and then january is gone

so its been a while. my most recent excuse is that ive had a high fever from a wicked virus and, had i had the energy to write, probably would have barely splattered out some incomprehensible franglish.

some photos?
well i dont really have any of good tourist destinations recently. but here's one from a while ago, on the seine boat cruise our whole group went on just before christmas:

and more recently, this is where i spent one CRAZY friday night [sarcasm]:

yes, this is an old boat on the seine covered in plants with an old woman down below casually serving cheap beer.


and last, here's how i think of going back to my room every day. in fact its just one step above me sitting in my bed as i am now:
it's the sign in the metro showing that the next train on line 13 headed toward châtillon is approaching- flashing 00- which is the best time ever. line 13 is my favorite. it always gets me home!

and finally, one of my favorite pictures that ive taken so far in france:
"Le Monde en Greve aujourd'hui" = "The World on Strike today" quite accurate in france where there is always some large group on strike that inconveniences everyone else [most often transportation]. AND what the heck? how can Le Monde, France's largest newspaper, go on strike? Anything is possible here.

aside from getting sick [hey it had to happen once, right? lets hope thats it!] life has been pretty paris-normal, pretty fabulous! classes are just about finished for the first semester I KNOW right? we are still in the first semester! come ON people lets move on! its almost february! and we dont even start the second semester until the 22- or for me and hannah, march 1, as we decided we're too good to go to classes the first week of school and would rather pass our time wearing five warm layers in...poland. hey, when in europe, right?

i signed up for classes today. im taking two art history classes, different periods. also a french/english translation class, philosophy, and a course on french documentaries- nope, i have no idea how that one will go. hopefully it will be the random pick that ends up being really cool. we shall see. in any case, its looking to be a very different semester, since ive graduated to the no-french-language-classes level, and am now just taking 'civilization' classes, but in french.

did i ever mention that i finished my puzzle? oh my gosh how lame is it that i am so proud of this feat! i can never take it down! it is forever sitting on my table until i must pack it up and take it back to the states...to be rebuilt! the finished product:
dont even try to make fun of my love of puzzles, it wont make a difference, im still searching for a new one :)

im starting to get this spring-is-in-the-air feeling. of course this happens just after i buy a bunch of adorable winter clothes. but i think my feeling might be slightly off. maybe if it were mid to late march i would be more accurate. and...two weeks from now,in eastern europe, all warm thoughts will most certainly be pushed right out of my head, guaranteed. so scratch that thought. however, it is getting lighter earlier. for instance, it has been dark since 5pm lately, meaning when i pick up eleanore at 6 i feel like i should be going to bed instead. now, however, its still light when i head underground in the metro at 520. however when i resurface at 555, it is once again pitch black. but progress right?? the day i get out of the metro at 555 and theres a bit of sun still waiting for me, i just might go buy myself a cookie to celebrate. and eat it really quickly before eleanore starts whining for one, too.

to everyone back in the states, we will be on the same soil once again in 134 days, and in my very own city in 136. what this means is that i now have my return plane tickets, which means that i do indeed have to return, which means that this fabulous little escape from reality will indeed come to an end. its too early to get sad/excited/nervous/confused about it now. but it definitely is reminding me that despite all ive done, there is still a lot to do, so no time to waste!

bonne année

it was very odd telling a french friend of mine that oh no, in fact the stores in the US can have a sale anytime they want! [shock!] because here, the sales are government-regulated. all stores get five weeks in the winter and five weeks in the summer at an exact time- plus one week for each season that they can choose on their own. im not quite sure how i feel about this. well no i am- its so weird. and i dont really understand it. however, it does provide a constant option of something to do, and at a good price.

im thinking that i brought some of spokane with me. the snow here has been lasting unusually long, and people are somewhat freaking out. the most we had at any point was maybe MAYBE half an inch, but still. you always have a valid excuse if you are late for something.

christmas with mom and dad in paris was wonderful. we did the seine boat cruise together for christmas day dinner, went up montparnasse for lunch [the tallest tower in the city with a beautiful view] and generally were superb fast-walking tourists. we also got to get out to normandy to see the WWII beaches, see Versailles, and of course visit a ton of museums and monuments in paris. for my new years resolution, i vowed to appreciate family and not discount a single day. this came by way of several catastrophes, beginning and ending with canceled airplane flights, but more importantly being mom's hospital visit.
so glad youre okay, mom!

we only have three more weeks of school until february break! cant wait! im only half-ready for 2010, part of me still cant believe that ive been here for four months already.

"wait til you see me in the boots!"

i finally took a shower last night. this is worth saying because it had been a couple days, which just is not okay in paris, where everyone is dirty and moving quickly and crammed. but due to a faulty washer and dryer, my clothes came out semi-clean and only semi-dry on thursday afternoon, leaving me with my bedroom turned into one ginormous clothesline. i turned my heater up and covered my floor with socks and underwear. its all over now- almost, got to clean up the socks- but it sure is a pain.

i usually come back from 'au pairing' around 745 or 8- sometimes later- which puts me in quite a flurry as far as dinner, which is at the foyer [dorm] from 714-815. so a typical night is me rushing in, cold and tired and absolutely starving, crossing my fingers that there is something for me to eat besides bread and an accompanying starch, and then eating semi-rapidly while talking with hannah and anna, or some british friends, or of course the frenchies. and usually, i have some long story that describes something that is not going how i want it to, causing me stress and maybe anxiety, for example, the above laundry scenario.

and for example. my camera. if you read my earlier posts, you know that my camera came to its end in the montmarte cemetery- its a pretty good ironic story. anyway, i eventually decided that yes, i do indeed need a new camera- badly. so mom and dad picked it out at home, because even with the cost of shipping, its still cheaper to buy it in the states [thank you, exchange rate]. this camera was sent 6-day air to arrive a few days before my trip to switzerland last weekend. guess what? i still dont have it. so the past week of dinners has consisted of me giving updates about how i got an illegible letter in my mailbox telling me to call a number because my package didnt make it through customs [took me about half an hour to figure that out, during most of which i was trying to decipher the characters of the phone number]. i had to call a number, which caused me to use up all the minutes left on my phone . i had to email the company, declaring the contents, worth, and my willing to pay any extra taxes. they emailed me back. i had to send another email doing the same thing but more officially. they emailed me back. i have to wait. this saga has not yet ended.

another example, my boots. 'all i want for christmas is a pair of boots.' well, now i have two. thanks to me not knowing that the return policy was really only an exchange policy. so when i decided that the boots i bought were too big and then found another pair somewhere else and bought them, upon returning the first pair, i found myself stopped, and trying on a whole new round of boots to find a replacement. one is a christmas present, the other is a christmas present...on me. happy christmas, steph! you now have two really nice pairs of boots! not complaining about that part, its just that miss thrifty is freaking out for her bank account here.

i have not yet finished my puzzle, which is good, because it means i am getting out of my room more than hiding in it. good progress though- all the border and a significant portion of the top.

mom and dad get in tomorrow morning CROSS YOUR FINGERS. they fly through DC and its a big snowstorm there, so thats where the problems might begin- or before, if they are stuck in seattle. so if everyone crosses their fingers reeeeeeally hard, we might be able to influence fate and get them here on time, or at least on the right day...

time to go finish my laundry from thursday, i think those socks are dry now, or at least good enough.

ps if you know what this post's title is quoted from, 10 points. you know me well.

l'hiver à Paris [winter in Paris]

life couldn't get too much better right now. as i ate my breakfast this morning, i noticed that the rain looked a little different than normal. needless to say, it was not rain at all, but snow. good thing i didnt decide to break in my new boots- they would have gotten dirty on their first outing.

its quite cozy, the snow in paris. i stopped at a boulangerie on my way to school through the blizzard, waving bonjour to the baker behind the window as he kneaded the next loaf, and buying a delicious apple-filled sugar-covered bread. i couldnt get over the fact that the windows were actually fogging up- none of this fake spray-on fog that we do to give the impression of warmth- this was real, bread-baking/snow falling window fog. if only i had had a pumpkin spice latte at the time, too. just kidding.

last weekend was switzerland. youd think it would have been snowing there, too, but no, just the ultimate cold front accompanied by reckless wind. had i not brought my hat or gloves, guaranteed i would now have two of each. but courtney and i loaded up on chocolate, and i also bought...a puzzle. BECAUSE WHO DOESN'T LOVE PUZZLES?!?! so i warned everyone that if they dont see me for several hours- or days- on end, please come tear me from my puzzle. way too addicting.

all the people who highly recommended the seine boat cruise were not exaggerating AT ALL. last night, gonzaga paid for a 97euro dinner cruise, beginning with amazing kir, followed by an appetizer, entree, and the best chocolate dessert i can think of ever having. this little triangle that bursted with flavor from the crispy bottom to the moosy middle and the chocolaty covering. heaven. worth the effort right there. going with the fam again on christmas, and am looking forward to the dessert most of all, unsurprisingly.

speaking of the family, THE PARENTS COME ON SUNDAY! i have never been so excited. it will not be a lazy morning, since their flight gets in at 635am, but i would never leave them stranded so ill be waking up soon before then to take the RER [as long as there is no strike] to CDG.

nap time.

shout outs

to the youngest cashier at the franprix- i would rather not wait for you to finish your text message before buying my dinner. thanks.

to the shoe cobbler- where are you located? i really need you. i'd like to start wearing my camel boots again.

to the workers at Le Laurier restaurant- i really appreciate the vegetarian plate you always make for me. really.

to the night watchmen- thank you for maintaining the most boring job in the world to keep me safe. sorry about that one time i woke you up at 4am [it was a fun night though]

to the homeless man with two puppies- yes, you have sparked pity. no, you should not own animals when you cannot even feed yourself.

to my language professor- THANK YOU.

to the cell phone company- i'd like it if the service worked all the time, not just part of the time.

to deloitte- thank you for offering me an internship. i am so excited.

to mom and dad- twenty days!

to baguettes- could you please include more grains?

to europe- thank you for being so generous with student discounts. free is the only way to go.

to the ukrainian girl in class- if you dont put a smile on your face next week, i might just start to cry. also, next time your sick, please stay home.

to baudelaire- i hope your work sells for more than the predicted value at the auction tomorrow.

to my jeans- please stop shrinking every time i wash you. it always makes the first three hours of wearing you quite detrimental to my self image.

to père noël- all i want for christmas is my family and a pair of boots

to seattle- i still have not bought an umbrella. going strong.

to everyone who thinks they own the sidewalk and therefore don't need to even move an inch to let me pass by- i dont fancy walking in the streets with the crazy drivers just so you can swing your bag and chat spaciously.

to gonzaga- i envy not your upcoming snowstorms.

to ella- please please PLEASE jump in the suitcase and visit me.

to trader joes- you should go international. ie, paris.

to coca-cola zero- im becoming addicted to you. this must stop.

to the economists- why is everyone telling me that the pound has dropped to the value of the euro? why does every site i check tell me otherwise, that it is just as horribly $1=1.65£ as always???

joyeux thanksgiving

reflecting back on all the thanksgivings i have had, this one is definitely memorable- for reasons quite untypical. there was no turkey, but that itself has not changed since last year, due to the whole veggie thing. but this time, i did not even see- not even smell- a turkey. nor did i see the pumpkin pie, the mashed potatoes, or any celebratory drinks. i ate what i think was cous cous, as well as bread, a celery/corn salad, an orange, and some sort of citrus fluff. welcome to france. did i mention i ate in the company of two british girls? let alone surrounded by people from france and who knows where else in the world. i think this thanksgiving is one for the books. or at least for this blog.

i also had to go to school today! gasp! en plus, i had to work! [and unfortunately eleanor decided to misbehave- great timing. she doesnt get to go on my what-i-am-thankful-for list, unfortunately. not until she stops refusing to hold my hand when we cross the street.]

this completely flabbergasted me today: i saw the same woman on the metro whom i saw on monday. i know. i mean really though! what are the chances? thats never happened before, that ive noticed. considering that the trains leave every 2-5 minutes, and each train has about 8 cars, what are the chances that i was on exactly the same train and in the same cabin as her twice in a week?! i would have introduced myself to her and attempted to make a friend, but alas, the reason that i knew it was her was because she has two incredibly misbehaved boys...and yet doesnt seem to notice. not friend material. on monday, another woman sitting in the same little group of four seats as the mother and her two sons got so fed up with their misbehaving that she got up, mumbling about how the children were 'savages' and how the mom didnt know how to control her sons. she was completely right. the whole thing was quite entertaining.

i did some walking today [like every day] but tried this time to make some more connections in my brain as to what road links to what. its great when i can figure my way to a destination without looking at a map- or just peeking once. but really! i feel like i am close to conquering the left bank of paris. there is a whole other semester to conquer the right bank, thank god. that one is even bigger. i better get started early.

i was in a couple of used book stores today, and came to a somewhat depressing and yet cool situation. most interesting novels in french bookstores are translations from english, most often an american author specifically. this is depressing because i was looking to read a real french novel, not a translated one. this is cool because...GO America! the creativity is absolutely flowing from our country! [the english-french translators must be busy! potential job??] but i will keep looking for a true french novel. although the french dont fancy writing novels and mysteries, im sure i can find a couple that merit my eager eyes.

i was told by my kind old french conversation instructor that i speak without an accent! whoohoo! if thats not progress, i dont know what is. probably my proudest moment yet.

its raining like seattle here. but cooler. because its not seattle; its PARIS.

foreign exhaustion

it's just tiring existing sometimes. ive been realizing more and more that sometimes, i get tired because the whole day, i'm...listening. of course speaking, too. but even if i was prohibited to speak a word of french, i would still be listening to it. all day. and it wears on you! constantly thinking in a foreign language is not at all the same as the automatic english thoughts ive been contentedly having for the past twenty [nineteen? eighteen? when did i start thinking in english?] years.

of course, i could be feeling a bit tired lately due to all of the explorations. what i have done in the past 2 weeks:

museums-
Musee Rodin
Centre George Pompidou
Musee du Quai Branley
Musee Ganne, Barbizon

historic sites-
Chateau de Vincennes
St. Denis Basilica
Chateau de Fontainebleau
Barbizon
La Grande Arche/La Defense

good eats-
Laduree [macarons]
Pierre Hermé [more macarons]
Angelina [hot chocolate to die for]
nutella crepes [not anything unusual, BUT it was at this little stand, around 1am, where hannah and i got 2 for 1 because i told the guy it was her birthday the night before. score! so glad we finally got something free out of her birthday!

odd but great situations-
-teaching a 6-year-old french girl [eleanore] how to read in french. never thought i would be doing that.
-having a conversation about US economics with three men- one french, one italian, one turkish.
-giving a young french woman and her child instructions to get to the Luxembourg gardens. way to go, steph!
-receiving a call in which i get an offer to my top-choice internship, at 11pm, as im getting ready for bed!
-soirée on a boat- basically a big dance party with 100euro champagne bottles. ALL american/english music. ALL. and i dont think anyone else spoke english as a first language, if at all. but whatever. fun experience, to do once. didnt buy the champagne. did eat the free candy.
-biking through the former hunting grounds of Fontainebleau Forest, from Chateau de Fontainebleau to Barbizon. Probably one of my favorite adventures ever.
-going to the French International film festival for the Environment. I love film festivals. i love free things. THIS WAS FANTASTIC. ive seen 3 movies so far. i finally saw Food, Inc. which i had wanted to see for months back home, but never got around to it. so seeing it in france with french subtitles and for free...lets just say it was worth the wait. i also saw 'la ville au futur,' a french film about numbers and technology and how we are all being watched and all the underground systems in paris. it was cool because afterward, there was a Q/A session with the director and producer and, well, the audience didnt hesitate to critique their work! it was very academic of me.

so yeah, its a lot! especially with classes and work. there is only so much museuming one can do in a certain number of hours. best of all, everything ive visited is free! i should write a book- "frugal paris."

i dont know what to narrow-in on for this post. so much has happened, and ive been horrible at blogging because i havent had reliable internet. for some reason, the french do not see internet on the same level as air and water, as the US does. its really quite frustrating.

i have thought of some other names for this blog that i could have chosen, equally as accurate as the current name:

une année sans...
-a hairdryer
-really good music
-the gym
-home-cooked meals
-The Office
-the dollar
-cereal

im sure more will come up. for now, those are the ones that affect me most. [seriously though- no hairdryer! impressive, if you ask me.]