Paris, Paris, and... PARIS!

Well, after 5 weeks of keeping it local, I went to have the weekend to end all weekends. As some of you know, one of my elementary school friends from Colombia, whom we've kept in touch with, lives in Paris. Having someone in one of the most expensive cities in Western Europe (and the world, for that matter) is something one doesn't pass up.
So 60 Euros, and a TGV ride later, I arrived at the Gare Montparnasse, exactly, to the date, one month after I had left it to come to Nantes. This little coincidence gave me a lot of to think and reflect upon about how my feelings have changed a month after. I was literally gripped with anxiety and fear the last time I was riding that train, thinking of everything that could go wrong, and wondering exactly what I had gotten myself into, being all alone in a foreign country. But hey, if you've been reading my blog, this ain't exactly torture, you know? At least I'm not like Bart Simpson, who got made a winery slave.. hahah, that's for all of you Simpsons fans.
So anyway, I arrived to Paris on beautiful sunny Friday afternoon. I caught a bus that left me 3 blocks away from Diana's house, and had to make a conscious effort to keep my mouth closed as we drove through Paris. The city is freaking GORGEOUS. All its labels of being the city of love, and whatnot are deserved beyond doubt. What I saw that day when I first arrived from Canada was an infinitesimal part of this amazing place. The architecture is mind bogglingly detailed; you could spend a day alone looking at just one building and noticing all the little adornments on the columns, window frames, etc.
After successfully surviving my bus ride without getting lost, I met up with another of Diana's friends that was also staying at her apartment (which by the way, is the most charming little studio, in the loveliest neighbourhood). We took off to meet her, and to sightsee like a real tourist. I was the only newbie to the city, since Daniel had been there numerous times. And, I must give them both kudos, because they were fantastically patient with my touristy whims, and took all the pictures I asked them to!
First up, was the Arc de Triomph. It sits majestically on a small hill, overlooking the Champs Elysees. Napoleon built it as a sign of his military supremacy, and to honour all the soldiers that fought in his battles. It is certainly an imposing structure, and it accomplishes its mission. At the bottom of it, there is a torch that has been alight since WW1 that commemorates all the French soldiers that have fought and perished in the wars.
After the Arc, we strolled leisurely down the champs Elysees, which is really just a very crowded street with TONS of stores and restaurants. It's beautiful, but a bit of a sensory overload, with the sea of people, advertisements, and cars. We went into Sephora, hoping to score some free sprays of perfume, and I ended up being kidnapped by a very flamboyant man from L'Oreal, who sat me down on a chair, and let one of his French makeup girls re-do my whole face. I looked great, if I say so myself... And, it was free, so double bonus.
Speaking of free, at 6pm, we took the metro to the Louvre, where every Friday people under 26 can go in for free after six. Diana and Daniel had been already, so they waited for me while I attacked a very small part of it. The facade of the museum is one of the most incredible ones I have ever seen. It spans for blocks and blocks, curving around the streets, filled with sculptures of all the kings of France. And in the middle, the incongruously modern, but still beautiful glass pyramids, with their fountains. The museum is so big, even if one went for a whole day, you couldn't see everything in it, and one couldn't appreciate the beauty and the magnificence of all that lies inside. I went in heading for the Italian, Greek, French and Spanish wing, knowing that I would encounter the Louvre's most famous inhabitant- la Gioconda- in it. Along the way, I was able to see the Venus de Milo, paintings from Boticelli, Veronese, and Ribera. I was in awe of being in front of these renowned pieces of art , that had so much history behind them! The Mona Lisa was also beautiful. It's almost surreal being in front of her, like you don't quite believe this is the true Mona Lisa. There were mondo people there, but I managed to get a good long look at her, and she's extraordinary.
After leaving the museum, a sunset visit to the Jardins de Tulleries was in place. Then, off to party! We went to a salsa club in a hip neighbourhood in Paris, not before getting pre-drunk at the apartment, and danced our happy colombian feet until 3:00.
Next day, we battled the hangover with a couple litres of water, 4 aspirin, and big dark sunglasses, andwe tackled Montmarte with its surrounding the artists' neighbourhood. For any of you Amelie fans out there, Montmarte is a featured in the film, and it was beautiful. The cathedral is more reminiscing of a Taj Mahal than a Catholic landmark, but it was nice to see a variety of architecture. It's also a chic gathering spot for the young, beautiful, and moneyless- a variety known as "students". The sun was out, and people were sitting on the steps that lead to the church, listening to the performers play their music. The view from the top is beautiful, you can see all of Paris spanning in front. We joined the crowd for a while, enjoying a Mexican guitar player that was charming the pants off the audience with his Spanish songs. The actual cathedral is quite beautiful too, but there weren't any pics allowed, so I can't share, sorry :(
The walk through what used to be Bohemian Paris was lovely. There were artists offering to draw portraits, little cafes where Monet, Cezanne, Picasso and others used to meet, quaint houses, and even a couple mimes. Then, we visited the Moulin Rouge, went to the Luxembourg gardens, and finally finished with a big dinner at a typical French restaurant.
Sunday was also filled with touristy things, starting with the Place de Concorde (and before that, we visited Starbucks to get a caffeine pick-me-up. The prices are the same... you know, i paid 3.10 for a latte, like I would in Canada. That would be 3.10 euros... blind robbery). In the middle, there is a huge obelisk which ends in a golden point, a gift from the Egyptians. The petit and grand Palais are nearby, so we visited those, admiring once again, the grandiose architecture. Crossing the Pont Alexandre III, and the Seine, we looked at the Invalides, and then went to buy some food for our Parisian picnic. We bought a baguette, ham, some cheese, tomatoes, etc, and headed to the Champs de Mars, right next to the Eiffel tower. We ate, and laid on the grass next to all the other Parisians who were enjoying the gorgeous weather. After our petit nap, we went to mass at Notre Dame, and words fail me to describe the grandeur of it. Just look at my pics, I'm still winded from the majestic vaulted ceilings, and the spectacular stained glass windows... and I even got a peek at the hunchback! He was sitting a couple rows ahead of me during the service.. hahah, oh, I'm goign to hell for saying that, I know it.
Well, I won't bore you anymore with the guide of the city. But I just had to share all the awe and happiness I felt this weekend, being in such a celebrated city, and with a good friend I hadn't spent time with in ages.
Will keep you posted on more news at the homefront soon.. can't fit it all into one blog!
Bisous!

PS

Also, I forgot to say.. today is my 4 week anniversary of leaving Canada. A whole month has gone by already!!!That was pretty fast... well, the first 2 weeks weren't. But, it's going fast now!

Apples, Horses, and Pornic

I feel like I'm letting this blog thing slip, I've realized it's been a whole 11 days since I updated it- c'est pas cool (fyi: the French actually use "cool" in their everyday lexicon. They use it in the same context Anglos do)And while on the subject, I might as well address the progression of the language. It's going FANTASTIC. Really, my learning curve has been super steep this first month. At first, your eyes and brain feel really overloaded with the change in the language. Then, I got all mixed up in my head because I was trying to think in either English or Spanish when speaking French- it was a nice little scramble. But now, I feel really comfortable, and the tongue is rolling off the French like there's no tomorrow.
The social aspect is also picking up. I'm rolling with a posse from Belgium, Brazil, the States, Canada, and Mexico. I had my first soiree on Friday night, and although it was a bit lacking in spirit, it was still nice to go out with people my own age. The French on the other hand, know how to party. I was *this* close to just going and joining someone else's party.. hahah. But, alors, I'm sure it'll pick up the next time. Also, I won't miss the last tram, like I did on Friday, having to pay 15 Euros to get home (that's about 25 dollars, for those of you who don't operate in that currency) But, overall, it wasn't a bad night either. We went for drinks, where the bartender surprised us with free shots (really, who's surprised that I'm getting free things? It's my trademark! I would be disappointed if I went out and DIDN'T get a free something). Then, we headed to a creperie to have a delicious crepe and recharge for the dancing. Except, that we didnt' dance. The two girls that I was with were.. er.. what's the word... Reserved. Yes, let's call it that. And then, the Brasilian boy that was supposed to come and lighten up the Latin scene with me, couldn't come b/c he was feeling sick. After the non-dancing, we went to a bar called Le Lieu Unique. It was a hangar, very industrial looking, and with wicked decor. But, the music was techno, and that's not my style (even though some people think it is, when I drive my Honda Civic... *ahem* JAG). I missed the tram by one minute, and had to wait 45 minutes for a cab to show up.
Let's see.. I've also been picking apples, and that was a lot of fun. It was very rustic, the sun was shining, and we stuffed ourselves with orchard pommes.
The big trip these last days though, was to Pornic. It's a small town an hour away from Nantes, on the beautiful coast of Brittany. Michelle and I met up with her brother in law, his wife, daughter, and little dog. We hiked for 10km, stopped to have lunch (delicious specialty- Mussels in white wine and fries. Cheap as all hell, I had that, and 2 glasses of wine for 10 dollars). And hiked the 10km back again. It was a sweet hike... and we discovered a nudist beach by accident. It would've been fine except that we were with Marion, who is ELEVEN... it was a bit awkward. But apart from that, it was a perfect day. I've posted the pics on Facebook already, so if you get a chance, take a look.
I thought I'd finish the blog with some interesting and random things I've noticed or that have happened:
1) Walking through the supermarket, next to the meat section, I found HORSE MEAT.I thought I was reading it wrong, but when I asked Michelle, she confirmed it. She doesn't eat it, but she says that lots of people do. I was so shocked! I know that a cow and a horse aren't that far apart, and I love eating cow, but really... that's just sad!
2) At McDonald's (not that I had any, because it's disgusting, but while accompanying Benjamin I saw), you can get BEER with your meal. Instead of Coke. For the same price. Which inevitably led me to question: If you get your meal in the drive-through, and you choose beer, wouldn't that technically be drinking and driving, sponsored by McDonald's? Classy. They're not just happy with being the catalyst to the obesity epidemic in the Western World, but they also offer you a quick and cheap way to be reckless on the road! I love corporations.
3)People do actually eat baguettes ALL THE TIME. I thought it was a stereotype, but you see people with their loaves everywhere, everyday, ever munching.
4) Quick language lesson:
- Preservatif is not put in food to keep it from rotting. It's a condom.
-Draguer means to hit on, not to drag, unless you encounter an overly aggressive flirt(and they are aplenty).
- Rage is not just regular anger, it's rabies. Rabais, it follows, is not the disease you catch from a dog, but a discount. A sale is not an event with a lot of rabais, it means dirty.
-Ranger is neither a woodsman, nor a morpher cartoon from your childhood, it means to tidy up.
- A smoking has nothing to do with tabacco, it's a tuxedo.
- The patron is the boss, not the customer
- And lastly, if you think the French Language seems full of deception; think again. Deception in French actually means disappointment.

Before I leave, I'd like to thank all of you who have been keeping me up to date, and sending messages, letters, packages, cards, and e-mails my way. Although this will be my home for a few more months, I'm carrying all of you close to me, and those little signs of affection make it all the more easier.
A la prochaine!

Adaptation- Part 2

I've decided to brave it out and write my first blog using a French keyboard. I've been using my own computer so far, but you have to live on the wild side sometimes, no?
French keyboards are CRAZY. The QWERTY row does not exist; instead, it's the AZERTY row. And the M, Q, W are also in places they shouldn't be. AND, get this: you have to press Shift everytime you want to write a number! Isn't that crazy?
Anyway, don't think that I've spent all my time here analyzing keyboards. I'm on my way to the last day of the first week of classes. I get a certain deja vu when I'm in the university, because it was built around the same time as UVic, so the building where I'm in is really similar to, say, Clearihue (for all those Uvic alumni reading this) I'm half expecting to run into someone I know... But I don't :(
The classes I'm in are pretty cool, the teachers are very nice, and I was very happy to be classifed at an advanced level ( 4 out of 6). So far I haven't really bonded with anyone in my own classes. There's no specific reason for it, I just haven't had a really good conversation with anyone, the kind that makes you want to get to know someone better. My classes are composed mainly by Asian students, followed by Eastern Europeans, Africans, and lastly one or two North and South Americans. I wish I had the chance to interact with more young French people, but they're not that readily available to socialize with in my part of the University.
As for what I've been doing for fun, I know I'll disappoint many, but it's been reallt mellow. I went to the movies for the first time, and was happy to learn that I could understand over 70% of the dialogue. I tried to look for a flim that would be in original English with subtitles, and not dubbed, but alas, no luck. On Saturday though, I had a really nice vening out. I was able to reunite with one of my Colombian school friends, whom I hadn't seen in 5 years, since I went to COlombia last. She now lives in Paris, but was in town visiting people (she also went to the university of Nantes). She introduced me to a lovely French couple, and one other OClombian guy, who isn't in town any longer. We went for a delicious French dinner, escargots included, and then we went bowling. Could you believe that Bowling alleys here are open until 4 AM??? And it was JAM packed at 1AM; people drinkign beer and bowling- all 35 lanes were busy, we even had to wait half an hour for one to open!
Sunday, I went on a 3 hour hike around the area, on a path next to the Erdre river, and saw some magnificent châteaux. People actually live in them, but they also rent them out for pqrties, weddings, etc. It was then when I decided I'll be getting married in france, in a Château, with a fancy dress. Whether you all choose to come or not, is your problem, but I have two words for you: OPEN BAR. Hahah
Well, there's nothing else really exciting. There are some good leads with language schools to teach ESl, but until my work permit is given to me in 3 weeks, I can't do too much. I'm already scoping flights to England for Xmas break, finding some wicked deals: 2 way between Paris and London for 70€.
Thanks for tuning in, keep on reading :)

Adaptation

Well, it’s been a tough week. No matter where in the world you’re going to, be it Europe, Asia, or Africa, adapting to a life somewhere else is always a challenge. I know that you’re saying “shut up you’re in France” but it’s much different to pass through with a backpack and drinking with your hostel buddies, than to have to make a new life for yourself for a prolonged period of time. It’s been very lonely, even when I try to keep myself occupied, and discovering a place isn’t quite the same when you have no one to get into all sorts of shenanigans. It’s dawned on me that I’m here for a while, and although I’m excited for the adventures to come, I’m also homesick- culture shock I guess!
Nonetheless, I’m grateful (somewhere deep inside) for this challenge, and for the career opportunities it’s going to afford me. After being here, and having pretty much perfect French, I will be able to return to Canada and work wherever I damn well please, since they’re so desperate for French Immersion teachers. So, let’s look at this experience as an investment.
I’m currently very much enjoying learning and comparing the little details that make a culture rich. One of the advantages of staying with a local family, is that I get all the insiders’ scoop on the city, not to mention a huge help with setting up my affairs. Benjamin, the 15 year old son of the family I’m with, took me on my second day on a little tour of the city. As you may be able to see from the pics I posted, it’s a charming place. It’s about the same size of Victoria, with gorgeous architecture, and very mild winter weather (or so they tell me). The transportation system is also incredibly effective, with nowhere in the city being farther than 50 metres from a bus or tramway stop. The people are very nice, and extremely well dressed…. I yearn for my whole closet in Canada 
The day after the city tour, the daughter (Pauline- I’ve remembered her name since the last blog!) and Michelle took me out for lunch on Friday. We went to a small restaurant serving typical cuisine from Northern French. It’s no myth that the French have a tremendous reverence for their food. Lunch is the most important meal of the day, and if one were to eat their “habitual” meal, one would be obese in a couple weeks. For example, that day, I ate an appetizer: Prosciutto with avocado and melon carpaccio, accompanied by a small green salad. This would’ve been enough for me. But, the menu includes 3 plates… so I proceeded to eat squid in a lemon garlic sauce, with couscous, and roasted vegetables. I was so full… and of course there is more. For dessert, I ate a berry trio, which was comprised of a strawberry shortcake thing, a blackberry mousse of some sort, and a raspberry gelato. HOLY CRAP… I rolled, not walked, home. I can say with confidence that I will not be picking up on their eating habits while I’m here!
Friday night I went to the Jazz festival next to the Erdre with Michelle. I saw, for those of you who are blues fans, the fantastic Mighty Moe Rodgers, who is not only an amazing musician, but by all means one of the best poets you’ll ever have the pleasure of listening to. His music is a social commentary on contemporary issues, but with good old blues rhythm. He definitely had the crowd going! One of the things that amazed me, was that people were allowed to drink out in public, on the street- without a single person making an ass out of themselves, starting a fight, or generally disrupting the festivities. I can’t even imagine the Vancouver fireworks with the same lenient allowances when it comes to alcohol… it would be a debauchery of epic proportions. But here, people are.. er.. what’s the word… civil with their alcohol. Not getting hammered until you pass out? What a concept!
Saturday was spent at the marche au plein air, which is the weekend public market. As most of you know, I have quite a penchant for gourmet, fresh food… and going to the market was a truly heavenly experience. The fresh fruit and vegetables from local farms, the cheese stands, the fish stands with fresh mussels, oysters, prawns, lobster, etc, the bakeries.. my goodness, I could’ve died happy in that place. I bought a couple things to make dinner for my gracious host family, and left there before I spent the bulk of my capital on Roquefort and warm baguettes. At night, I returned to the festival, but alone. It was all beautiful, but let me tell you IT SUCKS to have no one to speak with, comment about, drink a beer, or make fun of others. But alas, it got me out of the house!
Sunday was a really nice day, spent with the family, and a couple of their guests. The first is Pauline’s boyfriend, who works as a pilot for the French military. He comes up from Marseille every weekend to see her (6 hour train ride every week? Very romantic!).. and has offered himself as a tour guide of Marseille if I wish to see the south. The other guest is a friend of Michelle’s, Marie Jo. She lives in Tours, a city 2 hours away from here, famous for its castles and mushrooms (the edible ones!). She has also invited me for a tour of the region’s castles, wineries (Amanda, I’m thinking of you!!), and the mushroom caves. So, I’ll be going in mid-September, and save beaucop because I don’t have to pay for lodging, or some meals. Sweet!
But, yesterday, has been, by far my most favourite day. After some administrative errands around the university, Michelle, Marie Jo and I went on a daytrip to L’Ile Noirmouture. An hour and a half away, it’s connected by a causeway, and a bridge to the mainland. The causeway is only accessible when the tide is down. And let me tell you, it goes WAY down. For the 6 hours it’s low, one can walk on the sand for kilometers on end. THOUSANDS of people and cars go to these beachy marshes to fish for mussels and oysters left behind by the tide. When the water comes up, the causeway is completely submerged underwater again.. it was a sight, to have crossed it in the morning, and then in the evening see it completely covered underwater from the bridge. Just in case you get stuck in the middle of the tide coming in, there are some cement towers that you can climb, so that you don’t drown. Comforting, no?
The island is a vacationer’s island. No one lives there unless you cultivate oysters, mussels, or potatoes. The houses are GORGEOUS, and I would gladly retire there. We rented bikes, and biked the 30 km perimeter around the island, stopping at the beaches, and other little places where I wanted to take pictures. The pics are uploaded unto Facebook, so have a looky. While on my bike, I finally had a “Wow, I’m in France” moment. It was a relief to be glad to be here…. I hope to have more of those in the days to come.
Alors, the rain has stopped outside, so I’m going to leave this café. I’ve written a lot, and my wrists are sore! Hope you’re all doing well, and keep the little comments and notes coming, they’re so comforting!
Bisous,
Maria