Olá!
Cheguei em Portugal há já duas semanas e meio... e estou já mais habituada à falar em português :)
Just kidding, I am not ready to write a complete vocabulary-rich and grammatically correct blog post in Portuguese. However, since being here I have become more comfortable to do some basic tasks such as ordering food / coffee, introducing myself and carrying on conversations, and speaking on the phone.
Moving from Paris to Coimbra from like moving from night to day, in the literal sense. I quickly realized that I didn't need my winter coat and could wear my flats and give my boots a rest for a little bit. The sun is a nice change, and even though it's a completely different experience, I'm excited about it.
People say that in general, Europe is slowed paced, which I have learned to be true. Paris however is a bit quicker than Coimbra so I will still have to get used to the pace even though I have been in Europe for over 6 months now. I still cannot believe that - 6 months. Goes by fast... So what's this again about time in Europe passing slower? ;)
I first arrived in Lisbon from Paris (even with a bit trouble with my flights / baggage - just be aware of luggage restrictions with Easyjet! ;)), I was greeted by my father and his childhood friend, Mario. I was not able to see my family at Christmas so seeing my dad was great. It was weird to speak English and we quickly started to speak in Portuguese so I could make the transition from French to this new, equally beautiful language. After visiting Lisbon and surrounding cities (like Obidos and Cascais) for a few days, I was able to travel with my dad and Mario to different cities all up the continent. We stopped in Coimbra, dropped off my bags in my dorm room and headed up to the North to visit Mario's sweet girlfriend, Rosa.
Spending a few days in Melgaço, where Rose lives, was pretty fun. Melgaço is right on the border between Portugal and Spain and so Mario was nice enough to drive us even further up north to see San Santiago Compostela, where thousands of people make a pilgrimage by foot, bike, or another form of transport (but that of course, would be less hardcore). Although all the traditional things to do in the church were closed, this was nonetheless an unforgettable experience. The San Santiago Catherdral used to house thousands of traveling poor and homeless from all over Europe, and I was able to see this. Obrigada ao Senhor Mario!
It was hard to have my dad leave. I kind of got used to speaking in Portuguese with him, going out to eat and getting coffees in the morning and afternoon, even drinking "Ginjinha" and eating "Pasteis de Belem" with him. He helped me with paperwork and was my spokesperson in difficult government situations.. Such as explaining why I do not yet have my Portuguese visa. I think we bonded a bit, and I'm glad.
But, it's ok. I'll have to admit I was a bit homesick after he left, but it's normal. I mean, I'm allowed right, after six months from home and then I'm reminded of my family that's there and not here? Since then, it's gotten better, don't worry. I'm reminded of my family in other ways... the food, the coffee, the atmosphere. Reminds me of California and the Portuguese family back there, only here it's "Big Portugal" rather than "Little Portugal":).
Not much has happened - just a lot of administrative things to get the semester going. Paying for housing. Getting a bus pass (which will only cost around 17 euro a month - beats the 60 I had to pay for the metro). Faxing papers / figuring out classes. I started my language classes last week and so far so good. I got placed in the Intermediate level so I have a mix of language classes and culture classes. I'm still trying them out to figure out exactly what I want to take, but for now it looks like I'll be adding in a Portuguese literature class where I would be directly enrolled with other Portuguese students.
Well, I'm about to leave to make dinner with Amalia and Alex, the only two other people in this study abroad program. Good thing we get along. Like really well. After that going to explore Coimbra by night! :) I'll post some pictures when I get a chance... Promise.
Até logo! Beijinhos!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
4 Countries and Counting
My January has been one of the best months abroad so far. It seems like seriously just a few days ago I was celebrating the "Nouvel An" in Paris with my good friend Katie, my boyfriend Laurent, and some other super great people.
Country 1: I spent my 21st birthday in Paris, went to a bar and had my first drink! No, just kidding, but I did receive a free cocktail and the chocolate orange cake Laurent made was great. :) I spent two weeks in Paris, one week being a tourist with Katie and the other relaxing before my ten day trip around Europe. With Katie, we went to Moulin Rouge, Sacré Coeur, the TOP of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, The Champs-Elysées, L'Arc de Triomphe, and some other things, including everything we did in Amiens et in Moreuil with Kennede, aka Cannelle.
Country 2: I left for Budapest January 8th to spend 5 days with Guillaume, Claudie's niece, and his wife Zsoka, oh and their cat, Tom. This was one of my first times visiting a country other than France in Europe. Before my study abroad trip I had visited France three times and the Azores once. If you don't know where the Azores are, you should look them up and then visit. Hint: Beautiful tropical islands off the coast of Portugal. You'd think for one of my first times visiting a country other than France I'd go to Spain or Italy or Germany, but it was Budapest. I would have never thought to visit Eastern Europe if I hadn't been offered a bed to sleep in by some super great people and if one of my good friends from high school, Chris, wasn't studying there. Even though I could barely understand or pronounce one word in Hungarian, literally barely one word, Budapest was a great trip. I got to visit Hero's Square, The House of Terror, St. Stephen's Basilica and Square, Budapest City Park, Gellért Hill and Citadella, the famous and ultra fancy Gerbeaud Coffee House, Roosevelt Square, the Central indoor market, Castle District, and the BATHS, oh the baths. The Baths. Thermal Baths. Did I know they were super popular and not expensive in Hungary? No, but let me tell you, when I walked into Király Fürdó, Turkish baths that were constructed around 1500, I felt like I was walking into one of those Greek movies where everyone is socializing and talking politics and planning to kill Julius Ceasar. I went to another one of these baths the next day called Széchenyi. It was pretty sweet as well, but not as old. Bigger and outside, meaning you're warm but during the freezing Hungarian winter, these baths had a lot of different pools, saunas, etc. It's pretty cool when you think about this all being natural mineral water from the underworld of Hungary. I left Hungary with an invitation to come back from Guillaume and Zsoka, some Hungarian wine and some of that famous Hungarian paprika. I think I'll be going back.
Country 3: My next stop was Geneva, Switzerland... for one night :). I was greeted at the Geneva airport by my mom's work friend, Sophie, and another friend, oh and Swiss chocolate. They took my to my hotel and waited for me as I checked in and put my bags in my room, and then we went out for FONDUE! YES.
You'd think after a semester in Paris I would have gone out for fondue, but no, just raclette, so I was content to finally go to a real fondue restaurant. I spent the night in the most comfortable bed ever. With four fluffy pillows. And a free breakfast the next morning. Then I visited Geneva before I had to head back to the airport for my flight to London. I climbed up to the top of St. Peter's Cathedral, which looks out at Mont Blanc, the town of Geneva, and parts of France. I was also able to see la Chaise cassée (Broken Chair), a monumental sculpture promoting the elimination of mines as well as remembering those who have been killed by antipersonnel mines. This was located in the Place of Nations, right in front of the UN building. Other places I saw in Geneva included The Opera House, Rousseau Island, le Jardin Anglais, the Reformation Wall, Place et Temple de la Madeleine, the WHO building, and the Musée de la Croix Rouge (Because the Red Cross started in Geneva!). Being an International Studies major, I was stoked to see all of these buildings and what they represented.
Country 4: That afternoon I caught my flight to London. Now if any of you know about London airports, you know there's the Heathrow airport, closer to everything, and then there are the other airports. I arrived in one of the others, Gatwick. It just sounds gross. Lucky I didn't miss my bus like I though I had (because my phone didn't change automatically like I thought it would) and had a nice long ride to the center of London. Took the TUBE to Victoria station where I stayed. Right in the center of everything I was given an apartment type room with a little kitchen instead of a smaller room with no kitchen like I paid for. No worries, it was the same price, which was great because I ended up saving money making my own food. I was so tempted to imitate the accent, but resisted. I got to see a lot of things in London: Parliament and Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park and Green Park, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, St Paul’s Cathedral, Millennium Bridge, and Harrod’s. I took my sister Katya’s advice and got a coffee at Caffé Nero, and I ended up getting tea and gelato at Harrod’s.
I am now in France relaxing before I head back to Paris on Monday, only to get ready to leave Saturday January 29th for Portugal, country number 5. I haven’t seen my family since the beginning of August, but my dad is going to pick me up from the airport in Lisbon, and I’m so excited to see him. I honestly don’t really feel ready for Portugal: I have forgotten a lot of my Portuguese, and I do not have my visa and will be heading to Portugal without one. Yeah, that’s right. I am just starting to feel as though my bags are under control. Since I’m flying Easyjet I have a super strict weight limit, so I’m going to have to pay for extra luggage. It’s not too bad though; I’m only up to 65 Euros for the entire flight, luggage and all. Much cheaper than it would be to fly from San Francisco. Plus, I have about a suitcase of clothes and gifts to send back with my dad, so in reality I am packing lighter to Portugal. It just won’t seem like it right away.
I hope these pictures give you an idea of my time abroad. Sorry these posts end up being so long, but I’m grateful in thinking that someone is reading them, and hopefully it encourages you to travel abroad!
Country 1: I spent my 21st birthday in Paris, went to a bar and had my first drink! No, just kidding, but I did receive a free cocktail and the chocolate orange cake Laurent made was great. :) I spent two weeks in Paris, one week being a tourist with Katie and the other relaxing before my ten day trip around Europe. With Katie, we went to Moulin Rouge, Sacré Coeur, the TOP of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, The Champs-Elysées, L'Arc de Triomphe, and some other things, including everything we did in Amiens et in Moreuil with Kennede, aka Cannelle.
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| Moulin Rouge |
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| View of the Eiffel Tower from Montmartre |
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| Me, Katie, and Rob in front of a monument I can't remember the name of |
Country 2: I left for Budapest January 8th to spend 5 days with Guillaume, Claudie's niece, and his wife Zsoka, oh and their cat, Tom. This was one of my first times visiting a country other than France in Europe. Before my study abroad trip I had visited France three times and the Azores once. If you don't know where the Azores are, you should look them up and then visit. Hint: Beautiful tropical islands off the coast of Portugal. You'd think for one of my first times visiting a country other than France I'd go to Spain or Italy or Germany, but it was Budapest. I would have never thought to visit Eastern Europe if I hadn't been offered a bed to sleep in by some super great people and if one of my good friends from high school, Chris, wasn't studying there. Even though I could barely understand or pronounce one word in Hungarian, literally barely one word, Budapest was a great trip. I got to visit Hero's Square, The House of Terror, St. Stephen's Basilica and Square, Budapest City Park, Gellért Hill and Citadella, the famous and ultra fancy Gerbeaud Coffee House, Roosevelt Square, the Central indoor market, Castle District, and the BATHS, oh the baths. The Baths. Thermal Baths. Did I know they were super popular and not expensive in Hungary? No, but let me tell you, when I walked into Király Fürdó, Turkish baths that were constructed around 1500, I felt like I was walking into one of those Greek movies where everyone is socializing and talking politics and planning to kill Julius Ceasar. I went to another one of these baths the next day called Széchenyi. It was pretty sweet as well, but not as old. Bigger and outside, meaning you're warm but during the freezing Hungarian winter, these baths had a lot of different pools, saunas, etc. It's pretty cool when you think about this all being natural mineral water from the underworld of Hungary. I left Hungary with an invitation to come back from Guillaume and Zsoka, some Hungarian wine and some of that famous Hungarian paprika. I think I'll be going back.
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| House of Terror, museum remembering Hungary under the Nazi regime and the Soviet Union |
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| Saint Stephen's Basilica and Square |
Country 3: My next stop was Geneva, Switzerland... for one night :). I was greeted at the Geneva airport by my mom's work friend, Sophie, and another friend, oh and Swiss chocolate. They took my to my hotel and waited for me as I checked in and put my bags in my room, and then we went out for FONDUE! YES.
You'd think after a semester in Paris I would have gone out for fondue, but no, just raclette, so I was content to finally go to a real fondue restaurant. I spent the night in the most comfortable bed ever. With four fluffy pillows. And a free breakfast the next morning. Then I visited Geneva before I had to head back to the airport for my flight to London. I climbed up to the top of St. Peter's Cathedral, which looks out at Mont Blanc, the town of Geneva, and parts of France. I was also able to see la Chaise cassée (Broken Chair), a monumental sculpture promoting the elimination of mines as well as remembering those who have been killed by antipersonnel mines. This was located in the Place of Nations, right in front of the UN building. Other places I saw in Geneva included The Opera House, Rousseau Island, le Jardin Anglais, the Reformation Wall, Place et Temple de la Madeleine, the WHO building, and the Musée de la Croix Rouge (Because the Red Cross started in Geneva!). Being an International Studies major, I was stoked to see all of these buildings and what they represented.
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| Chaise cassée with the United Nations building in the background |
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| Saint Peter's Cathedral |
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| At the entrance to the Musée de la Croix Rouge |
Country 4: That afternoon I caught my flight to London. Now if any of you know about London airports, you know there's the Heathrow airport, closer to everything, and then there are the other airports. I arrived in one of the others, Gatwick. It just sounds gross. Lucky I didn't miss my bus like I though I had (because my phone didn't change automatically like I thought it would) and had a nice long ride to the center of London. Took the TUBE to Victoria station where I stayed. Right in the center of everything I was given an apartment type room with a little kitchen instead of a smaller room with no kitchen like I paid for. No worries, it was the same price, which was great because I ended up saving money making my own food. I was so tempted to imitate the accent, but resisted. I got to see a lot of things in London: Parliament and Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park and Green Park, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, St Paul’s Cathedral, Millennium Bridge, and Harrod’s. I took my sister Katya’s advice and got a coffee at Caffé Nero, and I ended up getting tea and gelato at Harrod’s.
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| Parliament and Big Ben |
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| Hyde Park |
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| Buckingham Palace |
I am now in France relaxing before I head back to Paris on Monday, only to get ready to leave Saturday January 29th for Portugal, country number 5. I haven’t seen my family since the beginning of August, but my dad is going to pick me up from the airport in Lisbon, and I’m so excited to see him. I honestly don’t really feel ready for Portugal: I have forgotten a lot of my Portuguese, and I do not have my visa and will be heading to Portugal without one. Yeah, that’s right. I am just starting to feel as though my bags are under control. Since I’m flying Easyjet I have a super strict weight limit, so I’m going to have to pay for extra luggage. It’s not too bad though; I’m only up to 65 Euros for the entire flight, luggage and all. Much cheaper than it would be to fly from San Francisco. Plus, I have about a suitcase of clothes and gifts to send back with my dad, so in reality I am packing lighter to Portugal. It just won’t seem like it right away.
I hope these pictures give you an idea of my time abroad. Sorry these posts end up being so long, but I’m grateful in thinking that someone is reading them, and hopefully it encourages you to travel abroad!
Monday, December 6, 2010
Remember December
I remembered that it was December and that I finally had to update this again. Then I remembered this is my last month in my study abroad program here in Paris. As of yesterday, there are two weeks before I leave. It won't be forever. In fact, I will be spending and week in Amiens, France with my French family, and then my good friend KATIE LUNDSTROM and I will spend December 26th to January 1st in Paris.
Usually the "last" blog of one's study abroad trip is one of reflection (which I typed in French before erasing because it's a misspelled word in English), but I really don't want to do that right now, reflect on the last four months and how much I've loved my time here in Paris. It'll just probably make me sad to think about all the ridiculous, funny, frustrating and significant moments I've experienced in Paris. De toute façon, I'll still be here in January, traveling back and forth between Paris and other European cities (Budapest, Geneva / Berlin, Amsterdam, and London) before finally going to Portugal for Spring semester. Seriously, can anyone tell me where the time went?
For the most part, I feel like time has moved quickly. It's only when I skyped with my family yesterday that I realized how far away they are! It was about 9:30 at night here in Paris and around 12:30 in sunny San Jose, CA. They were having lunch after church and I just looked at them, eating a giant chocolate coin that my Mom sent me, and realized how much I missed them. Talks about Thanksgiving, hearing about the latest family drama at Vavo's, seeing all the animals and making random jokes made me do that thing with my face that signifies "This is kinda hard. I miss them".
And then on the other side, there's that moment of awakening that you are soon going somewhere else, leaving Paris for another city in a country that you don't really know. This morning on the metro we stopped because of some traffic right over the Seine river. I love crossing over the Seine because I can see the Notre Dame and Eiffel tower right from the metro car. Even though it's a rule not to smile on the metro, I smile everytime. That, and when someone is playing the guitar and singing "Aicha". Yes. I'll be leaving that soon, but for another city, another adventure really, but one in which I honestly have no idea what to expect! I came to France with the ability to communicate easily and with a knowledge of French culture because of my past experiences. And even though I am half Portuguese and grew up around some very Portuguese Portuguese, I still feel like I'm flying into the unknown. Maybe it's the fact I'm taking EasyJet and the ticket was dirt cheap. Another European mystery, I suppose.
Quoi qu'il en soit, I know everything will work out. God has really encouraged me this semester, and obviously all the worries I had before France about classes at the university and meeting people are not worries now. Evidence of His love. I have been blessed this semester. The 17 of us. The professors. The nouveau jour, nouveau parfum group. All the People I met at the Hideout. Le chat orange. Hillsong Church. Teuta. Erica. Mariel. Flo. Laurent. Aicha, of course. The grandma that I live with and her Golden Girls friends. I really don't know if I could have asked for a better study abroad experience here in Paris, my third home.
Next blog: Maybe a final au revoir to Paris, or maybe bemvindo to Coimbra. Or something in between.
Usually the "last" blog of one's study abroad trip is one of reflection (which I typed in French before erasing because it's a misspelled word in English), but I really don't want to do that right now, reflect on the last four months and how much I've loved my time here in Paris. It'll just probably make me sad to think about all the ridiculous, funny, frustrating and significant moments I've experienced in Paris. De toute façon, I'll still be here in January, traveling back and forth between Paris and other European cities (Budapest, Geneva / Berlin, Amsterdam, and London) before finally going to Portugal for Spring semester. Seriously, can anyone tell me where the time went?
For the most part, I feel like time has moved quickly. It's only when I skyped with my family yesterday that I realized how far away they are! It was about 9:30 at night here in Paris and around 12:30 in sunny San Jose, CA. They were having lunch after church and I just looked at them, eating a giant chocolate coin that my Mom sent me, and realized how much I missed them. Talks about Thanksgiving, hearing about the latest family drama at Vavo's, seeing all the animals and making random jokes made me do that thing with my face that signifies "This is kinda hard. I miss them".
And then on the other side, there's that moment of awakening that you are soon going somewhere else, leaving Paris for another city in a country that you don't really know. This morning on the metro we stopped because of some traffic right over the Seine river. I love crossing over the Seine because I can see the Notre Dame and Eiffel tower right from the metro car. Even though it's a rule not to smile on the metro, I smile everytime. That, and when someone is playing the guitar and singing "Aicha". Yes. I'll be leaving that soon, but for another city, another adventure really, but one in which I honestly have no idea what to expect! I came to France with the ability to communicate easily and with a knowledge of French culture because of my past experiences. And even though I am half Portuguese and grew up around some very Portuguese Portuguese, I still feel like I'm flying into the unknown. Maybe it's the fact I'm taking EasyJet and the ticket was dirt cheap. Another European mystery, I suppose.
Quoi qu'il en soit, I know everything will work out. God has really encouraged me this semester, and obviously all the worries I had before France about classes at the university and meeting people are not worries now. Evidence of His love. I have been blessed this semester. The 17 of us. The professors. The nouveau jour, nouveau parfum group. All the People I met at the Hideout. Le chat orange. Hillsong Church. Teuta. Erica. Mariel. Flo. Laurent. Aicha, of course. The grandma that I live with and her Golden Girls friends. I really don't know if I could have asked for a better study abroad experience here in Paris, my third home.
Next blog: Maybe a final au revoir to Paris, or maybe bemvindo to Coimbra. Or something in between.
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| Nantes |
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| One of the many protests that changed my transportation plans |
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| Bridge between le Grand Palais and Les Invalides |
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| Musée d'Orsay |
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| Path to Sacré Coeur |
Monday, November 1, 2010
"N'importe quoi" ou "C'est nul ça" ?
I cannot decide which phrase is my favorite so I'll use them both. What is "nul" and what is "n'importe quoi" in my life right now in Paris?
"Nul" = "argot" or slang for "dumb"
- That I only have 1 month and 18 days left in Paris
- That I don't update this more often (but I am keeping to my promise of at least once a month ;))
- That Paris, although lovely, is quite expensive. Especially when you are having to buy food and transportation. Note: My pass NaviGo costs me 60.40 euro a month. This allows me to ride the metro, bus, train, etc but it definitely hurts me every month)
- That the sun in slowly disappearing and it is getting even more and more cold (BUT, nothing like Wisconsin)
- That I have not been reimboursed by RyanAir for my trip to Barcelona which was cancelled due to the protests that take place so often in Paris
- That all things considered, I really have nothing to complain about and that I seriously love this city more and more. Maybe it's "nul" that I can't stay longer.
"N'importe quoi": How do I explain this phrase. I say it a lot and I know when to say it, but I don't have a direct translation in mind other than "Whatever"... We can do "n'importe quoi" or just say to someone "n'importe quoi" when they are being ridiculous. What is n'importe quoi in my life? I am just going to say random things that have been going on.
- Since we couldn't go to Barcelona, I took a trip to the south of France. The cities of Aix-en-Provence and Marseille are gorgeous. Aix is smaller than Paris but super lively with lots of students. We walked everywhere pretty much and our hotel was not far from the center of town, which was super convenient. The hotel was sweet. 20 euro a night per person is not a bad deal. But beware, apparently when you order "4 beds" that means "enough room to sleep four people" as in you are sharing a bed. We fought a got a room with "three beds".. That is a fold out couch, and two twins smashed together to make a big bed. Haha. N'importe quoi.
- Homework : School is very different here. I don't know if I would describe it as harder because even though classes at the university are generally a challenge I still feel like I'm on vacation. Talking to professors at the university (which I will refer to as the "Fac") and working out the paper work wasn't easy (I am two weeks late on sending papers to my university), and the work is structured differently. We have specific assignments that French students have learned how to do since I don't know how long ago, but it's been a learning curve for me. Also, I have about four books I need to read. N'importe quoi...
- Social life? Making French friends, practicing my French. Got mistaken for a Frenchie :), that was encouraging. Amourette might exist. N'importe quoi...
What's coming up?
- School and getting back in the groove from vacation
- Tomorrow I will be going all around Paris and taking pictures of the fall / winter. I will also be taking care of school work and paper work
- Traveling more hopefully when prices to Amsterdam, London, and anywhere in Germany go down
- Starting things for Portugal... This includes paper / visa work, brushing up on my Português, and finding a flight there in January :)
Thanks for reading my blog! I hope to talk to you guys soon - feel free to ask me questions and contact me!
"Nul" = "argot" or slang for "dumb"
- That I only have 1 month and 18 days left in Paris
- That I don't update this more often (but I am keeping to my promise of at least once a month ;))
- That Paris, although lovely, is quite expensive. Especially when you are having to buy food and transportation. Note: My pass NaviGo costs me 60.40 euro a month. This allows me to ride the metro, bus, train, etc but it definitely hurts me every month)
- That the sun in slowly disappearing and it is getting even more and more cold (BUT, nothing like Wisconsin)
- That I have not been reimboursed by RyanAir for my trip to Barcelona which was cancelled due to the protests that take place so often in Paris
- That all things considered, I really have nothing to complain about and that I seriously love this city more and more. Maybe it's "nul" that I can't stay longer.
"N'importe quoi": How do I explain this phrase. I say it a lot and I know when to say it, but I don't have a direct translation in mind other than "Whatever"... We can do "n'importe quoi" or just say to someone "n'importe quoi" when they are being ridiculous. What is n'importe quoi in my life? I am just going to say random things that have been going on.
- Since we couldn't go to Barcelona, I took a trip to the south of France. The cities of Aix-en-Provence and Marseille are gorgeous. Aix is smaller than Paris but super lively with lots of students. We walked everywhere pretty much and our hotel was not far from the center of town, which was super convenient. The hotel was sweet. 20 euro a night per person is not a bad deal. But beware, apparently when you order "4 beds" that means "enough room to sleep four people" as in you are sharing a bed. We fought a got a room with "three beds".. That is a fold out couch, and two twins smashed together to make a big bed. Haha. N'importe quoi.
- Homework : School is very different here. I don't know if I would describe it as harder because even though classes at the university are generally a challenge I still feel like I'm on vacation. Talking to professors at the university (which I will refer to as the "Fac") and working out the paper work wasn't easy (I am two weeks late on sending papers to my university), and the work is structured differently. We have specific assignments that French students have learned how to do since I don't know how long ago, but it's been a learning curve for me. Also, I have about four books I need to read. N'importe quoi...
- Social life? Making French friends, practicing my French. Got mistaken for a Frenchie :), that was encouraging. Amourette might exist. N'importe quoi...
What's coming up?
- School and getting back in the groove from vacation
- Tomorrow I will be going all around Paris and taking pictures of the fall / winter. I will also be taking care of school work and paper work
- Traveling more hopefully when prices to Amsterdam, London, and anywhere in Germany go down
- Starting things for Portugal... This includes paper / visa work, brushing up on my Português, and finding a flight there in January :)
Thanks for reading my blog! I hope to talk to you guys soon - feel free to ask me questions and contact me!
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| Teuta, Alex and Tati in Marseille. Photo taken by Laurent Box. |
Thursday, October 7, 2010
We're halfway there... Already?
Well I didn't promise weekly updates so I guess I wasn't doing anything wrong by waiting almost a month to update this blog.
"Studying" Abroad has felt like a vacation. I realized yesterday that I have been in France for approximately two months and I am about halfway through the semester. To think about that makes me sad. If I weren't going to Portugal next semester I would be staying here in Paris for the year, there is no doubt in my mind.
This past month our group visited Nantes, a port city historically known for it's participation in the Triangular Trade and transportation of slaves. All of my classes have officially began - two at the CIEE center (for exchange students) and two at the Sorbonne Nouvelle. I'm currently taking a Writing Workshop and a class called Theory and Method of Critical Studies at the center, and at the university a class about Marguerite Duras and one called Writing and Anthropology of Violence, a class concerning genocide and international human rights. The university classes are intense. I'm going to have to get out of my vacation mode a bit because I have some hard work ahead.
I have grown really close to a lot of people in the program. I hang out with three girls most of the time - Erica Freding, Teuta Jonuzi, and Mariel Dupont. We have met some great people from other universities and around the city. Nothing "louche" or sketchy, but it's been good to spend time with people our age that know the city. I would highly recommend it. Just make sure to not fall in love with them! And I'll leave you with that... Check out Facebook for more pictures :)
"Studying" Abroad has felt like a vacation. I realized yesterday that I have been in France for approximately two months and I am about halfway through the semester. To think about that makes me sad. If I weren't going to Portugal next semester I would be staying here in Paris for the year, there is no doubt in my mind.
This past month our group visited Nantes, a port city historically known for it's participation in the Triangular Trade and transportation of slaves. All of my classes have officially began - two at the CIEE center (for exchange students) and two at the Sorbonne Nouvelle. I'm currently taking a Writing Workshop and a class called Theory and Method of Critical Studies at the center, and at the university a class about Marguerite Duras and one called Writing and Anthropology of Violence, a class concerning genocide and international human rights. The university classes are intense. I'm going to have to get out of my vacation mode a bit because I have some hard work ahead.
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| "Toota and Tati" in Nantes |
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Nouveau jour, nouveau parfum
Finally updating this. It's been a crazy time since moving out of temporary housing. Our group got split up into all different arrondissments, or districts, but for the most part everyone is pleased.
I am living in the 13th district. That probably doesn't mean anything to most of you, but for me it means a non-touristy, non-expensive quiet neighborhood. The grocery store is right by my apartment building, as is the metro and the outdoor marché every Wednesday and Saturday. I can walk to these amazing gardens which is also close to my university, Sorbonne Nouvelle, and even though it's far from the study abroad center it's nothing the metro can't handle - expect on September 7 during the general transportation stikes. Oh, the French :)
I just finished my Intensive Language class that lasted 3 weeks. My professor was amazing and we studied Montmartre and Montparnasse, two historically intellectual and artistic areas key to understanding Paris. We visited these places, and that is only the beginning of how much I've learned so far in class. Tomorrow, I start two of my classes - a Writing Workshop and a Theory and Method class. University classes don't start till the end of the month, and it's definitely not as organized as my university back home so that will be an interesting experience...
I have gotten really close with some people in my program, and it's been fun to go to coffee shops, hit up the Bastille, and having the weirdest experiences on the metro. We just celebrated Erica Freding's 22 birthday Friday and Saturday night. Some of us found a new church, the Hillsong Church, and it has been so cool to go to. The music is contemporary and the services in English and French.
I've had some great adventures so far, but I won't bore you with those other stories ;). Hopefully this gives you an idea of how much I've loved studying abroad so far and actually, how I could see myself living here.
A la prochaine fois! - I'll try to update this more frequently.
I am living in the 13th district. That probably doesn't mean anything to most of you, but for me it means a non-touristy, non-expensive quiet neighborhood. The grocery store is right by my apartment building, as is the metro and the outdoor marché every Wednesday and Saturday. I can walk to these amazing gardens which is also close to my university, Sorbonne Nouvelle, and even though it's far from the study abroad center it's nothing the metro can't handle - expect on September 7 during the general transportation stikes. Oh, the French :)
I just finished my Intensive Language class that lasted 3 weeks. My professor was amazing and we studied Montmartre and Montparnasse, two historically intellectual and artistic areas key to understanding Paris. We visited these places, and that is only the beginning of how much I've learned so far in class. Tomorrow, I start two of my classes - a Writing Workshop and a Theory and Method class. University classes don't start till the end of the month, and it's definitely not as organized as my university back home so that will be an interesting experience...
I have gotten really close with some people in my program, and it's been fun to go to coffee shops, hit up the Bastille, and having the weirdest experiences on the metro. We just celebrated Erica Freding's 22 birthday Friday and Saturday night. Some of us found a new church, the Hillsong Church, and it has been so cool to go to. The music is contemporary and the services in English and French.
I've had some great adventures so far, but I won't bore you with those other stories ;). Hopefully this gives you an idea of how much I've loved studying abroad so far and actually, how I could see myself living here.
A la prochaine fois! - I'll try to update this more frequently.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Write Me!
During my semester in Paris my address is:
CIEE
37 bis rue du Sentier
Paris 75002 France
I'd love to hear from you and send you a post card or letter back!
Au revoir!
CIEE
37 bis rue du Sentier
Paris 75002 France
I'd love to hear from you and send you a post card or letter back!
Au revoir!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Sumol anyone?
I have finally arrived in Paris - to stay, at least. Wednesday afternoon Jean-Claude and Claudie dropped me off at the FIAP Jean-Monnet (a student hotel / center type place) in the 14th arrondissement of Paris. I was greeted by one of my best friends, Erica, and was given information and meal cards from my study abroad directors. It felt a little like the first day of school but with all the excitement.
It hasn't even been a week and our group has already done and seen so much. There are 18 of us and so we've been able to do a lot of things together as well as separately. Here's a quick list of what I've tasted so far in Paris:
Wednesday: arrival, visiting and dining in the Latin Quarter
Thursday: CIEE Study Center, 2nd arrondissement exploration, bateaux mouches, hanging out on a bridge overlooking the Seine to end the night
Friday: CIEE, exploring Boboland and surrounding districts, exploring Parisien nightlife
Saturday: Chez Jean coffee shop in the 11th arrondissement (definitely returning), a biiiit of shopping near the FIAP, free outdoor movie "La vie du chateau"
Sunday: American Church in Paris visit, then wandering around the church only to see le Grand Palais, le Petit Palais, and of course the Eiffel Tower. By chance found a Franco-Portuguese restaurant, which of course I loved.
Today, Sunday, was by far my favorite day. Erica and I took the metro to the American Church in Paris for the 11:00 service. I expected a place that was more modern...not modern as in a stylish modern. "Modern" as in wood paneling and and ugly brown felt on the pews. The exact opposite. It looked like a refurbished cathedral, full of stained glass windows and a gorgeous organ. The sermon was great, and I was able to heard the pastor's testimony. I was so happy to see diversity. People from all over - United States, Australia, Senegal, UK, Canada - filled the church. I loved it.
After service, Erica and I walked around to see some sites around the Church. The Seine was across the street from the church so we started there a went to a few more places. Gardens. Three museums. Les Invalides. Oh, right, and the Eiffel Tower. After we had our share of walking we met up with two girls from our program for lunch. We didn’t really know where to go around the Eiffel Tower so we just kept our eyes open for a nice restaurant without a huge snobby price tag. First thing we find? Le Bistro de Longchamps, a Franco-Portuguese restaurant. Of course that would happen. And, of course, it would be family-owned (you could tell by the father daughter, very passionate convo going on). Sumol Ananas. Chicken. And um garato. Yum. I’ve been craving my dad’s coffee ever since I’ve been here, and after explaining what I wanted, he spoke to me in Portuguese and brought me an excellent coffee. Will I be returning? Of course. Obrigado.
Well, that is a quick update of my time so far. Placement test tomorrow for French, better get the desire to speak more Portuguese out of my head soon. Maybe some crepes will help!
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
play the game
Sitting in "ma chambre" in Moreuil and thinking about tomorrow. I will finally be going to Paris to stay... for a while at least. I'm packed, know what I'm wearing tomorrow and I have the address of where I need to be by 2 P.M., but I am I ready?
Moreuil, Amiens, Fort-Mahon are all cities I've visited multiple times. I've returned, slept in the same beds, looked out the same windows, and talked to the same people. They've all become, in some way or another, second homes for me. Jean-Claude and Claudie have been like grandparents to me, as even my friend Leah noticed, and I couldn't have asked better circumstances to start off my study-abroad experience.
However, tomorrow is another place. More people, more views, and probably more work for me to communicate. I've grown so accustomed to Claudie's strong Picard accent (She's my favorite) that it will be weird to listen to Parisians all the time. Will I love it like I've always dreamed? Will I consider it a second home, or rather third?
Today, Claudie gave me some advice. She said, "Tatiana, I don't say this to make you angry, but you're too serious.. you need to smile more... your face doesn't always reflect joy". This made me laugh. Oh, the French. I understood what she was saying, but to me it didn't make much sense. She was telling me what she saw, but to me, it wasn't the same as what I know. What do I know? That I love to laugh and smile and joke, but sure, sometimes I am serious. I told her to ask my family and friends, the people that see me all the time.
So what do you do when foreigners tell you how you are? Do you change for them or just flat out get angry? Neither. You, as my mom would say, "play the game".
I don't want to compartmentalize the French, but from my experience I have noticed they are less open than Americans with a lot of things. Notably, their private problems and their feelings. They probably would never blog about things like this ;) . Oh well, je m'en fiche. When someone reveals more than happiness on their face, even if they're not sad, there could be a problem. They tell you what they think, and it's weird if you're upset about it. You kind of just have to take it. It's a weird and new thing I haven't quite understood, but I'm learning how to more and more each time I come here. Does that mean I want to be like that? No, but nobody's perfect, including me, and it's hard to change some things.
Rules of The Game:
1. Know who you are and what you want.
2. Listen to the opinions and advice of others, and take what you need to accomplish and improve your goal(s).
3. Need to vent? Go to someone who cares (Seriously, I'm not trying to be sarcastic).
4. Last, but not least... Smile.
So to answer my first question, I don't know if I'm "ready" for Paris, but who really is ever ready for the unexpected? I have my things packed, but as for everything else, I'll figure it out. Classes. Apartment. Professors. And so much more. I'll take some of Claudie's advice and smile, but for the most part I'll focus on what I want out of this trip and make it happen. Take the good, leave the bad, and move forward.
Bon voyage!
Moreuil, Amiens, Fort-Mahon are all cities I've visited multiple times. I've returned, slept in the same beds, looked out the same windows, and talked to the same people. They've all become, in some way or another, second homes for me. Jean-Claude and Claudie have been like grandparents to me, as even my friend Leah noticed, and I couldn't have asked better circumstances to start off my study-abroad experience.
However, tomorrow is another place. More people, more views, and probably more work for me to communicate. I've grown so accustomed to Claudie's strong Picard accent (She's my favorite) that it will be weird to listen to Parisians all the time. Will I love it like I've always dreamed? Will I consider it a second home, or rather third?
Today, Claudie gave me some advice. She said, "Tatiana, I don't say this to make you angry, but you're too serious.. you need to smile more... your face doesn't always reflect joy". This made me laugh. Oh, the French. I understood what she was saying, but to me it didn't make much sense. She was telling me what she saw, but to me, it wasn't the same as what I know. What do I know? That I love to laugh and smile and joke, but sure, sometimes I am serious. I told her to ask my family and friends, the people that see me all the time.
So what do you do when foreigners tell you how you are? Do you change for them or just flat out get angry? Neither. You, as my mom would say, "play the game".
I don't want to compartmentalize the French, but from my experience I have noticed they are less open than Americans with a lot of things. Notably, their private problems and their feelings. They probably would never blog about things like this ;) . Oh well, je m'en fiche. When someone reveals more than happiness on their face, even if they're not sad, there could be a problem. They tell you what they think, and it's weird if you're upset about it. You kind of just have to take it. It's a weird and new thing I haven't quite understood, but I'm learning how to more and more each time I come here. Does that mean I want to be like that? No, but nobody's perfect, including me, and it's hard to change some things.
Rules of The Game:
1. Know who you are and what you want.
2. Listen to the opinions and advice of others, and take what you need to accomplish and improve your goal(s).
3. Need to vent? Go to someone who cares (Seriously, I'm not trying to be sarcastic).
4. Last, but not least... Smile.
So to answer my first question, I don't know if I'm "ready" for Paris, but who really is ever ready for the unexpected? I have my things packed, but as for everything else, I'll figure it out. Classes. Apartment. Professors. And so much more. I'll take some of Claudie's advice and smile, but for the most part I'll focus on what I want out of this trip and make it happen. Take the good, leave the bad, and move forward.
Bon voyage!
Friday, August 6, 2010
I'm writing you from Aristo Cafe in Boston. I have an all-day layover here before I fly out to Paris, so I decided to see the city a bit and grab some breakfast.
I had to say goodbye to my family last night. That was probably (prolly) the best definition of "bittersweet" I could come up with. I enjoyed spending time with them this summer so I think it will just take a moment for me to miss them a little less ;)
I wanted to write you all from Boston because I am not sure how much internet access I will have when I first arrive in France. I do not have to be at my study abroad orientation until August 18th so I will spend my last couple of weeks of summer with some friends of the family, Jean-Claude and Claudie. They are basically like grandparents, and I have stayed with them before so it doesn't seems too foreign yet. I arrive tomorrow morning and that afternoon one of my good friends Leah will come and visit for a few days. She's in London, but is making that train trip so we can hang out. So excited!
Some other things on the list before orientation: World War I exposition with Jean-Claude (be jealous), visiting the city of Amiens, and spending some time in Fort-Mahon (where Jean-Claude and Claudie have their beach house).
Well, I'm going to finish my iced caramel latte... It's humid here in Boston but hopefully I can enjoy my last day in the States :)
I had to say goodbye to my family last night. That was probably (prolly) the best definition of "bittersweet" I could come up with. I enjoyed spending time with them this summer so I think it will just take a moment for me to miss them a little less ;)
I wanted to write you all from Boston because I am not sure how much internet access I will have when I first arrive in France. I do not have to be at my study abroad orientation until August 18th so I will spend my last couple of weeks of summer with some friends of the family, Jean-Claude and Claudie. They are basically like grandparents, and I have stayed with them before so it doesn't seems too foreign yet. I arrive tomorrow morning and that afternoon one of my good friends Leah will come and visit for a few days. She's in London, but is making that train trip so we can hang out. So excited!
Some other things on the list before orientation: World War I exposition with Jean-Claude (be jealous), visiting the city of Amiens, and spending some time in Fort-Mahon (where Jean-Claude and Claudie have their beach house).
Well, I'm going to finish my iced caramel latte... It's humid here in Boston but hopefully I can enjoy my last day in the States :)
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
PERISS, PHRANSE
One week from tomorrow I will get on a plane and head 5,500 miles away. I've bought a one-way ticket to Europe, and I don't know when I'll be back. As you can probably guess from the title, I'll be studying in Paris, France for the fall semester and then moving on to Coimbra, Portugal for the spring semester. For those of you who know me, you know that I've been planning and dreaming about this experience for years. It's finally here, and to be honest I cannot believe it. My family has been extremely supportive, and I guess it helps that they are all internationally minded. My dad is from Portugal, has moved 31 times between three countries. My mom speaks five languages, and has done quite a bit of traveling abroad herself. My brother is Canadian, and grew up in Toronto. And Katya will be coming home soon from her summer at Cambridge, England. I will miss them all so so much, but we're all on the same page when it comes to understanding what an invaluable experience this is.
First step, Paris. I'll let you know what happens. A bientôt mes amis!
First step, Paris. I'll let you know what happens. A bientôt mes amis!
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