Je suis ici encore!

Bonjour à tous!

Apologies for the lack of info on my recent life happenings (wow that sounded a bit vain), but I am alive and well and enjoying the Parisian life : ) I am being all 'grown-up' paying bills, signing up for newspaper subscriptions, grocery shopping, learning the importance of smelling the laundry detergent before buying it (my clothes now smell faintly of baby formula), installing wifi, etc.

Hmmm, now fun updates.

Culinary:
Pot-luck at the new place to 'christen' the new bateau (I will have to post pics of the portholes soon). Lots of fun to sit, relax, and enjoy amazing dishes from everyone's hometowns, pot-lucks are really the way to go, I think I ate more that night than I had during the whole week put together. Also, a very sweet Czech friend of mine hosted a dinner party. Her sister made amazing streudel! I love getting the chance to try different foods by people who KNOW what they are doing. AND, the lovely lady at the yummy boulangerie by my studio gave me two pain aux raisins for the price of one the other day! I have been eating very well (maybe too well... thank heavens I am playing volleyball with the team here!)

Culturally:
La Nuit Blanche: An immense opportunity to enjoy artistic expression through such mediums as spoken word, dance, martial arts, paintings, sculptures, Bollywood movie filmings, classical concerts, and fabulous vin chaud all night long in Paris (I only made it to about 3 a.m.) just missing the free breakfast at the mairie in the 14th.
Recently found a new park in the 15th that made for excellent study space as well as nap-time.
Jazzed again! Checked out a nice soirée boeuf (jam session) at midnight in a fairly well known club (pictures below, yes I was THAT close to the piano player, was really tempted to hit a few keys). It was a bit crowded, little touristy, but overall good fun with great people.

Classes:
They continue and they are hard. Not so much in the sense that I have mountains of work, although that is starting to play a factor. It is more that I have not had to think this critically or be this well informed for quite some time now. But I am still enthralled with everything I am learning, the subjects are fascinating and the profs are passionate. I am also taking a sports class, volleyball, and its a lot of fun to get to play sports again! I might even get to play with the girls in a few games against other schools in France.

Again, thank you for the prayers, love, and letters!
xxoo

L'art des rues

I know I haven't written in a while, and I promise to provide updates soon! In the meantime, some fun and thought provoking street art from around the city (see I haven't completed neglected my camera)

La Rentrée pt. 3 de 3

Classes! Real, live, get-a-grade classes!

Monday at 8 a.m. (well technically 8:03 as I couldn't find the stinking room and was subsequently a bit late) I began my first semester at Sciences Po, and I am pretty sure I am already behind and in way over my head ; )

So far I have been assigned three 15 minute oral presentations, two rather lengthy papers, and given a list of books from which I am to choose what I think will be most helpful. Confession, I miss the hand-holding type course, where there is one maybe two books that are practically the Bible of the semester, this whole pick and choose method does give more depth and furnishes the opportunity to delve into a subject with the strengths of several books, but when each of my classes does that, well, that is a lot of reading to be done. However, I am in quite nerd-esque fashion, looking forward to it all. Every single professor is literally in love with what they are teaching, and passionate about starting debates and sharing knowledge. The entire learning atmosphere is amazing, and I am blessed to be here and hopefully will be able to keep up!

But better, much more fabulous news, my mom called me last week, (yes, a real live PHONE call, I think I confused her a bit when I answered in the traditional "allo, oui?") to let me know she had found a SUPER last minute deal for a roundtrip flight to Paris over the weekend. Words really cannot express how truly blissful it was to spend time with my mama. Didn't realize how much I missed home until I got to hug her in the airport, show her around a bit, and have her succesfully order herself a café créme. But it was not all sightseeing and eating, as due to several unforseen situations and unexpected circumstances I am leaving my current coloc (means apart share in shorthand french) and moving to a studio in the 15th. The new place does not have the same old school charm or high vaulted celings of the apt on bd Saint Germain, but she has great mod-style. The proprieters recently redecked the studio in a 'boat' theme, complete with portholes in the door (so I now live in a 'bateau' which is quite close to 'chateau'). It is a fully furnished little haven in a diverse building on a little side street deep in the most populous arrondisement in Paris. Its amazing to hear Mideast music echoing up the courtyard and smell the most exotic spices around dinner time. I also hear a great deal more french than in the admittedly more touristy 5th. Heck, I might make a trend of this and move every three months or so, to get a good feel for this city ; )

All in all, it has been a week of many changes, but all truly good ones, that I am learning so much from and even though it may sound cliché, growing from as well. Thank you all again for the continued prayers (I need them) and love.

Biz!!!