prague, the best cheese (Comté) and the best, crustiest, freshly-baked baguettes smothered in delicious French mayonnaise (yes, it IS better than American mayonnaise) and generously piled with cheese and jambon.
I have spoken French every day for the past three months, and I surprised myself when my parents spent the week in Paris with how comfortable I felt showing them around the city, ordering food for them, translating for them, and asking questions for them. I had blogged one day when I felt particularly unnerved with the brutality of city living. But now, having played tour guide for the past nine days or so, I can honestly say that I enjoy city living. I love the feeling that I never know what I will see or who I will see. I love knowing that just around the corner there is something new for me to discover. I love never feeling bored, something I am unfortunately very familiar with oftentimes at school in Newark or home in Pittsburgh. I love walking everywhere and relying on my sense of direction to get me somewhere, although admittedly sometimes that has taken me on some very unnecessarily long walks or round-about routes. Nevertheless, I have discovered neighborhoods all over the city. Montparnasse, Montmartre, the Marais, St. Germain des-Prés, Vaugirard, the Latin Quarter, the Eiffel Tower quarter. But I know I haven’t seen everything, and I can’t believe it! I still haven’t been to the top of the Eiffel Tower, still haven’t seen the unrivaled Versailles Palace, still haven’t been to countless museums and exhibits, still haven’t seen even 1/60 of the Louvre…
My unfinished list, as pressed as I feel to fit in as much as I can in my last month in Paris, is a good thing, the way I see it. I have reason to come back to the city of lights. I have a reason to come back and try a new dessert at LaDurée, a new route to the Marais, a new café to visit in the Latin Quarter, a beautiful painting or sculpture at the Louvre. No, this will not be my last time here in Paris.
One of the things I am just astounded by, day to day, is the absolute richness of the culture here. Paris is engulfed and dripping with haute couture, with five-star cuisine, with the detail and luxury of the apartments lining the busy pedestrian and vehicle-filled streets. Just tonight, my first night back at Béatrix’s apartment in more than a week (I had been staying at the apartment in St. Michel my mother found for her, my dad, and my sister, since last Sunday night), I was welcomed back to the apartment with my favorite meal, a tartiflette, salade with avocadoes, and a bottle of red wine. A tartiflette is a gratin of potatoes, reblochon cheese, ham, and onions, typical of western France. But I haven’t even mentioned the dessert.
While I was staying at the apartment in St. Michel, Béatrix welcomed a Turkish woman (her name escapes me at the moment) who had stayed with her two years ago back into her apartment for the next month or so. She is following an intensive five-week word-famous Cordon Bleu culinary program, more specifically in pastries. Comme nous avons de la chance! She will be bringing home everything she makes in class to the apartment! Tonight we had Opéra cake (rich, dense chocolate cake with multiple layers), and chocolates filled with praline and muscadine (praline flavored with Grand Marnier, no big deal.) Um, hello bigger pant size! I can’t believe that for the next month I’ll be eating dessert like this whenever I want!
Goal for the next month: continue living each moment in Paris as if it were my last. Continue seeking out the most out-of-my-routine-experience, continue relishing each part of my day, from waking up in my apartment in the 15th arrondissement, to drinking coffee with my host mom or by myself in silence in the morning, to my metro ride to school, to my classes in French, to spending my afternoon in the city, to dinner with my host family, to spending a relaxing evening at home or going out with friends. Life is too short, but I intend to make my last month in Paris as memorable as possible. And, for this last month, I will force myself to blog as much as possible.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Le Val de Loire
Friday morning, October 15, our group plus our art history professor, Laurent, our program director Viviane, and a group of about six other students from other universities in the U.S. who are taking classes at the prestigious Sorbonne, departed for the Loire Valley at 7h15. Aside from having to wake up at 5h30, I had been looking forward to the weekend trip. We drove about three hours to Blois, a small town situated by the Beauce and Sologne rivers. We arrived at the château for our first visit and Laurent jumped right in explaining the significance of the château in French architecture and history. It is remarkable, as the building encompasses elements of two types of gothic architecture, as well as two other later periods of French and European architecture.
The part of the château that pertains to the early gothic period, employed during the 13th century, is the largest of its kind still conserved in France today. It is a relatively small part of the château compared to the other components, as it is just the <<salle des États>> (State room) that still stands. It is also not particularly intricate compared to the other parts of the complex.
The second oldest section of the château was constructed from 1498 to 1503 in the <<gothique flamboyant>> (flamboyant gothic) style. It is a mix of red brick and white stone with large arches composing the first level, simple wall and windows composing the second level, and dormer windows composing the third level. Louis XII resided in the château during this time. Louis chose the porcupine as his emblem, symbolizing a strong defensive when provoked. The exterior walls of this section of the château have stone carvings of porcupines, namely above doorways.
The third oldest section is the <<Renaissance>> section of the château, and my personal favorite. In the middle of the section of beautiful white stone wall is the staircase tower. In France during the Middle Ages, the staircase was a sign of aristocracy and social status. The physical ascent towards heaven represented the role of religion in architecture as well as elevation in social status. Therefore, staircases were oftentimes the focal point of houses and châteaux. Most were <<en vis>> (spiral) and much attention was paid to their construction and decoration. The outside of this particular staircase tower was elaborately decorated with busts of the king at that time, François le premièr. He chose the lizard as his symbol, so there are quite a few to be found covering this part of the castle.
The final addition to the château started in 1635 and was finished in 1638, made for the duke Gaston d'Orléans, the brother of Louis XIII. Heavily influenced by Greek architecture, the exterior includes three levels of columns--doric, ionic, and corinthian. The most impressive aspect of this part is the foyer of the front entrance. The staircase is, once again, the focal point. Called a "suspended" staircase, the first part heads straight back, then the stairs continue at a sharp left without support from a middle tower. The ceiling of the entrance produces an effect of elevation towards the sky with multiple levels--the first a flat ceiling with an irregular octagon cut out that opens up to the second and third levels of the ceiling, a dome with another dome at the very top of it. The décor is nothing short of breathtaking and the staircase is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of French architecture.
We were given an hour and a half to roam around the charming little town of Blois and grab lunch before moving on to our second destination, the vineyard in a town called Vouvray. We had about an hour and a half of traveling to do and broke up by stopping across the river from the Château d'Amboise, where Leonardo da Vinci is buried! Unfortunately we didn't get to do a visit, but the view of the castle from across the water was beautiful, with a multiple-arch bridge in front spanning across the river. I thought to myself, as I marveled at the spectacular chateau on that overcast, brisk day, bundled up in a thick scarf and jacket, "This is what I think of when I think of France."
We hopped back on the bus and continued driving until we reached the vineyard at about 3 pm. We were greeted by Pierre, one of the employees of the Moncontour vineyard, who gave us some basic facts about the vineyard. We were given a tour of the grounds by Pierre and the proprietor, Monsieur Feray, and were fortunate enough to see the château where M. Feray resides today with his three huge Doberman dogs. I felt like I was in a movie! The château has the most incredible view of the town of Vouvray, a beautiful garden, ivy growing up the side of the eastern wall, forest to the west of the house, and acres and acres of vineyards surrounding it. What a life!
We took a tour of the vineyard's museum that contains history of the land and the history of the business. Then, finally, it was time to try some wine! We tried four or five different white wines, all of them delicious. The last one we tried was absolutely the best, and it went for 21 euros a bottle. I decided to indulge in two bottles of champagne that only cost me 14 euros total, definitely worth it. We headed to our hotel for the night after our dégustation (wine tasting.) Had a great dinner sitting with three girls on the trip that I haven't spent much time with. We had great conversation that continued for about two hours after we had finished eating. Weekend trips on study abroad always provide an opportunity to get to know everyone in the group, which is wonderful. I'm glad to have made better friends with those girls after this weekend.
After having a classic French breakfast at the hotel the next morning, we departed for Loches at about 8h30. Loches is, you guessed it, another château! It was SO cool to visit a château that is stereotypical in the sense that it used to be surrounded by a moat, had a drawbridge, and was defended with cannons poking through the fortified walls as well as skilled archers who stationed themselves along the top rim of the castle during battle. Check that one off the bucket list! The castle was constructed from 1013 to 1035 and was converted into a prison by Louis XI in the fifteenth century. It houses a torture chamber as well as rooms used for entertaining guests and grand celebrations. Very impressive!
We were given another hour and a half to walk around the town of Loches and check out the open-air market. You could find anything and everything there--bakers, vendors selling saucisson (French sausage) made from duck, pheasant, or pig, chevre, camembert, roquefort, brie, and every other cheese imaginable, champignons (mushrooms,) fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs, and honey. Walking through the narrow winding streets you are hit by some of the most mouth-watering scents. Jackie, Courtney, Sophie, Cathy and I decided to skip out on a traditional sit-down lunch at a café and to buy some local products from the vendors for lunch. Two baguettes, two saucissons (one covered in herbes de provence and one smoked), and two different cheeses (tomme à l'ancienne and entre deux, which literally means "between two," meaning its not quite strong and not quite subtle, either), and we were set. We found a nice park bench in a sunny spot outside the market, cut up our various ingredients, and savored some regional specialities. What an afternoon! Afterwards we sought out on a quest for a chocolate shop and were happy to find one not too far away where I bought six pieces of gourmet chocolate for 4.50 euros. That lunch proved to be the best one I've had in France so far, because it was SO quintessentially French!
After a nice little nap on the bus on our way to the last château of the trip, we arrived at Chenonceau. I immediately understood, while visiting the grounds of this particular castle, why UNESCO named the Loire Valley a world heritage site for its biologic diversity and its rich history and culture thanks to all the parks, small towns, and châteaux.
The castle is famous for being a gift from the king of France, Henri II to his mistress, Diane de Poitiers. All over the château one can find the emblem of a big capital H and the half-circle moon shape added to one of the legs of the H to form a D right on top--how romantic. Walt Disney is rumored to have modeled the emblematic castle after this particular castle and others of its kind. It sits elegantly atop the Cher river and has a HUGE garden to the right side. The rooms inside are luxuriously still furnished as they were centuries ago during the time of France's great monarchies. The view of the river and the garden as well as the peaceful pathways through the forest surrounding the castle add to its invaluable charm.
We left Chenonceau at 4 pm on Saturday the 16th and arrived back in Paris at 8. Only four hours by car and you discover an entirely new part of French culture, one that is enjoyed at a much slower and peaceful pace, that I found, allowed me to savor every last thing we saw, tasted, and smelled. The weekend was a great getaway from the city.
The part of the château that pertains to the early gothic period, employed during the 13th century, is the largest of its kind still conserved in France today. It is a relatively small part of the château compared to the other components, as it is just the <<salle des États>> (State room) that still stands. It is also not particularly intricate compared to the other parts of the complex.
The second oldest section of the château was constructed from 1498 to 1503 in the <<gothique flamboyant>> (flamboyant gothic) style. It is a mix of red brick and white stone with large arches composing the first level, simple wall and windows composing the second level, and dormer windows composing the third level. Louis XII resided in the château during this time. Louis chose the porcupine as his emblem, symbolizing a strong defensive when provoked. The exterior walls of this section of the château have stone carvings of porcupines, namely above doorways.
The third oldest section is the <<Renaissance>> section of the château, and my personal favorite. In the middle of the section of beautiful white stone wall is the staircase tower. In France during the Middle Ages, the staircase was a sign of aristocracy and social status. The physical ascent towards heaven represented the role of religion in architecture as well as elevation in social status. Therefore, staircases were oftentimes the focal point of houses and châteaux. Most were <<en vis>> (spiral) and much attention was paid to their construction and decoration. The outside of this particular staircase tower was elaborately decorated with busts of the king at that time, François le premièr. He chose the lizard as his symbol, so there are quite a few to be found covering this part of the castle.
The final addition to the château started in 1635 and was finished in 1638, made for the duke Gaston d'Orléans, the brother of Louis XIII. Heavily influenced by Greek architecture, the exterior includes three levels of columns--doric, ionic, and corinthian. The most impressive aspect of this part is the foyer of the front entrance. The staircase is, once again, the focal point. Called a "suspended" staircase, the first part heads straight back, then the stairs continue at a sharp left without support from a middle tower. The ceiling of the entrance produces an effect of elevation towards the sky with multiple levels--the first a flat ceiling with an irregular octagon cut out that opens up to the second and third levels of the ceiling, a dome with another dome at the very top of it. The décor is nothing short of breathtaking and the staircase is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of French architecture.
We were given an hour and a half to roam around the charming little town of Blois and grab lunch before moving on to our second destination, the vineyard in a town called Vouvray. We had about an hour and a half of traveling to do and broke up by stopping across the river from the Château d'Amboise, where Leonardo da Vinci is buried! Unfortunately we didn't get to do a visit, but the view of the castle from across the water was beautiful, with a multiple-arch bridge in front spanning across the river. I thought to myself, as I marveled at the spectacular chateau on that overcast, brisk day, bundled up in a thick scarf and jacket, "This is what I think of when I think of France."
We hopped back on the bus and continued driving until we reached the vineyard at about 3 pm. We were greeted by Pierre, one of the employees of the Moncontour vineyard, who gave us some basic facts about the vineyard. We were given a tour of the grounds by Pierre and the proprietor, Monsieur Feray, and were fortunate enough to see the château where M. Feray resides today with his three huge Doberman dogs. I felt like I was in a movie! The château has the most incredible view of the town of Vouvray, a beautiful garden, ivy growing up the side of the eastern wall, forest to the west of the house, and acres and acres of vineyards surrounding it. What a life!
We took a tour of the vineyard's museum that contains history of the land and the history of the business. Then, finally, it was time to try some wine! We tried four or five different white wines, all of them delicious. The last one we tried was absolutely the best, and it went for 21 euros a bottle. I decided to indulge in two bottles of champagne that only cost me 14 euros total, definitely worth it. We headed to our hotel for the night after our dégustation (wine tasting.) Had a great dinner sitting with three girls on the trip that I haven't spent much time with. We had great conversation that continued for about two hours after we had finished eating. Weekend trips on study abroad always provide an opportunity to get to know everyone in the group, which is wonderful. I'm glad to have made better friends with those girls after this weekend.
After having a classic French breakfast at the hotel the next morning, we departed for Loches at about 8h30. Loches is, you guessed it, another château! It was SO cool to visit a château that is stereotypical in the sense that it used to be surrounded by a moat, had a drawbridge, and was defended with cannons poking through the fortified walls as well as skilled archers who stationed themselves along the top rim of the castle during battle. Check that one off the bucket list! The castle was constructed from 1013 to 1035 and was converted into a prison by Louis XI in the fifteenth century. It houses a torture chamber as well as rooms used for entertaining guests and grand celebrations. Very impressive!
We were given another hour and a half to walk around the town of Loches and check out the open-air market. You could find anything and everything there--bakers, vendors selling saucisson (French sausage) made from duck, pheasant, or pig, chevre, camembert, roquefort, brie, and every other cheese imaginable, champignons (mushrooms,) fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs, and honey. Walking through the narrow winding streets you are hit by some of the most mouth-watering scents. Jackie, Courtney, Sophie, Cathy and I decided to skip out on a traditional sit-down lunch at a café and to buy some local products from the vendors for lunch. Two baguettes, two saucissons (one covered in herbes de provence and one smoked), and two different cheeses (tomme à l'ancienne and entre deux, which literally means "between two," meaning its not quite strong and not quite subtle, either), and we were set. We found a nice park bench in a sunny spot outside the market, cut up our various ingredients, and savored some regional specialities. What an afternoon! Afterwards we sought out on a quest for a chocolate shop and were happy to find one not too far away where I bought six pieces of gourmet chocolate for 4.50 euros. That lunch proved to be the best one I've had in France so far, because it was SO quintessentially French!
After a nice little nap on the bus on our way to the last château of the trip, we arrived at Chenonceau. I immediately understood, while visiting the grounds of this particular castle, why UNESCO named the Loire Valley a world heritage site for its biologic diversity and its rich history and culture thanks to all the parks, small towns, and châteaux.
The castle is famous for being a gift from the king of France, Henri II to his mistress, Diane de Poitiers. All over the château one can find the emblem of a big capital H and the half-circle moon shape added to one of the legs of the H to form a D right on top--how romantic. Walt Disney is rumored to have modeled the emblematic castle after this particular castle and others of its kind. It sits elegantly atop the Cher river and has a HUGE garden to the right side. The rooms inside are luxuriously still furnished as they were centuries ago during the time of France's great monarchies. The view of the river and the garden as well as the peaceful pathways through the forest surrounding the castle add to its invaluable charm.
We left Chenonceau at 4 pm on Saturday the 16th and arrived back in Paris at 8. Only four hours by car and you discover an entirely new part of French culture, one that is enjoyed at a much slower and peaceful pace, that I found, allowed me to savor every last thing we saw, tasted, and smelled. The weekend was a great getaway from the city.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
City livin'
As a girl who's lived in Suburbia all her life, getting used to city life has been a challenge for me. Not only am I used to seeing some grass everyday, but I'm an outdoor enthusiast and plan weekend and day trips camping, hiking, biking, and kayaking.
Paris is a place I've wanted to visit ever since 7th grade when I chose to take French over Spanish and German as my language elective. I immediately realized that I wanted to learn the language, become fluent, and be able to spend a few months of my life living in the city.
It goes without saying that European cities are very different from American cities--the organization, the architecture, the shops, vendors, and restaurants that can be found there. But I have only visited NYC once in my life for a few short hours, and only spent a few days in Philadelphia. So I'm not what one could consider a city slicker, by any means.
There are a handful of things that I've observed not only about Paris as a city, but of myself in a city like Paris.
1. No matter where you go in Paris, you're likely to smell urine.
--The biggest hotspots for this is, no surprises here: the metro. It's been disheartening seeing so many homeless people all over the city, especially in the metro. I lived in Salvador, Brazil for a month, where I literally felt guilty for having the monetary means to walk around with shoes on my feet and a shirt on my back on a daily basis. In comparison, Paris is not as profoundly plagued with homelessness as developing countries. But it is sad, nonetheless. There is a man who sits at the bottom of the steps at the Vaugirard metro stop (my connection to everywhere in Paris, essentially) EVERY DAY with a cup in his hand begging for money. One day I had just bought a metro ticket and had about 10 centimes left that I hadn't stored back in my purse yet. I thought to myself that he definitely needed the money more than I did, so I gave it to him.
I felt great--that day. Now every day when I pass him, I know what he's thinking...that I COULD spare him some change and that it would not lead to a life of poverty for me, forcing him to make some room on that bottom step for one more begger. But I selfishly walk past him, pretending to be in a hurry and not really able to stop for two seconds, open up my purse, and deposit a small contribution in his cup. Having coffee, taking the metro, and feeling guilty have all become part of my morning routine.
2. No matter where you're going, you're not alone.
--I've been shoved quite a few times getting onto the metro, once so much so that I wasn't even able to make it onto the train and once so that I just came pretty darn close to having to wait for the next one. Parisians can be terribly friendly, but also city life produces people who can also be quite cold. I feel, when taking the metro in particular, that I have to make a concerted effort to avoid making eye contact with the person sitting across from me. In the states, it's normal to walk past someone on the sidewalk and smile and say, "Hi." I do it ALL the time at home! But here, I find myself feeling awkward for even producing a smile at a stranger from time to time.
It's hard being in a large city for this reason. There are just SO many people (roughly 2 million, including the surrounding "région parisien".) Making friends with French people is proving to be a harder feat than I had originally expected. Living in a small town limits possibilities, yes, but you're more likely to be rich in friendships and personal contact than living in a city with 199, 999 other possible acquaintances and friends. It's sometimes a chore for me to just be able to enjoy a walk to class or a day of shopping because you're constantly forced to weave around people or wait for slow walkers (which I cannot stand) in front of you.
3. Public transportation is a MUST.
--Parking in Paris is terribly expensive. For this reason, a large number of people rely on the metro system, the bus system, or the Velibs (bikes) that you can take around the city. It's strange that there is an obvious stigma against public transportation in the States. People who take the bus every day to work, at least in Pittsburgh, are people who can't afford their own vehicles. The metro is used in New York, for sure, but in my home town, you usually don't want to have to rely on public transportation to get you from point A to point B.
The Velib system is THE BEST way to get around the city, in my opinion. The metro is very very efficient and its a reliable way to traverse the entire city of Paris, if necessary, in a shorter amount of time. But if you're looking to enjoy a scenic, more physically engaging means of transportation, the Velibs are a wonderful option. You can charge either one day, one week, or one year onto your metro card (Navigo) at one of the dozens of bike stations all over the city. They are literally everywhere! If they're not on the street you're on that minute, chances are if you round the corner, there will be a line of bikes at your disposal. You can take a bike for FREE anywhere in the city as long as you return it to another station within a half an hour. And a day pass is only one euro!
Sophie, Courtney, and I, after enjoying a nice morning of sleeping in, met up in Montparnasse at 2:30 and biked to the Mosque of Paris this past Saturday (Oct 9.) It took us a little over half an hour (we got a little lost) but it was a lovely day outside, 75 degrees to be exact! We felt very Parisian, enjoying our leisurely bike ride around the city on a lazy Saturday afternoon. We got there at a busy time for the mosque, with the waiters running around serving tea, hookah, kebabs, brik, Middle-Eastern pastries and fare to customers out on the blue-and-white-tiled terrace. There are about 25 little tables outside where you can sit and smoke hookah, treat yourself to baklava and other delicious Middle-Eastern desserts, and drink THE BEST thé à la menthe there is! The trees provided cool shade on the particularly warm day and also emanated a comforting and invigorating jasmine scent every time the wind blew. It was wonderful to say the least. We each got two glasses of tea and sat and enjoyed the atmosphere, with a perfectly cloudless blue sky and a beautiful bleach-white building behind us with dark woven-metal lamps and decorations, and bright blue and green tiles to accent. It put me right back in La Marsa and Sidi Bou Saïd in Tunisia, where I spent the winter session of my freshman year, and for that reason, I decided from then on I would spend as much time at the mosque as possible. (There is also a hammam, a Middle Eastern/Turkish bath house! Maybe I'll be checking that out at some point.)
4. To live in a city, you've gotta be pretty good at multi-tasking. And if you know me, that doesn't exactly fit my character description. When I try to do too many things at once, I end up losing something, messing something up, and becoming terribly frustrated. Case in point: I've lost TWO important cards since I've been here. (Not debit or credit, Mom and Dad, I promise.) And I lost BOTH of them the same way!
Every Wednesday from 5-7 I have art history, and this particular class period is specifically set aside for museum and site visits within Paris. A few weeks ago, we went to see Notre Dame for class. As we lined up to enter the church, I fumbled around in my over-sized messenger bag for my art history card, that grants all of us Delaware students FREE access to any national museum or art site in the city! (Pretty awesome right? Makes you feel like a VIP when you walk up in line and with the flash of your card, you're in sans problèmes! So as I fumbled around, I found my card and was waiting to present it, but didn't even have to, seeing as we were in a large group. I stuck the card in my back pocket and forgot about it.
Fast forward two hours. I arrive back home at the apartment and my card is nowhere to be found. Realized then and there that putting a card in your back pocket probably isn't the safest place to keep it.
Fast forward again two weeks or so later, same class period, same sort of deal. This time we were visiting the Hôtel de Cluny in the Latin Quarter. I mindlessly stuck my metro pass (VERY IMPORTANT) in my back pocket after using it. In the church we visited after the Hôtel, I reminded myself to check for the card in my back right pocket to avoid another catastophic loss of an important piece of plastic. Check: where I had left it, safe and sound snuggled in my jeans.
I reached the metro station and went to grab my Navigo pass where I had ASSURED it was located just about an hour before, and it was gone. My body temperature instantly rose 10 degrees as I patted myself down, looking like a fool in the line to swipe your card or metro ticket, people breezing past me with their cards in hand and ready to go. "Jeez, Anne," I thought to myself. "AGAIN?"
Yep, it had happened again. I placed myself aside the line, out of the way, to dig in my bag frantically for my card. But I knew it was gone. I immediately became furious with myself. How could I have made the same mistake again? I had recharged my Navigo pass at the beginning of October for the whole month for 60 euros and now I'd have to buy a new one. Just a pain! The timing, however, could have been worse--I only have to buy a week pass for the rest of October, seeing as I'll only be in Paris for six more days, then it's off to Vienna, Prague, and Berlin for fall break!
I remembered that I had put my metro card into my bag at some point after leaving the church that day. This is when my lack of multi-tasking ability came into play. I dug around in my bag during a nice walk through the Luxembourg Gardens on my way back home after class to find my almond croissant I had bought earlier in the day and had been saving for a snack. I guess I had pulled my card out of my bag while pulling out the croissant, or had accidentally stuck the card inside the plastic bag that contained the pastry, then threw it out after eating it. Either way, I'm a moron. I apparently can't handle too many things on my plate at once, and should just avoid trying to do so in every way possible.
So these are the things I've been struggling with as an American girl of the suburbs living in the big city of Paris for a semester. I've wanted to live in a city all my life, and its turning out to require a lot more coordination and attention than I expected, and obviously more than I possess. But it's a work in progress. Still about three full months left! Let's see if I can become as sophisticated and graceful as the Parisians by Christmas time...hahaha
Paris is a place I've wanted to visit ever since 7th grade when I chose to take French over Spanish and German as my language elective. I immediately realized that I wanted to learn the language, become fluent, and be able to spend a few months of my life living in the city.
It goes without saying that European cities are very different from American cities--the organization, the architecture, the shops, vendors, and restaurants that can be found there. But I have only visited NYC once in my life for a few short hours, and only spent a few days in Philadelphia. So I'm not what one could consider a city slicker, by any means.
There are a handful of things that I've observed not only about Paris as a city, but of myself in a city like Paris.
1. No matter where you go in Paris, you're likely to smell urine.
--The biggest hotspots for this is, no surprises here: the metro. It's been disheartening seeing so many homeless people all over the city, especially in the metro. I lived in Salvador, Brazil for a month, where I literally felt guilty for having the monetary means to walk around with shoes on my feet and a shirt on my back on a daily basis. In comparison, Paris is not as profoundly plagued with homelessness as developing countries. But it is sad, nonetheless. There is a man who sits at the bottom of the steps at the Vaugirard metro stop (my connection to everywhere in Paris, essentially) EVERY DAY with a cup in his hand begging for money. One day I had just bought a metro ticket and had about 10 centimes left that I hadn't stored back in my purse yet. I thought to myself that he definitely needed the money more than I did, so I gave it to him.
I felt great--that day. Now every day when I pass him, I know what he's thinking...that I COULD spare him some change and that it would not lead to a life of poverty for me, forcing him to make some room on that bottom step for one more begger. But I selfishly walk past him, pretending to be in a hurry and not really able to stop for two seconds, open up my purse, and deposit a small contribution in his cup. Having coffee, taking the metro, and feeling guilty have all become part of my morning routine.
2. No matter where you're going, you're not alone.
--I've been shoved quite a few times getting onto the metro, once so much so that I wasn't even able to make it onto the train and once so that I just came pretty darn close to having to wait for the next one. Parisians can be terribly friendly, but also city life produces people who can also be quite cold. I feel, when taking the metro in particular, that I have to make a concerted effort to avoid making eye contact with the person sitting across from me. In the states, it's normal to walk past someone on the sidewalk and smile and say, "Hi." I do it ALL the time at home! But here, I find myself feeling awkward for even producing a smile at a stranger from time to time.
It's hard being in a large city for this reason. There are just SO many people (roughly 2 million, including the surrounding "région parisien".) Making friends with French people is proving to be a harder feat than I had originally expected. Living in a small town limits possibilities, yes, but you're more likely to be rich in friendships and personal contact than living in a city with 199, 999 other possible acquaintances and friends. It's sometimes a chore for me to just be able to enjoy a walk to class or a day of shopping because you're constantly forced to weave around people or wait for slow walkers (which I cannot stand) in front of you.
3. Public transportation is a MUST.
--Parking in Paris is terribly expensive. For this reason, a large number of people rely on the metro system, the bus system, or the Velibs (bikes) that you can take around the city. It's strange that there is an obvious stigma against public transportation in the States. People who take the bus every day to work, at least in Pittsburgh, are people who can't afford their own vehicles. The metro is used in New York, for sure, but in my home town, you usually don't want to have to rely on public transportation to get you from point A to point B.
The Velib system is THE BEST way to get around the city, in my opinion. The metro is very very efficient and its a reliable way to traverse the entire city of Paris, if necessary, in a shorter amount of time. But if you're looking to enjoy a scenic, more physically engaging means of transportation, the Velibs are a wonderful option. You can charge either one day, one week, or one year onto your metro card (Navigo) at one of the dozens of bike stations all over the city. They are literally everywhere! If they're not on the street you're on that minute, chances are if you round the corner, there will be a line of bikes at your disposal. You can take a bike for FREE anywhere in the city as long as you return it to another station within a half an hour. And a day pass is only one euro!
Sophie, Courtney, and I, after enjoying a nice morning of sleeping in, met up in Montparnasse at 2:30 and biked to the Mosque of Paris this past Saturday (Oct 9.) It took us a little over half an hour (we got a little lost) but it was a lovely day outside, 75 degrees to be exact! We felt very Parisian, enjoying our leisurely bike ride around the city on a lazy Saturday afternoon. We got there at a busy time for the mosque, with the waiters running around serving tea, hookah, kebabs, brik, Middle-Eastern pastries and fare to customers out on the blue-and-white-tiled terrace. There are about 25 little tables outside where you can sit and smoke hookah, treat yourself to baklava and other delicious Middle-Eastern desserts, and drink THE BEST thé à la menthe there is! The trees provided cool shade on the particularly warm day and also emanated a comforting and invigorating jasmine scent every time the wind blew. It was wonderful to say the least. We each got two glasses of tea and sat and enjoyed the atmosphere, with a perfectly cloudless blue sky and a beautiful bleach-white building behind us with dark woven-metal lamps and decorations, and bright blue and green tiles to accent. It put me right back in La Marsa and Sidi Bou Saïd in Tunisia, where I spent the winter session of my freshman year, and for that reason, I decided from then on I would spend as much time at the mosque as possible. (There is also a hammam, a Middle Eastern/Turkish bath house! Maybe I'll be checking that out at some point.)
4. To live in a city, you've gotta be pretty good at multi-tasking. And if you know me, that doesn't exactly fit my character description. When I try to do too many things at once, I end up losing something, messing something up, and becoming terribly frustrated. Case in point: I've lost TWO important cards since I've been here. (Not debit or credit, Mom and Dad, I promise.) And I lost BOTH of them the same way!
Every Wednesday from 5-7 I have art history, and this particular class period is specifically set aside for museum and site visits within Paris. A few weeks ago, we went to see Notre Dame for class. As we lined up to enter the church, I fumbled around in my over-sized messenger bag for my art history card, that grants all of us Delaware students FREE access to any national museum or art site in the city! (Pretty awesome right? Makes you feel like a VIP when you walk up in line and with the flash of your card, you're in sans problèmes! So as I fumbled around, I found my card and was waiting to present it, but didn't even have to, seeing as we were in a large group. I stuck the card in my back pocket and forgot about it.
Fast forward two hours. I arrive back home at the apartment and my card is nowhere to be found. Realized then and there that putting a card in your back pocket probably isn't the safest place to keep it.
Fast forward again two weeks or so later, same class period, same sort of deal. This time we were visiting the Hôtel de Cluny in the Latin Quarter. I mindlessly stuck my metro pass (VERY IMPORTANT) in my back pocket after using it. In the church we visited after the Hôtel, I reminded myself to check for the card in my back right pocket to avoid another catastophic loss of an important piece of plastic. Check: where I had left it, safe and sound snuggled in my jeans.
I reached the metro station and went to grab my Navigo pass where I had ASSURED it was located just about an hour before, and it was gone. My body temperature instantly rose 10 degrees as I patted myself down, looking like a fool in the line to swipe your card or metro ticket, people breezing past me with their cards in hand and ready to go. "Jeez, Anne," I thought to myself. "AGAIN?"
Yep, it had happened again. I placed myself aside the line, out of the way, to dig in my bag frantically for my card. But I knew it was gone. I immediately became furious with myself. How could I have made the same mistake again? I had recharged my Navigo pass at the beginning of October for the whole month for 60 euros and now I'd have to buy a new one. Just a pain! The timing, however, could have been worse--I only have to buy a week pass for the rest of October, seeing as I'll only be in Paris for six more days, then it's off to Vienna, Prague, and Berlin for fall break!
I remembered that I had put my metro card into my bag at some point after leaving the church that day. This is when my lack of multi-tasking ability came into play. I dug around in my bag during a nice walk through the Luxembourg Gardens on my way back home after class to find my almond croissant I had bought earlier in the day and had been saving for a snack. I guess I had pulled my card out of my bag while pulling out the croissant, or had accidentally stuck the card inside the plastic bag that contained the pastry, then threw it out after eating it. Either way, I'm a moron. I apparently can't handle too many things on my plate at once, and should just avoid trying to do so in every way possible.
So these are the things I've been struggling with as an American girl of the suburbs living in the big city of Paris for a semester. I've wanted to live in a city all my life, and its turning out to require a lot more coordination and attention than I expected, and obviously more than I possess. But it's a work in progress. Still about three full months left! Let's see if I can become as sophisticated and graceful as the Parisians by Christmas time...hahaha
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Oh, the places you'll go
I've been realizing with every passing day that I DON'T blog that it is actually harder than one would think to update every day or every couple of days. I haven't included anything in here about our four-day long trip to Normandy and Brittany, but perhaps this afternoon I'll get around to that. It's gotten to the point that I feel SO far behind that catching up seems too daunting to even begin. Hopefully I'll cross that bridge eventually though.
For now, there are a few things I have been MEANING to jot down: thoughts, observations, reactions, things I don't want to forget. I can always come back to the summary of the weekend trip at a later date.
(This is my inner procrastinator really taking over, if you hadn't noticed.)
Anyway, one of the things I have noted here day in and day out is the French people's willingness to jump into political debates with anyone, at anytime, at any place. My host mother is the perfect example. Every night after dinner, since day one, September 8, Béatrix has loved to talk. She is an incredibly intelligent, open-minded, and cultivated woman. She lived in Russia for a number of years working for the French embassy in Moscow then returned to Paris to work for the international marketing sector of L'Oréal Paris. Pretty interesting life she's lead. She's traveled all over the world, has friends on every single continent, and is erudite. She's told me before that she spent most of her young life just reading books.
All of her experiences have culminated and made her what she is today: very opinionated, well-informed, and has something to say in regards to just about every topic. She's taught me things about Russia, about French culture, and about her life. And for this I am so grateful. There really are some things that a formal classroom atmosphere just cannot cater to. She has read a work by EVERY author I have ever mentioned, loves American cinema (Quentin Tarentino is one of her favorites, but she hasn't seen Inglourious Basterds--I immediately told her to rectify that situation as soon as possible), has grandparents who served in World War I, and she lived through part of WWII. To sum it all up, she's just about been everywhere and learned a lot in her lifetime. And what's great is, she's always open to learn more.
At first, sitting down after dinner for three hours listening to this woman talk was really exhausting. I understood about 90% of what she had to say, and the other 10% I just had to draw meaning from contextual implications and gestures she made. I got the jist of it, but when the clock turned 1 am a few nights in a row as she continued to share her stories, I became really uncomfortable. I hate being rude and didn't just want to say "It's really late, you need to stop talking/I need to go to bed." I was paying for it the next day, seeing as I had to buy myself a few extra espressos at Reid Hall's 40 centime beverage vending-machine.
As time passed, I began to notice something. Interrupting others in France is NOT RUDE! Americans, if interrupted, automatically take the offensive and assume the other person is the most ill-bred human alive. Not so in gay Paris. People won't hesitate to let you finish your comment if they disagree or have no interest in what you have to say. And they aren't afraid to let you know! I also found it uncomfortable in the beginning of the trip that from time to time I could hear heated arguments in the living room from my bedroom between Béatrix and her son, François-Henri. But now I know. It's just the French way of communicating.
So now, when I'm getting tired or have other things to do after dinner (like BLOGGING, for instance), I'll just stand up, listen to Béatrix finish her last comment, put my plate in the sink, clear off the table and head into my room. And she hasn't kicked me out for being the rude American yet. I consider that situation, at this point in time, under control.
Another thing that goes hand-in-hand with French discourse is the politically-charged atmosphere you can find just about anywhere in Paris. I've heard political discussions between a group of about seven Africans on the métro arguing about Sarkozy's immigration policies, politically-charged comments from every one of my professors...its all-around you in Paris. The key is to not be turned off by Parisian's tendency to voice their opinions on every subject matter, but to appreciate that the French people really expect a lot from their government. I'll talk more about this point in another blog dedicated to everything I've learned so far in my political science class.
For now, there are a few things I have been MEANING to jot down: thoughts, observations, reactions, things I don't want to forget. I can always come back to the summary of the weekend trip at a later date.
(This is my inner procrastinator really taking over, if you hadn't noticed.)
Anyway, one of the things I have noted here day in and day out is the French people's willingness to jump into political debates with anyone, at anytime, at any place. My host mother is the perfect example. Every night after dinner, since day one, September 8, Béatrix has loved to talk. She is an incredibly intelligent, open-minded, and cultivated woman. She lived in Russia for a number of years working for the French embassy in Moscow then returned to Paris to work for the international marketing sector of L'Oréal Paris. Pretty interesting life she's lead. She's traveled all over the world, has friends on every single continent, and is erudite. She's told me before that she spent most of her young life just reading books.
All of her experiences have culminated and made her what she is today: very opinionated, well-informed, and has something to say in regards to just about every topic. She's taught me things about Russia, about French culture, and about her life. And for this I am so grateful. There really are some things that a formal classroom atmosphere just cannot cater to. She has read a work by EVERY author I have ever mentioned, loves American cinema (Quentin Tarentino is one of her favorites, but she hasn't seen Inglourious Basterds--I immediately told her to rectify that situation as soon as possible), has grandparents who served in World War I, and she lived through part of WWII. To sum it all up, she's just about been everywhere and learned a lot in her lifetime. And what's great is, she's always open to learn more.
At first, sitting down after dinner for three hours listening to this woman talk was really exhausting. I understood about 90% of what she had to say, and the other 10% I just had to draw meaning from contextual implications and gestures she made. I got the jist of it, but when the clock turned 1 am a few nights in a row as she continued to share her stories, I became really uncomfortable. I hate being rude and didn't just want to say "It's really late, you need to stop talking/I need to go to bed." I was paying for it the next day, seeing as I had to buy myself a few extra espressos at Reid Hall's 40 centime beverage vending-machine.
As time passed, I began to notice something. Interrupting others in France is NOT RUDE! Americans, if interrupted, automatically take the offensive and assume the other person is the most ill-bred human alive. Not so in gay Paris. People won't hesitate to let you finish your comment if they disagree or have no interest in what you have to say. And they aren't afraid to let you know! I also found it uncomfortable in the beginning of the trip that from time to time I could hear heated arguments in the living room from my bedroom between Béatrix and her son, François-Henri. But now I know. It's just the French way of communicating.
So now, when I'm getting tired or have other things to do after dinner (like BLOGGING, for instance), I'll just stand up, listen to Béatrix finish her last comment, put my plate in the sink, clear off the table and head into my room. And she hasn't kicked me out for being the rude American yet. I consider that situation, at this point in time, under control.
Another thing that goes hand-in-hand with French discourse is the politically-charged atmosphere you can find just about anywhere in Paris. I've heard political discussions between a group of about seven Africans on the métro arguing about Sarkozy's immigration policies, politically-charged comments from every one of my professors...its all-around you in Paris. The key is to not be turned off by Parisian's tendency to voice their opinions on every subject matter, but to appreciate that the French people really expect a lot from their government. I'll talk more about this point in another blog dedicated to everything I've learned so far in my political science class.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Day 4 + a little catching up
So it is now dimanche le 12 septembre a 22h13 (Sunday, 10:13 pm...the military time is STILL throwing me for a loop.) And I have had a VERY busy past couple of days, but AMAZING ones at that. Seen a lot, slept little, and ate very very very well. Here's a recap.
Thursday-arrived at my host family's apartment in the 15th arrondissement (district) at around 3 pm after a loooong and confusing wild goose chase for the Paris Shuttle to take all 17 of us from the Charles de Gaulle airport to our respective apartments all over the city. Somewhat of a mess, but things always work out, and they did. Everyone got in, had their first meals with their families (or had to heat up some leftovers because the host mothers had been expecting us 4 hours earlier), settled in, ate dinner, and passed out early. The jetlag hadn't/hasn't hit me yet, but it was just one particularly long day that did it for me. My sleep schedule hasn't been too off, thank god! I came home to a lovely meal of beef stew with mushrooms, carrots and onions in some type of wine sauce (DELICIOUS) and a cheese and potato tart. Then that night my host mother prepared baked eggplant with melted cheese and a green salad, just the type of meal I needed to fill my belly and get me ready for a restful night of sleep. The salad dressing that she serves is interesting but very very delicious--it is milk-based but has the tanginess of horseradish. Pretty delish. We drink tap water at meal times.
The apartment is great! It really is the perfect size for one woman who houses international students quite often. In fact there is a Russian girl also staying here at the moment, (I forget her name, oops), and she leaves the 18th of September. Béatrix is a seasoned veteran when it comes to foreign students. She is super-polite and very accomodating. Hasn't said a single thing yet to make me feel uncomfortable or not at home. My bed is LOVELY. It's giving my bed some stiff competition, although the bed is anything but! I've just been so exhausted at the end of each day that it wouldn't matter if the bed were made of straw, but it happens to be heavenly. My room is the perfect size--fit the contents of two 50 pound suitcases in the provided wardrobe and dresser. I was impressed! Made me realize that size isn't everything, it's how you use it. Coming home is very comforting to me, I can just relax, check emails and Facebook through the wireless connection as I look out the window right behind my computer. Great setup. And I don't know if it's because Béatrix worked for L'Oréal, but all of my linens smell like top-quality French soaps and perfume :) It's wonderful.
Béatrix has a 28 year old son with two children, Athenaïs (A-ten-ay-ees) and Nathanael (Na-ten-ay-el). Beautiful names. Athenaïs is an adorable five and a HALF year old with platinum blond hair, blue eyes, and is lacking one front tooth. Precious. So funny how little kids stress the extra six months that they've been alive when people of my age wish they could somehow not age a day from this point on or even reverse the clock. Nathanael is two years old and is just learning to talk--the only words I've heard from him are "Papa," "dodo" (which means "blanket"), "lapin" (for his stuffed rabbit), Tenaïs (what he calls his older sister), and "n'y rien" ("there's nothing," when he discovered the egg poacher had nothing inside of it.) Cute doesn't even begin to describe these kids. First of all, they are physically adorable. As if that wasn't enough, hearing them speak in French makes my heart melt. They've been here every day since I arrived save for Saturday. François-Henri (the 28 year old son) works every day and I believe is separated from his wife. So Béatrix (grand-mère) takes care of them during the day. It is easy for me to see that this is NOT easy for her. Her son, according to her, doesn't say "no" very often which makes it hard for her to get through to them when they misbehave. Nathanael also has a very bad cold which makes him much crankier. There's been quite a lot of screaming on his part since I arrived.
The apartment is right off of a main road in the 15th, called Vaugirard. I catch the métro on Vaugirard to get to school (located in an area called Montparnasse) and have been heading to Montparnasse every night to meet up with the other girls to go out to dinner and get drinks or go out to clubs. My neighborhood is very safe. My apartment is on the third floor of the building and Béatrix feels so safe here that she never locks the door at night. She knows all of her neighbors and there is a code to get in to the complex from the street, to get into the mailroom on the first floor of the building, then another to get past the mailroom into the actual hallway where I take the elevator up to the third floor. I can rest easy knowing my things are safe and that I am safe as well. There are restaurants and shops on the street perpendicular to mine which takes me to Vaugirard. It is so different living in a BIG city like Paris for the first time! Definitely has taken some adjustments on my part, but I think I'm getting the hang of it. I absolutely love being able to walk everywhere, also. Makes me detest the fact that at home in Pittsburgh, public transportation is looked down upon and I have NEVER used it and that I have to drive everywhere.
Anyway, back to Thursday. After having lunch, Béatrix took me to the métro to buy a month pass called the Carte Navigo. It was a pretty frusterating experience because the woman was talking fast, I was exhausted, and she was telling me that the month pass I was supposed to buy, according to our professor, would make more sense to purchase on Monday. So she gave me about ten one-use passes which I ended up having to buy more of instead of just using the unlimited métro card immediately. And I was to be reimbursed for the month pass (about 60€) the following day at orientation at school but I hadn't actually bought the pass yet. Very confusing. But just asked my host mom about half an hour ago and all I have to do is recharge my card tomorrow before getting on the métro and pay the 60€ then. Problem solved.
Friday morning had to be at school at 10:45 for orientation. We had to wait until 11:30 unfortunately for the professor to show up. Viviane Akoka has been working with UD for at least 20 years and knows the program well, so she's a good go-to person to have around. We met our other professors and they all seem great. I was pretty nervous at first, thinking I wouldn't be able to keep up with their pace, but I was able to pretty easily. So that calmed my nerves.
So it is in fact now JEUDI, exactly one week since I arrived. And although I keep putting off documenting what I've done since last Friday, it's about time I just quickly jotted down what's been happening.
Friday night, went out to dinner with Cathy, who is quickly becoming one of my close friends, had a great meal at a café we stumbled upon in Montparnasse, met up with others for drinks, then went to our first boîte de nuit (nightclub)! We all were so excited to experience the nightlife and dance, and that we did. It was a great night!
Saturday had a tour of the city and drove by the major monuments--la Tour Eiffel, l'Arc de Triomphe, le Louvre, all the essentials. Made me really excited to revisit ALL those places and really get to experience them.
Sunday we had a tour of Montmartre, which was UNBELIEVABLE. Such a great little village in the grand city of Paris...so quaint and so vibrant! Definitely have to go back to Montmartre many many more times. Just a metro ride away! :)
Monday we started class--9 am to 6:30 pm! So exhausting. 2 hours of French and 4 hours of French civilization. But I'm learning a lot and the fact that the classes are ALL and will always be entirely in French is great, I can feel myself improving already.
Tuesday--class again, field trip to the Latin Quarter to see the "academic" region of the city where les Sorbonnes are... the most prestigious universitites in the city. Gorgeous!
Wednesday-class again, field trip to a market (marché) where Viviane taught us how the proper way to buy produce and everything else you could ever need there. Went back to her very chic and beautiful apartment, cooked pasta for the group with Cathy and had a nice relaxing afternoon. Great day, took some great pictures....have to upload those to the blog eventually. And I bought my first French magazine too! <<Le Nouvel Observateur>> with a picture of Nicolas Sarkozy on the front and it reads <<Cet homme est-il dangereux?>> (Is this man dangerous?) We'll find out. You aren't French if you don't know politics. That's something I learned IMMEDIATEMENT. So I have a lot to learn!
Thursday (today)-civilization class again for 4 hours. Looong day. But we took a nice hour break in between and got to try all different types of cheeses and even wine! Wouldn't even DREAM of doing that in the states! How cool is that? We've been learning about French tradition, a bit of history, the French family, French holidays, and what it means to be French (l'identité des français.) Very interesting stuff. It'll be nice when we don't have the class for 4 hours at a time though (starting a week from this coming Monday.)
That about sums it up. Glazed over a WHOLE lot of detail, and wish I didnt' have to/wish I had documented each day at the end of the day. But this should suffice for now.
A bientôt...
Thursday-class
Thursday-arrived at my host family's apartment in the 15th arrondissement (district) at around 3 pm after a loooong and confusing wild goose chase for the Paris Shuttle to take all 17 of us from the Charles de Gaulle airport to our respective apartments all over the city. Somewhat of a mess, but things always work out, and they did. Everyone got in, had their first meals with their families (or had to heat up some leftovers because the host mothers had been expecting us 4 hours earlier), settled in, ate dinner, and passed out early. The jetlag hadn't/hasn't hit me yet, but it was just one particularly long day that did it for me. My sleep schedule hasn't been too off, thank god! I came home to a lovely meal of beef stew with mushrooms, carrots and onions in some type of wine sauce (DELICIOUS) and a cheese and potato tart. Then that night my host mother prepared baked eggplant with melted cheese and a green salad, just the type of meal I needed to fill my belly and get me ready for a restful night of sleep. The salad dressing that she serves is interesting but very very delicious--it is milk-based but has the tanginess of horseradish. Pretty delish. We drink tap water at meal times.
The apartment is great! It really is the perfect size for one woman who houses international students quite often. In fact there is a Russian girl also staying here at the moment, (I forget her name, oops), and she leaves the 18th of September. Béatrix is a seasoned veteran when it comes to foreign students. She is super-polite and very accomodating. Hasn't said a single thing yet to make me feel uncomfortable or not at home. My bed is LOVELY. It's giving my bed some stiff competition, although the bed is anything but! I've just been so exhausted at the end of each day that it wouldn't matter if the bed were made of straw, but it happens to be heavenly. My room is the perfect size--fit the contents of two 50 pound suitcases in the provided wardrobe and dresser. I was impressed! Made me realize that size isn't everything, it's how you use it. Coming home is very comforting to me, I can just relax, check emails and Facebook through the wireless connection as I look out the window right behind my computer. Great setup. And I don't know if it's because Béatrix worked for L'Oréal, but all of my linens smell like top-quality French soaps and perfume :) It's wonderful.
Béatrix has a 28 year old son with two children, Athenaïs (A-ten-ay-ees) and Nathanael (Na-ten-ay-el). Beautiful names. Athenaïs is an adorable five and a HALF year old with platinum blond hair, blue eyes, and is lacking one front tooth. Precious. So funny how little kids stress the extra six months that they've been alive when people of my age wish they could somehow not age a day from this point on or even reverse the clock. Nathanael is two years old and is just learning to talk--the only words I've heard from him are "Papa," "dodo" (which means "blanket"), "lapin" (for his stuffed rabbit), Tenaïs (what he calls his older sister), and "n'y rien" ("there's nothing," when he discovered the egg poacher had nothing inside of it.) Cute doesn't even begin to describe these kids. First of all, they are physically adorable. As if that wasn't enough, hearing them speak in French makes my heart melt. They've been here every day since I arrived save for Saturday. François-Henri (the 28 year old son) works every day and I believe is separated from his wife. So Béatrix (grand-mère) takes care of them during the day. It is easy for me to see that this is NOT easy for her. Her son, according to her, doesn't say "no" very often which makes it hard for her to get through to them when they misbehave. Nathanael also has a very bad cold which makes him much crankier. There's been quite a lot of screaming on his part since I arrived.
The apartment is right off of a main road in the 15th, called Vaugirard. I catch the métro on Vaugirard to get to school (located in an area called Montparnasse) and have been heading to Montparnasse every night to meet up with the other girls to go out to dinner and get drinks or go out to clubs. My neighborhood is very safe. My apartment is on the third floor of the building and Béatrix feels so safe here that she never locks the door at night. She knows all of her neighbors and there is a code to get in to the complex from the street, to get into the mailroom on the first floor of the building, then another to get past the mailroom into the actual hallway where I take the elevator up to the third floor. I can rest easy knowing my things are safe and that I am safe as well. There are restaurants and shops on the street perpendicular to mine which takes me to Vaugirard. It is so different living in a BIG city like Paris for the first time! Definitely has taken some adjustments on my part, but I think I'm getting the hang of it. I absolutely love being able to walk everywhere, also. Makes me detest the fact that at home in Pittsburgh, public transportation is looked down upon and I have NEVER used it and that I have to drive everywhere.
Anyway, back to Thursday. After having lunch, Béatrix took me to the métro to buy a month pass called the Carte Navigo. It was a pretty frusterating experience because the woman was talking fast, I was exhausted, and she was telling me that the month pass I was supposed to buy, according to our professor, would make more sense to purchase on Monday. So she gave me about ten one-use passes which I ended up having to buy more of instead of just using the unlimited métro card immediately. And I was to be reimbursed for the month pass (about 60€) the following day at orientation at school but I hadn't actually bought the pass yet. Very confusing. But just asked my host mom about half an hour ago and all I have to do is recharge my card tomorrow before getting on the métro and pay the 60€ then. Problem solved.
Friday morning had to be at school at 10:45 for orientation. We had to wait until 11:30 unfortunately for the professor to show up. Viviane Akoka has been working with UD for at least 20 years and knows the program well, so she's a good go-to person to have around. We met our other professors and they all seem great. I was pretty nervous at first, thinking I wouldn't be able to keep up with their pace, but I was able to pretty easily. So that calmed my nerves.
So it is in fact now JEUDI, exactly one week since I arrived. And although I keep putting off documenting what I've done since last Friday, it's about time I just quickly jotted down what's been happening.
Friday night, went out to dinner with Cathy, who is quickly becoming one of my close friends, had a great meal at a café we stumbled upon in Montparnasse, met up with others for drinks, then went to our first boîte de nuit (nightclub)! We all were so excited to experience the nightlife and dance, and that we did. It was a great night!
Saturday had a tour of the city and drove by the major monuments--la Tour Eiffel, l'Arc de Triomphe, le Louvre, all the essentials. Made me really excited to revisit ALL those places and really get to experience them.
Sunday we had a tour of Montmartre, which was UNBELIEVABLE. Such a great little village in the grand city of Paris...so quaint and so vibrant! Definitely have to go back to Montmartre many many more times. Just a metro ride away! :)
Monday we started class--9 am to 6:30 pm! So exhausting. 2 hours of French and 4 hours of French civilization. But I'm learning a lot and the fact that the classes are ALL and will always be entirely in French is great, I can feel myself improving already.
Tuesday--class again, field trip to the Latin Quarter to see the "academic" region of the city where les Sorbonnes are... the most prestigious universitites in the city. Gorgeous!
Wednesday-class again, field trip to a market (marché) where Viviane taught us how the proper way to buy produce and everything else you could ever need there. Went back to her very chic and beautiful apartment, cooked pasta for the group with Cathy and had a nice relaxing afternoon. Great day, took some great pictures....have to upload those to the blog eventually. And I bought my first French magazine too! <<Le Nouvel Observateur>> with a picture of Nicolas Sarkozy on the front and it reads <<Cet homme est-il dangereux?>> (Is this man dangerous?) We'll find out. You aren't French if you don't know politics. That's something I learned IMMEDIATEMENT. So I have a lot to learn!
Thursday (today)-civilization class again for 4 hours. Looong day. But we took a nice hour break in between and got to try all different types of cheeses and even wine! Wouldn't even DREAM of doing that in the states! How cool is that? We've been learning about French tradition, a bit of history, the French family, French holidays, and what it means to be French (l'identité des français.) Very interesting stuff. It'll be nice when we don't have the class for 4 hours at a time though (starting a week from this coming Monday.)
That about sums it up. Glazed over a WHOLE lot of detail, and wish I didnt' have to/wish I had documented each day at the end of the day. But this should suffice for now.
A bientôt...
Thursday-class
Hi, my name is Anne and I'm a travel-philiac.
So it has been one heck of a first week here in Paris...done a lot, been all over the city, and seen quite a lot as well. Needless to say, it's been a bit exhausting, but worth every minute. I wake up every morning so anxious to start the day and find out what it's going to bring. And so far, the days have been pretty good to me.
It's interesting to travel in a large group consisting only of 20 year old girls. Some have traveled all over, some have never been out of the country. Some are adaptable and find the beauty in being put out of one's element, some have a little more trouble. For me, someone who has had study abroad experience in the past, I'm familiar with all the feelings I've been dealing with for the past seven days. Knee-knockingly excited, exhausted, motivated, successful, not-so-successful, comfortable, and extremely uneasy--it's all part of the ride. I've been able to identify with a few other girls on the trip who have traveled before and love learning about themselves when they are put in a situation that necessitates a bit of spontaneity, imagination, and logic in order to get through. We've discussed how study abroad really brings out people's true colors and strips you down to the essentials. As corny as it sounds, you really learn who you are when you can be yourself in a totally new city, surrounded by an entirely different culture, entranced by the sound of a different language being spoken all around you 24/7.
I know now why I find myself traveling abroad every year at school since I was a freshman. At home in the states, I'm dedicated to my studies, to my family, to my friends, to my health, to my well-being. I go through life day by day without a known long-term goal in mind, other than graduating and hopefully one day finding a job that I love and being happy with my life. But when I'm in other country, constantly stimulated by my new surroundings, I find myself more preoccupied with the here-and-now, rather than worrying about what will come tomorrow. I walk through the streets, inhaling the intoxicating scent of the freshly baked pain and croissants seeping through the doorways of the boulangeries, the smell of cigarette smoke that you positively cannot avoid in Paris, absorbing the sound of the r's of French words rolling elegantly off the Parisians tongues in the streets, in the marchés, and at home with my host family. I'm so obsessed with soaking it all in and being present that I forget about the things I feel I have to do eventually and concentrate more on what being in Paris now is all about. And that's the beauty of life--making the best of what you have now and allowing oneself to subscribe to the idea of que será, será.
It's interesting to travel in a large group consisting only of 20 year old girls. Some have traveled all over, some have never been out of the country. Some are adaptable and find the beauty in being put out of one's element, some have a little more trouble. For me, someone who has had study abroad experience in the past, I'm familiar with all the feelings I've been dealing with for the past seven days. Knee-knockingly excited, exhausted, motivated, successful, not-so-successful, comfortable, and extremely uneasy--it's all part of the ride. I've been able to identify with a few other girls on the trip who have traveled before and love learning about themselves when they are put in a situation that necessitates a bit of spontaneity, imagination, and logic in order to get through. We've discussed how study abroad really brings out people's true colors and strips you down to the essentials. As corny as it sounds, you really learn who you are when you can be yourself in a totally new city, surrounded by an entirely different culture, entranced by the sound of a different language being spoken all around you 24/7.
I know now why I find myself traveling abroad every year at school since I was a freshman. At home in the states, I'm dedicated to my studies, to my family, to my friends, to my health, to my well-being. I go through life day by day without a known long-term goal in mind, other than graduating and hopefully one day finding a job that I love and being happy with my life. But when I'm in other country, constantly stimulated by my new surroundings, I find myself more preoccupied with the here-and-now, rather than worrying about what will come tomorrow. I walk through the streets, inhaling the intoxicating scent of the freshly baked pain and croissants seeping through the doorways of the boulangeries, the smell of cigarette smoke that you positively cannot avoid in Paris, absorbing the sound of the r's of French words rolling elegantly off the Parisians tongues in the streets, in the marchés, and at home with my host family. I'm so obsessed with soaking it all in and being present that I forget about the things I feel I have to do eventually and concentrate more on what being in Paris now is all about. And that's the beauty of life--making the best of what you have now and allowing oneself to subscribe to the idea of que será, será.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Pre-Paris pondering...
First post of my Paris 2010 blog! Can't believe the journey has finally begun...
Just arrived in Newark, NJ at 5:30 and the flight to Paris doesn't leave until 9:30 pm. Supposed to arrive at 11:05 am tomorrow in Paris! Only a few more hours...
Figured I'd give my immersion into French life a head start by checking out what the hot topics in France are today. One glance at the New York Times homepage produced two articles that, in my opinion, could not embody more quintessentially the issues France faces today.
Does it come as a surprise that one of the articles was about French Union workers striking yet again? The other issue, not as widely-recognized by most non-French citizens, is the growing role of Muslims in the composition of the French populace.
The first article, titled "Halal Foods Expand Reach in France" describes just that--how the European country with the highest number of Muslim citizens is dealing with the social adjustments that come with welcoming a minority into the general population. The problem, it seems, is that the majority of French citizens and the French government aren't ready to accept the fact that Muslims, in the very near future, will no longer be a minority. There are six million people practicing Islam in France today and the number is growing exponentially. For the past three decades, immigration rates to France have been on the rise, and the number of immigrants originating from Africa has been the most steadily increasing contribution to the population of France as a whole. According to an article I found online (http://www.focus-migration.de/France.1231.0.html?&L=1) the countries with the most significant numbers of immigrants have been Algeria, Morocco, Portugal, Italy, Spain and Turkey, Algeria having the highest and Turkey having the lowest. And because of this, "increased control of admissions and the integration of second- and third-generation descendants of immigrants represent the most important challenges for immigration policy-making in France in the near future." In the 90s, the Minister of the Interior, Charles Pasqua, even pursued "immigration zéro," a zero immigration policy. Seems a bit backward to me with the inevitable globalization that is occurring every day.
Having been to Tunisia and gotten a taste for what the relationship is between Tunisians and the French, it will definitely be interesting to observe the other point of view. And hopefully I'll be able to retain my Arabic skills should it be necessary/convenient for me to use them....
The other article touches on a sensitive area of U.S.-French relations in terms of one country's perception of the other. The French may view Americans as crass, fat, and obnoxious, but Americans tend to view the French as snobbish and a bit detached from reality thanks to the French Union's high-scoring record of strikes over the past few decades. I can't tell you the number of times that I've heard someone respond to news about France with "Doesn't surprise me" or "Oh, those French...striking AGAIN?"
So much to take in in 4 months, and I can't wait....
Just arrived in Newark, NJ at 5:30 and the flight to Paris doesn't leave until 9:30 pm. Supposed to arrive at 11:05 am tomorrow in Paris! Only a few more hours...
Figured I'd give my immersion into French life a head start by checking out what the hot topics in France are today. One glance at the New York Times homepage produced two articles that, in my opinion, could not embody more quintessentially the issues France faces today.
Does it come as a surprise that one of the articles was about French Union workers striking yet again? The other issue, not as widely-recognized by most non-French citizens, is the growing role of Muslims in the composition of the French populace.
The first article, titled "Halal Foods Expand Reach in France" describes just that--how the European country with the highest number of Muslim citizens is dealing with the social adjustments that come with welcoming a minority into the general population. The problem, it seems, is that the majority of French citizens and the French government aren't ready to accept the fact that Muslims, in the very near future, will no longer be a minority. There are six million people practicing Islam in France today and the number is growing exponentially. For the past three decades, immigration rates to France have been on the rise, and the number of immigrants originating from Africa has been the most steadily increasing contribution to the population of France as a whole. According to an article I found online (http://www.focus-migration.de/France.1231.0.html?&L=1) the countries with the most significant numbers of immigrants have been Algeria, Morocco, Portugal, Italy, Spain and Turkey, Algeria having the highest and Turkey having the lowest. And because of this, "increased control of admissions and the integration of second- and third-generation descendants of immigrants represent the most important challenges for immigration policy-making in France in the near future." In the 90s, the Minister of the Interior, Charles Pasqua, even pursued "immigration zéro," a zero immigration policy. Seems a bit backward to me with the inevitable globalization that is occurring every day.
Having been to Tunisia and gotten a taste for what the relationship is between Tunisians and the French, it will definitely be interesting to observe the other point of view. And hopefully I'll be able to retain my Arabic skills should it be necessary/convenient for me to use them....
The other article touches on a sensitive area of U.S.-French relations in terms of one country's perception of the other. The French may view Americans as crass, fat, and obnoxious, but Americans tend to view the French as snobbish and a bit detached from reality thanks to the French Union's high-scoring record of strikes over the past few decades. I can't tell you the number of times that I've heard someone respond to news about France with "Doesn't surprise me" or "Oh, those French...striking AGAIN?"
So much to take in in 4 months, and I can't wait....
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