Thursday, June 2nd, 2011
These past three days in Europe have literally flown by! I feel like I’ve already grown so much being here even though it has been less than a week. I came despising maps and public transportation, but have already been adapting to the life as a European.
I’m really glad that I was placed in an apartment, as opposed to a residence hall, and that we are far enough away from everything to need a metro pass. This past intersession, I participated in a three-week study abroad program in Florence, Italy, but we were housed in a hotel, with a full European hotel breakfast every morning for three weeks, and were in walking distance from everything. I must also mention that the group of students walking from the hotel to class and our field trips was a little over sixty. Talk about blending in!! I feel that I’ve already learned a lot more about the lifestyle as a Parisian than I did in Italy, as we’ve been going to new boulangeries and boucheries nearly every day to assemble affordable, but very tasty sandwiches. I’m also very glad breakfast is not provided with this program, because I enjoy finding my way around the streets of Paris in search of the perfect breakfast pastries and coffee. I’ve definitely learned to communicate in French a lot more and hope to improve my vocabulary a lot before I leave, which I did not really need to do so much in Italy.
When I would go to bars at night with my friends in Italy, we would search for American bars, which were very easy to come by and we would usually end up just socializing with each other and the usually American college students there rather than branching out and going to the bars where I cant understand anything around me nor sing along to Beyonce on the radio. So far, we’ve been out with a few friends in the program and are making efforts to immerse ourselves in the Parisian culture by avoiding the bars by the big monuments and trying to meet locals that are willing to help improve our French, which has really brought me out of my comfort zone. I’m a very shy, quiet person when you first meet me, which I’m sure you’ve noticed by now. I’ve been told it’s because I’m half English.
I’m working on speaking quieter rather than from my diaphragm, as I have noticed that the people on the street, in lines for museums and chapels, and on the metro that really annoy the heck out of me are the Americans that project every word they have to say as if the rest of the people around them care at all.
Dual citizenship with the United Kingdom has been very beneficial in Paris, especially money wise! I’ve been able to get into nearly every museum and chapel for free with the 18-25 year old EU citizen discount!
I’ve also found that regularly travelling to a big city such as London to visit my dad’s side of the family has helped me in preparedness on any busy streets and knowing how to act on the metro. On the contrary, I’ve never ventured into such a grand city alone as I’ve always had an uncle, grandpa, cousin, or dad to lead me around without any thoughts such as critically reading street or metro maps. I’m glad I’m travelling primarily with my roommates here because this is a foreign city to all of us and we are all young women so we have to constantly maintain our guard by not falling asleep on the metro after a full day on our feet at Versailles (which did almost happen today) as someone could have pick pocketed us easily in our light sleep.
U.K. Passport
Brittany and I in the Versailles Garden
Versailles' royal courtyard
I’m really looking forward to this program! I can already tell I’m going to be learning a vast amount of useful tid bits for life that I don’t think I could in San Diego, or Portland, OR, where I’m originally from. I’m eager to try new things, like the cheese-tasting, bike riding through the city, the opera, a show at Moulin Rouge (hopefully), and many other artsy, enriching activities. When I’m at USD, I have little to no time to engage in the Fine Arts, as my entire schedule is filled with science classes, volunteering, extracurricular activities as I’m a premed Biochemistry major. I also love photography (especially as I’m not very skilled in the other visual arts) and am glad I’m able to engage into that passion while I am here and scrutinize some of the best pieces of art in the world. Hopefully my experience here will help me realize the importance of the arts so I can make time for them in my hectic schedule. CAN’T WAIT FOR PARIS 2011!!!
Friday, June 3rd, 2011
Today was an excellent day at the Louvre (I’m finally remembering to pronounce it with two syllables)! Paris has proven me it to be a cornucopia of cultures and such a diversified histories that have influenced France and directing its art to where it is today. The homework assignment on Renaissance art, “The challenge of nature and antiquity,” advised me to focus on all aspects of the paintings and to search for the oddities in each piece because that is where the most interesting/ key story of the painting is told. I think this advice can be applicable to nearly any situation. For example, it’s those side streets with hidden bakeries and restaurants that I’ve found to be the best, even if they do look a little sketchy. I’ve even noticed myself yearning to eat all the unique foods here, such as stomach, which seems like such a grotesque notion back in America. It’s weird how different cultures have such different social norms. For example, when I was meeting up with friends in Spain before I came, it was so natural and ordinary for nudity on the crowded beaches, but if that were to happen in San Diego, it would be handled very immaturely with lots of glares and staring at the person out of the norm. It seems like in Europe, people don’t stare as much as they do in America at people dressed out of the norm or simply anyone walking around. For example, when there’s a performer on the metro, many of the commuters completely ignore him and his efforts to earn a few euros here and there. I may be noticing this as the public transportation system in Portland, although it is great, it is nothing near in terms of convenience to the famous Paris one and Portland is a much smaller city. I’ve heard that in larger cities people make an effort to defer eye contact so they don’t lure in predators by looking vulnerable. Back home, I make an effort to smile at strangers as I walk to class and even when I’m out and about in the city. I truly believe the smiles are contagious and smiling even at grumpy-looking people on the street will brighten any person’s day. In Portland, I’ve taken self defense classes where they advised me to make eye contact so that I would able to provide a detailed description to the police if said person were to attack me. This is a completely different world over here.
Back to the immersion in Parisian life. My roommates and I returned to the regular grocery store by our apartment in the 15th district to prepare our usual jabon and brie sandwiches on a fresh baguette from our usual brasserie. The first time we went to the grocery store on our second day in Paris, the cashier seemed very rude, as she was constantly texting on her crackberry as she rang up our items. We didn’t realize we had to label our fruit with the machine near the fruit, which was at the other end of the store and there was quite the line behind the register, but she made us feel very dumb and out of place. Then, we didn’t know we had to purchase a bag for the groceries and the attendant didn’t offer us one to purchase. She made it seem like we knew we could have bought one, but just chose not to. We promised to never return again, yet we’ve been back nearly every single day thus far and the same woman has been our cashier every single time (luckily a woman at the brasserie next store noticed we were struggling as we purchased baguettes, and provided us with a complimentary bag and a smile.) We’re banking on Dr. Maxim’s idea that on our tenth visit she’ll lighten up and maybe even flash us a slight smile.
Had my first croque monsier today! I devoured this poor man’s meal consisting of a hot ham sandwich, with tons of melted cheese on top of it, and then a sunny-side up egg to top all of it off. Definitely taking note of this affordable and easy gem of French cuisine. Nearly every meal I’ve had in France has been made from only a few, healthy ingredients, but the French chefs have mastered the perfect combination of the few quality ingredients.
Croque Madame
Later in the evening, Brittany and I ventured off to the opera to see the Madame Butterfly performance, as we won tickets in the raffle from CEA! We left two hours early in hopes of gathering our bearings and getting some dinner once we reached the location. The train ride there on the RER was pretty brief so we had an hour and a half to find the site once we exited the train station. We were quite lucky we allotted so much time as we finally found the chateau the opera was at two minutes after the show was planned to start and close their admittance gates! When we reached the vast park the opera was at, Parc de Sceaux, I was stunned by the beauty of it. There were many Parisians running, if it wasn’t a 5 euro RER ticket both ways, I would definitely head out there for a run every day. It seemed more than a running field, but like an escape so broken off from the city that you could train for any run there and legitimately enter into a new relaxing world after a hectic day at work, running errands around Paris, and travelling on the humid, smelly metro. There were numerous Parisians picnicking with the typical meal of red wine, cherries, baguettes, multiple cheeses, and salami and they could relax as the air smelled fresh, there wasn’t a vendor within the park trying to sell plastic Eiffel towers or ripping me off by selling us the same bottle of wine we found in our grocery store for a single euro but for a whopping 25 euros, and the only thing you could hear was the wind blowing the trees and the peaceful sound of the large lake installed in the park. I’m definitely hoping to return in the next two weeks to picnic as a true traveler, without any tourists around. I would love to return for a picnic beneath the vibrant trees at this treasure.
Please see treasure #1 post for photos of this wonderful park.
After gathering our awes, we looked in search of the opera “en plein aire” venue, which was at the cheateau. Good thing the ticket was in French and mentioned nothing about the location other than the park, with at least a three mile radius, hence the attraction from runners. After wandering around for far two long, we realized we were lost and asked a few French men for directions. We researched the French phrases in our handy dandy “French on the go” booklet. Luckily they spoke English and were able to call the opera for their location in the park, which we would have never been able to do successfully with the language barrier present. I came with assumptions that Americans are not very welcomed in Paris, but I’ve found that many of the Parisians truly do like to help you out if you ask.
The opera was lovely. We seemed to be the only “travelers” there! Madame Butterfly was in Italian, but there were screens with the French translations. It seemed like such a worldly experience sitting outside a chateau watching an opera with Italian and French as the only languages around. I find it so interesting that I can still understand what is going on in the play just by watching and listening. This version was carried out beautifully, especially with the classical music and Italian opera.
Before I forget, I must point out the sounds of the beautiful piano music coming from another room in our apartment building due to the paper-thin walls. Today’s combination of the piano, birds chirping, and the motorcycles and cars racing by is the loveliest sounds I have heard thus far. It’s definitely counteracting the crying babies and coughing man that have kept me awake the past few nights.
Sunday, June 5th, 2011
I loved the day trip to chateau de Chantilly and Pierrefonds!
Château de Chantilly
Château de Pierrefonds
The group meal was the best meal I’ve had since I’ve been here! I love the drawn out meals that last for over a few hours. It reminds me of a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner back at home with the long table filled with everyone ready to feast and catch up. We were at a table similar in length to Napolean's back in his apartment in the Louvre!
I can tell this meal will be memorable, because it contained all the aspects I love about a family holiday dinner, but it was more of getting to know people, whereas at holiday dinners, you know everyone. I also really enjoyed dining with professors, like Dr. Del Rio and Danielle Barbeau, and new friends of all different class levels I’ve just met in the past week. I can tell this is going to be an excellent experience, especially mingling with so many different professors and students I wouldn’t have met outside my Biochemistry bubble.
Dining table from Napolean's apartment in the Louvre
Monday, June 6th, 2011
Today, we visited the Louvre with my art history class and analyzed still life paintings. I’ve looked at many still life works through all the different works I’ve looked through, but have yet to see one as inspirational and perfect as the painting “Le dessert” (aka "The Breakfast") painted by Willem Claeszoon Heda.
What seemed to be a blackberry pie looked like I could grab it from the painting and eat what was leftover, similar to the still life competition between the two painters in which one painter was tricked and completely humiliated by the other painter’s perfect still life of the curtain covering a supposed painting of a seemingly perfect still life. It literally looked like a photograph of the desert/ breakfast table. The detail in the vases was exquisite and the light reflected off of the vase seemed so surreal. This picture (almost referred to it as a photo) made me want to dive into art as a hobby and push a little biochemistry to the side.
Le Dessert by William Claeszoon Heda - only for your reference (nothing close to the actually painting in terms of detail)
After browsing the amazing still lifes of the Louve, my roommates Brittany and Erin met up with Sarah Jorgenson from another class and ventured over the Monmartre for a tour in my Rick Steves’ Paris book, which I must say is the best travelling book I have yet to read. I can literally read the entire guide-book and remain awake doing so! Rick Steves has planned out multiple walking tours throughout the city, including Père Lachaise Cemetery, a tour of the Seine’s left bank leading up to Luxembourg Gardens, Napolean’s tomb, and many other great gems. Napolean’s apartment in the Louvre was exquisite, almost as wonderful and even possibly more elaborate than Versailles. His dining room table looked like it would be perfect for a Thanksgiving/ Christmas dinner with my family.
On our tour to Monmartre, we hiked up the numerous stairs as we are college students on a budget to cheap to take the convenient elevator, which was probably beneficial to our health after devouring a scrumptious pasta del giorno and a pizza at the local restaurant. On our tour, we were required to read a map, and somehow, I was put in charge of leading the group, probably due to my ownership of the guide book with the directions and my excitement to see all the sites, ranging from Picasso’s apartment, to the café from the famous movie Amelie, Sacre Couer, and Moulin Rouge, just to name a few. Let’s just say my directionally ineptness caused this supposed two hour tour to last us five hours. That may have been due to the absolutely amazing macarons we found on Rue De Lipec. Even Sarah Jorgensen, our fellow macaron connoisseur, admitted they were the best macaroons she had indulged in since she had been here. My favorite macarons were the Earl Grey and the violet, Blackberry macaron. They perfectly depicted the flavors they were expected to. I would love to be able to learn how to create such a delicacy. My friend, Sarah, continuously reminded us the art and skill that goes into creating the perfect macaron and how it’s impossible to make a decent macaron, even after a few attempts.
Such beautiful and yummy pieces of artwork
Early Grey and Blackberry Macarons
My favorite macaron shop
On our tour, we were fortunate enough to see Pablo Picasso’s famous apartment, the building where Vincent Van Gogh resided on the top floor, the café from the award winning Amelie, and the ever so famous Moulin Rouge, where my roommates and I are fortunate enough to see the Feerie show tomorrow evening after our cheese tasting at CEA.
As I was the leader holding the map, we obviously got lost a bit. I get the directional disability from my mother. We had to research our directions my misleading of the group off of the pathway in the wrong direction. An old woman passed us by speaking in French, with luckily Sarah had two semesters of under her belt, and asked us if we needed help. She pointed us in the direction to find a view limited to the locals of Moulin Rouge. All of my assumptions of Parisians have definitely been shot down. At this point, I nearly trust them more than San Diegans. They are respectful on the metro, standing up from the fold up seats when it gets a little crowded and moving back to make room for the people coming onto the train.
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