The things I'm thankful for - the Paris edition

Besides being extremely grateful for my family (with whom I'll Skype momentarily), my good friends here and back home, my health, the Obama-factor, the fact that our study trip to India was not this time this year, and so many other things for which I am blessed and grateful for, I am also thankful for..... [Paris-specific]



Boys in the new, funny jeans with pockets purposefully low





French ladies and their puppies, who say Au Revoir to me when they get off the metro.





Excellent friends from home who visit to play jazz (Ben Sidran and - pictured - his son, Leo Sidran played at Sunset/Sunside Jazz Club) and friends who make you feel like you were never apart (Amanda)




Asian people and cute Jewish boys at the fallafel restaurant in the Marais




Super cool cars in Paris




Weird art under the Samaratine building .. and new people in the world.




The view of the Eiffel at sunset in autumn




The art vendors on the Seine




The typical Parisian view: love, sun, light, building, bridges





Clouds and reflections and my eyes




Life's questions




My luck of the draw





Awesome street art before its removed





Abraham Lincoln, for sure





Light and a camera to capture it




Awesome art near my school





Paris does, indeed, rock





...and.... humor

2 Things... or more

1. I take myself for granted too much.



2. I am thankful for too many things. My incredibly supportive family, with whom I have almost consistently celebrated Thanksgiving. This is the third T'giving that I haven't spent with them in 10 years. The first because I was in Spain studying. The second because I felt I needed space. This time I feel a bit homesick.

We spent all day in class, or out of class (Me: Stats 10-1, Innovation 2-5). During our first career navigation course tonight from 5:30-7:30pm, I realized most of the North Americans were all seated around each other. I leaned over and tapped Peter, "Hey, Happy Thanksgiving." and it caught on.

I miss mashed potatoes. Yams. My mum's awesome, unique salad. My aunts who make vegetarian stuffing with me in mind. My grandma and - before - grandpa at the head of the table. The Norweigen prayer that I still don't know by heart but recognize by sound.

A bunch of the North Americans and a few South Americans (yes, there's the debate - is there north and south...) went out after the career class for some wine. We ended up in some great discussions and a few reconcilliations from misunderstandings and then a French girl had her birthday. Only, the birthday party was Jewish so there was a lot of Hava Nagila and dancing and festivities. What a way to be thankful and celebrate!!!

And Josh. Oh, darlin. Thanks so much for calling me on my cell. We both know I'm not a phone girl, but it was so so so important and so touching to hear your voice and talk to you. It meant so much to me. I think you could hear it in my voice at the end, but thank you.


I'm thankful to be able to be here, studying, learning, living in a strange place where I am an outsider by language. I'm thankful to feel things like happiness, sadness, longing, and wonder if I'm bipolar with the rate of fluctuation of those feelings. I'm happy to have means to feed myself, clothe myself, be able to meet essential needs and still dream. I'm thankful to have short hair and get to experience a very Latin, macho country as such - it's truly humbling. I'm thankful to be able to dance and love music. I'm thankful to be able to read and highlight with my yellow highlighter. I'm thankful to see the Eiffel Tower on my bus ride home and see L'Opera on my bus ride to school. I'm thankful to hear French and understand it when I allow my brain to float into it instead of processing things all the time. I'm so thankful for my health - even if I cough and sneeze right now, I am in one piece. I'm thankful for all the people who have come into and out of my life. Without each and every one of you - of them - I would not be who I am today.

Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.

Peace.

Hello Bonjour!

I'm super sick right now. Everyone at school has been sick and it's finally my turn - after fighting gallantly for about 1 month now. Add to it, the air pollution from the strikes and everyone driving, scootering, etc. The greve continues with metros and buses at maybe 50% operational. I've asked our "Government and Governance" professor Le Gales to let us talk about this current strike, the unions, retirement, Sarkozy, etc since the class has been so divided. I'll miss French tomorrow (8am) to get a bit more rest but will make it for everything else - god willing.

So all of this, and stuck inside all weekend napping and feverish had put me into a funk about why I'm here, what I'm doing, etc. It's been seeping out through the blog and my mind, but it kind of hit a head today. But about 5 minutes ago I heard the song that played throughout my application process last fall. I had THE deciding moment (to go to school in Paris as opposed to Pittsburgh, NYC, London, Chicago, or Berlin). I had THE deciding song that kept me going through the application process. It kept popping up when I had doubts about grad school, doubts about my goals, doubts about applying, doubts about deciding. THe song reminded me of my fight for freedom, an end to injustice, and an overwhelming love for the world and mankind. Yes, yes, lovey dovey and hippie crap. But it's one of the reasons I am who I am and why I'm doing what I'm doing. (Not hippie crap, silly. Peace, freedom, justice.)

Thank you KEXP for playing "Hello Bonjour" by Michael Franti and Spearhead. It reminded me that I'm still on the right path, no matter the challenges or questions or insecurities or doubts. I know I'm here for a purpose - I just forget sometimes.

Lately I've been thinking about lovers and transport

In rue de Douai apartment, Paris.

Well, there's just too much to share and too little time when things move quickly. I had high hopes on detailing each step I took, found, got help with to get here. I'd like to help others who are interested in participating in this program or in graduate school in Paris for it seems like there's a need.

Last Friday, I met an American student from my program and she hadn't heard anything from the financial aid office here, had no idea that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid 8-page Student Aid Report (FAFSA SAR) had to be post-mailed to Sciences Po, to the chosen loaning bank, and the loan brokers/"police."

On the same hand, as we were comparing our Type-A personalities and the feeling of lack of information for preparation, she reminded me that, well, it's just France. It's another culture. It's another way of living. Details later. General idea now. Sip your lovely cheap wine, amble slowly up the rue, and worry not.

So, I guess, I'll try to piece it all together as things go but I won't hold myself to some rigid tale of step 1 to step 2 to steps all the way to this apartment near Pigalle.

And yes, here I am sipping some of that lovely, cheap, red wine. I've closed the shutters to the main rue outside and am ready to give a bit of reflection thus far.

There are some small tidbits missing from every travel guide and every website I've seen so far. Small tidbits which can explain a culture, an attitude, a mannerism, a way to get lost or be found, a way to get along or feel isolated. For instance, the metro - main arteries of travel in the heart of Paris, the subway - stops running around 12:45/1am.

Now, today is precisely the 6th day I've been in Paris, and the 9th day in total that I've ever been here. Native Parisians and new locals keep telling me I should try the bus or Velib to get from place to place. Well, I've decided that travel through the city will be kind of like Donkey Kong. Level 1 (least difficulty): cab from airport to apartment; Level 2: walk from apartment to food shopping street (rue Lepic), Sacre Coeur, restaurants; Level 3: metro from apartment to school area; Level 4 - take a bus from apartment to Champs Elysees; Level 5 - Velib around; Level 6 - Velib bike at NIGHT; Level 7 - become an expert on Noctilien buses. So far I've gotten to Level 4 without incident and got a brief tour of the night bus last weekend by a fellow student who lives in my neighborhood.

Each a little bit more of a risk. Each a little bit more of confusion. Each a little bit more of a loss of control. Each an adventure, each a success, each a trial. I'm pacing myself with the newness of it all. After all, I'd prefer not to go into culture shock and a slow toe-in to the whole adventure will make for an easier adjustment to the next two years.

So, as I was saying. The metro stops running quite early. They say New York is the city that never sleeps. And I hear Paris is for lovers. Somehow I thought that love would happen at all hours and the quickest link between two hearts would seem to be the metro. Alas, not so. Perhaps there is more romance in the late-night/early morning desire via bicycle.

Anyway, thank goodness for the tour of the Noctilien bus. Inch by inch I'll feel more freedom as I get to know the veins and arteries, short-cuts and bike lanes of Paris.