I woke up and it felt so surreal to realize: I was in Paris! It's something that I've wanted to do for so long that it is just so strange to have it actually happen. I had loved doing the little prelude trip and all, but to actually comprehend that I will be living here for the next two and a half months was ineffable. Was I crazy? What am I even doing here? To go to a place where I couldn't communicate with a massive portion of the population was scary in South Africa, but to live a semester in a place where I can't communicate is somewhat terrifying. Not because I can't get by with my lame French, but because I'm here for awhile I feel compelled to move from tourist status to someone who is trying to get immersed in the culture. And I don't know if I'm brave or smart enough to do that. I desperately want to take all that I can squeeze out of this experience, and I'm really worried that I'll just be lazy and passive and miss out on a lot of potential opportunities. I'm terrified that I'll actually find out that adventure repels me more than it excites me, and that I actually don't like museums or culture or discount shopping and just want to go back home and live a pedestrian life with a white picket fence, Walmart, hamburgers, and romcoms. Yep, so there's my secret--the cat's out of the bag and running around town soiling everyone's sand boxes.
However, I feel that if I fake it, I can make it (?) and so I'll not think upon it again, and let it moulder here in the endless void of the internet. Instead, I plan on doing as much as possible and appreciating every French moment! Because as of right now, I really love museums, culture, language, discount shopping, and of course: adventures! Although I must point out that adventures are usually only fun after the fact.
So, after that little inner-dialogue-that-has-an-official-literary-term-that-I-can't-remember-and-no-one-would-know-about-anyway, my roommate and I got on the "auto-bus" and went to the Eiffel Tower to have a little picnic with our group.
Afterwards we went up the Arc de Triumph! It was indeed our lucky day because it just so happened that this weekend all national museums and monuments had to provide free entrance! Its some francy-pants Jour du Patrimonie that only occurs once a year and we happened to be in France on that weekend! Yeeehaw!
So we climbed lots of stairs...
....and then saw a magnificent view:
...it was a lot more impressive in person...I couldn't figure out the panoramic setting on my camera (it's not really mine, it's my parent's, cause mine broke-- remember?).
Then we went to the residence of the British Ambassador, just because we could. It was fancy, and used to belong to one of Napoleon's wives...I'm too lazy to Wiki which one it was. There was a modern art exhibit there too! I liked this especially:
Then we walked some more and saw this famous Egyptian object:
Then we went to go and see Notre Dame in hopes of going up the bell tower...but it closed about 5 seconds before we got there. So, we went around the back of Notre Dame and stumbled upon a concert in the park! I love live music so much! The band doesn't really even have to be very good, I just like the atmosphere. The band playing was called Marshmallow...they have a page on facebook that I was going to give you a link of, but there are quite a few international bands called Marshmallow. Why, I cannot say...but the name does sound significantly cooler in a French accent.
Then we walked around Notre Dame
Hung out by the George Pompidou center (no, it wasn't free--lame!)
Then we went to eat at an Italian restaurant that I didn't take a picture of or remember the name of on purpose because the server was so rude to us. We didn't even do anything touristy! We came in, spoke to him in French, and then when we asked to share a platter he almost spat at us! Sheech, you can tell someone "no" without being a meanie-pants about it! Also, while we were talking, he whisked away the plates without asking if we were finished--I totally wanted that burnt pizza crust and the remains of the bolognese sauce! Humph, I am still irritated by it. Then the tip was included so I couldn't even express my dissatisfaction. The food was good though. Then it rained like mad and we ran to the metro, returned home, practiced our French comprehension with our host lady, and passed out.
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