Paris

I moved.

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:45:00 +0100

If you like these stories about my experience in Paris, visit my new tumblr page. It serves as my personal blog and contains links to my resumé and some published writing that I’ve done. As always, thanks for reading.

Sarah

Thank you!

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 08:24:08 +0200

Hey, i googled paris tumblr because i know those who tumbl have the best ideas and your blog came up! I am going to visit Paris in a week and I just wanted to say thanks for your posts because I now have some ideas of what I want to do, especially Giverny!!

Hi Sarah! My name is Sammi, and I'm a junior at Mizzou planning on going to Sciences Po in the spring. My mom is starting to have a minor panic attack about housing, and I was wondering if you have any tips for finding a good place to live (or what not to do). Thanks so much, and I've enjoyed your blog!

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 08:23:04 +0200

Hey, Sammi! I would definitely recommend going through Chuck at Paris Academic Rentals. I think that is the service that the people in the Mizzou study abroad office will provide. My roommate and I found a relatively cheap (for Paris), two bedroom place in the Latin Quarter through him and we were the only ones of the program who used that service — AND ours was the cheapest.

I would also really recommend considering living with a French family. I wish that I would have done this so that I could practice my French more and have meals. Paris Academic Rentals can find you a family too, you can check your preference when filling out a request form.

Here is my mizzou email, email me anytime if you want to meet and talk, or if you have more questions. I’m so excited for you!

scsn96@mail.missouri.edu

Update.

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 20:44:17 +0200

Well. I have been home for about two weeks, and the novelty of it all is wearing off. I’ve seen people who I missed, and eaten at all the restaurants I missed, and spent time with my family. I’ve driven enough, seen enough trucks, worn enough T-shirts, had enough sales tax, worked enough, listened to enough of my radio station. Now, I miss France.

I miss France and its 90 cent baguettes, and all of the wonderful people who I met over there. My dad bought me a baguette at a bakery in Des Moines the other day and he was four dollars poorer for it. Why does that cost so much? I don’t understand.

Yes, I am a little depressed. Why would I want to drive downtown for an eight hour restaurant shift, when I can walk outside to this giant river that runs through this one historic city and watch all sorts of weird people walk around. Oh reality, why do you have to sting so badly.

Alas I will get over it. It is great to be in Ankeny with my family, it really is. And I will keep busy this summer with work, and summer reading and helping my sister get ready for her first year of college. I am working at a new restaurant in downtown Des Moines called Americana. It is a nice place, come visit! On Wednesday, I will start a summer student position at Meredith publishing. Stay tuned to my blog. It has been in a slight coma for these two weeks, but still lives. I’m planning where to go with it next, so keep reading.

Last post from France.

Mon, 23 May 2011 03:21:00 +0200

Everything is packed, and I am still up of course, after getting back late from a dinner party and saying goodbye to people, and walking home along the Seine and past the Notre Dame one last time. Its three in the morning here and I don’t think I will be able to sleep before my shuttle at 5:50. I’m worrying about traveling again, and everything working out. I’m feeling depressed about leaving, but very excited to see my family waiting for me at the airport. If I don’t sleep, maybe I will be able to sleep on the plane, and then not be jet lagged tomorrow. We shall see.

Either way, this is my last post from France which is quite sad. I will still update this blog, though. So stay tuned - you might get to hear about my trip home as I take an interesting route from Paris, France to Houston, Texas to Des Moines. Thanks for reading throughout the semester. I enjoyed keeping the blog, and its been a great way to feel connected to you, practice my writing, and reminisce about all the things that have happened on my study abroad experience. I will see you all soon!

It has been a busy weekend filled with friends and falafel. Yes,...

Sun, 22 May 2011 16:02:00 +0200

It has been a busy weekend filled with friends and falafel. Yes, I’ve had falafel every day of the weekend. I will miss its availability in the Jewish district, and the special pita bread, sauce, eggplant slices on top, pickled cucumbers, and cabbage. There is really nothing better.

Yesterday, I went to a picnic in the Luxembourg gardens organized by my friend, Camille. It was an end of the year picnic for lots of her friends before they all go to different countries for Sciences Po’s mandatory year abroad for third year students. There is a picture (above) of all the different picnics on one lawn in the garden. It was completely full of people, mostly students. We were even a tourist photo attraction and I will now be in many people’s Paris scrapbooks.

The picnic was great for me because I got to listen to and speak French. While there, Lizzi and I met a French Sciences Po student named Kevin, who is spending his year abroad at Mizzou next year! I think he was grateful to make Mizzou connections ahead of time, and I know we were happy because now we will have our own little link to Paris next year at Mizzou. We have already taught him some necessary college campus slang.

After the picnic, I had to say goodbye to Camille. My sweet, beautiful French friend is going to be spending next year in Korea so I demanded that she send me regular updates and pictures. I am so excited for her, she is so brave and smart, but it was sad to say goodbye.

Last night was spent at what is quickly becoming my favorite hang-out spot in the city: the Pont des Arts bridge. We gathered lots of our friends, talked and drank champagne and wine for a few hours. I have packed a little today and will finish this afternoon. Just got a call from my shuttle to the airport and they will be picking me up at 5:50 in the morning. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen that time of day.

A little list for you.

Sat, 21 May 2011 19:13:00 +0200

I want to write a little bit about what I love about being in France. And since I’ve learned in my journalism classes that people like their information in list form, here goes.

1. Politeness: People actually say “enchanté” after meeting you. Even people my age. It’s rude not to say “bonjour” before asking a sales clerk a question. I’m going to miss people greeting me when I walk into stores, and wishing me good day and goodbye when I leave. Today, I went to a big picnic where I only talked to a small group of people. When someone left the picnic, they went around and kissed everyone goodbye, even if we had never formally met.

2. No faux politeness: Your dinner or afternoon coffee in France won’t get interrupted 20 times by waiters asking if everything is OK. Similarly, waiters don’t really chat to you while on the job, there is an aloof disconnect between waiter and customer. This means that service industry people won’t act like your best friend and then complain about you to their coworkers in the back kitchen (hmmm I’ve never done that).

2. More general open-mindedness: I’ve noticed this especially on the issue of homophobia - there’s a lot less of it here. Guys are chummy, they hug, show affection and go out to dinner together. It’s not a big deal. Most of the Europeans I’ve discussed this issue with, don’t understand why a public figure or politician coming out as gay would affect their campaign or work. The mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë, is openly gay.

3. Relaxation and friends always come first: Yesterday, I saw a bus driver stop the bus on the side of Boulevard Saint-Germain in central Paris so that a homeless man could come greet her with two kisses. Everyone picnics for hours. It’s great.

4. The French language: I love this language. It can be confusing when talking to new people whether you use the formal form for “you” or the informal form. But, it’s also a great way to know where you stand with someone. Calling people “tu” is so wonderfully informal and intimate, reserved for fellow students and family and friends. Calling people “vous” is a perfect way to show respect, for asking directions and for distracting strangers from any other annoying questions that I might have.

Lizzi and I met our friend Nick on the steps of la Grande...

Fri, 20 May 2011 17:32:00 +0200

Paris business district.

Grande Arche, La defense.

Lizzi and I met our friend Nick on the steps of la Grande Arche last night, in la Defense, which is the office-building, business district of Paris. I had to say goodbye to Nick since he left for a trip around Italy with his family today, and I’m leaving on Monday.

La Défense is actually a little outside of the city, but its at the very end of the metro line so we could still get there. It actually felt like we were at the edge of the earth. Mostly because the buildings struck me as futuristic after months of living next to things like gladiator rings, tiny cafés and old train stations.

When you’re sitting on the steps of la Grande Arche, you can see the Arc de Triomphe in the distance. And when you’re on top of l’Arc de Triomphe, you can see the bright, white, 20th century version of it in the Grande Arche way in the distance. Here are some Google pictures of that connection since I don’t have a good one. It was meant to be that way when the Grande Arche was built. I’m sure the two arches love seeing past and future versions of themselves across the city. It’s like their very own time-machine mirror.

The rest of my pictures from Giverny.

Thu, 19 May 2011 20:27:00 +0200

Me and the kids...

Pink and red.

Monet's house.

On the walk back.

An ostrich.

Vernon church in the distance.

The rest of my pictures from Giverny.

Today was a Monet’s garden and Monet’s house day. I...

Thu, 19 May 2011 20:11:00 +0200

Monet's garden.

Bamboo.

Water lilies.

Weeping willow tree, my favorite.

Today was a Monet’s garden and Monet’s house day. I took lots of pictures, so beware. With Lizzi, I took the hour long train ride from Paris to Vernon, France. Then, we took a bus from Vernon to Giverny, where sits the home and garden of Claude Monet. Giverny was everything that I hoped it would be, a picturesque, rural town that looked straight out of a Jane Austen novel. Except it was in France. Since we were venturing out on a weekday, there was a surprising amount of French kids under 12 touring the garden and house. We had to share the path a little.

Monet’s garden was fantastic, and his house just reflected the garden. I imagine he didn’t spend much time inside. The inside walls were all painted in pastels, in shades just a little less brilliant than the flowers outside. The sitting room was plastered with Monet’s paintings, and the kitchen was blue, yellow and sunny. The fields and hills behind the property went on forever. After seeing the Musée d’Orsay yesterday (see blog post below), the Monet garden today was like living the reality of the Impressionist part of the museum.

Lizzi and I even had time to walk back to Vernon from Giverny instead of taking the 10 minute bus ride. Our train back to Paris wasn’t for a little while, and it was a nice day. It took us about an hour and 10 minutes. It was a gorgeous countryside walk, sometimes along the Seine with swans floating on top, other times by a soccer field, a group of horses, a lone ostrich in some farmer’s field, and the cutest puppy I have ever seen. I love the French countryside, no wonder Monet wanted to live here.

Last night, I spent time with our London friends Tajha and...

Thu, 19 May 2011 19:31:00 +0200

Me and Tajha, her last night in Paris.

Lizzi, Lalah and Tajha.

Square inside the Louvre courtyard.

Walking out onto Pont des Arts.

Last night, I spent time with our London friends Tajha and Lalah. Tajha is taking the train back to London today, and we had to have one last night together in Paris.

Yesterday, I went to the Musée d’Orsay, the mostly Impressionist and post-Impressionist museum of Paris. It was lovely, and like the Louvre, the building was a piece of art as well. The Musée d’Orsay is in an old train station building. The ceiling is high and there are flowery designs ornately carved into the green stone. I saw the Degas dancers paintings which was a highlight. I also saw paintings by Cézanne, Rodin sculptures, Toulouse-Lautrec (one of my favorite styles after seeing everything yesterday), and all the Monet paintings I could wish for.

After the museum, my roommate and I went across the river to the Tuileries garden and people watched for an hour or two. Then we walked through the Louvre courtyard and across Pont des Arts bridge on our way home. We meant to read in the gardens, but there are some pretty interesting people who walk in the Tuileries, and a lot of them.

We marveled again at how relaxing and surreal the last few weeks have been. We are so lucky to be study abroad students who are done with classes in a city so lovely and sunny. We spend our days deciding between going to see beautiful monuments and museums, or sitting in the park all day. Sometimes we just give it up and do both. Its almost time for us to hit the brick wall of reality this summer. You remember, Sarah - reality: driving, jobs, classes for next semester, sliced bread, maybe a little light exercise.

Thank goodness reality includes my family and friends and home.

Today was the last exam of my semester at Sciences Po. I filled...

Wed, 18 May 2011 01:03:00 +0200

Padlocks.

Pont des Arts.

Love locks.

Me, Kayla, Angie on the bridge.

Kayla, Melissa, Sarah and me.

Today was the last exam of my semester at Sciences Po. I filled up four pages with coherent sentences about the differences between the authoritarian and libertarian theories of the press, and then it was all over. After the exam, what seemed like my whole class met at a bridge called Pont des Arts, across from the Louvre. Anytime its close to nice weather in Paris, people gather in large groups in true Parisian fashion to sit for hours on the bridge nicknamed the love lock bridge, drinking wine from plastic cups and eating cheese. People go around asking to borrow bottle openers and knives, and the braver ones break out their guitars and bongo drums. This really happens.

I was on the bridge for five hours today and was not the last person to leave. It was nice to talk to my classmates outside of school for a change, and watch the sunset and the hot pink clouds and the many boats of tourists who waved at us as they passed under the padlock bridge. I was proud to be a part of one of the largest groups at Pont des Arts. I’m usually just passing by. I still didn’t get to witness a couple attach a love padlock to the metal bridge, but you can’t have everything.

Today on a walk, Lizzi and I ran across a “fête du...

Thu, 12 May 2011 21:26:00 +0200

A bread festival.

Pain au chocolat.

cute.

Different flours.

Just outside Notre Dame.

Shakespeare & Company English bookstore.

Today on a walk, Lizzi and I ran across a “fête du pain.” Bread party! The whole ile de la cité smelled like a bakery does in the morning. There were a bunch of tents outside of the Notre Dame, with bakers in white aprons and hats, samples, ovens, kids learning how to make bread and TV cameras. It was a great thing to run into.

We also spent some time at Shakespeare and Company bookstore. It is an English bookstore opened in 1951. It is a little green shop filled to the brim with used and new books.

Last night, I saw a concert at the Sainte Chapelle. The program...

Wed, 11 May 2011 17:51:00 +0200

Last night, I saw a concert at the Sainte Chapelle. The program consisted of Pachelbel’s Canon, Chaconne by Vitali, and Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. All played underneath a crazy arching ceiling, and millions of colored glass panels by two violins, two violas, a cello and a harpsichord. The ceiling made the six musicians, called the Orchestre Classik Ensemble, sound more like a full orchestra than six individual players. In the battle between the colors on the stained glass and the music, it was hard to tell which art form won. The pacifist in me wants to say they formed one coordinated, lovely, harmonious piece of art together. Neither was overshadowed by the other.

The violin soloist, David Braccini, danced around center stage of the group. He was the tallest in height, and he reminded me why live music is always better than recordings. Every venue is different, and every talented musician is fun to watch as they feel the music they are playing: hopping from foot to foot, bobbing their head or shaking their mop of sandy hair as was the case last night. String players are great to watch because they have that bow thing going on.

I loved the Chaconne. Here is a recording off of youtube. Not the artist that I saw last night, but I wanted to share it with you somehow.

On an unrelated note, I’m contemplating doing the opposite of what most people would do flying home from Paris. I might fill my return suitcase with food and leave all my clothes here.

The museum gods don’t want me in their temples this week....

Tue, 10 May 2011 16:43:00 +0200

Fountain by the Pompidou museum.

Me and Camille.

Oldest tree in Paris.

What.

The museum gods don’t want me in their temples this week. I had plans with my friend Camille to go to the Paris sewer museum yesterday, but they were having some problems in the area…. problems that we could smell before we knew of them. I wanted to go to the sewer museum because it sounds so cool, the sewers were built a really long time ago, and they are mentioned in my favorite musical Les Miserables.

We checked back with the museum a little later, but they were still closed. Camille then came up with numerous museums we could go see that afternoon, before we realized that it was a Monday, the day of rest for museums.

So we went to Ile de la cité (because of its numerous ice cream spots), and walked around. We sat by a fountain by the Pompidou museum, that had no water on for the day. It would have been so much cooler with water as you can probably tell by the picture. On the way home, Camille showed me the oldest tree in Paris. It is in the back of a little park across from the Notre Dame. It had concrete supports so that it wouldn’t fall over. It was planted in 1602 I believe (might have been 1604). I never would have seen it if she hadn’t shown me.

I will get back to the sewer museum, and also take a tour of the Paris catacombs. I have a whole list of things to do in the 13 days that I have left here. Lets hope that I accomplish them— maybe no more sitting in the sun for me.

Happy Mother’s Day to my beautiful mom, my two gorgeous grandmothers, my lovely aunts, and to...

Mon, 09 May 2011 01:43:00 +0200

Happy Mother’s Day to my beautiful mom, my two gorgeous grandmothers, my lovely aunts, and to all the other wonderful, caring women in my life. I love you more than I can say.

I also read somewhere that the grand staircase, the entrance to...

Sun, 08 May 2011 01:53:44 +0200

Statue of composer Camille Saint-Saens.

The grand foyer (hall for intermissions)

The ceiling of the foyer.

Out the balconies- so many people out.

Inside the ampitheatre.

The chandelier and painted ceiling.

The grand staircase.

I also read somewhere that the grand staircase, the entrance to the orchestra, is the most famous places in the Palais Garnier. The brochure calls it a stage of its own. It is where all the elite people who came to the theatre could parade around and show themselves off as they entered the ampitheatre.

Some more fun facts: the opera seats 2,200 audience members, and the central chandelier weighs more than six tons. The stage has room for 450 artists to be on it at the same time….. that would be a lot of artists on one stage.

Today, I went to the Palais Garnier Opera house - the Paris...

Sun, 08 May 2011 01:29:00 +0200

Place Vendôme.

The Ritz.

Palais Garnier Opera.

Palais Garnier.

Palais Garnier.

Inside.

Beautiful ceiling.

Ceiling.

Today, I went to the Palais Garnier Opera house - the Paris Opera, or the Académie Nationale de Musique as it is “officially” called (on the front of the building). I have been wanting to see the Paris Opera building because of my love of two things: ballet, and the Phantom of the Opera. The amazing building was an inspiration for the novel version of the Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. Also, one person was killed in the late 1800’s by a falling counterweight from one of the chandeliers, AND there are supposedly underground lake cellars??? Awesome.

The building was breathtaking. I took way too many pictures. My favorite part was the shiny great hall where theatre-goers hang out during intermissions. It was a huge room with multiple chandeliers and mirrors and colorful painted ceilings. I would like to mill about during intermission there.

My other favorite part was the ampitheatre. A dancer was rehearsing onstage in a bright red practice tutu when I fought my way through the crowd to see inside. She looked out of place, in her modern dance-class clothes dancing for the rich, velvety ocean of the ampitheatre seats, the bright star of the chandelier, and the ceiling painted in pastels of dancers and angels. I wanted to be her so much.

To get to the Opera, I walked through Place Vendôme, a ritzy part of Paris that I learned about in a listening comprehension video in my French class this semester. It is, in fact, where the Ritz hotel of Paris is. The hotel where Coco Chanel lived for around 30 years. Madame Chanel would only have had to look out her Ritz window, past the tall column with the statue of Napoleon on top, to see her boutique across the way on the other side of Place Vendôme. If something went wrong in the store, maybe she would walk over and make an appearance to appease the customers.

Besides dodging the many crowds of tourists (which is what I was too so I couldn’t blame them), it was a glamorous and sunny day. I will miss it when I can’t walk through the Tuileries to get home.

Well, my museum plan for the day was again thwarted. I made it...

Fri, 06 May 2011 23:32:00 +0200

Fashion museum.

Well, my museum plan for the day was again thwarted. I made it to the gate of the Musée Galliera, the fashion museum. I was all ready, I even took a shower this morning and wore my favorite shirt. It was not meant to be, the site of the museum is closed until spring 2012, and the alternate exhibit was in another district (and I had forgotten my map and ran out of subway tickets.) There was a lovely garden in front of the columns, however, and I sat in the shade and read (again). Lots of people were there picnicking, sleeping, talking, laying side-by-side with their significant others. I marveled again at how Parisians are content to sit in a park without feeling the need to run 50 miles beforehand. In parks in the United States, most people are doing their morning workouts or watching their children do the monkey bars. I thought no one had picnics anymore, but thank goodness I was wrong.

After a while, I walked all the way home which was nice. I did some exploring and found the American Cathedral of Paris, walked the Tuileries, past the Louvre, over my favorite “love-lock bridge” (Pont des Arts), and past the green crates along the river with souvenirs and old posters, bought bread and went home. Tomorrow, I promise to do something better than sit around outside. I am planning on taking a tour of the Opera Palais Garnier.

First, look at what I got to walk up and down every Monday and...

Fri, 06 May 2011 23:15:30 +0200

Journalism School.

Sciences Po.

Jardin des Plantes.

Oldest bridge in Paris- 1604

Along the Seine

Jardin des Plantes.

First, look at what I got to walk up and down every Monday and Friday of the semester for my journalism classes. I love that building.

Yesterday, I had a very relaxing day. I was planning on going to the Musée d’Orsay, but I couldn’t make myself stay inside when it was so sunny outside. So, I took my mystery novel that was left in my apartment by a former tenant, and walked along the river in search of a perfect spot to read. I people-watched, boat-watched, duck/duckling-watched, tourist-watched and read.