All Things French

Recap

2009-09-09T14:09:00.000-07:00

September 9,2009

It's been a few days since I last updated this thing....Im still getting used to everything..My room mate Ana from the University of Texas-El Paso just arrived on Monday..So were both still adjusting to all these changes..I began my classes at La Sorbonne on Monday..I am taking phonetics, civilisation, and pratical French courses as well as a course at the American Business School taught by my professor from UH.. I enjoy my classes especially since they are all in the afternoon so I get to sleep in...yay..and even better news, my phonetics class only runs until October 3...I love the French Education system...LOL...Right now, Ana and I are working on getting things for our apartment..I would really love to get a t.v...So Bruno is working on it for us...I love France so much... My French family from the South of France and I will be meeting sometime while Im here...I am so excited to see them..It has been a very long time...All my dreams are coming true..Im just so thankful for this experience...I'll keep you all posted on what continues to happen..Thank you for all your love and support..Hopefully, my cell phone will be working soon :)

2009-09-05T04:26:00.000-07:00

2009-09-05T04:23:00.000-07:00

2009-09-05T04:19:00.000-07:00

2009-09-05T04:15:00.000-07:00

On top of the World....

2009-09-05T03:56:00.000-07:00

September 4, 2009

I slept well finally!!...I slept next to the heater so I was nice and cozy..Its been freezing here in Paris for the past couple days..Anyway, my day began with my American Business School orientation..I took the metro all by myself and walked down the streets just looking at the signs and I found it!!.I was like 30 minutes early, too..lol...So I waited in the lobby and talked to some other ABS students from all over the U.S. Then the orientation began..It was the basics we went over school, cell phones, metro, shopping, etc...After about an hour, the orientation finished..And we had our pictures taken by the secretary...By this time, my stomach was growling..I met up with my new ABS friends, one from Florida and the other from Minnesota...We decided to walk until we found something for lunch..We found a little shop that looked like they had really good baguette sandwiches so we stoppped there..It was a little treasure on the street..Because it was very good..We all ordered a panini with chicken cheese and tomato...And I spoke to the woman in French...and asked her to also take our photo....It was great...After eating our delicious sandwiches we decided to do some sightseeing...We got on the Metro that would take us to les champs elysees, arc de triomphe, tour eiffel, etc..Everything was right there and sooo amazing...we walked down the champs elysees in awe...and the arc de triomphe was huge...we walked underneath it...the tour eiffel...was simply amazing and beautiful...the line wasn't too long so we stood in line and went up it...it was so breathtaking standing up there so high being able to see Paris....After we finished at the eiffel tower, we went searching for a metro station...finally, we found one..the two guys caught one going the other direction and me and Devin caught the other..it took me about 20 minutes to get home..i rushed home..and opened the door and found my sim card package waiting..and so now my cell phone works!!..yay...i got ready..Bruno came over and we just went to a little fast food place called Quick...we ate there....then we decided to go somewhere for desert or drinks..I ordered this strawberry mango sorbet which was freakin delicious...We talked for awhile, comparing the U.S. and France and then we left...We came back to my apartment and watched Dumb and Dumber in French..hihihi...Bruno left and I used my cell to call my mom...finally i went to sleep at 4 am...it was a very exciting day!

2009-09-03T13:44:00.000-07:00

Bon Apetit!

2009-09-03T13:40:00.000-07:00

Stars in your Eyes....

2009-09-03T12:55:00.000-07:00

September 3, 2009

Didn't fall asleep until 6 or 7 a.m...And then my alarm went off around 1030 a.m... I had to get ready because Miriam (resident director/ professor) was gonna meet me at 1130 a.m. to take me over to the testing center for my French placement exam...I ran out the door and ate a piece of a baguette on my way down the stairs.. Miriam arrived the same time I opened the door...We made our way over to the metro station Daumesnil..And we thought that now would be a perfect time to buy my monthly metro pass..We tried to figure it out on our own for like 20 minutes..Finally I asked the woman at the counter " Bonjour, je voudrais acheter le passe Navigo decouverte..."..She was very nice to us and helped us figure it out...After I tried to use my bank card, which wouldnt work I ended up paying in Euro's...I received my metro pass..and Voila...I was all set to use the metro...we walked over to the testing center for La Sorbonne and waited a bit, but realized we were way too early..So we decided to go have breakfast..We walked inside a small French cafe and i spoke to the waiter in French..which made me feel really good :).Miriam said "you have stars in your eyes"..and honestly, thats how french/ france makes me feel...I ordered a potato omelette with salad..and Miriam ordered a salad...The food was awesome..We finally received the bill and we booked it over to the testing center...Miriam had to leave..And I was taken into a room to do the test..There were many international students..and the professor began speaking in french telling us to complete the form..So i entered all my information and began the test..I think I did ok..but could've done much better...I will find out on Monday what my score was...So after the test, I took the metro back home all by myself!!...I walked back home..And rested for a little while..Then I was out the door again because I wanted to explore the area again and also go to Monoprix (similar to walmart) to buy some groceries..So I used mapquest.com to find Monoprix and I walked there..On my way there, some French woman asked me for directions and I responded and I think she knew I wasn't French..so she stopped talking to me which made me feel really discouraged...Anyway, I found Monoprix and I shopped around. I bought some dish soap, garbage bags, a pizza, yougurt, granola bars, shampoo, etc.. I paid for my shopping and was on my way...It felt so good to be so independent...I came home and took a nap...and am hopeing to go to bed tonight at a normal hour because tomorrow I have a 2-3 hour orientation at the American Business School...Bonne nuit!

2009-09-02T20:36:00.000-07:00

Un repas francais

2009-09-02T20:33:00.000-07:00

Il faut decontracter....

2009-09-02T20:06:00.000-07:00

September 2, 2009 (Wednesday)

Since I didnt sleep until 3 a.m. I woke up at 3 p.m. It felt great to finally sleep...And I think I needed the rest, but somehow I need to get on Paris time pretty soon because I start school next week..LOL...After waking up this late, I decided to stay in and study and get stuff done..Plus, for the past few days its been kind of chilly and rainy here...At around 6 p.m. someone rang my doorbell..And I guessed right..It was Ben..LOL...I invited him in again and we spoke in French he asked me if Brenda the woman he was trying to get in touch with (from Hawaii) had responded to his e-mail..So we checked..And sure enough she did..So he had me e-mail her back in French..After this we began talking and he explained to me that he's from the island of Maurice...After about 20 minutes, he left..And then Bruno messaged me on MSN to see if I was hungry..And I was of course because I had woken up so late and hadn't eaten anything..So he came over an hour later..And I met him outside so we could drive to the grocery store to pick up some things to cook...We bought a baguette, some french cheese, Shweppes drink, some buns with vegetables and meat inside, and some ice cream.I noticed at the store how things were all packed in small quantites and Bruno made this remark about the Peanut Butter..We came back to my apartement and Bruno prepared everything...And we finally ate our little French dinner..lol...It was delicious...After the meal, I gave Bruno some specialties from the U.S... his own large Peanut Butter, Li Hing Mui Candy, Chocolate Macadamia nuts from Honolulu Chocolate Company, Mochi Crunch, etc.And I showed him how to do the Poi..LOL...All in all, it was a great day..It's 530 a.m. and I cannot sleep...I have the worst headache ever and Im not tired.. grrrr..And tomorrow early afternoon Im meeting with my professor to go over to La Sorbonne to take my placement exam...

mon apartement

2009-09-02T09:02:00.000-07:00

2009-09-02T08:59:00.000-07:00

C'est la folie...

2009-09-02T08:06:00.000-07:00

September 1, 2009

I went through customs at the Charles De Gaulle airport..It only took like ten minutes. Then I went to pick up my two huge suitcases. To my suprise, they were the some of the first suitcases on the luggage belt..After receiving my suitcases, I walked out the doors to the pick-up area..My French friend Bruno was waiting at the doors ready to take me to my apartment..We greeted each other with a kiss on each cheek (which is part of the custom). We spoke to each other in French the whole way to the car. Once we got to the car, I realized that my suitcases were too big to fit in his car..But somehow he managed to squeeze them in..LOL...We were on the freeway within seconds..yes, seconds. LOL...The speed limit here is 90..And Bruno kept telling me how "Tu parles tres bien."aka you speak really well...At about 1045 a.m. we arrived to my apartment address: 22, rue de Lamblardie...We walked in the door with my bags..And no one was there..We went to the office and found an older man..This was Pierre Lafoscade the owner..I introduced myself by saying, "Bonjour, je m'appele Monica."...Then out walks my professor from UH, Miriam Fuchs..She came with the UH students and is teaching a course at the American Business School here in Paris...I said goodbye to Bruno because he was already late for work..And I was taken up to my appartment in a tiny elevator that fits only one or two people..LOL...The apartment was what I imagined..small, so French, yet perfect...Pierre's assistant Ben told me about the apartment..And I spoke to him in French..He was so impressed..LOL..He kept saying "Tu parles bien"..LOL...So that made me feel really good...As soon as I got to the apartment..Miriam was here ready to take me to an appointment she made with my counselor at school...So fifteen minutes later we headed outside and made it to the nearest Metro Station Daumesnil..We got on the metro and off another and on another and off another..and walked somewhere..i was so tired at that point it was all a blur..lol..then we got a little lost..finally we arrived at the American Business School where I met my counselor Eluan Bescond..He spoke very good French and English..He explained to me that my school schedule will be very intense with 18 hours per week!!!...And that the Sorbonne will be challenging...yikes!..lol...then he explained to me the schedule for the next few weeks...and reminded me that i have a placement exam on september 3...after meeting with Eluan.. Miriam insisted that I have something to eat and drink so we went to a small cafe..I think it might have been like Moroccan food or something...It was some kind of spicy soup..She spoke to us in French..and everyone looked at us because of course our French was not as good as their's...After this, we walked to the next few metro stations...stopped at a small grocery store where i bought some soap, toilet paper, and fruit..And got on the metro...by this time i was ready to pull my hair out..and my feet were killing from wearing fashionable black boots around the city..next time im going for comfort..lol...finally i arrive back to my apartment and Miriam left..Had a really hard time opening my door because the locks here are really weird..Ben could hear me having trouble so he came upstairs and helped me..then about 15 minutes later my doorbell rings and its Ben...We talk for ten more minutes in French and he asks me if i know a girl named Brenda who used to live in these apartments..she was from hawaii...i say yes..and then we send her an e-mail...what a weird twist of fate??..lol..then he leaves and comes back again cuz he left something in my apartment..lol..he leaves..and i begin to rest..then Bruno messages me that he's hungry and so am I..so he suggests we eat at a French restaurant..I agree..We go to a restaurant called "Le mouton noir" aka black sheep..but no, we didnt eat sheep...Bruno ordered steak..and I ordered white tuna sprinkeled in peanuts and lime with some sort of mashed potatoes with caviar..Caviar??..Yeah i tried it..even though i said i would never eat that..it was actually pretty good...all in all, the food was very delicious...after dinner, Bruno brought me home..i got to my apartment and could not open the door!..the locks are sooo weird!..I was brave, walked upstairs and knocked on some French people's door..and asked them in French pourriez-vous m'aider s'il vous plait??..They were very nice and the girl came down to my room and helped me open it...I was very grateful because it was 12 a.m. and they were the only people who could've helped me...LOL..I finally got to sleep at about 3a.m. and didnt wake up til 3 p.m. the next day...LOL...What a day!

En route...

2009-09-02T07:57:00.000-07:00

Enfin, je suis arrivee....

2009-09-02T07:38:00.000-07:00

August 31, 2009

I left Salt Lake City, Utah at about 1:04 p.m. in route to Chicago O' Hare. The flight to Chicago actually did seem quite long. I arrived in Chicago and walked to my gate "Paris Charles De Gaulle" Less than an hour at the gate, I boarded the flight to Paris.. It was an overnight flight so I intended to sleep, but that didn't happen at all..LOL...For one, I was too excited to be going to France and wanted to read all I could about it..Secondly, my chair was broken and wouldn't recline at all.. Basically, there was no point in sleeping at all..I even tried taking sleeping pills but that didn't do anything for me..LOL..I talked to the girl next to me who was also going to France on a study abroad, which made the time pass by very quickly...I told her all about my experience the first time around and how she would love it..After seven hours of flying, the pilot announced we would be landing in thirty minutes! I couldnt believe how fast we got there..Initially, it was supposed to be 8-9 hours..The one thing I was dreading was a super long flight..But this turned out to be a piece of cake.. After all, I was used to doing six hour flight from Hawaii to Utah, so I knew I could handle it..And I think my excitement also made it seem like I was closer to France than I actually was...At about 8:15 a.m. Paris time, I arrived....My dream was closer to me than ever...And now it was time to live it..Stepping off the plane, the adventure began...Ahhhh Paris je t'aime...