Dearest Metro, I love thee, but not the fact that you close at 2:30

This is the FOURTH attempt of me writing this blog. I am soooo sorry it has been over a week. I have been trying since Tuesday, but every time I start to write something comes up, or I lose the internet. I lost it for three hours Wednesday, and 2 hours on Thursday. I think it has to do with Skype somehow :-/ the internet here does not like it because it only shuts off when I am using it. LAME. Anywho onto the good stuff,

I totally forgot to mention in my last blog, that each day I am trying to incorporate 5 new words or phrases (or both!) into my French language database, and try and integrate them into my conversations at least once. Hence, the title was Word of the Day: Earplugs last time. However, I have failed to do that the past several days (typical me!) so starting today, on my honor, I am going to (try and) do this everyday. Don't worry I won't post them on here and bore you, BUT remember this one Vas chier! for later.

Thursday was my second dinner with Murielle, and we had this fish that I STILL do not know the name of, but it was good, and this curry/risotto thing, and a raisin tarte. Oh and really good vegetable soup she made by scratch. It was all very good, however conversation was still French 101. It was a bit easier this time, but it is like I forget everything when talking to her. Ugh, I will not be improving much this semester, I can already tell. *sigh*

Friday I had my theatre class and I honestly think he hates me now, or thinks I don't take his class seriously because I woke up after using ear plugs, and I think I slept funny and pushed one a little too far in, because when I woke up I could NOT hear out of my left ear. Like at all. So I sat the entire class yawning and opening my jaw to try and pop it, as well as copying Beth's notes because I couldn't hear a thing. Well after class, he mentioned something to me about being super tired and whatnot. Well it wasn't until after he left it clicked in that he thought I was jetlagged/too tired and couldn't focus OY. But side note I went in early to talk to him and apologize, and he completely understood - he just thought I was jetlagged and he completely understood because the first week is hard on students. So he doesn't hate me...yet *phew!*

Friday night was definitely an interesting night. I did not want to sit in my room...on a Friday night... in Paris, so we met up at one of the girl's dorms to hang out before going to this concert/dance type thing. So right before we are leaving, we find out it is in the 19th arrondissement a.k.a BuFu and near the outskirts of Paris. It is 10:30 at this point. 1 hours later, 4 or trains later we arrive at this place. Europeans love their techno and electronic music, so the music was kind of inbetween that, with something I cannot describe but it wasn't as bad as I thought! Quite enjoyable, and fun it let loose and dance (well I don't dance but the people at this place weren't good dancers either AND they do not dance like we do in the U.S. so it was much easier for me to stand and jump and rock about ha!) Well we leave at 1:30, but we didn't exactly know where the metro was, so we arrived exactly 1 minute after the metro left...the last one of the night. The metro closes at 2:30 on the weekends, meaning it arrives at it's last station at 2:30. So we were in trouble. We decided to take the night buses that run all night. That. Was. An. Experience.

Never again shall I take the night bus! I will leave early, or stay at the clubs til 6 am (JUST KIDDING Mom!) The systems are extremely confusing, EXTREMELY, there are a gazillion stops on each bus, there are no signs telling you which way one goes, etc. The buses are extremely safe though, and the police are always on them making sure you bought a ticket for it (yay Passe Navigo that works on trains and buses!) You also have to do a lot of switching from one bus to another. Like I said, the buses are very safe, the stops however are not so much. Guys are always yelling at girls, harassing them, hitting on them, asking them questions, etc. So that part wasn't fun, but that is where Vas chier! or Allez-y! comes in handy! Allez-y means Go away! Vas chier! means leave me, go away, or if you yell it, it means something a lot stronger. I will let you figure it out. But it works wonders. So we were on the buses forever, and as we are nearing my stop, I notice that the bus driver skipped my stop. Yep, skipped it completely. So we have to continue the bus into the suburb it was going to, hop on the another bus that goes the reverse route, and made sure the bus driver new to stop! It was quite an eventful night, and I got home much later than anticipated, so needless to say no more night buses! I had my one adventure, and that was enough to last me a lifetime.

I absolutely adore the metro though. i am becoming quite a pro at it, knowing when to switch lines, and what stops have what! My line is awesome because it is the closest metro to the Institut Catholique, it drops off right at the Musee d'Orsay, AND Montmartre. Also, it is a block away from my appartment complex. Love it! So if only it would stay open 24 hours *sigh* it opens at like 5 or 5:30am and closes at 2:30am why not stay open those few extra hours? I do not get it!

Anywho, Saturday we met at Sacre Coeur to visit it, Montmartre, and the Moulin Rouge. It was finally a sunny day! and not too cold! We climbed the many stairs to get up the Sacre Coeur and went inside. Sacre Coeur is absolutely gorgeous. It amazes me that way back when people were able to construct such amazing structures like Notre Dame and Sacre Coeur, without the technology that we have today to create things. How they were able to conceive these images in their head, as well as know how such heavy things can be supported blows my mind (don't even get me started on the pyramids!) I did not remember the inside of Sacre Coeur at all, and I know for a fact I went in last time, but it is breathtaking. Everything is so ornate, and the colors on the decorated ceiling -wow. How have they lasted so long? Sacre Coeur is a lot different from Notre Dame, beside the obvious being they are two completely different styles of architecture, etc. but Notre Dame is extremely touristy (duh) and you are allowed to talk and take pictures in Notre Dame. Sacre Coeur, however, while still touristy, you must remain absolutely silent, you cannot take pictures, and you may never disrupt any patrons who are praying or if there is a service going on. That is what makes Sacre Couer so special. Just walking around, only by candle light, with it being very quiet. It really makes you think. After we left Sacre Coeur, we went to look around Montmartre for a little bit, and then made our trek down to see the Moulin Rouge. We had no idea where we were going, but that's the fun of it! I didn't get to see it last time I was Paris so I was super excited to see it - especially since I adore the movie! We finally get to the street it is on, and we can't find it. We keep walking and see people taking pictures of something, so we turn around to see and voila! There it was. First reaction: it is SO tiny! Second reaction: this looks kind of cartoony. Third reaction: this is sooooo not like the movie! Where's the elephant? where's the big theatre? where's Ewen and Nicole! (ok, I didn't really think that last part) While I was slighty disappointed, it was still the Moulin Rouge and I got to see it! Don't worry I didn't go inside!

Saturday night, after it being such a lovely day, Ashley, Caroline, Erin, and I decided to go to see the Eiffel Tower, since we hadn't gone yet. I take one step outside, and it is POURING rain. Grrrreat. I meet Ashley and Caroline at the metro stop - but the not the closest one to the tower, and when we arrive at the base of the Eiffel Tower to meet the other Erin, we are sopping wet. Oh did I mention my 5 euro umbrella broke after an hour of usage, so I was more wet than everyone else! That is what I get for being cheap.We take some pictures and decided we were just too cold and wet so we run to a little restaurant for some coffee and tea to warm us up. The rain was relentless, so after an hour of waiting we decide we have to get back home. It looked like I swam through a lake to get home, and my half broken umbrella was useless with the wind that started to pick up. The next morning when I woke up it sounded like a tornado! It was ridiculous. Several hours later is when I heard the a hurricane basically hit here (omg!) and I was out in it, and at the Eiffel Tower that night, the wind reached 108 miles per hour. Holy. Cow. Good thing i made it home in one piece!

Sunday we all met a the MacDo (McDonald's) to discuss our spring break plans! We ended up not booking anything for spring break there, BUT I did book my flight to SWEDEN! Wooo! I am going to Stockholm and I cannot wait! I will put my tentative traveling plans up at the end of this blog sou can be envious of my life (just kidding!) I will be living on baguettes and water for the remainder of the semester with all the things I want to do, but hey! When in Paris!

This blog is getting way to long, and I have to get up at 6am (ughh!) tomorrow to go to Reims (Champagne country!) so I will fill you in on my entire week in the blog I write tomorrow or Sunday, yes I promise I will write! Until then AU REVOIR!

Travelling:

March 6th: Reims, France (Champagne country!)

March 18th-21st: Stockholm, SWEDEN (!!!)
April 1st-5th: Barcelona? Switzerland? London? China (jokes)? we shall see
April 16-24th: GREECE!!!!!
April 24th-May 1st: All of Italy. Hopefully I will be back in Paris by May 1st (cough hint mom & dad cough I need you to buy my ticket from Milan cough)