Hello!

I've had trouble with the internet here in Paris, so I have not been able to create a blog until now. I thought I would tell the story so far, so people can get an idea of what's been happening.

Wednesday, March 25th: I arrived safely in Paris at 9 am, an hour and half delay in Chicago, for no other reason that I can remember other than there are always delays at O'Hare. I took the train into the city; it was easy to get on with all of my bags, but I had to get by people to get off, a feat only possible with help from some Parisians. After I settled in at the hotel, I went for a walk. There were little streets, bookshops, cafes, and many people. I spent most of the day looking for food (much, much harder than I expected), and hunting for books for class. I went into at least seven or eight bookshops, because every shop is specific. Some only have travel books, or language books, or specific kinds of literature. Not many had the plays I needed, but I eventually found them. And the occasional shopkeeper would direct me to the next book shop. I made my first friend, a local falafel shop owner who invited me back for tea and free falafel later that day.

Thursday, March 26th: After sleeping for twelve hours, I ran some errands, and met up with the rest of the group. I can't quite remember, but I think I spent most of the day in the area around the hotel, walking and going into shops and little interesting places. There was a protest at the Sorbonne (the oldest university in Paris) about the teacher strike, with students shouting, music, and lots of cops in riot gear. So of course I went over to see what was going on. As I was standing there watching, a young Parisian man asked me what was happening. We began to talk, and he ended up asking me out. Then, I went to meet the group for dinner at a little restaurant nearby. I was able to get to know some other people, but I was not really able to eat. The chef attempted to make crepes with just mushrooms (in case you were wondering about the vegan thing, I have returned to vegetarian 1.7...where I eat dairy if it is in things if I am in an awkward social situation, or haven't eaten for 7 hours). First they brought out ones with mushrooms and chicken, then cheese and ham, then mushrooms and cheese, and then we gave up. They felt bad, so they brought out an apple and an orange. That night, I went out for a drink with a couple of other students at a cool little bar near the Pantheon.

Friday, March 27th: Oral exam and orientation in the morning, then an awesome treasure hunt in the afternoon. My friend and I went all over the Latin Quarter looking for things like Sartre's grave, Hemingway's house, Verlaine's house, etc. It was great, I really loved it. We found everything, including getting info from the statues inside the Sorbonne. As I've already mentioned, there is a strike/protest at the Sorbonne, so they're controlling entry. Lots of police. But I talked my way past the door so we could get into the courtyard, said we were American students, we just wanted to see.... After meeting the group for tea, we all split up. I met a young Italian couple at the hotel, in the dining room; they were very kind, and have offered to give me some advice if I end up traveling to their area of Italy. Later, I went on a date with that guy I mentioned above. He's 28, his English is terrible, he has lived in Paris all his life, and he works at a school. We drank wine and smoked on a bench at the base of the Eiffel tower, watching the light show every hour.

Saturday, March 28th: I moved in with my host family in Bercy. Spent most of the day getting settled. It rained, but I still walked around where I live. There is an incredible park across the street. There are rolling lawns, many rows of lowers, benches, a "maison de jardiner" which is a little center about gardening, bridges, and more. On the other side of the garden is the Seine. There are a few shops on the streets near my house, but there is a beautiful little complex called Bercy Village: an old wine warehouse complex that is now turned into shops, cafes and restaurants. It is a charming and lively place in the evening. There is an enormous pet shop with all kinds of fish, dogs, rabbits, etc.

Sunday, March 29th: I met up with the rest of my group for a tour of Paris. We began the place de la Bastille, and listened to the history of the area. We walked through the enormous market nearby. Then we walked through the Place de Vosges, the Marais (with the Jewish section where we had some incredible falafel, and the gay section), the Pompidou Center of modern art, then over to the Louvre. We did not actually go into the museums, but we walked through the Pompidou to see the architecture, and into the awe-inspiring courtyards of the Louvre. It is enormous. And beautiful. We continued on a little bit more, but that was basically it. Then I met up with my cousin (after buying a copy of Artaud's theories, inc. Theater of Cruelty, in French) who is visiting from Seattle. I walked around with her group for awhile, which was a lot of fun. They are a fantastic group of people.

Monday, March 30th: First class, 9 am to 1pm. I go to school at the Alliance Francaise, on 101 rue Raspail, if anyone cares to google it... Class is radically different here. Much more activities, with lots of talking; emphasis on speaking skills. But I love the people in my class, and my professor. I am the only American: there are Chinese, Japanese, English, Irish, Hungarian, Spanish, Italian, German, Venezuelan, and Finnish people. I love it. It fascinates me that the only thing connecting us is French. Possibly an obvious statement, but it is really great. Of course, many speak English, but my Japanese and Chinese friends do not. So all conversation actually needs to be in French, and all definitions in class are explained in French. I love it. After class, I met my group to go to see the Vincentian house and chapel. It was incredible: I saw St. Vincent's cloak, and other things, including his umbrella. We listened to a history of Paris around St. Vincent's time. And then we saw St. Vincent's relics in the chapel next door. I am not sure if everyone reading this knows, but I truly respect St. Vincent's message of charity, even if we don't share the same religious views. So I was absolutely thrilled. That night, I met up with my cousin and her group for dinner, and to see a little bit of the Pompidou Center. Had a great time!

Tuesday, March 31st: French class again, making more friends with my classmates. Found an awesome health food store near my school that has cheap little takeaway vegan things, and a lot of great food. I had my first Paris: City and Text class in the afternoon. Lecture on history, and discussion of Balzac's Pere Goriot. That night, I went out for a drink at that bar near the Pantheon, with two of my friends from the DePaul group.

Wednesday, April 1st: Class. Had lunch with a couple of new British friends who are over taking courses at the Alliance Francaise. Chatted in the Park of Luxembourg for a couple of hours and walked around the area a little. Later, I met one of my new British friends and another British friend of hers in Bercy near my apartment, to see a French film about the Bronte sisters at the local cinema.

Thursday, April 2nd: Class. Had my French art history class, where we are studying the Impressionists. I love that period of art, so I am really enjoying it so far. We meet at the Louvre next week.

Friday, April 3rd: Class. Afterward, I met up with a couple of friends and walked through the Market of Belleville, which was unfortunately shutting down. It is this enormous market that stretches through the main road in a rougher area of town. It is where there are a lot of immigrants, with especially Arabic influences at the moment. Since it is Friday, there were many, many people praying. At one point, we turned a corner, and the sidewalk was filled with men who were kneeling on the ground in a section that was blocked off. They were silent, so one of my friends didn't notice them, but I didn't know how to tell her that there were at least 50 silent men behind her and we should keep walking. Anyway, it was a fascinating part of town, with cafes, Islamic stores, Korean stores, and a great bookshop.