Paris with my mom is SO different than paris with my study abroad group. I am beyond happy that she is here and I get to show her around this beautiful city. Being here makes me miss Grenoble and the ease of getting around, but I can't sit here and say that I don't absolutely adore this place. For example, I am currently sitting in our flat right down the street from the Louvre drinking a glass of wine I bought in Bourgogne...jealous?
This has been an extremely entertaining trip thus far. Being with my mother who literally knows NOTHING in french is both amusing and frustrating. It's helpful that I've become so good at french because its up to me to get us everywhere and buy us everything. Prime example, tonight at dinner in Montmartre near the Sacre Coeur my mom tried to say thank you to the waiter in the restaurant, did she say thank you...no, did she say merci...no, she said GRACIAS. I mean come on mom! We're in France not spain. Gotta love her though.
I've also realized that I've become a snob. I hate americans. Okay that's not the truth, but I really dislike American college students who are studying in Europe and don't even try to assimilate to the culture or try to speak the languages. Today mom and I were getting coffee before trecking to Versailles, there were four american college students my age sitting at the table across the restaurant. Since my ear is keen to english I picked up on all that they were saying, they were being rude to the waitress and became frustrated when she didnt understand what they were asking her in English. uh HELLO you're in France, they speak french here. It's ignorant to think that everyone in the world speaks English. It really irritates me because I am here to learn a language and become well versed in the french culture. My mom keeps calling me a snob which I will admit to being but I guess I should show some more tolerance for my generation.
Tomorrow mom and I leave for Rennes to visit my french exchange student Sophia from high school! I haven't seen her in four years and I can't wait to spend time with her and her mom. We're planning to go to Mont St. Michel and the beaches of Normandy. This trip just keeps getting better. Au Revoir Paris, until next time.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Trop Cher!
Hello everyone!
Sorry I've been m.i.a. I don't really have any excuses except that I've been busy! Geneva was incredible! I went with three other girls from my program and we stayed two nights and had a blast. It's definitely a place worth visitin
g and now I can tell people I've been to Switzerland but boy was it expensive. Since Switzerland isn't a part of the european union they use the franc still and its close to the same amount as the dollar. So when I was charged 25 swiss francs for a drink at the bar I almost laughed in the bartenders face. There isn't much to do in Geneva so we did whatever we could, we went to the Red Cross Museum which was very interesting and I actually learned alot. We saw the UN and spent a lot of time sitting on benches by Lake Léman.
Being by a body of water made me really homesick. I've never been this land locked before and I miss the ocean and the beach. The water was crystal clear and blue and I can only imagine how much more beautiful Geneva is in the summer. I've been having a tough time with school the past few weeks, my french teacher is a typical french woman and lacks a little tact. She is very upfront about not doing homework and missing class and sometimes when I don't know the answer to a question she makes me feel like an imbecile. Tough lov
e all the way, I guess I am learning a lot because she forces me to rethink what I say and say it the right way, but its disheartening for someone to be so tough on you all the time. I guess I'm more of a softie than I thought.
I spent the past weekend here in Grenoble with my friends but this weekend API is taking us to Dijon...a.k.a. the mustard capital of the world. (or so I lovingly call it) I hope they don't make us go on a mustard tour because dijon mustard here is WAY stronger than the stuff they have in the states, it clears your nostrils right out. Anywhoo this weekend should be nice to get away with my whole group and I don't have to pay for it which is always a plus. My mom is coming in exactly one week from today and we're going to be traversing France tog
ether for about 10 days. I cannot wait to share this experience with her, it should help my french too because she barely speaks a lick of french. Sorry for the delay on posts I'll make sure to keep up with my blogging from now on I promise!
Sorry I've been m.i.a. I don't really have any excuses except that I've been busy! Geneva was incredible! I went with three other girls from my program and we stayed two nights and had a blast. It's definitely a place worth visitin
g and now I can tell people I've been to Switzerland but boy was it expensive. Since Switzerland isn't a part of the european union they use the franc still and its close to the same amount as the dollar. So when I was charged 25 swiss francs for a drink at the bar I almost laughed in the bartenders face. There isn't much to do in Geneva so we did whatever we could, we went to the Red Cross Museum which was very interesting and I actually learned alot. We saw the UN and spent a lot of time sitting on benches by Lake Léman.Being by a body of water made me really homesick. I've never been this land locked before and I miss the ocean and the beach. The water was crystal clear and blue and I can only imagine how much more beautiful Geneva is in the summer. I've been having a tough time with school the past few weeks, my french teacher is a typical french woman and lacks a little tact. She is very upfront about not doing homework and missing class and sometimes when I don't know the answer to a question she makes me feel like an imbecile. Tough lov
e all the way, I guess I am learning a lot because she forces me to rethink what I say and say it the right way, but its disheartening for someone to be so tough on you all the time. I guess I'm more of a softie than I thought.I spent the past weekend here in Grenoble with my friends but this weekend API is taking us to Dijon...a.k.a. the mustard capital of the world. (or so I lovingly call it) I hope they don't make us go on a mustard tour because dijon mustard here is WAY stronger than the stuff they have in the states, it clears your nostrils right out. Anywhoo this weekend should be nice to get away with my whole group and I don't have to pay for it which is always a plus. My mom is coming in exactly one week from today and we're going to be traversing France tog
ether for about 10 days. I cannot wait to share this experience with her, it should help my french too because she barely speaks a lick of french. Sorry for the delay on posts I'll make sure to keep up with my blogging from now on I promise!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
The Man Who Licked My Shoulder
Bonjour tout le monde!
I feel like I haven't addressed my social life enough since I've been here. If you're all sitting at home picturing me gyrating with french men at discotheques until the wee hours of the morning, you couldn't be more wrong. I consider myself to be pretty cool, hip, fun to be around...but I don't know how these french kids do it.
A typical saturday night involves eating dinner until about 9:30, heading out for "drinks" around 10. At this point you drink copious amounts of overpriced booze at a somewhat sketchy bar that doubles as a dance club, all the while trying to enjoy yourself while 8 different peoples sweat are mixing on your skin because the place is so crowded. Am I painting a good enough picture?
Did I mention a french man licked my shoulder. Some of you might shudder, others might gasp but apparently this is normal here? I've gotten cat calls before and had to tell a guy to leave me alone but no ones taken it this far. I guess it's my fault for wearing an off the shoulder dress, but after telling some man non merci for about the fifth time I turn away and he LICKS ME! Full on tongue meets shoulder people.
Luckily, that night we left promptly after I was salivated on. After the bar we went to the discotheque. More like a buidling full of discotheques, 4 different ones with coat rooms, smoking rooms, bars, people having sex in the bathroom etc...We danced our butts off for a good three hours, it only took me until I went to order a beer from the bar to realize why everyone gets so drunk at the bar before the discotheque. They wanted 5 euro for half a pint, thats like 8 dollars for a small cup of beer, thats highway robbery! For me however this wasn't a problem because I love to dance regardless of whether or not I've been drinking.
At around 4:30 we called it a night and took a taxi home. The next day I found out that french bakeries open at 4:30-5 oclock every morning and thats the best time to get fresh, hot, steamy, delicious french pastries. I'll have to do the night club thing at least one more time while I'm here just for the bread afterwards. So if you think you can handle the nightlife better than I can please come visit me. I'm having a blast, heading to Geneva this weekend with the girls, I'll post when I come home!
I feel like I haven't addressed my social life enough since I've been here. If you're all sitting at home picturing me gyrating with french men at discotheques until the wee hours of the morning, you couldn't be more wrong. I consider myself to be pretty cool, hip, fun to be around...but I don't know how these french kids do it.
A typical saturday night involves eating dinner until about 9:30, heading out for "drinks" around 10. At this point you drink copious amounts of overpriced booze at a somewhat sketchy bar that doubles as a dance club, all the while trying to enjoy yourself while 8 different peoples sweat are mixing on your skin because the place is so crowded. Am I painting a good enough picture?
Did I mention a french man licked my shoulder. Some of you might shudder, others might gasp but apparently this is normal here? I've gotten cat calls before and had to tell a guy to leave me alone but no ones taken it this far. I guess it's my fault for wearing an off the shoulder dress, but after telling some man non merci for about the fifth time I turn away and he LICKS ME! Full on tongue meets shoulder people.
Luckily, that night we left promptly after I was salivated on. After the bar we went to the discotheque. More like a buidling full of discotheques, 4 different ones with coat rooms, smoking rooms, bars, people having sex in the bathroom etc...We danced our butts off for a good three hours, it only took me until I went to order a beer from the bar to realize why everyone gets so drunk at the bar before the discotheque. They wanted 5 euro for half a pint, thats like 8 dollars for a small cup of beer, thats highway robbery! For me however this wasn't a problem because I love to dance regardless of whether or not I've been drinking.
At around 4:30 we called it a night and took a taxi home. The next day I found out that french bakeries open at 4:30-5 oclock every morning and thats the best time to get fresh, hot, steamy, delicious french pastries. I'll have to do the night club thing at least one more time while I'm here just for the bread afterwards. So if you think you can handle the nightlife better than I can please come visit me. I'm having a blast, heading to Geneva this weekend with the girls, I'll post when I come home!
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