Broken Bikes, Sunburn, and Mardi Fou

The past few weeks have been pretty great. Aside from babysitting and school, we've been spending quite a bit of time outside. It's been in the 60s and 70s for the majority of the past month or so. Can't complain. Picnics are easy here. Just grab a cheap baguette and some Camembert cheese and you're all set. Maybe a few cherry tomatoes too. And you can't forget the wine! It's actually perfectly legal to drink in public. We've also spent a couple nights on le Pont des Arts (Bridge of the Arts). It's really great because there are loads of people there, diverse across the cultures, languages, and age. My friend Catherine from England met us there one night for shisha. We had a good time but unfortunately her phone was lost or stolen, so it was quite the adventure getting her back to where she needed to be.

I also met up with one of my friends from North Carolina who I worked with in Chicago last summer. He had dinner with the kids and me and then we got some crepes and eventually headed out to experience some of the night life in Paris. Aaron, a recent poker champ during his time here, met us with Dunc. Basically Aaron made it rain and we ended up in some party cave by the end of the night. It was a great time. Getting home was an adventure however, as there isn't any public transportation in that area suited for my needs. Therefore, I decided to rent a bike for the way home. That went well. After the cord for my headphones got jammed into my tire, I had to put the bike in a station. I caught a nearby bus to advance my position a bit, then took another bike for the second half of my trek across Paris. When the tires decided they wanted to go airborne, I was at least able to jump off in time in order to avoid injury.

Since there wasn't enough adventure that night, Dunc, Deets, and I decided to try out a new area. I had to babysit but I was able to jump on a metro and meet them after. By chance, my friend Ryan from NC happened to be on the same section of the train. The odds of the same station, train, and car have to be slim to none. Then we realized we had the same destination. Crazy. The UFO Bar was a bit strict in letting only guys in. So I decided to walk in with four unknowing girls. My camouflage worked. The bar had a cool comic book-esque feel. After closing, we walked to another random place and ran into my friend again. Took another bike home without any mishaps!

The next day, instead of working on my paper, I met some friends at the Eiffel Tower to sit around and do nothing because it was a beautiful day. Who did I see again? My NC friend. He and his thoughts had to think I was stalking them..

Last weekend, a group of us went to the Versailles Gardens to do exactly the same

thing: nothing. We bought 7 baguettes, a ton of cheese and wine, and fruit. We played a cool soccer game, Brian and I against Jack and Matthew. It was funny to watch Charlie and Alex freak out from the sidelines everytime the ball came close to them. After 7 hours of hanging out and me pushing Matthew in the little lake, we finally took the train home and were exhausted. I was completely red, but not as bad as the Irish guys. Brian is now shedding his skin like a snake.



For the past three weeks, we have been having Mardi Fou (crazy Tuesday) at Jack's because Domino's Pizza has every pizza of every size for 8 euro. So we basically indulge ourselves and never want to eat again by the end of the night. One of our favorite things to do during these dinners is take Alex's phone without her seeing and sending messages to random people. When she gets a reply, she has to try to figure out what she actually sent. Poor Canada.

Ah right. On Saturday, a group of us went to the stadium in France to watch the rugby match, Paris vs. Clermont. The team was recently purchased by a "flamboyant" owner and he totally changed the format of the event. First, the team's color is pink. The cheerleaders, or "pom pon girls" with a heavy French accent, could not have been less coordinated. the music was quite funny too because they left profanities in the music, probably unaware of the meaning. Paris ended up losing, but it was still a good time. There was a firework show after the game as well. Though it didn't look safe or professional at all, it actually proved itself to be entertaining.



This week is going to be depressing; I have to write a research paper by Friday before leaving for Milan. But after that, Spaghetti Break 2011 commences!

More visitors, cooking, and Paris life

While writing the aforementioned research paper, I found myself doing things that were entirely counterproductive to the task at hand but entirely practical in my everyday life as an independent college student. I found a website that provides easy yet incredibly delicious recipes on the cheap. Win. We'll get back to this is a minute..

Last Tuesday while babysitting, I told the kids that I'd be leaving them at the end of May. Upon hearing this, they immediately put up a protest: Vic said that if I left at that time, he would stop eating and Lou said it would ruin her summer. I immediately bought them each a plane ticket to Chicago.

I wish.

On Thursday, I had a meeting with my U of I adviser who happened to be in Paris for the week. It was actually very helpful because, I must admit, I was unsure of what to do with a major in French Commercial Studies. He showed me my courses for next semester and my fears were relieved. I'll be taking courses in Business Management on an international level. Perfect. My general education requirements are all complete and there only rests a couple of other classes to take. "Are you planning on graduating next year?" *Stomach drops. "Uh, yes, if I can!" "You can." Don't play me like that, Fresco..

Friday night, Nissa and I decided to try out some of the recipes we found. I made chicken enchiladas and there were so delicious. Nissa made a veggie casserole which was also quite good. My boxed mashed potatoes, however, didn't quite meet everyone else's standards. The cooking process took a lot longer than anticipated, but it was still a good night.

In the morning, I woke up to meet Carrie's mom and two friends at their hotel in Paris. It was great to see Mrs. Grochowski again-she always has a big smile, a big hug, and a big offering of snacks! She brought me my sister's iPod Touch which I had been lost without, my dad's awesome homemade cookies, and Reese's Easter candy! I had to go search for Carrie and her cousin Sarah because Carrie naturally became disoriented, but then we were all together. It was up to me to provide a mini-tour. That's quite a bit of pressure considering that I want them to have a good time in Paris while avoiding the main tourist attractions because they would see it on a real tour later in their trip! We walked through the Latin Quarter, Notre Dame, and Le Marais. Then we took the metro to find a perfume store they wanted to visit. It was a lot more walking than anyone anticipated but that's what street-side cafes are for. We walked through le Jardin de Tuileries and took pictures by the pyramids at the Louvre before heading back to the metro. Just after telling them that I have never seen a pickpocket nor have any of my friends been robbed, someone asked Deb for the time while slowly unzipping her purse. They ran off the metro after being caught but I still felt bad for providing a false sense of security!

A couple hours later, we met up at a restaurant called Bouillon Chartier, recommended by my friend and a friend of Mrs. Grochowski. Our French friend Maeva met us there as well. The restaurant was very lively and authentic as well. It's been the same restaurant since 1896. Despite being there for an early dinner, the service was still rushed. It was also typically French. When I told our waiter we were ready to order, he basically yelled at me saying he was busy with another table. Of course I told him that I was just letting him know! Of course I don't expect him to drop everything for me right there but how else will he know we're ready! Anyways, we ordered red and white wine, foie gras, cured ham, and dried sausage to start out our meal. My next course was lam ribs which were fatty but really tasty. For dessert, we all shared a selection of ice cream, pastries, and other random dishes. I find it funny that we didn't actually need to catch up that much because everything is already published on Facebook or we've already talked online. I suppose it can be considered a bad thing, but at the same time, it's great! We still found stories to talk about and had a great meal together.

Afterwards, Carrie, Sarah, and I met Dunc and Deets at Maeva's apartment. She lives right by our school and has a view of the Eiffel Tower-through a reflection. We walked with her through Paris a bit and came up to a huge gathering of all the Sciences Po campuses in France. They were all in team colors and everyone was cheering against each other. It was some celebration for the sports teams which is the reason I didn't know about the event!

We walked around more and eventually got a sandwich grec before calling it a night. In the morning, I decided that it would be best to work on some homework before meeting back up with the group for dinner. Dinner. Was. AmazinglydeliciousfancyFrenchluxiourious. We had a reservation on a boat on the Seine at night. Wearing a tie and everything, I boarded the boat to the sound of a live violinist and pianist. We had a table at the front of the boat and were immediately served champagne and a salmon appetizer. For my entree, I had sauteed foie gras which was exquisite.For the main dish, I had another piece of delicious lamb with vegetables. I also had half a steak that Deb couldn't finish. Next, we had a selection of three cheeses with nut-bread, which didn't disappoint. For dessert, I had a three-layer chocolate mousse dish, as well as the rest of Sarah and Deb's cake. It wasn't my choice to eat all that. I had to "take one for the team" and eat everything on the table! The three hour meal was much more than enjoyable. We rode along the Seine and saw all of the monuments lit up at night. Even though I've seen it all many ties before, these sites of Paris never cease to amaze.

We finished the night by walking to the Eiffel Tower and bartering for some street souvenirs. I set them up on the bus and sent them on their way. Sarah is now home but the others are in Grenoble visiting Carrie for the week. Unfortunately Carrie's mom also brought her a cold that's been keeping her in bed. I told her I was glad she only brought me snacks!

I spend Monday in class and at the park because it's been in the sixties here. We couldn't go to the park really yesterday because it rained a bit, but at least it wasn't snowing! Then I made enchiladas again for Harlem, Brian, and Alex at Harlem's place. I'm addicted. Can't wait to try out more things to make for a bit of home cooking!

So I have less than two months left in France, unless I find a summer internship here. I am looking at home and elsewhere, but only time will tell as I wait to here back!

(Pics for this entry to come!)

Procrastination and beyond +Irish culture!

So in the past couple of weeks, I haven't done any traveling, but I'm actually (trying) to get some work done. And I've had quite a bit of Irish and "Irish" culture.

Being a student from U of I, of course I had to celebrate "Unofficial Saint Patrick's Day." However, it was much shorter than normal and not nearly as adventurous as it should have been. Though it was fun to be with everyone from U of I and sporting green! I even had some delicious Chinese food and ate 15euro worth!

A week later Aimee and Patricia flew over from Dublin to visit for a few days. It was really good to see them again. It's crazy, Aimee and I grew up together and found ourselves taking pictures by the Eiffel Tower! We had the apartment where I stayed for a couple months which was awesome.

During their stay, we had plenty of wine, bread, and cheese of course. We saw all the sites with my own personal tour, which mainly consisted of the following descriptions: "check that out, it's famous for something," and "that's a statue of some historically important guy," or "look something shiny let's walk towards it. Perhaps I should know more details, but there's so many it's sometimes better to skip over them..

We checked out Versailles and walked for ages. The girls loved the farm and especially the farm animals. They also loved my favorite part of Paris: Montmartre and the artists' square. Our last dinner together was a fondue meal in the Latin Quarter with 2 servers who refused to bring us a pitcher of water! In the end it was a good dinner though!

In total, the weekend flew by and it hardly even seems like they were here, but it'll be summer soon enough and I can see them again!

Babysitting has been going well as usual. I'm trying to make different meals for the kids because we always have the same thing. Their current favorite is hot dogs wrapped in flakey croissant-like crust. Delicious.

Vic was actually sick the other day and I had to pick him up early from school. He layed in bed and I ate my lunch (lentils and pasta-easy, cheap, healthy-ish, and delicious!) and started reading an article I have to present. Of course that ended up with me sleeping on Lou's bed for an hour before picking her up from school. Good thing I had set an alarm..

Skip ahead a few more days and we find ourselves at the REAL Saint Patrick's Day. After a shortened day of babysitting (and payday!), I headed over to my Irish friends' apartment for a party. They take their country pride seriously! Flags were being used as capes and a shamrock or flag face-painting was compulsory for all attendees. I wore a flag around my neck and had it painted on my face to rep my full blooded one-fourth Irish heritage! We all had a great time until we were strongly encouraged to take the party elsewhere by the landlady. No problem, as an Irish pub was on the list! We basically paraded over to it as well, stopping at "Place de Dublin" for a picture. I even ended up brawling my Irish friend Matthew on a street corner-all in good fun of course. The night was great, making friends

with everyone and Guinness flowing. At about 2:15 in the morning, Harlem insisted upon leaving so I had to get us a taxi home. Lucky for her, in a twisted way, that she lost her wallet and I had to pay for the cab! I left a few hours later because public transportation had not yet opened. I buttoned up my shirt all the way to hide my green shirt. That way people wouldn't know I had been out all night! But then when I returned home I realized there was still a flag painted on my face and my efforts had been in vain. Oh well, it was still a great night!

Then on Saturday, I joined the same friends for the rugby match between England and Ireland. Once again going green, I donned my Ireland shirt. At another pub, I tried to understand the sport (that my sister now plays!) while learning the insulting cheers of the Irish, something about English chariots! Ireland won in the end and I think I have a small grasp of how the game works. It's quite nice that time between plays is much more swift than in American football.

Since then I've been trying to finish my presentation and required class readings. However, Mad Men got in the way, which is fine because it relates to a couple of my courses.

I have a research paper due Friday which may or may not be started yet. And a presentation to give tomorrow in French. All of my real work is coming up very quickly which is not too exciting. But oh well, the adventures continue..

Germany Part 2 (Berlin)

To be quite honest, I had no idea what to expect upon entering Berlin. It was much more modern than I expected, due to the destruction during the war. The thing I loved most about Berlin was the history that was alive in it, namely the Nazi regime. It is really interesting to see how they treat the subject. As Max explained to us, many people have some difficulties calling themselves Patriots. However, as we would see, the treatment of the issue is very serious and delicate. They are not proud of that part of history but are more than willing to learn from the memory.

After settling in at our giant hostel, The Generator, we got a quick bite to eat

and headed to the city center to walk along the main street. Once I was used to the modernization, I really enjoyed the city. We all agreed that it was probably the first one we would consider living in besides Paris. At the top of the street is sole remainder of the 14 gates into the city. Just outside it was a brick outline of where the Berlin Wall used to stand. We continued our walk to the river going through the city and walked along the bank. It was much quieter there but pretty chilly. We then went to meet up with some friends at a place called "The White

Trash Restaurant." It's actually not trashy but quite nice. It was completely decorated with crazy gothic..objects. We ate with Nejma (Germany), Sarah (Australia), and Emma (undefined.. lol) who happened to be in Berlin at the same time. Though it wasn't German food by any means and they spoke English to be trendy, I had a delicious chili-cheeseburger and a brownie dessert.
In our hostel, we shared the room with 5 other people. This one guy-I don't even-just wow. Thank God he slept with socks on, though the window still had to be cracked.
We started off the next day with a guided walking tour which explained many

interesting stories and facts of Berlin. We saw the memorial for all those persecuted during the war, the location of Hitler's bunker, and remnants of the Berlin Wall.
At night, we ate at the hostel then met with other lodgers for a bar crawl through the city. There were actually really decent bars and it didn't feel like a tourist trap. We all made new friends and had a great time. In the morning, I had to check out by 10am because I would be leaving later that day.
We joined another tour to the first German concentration camp. Just outside of the

city by train, it was situated in a small town. It was a chilling experience. Our guide was very well informed and told shocking stories that really make a person reflect upon their lives, especially all that is taken for granted. It's hard to fit this experience into the constraints of words, but the visit was definitely an experience from which much can be learned and remembered. It's important to keep such horrors relevant in the context of politics and history.
Though a sombre day, we wrapped it up with Burger King and I said my goodbyes to Alex and Brian.
I was thrilled that my plane was delayed, but I eventually got back to Paris after a great week abroad.

Germany, Part 1: Bremen and Hamburg(er with MUSTARD)

Spring break was this week for us, already 1/3 of the way through the semester! I can't believe how fast this semester has been going already. I'm trying to get to all the places on my list before the end. Which brings me to Germany! Alex planned a little trip to see our friend Max from last semester.

On Thursday night, with Brian, we took the night train out of Paris and started our 12 hour journey to the north of Germany. The train was swell. We were in a tiny room, each of us assigned to a bed (there were 6 beds on the two walls). It was a really unique experience. Of course I wasn't tired, so I finished the Sherlock Holmes series and read a short thriller story (I will never be able to hitchhike!). In the middle of the might some old guy came into our room and lied down in his bed for just a minute then decided to get up and leave. Bizarre but what can you expect? We switched trains rather early in the morning. Some guy started a mostly one-way conversation with us. He was the type of person that is socially awkward yet outgoing- never a good combination. Without even the formality of giving his name, he quickly asked for Alex's number upon hearing she was from Toronto as he has family there and may visit in the near future. Awkward refusals wouldn't stop this guy. He proceeded to ask for my Parisian number. Absolutely not. I said I forgot my phone and said he should write down his phone and email so I could contact him. No pen. Such a shame..
We got off the train in Bremen and Max was waiting for us. Our new creepy friend introduced himself and invited us for coffee at the hotel he worked at. Hope he didn't wait too long..
We were all thrilled to see each other again and did some catching up during the drive to Jacob's University where Max attends. The town and the school are equally quaint and very pleasant. It is always refreshing to be away from the noise and constant movement in Paris.
Max was a great host; his dorm was prepared with mats and blankets for sleeping and he even let us use his extra meal credits in the dorm cafeteria. It really reminded me of life at U of I.

On our first night we went into the city center for a personal tour led by Max. The architecture of the town had the appearance of an old village complemented with detailed buildings and even modern ones. It also had cramped and narrow alleyways,

which I love to check out anywhere I go. For dinner, Max wanted us to experience a local specialty: a cabbage mix topped with two different types of sausage and a side of potatoes.

The name escapes me, which happened quite often throughout the adventures in Germany. The first few places we tried were out of cabbage. One restaurant seated us and served us drinks after promising us cabbage. We got half price drinks after they told us they had none left. At this point, Max was discouraged and especially frustrated. We dropped our objective and went to a Bavarian restaurant. What do you know, they had the dish (and we got their last table!). It was served quickly but it was so delicious. And it didn't look like it would be filling, but I had some trouble trying to finish it all. The restaurant's environment was great. The servers were dressed in stereotypical German clothes, we were seated at benches, and live German music was playing in the background.
That night, we took it easy and watched a comedy that over-exaggerated every German stereotype. Max almost died. If nothing else, he was able to disprove some of the portrayals!
After breakfast the next morning, we took a train into Hamburg, which wasn't terribly far away. Compared to Bremen, it was much larger and much more modern. We basically just wandered around the city and eventually decided to take a boat tour

of the harbor. Our guide was hilarious-according to Max. Even though we couldn't really understand the tour, it was still really interesting to see the ships and barges being loaded, as well as passing through rows of buildings. Hamburg apparently has more bridges than Venice and Amsterdam combined.
Next stop was the Red Light District, but we'll just leave it at that! We concluded the visit and hopped on the metro. We were running late to catch our train back to Bremen, but the Germans were actually late for once! We made our train just in time and didn't have to wait another hour! That night, we met up with friends of Max to explore the local nightlife. They had a bar serving 1 euro drinks--and that was

normal. Completely unheard of in Paris. After we went to a great club that played some awesome Indie music-not Rihanna or anything else from the Top 40 really. By the time we were ready to leave, the trains were not yet running, so we had quite a bit of time before the bus home. Then we saw Burger King. Win. I ordered a hamburger with ketchup only and a Sprite, so naturally I got a hamburger with mustard and a Coke. Brian didn't mind: he ate everyone's leftovers the whole trip anyways!
In the morning, we went to Max's house to have tea and homemade marble cake with his parents. It was so nice. My favorite part was being able to communicate with them across the language barrier when they didn't know the English vocabulary well enough. Even catching only one word can help you understand a foreign language, especially when mixed with body language.
The next morning, we got on the train to Berlin, but as I am tired, that post will be continued next time..

ATHENS! -best trip planned in 15 minutes ever!

Athens was the best 15 minute planned trip. Props to me and Dunc, if I'm allowed to give props to myself..

I couldn't really sleep Thursday night because I wasn't tired but was really excited. Me, Carrie, Alex, and Dunc met at our gate at the airport. I knew the trip was gonna be great when Dunc was getting felt up by security and was thoroughly searched. The look on his face was priceless.

It was nice flying on a real airline instead of RyanAir! However, after the layover in Germany, I was stuck next to an overweight American who liked to shake his legs and be annoying. He didn't pay to invade half of my seat..

The weather was great when we finally touched down. We hopped on the metro after some confusion and eventually found ourselves in the middle of the city. We walked down the main shopping street and the girls' eyes were just glowing. More on that later.

Our hostel was on this quaint little street with some cool shops then a whole square of restaurants. The smell was simply phenomenal. We checked in and they told us that we were gonna be split into different rooms. I was not amused, as I had requested the same room for all of us and had received confirmation. I pulled up the email and I was right. We were upgraded to a private room. Score.

My main objective for Athens was to eat. And did we. We headed out for a

restaurant. There was one right outside the door. Excellent. The managers of all the restaurants stand outside and try to convince you to come in with free drinks and dessert. It didn't take much convincing for us! We started out with fried eggplant and fried saganaki cheese. Saganaki is my favorite thing and reminds me of Greektown in Chicago. I got lamb slovaki for my main dish. It came with fries and the white cucumber sauce. Very delicious. A perk about eating with Carrie is how she never finishes her meal and is happy to share afterward!

We were quite tired, so we took a 30 minute nap that accidentally turned into 2 hours. No big deal, everything was still awake and alive. We walked around and took in more delicious scents and heard live music everywhere. A stray dog started following us thanks to Carrie. She called him Rover. It was strange to see how many stray dogs and cats there were in the streets. We saw more than 50 in just a few days. Rover followed us for over 2 hours and even waited for us as we got our SECOND dinner. We couldn't resist. I had more saganaki and got chicken kebabs. Too good! The waiter gave us free dessert, honey and yogurt with some sort of moist cake thing. We all loved the environment.

From the street, we could see the acropolis all lit up in the night. It was beautiful. It would have been incredible to see it in its original form.

After returning to the hostel, we stayed up talking and it felt like a slumber party. Getting up in the morning was still hard. The beds were comfortable, especially to tired bodies. We left in the morning and got Greek pastries for breakfast then headed to the Acropolis museum. There were thousands of ancient artifacts. My favorite thing was how the museum portrayed fragments of the artifacts. They would align them like a puzzle and added a mold and a design of what the entire artifact used to look like. Again, the detail and craftsmanship is incredible when you think about how long ago these objects were constructed, especially without today's technology.

We started up the giant hill to the acropolis. The path was lined with remnants

from ancient temples, stages, and such. The view was just amazing. As we reached higher and higher, we could see more and more of the city and the sea. The top was too cool. We were finally staring at such a monumental piece of history-and it wasn't in our history books! We were also dumbfounded because Rover had found us at the top! Crazy odds.

We walked around and found more remnants and eventually had to happily give in to our hunger. At a street-side restaurant, we ordered an appetizer plate with the most amazing food. It consisted of fried cheeses and eggplant, sausages, tiny meat balls, other cheeses, a delicious potato salad, tomatoes and cucumbers, and other fried mixes that we could have easily made a meal out of. But it didn't stop there. We had toasted bread with olive oil and olives. Then the main dish. Alex and I ordered moussaka. It looks like lasagna and has a bottom layer of potatoes, another layer of eggplant, and minced meat on the inside. It was a generous portion and Alex couldn't finish. We didn't have room for dessert!

We headed to the flea market next, which was a few streets lined with little shops. The girls went nuts. I bought an Athens t-shirt (I'm getting a shirt from every country I visit). Next we went up the main street with more commercial stores. The look in the girls eyes was indescribable. How women rationalize their purchases and encourage each other to make them-incredible!

We went back to the hostel because we were wiped out from walking all day. Another accidental 2 hour nap! We got ready to go see the Athens nightlife. The map we had wasn't ideal and we got lost. We found some random place to stop into, but we quickly decided to move on. We found a place with some live music. The girls were a bit tired so we took them home. Dunc and I left again and found some ridiculously cheap yet delicious food. We went to a bar near our hostel and just chilled. We had a good laugh when we got back to find Carrie locked out of the room because Alex had fallen asleep!

We had to check out the next morning, but the hostel let us keep our stuff in a

storage room. We went on another walk and took in some more sights. We had lunch at a cafe and headed back to the main square. We noticed some streets blocked off and security everywhere, including the riot squad. All of a sudden, parades of Muslims started pouring into the square, waving green flags and chanting. It ended up being a peaceful demonstration, but we couldn't really find out what it was for.

Dunc had to leave to catch an earlier flight, but we continued on to a quaint yet giant park that had a little zoo and a creek with cool stone paths and bridges. Then we found the Athens Poet Sandal Maker. He is a very old man now, but he makes custom sandals. The Beatles are among several famous customers. Carrie and Alex both bought a pair. It was cool to see them made and cut right before us.

Our weekend had to come to a close and we headed back to the airport. We arrived 20 minutes before boarding. Good thing security is much quicker in Europe! Our flights weren't too bad, but it was really late when I was finally able to settle into my bed. It was a great weekend for sure. And Alex and I (and Brian) just booked tickets to visit our friend Max in Germany for Spring Break! Now time to catch up on some work..

Super delayed video.. And sorry for saying "uh" more than Obama!

Take that Dunc

I basically needed to update my blog before Dunc. So unless he is writing it at the same time, I'm a winner.

The past week was a lot of the same stuff of course. Had my second week of courses. This semester is going to be a lot easier than last because I know what to expect, I have one less course, and one of my courses is just a language course. So lundi (Monday) I have 2 in a row, mardi 2 in a row, and mercredi one. It's pretty great-4 day weekends all the time!!

On Wednesday, Dunc babysat with me the whole time. The kids love him and his American accent. We went to the store with the kids and I let them pick out a pizza. It was a pack of three of course! The parents came home at the same time and Dunc was nervous haha but they're so nice so he felt better. He was glad to get out though..

Thursday night we watched a movie with Alex and Matthew. Saturday, Matthew, Alex,

and I took a train to Fontainebleu to see an old chateau. It was beautiful. What amazes me the most about these structures is how they were built and adorned with such precision and detail so many years ago before the current wonders of technology.

Host grand parents had their 58th anniversary the other day, so they went to dinner and then to their home in the country side for the week. I need to figure out what they used to do..

Singles' Awareness Day, popularly known as Valentine's Day was Monday. I wasn't bitter about it-good for you if you have someone to send you chocolate! Alex, Brian, Dunc, and I went to cheap university dining, bought some chocolate and wine, and went to my place to watch atypical comedy movies to celebrate. It was actually really enjoyable!





Yesterday morning I had a class excursion to a memorial in Le Marais for prosecuted French Jews during WWII. Though it was a quick visit, it was equally interesting as it was emotional. Seeing an entire room of pictures of persecuted children was the hardest part to learn about. There were so many horrors of that war, but I believe the treatment of these children was the worst.

On a lighter note..

I'm so excited for Carrie to come back to Paris in preparation for our trip to Athens on Friday! Alex, Dunc, Carrie and I are gonna eat like (Greek) gods!!

Ben L'Oncle Soul - Soulman

Currently playing on my iPod:

"I'd rather you DON'T tell me what I'm eating!"

So the younger kids LOVED the fajitas, but it was actually too spicy for them. (in French) "Nick it's TOO good but in fact it's too spicy!"

I stayed up late Wednesday night again, and in the morning I woke up to Emilie (the mom) calling. Lou was sick so I went early to pick her up. I don't know if she was REALLY sick but we all enjoy a sick day or five.. Vic that night got mad at me. He had his dessert like normal, then Lou had hers, except it was somethin else that he "hadn't seen." So he went to have another one. I told him no, one dessert like normal! Then he continued to open it and said "too late." So I said "no it's not" and took it away. Then he cried and cried and said I was sooo mean. Whatever haha. He liked me again after ten minutes or so! I stayed late again because the parents go out with friends sometimes.

I stayed up all night again for NO REASON but had to catch a train Friday morning. I was nervous about making it to the station in time because the metros hadn't yet commenced. So I was waiting, and it said 8 minutes. Ok fine, I'll wait. 8 minutes later, a metro literally rolled through without stopping. Then the sign said 9 minutes until the next one. I ended up walking to where I would've transferred. I made it with time to spare though. 6:10 am train to Toulouse. I got there around 11:30ish. Delphine was waiting for me on the platform, and after initial hellos, we established French as the weekend's language!  We drove to a few stores to get things to eat for the evening then did a walking tour of the city. It's a smaller city for sure, but bigger than Nantes (where I went for Christmas). We saw three cathedrals that were pretty dated. I really liked them though because they are very different from those in Paris and not as well-restored. However, I feel like the lack of restoration adds a lot to the character of the old buildings. We saw administrative buildings, a few educational institutions, and the river that goes along the city. The style is really different too, many things are built with red or pinkish brick. It's really nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of Paris and spending some time in a quieter area of France. Ah and the metro there is new and CLEAN. It doesn't smell like an outhouse..

She and her "permanent boyfriend," Nicolas were happy to have me in their apartment-nice having a spare bed! In France, civil unions, or the PACS, are becoming more and more popular. So yep, they are a 'united' couple with all or most of the benefits of being married without the title. Delphine is a teacher and a couple (in both senses of the word) of her friends came over to have the apertif with us. We started with a drink that is typical of the region. It tasted like liquorish a little bit. After that was a white wine, accompanied by pistachio nuts, chips, and delicious homemade quiche. We talked about everything from the rugby tournament to American television to politics. However, I was finally not the center of the political conversation, as I often find myself due being American! Conversation in France can last for hours, without paying attention to the time or without having something to eat or drink at all moments. After at least an hour and a half, their friends left and let us continue to the dinner. Delphine had prepared a typical dish from the Southwest of France. We had baked potatoes and some duck. It was definitely a good meal. Of course, we had more wine, this time red. After dinner, (it's at least 10pm by now) we started up the Wii to play some Mario Kart and Guitar Hero-with Champagne of course! I was so tired so I eventually went to bed, even though it was well after midnight. I slept until noon because the windows were shut and allowed NO light to enter-and I didn't set my alarm. Oops.

Nicolas and Delphine drove me around the city to see some other sights. We went to the very south of Toulouse and climbed up a big hill with an overview of everything. It was a beautiful day as well. We saw the building where the Airbus planes are constructed. They're huge--with two levels. We continued onto a pleasant little Japanese garden where a lot of people take their wedding pictures. Sure enough, there was a family there snapping away. It was all quiet and pleasant, aside from a park monitor obnoxiously blowing her whistle at anyone stepping on the grass!

After lunch and a little nap, we went back into town to meet another couple (x2) of their friends. We ate well, that's for sure. First they brought out a HUGE selection of dry sausages in a basket, along with foie gras and bread. Everything was made from regional products, so it was all delicious. After that, they brought out cured ham and some other thing that looked like sausage. So I tried it (When in Rome..or Toulouse..). While I was eating it, Nicolas started to explain to me what I was eating. Uhh not while I'm eating! However, the damage was done, he was pointing to his head while referring to a pig. Anyways.. Next up was more foie gras with seasoned apricots. Again, the idea of foie gras is a little unappetizing, but in the end it's quite delicious. Finally it was time for the main course. I ordered "cotes d'agneau," which are lamb ribs. It was one of th emost delicious things I've ever eaten. Trop bon. After la salade et les frites, dinner wasn't over! We ended the meal with ice cream: pistachio and coffee flavored (not mixed). During all this we drank beer and red wine (again, not mixed!). In total, it was a 3.5 hour meal! But time flies, especially because everything is in  a different language.

We got back to the apartment, and what do you know, time for more champagne! My train is at 10 in the morning and is unfortunately 7 hours back to Paris. So that's when I can sleep..

This weekend's been great though. Delphine and Nicolas have been so accommodating and excellent hosts. A lot of people may have the stereotype that the French are rude. While this may be true some of the time, you need to realize that once you know a French person and have an established relationship, they can be some of the most welcoming and generous people. That's definitely what I saw this weekend!

Next destination: Athens.

First week of classes

The weekend ended nicely with a dinner at Jack's(Ireland). It was one of Charlie's (England) last nights, so everyone brought something to pass while they made chicken fajitas. It was delicious; I've had a craving for Tex-Mex!  I went with Alex (Canada) and Harlem (Peru). Brian and Matthew (Ireland) met up with us to. It's awesome that we're from all over the world like this-and good friends too. It's also weird to think that I didn't know any of these people before arriving in Paris and now we're so familiar. The fajitas were so good that I bought the ingredients to make for the kids' dinner tonight.

So since I was basically in the Central timezone, I tried to get to sleep Sunday night around midnight. It worked, but I woke up halfway through my slumber. I eventually fell back asleep. My first class, Political Economy of the Media, is taught by an American who gets really excited about the course material, in a good way. The course will be pretty casual and I had a few good laughs. My next course, les risques sanitaires (sanitary risks), is going to be a bit dry, but it talks about new environmental problems and how to combat them. My final class of the day is L'information, c'est la guerre (info, it's the war, loosely translated)/ It deals with the media and who controls information. It's reaaaaly dry and I'm thinking of dropping it since I have the option. Yesterday, I had a French language course, no big deal, followed by Media Relations in the Business World. Another American teacher. score. He opened with a Canadian joke. Today's only class was interesting: Theories of International  Relations. I think I'll get a lot out of this course; it seems well structured!

Well off to babysit. Things got a little complicated. The oldest isn't working very hard and school and is spending too much time on the computer and playing games when he tells me he's doing homework. Time to get down to business! (and fajitas)

Quoi?!

I walked out into the middle of the nearby park, and I was completely surprised to see my cousin Alyssa and Aunt Laura standing there! They had planned a last minute surprise visit, which was fine because I had already asked my host grand-parents if I could have some family stay with me. After out salutations, we went back to my home to get all situated. I started freaking out because my dad, sister, and many other members of his side of the family were already in the apartment, completely at home. I had no idea how I was going to explain everyone's presence to the host-parentals..

And then I woke up.

I spent the afternoon doing, well, nothing. And then I discovered a fantastic note left by Madame Borione: 

"Cher Nicolas,
Je suis désolée mais nous dinerons pas à la maison ce soir (anniversaire!). Prend ce que tu veux dans le frigidaire ou le congélateur.
Bonne journée !"

 ‎"Dear Nick, I am sorry but we will not be having dinner at the house (birthday!). Take what you want from the fridge or freezer. Have a good day!"

These are of course very dangerous words to speak to an American. I made myself a nice steak with a side of frozen French fries. I went over to Aaron's little shack and Dunc and his housemate Blake eventually showed up. We went out to this cool bar called "4 elements." Each room was dedicated to either earth, wind, fire, or water (the bathroom). Though I'm not sure we'll be seeing much more of the roommate, the "Big Three" had a good night on the town.

This is what Europeans think America is..

Political conversations are fun.

Central time zone?

Again, without having to attend classes for such a long period of time, I end up staying online or at least awake until ridiculous hours in the morning, essentially going to bed at a normal hour for those in the Chicago time zone!!

I actually woke up early yesterday morning (11:30am) because I had an appointment for my "carte de sejour." If you are in France for an extended period of time, this meeting is mandatory. I was nearly living here illegally! I took the metro to la Bastille where the appointment was. I wasn't entirely sure what documents I needed because it had been over a month since I made the appointment and such. At the desk, the lady called my name and asked for my documents. No problem. A photo? Zut. Then she spoke to me an an extremely unnecessarily loud level as if I wasn't already standing within spitting distance of her words. Of course this all took place in front of at least 30 other people. However, I kept my cool and even though everyone was staring, she was the one that looked quite foolish. Part of the appointment was an xray. Basically you have to step in a room and wait for them to call you in. They then rush you over to a machine and SHOVE you into a vertical board and rush you right back out. At least I got to keep the xray? After running to a photo booth before they could stamp my passport, I became a legal resident (after only 5 months..).

On the way home, I passed a Subway and smelled its deliciousness. Turkey sub coming up! It wasn't bad and I enjoyed it. I continued my day by babysitting again. It was more fun though because Alex and Dunc were there with me for a bit. The kids love Dunc and his sense of humor, but doesn't everyone! We ended the night by playing UNO, a game you would THINK to be universal. However, they seemed to have convenient rules that helped them win every time..

I stayed up late of course reading and watching my shows. I set my alarm for 10am. I woke up at 3:50, which left me JUST enough time to go pick the kids up from school. Cuttin' it close! For snack, the kids like cereal. It's healthy cereal too with that fake chocolate substance that's good for you. Lou found a giant piece of it, so of course Vic broke it. This only sent Lou RUNNING to her room CRYING. Unbelievable. The rest of the night was fine with them after I coaxed them down from their unnecessary tantrums. The parents stopped home quickly before going out to dinner, so they were able to see what I prepared for the kids' meal. "C'est top !" Win. I stayed late and put the kids to bed, which they surprisingly obliged to rather easily. I met up with some other Sciences Po students and went to a welcome back party thrown by the school. It was fun, especially people watching with Alex. The night ended with me taking a bike home. It is really irritating that the metros stop so early..

Time for my last Friday of break (finally) !

Last Week of Break

So yesterday (Monday) marked the first day of my last week on break. To be quite honest, it's a good thing. I don't know what to do with myself during a break that lasts a month and a half!

I woke up rather early to help Carrie off to the train station. We decided it best to take the direct bus instead of transferring on the metro. It worked out a lot better than I anticipated. I made sure she was all set on her train to Grenoble before heading home. On the bus, I suddenly woke up near my stop. Yep. I've turned into THAT guy, the one who feels comfortable enough on public transportation to sleep and automatically wakes up before the right stop. Cool.

Of course I took a nap without setting my alarm, so I really just set myself up for a night without sleep. It was ok though, I took care of some things and watched a French movie. After that I continued my Sherlock Holmes addiction and watched the BBC series "Sherlock." I definitely recommend it to any Sherlock Holmes fans..

I woke up this morning (by morning I mean afternoon of course), grabbed a quick jambon-crudite' sandwich, and babysat the children. Nothing too exciting today. Afterwards I met up with some friends to say goodbye to Joan who is leaving Paris this semester to continue her studies in China! Before heading home on the last metro, Dunc and I had to grab a quick bite to eat: a crepe and a panini, respectively!

Around town with Carrie

I went back to Marion's house in the afternoon to pick up Carrie. They had me for lunch, which they claimed was "nothing special." Apparently a  giant meal does not constitute for very much..

Carrie and I met up with Dunc at the top of the Champs-Elysees, starting at the Arc de Triomphe. We went down the avenue just window-shopping for the most part. We thought it was really interesting that there are so many more stores for men only here; that many would never last very long stateside! We made our way to my university, Sciences-Po, just for her to have a look. We walked around a bit more and got pizza at a really good Italian restaurant I've been to 3 times now. I got the "Ovidio" with ham, peppers, and breaded eggplant. Granted, it's not as good as my dad's homemade pizza, but it was definitely delicious. We continued walking around and Carrie bought herself a new scarf to add to her already over-packed suitcases.

After stopping at home, we made our way to the Coppermann's where I babysit. It was the dad's birthday party and they invited all of their friends and said I could come along. No kids! It was a lot of fun to see all the adults socializing, especially in the place where I'm usually watching the kids. Music was blasting and everyone was having a great time. We finally left around 4 in the morning with a large group that invited us to their house for pasta. We ultimately decided that it would be too weird and started home. Unfortunately, all of the public transport in the area was closed. Thank the Lord for the Velib stations that have bikes to rent! We made it home perfectly safe and I made us a pasta/potato snack before going to sleep.

Of course we slept into the afternoon; after that we headed to an area called Le Marais to eat its renowned "falafel," an Israeli vegetarian dish. Delicious. We walked around the area which was very much alive at the moment due to all of the boutiques and stores still being open. After walking through and past Notre Dame, we went into the Great Canadian Pub to get ready to watch the Bears-Packers game. After eating, Dunc and his new "host-cousin" met up with us, as well as Aaron, Oscar, Ethan, Brian, and Andrea. It quickly filled up with Bears and Packers fans alike. We were 'lucky' enough to be near a giant group of Packers. They were incredibly obnoxious as well. I'm glad Carrie was stuck in between people at the booth, otherwise her rage may have been unleashed! It was a good time despite the stress and loss. And if nothing else we found our destination for future American sporting events.

Carrie heads to Grenoble tomorrow, and it's gonna be a grand time trying to get her luggage from my room to the train..

Another Day of the Neverending Break

I'm not quite sure how Sciences Po expects me to jump back into the swing of school after a month and a half of break. I guess I'll see soon..

Yesterday was another typical day  in my ridiculously scheduled life. I stayed awake until 7am talking with my sister Natalie and friend Aimee (who were together or course, Natalie always stealing my friends!). I woke up in the afternoon, said hello and goodbye to the host-grandparents, and went to get the kids from school. Vic was in a rather rambunctious mood today. He didn't want to listen or clean up after himself. He spilled a lot of cheese onto the floor during dinner. When I asked him to clean it up, he threw it in the corner when I wasn't looking. I was not impressed, especially after I made the kids garlic cheesebread!


 For the rest of the night we (meaning I) built a tower together out of building blocks and it almost reached the ceiling. Vic wanted nothing more than to knock it down. He did.

At the end of the night I met up with Dunc, Oscar, Maria, and Nissa from U of I to spend time with Maria on her last night. We went on a barcrawl in the Moulin Rouge area. Unfortunately, we felt a little ripped off by the prices, but we ignored the feeling and had a good time together for her last night in Paris. I had to leave early for today's activities.

I woke up at the ungodly hour of 8am ('ungodly' considering my previous sleep schedule!) to go to the airport to get Carrie! She will be studying in Grenoble (south of Paris) for the semester. It was great to see her again, but not so great to see all of her luggage! She brought 3 fully loaded bags-including her extremely awkwardly shaped snowboard bag which rendered us plenty of questioning looks. It was definitely an adventure back to my room to store her things..

We ventured out into the streets and had a sandwich at a nearby bakery (there's always a nearby bakery..). We saw the Eiffel Tower, had coffee and hot chocolate, and continued to Sacre Coeur. Dunc met up with us and we walked through Montmartre, an awesome little nook of the area with artists everywhere painting and selling their own works. Carrie and I were both tempted to by something, but we decided against it. I know I will buy something from there by the end of my trip; it'd be a genuine souvenir.

I had a nap while Carrie checked in with friends and family, then we headed to our friend from the Share America program of the last 3 summers. Marion and her family welcomed us for a delicious dinner where I ate spiced duck for the first time. We also had mushrooms that weren't too bad, especially considering my general dislike of them. But you have to have an open mind here, and it really helps me enjoy French cuisine!

Carrie is staying the night at their house, and we're continuing our adventures tomorrow and Sunday. It's really cool that she's sharing this experience with me; we started French at the same time in high school and became friends through the program. Many years later we're sitting by the Eiffel Tower in a little cafe, surrounded by and in the middle of French life.

Entry 26 in the Vlog

First Post (halfway through my trip!)

I started thinking that I would probably regret not having a written account of my adventures in Paris and Europe. Of course my vlog is able to capture the highlights of my time here, but these anecdotes are not quite enough to get an idea of my vie quotiedienne (daily life).

Granted, starting this at the halfway point between my arrival and departure isn't ideal, but it's better late then never.

At this point, I've spent 4.5 months in Europe, mainly in Paris; I've also had the chance to visit London, Barcelona, and Dublin in addition to some locations in France such as Mont. St. Michel, Saint Malo, Normandy, Reims, and Nantes. I am fortunate enough to have more time to visit more sites overseas; Toulouse in the south of France is planned for February, as well as Sarlat and Colmar in the near future. Outside of France, I want to make my way to Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, and anywhere else I might find interesting. I'm always up for suggestions!

Alright, I guess I'll dive in to the point of a blog: what's been going on? I returned to Paris a few days ago after a short stay in Dublin, Ireland with Patricia. It's definitely a pleasant city with a lot to offer, especially when it isn't raining, which was an all-too-common occurrence during my stay. I stayed at the University College of Dublin, a redundantly titled institution that is a quick busride to the city center, or downtown. From there, most things are within walking distance, which is more than I can say for Paris! They had some great places for window shopping and eating along the cobblestone roads. Pat and I started right off with a Guinness beef sandwich with fresh horseradish and a pint of the beer too (not, her. though, she's a vegetarian =P )

Trinity College is a famous university in Ireland as it dates back many years. I overheard a tour guide explaining some bizarre rules of the past: on the date of an exam, a student with a sword and armor could request a meal with the exam and the instructor had to comply. I wouldn't be opposed to eating a cheeseburger during my finals..

The Dublin Castle was a cool sight to see just for the fact that it was a castle within a city. On one side, the walls were painted bright colors, so it took away from some of the appeal but was still generally a cool thing to see. The river that flows through the city allowed for a Venetian looking scene. There is a great area called Temple Bar (not just one big bar as I had imagined) with a lot of unique shops and restaurants that also serves as great nightlife in the later hours.

During a freestyle walking tour of the city, I found the "National Leprechaun Museum." This is obviously made for tourists, but I had to go through it. It was quite amusing, explaining the origins and (mis)representations of the stereotypical character in green. The tour included a room with large furniture to make me feel like I myself was only a few feet tall. Ending with a pot of gold, it proved to be an interesting visit. However, I enjoyed my second tour of the day much more: the Guinness Storehouse where the beer was created and is currently produced. They walked us through the entire history and process behind the entity. I was able to pour my own pint-and drink it too! It has such a unique taste that is hard to get used to, but straight from the source complemented with a 360 degree view of the city the beer proved to be delicious. Stopping for some "famous" fish 'n' chips before heading back to the airport, I felt that I had a pretty good feel for the city given the short period of my stay.

Being the week before courses started at UCD, I was able to meet a lot of international and Irish students. This is my favorite thing about being in Europe. You meet such an interesting crowd of students, travelers, and natives. I find it easier to make friends here-even if only temporary-because everyone is just as excited and open for new experiences as the next person. On the flight home aboard the classy Ryanair, I met a couple from Australia that were my age on their way to Paris for the first time. We started talking right away and held conversation for the entire 4 hours it took to get from Dublin to the center of Paris. I had to help them out because they didn't know where their hotel was and couldn't speak more than 10 words of French!

It was nice to get back to my home away from home. I'm comfortable here now with a good group of friends. I'm back into French-speaking mode-it was a bit difficult during my first attempt to jump back in the language after 7 days hearing English everywhere!

I've essentially been on break since December 17 and I do not resume courses until January 31. So my daily life consists of going to sleep at ridiculous hours, waking up, leaving the house and making the host family aware that I'm finally awake, and babysitting the three kids. They were really happy to see me again. One of the hardest parts about leaving at the end of May will definitely be saying goodbye to them. They are (usually) really well-behaved and great to be around. Their parents are really happy that I'm able to continue the same schedule during the next semester, and they've been asking me to babysit more frequently when they have planned activities. They invited me to the dad's birthday party on Saturday, sans the kids! It'll be a great experience to meet their friends and be a guest instead of an employee! I'm bringing my friend from home as well. Carrie is coming to Paris on Friday before she studies in Grenoble for the semester. I can't wait to see her of course. I love having a fresh familiar face every few weeks!

Aside from babysitting, I spend time online, obviously, but I also have been reading a lot of books lately, namely the Sherlock Holmes series which I am almost finished with. Then of course there are my American TV shows-gotta love NBC comedy night! A lot of people ask me if I'm homesick at all. My answer? yes and no. Yes, I miss my family and my friends so much, as well as the comfort of familiarity. But at the same time, I'm having such a great time meeting new people and seeing new things, all that cheesy stuff. I am definitely glad that I chose the year program because I don't feel like one semester would have been long enough. I just had to say goodbye to one of my best friends here because she wasn't able to stay for 2 semesters, and that was hard enough! I'm glad that I still have about 4.5 months left to continue these experiences. Having the internet certainly helps because I can stay in constant communication with the people I miss!

This post is much longer than I anticipated. And if you've read to this point, thanks so much. If not though, it's still worth writing for my future self!