Paris Je t'aime

Sorry, I need to get better about updating my blog.

Academics:
My classes are split in two. I have classes at the ACCENT center, Monday-Thursday, 1:30-3pm. I am taking Paris Civilization and Culture, and The European Union. For my Paris Civ class, we attend school on Monday, discuss our weekly reading involving the history of Paris, and then on Wednesdays we see everything on-site. It's a great way to learn history, and see where it all happened. So far in my EU class, we have just been learning the basics. Talking A LOT about World War 2, which I love. History buff. I can't wait to go to Omaha beach on September 30th. Hopefully this class picks up soon...just need to wrap up the introduction/basics.

Besides my classes at accent, I also take classes at La Sorbonne, Monday-Friday, 5-7pm. I take classes in the smallest little, historic building in the Latin Quarter. I will never get tired of this view of Notre Dame walking to/leaving my classroom. I love everything about this park, regardless of the sleeping homeless people. So, I have officially completed my first 2 weeks at La Sorbonne. I am pretty lucky, my professor Isabelle is my favorite. Her method is to teach us, then immediately after, give us a test. I could definitely do without this method. I don't understand her grading method either because I got a 7/10 on a test and she commended me for my amazing work. ? . To me, that is not the best grade. Maybe they weigh things differently here? Regardless, I think these little tests are just prepping us for our final....that is 80% of our final grade. Terrifying. There is no such thing as "privacy" at La Sorbonne. If you do bad, Isabelle will call you out. If you had the worst grade, she WILL make it known to the entire class. Regardless, she's pretty hilarious. We had an oral exam where we listened to a french conversation, and had to fill in the blanks for certain words. One of the words was "rocher," the chocolates (like Ferrero Rocher-which Isabelle believes is the "merde" chocolate of the world). The next day, she brought us all her favorite Rocher chocolates. So, I'm pretty lucky I didn't get a grumpy professor. Plus, she used to dress the models for all the designer fashion shows. Très chic.

Sight-Seeing!

Paris, Je t'aime! As much as I try to not act like a tourist, I can't help myself. I went on a bateau-mouche ride on the Seine. It was my third bateau-mouche ride in Paris, but years later, it still never gets old. There was a Parisian couple on the boat ride, and I joked with them, and asked why they were doing something so touristy. The man said, "Paris is such a beautiful place, sometimes it is necessary to take an impromptu boat ride through the Seine, and look at its marvels from the outside, in." I melted. People here think in poetry, I swear. I also went to Versailles. Love being a student, and getting in for free! It's so massive. I don't think Marie Antoinette and myself would have been friends. Her decor is a little too busy for me, and the whole "Let them eat cake" thing doesn't feel right. Regardless, Versailles is massive, and I can spend all day just hanging out in the gardens there. Perfect place for a pique-nique and bike ride.

September 11th was a hard day here. It's a hard feeling to explain. I guess if I can sum it up in one word it would be "detachment." I felt like I should have been in my country on the 10th anniversary instead of sitting in an apartment in Paris. Naturally, it also made me miss home, and being with my Dad on his birthday. So, I decided that sitting home on that rainy Sunday wasn't really what I should be doing. I saw on the news that the French were doing a memorial service at Trocadero. A few of us on the program decided that we really should go pay our respects, it was the least we could do. I felt humbled with how the French remembered that day. There was a crowd of people, and everyone was holding French flags, and American flags together. On stage, there were french firefighters, a choir, and different speakers. It was obvious that we were American, and French people came up to us, and gave their condolences on behalf of their country. A woman asked me what I thought of how the French set up the 9/11 service in Paris. I said it couldn't have been done better, but only if it would stop pouring! Typical French, thinking in poetry, this woman responded: "The rain is our France's tears for your country." Towards the end of the service, the rain stopped, and the sun came out. 

September 11, 2001. We Will Never Forget.