Au Revoir La France! =(

Sooo. I'm sitting in the Charles de Gaulle Airport waiting for my flight.  Paris was very relaxing and fun but I'm so ready to see my family! Tuesday morning I got up early and went to the Louvre.  Maureen and I decided that we LOVE going to museums alone because you can go fast when you want to and slow when you want to.  At the Louvre, I looked at French, Spanish, and Italian sculptures.  I also went to see the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo again.  It was really nice to be able to go back being older and all, but I really don't feel as though I got the full experience.  I would like to take some art history classes before I return again so I can have a fuller appreciation for what I'm looking at.  I got lunch at a place near the opera house, which was nice.  It's so weird to eat alone but I am so used to it now.  Afterward, I took the metro and got off near the Musee Galliera, or Musee de la Mode (fashion museum).  Unfortunately, it was closed and doesn't open again til late November.  That was a bummer! After that, I went back to my hotel and grabbed a pizza to go at a little Italian place.  I showered, got ready, and went out with Maureen and her friends in her program.  It was the funniest thing, but I saw this kid Todd I know from Michigan.  He is hooking up with Maureen's roommate, who is way too hot for him.  My theory is that girls have lower self-confidence than they should and guys have higher self-confidence than they should, so you always see girls who are too pretty for the guys they are with.  Seriously, look around it's true.  The boys treat them like shit too because they think they are so cool because they can get such a hot girl.  Not true.  Not all, but a lot of girls realize this (still my theory) and realize how much better they can do after the fact.  Smart guys will realize this during the fact and step up their game to keep the girl.  Dumb ones are jerks and act like idiots, lose the girl, and never find a girl that measures up.  Moving on, we went bar-hopping in Paris...stayed out til 3 a.m. etc.  I went back to my hotel and slept in and Maureen and I went to lunch at her favorite gyro place.  So bad, but so good.  Afterward we went to the Musee d'Orsay, and we split up and agreed on a place to meet in a few hours, since we both like exploring museums alone so much!  I like Musee d'Orsay better than the Louvre because there are more things that I recognize and it's actually air-conditioned.  I saw a lot of Monet, Manet, Renoir, Van Gogh, and more.  I would like to go back there someday.  Last night we got dinner at an Italian place.  I had mussels and pasta, it was good.  Maureen had a really yummy pizza.  Afterwards I went home and packed.  This morning I woke up, took bus 91 to Gare de Lyon, and caught a shuttle from there to the airport.  It only cost 15 euro.  It was very easy, way easier than the metro (which I am still sore from dragging my bags from Gare de Lyon to Avenue de Gobelin where the hotel was).  I probably waited like 45 minutes for the shuttle to come and I made buddies with this couple who lives in Paris but is on their way to Hong Kong for few weeks.  The girl just finished college and she was sooo cute.  She was wearing these tortoise shell RayBan eyeglasses, and I was in lovvve.  I really want another pair of glasses.  Ooh. Boarding is delayed 10 minutes!  Bummer.  Anyway, her boyfriend was cute too.  Really tall with dark hair and blue eyes.  They were so nice.  We sat by each other on the bus and talked the whole time, and I ended up friending her on Facebook.  Gotta love Facebook.  Well I board in about 10 minutes, so I'm gonna wrap up this post.  See ya in the mitten!

Adventurous Weekend

So I'm sitting in a McDonalds in Paris right now close to Maureen's apartment.  I had a VERY interesting weekend, let me tell you.  Friday, Adrienne and I boarded a train to Milan and had a fabulous (FABULOUS!!!!) time shopping and eating Italian food.  There really isn't much else to do in Milan, believe it or not! We went on a bus tour and saw all the important monuments, and Monday I went to La Scala (not sure if I spelled that right).  It's the famous Milan opera house.  Unfortunately the actual theater was closed for construction but I explored the museum by myself and the building was sooo beautiful.  You could only take pictures in the lobby though, so that's all I have.  They had this big exhibit on a woman named Maria Callas who was an opera singer there for a period of 30 or 40 years.  She was Greek, so that reminded me of my favorite girls that I miss oh-so-much (it's getting to be a bit ridiculous).  They had all the costumes that she ever wore and they are so intricate and beautiful and they all seemed hand-made.  Hopefully my parents stopped reading this because what I did Monday night is a little sketchy.  I COUCH SURFED! Yeah, worst idea ever, lesson learned.  Important part = I'm still alive. I planned on staying in the Riviera area for a few days, but I was so uncomfortable at the apartment I was at that I up and left the next morning which  brought me here.  I can't believe how stupid I am for bringing TWO suitcases that are SO heavy and how stupid the French are for not having ONE DAMN ELEVATOR OR ESCALATOR in the entire underground system.  My shoulders/back, literally, have never felt so bad (remember, I am a swimmer).  A pair of macho guys did save me a trip up one flight of stairs though.  Anyway, I feel really empowered and independent because of my success in traveling alone (for the most part).  Next step is to be able to pay for it myself... ha! Yea right.  I would not have survived Milan if I didn't have my parents to fall back on...Adrienne and I booked a 12 Euro/night hostel in Milan, which worked out fine the first night, even if it was a little sketch.  We climbed the stairs and walked into what looked like a scene out of Requiem for a Dream and waited for our room for quite awhile even though we had previously booked it online.  In the meantime, a little mini-bulldog (my favorite) peed on the floor, but neither of us had noticed and we kept stepping in it.  When our room was finally ready, we were told that two other people would be joining us in the room later.  We were so exhausted from our day of traveling that we went right to bed and around 3 in the morning, the concierge just walked in (the doors don't lock), and led in two girls, one of whom took off all her clothes and got in the bed next to me which was only about 5 inches away from me.  I could smell her breath the entire night, and it REEKED of alcohol, let me tell you.  The next day, we were told we would have to move rooms.  We were led (very sketchily) to a room in a different building which REALLY looked like a scene out of Requiem for a Dream.  There were 8 bunk beds and half-naked men strewn everywhere, plus the room smelled like absolute shit.  As we were being shown the room, Adrienne and I were exchanging TERRIFIED looks that said "no way in hell are we seriously staying here."  I pulled out the parents-love-me card and told my mom that we would have to find a hotel. We ended up finding a place in a 4-star hotel that was only 63 Euros a night.  Breakfast was included and it was sooo good, and so worth the extra money.  Anyway, I guess I'll wrap up this post and head back to my hotel because Maureen is deeply involved in her work right now.  She has two exams, two papers, and a presentation tomorrow.  But you know what that means! She will be ready to party for my last night in France, and I CAN'T WAIT! It's a bummer that I have to go back to acknowledging my severe dependence on my parents in the U.S.  But, I am looking forward to a few things including AIR CONDITIONING, the good hygiene of the general American population, driving my own car instead of taking the disgusting metro/SNCF trains everywhere.... I have come to the conclusion that homeless people piss all over the underground when everyone else is sleeping.....How else can it smell so bad???  Tomorrow, I plan on hitting up the Louvre again as well as the Galliera because I've never been there.  I'd like to go shopping of course, but I seriously can't afford to put anything else in my suitcase.  I have a terrible feeling I'm going to lose a wheel or an arm or both next time I need to take it somewhere...  Well, back to the hotel for moi. Make sure to call me or get online if you are bored because for the next three nights I will be alone in my hotel =(  While I have definitely gotten to appreciate all the benefits that come with being totally by myself during my stay in France, I have also come to appreciate all the benefits of living with my two wonderful families (at home and at school).  I miss my brothers and sisters so much that it hurts, and I cannot wait to move into my new apartment with Vassi and start things up with that crowd again.  Yesterday, I talked on the phone to my sisters and after I hung up I started crying because I miss them that much.  I know, pathetic.  It's just, I' m SO close to seeing them, yet so far.  Until next time!

Leavin' on a Jet Plane

Well, my bags are all packed up and I'm just waiting to leave Grenoble.  I am meeting Adrienne at the train station and we're headed to Milan.  It's been fun, but I am not sad to leave the town, just my friends.  But I know I'll see them all again during welcome week.  This will probably be my last post on here! So thank you guys all for reading and see you in Michigan. Love you all! xoxo

French Riviera

Hey guys! I am back from the French Riviera.  Friday, we piled in the bus for Nice and made two stops on the near six-hour drive down south.  At one stop, we used these self-cleaning toilets, and Alli was in one when it started cleaning itself.  She was screaming and she couldn't get out and she was getting sprayed with toilet water.  We could all hear her but we couldn't help her.  We were hysterical for a good ten minutes afterwards.  When we finally got to Nice, we had gross dinner at some random restaurant the University picked (fried chicken and fries), then they sent us to the hotel without a confirmation code or anything.  When we got there, we were told that our group had already arrived and there were no more rooms left.  That was confusing.  It ended up that the concierge double booked the rooms, so we had to change hotels.  By the time we got settled it was around 1 a.m., but we decided to go out anyway.  Let's just say it was a rough night.  Rough, but fun.  Even rougher was the next morning.  We all got up at 8 a.m. and went exploring in Nice.  It's right on the Mediterranean and it's beautiful.  Also, in the "vielle ville" or "old town" there were marches en plein air... which I don't really know how to explain.  Kind of like flea markets.  The buildings were all gorgeous.  Andrea, Jennifer, Matt, Raffi and I had lunch at an outdoor restaurant.  It was sooo good.  I don't think I've ever had bad food here, come to think of it.  Anyway, lunch was really nice because we sat there for a good two hours discussing everything from politics to relationships to adoption and the future.  We all kind of fell in love with Matt a little more because he plans on doing the peace corps after school and adopting a kid from wherever he goes. At around 2:30, we met up with the rest of the program to go to Monaco.  On the way, we stopped at this parfumerie and learned out people make perfume.  I bought my mom this flower-shaped candle that smells amazing.  It's really pretty too.  When we finally got to Monaco, it was incredible.  We visited an aquarium, the cathedral where Princess Grace was married and later buried, Prince Albert's palace (anyone remember that episode of Girls Next Door?), and explored the principality.  On the way back we stopped at Monte Carlo and saw the famous casino.  We got back to Nice around 11, got ready, and all of us went to dinner at a really yummy restaurant.  Afterwards, we went to a salsa bar.  They started playing American songs and we got a little too into it.  The next day, everyone wanted to go to the beach, but I knew we would go when we went to Cannes, so I explored by myself.  I had breakfast at this little place and was sitting across from this cute guy and we kept making awkward eye contact.  When I got my croissant he even said "Bon Appetite."  I was just catching up on celebrity gossip on my phone when he asked me if I wanted this feminine magazine that was sitting on his table.  We got to talking and he ended up pulling his chair up to my table.  We talked for a good hour! Unfortunately, I had to say goodbye and head back to the hotel because we were leaving for Cannes.  Cannes was INCREDIBLE.  We only had two hours there so we just explored the city and then swam in the sea...which was, again, INCREDIBLE.  The water was great, it was a beautiful day, etc.  Matt, Michelle, Adrienne and I swam out to this floating dock way far out and joined a bunch of little kids who were amusing themselves by jumping off and climbing back up.  I guess we're still little at heart because we stayed out there for awhile and did the same thing.  Afterward we swam back in, dried in the sun, and got back on the bus.  All in all, it was an amazing trip and it was so great to bond with everyone during one of our last weekends.  It is remarkable that there is no drama within our group and that we all genuinely get along and love each other's company!  Pictures  soon! Love you guys =)

HAHA. Dinner is always so awkward post-Bruno's attempt to kiss me.  I try to avoid him as much as possible and he tries to run into me as often as possible.  Jessica cannot stop laughing at the whole situation.  Thankfully I am leaving town tomorrow!

I am starting to LOVE having class so early.  The people in my class are so fun.  Alli, this girl from my program, and I sit in the back at a table with this guy Mitch, and we have a ball for how early it is.  There are also like 5 people over 40 in our class from Poland, and we always pick on them.  The man of the group is a-know-it-all, and we always compete to say answers before he can because he takes too long to talk! There is also this one really cute old lady from Japan.  She told the class that in America they call daylight savings "summertime." We got a kick out of that.  Then there's this Turkish girl Aidan, who is the cutest thing ever, she reminds me of my good friend Fatima from Harvard.  There's also this Mexican girl named Adrienne.  In our other class (oral perfection) we had to act out a scenario and I had to be her 50-year-old politician boyfriend, and we had to explain why we loved each other in French...hahaha! We all have oral perfection after grammar every day and our teacher is amazing! We love her.

It is crazy that I will be all done with this in a week!  I am still trying to figure out plans for my extra week.  I was talking to my friend Matt today while we were all at the pool and he is going to stay with his friend in Montpellier and they're gonna travel around the South of France until the 6th or 7th and he told me to come! That sounds like my most appealing option so far if Barcelona with Rachelle doesn't work out! I loved Montpellier and I am not sure I want to stay with 018375018735 people in a hostel in Paris.  I really want to see my friend Saad but I don't think the train ride to Geneva is worth a two day stay, and I don't want to stay somewhere alone.

Anyway, I thought I should update since I NEVER talk about my classes and it hit me today how much I'm gonna miss that kind of intersection of nationalities and ages in my daily life...

Tour de France

Today a bunch of us skipped our second class and went to the Tour de France! It was SO fun! We waited an hour or so for them to come, and during that time the press and some promotional vehicles were driving by and throwing stuff at us.  I got a cool slap bracelet! Haha.  When the bikers did come, there were 3 up front really fast, I didn't get a picture but Geoff did so I'm stealing it!  Then came a huge pack of bikers and the sound of all their pedals going was insane! So loud! Afterward, there were a few stragglers (literally like 2 or 3).  But yeah! It was done within 30 seconds basically! Then we all went to a public pool because it was SO HOT out there all day!  Great day over all =)

Tour de France, Nice, etc. etc.

Tomorrow the Tour de France is coming through Grenoble, RIGHT down the road I live off of - La Rue de la Liberation. A bunch of us are skipping our second class of the day and going to see it. Afterwards we're going to lounge by the pool chez moi. Friday I leave for Nice for the weekend and I'm absolutely ecstatic! I reaaaallllyyyy wanna go to Monaco! I am extra excited because everyone I have ever bonded with on this trip is going so it's going to be sooo much fun. We are all staying in a hotel together! It's gonna be crazy. Right now I have to go read for Emily's class, which is the worst class I've ever taken by the way. Yesterday we turned in a 7 pg paper, tomorrow we have a 3 pg one due and Tuesday we have another 7 pg one. Taking this pass/fail was the second best decision I've ever made. The best decision I've ever made was to come here. I have learned so much about what kind of person I am and what I am capable of. I definitely want to return here for a longer period of time in the near future, but I know that next summer I really wanna do something in the Middle East. Big plans, huh? Miss you all very, very much. Can't wait to see [most of] you again! Also, so excited to meet Baxter and Fluffy! =)