Monday, February 16, 2009

The 26th Day Mark













So....I was going to not blog. However, I have decided that if I don't...I will lose all my memories! I am no good at keeping a diary, so instead of sending various people emails (where I often repeat myself....yikes....) I am going to track my journey on this blog.

Where shall I begin......since I have been here, a lot has changed (that is, I have changed...). I speak French much better than I did on my first day, and in general I feel very comfortable here. Paris is...again...beautiful, and I could totally live here one day. One of my favorite activities is post school grocery shopping at my local Poissonerie, Frommagerie, Patisserie, and then getting wine from my favorite caviste around the corner. It isn't as hard being an American girl in Paris as I had expected....or perhaps I have yet to face culture shock. 

In the last few weeks I've done and seen some really great things. My roommates and I went to Versailles and toured the Chateau (its incredibly gaudy....and strangley beautiful and overwhelming), I have been to the Louvre several times (since I am a student here I get in for free! You can't beat that), I went to Musee d'Orsay (my favorite museum here), have been to the Tour Eiffel (obviously.....), and walked the Marais forwards and back. I have yet to go to Centre Pompidou though, which is funny....because I essentially go to school next door to it! Can't wait to go and check out some Duchamp and Picabia......very excited. I think I may check it out tomorrow.

Friends from Pitt who are studying in London/Barcelona visited me 2 weeks ago too. That was really fun! We went and did a lot of touristy things...and it was really nice to see familiar faces. Sacre Coeur was beautiful...and I think my favorite basilica I have seen (LOTS of cathedrals in paris....many to get through....)

My classes are pretty interesting for the most part. I LOVE my Oenology class....and basically I think my professor is the coolest woman alive. Her name is Carol Brick-Stock and she's a gastronomy buff....food/wine writer....very well educated, I could listen to her speak for hours, and I basically want to be her one day??? Oh, yeah, since I have been here I had a revelation that I really want to be a food/wine writer. She might have something to do with this. I am also taking Haute Couture (aka fashion history)....right now I'm now overly enthusiastic about the class, but we shall see. My french language courses are going well....and both my professors are great. I really like my professor Michele Matheo-Coadic (I think I spelled that wrong)....she speaks rapid fire french, and it's great for learning. 

This past weekend I visited my friend Susan in Barcelona. Having my first trip away from Paris made me appreciate Paris even more. Barcelona is really, really beautiful.....Gaudi architecture is VERY cool (really trippy....as in...he was on major drugs?????) and it was great to see friends from Pitt. I had lots of fun--and saw lots of great things. La Boqueria is my mecca.....for those who don't know, its a huge open air food market with the most beautiful produce, meat,  and seafood I've ever laid my eyes on. It was hard to not cave in and buy food.....but I just let my eyes have a party. The second two pictures on this post are of me at Barcelona's Arc de Triomphe, and then me in Parc Guell.....which is a park Gaudi designed....it is INCREDIBLE and a must-see for everyone in their lifetime. Amazing....thats all I can say!

Next weekend I am visiting Lauren Dumm in Belfast. For those, again, who don't know....Lauren is a fellow Chi Omega from Pitt...but she graduated my freshman year. She is my "great grandbig" in my sorority family-tree, and has always been super hospitable and great to me. She moved to Belfast after graduation to complete her graduate degree, which she just finished in December--and is now permanently living there....with her Irish fiance! So, Saturday I am packing up once more, and spending 3 days in northern Ireland. That should be exciting! 

I will be better at posting....so feel free to check out this blog every couple days.

Peace and love to all who read! I miss you all too....VERY much! 

BISOUS!

BJB

1 comment:

  1. Thank you SO MUCH for setting this up! Sure beats trying to access Mom's facebook!.......and BTW - if you commit to it, you will be a FAMOUS food/wine writer!! You even have the metabolism for it:-)

    ReplyDelete