Before the Break

So here is that update that I have been promising you!

Wine tasting with French students:

French students are notoriously difficult to get to know. It's not that they are unfriendly, it is that they are not as open to dialogue with strangers... for the most part. That's a cultural trait that one must come to terms with when studying in France. That being said, I was absolutely thrilled when one of my classes was interrupted by some French psychology students inviting us out to visit some vineyards in the region as a cultural exchange. I was delighted! I anticipated the outing very much. There were about 3 times as many ERASMUS students as French students, but we broke into groups to get to know one another better. I was put into a group with my

Austrian friend Veronika and a native Angevin named Gabrielle, who studies philosophy at the Sorbonne. How cool is that?! That wasn't the only weird coincidence of the day: after I got home from the excursion, my host family told me that they were friends with the man who owned the first vineyard that we visited. Crazy stuff.

Anyways, the first winery was very cool. The man showed us all around one of his fields, and explained the process of how the grapes grew and the labor that was required, as well as how much light, moisture, and soil variation is needed:

The soil has an astronomical impact on the flavor of the wine. As we would later taste, the exact same grape processed the exact same was from two different fields taste nothing alike. It was bizzare. There were so many of us that we had to have the tasting within the cave where he made the wine:

That was a lot of fun. Then, onto a grand international picnic! We found a random field in the middle of the coutry with a great view of a spectacular country house. It was a great time. All of us were gathered together having so much fun! It was unreal. Next, the second place was visited. We were behind schedule so we didn't have that much time there as was planned. That was alright by me. The second winery wasn't as delicious as the first. It was a little off-putting. The countryside was gorgeous, however:

Oh, it was such a lovely day! We were back at the school by 4h30 and took our separate ways. I didn't buy any wine from my day, but I did by some most delicious grape juice from the first vineyard that we visited.

Amazing blues group at Le Wesh...:

The next day, Trey and I agreed to meet at Le Welsh because they had been announcing a Breton blues band would be playing that night. French blues? Yes, we were just as perplexed. And we were blown away by the amazingness of this group!!! Man, did they have swagger. You would think that they were all born and raised on the Mississippi delta as opposed to in the north of France. The head-bobbing, the encouraging shouting (i.e. sing it!), and the gratuitous cheering continued with each and every song. Simply put, they were FANTABULOUS. Despite cramped quarters and less than desirable acoustics, they still managed to rock my world and blow my mind with their amazingness. Trey, from Mississippi, was in agreement.

...and an unexpended jam session:

After the second set, a whole bunch of Africans that had been sitting towards the front began unpacking instruments. Apparently, the whole group was a gang of musicians from Bernike-Faso given a scholarship to study music in Angers. They had come to have a jam session with the blues band! The two worlds of music combined formed amazingly melodious, complex tunes and intriguing rhythms as all the musicians became completly immersed in their spontaneous creation. It was sublime. It was the most magical thing that my ears have ever heard. All too soon, they were done jamming... and half an hour had already gone by. It had seemed like only 7 minutes. THAT was some spectacular music.

Last classes of the semester:

They were over! I was happy... until I remembered that I had one left after break. Ick.

New friends and Irish tunes:

Le Welsh has a group of musicians come in every other Tuesday to play traditional Irish tunes. They are amazing and just complete the atmosphere of the bar (and I much prefer them to the accordion player that comes in on alternate weeks on Thursdays). Trey and I were enjoying their tunes together before vacation, when we stumbled across two fellow Americans at UCO, only in the CIDEF program. Le Welsh is the best-kept secret of Angers, for sure. And these students were enthralled by the bar, as it was their first time there. Trey and I made some new friends that day! It was wonderful.

Now you're caught up!

More things later.

Picnics and Procrastination

So... I haven't posted since spring break.

Woops.

For this, I profoundly apologize. Everything became very overwhelming after my wonderful vacation on the French Riviera. I promise to catch you guys up to speed in the next few posts. But I have had such glorious days recently that I just HAD to share it before everything else.

France has exam month. That's right: they draw out your suffering for a rediculous amount of time. And all of them are in a standardized style. They last 4 hours and have to be in a very strict form. You are not allowed to leave the room durring the first hour. They do not let you into the exam without your personal programme des examens and your carte d’étudiant... as if ANYONE would be willing to suffer through an exam unless they had to. Tant pis. I only have ONE LEFT. And I'll be chilling in Prague in between.

That said: I'M LEAVING FOR PRAGUE ON SUNDAY!!!

My wonderfulness of a week started last Saturday with a glorious picnic with fellow ERASMUS students in parc Balzac right along the Maine. Here is what our view was:

It was GORGEOUS, with the sun setting behind us and hot air balloons traversing the sky, it was as if our wine and cheese party in the grass was a perfect setup by the universe. Oh, it was a glorious occasion. After the sun went down and 10h30 was approaching, we relocated to Falstaff's, a bar downtown, to continue the party. It really wasn't my scene at all (the word "scuzzy" came to mind), but it was still a lot of fun.

Sunday was lazy. Monday was a night at the Welsh with Edgar and Trey. Trey will be adventuring for a bit, then picking up his wife in Paris, so I won't see him for a while. For Edgar, it was goodbye. Tuesday was a desperate attempt to study. Wednesday morning was my final written exam. I spent that afternoon exploring the Musée David d'Angers and the Musée des Beaux-Arts. Both were very cool: the former being located in a bombed-out church with a glass ceiling, the latter located in a renovated palace. Less modern art then I would have liked, but very fabulous collections. Thursday started slow with a liesurly walk downtown to buy some postcards and take in the sun a bit. That evening was my first ever oral exam... yikes!!! I hope it went well. The good news is that I only have one left at this point! Summer is so close, I can taste it!

Thursday evening requires a separate paragraph! Edgar and I agreed to meet up after my oral exam. Midnight in Paris, the new Woody Allen film, was on our list to see:

So we went to a little pasta place near the movie theater that was delicious. The theater is called 400 Coups, which is the name of one of the most famous and amazing French films of all time. It was very much like The Neon, but much larger. Once the film started, Edgar and I were in awe from start to finish. This film is on par with Woody Allen's classics! Oh, it made our hearts sing. And I'm pretty sure every other audience member wanted to kill those obnoxious English speakers who were constantly gasping and laughing and whispering excitedly. It felt so good to watch a film with a fellow enthusiast, which hasn't happened since Paris with Sofia. It really made me miss Bob. Even now, I still laugh at some of the jokes in the movie. It's a gem, and one to add to my permanent collection. After a very satisfying sojourn at the theater, Edgar and I stepped out into the beautiful, brisk night, and made a beeline for The Welsh. We met up with Maria and had an amazing time. Edgar and I said goodnight to her around midnight and began to head home... then ran into a bunch of ERASMUS students hanging out at another bar on the way. We stopped by to say hello and shoot pool. It was a blast! Thursday was an overall successful day.

Now, onto today! I have been in a certain funk lately where I will not greet the day unless there is some motivation that forces me to shower, eat regularly, and leave the house. It's been bad, I admit, but I'm working on it (see above). Anywho, upon hearing my dilema, Maria had invited me to see the amazing tapestry musem we have in town. I greeted the sunny day at 9am and was excited for our rendez-vous. It did not disappoint! I met Anna from Sweden and we all got sandwiches and ate under the shade of a tree in the gorgeous park behind the château. Conversation was lively and wonderful. Then we biked across the river to the little museum. A special thing about this museum: it is located in Europe's oldest hospital, built in the 12th century. On top of that cool atmosphere, imagine amazingly beautiful, innovative, breath-taking tapestries:

It was so glorious!!! I could have stared at some of those works all day. The one above mirrors the great Apocalypse tapestry, which is hanging in the château. Only this one, by Jean Lurçat, is not biblical in nature. It deals with the threat of nuclear holocaust. It's mind-blowing to think that these pieces are tapestries!!! Yeah, someone wove all of these beautiful things together. All that you can do is to simply stand in awe of them. After the amazing 2 and a half hours of admiring the tapestries, we meandered about in the herb garden at the side of the hospital. We left shortly after by bike, and Maria and I went to get coffee and some sorbet. Dinner with the family out on the patio was also fantastic. I have a farewell picnic to look forward to tomorrow evening, as well as packing for Prague!

Life is too fabulous to spend another full day in scrubs.

I promise to catch everyone up soon!

Brief Update

Howdy!

I am now 21!!!

This means that I can continue the French lifestyle in the states without being repremanded.

I am sorry that I have been a lazy bum and haven't posted in a while. I have so much to post that happened before vacation! Alas, I was up to it at the time, so I'll have to play catch-up.

But here's what you have to look forward to hearing about:

Wine tasting with French students

Amazing blues group at Le Wesh and an unexpended jam session

Last classes of the semester

New friends and Irish tunes

Oh... VACATION IN MARSEILLE, CORSICA (BASTIA), AND NICE (CANNES, MONACO, AND OTHERS MAY BE INCLUDED)

Thanks for taking an interest in my adventures and I will be sure to update you all after I have enjoyed every last minute of my vacation in southern France.

All the Hype

This week is the week before vacation starts! 3 of my classes have ended for me already. Only one 3000 page paper really stands in between me and a train to Marseille.

Here's a update on what's been rocking my world since Sunday. My host family invited me to go to the beach with them the first weekend of June! I feel so loved and included. It should be a very fun time. I am really looking forward to it.

Monday went well. Tori, Elvia and I went out for coffee after our literature class. It was a really good time. As usual, we talked about anything and everything. Note to self: have more outtings with female friends back home. Adult women are sooooo much nicer to you on the whole than adolescent females.

Tuesday was my last theater class, and the professor brought us chocolate to share! Unfortunately, I could only stay to grab a morsel before dashing off to see my guidance counselor. I had the unfortunate duty of adding an exam to my schedule. *SIGH* So goes the way of the world. Trey and I went out to (where else?) Le Welsh that evening... even though we both had a paper to write. We played cards and tried new fantastic beers. As we were leaving, the barman James called to us: "A demain!" ("See you tomorrow!"). Naturally, we were obligated to go back the next night... and this time, out of celebration instead of procrastination.

I finished that dissertation an hour before it was due on Wednesday, skipping all of my morning classes to do so. All was well. i missed nothing but reruns of previous lectures and received no new homework. That evening, Trey and I faithfully trekked back to Le Welsh. It was much crowded than the night before, so we were forced to brave the upstairs room alone. James came up and recommended great beers to us. I'd just like to point out that I have never had a bad drink at this bar. And I have never repeated beverage orders, either (except for vin chaud when it was colder out one time). After we finished those, we stole a table downstairs, closer to the action. James came over and recommended our second round to us, and it was just as we were starting in on our final drinks of the evening that a man with an accordion got up and started playing traditional French tunes. Yeah, it was awesome. As we went up to pay, James asked us our first names! Wow, I'm a regular at a bar. That's a strange concept to grasp. It's a great feeling! I went to bed last night feeling very happy, reading emails I had received from people that I love and miss.

Today has been alright. My last translation class ever! And I had a meeting with Robert over lunch about spring break plans. Lunch was at the Restau U, where you can get a mediocre 3 course meal for 3 euros. It's a pretty good deal. We were joined by a lot of other ERASMUS students. It was a good time. Then me and Robert went to print of receipts and purchase train tickets. The blisters from his terrible sunburn on his face are almost healed. He won't dare forget to put on sunscreen with a dermatologist's daughter around. The afternoon has been spent catching up on blog posts! It's a productive form of procrastination.

Now onto the BIG NEWS: I won't be coming home until July 1st. It's official! I called and changed my ticket date with the airline. I will be WWOOFing instead. This is an international program present in over 50 countries that allows you to learn about sustainable living hands-on. I will get to work on an organic farm in France with free room and board and food. As of this evening, I have narrowed it down to 2 options. More news on that as I make my final decision.

Now, I must get my rest. Tomorrow is a big day: wine tasting all morning and most of the afternoon, then off with Robert to talk about our trip some more and to exchange music!

Family is a Privelage

I had a very productive but uneventful Saturday.

Spent the whole day in the library attempting to do work. I may or may not have failed to be as productive as I should have been due to the fact that I may or may not have brought my iPod with me.

When I got home, Benoit and one of Anne's older sisters who was visiting were bottling up the second box of wine. I got there in time to apply all the labels. It was a very relaxing time, with all the windows and doors wide open to let the house breathe and embrace the sweet spring fragrances carried on the gentle breeze. Dinnertime was very lively and delicious. I head out early to meet Trey after his daytrip with ERASMUS. Of course, we had planned to head on over to Le Welsh.

I almost did not recognize him. Trey had a giant red beard that he had been boasting for the past year and a half. Last Thursday, he decided to shave it all off. It was a startling contrast. I still managed to point him out because of his sandals, jacket and backpack that he sported every day. I believe the first words that I said to him were, "Your chin is gone." We had a good laugh, then I asked how his wife reacted to his change of facial hair. He said she liked it alright. Honestly, it took a few hours for me to get used to.

The walk over to Le Welsh was a refreshing one. As soon as we walked in, the barmen recognized me, but were taken aback by Trey's nude face. One thing I love about Le Welsh is that their beer list is endless. I've gone in and tried something new every time. Saturday was the day for me to try vin chaud. This is hot, spiced red wine, and it is absolutely delicious. I'll definitely be making it in the fall and winter for my family and friends. We did not stay very long that night, as both Trey and I were exhausted from the day. Besides, Sunday was a big day, and I needed my rest.

Sunday was the reunion of Anne's family at our house. About two or three times a year, and her siblings all like to get together and catch up. This was the first meeting of the year. Anne is the youngest of 6 children, with 3 older sisters and 2 older brothers. They came from a very Catholic background (Anne is the only daughter that doesn't have "Marie" in her first name... but it is her second middle name). Almost all of them brought their spouses, so we had 9 extra people in the house starting at 11am.

It was a very traditional French gathering: hors d'oeuvre and amuse-bouches accompagnied by apéritifs from the beginning until around 2pm. Then, we all gathered inside for a very large meal and some great red wine with fresh baguettes and delicious cheeses. It was so much fun just being a part of all the conversation and bantering with all the aunts and uncles that had come to visit. Manon and I were definitely the odd ones out, but it was still a great time. After such a luxurious lunch, we retired once more to the patio outdoors for dessert, fruit salad, and accompanying beverages (coffee, tea, rosé, and a very strong alcohol made from plums that I could barely have a sip of). It was such a wonderful afternoon! The whole dining and talking and digesting process lasted until 5 in the afternoon. Anne has such a nice family! They're all amazing, open people. When I told her this, her response was, "Yes, we are very lucky." The next dinner of the siblings is at the end of May... and I was invited!

This is how I want my family to function. Corinne and Andra and I should make a point of maintaining a close connection like that as we get older. It's funny how going away has made me realize how important these relationships really are.

Girls' Night Out

I last posted on Friday afternoon. It was my last Friday course for the semester! So, to celebrate, Elvia, Tori, and I had a night on the town.

We had heard about this AMAZING pizza place right across from the château called Le Napoli that we had been meaning to try forever. We had to make a reservation, which is absolutely unprecidented in France. It's always crowded. And it certainly lived up to the reputation. The pizza was magic on a crust!!! And the spicy oil they had to flavor it up was a gift from heaven, to be sure. That was the best, freshest pizza I have ever eaten. Elvia, Tori, and I hung out in that restaurant for a good 2 hours, drinking rosé and talking up a storm. Oh, it was such a wonderful dinner out.

Next stop: where else but Le Welsh? Elvia and Tori had never been, and I had to introduce them to my favorite bar of all time. We found a nice cozy table in the back of the bar and sipped slowly on our delicious beverages. We talked about everything: relationships, drunk stories, our families back home, travel plans after exams, panic about a shared exam, and the experience we've gained while living in France. It was such a great, relaxing evening filled with laughter, good friends, and great food.

I need to take the time to do that more often here, but especially make it a part of my life back home. What kind of philosopher would I be if I never took the time to live my life and get to know other people?

Geeking OUT!!!

I arrived in Angers just in time to bike from the train station to class. It was the last class for History of Art. We talked about conceptual art and Andy Warhol. I was just glad to have that 3 hour long drain of energy over with. I was also one of the only students who did the take-home exam and I got a 15/20!!! You may be thinking: "Hold up, now! A fifteen out of twenty isn't something to be celebrating." Au contraire, it is great cause for celebration. That, my friend, is equivocal to an "A" in the American system!

*A brief note about the french grading system: it's bizarre beyond comprehension. An 18/20 is reserved for the gods. A 10/20 is the equivalent of a "C" average. Yeah, I don't get it, either.

Now, I don't have to take that exam and I know that I did well in the class. Win-Win!

That evening, I started my concrete plans for WWOOFing. Okay, I know that you're all thinking, "What the crap is this mysterious thing that Teddi keeps mentioning?!" Well, the time has come to explain myself. WWOOFing is an international organisation that encourages a sort of cultural exchange: you get to stay for free on an organic farm in exchange for working. It's a great opportunity to learn about sustainable agriculture, as well as do something useful and easy on your wallet durring the summer. There are over 50 countries with these exchanges (including the United States) and I figured I might as well extend my sejour in France with something I really want to do that is meaningful. Not sure which one I am going to choose yet, or even if it is feasable with my financial situation, but I GET EXCITED ABOUT THINGS!!! More on WWOOFing to come as the month wears on.

Today was my last ever Literature and Philosophy course. My Fridays are completely open now! It was a good last class. We talked about the influences Lettres persanes has had on french literature and the second half of class was a show-and-tell kind of deal. One of the librarians brought in a cartful of books that were published in the 18th century that would be useful sources for some of us. That's right! I spent the second half of class leafing through books that are 281 years old!!! They smelled fantastic and had beautiful prints in them. There was a palpable feeling of geeky excitement as we passed around and leafed through the books together. Oh, it was fantastic. I've never worked with sources that old. It was super exciting.

This afternoon, I had a lovley talk with Anne in the garden and then sat down to do some more research on the whole WWOOFing thing. It's so beautiful outside that I'm going to call it quits and go meandering for a bit. All the windows are flung wide open to embrace the weather. But that just doesn't compare to walking outside.

They Don't Have Teaspoons in France

So... I haven't posted in a while. Prepare yourself for a long two-part history of an amazing week!
Monday held nothing out of the ordinary, aside from great conversation with my friend Elvia and an amazing Holocaust Literature class where we talked about Emmanuel Levinas!!! It made my day. I also found out about a great program called WWOOFing, but more on that later.

Tuesday was another gorgeous spring day with an interesting afternoon class about acting theory. I love that class when there are lots of weird videos involved that show different acting techniques. But the week didn't get truly great until that afternoon. I had an amazing skype date with my family! Then came a very lovely encounter with my host family at dinner. Anne had a meeting and was not eating with us. It was just me, Benoit, and Manon. As we were clearing the table after dinner, Manon blurted out the phrase "little spoon". I burst out laughing and asked her why she said that. Then, I got to explain the term "little spoon" to my host sister and she had a good laugh with me (it should be noted that the "little spoon" is the person who is being cuddled with when two people are napping facing the same direction, and therefore the person hugging them is the "big spoon"). Benoit still didn't get it. It would be hard for spoons to spoon in France, as they only come in two sizes: tiny for eating dessert or stiring one's tea, and monstorous for eating soup.

Admittingly, I had a lot of homework to do, but I could not pass up the opportunity to see some live music at my favorite bar, Le Welsh. Trey and I met up at le Jardin de Mail:

It's a gorgeous place and one of the many wonderful parks that are magnificent in the spring. From there, it's just a short walk to Le Welsh. Trey and I split some La Piautre, and the bartender told us that it's named after a special type of rudder used on the barges that transport goods along the Loire river:

I have to bring some back! It's delicious, and an organic brew produced locally. The live music was fantastic. It was all Irish reels and jiggs performed by a group with traditional instruments. They were the perfection of franglais, half of them speaking in english and the other half in french. However, the main force of communication was the music. They played together so well! Ah, it was gorgeous. We met a Quebecois at the bar who recognised Trey from a CouchSurfing event (he has a giant red beard and is therefore hard to miss). We talked with him for a long time before heading home after midnight.

I woke up early on Wednesday to finish my essay for a class that afternoon, but my day was still very good with that aside. Robert and I had made a dinner date to check out a mexican restaurant in the centre ville as we were both craving mexican. It had gotten good reviews from my Parisian friend Sofia. We met up at around 6:30, and the restaurant didn't open for an hour. We hung out barefoot in le Jardin des Plantes behind the castle and cathedral, right along the river. Being barefoot in the shade and talking about everything and anything was so wonderful. I even managed to forget my extreme hunger for a bit. The restaurant did not disappoint. I had my first margerita (which was 50% tequila, I am sure) and the meal was delicious. Robert and I had fresh-out-of-the-oven brownies for dessert. We ended the evening early (around 9:30) but it was magnificent none the less.

The next morning, I took the train to Nantes because I was out of soap. Sounds silly, doesn't it? But I found this amazing new brand of all natural, vegeterian, economically responsible products that I adore. I refuse to use anything else. Best showers I have ever taken, I kid you not. These products make me feel like a goddess. So it's worth 10 euros and a short train ride to get what I want. After buying what I needed, I had plenty of time before I had to catch the train home. So, I went walking. I walked around the castle for a bit:

It was gorgeous. Ah, I took my time with this one. I did not actually enter the castle, but rather took a walk around it. There is a lovely park and public garden. All of the mothers were out with their children:

It was such a beautiful morning. After a walk around the castle, I went to a public gardens right across from the train station. Oh, so many gorgeous things to see! It was very well planned and had amazing groups of flowers and little grottos and waterfalls. I took my time meandering about, and encountered two brothers from Senegal. We became fast friends and spent a good amount of time sitting in the shade, talking about politics and ignorance and traveling. They thougth I was German and were shocked to hear that I was American. They were really cool. French men have no problem making advances. None at all. We both had different trains at the same time, so they saw me off at the station. The week was going great for me, and springtime in France is the most magical time!

Enjoying France > Doing Homework

I woke up this morning with every intention of completing an outline for two of my essays and finishing my bibliography for my Montesquieu research paper. None of this has been accomplished.

I took a wonderful, relaxing shower and brought all of my study material downstairs because surrounding myself with onlookers keeps me motivated (lest they be judging me). Alas, breaking in the most recent album by The National and the sudoku in this week's TV guide seemed much more important.

Then I was distracted by wine-bottling and lunch-eating. Benoit made the best soup that I have ever eaten today. Oh, it was super delicious! and included fresh organic spinach from a local farmer. We also had a guest over for lunch. Diane is a german teacher at a local high school and her youngest son (who is my age) is currently in the hospital with a very mysterious intestinal complication. She's a bit akward, but very kind and fun to talk to.

After our delicious lunch, Anne, Diane, and I went and picked up Philippe (another friend) and went for a lovely walk along one of the canals. It was overcast and cool, but the springtime was still palpable and everything was so green and smelled so fresh.

The first irises of the season have begun to show their beautiful colors. This is a real fleur du lys:

Legend has it that the reason that the fleur du lys (an iris flower) is the symbol of France dates all the way back to the first french king, Roi Charlemagne. He managed to hide from enemy forces by crouching in a grove of irises. It was a miracle that they did not spot him, so he honored the flower that saved his life by making it the symbol of his kingdom.

The walk along these gentle country roads was fantastic and relaxing. It gave me time to think. And I made a new friend: Sisi, Philippe's dog. The whole 2 hour walk was sublime:

At the end of the path where we parked the car, there is a little corral with one beautiful chestnut stallion. The path runs along the back yards of people with homes in the country. And that was where I spotted this little guy:

He was less than a year old and was so beautiful. He doesn't like people much, as he stayed hidden behind that tree the whole time. French kittehs are the cutest and they're EVERYWHERE. There is one cat that is a friend of Poupousse's that belongs to the neighbors who sometimes mannages to sneak inside the house. He's adorable as well and rather small. It's good to know that Poupousse has friends aside from the chickens.

Upon returning from the walk, there was very little time before Pappi, Mammita, and Maxime came over for dinner. Pappi and Mammita tried to convince me to try some of the meat dish, but I was content with my stir fry and basmati rice. Dessert was fantastic. Mammita had made some coconut flan that was exquisite. And that tarte Anne and I had made was super scrumptious as well. Now, I'm sitting here attempting to find the motivation to at least complete one thing from my list before I go to sleep. Wether or not that turns out to be a successful venture has yet to be determined.

How to Bottle Wine

Even in France, good wine is expensive. So my host family has a neat way of saving money and recycling wine bottles: They bottle the wine themselves.

Benoit asked me yesterday if I'd be interested in helping him. Of course, I said yes.

The wine was shipped to the house in 2 enormous boxes, each holding 10 L (enough to fill 27 bottles, or over 2.5 gallons) with accompanying labels and corks.

Benoit has been saving bottles for quite some time, soaking them to get their original labels off and cleaning them to start with a fresh flavor:

Each bottle has the crest of Roi René d'Anjou imprinted on it, as the original contents were wines of the Anjou region. As an added twist, we were only using these bottles for the red wine from Anjou. Benoit really likes the symbolism involved.

After gathering all of the bottles, you begin filling them with the wine:

You fill the bottle up until there are 5 centimeters (2 inches) of space left in the neck. Next comes the fun part: inserting the cork.

The Bertrand-Rome family keeps a nifty machine on hand to make this process possible:

You place the cork in the hole at the top of the mechanism. Next, you position the bottle on an adjustable paltform beneath it, making sure to aline the lip of the bottle with the ridge indicating the position of the cork. Then pull down on the lever, which maneuvers the cork into position above the bottle while the metal rod in the middle of the lever forces the cork into the bottle. It's really very nifty. Benoit and I formed a kind of efficient assembly line: he filled the bottles while I corked them.

After all 27 bottles were filled with red wine and corked and the bag within the box was empty, it was time to apply the new labels. Believe it or not, we used milk as the adhesive. After filling a bowl with said milk, we dipped each label into it, then placed it carefuly on each bottle wipping away the excess milk with a cloth.

Benoit did the first several bottles, then we commenced to form a second assembly line: I applied the labels and set the bottles aside to dry, while Benoit ran the fresh bottles down to the cellar four at a time.

And that, ladies and gentleman, is how you bottle your own wine at home.

It's cost effective and better for the environment. Plus, it's a lot of fun!

All Things New

A lot has happened since the last time that I posted.

For one thing, I have now seen every single episode of Twin Peaks ever... and am convinced that I will never ever sleep soundly ever again.

I've registered for my classes next semester, which should be a great time. I can't believe it's senior year already!!!

A bunch of other things have happened that are more France related.

My host mother and I are getting along really really well. We've had some very deep heart-to-heart conversations about cultural differences and similarities, as well as story swapping time. As always, the food she cooks is most excellent, and not but a few minutes ago, I helped her make an apple and rhubarb tart. The rhubarb is fresh from the garden out back. And the crust is a traditional french recipe. Needless to say, I am super excited to taste it tomorrow:

We had a little celebration here on Thursday evening. Maxime and Charlie came over for dinner and we ordered Domino's (it tastes better over here). It was the 20th anniversary of the purchase of their house. When they first moved in, Maxime and Charlie, who were very little, were afraid to go too far into the garden because it was so big. Benoit showed me a photo album of what their house was like when they first moved in, as well as all of the construction that they did on it. It's absolutely amazing how much they managed to transform their little house into a beautiful home. I've noticed similar traits between how the kids function here and in my family. Maxime and I have similar personality traits, as do Charlie and Corinne. Manon is much surlier than Andra at this point, but give it a year and who knows.

I spent Friday in my room. Saturday I ventured out to the library. It was an absolutely gorgeous day out today. The bike ride was fantastic. I nabbed my usual spot by the window to look out onto the garden and playground while I studied. Going into the centre ville for lunch, everyone was eating outside. I hope it is this nice again tomorrow. My host parents are taking me on a walk rain or shine. And I would also like to spend some time at the castle. All museums and national monuments are free the first Sunday of every month. I get in free most places anyways because I'm a student, but it's still awesome to get a group together. Plus, the château is one of my favorite places to hang out in Angers.

I only have three more weeks of classes! Then time for a well-earned break in the south of France. But between me and that happy goal rest 3 papers and numerous other assignments. We'll see how this goes.

Another Weekend

Spring has begun to show its icky side. It has rained quite a bit the past few days, and I really haven't been in the mood to post. But here's what I've been up to since Friday.

Saturday, I spent all of the day at the municipal library doing research on Montesquieu. They summon books for you, and you can use their private student room to study. It's quite fantastic, actually. In my research, I got to work with this beauty:

This very book was published in 1874. That's right: I handled a book that's over 130 years old! I felt so scholarly leafing through its aged pages. Needless to say, it smelled fantastic. And I felt like I had to be super delicate with it, lest I ruined an antique.

After all day at the library, I felt like I deserved a reward. So Robert and I went out to Le Welsh and had some fantastic Murphy's Stout (better than Guinness, no joke) as well as some beer that's produced directly in the region called La Piautre... and it was delicious.

One of the things I love the most about Le Welsh is how ecclectic it is. Within its walls you'll find a lot of dragon imagery, a Rolling Stones clock, Kermit and Miss Piggy, a trophy with a dodo bird on top, and many more random accoutrements... including a cat!!! We're not sure what its name is, but this cat is super chill (it has to be if its going to live in a bar).

Robert and I meandered through the centre ville after draining our glasses, talking about our spring break adventures and life in general while scoping out new restaurants to discover after he comes back from Morocco. It was a very enjoyable evening and I will definitely be sharing Le Welsh with more friends.

Since that great evening, I don't believe that I have left the house. It's been icky and my friends have been online. Plus, all the research I need is at my desk, so why venture into the wet? I still have a lot more research to do, and the discovery of Twin Peaks really hasn't helped my concentration at all. We'll see what the rest of the week brings.

More Spring, More Awesome

It's finally the weekend!!!

My week since I posted last has been filled with cloudless days and perfect weather.

Class has gone well, and my Montaige class really boosted my confidence. I had written a commentaire composé (a really techical, structured paper) for this very difficult class. I got it back with compliments!!! I thought I had totally bombed it, but all was well :)

All other classes have gone normally. The weather has swept me away. Everything smells like spring and joy and beauty and new things. Each day, I've been taking the long way home. If the weather continues, I will be exploring all of the local parks. Even though i've bee nreally hitting the books hard, I've never felt happier or more alive in my time here. It might be the spring. It might be being over AJ. It might be all the fresh produce that is now in season. It might be that I have realized how much my French has improved. Whatever it is, it's going to keep me in amazing spirits for quite some time.

Last night, my friend Trey and I went to this amazing little bar called Le Welsh. It is by far the best bar for beer in Angers... and the best bar for beer that I have ever seen. All the beers are delicious, and range from Gelgian, German, Engilsh, American, and French varieties. It's impossible to go wrong with anything there. And the amount and quality is great for the price. Trey and I played a few games of chess and he told me the story of how he met his wife. Trey is 22, but he has been married for a year now. He and his wife met on a mission trip in Wales when he was 18. The day they met, they spent the afternoon exploring a castle. It makes for a great story. And you really never do know who you'll end up with. It's a wonderful story that's given me hope.

I'm definitely going back to Le Welsh soon.

Today, after class, I rode my bike to the library. It was my first bike ride in a while.. and it was sooooooooo refreshing!!! I need to bike around more often, I've decided. I had a very productive afternoon studying in the library until close. I've found great resources for my sizeable project on Montesquieu. Things are really looking up for me and I'm planning on making sure that everything continues that way. My host parents aren't here this weekend, so me and Manon have the house to ourselves. Not sure what I'm going to do, but it will include more studying.

Good Times

Springtime in France.

It is impossible to be sad or anxious or worried about anything. Now that the week has started, I should technically be working... but I've caught spring fever.

The morning was spent in the library doing research, but even that couldn't get me down. I found some great sources! Lunch was delicious, and sitting outside reading in the afternoon just made things wonderful.

The electrician was working on the house all day, which kept me off the internet. This American Life was as inspiring as always. I went to my class, and felt good about myself and my work. Didn't really nail the "examen blanc", but Prof. Prouteau took us through what she was expecting of us. Now, I feel very confident and self-assured... for that exam, at least. The work load hasn't eased up at all, and I dread Wednesday's classes, but the sun will still be out and my French will still improve. All is good. No, all is great.

After my class, I was invited out by two friends to grab some coffee. We meandered through the centre-ville to an adorable gourmandise that's rapidly becoming my favorite. I got an espresso, one got a hot chocolate, and the other got a caramel-chocolat torte. I sampled both... and it was everything that anyone could ever want from either. Here are a few demonstrative diagrams:

The conversation was wonderful and new friends are always fantastic. We swapped St. Patrick's Day stories and tales about fun nights back home and here. Oh, it was a great time.

Once home, Benoit, Manon, and I all sat down for dinner. The conversation was very lively today, and somehow, Justin Bieber got brought up.

You may hate me for this, but I had to do it... after dinner, Manon and I plopped down in front of the family computer to watch Rebecca Black's pitiful excuse for a song in one of the worst music videos ever: "Friday". It felt so great to laugh about it together and to translate how hideous it was for Benoit. "Yesterday was Thursday; today is Friday (we so so so excited!)" are terrible lyrics in any language.

Now, it's back to homework and episodes of "How I Met Your Mother". My 2 and a half months that I have remaining will not go by in vain. Spring is here. And I plan to make the most of it.

The First Day Being Better

I woke up.

I wrote an email.

I realized that it didn't hurt anymore.

Today was the first day that I have been okay with being single. I am ready to move on. The universe knew that I was ready today, so it made sure that the weather for an early spring afternoon in France was perfect. The air smelled fantastic from all the flowers in bloom. Anne and Benoit had spent all morning in the garden, planting flowers and vegetables. I love not having a dryer durring this weather: all my clothes hanging outside are going to smell so wonderful in the morning. Sipping coffee from an oversized mug, Poupousse at my feet, listening to the caucaphany of windchimes and birdsong and child's play and growing things made me feel so at peace, so in love with life. Yeah, it was an amazing zen moment.

Later that afternoon, Anne invited me to take a walk along the Loire river with her and her Thai friend Noe. The day greeted us with a smile. The view was spectacular, the air fresh, and the walk amazing. I don't think there's anything as French as taking these walks on a sunday afternoon. The path along the Loire that we took is an old dockway that comes right up to the back entries of castles and country houses. It's so cool to peer into the beautiful yards of those who live along the riverbanks and dream of one day owning a house like that. We also passed public gardens, horse pastures, and open fields. One of the best things about Angers is that it takes a 10 minute drive to spend a day in the country. And not a corn-soy-corn-corn-corn-lookmorecorn kind of way, but in an overgrown vinyard, rambling roses, lush grasses kind of way. Walking along the Loire, taking the time to meander barefoot through the long grass, I found peace. I'm on a great adventure, and nothing more is going to weigh me down.

Refreshed from the wonderful walk, I was ready for a great meal. Pappi and Mammita had invited me to a dinner at their house. I felt so honored! They live right across from the military school in Angers and have the most fabulous house. It's filled with all of these old paintings and photographs, antique furniture, and accents of their travels abroad. It is beautiful enough to be a museum, but comfortable and intimate enough to be the perfect grandparents' house. Pappi and Mammita are in great shape. Their bedroom is on the third floor, their kitchen on the second. They still use the stairs regularly, and don't really have an option. The evening was wonderful and the food was good. I had this rum aparatif that was called "shrube" or something to that effect from Guadeloupe that was absolutely delicious, and Mammita had made the best tomato soup I have ever eaten. The company was delightful. Pappi entertained us all evening-- as well as anyone who called on the phone-- with a singing tie that he had been gifted that Christmas. I was very sad when the evening came to a close, but Pappi and Mammita have opened their doors to me whenever I need it, as did Noe earlier that day. Life is grand. And I have faith that what is coming next for me-- on any and all fronts-- will be wonderful.

St. Patrick's Day: FRANCE

I spread the Irish-American tradition. And I'm proud of it.

St. Patrick's Day was a Thursday like any other... only with a lot more green (almost completely on the part of the exchange students). I had dinner with the family, then headed out to a tiny Irish pub on a side street called The Inishmore. I met my friend Trey there, and we had an amazing time! It was packed with lots of French, Irish, Americans, and British people. Everyone came out to celebrate an excuse for drinking.

Even though Angers is a small city, there are at least 7 irish pubs. No joke. This one was founded by Irish folks who are still the barkeeps. Everything on tap is Irish (except Heinekin) and there is a plethora of hard cider to choose from.

A live band spent much of the evening playing mediocre music, but they were great tunes that everyone shout-sang along to, holding their beers in the air. 3 Beatles classics were to be had (with missing verses... but I was a little to far gone to call them on thier blasphemy). My personal favorite was the Proclaimers' classic "500 Miles". Towards the end of the evening, I met this guy named Matthieu. He was really into me and bought me some Guinness. We hung out until the bar kicked us out, then we went to his appartment for a bit. He gave me a mellow belgian beer, and we talked. We talked until 6am. Then I walked myself home just as the birds were beginning to sing.

It was a super fun evening! The great tradition of St. Patrick's Day can hold its own here in France. Oh, and I got a free hat:

Yes, I am going to treasure it for St. Patty's Days to come. They were giving them out for free at the Inishmore, and I just had to take one. Rediculus? Yes. Worth it? Totally!!!

Old Love is Better

I have been hearing all about Pappi and Mammi ever since my arrival. They spend the winter months after Christmas in Guadeloupe. Since spring has sprung across Europe, they have made their return. And last night, they joined us for dinner.

I'm not sure what I was expecting... perhaps an image of my own grandparents in their French forms. That's not what I was greeted with. M and Mme Bertrand are both very tall, and look older than I was expecting. Both wear large, thick glasses that magnify sartlingly blue eyes. Kind and talkitive, Pappi and Mammi were ready for a fantastic dinner and some good company. Pappi did most of the talking.

Halfway through the dinner, Manon turned to Pappi and asked him how he met Mammi.

When he was 17 years old, Pappi spent his summer vacation with his married sister in Belgium. One evening, he and his sister went to a local dance club for the evening. And that's the first time he saw her.

Mammi was sitting with her parents and a group of her friends at a nearby table. Every chance he got, Pappi glanced her way. His sister nudged him in the small of his back, telling him that he'd better dance with that girl. Nervously, he went up to Mammi and asked her to dance. She said yes. And they danced the waltz together. 52 years later, they are still supporting eachother through what life brings.

When I imagine this scene in my head, I picture an elegant black and white film. Manon even commented that it was "just like in the moves". Their story of love began so sweetly and so simply. Perhaps everyone wants a beginning like that. And it was obviously a successful beginning with a happy history, continuing to be a story worth hearing.

The Mission is now Possible

Ladies and gentlemen, all of the rumors are true:

France is better for you. Period.

There is not a doubt in my mind about it, now. Being in France makes you sleep better, you eat healtier, and you get more excercise without even trying. As a consequence of all of these combined factors, I am losing weight. I'm turning into a skinny French bitch!!! It's awesome. Mission: Sexy Body is officially a go.

Why do I sleep better?

Honestly, I don't know. It might have something to do with the fact that my brain is working in overtime every day with the whole bilingual thing. It may be from all of the walking I do. Whatever it is, the sleep makes me feel fresh and ready for another glorious spring day.

Eating healthier is part of the French lifestyle.

Small breakfasts are common. I usually just have tea and a yogurt (even though I boosted it up to a complimentary pain au chocolat yesterday before my 9am exam). Lunch is the bigest meal of the day, and when I make it at my host family's house, it consists of a plate filled with vegeterian protien, plenty of water, and a heaping fresh salad to finish it off. Oh, and fresh fruit for dessert. Fruits and veggies are cheaper here and taste so much better. Everything's grown in the region (with some off-season exceptions) and the French eat seasonally. These next few months are going to be great foodwise. I find many of these noon meals becoming vegan, which is fine by me, as my host family likes a lot of cheese for dinner. We all eat together, and have our main dish and vegetables. Next comes a heaping plate of salad, then bread, cheese, and wine. Smaller portions all around and a balancing of all the elements make for healthy living.

How does one get excercise without even trying?!

Answer: you walk everywhere. Or you bike on your free bicycle from the local government. Regardless, you get where you need to go by burning extra calories. Round trip to the grocery store: 15 minutes. Walking to class: 7 minutes. Enjoying the beautiful French spring: take as long as you like. Today after my examen blanc, I went meandering by foot for 2 and a half hours. All of the flowers are in bloom and it got up to 68 degrees today. I just HAD to go out and enjoy it! The trees lining the boulevards shower petals on you as you walk by... it's so idyllic.

On these meanderings in the centre ville, I may or may not have ventured into some boutiques, and may or may not have tried on some clothes. Remeber that drama about my thighs? Yeah, that has already cleared up for the most part... in less than 2 weeks! And the same sizes fit better... some even too big! To be safe, I'm going to wait until the week before spring break to invest in clothing, but the way things are headed, it's going to be a pleasant thing :)

Moral of the story: come to France. It's good for you.

New Perpectives

One of the best things about this whole study abroad experience is, without a doubt, my host family.

My first exam was today. Needless to say, I was a nervous wreck. My only form of solace is that these exams can't hurt me, but only help me. Still, 4 hours in a stuffy room with native speakers who are kicking more as than you without even trying is a bit disconcerting.

My second one is tomorrow afternoon, but i'm not nearly as nervous for two reasons:

I am resigned to barely surviving academically

Dinner was so delightful that I realized that my experience here is more important than any academic credits my exhausted brain could muster at this point in time.

Not only has my host family been willing to edit my papers for me and gently correct my speech, but their personalities go along with mine in a way that I feel like this is my home. After a bad day, they always have a way of cheering me up and making me forget about homesickness, pressure, and stress. They also really incorporate me into their family life and traditions. Today, they asked me when my birthday was, and said I could choose what we would eat on that day and Anne would make me the dessert of my choice as well. So here's the question: crème brûlée or mousse au chocolat? Clearly, I have some serious thinking to do.

In addition to all this love, our genuinenly invested conversations enrich my understanding of French people and culture, and it's a great way to get a fresh perspective on global events. The ritual surrounding the sharing of dinner with the family has had a great impact on me durring my stay. I'm eating very healthily and burning calories at the same time from all the laughter. Tonight was especially wonderful. A guest appearance by Charlie livened the mood more than usual, and Anne and I had a marvelous conversation for a whole 45 minutes comparing French and American news broadcasts, passport registration processes, medical systems, work ethic, and presidential connundrums. Oh, it was fantastic! And one of the best parts was that I was able to communicate all of my ideas to her in a way that she was able to understand... IN FRENCH!!!

I must be getting better at it than I thought.

A new perpective on my own linguistic development has also been noticed. Beginning in February, I noticed that I no longer translated French into English and back again in my head. This phenomenon has been exponentially increasing in occurence! I'm very happy with myself. It's gotten to the point that I only translate in my head when I'm searching for a word or expression. Regular conversation and most thoughts are nothing but French. My brain surprises me sometimes.

Those are the new developments on this end. I'll try to include more pictures when relevant in my next posts.

A Month of Sundays

So... I haven't posted in quite a while. I apologise. Blame being overwhelmed.

Each day after my lovely vacation simply drags on into a lonely abyss of reading and work and being inadequate. Those surprise exams aren't helping matters much.

There have been some bright spots in this sea of endless trial.

On Friday, my class went alright, but what happened next was better:

I GOT TO TALK TO MY LOVELY FAMILY VIA SKYPE!!!

My GOD, it was exactly what I needed. I have realized that I am not over AJ at all, and earlier this week has been a haze of work interrupted by an overwhelming need to break down and cry. But talking to my grandma, my mom, and my adorable sisters made things so much better. When I came down later in the day, my host mom said that she heard me laughing, and that it was wonderful. She said it cheered her up just listening. I guess I'm good for something :)

Later in the evening, Trey and I followed through with our master plan to met a whole bunch of other ERASMUS students at this amazing Indian restaurant downtown. It was a great time. The food was most excellent, and the company was delightful. Guest countries include Mexico, Columbia, Greece, Lithuania, Germany, Finland, and the United States. My meal was super delicious:

Yeah, I know you're jealous.

Afterwards, a group of us headed over to a tiny Irish pub on a small side road where there was a couchsurfing meeting.

For those who are not in "the know", couchsurfing is an online organization one can sign on with and basically stay in the homes of places one is visiting for free. Several of my friends here have utilized this organization for trips to Wales, Bretagne, and Portugal. They had nothing but glowing reviews and it does seem a great way to truly get to know the area.

The meeting was a bunch of fun. The bar was tiny, but the company was amazing (Franglais was spoken the majority of the time) and I discovered a new light beer that I like. The evening was a great success, even though I got home at 2am and it was bitterly cold on the walk home and i had to wake up the next day to study.

After a Saturday filled with studying and the obligatory grocery shopping and the French rugby team losing to Italy in Rome (their first loss ever to Italy in the history of the league), the day wasn't going so hot. The chocolate mousse my host mom made perked things up around lunchtime (note: I need to get that recipe from her). The afternoon was consumed by work, and the evening was counsumed by a lovely famly dinner with both my host brothers coming by for Benoit's birthday celebration. That's right, my host dad will be 49 years young on Monday. After the meal, I was exhausted and couldn't even bring myself to go out again.

Today has been -- guess what?!-- full of work. Enthralling, right? I have a sore throat that won't go away, so a nap this afternoon was called for (it should also be noted that Rousseau may or may not have been putting me to sleep). Dinner was delicious, as usual. But the news broadcast was anything but cheerful. Thoughts going out to Japan as their Hell comes in threes (earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster) as well as to Lybia (where a civil war is quickly spawning). And at this very moment, I am listening to NPR podcasts and typing this out for y'all in a desperate hope that my work will do itself.

A Government Summons

Getting back to work this week has been exhausting. All I want to do is go back to Paris and meander about like I did durring my vacation. But, alas, the show must go on.

My one slolace in this long trek before Easter break is the planning for it. My friend Robert and I will be exploring the south of France!!! How awesome is that?! Our ferries between Nice and Corsica, our hostels and hotels, and our flights have been resered already. Robert came over Monday night and we sat down to planning. It took about 3 hours, but it was awesome and well worth it and now i cannot wait until spring break!!!

Besides that, classes are... well... let's just say that they happen. There are midterms next week that we did not find out about until this week. They told us there would be some, but did not give us the date or time until yesterday. Giant pain in the butt. That aside, the good news is that these exams don't count for anything. They're a practice test to gage how you are doing, and if you need to miss the final in any class that an "examen blanc" has been taken in, you won't fail! It can only help you, which is good.

For the first time in my life, I find myself praying for scraping along the bottom. Usually, I excel at what I am doing and shoot for the top. But now, I'm not even shooting for the middle. I'm praying with the rest of my exchange student classmates that we don't fail. A 10/20 would be a good enough score for us. That way, the credits transfer. Don't get me wrong: this experience is phenomenal and I wouldn't change it for the world, but it has turned out more difficult than expected. You know what? I'm fine with that. I'm working hard and doing my best, and that is good enough... if I pass all my classes.

In other news: I know that I haven't written in a while. I am sorry. It's simply been overwhelming on this end. But a funny thing happened to me as soon as I got back from vacation. A letter came for me while i was away, summoning me to Nantes for a medical exam to finalize my "carte de séjour" process. With this magic piece of paper in my passport, I can travel anywhere outside of France I want, and they'll let me back in to continue my studies! The possibilites are now virtually endless. I can go visit friends in the UK, Marocco, Spain, Kenya... ANYWHERE!!! That's out of the way, but I had to go all the way to Nantes to get it done, and I missed two classes (one of which I was supposed to be giving a presentation in). But when the government tells you to be somewhere, you do it.

The train ride is only 35 minutes and it's super cheap. Nantes-- or what I briefly saw of it-- is lovely. The OFII office was impossible to find, but I made it there in time for my appointment. They took an x-ray of my chest, and I had to see a doctor. It was the usual: medical history, eyesight, weight, height... nothing overly embarassing. They just want to make sure I'm not about to have a medical catastrophe on their watch.

In the waiting room, I met a lovely older woman named Diana from Australia (note: when I say "older", I mean 69 years of age). We really hit it off, and got a bit to eat after our appointments and rode the train back together. She's a delight, and my half a day spent waiting and being examined ended up being a lot of fun and a wonderful way to pass the time.

Tomorrow, back to work even more hardcore than usual in an attempt to catch up and study for exams. But what can you do? When the French government summons you to an appointment to allow you to stay in their wonderful country, you do it.

French Men Let You Know You're Beautiful

It's gonna take a while until I get to the title of my post but, trust me, it is relevant.

My second to last day in Paris started like every day in Paris: lazy with a lot of walking to look forward to. On exiting the appartment, I went searching for an elusive restaurant called Guen Mai around St. Michel. Did I find it? No. Did I find another amazing Asian place that was super delicious? Yes.

It got the job done for meal 1 of the day... and that is all that matters. Next, it was off to see some more dead people and-- guess what?-- walk around a lot. TOMS are amazing when traveling.

To get my fix on the famous and deceased, I headed for this lovely building:

The Panthéon is located near the Sorbonne and was originally commisioned as a basilica by Louis XV, king of France. After the Revolution, it was transformed into a secular homage to France. It's kind of offsetting just how patriotic this building is:

All those statues are of famous French revloutionary encounters, nude depictions of Liberty (the secular goddess of the French), or figures of French heroes and intellectuals. The only remnants left of the church can be found on the murals painted all along the walls that depict the saints and religious glory of France. Here's one of my faves:

Yes, that is Jean d'Arc kicking some ass. Each mural is huge, and tells the whole story of the importance of these saintly individuals. Below this magnificent display, winding stairs lead to the crypt, where the heroes of France have been burreid... for the most part. Within these mostly empty chambers (waiting for another revolution, I suppose) one can find Victor Hugo, Voltaire, J.J. Rousseau, Alexandre Dumas, the Curies, and many others. It's truly fabulous to see, and worth the visit.

After this adventure, I went walking all around the University of Paris area and stumbled across the National Mideval Museum. While I did not go inside, I did meander through the mideval garden open to the public. Spring arrives in France the first of March. Everything was green and beautiful. That's one of the things I adore about Paris: there's a gorgeous hidden garden within 5 blocks of where you are standing at ay given moment... you just need to find it.

After thoroughly enjoying that small garden and walking a lot more, I took the metro to the Galeries Lafayette-- the first one. It's immense! 7 stories in the main building (there are 3 sizable buildings) housing such brands as Tiffany's, Prada, Louis Vutton, Dior, and Dolce & Gabana. It's immense and gorgeous. I couldn't leave the most luxurious department store ever without getting something, so I got this:

MY FIRST EVER WATCH!!! I don't like watches as a general rule, but the time has come to make une a permanent accessory. Part of entering the adult world, I guess. I found this beautiful timepiece among the immense jewelry section. It is descrete and elegant enough to distract from the fact that it controls my life! I love it. First watch = great success.

After this little-- and slightly pricy-- excapade, I made my way to the Champs-Élysée for some mediocre pizza and a very funny french film: Rien a Declarer. It was the cherry on top of a great day.

Returning home, I hung out with Perrine and Sofia and the friends they had over. It really was a great evening.

The next day-- my last day-- started just as lazy and as late as all of the others. What can I say? I was on vacation!!! Rising later than usual, I took a walk along the Seine to the Louvre... but the line was way too long. I said to myself, "screw this!" and waked through le Jardin Tuileries again to the Musée d'Orsay. The line was much more reasonable, admission was free, and I was absolutely starving. What is more elegant than fine dining in one fo the world's premier art museums with a fabulous view of Paris? Not much. Meal 1 of the day came very late, but it was delicious and savoured. On my third visit to the Musée d'Orsay, I began to feel... well... bored. This is really embarassing to admit. I love art and truly appreciate it, but there was something about that afternoon that left me uninspired by most of the things I saw (except Rodin, the furniture collection, many of the other sculptures, and Monet). Perhaps it was all the obnixious tourists. Perhaps it was the fact that several wings ere closed for renovation. Maybe it was ennui. Whatever it was, it did not go away at my next stop.

It took some configuring and a bunch more walking, but I figured out how to catch the metro to Pere Lachaise. This cemetery is the largest in Paris. It's absolutely sprawling:

Yeah, immense. Many famous people are burried here: Cezanne,, Seraut, Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, Molière, Jim Morrison, George Sand, and Fredrich Chopin. I put on my cemetery music (Iron and Wine's new album, as well as Endless Numbered Days) and went wandering. I was exhausted, so meandered very slowly, which is unlike me. Pretty soon, a very heavy feeling overwhelmed me along the beautiful pathways of Pere Lachaise: a deep, infinite loneliness. I felt so unbelievably alone that I had to sit down. The feeling did not pass until I went to a nearby café for dinner and a waiter began hitting on me. Montesquieu provided some comfort as well (note: always carry books with you). Dinner was good, and I took my time about it.

Around 7:30, I entered the metro again, blasting Passion Pit to maintian the joie de vivre that I had found again after my stent of solitude. After the transfer at Reamur Sebastopol onto my line, I ended up sitting across from a gorgeous gentleman with olive skin and deep brown eyes. He kept trying to catch my eye, and when the metro car cleared out a bit, he began talking to me.

Mohamed is a tunisian who works at a bakery. He showered me with compliments and was genuinely interested in what I had to say. He continued riding with me to the end of the line-- four stops after his own-- just so he could talk to me. First mark, then Mohamed?! What was it with French men telling me I was beautiful and being genuinely interested?

My ego greatly boosted and a smile spread across my face, i encountered Sofia and Perrine just as they were entering the appartment with groceries. We had a wonderful time chatting and drinking in their appartment until after midnight, when we decided to go out to an Irish club with a very cosmopolitain feel to it:

This was my first ever clubbing experience... and it was super awesome and so much fun! The music was great and all I wanted to do was dance. Many men asked me to dance and treated me like a goddess. Oh, it was wonderful fun. Lucien was my last dance partner of the night. He had been watching me the whole evening and hadn't said a word. So... I did something I've never ever done before EVER: I asked him to dance with me. And it was great. He was very nice and very much the gentleman. Every single man that paid me attention told me I was beautiful and did not want me to leave Paris the next day.

What is it about French men? I'm more popular here than I ever have been in the States. My current theory is that the French are not afraid to let you know how beautiful you are. Alterior motives or no, there is no denying that being called "beautiful", "queen of the evening", and "the most striking person on the dancefloor" does wonders for the confidence. When all is said and done, it was a great way to say adieu to Paris.

Now I'm back in Angers, not ready to return to work, but very much in love with life.

The Recompense and the Right of Glory

Woke up late and lazy yesterday. Dawdled over tea and biscuts, the braved the world.

This particular day was a day where I decided to get in touch with my Catholic roots... at least that's how it started. What ended up happening was an all-day reflection on the inevitability of death, and how we deal with that in life.

The first stop on this journey was, of course, Notre Dame de Paris. I had never visited it before, and I just had to see it.

I entered the heavy wooden doors and was confronted with flocks of tourists... while there was a mass going on. It felt wrong to take pictures, so here's one I found of the internet to give you a taste of how immense and beautiful this place is:

Traversing with the other tourists felt really odd. The mass was in full swing, and the echo of the numerous whispers and exclamations of the hundreds of visitors alomst drowned out the service. It was as if no respect was given for the intended, practicing function of the magnificent structure. It made me want to cry, really. Another thing that irked me to no end was the gimmecky aspect to it all. There were at least 3 gift shops, and those souvenir token machines dispersed everywhere around the cathedral. The image that automatically came to mind was Jesus casting the merchants out of the temple. Yet the tourists must be appeased, I suppose, and the church needs its money.
Exiting back out into the beautiful day, I headed straight for the crypt beneath the courtyard of Notre Dame. There, you can find battlements and foundations dating back to the Gallo-Roman period. Paris is very old, and it all started on the island where Notre Dame was built. It was neat to see the different layers of history: Gallo-Roman, Middle Ages, Renaissance, and then additions made up into the 18th century, when some of the walls the Romans built were still in use. I was lead to this neat place under false pretenses, however. I wanted to see the catacombes. The lady at the front desk of the exibit was really nice, and she gave me a map of the city and marked where to find the catacombes.

Off I went.

It was a gorgeous day outside, and in my opinion, that is the ONLY time ANYONE should go into the catacombes. Sound a little counter-intuitive? Imagine you are snaking your way through a series of claustrophobic underground tunnels lined with the bones of the dead, then tell me that you do not want to re-emerge from it into a beautiful early spring day with not a cloud in the sky, happy to be alive. For me, it's all about looking forward to the light of day that awaits you at the end of the journey... at least when visiting the catacombes.

Cemeteries have been emptied here.

Battles have been fought here.

Visitors have come and gone since the 19th century.

Yet the piles of bones in the Empire of the Dead (that is what the section of the catacombes that houses all the corpses are called) continue to haunt.

All of the walls within the Empire of the Dead look like this:

No joke. Sometimes, the skulls are arranged in designs: one wall boasted the outline of a heart made out of skulls near the entrace to the crypt. If your french isn't that good, the plaque above reads that all of those bones are frome the St Etienne Cemetery, and they were moved to their present location in May of 1787. As Paris expanded, the living took prescidence over the dead, and cemeteries were built over to make room for the growing population.

Many of the plaques along the walls hold poetic verses about death or scriptures from classic Greek thinkers or the Bible. I wrote many down, but I will not bore you with them here (plus I do not feel like translating). However, I will share with you where the title of this post comes from. One of the inscriptions reads:

Chaque mortel parait, disparaît sans retour; mais par s’illustrer faites vivre dans la mémoire: voila la récompense et le droit de la gloire!

Translation: Each mortal perishes, disappears without return, but his image comes alive in the memory; here is the recompense and the right of glory

Emerging into the light of day felt wonderful. The living can only pass among the dead for so long.

Next stop: Montmartre.

This is my favorite place in the city and I wanted to explore it alone. I made a bee-line for Sacre Coeur. I have visited this chapel every time I have been to Paris, and each time it manages to take my breath away. While construction on Notre Dame began in 1116, Sacre Coeur's origins are from the 1870s. The centuries spanning the difference between the two is evident in the architecture and the art. I prefer Sacre Coeur. There was no mass going on, the tourists were much quieter and more respectful, and absolutely no photographs allowed. I found one online for you, however:

It's guilded mosaics are all over the place, and the stained glass windows are fantastic. I felt much more comfortable here than in Notre Dame. There was only one book store, and it was all about Catholocism... and run by nuns. The kiosks for souvenir coins were not in the chapel, but outside it. Because it is less touristy, it is more authentic.

Thus ended my religious stint for the day, and I decided to meander about my favorite places on Montmartre that I rememberd from when I was 16.

In my wanderings, I stumbled across the Salvador Dali Museum.

That's right.

And it was awesome! Over 300 original works by the madman himself.

He was an active artist until his death (1989) and daubled in furniture design and sculpture, as well as book illustrations. Here are a few of my faves:

The 4 euro entry fee was totally worth it!

How does this fit into my theme? Simple: surrealism is a way to deal with reality. Branching off of Existentialism (thanks, Albert Camus), it is a movement that acknowledges that everything happens... but there is no reason. The absurdity of existence leads these souls to expressing that anguish in a very phenominal way. And Salvador Dali is just awesome. Charlie Sheen could take a few cues from this character. Two of Dali's most famous quotes:

"I am surrealism!"

"I don't do drugs. I am drugs."

I am going to leave you with these absurd thoughts and go explore Paris some more. Only 3 more days left in this wonderful city!