Busy and yet not Busy

Well the last point I left you off at I had just said goodbye to my grandparents after spending a wonderful week with them.  The second week of my Toussaint break I didn't do too much.  I did go to Parc Buttes Chaumont with my friend, Olivia, and had a wonderful time exploring a part of the city I had never seen before.  We hung out there to see the sunset and it was worth it!

First we visited le Canal St Martin

Le Parc Buttes Chaumont

Waiting for the sunset

Olivia & I hanging out at Parc Buttes Chaumont

View of Sacré Coeur from the parc

I then had a week of classes and actually started doing my language labs with the students and they went alright.  I am still meeting the students and trying to learn everyone's names.  The students are really nice though and the teachers are nice too.  We had November 11th off for Armistice Day so I went out to Les Sièges with my friend Olivia for the weekend.  We left on Friday and came back on Monday.  It was cold but we had a nice time seeing everyone and enjoying the fresh air in the countryside.

Les Sièges with it's flags for the holiday

Walking around Les Sièges

Enjoying the countryside

Me meeting my newest French cousin, Ethan

On Sunday we went to the town of Château Thierry which is the birth place of Jean de la Fontaine, a famous French author of short stories.  We also visited an American Memorial that was not far from the town and then we headed over to the American cemetery at Belleau Wood.

Visiting the town of Château Thierry

A view of the town Château Thierry

The American Memorial for WWI

A view from the Memorial which is on a hill

The American Memorial

The American Cemetery for WWI

All the crosses for the brave men who gave their lives

Belleau Wood

A monument at Belleau Wood

Pictures don't even show the scars from the battle; there are huge holes in the ground

Françoise, Manu & Olivia reading information about the battle

On Monday we spent the day in Sens checking out the marché and the cathedrale.  We also went over to a friend's house and then in the late afternoon Olivia & I took the train back into Paris.

La Cathédrale de Sens

Inside the cathedral

A pedestrian street in Sens

It has been a busy few weeks yet at the same time it hasn't been very busy.  I am so blessed to have been able to explore Paris with a very sweet friend and to be able to get to hang out with the cousins for a weekend in the countryside.  I was also able to rediscover places with them because I went to both the American Memorial, the American Cemetery and Belleau Wood the first time I was in France but I don't remember them so it was exciting seeing something new.  The month of November is quickly passing and I am not sure how I feel about that because I know that before I know it my time will be up but I am going to enjoy the time I do have here.

My Grandparents in Paris

The week before my grandparents arrived in Paris I had finally started observing at Lycée Rabelais, which is where I am an assistant for the year.  I won't actually start assisting until the beginning of November because we have the last two weeks of October off for Toussaint.  I'm not complaining and have been enjoying my time off.  Anyways, on Friday the 18th I officially moved out to the south suburbs with the wonderful Kleville family.  They are kind enough to let me rent out one of their rooms.  It has been lots of fun living with a French family because I get to speak in French and there is always lots going on since they have four kids.  Anyways, now to the more exciting part of my break...my grandparents came!!!

My grandparents had not been to Paris in 30 years and decided to come out and visit me for my first week of break.  They arrived on Tuesday the 22nd of October in the evening.  They rented a studio in the 4th on Place Ste Catherine and let me tell you, it was really nice!  I went into Paris on Tuesday evening and was anxiously awaiting their arrival.  They finally arrived and I walked (swiftly, almost a run) over to them and said hello and gave big hugs.  It was so great to see them!  We were let into the studio and given the low down on how everything works.  Afterwards, we went to a café on the square for dinner and I had a delicious chèvre chaud salad.  We then hung out in the studio and they gave me all the goodies that I had asked for from home and then I went back home to go to bed.

On Wednesday the 23rd, I headed into Paris bright and early and of course came bearing croissants for breakfast.  We went over to the local Monoprix and picked up some much needed groceries for the week so we could also do some cooking instead of going out all the time.  We then headed over to the Louvre and saw the pyramid (which wasn't there 30 years ago when they were here) and we went inside since they didn't have time when they were here last.

Grandma & Grandpa in front of the pyramid at the Louvre

Grandma enjoying a fresco by Boticelli

The lovely halls with all the statues

Looking out a window at the Pyramide

After we were done at the Louvre we walked over to les Jardins des Tuileries and enjoyed the beautiful weather that we had.  We even sat on some of the famous green chairs that are in some of the parks of Paris.

L'arc de Triomphe du Carrousel

View of the Eiffel Tower

Grandma, Grandpa & I in les Jardins des Tuileries

Les Jardins des Tuileries

Fall colors in les Jardins des Tuileries

We then went to Place de la Concorde

Grandpa got the true Parisian welcome by being pickpocketed on the métro, thankfully he didn't lose anything of super importance but his métro pass was taken so on Thursday we had to go to the Tourism Office and buy a new one.  We then went and visited la Conciergerie where Marie-Antoinette was held before she was beheaded.  We then visited Sainte Chapelle, which is the church with all the stain glass windows.

Sainte Chapelle

They were restoring some of the stain glass windows but it was still nice

We then went to Notre Dame and looked around there.  After that we went to Ile St. Louis and had galettes for lunch and for dessert we had Berthillon's ice cream.

Notre Dame, they were celebrating 850 years so this structure was there

Grandma, Grandpa & I at Notre Dame

Inside Notre Dame

A view of Notre Dame while walking around

We also walked past l'Hôtel de Ville and then walked back to the studio

After resting for a bit we walked over to Place des Vosges and just sat on a bench for a while and enjoyed the nice day.

Place des Vosges

On Friday we went to Musée D'Orsay and that was fun because when my grandparents were here last it was a train station and now it is a museum with my favorite style of art, Impressionism.  We didn't do much else and sadly there are no pictures because they do not allow pictures in the Musée D'Orsay.  Saturday I went into Paris and we went on the Bateaux Mouches ride in the morning.  It was rather gray but there was blue sky occasionally and it only drizzled for a minute so it wasn't too bad.

Musée D'Orsay from the Bateaux Mouches ride

Grandma & Grandpa enjoying the Bateaux Mouches ride (Notre Dame in background)

Paris in the fall

We had lunch at the studio and then we visited Musée Carnavalet which is just a short walk from where they were staying.  We had a nice time looking at the paintings and whatnot that shows the history of Paris.  In the evening we went to the Kleville's house for a wonderful dinner.  It was so generous of the family I am staying with to open their home and make a delicious dinner for my grandparents.  We had a nice time and I took the train back into Paris with my grandparents to make sure they made it. 

Sunday was their last full day and it was so much fun getting to hang out with my grandparents in Paris.  It was such a blessing to have them here and to get to share Paris with them.  I truly enjoyed having them here and am thankful for the time we had together.  We went to the Holocaust museum which was not far from where they were staying and it was a very humbling experience.

The Holocaust Museum

After lunch we headed over to Sacré Coeur since the last time they were here they didn't have the time to go and it is one of the major attractions.

Sacré Coeur

Grandpa, Grandma & I at Sacré Coeur

I am so glad that they were able to come and visit me during my break.  It was such a wonderful time and I will always cherish the memories we made and all the fun adventures we had around the city that means so much to me.

No School, yet. . .

School: the reason I came here was to be an English assistant and I have yet to start at my school.  I was supposed to start observing this past week but then got an email saying that I was not needed so come next week.  They seem pretty relaxed about the whole thing and so I am just trying to go with the flow.  So another week has gone by without me having any work to do which is fine with me.  I am looking forward though to starting at the school and getting into a routine.  However, since I've had all this time off and am feeling a bit better I've actually wanted to go out and do things.  On Tuesday evening I went to the young adult group at the American Church in Paris and had a nice time eating pizza and talking about Jesus with some really cool people.  But during the day on Tuesday I picked up a tasty treat and went to Le Jardin des Plantes.  I also just walked around quite a bit and explored more of Paris.

Un chausson pomme (it is warm and there is like an applesauce on the inside)

Le Jardin des Plantes, surprisingly I had never been here before

There are lots of plants in Le Jardin des Plantes

A fall day in Le Jardin des Plantes

A pretty door I came across while leaving the gardens (I love the color blue so of course I liked the door)

Sadly, I don't know which bridge this is that crosses the Seine (I should probably figure that out)

Notre Dame in the distance

Exploring Ile St. Louis

La Seine

Wednesday, I headed out to the burbs to hang out with the French family that I will be living with.  I watched 2 of their kids and had a nice time hanging out with them.  I stayed for dinner and since it was the husband's birthday I helped make a cheesecake since the family really likes cheesecake.  It didn't turn out too bad seeing as I've never made one before.  It was so much fun getting to celebrate his birthday and just be with the family.  On Thursday, Carolyn (the lady I'm currently staying with) left to go back to the States for a long weekend for her high school reunion.  It was nice having the place to myself.  I met up with Rémicette, a friend I met last time I was in Paris, and we did our conversation exchange where we speak 30 minutes in French & 30 minutes in English.  We met at a café near my old neighborhood and so I stopped at my old boulangerie afterwards and picked up this delicious treat.

A tarte aux fraises (it is amazing)

On Friday I went to a café and sat there for a few hours reading and drinking a café.  It is such a fun place and was so bright, colorful and cheery.  I really enjoyed it there.

Les Petites Indécises in the 11th; a new favorite of mine

On Friday evening I went over to ACP for a free concert and met some really cool people and had a nice lasagna dinner for only 5euros which isn't bad.  It was a lot of fun and afterwards some of us went out for drinks at a nearby café.

Some of the performers (there was all different kinds of music from jazz to blue grass to covers of pop music)

Saturday I went over to a friend's place for homemade chili, I actually met her at the concert.  We had a nice time eating chili and hanging out we then baked some cookies and were guessing on the measurements since they don't have cup, teaspoon and tablespoon measurements here in France.  It was a lot of fun.  In the evening, she was supposed to meet up with me to go see the fireworks at Sacré Coeur for the Fête des Vendanges (the wine festival) and my friend Ryan came along as well.  Well, Olivia (the friend who was supposed to come didn't show up because her meeting ran way late and she doesn't yet have a phone so we couldn't contact her).  Anyways, Ryan and I were waiting for Olivia to show up and by the time we decided to leave our meeting spot we tried to run over to Sacré Coeur and see the fireworks but missed them.  However, we ran into Rachel (a girl who I studied abroad with) and her friend and we walked up the steps to see Sacré Coeur at night since Ryan had never seen it before.  It was fun and I had a great time chatting with everyone.  

Sacré Coeur at night, sadly we missed the fireworks

On Sunday I got up early (even though I went to bed rather late on Saturday and did not want to get up in the morning) to go out to the burbs to spend the day with the Klevilles.  I went to church with them and then we went out for lunch at Pizza Hut and on our way back we stopped at a nice park and walked around for a while.  We then headed back to their house and watched the movie October Sky but in French and afterwards I headed back to Paris.  

It has been a surprisingly busy week filled with many adventures now that I think about it.  Now for a week of starting school and moving out to the suburbs to live with a French family.

Another Week in Paris

Well another week has come and gone in Paris.  There is not too much to report from across the pond.  I have had a cold since Monday and so I have mostly locked myself in the apartment unless if I absolutely had to go somewhere.  It has made for a rather boring week with sadly no pictures.  Hopefully this week will be better and I'll be in better shape to go exploring around this beautiful city!  I had a few meetings for my program about administrative like things, for example social security in France and how to get it along with things like activities to do with your students when you start working with them.  Other than that I've got a lot of reading done and I've watched quite a few movies. I did venture out to go to the young adult group at the American Church in Paris and was glad I went because I met some really nice people.  I also found a place that could translate my birth certificate so that was exciting.  I also on Sunday went to church and afterwards the young adult group went over to the Musée D'Orsay because on the first Sunday of the month museums are free.  It was a nice time and I met some really cool people but holy cow was the line to get in ridiculously long!  Also once you were actually in the museum it was rather packed and made it difficult to actually enjoy the artwork because you were being jostled around by everyone trying to get around you.  It was an interesting experience to say the least and I'm not so sure I'll venture out again on the first Sunday of the month to visit the museums because I have some time before I come back to go and enjoy them when they are a bit less crowded. But sadly other than that there is not much else to say.  Things will get more exciting though again once I'm better and am busy with school and living with the French family.

A Somewhat Busy First Week

Well, I have been in Paris for a week and have been busy with administrative like things.  I was able to get a métro pass, open a bank account and go to my school and meet the English teachers as well as the principal.  It still amazes me how much I have accomplished in this short amount of time.  I have also had a lot of free time and so I have been reading a lot (which is wonderful) in the local park near by and just exploring the city and the neighborhood I live in.  The 11th is a nice area in the fact that it isn't quite so touristy and it is mostly true working Parisians that live in this area.

So here are some of the highlights from this past week:

I found a cute little park that is not far from the place I am staying at and it has become one of my favorite spots to just sit and read or just watch the people walk by.

Square M. Gardette, one of my favorite spots in the area.

On Tuesday I went to the young adult group at the American Church in Paris and helped make the pizzas for pizza night.  I had a nice time and met some really nice people there.  On Wednesday, I went over to the Luxembourg gardens and went to the crêpe stand that is near there that has delicious things to eat.  I also went over to the gardens and just sat and enjoyed the park.  It was kind of funny to see all the tourists bustling about.

Enjoying the Luxembourg gardens like everyone else

I met up with Rachel, a girl who studied abroad in Paris on the Central program with me in the spring, on Wednesday evening at a place called Le Pure Café.  I had such a great time getting to talk with her and enjoy a glass of wine.  It was also really nice getting to see a familiar face in the city.  On Thursday, I headed over to Lycée Rabelais in the 18th where I will be an English assistant for the year and met the English teachers (except for one) and the principal.  Everyone seems really nice and willing to help out in any way that they can.  I am really looking forward to getting started and working with the kids.  On Friday I went back to the park I always go to and hung out there I also went to a café near me called Les Cent Kilos and had a café.  It was great just sitting there and watching the people walk by.

Enjoying an espresso (un café) and getting some much needed journaling done

On Saturday I met up with the Kleville family, which is a family I have been in contact with about possibly living with them for the year.  They were in Paris for the Protéstants en Fête, which is like a big conference type thing that only happens every four years in a different city in France for Protestants, and were doing things for that.  I hung out with them and went around to the different stands.  I then went with them back to their house in the south suburbs and hung out and had a lovely dinner.  I had such a great time and am going to be moving in with them later.  Today, I found out that my dear friend, Becky, is coming to Paris for her Christmas break and will be spending Christmas and New Years with me in Paris.  I was super excited when I found out that she is coming over.  I also went to church and afterwards explored around my neighborhood.  I was also able to Facetime with my parents and my grandparents.  It was so great getting to talk with them and I am really looking forward to my grandparents coming to Paris in October, it will be such a wonderful time!

Walking around the streets of the 11th

A very stereotypical looking French bakery that I came across in the 11th

St. Ambroise, a church that is near where I live

Back in Paris

Being back in Paris has been a roller coaster of mixed emotions.  There are moments where I am enjoying life back in the big city and there are moments where I have questioned what I am doing here and if I am capable of jumping through all the hoops to even just get a simple métro pass let alone open up a French bank account.  You see, when I studied abroad in Paris for a year I had a program with a director right here in Paris (and was rather spoiled).  She told us where we would be living, helped us get our phones, open a bank account, get a métro pass, etc., etc.  In the beginning she held our hand through the whole process and at any point during our time here you could go to her for help.  Well, this time around I am rather alone in the whole process of living abroad.  I do have a contact person in the French government but when one is working with the French expect slow responses and not much help in jumping through the hoops of 'becoming a local.'  It can be rather daunting when you have to open a bank account, get a métro pass, find a permanent place to stay, find a place that will translate your birth certificate and that the French government will accept as a valid translation, amongst other things.

So I left on a Wednesday and it was hard saying goodbye to my parents but I did and caught my flight to Stockholm, Sweden.  I tried to sleep on the plane but as per usual it was in vain.  I then had to sit around the Stockholm airport for a few hours and I caught my flight to Paris, they changed the gate on me but thankfully it was just across the hall so I didn't have to go very far.  The flight was packed and I was surrounded by the chattiest people so trying to catch any sleep was no use.  I make it to the airport in Paris and got my suitcases and found a phone to call the shuttle company.  The guy that was picking me up was waiting for me and took me out to the van.  There were two other ladies already in the van and we were going to pick up the last woman.  Traffic was horrible going into Paris so I got to the apartment I'm staying at temporarily a bit late.  I am staying in the 11th arrondissement with an American woman who has lived/worked in Paris for 22 years and has just recently retired and decided to stay in France.  She is very nice for letting me stay with her for a bit before I find somewhere else to stay for the rest of my time here.  I got a tour of the apartment/apartment building and we chatted for a bit.  I was able to contact my family and let them know I made it to Paris.  Nothing else exciting really happened on Thursday because I was tired and went to bed early.

On Friday I did some grocery shopping at 2 of the nearest grocery stores and was not impressed with the one but the other one isn't too bad.  I also took a chance and found out that I can use Maissie's old French cell phone so that was good news (just one less thing I had to worry about).  I walked around the neighborhood for a bit in the afternoon and came across a street that has a lot of nice looking shops that sell cheese, or meat or wine.  I think I'll be stopping back there to check it out more closely.  I also just walked around and happened upon a church and a school that was letting kids out for the day.

Saturday I got up and hung out around the apartment.  I then had to be out of the apartment between noon and 5pm because Carolyn was having some friends over to celebrate her birthday.  So I bought some métro tickets and went over to my old neighborhood in the 8th arrondissement.  It was nice being back in that area but things had changed somewhat since I was living there.  I definitely felt more comfortable walking around there and could kind of go on "auto-pilot mode."  I went over to Parc Monceau and walked around for a bit and found a nice bench and just sat there for hours.  It was really nice and I was able to read and just enjoy one of my favorite spots in the city.  I then walked to the Arc de Triomphe and a gypsy tried to play the "you lost your ring" trick on me but I just said no and walked away.  I then headed down the Champs-Elysées and stopped to sit on a bench in the park across from the American Embassy.  It was also perfect timing because my mom called to see how things were going.  I eventually headed back to the apartment and just hung out before going to bed.

Sitting in Parc Monceau, it always does me well

Checking out the Arc de Triomphe

Today I went to church at the American Church in Paris and really enjoyed being there.  I am hoping to get involved with their young adult group this time around since the last time I wasn't able to because I had service-learning at the same time.  ACP (the American Church in Paris) has a bulletin board with people looking for housing/offering housing options.  The majority of the options were way out of my budget but there were a few that I will contact.

Heading over to ACP for church and this is the view I get to see (not too shabby, right?)

This coming week I will just be trying to get stuff done before I start up at school and have meetings with the program.

The Beginning of a New Adventure

I just couldn't resist, when the opportunity arose for me to possibly move back to France after finishing college, I had to apply.  You see, my advisor/French professor my freshman year had talked about students returning to France to teach English and it was at that moment that she planted the idea in my head.  After that moment I kind of put it on a back burner and didn't even really consider it because I knew for a fact that I would be living/studying in Paris my junior year and I had that to look forward to.    Also, life post college seems like a million years away when you are a freshman.  Well fast-forward to life post Paris, aka senior year, and I was itching to go back so I looked into it and found out I could start the application process via the French government in October.  So what did I do?  I applied.  I took a huge chance and said, "what the heck, why not?  the worst they can say is no."  I sent my online application in the middle of January (before the deadline) before starting my student teaching experience and knew that I would not find out anything until April.  Life was busy with commuting, planning lessons, and teaching.  Low and behold the month of April comes along and I received an email saying I was accepted to teach in the Paris Academy.  I was completely and absolutely surprised that 1. they even accepted me and 2. that I was going to be back in Paris.  When I applied I thought it was a complete long shot and they would never even consider me as a candidate and then I thought even if I do get accepted it surely won't be in Paris because they make it very clear that it is not easy to get a spot to teach in Paris.  But here I am with a teaching assistant position in Paris and I realize how blessed I am to have this opportunity.

When I found out I was returning to France, it was only April and I still had to finish my student teaching and graduate, I also still had the whole summer ahead of me.  Well summer has come and gone and school has started back up.  Now, the fact that I am going back to Paris for a year is becoming more and more real as the days draw closer to my departure.  I don't think it has really hit me yet that I am going back to Paris, it is quite a strange feeling.  I am excited and nervous about the whole thing because I don't know yet where I will be living in the city and I don't really know much yet as to how this whole program works.  It can be daunting to think about in general.  It means another year away from family and friends and the comforts of home.  However, I do know that this is where God wants me to be (it is amazing how clear He can make things by closing doors and opening others) and I know that it will be a wonderfully amazing experience that will help me grow.  I am leaving shortly and am the least bit prepared, I do have a visa even though it is 9 days too short but at least it is something.  I have a feeling that it is going to get rather hectic around here with packing and whatnot and hopefully I will have decided what I am going to do about my living situation in Paris.  But for now I am just going to enjoy the time I have with my family and friends before I start the next chapter of my life with a wonderful adventure.