This is all you ever wanted...

Ok so I am going to finish what I wanted to say yesterday about my first day in Paris. On our way to the Cite from the airport there was so much graffiti. I studied graffiti in my Sosc class last year, and I have to say that I love how Paris is covered in it. When it was a phenomenon in New York City, the police and other authorities deemed it unacceptable, because it made the city look unclean and now there is barely any graffiti in NYC or anywhere that I have come across for that matter that is not commodified. The man took graffiti and turned it into something "positive", like a mural or graffiti as an artform that is sold in galleries. Here, graffiti just is. People do it on buildings, cars, walls, signs, etc. I love it. I love that the people rebel in this manner and that the city has not cleaned it up. Or perhaps the city appreciates this art form and decides to let it be. If anyone knows please fill me in and I will most likely be doing some research after I finish this post. However, I must note, I am against graffiti when it is done to significant historical buildings, for example I understand no graffiti on the Eiffel Tower.

Another thing I noticed is that these people smoke like chimneys. This is not an entirely new discovery, but when my mom and I were going to our hotel we saw people on their smoke break and I am pretty sure that 95% of the office was outside smoking and conversing. Smoking here is not something that is gross or unhealthy, rather it is a thing to do. I have not seen one anti-smoking ad, or one billboard for that manner. And to be honest these people DO look cool when they smoke. I need to get a pack of cigarettes and a light asap.

Now on to today...

My mom and I ate at a little Brasserie today, and as we were walking looking for somewhere to eat I noticed that literally all the places have these simple sandwiches, crepes, and croque monsieur. The restaurants don't have a plethora of different vegetables, cheeses, meats, and toppings for people to eat, but rather they have already made the sandwich and you pick which one you want. I had a ham, brie, tomato and lettuce sandwich today on this amazing loaf of break. It was to die for. So simple, yet to succulent. America doesn't have this. In America it is all about more for less, and here you pay a lot for not so much, but it is so simple and amazing. I am getting back to simplicity, but within this rich and beautiful culture that is complex and wonderful.

Also, today as my mom and I were walking off the Metro we saw Notre Dame, and I thought "All you ever wanted was this". This thought ran through my mind consistently today. All I have ever wanted in life is to be somewhere that has lived. As a history lover/nerd America has always lacked that for me. I mean the first stone was laid for Notre Dame in 1163 and it was mostly finished by 1250. This one building has stood in some capacity for basically 850 years. Same for The Louvre. Yes there are the more modern glass Pyramids, but the Louvre Palace was built in the late 12th century and is absolutely gorgeous. Seriously, standing there looking around I almost cried. So much as happened here, so much has happened in Paris. It is like everything else I have experienced and seen in my life is not significant, that until now I have not really lived. My mom and I didn't go into the Louvre because we were short on time, and if you are going to do the Louvre, you got to do it right. You have to get it flowers and chocolates, so that it knows you really appreciate it. So from the Louvre, we walked to the Tuileries Garden which was gorgeous and then we hit...wait for it...wait for it...the Obelisk de Luxor which is 3,300 years old and was moved to Paris from Egypt. But that is not all, it also marks the spot where Louis the XVI and Marie Antoinette were beheaded during the French Revolution. I could hear the peasants as they cheered on the beheading of their King and Queen. I could feel the anguish of Marie Antoinette, who was a grossly misunderstood human being. Honestly, dream come true. We also saw the Arc de Triomphe from afar, but I know that I am going to see it up close and personal later on in the quarter.

As I go to bed tonight, I know I'll be thinking "All you ever wanted was this".

You had me at "Bonjour"

Bonjour! Today was a very eventful first day in this amazing city. but first let me say that my mom and I got first class on the flight which was an amazing experience. We had a four course meal, reclining chairs, amazing blankets and pillows, and my mom enjoyed a free gin and tonic. So let me just say, if you are going to travel a long distance, think about splurging for the first class seats. And thanks to my dad for working at Delta. Because of him my mom and I not only got to FLY for FREE, but FIRST CLASS was also free. Ahh the good life.

When we got the airport it was only 7 am in Paris, so the city was dead. I am sure people were just getting their first hours of sleep. I was glad that we got there so early because the train was not that busy and so with our large suitcases we didn't really make anyone too mad. When we got to the Cite, which is where I am going to be living, we went to the USA house to check in my luggage and the woman at the front desk didn't speak English. Now I am going to be American for a minute. If you have students who are from the USA in this house, wouldn't you think that there should be a person manning the front desk who speaks English? I don't expect the entire country to, but I think that that is reasonable. Thanks to a bilingual student who was staying there, we got our bags checked in, but not before I had become frustrated and was feeling very uneasy about my decision. However, once we checked into the hotel (which is very nice) and started to actually roam Paris my feelings changed. My mom and I roamed the streets and went into a mall where I had my first Parisien success story. We went to a grocery store where I successfully bought two apples, a Coca Cola Light (not diet here), and a water without having to use English at all. I felt very proud at that moment.

Next, my mom and I had an appointment to be at the Eiffel Tower at 6 pm. I figured out how to use the transportation system, and so getting there was a breeze. I must comment on how fast and efficient the system really is. It took us about thirty minutes to get to the Eiffel Tower from across town. But it was upon seeing the Eiffel Tower that I remembered why I wanted to study here in the first place. I wanted to experience history. As I was looking at the Eiffel Tower, I imagined the 1889 World's Fair and when I was actually in the structure I wondered how Gustave Eiffel felt as he saw his brilliant creation come to life. On the way to the Eiffel Tower there were a million and one vendors who wanted to sell us miniature Eiffel Tower's and a slew of other things. I responded with a "no, merci" and felt myself feeling more confident that I could do this. I could study here.

But the proudest moment of the night was when I ordered my meal in French. Granted it was a chocolate crepe and chicken panini, but I did it in all in French. I said thank you and I would like, and when I was done I smiled at my mom with a look that a five year old gives their mom after they have tied their shoe for the first time. I don't know if the guy knew I wasn't French, but he was really nice to me.

There is much more to write, but we didn't get the right adaptor so my computer is dying. I shall finish filling you in tomorrow after I have seen Notre Dame and this one garden my mom cannot remember at the moment right now. Also, I am extremely tired. This seven hour time difference has drained me! Until tomorrow. Bonne nuit.