Classes started this week so I have not had a minute to spare. That said, I am very excited about the classes I'm taking...mostly. Language is a requirement. Foreign Politics- sounds interesting. Paris francophone- this is basically about all the different french cultures and populations within Paris. We are also going to deal with French immigration issues and compare them to the US. Art and Architecture- definitely the class I am most excited about right now. I have always loved art history and the fact that I am in such close proximity to many of the pieces we will be studying is very exciting. My most daunting class which I have not yet began is a class at l'Institute Catholique de Paris called Constitutional History of France since Louis XVI...eek! It is nerve racking that all classes are in French, but the fact that that class is all French students not foreign makes it even scarier! Further updates will come once I have officially started.
I actually joined a gym around the corner from my apartment this week. Such a lifted weight (no pun intended). Not that running in my neighborhood wasn't great, but my lungs began to feel tar soaked. Surprisingly, French gyms are very similar...except for that everything is in kilograms and kilometers. Very confusing. But all the equipment is very up to date and clean.
I had a wonderful Friday. I got up, ran a quick 5K, had a lovely adventure in the Marais with Sunni, then had a wine tasting at the IES center. Just for the record, if I don't get on the plane home in May, I can most likely be discovered in the Marais. New life goal: live in an apartment near the place de Vosges. It is simply the cutest neighborhood EVER. Little apartments in beautiful buildings above lots of tiny stores and amazing hummus. However, we did learn that we are still adjusting to Parisian life. Case in point; after we had picked up amazing sandwiches from a Monoprix( (equivalent to Safeway) for 3 euros, we decided we would give the bus a shot. We found the right line and hopped on the next bus. We soon learned that it was headed in the wrong direction. No problem, we could get off and cross the street. 10 stops later we still couldn't figure out how to get off. We finally found the exit button and decided to just take the metro. Better luck next time.
The wine tasting was fabulous. It was run by a French woman who's job title is a culinary consultant. Um, possible new career option?? She was so knowledgeable and the wines were wonderful. We tasted a Pinot d'Alsace, a Chardonnay from Bourgogne, a Côtes du Rhône, and a Bordeaux. My favorite was definitely the Alsace and it happened to be organic, although the Côtes du Rhône was delicious as well. She taught us the proper way to observe, smell, taste and describe wine. Naturally, I ate it all up. We were also served chunks of baguette and a tasty Compte Fermier cheese along with the wines. She also recommended that in late April and early May we should have a meal that pairs wine from the Loir Valley with chevre from the same region because the goats are having babies so their milk is extra flavorful and the spring wines are just coming out. All in all it was a very good evening.
Saturday was wonderfully lazy, perhaps too much so. Sonia and I explored the Latin Quarter a bit to find our text books. Much to our chagrin none of our books were in stock. That has been one area of annoyance so far, customer service or lack there of. The French feel no hurry to do anything. Tips are included in prices, mail doesn't have to be delivered on time and university book stores don't exist. Oh well, that's just a difference I must get used to.
Notable Meals:
Monday:
-smoked Haddock over steamed cabbage: very tasty, a little too salty
-amazing almond meringue dessert cake: think pieces of merignue with almond mousse sandwiched in between. heavenly
Wednesday:
-Paella: yum. yum yum yum.
Friday:
-Monoprix sandwich: pumpernickel baguette with lots of whole grains, smoked salmon, cream cheese, lettuce and tomato
-mocha from McDonalds: don't judge. McDonalds here is so different. It is actually respected. Very nice atmosphere and decor. Good quality food and mostly coffee. Their coffee is actually delicious.
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