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Sunday, August 17, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Maintenant, la fin. August 13-14
Last night I was allowed to bring a friend over for dinner, so I invited Annie. Aurélien was there too -- his girlfriend just broke up with him and he's been really down, so I haven't seen much of him lately. Annie just started studying French six weeks ago, Aurélien hasn't studied English for six or seven years, and Mme Boudoube barely speaks English at all, so I ended up having to translate the whole conversation. It was really confusing, and several times I addressed someone in the wrong language, but it was really fun.
Annie went on and on about how amazing my homestay is -- the food, the people, the nice apartment ... She said that if she had lived here, she would be much less willing to leave Paris. I had forgotten how lucky I was, how good I have it here. No wonder I'm sad to leave. Magda offered to let Annie stay the night, so we stayed up late into the night chatting.
Had my last language exchange, went to class (got my certificate from the Sorbonne, on which my grade was 36/40 -- apparently that's a really good grade in France), bought cards for Mme Boudoube and Magda (as well as a nice pen for Mme Boudoube ... none of the pens in the house really works).
Now I'm packing. I've procrastinated it until now, and I'm making a slow job of it, letting myself get easily distracted. I don't want my stay here to end. There are things about Florida I miss, of course -- my friends and family, my music, cheap USD -- but I found something in Paris that I've never really felt before: the feeling of being home. I don't know why, and I'd have a hard time explaining it. All I know is that I will really miss being here.
Annie went on and on about how amazing my homestay is -- the food, the people, the nice apartment ... She said that if she had lived here, she would be much less willing to leave Paris. I had forgotten how lucky I was, how good I have it here. No wonder I'm sad to leave. Magda offered to let Annie stay the night, so we stayed up late into the night chatting.
Had my last language exchange, went to class (got my certificate from the Sorbonne, on which my grade was 36/40 -- apparently that's a really good grade in France), bought cards for Mme Boudoube and Magda (as well as a nice pen for Mme Boudoube ... none of the pens in the house really works).
Now I'm packing. I've procrastinated it until now, and I'm making a slow job of it, letting myself get easily distracted. I don't want my stay here to end. There are things about Florida I miss, of course -- my friends and family, my music, cheap USD -- but I found something in Paris that I've never really felt before: the feeling of being home. I don't know why, and I'd have a hard time explaining it. All I know is that I will really miss being here.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
August 12-13
Last night we had a soirée chez the new Temple professor directing us. We had a wonderful time, drinking good wine, eating fabulous tart, and seeing at the top of our lungs to Beatles songs. We acted like real Americans. Her apartment is very close to the Eiffel Tower and has a balcony. It was beautiful.
This morning my language exchange partner canceled on me at the last minute, so I went to the Conciergie and the Sainte-Chapelle. I had to wait an hour to get into the Sainte-Chapelle, and I've seen so many French churches that I'd started to become disenchanted, so I wasn't expecting much. But after just 30 seconds in the Sainte-Chapelle, it was worth the wait. All of the French cathedrals I've seen are missing their former painted walls, but the Sainte-Chapelle has kept all its colors. I was absolutely floored.
I finally got up the Eiffel Tower tonight. It's hideous up close -- all brown twisted metal -- until night falls and it's lit with bright blue light. It was freezing, windy, and crowded ... but absolutely beautiful. The view at night is stunning. I fell in love with Paris all over again.
This morning my language exchange partner canceled on me at the last minute, so I went to the Conciergie and the Sainte-Chapelle. I had to wait an hour to get into the Sainte-Chapelle, and I've seen so many French churches that I'd started to become disenchanted, so I wasn't expecting much. But after just 30 seconds in the Sainte-Chapelle, it was worth the wait. All of the French cathedrals I've seen are missing their former painted walls, but the Sainte-Chapelle has kept all its colors. I was absolutely floored.
I finally got up the Eiffel Tower tonight. It's hideous up close -- all brown twisted metal -- until night falls and it's lit with bright blue light. It was freezing, windy, and crowded ... but absolutely beautiful. The view at night is stunning. I fell in love with Paris all over again.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Saturday, August 9, 2008
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