Week 6

This week was extremely busy! I am so happy that midterms are over. I was really stressing, but when it came down to the test, it was sooooo easy. Even easy for the people that did not study which was a little disappointing because I felt like I wasted my time working so hard. But I guess I was “learning” so it really is not time wasted. Getting to practice was hard this week so I mostly worked out on my own which was torture. I had a really hard work out on Friday that I did not hit any of the times for. The workout was actually really depressing because I just could not get it right….. I feel like I also might have to start working out a little more by myself because the team I am practicing with is just not as rigorous…. Sometimes I feel like I go to their practices and waste my time too……

So I have not yet discussed what Paris is really like??? Paris marked with beautiful parks, streets, buildings and people. It has a very prehistoric feeling. When I watch French movies that take place in Paris, the building have not changed in almost 60 years. They have the same street signs and the same culture of cafes on every block. Everything is very traditional. Some people that I have met here reason that the French just simply do not like change, which could be true on the surface. Paris is also a typical city at the same time… Metros are always crowded. You get that usual funky smell every now and then when you are walking down the street….the streets are somewhat grungy, old and sometimes cobble stoned. You can bet that you will step in some dog mess at least once in Paris because everyone has a dog and no one “pooper scoops.” French pets are very interesting, mostly the dogs. The dogs are the most disciplines pets I have ever seen. French people take their pets everywhere, the train, cafes, and grocery stores. What you will often see at grocery stores are people’s dogs sitting outside or sometimes inside the door waiting. They are never tied up to anything and they never bother anyone. They just wait patiently, something my dog would never do. By the time I would have finished grocery shopping my dog would be in the next state.

Food in Paris is always fresh, especially the bread. Once they sell out for the day, they do not make any more either. Restaurants and cafes are usually open until midnight to 1am. Shopping is very expensive. I once was looking around a department store and I happened to be glancing at the planners and one of them that I was interested in was 300 Euros! For a planner, they must be out of their mind…..it was no mistake either.

This week I also saw a ballet for the first time at the Opera. It was a ballet by gorge Balanchine, called Jewel (Joyaux). There was no storyline but his goal was to represent the dance and music from different nations. It was nice to have gone once but I would not say it is something I would do again. But I really admire ballet dancers for their commitment to such a rigorous sport. I never realized how much strength and balance a person needs to be a ballet dancer.

Lastly, I took a short and very cheap day trip to Giverny, the home of Monet. It was the last weekend that his home would be open. Giverny is a little quaint home on the outskirts of the city of Vernon. While the house was beautiful, the best is his gardens. This was not the ideal time to go, as the flower were not in full bloom but there the beautiful autumn colors were just as beautiful as the summer and spring flowers I would imagine. My friend, Avery and I decided to walk back to the train station after our visit. They walked was a bit long and we thought we might miss our train so we hitchhiked!!! I always find myself doing something crazy with her, bungyjumping and hitchhiking! We met this nice man whose first topic of conversation was to praise Obama. Then he told us that he thought he was Muslim and asked if we thought that was okay. Lol We laughed and said that was a stereotype because of his name. But it was nice to see he still liked him despite what his heritage might be. It was a funny conversation but short because we only needed a lift about 5 minutes up the road.