prettiestrice

[prettiestrice]

Jour 47: Petit Jour, Dernier Jour. Vendredi, 7 Juillet 2017.

[Note: This is written almost exactly one year later — I just wanted to have my blog complete before I start a second for my 2nd study abroad endeavor. Here is what I remember]

Today I woke up early, didn’t even get to say BYE to my host family since they were all at work or sleeping and headed out. I took some farewell pics and departed for Alexa’s. We shared an Uber to the Charles de Gaulle and we departed at the airport. 

I got on my flight and flew home, my experience ended way too soon. 

Goodbye, lovely Paris! Oh, how I will miss you! 

[prettiestrice]

Last day in Paris photos part 2

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Last full day in Paris photos part 1

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Jour 46: Jeudi, 6 Juillet 2017

[Note: This is written almost exactly one year later — I just wanted to have my blog complete before I start a second for my 2nd study abroad endeavor. Here is what I remember]

So today I woke up early and went on my LAST run on Paris on my LAST full day in Paris. I was soso sad. I’ll attach all photos after. 

It was a great run and I am so thankful to have been able to run so much in Paris and I loveeeee it. 

I went to school and took my first final. I think I did well. Then, Caroline and I headed out so she could pick up some gifts for her family. We bought a crepe and it was delicious. We returned to school and took our second final. 

Later that night we had our farewell IES dinner. At dinner, Fabrice came right up to me and told me everyone in the class got an A for the first time ever! It was so cute that he chose to tell me. THEN, our other prof went right up to me and told me that my paper was really good (I think that’s what she said at least haha I really still could not understand her accent). I took lots of pictures with everyone and we all added Fabrice on snapchat!! 

Then Emma, Alvarao, Emily, David, Liz, Morgan and I went out to walk around. We had some chocolate shots and drank some, I think. We sat on the edge of the Seine and listened to a street band play music. It was so wonderful and so beautiful. They were mostly brass instruments and played this cute cover of 21 Pilots. I loved it. We ended up at a bar where Alex, Athena, Gabby, and Alexa met up with us. We had a couple beers there and slowly said goodbye to everyone one by one. It was so sad thinking that I will probably never see any of these people ever again. 

I went home so thankful of this experience and so in love with this city. I am so thankful for my 6 wonderfulwonderful weeks in Paris. 

[prettiestrice]

Jour 45: Mercredi, 5 Juillet 2017

[Note: This is written almost exactly one year later — I just wanted to have my blog complete before I start a second for my 2nd study abroad endeavor. Here is what I remember]

Today I woke up, walked to school, and passed this cool building. 

After school, I wandered around for a while on the center ile with Notre Dame. I found Berthillon, which was the ice cream place that my host family told me was the best one in the city. I (of course) tried some. Yum! 

Then, David and I met up at a coffee shop to review for our finals tomorrow. It was cool I was never sure how he found all the best coffee shops (Yelp!)

The coffee was good. I walked around some more and mailed out postcards to Ray, Maddy, Sam, and Jaylee. I love postcards!!!!!

Then I had dinner with my host family for the final time. I am not sure what I did after that. 

[prettiestrice]

Jour 44: Mardi, 4 Juillet 2017

[Note: This is written almost exactly one year later — I just wanted to have my blog complete before I start a second for my 2nd study abroad endeavor. Here is what I remember]

Last Tuesday in Paris! I woke up, went to classes. Emma Coates and I got bread and cheese for lunch. It was so yummy! I love goat cheese! I’m gonna miss it so much when I leave :( 

In class, we premiered our films!!! 

Here is a link to mine and Morgan’s. It is pretty good if I do say so myself. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aNsb-KklBY

Fabrice was very impressed with it that he made us show Seth and the whole class a 2nd time when Seth entered the room. 

After school, I had dinner with my host family and then went out with Emma, Morgan, Emily, David, and Liz. I took this pretty picture of a bridge. 

Then we wandered around. We went to a cool bar on the river and then walked to a more fun area with nightclubs and stuff. Emma, Morgan, and Liz went to a nightclub and Morgan, David and I went to a calmer bar where we had this weird fruit drink. 

We talked there for a while then we left for home. I do not wanna leaaaave!

[prettiestrice]

Jour 43: Lundi, 3 Juillet 2017

[Note: This is written almost exactly one year later — I just wanted to have my blog complete before I start a second for my 2nd study abroad endeavor. Here is what I remember]

Today I woke up and met up with Emily, Morgan, and Gabby at le Tour Eiffel to finish recording our video for class. I will edit it soon and it will be absolutely lovely! 

We went to classes which were normal and then afterward I had the reward from le defi (I think that’s the reason we had the snack?). It was at Angelina which is a French dessert place. And it was so yum. It was Morgan, Gabby, Alexa, Athena, and one other people? I don’t remember who exactly. We had a very good conversation about mental health and about sexual assault and feminism. It was so good! It’s very interesting to be able to talk to people about these topics who are people from different backgrounds and different histories because they have such interest take on the topics and can provide so much good information. The dessert wasn’t the best as it was this weird hazelnut thing. But the chocolat chaud was just the BEST. Here is a pic. 

After we departed, I had dinner with my host family and then met up with Emily, Liz, David, and Morgan at le Tour Eiffel. We wanted to go up the whole way but I believe it was closed. Here are some pictures. 

This view is still stunning.

Here is me wearing a very cute beret. We took pics with all of them which Emily loaded to facebook. 

David and I were lying on the Lawn and some drunk American woman was like “OMG! You guys look so cute! Let me take a picture” and we did. It was very cute. I was glad the drunk American woman was obnoxious. 

THEN we went up the Eiffel Tower and Then we left to go home. David, Morgan, and I rode the metro home and then Morgan got off and David and I walked around and talked for like an hour. He’s a super cool dude. 

Then I went home and went to bed!

[prettiestrice]

Jour 42: Dimanche, 2 Juillet 2017

Last Sunday in Paris :( I’m weeping.

I woke up again at 10 & then just relaxed for a bit and went to mass at 11:30. I am very very much going to miss French mass. It makes me think more and pay attention more. And it sounds so pretty! I think I’ll try to find a French mass to go to in DC when I go back to college.

I went to boulangerie to get lunch & got a jambon & format sandwich. Can I just say that mayonnaise is the world’s worst food?! Like who invented it? What even is it? Is it edible? Is it just lard in a bucket? Seems like it. Smells like it. Grossest thing ever. I hate it.

So the sandwich had mayo on it. I scraped it off as best as I could and then I took a shower because mayonnaise makes me feel dirty. F that stuff.

[Note: THE REST OF THIS is written almost exactly one year later — I just wanted to have my blog complete before I start a second for my 2nd study abroad endeavor. Here is what I remember]

After, I spent time with Tot since she was still there for the weekend. It was also my last dinner on my own as this coming week I’d have famille d’accueil dinner and then goodbye IES dinner. So I went out with Tot to this BEAUTIFUL French restaurant. We decided to order all traditionally French food. We got white wine, French onion soup, escargot, duck, and yummy yummy bread. She took very good photos of me which I will attach here. 

It was delicious and the perfect last meal out in France. And Also a very good time with Tot (She is an amazing photographer). 

Afterward we met up with Owen and his friend and walked around by where their (very expensive) hotel was. Then I said goodbye to them and walked them to the metro. 

Then I met up with Emily, David, Liz, and Morgan and we walked all around by the Sacre Coeur and saw some cool street art! 

David bought a beret and it was hilarious. 

(I miss them so much.) 

So then it was getting late and we headed home. Gosh, great Sunday. 

[prettiestrice]

Jour 41: Samedi, 1 Juillet 2017.

Today was a wonderful last Saturday in Paris!!

I woke up kind of late (10 am) since I got home so late from Disney last night. Sleeping in was much needed though. Disney is exhausting!! I had breakfast (I feel bad eating so late since my host family told me breakfast is not served after 10 am but Camille woke up after me and then ate breakfast & also it’s literally toast). Then I tried to contact Owen & Tot since they are in the city for the weekend. I spent the morning catching up on posts since I was behind & they were at a museum. I finally got in contact with Owen and met him at Notre Dame. The line was SUPER long so we didn’t go in but I showed him the architecture up close, the Point Zero, and what Fabrice had taught us etc. We got on the RER C (literally the wrong direction) and took that OUTSIDE of the city. Because I am horribly bad at following maps and the RER’s are So confusing. So we ended up getting on the right one & we landed at le Tour Eiffel and waited there for Tot & another kid who goes to CUA with us but I had never met until yesterday. We saw them. It was so nice to see people from home and I love them oh, so much but it’s hysterical because I feel like Wow, College is OK. France & Pennsylvania are Better.

They were a little hungry so we walked & found a boulangerie and got some bread then walked some more. Poor taught like fractured her ankle & hasn’t been to the doctor’s yet so she’s, like, limping. But we managed. After a lil while, they were all tired so we departed for home and I said I’d find us a place for dinner and we’d meet up later.

I went home & found an ADORABLE restaurant called Comptoir de la Gastronomie. It looked so cute & had escargot which was the one thing they really wanted to try. So we decided to meet there at 8:30. Emily & Morgan wanted to come & meet my college friends, too, so we went but it was very full. RIP. We went across the street to a different restaurant. It didn’t have many options and the menu was kind of expensive but I was just glad they would sit all 6 of us. We had dinner. Then Emily left to meet Liz at a bar and Morgan, Tot, Owen, XX, and I went to see the Eiffel Tower at night because XX really wanted to see it sparkle. We walked there and got there right at 11 and it was amazing. We were all very happy that we got to see it. Then we sat on the grass and just watched it for like a half hour then Morgan left we went over to the bar where Liz, Emily, and David were. By the time we got there it was like 1, and there was no ATM so the CUA people left, I waited in a horrific line to get into this bar. But I am glad I did! It was a rooftop bar called Communion at one of the piers on Quai d’Austerlitz. Like where Cafe Oz is (the bar we went to on Emily’s birthday!). I only had 2 drinks because I didn’t want to get drunk but we danced till like 4 am!!! It was crazy. Parisians go hard. The place was still packed even after we left.

An old man that was like probably 45 tried to start dancing with me. He looked like Sting but was ugly lol

So then we left the Pier and were openly singing Mr. Brightside on the way down to the Uber. It was amazing. Moderately embarrassing. But amazing.

Then I got home and went to sleep. AMAZING last Saturday in Paris. (I don’t wanna leave!)

[prettiestrice]

Photos from Disney Paris 2! 

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Photos from Disney Paris 1! These are just what I took on my phone. We took lots of Emily’s which I won’t get for another day or so because we have to wait to be in person to air drop them. But these are still so cute! woo. 

[prettiestrice]

Jour 40: Vendredi, 30 Juin 2017.

What’s more magical than Disney? What’s more magical than Paris? Disney IN Paris!!!!!!!!! 

I can’t break down today moment by moment because it was too much fun. We spent almost 13 hours in the 2 parks! They are slightly smaller than in Florida but just as fun! A lot of the rides are the same but they have some different ones too. Like they have Rock n Roller Coaster and Small World, but they also have an Armageddon thing (that was a lot like the Twister ride in Universal - RIP). Also, everything is cheaper. The tickets were only $66 (Dollars!) for a one-day park hopper pass because it was the 25 anniversary so there was a special summer deal. That would have cost like $250 in FL. We rode everything we could! David went on his first roller coaster!! It was SO much fun! The castle is Aurora’s Castle so it was slightly smaller than Cinderella’s, there was like a part on the side where the briar patch would be, I think. It was also pink!! It was so cute! (I’ll post photos separately). 

The Pirates ride was closed and so was the Star Wars’ Roller Coaster (sad) but we rode everything else! I bought lots of presents and I took lots of pictures. Honestly such an amazing day. I was glowing and laughing so much. David, Emily, and Liz are so much fun I just lot hanging out with them. I wanna go visit OSU this fall!

ALSO I didn’t get to ride the Tower of Terror ride because the closed the Disney Studios park at 7 instead of 11 like it said online. I was bummed but drop towers scare me way too much anyway!

It rained for a while but I didn’t mind. I threw out my black stage crew shoes they second that I got home because they were completely destroyed with like a whole on the bottom and I think I got trench foot honestly (hot lol). 

There were SO many Star Wars things! I’ve only seen 4, 5 and 6, but this made me want to go home and watch them all! There were shoes and features of clips and we met Darth Vader!!! The Rock n Roller coaster had guitars signed by Sting and Bono! I ate a candy apple (surprise!) and we bought Mickey Mouse Ears! Most of the photos are on Emily’s phone so I will get them later but it was just an amazing day! I’m so happy. 

Oh and the night show (Disney Illuminations) was SO cool! The castle lit up with songs and scenes from movies and fireworks. It was so cool. I cried like I actually cried when I watched the Frozen part cause it was talking about sisters and I miss my sisters. I also cried during the Beauty and the Beast part because Belle is the best. But weird thing they used the Cartoon for everything except for Beauty and the Beast they used Emma. It was so amazing though. 

I wanna go to Disney in Florida now!!!!

I didn’t get home till around 1 but it was worth it. SO much fun! 

I am so happy I can’t believe I have to leave in a week. 

[prettiestrice]

Jour 39: Jeudi, 29 Juin 2017.

Today was cool! 

After breakfast, we met at 9:30 at IES for our history class. We were supposed to have an excursion first but the times got all messed up and everything so we ended up having class first. It was cool. 

After class, we took the metro to Fondation Louis Vuitton (picture above), which was very far away from our school but very cool. It was a museum. The first exhibit we visited was a temporary exhibit on African Art & like the Apartheid in South African & African Culture. It was VERY interesting. I didn’t even get as much time as I wanted to in the museum because we were so rushed for time. Especially in this exhibit. There was a lot of awesome photos showing people working and just life in general. There was this big section on different hair styles. Each hair style has it’s own meaning and it’s own name and there was literally thousands of them. Obviously, the museum didn’t display them all. But they exist! 

The second exhibit, the permanent one, was (the best way to describe it?) a modern art exhibit. It had lots of buildings like tiny. Like lots of little abstract art cities built. Very cool to look at! There was also a ton of masks here and just different art pieces. A whole section of masks made entirely out of gasoline cans! Like the plastic ones that you use to fill your lawn mower. 

After that exhibit, we explored outside. The museum was located in a garden but the architecture of the museum was very very cool. It was like a giant egg with lines. Hard to describe. Google it. There was also a fountain thing. It was pretty! And a line of like 100 mirrors which all were angled slightly differently so if you stood on this bridge facing them, you could see yourself in every single mirror. It was awesome! I love being able to look at myself in 100 mirrors at once! 

After that we had to leave because of the grammar course students had class. 

I love Fabrice. 

A couple of us went out to lunch then returned to IES for sociology. We watched a movie about people in France who are “gleaners”. That basically means that they go to farms after the harvest and pick what is left or what has been discarded. Which isn’t illegal! And is almost encouraged! It was very cool. What you don’t realize is that on farms, pomme de terre for example, they will discard all the potatoes that are too big or oddly shaped because they won’t be sold. So these gleaners will go and take all the potatoes that are still edible but have been discarded. Honestly I think it’s great. It cuts down on so much food waste! It was my favorite Sociology class so far (lol) 

After class, I was gonna make the movie with Morgan but it was raining so I think I will do it Sunday. Alvaro and I also had plans to go up Notre Dame. So we went to Notre Dame and the TOWER WAS CLOSED! I was sad but I am glad I got to see it again anyway. 

(POINT ZERO OF PARIS — At Notre Dame!)

Then we went to Sacre Coeur, once again TOWER WAS CLOSED. The view up is so pretty but like C’MON!!!! 

(Carousel in front of the Sacre-Coeur. Used in the film Emilie!)

Emily joined us there. It’s GORGEOUS. We walked around a lot then met Alvaro’s parents. They are so cute. His dad is in statistical research or something and his mom is a college math professor. They were so sweet! His mom was so nice and bubbly and fun and Alvaro is a lot like her. They invited us out to dinner but we had plans with Liz and David. So we said bye to them and we went closer to the Eiffel Tower to some Italian place. 

Pasta del Nonno lol. The waiter was rude but the food was REALLY yum. love gnocchi!!!!! 

After that, they went to La Javelle and I went home because I was tired and we were going to Disney tomorrow!!! I wanted to sleep a lot for that. So I went to bed. Great day :)

[prettiestrice]

Jour 38: Mercredi, 28 Juin 2017.

Alors. This whole week was rainy and yucky. Paris in the rain is still cool but it makes me lazy enough to not wanna do a lot. Which I guess for a few days isn’t bad since next week we had finals and I have 2 projects due. 

Today I had class then came home and had dinner with my host family. Writing this 3 days after, I really forget anything that I did and I didn’t even take any photos on that day. So it must have been pretty boring. I did get a lot of reading done for history, I think. 

Since it was so dreary and yucky, Emily wanted to go to the movies! So at 9:45, we met at Cinema Gaumont Parnasse. It was cool because the movie was only 4€. I think it was a Wednesday night deal. We saw Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge and it was SO good! It reminded me of a sequel the same way that Jurassic World was a sequel. Like not fantastic but really, really awesome and you were very happy with it. I cried (classic Natalie). I also ate almost 1000 calories in Peanut M&M’s. The food at theaters was super cheap & also super big. It’s funny because French people eat so much less, but for like 3€50 I got a bag of M&M’s that was 4 times the size of what they would have given you in America for like the exact same price (like $4). 

After the movie, we went home and went to sleep. Good day :) 

[prettiestrice]

Jour 37: Mardi, 27 Juin 2017.

Hello! Bonjour. Today was pretty cool. So, today we had history then for sociology we had an excursion. On this excursion, we went to the 20th arrondissement and walked around. It’s a more “dangerous” part of the city but her point was definitely that it wasn’t all that more dangerous. It was definitely grosser. There was a lot more trash everywhere. 

First, we walked to find a “Bains & Douches”. So, the city of Paris has like 12 buildings that are just free public showers that anyone can go and use. Which is kind of gross but at the same time very nice. Like homeless people can go shower and it just helps to keep the city a little cleaner. Very interesting. 

Next, we walked into this gated community which was probably illegal for us to enter. But it had tons and tons of wooded houses like 3-4 stories high and very close together. When I say wood I mean like they were legitimate houses with wooded siding not like stick shacks or something. But the point was lower cost housing for lower income families. It was all gated and the sidewalks were dirt. But we got the point. 

Then we went into a cafe to talk. It was a very cute cafe. Less than half the class left because it was 5:15 but most of us stayed. She let us all order a drink then she paid for it (with the intention of IES reimbursing her). She let us order alcohol lol. I had a glass of chardonnay. Except she didn’t want to tell IES we were drinking alcohol so she had the barista/bartender ring it all out as non-alcholic beverages. The cafe had a very casual feel. Like I very much enjoyed it. There were plenty and plenty of tables and couches and it felt so much more relaxed than a lot of other places in Paris. 

So we sat there and talked for a while. After about an hour, I headed home, did homework, then had dinner with my host family. It was just me and my host brother and we talked and my French WASN’T the worst ever!!!! YAY! 

After that I did more homework. I facetimed with my family because they are at Seven Springs right now (VERY heartbroken that I am missing it). Then I went out to the bar because it was my friend Alex’s 21st birthday!!!!!! 

It was also Tequila Tuesday at this Irish pub on St-Michel. So Tequila shots were only 2€50. I bought him one of course! 

He had two friends from home, Andrea and some other kid whose name I don’t remember. Gabby, Liz, David, Tucker, Emily, those 2 kids, and I were all there. It was a lot of fun! The pub was very relaxed so we just sat and talked. I also ordered a drink that I know Alex said was good. It was like cream, kailua, and something else?! It tasted like chocolate. One of the other people ordered a “French Flag Shot” which was some red colored liquor, baileys, then some blue colored liquor. I took a pic because it was cute

I went home around midnight since I didn’t want to drink a lot and we had school tomorrow. But it was a really fun day! Alex is such a sweetie & I hope he had a good birthday. 

[prettiestrice]

Jour 36: Lundi, 26 Juin 2017.

Monday was pretty usual (the rest of the week was cray though so hold on to ur seatbelt lolz). I had history & sociology, came back, went shopping (didn't buy anything yet lol). On Wednesday & for the entire month of July is the SOLDES sales of July. In France, apparently stores don’t have sales all year but then like everything in stores is 50% off for all of July and like December or something. I had a lot of homework so I came back and worked for a long time. Then had dinner with my host family. Boring, I know. Oh for dinner, my host mom gave me half a glass of rose. I’m gonna miss drinking wine a lot :( I love french vin! 

[prettiestrice]

Jour 35: Dimanche, 25 Juin 2017.

Today I woke up around 9:45 (the latest I’ve slept in since arriving in Paris). I needed it. I wasn’t feeling too too well. I think I’m dehydrated and my run on Friday I pushed too much. Anyway. I had breakfast & then headed toward the Irish Cultural Center for mass since this is the one that Father Dwayne told me to come to. So I went and I was like a minute late but they hadn’t started yet but it was very crowded. Father Dwayne was standing at the front and ushered me up to sit in the very first seat. He said something to me in French which I didn’t hear, assumably that means he didn’t recognize me. I sat down, mass commenced and I quickly realized this was a CONFIRMATION MASS. Like what the heck?! I can’t believe I ran into somebody’s confirmation mass. How awkward I am so sorry! I was sitting between all the confirmees. But that just means that it was okay since he told me to sit there. And there were only 4. Mass went by quickly anyway and it was cool watching people be confirmed!! Very happy for them. 

After mass, there was a barbecue. There was also coffee and some baked good things. There were these little things that honestly I don’t even know what they were made of. Probably one inch cubed of what was like chocolate and oats (I think??) maybe nuts??? IT WAS SO GOOD. Maybe it was Irish since we were at the Irish Catholic church?? I NEED TO FIND THEM.

I can’t stop thinking about them. 

After that I wanted to talk to Father Dwayne but all of the other 4 priests and the bishop was walking around but he was no where to be seen. So I left after like an hour and I went down the road a little bit. Since it’s in the Latin Quarter I sat down at a cafe where a nice man gave me 2 coffees and I read for like an hour. I finished Misery it was SO good. Then I bought some ice cream. 

I was supposed to meet Caroline to go to the Catacombs but she texted me and said the line was super long. So we decided not to and then I went home. I spent the rest of the day relaxing because I didn’t feel well. So that’s all! 

Here are some pics from the cafe. Amazing.