Time for a new post. So what have I been doing in Paris for more than a month? A lot! General outline of what has happened since my last post:
- Ashley form OWU came to visit and crashed at the apartment (super fun)
-Classes
-Meeting new people
-Finally got a phone (I can actually make free calls to the US) and a bank card
-Discovered the (night) bus
-Advancing in finding a job
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| Ashley Visiting |
-Have taken more pictures (with my 35mm this time)
-Went to the movies
-I now roll my own cigarets
-Less spending more of budgeting
-Almost saw Tim Burton
-Running
-Visited the Sacré Coeur
-Nicer weather
-Went to a play
-Finally walked around the Latin Quarter
-Found my favorite bar, Chupitos (Originally a Spanish bar)
-I have an official Parisian library card
Parisian Carte Bleu Warning: Memorize you pin number! When you finally get your bank card (It took me about a month) you get your PIN number in the mail. The problem is that unlike the US banking system, you cannot change the code. So me being the crazy person I am, I never memorized my PIN and would guess on the numbers. Let me just say now, huge mistake. Here you only get 3 tries before you get your card blocked and stolen by the ATM. I do not mean 3 times in a row, no, total. So by the third time I was guessing the ATM only gave me a receipt saying that I needed to call my bank. I was left with no cash and no card. Bummer!
School: Classes have actually been awesome! I wake up not dreading the day, I am excited to learn and go to class for once. Not only am I excited for class, but I'm not late!! Well I was once but that's because I started off walking but then realized I did not have enough time to make it to class on time. See, back home if that were to happen (even though class is like a 10min walk tops, I would just skip class. andI mean I would have to skip the rest just so I don't pick favorites. Best Part: When I am sitting in class, I actually have to remind myself that I am sitting in a room where only French is spoken. Granted the teacher speaks slowly and everyone takes about half hour to ask a question, but the point is that I totally understand everything that is being said! This actually makes me super excited! I mean when first arriving in Paris, I could only guess what people were saying and was limited to picking up a few words. Everyone would then speak English to me. And don't even get me started on me trying to answer the person, there was no French spoken on my behalf. Now, well let's just say people understand me; with difficulties none the less but hey hey hey, that's a step.
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| Random Weekend on the Metro |
Paris is definitely smaller than I expected, I can walk everyone. I legitimately walked from one end of Paris to the other. My metro stop is the second to last on a line that runs North/South and I walked to the 4th to last line at the other end. I mean I took a bus for like 10 mins but got off because the day was so nice and I wanted to explore a bit. So I got off the bus (which btw, there was an old lady with her damn dog on the bus), went to the Louvre Gardens, took pictures, went to the Opéra and sat there eating a grapefruit and people watching. Actually really funny, a random Mickey Mouse appeared right in front of the Opéra house and was dancing and sketching people out. After about 20 minuets or so I began walking towards Place de Clichy. I walked there without making any other stops or really knowing where I was going. I kinda ended up in a semi sketch part of the city but only a few block from my goal destination. Basically I saw all Paris has to offer. I saw the touristy (expensive) area, not so touristy area but still in the ritz, the artistic area, and the more of a, well... where the less wealthy live. I basically got a whole tour of Paris today. However, the best part was Sacré Coeur, beautiful. You get to see all of Paris and the area is so nice. Well, just around there because a few block after that, not so much, more of a ghetto part of Paris. But yea, at the S.C, there was a guy preforming and everyone was sitting on the steps listening and singing along. It was great everyone looked happy and were enjoying themselves. After, I actually took the métro home because I was too lazy and I was getting kinda tired. But when transferring lines, I actually thought I was in Chicago. Not literally but the stop reminded me very much of the Red Line back home.
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| Cool House |
Ok so, going back a few days from today (obvi you can tell I have ADD and can't keep things in order,) I went for a walk around the apartment and found the 'hood to be very nice! I discovered an Indian resturant near by that looks very good and the cutest street in the Paris. So instead of taking the main street back to the apartment, I decided to walk through all the little streets. I walked through a tiny block where all the apartments were white. I made a left turn, and ended up on Rue des Artists. This was a memorable block, it reminded me of Mexico! Two of the houses were brightly painted, one orange and the other yellow. It was actually kind of nostalgic, partly because there are not many Latin Americans and much less Mexicans in Pairs. I mean I'm pretty sure the houses weren't colorful because Mexicans lived there, but it was a reminded of home. Actually, speaking of, I think there is a Hispanic in my apartment complex!!! Well, I know I sounds like a total stalker but I am super intrigued by all the neighbors. We haven't really met any but here at the apartment, we like to think that they are all artsy and cool Parisians. Anyway, back to me being cheesy...whenever I see someone who looks Hispanic I feel all happy inside (awwww). I want to ask their ethnicity, but I guess I'm too scared to be yelled at by an angry French person that has nothing to do with Latin America. I guess I have to hear them speak Spanish and they have to be wearing a flag of their country for me to ask, I don't want to be rude now.
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| Super Random, but I cleaned the Fridge! |
Kay, so the big news, I am thinking of spending another semester here!!!!!! Well, this idea just started today but I'm super pumped and want to make it happen. It seems like I would be able to even graduate on time and my visa maybe easily extended. What I have to worry about is housing and probably wether or not my school will allow me to stay another semester. This may not even happen at all but it would be nice. I would love to spend the summer here traveling and then doing fall semester here in Europe. I think I wouldn't want to stay in Paris because everything is so damn expensive but I am thinking Spain. I have not gone but I feel like it is cheaper and def fun! I mean, taking classes other than language courses would be easy there because I already speak Spanish. If not maybe somewhere in England or some English speaking country. I guess I have to really look more into this idea and do my research. And to make this happen, I would have to find a job so that I could actually afford to live here for another 6 months. But as I mentioned earlier, I maybe babysitting for a French family starting soonish!
At Sacré Coeur:Guy sining and everyone enjoying The happiest Parisians I have seen
