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« ... j'ai cru qu'on pouvait définir l'aventure : un événement qui sort de l'ordinaire, sans être forcément extraordinaire. On parle de la magie des aventures […] Pour que l'événement le plus banal devienne une aventure, il faut et il suffit qu'on se mette à le raconter…»

- Jean-Paul Sartre, 1938

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Hello, I live in Paris.

Taken this past summer on a Seine boat-ride

Last night, at exactly 9:00 pm, I was on the 10th floor of my foyer in my friend Daniel’s North-facing room, wearing a plaid scarf, eating a Madeline, watching the view of the glittering Eiffel Tower and Sacre Coeur in the distance.  I was thinking how absolutely stunning it is to be able to watch the Eiffel Tower out the window, right here, right now. And then it dawned on me: I could watch it every night if I wanted to!

You’d think it was hardly possible to forget you’re in Paris with a giant glittering Eiffel Tower within sight pretty much always!  At least, I always knew that wouldn’t really be the case before coming here, but somehow I thought it would be pretty hard to forgot that I live in the City of Light, the former home of famous artists and writers, and what some consider most romantic city in the world.

But on the contrary, after being here for almost two weeks, I realize that for the most part I’m just going about living my life here, sitting in class for long hours every day, making friends with other students and interns, and yes, even doing homework. And I love it here. But when I’m not going around doing touristy things, the changes I’ve made to my life, both big and small, seem like everyday things. Eating a baguette sandwich was a huge novelty the first time, and still is a novelty, but let’s just say I’ve started to feel that it’s entirely normal to see a man walking down the street with 5 baguettes tucked under his arm. Sometimes I sort of forget I’m actually, well, dare I say it? Parisian. I live in Paris!

One thing I’ve discovered about Paris is that you’ve gotta be brave enough to walk proudly down the street not caring what others think about you, even when you’re carrying 12 rolls of bright pink toilet paper.


I had a very touristy weekend, savoring the tastes, sights, smells and sounds of the city. My friends Sydney, Christy and I stopped at a boulangerie for breakfast, which for me was pain au chocolat.  One of my weaknesses is definitely that waft of freshly baked bread and pastries that fills the air the moment you open the door of the boulangerie.

Next stop was La Cimitère du Père Lachaise, which is only a few blocks away from where I live. It is a magnificently beautiful, peaceful cemetery, and the resting place of Oscar Wilde, Chopin, Jim Morrison, and Edith Piaf, among many others.  I thought it may have been eerie, walking along cobblestone pathways past graves from the early 1800s, but I found it quite peaceful.




Memorial for Auschwitz.

Rough translation: Here lies an unknown prisoner, victim of the acts of treachery and barbary of the Nazis
Edith Piaf's grave
We did see Oscar Wilde's grave, but I opted not to kiss it.

Enfin, we did a self-guided tour of the Opéra de Paris, where we saw rooms of gold, stunning views from the balcony of the street below, and Chagall’s painted ceiling with its centerpiece, the famous chandelier from Phantom of the Opera. It was a particularly special sight to see after having just seen Phantom on Broadway over winter break.

This was a breaktaking view

Me, Sydney (who's in the same program as me), Christy




The perfect morning was topped off with a stop at a local café for lunch, which for me was a very elegant Italian salad with slices of smoked ham, lettuce, and olives, a mozzarella, tomato and basil salad, roasted asparagus, and slices of bread with goat cheese and herbs. After a week of definitely not eating enough vegetables, it was exactly what I was looking for. I admit I felt a little guilty slicing of bites of asparagus in January after having just read Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, a book that talks about eating local, in-season foods, but it doesn’t happen every day that I have an intense craving for fresh, green veggies, so I just went with it.


À tout à l’heure!

Carin

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Les cours commencent!

Monday morning was the start of my official study-abroad program, which I’m doing with an organization called IFE (Internships in Francophone Europe). I’ll have 5 weeks of intensive courses on contemporary French political institutions, society, and culture, and France’s ever-evolving role in Europe and throughout the world. Then after one-week of "spring" break (it won't really be spring by then), I'm doing a full-time internship for 12 weeks at a think tank called the Centre d'Analyse Strategique du Premier Ministre, which roughly translates to "Center for Strategic Analysis." It's a governmental think tank that serves the Prime Minister, Francois Fillon.

My morning routine from now on:  I wake up and eat breakfast, which is usually bread with butter and jam (& sometimes Nutella), cereal, sometimes yogurt if I’m lucky, orange juice and your choice of strong coffee, hot chocolate or tea. The IFE program center is only a 20 minute walk from my foyer, so I’ve been walking there and back with Jen, Sydney, Daniel, and Eliza, the other IFE students living in the same foyer as me. It’s really refreshing. Then classes begin at 9 am.

Anyway, Monday was an orientation to the expectations and particularities of the program. We signed a contract stating that on the premise of IFE, as well as on all programs, courses, and excursions organized by IFE, that we would speak only French, and also were given our student identity cards which will give us discounts in various museums and perhaps theatres. All of this was finished around 12:30 and was followed by something not atypical for the French: raising a verre, or glass, referring of course to the glasses of white wine and small plates of snack foods that were brought out. We had white wine with sirop de cassis, or blueberry syrup, which flavors and sweetens the glass. Delicious!

This little celebration of our first gathering as a group was followed by an afternoon stroll in the Jardin de Luxembourg, which was beautiful on that sunny day. 



Pony rides for children in Luxembourg Gardens!

Les Soldes (Sale!!)
Strolling along the Boulevard Saint-Michelle, a beautiful area with expensive shops and cafes, we saw signs in almost every store window declaring Soldes! In France, the government dictates when shops are allowed to have sales, so they take place only two times a year. This winter, they began Jan. 12 and end Feb. 15th, and the other huge period of Soldes is in June.  As everyone says, you must “profitez-en!”  (Take advantage of them!).  So far I haven’t, but I’ve still got time!

Today was the first day of real classes.  From 9 am- 12:30, except for our 15-minute break, called a pause, I had the opportunity to be lectured-to by a Professor of Contemporary History at SciencesPo. 3 1/2 hours is a VERY long time for a class, especially for someone more accustomed to courses that last a maximum of an hour and 20 minutes, but I believe my morning espresso helped a bit. He discussed the role of the State, material with which I'm very familiar from my IR classes, and I happily raised my hand to answer when he asked if anyone knew what the sociologist Max Weber's theory stated. Maybe I did learn something in that Politics in Africa class last semester, after all!

Lunch break lasts until 2, and most afternoons from 2-3:30 we have a small-group class called Travaux Pratiques with a different Professor, this one a journalist as well as Professor. In this class we're seated around a table instead of lecture-style, and it's discussion-based. The subject: French media! I'll have three, 10-minute oral presentations over the next couple weeks on various issues in the media and French politicians. What a long day!

Monday, January 17, 2011

Becoming « habitué » to life in Paris

My first weekend in Paris has been a real experience, to say the least.  Friday morning I landed in Paris, so early that it was still dark, so alas, I had no grand view of the “ville” from the plane. But it was beautiful, because I was greeted by a dark red skyline as I left the airport, and throughout my hour-long ride in the airport shuttle to reach my foyer (the student housing/dorm where I’m staying), the morning light became brighter and brighter, and I could see all the hustle and bustle of Parisians’ morning commute, whether it be by bike or motorcycle, weaving dangerously through traffic without being in a real lane, or by car.  The driver turned down a fairly small road where a truck was blocking traffic, and when the truck didn’t move out of the way, he angrily stepped out of the van to yell at the truck! It was then that I learned from one of my fellow passengers that bikers, motorcycles, other drivers, etc. aren’t afraid of aggressive drivers because gun laws don’t permit citizens to carry them. Interesting fact.

I arrived at the foyer and introduced myself to the concierge, and she launched into a fairly detailed discussion of all the rules to which I’d be expect to adhere, including mandatory room-cleaning! (all this after 10 hours of travel and a 6 hour time change). They actually inspect all the rooms, which each have their own bathroom & shower, albeit TINY, about once a month, and cite you if there’s anything really unkempt.  It seems really petty to me as an outsider, but it’s a different way of life here.

So without further ado, my room, on the 9th floor:
I live in the 11th arrondissement, the district with the greatest residential density in the city, and one with many bars, nightclubs, restaurants, and cafes. There are lots of small grocery stores, kebab stands (kebaberies), and stores called Bazars, which sell various cheap kitchenware and other assorted household items. It’s not the glamorous Paris you imagine, and it’s not touristy. It’s a quartier (quarter) where real French people live their lives, shop for groceries, buy their bread at boulangeries, and and work. I’m seeing a different side of Paris, one that includes fewer views of the Notre Dame Cathedral sitting in its ancient regal glory by the side of the Seine, and more of a glimpse of the dirt and grime, and grey skies that are common in the day-to-day life here. That’s not to say that it’s completely depressing and terrible, just that it pops any bubble you might have lingering in your mind of Paris being a perfect city.
The view out my window, looking just to the left
Looking directly down, from the 9th floor

The view straight ahead
I met several other jeunes (young people) in my foyer who are doing a program fairly similar to mine, which is comprised of both courses and an internship, but it’s a program for European students, whereas mine of course is geared toward American students.  There’s Marisa, who’s Spanish and really sweet. I first met her one morning when I came downstairs for petit dejeuner (breakfast). Then there’s Sabrina, who’s Italian, but who’s been living for the past several years in Switzerland. She's the one with the camera. Then Luciane, who’s Portuguese, and Elise, who’s French (I think) - the one with the guidebook who was leading us all around.
From left: Sabrina, Elise, Luciana

Thursday, January 13, 2011

And I'm Off!

Twas the night before Paris when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring....except for me.
The suitcases were packed and zipped up with care,
In hopes that under 50 lb they would tare!
--------------------

This is my first time keeping a travel blog and I'm really excited about using it as a way to record all my adventures, post pictures, and keep family and friends up-to-date. I'm currently sitting in the airport, waiting for my flight which leaves in an hour! I've had an interesting morning stuffing last-minute items into my bags, and dramatically getting a horrible paper cut the minute I was supposed to be walking out the door, but besides the fact that I'm admittedly a little nervous, I'm mostly just really, really excited!

And with that, I'll be turning off my American phone, so you may reach me through Skype from now on. More updates to come soon when I'm settled in Paris.

Au revoir, United States!