Au Revoir Paris!

It's hard to believe that my 2-week adventure is at a close. I positively loved every minute here - even the hot, frustrating, insane ones! So, to sum up my visit in David Letterman style, here is my "Top Ten List of Things I've Learned About Paris"....

10. The metro is easy to navigate, but the RER is not.

9. Objects on map are much larger than they appear! (AKA, it's easy to get lost in Paris!!!)

8. Even bad food here is good!

7. Insane people frequent the metro - especially on Sunday mornings. (Note: these are probably

the same people that are responsible for the metro smelling like a urinal...)

6. You can fit 6 French cars in 1 American SUV and/or parking space.

5.(x) French people + Soldes (sales) = 1 annoyed, potentially violent American girl

4. French people do bathe, shave, and use deodorant. Many even smell quite good.

3. You don't mind the sweaty stench of the metro as much after a glass (or 2) of wine.

2. You speak French much better after a glass (or 2) of wine.

1. Paris is easily the most beautiful and historically rich and interesting city on earth!!!!!

I hope you have enjoyed reading my blog as much as I have enjoyed posting it. It has been wonderful to share my journey with all of you! Thank you all so much for your support - I enjoyed reading all of your comments. I will talk to you soon! XOXO!

Today I Went Grave Kissing...

Yes, you read the title right. Indeed, I smooched a grave today and left my hot pink lipstick mark to prove it! We went to Pere Lachaise Cemetery this morning (the infamous home of Jim Morrison's grave...there are so many more amazing people buried here than Morrison, but that is what it is remembered for...) Anyway, my favorite author, Oscar Wilde, is buried here and that is whose grave I kissed. Before you think that too weird, you should know that is the "thing to do" at his grave (when you look to the right and see the photo you will notice that there are hundreds of kisses on it.) I was a little weirded out, though. Not because I was kissing a grave - that didn't bother me (although it probably should have!) No, I was not liking the idea of the hundreds of other kisses to try and kiss around (I guess the Switala OCD-gene has rubbed off on me a bit! ha ha) But, I had to pay hommage to a great man, so I puckered up and did just that! As soon as I was done, I immediately wiped off my mouth and did the heebie-jeebie dance while singing "God made dirt and dirt don't hurt" and prayed that the 5 second rule also applied to kissing tombstones...

We also saw Edith Piaf's grave. I so badly wanted to sing "La Vie En Rose" but refrained....maybe next year! I saw the great Eugene Delacroix's grave, and looked a long time for Moliere and Jacques Louis David (I really wanted to see David's!!) but couldn't find them. We wandered around for 2 hours and only saw a small handful of graves. I will be glad to go back next summer and find the rest!

Well, tomorrow is my last day in Paris! I have a pretty big test tomorrow to study for, then Stacey and I are going to just shop and enjoy a relaxing day - no plans or running around like crazy! I'm just going to soak in Paris one last time - with the assistance of a glass of wine and a pastry, of course!

Deep Down Under Paris

Today, I explored deep down under Paris in the Catacombs. It was really cool - I haven't seen that many bones since Nicole Ritchie went through her anorexic phase! Somewhere in all of those piles of bones was the remains of Robespierre, Danton, and Desmoulins (3 of my favorites from the French Revolution!) I really thought all of the bones and skulls were amazing...I loved the thought that all of these things used to make up 6,000 people who were a part of history. While I was completely fascinated, there were several people who were creeped out. The one woman was clearly petrified, which I didn't quite get. I tried to make her feel better and told her not to worry because they couldn't hurt her, but she gave me a look that indicated I wasn't funny and should leave her alone. Some people have no sense of humor...

After the Catacombs, we went to find the Picpus cemetery where General LaFayette was buried, as well as over a thousand people who lost their heads in the French Revolution. We wandered around the area that was marked on the map but couldn't find the cemetery so we asked a shop owner. "Ferme!" he said...apparently, it no longer exists. Stacey and I drank a Coke and pondered where would a cemetery with a mass grave of 1300 people and General LaFayette disappear to? We concurred that the whole notion is disturbing, not to mention disappointing!

Even though I didn't get to see what would have been the most amazing cemetery ever, we did have a nice long metro ride where we were serenaded by a guy with a guitar. He actually sounded really good and had an enjoyable voice AND he sang 4 songs. I gave him a euro because he made the trip a little nicer...

The real adventure today, however, took place while waiting for the Catacombs to open. We decided to go check out Galleries LaFayette on the first day of "Soldes." Parisian stores don't put items on sale except during a 5-week period of "soldes" (sales) that run from the end of June to the end of July. The first day of Soldes in Paris makes WalMart on a Saturday morning in Selinsgrove look tame. People shove and push and won't move...they are dead serious and will not think twice to hurt you to get that Dior bag you're standing in front of! Granted, most designer things are 50% off (which makes them, uh, still unaffordable...) With the crazy mobs of people in every store, Stacey and I had another serious question to consider - when the heck do people work in Paris? They were all out at the stores ALL day!! Whatever it is they do, I want the same kind of hours! *LOL* (and the first person who makes a "teachers have their summers off" comment will get a punch in the teeth when I return home!) We will go back on Friday to see if things settle down...if not, I may leave Paris without an outfit (GASP!!)

Tomorrow, Pere Lachaise cemetery!! It will be the last organized place I visit before I return home!

JOYEAUX ANNIVERSAIRE DRAVEN!!!!

Happy Birthday Draven, or as they say in France, joyeaux anniversaire!! (have Pappa say it to you!) I hope you have a fantastic 8th birthday and get everything you wish for!! You are a smart, sweet boy and I am so glad you are my nephew! I love you lots!!!! XOXO Aunt Jennifer

As for the rest of you...you may be surprised to know that the metro has lost its charm. It was funny being a sardine several times a day for a week, but now that it's hot and sweaty, it's just plain old nasty! Now I know why everybody has a grumpy look on their face!

Stacey and I went to see the Marie Antoinette exhibit at the Grand Palais this morning. The guard asked what we were looking for and we said "Marie Antoinette" to which the guard replied, "She is dead." Who says the French don't have a sense of humor?! But the joke was on us in the end because the exhibit was closed today. I won't have the chance to go back, either, so that is a bit of a bummer.

Just as we were deciding what to do next, the unthinkable happened - my purse broke! The handle just ripped (which I am sure makes you wonder about the weight of the contents of said purse, so let's just say that when I come home from this trip, my biceps and shoulders will be ripped!) What I had to do next was horrible. I had to go purse shopping! I know, I know...purse shopping in Paris! Oh the horror! Actually, I was a little bummed because I wanted to get an outfit, but now I am stuck with a new purse...sigh! Poor me. *LOL*

After our shopping excursion, we went to class where the temperature was about 8,000 degrees, then onto the metro where it was slightly warmer at 10,000 degrees. When I got home, the first thing I did was head straight for the shower. Thus far, showers have been weird b/c they don't waste water in France...you get wet, turn off the water, lather up, rinse, turn off the water, wash your hair, rinse, turn off the water, condition your hair, rinse, turn off the water, shave, rinse, turn off the water. If you don't do it this way and just let the water run like at home, the hot water is gone in about 2 minutes. But, on a day like today, that was not a problem!

Thanks to everyone who has been posting - it has been so nice to hear from you all. Even though my trip has been wonderful, I am definitely ready to be home with my family and friends. You all get a small reprieve today in that I didn't take any pictures (sorry, none of my new purse...I know you're disappointed). Only 4 days to go, so hang in there with me just a little bit more...

Tune in tomorrow for the Paris Catacombs and Picpus Cemetery!!!

La Conciergerie

Salut! Today was pretty low-key since I was exhausted from yesterday's grand adventure at Versailles. I had class in the morning and we got a new teacher. She seems very nice, but Stacey and I agreed that we miss last week's teacher, Laurent. Our new teacher's name is Christine and she has a good sense of humor. She also doesn't speak a lick of English, so communication has been interesting. It is good though, because I am forced to frantically search through my dictionary to find out what she is saying. I've used that bad-boy more today than I have the entire trip! I guess last week was the dipping the toe in the pool; this week is the cannon ball!!!

After class, we hopped on the metro and made our way to St. Michel (I've decided that this is my favorite area and would buy an apartment here if I could!). It is near the Seine, Notre Dame, and our destination, the Conciergerie. Before we went touring, we grabbed a fantastic sandwich from the shop I remembered so fondly from last year. I had really hyped up this place to Stacey and was worried that maybe I remembered it more fondly than it actually was, and that she would think it tasted like every other sandwich we've eaten. But, she said it was the best sandwich she's had here, and mine was as fabulous as I remembered! Whew! The fact that we ate them while sitting on the steps overlooking the Seine only made them taste better...

We went into the Conciergerie, which used to be a palace. During the 15th century, the royal family moved into the Louvre (not always an art museum!) and the Conciergerie was turned into a prison. It held various people over the ages (Bill - including Henry IV's assassin, Ravaillac) but none more famous than Marie Antoinette. We saw a model of what her room would have looked like and visited the chappel that was built in her memory over the place where her original cell was located. Bill called me at the highlight of my visit at the Conciergerie. I was standing in the very spot that Robespierre passed on his way to the guillotine!! He told me to call him back when I was done with "church!" *LOL* There was a room that also had listed the names of people who died on the guillotine. I found some of my favorites and also found that there were some Boyers who were guillotined...distand relatives, perhaps??

When we left the Conciergerie, I was beat, even though it was only 3:00. I took the metro home and took a nice long nap. My time is running out fast...I still have so much more to do, but am so happy to be coming home in 5 days. Tomorrow's excursion will depend on the weather, but either way, I'll be spending the morning with more dead people...

Au Revoir!

Sunday is Creepy Dude Day...

Well, you will all be interested to know that I learned five really valuable lessons today. Of course, I will share my new-found knowledge with you!

1. Versailles is supposed to be a 40 minute ride on the RER (train).

2. The RER is not as easy to navigate as the metro.

3. If you go the wrong direction on the RER, you will wait a REALLY long time to get a train that goes back the other way.

4. If number 3 happens, then number 1 turns into a 4 HOUR trip to Versailles.

5. Sunday is creepy dude day at the metro/RER stations.

Yes, today was another crazy adventure. Despite the getting lost part and the creepy dudes, Versailles was amazing. Just so you know what I mean by creepy, one dude freaked out (as in yelling and what I will assume was cursing at us in French) on us because we wouldn't talk to him. In our defense, he was really dirty and was showing us his bloody hand and telling us the police did it to him b/c he's Yugoslavian. More likely they did it because he was a criminal, but I didn't think it wise to point out that fact to him. Normally, I would have offered him a band-aid but it was just me, Stacey and him on the car and I was honestly too frightened to do anything but look at Stacey with a deer in the headlights look. He was scary enough that at the next RER stop, we jumped off the train and into the next car where there were other people who looked far less disturbing. Anyway, we ran into some other sketchy characters during our 4 hour mishap, but the Yugoslavian dude took the prize.

Once we got to Versailles, we walked for about 6 hours straight. We got to see some amazing sights, but the best was Marie Antoinette's hamlet. There was a large pond there full of what I think were catfish. They were Pavlovian fishies because they all hovered by the bridge where people walk and stick their mouths up out of the water looking for food! It was hilarious. All I could think was how much my kids would enjoy that part! Dad Switala - I looked for birds for you, but there were only ducks, ravens, and swans there, so it was no different than America...I had hoped to bring home a photo of some rare French bird for you...sorry!

I was also able to use my amazing French skills (cough, cough) to get a private tour of Napoleon's apartments at the Grand Trianon. Actually, when I asked they told me they only had French-speaking tours, so I told them that was too bad and then explained I was a US history teacher (I did that in French!) who taught about Napoleon, so they were kind enough to hook us up with a guide who spoke some English. She was very nice and I couldn't tell her enough how grateful I was for the opportunity. Even Stacey who is not the history buff I am was impressed with the apartments, so it was a great experience.

The gardens were wonderful and classical music was playing while we walked around. It all felt very regal, and we decided we could do the princess thing. At around 3 PM, they turned on the fountains and it was fantastic! It was SO hot here today and so we loved standing near the fountains and feeling the mist.

The inside of the palace of Versailles was very hot and VERY crowded, but I got to see several parts of the palace that I did not get to see last summer. Bill - I even got to see the room in which Mme. Pompadour lived (and died). You know how much I loved that moment!!

Although it was a wonderful day, it was long (I left at 8:15 AM and got home at 7:30 PM) and I was very happy to eat some amazing quiche Loraine, take a cool shower, and talk to Bill, Gabby, Will, and Maddie. Tomorrow is class in the AM and more touring in the PM...most likely the Conciergerie where Marie Antoinette was held prisoner before her execution.

I am starting to get a little homesick, so any posts on my blog will be cherished!!! (HINT HINT people!!) Au Revoir!

Crazy for the French Revolution

I don't believe there is such a thing as a bad day in Paris. Even when riding the metro by myself this morning and the lady on the loud speaker was saying something in French about "Attention!" and "police en le metro" it was all good. For all I know she could have been telling us to watch out for the madman on the loose that the police in the metro are looking for (and according to Stacey, there was a madman on her metro screaming and freaking out and making little kids cry...) Thankfully, I was blissfully unaware thanks to the language barrier.

This morning began at the Hôtel de Ville. It is the "town hall" of Paris and is gorgeous. There are some ties to the French Revolution here, so I was very happy to walk around and take pictures. (Bill - it is where Robespierre was arrested and eventually shot himself, so it was kind of like sacred ground to me...) From there, we walked toward the Place de la Bastille where we made a quick detour to a little cafe and I had an espresso and gateau avec trois chocolates (3 chocolates cake) that was to die for!! The waiter scolded me for eating with my sunglasses on (he said people should be able to see your eyes when you eat???) then asked for Stacey's number... We kind of ran out with him following saying who knows what in French and found the spot where the Bastille used to stand. Again, sacred ground for me. I wanted to sit and touch the ground there, but I thought against it for fear of being deemed mentally unsound. I have to put up the façade that I'm sane, anyway!

We then went to Place des Vosges and toured Victor Hugo's home. It was very nice, and I got some good photos for you, Jan and Christy. I also grabbed an extra brochure - you two can share it since I couldn't get more. From there, we walked to the holiest of places - the Musée Carnavalet, a museum dedicated to the history of Paris. It is in the former home of Madame Sevignée and is the mecca of all things French Revolution.

Not since I was in second grade and shop-lifted Tic-Tac candies from Gee-Bees have I ever wanted to steal something as much as I did today. Thankfully, the lesson my mom and dad taught me when I got busted that night has stuck with me the last 30 years and I wisely chose to just take a photo. Actually, I didn't take a photo. I took nearly 200 photos of French Revolution stuff (no, I'm not kidding, and yes, I am nuts). It was the most amazing place I have ever been. I saw locks of hair of Robespierre, Marie Antoinette and her 3 children. I saw Robespierre's goblet, Danton's silverware, Louis XVI's chess set and razors, and Napoleon Bonaparte's glove and pistols. Besides that, there were tons of paintings, sketches, bustes, documents, coins, clothes, etc. (This is where you can imagine angels singing "Hallelujah").

WARNING: If you don't like/care about history, skip to next the paragraph. Otherwise, read on! Bill - I saw (took a photo, too) a coin with Louis XVI wearing the cap of liberty and cockade and calling him citoyen! How cool is that??!! I also saw some really amazing art work of Marat and Necker. It really illustrates how idolized they were. There were some fantastic paintings of the royal family and a model of Louis XVI's room in prison. There was a HUGE copy of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen. There was the original cartoon of the third estate peasant carrying the first & second estates on his back and the original drawings of the executions of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI. The best was a painting called "Jacobins in Hell" which I will try to post. I was not allowed to use a flash in there, so some of my pics need to be photo shopped.

After the museum, we grabbed a sandwich and ate in the Louis XIII park in the middle of the Place des Vosges. Then, we got lost. We went looking for a metro, but spent nearly 2 hours walking in a gigantic circle, always ending up at the Place des Vosges near Hugo's house. I was starting to get mad, then I started to laugh thinking this was my "European Family Vacation" moment, but instead of "Look kids - Big Ben, Parliament" over and over, it was, "Look Stacey - Place des Vosges, Hugo's house" over and over again. We did get to walk around some interesting stores and heard some music from the beginnings of the Fête de la Musique, so it wasn't all bad!

We found our way to the metro (finally!!!!) and went home. I was disappointed in the music festival because there wasn't much music around. When I came home, I found out that most of the music doesn't start until 8 tonight, and it goes on until after midnight. I am not going back out (1. I am too tired and have a big day at Versailles tomorrow, and 2. I don't like the idea of walking home alone from the metro after midnight - I would probably be fine, but why chance it...)

As I just mentioned, tomorrow is the Palace of Versailles. I think a bunch of people from school are coming, too. It should be a fun day! I miss you all and can't wait to see you soon! Bonne Nuit!

Hanging Out with Royalty

Please forgive me for not writing yesterday...all of my walking about is catching up with me and I am super tired. Tonight is Lisa's last night here, so last night 4 of us went out for dinner and I didn't get home until close to midnight. I was just way too tired to write! So, now this will be a super long post since I have 2 day's worth of sight-seeing to report. Now would be a good time for you to grab a drink, get comfy and prepare to read a bit!

Let's start with yesterday - Thursday, June 19th. Lisa and I went to the Police Museum yesterday morning before class. It was really amazing. There was a ton of French Revolution stuff, and a pretty big section on Emile Zola/The Dreyfus Affair. I had taken quite a few pictures when some man who worked there came up to me and said "No photo!" Of course it was right after that that I came across some amazing French Revolution stuff. Another man walked by, and so I asked Lisa to ask him if I could just get a couple photos. He told her that the boss wasn't there and as long as I was discreet I could do it. So, Lisa was my lookout while I snapped away - not as many as I would have liked, but a lot more than it could have been. While we were there, we heard a bunch of whistles and yelling/chanting outside. My first thought was that yelling crowds + Paris = Revolution. And I was kind of right. Apparently, there was some huge protest - about what, I have no idea. We stayed inside until it was over, though. As interested as I was in seeing it, I was more interested in not getting arrested.

I went on my own to order lunch and again, was able to order a "sandwich avec camembert et tomate" with no troubles. I have found that Camembert is the best cheese ever on a baguette. I hope I can find it at Weis Markets...

Our class went all together to Montmartre to see the various homes/studios of the Impressionist painters, the Moulin Rouge, the Sacre Coeur, and various spots from my favorite movie "Amelie Poulain." I saw the homes of Degas, Renoir, Lautrec, and VanGogh as well as some of their favorite hang-outs. I had wanted to go inside the Museum of Montmartre, but didn't have time, so I am going to try to go back there. Just as we were approaching the Moulin Rouge, it began to pour. I was the only one with an umbrella, so I was trying to shelter as many of us as possible. The rest of the class decided to leave, but Stacey and I stayed in Montmartre. Before we parted, our teacher told us that we would have a test the next morning - I was freaking out because I had plans all night and couldn't figure out when I would study. Before I panicked too much, we ran up the street to the Cafe des Deux Moulins - the restaurant that Amelie worked in. I got a glass of Cote du Rhone and Stacey and I shared some melon, proscuitto and bread. It wasn't long before I forgot about the upcoming test...well, not really, but the wine made it all seem less urgent.

After that, we headed back into the heart of Paris to meet Lisa and some others for dinner. We thought we knew where we were going, but of course got lost! It was all good, though, because I was able to get my French Revolution fix. We got off at the National Assembly metro stop and I was in heaven. We crossed the Pont de la Concorde and I went to the very spot where Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI (among others) were executed (see Vanna White-ish photo). I didn't cry, but I felt honored, for sure!

After the Place de la Concorde was the getting lost part. We needed to meet Lisa at the Musee D'Orsay at 7. Apparently David Copperfield was in town because we saw it, then it disappeared. Really! So, I asked a guard where it was, figuring 1. he would know,because he is an "official" kind of guy; and 2. he would give me correct directions, because he is an "official" kind of guy. Well, either he didn't know or he did and gave us incorrect directions. My bet is on the latter. To make a painfully long experience short, just know that it involved a lot of walking, frustration, and cursing. I finally gave up and we sat down where the D'Orsay should have been according to the guard (it was actually the Grand Palais). I was now 30 minutes late, had no way to contact Lisa, and was very, VERY hungry, tired, and cranky. Thankfully, Lisa was able to get my cell phone number and called me. We all found one another and went to dinner at a restaurant near St. Michel (by the Notre Dame) where I had French onion soup (what else would you call it here?? Maybe "freedom onion soup"?? ha ha) beef burgundy and chocolate mousse. I also had a small bottle of Beaujolais with my dinner. So, Mom and Tammy, yesterday I made up for the lack of wine thus far on my trip. And it is a fact - I toasted you two at the Cafe des Deux Moulins before I had my wine there!

On our way home, we listened to a bunch of happy Germans singing b/c Germany won against Portugal in futbol (soccer to us Americans). When I got home I was way too tired to study for my test, so I took a shower and went to sleep.

This morning, I had my test. I guess I must be learning something because I got an A. The couple things I missed I knew right away what I did wrong. Now if I could just speak it as well as I can write it...

After class, I was going to just go home and sleep because I felt so exhausted, but decided to go to the Basilque St. Denis and I am SO glad I did. All but 3 monarchs from French history are buried here, beginning with Clovis I (from the 400s AD...I don't remember the exact date off the top of my head). But, the highlight of it all was seeing the tombs of the Bourbons (especially Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette). They actually had the real heart of the dauphin, Louis XVII in a glass urn. It was so cool. I also saw the tombs of Catherine de Medici and Henry IV (Navarre). I was literally surrounded by royalty all afternoon. Granted, they were all dead, but I still loved every minute of it!

Lisa and I hung out at home the rest of the afternoon and evening. In fact, we are watching "Enchanted" with Sebastian and Aurore (the children at my homestay) right now. Very interesting to see it in French. I also had an amazing dinner tonight - Stuffed tomatoes, French style (the meat was done differently than we would do in the US) and Vienetta glace (ice cream). It was unbelievable!!! I had 2nds on both - they probably think I eat like a horse! They just eat so much later and I walk around so much that I'm super hungry (that's my excuse, anyway!)

I imagine this has gone on long enough. Sorry to keep you all so long. I will have some cool stuff to report tomorrow night since tomorrow is the big "Fete de la Musique" - it's the annual country-wide music festival. I am also going to the Musee Carnavalet (Museum of Parisian history) and to the home of Victor Hugo.

I hope you all have a fun and safe weekend!

Guitar Hero and Lots of Holy Water

Bonsoir one and all!

I enjoyed today even more than yesterday! The weather was perfect and I covered a lot of ground (literally!) I feel like I am making progress with the language - I guess when you start with nothing, you pretty much have one way to go! It made me wonder if the French language will be my Guitar Hero? (Bill, Gabby, Jamie and Lindsay - you can guess where this is going...) You see, I tried to play Guitar Hero for months and just could not get the hang of it. I would get so frustrated that I just refused to play. Then, one night, it just clicked. I went from nothing to holding my own in minutes flat making Bill wonder how I'd suddenly acquired eye-hand coordination. So, I'm thinking French may be like that. I am struggling now, but any time now, voila! I'll be semi-understandable. I can hope anyway...

After class, a bunch of us went to the crêperie on the corner and I had a crêpe with ham, Gruyere cheese, and mushrooms. It was très magnifique! Even more magnifique, I ordered all in French, and they understood me!! After lunch, Stacey and I went to Les Halles where there is a HUGE shopping mall. No, I didn't buy anything. I was more excited to go to our next destination - the Église St. Eustache. Only problem was that Stacey and I could not find our way out of the mall! Normally, that wouldn't be a bad thing, but I was itching to do the history thing (yes, I really was!!) and we were supposed to meet my roomie, Lisa, there. St. Eustache is the church where Cardinal Richelieu, Moliere and some others were baptized and where Louis XIV made his first holy communion. It was amazing! I was sure to bless myself with some holy water before I left...kind of cool when you consider Louis XIV may well have blessed himself from that very font.

From there, Stacey and I went on to find a store she wanted to see. It was supposed to have discounted designer stuff, but we found it was still "très cher" (very expensive). We then went on a mission to find more historic stuff. One thing I am learning the hard way is that the map makes Paris appear much smaller than it actually is. Another thing I learned today is that they don't number their blocks the same way we do. They just count, so if you're at 374, rue St. Honore and need to get to 276, rue St. Honore, you need to walk not 1 city block, but past 50 buildings which encompass several city blocks. However, my mad survival skills saved us when we couldn't figure out in which direction to go. My prowess in geography paid off when I said that we needed to go down hill because we wanted to be by the Seine River, which clearly would not be up the hill. I know you are so impressed.

So, as we were walking to the Madeleine (the church, not the little school girl with red hair) we passed every high end designer possible - Chanel, Dior, Ferragamo, Hermes, Lauren, Prada, etc. I honestly didn't care - I knew I couldn't afford it and I just wanted to get to the history stuff (again, I am dead serious!) We went into the Madeleine and from the steps, we could see the Obelisk that stands in the Place de la Concord (where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette lost their heads - literally!) The Madeleine (Magdalene, in English) was beautiful, but we were not permitted to take photos. On our way out, I blessed myself again with holy water.

We went on to find the Salon of Madame Geoffrin. There are about 3 of you reading this who will actually know who this was. The rest of you shouldn't feel badly, because it appears as though 99% of Paris doesn't know who she was, either. We found her house, and there was a plaque there, so I went into the courtyard. I looked around and no sign of a historic salon was to be found. So, I went into the office building that was connected to what should have been her home/salon. The young man at the reception desk had NO idea what I was talking about. His English was comparable to my French, so we were up the proverbial creek. He thought she was a live person. I'm saying, "Non! Elle morte!" (no she's dead - or I think the literal translation of my Tarzan-speak is actually "she dead") which seemed to confuse the poor bloke even more. He finally pointed to the elevator and said, "Up. Two." So we went up to the second floor where Swarovsky Crystal office was located. Hmmm...Geoffrin...Swarovsky. Nope - they don't even sound alike in my worst French. The male receptionist there was very nice and spoke very good English, but still no luck. So, we left...

We headed way, way, way down the same street and found the next church I wanted to see - Eglise St. Roch. Mme. Geoffrin was supposed to be buried here (I was bent on seeing Mme. Geoffrin one way or another!!) and Diderot was supposed to be buried here, as well. The church was unbelievably beautiful. One of the most moving parts was a chapel dedicated to the martyrs of the Holocaust. It had the name of each concentration camp on the monument and a "Pieta" sculpture there, as well. Although I was in awe, I could not find Diderot or Geoffrin anywhere...so I stopped a nice looking (not "hot" nice looking, but "kind" nice looking) man and asked, "Ou est Diderot et Geoffrin?" to which he replied, "Tu as quelle nationalite?" (what is your nationality?) I couldn't believe he didn't think I was French! Anyway, it turns out that he was the priest and he spoke excellent English and was quite the historian. He explained that during the French Revolution, the church was ransacked and they took the dead bodies (bones) away. After the Revolution, they tried to gather as many of the bones as possible, but because they were all thrown together, they didn't know Geoffrin's femur from Diderot's tibia. So, they threw them all together in a sort of bone potpourri and buried them under the church. When he found out I was a history teacher, he took us to the sacristy and gave me a booklet on Admiral de Grasse - who he claims was more critical to the American Revolution than LaFayette. I don't know exactly what he did, but it has to do with America's victory at Yorktowne. I look forward to reading the booklet and learning more! Oh yeah, and before I left, I blessed myself with holy water.

After that, I took the metro home.Turns out, it was good to have 3 blessings-worth of holy water on my body. It was the first night I went on the metro solo (Lisa was somewhere else) and, well, you know all those mad geography skills I mentioned earlier? Yep, you guessed it - out the metro window. I got totally lost coming home. I ended up going out the wrong metro exit and it put me on the wrong side of Creepyville. I did, however, ask for directions in French and understood the man's response and found my way home. Uh huh! That's right...I hear that Guitar Hero playing, too!

Tammy - I plan to drink wine for you. What kind would you like? (I've been here 4 days and only had 1 glass of wine - I think that might be against the law...I'd better get busy!)

Mom and Dad - don't you love me??? You haven't emailed or posted on my blog! What's up with that?!

Sean - do you even know I am away?? Show your sister some love! Drop me a line! or at least have my lovely sister-in-law do it...I know she'll write to me even if you won't! *LOL* Hugs to Draven!!

Bill, Gabby, Will and Maddie - je t'aime beaucoup!! XOXOXO

Death on the Metro

This morning we slept in until 8:15, and were out the door by 9:15. We got to the metro and I realized I had left my carte orange at home in my coat pocket. Since we had to meet someone at 10, I had to buy a day pass. I was really bummed to spend an extra 6 Euros, until my roommate told me that when she leaves on Saturday, she has a pass that is good for all of June she will give me, so I won't have to buy any more metro passes (well, that is as long as I remember to bring mine in the mornings!)

We got off at the Cité metro stop and there were a ton of paramedics with an ALS machine trying to resuscitate some man! It was horrible! I have never seen anything like it, and I hope I never do again. I've thought about that man all day and wondered if he made it or not...

After that, we went to find the Police Museum. It took us a good 40 minutes and lots of stops to check the map, but we finally found it! A young policeman was standing in front and asked if he could help us. We said "oui - musee de police??" and he said, "Ferme." Closed. He went on to explain (and Lisa translated) that a movie was being filmed there and it would be open tomorrow. So...we'll be headed back there another day.

From there we went up to the Eglise St. Etienne-du-Mont (St. Stephen of the Mount). I have some pretty amazing photos - I will attempt to post them tonight, so look for those. We met a very nice woman who was happy to tell us about the history of the church, and we were able to see the remains of St. Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris.

After that, we sat at a little cafe and had lunch - I had a ham and cheese sandwich on a baguette. It was tres bon! Stacey and I parted ways with Lisa (oh no! we were in Paris without our translator!) and headed to the Pantheon. Despite my freakish fear of heights, I agreed to go to the top of the Pantheon. We climbed to the top and went outside (where the guide asked me if I was okay - and I thought I was hiding my fear well...) and WOW!!! What a view! We could see everything in Paris. It was unbelievable (again, I will post photos). From there we explored the Crypt and I saw some of my favorite (and not so favorite) historic figures. They had a big exhibit on Émile Zola. I was so excited to see it, until I walked in and remembered that I was in France, so it was all in French...the only words I understood were, "J'Accuse!" Oh well...that is why I left there and headed off to French class.

We arrived at class and worked on introductions and very basic things like the alphabet and numbers. Our teacher's name is Laurent (as in the late, great Yves Saint). I made him laugh a few times...not sure if that was a good or bad thing yet. We spent the last hour of class at the computer lab and I just laughed. We had to do these exercises that French kids probably do in kindergarten! They had little "chansons" (songs) for everything. I learned to count to ten singing "dix petites fleures" (ten little flowers) to the tune of "Ten Little Indians." All of that was quite taxing, so Stacey, Lisa and two other girls (one from Colombia, the other from Argentina) went and had a glass of wine at a cafe by the school. That was probably the second best part of the day...the first was waking up and realizing I was still in Paris!

Tonight's dinner was veal. I ate it not realizing what it was. Oops. But, when in Rome (or in this case, Paris...) After dinner the grandfather brought out some children's stories for me - a comic series called "The Triplets." I think the children here got a kick out of listening to me read. I must have sounded completely (forgive my political incorrectness here) retarded. Lisa was so patient in helping me pronounce each word and helping me translate. Then the grandfather offered me French chocolate and told me it was the best in the world. He got no argument from me!!!

Tomorrow, we are going to Les Halles after our morning classes. I am sure I will have great stories to tell, so tune in "demain" (tomorrow).

Bonne Nuit!

Getting to Know You...

Bon soir!

Today was my first day at school. I don't know what I would have done without my roommate Lisa. She helped me get my metro "carte orange" which the ticket lady wasn't going to sell me because I was a "tourist" (how could she tell???) and helped me get to school and back home again. A "grand merci" to her!!

We got on the metro, and I laughed almost the whole way into Paris. We were packed so tightly that the whole thing could come to a screeching hault and we didn't budge (I am serious!) It was so hot and sweaty, yet people kept smooshing their way in. I couldn't help but find it humorous. I guess that is one way to get to know the people of Paris! And BTW, the whole notion of them not using deodorant or bathing is false. Believe me - I was up close and personal with several French armpits today. I would know.

Having become an expert in French underarms, I moved on to the language. We had to take an exam to see what level we were. I think I was a negative 3. In French, that is a negative trois. I had an entire page of ????????? for one part. I did, however, manage to write a full 3/4 page for the essay part (those of you who live with me or have had me as a student won't be surprised at this.) It probably sounded like Tarzan-speak ("Me have green eyes. Me high school teacher. Me like French Revolution. Beaucoup.") In fact, I may have created a new language (I think I'll call it "franglais" - part French, part English.) I may have thrown in a few Spanish words, too. I am sure they were either highly amused, or highly insulted. Either way, I am in basic French.

After our test, they put us in a room and gave us an introduction to the school and went over the school rules. All in French. I understood "rien" (nothing). She could have been telling me that space monkeys were climbing the Eiffel Tower and burning the city and I would not have known any different. Thankfully, I wasn't the only perplexed one.

I met other perplexed people from all around the world today. There are people in my class from Mexico, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, Japan, Turkey, and Canada. There are a couple of Americans, too, and I am very happy to say that I am not the oldest one in my class! After lunch today (salad, quiche, and a pear tarte to die for - and all for 6 Euros!) some of the girls and I made our way to the Galleries Lafayette. It was amazing - Prada, Dior, Chanel, Vuitton - every designer imaginable. Of course I could not afford anything (you can stop sweating Bill!) After that, the EF activities coordinator, Matas, showed us around the Latin Quarter. I had already been to most of the places we went (and Bill - I found that little boulangerie we ate at near Notre Dame!!) but I went along just for the "getting to know you" factor. I got along very well with the Canadian girl. Her name is Stacey and she shares my love for shoes and shopping.

After I asked Matas to find Madame Geoffrin's Salon for me (which he did), Lisa and I made our way back home. The metro was still pretty crowded and very sweaty (but not stinky, thus supporting my earlier statement about French hygiene). Lisa gave me a French lesson today (we officially begin lessons at the school tomorrow) so that I could at least tell the host grandmother that dinner was "c'est bon." And, it will make you proud to know that within 24 hours of my arrival, the adorable 7-year old girl, Aurore, knows to offer me chocolate after dinner! I guess chocolate speaks the international language of love!

I may be witnessing the most bizarre thing - "Two Week's Notice" is on the French TV and Hugh Grant's mouth is moving, but a French voice is dubbed over his. It is beyond strange to see Hugh Grant "talk" without a British accent. He loses some of his sexiness without his accent. Bummer.

Merci to those who have left posts for me. It is great to hear from home. And Lisa I., my room is MUCH better than that hole at Millersville!! (a pit in the local dump would be better, though!)

Au revoir!

I'm Here!!!

Bon soir!

Wow! It was a crazy start - bad weather held our plane from Pittsburgh to Atlanta in a holding pattern and we ran low on fuel, so we had to land at Greensville, SC and refuel. My connecting flight to Paris was to leave at 4:10. We landed at 3:55 at Terminal B...I had to get off the plane and go to the very end of the airport at terminal E. I RAN like the wind...got there with two minutes to spare, and they had already closed the gates. They gave my seat away. I then got put on standby for a flight that was to leave at 5:30. They said it didn't look good and I may not get to leave until Sunday. At my husband's advice, I turned on the tears (it didn't take much at this point!) The flight they told me was full suddenly had some open seats, and I was able to get on that flight!! Despite the craziness, I got to sit next to some really amazing/interesting people including an 87 year old British woman named Cindy who had lived through WWII in England. She told me about bomb raids and rations...very cool. She reminded me of my gram and at one point I had this overwhelming urge to just put my head on her shoulder (don't worry, I didn't!)

So, I got to Paris around 9:30 this morning, then the next crazy part of my journey ensued. Trying to be fiscally responsible (stop laughing Dad), I chose to take the RER train/metro from Charles de Gaulle to Clichy (8 euros vs 50 euros for a taxi). My bags weighed about 70 lbs total but I figured I could handle a "few" steps just fine. Did you know that it is an unwritten law in Paris that all train stations must have a minimum of 200 steps? In the 3 train stations I was at, there were about a dozen sets of stairs - most of them at least 30 steps steep. My arms still feel like spagetti noodles! I guess I'll be okay without my Wii Fitness for a few days! Blessings to the half a dozen strong Frenchmen who helped me carry my luggage up those million stairs...

Once I arrived to my metro stop in Clichy, I realized I didn't know how to get to the family's home (my European phone that I rented wasn't working...but that's another story!) So there I am, sweating profusely while dragging 70 lbs of luggage wandering the streets asking random strangers, "Parlez vous anglais?" I may as well have been wearing a neon sign above my head "stupid American tourist!" Finally, some kind Frenchman had mercy on my soul and actually walked me to the apartment building (I was only a block away, but it was still really nice of him). I've never been so happy to reach a destination before!

I am sharing a room with a 19 year old girl from Belgium. Her name is Lisa, and she speaks English, thank goodness. The couple who is hosting me is - of all places - in the US right now and will be back on Tuesday. The grandparents are staying with the 2 children and have made me feel very welcome. The grandfather, Pierre, speaks a little English, but that is it. It was a very interesting dinner conversation - lots of hand gesturing on my part! I depended on my roommate to translate a lot (she speaks pretty fluent French). It certainly motivates me to learn French quickly so I can at least participate a bit in some dinnertime conversation.

I spent about 2 hours this afternoon walking around Clichy. There was a huge flea market in the center of town that was very lively. I bought a fresh baguette (yes, it was delicious!) and sat on a park bench and people watched. This park had a pond with a weeping willow and water fountains and lots of ducks swimming. There was a huge playground that made me think of my kids - they would have loved it. The coolest thing was that they had a concrete ping pong table in the middle of the park and people would just wander up and play ping pong!

And I would be remiss if I didn't say "Happy Father's Day" to all you dads out there, but especially to my own dad and to Bill. I love you both! It is actually Father's Day here in France, too...I thought that was only an American/Hallmark thing.

Well, I am here and am safe. My phone is working now and I have internet access in my home so I can easily keep in touch with Bill and the kids. I'm as happy as a clam - I am in Paris!!!!

Bill, Gabby, Will, and Maddie - I love you and miss you tons!!! XOXOXOXOXO

Welcome!

Bon jour et bienvenue! It is hard to believe, but I leave in just a few days for the adventure of a lifetime - a solo trip to Paris! Yes, that’s right. I am terrified of flying, yet am jetting over the Atlantic to a foreign country where the only full sentence I can speak in the native language is one made popular in a 1970s disco song (in case you live under a rock, I am referring to the infamous "voulez vous coucher avec moi ce soir" - great if you’re looking for that kind of thing, but not really helpful in my case...) Thank heavens for Xanax!

I am blessed enough to have the opportunity to live with a French family, the Joncarts, for 2 weeks and take classes at EF International Language School and explore all the nooks and crannies of Paris that the average person could care less about. My obsession with the French Revolution will be the driving force behind the places I choose to visit. I have spent the past six months researching and creating a schedule of various places to visit. I know I am an official history nerd because I am quite excited at the prospect of visiting the grave of Marat and the catacombs in which Robespierre’s bones were irreverently tossed. I may actually weep at the sight of Robespierre's final letter in the Musee Carnavalet and the gravesite of my homegirl Marie Antoinette. Yes, I am lame.

I hope this blog will serve as a means of communication between my friends and family and myself during the time I am away. Look for future entries, as well as photos of my time in Paris. And please feel free to comment - a word from home would be most welcome!

Au Revoir!